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Council

Notice of Election


Election of an Academic Staff member to the University Council (Casual Vacancy)

Curtin University Act 1966
Term of office from date elected to 31 March 2027

Following the call for nominations for the election of an Academic Staff member to the University Council (Casual Vacancy), eight (8) valid nominations were received by the close of nominations on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.

An election will therefore be conducted to determine which candidate will be elected as the Academic Staff member to the University Council (Casual Vacancy) for a term of office commencing from date elected to 31 March 2027.

The candidates are listed below in alphabetical order:

  1. Brad CAREY
  2. Jaya DANTAS
  3. Jo ELFVING-HWANG
  4. Kylie HILL
  5. J-Han HO (J.Ho)
  6. Nikos KOUTRAS
  7. Jonathan PAXMAN
  8. Tin Fei SIM (Fei Sim)

Voting Instructions

The election will be conducted using Curtin University’s electronic voting system ‘Simply Voting’. Shortly, you will receive a generated email from Simply Voting which contains your Elector ID and a randomly generated password.

Please note, the generated email from Simply Voting may be sent to your junk or clutter mail folder. Please ensure that you check your junk mail if you cannot find the email. The electronic link to the Simply Voting website is https://curtin.simplyvoting.com. Click on this link to gain access to the site.

Once you have entered your Elector ID and your randomly generated password you may vote in the election. The list of candidates will appear in a random order. If the candidate has provided a statement supporting their case for election or a photograph you may click on their name to view the statement and/or photograph.

In this election:

  1. Voting will begin at 9:00 am on Wednesday, 20 May 2026 and close at 5:00 pm on Thursday, 4 June 2026. Please note that Simply Voting will not accept votes outside of these times.
  2. You must vote for at least one (1) candidate.
  3. Place the numeral “1” in the box beside your candidate of first preference.
  4. You may choose to express a preference for one or more of the remaining candidates. Place the numeral “2” up to “8” in the boxes beside the candidates for whom you wish to express preferences.
  5. Simply Voting will invite you to check your ballot choices before you submit your vote.
  6. Once the vote is confirmed it may not be recalled and you will not be able to vote again.
  7. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes, following the distribution of preferences, will be declared elected as the Academic Staff member to the University Council (Casual Vacancy) from date elected to 31 March 2027.

Counting of votes and announcement of election result

Votes will be counted as soon as practicable after the voting period ends. The result of the election will be declared by the Returning Officer on Monday, 8 June 2026 and all candidates will be notified of the election result in writing. The outcome of the election will be communicated by email to all members of the Council.

Kristi Jarvis
Director, Secretariat and Council Secretary
Returning Officer

CANDIDATE STATEMENTS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Brad CAREY

Brad CAREY

I, Brad Carey, am seeking the endorsement of my colleagues to serve as an Academic Member of the University Council. During my time at Curtin, I have held a range of leadership roles, including Course Coordinator for the Master of Project Management, Discipline Lead, Deputy Head of School, and Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching. Across these roles I have worked in teams to grow enrolments, strengthen learning outcomes, and improve the student experience, while supporting colleagues to thrive in their teaching and research. I bring a practical understanding of accreditation, course governance, and the day-to-day realities of academic work, alongside an industry background that informs how I think about graduate employability and sustainability. I would be honoured to bring an informed academic perspective to Council and to help advance Curtin’s 2030 vision of making a difference for People, Planet, and Partnerships.

Professor Brad Carey
Staff ID: 259487G
Email: Brad.Carey@curtin.edu.au

Jaya DANTAS

Jaya DANTAS

I have a 38-year global career across India, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Australia, including senior roles as Dean International and Professor of International Health, and have supported substantial change while safeguarding academic standards. With five years of continuous service on Curtin Academic Board, including as Deputy Chair and across several Board committees, I bring sustained experience, and deep institutional knowledge. I understand Curtin’s academic governance, strategic priorities, and have demonstrated consistent, principled leadership. At a time of significant change in higher education, accountability and integrity in governance are essential, and I offer stability and vision. My governance contributions to Women in Global Health – Australia, the Public Health Association of Australia, and Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance demonstrate my commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity. If elected to the University Council, I will promote our values and aim to strengthening effectiveness, transparency and impact in an evolving higher education environment.

Professor Jaya Dantas
Staff ID: 221476F
Email: jaya.dantas@curtin.edu.au

Jo ELFVING-HWANG

Jo ELFVING-HWANG

I am nominating because academic work feels newly urgent right now. I would bring a strong academic perspective informed by experience across teaching, research, leadership, governance and external engagement, together with a commitment to representing and mentoring colleagues across disciplines, roles and career stages. My career has involved working at and with universities in Australia and internationally, giving me a clear understanding of the shared challenges facing our sector globally.

At Curtin, I have held roles spanning school-level leadership, teaching and research project management, and university-wide global engagement. These roles have required balancing academic priorities with institutional strategy, financial sustainability, risk and long-term reputation, while supporting high-quality teaching, research and collegial working environments.

