22 Notable alumni of James Cook University

Catherine Ellen Lovelock FAA is an Australian marine ecologist, whose research focuses on coastal ecosystems. She is a professor in the School of Biological Science at the University of Queensland and 2020 Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellow.

Sea Rotmann is a New Zealand-based marine biologist. She was a spokesperson and organiser for the Wellington chapter of environmental advocacy group Extinction Rebellion Aotearoa New Zealand.

Marcello Tonelli is an Italian corporate and social strategist, best known for his work as an author in the field of sustainable development. As a veteran athlete, he set five world records in lifesaving and has been an accomplished international swimmer.

Gretta Tatyana Pecl AM is an Australian marine ecologist, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, and the Director of the Centre for Marine Socioecology at the University of Tasmania. Her work focuses on species and ecosystem responses to climate change, as well as using socioecological approaches to adapt natural resource management for climate change. She is on the editorial board of...

Jan Maree Strugnell is an Australian evolutionary molecular biologist. She is a professor and director in the Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture at James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. Strugnell's work has investigated population and species level molecular evolution in Antarctic and deep sea species in the context of past geological and climatic change. Strugnell's work also uses genetic...

David Hulme OBE is Professor of Development Studies at The University of Manchester where he is Executive Director of the Global Development Institute and CEO of the Effective States and Inclusive Development Research Centre. Currently, he is the president of the Development Studies Association. He has worked on rural development, poverty and poverty reduction, microfinance, the role of non-government organisations...

Craig Andrew Wallace is an Australian politician. He was the member for Thuringowa in the Queensland State Parliament from 7 February 2004 to 24 March 2012.

Andrew John Stoner AM is an Australian former politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Oxley from 1999 until 2015.

Robert John Pyne is an Australian politician who currently serves as a member of Cairns Regional Council, representing Division 5. He was previously a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2015 until 2017, representing the electorate of Cairns.

Philip Leslie Freier is an Australian Anglican bishop. He was the 13th Archbishop of Melbourne from 2006 until his retirement in 2025. He was Primate of Australia from June 2014 until March 2020. Previously, he served as Bishop of the Northern Territory between 1999 and 2006.

Curtis Warren Pitt is an Australian politician who has been a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland since 2009, representing the district of Mulgrave. On 14 February 2015, he was sworn in as Treasurer of Queensland.

Rachel Carling-Jenkins is an Australian former politician. She was a member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 2014 to 2018, representing Western Metropolitan Region for the Democratic Labour Party (2014–2017), Australian Conservatives (2017–2018) and as an independent (2018). She did not recontest her Legislative Council seat at the 2018 election, instead unsuccessfully contesting the Legislative Assembly seat of Werribee.

Joachim Gunther "Sonny" Thoss is a German-Filipino former professional basketball player. He played his entire career in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) with the Alaska Aces, where his jersey number is retired.

Katarina Ruzh Carroll APM (born 17 November 1963) is a retired Australian police officer and was the Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) from July 2019 to March 2024. She is the first female commissioner of QPS. She was formerly the Commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services from August 2015 until July 2019. On 20 February 2024,...

Brett Andrew Sutton AO is an Australian public health doctor who served as the Chief Health Officer of Victoria between March 2019 and July 2023. Sutton served in this role during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a public face of the response to the pandemic in Victoria.

Cristina Ochoa Lopez, known professionally as Christina Ochoa, is a Spanish actress and science communicator.

Anthony John Mooney AM is an Australian former politician who served as a city councillor of the City of Townsville, Queensland from 1977 to 2008, and the mayor from 1989 to 2008.

Josh Hall is former dual-code professional (Gold Coast Suns Australian rules football and Penrith Panthers National Rugby League) from Townsville in Queensland.

Rod Frederick Jensen, nicknamed 'Rocket' Rod Jensen, is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. Jensen had previously played for the Northern Pride in the Queensland Cup, in the United Kingdom for the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League, North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League competition. He also played with the Canberra Raiders for 5 seasons. Jensen started...

Mark Andrew Robinson is an Australian politician who is a former Deputy Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly. From 2017 to 2024, he held the seat of Oodgeroo in the Legislative Assembly for the Liberal National Party (LNP), having previously represented the seat of Cleveland from 2009-2017.

Gracelyn Smallwood AM is a professor of nursing and midwifery at Central Queensland University. She is an Aboriginal Australian of Biri descent.