Flinders University

One of the world’s leading mathematicians and a Fields Medallist, Professor Terence Tao AC has received Australia’s highest civilian award in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours.

Recognised for his service to maths sciences, the global maths community, and to tertiary education and academia, Professor Tao is one of five people nationally to receive the top honour, the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

Currently a Professor of Maths at the University of California in Los Angeles, Professor Tao’s journey – from child prodigy at Flinders University to winner of the “Nobel Prize of mathematics “ at just 31 – represents the story of a generational talent whose contributions matter in his field and reach far beyond it.

Find out more here 🔗 https://bit.ly/4v4XUBs

Reef Manager Sarah always knew she wanted to be a marine biologist. 🤿

"I can remember doing a Blue-ringed octopus study where we would catch them and bring them back to the lab. We had cameras on their tanks at night, and we'd watch the octopuses escape from their tanks, wander around the room and then climb back into their tanks, ready for their feed in the morning."

Sarah studied a Bachelor of Marine Science and described her undergraduate experience as “heaps of fun”, especially when her studies introduced her to eccentric marine animals.

Looking back on her career, Sarah says one thing has remained constant - the desire to do meaningful work that contributes to protecting the natural world. 🌊

Explore more information on Marine Biology here 🔗 https://bit.ly/49HfuTm

Alzheimer’s disease currently has no cure or effective therapy, partly due to gaps in our understanding of how this progressive neurodegenerative disorder arises in the brain.

A key focus for Flinders researchers is on the tau protein, which is of central importance in Alzheimer’s disease.

In a new study, Associate Professor Arne Ittner and his team, identify that tau plays a key role in shaping long-term memories - providing new insight into how memory formation and neurodegeneration intersect.

These findings offer important new insight into how memory works and, what may go wrong in dementia, opening potential pathways for future treatments.

Find out more here 🔗 https://bit.ly/4o3Kl2h

The future looks bright thanks to our changemakers!

Flinders students and alumni featured prominently in the 2026 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards SA held at the weekend, recognising the remarkable contributions young people are making across communities, causes, industries and public life.

Congratulations to Speech Pathology graduate Amelia Griffin, who took out the Sweat Female Tech Entrepreneur Award, social enterprise leader and Business graduate, Eloise Hall who won the Konica Minolta Career Achievement Award, and Education graduate, keynote speaker, author, and cancer awareness advocate Kellie Finlayson, who was recognised with the Fresh 92.7 People’s Choice Award. 🏆

Check out all of the Flinders nominees, finalists and our winners’ inspiring stories here: https://bit.ly/4dYDtP0

Did you know there are four award categories you can nominate for in this year's Flinders Alumni Awards? 🏆

Last year’s John Moriarty AM Impact Award winner, Professor Jackie Huggins AM was recognised for exceptional leadership in the Australian reconciliation movement and commitment to creating an equitable future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Professor Huggins believes education is the key to reconciliation. It starts with Indigenous Australians succeeding in higher education, then educating all Australians about Indigenous social justice issues.

Read more here 👉 https://bit.ly/4dCkDhV

This World Nutrition Day, we’re celebrating students Amelie and Sarah and their passion for food, health and wellbeing 🥑🍎

For Amelie, studying nutrition has deepened her passion for the field and opened her eyes to the many different career paths and ways nutrition can support positive health outcomes and communities.

For Sarah, studying nutrition has strengthened her understanding of the role food plays in health and wellbeing, and her love of turning science and evidence into practical advice that helps people thrive.

Interested in studying nutrition? Mid year entries are now open for some of our nutrition degrees: https://www.flinders.edu.au/study/health/nutrition?utm_campaign=sprout&utm_content=1779952020&utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=facebook

Welcome to National Reconciliation Week!

This year's theme is - All In, a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day. All In makes clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take action to make change.

Last week, we came together as a community to launch Flinders University's new Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2026–2030 and Indigenous Workforce Strategy, a strengthened commitment to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, knowledges and leadership across our university.

This week, join us:
🍩 Donuts and Crafts, proudly presented by Yungkurrinthi - Office of Indigenous Strategy & Engagement with support from FUSA Flinders University Student Association and Medibank.⁠ All proceeds go to the Tjindu Foundation.
📍 Bedford Park: Wednesday 27 & Thursday 28 May | 11am–2pm⁠
📍 Tonsley, Sturt & City — Thursday 28 May | 11am–2pm

📅 The Don Dunstan Foundation invites you to the 19th Annual Lowitja O’Donoghue Oration on Wednesday 3 June, 6:30pm at Elder Hall. Professor Larissa Behrendt AO will speak on Strength with Grace: Bringing the Nation Together — a timely and powerful address on what it means to lead through truth and connection.

Find out more and explore all NRW events here 🔗 https://bit.ly/4nRsbR6

Meet the Flinders "fossil hunter" joining an elite group of the world's top scientists! 👏

Flinders University Emeritus Professor John Long has been admitted as a Fellow to the prestigious Australian Academy of Science.

This honour recognises Professor Long's decades of groundbreaking paleontological research, which has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of vertebrate evolution.

From Antarctica to the remote Gogo sites in Western Australia, Professor Long has:
▪️ Discovered and formally identified 90 previously unknown prehistoric taxa (including ancient fishes, Australia's oldest theropod dinosaur, and the world's oldest reptile tracks).
▪️ Led the globally cited "origins of s*x" research, discovering the origins of vertebrate s*xual reproduction in 380-million-year-old fossil fishes.
▪️ Set global benchmarks, becoming the first Australian to serve as President of the world's largest palaeontology group, the Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology.

Read more about his incredible journey and discoveries 🔗 https://bit.ly/4dF4VkM