Gael’s time at Fintona played an important role in shaping her career and values. She recalls the School’s unique position as an institution owned by women for women, offering opportunities to write and perform plays, participate in Shakespeare Day and be inspired by exceptional teachers in Art, Biology, and English.
At school, Gael learnt to seek out teachers who nurtured her mind and spirit and to persevere in the face of opposition. A powerful message from Miss Cunningham, the School’s Headmistress at the time, was that ‘girls can do anything’ and it resonated deeply. This belief, coupled with the encouragement to question and forge her own path, became central to Gael’s professional ethos. Her love of science was fostered by her biology teacher, who taught her to see beyond the textbook, and her enduring passion for the power of words and stories was nurtured by her English teacher.
Beginning her academic journey at The University of Melbourne, Gael achieved a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours, followed by a PhD in Immunology from The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. However, Gael’s aspirations extended beyond the confines of the lab, and she opted to pursue a different path, driven by a desire to bring scientific research to a broader audience.
With a carefully crafted five-year plan that saw her engaged in controversial research areas whilst honing her radio skills, Gael emerged
as the ABC’s first national science and medical reporter for TV News. Over the next three decades, her career flourished as she contributed to The 7.30 Report, Quantum, and Catalyst, and took on the role of presenter for ABC radio’s 774 Mid-morning and Afternoon shows.
Gael’s contributions to science and media have been recognised with numerous awards, her latest in 2020 when she was appointed
a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia for her significant contributions to science and broadcast media.