Education awards and recognition initiatives

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Carlin, addresses awards recipients and their guests at the 2025 Faculty of Education Awards for Excellence and Recognition.

The VC addresses the audience at the Faculty Awards 2025

Faculty of Education Awards for Excellence and Recognition

The Faculty of Education Awards for Excellence and Recognition include the Dean’s Honours List for students, Student Donor Prizes, SAGE Award for Service, Professional Staff Awards, Research Awards, and Teaching & Learning Awards to celebrate the diverse individual and collective achievements that contribute to the realisation of the Faculty of Education’s Mission, Vision, Goals, and Objectives. 

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2025 Faculty of Education Awards for Excellence and Recognition

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2025 Faculty of Education Award Winners

Paula Farrell_Educator of the Year
Professor Tyrone Carlin and Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles with Paula Farrell

Educator of the Year

Paula Farrell

Small to Medium Units Category

2024/2025 Educator of the Year Award goes to the academic staff members within the Faculty that received the highest mean student feedback based on the teaching feedback metrics for the last 12 months.

Tim Barringham_Educator of the Year
Professor Tyrone Carlin and Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles with Timothy Barringham

Educator of the Year

Timothy Barringham

Large Units Category

2024/2025 Educator of the Year Award goes to the academic staff members within the Faculty that received the highest mean student feedback based on the teaching feedback metrics for the last 12 months.

Erin Mackenzie_Commendation for Teaching Awards
Professor Erin Mackenzie (Associate Dean Education) presents the Commendation for Teaching Excellence Awards

Commendation for Teaching Excellence

2024/2025 Commendation for Teaching Excellence Award goes to the academic staff members within the Faculty that received commendably high mean student feedback based on the teaching feedback metrics for the last 12 months.

For small to medium units, congratulations to: 

  • Dr Lana McCarthy
  • Dr Lewes Peddell
  • Dr Colin Klupiec
  • Dr Mandy Hughes
  • Novy Dharmawan
  • Phillipa Trickett

 

For large units, congratulations to: 

  • Fabiola Pereira Sessa
  • Jacinta Lowes
  • Dr Monika Krajcovicova
  • Hiba Hawchar
  • Lauren Carn
  • Dr Olivera Kamenarac
Nicole Rose_Mentor Teacher Award
Mr Michael Josey, Principal of Benowa State School, accepted the award on behalf of Nicole Rose.

Mentor Teacher Award

The Mentor Teacher Award and the Mentor Teacher Commendation Award goes to a mentor teacher who has demonstrated outstanding mentoring and support of our Faculty of Education pre-service teachers.   

Mentor Teacher Award 

Nicole Rose - Benowa State School

Mentor Teacher Commendation Award 

Candice Walker - Olive Grove Centre of Early Learning, Gosnells 

Lexi Lasczik_Researcher of the Year
Professor Tyrone Carlin and Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles with Professor Lexi Lasczik

2024 Researcher of the Year

Professor Lexi Lasczik

Associate Dean (Education Partnerships)

Determined by the most number of registered HERDC publications, successful external grants and HDR completions.

Carla Valerio_Early Career Researcher of the Year
Professor Tyrone Carlin and Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles with Dr Carla Valerio

2024 Early Career Researcher of the Year

Dr Carla Valerio

Lecturer

Determined by the most number of registered HERDC publications, successful external grants and HDR completions.

David Turner_Outstanding Research Publication
Associate Professor David Turner accepts the award on behalf of Dr Hoi Vo

2024/2025 Outstanding Research Publication

Dr Hoi Vo

Awarded to the highest quality Q1 article published by Faculty of Education academic/s, determined by journal rank, and publication data metrics.

Hoi, V. N. (2022). A synergetic perspective on students’ perception of classroom environment, expectancy value belief, and engagement in an EFL context. Language Teaching Research, 29(3), 1069-1093. https://doi-org.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/10.1177/13621688221075781 

Sue Walker_Outstanding Research Publication
Professor Sue Walker presents the Outstanding HDR Research Publication

2024/2025 Outstanding HDR Research Publication

Dr David Ellis

HDR Candidate

Awarded to the highest quality Q1 article published by a HDR candidate, determined by journal rank and publication data metrics.

Boyd, W., Salehi, N., Doran, F., Ellis, D., MCGuigan, H., & Lee, M. (2025). A Journey Into School Lunchbox Decision-Making: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Australian Parents. Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 36(4), e70089. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.70089 

Sue Walker_HDR Supervisor of the Year
Professor Tyrone Carlin and Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles with Professor Sue Walker

HDR Supervisor of the Year

Professor Sue Walker

Awarded to the Faculty of Education academic staff member who has an outstanding track record in Higher Degree Research supervision, supports their students’ career development, and contributes to the development of excellent supervision practices.

