So far, more than 300 staff have participated with an additional two workshops scheduled for Tuesday 10 and Thursday 12 October. These workshops will be facilitated by the Dean of Students, Professor Mariella Herberstein and the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Taryn Jones.

If you haven not already done so, consider registering for a Macquarie Advantage staff workshop.

If you are unable to attend a workshop but still want to contribute, keep an eye on your emails throughout October. All staff and students will be invited to participate in a survey on the development of the Macquarie Advantage.

An artwork will be commissioned from currently enrolled Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students. The selected artwork will be part of the strategy’s branding and included external and internal communication and promotional materials. You can direct interested students to submit artworks to Sam Ricketts, Director, Walanga Muru, at Level 4, 6 First Walk or via email at sam.ricketts@mq.edu.au. The deadline for submission of artwork is midday on Monday 23 October.

The formation of this network is a significant milestone, and allows Macquarie’s Indonesian and Indonesia-based graduates to establish connections built on their shared experiences and sense of pride as Macquarie alumni.

Professor Rorden Wilkinson and Professor Taryn Jones get to know our enthusiastic Indonesian graduates.

Matt Monkhouse, Regional Director South East Asia (left) with Victor Osman, Indonesian Alumni Network leader.

Prior to the alumni network launch in Jakarta, Macquarie’s representatives also connected with the University’s Hong Kong alumni. Established in 1999, the Hong Kong alumni chapter has a thriving local presence comprising more than 6000 enthusiastic ambassadors for Macquarie University. As a hub of international business and trade, Macquarie’s business degrees feature strongly among Hong Kong alumni, with many prominent industry leaders among the chapter.

Members of Macquarie University’s Hong Kong Alumni Chapter, including President Anthony Chan (centre front).

Professor Wilkinson says it was a particularly productive visit for the Macquarie delegation, who not only relished in the chance to meet alumni but also participated in formal meetings with representatives of industry, government, education providers and partner institutions while in the two cities.

“Through this trip we were able to strengthen relationships and make new connections for the University,” Professor Wilkinson says. “We heard stories of student, staff and alumni achievements and we were able to share insights into the University’s plans to further enhance our reputation as leaders in global education.

“Our discussions included employment and internship opportunities, innovative educational delivery options, partnerships and scholarships. The team also attended in-country briefings delivered by our valued partners and agents, to inform our ongoing engagement with students in Indonesia and Hong Kong.”

In his recent This Week article, Professor Rorden Wilkinson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), highlighted some of the unique advantages of a Macquarie University education: the quality of our teaching, the experiences we craft for our students, our industry connections, our collaborative culture and the care and compassion demonstrated by Macquarie staff.

The University has activated a strategic planning process to explore how we can build on these advantages to guide our education into the future.

Five working groups have been established that align with the interconnected and mutually reinforcing elements of the Macquarie Advantage. These groups comprise colleagues and students from across the University, representing a broad range of expertise and perspectives:

• Wellbeing and belonging: co-chaired by Professor Mariella Herberstein, Dean of Students, and Professor Viviana Wuthrich, Director in the Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre
• Academic excellence: co-chaired by Professor Taryn Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education), and Professor Albert Atkin, Deputy Dean, Education and Employability, Faculty of Arts
• Assessment and feedback: co-chaired by Professor Jacqueline Phillips, Chair, Academic Senate, and Professor Cath Dean, Deputy Dean, Education and Employability, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Employability: co-chaired by Professor Dan Johnson, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Enterprise) and Professor Yvonne Breyer, Deputy Dean, Education and Employability, Macquarie Business School
• Digital technology: co-chaired by Professor Linda Beaumont, Deputy Dean, Education and Employability, Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Professor Matt Bower, Interim Dean, Macquarie School of Education, and Chair, Senate Learning and Teaching Committee.

