UWAnews
The University of Western Australia
Established 1911
22 AUGUST 2005 Volume 24 Number 12
UWAnews
A cathedral to the
heartbeat
of space
The Gravity Discovery Centre has won its
founders, UWA’s David Blair and Curtin
University’s John de Laeter, the $10,000
Australian Government Eureka Prize for
promoting the understanding of science.
The science centre dedicated to the big questions of the
universe was first conceived as a visitor centre for the Australian
International Gravitational Observatory near Gingin.
“We are searching for gravity waves predicted by Einstein but
never seen,” said physicist Professor David Blair, Head of the
Gravity Wave Research Group.
“The new information this discovery could give us about our
universe is staggering. We knew we had to share the excitement
of our search with the public.”
Emeritus Professor John de Laeter from Curtin University of
Technology worked with Professor Blair to create the Centre.
His experience in bringing science to the public through his
involvement with the founding of Scitech made him the ideal
person to chair the Gravity Discovery Centre Foundation.
Working in their spare time with a team of volunteers, they
have raised more than $5 million. Among the many attractions at
the growing centre are the largest publicly accessible telescope in
the southern hemisphere and a collaborative telescope that lets
students study the night sky in other countries.
Since the Centre opened in 2003, students have measured the
Earth’s rotation with a Foucault Pendulum; taken a one kilometre
scale walk to the edge of the Solar System; and studied how
objects move as they fall into a giant Black Hole.
They can listen to themselves in the past using the Time Coil;
hear the song of the wind on an Aeolian harp resonating through
a giant interferometer pipe; learn about Australian technology
innovations; and cook their lunches on solar barbeques.
Professor Blair calls it a cathedral to the heartbeat of space.
Professor David Blair (below) and Professor John de Laeter (above) at
the opening of the Gravity Discovery Centre nearly two years ago
Frank Howarth, Director of the Australian Museum, which
awards the Eureka Prize said: “Every culture has asked questions
about Life and the Universe. Professor Blair and Professor
de Laeter are giving the next generation of explorers the
opportunity to discover the answers in unique ways. They are
worthy winners of the $10,000 Australian Government Eureka
Prize for promoting understanding of science.”
The prize is awarded to individuals or groups for outstanding
works of science communication and outreach that promote
interest and enthusiasm about science in the general community
and enhance the public’s ability to assimilate information on
scientific issues in an informed and accurate manner, or increase
the community’s understanding of the value of continuing with
science studies in senior secondary school and beyond.
The award is sponsored by the Commonwealth Minister for
Education, Science and Training.
UWAnews
EDITOR/WRITER
Lindy Brophy
Tel: 6488 2436 Fax: 6488 1192 Email: lindy.brophy@uwa.edu.au
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Colin Campbell-Fraser Tel: 6488 2889 Fax: 6488 1020
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Please note our new web address
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THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
Defying the odds
Luke stays at the top
Luke Dunlop is one of those brilliant students
who has been a consistent high achiever since
he was in high school.
In his undergraduate engineering course, Luke’s average mark
was in the 90s; he won just about every prize the University (and
external bodies) had on offer; and he is now off to Cambridge to
do his PhD with scholarships from the Ord Poynton Cambridge
Australia Trust and the British Government’s Overseas Research
Student Award, totalling over 20,000 pounds a year for at least
three years.
But 20 years ago, no matter how bright he was, Luke could
not have achieved these results.
From the age of five, Luke has had a condition called
developmental dyspraxia, which does not affect his sharp mind,
but does have an effect on his hand-eye co-ordination.
“It means I can’t write neatly, among other things,” he said.
“When I was at school, they had to argue a special case for
me to do my TEE essays on a computer. Thank goodness for
computers. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to do what
I’m doing today,” he said.
Luke said the condition meant that he was not able to study
medicine when he left school (with the ninth highest TER award
score in the state) as there were concerns he would not be
able to steady his hands to perform surgery or even simple
procedures.
“But I wasn’t too keen on medicine anyway, apart from the
money that it could earn me. I had always liked tearing things
apart to see how they worked and I loved chemistry.”
“So I chose engineering and science. I like theoretical work but
I’ve moved slowly towards an applications focus. I’ve decided I
can’t see the benefits quickly enough with theoretical work.”
Luke achieved first class honours in materials engineering and
chemistry and has been working for Professor Laurie Faraone in
the Micro Electronics Research Group. Here he has been using
electron microscopy to investigate devices for an adaptive focal
plane array, a US Defence project.
He leaves for Cambridge next week.
As an undergraduate, Luke won the JA Woods Memorial
Prize, for the top honours graduand from the science, medicine
and engineering faculties. He also won the Institute of Engineers
Australia Russell Dumas medal for the top final year engineering
student at UWA.
“I also won a prize for breaking the most glassware in the
chemistry lab in second year! I realised then that I wasn’t meant
to be an organic chemist.”
Luke said he was used to thinking ahead and working out how
to do things that might otherwise be difficult for him. He said the
University had been accommodating during his undergraduate
years.
“In the area in which I’m working at the moment,
nanotechnology, nobody can move things manually: it’s all done
by computer control, so it doesn’t matter whether your hands
shake or if you have poor hand-eye co-ordination,” he said.
He hopes to follow his father, Dr Ian Dunlop, a senior
lecturer in the Graduate School of Management, into academe.
“But I also want to be involved in the practical product-testing
area. I like teasing out problems and I enjoy seeing the finished
products and seeing how new knowledge can help somebody or
solve a problem.”
His PhD is in the area of device material and Luke hopes,
at this stage, to use his skills in either the medical or device
engineering fields.
“But that’s really crystal ball gazing, and it’s a particularly
inefficient occupation,” he laughed.
Luke at work in the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis: “In this
area … it’s all done by computer control, so it doesn’t matter whether
your hands shake or if you have poor hand-eye co-ordination.”
