Stories of Wonder

Chantella Perera: from WNBL to AFLW to sports marketing and advocacy

Hear Chantella’s journey, from her WNBL days and subsequent successful AFLW career to her advocacy work in women’s sports and leadership in sport marketing. Content warning: this episode contains discussion of racism, sexism, discrimination, and grief. For support in Australia visit: deakin.edu.au/24hoursupport [http://deakin.edu.au/24hoursupport] or for support in another country visit spotify.com/resources [http://spotify.com/resources] Read more about Chantella’s story. [https://together.deakin.edu.au/?p=5326&preview=true] Learn more about Women Sport Australia: womensportaustralia.com.au [http://womensportaustralia.com.au/] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO31wu3jThc] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/ec3c6099/transcript] * (00:00) - Chantella Perera’s journey * (00:35) - From Sri Lanka to sport – early life and beginnings * (02:12) - College basketball and chasing the Opals dream * (03:15) - WNBL highlights and lessons from sport * (04:46) - Transitioning from basketball to AFLW * (06:17) - Life after sport – study, work, and finding direction * (08:04) - Discovering AFLW and starting again * (12:20) - Purpose and giving back through sport * (15:01) - The reality of being an elite athlete in Australia * (18:04) - Identity, culture, and representation in sport * (26:26) - Raising children and passing on culture * (30:48) - Career transition into sport marketing * (32:10) - Transferable skills from sport to leadership * (34:05) - Building a career at KOJO * (44:24) - Major events and creating fan experiences * (47:42) - Women Sport Australia and advocacy work * (50:54) - Progress and challenges in women’s sport * (55:02) - Advice for aspiring athletes * (56:44) - Quick fire questions * (58:00) - What’s next for Chantella * (59:10) - Outro Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture.

Shaun Wilson talks business education and co-founding Bondi Sands

Shaun Wilson knows business. The Bondi Sands co-founder and Deakin Master of Business alum sat down with us to talk about his education and business journey. Read more about Shaun’s story. [https://together.deakin.edu.au/?p=5283&preview=true] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRsgv9icBuA] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/75a73d4e/transcript] * (00:00) - From Deakin to Bondi Sands * (00:31) - Meet Shaun Wilson (Founder, Bondi Sands) * (00:53) - Early entrepreneurial mindset & family influence * (01:51) - Lessons from sport, family & growth mindset * (03:03) - Leadership journey * (05:12) - Managing teams & learning people leadership * (05:55) - Why Deakin and postgraduate study? * (07:43) - Key business principles still used today * (10:58) - Applying Deakin projects to real-world business * (12:14) - Building confidence & leadership frameworks * (13:43) - What makes a great CEO? * (15:59) - Was the degree at Deakin worth it? * (16:48) - Why beauty? Choosing the self-tanning market * (18:56) - Identifying gaps & building a better product * (21:00) - Product innovation: solving real problems * (23:20) - From idea to product launch * (25:12) - Going all-in: when to leave your day job * (28:04) - Getting into retail * (31:00) - Major setback: product recall crisis * (33:23) - Why honesty & integrity matter in business * (37:12) - Lessons from building Bondi Sands * (40:01) - What makes a great leader? * (41:26) - Sustainability & brand values in action * (44:42) - Selling Bondi Sands – how it happened * (49:01) - Selling a company: what founders should know * (52:24) - The emotional side of selling a business * (56:59) - What's next for Shaun Wilson? * (58:00) - Sol Rise: investing in the next generation * (59:55) - Mentors who shaped Shaun’s career * (01:03:42) - Quickfire questions Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture.

Vice-Chancellor Iain Martin on Social licence and the future of universities

In this episode, we catch up with Deakin’s Vice-Chancellor, Iain Martin to explore the evolving role of universities. From his beginnings as a medical student in 1980s UK to leading one of Australia's major universities, he explores the delicate balance between education and research, the concept of social licence, and why "ceaseless curiosity" matters more than ever. Read Iain’s white paper on social licence here. [https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/leadership-and-governance/vice-chancellor/the-social-licence-challenge] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC0tKINgT_Y] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/ff7d843f/transcript] * (00:00) - Introduction * (00:26) - University Experience * (03:52) - Trust in Universities * (05:21) - Social Licence and University Purpose * (07:36) - The Role of Curiosity * (08:19) - Evolution of Higher Education * (11:50) - Rankings and Research vs Education * (14:10) - Balanced Excellence at Deakin * (18:04) - White Paper on Social Licence * (23:45) - Universities and Difficult Debates * (27:48) - Creating Safe Debate Spaces * (29:27) - Personal Experience with Change * (34:57) - The Evolution of University Research * (40:24) - Making Research Accessible * (44:05) - Deakin Research Highlights * (46:06) - Why Study at University * (48:45) - Student Experience and Support * (50:16) - Advice for New Students * (51:50) - Improvements in Higher Education * (55:37) - Quick Fire Questions Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture. Information provided is as known at time of publishing.