These working groups have spent the past month in focused and intensive discussions to assess current and best practice, identify opportunities to leverage our distinctive advantages, propose enhancements in areas of importance and explore pioneering initiatives within the sector. Reports and recommendations from each group were provided to the Education Strategy Committee in late June and will help shape the initial design of the Macquarie Advantage strategy.

The strategy will also build on work completed over recent years to develop the Macquarie Way and deliver the Students first, Coursework suite and delivery and other streams of the Operating Plan.

Professor Wilkinson says he has been excited by the opportunities that have been identified by staff and students in the early stages of the strategy’s development.

“We have a real opportunity to take a lead in higher education,” he says. “Building on what we do well will ensure we have a dynamic education and student experience that prepares us for the future. I would like to thank everyone involved in the working groups for their important contributions and I look forward to involving the broader University community in the initiatives that are taking shape throughout the areas of focus.”

Macquarie staff and students will have opportunities to contribute to the Macquarie Advantage strategy, with a staff Town Hall planned for 1 August, followed by staff and student workshops and feedback surveys.

On Wednesday 19 April the Educating for Success forum took place on campus, with 174 people joining in person and 80 online.

Professor Dominique Parrish, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) and Professor Rorden Wilkinson (pictured below), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) welcomed attendees and shared the opening address.

Professor Wilkinson spoke about the opportunity that Macquarie University has when it comes to improving assessment and feedback for students:

“I think there is a consensus in this University around the need to move forward with how we assess and give feedback to students in novel and interesting ways, and hope we’re ready to rise to that challenge.”

Later in his opening address, Professor Wilkinson said, “When we think about assessment and feedback, I think feedback is the poor cousin of assessment. It’s an issue that we don’t often focus on in great detail, but it’s what gives students that genuinely transformative educational experience.

“When we give feedback that students can action, when they can really see what they can use to develop their learning, understanding, and expression, they thrive.”

During the forum, an emerging theme was the impact of AI in teaching and assessment. Several presenters referenced AI in their talks, however, not all viewed it as a negative disruptor, with some presenters discussing the prospect of using AI in the classroom as a tool to enable learning.

Presentations also covered important topics such as Indigenous perspectives in assessment and innovation through industry-based assessments. Other highlights included:

• Dr Jo Anne Rey presenting Creative assessment through Country: A transformative practice for sustainable success
• Associate Professor Joanne Jamie presenting Embedding Indigenous perspectives into assessment
• Dr Olga Kozar (pictured right) presenting Assessments in the AI world
• Dr Lurion De Mello presenting Stepping out with industry-relevant skills: designing course-based assessments using real-world data
• Dr Kelly Gray presenting Bridging the gap: Redesigning assessment to link theory to shared-patient care
• Dr Prashan S M Karunaratne presenting Enhancing employability skills via course-based assessments for learning in a capstone unit
• Dr Jacqueline Mackaway presenting Assessments and PACE – working with industry
• Dr Jon Burtt presenting Developing a ‘pathway’ approach to assessments
• Zara Bending presenting Keeping PACE with the times through ‘living voice’: assessment via viva voce.

Videos of each presentation will be available shortly. In the meantime, view an outline of the event program here.

Pictured L to R: Jess Sewell, Professor Melanie Bishop, Leah Mercier, Udai Kamath

The finale of the event was a great debate on the future of assessment, with the topic under discussion ‘That, in response to the proliferation of sophisticated AI, universities should adopt innovative assessment tasks instead of returning to traditional assessment methods (e.g. in-person, invigilated exams)’. Both affirmative and negative teams argued convincingly and provided valuable insights into the future of assessments. At the conclusion of the debate the negative team prevailed with their argument for traditional exams and were declared winners by audience vote.

Thanking the speakers and concluding the event, Professor Parrish expressed her excitement for the future and the impacts on assessment and feedback that will come from the forum’s discussion.

“I look forward to hearing all about the assessment tasks that you will go away and create,” she said.