“I had always liked tearing things
apart to see how they worked …”
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
Small school
Vice-Chancellor’s
column
Tracking
progress on the
Academic Profile
The smallest school in the
University, Agricultural and
Resource Economics (ARE),
ranks third in terms of
research.
Our Academic Profile was
developed in 2000 as an integral
part of the University’s planning
process.
It was designed to provide the academic
basis for developing (and directing
resources preferentially towards) areas
of particular strength, importance and
opportunity over a 10 year period.
It set out a strategy for combining
a greater emphasis on the selective
development and resourcing of particular
activities within the University, within
the overall context of a comprehensive
teaching and research mission.
This week, I provided to Senate a
mid-term (2005) assessment of progress
towards achieving the Academic Profile
which particularly highlighted two key
areas.
The first relates to enrolment targets.
Our Academic Profile set an enrolment
growth target of between 20-25 per cent
over 10 years – with targets (by 2010) of
a total enrolment of around 20,000; an
undergraduate : postgraduate mix of 70:30;
and within the 30 percent of postgraduates,
a mix of 18 per cent research and 12 per
cent coursework. This year, we have a
total enrolment of 16,987, with 76.6 per
cent undergraduate, 10.4 per cent higher
degree by research, and 13.0 per cent
postgraduate coursework.
Set against a growth rate of 12 percent
since 2001, we can conclude that our
growth target of 20,000 by 2010 will be
met. However, while we are likely to far
exceed the 12 per cent higher degree by
coursework target, unless we continue to
act to ensure we increase higher degree by
research enrolments, we will not achieve
our higher degree by research target.
We have already intervened to increase
the number of higher degree by research
enrolments as a result of a review of
post-graduate research. Initiatives include
increasing the number of University funded
scholarships, establishing a fund to meet
the cost of fees of a number of international
research students and increase in teaching
internships. However, it is likely that the
impact of these changes will take some time
to become apparent.
The second issue of importance relates
to the areas of ‘strategic opportunity’ which
were identified in the 2000 Academic Profile
as: exploration, production and exploitation
of minerals, oil and gas; management
of agricultural and natural ecosystems;
genetic epidemiology; humanities and social
science research program; health and
biomedicine, injury research, prevention,
repair and rehabilitation; Indigenous studies;
information technology, telecommunications
and computer science; and international
management and business studies.
We have found that many of these areas
have advanced as a result of significant
external funding, and the clustering of
research into areas of strategic opportunity
is by key staffing appointments.
However, we have also learned that it
has been difficult to advance many of these
areas of strategic opportunity in the absence
of general discretionary funding.
We also know that although most of our
research and training centres fit within the
eight strategic areas, relationships between
existing centres are not sufficiently strong
to gain advantage by related centres forming
a research cluster within the eight areas.
In this context, formation of ‘whole
of institution institutes’ within which the
centres would work to assist in building
research critical mass. Such a model has
been demonstrated to work successfully in
a number of high-performing research-led
universities in other parts of the world and
I believe it is a structure which we should
consider at our University.
Alan Robson
Vice-Chancellor
The Dean of the Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, Professor Alistar
Robertson, described the school as “the
jewel in the crown” of the faculty.
“To be ranked third out of 33 schools
is a tremendous achievement and next
year’s Honours projects in this school
reflect the breadth of the new faculty.
They are not just agricultural projects: the
school also includes resource economics,
and there is a great diversity of research,”
he said.
Professor Robertson was speaking at a
celebration of an unprecedented amount
of funding secured by Honours students
for their projects next year.
Seven of the nine Honours students
have external funding and the other
two have support in kind from industry
partners.
Head of School, Associate Professor
Michael Burton, said the school usually
had one or two Honours students
on scholarships, but this year was
outstanding, with the students bringing in
more than $16,000.
“It’s great, not just for the financial
side, but for the contacts with the
profession that are being made by the
students and the school,” he said.
Professor Robertson said it was
particularly important that the students
had gone out and negotiated their own
funding because this was what “life after
university would be like.”
The Honours projects range from
an evaluation of BankWest’s database
on farm businesses in WA to a waste
transportation model for BHP Billiton’s
activities in the Pilbara.
Matt Titmanis has $5,900 funding from
BankWest to use their extensive database
to investigate what useful information it
contains, specifically the determinants of
profitability, variability in profitability, and
farm efficiency. His supervisor is Dr Ben
White.
Lyon McLeod has sponsorship in kind
from BHP Billiton to look at its waste
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
has
big
UWAnews
ideas
transportation methods. Wastes from
several mine sites in the Pilbara are
transported over distances of up to 500
kilometres.
“I’m also interested in company policy
related to the management of wastes
and the costs these policies incur on
such companies,” said Lyon, who is also
supervised by Dr White.
Rob Kelly is looking at biological
wool harvesting: its impact on economic
sustainability and adoption in the
Great Southern. He is funded by a
Great Southern Agricultural Research
Scholarship for $2,000.
“A decreasing number of shearers
means biological wool harvesting, where
the sheep are injected with a hormone
which causes their wool to fall off, is
becoming a viable option,” Rob said. “My
project will help farmers to understand
this alternative.”
Another project based in the Great
Southern is Kate Shearer’s research into
the value of biodiversity and recreation
at inland lakes: a case study of Lake
Towerrinning, also known as Moodiarrup.
Kate won the Jennifer Arnold
Memorial Research Grant ($1,168),
awarded for projects that encourage a
more perfect understanding of the natural
environment and of its value.
She hopes to find the social value of
recreation and biodiversity and how the
community views the potential conflict in
use and that this information will be useful
in the management of Lake Towerrinning.
Kate and Rob are both supervised by Dr
Jo Pluske.
Abbie McCartney, Melissa Lamb and
Jeremy Roberson all have funding from
the Department of Conservation and
Land Management (CALM) for their
projects: Abbie’s is an assessment of the
social value of the major seascapes in the
Jurien Bay marine park.
