NECTAR Co-Chair Alumni

Mari Kondo

ANU College of Health and Medicine

John Curtin School of Medical Research

NECTAR Co-Chair August 2019-August 2021

I am a part-time Visiting Fellow at the John Curtin School of Medical Research and am a Japanese-Australian female ECA with 2 young children. I was elected to NECTAR Co-Chair in February 2020 and re-elected for a second term in August 2020.

I am passionate about increasing awareness around the additional barriers faced by particular groups of ECAs (including female, carer, disability, culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTIQ+, casual and sessional staff), and working towards changing attitudes and improving policies. I believe that putting systems in place to support our ECAs, especially groups who are disadvantaged by current systems, is more important than ever for ANU to weather the COVID-19 storm and come out stronger on the other side.

I represent NECTAR on the ANU IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) Family Friendly Committee.

Kai Zhang

ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

School of Culture, History and Language

NECTAR Co-Chair August 2020-August 2021

I am a casual-sessional teaching and research staff at the College of Asia and the Pacific. I have benefited greatly from the NECTAR Mentoring Program and would like to contribute to the ECA community. I share the experience of many fellow ECAs, who on the one side, are passionate about the teaching and research work unfolding in front of us, but on the other side, suffer from great uncertainty, financial insecurity and even occasional lack of confidence. Therefore, I would like to attend to the bonding and networking among ECAs and casual-sessional staff in particular, so that we can be more resilient through mutual support and sharing of experiences.

Ehsan Kheradpezhouh

ANU College of Health and Medicine

John Curtin School of Medical Research

NECTAR Co-Chair April 2020 – August 2020

I am a research fellow at Neural Coding Group, JCSMR. As an early career researcher (PhD awarded in 2015), my research mentoring experience has been mostly focused on direct supervision of the students in conducting their lab work. Additionally, I was the ACT representative of early career researchers (ECRs) at the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function (CIBF) from 2015-2018. This opportunity will allow me to share my experience with other ECAs; in addition, it will help me to further develop my academic career.

I observe the Higher Degree Research Committee meetings on behalf of NECTAR.

Siva Karuturi

ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science

Research School of Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering

ANU College of Science

Research School of Physics

NECTAR Co-Chair October 2019 – August 2020

I work jointly in RSPhys and RSEEME. My research interests lie primarily in the areas of materials engineering and solar energy conversion. As a NECTAR Co-Chair, I intend to contribute to the development of initiatives aimed at helping ECAs to successfully navigate the career progression challenges.

I observe the University Research Council meetings on behalf of NECTAR.

Sean Perera

ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences

NECTAR Co-Chair October 2019 – August 2020

Since 2004, I have been a research student and subsequently a staff member at ANU, which has become my second home. I am passionate about personal growth and committed to enable both peers and students to achieve their full potential. I embody this philosophy in my teaching in the Bachelor of Philosophy Program, which I convene at the College of Arts and Social Sciences, as well as the ANU-wide postgraduate program: Graduate Studies Select, of which I am the Sub Dean. I am also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and believe strongly in high quality learning and teaching experiences, especially scaffolded opportunities to improve one’s capabilities. I have been actively involved in PARSA (2004-2012) as its Student Consultant, and I was a pioneering member of the ANU Early Career Academics collective’(formally known as “Sidecars”, then convened by the Research Student Development Centre of CHELT in 2008).
I bring with me a wealth of knowledge about ANU and a committed passion to serve the ANU community. The opportunity to serve as NECTAR Co-chair will be invaluable training for me to contribute further to ANU.

I represent NECTAR on the Healthy University Working Group.

Rebecca Gidley

ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs

NECTAR Co-Chair October 2018 – January 2020

I graduated with my PhD from ANU in 2017 and since then have worked in the College of Asia and the Pacific on a series of short term and casual contracts. I was one of the NECTAR Co-Chairs in 2019 and am looking forward to continuing in a second term in 2020. I have two priorities as a NECTAR Co-Chair. The first is to promote an understanding of NECTAR’s inclusivity, shaped by my own experiences of casualisation. I think NECTAR is already an inclusive organisation but that not everyone who falls under that inclusive banner is aware of it, particularly if they don’t fit the traditional academic career path. The other is on support for ECAs in HASS disciplines, as in lean times this is often the area that is first to fall by the wayside.

Umme Habiba Hossain

ANU College of Science

Research School of Physics

NECTAR Co-Chair October 2018 – October 2019

I am a chemist and materials scientist working as a postdoctoral researcher funded by the German research foundation (DFG) in the Department of EME in the Research School of Physics and Engineering. I have been actively involved with NECTAR as a Custodian over the past two years. My main motivation to be a NECTAR Co-Chair is to support NECTAR to make a powerful platform for ECAs and PhD students to advance in their lives and careers.