Although the capacity of ChatGPT to generate content that may be submitted in response to an assessment task is not new, the useability of the platform and its wide accessibility is. While many of us are concerned about breaches of integrity, I don’t believe that banning tools like ChatGPT is the answer. Advances in AI will rapidly outpace our capacity to respond to every misuse. Moreover, if harnessed properly, the gains from utilising AI in our education—for us and our students—are significant.

Utilising AI to good effect will take time. Like AI itself, we will also undergo a process of learning. Certainly, we need to find ways to guard against its misuse, particularly in assessments; but we will succeed working together as a community to find appropriate solutions.

I have spoken with a number of you already about what we might do to ensure that students demonstrate what they have learnt in assessments and do not pass off unattributed AI-generated content as their own. I have also spoken at length with the Vice-Chancellor, other members of the Executive Group, senior stakeholders across the University and colleagues across the sector to ensure that we are aligned. The conversations I have had reinforce what I have come to know about our institution—that we always rise to a challenge.

In the next few days, you will receive an email from your respective Deputy Dean Education and Employability offering help on faculty-specific measures. Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Dominique Parrish’s team will release a series of FAQs that offer pointers to help you think through some of the thornier issues. Dean of Students Professor Mariella Herberstein and I will also write to students to remind them of the importance of academic integrity. And we are planning to release a video ahead of the start of the academic year comprising views and insights from across our community.

I am grateful for the time and dedication each of you puts into making our students’ time with us exceptional. It really does make the difference. I genuinely believe that there is a distinct Macquarie Advantage in the education we provide. Our response in moments like these is just one more example of that. Thinking through how we utilise AI in the way we assess and provide feedback to our students over the medium-term is another.

Professor Rorden Wilkinson
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)

Dr Robyn Westcott, Director of the Academic Literacies Unit is a wordsmith by vocation and training.

Starting as a second-generation staff member at Macquarie in 1993, when she worked as a Research Assistant in the Modern History Department, her career has taken her on a circuitous route. She has worked in many industries from legal publishing to business writing, information design and surgical education before returning to Macquarie to research the first-year experience in late 2012.

Robyn’s fascination with language, literature and storytelling underpins her passion for equipping Macquarie students with the language and expressive skills necessary to realise their graduate ambitions, vocation or creative calling.

With professional expertise centred on Students as Partners initiatives and peer-led learning programs, Robyn’s commitment to empowering students through dialogue informed the development of WriteWISE, the University’s flagship student-led writing support program, which celebrated its 5000th student consultation in 2022.

Her dedication saw her receive the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Leadership Excellence this year.

1. Something you feel proud of

The launch of The Writing Centre in February, and the approval of the Academic Language and Literacies Policy in October this year. We want Macquarie graduates to be clear, compelling and socially responsive communicators.

2. A person you admire at Macquarie, and why

My fabulously whip-smart and hilarious colleagues on the Learning and Teaching management team and our fearless leader, Professor Dominique Parrish.

3. What you need to do your best work

Conversation. For me, all ideas – especially those that are complex or demanding – evolve through dialogue.

4. Something you’ve read recently that has had an impact on you

I’m currently reading Anwen Crawford’s poetic essay ‘No Document’. It’s an elegy to the intensity of early adult relationships, the shared joys of art-making, and the resonating experience of grief and loss.

5. A favourite photo from your camera roll

This photo summarises four of my passions in life: books, cake, cafés and London. It was taken at the gorgeous Vida Bakery on Brick Lane in January 2020, just before the first international case of COVID-19 was reported. And yes, I usually read with a pencil or stylus in hand. Frankly, if a book isn’t scribbled through, it hasn’t been read.

6. Your definition of success

Creating possibilities where, previously, none appeared to exist.

7. The first person you go to for advice

My Dad. His compassionate pragmatism and clear-eyed rationality are a much-valued counterpoint to my own more intuitive decision-making.

8. A website or app you can’t live without

Apple Music. I was a high school ‘mixtaper’ and playlists take me back to 1991 all over again.

9. A personal quality you value in others

Generosity.

