Meet the fellows

Bachelor of Science

Adele is studying a Bachelor of Science majoring in environmental science. Through Wattle, she hopes to deepen her understanding about the intersection between politics, policy and community groups, and how different types of environmental engagement transform individual actions into systemic change.

She was the environment captain of her secondary school and a Melbourne University Principal’s scholarship recipient for her contributions in establishing a community garden. Adele also completed an internship at the Moonee Valley City Council, where she hosted a three-day youth summit. As part of Glenbervie Station’s 100 year anniversary, Adele curated a historical exhibition that featured the Indigenous, natural and built history of the area and involved community members participating in native planting.

Adele now maintains a position at the University of Melbourne as a Green Impact Engagement Officer, where she focuses on facilitating sustainability engagement opportunities for both staff and students. She is also the Vice President of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

In her spare time, Adele can be found going on walks, reading a book and making collages out of recycled magazines.

Bachelor of Science 

Alyssa is studying a Bachelor of Science majoring in mechanical engineering. She is an endurance swimmer and has a strong passion for engaging people in climate justice. Her interest in sustainability lies with the ocean, in particular education, water quality and marine life, and how they are impacted by acidification and pollution.

Alyssa recently returned from Ghana where she volunteered in a non-for-profit school. She shares that this experience reinforced the importance of environmental empowerment and community-related change being enforced through education. Alyssa has also raised over $10K for koala bushfire rehabilitation by swimming the English Channel and dedicates her summers to volunteering with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Last year, Alyssa led the formation of a sustainability committee with the support of Port Phillip Council to make her secondary school carbon neutral within one year. Within nine months of the team’s determination to meet success the school was awarded a carbon neutral certificate. Alyssa received the Viviene Mccutcheon Environmental award for her contribution to the cause.

Doctor of Philosophy - Science

Christine is a PhD student at the Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis. Her research focuses on agricultural adaptation to climate change and crop diversification strategies. Prior to commencing her doctoral studies, Christine worked for several years in public policy consulting as an economist for a range of sectors and organisations.

Her core interest in sustainability revolves around food systems, waste and sovereignty. This interest has led Christine to volunteer at a multitude of community-led food system change organisations and initiatives including: a cooperative to support organic and biodynamic farmers, Open Table’s local food waste kitchens, ORICoop, and at coffee and dairy farms in Ecuador and Colombia that practiced agroecology. Through the Wattle Fellowship, she hopes to continue this focus and contribute to place-based community projects for food and meal sharing initiatives.

Outside of her studies, Christine can be found bushwalking, creative writing, completing bike-packing trips and cooking up feasts for friends.

Master of Bioscience

Clancy is a self-acknowledged Steve Irwin and David Attenborough fan. He grew up on the fertile lands of the Yorta-Yorta nation in regional Victoria, before venturing to the big city to undertake a Master of Bioscience.

Clancy’s research project is by, with and for the Yolngu people of North-East Arnhem Land, where he is investigating if increased temperatures are having an impact on the native stingless bees ability to make honey. His research is of importance to the lifestyle and culture of the Yolngu people, as native bees appear throughout songlines, ceremonies and their overall livelihoods through harvesting the honey known as ‘guku’.

Through the Wattle Fellowship, Clancy hopes to tackle this conservation in and around Melbourne. He plans to construct and distribute native bee hotels through workshops and online educational tutorials, and materials which can be found at nativebeehotels.com. Clancy’s goals are to boost the diversity and abundance of the native bee species in urban environments across Victoria.

Outside of Clancy’s studies and research endeavours, he lives and breathes AFL, being a proud Western Bulldogs fan and plays for the Numurkah Blues.

Juris Doctor

Originally from Western Australia, Connor gained first-hand exposure to the importance of native ecosystems, and their role in our identities and livelihoods. He is passionate about finding sustainability solutions at the intersection of community and environmental justice, with the intention of protecting ecosystems and people’s rights. As a result, Connor is a Juris Doctor candidate at Melbourne Law School.

