The Australian National University

Would you say that most people can be trusted?

When asked a number of survey questions on interpersonal trust, Australians revealed they are less likely to trust each other than they were in 2020, falling to the lowest level this decade.

Analysis of the latest ANUpoll of more than 3,500 adults also shows that levels of wellbeing among Australians remain stable, but at a low base. And while many Australians are critical of how democracy is working in Australia, in principle support for democracy remains strong.

Read more: quicklink.anu.edu.au/7eja

Congratulations to the ANU Testing Traces team for being named a finalist in the 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, Australia’s most prestigious science awards!

The ANU Testing Traces team has been shortlisted for the University of Technology Sydney and Australian Federal Police Eureka Prize for Excellence in Forensic Science for its innovative work rapidly detecting and identifying new psychoactive substances at ANU from samples presented to Canberra’s pill testing service.

Since 2022, the team has achieved several world-first detections of dangerous drugs by analysing microscopic traces from samples submitted to Canberra’s pill testing service.

Their discoveries allow health authorities to issue public health alerts within hours, reducing harm before dangerous new substances become more widespread.

Read more: reporter.anu.edu.au/all-stories/anu-team-named-eureka-prize-finalist-for-life-saving-forensic-drug-detection

Science & Medicine at ANU

From the Ebola outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Kamalini Lokuge has been driven to provide humanitarian health care wherever in the world it may be needed.

“It’s really meaningful work and you meet the most amazing people, both your patients, their communities – even more so – your colleagues,” Professor Lokuge says.

Read her story: quicklink.anu.edu.au/0ww7

ANU Law School

Busy campus, new friendships and plenty of excitement. Thanks for a fantastic O-Week ⭐

Do the songs we listen to say something about who we are?

From Michael Jackson to Kanye West, some of the world’s biggest artists have left listeners wrestling with the same uncomfortable question: can we separate the music from the musician?

ANU experts unpack what our listening choices say about art, accountability and the culture around us.

quicklink.anu.edu.au/htn8

When Professor Sean O’Byrne was asked to dismantle the machine he’d built his career on, he had other ideas.

The T2 free piston shock tunnel is a high-performance shock tube that can test aircraft technology and aerodynamics at supersonic speeds.

Built at ANU in 1964 and in use for 38 years, T2 is described by O’Byrne as “the first operational shock tunnel used for serious research”.

Twenty years later, the T2 shock tunnel is back at ANU and back in business.

Read more: quicklink.anu.edu.au/9puc

Systems & Society at ANU

Two former ANU student colleagues returned to campus for our recent Meet the Author event, this time with a debut novel to discuss 📚

ANU alumna Jessy Wu joined fellow graduate and former Woroni editor Jasper Lindell for a conversation about Good Intentions, a story that begins in a university newspaper office before moving into the worlds of journalism, tech and finance.

Jessy, who studied Philosophy and English Literature at ANU, also gave audiences a sneak peek at what she is writing next. A fitting full-circle moment back where it all began.

ANU Alumni

ANU turns 80 this year and we want you to celebrate with us 🎂

On Saturday 15 August from 10am–4pm, ANU Community Day will bring the Kambri precinct to life with interactive exhibitions, live music, workshops, cultural experiences and research you can see in action. There will also be opportunities to tour some of the remarkable places across campus, including University House and the Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility.

Bring the family, wander through campus and meet the people, ideas and discoveries that have shaped ANU over the past 80 years.

Register now: quicklink.anu.edu.au/9jpj