10. I’m happiest when…

I’m reading something beautiful, or otherwise captivating, pencil at the ready.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Rorden Wilkinson explains: “Our new approach is designed to support students to make the successful transition to tertiary study. It is crucial that our commencing students feel a sense of belonging to our community right from the start. We want them to know that we are as invested in their success as they are.”

To foster this sense of belonging, our orientation and onboarding experience has been redesigned and now comprises three elements: an online pre-arrival module, a ‘kickstart’ program and a refreshed orientation week.

Orientation will now begin with ‘MACQ2023 – Your student starter guide’, an online, self-paced iLearn module that all commencing students will complete prior to the start of session. This module is a practical introduction to iLearn that also provides students with information about their academic journey, their safety and wellbeing, as well as the employability services available to them throughout their studies. Students will be able to revisit this information at any stage during their time with us.

The new Kickstart program runs from 13 to 17 February 2023, and has been designed to provide a soft landing and focused transition for our domestic and international undergraduate and postgraduate students. Kickstart will feature face-to-face and online sessions that provide our students with in-depth information that complements and builds on what they have learned from MACQ2023. This includes important messaging about expectations for academic integrity, and fostering a safe and inclusive environment, as well as practical guidance about writing at university, study techniques and important faculty-specific information.

Much of the content delivered during Kickstart will be presented by student peer educators from later years to ensure that the material is authentic and relatable. Scheduled social activities have been designed to foster connectivity and provide informal opportunities for students to learn about our campus.

Our new Orientation Week will run during the first week of Session 1, from 20 to 24 February 2023. One of the highlight events of the week will be Convocation, an official commencement ceremony held in our Graduation Hall and hosted by Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton. Other activities will include campus and library tours, a parents and carers information evening, student club stalls in the Central Courtyard, ‘speed friending’ events and a host of social activities that students can attend between classes.

Under the leadership of Dean of Students Professor Mariella Herberstein, the Macquarie Kickstart and Orientation team are engaging with key stakeholders and subject matter experts from across the institution to operationalise this new approach to orientation.

You can support Kickstart and Orientation Week by helping the team to recruit 150 current students as Student Belonging Activators. This paid position is an excellent opportunity for students to give back to the Macquarie community, develop skills and make new connections. If you know anyone suitable, encourage them to apply via our careers and employability portal Employability Connect.

Academic Integrity Week is on now so make sure you’ve registered to engage with the discussion and events happening this week.

Jobs Happy Hour has been designed to provide our students with exclusive access to employers who are currently recruiting for a range of roles, from Christmas casual jobs to graduate roles. This event is part of the new approach the Employability and Graduate Success team have taken to actively engage students in their career journey.

Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching, Professor Dominique Parrish explains, “it can be challenging to get students to engage in career planning before they graduate, but it’s crucial to their success. Our approach this year has been built on bringing the services, resources, and networking activities to our students in a way that we’ve not previously tried. We are actively seeking out the students and engaging them face to face in popular on-campus locations.”

Jobs Happy Hour, which is taking place on 19 October between 2-4pm at the white marquee near 1CC and the Chancellery, will present a select group of industry partners who are currently seeking to recruit Macquarie students. Industry partners get exclusive access to our talented students and our talented students get exclusive access to jobs being advertised by partners in the Macquarie Park area. The informal and fun event will help students make their job search interactive and efficient.

It’s not the traditional careers fair – there’ll be a DJ, career caricature portraits, professional styling tips and happy hour activities for our students to enjoy.

Whilst the atmosphere will be light, this is a professional event and the Employability and Graduate Success team will be preparing our students in advance to help them make the best possible impression.

Kylie Ebert, Director of Employability and Graduate Success explains,  “Once students register, our team connects them to the available jobs through the Macquarie Student Employment site in Employability Connect. The Careers team then provides resources to help students prepare their resume, practice their elevator pitch, and find out more about the employers. Our students will be well prepared to engage with, and impress, our industry partners.”

