Sports at Macquarie University!

Liz Ellis is one of Macquarie’s most known alumni within the sporting world. Having graduated from the university in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law, she had already won the status of a World Netball Champion in 1995. After she left Macquarie, she went on to win the World Netball Championships for a second time in 1999 and then again in 2002! Liz was also a Gold Meddalist at the Commonwealth Games in 1988, long before she arrived at the university. She went on to win another gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2002.

Having been born in New South Wales, Australia in 1973, she went on to have a highly celebrated netball career playing in the Goal Keeper position. She won an impressive seven medals for her sport between 1995 and 2007 alone! She is the most capped international player for netball in Australia and her career spans a remarkable 18 years. In 2009, Liz became a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours for her "services to netball and the encouragement of women in sport, and to the community through support for a range of charitable organizations". Having finally retired from the sport, she now works as a Broadcaster, Speaker and Coach and has a daughter called Evelyn.

Ian Pollard, who graduated from Macquarie University in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts, is another notable alumnus who has achieved great things in sport. In 1971, Ian was a member of the Australian Davis Cup Team and four years later in 1975 he went on to become the New South Wales Hard-court Champion. Although Pollard was a great tennis player, he decided to pursue an academic career after accepting an NSW Rhodes scholarship. He went on to study mathematics and statistics at Oxford University before returning to Australia. Although Ian never continued as a professional sports person after his 1975 win, he will always be remembered as a keen Macquarie sportsman. Apart from tennis he was also particularly interested in squash, baseball and cross country running; representing his university in all three.

Macquarie University

Macquarie University in Australia is rapidly becoming one of the most prestigious in the country and already boasts an impressive list of alumni and supporters. The university are currently investing a great deal of money in research programmes as well as adding new buildings to their structure. With new teaching facilities and a selection of fantastic professors, it is easy to see why so many celebrated people graduate from this institution.

Recently in the news, Dr Felicity M Cox was giving her opinions on the preservation of the Australian accent. Dr Cox first graduated from Macquarie university in 1983 with Bachelor of Arts/Diploma of Education and then came back to do her Doctorate in Philosophy of which she graduated in 1997. Dr Cox is currently working on an investigation called “AusTalk” in which she explores the origins and development of the Australian dialect and accent.

Another Macquarie graduate also recently in the news is Dr Michelle L Power. Dr Power graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1997 and then again with a Doctorate in Philosophy in 2003. She is currently working on a project that explores how wallabies bred in captivity may be resistant to bacteria that their wild counterparts are not. Her research has been widely published on the internet and is of great interest to many other scientists investigating the similar ideals.

Dr Sean R Turnnel was also once a Macquarie student although now he lives further afield in Myanmar where he is conducting research into the society as a whole and regional politics. He frequently publishes his research on financial happenings in the country and is currently exploring the recent surge in investment interest in the nation. Dr Turnnel was in attendance at Macquarie University on an impressive three occasions. He first came to study a Bachelor of Economics in 1988, then he went on to complete a Bachelors of Economics (Honours) 1990 and finally a Doctorate in Philosophy in 2001.

All three of these well accomplished Dr’s began their career studying for Doctorates in Philosophy at Macquarie University and have gone on to accomplish many varied and interesting things around the world!

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