“CALM’s interest is in distinguishing
which seascapes within the park are of
most importance to local and tourist
communities, so that conservation efforts
can be directed efficiently,” Abbie said.
Melissa is investigating the applicability
of a permit system for the Broke Inlet in
the Warren Region. She and Abbie are
both supervised by A/Professor Burton.
Jeremy’s project is a model survey
designed by find out the current human
usage of the proposed Gnangara Park, the
preferred land use for the area and the
future usage of the zone. He has $800 for
the project, Abbie has $1,000, and Melissa
has $1,500.
Ellen Walker won a CRC Weeds
Scholarship for $4,000 to determine if
farmers find information provided by
their peers, through participative farmer
group research, more valuable than other
sources of information. Her supervisor is
Dr Rick Llewellyn.
Jacqueline Giblett has in-kind support
from the Department of Agriculture WA
to evaluate the potential of the WA dairy
industry to export heifers to China. She
is supervised by Dr Greg Hertzler and
is also working with Brad Plunkett from
DAWA and Dr Ross Kingwell (DAWA
and UWA).
Honours students share their project ideas:
(STANDING) Melissa Lamb, Rob Kelly, Ellen
Walker, Abbie McCartney, Kate Shearer
(SITTING) Matt Titmanis, Jeremy Roberson,
Lyon McLeod
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
Germination discovery
a big deal
Hutch Ranck and Professor Alan Robson sign the agreement
Farmers all over the
world should be able,
within a decade, to use a
seed germination process
discovered at UWA and Kings
Park.
In a deal described as one of the
m o s t e x c i t i n g c o mmercialisation
agreements with which the University
has been involved, international chemical
company DuPont has signed a research
development licence to evaluate and
explore the seed germination technology.
Hutch Ranck, Managing Director of
DuPont Australian and New Zealand, said
his company could spend up to $US 200
million on the project.
And Australia’s only Nobel Prizewinning chemist has also taken an interest
in the work.
Researchers in different parts of the
world had been trying for 15 years to
isolate the chemical compound in smoke
that could germinate seeds. Years of
hard work by Adjunct Professor Kingsley
Dixon (Kings Park and Plant Biology),
Professor Emil Ghisalberti (Chemistry)
supervising PhD student Gavin Flematti,
and Professor Robert Trengove (since
moved to Murdoch University) hit the
jackpot and, in 2003, the team applied for
a patent.
Their ground-breaking research was
published in Science in June 2004.
Dr Andy Sierakowski, Director of the
Office of Innovation and Industry, who
has a background as an organic chemist,
admitted that the smoke deal had been a
pet project for him.
“Simon Handford, in OII, has done a
remarkable amount of work negotiating
the deal between the researchers and
DuPont and thanks must go to him for
keeping me on track,” Dr Sierakowski
said. “I must have driven Simon crazy, but
I was just so excited by the prospects,
which are now coming to fruition.”
Dr Sierakowski completed a
postdoctoral research project in organic
chemistry with Nobel Prize winner
John Cornforth, and he contacted his
former supervisor, knowing he would be
interested in the research.
“John is also excited about this discovery
and subsequent commercialisation bid, and
he has come up with a couple of ideas on
which some Honours students are now
working,” he said.
Dr Sierakowski said DuPont had been
chosen because the universities needed a
partner who had a recognised research
and development capability, access to
the agri-chemical production world, and
a seed technology company. It was also
important that DuPont had a good record
of working with Australian universities.
“I had worked in my own agri-chemical
company as an organic chemist and I
knew the players in the field, which also
helped,” he said.
At the signing of the deal, Pro ViceChancellor Professor Doug
McEachern said having a bright
idea, working it through and
getting the science right was
not the end of a project.
“We recognise that we, as
a university, don’t have the
expertise and capabilities to
follow through this bright idea,
and we thank DuPont for taking up the
challenge.”
Mr Ranck said the chemical and
analytical skills and the botanic and
biological knowledge of the researchers
were world class.
“Today is the first step on a journey
of bio-prospecting. At the end of it, we
will be able to replicate one of nature’s
phenomena and the prospects of using
this compound are truly exciting. But the
journey will take at least five to seven
years.”
As reported in UWAnews on July 25
this year, the compound has the potential
to be used to control weed germination
that could save Australian farmers billions
of dollars a year. It could be used to
germinate native species without the use
of fire, thereby saving native fauna. And it
could help with swift restoration of mine
sites by germinating seeds in the topsoil.
Dr Andy Sierakowski …a pet project
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
In the 1980s young Australian women were
enjoying the fruits of the feminism battle, working
alongside men in every area of endeavour —
except, it seems, geology.
In that decade, it was still not acceptable for women to work on
offshore drilling rigs. The story of how that changed was the winning
entry in the Share Your History competition, run by UWA’s Centre for
Western Australian History.
When the Centre launched its Historical Encyclopedia of Western
Australia project, community response was so enthusiastic that
the centre ran a Share Your History promotion to encourage local
contributions, the best of which would be posted on the encyclopedia
website.
The response was a deluge of entries, “and some of them were so
good that we decided to have an adult and junior prize for the best
ones,” editor-in-chief Associate Professor Jenny Gregory said.
The winning junior entry came from Imogen Forbes-Macphail,
and the adult winner was UWA research fellow Marjorie Apthorpe,
whose contribution revealed that it was not until the 1980s that
women geologists were accepted as co-workers on offshore
petroleum drilling rigs in Australia.
The breakthrough for Ms Apthorpe came only because of a
technical problem at a Woodside Petroleum offshore site. Drilling
had not reached the expected target at the expected depth, and
the company needed speedy answers to pressing questions, so Ms
Apthorpe and production geologist Judy Garstone were flown by
helicopter to the drill ship.
Their arrival created “something of a stir,” recalls Ms Apthorpe
(pictured right on the rig). “Not all the crew were happy about this
radical new staff development; we were told that at least one driller
had to rummage for shorts to cover his normal off-duty garb of
underpants.”
