2009

Greg Poche AO
Diploma in Technology (Management) (1976), Bachelor of Business (1979)

Over three decades Greg Poche built the highly profitable niche business Star Track Express, along the way fundamentally changing how the industry operates.

Launched in 1974, the company embraced technology and won a string of awards as it harnessed innovation to expand. The company is now a joint venture between Qantas and Australia Post after being sold in 2003 Greg Poche's contribution to the transport industry has been lauded, and he is widely recognised as one of  the leaders of Australian  enterprise.

Greg Poche is also recognised as one of Australia's leading philanthropists.

For his achievements and ethical approach to business, and for his outstanding service to the community through philanthropy, Greg Poche is honoured with the Chancellor's Award for Excellence.

Michael Antrum
Bachelor of Arts in Communication (1988), Bachelor of Laws (1993), Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (1994)

Michael Antrum has been General Counsel for the New South Wales Police Force since 2006. An accredited specialist in children's law, Michael has also been the Director and Principal Solicitor of the National Children's and Youth Law Centre. He has acted as a consultant to the Australian Law Reform Commission and to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission on children's legal issues.

Michael has been the Chair of the NSW Law Society's Human Rights Committee, and the Children's Legal Issues Committee. Michael is also an Officer in the Australian Army Legal Corps (Reserve) and he has a strong professional and personal interest in international humanitarian law. Since 2004 Michael has also held the role of Company Secretary to the Whitlam Institute.

Michael Antrum is being honoured with this Award for his outstanding contribution to the legal profession, and for his advocacy on a range of social justice issues.

Maria Atkinson
Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Biology (1996)

Since 2006, Maria has been Global Head of Sustainability for Lend Lease. In the same year, she was honoured with a United States Green Building Council Leadership Award (Advocacy). In September 2007, Maria was invited by former US President Bill Clinton to join a high - profile panel to discuss ways to accelerate green buildings, as part of the Annual General Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York She has also previously been one of six Master Speakers at the United States Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, which this year will feature a keynote address by the Hon. Al Gore.

Maria Atkinson is being honoured with this Award for her outstanding contribution to business and for her work and leadership in sustainable building technologies.

Sophie Nixon
Bachelor of Design in Fashion and Textiles (2006)

Sophie Nixon has worked on costumes for internationally acclaimed productions The Boy From Oz and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and was later instrumental in launching a new fashion brand, frisonifinetti.

Sophie Nixon has now been with sass & bide for two years, where she is Senior Designer for the highly successful label. sass & bide is an Australian success story with a global presence in the fashion industry.

Sophie Nixon is honoured with an Alumni Award for Excellence for her outstanding contribution to the Australian and international fashion design industries.

Rachel Walls
Master of Animation (2009)

Rachel's first short film, Apple of Iron, was released in 2009. The film enjoyed its inaugural Australian public screening at the Sydney International Animation Festival at UTS in September.

Apple of Iron made official selection, from strong competition, for the 2009 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. Annecy is the world's best known and most prestigious international animation festival. For over 45 years, it has been screening the world's finest works in the art of animation. Rachel Walls' success at Annecy is likely to set the stage for a long career in animation, and she is honoured with this Award for her outstanding early career achievements, and for her contribution to film.

Yiying Lu
Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication (2008)

Yiying Lu, 26, burst onto the scene when one of her illustrations, the Fail Whale, was picked up by Twitter for use as a holding image on the highly popular online social networking site. A fan group was formed in her honour, and this has subsequently drawn attention to her impressive portfolio of design work.

Yiying Lu has collected awards from around the world for her designs, and she continues to work as a freelance designer, with clients such as Noodie in the US.

Yiying Lu is also a member of teaching staff within the Faculty of Design, Architecture & Building at UTS, and is being honoured with this Award for her outstanding early career achievements, and for the success and international acclaim of her design work.

Professor Larissa Behrendt
Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (1993)

Larissa Behrendt is Professor of Law and Director of Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at UTS. She is also a barrister in the Supreme Court of the ACT and NSW. In July, she was named the 2009 NAIDOC Person of the Year.

Amongst many other accolades, in 2002, Larissa Behrendt won the David Uniapon Award and in 2005, she received the Commonwealth Writer's Prize for her novel, Home. A professor of law at the age of 35, Larissa is leading a new generation of Indigenous thinkers attempting to grapple with the many issues facing Indigenous people in Australia: social, cultural, economic and political.

Professor Larissa Behrendt is honoured with this Award for her outstanding contribution to the advancement of social justice issues, especially in relation to Indigenous Australians.