Penny Bredenkamp_Award for Service
Professor Tyrone Carlin and Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles with Penny Bredenkamp

Professional Staff Award for Service

Penny Bredenkamp

Executive Assistant to the Executive Dean

The Professional Staff Award for Service recognises professional staff who go above and beyond to provide exceptional service, or to ensure continuity in extraordinary circumstances, to colleagues and/or students.

Savannah Shepherd Juniel_SAGE Award
Professor Tyrone Carlin and Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles with Savannah Shepherd Juniel (SAGE President)

SAGE Award for Service

This award acknowledges the service of the Student Advisory Group for Education (SAGE) leadership team in their efforts to form a diverse and passionate community of students.

  • Savannah Shepherd Juniel - President
  • Caragh Rosevear - Vice-President
  • Brynn Castle - Secretary

Dean's Honour's List

The Dean’s Honours List acknowledges outstanding academic achievement within the Faculty of Education. The list is compiled from Undergraduate and Postgraduate students, including the Professional Doctorate, Honours and master's by coursework, who have achieved a Grade Point Average of 6.5 or above from Term 4 2024 to Term 3 2025.

Undergraduate students with a GPA average of 6.5 or above must have completed at least 48 credit points over an equivalent of a one-year period to be eligible for this highly competitive and prestigious award.

Postgraduate students with a GPA average of 6.5 or above must have completed at least 48 credit points over an equivalent* of a one-year period to be eligible for this highly competitive and prestigious award.

Bachelor of Early Childhood Education

Jaimee Luck, Lauren Shaw, Lesa Armstrong

Graduate Diploma in Education (Early Childhood)

Raziya Rashid, Paula Montes

Bachelor of Education

Shu-Xin Behr, Christie Campbell, Luke Hammond, Kiara Cunningham, Rowena Drew, Alexa Phillips, Jun Touzel, Acacia Roberts, Madeline Maric, Carly Taylor, Sarah McDonald, Vanessa Pham, Timna Kopman, Kayla Orphin, Sophie Cracknell, Isabelle Wills, Cameron Pratt, Rachel Mott, Amalia Pearl, Gypsy Forrest, Melinda Spencer, Zahra McLaughlin, Mirani Astawa, Karen Hill, Kym Bambrook, Sophie Mednis, Cheyenne Hickson, Zoe Edwards, Kristin Zerna, Amelia Booth-Barker, Lucy Ward, Rachelle Stevens, Kirsty West, Robert Lucivero, Nathan Booth, Sarah Maddock, Brooke Surawski, Ruby Denner, Thomas Gray, Chantel Boaden, Timothy Browne, Bradon Behan, Meredith Palmer, Caleb Hogbin, Lily Coleman, Lauren Ellem, Sarah Lindo, Helen Edwards, Holly Andrews, Matthew Bollard, Michaela McGregor, Kate Hulbert, Sarah Rahilly, John Archinal, Hannah Bradmore, Tabatha Stockdale, Jessica Housley, Rebekah Hall, Erin Buckingham, Laura McKnight, Luke Knight-Brooks, Rachel Baumgartner, Hayley Scanlon, Ashley Clark, Amy Clisby, Siddika Abay, Liela Blanch, Declan Prain, Janine Palmer, Laura Verstappen, Emily Zauner, Rachael Anderson, Courtney Hackfath, Renee Marshall, Tilli Coulter, Christopher Cherry, Lucas Wagland.

Master of Teaching

Nerida Hornery, Nicholas Mattingly, Jaimi Mahony, Ashley Warby, Emily Markwell, Cheryl Wright, Carla Simpson, Imogen Holt, Melissa Welsh, Okan Okyay, Ellen Carey, Sallyanne Moonga, Caitlyn Morrison, Aislinn Spencer, Nathan Warnes, Ruby Marshall.
Bachelor of Education (Honours)

Jian Liu, Samantha Miller, Georgiana Siaxiates, Josie Hockey.

Master of Education

Robert Pattearson, Sonia Solo, Stewart Jensen.

Student Donor Prizes

Primary English Teaching Association Australia English Excellence Award 

Aidan Tolman and Robert Lucivero

Early Childhood Outstanding Student of the Year 

Bridget Brosi 

Byron Writers Festival Prize 

Kaye Irwin

Bishop Druitt College Wellbeing Education Prize 

Brydi Custance

Bishop Druitt College Arts Education Prize 

Brydi Custance

Bishop Druitt College STEM Education Prize 

April Loadsman

The Lord's Taverners Northern NSW Buttrum-Whitelaw Memorial Prize

Ashleigh Larrescy

Past winners

View the past winners of the Faculty of Education Awards for Excellence and Recognition from 2021-2025. 

See past winners