From groundbreaking discoveries in medicine and technology to Olympic victories, artistic triumphs, and leadership in government and industry, generations of our alumni and researchers have had an enduring impact on the world. And whether through high-profile accomplishments or quiet contributions to their communities, they're shaping a future as exciting as the past 175 years.
A university of firsts in education
Founded on the land of the Gadigal people in 1850, today the University of Sydney's campuses and facilities extend across the ancestral lands of many of Australia's First Peoples. The first students started at the University of Sydney two years later. Not long after its opening, benefactors began to offer their support to the University, believing that education could help to improve socio-economic outcomes. Among the first donations was Thomas Barker's endowed gift of £1000 which generated enough interest to fund a student scholarship in 1852.
By 1856, the University had awarded its first degrees, and in 1885 Isola Florence Thompson (BA 1885) and Mary Elizabeth Brown (BA 1885) became the first women to graduate. The first PhDs were conferred in 1951, including to Eleanor Gyarfas, a gradute of Budapest University, the first chemist to investigate the complex compounds of osmium, used in pacemakers and in fingerprint detection.
In 1965, Felcia Corowa became the first female student to identify as Aboriginal when she enrolled in an Arts degree. Meanwhile, renowned Aboriginal activist Dr Charles Perkins AO (BA '66) became the first known Aboriginal man to graduate from an Australian university, in 1966.
Mary Elizabeth Brown (BA 1885) became one of the first women to graduate from the University of Sydney.
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As the world of knowledge expanded, so did the spirit of exploration. In 1908, Antarctica explorer and geology professor TW Edgeworth David (who had earlier discovered coal in the Hunter Valley) joined his former PhD student Douglas Mawson (BE 1902) on Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1908-09 Antarctic expedition. Meanwhile, inventor and physiology professor Frank Cotton (BSc 1912) created the world's first flying suit in 1940, preventing pilots from blacking out under g-force. It not only saved countless Allied lives during World War II but also paved the way for modern NASA spacesuits.
Today, the first person to train as an astronaut under the Australian flag, Katherine Bennell-Pegg (BE (Aerospace)(Hons) '08, BSc (Adv) '08), is exploring new frontiers in space, paving the way for others. "I want to use this experience to open doors for Australian scientists and engineers to utilise space for their discoveries, to inspire the pursuit of STEM careers," Katherine says.
Advances in medicine and science
2024 Australians of the Year, Professor Georgina Long AO (BSc ’93, PhD ’96) and Professor Richard Scolyer AO (MD ’06)
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LinkFrom the groundbreaking melanoma research of 2024 Australians of the Year, Professor Georgina Long AO (BSc '93, PhD '96) and Professor Richard Scolyer AO (MD '06), to legendary heart surgeon, the late Dr Victor Chang AC (BSc (Medical)(Hons) '61, MBBS '63), who revolutionised heart transplant surgery, our researchers tackle the complex medical challenges of our times.
And the legacy of our alumni continues to make a profound impact around the world. Professor Graeme Clark AC's (MBBS '57) invention of the multiple-channel cochlear implant has restored hearing for over a million people globally, while the work of the late Catherine Hamlin (MBBS '46) lives on in Ethiopia where in 1974 she founded a hospital for the treatment of preventable childbirth injury obstetric fistula, saving thousands of lives.
More recently, researchers like Professor Eddie Holmes have been instrumental in fighting the spread of COVID-19. Eddie's work as the first person to publicly share the SARS-CoV-2 genome kickstarted the development of tests and vaccines worldwide.
In 2025, the Snow Medical Research Foundation committed $50 million to establish the Snow Vision Accelerator, a groundbreaking initiative for glaucoma research to fast-track treatment options. Meanwhile the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator, a partnership between the University of Sydney, Sydney Local Health District and the NSW Government set to open in 2028 thanks to the generosity of the Susan and Isaac Wakil Foundation, will accelerate scientific discoveries in areas including cancer and neurogenerative diseases.
Politicians, progress and pioneers
No fewer than eight Australian prime ministers have graduated from the University. Our alumni have also worked on some of the world's most iconic landmarks. Sir John Bradfield (BE 1889, ME 1896, DScEng 1924) oversaw the design and construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, while John Andrews (BArch '56), Australia's first internationally recognised architect, designed the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada.
In agriculture, our researchers have been tackling the deadly threat of wheat rust for over a century, protecting Australia's wheat industry – not to mention your daily Vegemite toast. Led in 2025 by Professor Robert Park, the Judith and David Coffey Chair in Sustainable Agriculture, the Cereal Rust Research program is partnering with farmers, supported by a $4 million philanthropic gift.
"Our scientists have played a central role in successfully breeding hundreds of rust-resistant wheat varieties that help feed the world," says Robert.
Firsts in technology
Our researchers have been pioneers in computing, including building the SILLIAC machine in 1956, one of the world's most powerful computers at the time. It took up an entire room at the University and ran Australia's first computerised payroll system for the Postmaster-General's Department, also supporting Woolworths and the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme.
