College of Science & Engineering (Science)
Thursday 16th April 2026 - 1:30pm

Live stream

Ceremony details

Program

Officers, College Vice-Presidents and Executive Deans

Graduates

PHD students

University Medals

Digital Ceremony Booklet

Program

Entry of Academic Procession
The Chancellor, Deputy Chancellors, Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, members of the University Council and staff of the University will enter in academic procession.

Indigenous Opening

Australian National Anthem

Opening of Proceedings

Presentation of Graduates

Closing of Proceedings

Departure of Academic Procession

The Chancellor, Deputy Chancellors, Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, members of the University Council and staff of the University will exit in academic procession.

Officers of the University

Chancellor
Mr John Hood

Deputy Chancellor
Ms Leanne Liddle

President and Vice-Chancellor
Professor Colin J Stirling

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Professor Romy Lawson

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
Professor Ray Chan

Vice-President (Corporate Services)
Mr Jonathan Pheasant

General Counsel & University Secretary
Mr Marc Davies

College Vice-President and Executive Deans

Business, Government and Law
Professor Michael Gilding

Education, Psychology and Social Work
Professor Deborah West

Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Professor Romy Lawson

Medicine and Public Health
Professor Jonathan Craig

Nursing and Health Sciences
Professor Tracy Humphrey

Science and Engineering
Professor Ray Chan

PHD Students

Name	Supervisors	Thesis	Citation
Emily Jane Booth	Principal Supervisor: Luciano Beheregaray Associate Supervisor: Luciana Moller Joint Associate Supervisor: Chris Brauer Associate Supervisor: Jonathan Sandoval-Castillo	By thesis entitled: Genomic vulnerability of Murray–Darling Basin fishes to climate change	Freshwater species in Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) are facing many anthropogenic stressors such as habitat degradation, riverscape fragmentation, and altered flow regimes. On top of these issues, climate change is emerging as a major threat to species survival. Predicting how species may respond to climate change is a pressing topic in conservation biology. An aspect of this is to determine the need for populations to respond through evolutionary adaptation, measured as ‘genomic vulnerability’. This thesis investigated genomic vulnerability to climate change of three iconic fishes native to the MDB: the golden perch (Macquaria ambigua), the Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), and the southern pygmy perch (Nannoperca australis). The findings contribute to understanding how spatial environmental variation and species-specific differences in ecology and population demography influence vulnerability to climate change. They have direct implications for the management of MDB fishes and provide novel insights for the conservation of freshwater species worldwide.
Arthur Immanuel Crichton	Principal Supervisor: Gavin Prideaux Adjunct Supervisor: Trevor Worthy Associate Supervisor: Aaron Camens	By thesis entitled: Pwerte Marnte Marnte: Characterising an Oligocene Vertebrate Fauna of Central Australia	Large gaps in the fossil record mean that we know very little about the early history of Australian unique marsupials, the so-called pouched mammals. A 2006 discovery of a new fossil site in the Northern Territory provided hints that it may preserve the oldest-known members of many iconic marsupial groups. Using more than 600 newly discovered fossils, this thesis investigated this promising fauna. It identified 35 vertebrate species, including 21 marsupials. It describes 6 of the marsupial species as entirely new to science, shedding light on the evolutionary histories of koalas, wombats and possums. Although their exact age is not yet known, the fossils are believed to be around 25 million years old. The fauna provides a snapshot of life from just before one of the largest turnover events observed in the marsupial fossil record, when many forms became extinct and were replaced by those more similar to modern forms.
Marissa Janet Hutchings	Principal Supervisor: Luciana Moller Associate Supervisor: Guido Parra Vergara	By thesis entitled: Population ecology of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Australian waters	Killer whales are globally distributed apex predators occupying diverse marine environments, yet they remain poorly understood in many regions around the world. This includes Australia, where nationwide sightings occur and three geographically and genetically distinct populations have been described. Through distribution modelling, morphological comparison, and abundance estimation, Marissa’s PhD thesis addressed critical knowledge gaps in the population ecology of killer whales in Australian waters. Her research revealed that both a tropical and a temperate form of killer whale exists in Australia, which differ in their habitat preferences, appearance, and population demography. Together, Marissa’s findings provide the most comprehensive assessment of killer whale ecology in Australian waters to date. Importantly, her work establishes critical baseline knowledge of killer whales in Australia, and highlights the value of recognising and managing distinct populations to guide future research, monitoring, and conservation of this iconic species.
