Wattle Fellowship

The Wattle Fellowship is the University’s co-curricula program for students to foster leadership on global sustainability. We focus on multidisciplinary approaches, transformative leadership and practical skills development.

This year-long program supports students to bring ideas to life, to create positive impact, and build a community of change-makers. Fellows will participate in retreats, workshops, events and have the opportunity to implement their own action project.

We are looking for students from all backgrounds to come on the journey, and encourage you to join us. The inaugural program commences in June 2021. Applications will open for the second cohort in 2022.

The Wattle Fellowship is a year-long leadership development program for students at the University of Melbourne. We aim to build leadership skills, support action on sustainability and create a cohort of leaders with the skills and networks to create positive lasting social and environmental impact. Fellows will participate in retreats, workshops, events and have the opportunity to implement their own action project.

Our vision is a world where Wattle Fellows are embedding sustainability practices and principles into every social endeavour.

This program is made possible through philanthropic support, including the McCall MacBain Foundation, our founding partner. Learn more about our partners and supporters.

The wattle is iconically Australian and as a native flower celebrates the place, theme, and growth that this Fellowship represents. Wattles are essential in pollination and we aim to have our Fellows spread ideas, approaches and impact globally.

We are looking for students from all backgrounds to come on the journey, and encourage you to join us. The inaugural program commences in June 2021.

The Wattle Fellowship is a year-long leadership development program with a focus on global sustainability. This program is co-curricular and fits alongside a student’s degree program. It has been designed to engage students from all disciplines, build leadership skills, and support new ways of approaching sustainability challenges.

Our Leadership Learning Framework underscores our approach to supporting and nurturing our Fellows. With an emphasis on engagement, real world application and personal growth, this framework provides guidance on all activities within the program.

We believe leaders need the following attributes to be successful and create meaningful impact: skills, knowledge, mindset, networks and experience.

This is a fully-supported Fellowship, and the program covers the following:

All program activities (retreats, workshops, events) including facilitators, educational content, accommodation, catering, and program coordination.
Up to $10,000 for your Action Project and tailored Leadership Development Plan.
Recognition as a Wattle Fellow on your University transcript and ongoing engagement as a program Alumni.

Students that face financial difficulties in participating in this program may be eligible for Equity Grants of $5,000 per person.

Delivered by academic experts and external practitioners, students will gain access to a range of expertise in the areas of: inclusive project design, values-led communication, tools for collaboration, storytelling, influence and advocacy, measuring social impact and public speaking amongst other things.

This is an exciting opportunity and we expected that Wattle Fellows will:

Be committed to active leadership on global sustainability.
Approach the program in a positive, supportive, collaborative and respectful manner. This holds true for other participants, guest speakers and program staff. Everyone has a role in building an inclusive and learning-focused environment.
Participate fully in all aspects of the program (with a formal attendance requirement of 80% of all official activities) and make progress on their individual project.

We are looking for a diverse cohort to make up the Wattle Fellowship. We are after budding designers and policy makers; artists and engineers; advocates and economists. There is no singular type of person that we are looking for in this program, recognising that leadership can be practiced in many ways. Applicants at any stage, including the start, of their leadership journey are welcome to apply.

If you are not sure that you meet all of these requirements – we strongly urge you to apply. You might be exactly the type of person we are looking for!

Applications for the inaugural cohort are now closed. Our next recruitment round will be in early 2022. Please email wattle-fellowship@unimelb.edu.au to be notified when applications next open.

Eligibility guidelines

The program will accept up to 20 students.

Applicants must:

Be a current undergraduate or postgraduate coursework student at the University of Melbourne.
Have completed at least one semester an undergraduate degree prior to the commencement of the program.
Remain a University of Melbourne student for the duration of the program (i.e. not graduate from their current degree program prior to the conclusion of the Fellowship).
Be in good academic standing. There is no WAM requirement for the Fellowship.

Domestic and international; part-time and full-time students are eligible for this program.

How to apply

Students will submit:

Written answers to questions that correspond to the selection criteria.
Evidence that demonstrates the applicant’s leadership qualities and ability to succeed in the program (this could take shape in the form of a reference letter or a portfolio of previous efforts for example).

