Research excellence takes the stage at Lismore graduation

Mona investigated how antimony interacts with different iron minerals in the environment, helping to improve understanding of how the contaminant moves, persists and can be managed. Her findings contribute to more reliable methods for assessing environmental risk and contamination. 

“Studying at Southern Cross University was a very fulfilling experience for me, academically and personally. I enjoyed working with advanced research techniques and incredible facilities,” said Mona. 

“The sense of community made my PhD journey a special one, and it is something I will always carry with me.”

Receiving the University's highest academic honour for a graduating student was a moment of both pride and reflection. 

“Receiving the Chancellor’s Medal makes me very proud but also very grateful, because I had a lot of support through this journey,” she said. 

“The amount of work, time and perseverance it took to reach this point made graduating an emotional and rewarding moment.” 

Mona is now working as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Flinders University, researching mine-waste geochemistry and the environmental behavior and management of mine tailings. 

An emotional impact for Psychology Honours graduate 

For University Medal recipient Elspeth (Ellie) Butcher, a Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours provided an opportunity to explore one of the complexities of human behaviour: the role emotions play in our memory. 

Her Honours thesis investigated the relationship between emotions and metacognition, revealing that negative emotions can affect visual-spatial working memory.  

“I found that negative emotions draw your attention away from a task at times,” Ellie said.  

The research was inspired by her experience working as a therapy assistant for a clinical psychologist, where she regularly administered attention-based assessments. 

“I was interested in how some people could track their performance, and others had no idea, and I began wondering if their emotions were affecting this,” she said. 

For Ellie, receiving a University Medal in recognition of her outstanding academic achievement and research sparked feelings of gratitude, pride and disbelief, ensuring graduation day would be a moment to remember. 

“I feel incredibly grateful to my supervisor, Dr Kachina Allen, for being supportive and challenging me to pursue a project that was outside the box,” she said. 

Science graduate recognised for reef research 

Bachelor of Science with Honours graduate Michael Ingram was awarded a University Medal for his outstanding research into how coral reefs respond to nutrient pollution at Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef. 

Working alongside researchers investigating the effects of elevated nitrate levels on the reef, Michael spent two years conducting fieldwork at Lady Elliot Island, examining how nutrient inputs influence reef productivity, algal growth and the herbivorous fish and turtles that help maintain reef health. 

His thesis found that healthy reef ecosystems can naturally regulate the impacts of increased nutrient inputs, offering valuable insights into reef conservation and management. 

"My research found that the reef at Lady Elliot Island is keeping up with the immense pressure of high groundwater nitrate inputs because its herbivore populations are intact, protected by the island’s no-take marine park," Michael said. 

"The findings suggest that areas vulnerable to nutrient inputs could be designated as marine parks, allowing healthy herbivore populations to recover and helping mitigate the impacts of nutrient pollution on reefs." 

Michael's research is now being prepared for journal publication. He has since commenced a Doctor of Philosophy at Southern Cross University. 

He credited much of his success to the support of his supervisors, particularly Professor Dirk Erler. 

"I'm really grateful for the opportunities Dirk gave me throughout my degree," Michael said. 

"His encouragement and enthusiasm helped me find a sense of purpose in my studies and inspired me to fully engage with my research."