Indigenous Alumni Award

The Indigenous Alumni Award recognises alumni whose outstanding contribution has demonstrated engagement and impact working with Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander communities.

Previous recipients include leaders who have made an impact in indigenous education, health and society.

Nominees must meet the following selection criteria:

  • Hold a minimum undergraduate Bachelor degree from the University of Newcastle
  • Demonstrate outstanding achievement and/or contribution as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander graduate in their chosen field, characterised by initiative and
  • Hold established Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status

2024 Alumni Excellence Awards

Nominations now open

Nominate today

2023 Recipient

Karlie Noon

Bachelor of Mathematics / Bachelor of Science 2006

PhD Candidate and Indigenous Research Associate, Australian National University

Karlie Noon

The Extraordinary Journey of Karlie Noon – Bridging Science, Culture, and the Cosmos

As the first Indigenous person to achieve a dual degree in mathematics and science from the University of Newcastle, Gamilaroi woman Karlie Noon's passion for exploration and discovery exploded at an early age.

A passionate STEM communicator, with a particular focus on increasing diversity, Karlie is committed to sharing Indigenous knowledge which long pre-dates the same discoveries in science.

Karlie’s journey in science communication started through her participation in the SMART program and The Science and Engineering Challenge at the University of Newcastle.

“The skills that I learned from the University of Newcastle have allowed me to be able to get this far. They showed me that anyone can really do what they want, it doesn’t matter what your background is.”

2023 Alumni Excellence Award Recipient | Karlie Noon 2:06

Today Karlie is a strong advocate for Indigenous knowledge – and exploring how this traditional knowledge and Western science can work together to bring new levels of understanding.

“Considering that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People all have the oldest continuous culture that we know of, there is a lot of atmospherical and physical accuracy embedded within our stories and our culture.”

Collaborating with Indigenous astronomer researcher Duane Hamacher, Karlie has explored how moon halos were used in traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture as weather predictors.

“A Moon Halo is where a light ring forms around the full moon, and I was able to use my knowledge in physics to be able to show that those stories accurately reflect what is happening in the atmosphere and can successfully be used to predict stormy weather.”

Karlie’s work has been widely recognised. She was named a finalist for the 3M Eureka Prize (2019), nominated for ACT Young Australian of the Year (2019), and was a finalist for the Women of the Future Award (2017).  In 2020, she became the inaugural Astronomy Ambassador of the Sydney Observatory, a prestigious recognition of her passion for advocacy and impact. An advocate for STEM, Karlie regularly appears on SBS, ABC, and Australia’s Science Channel, sparking curiosity across the nation.

Karlie has become an influential figure, particularly in empowering Indigenous youth by delivering motivational talks and workshops in Indigenous communities and encouraging students to embrace their cultural identity while pursuing their dreams. She has also emerged as a role model for young women aspiring to chart their course in the field of science. Through sharing her personal journey and experiences, she has dismantled stereotypes and encouraged young girls to pursue their passion.

A pioneer, skilfully navigating the intersection of tradition, innovation, science, and culture, Karlie is currently undertaking her PhD at the Australian National University. Her aim is to share the knowledge she gathers to inspire others with the beauty of the world that we share.

“I hope that I can show people how important our role is, here under the beautiful sky we have, and show everyone that this place is something really to treasure.”