The two women set to work, and after midnight on day two Ms
Apthorpe confirmed that the rock samples she was examining were
within 30 metres of the top of the gas reservoir. Within minutes the
drill bit was cutting into the top of the reservoir and the gas pressure
was showing up on the instrument monitors. “We had finally reached
the sandstone reservoir, and it contained gas! Collective relief spread
rapidly through the entire crew.”
Women quickly became accepted on the team of geologists,
reservoir engineers, paleontologists (usually palynologists) and others
who now regularly work on offshore rigs. “Young women entering the
petroleum industry today are often totally unaware of how recently
this acceptance of women occurred.”
You can see the winning contributions, plus a selection of the best
entries on the HEWA website: www.encyclopedia.uwapress.uwa.edu.au.
Although the stories generated by the promotion will not be included
in the encyclopedia, a selection of commissioned entries intended for
publication can be seen on the WA Snapshots page of the website.
As expected, compiling an encyclopedia is a huge undertaking. “We
have commissioned 837 entries and received 748, so things are going
well - though of course every entry has to go on to an expert reader
or reviewer,” editor Dr Jan Gothard said. “We have 479 writers
working for us, and 152 expert readers involved.”
The entries are compiled according to a number of selected
themes such as Aboriginal history, sport and recreation, agriculture
and so on. If all goes according to plan, the encyclopedia will be
launched in 2006.
Women
on rigs
a very short history
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
Green star for Business School
‘Green Star’
building for Business School
by Maureen de la Harpe
A spectacular new building is due to take shape next
year at the south-eastern corner of the campus.
The Business School will invest the southern end with a new
contemporary identity, in the same way that Winthrop Hall reflects the
university’s classical heritage at the northern end.
It will also be UWA’s first Green Star-rated building, possibly even the
first in WA, according to project and systems coordinator Patrick Whelan,
UWA’s representative on this project. This national rating has been devised
by the Green Building Council of Australia, and although the Council does
not yet formally rate educational institutions, based on their guidelines, the
building will meet the requirements for top Green Star rating.
Ross Donaldson, director of architects Woods Bagot, said that although
glass would be a feature of the building, taking advantage of views to the
river, the east-west axis meant the summer sun would not strike the
glass. “And instead of normal air conditioning, there will be chilled beam
technology, so the energy consumed is low.”
He describes the design as “quite unconventional in the WA
social spaces and learning environments. It will feel somewhat d
the buildings on the campus.”
It also reflects the future direction of tertiary education
whose company has worked with educational institutions ar
global trend is towards a social mode of learning that calls for
accommodate groups in lounges and cafes, and allow for wirele
as seminar rooms and lecture theatres.
The State’s landscape and economy are reflected in the des
colours, and patterns in copper, zinc, aluminium and stainless st
will not carry through the terracotta roof theme, terracotta
walls, along with limestone hues.
The spectacular wing (pictured above) jutting out at a dram
lecture theatre, which will have raked seating. A side wall feat
by photographs of Western Australian landscapes.
Ross Donaldson sees the project signaling a new era for the
his own degree at UWA and is enjoying “being able to give s
alma mater.”
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
A context, focusing on
different from most of
n, said Mr Donaldson,
round the world. The
r a variety of spaces to
ess networking, as well
sign through materials,
teel. While the building
a tiles will be used on
matic angle is the main
tures a design inspired
e university. He gained
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UWAnews
Dragon brings leaders together
UWA Business School lecturer Dr Fang Liu (pictured on an earlier trip to China,
above left) is in Hong Kong this week as one of 100 delegates selected to
attend the Dragon 100 Young Chinese Leaders Forum.
Dragon 100 is sponsored by the Hong Kong-based Dragon Foundation, set up in 2000 to create a
network of young Chinese future leaders. Each year the foundation brings together 100 talented under-35s
from around the world for a forum and study tour. The aim: to provide a platform for them to exchange
ideas on global issues and contribute to their communities while at the same time promoting Chinese
culture and heritage.
The theme of the 2005 program, which runs from August 21-29, is ‘Opportunities in China: A Vision for
a Shared Future’. It involves a three-day forum followed by a five-day study tour in Shanghai.
“I feel very proud and privileged to be selected by the Dragon Foundation to attend this international
event. I understand this is the first time that UWA has nominated someone to attend this highly
competitive event,” says Ms Liu, who lectures in marketing. “I would like to thank everyone at UWA who
made it possible.”
On the study tour she expects to meet government officials and young professionals heading up various
sectors, and to visit local universities. “I want to see how China is developing and how overseas Chinese
can contribute. As Shanghai is the most developed city, there are a lot of things going on. I would like to
see the achievements, but probably also to discuss some of the social problems that have arisen from this
fast growth – such as the disparity between the rich and poor – and what is being done to solve them. The
foundation wants us to see both sides and to contribute.”
Although she visits China regularly to carry out research and attend conferences, Dr Liu has not
previously had the opportunities that Dragon 100 will offer. “I think I have never had a really good chance
to meet and share ideas with people from different areas and diverse backgrounds such as industry,
education and regional development. Being with 99 other delegates from different countries will be a good
opportunity to see what they are thinking and what I can learn from them.”
Dr Liu was born and educated in China, where she gained a BA in linguistics and literature at Zhongshan
University, which she describes as one of the most prestigious in China. She garnered numerous academic
awards during her studies, and founded a Spoken English Club and an English campus newspaper Pilgrimage
(“maybe the first of such at universities in China”). A member of the Zhongshan debating team, she also
chaired the Student Union at the School of Foreign Languages. Prior to leaving China, she worked in
international trade and management with large state-owned enterprises.
While studying for her MBA and PhD in marketing at UWA, where she has been lecturing since 1999,
she chaired the Chinese Scholars and Students Association for two years; she was a founding member of
the Western Australian Chinese Scientific Association and is now treasurer.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
10
Working together creates support
A simple solution to a problem in a University
library has been an excellent example of staff
from different areas working together.
