Meet our 2023 ANU Alumni Awards Finalists

Each year, the ANU Alumni Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of our most remarkable alumni. This year, our 2023 Alumnus/Alumna of the Year award finalists are shining examples of leaders in the areas of technology, science, social justice, international affairs and legal reform.

Nick Apostoloff (He/Him)(BInfTech ’99, BE ’01, MPhil ‘05)

Born and bred in the Australian capital, Dr Nicholas Apostoloff’s impact on the global film industry has been monumental. While at ANU, Dr Apostoloff developed a passion for photography, robotics and computer vision. He then spent over six years working for the studios ImageMovers Digital and Digital Domain, where he and his colleague Geoff Wedig developed a pioneering technology that has allowed filmmakers to seamlessly translate human expressions to digital characters. This innovation has proven a game-changer for films such as Tron: Legacy, Maleficent, A Christmas Carol, Jack the Giant Slayer, and more.

Matthew Bailes (He/Him)(PhD ‘90)

Professor Matthew Bailes is a trailblazing astrophysicist whose alumni journey is nothing short of stellar. Professor Bailes has been elected to the Australian Academy of Sciences, won the prestigious Shaw Prize (known as the “Nobel of the East”), and leads the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav) with ANU as a major partner. He has pioneered virtual reality 3D films in astronomy, authored over 20 papers in Science and Nature, supervised ANU PhD students, and even co-founded a space instrumentation company.

Dr Samantha Crompvoets (She/Her)(PhD ‘05)

Dr Samantha Crompvoets is a fearless advocate for justice. Her ground-breaking research was key to uncovering war crimes in Afghanistan; her sociological insights have ignited influential reports, including the Brereton Report; and her work has brought positive change to the Australian Defence Force and beyond. Dr Crompvoets’ leadership also extends to championing gender equality and mental health in the workplace.

HE the Hon Dr Kevin Rudd AC (He/Him)(BA (Asian Studies) (Hons) ‘81, LLD ‘16)

As our nation’s 26th Prime Minister, HE the Hon Dr Kevin Rudd AC led a transformative government. While steering Australia through the global financial crisis, his administration made indelible progress in climate action, Indigenous reconciliation, broadband access, disability insurance and other domains. A prominent global statesman, and now Australia’s Ambassador to the United States, the foundation of his expertise in international affairs remains his Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours at ANU.

Sophie Trevitt (She/Her)(JD '16, MLLP '19)

Sophie Trevitt was a solicitor and advocate for social justice, who brought her fierce intelligence to fight for climate action and the rights of incarcerated Indigenous children. Sophie died on 27 July 2023 at the age of 32. Even while battling cancer, Sophie never relented in her mission to reform Australia’s justice system. Her work led to significant policy changes throughout Australia, including raising the age of criminal responsibility in the ACT and NT, and the Australian Federal Police’s investigation into ‘spit hoods’ being used on minors in custody, resulting in their operational banning in April 2023.

Sophie is a finalist in both the Alumni of the Year and Young Alumni of the Year categories.