Content warning: This message contains references to sexual assault, harassment and violence. If this content causes you distress or impacts your wellbeing, support is available via Student Wellbeing. Services include counselling, case management and referrals to specialist support. The ANU Wellbeing Support line is available 24/7. Phone 1300 050 327, text 0488 884 170 or email student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au. 

This week, the University has published its fourth annual Sexual Misconduct Report. This release reaffirms our commitment to transparency, accountability and meaningful action in preventing and responding to sexual harm in our community. The report is available on the Respect@ANU webpage. 

A lot of work has taken place over the past year to strengthen our approach, particularly in prevention and education. We’ve introduced the 2024–2026 Student Safety and Wellbeing Plan, endorsed the external review recommendations from UNSW’s Gendered Violence Research Network, and launched the Rights, Relationships and Respect education modules for students, with a staff module to follow later this year. Peer-led prevention is also expanding, with 17 Student Peer Educators now supporting education efforts across campus. 

Professor Joan Leach, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), said: “The release of this report reflects our ongoing commitment under the Sexual Violence Prevention Strategy and the Student Safety and Wellbeing Plan. We are deeply grateful to the students who trusted us with their disclosures and to the many advocates working to make our campus a safer and more respectful place. Your voices are driving change — and we will keep listening, acting and improving.” 

This week, the University will also begin scheduling meetings with our student associations to engage in open and direct conversations about the report and hear their insights and concerns. 

If you have enquiries, please contact the Director, University Experience at director.university.experience@anu.edu.au. 

Image: The ANU Solar Racing team in rural Australia. Photo: The ANU Solar Racing team.

Every year, the ANU solar racing team compete in the prestigious World Solar Challenge – a gruelling Mad Max-style marathon spanning the Australian outback. This year the team decided to do things differently. Before the big race, they took their car on a practice run through rural Australia. 

Starting in Wagga Wagga, the team followed the sun west, through the agricultural heartlands of Griffith, Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo. Along the way, they stopped at local schools and community centres to hold hands-on workshops, giving students a rare chance to work directly with solar power. 

Read more: ANU students take on rural Australia ahead of the World Solar Challenge 

Image: Left to right, Janette Marskell, Margaret McCaskie and Maeve Galvin (President of ANU Women’s Hockey Club, and current student). Photo: Provided.

Over the weekend, two ANU alumni members Janette Marskell and Margaret McCaskie reached significant milestones with the ANU Hockey Club, playing an incredible total of 1,800 games. Respectively, Janette played her 1,000th game and Margaret played her 800th. This feat is an incredible testament to the passion, talent and sense of community our University holds. It was wonderful to see several past and present members of the ANU Hockey Club come out and support the duo. Despite a disappointing two-to-one loss, it was a fantastic celebration for all involved. 

Image: The Australian National University, Acton Campus, Canberra. Photo: ANU.

I have been thinking a lot about strategy recently. During my time at Intel, I spent a lot of time on strategy – from how to build a strategy group to how to increase strategic acumen and to implement strategies, big and small. We used to talk a lot about what strategy was for us: we thought about it as a set of choices that informed coherent actions to deliver on our aspirations. And we would also reflect on how simple that made developing strategy sound. The reality was for us to develop sound strategy, we had to invest in understanding the world around us, and how it was changing, and what those changes meant for our organisation – being data driven and getting outside of your own world view was always important.

Read more: VC’s Update, Unpacking strategy and update on Nixon report

The Great Barrier Reef, like many marine ecosystems, is being damaged by rising ocean temperatures. ANU researchers are investigating a promising anti-bleaching technology to prevent coral bleaching to preserve the reef. The only catch - it burns diesel to work. However, solar photovoltaic panels and batteries may be the solution to heavily reduce emissions.  

Learn more: ANU experts find solar-powered solutions for the Great Barrier Reef

17 May marks the date in 1990 that homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organisation classification of diseases list. Today, IDAHOBIT Day reminds us of the ongoing discrimination still faced by the LGBTIQA+ community. 

Inclusive Communities will run LGBTIQA+ Ally Training on Thursday 15 May, which is free to all ANU students and staff. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing harmful behaviour, please reach out to Student Safety and Wellbeing or submit an identified or de-identified Harmful Behaviours Disclosure. 

The University acknowledges the current military action between India and Pakistan and recognises this may impact members of our community. If you’re feeling affected or need support, Student Safety and Wellbeing services are here to help – offering free, confidential support including counselling, case management and emergency financial assistance. If the situation is impacting your study, please reach out for academic support via urgent-student@anu.edu.au or contact the Dean of Students Office for advice on academic adjustments.

