Professional Staff Awards

The award recognises Rachelle’s outstanding leadership, innovation and commitment to laboratory safety. As a Senior Laboratory Technical Officer in the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Rachelle has led important improvements to laboratory safety systems, emergency procedures and research infrastructure. Her achievements include developing an innovative chemical waste transport trolley, improving emergency duress systems and contributing to the design of a new Luminescence laboratory facility.

Through her collaborative approach, practical problem-solving and commitment to mentoring colleagues and students, Rachelle has strengthened safety practices and fostered a culture of shared responsibility. Her contributions have delivered lasting benefits to the School’s research environment and wider community.

Boujemaa (Bouj) Moubaraki was nominated for the 2026 Science Dean’s Award for Exceptional Performance by Professional Staff in recognition of his exceptional service, leadership and longstanding contribution to the School of Chemistry. Since joining Monash in 1992, Bouj has supported generations of staff and students through his expertise in laboratory safety, research infrastructure, training and technical operations. His responsibilities include laboratory inductions, dangerous goods management, risk assessments and maintaining critical research equipment.

Renowned for his resourcefulness and practical problem-solving, Bouj has helped sustain essential laboratory services, supported colleagues during periods of transition and contributed to a safe and welcoming research environment. Through more than three decades of dedicated service, his reliability, generosity and commitment to supporting others have made a lasting contribution to the School’s operations, research capability and community.

Namrata Sharma was nominated for the 2026 Science Dean’s Award for Exceptional Performance by Professional Staff in recognition of her outstanding initiative, collaboration and commitment to supporting the Faculty’s transition to the new Nimbus workforce management system.

Taking on additional responsibilities at short notice, Namrata played a critical role in coordinating workforce information across the Faculty, resolving complex system issues and supporting colleagues through significant operational changes.

Tzekih Tsai, Matthew Leong, Namrata Sharma, Dave Rogers, Belinda Comerford and Karen Hogeboom (not pictured)

The Award recognises the Nimbus WPAs – Workforce Puzzle Alchemists the team’s outstanding collaboration, initiative and contribution to the Faculty’s transition to the new Nimbus workforce management system.

The team, comprising Tzekih Tsai, Matthew Leong, Namrata Sharma, Dave Rogers, Belinda Comerford and Karen Hogeboom, worked across the Faculty’s Schools and Operational Units to manage complex workforce information, resolve technical challenges and support staff through significant procedural changes.

Despite demanding deadlines, evolving system requirements and limited training opportunities, the team demonstrated exceptional adaptability, problem-solving and collegiality. Their commitment to sharing knowledge, supporting colleagues and ensuring accurate workforce records contributed to a successful system implementation, with no major incidents reported when Nimbus went live. Their achievements highlight the importance of collaboration and professional excellence in delivering organisational change.