KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Professor Emma Lee OAM – Federation University | National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice
Professor Emma Lee OAM is a trawlwulwuy woman from tebrakunna country in north-east Tasmania. She joined Federation University in 2023 to advance the research and social impact of the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice. An internationally recognised expert on Indigenous methodologies, Emma’s work focuses on applying these approaches to land and sea management. Her research spans Indigenous rights, governance, and regional development, with a particular interest in government policy, tourism, and fisheries. Among her many contributions, Emma has led the establishment of Tasmania’s inaugural Aboriginal food tourism trail, based on commercial abalone operations, to help create a market for cultural fisheries.
In her keynote address ‘Sustainability is our lives: Indigenous perspectives on decolonising climate adaptation’ Professor Lee invites us to look beyond the technical dimensions of sustainability to the deeper cultural and social implications of climate adaptation. As universities lead the transition towards renewable and resource-conscious futures, Emma challenges us to consider how this work can unintentionally marginalise Indigenous rights and voices. By viewing sustainability through a decolonising lens, she shows how institutions can move beyond symbolic inclusion to build pathways that honour justice, equity and genuine collaboration with Indigenous Peoples.
Professor Toby Walsh – Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence | University of New South Wales
Toby Walsh is Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of New South Wales and CSIRO’s Data61. He has a B.A. from the University of Cambridge and a M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree from the University of Edinburgh. He was named by the Australian newspaper as one of the “rock stars” of Australia’s digital revolution. Professor Walsh is a strong advocate for limits to ensure AI is used to improve our lives. He has, for example, been a leading voice in the discussion about killer robots, speaking at the UN, and to heads of state, parliamentary bodies, company boards and many other bodies on this topic.
He has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. He is the winner of the prestigious Celestino Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science and was named on the international “Who’s Who in AI” list of influencers. His twitter account was voted in the top ten to follow to keep abreast of developments in AI. He has won both the Humboldt Prize and the NSW Premier’s Prize for excellence in Engineering and ICT. He has given talks at public and trade events like CeBIT, the World Knowledge Forum, TEDx, New Scientist Live and writers festivals in Adelaide, Bendigo, Bhutan, Brisbane, Canberra, Geelong, Jaipur, Margaret River, Melbourne, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Sydney and elsewhere. He appears regularly on TV and radio, has been profiled by the New York Times and has authored five books on AI for a general audience, the most recent ones entitled “The Shortest History of AI” and “Faking It: Artificial Intelligence in a Human World”.
PANEL SPEAKERS
Andrew Wilks – Manutaki – Director, Sustainability, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
Andrew Wilks is the NZ Vice-President for ACTS and has been leading the sustainability team at VUW for 19 years. He has a background in energy management but has now transitioned to a leadership role as Director, Sustainability reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori and Kaitiakitanga). He is also the Vice-President (NZ) for Australasia Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS).
Prof Jennifer Boddy – Dean (Sustainability and Rankings), Griffith University
Professor Jennifer Boddy is a distinguished academic and internationally recognised researcher in domestic violence, disaster response, and social work and sustainability. A passionate advocate for social justice and environmental wellbeing, her research explores the vital connections between human health and the natural environment. As Dean (Sustainable and Rankings) at Griffith University, Jennifer leads the implementation of the University’s Sustainability Strategy, aligning her work with the institution’s mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Corey Peterson – Chief Sustainability Officer, University of Tasmania
Corey Peterson has worked at the University of Tasmania since 2010 advancing from Sustainability Officer to Chief Sustainability Officer charged with advancing a holistic organisational sustainability agenda. He was on the University of Tasmania Governing Council from 2012-2020, has been on the board of Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) since 2012, serving as president from 2018-2024, and is a director at the Southern Tasmania Regional Waste Authority.
Maira Baldoni – Associate Director Sustainable Estate and Operations Environment and Sustainability Office, University of Auckland
Maria Baldoni is the Associate Director of Sustainable Estate & Operations at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland. She has focused since 2017 on transforming estate and university-wide operational practices to embed climate science and sustainability goals. Maria leads a small team of sustainability professionals and, together, they played a central role in developing the university’s Sustainability and Net Zero Carbon strategies.