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a short interview with the Wattle Fellowship selection committee consisting of program staff, a University of Melbourne expert and external practitioner. This interview, along with the submitted information will be assessed across the four selection criteria.

Selection criteria

Note that we are committed to creating a diverse cohort, so we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

Commitment to sustainability

Applicant demonstrates a genuine passion for sustainability issues in a global context, and making a contribution to these issues.
Applicant has the knowledge and ability to apply sustainability solutions and actions in their relevant discipline and in an interdisciplinary manner.

Leadership potential and vision

Applicant can clearly articulate a vision for their role leading sustainability initiatives, including through contributing to and/or leading interdisciplinary projects as part of the program.
Applicant demonstrates strong leadership potential and related skills including teamwork, communication, and self-reflection.

Motivation and experience

Applicant can demonstrate instances of initiative, motivation and resilience through previous involvement with other formal and informal experiences.

Personal and professional attributes

Applicant demonstrates the attitudes, commitment and skills to successfully complete the program, collaborating and working alongside a diverse cohort.
Applicant is likely to make a strong and positive contribution to the Leaders for Global Sustainability program including ongoing engagement as an alum.

If you are a University of Melbourne staff member and would like to recommend a student for this program, please contact us wattle-fellowship@unimelb.edu.au.

Linh Do

Director

Linh Do is passionate about climate justice and leadership development. She's spent the last decade working across advocacy and engagement, media and social enterprise. Linh sits on the board of Climate Action Network Australia and is a board observer with the Australian Council for International Development. She was most recently Australia and Pacific lead for Climate Reality, Al Gore’s leadership program having brought over 800 people together for Climate Week Queensland.

As an alum of the University of Melbourne, Linh is excited to see students apply their academic knowledge with practical skills to tackle sustainability challenges. Outside of work, she can be found consuming ice cream, walking extremely quickly and dabbling in podcast creation.

Email: linh.do@unimelb.edu.au

Julian O’Shea

Director

Julian O’Shea is a social entrepreneur, humanitarian engineer and advocate for innovation in higher education. He is the Founder of Unbound, an educational startup that works with Australian universities to develop innovation educational experience, often with a global perspective. Prior to this, he worked in a leadership position heading up the education, research and innovation division of a global development not-for-profit as the Director of the Engineers Without Borders Institute.

A wearer of many hats, Julian is also researching a PhD in sustainable transportation and producing accessible science video content. He is looking forward to working with students to bring their ideas to life.

Email: julian.oshea@unimelb.edu.au

Alicia Crawford Bell

Wattle Fellowship Program Coordinator

Alicia is a social change maker who is passionate about working towards social, economic and environmental justice. With over 15 years experience designing and facilitating personal and leadership development programs and a background in community development, youth engagement, project management and large-scale events logistics, she has worked with some of Australia’s leading social change organisations to engage and inspire others to take action.

Alicia is also the founder of Liminal Life, a small business which provides yoga and meditation, values and strengths-based education and nature connection workshop and retreat experiences as well as program evaluation and design services for individuals and organisations wanting to prioritise personal growth and transformation and self and community care. As an advocate and practitioner, Alicia is committed to helping those working within the social change and community sectors to integrate wholistic health and wellness practices into their life and work in order to sustain and deepen their engagement both personally and professionally.

Email: alicia.crawford@unimelb.edu.au

Wattle Fellows 2021–2022

Emily Andolfatto

Master of Environment
Emily is studying a Master of Environment and is passionate about communicating the centrality of sustainability and climate change within corporate and community spheres. She is interested in environmental policy and urban sustainability, especially how city landscapes can coexist with environmental conservation efforts. She has a passion for green roofs, sustainable infrastructure, coastal streetscapes; and is starting to explore sustainability approaches within her work at an environmental engineering firm.
Outside of work and study, Emily is a student-athlete and has previously studied in the USA whilst on a rowing scholarship. She loves spending time by the beach, challenging herself with hikes in beautiful natural environments and admits to getting way too intense about the footy.
Emma Bowman

