By Leesha Furse
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AVM
Julie Hammer |
AS
AN engineer, Air-Vice Marshal Julie Hammer is usually adept at
solving problems, but it’s going to take a bit of extra
know-how to find out who nominated her for the ACT Australian
of the Year.
AVM Hammer was “quite stunned” to receive the award
on November 23.
“I was amazed to have even been a finalist and I still don’t
know who nominated me or on what basis,” she said.
The Deputy Chief Information Officer is a member of Engineers
Australia and women’s fundraising charity group Zonta International.
The brief biography in the award program for the night focused
on a number of career firsts – such as being one of the
first female engineers in the Air Force, the first woman to command
an operational unit in the Air Force and the only woman in the
ADF to achieve a star rank.
AVM Hammer believes these multiple strands of involvement might
be why she was nominated and won the award. But she recognises
that other nominees – such as Australian Federal Police
Assistant Commissioner Ben McDevitt and Olympian Petria Thomas
– were just as deserving.
“It was a very impressive group of contenders. They’ve
done some amazing things, and I’m sure the people who didn’t
become finalists have done some equally impressive things,”
she said.
She will continue her public speaking to school groups, women’s
groups and engineering forums while she is ACT Australian of the
Year.
“I particularly enjoy talking to young people and making
them see there are lots and lots of opportunities in the military,
in the Air Force and in the technical careers and I’m very
keen in that respect to especially encourage young women who often
don’t think of this sort of career,” she said. “As
a woman you are different and always a minority, but it hasn’t
ever stopped me doing anything.”
AVM Hammer will be overseas on holiday when the Australian of
the Year is announced on January 26 next year.