Connor hopes to deepen his knowledge in sustainable urban planning to amplify, integrate and protect native landscapes and environments. He believes that legal frameworks can be the key to such practices, improving community connection to the environment and championing green social welfare.

Connor currently works on public interest class actions at a boutique class actions firm, and as a night-service paralegal the Fitzroy Legal Service. He previously worked on the case ‘Pabai Pabai v Commonwealth’ which argued that the government’s inaction against climate change and cutting emissions has forced communities to relocate. He is also the President of the Public Interest Law Network.

Bachelor of Arts

Darcy is studying a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in geography, politics and international relations alongside a Diploma of Languages in Russian. She is passionate about climate justice and Australia’s waterways as well as the intersection between health, geography and politics. She is interested in combining her passions for health and the social sciences to have an impact that is truly multidisciplinary.

Darcy is currently a science communicator at Science Gallery where she works within a team to develop and deliver Indigenous STEM workshops. As a proud ​Gunaikurnai student, she is also a Student Ambassador at Murrup Barak.

At the age of 15, Darcy was a panel judge at the ‘Lush Spring Prize’ which allocated £200,000 to environmental organisations working towards a better future. She also presented panels and workshops about young people and climate change. This also made Darcy the youngest judge to ever be involved in the showcase.

In her spare time, Darcy likes to keep active by playing netball and umpiring in the Melbourne University’s Sport competition.

Master of Urban Planning

Ellen is a lifelong learner who has a keen interest in understanding the relationships that we hold with each other and the world around us. This led her to complete a Bachelor of Arts in geography and a Diploma of Languages in French.

To further broaden her knowledge in this space, Ellen is now undertaking a Master of Urban Planning. She is a strong believer in transport equity and hopes to understand the impact that local government planning policies can have in driving sustainability outcomes. She has been focusing on how we can use the principles of statutory and strategic planning to improve sustainability within the food system. Ellen has also completed an internship with the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance.

Ellen is also involved in community transport campaigns related to public transport and bike lanes. She advocates for solutions that reduce emissions, support health and wellbeing, and ensure accessibility for all.

In her spare time, Ellen enjoys practising her French, knitting and baking.

Bachelor of Commerce

After growing up on a farm in Central Victoria, Felix became passionate about sustainability and the effects of climate change on rural Australia. He hopes that through the Wattle Fellowship he can explore and innovate the ways we can deliver sustainable agriculture practices and the required green infrastructure to achieve a net-zero future.

Felix’s other passion is economics and financial markets which has led him to studying a Bachelor of Commerce. He is completing his honours thesis on what extent post-Global Financial Crisis regulation has impacted the stability of the Australian banking system.

Felix is involved in the Social Impact Investment Fund (SIIF) at the University of Melbourne. SIIF is a student managed fund that utilises analytical skills to make investments, with all profits gained given to a local social impact charity, FoodFilled.

Before starting his tertiary education, Felix worked in Portugal on an organic vineyard and winery where he worked along farmers attempting to undo centuries of deforestation and desertification.

Master of Environment

Izrael is originally from Dja Dja Wurrung Country and now calls Naarm home. They are an emerging writer and director with a focus on exploring complex familial and social dynamics. Their works stems from personal experiences as a queer non-binary person living with type 1 diabetes, and explores the themes of chronic illness, gender, sexuality and regional upbringing. Iz also has experience in community theatre, video installation and event organisation.

In Iz’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and television, they recognised the extractive and unsustainable modes of media production.

Outside of filmmaking, they are passionate about community-based productions that promote environmental and social sustainability. Izrael is now pursuing a Master of Environment to further align their creative pursuits with sustainable practices. They are hoping to gain knowledge and understanding from the Wattle Fellowship about regenerative sustainability, community leadership and developing sustainable practices for emerging filmmakers in the industry.