SPEAKERS
Alex McArthur
Sustainability Team Gardener – University of Tasmania
Amy Sutton
Wellbeing Strategy Coordinator – QUT
Andrea Marsden
Kaitaupua Toitū Sustainability Engagement Coordinator – Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Andrew Wilks
Manutaki – Director, Sustainability – Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
Arifa Sarfraz
Manager Environmental Risk – University of Sydney
Aston Howindt
Sustainability Specialist – Deakin University
Brittany Vermeulen
Sustainability Program Manager, Sustainability Education and Partnerships – Western Sydney University
Dr Carmen Primo Perez
Sustainability Manager, Strategic Analysis and Reporting – The University of Tasmania
Dr Catherine Elliott
Sustainability Manager (Experience & Engagement) – University of Tasmania
Catherine Pickering
Science Academic, Botanist, Ecologist & Teacher – Griffith University
Cathy Walker
Sustainability Projects Officer – University of Tasmania
Dr Claire Konkes
Senior Lecturer in Media and Communication – University of Tasmania
Clare de Castella
Associate Director, Environmental Sustainability – Australian National University
Corey Peterson
Chief Sustainability Officer – University of Tasmania
Ed Doddridge
Research Fellow in Physical Oceanography – IMAS – University of Tasmania
Ethan Yap
Honours Research Student – IMAS – University of Melbourne
Fien Van den Steen
Enactus UniSC Faculty Advisor & Research Assistant – University of the Sunshine Coast
Geoff Scott
Emeritus Professor of Higher Education and Sustainability – Western Sydney University
Gerard Healey
Director Sustainability (Acting) – University of Melbourne
Dr Gunaro Setiawan
Lecturer, Griffith Business School – Griffith University
Prof. Heidi Norman
Professor School of Humanities & Languages – University of NSW
Jade Irvine
Sustainability Projects Officer – University of Tasmania
Jennifer Boddy
Dean (Sustainability and Rankings) – Griffith University
Jikke Adema
Senior Business Analyst (Sustainability) – Flinders University
Juliet Meyer
Engagement Manager, Environmental Sustainability – Australian National University
Katherine Bourne
Student – University of Tasmania
Lars Roberts
Community Gardener – University of Tasmania
Leigh Burgess
Sustainability Manager – QUT
Lilly Henley
Student – University of Tasmania
Maria Baldoni
Associate Director Sustainable Estate and Operations
Environment and Sustainability Office – University of Auckland
Marianne Peso
Education Project Manager – University of Wollongong
Mark Grant
Environmental Manager (Strategy, Policy & Planning) – Griffith University
Mehal Krayem
Manager Community Engaged Teaching and Learning – University of Technology Sydney
Melanie Perry
Associate Director, Strategic Improvements – University of Tasmania
Melissa Lieser
Kaitaupua Toitū Sustainability Engagement Coordinator – Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Nick Grinpukel
Social Impact Practitioner – University of Technology Sydney
Oliver Butler
Communications & Social Media Officer – Griffith University
Patrick Coelho
Sustainability Project Coordinator – Victoria University of Wellington
Rachel Perkin
Business Development and Partnerships Lead, Sciences and Engineering – University of Tasmania
Rhiannon Boyd
Chief Executive Officer – ACTS
Rizal Bahri
Postgraduate student – Griffith University
Roger Attwater
Director, Environmental Sustainability – Western Sydney University
Dr Sal Lampkin
Senior Sustainability Advisor – Massey University
Sam Rye
Senior Research Officer – Monash University
Samantha Capon
Australian Rivers Institute – Griffith University
Sarah Horn
Sustainability Compliance Analyst – The University of Sydney
Siobhan McCarthy
Sustainability Lead, Strategy and Performance – Murdoch University
Sue Hopkins
Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability – University of Melbourne
Tristan Derham
Course Coordinator, Diploma of Sustainable Living – University of Tasmania
Prof Troy Heffernan
Professor, School of Management, Operations and Marketing, Faculty of Business and Law – University of Wollongong
Dr Wade Hadwen
Academic Lead, Griffith University EcoCentre and Senior Lecturer in School of Environment and Science – Griffith University
Yimmy Seifert
Community Leader
Ysobel Cranfield
Senior Project Officer (Behaviour Change) – University of Sydney
Zahra Hassane
Postgraduate Student – Griffith University
Zoe Reinmuth-Lewis
Student – University of Tasmania