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Emma is a zoology and chemistry graduate, now studying for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. She has an interest in scientific research, animal health, and environmental conservation and is determined to put a spotlight on the three pillars of sustainability: planet, people, and profit. Through the Wattle Fellowship, Emma is eager to explore how the concepts of sustainability can influence values and practices within the veterinary industry.
Emma is passionate about protecting and connecting with the natural environment, and this greatly influences her actions in everyday life. Her favourite place in the world is an island part of the Great Barrier Reef where she learnt to scuba dive, and where her love of marine ecosystems and passion for conservation was inspired. She loves bird watching, spending time doing arts and crafts, and exuding individuality in every facet of her life and work.
Helen Shen

Master of Music (Research)
Helen is studying a Master of Music (Research) which involves a performance piece. She started playing the violin from a young age and enjoys the creativity that playing music brings to her life. As an aspiring professional musician and educator, Helen hopes to be able to use her craft to encourage others to reflect on their relationship with nature and encourage them to make sustainable choices every day.
Helen is a recipient of the Leaders in Communities Award and the Kate Flowers Memorial Scholarship. She enjoys volunteering her time in a range of programs assisting other students and writes and hosts a podcast on University of Melbourne’s Radio Fodder called “What’s All This?”.
“It matters to me that we start seeing ourselves as part of nature. If we become aware of this connection, we can more readily shift our perspectives to the new and creative.”
Imogen Senior

Bachelor of Arts
Imogen is studying politics and criminology as part of a Bachelor of Arts. Hailing from rural NSW, she is passionate about the role of regional communities in addressing the climate crisis.
She is interested in environmental activism, the intersection of climate and gender justice and is committed to ensuring that politics and policy making centres marginal voices. Imogen believes we need to seek transformative structural change rather than just individual behaviour change. She is looking to gain experience within institutional settings to push for policy change on climate related issues.
Imogen has completed a Community Campaigning Fellowship with the Greens and is the President of the Greens Club on campus. In 2020, she was a member of Plan International Australia’s Youth Activist Series where she led global research into girls’ visions for a world transformed by the global pandemic. The final report she prepared was presented at the United Nations General Assembly.
Jamieson Lowe

Bachelor of Agriculture
Jamieson is studying a Bachelor of Agriculture majoring in plant and soil science.
Growing up on a fifth-generation livestock and cropping farm on the Victorian-NSW border has fostered a love of being outdoors and a deep appreciation for nature. She has a lived, ingrained interest in the intersection of sustainability and agriculture including alternative technologies and regenerative farming techniques. She is also interested in exploring small-scale urban gardening, garden compost systems and finding ways to help others live a more sustainable lifestyle.
In her spare time Jamieson has been involved in setting up nesting boxes for squirrel gliders and has organised native tree planting days to promote ecological sustainability. She enjoys hiking and climbing in national parks and exploring new places.
Jarred Abrahams

Master of Environment
Jarred is studying a Master of Environment. He is passionate about people and the role they can play in addressing sustainability as well as creating a more just and fair society.
He has completed a Permaculture Design Certificate and has worked in both conventional and regenerative agriculture practices. Following his graduation from a Bachelor of Science, Jarred spent time working in Israel, designing programs with young people to connect them to social and environmental issues and solutions. He now focusses on community organising to achieve more ambitious climate targets for Australia.

“I would like to see a more sustainable world in which people build meaningful relationships with others, living in communities, focusing more on fulfilment and less on wealth. A world such as this would be better for the planet and the human beings that inhabit it. Through my career, I endeavour to inspire others to focus on community driven solutions.”
Jem Yumru

Bachelor of Commerce
Jem is a final year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in management and finance. His keen interest in environmental sustainability and leadership has led to his involvement in projects lead by 180 Degrees Consultancy with CERES Community Environment Park and with the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation.
Jem’s interest in environmental issues centre around climate change policy at a local and global level, marine conservation, indigenous land management and how sustainability is approached within the corporate sector. He is pursuing a career utilising his consulting skills and experience to advance genuine sustainable practices within organisations, both domestically and globally and will be undertaking an internship focussed on social impact with Ellis Jones alongside the Wattle Fellowship in 2021.
Jem also enjoys several creative hobbies including nature and ocean photography, DJing and dance music production.
Jessica Clarke

