College of Arts & Social Sciences

The February 2025 College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) graduation ceremony was a moment of pride and achievement for the incredible graduates.  

As they crossed the stage, their hard work, resilience, and dedication were on full display, marking the culmination of years of study and growth. Below we showcase some of these graduates who are now ready to embark on their next chapter and present some of the standout moments from the ceremony.  

Please join our drop-in sessions to talk one-on-one with our ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) Student Advisor. Bring along any questions you have, our Student Advisors will be on hand to assist with any administrative issues you may have. 

You can find us in the Beryl Rawson Building at the end of Ellery Crescent, opposite Melville Hall (near the city end of Kambri).

This induction session is strongly recommended for all new CASS students starting in 2025. Hosted by Professor Bronwyn Parry, Dean of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS), this session will cover important information for new CASS students. Learn about the College, what to expect during your first semester of study including the help, support available to you and tips on adjusting to university life, follow by morning tea.  

Written by Erika McGown.  

Daniel Bartholomaeus sat with his hands pressed tightly over his mouth, his eyes wide with disbelief, sheer shock and excitement radiating. He had just heard his name announced as the 2025 ACT Young Australian of the Year. 

Minutes before, Daniel had sat in the audience, taking in the experience.  

Written by Dr Gemma King. 

In two of the biggest films released this summer, Gladiator II and Nosferatu, most actors seem to be speaking like they’re in a Shakespeare play – even though their characters are based in Ancient Rome and 1830s Germany. Where does this false British accent come from?

Written by Elaine Obran. 

There’s something special that lives between the roof and the floor – a sacred realm, where memories are made, meals consumed and laughter moves from room to room. A home. 

For Joshua Shaw, the leafy, low-slung town of Wagga Wagga was his world growing up. 

Written by Professor Frank Bongiorno. 

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a gaffe as a “blunder, an instance of clumsy stupidity, a ‘faux pas’.” It evokes a sense of triviality rather than high seriousness. If one’s clumsiness results in the outbreak of war, it would not usually be considered a mere gaffe.

Nor are gaffes ordinarily seen to result from the unworthy impulses of spite or cruelty. No one would call Robodebt a gaffe. It was far worse than that. Gaffes normally imply absentmindedness rather than deliberation.

Imagine a world where scientific breakthroughs outpace morality: designer babies, paused aging, and AI-driven healthcare. Bioethics addresses the ethical dilemmas posed by rapid innovation. For Ottilie Allen, this intersection of science and ethics became one of the most compelling aspects of her studies at the Australian National University (ANU).

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.

Considering that Holt, Australia’s 17th prime minister, famously disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach in Victoria in 1967, leaving a light on for his return is a forlorn hope indeed!