“Curtin Commons is an online storytelling space for Curtin alumni, staff, students and friends. Featuring a series of thought-provoking articles intended to inspire and enlighten, Commons celebrates the many amazing contributions of our Curtin community and how they are striving to create a brighter future for us all.”
– Carmelle Wilkinson, Editor-in-Chief
Amidst the chaos of civil war in Sri Lanka, a young man driven by pure will and an entrepreneurial flair, launched a start-up that later, his daughter would help turn into a flourishing business.
Ed Punchard. From surviving the world’s worst offshore oil rig disaster to uncovering long-lost shipwrecks […]
Matt, Nate and Dan Curran are passionate about celebrating their indigenous roots and sparking meaningful change along the way.
Creative director Ken Leung is the visionary behind Curtin Alumni’s new video. The Curtin alum has an extraordinary career story, which involves working in New York and with major fashion brands like Calvin Klein.
If you suggested to a young Gavin Aung Than that he would one day, be crowned a “New York Times Bestselling cartoonist,” he likely would have brushed it off with a polite laugh.
Rebecca Nadilo (Bachelor of Commerce – Marketing and Advertising) is a formidable leader in the world of marketing and brand creation.
As CEO of Iris in Singapore, Rebecca’s key focus is empowering and leading a high-performance team to success.
Founder of Mediavation, Paul Christian has always had a camera in his hand. Growing up, Paul spent most of his time writing scripts on his dad’s work computer. Fast forward to now, the Mass Communications and Journalism graduate is living out his childhood dream.
Abbey Cullen was 19 when she had her first seizure.
Now, the morning Triple M radio announcer and journalism graduate is using her media platform to raise awareness and bring epilepsy out of the shadows.
Curtin’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Lindy Fitzgerald, has always been driven to make a difference. Inspired by her parents, she pursued higher education and now leads groundbreaking research at Curtin University.
In 2015, Tom Johnston swapped his business suit for a wetsuit – opening his own surf school – Perth Go Surf.
Since then, Tom now has the rewarding task of helping people with autism find enjoyment in catching their own waves, through a new partnership – Ocean Heroes.
After winning Curtin’s Talent for Tomorrow Competition in 2023 – there is a name that has become quite popular at our graduation celebrations – 3NA.
For the past two years, brothers Matt, Dan and Nate have been treating our graduation audiences to a finale most universities would be envious of. Dan (Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery) and Nate (Bachelor of Science, Occupational Therapy) are both proud Curtin Alumnus, and together with their brother Matt, are fusing the unlikely worlds of rap and academia together.
After years of working as a freelance designer around the world, Curtin Commerce graduate Emilie Otto became burnt out and exhausted.
Fast forward to 2024, she is now the owner of House of Hobby, which is a space that helps people find a creative hobby while supporting and empowering local artists and makers to share their skills.
Former Head of English and current Head of Academics and Innovation at Wesley College Adam Kealley understands the power of words.
With a recent PhD in creative writing and cultural studies from Curtin, the avid reader and writer shares his top tips on improving your writing skills.
For Creative Spotlight, Australian figure painter and muralist, Mason Roberts, is known for his bold compositions that explore the human form, harmoniously blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.
Growing up, Mason always had a passion for drawing and doodling. Over the years, this has evolved into a successful career as a painter, where he has been able to bring his vivid imagination to life through instinctive brushstrokes and spontaneous creativity.
An impulsive creator, the narratives of his paintings often reveal themselves each stroke at a time, unfolding organically on the canvas.
“When I create, it’s very intuitive and I try not to put any barriers on my creative process.
“Every time you do a new piece, you learn a new part about yourself, which you often didn’t know existed,” Mason said.
Since graduating from Curtin with a Bachelor of Graphic Design (2009), the former model has since transitioned into the arts, pursuing a more expressive path.
Alongside his partner, Julia Catalano, Mason co-founded Kahkune – a community-driven arts initiative offering inclusive and intimate art classes for those people living with a disability. Through art, Kahkune creates a space that allows creativity, connection, and self-expression to thrive for people of all abilities.
“The beauty of what we do with the students is that they never think about what they are doing before they put pen to paper.
“Our biggest goal for Kahkune is to help as many people as possible and spread as much happiness as we can to as many people as we can,” Mason said.
Last month, we visited Mason at Goolugatup Heathcoate to learn more about his journey as a professional artist and how he managed to create custom artworks for the likes of Yohji Yamamoto and Cardi B.
Watch our interview with Mason in the studio here.
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What do you think about Curtin Commons and the stories we’re sharing? Have any ideas or a story you think we should cover? We want to know.
A ‘commons’ is a space that is shared by and benefits a community.
Our commons is a cultural and virtual one, reflecting the ideas and experiences shared by a proud and distinct Curtin community living in Western Australia and around the world. We hope that this space will inspire us to stay connected in ways that are beneficial to our lives, families and communities.
