Past Presidents of the AAWP include Judith Rodriguez, Professor Tom Shapcott, Dr Eva Sallis, Professor Jeri Kroll, Professor Donna Lee Brien, Dr Marcelle Freiman, Professor Jen Webb, Professor Paul Hetherington and Dr Lynda Hawryluk. The immediate past President is Dr Antonia Pont (Deakin University).
The current President of the AAWP is Associate Professor Julia Prendergast from Swinburne University.
The Executive
President | Chair
Associate Professor Julia Prendergast (Swinburne University, Victoria) info@aawp.org.au
Deputy Chair
Dr Lee McGowan (University of the Sunshine Coast)
Treasurer
Distinguished Professor Jen Webb (University of Canberra, ACT) accounts@aawp.org.au
Public Officer
Dr Katrina Finlayson
Secretary
Dr Julian Novitz (Swinburne University, Victoria) jnovitz@swin.edu.au
Members of the Executive
Portfolio: Memberships Liaison
- Dr Jessie Seymour memberships@aawp.org.au
Portfolio: Research
- Associate Professor Natalie Kon Yu
Portfolio: Postgraduate ECR Representative
- Associate Professor Sue Joseph (University of South Australia)
Portfolio: Access and Equity
- Dr Axel-Nathaniel Rose (UNSW Sydney)
Portfolio: Website | Online Presence Coordinator
- Sarah Giles
Portfolio: Prizes and Partnerships
- Associate Professor Julia Prendergast (Swinburne University)
2026 Conference Convenor
- Dr Roanna Gonsalves (UNSW Sydney)
Co-opted Assistants to the Executive Committee of Management:
- Dr Rachel Hennessy
- Dr Ariella Van Luyn
- Dr Roanna Gonsalves
- Dr Rose Michael
- Elizabeth Walton
- Dr Ginna Brock
- Dr Lili Pâquet
- Associate Professor Victoria Kuttainen
- Tess Scholfield-Peters
HDR Support
For support and confidential advice regarding PhD supervision and research, please send all enquiries to info@aawp.org.au and we will forward the message onto the appropriate mentor after consultation with you.
- Dr Sue Joseph (University of South Australia)
- Distinguished Professor Jen Webb (University of Canberra, ACT)
- Associate Professor Julia Prendergast (Swinburne University, Victoria) info@aawp.org.au
- Professor Donna Lee Brien (CQ University, Queensland)
- Professor Craig Batty (University of South Australia, Adelaide)
- Professor Jeri Kroll (Flinders University, SA)
Please note: This service is aimed at providing pastoral support rather than policy advice. Support services include advice about managing your supervisor, managing your workload, and how to find help at your university when you are stuck. The service is not designed to provide advice regarding policy-related problems: these queries should be directed to the candidate’s higher degree graduate office.
AAWP Advisory Committee
- Dr Antonia Pont, Immediate Past AAWP President/Chair (Deakin University, Melbourne)
- Dr Lynda Hawryluk (Southern Cross University, NSW)
- Professor Paul Hetherington (University of Canberra, ACT)
- Professor Jeri Kroll (Flinders University, South Australia)
- Professor Donna Lee Brien (CQ University, Queensland)
- Gail Pittaway (Waikato Institute of Technology, New Zealand)
- Associate Professor Dominique Hecq (Independent scholar)
- Dr Lee McGowan (University of the Sunshine Coast) and
- Associate Professor Liz Ellison (Central Queensland University), previous Conference Convenors
AAWP Publications Committee
- Distinguished Professor Jen Webb (University of Canberra, ACT)
- Dr Ross Watkins (University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland)
TEXT Journal
Managing Editors: Associate Professor Julienne van Loon and Dr Ross Watkins
General Editors: Dr Ross Watkins, Associate Professor Shady Cosgrove and Associate Professor Antonia Pont
Special Issues Editors: Dr Ella Jeffery and Dr Belinda Castles
Creative Works Editors: Professor Nigel Krauth and Dr Anthony Lawrence
Reviews Editors: Dr Aidan Coleman
Assistant Reviews Editor: Verity Oswin
Meniscus Literary Journal
A biannual literary journal publishing flash fiction, short prose, poetry and short experimental writing.
Meniscus Editors:
- Distinguished Professor Jen Webb
- Dr Ginna Brock
- Gail Pittaway
- Dr Deb Wain
- Sarah Giles
Contact: meniscus@aawp.org.au
Cinder Mentorship Program:
In 2026, the Australian scholarly journal Cinder is transforming to a mentorship program. The program aims to support Higher Degree Researchers and Early Career Researchers to develop and submit a journal article to TEXT: Journal of Writing and Writing Courses.
If you are a Higher Degree Researcher or an Early Career Researcher (including independent scholars) who is seeking support to develop a draft scholarly paper suitable for TEXT, you are invited to apply. Early Career Researchers must be within 5 years of PhD conferral. You can read more about TEXT: Journal of Writing and Writing Courses here.
Successful applicants will be placed with a mentor – a topic or industry expert – who will read your work, provide feedback during a 30-minute meeting and review changes made in response to feedback. With mentor support, developed papers will be invited for submission to TEXT. You may negotiate a timeline with your mentor; however, it is anticipated that mentorships will not extend beyond 12 months.
The Cinder Mentorship consists of 6 places per year. Two places will be reserved for HDRs and ECRs from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The mentorship will also seek to support writer-scholars who are yet to be published or who experience barriers to support to develop scholarship.
To apply:
Write an application of no more than 1 page outlining:
- A title, abstract and keywords of a proposed paper with the potential to be published in TEXT,
- A short bio including relevant education, industry experience and any previous publications,
- A short statement outlining the value of the mentorship to the applicant, including any information about your background you feel is relevant to the application, and
- Your contact details.
Send applications and queries to the Cinder Mentorship Program coordinator, Ariella van Luyn: avanluyn@une.edu.au
Submissions open 1 January 2026 and will remain open until filled or 1 July 2026. You’re encouraged to submit early, as places may fill quickly.