Iz loves to garden, listening to news podcasts and playing a good game of CATAN.

Bachelor of Science

Jack is completing both a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biotechnology, as well as a Diploma in Computing. He is interested in entrepreneurship through his experience as President at Enactus Melbourne. This has also further ignited his passion about sustainability and innovation. He is looking to create solutions through startups that facilitate both economic and environmental sustainability.

Growing up in a busy household, Jack witnessed the amount of food waste that a family can produce. He was also confronted with the reality of food waste during his time in Youth in Philanthropy and visiting Cultivating Community, where they aim to educate children about the process of growing food and cooking in a safe and sustainable environment. He hopes to utilise his computing knowledge through an all-inclusive digital inventory.

Outside of Wattle, Jack is a keen soccer player and spends his spare time facilitating at UN Youth.

Master of Public Policy

Kaavya is pursuing a Master of Public Policy, specialising in climate finance and the energy transition. Prior to this she completed a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in economics and marketing. Her career aspiration and focus during the Wattle Fellowship is to enhance transparency in public policy by advocating for great accountability for fossil fuel lobby groups.

In 2023, Kaavya represented Australia in Kuala Lumpur at the ASEAN-Australia Young leaders Forum. She shared the challenges faced by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities.

Outside of her studies, she is a policy intern at Tesla and works as a research assistant at Monash University, helping to put together the Australian government’s first National Climate Risk Assessment (NCRA). As a volunteer, Kaavya sits on the executive committee of Earthcare St Kilda and on the Youth Advisory Committee of AMP Limited.

Kaavya can often be found enjoying the outdoors through scuba diving, rock climbing and overnight hiking.

Bachelor of Arts

Luca is studying a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in gender studies and creative writing. They enjoy writing for theatre and working as a drama teacher mentoring high school students.

Luca is interested in the impacts of the fast fashion industry on the climate and how to create more sustainable alternatives. Their interest in this space has led them learning how to knit and sew in an effort to make their own garments.

They are also confronted by climate anxiety that those around them are faced with the topic of climate change. Luca hopes to explore ways in which one’s climate anxiety can be manipulated into empowerment and action through the Wattle Fellowship.

For the past four years, Luca has been a part of the Scrambled Prince Theatre Company as a director for groups and people aged between 13-16 years old. Luca works alongside members of the group to create their own theatre performances including a recent effort with LGBTQIA+ young people to write a queer musical.

Master of Advanced Nursing Practice and Public Health

Meiling is pursuing a Master of Advanced Nursing Practice and Public Health. Previously, she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care and Oncology. Meiling is a Clinical Nurse Consultant, specialising in head and neck oncology at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Her strong sustainability values come from her deep love for nature and hiking, having completed the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland solo.

With strong passions lying with health care and sustainability, Meiling hopes to advocate for urgent action for sustainability transformation within the health care system and reduce its contribution to climate impact during her time in the Wattle Fellowship. She has already implemented strategies in her workplace including purchasing personal cutlery sets for her team and attempted to replace single-use surgical items.

Outside of Wattle and nursing, she is renovating with her partner and aiming to be as low carbon as possible.

Doctor of Philosophy - Engineering and IT

Nellie has an academic background in museum studies and world heritage, with a focus on Indigenous cultural heritage in Victoria. During her Masters, she completed her thesis on the impacts of climate change on Budj Bim, a Gunditjmara World Heritage site in Western Victoria. Her work took climate data from the region, alongside cultural knowledge and archaeological research to assess whether the historically sustainable aquaculture systems would remain sustainable in the face of emerging anthropogenic climate change.

Now, Nellie is a PhD candidate researching how museums can use games for community engagement, visitor experience and educational outcomes, as well as the intersections of technology, communication, accessibility and education.

Nellie is a part of the Megagames community in Australia as a director and cofounder of Melbourne Megagames where she runs large scale role-playing events. She is interested in improving accessibility and diversity in the gaming space, as well as understanding how games are being used to drive change and how it could be used to communicate and motivate people on sustainability.

