enterprising faces

Internationally recognised expert in Australian public law and human rights, Professor Wendy Lacey is the Head of the School of Law at the UniSA Business School. In addition to her leadership role at the University, Prof Lacey remains an active researcher and has been published widely in the fields of Australian constitutional law, administrative law, judicial discretion and human rights.

Prof Lacey says her passion for human rights, fighting for the underdog, and for sensing injustice and wanting to do something to change it, was first ignited in high school. Since then she has dedicated her life to addressing human rights issues through her work as a lawyer, researcher and leader. Her ongoing research focus is on the rights of older persons. 

PhD student Ankitkumar Parikh is developing the drug edaravone to treat Alzheimer’s disease, following the recent discovery by UniSA’s Professor Xin-Fu Zhou that showed edaravone can help fight the disease. 

His road to a medical research career was inspired by his grandmother – his closest family member – who suffers from neurodegenerative disease. Originally from India, Ankit says his biggest life-changing moment was being given the opportunity in 2013 to undertake research into neurodegenerative disease at UniSA, where he now works closely with Prof Zhou and Professor Sanjay Garg in the Division of Health Sciences.  

Dr Jackie O’Flaherty is an award-winning senior lecturer in the UniSA Division of Health Sciences. Specialising in the areas of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, Dr O’Flaherty has been a frontrunner in the development of inclusive and transformational courses and learning environments at UniSA, particularly in the online space. As a passionate educator and an early adopter of technology, Dr O’Flaherty’s focus is on ensuring all students – ‘here, near and far’ – have the best learning experience possible. 

Based in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Dr O’Flaherty has been recognised nationally for the exceptional academic guidance and support she provides for her students, receiving the prestigious Office for Teaching and Learning National Australian Award for University Teaching Excellence in 2013. She has also received numerous UniSA and Open Universities Australia Teaching Awards, as well as a National Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in 2010.

A graduate of UniSA’s antecedent institution, SAIT, Professor Tom Calma has dedicated his life to improving the lives of Indigenous Australians, being involved in Indigenous affairs at a local, state, national and international level for more than 40 years.

His 2005 Social Justice Report focusing on Indigenous health equality was the catalyst for the Close the Gap campaign.

Now Chancellor of the University of Canberra, he is the first Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander man in 164 years to hold the position of Chancellor at an Australian university.

Prof Calma was one of the inaugural winners of the UniSA Alumni Awards.

Bachelor of Business alumna, Sherina Ng, is the President of the University’s highly regarded Singapore Alumni Chapter, which was recently named joint winner of the Outstanding Australian University Alumni Association Award by the Australian Alumni Singapore organisation.

Sherina was one of the pioneers of the UniSA Singapore Committee and has been actively involved since 2008. She is a driving force in organising and executing the milestone events on the Singapore Chapter’s event calendar.     

With a specialisation in property, Sherina owns a successful real estate agency in Singapore and is also a qualified valuer and trainer. She credits her degree with instilling in her a passion for life-long learning and the ability to open her mind to new opportunities

A National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Research Fellow, Dr Zlatko Kopecki’s research has the potential to change the lives of people with chronic wounds. 

Working to understand the mechanisms involved in wound healing, scar formation and fragile skin syndromes, he is developing novel therapeutic agents to help patients suffering from chronic wounds and blistered skin. Dr Kopecki has already created a product capable of healing the fragile skin of so-called ‘butterfly’ children, who have the rare genetic disease Epidermolysis Bullosa. 

A Foundation Fellow at UniSA’s Future Industries Institute, Dr Kopecki was a finalist in the 2015 Fresh Science competition, an initiative designed to encourage researchers to share their discoveries. 

By age 15, UniSA Bachelor of Media Arts student, Lealie Hayek, had already graduated from high school, completed a Certificate III in Multimedia and passed five university courses. Now in the third year of her degree, Lealie is set to graduate by age 18.   

Lealie has chosen to specialise in 2D and 3D animation at UniSA and has found the experience so far “invaluable”. As well as the industry-specific skills she has gained, she also credits her studies with improving her social skills and confidence. 

Following graduation, Lealie is planning to take some well-deserved time off to travel before embarking on a career in 2D animation. 

The Hon Dr Basil Hetzel AC, who was UniSA’s Chancellor from 1992 to 1998, is a leading Australian medical researcher who has made a major contribution to combating iodine deficiency worldwide.

In the 1960s Dr Hetzel led research that identified the link between iodine deficiency and brain damage in unborn children. His research team in Papua New Guinea during 1964-1972 established that brain damage could be prevented by correction of iodine deficiency before pregnancy.

This ground-breaking research led him to begin a worldwide campaign to incorporate iodised salt into the diets of more than two billion people in some 130 countries where iodine is lacking. Dr Hetzel’s efforts have prevented brain damage in millions of children.