Award-winning novelist, playwright and poet Josephine Wilson will be helping to guide the next generation of creative artists at Murdoch University in her new teaching role.

A Murdoch alumnus who also went on to be an academic, Dr Wilson is perhaps best known as a novelist. Her second novel, Extinctions, won the prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2017.

She will be a lecturer in theatre, drama and creative writing, and will work on new creative projects while at Murdoch.

Dr Wilson said she was looking forward to making a meaningful contribution to the fields of creative media and the arts at Murdoch, and to forging dialogue and connection between different disciplines. 

“All students face challenges in pursuing creative work in the contemporary world; I hope to enable students to meet those challenges and to foster an understanding of the ways in which the arts and creativity can empower and provide with to analyse, explain and challenge the complex world in which we live,” Dr Wilson said.

Deep admiration

As a graduate of Murdoch and subsequently a sessional teacher, Dr Wilson said she had a deep admiration for the University and its original interdisciplinary vision, which profoundly impacted her own intellectual journey.

“All my undergraduate and graduate work informs my writing in ways that are not always obvious; I have learned so much from being required to teach in areas from creative writing, performance, to art and design,” Dr Wilson said.

She advised her students to read widely and to learn to critically evaluate the material around them.

“We are all awash with media,” Dr Wilson said. “There are so many books, so many films, so much TV, so much online.

If a student wants to write in a certain genre, they have to become an expert in that genre. They need to develop a critical filter and a capacity to focus.

Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Romy Lawson said the University was thrilled to welcome Dr Wilson back into a teaching position.

“Our students will benefit greatly from her talent, wisdom and experience. We look forward to Murdoch being a fertile ground for more successful literary projects for Dr Wilson.”

The author will take up her role on 3 June. She will begin teaching in Semester 2, 2019.