Abbey Louise Kelly Hutton	Principal Supervisor: Jim Mitchell Associate Supervisor: Robert Edwards	By thesis entitled: Exploring Picobirnavirus and Bacteriophages In The Human Gut	This research investigated tiny viruses that inhabit the human gut, focusing on the Picobirnavirus and related bacteriophages. It combined laboratory experiments and computer-based analyses to uncover how these viruses’ function and interact with their bacterial hosts. The work identified previously unknown gut viruses and showed that Picobirnavirus likely infects bacteria rather than humans, offering new insights into its role in the microbiome. A new viral detection method using flow cytometry was also developed, enabling rapid, culture-free identification of bacteriophages. Together, these findings advance our understanding of hidden viral communities in the gut and provide tools to study them more effectively in the future.
Todd William Kaesler	Principal Supervisor: Adrian Linacre Associate Supervisor: Paul Kirkbride	By thesis entitled: Studies on touch DNA: Consistency Transfer and Persistence	The submission of items of forensic relevance for potential subsequent DNA analysis is ever increasing. Trace DNA deposited on these items through touch has become one of the most common evidence types. Knowledge of the mechanisms and transfer events that influence how much DNA is deposited, moved, and available for collection, can be highly variable. This thesis includes five papers, published between 2020 and 2025, providing data on DNA transfer, persistence and recovery. How DNA is deposited, and subsequently relocated can drastically change the value of collected DNA evidence. This research provided insight into key issues in DNA deposition consistency, DNA recovery and movement around firearms, and long-term DNA persistence. The work presented within this thesis is original, significant, and relevant to the forensic sciences. Understanding the deposition and movement of DNA around items and environments is crucial to improving the reliability of forensic evidence presented in court.
Emma Margaret Kent	Principal Supervisor: Martin Johnston Associate Supervisor: Mike Perkins	By thesis entitled: Investigations into the use of the Akabori-Momotani reaction in the synthesis of Novel Psychoactive Substances precursors	The Akabori-Momotani reaction is an uncommon synthetic route to ephedrine, a common precursor for methamphetamine. Previous research into the reaction has typically focused on identifying ephedrine produced in this way. However, with a significant rise in detections of novel psychoactive substances, understanding the capabilities of unorthodox methods to produce precursors for new species is of increasing importance. ;;This research investigated the Akabori-Momotani reaction products when the reagents are modified to incorporate structural changes seen in common amphetamine variants, finding that that precursor production using this reaction is only viable for a few structural modifications. In addition to determining experimental yields, this research also identified reaction impurities and by-products, as these may prove useful to forensic investigators and other authorities in identifying when the Akabori-Momotani reaction is in use in clandestine laboratories.
Abigail Mann	Principal Supervisor: Christopher Gibson Associate Supervisor: Justin Chalker	By thesis entitled: Physical Surface Modifications of Polysulfide Polymers	Polysulfide polymers, made from sulfur and low-cost co-monomers, are versatile materials with applications ranging from energy storage to coatings. This thesis explores an underdeveloped area: how these polymer surfaces can be precisely modified at the micro- and nanoscale to add new functionality. The research demonstrates, for the first time, polymer film fabrication with smooth surfaces for integration into miniaturised devices. This thesis includes the development of two single-step, low-power surface modification methods, mechanical nanoimprinting and laser-based modification, both enabling direct patterning of structures. These advances led to reversible nanoscale data storage, lithography, and surface property engineering, including wettability and optical interactions. Additional approaches such as thermal imprint lithography further expanded the range of achievable surface architectures. Overall, this research establishes polysulfide polymers as promising candidates for advanced surface-engineered applications, opening opportunities in data storage, optical devices, anti-counterfeiting, and functional coatings, while broadening the future scope of this sustainable polymer class.
