Ask Me Anything Panel: Just & Circular Economy

As part of Sustainability Week, we invite you to join our Ask Me Anything panel — an open and inclusive forum designed to spark meaningful dialogue around pressing sustainability issues.

This session will be centred around Just & Circular Economy and brings together a diverse group of experts and practitioners working across this sector at the University.

Anyone is welcome as this is your opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and gain insights from those driving change across the sector.

Meet the panellists:

Sustainability Week Special Guest: Lottie Dalziel, Banish

Lottie Dalziel is an award-winning sustainability advocate, educator, author, and founder of Banish, a platform dedicated to empowering Australians with the knowledge and tools to live more sustainably. Since launching Banish in 2018, Lottie has helped millions of Australians make more informed choices through education-first initiatives, including corporate workshops, community programs, and her pioneering Banish Recycling and Diversion (BRAD) Program, which successfully diverted over 1 million pieces of plastic waste from landfill in 2024 alone.

Recognised for her impact, Lottie was named NSW Young Australian of the Year in 2023 and has been featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for her contributions to sustainability and entrepreneurship. She has also delivered a TEDx talk, The Power of Community in Fighting Climate Change, further cementing her role as a thought leader in the environmental space.

Jase King, Environment Social Governance Lead, The University of Melbourne

Jase King is a highly accomplished leader with extensive experience in strategic planning and community development within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sectors. With a proven track record in championing Indigenous impact, climate leadership, and social justice, he has driven tangible improvements in health and wellbeing through self-determination principles. Jason's expertise spans across ESG integration, stakeholder engagement, and policy development, making him a valuable asset in fostering organisational growth and promoting best practices in Aboriginal affairs in Victoria.

Madina Rassulova, Climate Activist, Entrepreneur, Wattle Fellow
Madina believes food is one of the most powerful yet overlooked tools for climate action. She began by authoring a book for Central Asian communities, making climate-conscious eating culturally relevant and practical. Building on that mission, she spent years leading activism, hosting events, and creating projects that champion climate-friendly living. From co-founding a Melbourne-based sustainable food initiative, Seed to Serve, to advocating at global platforms like the UN and Asian Development Bank, her work is rooted in justice, circularity, and making sustainability widely accessible.

Sue Hopkins, Manager, Sustainability Delivery Team, The University of Melbourne

Sue has over 25 years’ experience in tertiary education, national government and the not-for-profit sector. Currently Manager of the University's Sustainability Delivery Team, Sue works to embed sustainability holistically. With a particular interest in circularity, she has been instrumental in developing the University's Choose to Reuse plate program, embedding circularity into building design standards and overseeing the delivery of the ambitious just and circular economy targets in the University's Sustainability Plan 2030.

Participating in Green Impact? Complete these toolkit actions by attending (teams/individuals):

Sustainability Week 2025: You have attended an event as part of Sustainability Week (30 points!)
Be inspired to complete the actions under the 'Circular Economy' theme filter
UOM016/UOM-I08: You have attended an event run by the Sustainability Team
UOM011 & S019/UOM-I02 & UOM-I03: You have shared your involvement in Sustainability Week via social media and/or interacted with one of the Sustainability Delivery Team's communication channels
UOM018/UOM-I07: You have written an article for the Green Impact newsletter based on your participation in Sustainability Week.