University of Newcastle Alumni Excellence Awards Celebrate Soprano, Health Pioneer, and Screenwriter

Since 1975, the University of Newcastle has recognised over 200 alumni for their innovation, creativity, and exceptional leadership. This year’s nine recipients were chosen for their remarkable achievements and outstanding community contributions across various backgrounds and disciplines.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alex Zelinsky, AO said it was an honour to be able to welcome this outstanding group of alumni back to Newcastle and celebrate the impact they are having in communities at a local, national and international level.

“We have 1760,000 plus alumni spanning 154 countries across the globe, and these awards are a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the amazing work our alumni are doing in their respective fields,” Professor Zelinsky said.

“With physicists, health advocates, business leaders and creatives, these awards demonstrate that success with a University of Newcastle degree is possible across a diverse range of areas.”

Recipient of the Young Alumni Award, Emma Jane Myers, is a Disability Rights and Political Reporter. Originally told that she wouldn’t complete her HSC or get an ATAR, Emma was determined to continue her education journey despite her disability, going on to complete Open Foundation and then a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at the University of Newcastle.

Emma co-created and wrote Latecomers, the critically acclaimed 2022 SBS Digital Originals series, whilst also studying her honours year, drawing on her own experiences of living with cerebral palsy.

“I’ve always known that the media is an incredibly powerful tool in the way that it can shape the lives of everyday individuals. And that’s a huge driver for me to continue to promote and inspire change towards the treatment of disabled individuals,” Emma said.

Full list of award winners: