
Encourages innovative and creative solutions.
Knowledgeable and truly inspiring educator.
Always patient, kind, and understanding.
A true gem in the academic community.
Creates dynamic and thought-provoking lessons.
Sister Mary Julian Ekman, R.S.M., is a Lecturer in Philosophy in the School of Philosophy and Theology, Sydney campus, at the University of Notre Dame Australia. A Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma, Michigan, she holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from the University of Sydney and Ph.L. and Ph.D. degrees in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Her doctoral dissertation, "Self-Love as a Principle of Perfection in the Metaphysics of St Thomas Aquinas," directed by Gregory Doolan, examines self-love within Thomistic metaphysics as a principle of human perfection. Prior to joining Notre Dame Australia, she worked in Rome and the United Kingdom, returning to Sydney in October 2017.
Her academic interests center on Ethics, Moral Philosophy, Natural Law, and Personalism, with particular expertise in Moral Philosophy and Natural Law. Sister Mary Julian provides supervision for postgraduate students in these areas. She teaches a range of courses including Reason and Revelation, Ethical Issues in Professional Life, Moral Philosophy, and Natural Law. Her scholarly contributions include a review of the film Belle, published in the Journal of Catholic Social Thought and Secular Ethics, Volume 5, Issue 1. As a dedicated educator and researcher, she contributes to the philosophical formation of students at Notre Dame Australia through her specialized knowledge and commitment to Catholic intellectual tradition.