I would bring to this role a thoughtful, evidence-based and inclusive approach that prioritises a positive environment for staff and students and contribute constructively to strategic oversight while safeguarding Curtin’s core values.

Professor Jo Elfving-Hwang
Staff ID: 271544H
Email: joanna.elfving-hwang@curtin.edu.au

Kylie HILL

Kylie HILL

I completed my BSc (Physiotherapy) with distinction and my PhD with Chancellor’s commendation at Curtin University, followed by 3.5 years of post-doctoral research at the University of Toronto. I was promoted to Level E in 2022 and currently hold a teaching and research position within the Curtin School of Allied Health.

My career has been built at the intersection of research, learning and teaching, and clinical practice. I have long-standing, productive relationships with senior clinicians and managers across all major health service providers in Perth, as well as the Western Australia Country Health Service.

I have been a named investigator on approximately $4.6 million in research funding and have co-authored 185 publications (Scopus = 8,476 citations, H-index of 39; Google Scholar = 15,465 citations, H-index of 51).

I am committed to research training and mentorship having supervised 11 PhD, 3 MPhil and more than 25 Honours students to completion.

Dr. Kylie Hill
Staff ID: 219898I
Email: K.Hill@curtin.edu.au

J-Han HO

J.HO

I appreciate your support for my election to the Curtin University Council and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to our Community. I am deeply committed to the success of Curtin, our staff and students, and our role as a nation-building endeavour.

Drawing on extensive experience in academic governance and my enduring commitment to Curtin, I bring a strong understanding of challenges and opportunities facing our university. I believe effective governance requires decisions grounded in evidence, guided by respect, and actions with transparency and integrity.

I value inclusivity and respectful collaborative engagements across our Community and I will advocate for responsible and sustainable strategic direction at Curtin for academic excellence and outcomes we can be proud of. I am committed to strengthening trust, accountability, and progress at Curtin, and your support will enable me to represent and champion the needs of our Community.

Associate Professor J-Han Ho (J.Ho)
Staff ID: 230902H
Email: j.ho@curtin.edu.au

Nikos KOUTRAS

Nikos KOUTRAS

I am seeking election to serve as a member of Curtin University Council so that I can make a positive contribution to its governance and direction from an academic perspective built on my experience in teaching, research and professional practice. Having worked in law, interdisciplinary research, curriculum design and student affairs, I understand some of the challenges and opportunities facing universities today. I strongly believe in working collaboratively, maintaining transparency, supporting academic freedom and treating colleagues with respect. In particular, I would like to use my expertise to help further initiatives relating to research innovation, responsible use of emerging technologies, and enhancing student learning. As a Council member, I would endeavour to fulfill my duties with care and loyalty to the best interests of the University community and support Curtin to continue its growth nationally and internationally.

Dr. Nikos Koutras
Staff ID: 289267A
Email:  nikos.koutras@curtin.edu.au

Jonathan PAXMAN

Jonathan PAXMAN

I have been a proud member of the Curtin community for nearly 20 years, serving as Dean of Engineering, Head of School, Associate Dean, elected Academic Board member, and course coordinator, all while maintaining an active portfolio of teaching, research and supervision. I also founded Curtin’s Rhythmos Choir.

Through these roles I have led curriculum renewal, strengthened industry partnerships, and supported staff and students through challenges, guided by evidence and a commitment to transparency and collaboration. That experience has given me deep institutional knowledge, a strong commitment to academic governance, quality and integrity, and a consistent focus on equitable outcomes for all staff and students.

If elected, I will bring that knowledge and an independent voice to Council, focused on protecting Curtin’s distinctive identity, supporting excellence in teaching, research and student experience, ensuring rigorous oversight of strategy and risk, and ensuring decisions are genuinely informed by staff and student engagement.

Professor Jonathan Paxman
Staff ID: 236779G
Email: j.paxman@curtin.edu.au

Fei SIM

Fei SIM

A/Prof Fei Sim is an experienced academic, health leader and advocate with more than 18 years’ experience across academia and health industry. She is currently an Associate Professor, Dean International for the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Discipline Lead in Pharmacy at Curtin University. Fei has held significant national leadership roles across the health and higher education sectors, including serving as the first female and first culturally diverse National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. Fei is seeking election to the Curtin University Council to provide a practical, collaborative and future-focused academic voice. She understands the opportunities and pressures facing universities, including workforce challenges, student experience, research translation, global engagement and international education. Drawing on her governance and executive leadership experience, Fei is committed to supporting strong academic governance, innovation and Curtin’s long-term sustainability, while ensuring staff and student voices remain central to decision-making.

Associate Professor Tin Fei (Fei) Sim
Staff ID: 243276C
Email: T.Sim@curtin.edu.au

END OF CANDIDATE STATEMENTS

Academic Board

Nil

Kalgoorlie Campus Council

Nil

If you have any questions, please contact the secretariat at secretariat@curtin.edu.au

You can read more about the election process, and find answers to frequently asked questions on the elections page.

Read more about elections