Master of Chemical Engineering

Nieve is a Master of Chemical Engineering student who is excited about the nexus between the industries traditionally associated with her discipline and the budding green transition. She is also interested in waste management, water security, and carbon-neutral minerals extraction.

She strongly believes that the green transition requires advocacy, along with technical competence to implement the engineering solutions required. Alongside this, Nieve loves to form communities with young people orientated towards social impact leading these factors to her being a part of the Wattle Fellowship.

She previously completed an internship with Magnium where her work played a part in the implementation of a world first zero-carbon magnesium production plant. Nieve also volunteers with Engineers without Borders and has been involved in the Chemical Engineering Student Society and the Effective Altruism Club.

Outside of her studies, Nieve enjoys running socially, crocheting silly things, and having animated conversations with friends and strangers alike.

Bachelor of Arts

Liv is completing their Bachelor of Arts with a Honors thesis in sociology. They are a proud mental health and climate justice advocate, having facilitated high school incursion workshops in these areas.

Liv has been working in the sustainability and climate justice space for five years where they specialise in grassroots community engagement and youth activism. They have been involved in numerous organisations including the Victorian Parliament and the Department of Education. Liv currently is the volunteer National Schools Team Leader at the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.

Liv is enthusiastic about accessible and engaging ways to bring sustainability into our everyday lives through art, education, and political engagement. From the Wattle Fellowship, they hope to gain a deeper exploration into developing networks and incorporating Indigenous knowledge around caring for country as a settler-colonist.

Outside of these commitments, Liv can be found working on their art projects. They are currently working on knitting a pair of socks and making a corset out of a novelty tea towel.

Doctor of Philosophy - Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

Pamudika is a passionate scientist currently completing her PhD across the fields of immunology, epigenetics and neuroscience. She aspires to pursue an academic career, focusing on improving human health and well-being through interdisciplinary approaches.

Pamudika has completed several research projects in psychology, health literacy, and plant sciences. A past research project of hers focused on Wahlenbergia Ceracea, an alpine species, and its response to rising temperatures. The results gave Pamudika first hand exposure to the impacts of climate change and the extreme vulnerability of alpine species, and biodiversity as a whole.

Pamudika has a strong love for learning and education, having worked as an educator and, developing and presenting education programs at the National Film and Sound Archive. Currently she is involved in running the ‘Citizens of Science’ program which connects PhD students with members of the public to provide education on basic science concepts.

Through her time as a Wattle Fellow, she hopes to combine her interests into a multidisciplinary action project.

Master of Public Policy and Management

Radhia hails from the USA where she graduated with a Bachelor of Human Biology and International Studies, with a minor in African and African diasporic studies from the University of Kansas. Radhia is in Australia as a Fulbright Anne-Wexler Public Policy Scholar pursuing a Master of Public Policy and Management.

Radhia served as the executive director for the Centre for Community Outreach student organisation that facilitated community-based initiatives. She has completed an internship at the White House with the Gender Policy Council.

Radhia also worked alongside her faculty to assist the University Honors Program in developing its social justice and racial equity programming, Common Cause: An Honors Series on Social Justice and Racial Equity.

She is interested in the intersection of sustainability, the social determinants of health, and the ways in which non-medical forces affect health outcomes among marginalised population groups. Radhia hopes to draw upon her previous work and knowledge during the Wattle Fellowship to explore solutions for climate through community engagement.

Doctor of Philosophy - Education

Rita is undertaking a PhD in Education, with her research focusing on sustainability in higher education and its relations to policy. Rita is concurrently working as a research assistant at the University of Melbourne on multiple global sustainability education projects, including the UNESCO’s Monitoring and Evaluation of Climate Change Education Project, and the International Literacy Project by MGSE.