The Education, Fine Arts and Architecture (EDFAA) Library
has hundreds of big heavy art and architecture books that used
to fall over when somebody took a nearby book off the shelf.
Straightening the shelves was becoming a problem and causing
physical pain to library staff.
The problem was identified by EDFAA library staff Carole
Duffil and Judy Smith; they asked advice from Safety and
Health Office (SHO) occupational therapist Averil Riley, who
did some research and came up with an idea; staff at Facilities
Management, particularly tradesman, welding expert and sculptor
Len Zuks
explains his
design to
librarian Judy
Smith
Len Zuks (see also below), played around with the idea and, after
a few prototypes, and the help of Peter Norgard in the electrical
engineering workshop, came up with the solution; and Library
administration manager Annie Macnab initiated the project and
found funding for it.
Judy Smith explained that while most library books weighed
about 500 grams, EDFAA’s big books could weigh up to four
kilograms. The staff were getting repetitive use strain from
continually sorting the books, which were held up only by other
books. Averil Riley contacted other art libraries and found one
solution at Curtin University of Technology: a shelf support that
could be attached to existing shelves, to take the load of heavy
books.
Len Zuks considered the Curtin model, then thought of a
better way to make the support, using less material but in a
thicker gauge so the extra strength gave more support.
“Len also ensured that the edges weren’t sharp and they were
set back from the edge of the shelf, so nobody would scratch or
graze themselves on it,” said Ms Smith.
About 600 shelf supports are needed and the FM workshop
has produced and installed about 200 so far. They have
outsourced the cutting of the zinc-plated steel supports as FM
does not have a machine capable of large numbers of repetitions,
and Len is welding them together.
Ms Riley said she encouraged staff who identified manual
handling hazards to report
them to SHO.
An Aussie icon in China
One of the world’s great art
shows will feature a sculpture
by UWA staff member Len
Zuks.
Len’s steel sculpture of a horse and
rider has been chosen to be part of the
Beijing Biennale, China’s biggest and most
important art exhibition, opening next
month.
He has been an artist and sculptor all
his life but says he also enjoys his work as
a tradesman for the Facilities Management
(FM) maintenance workshop.
“It’s hard to make a living as an artist,
but I don’t do it for the money, I do it
because I love it,” he said.
Len was at the exhibition of Sculptures
by the Sea at Cottesloe early this year at
the same time as a Chinese delegation.
“They were talking about acquiring art
for the Beijing Olympics, so they could
line the road between the airport and
the Olympic Village with installations. I
happened to have photographs of some
of my work with me and showed them
to them. They immediately chose one
of my pieces, then returned to Beijing
where a committee decided on a different
piece, then asked me to exhibit it in the
Biennale,” he said.
“It was one of those hugely lucky
circumstances.”
Len’s horse and rider sculpture is 1.8
metres tall, 1.8 metres long and about a
metre wide. He calls it Duffer McCreedy
after a fictitious iconic Australian outback
character.
“He was a hard-working but illiterate
station hand, who met a teacher who
came to the station, learnt to read and
write, fell in love with the teacher and
married her, but didn’t quite overcome
some of his early ways.
“The police were after him for some
petty thieving, so he ran away to war,
served in Gallipoli and returned home
to make a lot of money on the land, then
became a philanthropist.
“It’s the story of our land of
opportunity, and it inspired me to create
this vision of a proud man on his horse,”
Len said.
He doesn’t know of any other Western
Australian artists who have been invited
to exhibit at the Biennale, where he hopes
somebody will buy Duffer McCreedy.
Len is currently working on a life-sized
steel sculpture of an Aboriginal man. “The
body’s done but I have to think of a story
for him before I do his arms and hands,
which will dictate what he’s doing with his
arms,” he said.
Len has been working at UWA for 16
years, first in the physics workshop, then
for FM. He is taking leave to go to China
for the Biennale, where he will attend
seminars and workshops with other
international artists.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
Mathematics’
11
hot
young
stars
Sarah Flannery with two of her young fans from Perth Modern School.
When Filomina D’Cruz heard
that UWA was hosting the
International Mathematics
Symposium 2005, she did
some quick calculations of her
own.
Ms D’Cruz, who is project officer for
the Student Diversity Access program,
approached the conference chair, Dr Paul
Abbott from Physics, to ask if one of the
speakers, Sarah Flannery, would consider
talking to some high school students.
She ended up with three brilliant young
speakers, all eager to address 14- and 15year-old students.
More than 200 students from 11 schools
and a group of 23 Indigenous students from
private schools attended the three sessions
and were enthused by Sarah Flannery, Luc
Barthelet and Phil Ramsden.
Sarah Flannery was named European
Young Scientist of the Year, at the
age of 16, in 1999, for her work on
cryptography. After completing a BA in
Computer Science at Cambridge, she is
now working in research. In 2000, a book
she wrote with her father, David Flannery,
In Code: A Mathematical Journey, became a
popular science best-seller.
Luc Barthelet, the most anticipated
speaker of the three guests, makes the
Sims computer games. He is senior vice
president and executive producer for
the company Electronic Arts, and is
developing a new simulation game. He led
the product development for video games
which include The Sims, The Sims 2, SimCity
4 and SimCity 3000. Although self-taught
in computing and programming, Luc
has degrees in electrical and mechanical
engineering.
Phil Ramsden is a consultant for
gifted and talented students in London,
developing learning materials for them,
while working in the Mathematics
Department of Imperial College London.
He specialises in computer-based learning
in higher education and runs regular
mathematics summer schools.
A record for the books Credit
The Save the Children Fund (SCF) made a
record $140,000 profit from their annual
book sale last month in the Undercroft.
The secretary of the University Branch of SCF, Keren
McCullagh, said the increase was largely due to the outside
broadcast of the ABC’s 720 Saturday Morning Program at
the sale, which attracted more buyers than usual.
