BCEC team members recognised at Faculty Awards

Five members of the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre team have been recognised at the 2024 Curtin University Faculty of Business and Law Staff Awards.

The BCEC Professionals team, with Helen Farmiloe, Joanna Holcombe and Caroline Stewart, took out the Excellence in Professional Services Team award, their second recognition in this category in three years.

BCEC Director Professor Alan Duncan underscored that this award celebrated the outstanding innovation the team brought to BCEC’s 2024 events calendar.

“The Centre’s engagement activities and report launch events are rightly admired for their professionalism, accessibility and impact, and our professional team could have continued to deliver to this impeccable standard.” Professor Duncan said.

“However, the team took the initiative to deliver far above and beyond what was required – to innovate in designing new event formats, and reshaping old ones, in a style that suited each report topic, significantly enhancing the dissemination of report findings.

“These innovations directly align with the Centre’s future-focused strategy to ensure that BCEC events remain fresh, engaging and relevant to old and new audiences.”

Dr Panagiotis Sotirakopoulos, Research Fellow, was highly commended in the New Researcher of the Year category, and Professor Astghik Mavisakalyan, BCEC Principal Research Fellow, was highly commended for her commitment to PhD supervision.

Professor Mavisakalyan also spoke at the event about her personal research journey, and the role of awards such as these in recognising and motivating excellence in research and engagement.

These awards aim to inspire, encourage and support a shared commitment to realising the University’s 2030 vision to Make a Difference.

Winners are recognised for their outstanding service with sustained, high-level individual or team performances in the workplace, with a focus on outcomes or measurable benefits to students, staff or the Faculty as a whole.

“To have so many BCEC team members recognised in the faculty awards this year is a testament to the talent and dedication across the Centre,” Professor Duncan said.

“It’s an honour to lead such an excellent team.”