Australian Spotlight

Growing up in the Australian surf town of Torquay, Beth Jens is now a rocket scientist at NASA's world-famous Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Los Angeles. We chatted about Beth's inspiring childhood encounter with an Apollo astronaut, her journey from Melbourne University to Stanford as a Fulbright and Rotary scholar, and her exciting work today on the future of space exploration. © Australian Consulate-General Los Angeles, 2017 Music: 'RSPN', (c) Blank & Kytt, March 2012 (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__Kytt/Heavy_Crazy_Serious/)

Since starting university level mathematics in Australia aged nine, Professor Terence 'Terry' Tao has gone on to win the Fields Medal (considered the Nobel Prize for mathematics) and is now regarded by many as the world's greatest living mathematician. Now based at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), we chatted about Terry's childhood experiences at Flinders University, his time as a teenage PhD candidate at Princeton, and the stories behind some of his biggest breakthroughs to date. © Australian Consulate-General Los Angeles, 2017 Music: 'RSPN', (c) Blank & Kytt, March 2012 (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__Kytt/Heavy_Crazy_Serious/)

Growing up skateboarding on the streets of Melbourne in Australia, Matt Hill and his brothers went on to launch what is now Globe International, the world's largest skate, street and surf company. We chatted about Globe's early days in Australia, its rapid rise to international success, and the importance of staying true to your roots. © Australian Consulate-General Los Angeles, 2019 Music: 'RSPN', (c) Blank & Kytt, March 2012 (freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__K…Crazy_Serious/)

Growing up in West Ryde, Australia, Margaret Zhang launched her hit fashion blog 'Shine By Three' at age 16 before going on to graduate from the University of Sydney and establishing herself as an international fashion icon. We chatted about Margaret's meteoric rise, her work bridging Chinese and Western cultures, and the key to developing a sustainable career in the creative industries. © Australian Consulate-General Los Angeles, 2019 Music: 'RSPN', (c) Blank & Kytt, March 2012 (freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__K…Crazy_Serious/)

Hailing from the small town of Bolton Point in New South Wales Australia, Lindsay Cornell graduated from the University of Technology Sydney before going on to work at legendary Australian fashion label Ksubi and becoming Global Brand Director for will.i.am. We chatted about Lindsay's rapid rise to the top, the key ingredients for an effective brand today, and the secret behind the worldwide success of Australians in fashion. © Australian Consulate-General Los Angeles, 2018 Music: 'RSPN', (c) Blank & Kytt, March 2012 (freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__K…Crazy_Serious/)

Matthew Reilly wrote and self-published his first novel while a freshman at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, before going on to become a New York Times best-selling author, selling over 7 million books in more than 20 languages. We chatted about Matt's beginnings in the publishing world, his move to Los Angeles, and his latest projects writing for film and TV. © Australian Consulate-General Los Angeles, 2017 Music: 'RSPN', (c) Blank & Kytt, March 2012 (freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__K…Crazy_Serious/)