Alumni
The Australian Centre is proud of its distinguished alumni and its relationship with the larger community of friends interested in its activities and events.
The Centre underwent changes in 2007, merging with the History Department, the Centre for Classics & Archaeology, Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, and the Centre for Jewish History and Culture to form the School of Historical Studies.
By staying in touch with us, you can keep in touch with your peers, make new friends who have shared some of your experiences, find career information and know what's happening.
We are keen to have contact with our graduates and to provide avenues for their continued involvement with the Centre through our events, programs and publications.
Australian Centre alumni are encouraged to attend our public events, which include public lectures, forums, seminars, conferences and more. See our events page for details, or for a wider range of events, see the School of Historical Studies events page, which includes events in the School’s other disciplines – History, Conservation, Classics & Archaeology and Jewish Studies.
If you would like to get in touch or receive mail outs about the Centre's activities and alumni functions, please don’t hesitate to email your details to us (contact us). You are a part of our history and we value your interest and continuing involvement.
You can also visit the sites below for further information on Alumni services and activities at the University of Melbourne.
Alumni profiles
Amanda Smith is the presenter of "The Sports Factor", broadcast on ABC Radio National (Fridays 8.30am & 8.30pm).
Amanda dreamt up the idea of "The Sports Factor" in 1994, whilst studying for a Graduate Diploma in Australian Studies, at the Australian Centre. Radio National had never run a specialist sports program before. Now in its 7th year of broadcast, "The Sports Factor" is one of the network's most popular programs.
Amanda's studies at the Australian Centre focussed on sports history and cultural
theory, which gave her a framework with which to develop a radio program which
moved beyond a "scores and groin injuries" approach to sports broadcasting. "The
Sports Factor" discusses issues in sport, and its cultural significance.
Amanda's Graduate Diploma thesis was on "Women, Sport and the Media".
A subject she knows much more about now than when she wrote it!
Maryanne McCubbin, BA Hons (University of Melbourne); Grad. Dip in Information Management (University of Melbourne); MA, Australian Centre, University of Melbourne.
In 2000, Maryanne completed an MA by Research with the Australian Centre at the University of Melbourne. Her thesis, Objects Lessons: Public History in Melbourne 1887-1935, explored public expressions of history in central Melbourne from the late colonial period to the celebration of the city's centenary in 1935. It drew upon several case studies, including the 1888 Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition, the development and unveiling of monuments to Sir Redmond Barry in 1887 and to the Eight Hours' Day in 1903, and the relocation of Captain Cook's Cottage to Fitzroy Gardens in 1934.
For the past ten years Maryanne has been employed as a curator in Australian social history at Museum Victoria.
"I wished to undertake a thesis that explored some of the antecedents of practices in public history, in order to better understand the historical legacies of my own profession. I chose to do it at the Australian Centre because I was aware that my topic potentially drew upon a range of humanities disciplines, such as history, art and exhibition practices, folklore studies, and urban planning, amongst others." Marianne says that her supervisors at the Australian Centre did indeed encourage a multidisciplinary approach, as well as ensuring integration between theoretical and empirical sources. "They were rich and generous in their time, advice, references to other sources, and suggestions as to how to better define and structure the thesis."
While undertaking the degree, the Australian Centre encourages students to deliver conference papers,and in Maryanne's case, one of these resulted in a publication in the American Journal of Popular Culture.
"I have subsequently reworked parts of the thesis into papers for more recent conferences, and hope to refine them for publication."
"Undertaking the Masters forced the discipline I needed to produce a substantial piece of research and a number of publications while also holding down a full-time job. The degree certainly enhanced my understanding of the historical contexts of current museology, which I have been able to articulate in seeking more senior positions in the Museum."
Maryanne McCubbin
Head, Strategic Collection and Information Management, Museum Victoria