We can thank Michelle de Souza for compelling Monique to join the UNE School of Law. You see, Monique met Michelle in 2015 when they were both visiting Harvard University in the United States. Michelle told Monique the UNE School of Law was a great place to work and that Armidale offers an exceptional lifestyle. Monique remembered this personal recommendation, and when she saw a lecturer job advertised at UNE, she applied and was later successful!
Monique is pleased she made the decision to move to Armidale as everyone has been very friendly and kind. She also likes the lifestyle and the fact that nothing in Armidale is more than 10 minutes’ drive away. Monique is also thrilled to be paying the same amount of rent for a place which is five times bigger than her old place in Melbourne. She also notes the weather is consistent- which may just be another way of saying it has been consistently cold- since moving to Armidale.
Monique spent much of her childhood in Saudi Arabia as her father was working there. As a child, Monique went to a British school in the Middle Eastern country. There, the teachers followed the English curriculum and students did not have to wear a school uniform. The other memories Monique has of this time was of all the expats in Saudi Arabia living in compounds together. The retail shops shut five times a day so the workers could engage in prayer. Women were unable to vote (which has only recently been changed) and are not allowed to drive cars.
This experience made a fundamental positive difference to Monique’s values. It is one of the main influencers for Monique choosing to study a Bachelor of International Studies in conjunction with her law degree at Adelaide Law School. From these childhood experiences, Monique also found she had an interest in human rights.
After finishing her double degree, Monique worked at the Federal Court in Adelaide as a Research Associate. She decided to go back overseas where she completed an internship at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. Then she worked with a human rights NGO in India. After this, Monique decided to complete her master’s degree in New York where she focused on international criminal law.
After completing her masters, she got a job at the Melbourne Law School as a research fellow on a war crimes trials project. Monique enjoyed academia, so decided to complete a PhD relating to the Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over Nationals of Non-Party States. She chose this topic as a result of issues she came across during an internship she completed in New York during her LLB.
Monique’s Baking
When Monique is not working, she likes to read about Australian and US politics. She also enjoys watching show like Games of Thrones, Killjoys and Parks and Recreation. One of her favourite books is The Night Circus by Erin Morganstein and she enjoys watching Michael J Fox in the Back to the Future movies. Monique loves baking, which will no doubt be appreciated by members of the UNE School of Law. In particular, she likes to experiment with decorative icing. Her artistic side also comes out in the pencil sketching she completes.
Monique’s Pencil Sketching
Some UNE School of Law students will meet Monique when she teaches into LAW101- Law and Context- this trimester!