She said the branch was enormously grateful to UWA
for its continued support, including permission for the
broadcast.
The money raised will go to SCF projects in WA and
overseas, to improve the lives of disadvantaged children.
The branch thanked the University administration, staff
and students for their support of the book sale.
due
Our on-campus credit
union has ranked 10th in a
national survey.
Unicredit was in the top 10
in Credit Union of the Year, part of Money magazine’s 2005
consumer Finance Awards.
The awards were judged on the overall score of products and
services from 180 credit unions, including everyday transactional
and savings accounts, term deposits, home loans and personal
loans.
“We are very pleased with our position,” said Unicredit’s
General Manager, Michael Blackburn. “Unicredit places a high
level of importance on offering fair fee structures competitive
rates, convenient services and flexible products.”
You can find out more about the award-winning range of
products and services by calling in to the UWA Unicredit branch
on the first floor of the Guild Building, or by visiting www.
unicredit.com.au
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
12
NOTICES
Language and Cultural Exchange (L.A.C.E.)
UPCOMING INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES EVENTS
PROFESSOR PETER NEUMANN
Mathematics at Queen’s College, Oxford University
Mathematically challenging children
Monday, 22 August 2005 at 6.30pm Geography Lecture Theatre 1, UWA
Tom Lehrer notoriously advertised the view that mathematics is so simple
that only a child can do it. Nevertheless, children, and especially gifted and
talented children, can benefit greatly from being challenged and shown that
they can in fact understand that which at first seemed impossible, even to
them. This talk will be about the use of mathematical puzzles and challenges
to develop mathematical thinking in able children from age twelve up to and
beyond my own.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MIKE ANDERSON
Head of the School of Psychology, The University of Western Australia
Race, Science and Politics: a case study of
academic freedom and responsibility
Wednesday, 24 August 2005 at 6pm Geography Lecture Theatre 1, UWA
Many of us have been following the events surrounding Macquarie University
academic Andrew Fraser’s claim (among others) that we should consider
controlling immigration of sub-Saharan Africans because they have lower
IQs. Mike Anderson’s research concerns the nature and development
of intelligence and he has some professional and personal acquaintance
with controversies surrounding claims about race and IQ. This case raises
important issues about academic freedom and academic responsibility that he
will address in this presentation.
PROFESSOR HANOCH GUTFREUND
President Emeritus, Andé Aisenstadt Chair in Theoretical Physics,
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Albert Einstein—the Man and the Scientist
Monday, 29 August at 6.00pm University Club Theatre Auditorium
A variety of events the world over are being held this year in order to
commemorate the hundredth anniversary of Albert Einstein “Annus
Mirabilis”, the year in which he published several articles, which fundamentally
changed the worldview of physics. The character of these events reflects the
increasing interest, not only in Einstein’s scientific achievements, but also in
his outstanding personality and in his place in contemporary history. Albert
Einstein has become a cultural symbol and a scientist of renown among the
wide public. The lecture will depict Einstein not only as the outstanding
scientist of the 20th century, but also as the man through whom the most
important developments and events of the century can be told.
Disability Activism and the Price of Success;
a British perspective
Wednesday 31 August at 6.30pm Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, UWA
This talk will focus on the history of the British disabled people’s movement
and its successes over the last two decades. These include the reconceptualisation of disability as a social/political, the various legislative and
policy changes that have subsequently occurred, and their relative impact on
disabled people and their organisations at the national and local levels.
DAY OF IDEAS
Institute of Advanced Studies 2-3 September 2005
A Human Rights Act for Australia?
Welcome Dinner
Friday 2 September, 7.30pm at Lamont’s Restaurant
Day of Ideas
Saturday 3 September, 10am-4.30pm at the Holmes à Court Gallery
Speakers include: Julian Burnside QC; Karen Brown; Andrew Clark; Greg
Craven; Natalie Hepburn, UWA Guild President; John Menadue; Jim McGinty
MLA, Attorney General; Spencer Zifcak.
Australia is the only Western country that does not have a Human Rights Act
or equivalent. A campaign launched by New Matilda sets out to change this.
Their goal is to have the community endorsed Human Rights Bill debated in
the Federal Parliament within 12 months from its launch.
NewMatilda.com delivers a weekly online magazine to subscribers, generating
topical analysis and debate, and gives you the opportunity to have a say
in developing policy. For more information visit New Matilda at www.
newmatilda.com
Please visit www.ias.uwa.edu.au for more information and online registration.
International Friendship Project at UWA
Helping new international postgraduate
students settle into their environment
Postgraduate students and staff — all welcome
Ever wondered what it’s like to be a stranger in a strange land? Join L.A.C.E.
and meet great people: indulge, enjoy, relax, walk, talk & socialise. Make a
friend; make a difference!
Great activities & events Tuesday afternoons from 4pm onwards every
fortnight from 6 September to 15 November. Meet at Student Services, 2nd
floor, Guild Building, Student Services.
Here’s what others have said they enjoyed about L.A.C.E.: “Making friends, having fun & chatting”
“Talking to people outside my discipline and from all over the world”
“Lots of enthusiasm, lots of smiles, lots of encouragement, lots of good food”
“Events were varied, interesting and well organised”
Sign up on-line at www.studentservices.uwa.edu.au/learning/lace or contact
Siri Barrett-Lennard at sblennard@admin.uwa.edu.au or on 6488 2423 or
6488 1820.
Friendly, collegial, fun; join now!
Bringing people together across cultures & languages, across the uni & the
globe
Organised by Learning, Language and Research Skills, Student Services with
support from: the Graduate Research School, the International Centre, the
UWA Student Guild, the Postgraduate Students’ Association and International
Students’ Service
Diversity Initiatives Fund grants
2005
The UWA Diversity Initiatives Fund 2005 application process has begun.
Applications are invited from faculties, schools, groups or individuals seeking
funding to assist in the development of targeted diversity initiatives that
enhance equity for students and/or staff.
