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Alumni Award for International Achievement
Global leaders
This award recognises the outstanding contributions that alumni have made to international society through community service or professional achievements that have made a significant global impact.
To be eligible, nominees must meet the following selection criteria:
- Nominees must have graduated from the University of Sydney.
- Nominees must demonstrate either a one-off significant impact or an ongoing contribution to international communities. This can could include both professional and community achievements.
2024 winner
Katherine Bennell-Pegg
Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace) (Honours) '08, Bachelor of Science (Advanced) '08
Australian Astronaut, Australian Space Agency
What piece of advice would you give your younger self?
Going the extra mile is more important than talent alone. (Doors will open you can't even imagine.)
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. (The more experienced I get the more basic the questions I ask)
Embrace not being the smartest or most qualified in the room. (This is how you learn the most, how you can also see things others can't, and add unexpected value with fresh ideas.)
Anything can be learned with sufficient time and effort. (Effort is more important than talent alone - even on astronaut training!)
I have so many incredible memories! I most enjoyed the times when I moved from solving problems with known answers, to being able to do research and innovation for real.
The University of Sydney is where I got the chance to work on research for a space mission for the first time - NASA STEREO SWAVES. I was also so thrilled to help develop a lab-based model of a CubeSat and present it to Dr Andy Thomas. Trips to collect data at Siding Springs Observatory, a geology field expedition and others were also amazing.
I also cherished the social and extracurricular activities, like at Sydney University Regiment, the Australian University Games, the Engineering Revue and various societies, which contributed to the positive atmosphere and led to life-long friendships.
When I graduated from the University of Sydney, my goal was to contribute to building a real satellite. I remember being just so thrilled to get to work on a component, and then a subsystem, then an entire mission. Coming back to Australia meant I got to help develop an entire national ecosystem. Now, I provide service to my country more broadly as an astronaut - the reach goes beyond the space sector.
Every time I reach a peak, a new one emerges. Right now, I have much to do on the ground. My focus is on maintaining and building my skills, unlocking opportunities for more Australians to be involved in human spaceflight, inspiring young people into STEM careers, and helping uplift the aspirations of our next generation whatever their dreams may be.
Biography
Katherine Bennell-Pegg (FIEAust) is Australia’s first female astronaut. In 2023, following a lengthy selection process, she was the first international astronaut candidate to be invited to take place in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Basic Astronaut Training program in Germany.
Becoming an astronaut has been a life-long dream for Katherine, and in addition to her studies in aerospace engineering and science she undertook extracurriculars that would support that dream including aerobatic flying, scuba diving and amateur astronomy. In her university years, in addition to being in Engineering revues, helping establish Sydney University Women in Engineering and the Rocket Society and representing the university in basketball, she also volunteered with the NSW SES, travelled to India with Engineers Without Borders and was an Australian Army Reservist. She had internships with NASA, ESA, RAAF and the University of Sydney School of Physics. Katherine also received the Charles Kuller Graduation Prize for the first-placed undergraduate thesis in the School of Aeronautical, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.
Embrace not being the smartest or most qualified in the room. This is how you learn the most, how you can also see things others can't, and add unexpected value with fresh ideas.
Katherine Bennell-Pegg
After graduating from the University of Sydney, Katherine worked across Europe and the US on a variety of space projects, including facilities for the International Space Station and Artemis. She returned to Australia in 2019 to join the Australian Space Agency where she worked as the Assistant Manager of the Chief Technology Office, before being promoted to Director of Space Technology.
Katherine also holds two Master of Science degrees, from Cranfield University and Lulea Technical University, and was recently awarded an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from University of Southern Queensland in recognition of her work advancing the Australian space sector, inspiring the next generation STEM workforce, and her achievement in becoming an astronaut.
In April of 2024, she graduated from ESA’s astronaut training program, qualifying for assignment on long-duration, professional government astronaut missions to the International Space Station and beyond. She is Australia’s first female astronaut, and the first person to train and qualify as an astronaut under the Australian flag.