Claire Louise Mercer	Principal Supervisor: Adrian Linacre Associate Supervisor: Duncan Taylor Adjunct Supervisor: Julianne Henry	By thesis entitled: DNA transfer between exhibits, evidence bags and workspaces	The increased sensitivity of modern DNA profiling technologies enables detection of very small amounts of DNA. With these advancements comes a greater risk of detecting DNA that is inadvertently transferred onto an exhibit and unrelated to an alleged event. This thesis explores how DNA transfers between forensic exhibits, their packaging, and workspaces during routine forensic processes- an important but not well-understood concept. The findings of this research highlight that during the packaging, examination, transport, and storage of exhibits, evidence packaging can act as an efficient DNA transfer vector. By identifying how such transfer occurs and the risk it poses to exhibits, this research helps forensic laboratories refine evidence-handling procedures to manage contamination risks, and preserve the integrity of DNA evidence. This work fills a critical knowledge gap and highlights the need for laboratories to re-evaluate contamination minimisation procedures with the introduction of more sensitive technologies.
Madison Kate Nolan	Principal Supervisor: Adrian Linacre Associate Supervisor: Duncan Taylor Associate Supervisor: Julianne Henry Adjunct Supervisor: Paul Kirkbride	By thesis entitled: DNA Profiling of Drug Seizures	The impact of illicit drugs on individuals and society is well documented in the media and literature, and despite the best efforts of law enforcement bodies, drugs remain a prevalent issue. Human interaction is necessary for the manufacture, packaging, and distribution of illicit drugs, meaning DNA from the individuals involved in the drug supply chain is expected to be found on the materials used and potentially incorporated into the drug itself. This thesis investigated the techniques used to analyse DNA on troublesome surfaces in drug-related samples and DNA recovery from illicit drugs themselves. Plastic packaging, drug capsules, metal surfaces and drug powders/liquids can all have sufficient DNA for the generation of DNA profiles for forensic investigations and/or tactical intelligence. The results in this thesis have the opportunity to improve DNA profiling success in forensic investigations and highlight the useful biological information present in an underexplored sample type: the drugs themselves.
Braden David Page	Principal Supervisor: Ingo Koeper Associate Supervisor: David Lewis	By thesis entitled: Optimization of CNT Field Emitter Performance for Application in Cold Cathode X-ray Tubes	This work was a collaboration between Flinders University and Micro-X, a company based in Adelaide, South Australia. Micro-X first patented their carbon nanotube field emitter in 2019 and have developed commercially available X-ray devices that utilize this technology. They went on to produce the first commercially available cold cathode X-ray tube. The work in this thesis involved understanding and improving Micro-X’s carbon nanotube field emitters and CNT ink production process which is applied to all Micro-X products. This research led to reduced time and cost to produce their field emitters while also improving overall performance and emitter lifetime.
Jack Waters	Principal Supervisor: Bart Eijkelkamp Associate Supervisor: Robert Edwards Adjunct Supervisor: Karl Hassan Adjunct Supervisor: Claudia Trappetti	By thesis entitled: Lipid homeostasis at the host-pathogen interface	Malnutrition impacts billions of people across the world. Importantly, malnutrition dictates the biomolecular landscape of the host, which can predispose individuals to infections. It is therefore paramount to understand how bacterial pathogens adapt to their infectious environments to identify novel therapeutic strategies. This body of work explored bacterial fatty acid acquisition systems during infection in two major bacterial pathogens, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii. It was found both pathogens display niche-specific desires for making or taking fatty acids during infection, facilitating their adaptation to unique host environments. Furthermore, dietary intervention models successfully changed host nutritional landscapes and dictated the pathogenic potential of invading bacteria. Collectively, this work enhances our understanding of bacterial metabolism and underscores the importance these systems have in host niche adaptation. Critically, novel therapeutic strategies can be derived from the work here, which has the potential to help our fight against infectious diseases.

