Past Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Equity and Diversity Award winners

Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Equity and Diversity Award 2009

And the winner is...Dr Deborah Setterlund.

 Dr Setterlund B.S.S. (1970), M.S.W. (1998), Ph.D. (1995) receiving her award from Senior Deputy-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Keniger, on May 28 2009.

With the theme, "In Others' Shoes," Diversity Week 2009 provided the University with an opportunity to connect with the community and celebrate its many different backgrounds, different abilities and disabilities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, sexualities, gender identities and generations. Alumni and friends were invited to celebrate by ‘walking in the shoes’ of someone from a different background, for example someone from another culture, a different gender or another generation. The theme encouraged others to 'walk in the shoes' of someone from a different background, with alternate attributes, abilities, religious beliefs, from another culture, in an opposing gender or from a different generation.

The five-day annual event is held each year to highlight the many facets of University life, to allow students, staff and alumni to connect under one overarching theme and to engage in an issue of importance and promote it to the wider community. A highlight of the week is the Vice-Chancellor's Equity and Diversity Awards, free to UQ staff, students, alumni and guests.

In 2009, the awards ceremony featured a lively panel discussion facilitated by the host of ABC Radio National's, Late Night Live Phillip Adams AO titled "In Others' Shoes: Possible or Pipedream". Panellists included Professor Carmen Lawrence, Australia's first female State Premier and former Federal Health Minister, and Professor Kevin Clements, Director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at The University of Otago, New Zealand.

All nominations received were of an exceptionally high standard. Thank you to all alumni who submitted nominations. We look forward to receiving next year's nominations and hearing of the diverse way in which our valued alumni are contributing to the wider community.

At 6pm on Thursday May 28, the 2009 recipient of the Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Equity and Diversity Award, Dr Deborah Setterlund, was honoured at an evening of celebration, discussion and debate.

A press release of all Equity and Diversity Award recipients can be accessed here.

For further information about UQ Diversity Week 2009, please visit the Diversity Week website at http://www.uq.edu.au/diversity-week/.

Past award winners

2008   Winner - Dr Ben Mullen
2008    Highly Commended - Ms Lizzie Brown

If you have any questions about the University’s alumni awards, please contact the UQ Alumni team in the Advancement Office on +61 7 3346 3166 or email uqalumni@uq.edu.au.