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鈥淭ogether they created Appen, arguably one of the greatest IT success stories in Australia,鈥� said University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Stephen Garton AM. 鈥淭heir company was founded long before artificial intelligence became fashionable and is a testament to the foresight of the Vonwillers.鈥�

Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the wider community or who have achieved exceptional academic or creative excellence. Husband and wife team Chris and Julia Vonwiller have been admitted to the degree of Doctor of Engineering (honoris causa).

Dr Vonwiller is a respected linguist who studied at Macquarie University and graduated in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours). She completed her PhD in linguistics at Macquarie University in 1989 before working as a researcher at the University of Sydney.

Mr Vonwiller graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Science in 1963 and a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in 1965, later completing a Master of Business Administration at Macquarie University. He has held senior executive positions at Telstra and was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2007.

The Vonwillers co-founded Appen in 1996, launched by Dr Vonwiller from their spare room in Sydney鈥檚 north shore with her husband鈥檚 help. Appen uses data in the form of text, speech, audio and video to build and improve the world鈥檚 most advanced artificial intelligence systems.

Dr Vonwiller鈥檚 linguistics skills revolutionised the way data is collected across multiple language settings, enabling greater quality in voice recognition technologies. Unlike many competitors, Dr Vonwiller was able to find a way to work with Asian languages.

In 1999 Mr Vonwiller left his job at Telstra to join the rapidly expanding Appen as CEO. With passions for both engineering and business, he turned his innate curiosity and problem-solving abilities toward creating the success story that Appen is today. Under the joint leadership of the Vonwillers, Appen transformed from a small start-up into a global company at the centre of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Appen鈥檚 innovative approach to business operations has made it a client of many of the world鈥檚 largest tech entities. Customers use machine learning for a variety of uses such as automatic speech recognition and improving customer service capabilities with tools like chatbots and virtual assistants.

The company鈥檚 reach is significant, using a global team of over one million skilled contractors who speak more than 235 languages and dialects across 170 countries.

鈥淭he Vonwillers have demonstrated a commitment to ethical business practices and have applied this ethic through their leadership,鈥� Professor Garton said. 鈥淭hey have grown the company while adhering to environmental, social and governance priorities that encourage diversity, fair corporate administration and communal wellness in the workplace.

鈥淛ulia and Chris have demonstrated a commitment to positive societal change and progress. The welfare of people is at Appen鈥檚 forefront and is testament to the core values, which motivate the Vonwillers鈥� energies and enterprise.鈥�

The Vonwillers鈥� dedication to society鈥檚 betterment is not confined to their business. In 2009, they established the Vonwiller Foundation, a charity that has made generous donations in the areas of healthcare, education, science and technology.

Through a series of gifts to the University, the Vonwiller Foundation funded a post-doctoral research fellow to join its STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy. The Vonwillers have also improved the lives of many students through scholarships and education initiatives.

Outside of the business, Mr Vonwiller served on the Board of the University鈥檚 Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering for 13 years and continues this close association with the University. He has been frequently listed among "Top 100 Australia's Most Influential Engineers鈥�.聽聽

Dr Vonwiller鈥檚 contribution to promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics extends beyond her financial commitment. She currently sits on the advisory boards of the STEM Academy, the Humanitarian Innovation Awards (The Warren Centre) and the Advisory Board of the Macquarie University Centre for Reading.