Amitav AcharyaPhD 1987Arts, Education and Creative Media

Amitav Acharya is currently Professor of International Relations at the School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC. He is also the UNESCO Chair in Transnational Challenges and Governance and Chair of American University’s ASEAN Studies Centre. Previously, Dr Acharya was Professor of Global Governance at the University of Bristol, Professor at York University, Toronto, and at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Fellow of the Harvard University Asia Center, and Fellow of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Professor Acharya has received a multitude of awards and scholarships including, most recently, the American University Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research, Creative Activity and Other Professional Contributions.

Amitav AcharyaPhD 1987Arts, Education and Creative Media

He also received the National Talent Scholar Award from the Indian Government in 1978 and held the Award until 1983; this is India’s most prestigious student Award. He has worked as a consultant for the United Nations and the World Bank and as an advisor for core international committees and groups.

He currently holds (2012 – 2013) the Nelson Mandela Visiting Professorship in International Relations at Rhodes University, South Africa. Over the course of his career Professor Acharya has written extensively in the field of international relations, making an outstanding contribution to that field. His publications include over 25 books, including the award winning volume, Whose Ideas Matter: Agency and Power in Asian Regionalism (Cornell University Press, 2009), and 200 journal and magazine articles and hundreds of current affairs op-eds in newspapers worldwide.

He was a Vice-President of the International Studies Association (2008-9), the world’s largest professional association in international studies. He is also the founder and coordinator of TRANSCEND (Transnational Challenges and Emerging Nations Dialogue), a Global Partnership for Research and Action on Transnational Challenges, Multilateralism and Governance, set up under the auspices of his UNESCO Chair. 

Stephen Van MilBSc 1983, BVMS 1984 Health Sciences

Dr Van Mil has dedicated his life to animals, veterinary science and conservation. He has made an outstanding contribution to his field and to the Australian community at large through his veterinary skills, his popularity in media and through his many documentaries and films. Dr Van Mil currently oversees Impian Films Pty Ltd, a feature film and television production company he established in 2008. Dr Van Mil established three major vet hospitals in Sydney in his early career, Riverview Animal Hospital, Mosman Veterinary Clinic and North Randwick Veterinary Clinic. He was the resident vet at Channel Nine’s The Today Show for 14 years, from 1991 – 2004 and is most well-known for his appearances on shows such as Burke’s Backyard and A Current Affair.

Stephen Van MilBSc 1983, BVMS 1984 Health Sciences

In 2007 Dr Van Mil established Animal Media Australia Pty Ltd, a film production company that specialises in raising awareness about endangered animals. Documentaries produced through this company include White Lions: King of Kings for Animal Planet and distributed worldwide; Saving Orangutans for the Ten Network and the award-winning The Last Trimate, narrated by Mel Gibson.

The Last Trimate won the Special Jury Award, the Best Newcomer Award and Merit Awards for Best Editing and Best Conservation Message at the 2008, 31st International Wildlife Film Festival in Montana. Animal Media works closely with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and ECOCEAN.

Dr Van Mil is the Patron of the Peru Zoo and conducts annual eco tours to Borneo, raising funds for the Orangutan Foundation International. He is the foundation board member of Assistance Dogs and acted as President from 1998 – 2003. This organisation trains dogs in community settings to assist people with physical disabilities.

Tim MarneyBEcon(Hons) 1991Law, Business and Information Technology

Tim Marney is currently the Under Treasurer of Western Australia.  He is also Chair of the Western Australian Treasury Corporation Board and a former chair of the State Supply Commission Board. 

Mr Marney is also currently the Deputy Chair of the Board of beyondblue: the national depression and anxiety initiative. 

He was the youngest ever graduate appointed to the Western Australian State Senior Executive Service at the age of 26 and the youngest person ever appointed as Western Australia Under Treasurer at age 35.

Tim MarneyBEcon(Hons) 1991Law, Business and Information Technology

In 2008 Mr Marney was named a winner in the 40 under 40 awards and named among the top four contenders for the prestigious ‘First Among Equals’ title.  He serves as an ambassador for beyondblue, has promoted greater understanding of anxiety and depression through openly sharing his own experiences with these illnesses.

He has served as Executive Sponsor of the Anxiety Disorders Foundation of Western Australia and a mentor for the Institute of Public Administration Australia Young Professionals. He is also a former member of the Murdoch University Business School Advisory Board and the Western Australian Sports Centre Trust.  He is also a former board member of Desert Knowledge Australia, an organisation that identifies partnerships and programs to give better opportunities to Indigenous people. 

Mr Marney has recently demonstrated his strong commitment to community values by introducing to the Department a staff support program to encourage staff to engage in voluntary work in the community. He has a keen interest in Indigenous socio-economic issues and initiated an Indigenous Trainee program at the Department of Treasury.

Brad NormanBSc 1992, MPhil 2000Science and Engineering

Brad Norman is currently CEO of ECOCEAN Inc., a not-for-profit organisation he set up in 2001 to monitor whale sharks. In 1995, Mr Norman established photo-identification as an accurate tool to identify individual whale sharks and to monitor the population in WA (subsequently implemented in 46 countries).

Some of his major achievements have included preparing the Species Report for the United Nations IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2000) which resulted in the whale shark being assessed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ and successfully nominating the whale shark for listing under Australian Legislation (EPBC Act) resulting in increased national protection for this species (2001). 

Brad NormanBSc 1992, MPhil 2000Science and Engineering

He assisted in the successful nomination to restrict international trade in whale shark products via the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 2002 - the first shark to be listed under this Convention and prepared UNEP ‘Best Practice’ whale shark ecotourism guidelines for the United Nations Environment Program (2007).

In February 2010, ECOCEAN was part of an international meeting which initiated an MOU signed by over one hundred countries that are part of the United Nations Convention on Migratory Species to protect seven of the most vulnerable of migratory sharks (including the whale shark).

Mr Norman and his team have won a host of awards for their innovative work with whale sharks: National Geographic Ocean Hero 2010; WA Science Awards Outreach Program of the Year 2009; National Geographic Emerging Explorer 2008; The Peter Benchley (JAWS) Shark Conservation Award 2007 (Science); Laureate – ROLEX Awards for Enterprise 2006 and the Sun Microsystems Duke’s Choice Award for Innovative Use of Java Technology 2005.

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