Media releases

Leaders in energy, education, community engagement and engineering are among the graduates to be honoured in Federation University’s 2020 Alumni Awards.

The inaugural Gippsland awards formally recognise the achievements of distinguished alumni of Federation’s Gippsland campus and its predecessor institutions.

Awards were presented at a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, celebrating the recipients’ successes in their chosen fields of study and beyond.

The 2020 Alumni Award recipients are:

Mary Aldred – Alumna of the Year

Mary has been instrumental in securing state and federal funding for significant projects in the Gippsland region, particularly through her roles as Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Committee for Gippsland where she provided a united voice for the region.

Keith Hamilton – Alumnus of the Year

Keith’s career has been dedicated to education, public service, and service to the community. After teaching for many years Keith served as the State Member for Morwell in the Victorian Legislative Assembly for 14 years. Since leaving politics Keith continued his service to the community on boards, committees and taskforces.

Christine Johnson – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Alumna of the Year

Christine is a proud Gunaikurnai woman who, in her role as an Education Engagement Worker with The Smith Family, has directed the Aboriginal Parent and Community Engagement project. The project transitions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from primary to secondary, and from mid-secondary to senior secondary schools.

Barry Dunstan – Distinguished Alumnus

Barry has worked to promote and inspire the Gippsland community through his roles in education, management, and the scientific world. He has a long association with Federation University and considerable experience in consulting and conducting research on a wide range of energy issues.

Ian Nethercote – Distinguished Alumnus

Ian has made major contributions to the Gippsland region and the development of national energy policy and institutions. As Chief Executive of Loy Yang Power, he was responsible for Victoria's largest power generation facility. Ian served on the Federation University Council from 2014 to 2019 and in 2018 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.

John Sullivan – Distinguished Alumnus

John is a global automotive engineer who has designed motor vehicles concentrating on improving their safety performance. Commencing work with the Ford Motor Company in Geelong he rose to the top of Ford globally. John designed and delivering the first five-star New Car Assessment Programme NCAP vehicle in Europe.

Quotes attributable to Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Duncan Bentley

“Our alumni are the heart of Federation University and I am so proud and pleased to congratulate the award recipients who have worked tirelessly to excel in their chosen fields and serve the communities in which they live.”

“The Gippsland campus has a rich history dating back to the Yallourn Technical School in 1928 and we are delighted to honour our graduates’ achievements though these inaugural awards.”