Master of Public Health
Jessica is a public health professional with over eight years’ experience working across different areas of health including policy, research, and physiotherapy. She is passionate about population health, public policy responses and recognises that climate change is one of the greatest threats to health and wellbeing. She is studying a Master of Public Health with a focus on environmental health.
Through her involvement with the Climate and Health Alliance and the Victorian Branch Council of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, she has contributed to projects and sector-level discussion around the health impacts of climate change and the importance of sustainability.
Jessica works at the Victorian Department of Health as a Senior Policy Officer. She has previously completed an internship with the World Health Organization in Fiji, worked as a Project Officer and Research Assistant with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and as a physiotherapist at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.
In her spare time, she loves playing sports, being outdoors, travelling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Joanna Murdoch

Juris Doctor
Joanna is a final year Juris Doctor student and is passionate about sustainability, environmental conservation and the development of impactful awareness campaigns and green initiatives that everyone can take part in.
She has a particular interest in the issues of deforestation and reducing plastic waste. She is looking into the field of ‘rewilding’ and regenerative farming practices to help bring about regeneration and ensure biodiversity of the land and ecosystem.
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Joanna works at the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, where she has hosted a webinar with Dr Charles Massy discussing his regenerative farming practices and techniques. She hopes to help make Australia a world leader in innovative and creative environmental solutions through green business and community initiatives.
“I think everyone can do more in their everyday life to be ‘greener’, and that there are so many environmental solutions and hacks to learn.”
Joe Fulwood

Master of International Relations, Diploma of Languages
Joe moved from his family farm in central Queensland to Melbourne to complete a Master of International Relations and language studies in French. He is interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy, advocacy or policy within the sustainability sector; working in the international sphere to apply a sustainability lens to the work of governments and businesses and help instigate change from the inside out.
Joe has a particular interest in challenging traditional economic mindsets such as ‘infinite growth’ and looking at ways to mainstream alternatives to ensure a more sustainable social and political model.
“I want to reset the way we see the world and our relationship with it – not as masters of nature but as components of it. I would like to help drive a movement that taught us to live in harmony with our surroundings, to take only what we need, and share what we have equitably amongst ourselves and the rest of the planet.”
Kate Melville-Rea

Master of Environment
Kate grew up in Japan, Costa Rica, and Abu Dhabi before starting a Master of Environment in Melbourne. Prior to starting her studies, Kate chaired her undergraduate university's sustainability committee and worked for a small environmental non-profit in Cairns.
She is interested in the intersection of sustainability and financial literacy and would like to work on projects with a focus on ethical financial management.
She “stumbled into sustainability” after offering to manage her school’s worm farm and is passionate about advocating for a happier, healthier, and fairer future. She believes that looking after our environment is a beneficial and necessary step to achieve this and hopes to work with people at all levels of society to frame sustainability issues and actions in a way that matches people’s values, personal interests, and sense of social responsibility.
In her spare time, she volunteers as a mentor at a primary school, sings in the university choral society, and enjoys learning Auslan.
Elizabeth Hu

Doctor of Medicine
Elizabeth is studying for a Doctor of Medicine whilst also completing a diploma of Sustainable Living. She hopes to use to engage the community in practical projects related to sustainability in their daily lives.
As a medical student involved in healthcare environments every day, Elizabeth is passionate about working on the issue of climate change and its impact on individual and human population health.
She is the founder of two social impact start-ups – Folding Our Futures, a non-for-profit dedicated to educating high-school students about sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and working with them to implement the goals through youth-led social impact projects; and Chariteach, an education initiative which aims to address social connection and academic inequalities.
She is extensively involved in community volunteering, is involved in numerous committees within the medical industry and education field, and is passionate about community engagement, youth empowerment and in the potential of young people to change the world.
Meg Chatterton

