Cripps Institute students honoured with AICCM outstanding student volunteer award for See Yup Temple recovery work
The Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material (AICCM) has awarded the Outstanding Student Volunteer Award to postgraduate students from The Robert Cripps Institute for Cultural Conservation in recognition of their exceptional contribution to the recovery and preservation of Melbourne’s historic See Yup Temple following a devastating fire in February 2024.
The volunteer team, comprising 18 students from the Master of Cultural Materials Conservation program, dedicated over 400 hours to stabilising and recovering collections from the fire-affected site.
Working in close partnership with the See Yup Society, temple caretakers, volunteer communities, historian Dr Sophie Couchman, and Heritage Victoria’s Jenny Dickens, the students helped ensure the safe handling, documentation, and storage of fire-affected collections, while supporting the temple’s spiritual and cultural recovery.
Image: Students working on See Yup object conservation
Volunteer Danni LIN said the recognition reflects a year of careful, patient work and the trust given by the See Yup community.
"It acknowledges the trust the community placed in us to care for what holds their names and memories, and it encourages us to remain exacting in standards, clear in documentations, and gentle in handling, and to protect not only the objects but also the space of belonging that gathers around them," she said.
Their work culminated in the reopening of the temple’s temporary altar to Kwan Dai and the ancestor halls in time for the 2025 Chinese New Year celebrations, a milestone moment for Melbourne’s Chinese-Australian community.
Student volunteer and MA student, Mollie Liu said she feels genuinely honoured and grateful for the award.
"This recognition represents the effort of all of us who came together after the fire. I’m thankful that this work has been acknowledged, because it helps bring more attention to the See Yup Temple’s story and to the importance of preserving cultural heritage in times of loss," she said.
Associate Professor Nicole Tse, who nominated the team for the award, said:
The student volunteers demonstrated the very best of conservation practice combining technical skill, cultural sensitivity, and deep respect for the living heritage of the See Yup Temple. Their collaboration with community custodians not only safeguarded valuable cultural materials, but also supported the wellbeing and spiritual continuity of the temple and its members.
In addition to their hands-on conservation work, the student team developed a dedicated website and communication strategy to document the fire recovery process and share stories from the community. Their ongoing efforts have also supported the See Yup Temple Recovery Appeal (四邑關帝廟維修籌募捐款), a fundraising campaign led by Liu and supported by a Hansen Public Humanities Gift.
The AICCM Outstanding Volunteer Award acknowledges individuals or groups who have made an outstanding contribution to the conservation of Australia’s cultural heritage, demonstrating:
An unusual or rare skill, and/or an exceptional level of commitment
A strong understanding of conservation standards and ethics
A constructive and innovative approach to volunteer work
A high professional standard across all tasks
A consistently professional attitude toward volunteer responsibilities
The Grimwade Centre student team exemplified all these qualities, integrating conservation science with community engagement, language skills, and intercultural understanding to respond to a heritage crisis with care and professionalism.
Professor Robyn Sloggett, Director of the Robert Cripps Institute, said:
This recognition is a wonderful reflection of our students’ deep commitment to cultural health and the values that guide our work at the Cripps Institute. Through their volunteering, they’re not only preserving objects but strengthening relationships, learning from community, and helping ensure that cultural knowledge continues to live and breathe.
"The dedication shown by the student volunteers exemplifies the best of conservation — curiosity, collaboration and care. Their contributions strengthen not only the project they work on, but the very fabric of our cultural community," said Dr Samantha Hamilton, AICCM President.
Congratulations to Mollie Liu, Danni Lin, Hernan Lopera, Zeejay Tan, Lucinda Papas, Laura Jane Delaney, Ameliah Rose Tioriori, Yori Akbar Setiyawan, Jiahe Yi, Mengxuan Zhang, Satriyo Wibowo, Sarah Johnston, Brigid Stapleton, Chuqing Huang, Ju-Wei (Rita) Hsu, Debbi Min, Hannah Berry, Qianyu Tang.
