History makers

As part of our 50 Years of Innovation celebrations we’re highlighting some of the early innovators who helped shape Curtin into the successful, global university it is today.

On buildings around the Bentley campus large format posters have been installed to pay tribute to 22 Curtin ‘history makers’ who have forged new ground within Australia and beyond on behalf of the university.

During August and October, coffee cups sold at most Bentley campus coffee shops will feature 14 of Curtin University’s early history makers after whom buildings, roads, lecture theatres and other university facilities on the Bentley Campus are named.

(Content in the below profiles has been drawn from WAIT to Curtin: A History of the Western Australian Institute of Technology by Michael White and Look Ever Forward: A History of Curtin University 1987-2012 by Susan Hart.)

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Vin Davies

#architect

#Public Works Department

Public Works Department architect Vin Davies was given the role of designing WAIT’s first buildings. His bold signature style, combining… Read More

Vin Davies

Western Australia

George Hayman

#Establishment of WAIT

An educational leader in WA in the first decades following World War II, George Hayman was one of the driving… Read More

George Hayman

Western Australia

Leslie Hollis

#CBS

#Perth Technical College

Leslie Hollis was the last principal of Perth Technical College, which was a forerunner of WAIT. He played a major… Read More

Leslie Hollis

Western Australia

Merle Parkes AM

#School of Nursing

#WAIT

Merle Parkes was a pioneer nurse educator and the first head of the School of Nursing at WAIT. She was… Read More

Merle Parkes AM

Western Australia

Peter Yacopetti

#international education

One of the first WAIT employees, Peter Yacopetti played a significant role in the Institute’s move into international education, and… Read More

Peter Yacopetti

Western Australia

Associate Professor Maureen Bickley

#equal employment

#gender equity

WAIT’s first equal employment opportunity officer, Maureen Bickley made a significant contribution to the advancement and promotion of gender equity. Read More

Associate Professor Maureen Bickley

Western Australia

Hon Justice Alan Barblett AO

#Hockey Stadium

#sportsman

Alan Barblett was the third Chair of the WAIT Council and a strong supporter of the John Curtin Gallery. A… Read More

Hon Justice Alan Barblett AO

Western Australia

Dr Roy Henderson

#First Honorary Doctor of Technology

Roy Henderson was the second Chair of the WAIT Council, and received the first Honorary Doctor of Technology award for… Read More

Dr Roy Henderson

Western Australia

Dr Erica Underwood

#First female member of the WAIT Council

Erica Underwood was the first psychologist trained in WA, the first female member of the WAIT Council and the first… Read More

Dr Erica Underwood

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Ken Hall

#CBS

#WAIT's first offshore partnership

Ken Hall led WAIT’s first offshore education venture in partnership with the Marketing Institute of Singapore, a forerunner of Curtin’s… Read More

Emeritus Professor Ken Hall

Singapore Western Australia

Dr TL Robertson

#First Chair of the WAIT Council

#influential

One of Australia’s most influential state education directors, Thomas Logan (Blue) Robertson was a key figure behind the establishment of… Read More

Dr TL Robertson

Western Australia

Freda Jacob AM

#Member of the Order of Australia

#Occupational therapist

WAIT graduate Freda Jacob was the first occupational therapist in WA to be made a Member of the Order of… Read More

Freda Jacob AM

Western Australia

Dr Norman Dufty

#First head of Commerce

A noted academic, Norman Dufty was the first head of Commerce and General Studies at WAIT. A lecture theatre in… Read More

Dr Norman Dufty

Western Australia

Associate Professor Frank Sheehy

#Curtin Malaysia

#international education

Frank Sheehy was Academic Director and Chief Executive Officer when Curtin Malaysia was first established and played an important role… Read More

Associate Professor Frank Sheehy

Malaysia

Tom Silvan & the Curtin Student Guild

#Student Guild

The WAIT Student Guild was established in November 1968 and the first Guild Council took office on February the following… Read More

Tom Silvan & the Curtin Student Guild

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor John Milton-Smith

#CBS

#Curtin International

#fellow

John Milton-Smith helped shape the direction and success of the Curtin Business School as its Executive Dean and… Read More

John Milton-Smith

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Ken Hall

#CBS

#offshore education

#WAIT

Ken Hall led WAIT’s first offshore education venture in partnership with the Marketing Institute of Singapore, a forerunner… Read More