Master of Urban Horticulture
Meg arrived at a Master of Urban Horticulture after taking a winding path through graphic design, administration, and disability support services. She is passionate about creating a greener future for all and wants to focus on ensuring appropriate access to green spaces and working with those on the margins to create healing, meaningful, biodiverse, food-producing spaces that feel like home.
Meg would like to advocate for better transparency within horticulture so that it is clear how current practices contribute to global warming, loss of biodiversity and poor respiratory health in workers. She is interested in pursuing projects focussed on emissions reductions within this field.
Through volunteer work with the Growing Friends Nursery at the Sydney Botanic Gardens, Meg realised that people at the margins of society are often excluded from the sustainability discourse and is interested in working on projects which create opportunities for cross-generational learning and connection, and which help keep oral traditions alive.
“I value what people, plants and places on the margins of life can offer and seek to bridge gaps between humans and nature as a form of socioenvironmental justice.”
Monyq San Tropez

Master of Environment
Monyq San Tropez is passionate about finding innovative solutions to social and environmental issues. She is studying the Master of Environment focusing on the circular economy and sustainable supply chains. Her dream is to build a social enterprise which enables the circular economy to become more inclusive, accessible, and more mainstream, particularly in rural areas and in developing countries.
As a writer, researcher and strong advocate for environmental sustainability, Monyq directs her time and efforts towards greater awareness of environmentally sustainable solutions in the community by volunteering with the Hume Sustainability Taskforce. She regularly shares simple sustainability hacks on her Instagram account @sustainablemelbourne.

She enjoys spending time tending to worm farms and growing fruits and vegetables. She is co-president of Net Impact, the Melbourne chapter of a global student club, which advocates for business as a force for good. She also volunteers with Sustainable Campus to provide innovative circular solutions for different waste streams at the new University of Melbourne student precinct.
Paloma Bugedo

Master of Urban Planning
Paloma is a creative nomad from between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. She has studied architecture in Chile, printmaking in Argentina and is now completing the Master of Urban Planning in Melbourne.

As a visual translator, she loves working and playing alongside others to find inspiration and insights through different platforms, techniques and disciplines.
Paloma has been involved in a range of projects linked to urbanism, placemaking, sustainable transport, community building storytelling and participatory design. She is interested in activating urban spaces through collaborative, creative and performance art, and has worked with diverse teams of collaborators in Guatemala, Honduras, Chile and Australia.
“Nature is my source of inspiration, and its protection is the objective of all of my work and process. I believe in art as a tool of expression, coproduction, and revolution. I aim to use it to generate structural social change and strengthen community bonds for building just, resilient and sustainable societies.”
Roma Bodycomb

Master of Environmental Engineering
Roma is studying a Master of Environmental Engineering and is passionate about sustainable engineering, design and its role in tackling global environmental and social issues.
She has a deep love of the ocean and an interest in working on projects related to the restoration of coastal marine ecosystems, particularly through the application of ecological engineering principles to mitigate coastal hazards and enhance biodiversity.
Her honours thesis explored how sustainably farmed seaweed could provide a fire resilient building material, simultaneously ameliorating the impacts of climate change and Victoria’s waste crisis. Roma has been involved in projects focussed on mangrove restoration in Western Port Bay. She is interested to continue researching and developing these projects further having previously participated in the Engineers Without Borders Humanitarian Design Summit and part of the team that analysed the impact of environmental impacts on Australian diets.
“I aspire to pursue a career in environmental engineering, delivering innovative solutions to challenges in climate change, water resources, bushfire management and waste reduction, enabling positive social change for communities impacted by these problems.”
Sean McConnell

Master of Ecosystems Management and Conservation
Sean has been working environmental assessing for several years and is studying a Master of Ecosystem Management and Conservation. As an environmental planner, field worker, landscape photographer and environmental advocate, he has travelled extensively throughout Australia to experience and study alpine regions, outback wetlands and everything in between.
Growing up in a rural NSW during drought has cemented a concern for the sustainability of rural and remote communities, regional food bowls and water security within Australia.
Sean is pursuing a career pushing innovative and adaptive future practices within the fields of agriculture; community resilience and adaptive capacity; large-scale reforestation, rehabilitation, landscape restoration and rewilding projects; sustainable land management; land stewardship, indigenous knowledge systems and traditional land management practices.
“I come from a lineage of farmers, and now look upon the barren, drought-ridden plains with remorse, but also hope. I believe sustainable food production and land management is needed for our ongoing survival and the wellbeing of our landscape, rural communities and ecosystems.”
Shawn Ingle