Jobs Happy Hour is supported by a comprehensive student communication plan but if you would like to contribute to the success of this initiative, please encourage our students to register and attend this strategic event. You can find out more about Jobs Happy Hour on the website.

Confirmed industry partner attendees so far include

• Achieve Australia
• Amazon Web Services
• Apprenticeship Careers Australia
• Aspect – Autism Spectrum Australia
• BOC
• Campus Life
• Catholic Education, Diocese of Parramatta
• Child Speech Therapy
• Fujitsu
• Jones Partners Insolvency & Restructuring
• Metcash
• MLC Life Insurance
• Optus
• Prensa

Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Student–Nominated Award

Recognises staff for their teaching and support of learning that influences, motivates, and inspires students to learn.

Associate Professor Trevor Case, School of Psychological Sciences

Enthusing and engaging his students through his passionate delivery of content is important, but Associate Professor Trevor Case has an equally important goal: “To inspire and motivate them to pursue knowledge.”

The Social and Personality Psychology convenor and lecturer has delivered his knowledge of social psychology with passion, clarity, humour and respect for 15 years – striving to challenge preconceptions with scientific knowledge.

His success is demonstrated by exceedingly – and consistently – high ratings for a large, compulsory undergraduate unit. Ratings have remained high as the unit has grown from 350 students in 2008 to 1200 students in 2022.

“I was completely blown away by your lecture content. It was so controversial, interesting and thought-provoking.” – Macquarie student

“Thank you for a brilliant unit which was perfectly run, seriously interesting and brilliantly delivered. I bet you don’t hear this often, but I wish it didn’t have to end.” – Macquarie student

Associate Professor Melissa Norberg, School of Psychological Sciences

By personally connecting with her students, Associate Professor Melissa Norberg transforms them into critical thinkers – and ultimately narrows the science-practice gap.

Her transformative teaching – with a strong social and emotional presence that fosters togetherness and engagement – ensures her students are ready to make informed, real-life decisions.

“I challenge my students’ worldview by teaching them to independently evaluate theory and research rather than rely upon ‘expert’ opinion,” she explains.

Student ratings reflect her dedication to fostering scientific thinking. Undergraduates and postgraduate students agree that her teaching prepares them to excel in professional practice.

“I feel like your class really raised the bar for me regarding critical analytical skills and how I justify the clinical decisions I will soon be making. It was always clear that you were passionate about helping us develop the skills we need to be the best clinicians we can be.” – Macquarie student

“Associate Professor Melissa Norberg makes an effort to connect with her students. She creates an environment that allows her students to understand her on a personal and a professional level. She is an inspiration for myself and hopefully many others in becoming future psychologists.” – Macquarie student

Professor Anina Rich, School of Psychological Sciences

Her own research and expertise in attention gives Professor Anina Rich an advantage when developing and delivering engaging content. But it’s her passion that translates into exceptional teaching, and stays with her students.

When she started teaching undergraduate Cognitive and Brain Sciences units in 2017, Rich’s goal was to inspire, build research and critical-thinking skills, and motivate and engage.

“I aspired to clearly present complex information, be inclusive and ensure every student gets something from my units – even if only an appreciation of how amazing the brain is.”

She expected this would be a solid model for teaching, but was surprised at just how rewarding it is too.

“Anina Rich is a brilliant convenor and lecturer. Her material and delivery are engaging, dynamic, relevant, and very well structured. She is always happy to have a chat, to answer questions. Anina always goes above and beyond for her students. Anina was able to deliver a great semester despite the lockdown. I don’t feel that we have missed out on anything or that our learning has been penalised in any way.” – Macquarie student

“Anina, thank you for all you do to keep the class so interactive and give your students everything they need to succeed. You are so transparent, so responsive to feedback and always engaging me with extra opportunities to get involved with.” – Macquarie student

Dr Ian Collinson, Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature

When Dr Ian Collinson arrived at Macquarie in 2009, he was faced with the challenge of making compulsory, complex theory units as interesting as learning to shoot films, record podcasts or design websites. Student feedback suggests he has succeeded.

