News
Word-playing the field
Article by Mark Gwynn. A couple of years ago, a peculiar expression was submitted to the Word Box on the Australian National Dictionary Centre website. The phrase was leave the porch light on for Harold Holt, an idiom used allusively in sporting situations to refer to an unlikely outcome.…
Meet Dr V. Chitra co-organiser of the PossumLab
Article by Phillis Zeng. Dr V. Chitra joined the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology in February 2024 as a new lecturer in Anthropology. With her passion and expertise in visual arts and science and technology, Chitra brings creative approaches to environmental anthropology. Chitra…
Gladiator II is full of historical inaccuracies – but is that a problem?
Article by Natalia Burgess. Gladiator II has it all: hunky men in armour, brutal warfare, tyrannical emperors and even flesh-eating baboons. But film buffs and historians alike have criticised the highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, calling out the movie’s anachronisms…
Why studying India’s roads matters for Australia’s international relations
As one of Australia’s key trading partners and regional allies, India’s rise as a global economic powerhouse remains a topic of much debate. ANU historian Aditya Balasubramanian is hoping to contribute to this discussion by conducting the first-ever study of post-colonial roadbuilding in the South…
Defying gravity: Elise Stephenson is propelling gender equality into orbit
Dr Elise Stephenson is engineering a more equal future on Earth and in outer space. Some people are born knowing their purpose in life. It took Dr Elise Stephenson a few plot twists to find hers. She had always grappled with the slightly clichéd advice about following one’s passions.…
ANU to welcome refugee students as part of pilot program
The Australian National University (ANU) will welcome two refugee students from the Asia Pacific in 2025 as part of a new Refugee Student Settlement Pathway (RSSP). The RSSP has been championed by ANU and supported by a consortium of 16 leading social impact universities, who have…
2024 CASS Awards
The 2024 CASS staff awards were presented on Friday 6 December 2024, celebrating excellence across teaching and professional contributions. The Education Awards highlighted the achievements of our most outstanding educators, with eight winners recognised across five categories. Dean Professor…