“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
26/11/2025. By Carmelle Wilkinson. For William Peucker, discovering graphic design wasn’t just about finding a […]
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.
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.
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 Creative Arts graduate Grace Yong weaves culture, family and identity into her art, using art as a bridge to bring people closer together.
A Chinese Malaysian artist based in Perth, Grace’s art speaks to the challenges of negotiating cultural identity in Western society. Her work seeks to resonate with fellow immigrants while encouraging non-immigrants to reflect critically on cultural empathy and shared humanity.
Her passion for painting has recently expanded into video art and Chinese calligraphy, a nod to her cultural roots and family history.
Her latest work, ‘her name, an anthology’ (2024), explores Grace’s matrilineage through a handwritten letter in Chinese calligraphy, and the reading of a juéjù (Chinese poetic form).
The work earned her the 2025 Dr Harold Schenberg Arts Award at the Hatched: National Graduate Show.
Grace uses her art to demonstrate that living in a Western country doesn’t mean losing your roots, you can still honour your Chinese identity, culture, and traditions.
“My art isn’t necessarily a manual, but it’s there to show others that they are not alone.
“The motivation to create stems back to my family connections. I always think about how sad it would be to miss having closer relationships with your relatives simply because you can’t communicate with each other, which is why I created ‘her name, an anthology’,” she said.
In the future, Grace hopes to take her art around the world.
“I really want to exhibit overseas. Most importantly, I want to connect with other Chinese artists or collaborate with other immigrant artists about their own experiences or if they have similar themes in their works,” she said.
Grace’s advice for aspiring artists is to make the most of opportunities.
“Just get the most out of the opportunities in front of you. Grab everything with both hands and don’t let go until you’ve exhausted every bit of potential from it.”
Read our full interview with Grace here.
Grace’s artwork, ‘her name, an anthology’ is currently on display at John Curtin Gallery as part of the ‘Everyday, Myths and Legends’ exhibition, which is running until 7 December 2025. Learn more here.
Images L-R: Grace Yong at the Curtin Bentley campus, MHKC (2023), Wingchun Movements (2023), Tenacity (2023), ‘her name, an anthology’ still image at PICA Hatched: National Graduate Show 2025.
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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.