The aim of the Fund is to provide financial assistance to new projects that
aim to enhance educational and employment access, participation and
outcomes for groups of students and staff identified as priority areas of focus
in the University’s Equity and Diversity Management Plan.
Projects that have received funding in the past and have become very
successful initiatives include: the SmARTS Access – bridging the gap program
in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; the Link Week – Week
3 Transition Support Initiative, a project developed by the Diversity Group
within Student Services; and, the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor
Training that has provided the expertise within UWA to raise staff awareness
about mental health issues.
Applications for funding close on Friday September 30, and successful
applicants will be notified mid October. An application form can
be downloaded from the Equity and Diversity web site at www.
equity.uwa.edu.au or by contacting Lesley Roberts on 6488 3873.
Applications should be sent to Equity and Diversity, MBDP 350.
All notices, classified ads and redundant
equipment can now be sent to our email address:
staffads@uwa.edu.au
Events are now available on the Web at
http://events.uwa.edu.au
Please call Maryvonne Bestel in Public Affairs on
6488 1900 or Lindy Brophy, editor UWANews
on 6488 2436 if you have any queries.
We’ve changed our address
Like to read UWAnews on line?
The URL has been changed, so please add the new address to your list of
favourites. It is
http://uwanews.publishing.uwa.edu.au/
You can also get to the UWAnews site through the UWA staff home page’s
Quick Links.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
13
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heard about...
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UWA
Employee
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Sunday 18th September
Contact Ray Horn on 6488 8790
to discuss all your printing needs.
Email uniprintjobs@admin.uwa.edu.au
Website www.uniprint.uwa.edu.au
25089_globe_182x132_UWA News
7/7/05
4:11 PM
Want a lighter
home loan?
Page 1
There are times when all of us have
challenging issues to deal with. When
personal or work-related issues make life
difficult, the University has an Employee
Assistance Program (EAP) to help staff
manage these issues more effectively.
The EAP is a professional, confidential
counselling and consultation service. The
services of Davidson Trahaire Corpsych are
available FREE to you and your family.
Counselling is also available for staff on
campus through the Support Centre
(Student Services). Call Janet Renner
on extension 2426 or Student Services
reception on 2423.
For appointments, please ring Davidson
Trahaire on 9382 8100. Their offices are
located at Suite 11, 100 Hay Street, Subiaco.
Further information can be obtained at
http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/policies/eap
Try the switch to Unicredit.
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ECU Joondalup:
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Tel: 9266 7881
Murdoch University: Wed 21 Sept 2005 Tel: 9332 8453
UWA:
Wed 28 Sept 2005 Tel: 6488 1218
Or make an appointment at our
Nedlands branch: Call 9389 1011.
All loan applications are subject to Unicredit’s normal lending
criteria. 1Fees and government charges apply, including settlement
attendance, valuation fees and stamp duty charges. Please refer
to our Fees and Charges Schedule available at any Unicredit
branch or discuss with your Lending Consultant. The University
Credit Society Ltd. ABN 90 087 651 901. AFSL Number 244168.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
14
PROMOTION BRIEFS
Briefs provided by Elizabeth Hutchinson, Executive Officer,
Promotions and Tenure Committee, Human Resources.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR TO PROFESSOR
Professor Billie Giles-Corti
School of Population Health
She is an outstanding researcher and academic who over the past several
years has had a major responsibility in leading a productive programme
of research. She has been highly successful in obtaining research grants, in
training research students and in publishing an extensive body of research
in high quality journals in her field. Her recent research has primarily been
in physical activity and health, focusing on understanding environmental
influences on behaviour. In this area she has made outstanding internationally
recognised contributions and has an established reputation as a research
leader and innovator in her field.
She has demonstrated a commitment to high quality teaching at variouslevels
and has made excellent contributions in the core areas of public health
teaching. She has an excellent record in postgraduate student supervision.
She is well organised, and provides clear learning objectives and up to date
references to support the topics.
She excels in her contribution to service. Beyond the usual activities at the
School and Faculty level she has clearly demonstrated her management and
leadership capacity in performing the role of being the inaugural Director of
the Albany Centre.
SENIOR LECTURER TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
associate professor Hélène Jaccomard
French Studies, European Languages and Studies, School of Humanities
She enjoys international status and has made a significant contribution to
research. The journals in which she publishes are of high international status
and she clearly provides research leadership.
She has made substantial use of technology in specialist French courses
(according to the disciplines) such as Law, Economics, Business, and Science
and in courses for near-native speakers. She stimulates the interests of
students and since 1996 her teaching has been rewarded regularly by highly
significant awards. She has been invited overseas to introduce her teaching
methods and has established very strong institutional links with several
Universities. She is also a leader in the study of French AIDS testimonies and
Franco-Maghrebine literature.
She has made significant contributions to the discipline and the School of
Humanities through service.
SENIOR LECTURER TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
associate professor ANNETTE GEORGE
School of Earth and Geographical Sciences
She was promoted following a recommendation of the Promotions and Tenure
Committee and in July 2005. Among her accomplishments are the following:
Dr George is well known internationally as a sedimentologist and has
published in very high impact interdisciplinary journals with large global
readerships which clearly demonstrates a consistently high scientific standard
of research output. Recognition in 2002 as the inaugural winner of the
Dorothy Hill Award by the Australian Academy of Science marks Dr George
as one of the foremost female researchers in geoscience within Australia. Her
inclusion as a presenter at the 2003 Frontiers of Science symposium held by
the Australian Academy of Science is a further indication of her standing.
Student ratings indicate that Dr George is a superior teacher, respected by
students for achieving learning outcomes. Her achievements in teaching were
recognised at UWA by a Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award in 2000, a level
which has been maintained.
Her leadership capacities are exemplified by her service as Head of
Department and subsequently Head of Discipline.
other areas such as the use of electrokinetics for ground treatment, seismic
tomography in the centrifuge and backfilling of mines. He has succeeded in establishing collaboration and links with
some of the top civil engineering schools in the world and has
achieved good exposure at a variety of international conferences.