Master of Engineering
Shawn is a student-athlete with a passion for rugby, engineering and sustainability. Studying a Master of Engineering (mechanical with business), he desires to make a meaningful impact through sustainable engineering solutions. He's passionate about sustainable transport systems, renewable energy and waste reduction innovation.
Shawn is involved as a student ambassador for the Faculty of Engineering & IT, the treasurer for the Mechanical Engineering Student Society and an engineer for MUR Motorsports, the University’s student racing team. He was also awarded the prestigious Alan Mulally Leadership in Engineering Scholarship.
A strong advocate for the power of sport, Shawn is a board member at Melbourne University Sport, he captains the UoM rugby team and is a UoM Elite Athlete Scholarship holder.
Shawn is a voracious reader, dabbles in hobby robotics and adores the great outdoors, hiking and camping his way around Australia whenever he gets the chance.
“I dream of making a positive impact on society. I would love to use my engineering background to innovate solutions to the climate crisis by accelerating the transition towards a circular economy powered by clean energy.”
Thea Shields

Juris Doctor
Thea is a Juris Doctor student originally from the hills of Mullumbimby. She has an interest in strategic climate litigation and empowering young environmental activists to gain greater knowledge about their legal rights and capacity to influence political process. Thea is the co-coordinator for Extinction Rebellion Vic Legal where she assists in the legal representation for activists arrested for protesting political and social inaction on climate change.
She is interested in innovative legal defences and the potential for the legal system to be utilised as a powerful tool for radical change. Thea envisions a path that involves working with both communities, government and the legal industry to incorporate elements of environmental policy reform.
Thea enjoys DJing and music that spans genres from classical to hard trance. She loves spending time cultivating her urban veggie garden and drinking vast quantities of tea.
“I am passionate about access to climate justice, particularly its inherent intersection with feminism and de-colonisation. The law, as a powerful and fundamental pillar to our society, has a critical role to play in solving the climate crisis, yet remains mystifying, inaccessible and often hostile to those who will need it most.”
Verity Kowal

Master of Development Studies
Verity is studying Master of Development Studies and has over a decade of experience working in the not-for-profit sector in Southeast Asia, the Horn of Africa and in Australia, specialising in communications for development as well as child protection and child rights.
Her passion for sustainability began whilst in Ethiopia working on disaster response, where many communities were facing food insecurity and displacement as a result of drought, insect plagues and soil erosion. Verity has worked as a project-based consultant on social sustainability in supply chains in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors and firmly believes that environmental, social, and economic sustainability must go hand in hand.
Verity loves travelling and getting to learn about new cultures as well as drinking coffee and spending time with her dogs.
“Through my work I hope to create better awareness and understanding of complex social issues that will result in people taking positive action – whether it is through a change in their own behaviour, volunteering, donating to a cause, or becoming an advocate and changing the mindset of others.”

Wattle Fellowship Ambassadors

Sophie Lamond

Sophie is a PhD candidate and research assistant at the Melbourne School of Government, Melbourne Law School. Sophie holds a Master of Environment from the University of Melbourne with a focus on sustainable food systems and a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University.
She researches institutional food environments with a focus on how universities develop and implement comprehensive food policies that create healthier, more sustainable, just and equitable communities. In 2020, she completed a fellowship at UC Berkeley to conduct fieldwork across the USA to investigate this topic. More broadly she has interests in education governance, social procurement, civil society activism and systems change from the individual to institutional spheres.
Sophie has worked on several community food projects including as a director of Fair Food Challenge, an NGO empowering young people to transform campus foodscapes and take an active role in policy development. She also started the Melbourne chapter of the Youth Food Movement and regularly speaks, teaches, and writes about contemporary food politics issues.
Kimi Pellosis

