Dr Benjamin Wilkes | Manager Allied Health, Campus Wellbeing and Support Services

How long have you been at Macquarie?
Five and a half years.

What is your favourite thing about working at Macquarie?
Assisting students in understanding themselves and their opportunities to succeed.

Where is your favourite place to spend a spare five minutes at Macquarie?
Presse Café Campus Hub, for burgers, milkshakes and chips – ‘priceless’.

What was your earliest childhood career aspiration?
To drive KITT from Knight Rider, so I guess a crime fighter.

What are the biggest misconceptions about your profession?
That psychologists ‘can read minds’ . . . it’s more of the case that we can help people explain their behaviours, feelings, attitudes and thoughts to themselves and others.

In your job, what question are you most often asked?
The most often asked question is, “is it possible to get better?” Most individuals enter the therapy room seeking hope and it is understandable.

If you weren’t a psychologist what would you be?
I would be a PD/PHE teacher or a coach.

What is your favourite film, book or TV show?
North by Northwest.

What is the one piece of technology you can’t live without?
A fridge.

What would you learn if given the chance to learn it instantly?
Carpentry.

Something not many people know about me is?
My first class at University was in Economics – sometimes, you need to let yourself change direction.

If money were no object, what would you like to achieve?
100% access to emotional health and intelligence courses in high schools.

Is there a question you’d like to be asked?
If you could choose between high quality ice-cream or high quantity, what would you select? Always quality – you don’t need ice-cream every night!

What were you doing before you started these questions?
Considering research projects that aim to improve student success, resilience and well-being.