Help spread festive cheer across the ANU community by sharing a seasonal photo of your pet. Costumes, cozy moments, tinsel tails and season’s tweetings are all welcome.

A prize will be awarded for the most creative entry, and all photos will feature in the final edition of On Campus on 16 December. You can submit one entry per pet, so households with multiple animals have more chances to win!

Submit your photo via this entry form by Friday 12 December

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued a national recall of several decorative coloured sands sold in Australia between 2020–2025 after products were found to contain asbestos. These items are often used in classrooms, art activities and sensory play.

ANU staff and students are urged to check any coloured sand products on campus and discontinue use immediately.

Read the full Safety Alert, including actions to take and links to official guidance: Hazard Alerts and Safety Awareness | Services

For advice, contact Safety & Wellbeing at whs@anu.edu.au

Grandparents can play a fundamental role in families, yet they have often been overlooked in Australian history.

Grandparents and grand friends make significant contributions to helping share the load of caring for children.

Important cultural exchanges and friendships can develop with intergenerational relationships. Languages, cooking and history are often imparted from grand friends.

Grand friends are also increasingly being seen as part of the solution to housing affordability. 

Learn more: Grandparenting tells us much about our history. It’s important to preserve these stories

The extraordinary anti-predator strategy of two tiny, orb-weaving spider species has been uncovered by scientists from ANU and the University of Florida.

Several of the paper’s co-authors first reported on the possible discovery of a new species of spider over a decade ago, following a chance encounter in the Amazon rainforest in Peru. Now, the unusual behaviour of the Peruvian species and a second orb-weaving species from the Philippines has been scientifically recorded for the first time.

Learn more: Tropical spiders build giant doppelgängers to survive

ANU historian Professor Martin Thomas has been awarded the prestigious Mark and Evette Nib Literary Award for his book Clever Men: How Worlds Collided on the Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land of 1948. The nationally significant prize recognises outstanding research and literary excellence. Previous winners include Helen Garner and Melissa Lucashenko. Thomas is the first ANU academic to receive this honour. 

Drawing on more than a decade of archival and community-based research, Clever Men offers a major re-examination of the 1948 expedition and its legacy. The book explores the tension between scientific authority and Indigenous knowledge and examines the profound impacts of human remains collecting on Indigenous communities. 

Professor Thomas is among the University’s strongest advocates for the repatriation of Indigenous human remains. The issue is central to Clever Men and to his acclaimed 2018 documentary Etched in Bone, which he directed and co-produced with Béatrice Bijon. 

The award was presented in Sydney on 6 November. Congratulations to Professor Thomas.

As we approach the launch of the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy in November, this week spotlights another core theme, ‘set things right, kindly’, focusing on accountability, recognition and reward.

Associate Professor Lou Farrer from the Centre for Mental Health Research explains how research and counselling practice inform better access, accountability and evidence-based supports.

Learn more: Set things right, kindly

It’s International Fraud Awareness Week (IFAW) and this year’s theme is Preventing Fraud is a Team Effort. 

To help spread awareness, the University Risk Office is encouraging ANU staff and students to take part in a series of webinars hosted by the Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre. In addition, the ANU Risk Office has worked with the ANU Brand Office to develop an IFAW email signature banner to use.

You can learn more about fraud and corruption control at ANU by visiting the Risk Office’s webpage.

This week is National Skin Cancer Action Week (16–22 November), and as we enter the summer months, it’s a timely reminder that skin cancer is Australia’s most common cancer, but also one of the most preventable.

UV exposure can happen during commutes, lunch breaks and outdoor activities. Protect yourself by following these five sun protection steps:

Learn more: National Skin Cancer Action Week

Friday 21 November, 6–7pm

Legendary Australian actor and author Bryan Brown will be in conversation with Alex Sloan on his new novel The Hidden and his journey into writing, following the success of his debut novel The Drowning. In this gripping new novel, Brown peels back the surface of a coastal town to reveal a world of simmering tension and buried truths.