Ken Hall

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Warren Grubb

#Lifetime Achievement Award

#molecular genetic studies

#research

Warren Grubb joined WAIT in 1979 and was among the first to obtain National Health and Medical Research… Read More

Emeritus Professor Warren Grubb

Western Australia

Dr Joan Winch

#Centre for Aboriginal Studies

#John Curtin Medallist

Former Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Studies (CAS), 2008 John Curtin Medallist and Curtin alumna Joan Winch has… Read More

Dr Joan Winch

Western Australia

David Walker

#graphic design

#School of Art and Design

#WAIT logo

As the inaugural head of WAIT’s graphic design courses David Walker created the distinctive WAIT logo to reflect the Institute’s… Read More

David Walker

Western Australia

Geoffrey Allen

#Library

#pioneer

#revolutionary

As Foundation Principal Librarian at WAIT Geoffrey Allen pioneered the introduction of computers into the Robertson Library, which was revolutionary… Read More

Geoffrey Allen

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Lesley Parker AM

#first woman

#gender equality

#science and technology

The first woman appointed to a significant senior executive role at Curtin, Lesley Parker was named Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor in… Read More

Emeritus Professor Lesley Parker AM

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Jo Barker

#Occupational Therapy

The first occupational therapist in Australia to complete a PhD, Jo Barker fearlessly realised her vision to have occupational therapy… Read More

Emeritus Professor Jo Barker

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Laurie Hegvold AM

#architecture

#Asia

#first Professor

Making history as WAIT’s first Professor, Laurie Hegvold is credited with delivering Curtin’s architecture course to Asia. Many of his… Read More

Emeritus Professor Laurie Hegvold AM

Western Australia

Sir Laurence Brodie-Hall AO

#influential supporters

#leading figure

#WASM

Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) graduate Sir Laurence Brodie-Hall was a leading figure in WA’s mining industry and one… Read More

Sir Laurence Brodie-Hall AO

Kalgoorlie Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Margaret Nowak

#CBS

#CGSB

#first MBA program

Margaret Nowak established the first MBA program in the Curtin Business School in 1988 and led the Curtin Graduate School… Read More

Emeritus Professor Margaret Nowak

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Jolley

#cherished figure

#creative writing

One of Australia’s defining authors, Elizabeth Jolley wrote 15 novels and four short story collections during her distinguished career. She… Read More

Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Jolley

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Odwyn Jones AO

#Order of Australia

#passionate advocate

#WASM

Odwyn Jones was Principal of the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) at Kalgoorlie for 15 years and one of… Read More

Emeritus Professor Odwyn Jones AO

Kalgoorlie Western Australia

Emeritus Professor John de Laeter

#outstanding academics

#physical sciences research

#renowned

An internationally renowned physicist, John de Laeter is one of the most outstanding academics in the history of the University. Read More

John de Laeter

Western Australia

Harry Perkins AO

#Curtin Council

#Curtin Malaysia

As Chancellor of Curtin University from 1996 to 2002, Harry Perkins was instrumental in gaining the support of the Curtin… Read More

Harry Perkins AO

Malaysia

Professor Lance Twomey AO

#Faculty of Business

#Malaysia

#sarawak

As Vice-Chancellor and President of Curtin University Professor Lance Twomey was instrumental in the establishment of the Curtin Malaysia campus… Read More

Professor Lance Twomey AO

Malaysia

Datuk Patinggi Dr George Chan

#development of Sarawak and Miri

#driving force

#honorary Doctor of Technology

Datuk Patinggi Dr George Chan was a driving force behind the establishment of Curtin Malaysia, and was closely involved in… Read More

Datuk Patinggi Dr George Chan

Malaysia

Emeritus Professor Mark Liveris OBE

#health sciences

#research centre

#WAIT

Distinguished health sciences scholar and leader Mark Liveris was instrumental in WAIT receiving the biggest grant ever given by the… Read More

Emeritus Professor Mark Liveris OBE

Western Australia

Emeritus Professor Jeanette Hacket AM

#international operations

#Singapore campus

As Vice-Chancellor, Jeanette Hacket was strongly committed to extending Curtin’s international operations. Under her leadership the Curtin Singapore campus was… Read More

Jeanette Hacket

Singapore

Associate Professor Ron Hartley

#Department of Computer and Data Processing

#father of IT

#leader

Regarded as the ‘father of IT’ at WAIT, Ron Hartley was the inaugural head of the Department of Computing and… Read More

Associate Professor Ron Hartley

Western Australia