Collinson’s first goal is to help each student feel they can “do it”. He then “demystifies the theory without trivialising it” through engagement and challenges that create opportunities for transformation.

Students who may have feared boredom in his units, not only recognise their transformative learning, but continue to employ his strategies throughout university. Of course, this wouldn’t be possible without a dash of humour thrown in as well.

“Thank you again for being the best lecturer and tutor I’ve had at uni. You have an incredible talent as a teacher, and your passion is contagious – regardless of the subject.” – Macquarie student

“I had very low expectations for my enjoyment of this unit. I’d considered it as just another unit I’d have to complete on the way to a degree – a hurdle. The way Ian Collinson set out the course and taught it was hugely engaging and made the mundane interesting. It helped me realise the inner workings of so much of what I observe in the world and was a crucial foundation unit. If I could sign up for a 3000-level unit of this course I would.” – Macquarie student

Dr Ali Lalbakhsh, Engineering, Macquarie University College

“Not good enough.” This mindset is Dr Ali Lalbakhsh’s greatest challenge in convening and lecturing entry units for pathway engineering students. It’s also his greatest career achievement.

His mindset growth philosophy, coupled with specialised group projects and out-of-the-box engagement strategies in a safe environment, enables students to uncap their potential. He does this so well that many of his students defy convention by publishing in journals, and shining on nationwide innovation platforms.

“My effort has turned one of the least-favourite and plagiarism-affected units of the engineering program into a pathway for rising stars.” – Dr Ali Lalbakhsh

“You made me realise pursuing a degree in engineering is something I can definitely accomplish. The lessons you taught were very eye-opening, not just into the world of engineering, but into how people learn and how different we all are.” – Macquarie student

“He made the whole class feel that we were going to be not just engineers, but people who would change the world for the better.” – Macquarie student

Dr Chong It Tan, Department of Actuarial Studies and Business Analytics

Of all the factors that make Dr Chong It Tan such a successful teacher, he says his “passionate enthusiasm and approachableness” are the most important.

“Students tend to be motivated and inspired when lecturers genuinely care for their learning,” says Tan, who creates an interactive and engaging community of learners.

The feedback he cherishes most, though, is when students ask if he will be teaching and guiding them in future units.

“These moments illustrate the trust and rapport I have managed to build with students, and is a constant reminder that I am making a difference in their learning journey” – Dr Chong It Tan

“He cares about preparing us for the future, giving us real-life examples and making the course demanding in order to give us insights into future courses we will take under the actuarial degree.” – Macquarie student

“Chong It is a fantastic lecturer – he always unpacks concepts in an engaging, enthusiastic and thought-provoking manner. This unit is quite conceptually challenging, but at no point did I feel overwhelmed. I felt I was really able to appreciate the elegance and beauty of the mathematics behind a lot of the ideas introduced in the unit.” – Macquarie student

Charanya Ramakrishnan, School of Computing

Walking into a lecture with her jolly, upbeat attitude hooks students from the outset. The “happy ambience” created by Charanya Ramakrishnan is contagious, and students react with their undivided attention. Ramakrishnan makes learning fun, and this, she says, helps students retain concepts more efficiently.

But she has even more to offer. Ramakrishnan put Macquarie on the map as Australia’s first university to introduce the React Native technology framework, which has created internship and job opportunities for students. She has also produced more than 150 bite-sized videos, which have been used across four units.