Graduates (in order of appearance) - published as of 7 April 2026

Name	Award
Angus Roper	BACHELOR OF APPLIED GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Alexandra Badios	BACHELOR OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
Andrea Briggs	BACHELOR OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
Demetrius Gee	BACHELOR OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
Sage Tulloch-Hoskins	BACHELOR OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
Thomas Brooks	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Selin Cildir	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Damien Sandor	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Abby Wheeler	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Georgie Bateman	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Grace Davies-Howell	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Kiara Dodd	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Ruby Doherty	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Abbey Dorre	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Katelyn Guy	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Harrison Hards	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Bonnie Hart	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
William McGregor-Dey	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Sarah Mundy	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
James Neilson	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Harriet Platt	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Teagan Schoolderman	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Molly Schultz	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Jasmine Todd	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Sarah Carr-Moody	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Phil Jorgensen	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Joshua Lenton	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Alisha Lowe	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Paul Marian	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Todd Martin	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Amelia McAvaney	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Georgina Michael	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Shannon Moyle	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Imogen Murray	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Christian West	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Clancy Westrich	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION)
Iona Mcclements	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIOTECHNOLOGY)
Alexander Moir	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIOTECHNOLOGY)
Jesse Orsini	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (CHEMICAL SCIENCES)
Kade Vinko	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (CHEMICAL SCIENCES)
Lily Alcorn	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Eygenia Antonopoulos	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Ella Cripps-Gray	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Sahara Furbank-Meyer	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Tomas Harvey	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Jacinda Holman	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
William Roberts	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Byron Robertson	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Imogen Spencer	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Oliver Wilson	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Olivia Zajer	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Joshua Zeitz	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Kasey Barber	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Electra Dawes	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Isabelle Edwards	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
April Eldridge	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Georgianna Gunter	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Alexis Lunnay	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Kaylin Malone	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Olivia Medhurst	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Skye Milne	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Kate Neville	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Erin O'Dea	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Febee Smith	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Lisan Stocco	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Ethan Barling	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MARINE BIOLOGY)
Samuel Druce	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MARINE BIOLOGY)
Luke Edmunds	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MARINE BIOLOGY)
Jocelyn Forster	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MARINE BIOLOGY)
Emily Mudge	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MARINE BIOLOGY)
Zoe Pomeroy	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MARINE BIOLOGY)
Leila Donald	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PALAEONTOLOGY)
Allyssa Hickey	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PALAEONTOLOGY)
Luke Mcgough	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PALAEONTOLOGY)
Jim Newbould	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PALAEONTOLOGY)
Charlotte Thompson	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PALAEONTOLOGY)
Finn Mayne	BACHELOR OF GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Nhi Nguyen	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (NANOTECHNOLOGY)
Ryan Powell	BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (NANOTECHNOLOGY)
Eric Bowels	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Annabelle Case	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Lillian Cowell	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Zali Gascooke	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Jake Harrison	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Grace Hodgkinson	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Arthaya Kai	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Rumi Kotani	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Madison Norris	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Kim Perry	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Hannah Thiele	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Hannah Mckennall	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Samantha Smith-Kemp	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR)
Emma Thomas	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BIOTECHNOLOGY)
Isabelle Kameron	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (CHEMICAL SCIENCES)
Lincoln Cerchez	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Timothy McCurry	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (FORENSIC AND ANALYTICAL SCIENCE)
Guinevere Peart	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MARINE BIOLOGY)
Corbin Smithson	HONOURS DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PALAEONTOLOGY)
Kylie Arkle	GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE
Mekonnen Gebremariam	GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE
Tracey Jackson	GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE
Alana Raschella	GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE
Margot Minck	MASTER OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
Ajay Bhattarai	MASTER OF GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Michael Osborne	MASTER OF GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Dexter Tabada	MASTER OF GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Kim Nguyen	MASTER OF SCIENCE (BIOLOGY)
Ashikan Rabbi	MASTER OF SCIENCE (BIOLOGY)
Nat Wallace	MASTER OF SCIENCE (BIOLOGY)
Tharindu Munasinha Arachchige	MASTER OF SCIENCE (CHEMISTRY)
Kabita Pandey	MASTER OF SCIENCE (CHEMISTRY)
Nanduni Weligoda Gamage	MASTER OF SCIENCE (CHEMISTRY)
Anjali Madushika Kumari Rathnamalala Tennakoon Mudiyanselage	MASTER OF SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)
Michael Hutchinson	MASTER OF SCIENCE (GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY)
Sebastien Mcculloch	MASTER OF SCIENCE (GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY)