Rachael 'Raygun' Gunn has opted for some fast-food therapy with a visit to KFC as she comes to grips with losing the university job she has held for nearly two decades. The Daily Mail captured exclusive photographs of Raygun as she emerged publicly for the first time since the news broke that she had accepted voluntary redundancy from Macquarie University, citing that she could see 'the writing on the wall'.
Comfort Food in Trying Times
Gunn and her husband Samuel Free were photographed grabbing a meal at a Dirty Bird drive-through in Sydney's inner west on Thursday, mere hours after her new website went live in the wake of her job loss. The Olympic breakdancing sensation could barely contain her eagerness to dig into a piece of the famous chicken as Free drove away from the restaurant. The couple was later spotted heading to Channel 10.
Reflections on Higher Education
Gunn broke her silence regarding the shattering career blow on Wednesday night, stating that her departure from the university—reportedly part of a broader wave of redundancies at the institution—highlights a more significant issue in Australia. 'We need to have a serious conversation about higher education in this country,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. Despite parting ways with Macquarie University, Gunn appeared cheerful, waving at the Daily Mail's photographer.
Gunn expressed concern about the experience provided to Australian university students, the hazards confronting staff, and the level of spending on executive pay, consultants, and infrastructure in tertiary education. 'I'm very worried for my colleagues. I don't think that things are getting better for them,' she said.
Academic Background and Controversy
The 38-year-old confirmed that she accepted the voluntary redundancy in February after first attending Macquarie when she was 18. Gunn holds a bachelor of arts with honours and completed her PhD thesis on the gender politics of Sydney's breakdancing culture in 2017. Her publications include 'Nocturnal Paradox: How Breakdancing Reveals the Potentials of the Night' and 'Negotiating and Challenging Gender Assumptions in Sydney's Breakdancing Scene'.
Many Australians were angered upon learning that she received taxpayer funding to study breakdancing. Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick quoted Raygun's official Macquarie University profile in a Facebook post after she went viral, writing, 'In the same way breakdancing doesn't belong in the Olympics it's fair to say taxpayers shouldn't be subsidising Universities to study or teach it.' Senator Rennick's post garnered thousands of comments criticizing the university and other tertiary institutions for wasting taxpayer money on frivolous studies.
Financial Details and New Ventures
While Gunn's specific funding details had not been made public at the time, PhD students like her can receive up to $56,000 per year in tax-free government funding, including living stipends of up to $35,000 annually plus an additional top-up scholarship of approximately $21,000 per year.
Raygun launched her official website on Wednesday night, just hours after news of her career setback became public. On the site, she describes herself as a 'speaker, host, conversation starter' available for events, brand collaborations, and interviews. 'Planning an event, workshop or collaboration? Rachael is available in-person or virtually, across Australia and internationally,' the site states. She also details some of her non-university work, including appearing at an education fundraiser, being a keynote speaker at an International Women's Day event, a backyard cricket fundraiser for Lifeline, and performing at a Tones And I concert.