Ruby Payne-Scott (BSc '33, MSc, '36, DipEd '38) started her studies at the University when she was just 16 years old, going on to become a trailblazer in physics and radio astronomy during World War II.
More recently, John O'Sullivan (BSC '67, BEng '69, PhD '74) and David Skellern AO (BSc '72, BE(Hons) '74, PhD '85) and their team invented Wi-Fi, while today, experts including Professor Kai Riemer and Associate Professor Sandra Peter are exploring artificial intelligence in the workplace.
University of Sydney researchers built the SILLIAC machine in 1956, one of the world’s most powerful computers at the time.
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LinkOur athletes and artists
Renowned soprano Professor Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO (BMusEd '86) brings First Nations stories to life and nurtures talent at Short Black Opera and at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
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LinkBeyond the lecture theatre, we've helped to inspire more than 150 Olympians and Paralympians. Fourteen alumni proudly represented Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, bringing home one gold and three silver medals.
Our alumni and researchers have also had a significant cultural impact. From theatre innovator Kip Williams (BA '09) and Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron AM (LLB '82, BA '86), to painter and sculptor Lindy Lee AO (BVA '83, DipVisArts '85) and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks AO (BA '79), they inspire creativity globally.
Renowned soprano Professor Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO (BMusEd '86) is also bringing First Nations stories to life and nurturing talent at Short Black Opera and at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, supported by a bequest from the late Elizabeth Todd OAM (Dip Music '42).
And as Australia's population ages, a groundbreaking donor-funded partnership between the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music is looking to the future. Led by Professor Sharon Naismith, the team is exploring whether musical interventions could play a role in helping those at risk of cognitive decline.
Giving back
The spirit of philanthropy and humanity leads many of our alumni to work for organisations such the World Health Organisation (WHO), like Dr. Richard Brennan AO (MBBS 1984). It leads others to lobby for change, like Jack Manning Bancroft (BA '07) – whose Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) program has empowered over 25,000 First Nations students to go to university, and Annabelle Chauncy OAM (BA '07, LLB '10), who in 2011 established a school in Uganda, transforming the lives of thousands of students.
And in 2025, a generous donation of $100 million by Robin Khuda, founder and CEO of AirTrunk, is set to fund an ambitious 20-year program to create a pathway for young women from Western Sydney to pursue study and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
An innovative, sustainable future
As we look to the next 175 years, we're focused on transforming innovative ideas into real-world solutions. Research commercialisation plays a vital role in this, through greater collaboration with industry and government.
At the Net Zero Institute, Professor Deanna D'Alessandro is developing solutions such as 'green steel', made with renewables, and direct carbon capture – a cutting-edge technology that removes historic carbon emissions from the atmosphere. In nanotechnology, Dr Nicholas Hunt (BSc (Hons) '13, PhD '17) and Professor Victoria Cogger (BSc (Hons) '00, PhD '03) are developing oral insulin for a needle-free future. And the Matilda Centre's 'OurFutures' program is developing the first online vaping prevention program of its kind, as it helps to shape a healthier future.
A family tale
Four generations of the Madsen family have graduated from the University of Sydney. The family's history has been intertwined with the University's for more than 125 years. The most recent Madsen graduates, Jacqueline Madsen (BEng '17) and Jessica Madsen (BSc '14), are continuing a rich legacy that began with their great‑grandfather, Sir John Percival Vissing Madsen (BSc 1900, BEng 1901).
A groundbreaking physicist and engineer after whom the University's Madsen Building was named, Sir John is perhaps best known for his pioneering work in radio and radar technology, and for introducing Australia’s first digital computer, CSIRAC.
Jacqueline is currently embarking on an adventure to Antarctica as the Engineering Services Supervisor at Mawson Research Station for the 2025 winter.
The Madsen family's University legacy began with Sir John Percival Vissing Madsen (BSc 1900, BEng 1901).
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Link"Fun fact: it actually takes longer to return from Mawson than from the International Space Station!" she says. "Electrical engineering opens so many doors. I’m thankful that I persisted to start my career on such a solid footing. It enabled me to pursue whatever I set my mind to."
Meanwhile, Jessica has carved a path as a high school science and agriculture teacher, previously having founded online networking and educational resource, Seeds of Sustainability, which took her as far as the United Nations in New York. "I've always been passionate about finding sustainable ways to feed a growing population," she explains.
"Now, I love inspiring my students to explore their own passions."
Their father, Graham Madsen (MEng '90), also contributes to this legacy as a casual lecturer in the School of Chemical Engineering. "Growing up in Wagga Wagga, my grandfather and uncle inspired me to study here," he says."I enjoy putting something back into future generations, helping students be the next leaders in industry."
Both sisters recall how they were often asked about their connection to the Madsen Building. "It was great to have Sir John so well recognised on campus," Jacqueline says. "It was also nice to be so free to be my own person in such a special place of learning and development."
Jacqueline, Graham and Jessica Madsen stand outside the Madsen Building, which was named after Sir John Madsen.
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