“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
As a young boy, Harman Singh Heer would sit quietly in the back of a […]
18/03/2026. By Carmelle Wilkinson. For many people in their early 40s, writing a gift into […]
18/03/2026. By Carmelle Wilkinson. Long before thousands of West Australians relaxed on bean bags and […]
For William Peucker, discovering graphic design wasn’t just about finding a career – it was about coming home.
Dressed in her graduation regalia, Afia Anjum stood beside the stage at Curtin’s 2025 Djiiba Graduations. Just weeks before, she received news no one is ever prepared for.
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.
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.
Curtin Bachelor of Arts graduate and highly respected Noongar artist, Sharyn Egan started her art career at the age of 37, forging a practice that is deeply rooted in Country and lived experience.
Much of Sharyn’s work is shaped by her experiences as a member of the Stolen Generation, growing up in the New Norcia mission. Her practice explores her life as a Noongar woman and reflects the trauma and deep sense of loss and displacement experienced by Aboriginal people, while honouring the enduring strength of culture and connection to Country.
Driven by curiosity and a willingness to experiment, Sharyn works across a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, woven forms and installations.
Sharyn draws on natural materials such as ochres, resins and native grasses, inspired by the landscapes surrounding her home near the lake system in Perth’s southern suburbs.
In recent years Sharyn has been awarded several prestigious public art commissions for Optus Stadium, Elizabeth Quay, Yagan Square and Scarborough Beach, to name a few. She is also a frequent exhibitor for Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi and Cottesloe.
In a full circle moment, Sharyn recently returned to Curtin to collaborate with fellow artist Jahne Reeves on a new immersive artwork for Curtin’s Geodesic Dome renovations.
Responding to the intersecting Djiridji (Zamia) and Kujal Kela (Twin Dolphin), ‘Songlines’, is an installation that weaves together sculptural elements, original songs in Noongar, and soundscapes recorded on Country to create a multi-sensory journey through place, language and cultural knowledge.
Read more in our full interview with Sharyn here.
Photos L-R: Sharyn Egan at Curtin Bentley, ‘Songlines’ at Curtin’s Geodesic Dome, Koora-Yeye-Boordawan-Kalyakoorl (Past-Present-Future-Forever) sculpture at Wadjemup, Flannel Flowers at Ngara – Ngurangwa Byallara (Listen, hear, think – The Place Speaks) at Oakhurst NSW photographed by Jazz Money, ‘Balga’ at Sculptures by the Sea, Cottesloe 2023 photographed by Michael Goh.
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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.
