Lumen Autumn 2024 - Flipbook - Page 8
Your stories
lecturers and mentors were men, but I was raised and educated
by my mother, a woman. Men and women have different thinking
and communication styles, neither superior to the other. However,
for me, there has always been a strong female figure in my life.
I became increasingly aware of the need for a supportive space
for women in the creative technology field.
Education has always played a significant role in my life, thanks
to my mother’s influence. Now, I am turning a new page because of
my studies at the University of Adelaide.
Following the sudden passing of my father when I was just
10 years old, my mother became the driving force of my life.
Her studies of child development in the UK had a transformative
impact on my life and those of others. It gave me a profound
understanding of the power of education.
This realisation led me to found and become the president
of a club called Women in Creative Technologies. Sharing my vision
of the club with male lecturers and mentors at the University,
particularly within the School of Media, I was grateful for the
enthusiastic support I received. Not only did they provide valuable
encouragement, they also offered tangible resource support.
I discovered this University has a welcoming community that
embraces various cultures and backgrounds. This has allowed
Women in Creative Technologies to develop a supportive network,
promoting equality, and fostering diversity.
Growing up in an environment with Asian cultural values,
emphasising respect for elders, consistently expressing gratitude,
and unique customs (like preferring warm water over soft drinks),
I was also encouraged to challenge conventions and think creatively.
My mother fostered a mindset that echoed the principles of
Western education, urging my brother and me to think outside
the box and take responsibility for our decisions. These dual
influences, drawing from both Asian traditions and Western
educational philosophies, further shaped my understanding
of education.
I also feel incredibly fortunate to have been chosen as the
Chief Student Entrepreneur during my time at the University
Onnie Chan
of Adelaide. As a passionate advocate for women in
entrepreneurship, I dedicated myself to promoting it as a viable
career path for students of all backgrounds. I have had the privilege
of learning from numerous business experts, which fuelled a
compelling desire to establish my own business in Adelaide.
The goal is clear: to carry on the spirit of the University of
Adelaide and build a supportive community for women.
It is common in Hong Kong (where I was raised) that we share
meals with family and friends. At the age of 10, my mother tasked
me with ordering shared meals at restaurants and emphasised the
importance of observing others’ reactions to my selections. I began
to understand the significance of my choices and their impact on
the perceptions of those around me. This early experience taught
me I could have freedom of choice, as long as I accepted the
consequences of my actions.
I am about to graduate, and several members of the Women in
Creative Technologies club will be graduating together. Drawing on
my knowledge and experiences gained at the University, I envision
transforming the club into an organisation dedicated to empowering
young girls to pursue their dreams. Our philosophy centres around
the idea that education has the power to transform lives through
mutual learning experiences that go beyond skill-building. Our next
venture involves the development of a Creative Lab in Adelaide, a
space where art intersects with technology. Our aim is to showcase
how art has the capacity to change the world.
Guided by this understanding, I embarked on a journey of
exploration, studying many subjects including fashion, theatre,
design and a bit of entrepreneurship. I also travelled and was able
to widen my horizons by spending a few years in the UK and
participating in an artist residence in Iceland. A scholarship allowed
me to attend Yale University, where I met great people who had
deep insights about life.
Although I had many enriching experiences, I still found
myself at a crossroad, lacking a clear sense of direction. I decided
to return to the world of education by pursuing a master’s degree
in immersive media technologies. Studying at the University of
Adelaide for two years has been a major turning point,
academically and personally.
I am immensely grateful to the University and everyone I’ve
encountered here; they have given my life purpose. Now, I am
excited to bring my knowledge and skills to the Creative Lab,
where we will work together to educate the next generation and
make history together! Thank you, University of Adelaide.
I have achieved success in my studies and felt a sense of
satisfaction and happiness. Here, I have discovered exceptional
mentors and a strong community, and been able to achieve
academic success while developing immersive virtual reality
experiences and games that ignited my passion for creative
technology.
In 2023, Onnie Chan was appointed the University's Chief Student
Entrepreneur at ThincLab and completed her Masters in Immersive
Media Technologies. The main image of Onnie, by Isaac Freeman,
features a scene from an immersive virtual reality world she created
as part of her thesis.
However, I still felt like something was off in my study here –
even though very talented and supportive, almost all of my
8