Kimberly Pellosis graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Agricultural Sciences. She is a precision agronomist at Precision, a board member director for the Ag Institute of Australia, and the National Students and Early Careers Committee representative for the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand. Throughout her degree, Kimberly was the President of the Graduate Agriculture and Food Society, and team manager for the Melbourne University Softball Club.
As a Crawford Fund Scholar, she has worked with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research in Timor-Leste regarding intensified and sustainable farming systems. She is an ambassador for Thought For Food, the National Farmers’ Federation: 2030 Leaders Program, and Grain Growers: 2020 Australian Grain Leaders Program. Kimberly is also a volunteer firefighter, and mentors students through Young Scientists of Australia and Engineers Without Borders.
Kimberly strives to drive innovative, economically efficient, and sustainable practices in the Australian agricultural sector. She is geared towards the intersection between agriculture and environmental science, with a long-term goal to be a leader in the AgTech and carbon markets space.
Cristina Napolene

Cristina Margherita Napoleone is an emerging multi-disciplinary artist-curator living and working in Melbourne on Woiworung and Boonwurrung country. She has a background in geography from the University of Melbourne and UC Berkeley with emphases in environmental ethics and communication. Cristina’s studies have propelled her explorations at the intersections of art, technology and the environment across formats that include mixed reality, live audio-visual projections, installation, photography, and writing.
Cristina founded TERRAIN Projects in 2020, an initiative that creates playful physical and digital spaces to remind humans that they are embedded in a more-than-human world. TERRAIN’s other capabilities include curation, spatial and experiential design, creative direction; functioning as both a think tank and community hub. She collaborates with San Francisco based Emergence Magazine and Go Project Films and has previously designed immersive VR displays at Austin’s SXSW for their award-winning film Sanctuaries of Silence.
Cristina’s broader vision and projects have been recently shared as a panelist and speaker for Transitions Film Festival, Real World VR, the NGV Art Book Fair, RMIT University, the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria and Hmmm Podcast.
Hazel Lee

Hazel is passionate about responsible consumption and production. During her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Melbourne, she majored in media and communications and did a student exchange program at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Her interest and passion for sustainability education and advocacy started when she saw the amount of camping gear waste left behind at music festivals in Victoria. Inspired by a need for change, she co-founded Good Intentions Camping – a sustainable business that reclaims, recycles and hires out festival camping equipment. The idea won The Big Idea social enterprise competition run by The Big Issue. She is proud to have saved bins-loads of camping gear from being incinerated at landfill sites after a single use.
Hazel is now working at a fashion company, providing quality used clothing as an ethical alternative to fast fashion. Here, she works to keep clothing out of landfill and ultimately reduces global waste. She aspires to create digital content to inspire positive change by shining a light on the impact of mindless consumption and through telling bite-sized, interesting and compelling stories people will want to share with their friends.
Hayden Burch

Hayden Burch is working as a junior doctor at the Northern Hospital in Melbourne after completing a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Public Health and Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne. He has a particular interest in the human health implications of climate change in Australia, and healthcare decarbonisation, particularly hospital energy supply and is passionate about planetary health and sustainable healthcare teaching within medical curricula.
He is the Victorian chair of the sustainable healthcare committee for Doctors for the Environment and chair of the University of Melbourne Planetary Health Curriculum Taskforce.
Gabi Hayman

Gabi is a Doctor of Medicine student at the University of Melbourne. She has previously completed a Bachelor of Biomedicine with a focus in population and global health through an honours project. Gabi is pursuing a career combining clinical medicine and public health research and policy.
She has a long-held sense of concern about planetary health and its impact on human health which has fueled her study and involvement in several initiatives in this area.
Gabi is involved with Doctors for the Environment Australia as a member of the UoM student committee and secretary of the organisation’s National Sustainable Healthcare Special Interest Group. She has previously volunteered with the UoM chapter of Habitat for Humanity and is a recipient of the Leaders in Communities Award.
Jeff Xia