Tim Harte’s story: from ballet to a career in research

From ballet to a career in research and disability advocacy, Tim Harte’s journey is an awe-inspiring one. Tim sits down with us to share his story. Read the article [https://this.deakin.edu.au/study/tim-hartes-story-from-ballet-to-a-career-in-research/] Content Warning This podcast includes discussion of lived experience with disability and discrimination. We encourage you to prioritise your wellbeing. You can pause, skip chapters and stop the episode at any time. A list of support services is available here: https://www.deakin.edu.au/students/student-life-and-services/health-wellbeing-and-safety/safety-security/emergency-and-crisis [https://www.deakin.edu.au/students/student-life-and-services/health-wellbeing-and-safety/safety-security/emergency-and-crisis]. For support outside of Australia, please visit http://spotify.com/resources [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0NRenFZMzNkcjRXTnpET0d3N00wcGxTM2ZVZ3xBQ3Jtc0trS3JsWUlLaGJYMFljMkJxTENISGxtS2loNlVQbmZIbUQxWXh5WWpMRkpWTzAwaW9Tbk9Ob3hYZ01sb203ZW0zdzlzaXZna3lFeUc0TVBBMWp2Z09keWJXRldzVnB3ajBLM2w4a1lzbG1vc0FBaEE0MA&q=http%3A%2F%2Fspotify.com%2Fresources&v=3oCyeLT_ggk]. Editorial note The taxation treatment of Graduate Research (GR) scholarships is determined by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), not the Research Training Program (RTP) Guidelines or Deakin University. Under current ATO legislation, part-time scholarships are deemed taxable, whereas full-time RTP stipends are generally tax-exempt. This distinction sits outside of Deakin’s policy or discretion. It is something Deakin and the sector have lobbied the government about over many years. It is a genuine challenge for the sector and for all current and prospective candidates who cannot study at a full-time rate.   In relation to awards and prizes, eligibility criteria may be set by either external funding bodies or by Deakin, depending on the award. In the case of PhD stipends Deakin’s own award (DUPR) align with the RTP awards (set by Commonwealth legislation) with restricted criteria for enrolment load, duration or progression requirements. We acknowledge that these criteria can have unintended impacts for part-time GR candidates, including students whose enrolment status reflects disability or other equity-related circumstances. Tim’s reflections highlight how these settings can be experienced as barriers in practice.   More broadly, we recognise that the legislative and policy frameworks surrounding RTP stipends, enrolment load and taxation can create genuine challenges for some HDR candidates. While Deakin administers scholarships within parameters set by the Commonwealth Government and relevant tax law, these broader settings do not always align well with the diverse circumstances of HDR students.  Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/40eb0d2f/transcript] * (00:00) - Introduction * (01:11) - Ballet Journey * (05:11) - Onset of Disability * (16:00) - Leaving Ballet * (18:33) - University Life * (21:15) - Academic Achievements * (26:00) - PhD Beginnings * (27:29) - Research Challenges * (33:01) - Structural Energy Storage * (37:00) - Life Reset & Advocacy * (43:00) - Disability Advocacy Work * (46:41) - Speaking at the UN * (54:31) - Behind the Scenes * (58:00) - Leadership * (01:00:02) - Disability & STEM * (01:01:14) - Inclusion Matters * (01:03:13) - ChemAbility Network * (01:06:43) - Power of Community * (01:08:55) - Representation * (01:10:00) - Barriers in STEM * (01:22:55) - Scholarships & Stipends * (01:23:13) - Young Australian of the Year Victorian Nomination * (01:24:26) - Representation in Awards * (01:26:43) - Impact Vision * (01:27:19) - Challenging Assumptions * (01:31:17) - Desired Change * (01:32:14) - Resourcing, power & systemic barriers * (01:34:46) - Quickfire Round * (01:36:17) - Final Reflections Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture. Information provided is as known at time of publishing.

Jo Weston’s netball career, leadership and advocacy

In this episode, Jo Weston takes us through her netball journey and unpacks how she balances a thriving sports career with study. Read more about Jo's story. [https://this.deakin.edu.au/career/jo-westons-netball-career-in-australia-and-beyond/] Click here to watch a video of this episode. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWlg1ndgz_0] Click here to view the episode transcript. [https://share.transistor.fm/s/02bd7c28/transcript] Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 00:57 – The Vixens’ Fairytale Run 03:34 – Handling Setbacks 05:15 – Sending Off Coach Simone McKinnis 07:05 – Jo’s Country Upbringing 09:11 – Starting Netball 11:54 – Netball as a Career 14:52 – Becoming a Professional Athlete 18:00 – Working While Playing for Australia 20:55 – Growing with the Sport 22:52 – Managing the Pressures 24:52 – Advice for Younger Athletes 25:53 – Studying a Master of Communication 29:00 – Study Shaping Leadership 31:41 – Storytelling and the Power of Sport 34:10 – Netball Besties 37:01 – Podcasting 39:34 – Turbulence and Transformation in Netball 40:00 – Negotiating Player Pay & Conditions 44:50 – Leadership Under Pressure 47:04 – The Rise of Women’s Sport 49:50 – Advice for Girls in Sport 50:55 – Looking Ahead to Brisbane 2032 52:00 – Life Beyond Netball 53:57 – Quickfire Round 57:01 – Closing Please note: The individual views and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect those of Deakin as an organisation. Deakin is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where both freedom of speech and academic freedom are vigorously upheld. Our community thrives on diverse opinions and perspectives, with open-minded inquiry and respectful disagreement essential to our university culture.