Emma Jones has built an extraordinary career as a poet, academic, and cultural contributor.

Her talent for poetry emerged early and was nurtured through a BA with First Class Honours and the University Medal in English from the University of Sydney, followed by a PhD at Trinity College, Cambridge.

In 2005, Emma won the prestigious Newcastle (Australia) Poetry Prize, and in 2009 her debut collection The Striped World was published by Faber and Faber—making her only the second Australian poet to be published by the iconic house.

The Striped World received wide acclaim, winning the UK’s Forward Prize for Best First Collection and multiple Australian state literary awards. Critics praised her confident and lyrical voice, and the British Council lauded the collection as one of the most celebrated debuts in recent years.

Emma has taught and lectured at leading universities including Oxford, St Andrews, and Cambridge, and her poetry has been studied globally. She has also written a libretto and continues to inspire through her work. In 2024, Emma was awarded a prestigious Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship, recognising her as one of Australia’s most outstanding artists.

Her achievements exemplify MLC School’s values of creativity, excellence, and contribution to the arts.