Meet our alumni
Our world-class graduates are found in 118 countries across the world. Meet some of our alumni and read about the endless opportunities and possibilities available to a UoN graduate.
Paul Hughes
Faculty of Business and Law
Chief Executive Officer
Newcastle Airport Limited
Bachelor of Commerce, 1984
Paul has dedicated his career to the development and betterment of public
services and amenities in our region. As a former manager of Community and
Recreation Services at Port Stephens Council, he developed a financial strategy
focusing on non-traditional sources of income through business and property
development activities. This allowed the council to instigate major projects
which would otherwise have been unsustainable.
Applying this approach in his current position as CEO of Newcastle Airport,
Paul has been able to grow passenger numbers by 58% to more than 1.2 million
per annum, and undertaken more than AU$40 million worth of project work to
prepare the airport for the next stage of growth. With a 20 year Master Plan
the impact of Paul's innovative strategies will be felt by the region for
decades to come. Working closely with aviation, transport and infrastructure
organisations, Paul continues to be a leading advocate and lobbyist for the
region.
David Brown
Faculty of Education and Arts
Cruise Hunter Project Manager
Newcastle Port Corporation
Bachelor of Social Science, 2004
With tourism a growth industry in Newcastle and surrounding regions
graduate David Brown, has leveraged both his qualifications and his
local pride to attain a position that he finds immensely enjoyable. David
is currently responsible for developing the local cruise and navy
shipping industries. In 2009 David was named the 'Australian Transport
and Logistics Industry Young Achiever of the Year'.
One of David's strengths is his obvious work ethic. "The most valuable
thing I learnt at University was the importance of working hard to make
things happen. Thankfully, it was a compulsory requirement to complete
work-integrated learning as part of my studies. This meant that when I
graduated I had already developed great industry networks and practical
experience to combine with my university studies."
Jonathon Hainsworth
Faculty of Education and Arts
Contract Administrator
Kingston Building (Australia) Pty Ltd
Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours), 2010
2010 Deans Medal Recipient
Jonathon first won the 2010 University Graduate Master Builders Association
(MBA) of NSW award for the Newcastle and Hunter Region, and then followed it as
a joint winner of the 2010 University Graduate MBA award competing with
graduates from across NSW.
Jonathon is a proud ambassador of the University's Construction Management
program, as he believes it presents all facets of the industry and allows you
to hit the ground running.
In his current role Jonathon manages a variety of projects. Jonathon
is also a committee member of Consult Australia's 'FutureNet Newcastle' network
which develops the skills and contacts of young professionals.
Jane Read
Faculty of Health
Researcher
Hunter IVF, HMRI, IVF Australia
Bachelor of Biomedical Science, 2006
Open Foundation Certificate, 2002
From the world of ballet to the world of biomedical science, Jane Read has
had a unique career path. At the age of 30, Jane retired from her position in
the Australian Ballet where she performed for 10 years. In her time there, she
reached the rank of Senior Artist.
"I have been privileged to have danced with the most talented of the world's dancers and ballet companies, in all the destinations the world of ballet has to offer. It was a fantastic career while it lasted but eventually I felt it was time to move on, especially as I had been lucky enough to dance all the principle roles every little girl dreams of."
Jane completed the six month Open Foundation course and was accepted into the Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree.After graduating Jane was offered the opportunity to work with Laureate Professor R. John Aitken at the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development of Biological Sciences. In conjunction with Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), IVF Australia (IVFA) and Hunter IVF (HIVF), she is currently researching the effects of oxidative DNA damage in human sperm on fertility.
Anson Smart
Faculty of Science and IT
Photographer
Bachelor of Science (Aviation), 1993
He has been called "one of the best magazine photographers in Australia", "the master of light and lens". Anson Smart is the man behind some of the world's most beautiful lifestyle photographic images and is widely lauded within his field.
But Anson started out headed in quite a different direction. "I had plans of
flying charter flights until I had built enough flying hours to apply for a
position with Qantas. But, as much as this sounded exciting and glamorous, my
heart wasn't in it." After studying at San Francisco's College of Arts, Anson
returned to Australia to start his photographic career.
Anson primarily shoots portraits, food, interiors and travel images, and has worked for some of the biggest names including the Australian Tourism Commission; magazines such as Marie Claire, Vogue Living and Elle.