Register here for Meet the author: Bryan Brown

Tuesday 25 November, 8am–5pm

The 2025 ANU Migration Update brings together leaders from government, industry, academia and civil society to explore how migration policies can best drive national prosperity and long-term innovation.

Register here for 2025 ANU Migration Update

 

Tuesday 25 November, 6pm–7pm

Sean Kelly will be in conversation with Amy Remeikis on his new Quarterly Essay, The Good Fight. What Does Labor Stand For? In this subtle and brilliant essay, Kelly explores whether Labor is still up for the good fight.

Register here for Meet the author: Sean Kelly

 

Saturday 29 November, 10am–2pm

2025 is the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Have you ever wondered what all the buzz about quantum really means? Enjoy a day packed with discovery, innovation and fun for all ages, with chances to win prizes drawn by a quantum random generator.

Key events include quantum-themed talks by world-leading researchers, tours of cutting-edge research labs, interactive displays and hands-on experiments. Play quantum games and taste quantum food, including liquid nitrogen ice cream and holographic chocolate.

Register here for ANU Quantum Science Open Day

With exams wrapping up, it’s the perfect time to reset and enjoy all of the free things to do in Canberra.

From bushwalks and national attractions, to the best picnic spots and green spaces, the city is full of easy ways to unwind. You can read the ultimate list of free things to do in Canberra for inspiration, or browse the 6 wellness activities in Canberra for university students if you’re looking for simple ways to recharge.

Last week, ANU staff and students joined ANU Green and the Landscape and Conservation team to plant a new native garden at the end of Ellery Crescent.

Everything used on the day was campus-made – soil and mulch from the ANU soil yard, native plants grown from seed in our nursery and rocks and logs sourced right here on campus.

A wonderful group of volunteers brought the space to life.

Check out the before-and-after shots on Instagram @green_anu.

The exchange program is your chance to enrich your studies, travel, grow and meet new people, all while earning credits towards your degree. Explore over 140+ partner universities across 30+ countries and make the world your classroom. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity, applications close on Sunday, 30 November 2025.

Learn more: Take your degree global in semester 2 2026. Exchange applications closing soon

Researching and designing a growth program after trauma

Seeking: adults (aged 18+) who have gone through a traumatic experience.

When: Tuesday 18 November, Tuesday 25 November and Tuesday 2 December from 3.30–5pm

Incentive: $40

About: Participate in a series of three co-design workshops that aim to collaboratively develop an evidence-based intervention that is sensitive to the needs and experiences of trauma survivors.

Learn more and register

Research on location sharing in dating relationships

Seeking: young adults (aged 18–24).

When: Register to organise a time.

Incentive: $50 Visa gift card.

About: Participate in a 90-minute in-person focus group project, exploring how location-sharing tech is used in dating relationships.

Learn more and register

The next Myanmar Update conference, 'Contours of a New Myanmar', is from Friday 24 July to Saturday 25 July 2026.

The conference convenors invite paper proposals from interested academics, analysts, researchers and professionals that address the conference theme in any of the following topics:

Proposals are due by Monday 1 December 2025.

Learn more: Call for papers – 2026 Myanmar Update

This week’s picture comes from Keshav Sreedharan, Manager of Examinations Graduations, Academic Progress and Prizes, who captured the ANU Sports Hall after it had been converted to a space for exams.

“It captures the miracle of transformation. The ANU Sports Hall is now a cathedral of calm (well, mostly calm) academic focus. There’s something uplifting about watching a gym become a place of learning triumphs instead of slam dunks,” said Keshav.

Got a photo you’re proud of? Send in your picture using this form and include a short description about why your snap is special to you.

Help is available if you need it. If you are dealing with a personal or university-related issue, ANU encourages you to seek support through the Student Safety and Wellbeing team by emailing student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au or calling 02 6125 2211, Monday to Friday, 9am–4pm.

You can also visit our Urgent Support page for a list of 24/7 and crisis support options.

For life threatening emergencies first call 000 (or 0000 if dialing from an internal phone), then call ANU Security at (02) 6125 2249