Throughout his school years. Liam enjoyed a fascination with history. Not only did it help him to better understand the world around him, it fostered his quest for knowledge more broadly.

“Looking back, my early engagement with the study of history, ignited a personal desire to be ever curious about the wider world, and how the past continues to shape and influence the future. I knew from a young age that I wanted to study history at university.”

Growing up on the NSW Central Coast, he was fortunate to have teachers who not only encouraged his passion for history, but also consistently challenged him on his understanding and communication of historical topics.

“History is such an important subject to study because without it is very difficult to understand, interpret or rationalise the present or indeed the future. The study of history as a student forces you to combine both narrative and analytical frameworks and styles of communication in order to construct a compelling historical argument.”

Choosing to study history at ANU was an easy choice for Liam, and its an experience he looks back on positively for the quality of teaching, and the discovery of new topics he hadn’t considered before.

“I chose ANU first and foremost because of its unrivalled position, as an excellent research focused university. I also chose ANU because of the top ranking of the ANU School of History. I could see subjects that I was already interested in and thought I would enjoy but I also identified a number of other available subjects that I hadn’t thought about before or hadn’t been exposed to before. I have really enjoyed completing my History Major at the ANU, not only are the School’s academics helpful, approachable, hardworking but they are also research leaders in their respective fields.”

Liam’s time at ANU let him enjoy a range of experiences inside and outside the classroom. He completed a Minor in Middle Eastern Studies, enjoyed a political science tour of Canada in first year supported by a Vice Chancellor’s Mobility Grant, and undertook study in Myanmar in political economy, supported by New Colombo Plan funding.

“I would like to heartily acknowledge and thank the entire School of History for their support and encouragement throughout my last 4 years at ANU. In particular, I would like to thank Professors Frank Bongiorno and Nicholas Brown, and PhD student/ my very first history tutor Daniel May for their expert guidance, knowledge, support and patience across a number of history courses over multiple years.”