Jeff is a business analyst at McKinsey & Company and a passionate environmentalist interested in green metals, recycling and decarbonisation strategies. He is a graduate of the Bachelor of Commerce (economics) from the University of Melbourne and has a particular interest in environmental economics and looking into how private sector decision-making, public policy and individual-level action can drive progress towards a more sustainable future.
Jeff sits on the youth advisory committee at AMP Capital, where he helps guide investment decisions in sustainable funds, and on the Faculty of Business and Economics young alumni committee.
He has co-founded a sustainability-focused social enterprise that facilitates youth-led sustainability projects in low socio-economic schools; previously led 180 Degrees Consulting, student-run social impact consultancy; and has been involved in researching zero-emission metals at a leading climate think tank; alongside internships at Goldman Sachs, Google and the Victorian Treasury.
Harriet Deans

Harriet Deans is an early childhood teacher and researcher, and Green Impact ambassador at the University of Melbourne Early Learning Centre. She holds a Bachelor of Environments (urban planning and design), Post Graduate Diploma of Teaching (secondary) and a Master of Education (early childhood teaching). She is committed to embedding sustainability throughout early learning curriculum and dedicates her time to engaging colleagues, children, and their families in learning about how sustainability can be enacted in daily life.
Harriet is passionate about reinforcing values of environmental stewardship and mentors her colleagues to ensure consistency in environmental role modelling within her workplace. She has designed and led several key projects focused on children’s ‘eco-literacy’ and early-learning staff training in this area and has presented at conferences and forums on this work.
As a teacher and researcher, Harriet is committed to progressing and challenging environmental understanding, encouraging and empowering people to rethink what meaningful contributions they can make to society; locally, nationally, and globally.
Kathleen Owens

Kathleen is currently completing her final year of a Master of Chemical Engineering with an additional business stream. She has previously completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in chemical systems. She is passionate about sustainability and the environment, and believes that change must come from both small, individual actions and large-scale industry and policy shifts. She is interested in working in a cross-disciplinary way to find the best outcome or innovative solutions when solving complex problems such as sustainability.
Kathleen is a student representative of the University of Melbourne Chemical Engineering Student Society and is the events manager at Robogals Melbourne – part of an international network which aims to inspire, engage, and empower young women into engineering and STEM related fields. She is passionate about increasing diversity in all levels of education and business, providing everyone with an opportunity to reach their best selves.
Jeanette Chan

Jeanette is a strong advocate for social and economic inclusion and environmental sustainability. She is a Bachelor of Commerce graduate from the University of Melbourne. She is currently a project officer at the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions focused on agriculture policy issues and recently trained with The Climate Reality Project led by Al Gore.
Jeanette’s interest in sustainability encompasses all three of its social, environmental, and economic pillars. This is grounded in a fundamental belief in equal opportunity, inclusion, and sustainable development.
While at university, Jeanette was the president of the Melbourne Microfinance Initiative, where she led domestic capacity building initiatives in support of purpose-driven careers, and international pro-bono consulting projects focused on financial inclusion. Her interest in development and inclusion have also led her to work with World Vision Australia and the Giant Leap Fund, an impact venture capital firm. A strong mental health advocate, she is passionate about equity and an intersectional approach to the lived experience of complex mental health issues in her work with SANE Australia.
Tim Shue

Timothy Shue is a sustainability communications specialist with a focus on sustainable cities. He is curious about communicating climate change and likes to explore ways to bridge research and practice. He currently works as the communications and marketing manager at the Yarra Energy Foundation. He completed a Bachelor of Environments and a Master of Environment at the University of Melbourne.
Timothy has worked in communications for national and international not-for-profits and established a multi-disciplinary sustainability student leadership program while working for local government in Denmark. He is also the co-host of the podcast, ‘Talking In This Climate’, which is dedicated to empowering listeners with mindfulness about the way they communicate climate change and environmental issues.
Timothy continues his involvement with the University of Melbourne as an alumni and through involvement with the Office for Environmental Programs, including hosting a climate language workshop for Master of Environment students, and tutoring ‘Interdisciplinarity and the Environment’. He enjoys engaging with students and believes their knowledge and passion has an essential role to play in the climate movement.

Any further enquiries, contact the Wattle Fellowship team:

Email: wattle-fellowship@unimelb.edu.au

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