“I fed off your energy. It may seem impossible to think university students could be alive, alert, awake and enthusiastic for a 6pm Monday class every week. But we came excited to learn because you came excited to teach. Your devotion to your students is on a level I’ve never seen before with any university staff.” – Macquarie student

“The amount of effort and care this educator puts into her work and students is unrivalled. She has done an immeasurable amount for the students, never discounting a student, regardless of how small, basic or easy the questions or stories are.” – Macquarie student

Dr Parmod Chand, Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance

The ‘four-step approach’ to delivering content – adopted by Dr Parmod Chand – has been found by education researchers to be one of the most effective techniques to enhance the learning experience. The theory-context-personalisation-practice philosophy has worked wonders for Chand’s students too, with many attesting to his innovative, research-backed teaching, which is highly engaging and brimming with workforce capabilities.

“I strive to produce graduates who are lifelong learners and possess the skills and competencies needed to succeed in our dynamic world,” he says.

He has been embedding research to develop innovative teaching practices to foster student engagement. Among Chand’s achievements is his web-based ethics game, Ethics MVP, which encourages thoughtful team-based responses to ethical scenarios. He also innovated a framework-based teaching model for students to develop competency in their technical knowledge.

“Professor Chand is obviously an expert in this field; he’s a dynamic and attention-grabbing lecturer – it was great to be able to learn from him.” – Macquarie student

“Professor Chand is very knowledgeable about the course content. His enthusiasm for the topic really showed through in his lectures and helped engage me in learning.” – Macquarie student

Dr Christian Thomas, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Mathematics is a subject that can bring wonder. Dr Christian Thomas strives to change the perception among students who arrive at university with a dislike for maths, or thinking they are “terrible at it”. As a fundamental subject for STEM research, that develops crucial employability skills, Thomas has welcomed the challenge by flipping his classroom and transforming the learning experience with short videos, engaging resources – and a lot of enthusiasm.

“Changing the perception that mathematics is dull to a subject that can bring wonder is a challenge that I have integrated into my teaching.” – Dr Christian Thomas

“I’ve always struggled with maths. The way in which you presented it made it much more accessible and it finally gave me some confidence in my own ability. Not to mention that it finally made me enjoy maths instead of viewing it as a hill to climb. No other subject I’ve done has been this well adapted to the online teaching format.” – Macquarie student

“Christian is the best mathematics teacher I have ever had. He never failed to make increasingly difficult concepts seem manageable through his enthusiastic and insightful teaching style.” – Macquarie student

Dr Dave Hare, Media, Macquarie University College

Dr Dave Hare’s teaching philosophy is grounded in ‘hard fun’ – where students take charge of their own learning to tackle the challenges of new subject matter.

As his pathway students progress through their final production, Hare reassures them that their work is progressing well, with mistakes or misunderstandings corrected along the way – without the risk of penalty.

Unsolicited feedback suggests most of his students don’t notice the ‘hard’ aspect of their journey with him, and simply find the learning ‘fun’. They successfully complete their study with him ready to progress to the next stage of their media studies.

“The classroom and course become a positive environment for learning. And, for me, work on the final production is maintained, levelled-up and built over time: an example of ‘hard fun’.” – Dr Dave Hare

“He is very comfortable with the students and can explain topics very easily. All the doubts in our classes are easily resolved with him. He takes special care with students.” – Macquarie student

“Dr Hare is an excellent teacher. He is always creating a healthy and collaborative learning environment for students. He effectively engages the classroom while showing enthusiasm, and is consistently displaying a warm and approachable attitude. He also is great at explaining hard-to-grasp concepts and is always patient with the class when doing so.” – Macquarie student

Dr Camilla Di Biase-Dyson, Department of History and Archaeology

Learning a language is difficult, admits Dr Camilla Di Biase-Dyson, especially when you’re doing it for the first time. Imagine when it’s an ancient one with a picture-based script! Yet enrolments have increased dramatically for Hieroglyphic Egyptian since she transformed the Egyptian language curriculum in 2020. Her innovative, theory-driven methodology promises an exciting and enriching language experience that students use in their everyday lives – both for fun things like birth announcements, café names and tattoo design, as well as insights into language and culture.

Di Biase-Dyson seeks to continually improve her teaching, launching the world’s first survey of student learning experience of Hieroglyphic Egyptian so she could engage critically with her own practice.

