Dr Julia Prendergast

Biography

Julia Prendergast is a writer of short and long-form fiction. She lives and works in Melbourne, Australia, on unceded Wurundjeri land. Julia’s novel, The Earth Does Not Get Fat, was published in 2018 and longlisted for the Indie Book Awards for debut fiction. Her short story collection, Bloodrust and other stories, was published in 2022. Julia’s short stories have been recognised and published: Lightship Anthology International Short Story Competition (UK), Ink Tears International Short Story Competition (UK), Glimmer Train International Short Story Competition (US), Séan Ó Faoláin International Short Story Competition (IE), TEXT, Elizabeth Jolley Prize, Josephine Ulrick Prize (AU).

Julia is Associate Professor and Discipline Leader (Creative Writing and Publishing) at Swinburne University. She is President/Chair of the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP), the peak academic body representing the discipline of Creative Writing in Australasia. Julia is a practice-led researcher—an enthusiastic supporter of transdisciplinary, open and collaborative research practices, with a particular interest in neuro/psychoanalytic approaches to writing and creativity. Her research has appeared in various publications including New Writing (UK), TEXT (AU), Testimony Witness Authority: The Politics and Poetics of Experience (UK).
Julia supervises PhD students writing short and long-form fiction, creative non-fiction and prose poetry, as well as hybrid forms of writing. She has a particular interest in realist modes of storytelling, as well as fractured and experimental narrative forms.

Julia co-leads the development of the art aspect of the Science Art Network (ScAN): an organisation aimed at facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration between neuroscience and the arts. She is an experienced workshop facilitator, having led workshops locally and internationally, at festivals and in partnership with industry. She directed the 2019 Australian Short Story Festival, sponsored by Swinburne University (held for the first time in Melbourne).


Recent Awards:

• 2022 Vice Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Award (Higher Edcuation), Highly commended. For the ‘development of curricula, resources or services that reflect a command of the field’. Teaching citation entitled: For facilitating authentic, experiential learning: enriching student experiences and outcomes through practice-led, industry engaged, student-focused approaches to Professional and Creative Writing curricula.
• 2021 Teaching Excellence Award: School of Social Sciences, Film, Media and Communication. For the ‘development of curricula, resources or services that reflect a command of the field’. Teaching citation entitled: For facilitating authentic, experiential learning: enriching student experiences and outcomes through practice-led, industry engaged, student-focused approaches to Professional and Creative Writing curricula.
• 2020 Vice Chancellor's Award for Inclusion and Diversity: team award for the Preferred Student Name Project, supporting transgender and gender diverse students in the use of their preferred name across Swinburne systems. 
• 2019 Vice Chancellor's Award for Inclusion and Diversity for Gender Agenda: for initiating a support group for gender diverse students https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pII7RHkRTRY&list=PLdVESrjTNUXtJIWZ6Xu9VkZgp5T7lbjkE&index=6
• 2019 Dean's award for most effective Community or Industry Engagement: facilitating experiential learning opportunities for students in partnership with various literary industry organisations.

Professional Affiliations:

• Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) – Chair
• Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) – Portfolio: Prizes and Partnerships
• Australian Short Story Festival (ASSF): Executive Committee of Management
• Australian Short Story Festival (ASSF): Festival Director 2019