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2025 Unstoppable Awards

Teaching & Learning Stream

Nominees & Winners of the 2025 Unstoppable Teaching & Learning Awards

A total of 47 nominations have been received, featuring both individual contributors and collaborative teams from various academic and professional units.

The winners were celebrated at a special ceremony on 28 November 2025, recognising unstoppable teaching and learning excellence across the University.

Please scroll down for the full list of nominees and winners, and visit our Flickr gallery to view photos from the event. 

 

Early-Career Teaching Award

COMMENDATION:  Sarah Kowalski   ꓲ   UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences 
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"Through authentic clinical scenarios and carefully scaffolded learning, transformed laboratory medicine education for students, making a challenging subject click through thoughtful feedback and developing a nationally recognised program that now serves 2,400+ students with outstanding results." 

WINNER:  Andrew Lymn-Penning   ꓲ   UniSA Creative
 

"Making architecture education more accessible and engaging by developing tools that ensure all students can participate regardless of their hardware, forging authentic industry partnerships, and redesigning courses that saw High Distinctions jump from 4% to 13%." 

WINNER:  Rebecca Norman   ꓲ   UniSA Education Futures
 

"Compassionate teaching and creative problem-solving that help students who doubt themselves discover they can do science, through personalised outreach and inclusive assessments that saw submission rates jump from 61% to 89% and grades climb from 59% to 67%."

 

Mid-Career Teaching Award

COMMENDATION:  Dr Ari Chand   ꓲ   UniSA Creative

"Creating an inclusive, industry-connected learning environment where all students, particularly neurodivergent learners, can thrive, working with real clients like Adelaide Festival Centre, and mentoring graduates who consistently earn recognition and land roles at top creative firms." 

WINNER:  Dr Sophie Lefmann   ꓲ   UniSA Allied Health & Human Performance 

"Elevating physiotherapy education through creative, evidence-based teaching and hands-on clinical experiences, developing award-winning resources and student clinics that prepare students to hit the ground running as professionals." 

 

Senior-Career Teaching Award

COMMENDATION:  Dr Chris Brisbin   ꓲ   UniSA Creative
 

"Hands-on frameworks and practical resources that have transformed how architecture is taught and assessed across the Australasian region, helping educators create more meaningful, industry-relevant learning experiences for students." 

WINNER:  Dr Jo Zucco   ꓲ   UniSA STEM
 

"Breaking new ground in software engineering education by developing Australia's first degree apprenticeship alongside industry, transforming how students learn and succeed while attracting millions in investment and setting an example for universities nationwide." 

 

Teaching Support Award

COMMENDATION:  Dr Rajesh Baskaran, and Dr Patrick Sherman   ꓲ   UniSA STEM 

"Making laboratory learning more relevant and engaging through innovative technology and industry partnerships, introducing students to real-world water samples and efficient digital systems that prepare them for professional scientific practice." 

WINNER:  Louise Susan McGee   ꓲ   UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences 

"Implementing advanced assessment systems and proactive equipment maintenance across three campuses to ensure reliable, high-quality learning experiences for 3,500+ nursing and midwifery students." 

 

Enhanced Learning Award

COMMENDATION:  Assoc. Prof Rhoda Abadia, Dr Bella Van Sebille, Dr Gosia Ludwichowska-Alluigi, Dr Mel Hull, Dr M. Shokry Abdelaal, Tarosh Jacob, Dr Shekh Rubaiyat, and Dr Kim Burley (CTV)   ꓲ   UniSA Online 

"Excellence in online education achieved by training 100+ academics across 42 programs, creating pathways to employment through industry events and advisory groups, and developing approaches that helped UniSA become the only Australian university to earn gold in international online learning rankings." 

WINNER:  Dr Brian Chai, and Dr Jack Janetzki   ꓲ   UniSA Clinical & Health Sciences 

"Creating hands-on vaccination training where students work with real equipment and patients, producing graduates who impress industry supervisors with their confidence and communication skills, with 90% actively helping patients increase vaccination uptake." 

 

Innovation Award

COMMENDATION:  Dr Margarita Tsiros, Dr Sophie Lefmann, and Narelle Ryan   ꓲ   UniSA Allied Health & Human Performance 
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"Addressing SA's childhood obesity crisis through Australia's first physiotherapy student-led intervention service, bridging critical gaps in affordable family care while training the next generation of practitioners, with the program serving 25% of paediatric caseload within just six months of launch." 

WINNER:  Dr Thilini Jayawickrama, Dr Ruchini Jayasinghe, Prof Rameez Rameezdeen, Ash Barber, and Richard Levy   ꓲ   UniSA STEM & University Library

"Driving accessible education through the region's first open textbook in building cost planning, eliminating textbook costs for students and access barriers for online learners while creating engaging interactive content that has become a sector-wide model, inspiring other universities and earning national grant recognition." 

 

Partnership Award

COMMENDATION:  Prof Jon Buckley, Coleiro (FMU), Suzanne Hall (FMU), Dominic Marafioti (FMU), Ryan Higgins, Jason Placanica, Ziggy Gniadek, Assoc. Prof Tom Wycherley, Scott Adams, Dr John Arnold, Dr Max Nelson, Dr Grant Van Der Ploeg, Dr Samuel Chalmers, Dr Clint Bellenger, Dr Hunter Bennett, Danielle Gericke, Danijela Prso, Assoc Prof Kath Francis, Kylie Taylor (SA Office for Recreation, Sport & Racing), Keren Faulkner (SASI), Kevin Tabotta (SASI), Jill Leckey (SASI), Adam Trottman (SA Office for Recreation, Sport & Racing), Chelsee Crawford (SA Office for Recreation, Sport & Racing), and Wes Battams (SASI)   ꓲ   UniSA Allied Health & Human Performance 
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"UniSA Sport Science Hub transforms a 25-year partnership into an $88 million Sport Hub that brings together elite athletes and students, tripling program demand and establishing research collaborations and internships connecting education with high-performance sport." 

WINNER:  Dr Nerida Chazal   ꓲ   UniSA Online
 

"Building partnerships with anti-trafficking organisations to address modern slavery, a hidden crime affecting over 41,000 Australians, through educational modules now embedded in 32 universities that empower students to shape human rights education while training frontline workers to identify and support victims." 

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