Showcasing staff stories, achievements, successes and more!
Curtin staff named as finalists in Engagement Australia 2025 Excellence Awards
Curtin staff have been recognised across three categories in the Engagement Australia 2025 Excellence Awards, which celebrate university initiatives that demonstrate far-reaching impact and innovation in the Australian and New Zealand economy and community.
Professor Tele Tan and Associate Professor Ben Milbourn are finalists for Excellence in Community Engagement for Empowering Autistic Talent through Inclusive Education and Employment Pathways. Their work unites Curtin’s Autism Academy for Software Quality Assurance (AASQA), the Curtin Specialist Mentoring Program (CSMP) and the Curtin Autism Research Group (CARG) to create more inclusive opportunities for autistic students and graduates.
John Curtin Distinguished Professor Reena Tiwari is a finalist for Excellence in Indigenous Engagement as a co-creator of The Healing Tool – an Aboriginal-led virtual reality and exposure therapy model supporting truth-telling and healing among Stolen Generations Survivors.
Dr Nola D’Souza is a finalist for Excellence in Industry Engagement as Project Coordinator of the Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN), a Curtin-led initiative supported by the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC), which unites experts across the grains industry to raise awareness and mitigate the impact of fungicide resistance.
Congratulations to all finalists for their outstanding contributions to engagement and collaboration. The awards will be announced on Wednesday 12 November. Learn more about the finalists and the awards here.
Comments
Tele Tan - October 17, 2025
Thank you for the recognition. This achievement is the result of the dedication and hard work of many individuals who make what we do possible. I would like to further acknowledge Sonya Girdler, Bahareh Afsharnejad, Elinda Lee, Sandhya Subramaniam, Kevin Winder, Tanya Picen, Renee Logan, Elaine Goh, Beth Cusack, Jan Kornweibel, and the many mentors and supporters from AASQA, CSMP, and CARG for their ongoing commitment and passion in empowering autistic talent through inclusive education and employment pathways.