“The excitement in students’ voices as they unravel a text together and read it aloud is what gets me up in the morning.” – Dr Camilla Di Biase-Dyson

“Camilla always went above and beyond for our class. She was continuously enthusiastic and encouraging, always providing every source of help without needing to be asked… Camilla was my favourite teacher this semester and is part of the reason I’m continuing this subject into next session.” – Macquarie student

“Camilla is an amazing teacher. She cares so deeply about the learning and wellbeing of her students. Camilla has made a very difficult topic feel not so daunting in the way she structures her lessons and the unit.” – Macquarie student

Professor David Orsmond, Department of Economics

Professor David Orsmond hooks his students into Economics by looking at their own lives. He enthusiastically dispels myths that the subject matter is “all maths-based” or “too difficult” by demonstrating how they already use economic decision-making processes. And just as quickly, the large cohort of first-year undergraduates transforms into engaged and motivated learners.

Orsmond joined Macquarie after 30 years working with policy institutions around the world in order to impact students’ learning of the core ideas of economics. He also delivers guest lectures and MBA units.

His ability to make complex material accessible and to equip students with sought-after job skills is backed by student testimonies.

“Thank you for your engaging lectures and interesting topics. Your seminar style, along with your enthusiasm and complex understanding of labour economics, made the unit something I would look forward to each week. I am incredibly glad that I chose it and can confidently say that I better understand (and explain) the complicated nature of our labour system.” – Macquarie student

“David’s enthusiasm for economics and his style was the one thing that kept everyone engaged and made the unit interesting. His strong industry experience really enhances the quality of the lectures.” – Macquarie student

Dr Shireen Daft, Macquarie Law School

When the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in Week 2, Dr Shireen Daft faced a significant challenge – how to strike a balance between oppressive content and a healthy learning experience. This lies at the heart of her teaching philosophy – marrying real-world scenarios with immersive gamified learning so that students can experience and identify the limitations in the law.

By “throwing” students into the role of decision-makers, Daft was able to make learning as engaging as possible – without trivialising the experience of war.

“What makes the roleplaying model work is that there are consequences to each scenario. At the end of the semester, I conduct war crimes tribunals where students account for their actions. As well as creating a sense of accountability, this gives students sought-after experience in tribunals and advocacy.” – Dr Shireen Daft

“I was excited to do the work and come to tutorials. This was not what I expected with such a dark and heavy topic. Shireen’s passion for the topic is clear and helps to engage students. I would highly recommend this unit to anyone with a base level of interest in war law.” – Macquarie student

“Shireen’s commitment and dedication is beyond compare. She went above and beyond with the time and energy she dedicated to each of us… Shireen is the embodiment of all the attributes of a dream teacher, and of an incredible person. Macquarie University is lucky to have an academic with such levels of commitment and compassion.” – Macquarie student

Associate Professor Richard Garner,
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Associate Professor Richard Garner’s passion for making complex mathematics clear and concise has put him at the forefront of some of the faculty’s “most challenging” classes.

After teaching high-level, research-directed courses when he started at Macquarie as a research fellow in 2011, Garner has since embraced the opportunity to teach large first- and second-year units of predominantly engineering and computing students. He says that while this style of teaching is more challenging, it is also more rewarding.

“The fact is, even elementary mathematics is exciting when opening someone’s eyes to it for the first time.”

And if someone doesn’t get it? “It’s an opportunity to revisit and give a clearer, more detailed explanation. I then reflect carefully on how these points may be addressed better in future offerings.”

“Richard has done a great job making the complex concepts of multi-variable calculus graspable and visually understandable which goes a long way to helping understand the subject.” – Macquarie student

“Lecture material linked with real-world examples to aid our understanding and inspire us to think about problems before they were addressed. I also appreciated how theorems and proofs would be accompanied by examples, as I usually find it hard to navigate these without concrete numbers being shown as part of the process.” – Macquarie student