Thursday 15 May, 6.30pm

How do we excite our imagination about science through comics? What do characters like Poison Ivy or the Joker teach us about science?  Join us at Smith’s Alternative to experience scholars from Canberra, Sydney and Tokyo give off-the-cuff presentations on science in comics. These presentations will be turned into novel artworks and launched together at a later date.  

Register now: Science goes Pop

Wednesday 21 May, 6-7pm

Ian Rankin will discuss his bestselling career in crime writing with Chris Hammer, including a deep dive into the latest instalment of the Inspector Rebus series Midnight and Blue.  

Detective Inspector John Rebus spent his life putting Edinburgh's most deadly criminals behind bars. Now, he's joined them. As new allies and old enemies circle and the days and nights bleed into each other, even the legendary detective struggles to keep his head. That is, until a murder at midnight in a locked cell presents a new mystery. 

Register now: Meet the author, Ian Rankin 

Thursday 22 May, 5.30-7pm 

Dr Hannah Leary will be in conversation with Dr. Simon Copland, to celebrate the launch of his latest book The Male Complaint. In his book, Dr. Copland explains how the manosphere has developed and why it appeals to so many men. This insightful book dares to dig into the corners of incel communities and online spaces where misogyny thrives. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand and do something about this growing and worrying phenomenon. 

Register now: Book launch, The Male Complaint

Tuesday 27 May, 6-7pm 

Strongmen are rising. Democracies are faltering. How does tyranny end? Tyrants project invincibility, but all of them fall. Meeting with coup leaders, dissidents and soldiers, political scientist Dr Marcel Dirsus draws on extraordinary interviews to examine the workings and malfunctions of tyrants. 

Marcel will be in conversation with Allan Behm from the Australia Institute on his book How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive. 

Register now: Meet the author, Marcel Dirsus

Wednesday 28 May, 5.30-7pm 

Join us for the 2025 ANU Archives annual lecture with Professor Brenda L Croft. Professor Croft will draw on her engagement with archives and understanding of personal and family history in her story of the long journeys of ‘Handsome’ Joe Croft – the nickname shared by her grandfather and father. The Noel Butlin Archives Centre at ANU holds records from Victoria River Downs, one of Australia’s largest pastoral stations in the early 20th century. These archives are an important part of understanding the ongoing story of this influential site.

Register now: 2025 ANU Archives annual lecture

Image: Set4ANU mentors at event. Photo: Rowan Davies/ANU.

Help new ANU students in their transition to university, develop your leadership and communication skills and give back to the ANU community by becoming a Set4ANU mentor. This eight-week program is a great way to meet other students and amplify your volunteering experience. You must have studied at ANU for at least one semester to be eligible.  

Registrations close on Tuesday 20 May. 

Register now: Set4ANU Mentor

Students who commenced their undergraduate or postgraduate studies this semester and have completed their check-in survey are eligible to collect free ANU merch for their participation. The final collection event for this initiative will be available on Wednesday 28 May, 10-11am at the Community Connect space in the Copland building. Please ensure you bring your unique merch code sent by ANU Institutional Research to collect. 

Haven’t completed the survey yet? There’s still time! The ANU Check-In Survey closes tomorrow Wednesday 14 May. All new coursework students have received a link to the ANU Check-In Survey in their ANU email. Find more information and past survey results here.

Abstract submissions are open for the Biometrics in the Bush Capital conference, to be held on Monday 24 November – Friday 28 November 2025. The conference is a forum for biometricians, statisticians and those interested in the development and application of statistical and mathematical theory and methods to problems in the biosciences. Abstracts should be a maximum of 250 words written in English presented either as a talk or a poster. 

Submissions are due by Monday 14 July. 

Learn more: Biometrics in the Bush Capital

The Fulbright Program empowers Australian citizens to pursue transformative study and research experiences in the United States. With a 75-year legacy of academic and cultural exchange, Fulbright fosters bilateral collaboration, knowledge transfer and diplomacy. Whether you're seeking funding for a Master’s degree, PhD research, postdoctoral fellowship, or short-term research program, Fulbright can support you to advance your career at any US institution, in any field. 

On Wednesday 21 May, 11am-12pm a virtual information session will be held via Zoom, exploring scholarship opportunities available for Australian citizens. 

Register now: Fulbright Scholarships information session

The date to submit abstracts via ConfTool for the Digital Humanities Australasia 2025 conference has been extended from Friday 9 May to Friday 6 June. The conference welcomes papers on: 

For further details, please visit the conference website.

Help is available if you need it. If you are dealing with a personal or university-related issue, ANU encourages you to seek support through the Student Safety and Wellbeing team by emailing student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au or calling 02 6125 2211, Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm.

You can also visit our Urgent Support page for a list of 24/7 and crisis support options.