Rita holds a Master in Environmental Planning and Development and a Bachelor in Development Planning. She has over five years experience in one of Ghana’s public higher education institutions as quality assurance and academic planning officer. Rita’s passion in sustainability is also reflected in her professional experience including her research publications.

Rita brings her work experience in the higher education institutions and her research together to drive meaningful environmental and socio-economic impacts. She has a clear passion to promote contextual and actionable sustainability education, in particular with higher education students. Rita hopes to explore advancing transformative sustainability education through the Wattle Fellowship.

Bachelor of Science

Sam is studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in environmental science. He is passionate about the renewable energy transition and biodiversity conservation.

Through the Red Bull Basement Innovation Competition, Sam co-developed an idea called OpenGrid; a peer-to-peer renewable energy trading platform which aimed to empower homeowners by giving them fair value for their excess solar energy. With this concept, Sam was invited to compete in the international finals in Istanbul, Turkey. Sam placed in the top four out of forty-three countries present at the event.

Now, he is a project manager working at the University of Melbourne’s Biodiversity Institute. In this role, he is assessing how the university’s operations and supply chain impact nature. Sam plans on developing an additive Wattle project.

Outside of Wattle, Sam enjoys playing guitar, spending time with his three cats and dog, and practicing Muay Thai.

Master of Environment

Tim has a decade of experience working as an arts administrator, producer, board director, musician and educator in Australia’s cultural sector. Coming to terms with the climate and biodiversity crises facing the world, Tim decided to pivot into the sustainability sector. He is concurrently working at Sustainability Victoria in stakeholder engagement and undertaking a Master of Environment.

From a young age Tim has always had a passion for the environment, with a steady diet of David Attenborough documentaries and exploring the waters and walking tracks of Victoria. This has evolved into a curiosity about the cultural dimensions of sustainability and human-nature relationships. Through his work, Tim hopes to redefine the social and economic paradigm to place the environment at the centre of our culture.

Originally from Aotearoa New Zealand, Tim can be found tending to the chickens, compost and vegetables in the garden, baking bread, or exploring Victoria’s hiking trails most weekends.

Doctor of Medicine

Vincent is a self-proclaimed serial hobbyist keeping himself occupied with surfing, skiing, learning salsa and keeping up his Duolingo streak of 614 (and counting) days in French and Mandarin. He also is active in the music scene, having been an assistant principal cellist for a full season at Carnegie Hall. When he isn’t busy with one of his hobbies, he is also pursuing a Doctor of Medicine.

He is passionate about student engagement, and has been involved with many organisations including the Teddy Bear Hospital, University of Melbourne’s MD Student Conference and medical student orchestra, and most recently, producer of Medleys, the oldest running medical student revue in Australia.

Vincent’s interest in sustainability started as a student and has seen him engage with Doctors for the Environment Australia by attending climate strikes. He is excited to explore the intersectionality between sustainability and public health, and how to achieve better outcomes for both patients and the planet during his time in the Wattle Fellowship.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)

Zodie is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance). She is excited to explore the relationship between sustainability and the arts through the Wattle Fellowship, with a focus on educating both audiences and creative practitioners. Her passion for sustainability stems from her experiences growing up in regional North Queensland and seeing the impact of industrial farming and mining on local environments.

Zodie is the Co-Chair of the Victorian Government’s Youth Congress, where she works to embed young voices in government decision making systems and processes. She is also the Southbank (Education) office-bearer at the University of Melbourne Student Union, supporting 2,500+ students every day.

She is the recipient of the Agnes Robertson Undergraduate Entry Scholarship, a Winchester Foundation Scholarship and was a finalist for the 2023 7 News Victorian Young Achiever Awards. Zodie also volunteers at Run for It and is a member of the Y Victoria's Youth Board Sub-committee.

In 2022 as Cultural Director at St Hilda’s College, Zodie led a overhaul of the institution’s arts and cultural program. As a result the college finished second when competing in the intercollegiate Arts Shield, the highest place held in the last 20 years.