2013 Alumni Awards announced

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

University of Newcastle graduate Anton Monsted, the Executive Music Supervisor for Baz Luhrmann's movie The Great Gatsby, has been named joint recipient of the University's 2013 Newton-John Award.

Anton Monsted

Mr Monsted and co-recipient Karin Catt – an international fashion and portrait photographer who counts Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama and Russell Crowe among her subjects – are two of 10 alumni recognised at the 2013 Alumni Awards gala event at Newcastle City Hall tonight.

The Newton-John Award recognises innovation or creativity in any field that has improved cultural life.

Mr Monsted has worked on numerous feature films with Australian director Baz Luhrmann since graduating from Newcastle with a Bachelor of Arts in 1995. He was Executive Producer of Luhrmann's 2004 campaign for Chanel No.5, starring actor Nicole Kidman. Mr Monsted recently left Bazmark to become Senior Vice President of Music at Twentieth Century Fox.

Ms Catt, also a Bachelor of Arts graduate, has an international reputation for being able to capture the essence and personalities of some of the world's biggest names – Richard Branson, Cate Blanchett, Eminem, Jack Nicholson and Mikhail Gorbachev are just a few of Ms Catt's subjects. She is the youngest photographer to hold a solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.

Esteemed accounting and economics Emeritus Professor Ross Watts, a Newcastle born and raised Bachelor of Commerce graduate who co-founded the globally-recognised Journal of Accounting & Economics, received the prestigious Alumni Medal for Professional Excellence.

Other graduates honoured tonight are:

  • Young Alumni Award – Ms Chandra Clements (B Business, BScience)
  • Indigenous Alumni Award – Mr Craig Ritchie (BArts)
  • Alumni Award for Exceptional Community Service – jointly presented toEmeritus Professor Maree Gleeson OAM (PhD) and Dr Wej Paradice AM
  • Alumni Award for Regional Leadership – the Hon. PatriciaForsythe (B Arts)
  • Alumni Award for National Leadership – the Hon. Dato PadukaAR. H. Iris Abas (B Architecture)
  • Alumni Award for International Leadership – Dr William Lilley (BScience Hons, PhD)

"The Alumni Advisory Committee is thrilled to receive such high calibre nominations for the Alumni Awards," the President of Alumni, Mr Brian Kennaugh, said.

"Selecting the recipients from such a quality field is increasingly difficult. Our alumni are truly making their mark on the world stage and are testament to the University's reputation as an outstanding research and teaching institution.

"Read about the recipients online at www.newcastle.edu.au/community-and-alumni/alumni/alumni-awards/2013-recipients and learn about all the finalists a twww.newcastle.edu.au/community-and-alumni/alumni/alumni-awards/finalists-and-past-recipients

Contact

  • Katie Porritt, Communications and Marketing, External Relations.
  • Phone: +61 2 4921 5972.

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