University medallists

Our most prominent graduates

University medals are awarded to students by the University Medal Committee in recognition of their consistent, outstanding academic performance throughout their degrees.

University Medallists 25 July 2019

The two University medallists presented below were recommended for the University Medal by the University Medal Committee following its meeting of 25 July 2019.

Viktorija Popovic

Nominated by the Macquarie Law School, Faculty of Arts

Viktorija Popovic has completed her dual Applied Finance/Law (Honours) degree without once achieving a grade below Distinction level, a remarkable achievement. She has received prizes for her studies in both degrees, culminating in a honours thesis which received a total mark of 92/100. Both examiners praised the work highly noting that Viktorija’s thesis easily exceeded the standards expected from honours students.

Victoria Page

Nominated by the Department of Health Professions, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Victoria Page first graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Science degree and the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence before undertaking the Doctor of Physiotherapy. In both degrees she has achieved no less than a Distinction grade for every unit undertaken, an enviable record of sustained academic excellence. Her achievements in the Doctor of Physiotherapy have seen her win prizes for her academic, clinical and research work, and she obtained the highest average mark of any student in the degree.

University Medallists 27 February 2019

The ten University medallists presented below were recommended for the University Medal by the University Medal Committee following its meeting of 27 February 2019.

David Chapman

Nominated by the Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Arts

David Chapman achieved a GPA of 3.957 out of 4 in his undergraduate studies with Distinctions and High Distinction in all units but one (where he achieved a Credit grade). He has been placed third in the overall Faculty of Arts cohort of successful Master of Research candidates with a final score of 91.9 per cent, only two percentage points short of the top student in Anthropology who achieved 94.1 per cent. He has been a strong supporter and regular attendee at extra-curricular activities such as those held by the University Students for Egyptological Research (USER), Rundle Foundation events, the Australian Centre for Egyptology annual conferences and Macquarie Ancient History Association events.

Laura Harris

Nominated by the Department of Ancient History, Faculty of Arts

Laura Harris completed her Bachelor of Arts degree between 2014 and 2016, with a Major in Ancient History – Egypt and the Near East, achieving an overall GPA of 3.739 out of 4 and an exceptional 4.00 out of 4 for her final year studies. Laura continued to carry out her studies to a high standard during the first year of her Masters by Research in Ancient History in 2017, consistently achieving Distinction and High Distinction grades, resulting in a GPA of 6.375 out of 7 for her first year coursework studies. She subsequently received an outstanding thesis mark of 93 per cent and a final weighted mark of 92.4 per cent for her Masters degree.

It is also worth noting that she achieved her outstanding results while also carrying out related extra-curricular activities – eg participating in excavation work in Egypt and while acting as a co-organiser of the Macquarie University Students for Egyptological Research (USER) group.

Daniel Tranter-Santoso

Nominated by the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts

Daniel Tranter-Santoso consistently scored High Distinctions and Distinctions in his first year of the Masters of Research degree, giving him a GPA of 6.750 on a 7 point scale, before he went on to an outstanding final mark for his research thesis of 95 per cent and a final weighted average for the degree of 94.10 per cent. He achieved at a similar level in his undergraduate studies, and has demonstrated an outstanding ability to engage with great diligence on the study of cultures other than his own, earning a reputation as one of the Department’s most talented students

Guy Webster

Nominated by the Department of English, Faculty of Arts

Guy Webster developed from a strong undergraduate student displaying excellence in his chosen area of English as well as his other subjects, to excel in his Master of Research studies, where he achieved a GPA of 6.875, out of 7. His MRes thesis received excellent marks and comments from both examiners, leading to the award of the H W Piper Memorial Prize for excellence in the English Master of Research Program, the latest in a number of academic awards he has received during his studies at Macquarie University.

Rhiannon Bell

Nominated by the Macquarie Law School, Faculty of Arts

Rhiannon Bell earned fourteen Higher Distinction grades and eight Distinction grades during her studies in the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and achieved the highest credit weighted average of all students eligible for 1st class Honours in her cohort. She participated in the Jessup International Law Moot, the most prestigious International legal mooting competition reserved for only the best law students. Ms Bell has consistently performed at the highest level and has received numerous awards for academic excellence including the Law Society of New South Wales Award for Sustained Academic Proficiency in Law units, and the Dean’s Award for Meritorious Contribution to the Affairs of Macquarie Law School.

Ms Bell held the role of President of MULS in 2017 and made an outstanding contribution in that role. In particular, promoting a positive and productive relationship between staff and students.

Katherine Smith

Nominated by the Department of Media, Music, Communication and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Arts

Katherine Smith has a consistently outstanding record of performance across her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for which she has received a number of awards, and produced outstanding masters research of international significance. Her Master of Research Thesis into the theoretical framework What is the Problem Represented to be (WPR), was examined by the academic who devised the Framework, Professor Carol Bacchi. Professor Bacchi has since referred to Katherine’s findings in her work with other academics, a very high accolade indeed. Both her examiners recommended the Master of Research be awarded without further corrections to the thesis.

Elizabeth Bennett

Nominated by the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts

Elizabeth Bennett demonstrated sustained excellence during her studies as well as making a strong contribution to the student experience of her peers. Her undergraduate results were consistently high, achieving a GPA of 3.696 (out of 4), and this increased to 3.857 at 300 level, consistent with her development as a scholar through her studies. She also contributed to undergraduate student culture by starting a Facebook page featuring talks and events linked to the Political Economy and Social Policy major.

She received a GPA of 6.750 in the first year of her Masters Research and a grade of 90 overall in year two, which currently places her in the top 10 across the Faculty.

Edwina Keen

Nominated by the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences

Edwina Keen finished first in the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) cohort for 2018. She has had an impressive academic record throughout her candidature as well as being the recipient of five departmental prizes, including being on the University Merit List since 2016.

In addition, she was recently awarded the Australian Psychological Society Prize for Honours in Psychology for 2018.

Supreet Saluja

Nominated by the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences

Supreet Saluja achieved 91.8 per cent for her Master of Research degree including a thesis mark of 92 per cent. Her previous studies in the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) saw her achieve a GPA of 3.917/4, including a First Class Honours award with an Honours mark of 91.

Ms Saluja was equal highest in the Faculty of Human Sciences’ Master of Research cohort with a thesis grade of 92 per cent.

Timothy Ghaly

Nominated by the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering

Timothy Ghaly was awarded the highest grade (94) of MRes students in Biological Sciences in 2018, and earned GPAs of 4 at 300 level and overall in his Bachelor of Science degree at Macquarie University. In the first year of his Master of Research all but one of his eight units received a High Distinction (he earned a Distinction grade for the other unit). Timothy has authored four peer review scientific papers in peer reviewed journals during his studies and was nominated for the inaugural Dean’s MRes Thesis Prize. He was also awarded the Biology MRes Year 1 prize for the highest performing year 1 student in 2017.