His great enthusiasm for teaching is well known by both staff and students
in the School of Civil & Resource Engineering. He is capable of successfully
developing an appropriate curriculum and achieving an effective teaching style.
Dr Ismail’s service within and outside the University is outstanding. He
currently oversees the laboratory testing consultancy for the Centre for
Offshore Foundations Systems, which produces an income of more than
$600,000 every year. LECTURER TO SENIOR LECTURER
Dr Sharon Purchase
School of Economics and Commerce
She has a clear international profile as a researcher in the area of businessto-business marketing. She is a regular contributor to scholarly developments
both through her publications and her regular contributions to the annual
Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group’s conference - the world’s premier
conference in this area.
She has a growing profile in Europe as well as in the USA - her links with the
Centre in Supply Chain Management in Bordeaux and her involvement with
the IMP Group’s research project in Norway have brought both her and
UWA notable exposure.
She has provided exceptional performance in her teaching, course
development and service.
ASSOCIATE LECTURER TO LECTURER
Mr Martin Anderson
School of Human Movement and Exercise Science
He was promoted following a recommendation of the Promotions and Tenure
Committee in July 2005. Among his accomplishments are the following:
He is a dedicated and committed teacher who has coordinated the Physical
Education stream with the Graduate Diploma in Education for many years. There
is strong evidence of his leadership in the development of curriculum through
scholarly assessment of the academic literature in pedagogy, and especially through
reflective teaching practice and experiential learning in the community.
His research has been published in professional and internationally refereed
journals of high quality demonstrating a research active academic making a
significant contribution to scholarship.
He is a Board member of The Australian Council for Health and Physical
Education and Recreation (ACHPER), the professional association for
Physical/Health Education teachers and has assisted in the structure of such
education programmes in schools through his involvement with DET. He is
currently Chair of the Curriculum Council PE Syllabus Committee for post
compulsory studies.
LECTURER TO SENIOR LECTURER
Dr Mostafa Ismail
Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems
He is well known and respected nationally and internationally for his
achievements in state-of-the-art element testing of soil samples and he has
extensive experience in this area having worked in soil mechanics laboratories
in both Egypt and Kuwait. His research is published in the top geotechnical
journals. He also reviews papers for a variety of international journals and
has recently joined the editorial board of the Geotechnical Testing Journal of
the American Society for Testing and Materials which is the leading journal
for experimental methods and techniques in the discipline. Although Dr
Ismail’s research focuses on element testing, his research is diversifying into
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UWAnews
RESEARCH grants & contracts
aciar through ICARDA
Prof Kadambot Siddique, Centre
for Legumes in Mediterranean
Agriculture: ‘Better Crop
Germplasm and Management for
Improved Production of Wheat,
Barley and Pulse and Forage Legumes
in Iraq’—$98,000 (2005-07)
AGRICULTURE WESTERN
AUSTRALIA,AUSTRALIAN
RESEARCH COUNCIL
LINKAGE
A/Prof Michael Burton, A/Prof
David Pannell, Agricultural and
Resource Economics, Faculty of
Natural and Agricultural Sciences:
‘Implementation of a Strategic
Framework for Investment for
Natural Resource Management;
Evaluation and Development’—
$59,300 (2005-06)
Chiang Chingkuo Foundation
for International
Scholarly Exchange
Dr Jie Chen, Social and Cultural
Studies: ‘NGO Communities in
China and Taiwan: Expanding
Linkages with Transnational Civil
Society’—$41,258 (2005-07)
CRIMINOLOGY RESEARCH
COUNCIL CANBERRA
Mr Frank Morgan, Ms Vera
Morgan, Prof Assen Jablensky,
Ms Anna Ferrante, Ms Giulietta
Valuri, Psychiatry and Clinical
Neurosciences, Crime Research
Centre: ‘Schizophrenia and
Offending: Area of Residence and
the Impact of Social Disorganisation
and Disadvantage’—$41,934 (2005)
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES
WA
Dr Philip Vercoe, Animal Biology:
‘Assisting Recovery Actions for the
Margaret River Marron (Cherax
tenuimanus)’—$36,000 (2005)
GRAPE AND WINE
RESEARCH COUNCIL
Prof John Considine, Mr
Anthony Robinson, Plant
Biology: ‘Environment, Site and
Selected Management Influences
on the Composition and Sensory
Characteristics of Chardonnay
Growing in Selected Sites within
a Coastal, Cool Mediterranean
Climatic Region’—$200,000 (200507)
Hermon Slade
Foundation
Dr Louise Cullen, Dr Pauline
Grierson, Plant Biology: ‘Climate
Change in South-West Australia:
Using Tree Rings to Reconstruct the
Past and Understand the Future’—
$50,000 (2005-06)
Kenya Agricultural
Research Institute
Dr Jason Antenucci, Prof Jorg
Imberger, Dr Jose Romero,
Water Research: ‘Pilot Study on
Hydraulic Conditions Over Rusinga
Channel and Winam Gulf of Lake
Victoria’—$882,444 (2005)
Melbourne Water
Dr Jason Antenucci, Prof Jorg
Imberger, Dr Christopher
Dallimore, Water Research:
‘Upper Yarra Reservoir Modelling
Project’—$369,301 (2005)
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF
HEALTH
Dr Luis Filgueira, Anatomy and
Human Biology: ‘Metal Processing by
Dendritic Cells and Osteoclasts’—
$357,571 (2005-06)
NHMRC through CURTIN
UNIVERSITY
A/Prof Deborah Lehmann,
Prof Fiona Stanley, Dr Sandra
Eades, Dr Nicholas De Klerk,
Dr Marisa Gilles, A/Prof Gray
Dennis, A/Prof Ann Larson, Dr
Linda Slack-Smith, Dr Sandra
Thompson, Prof Charles
Watson, UWA Centre for Child
Health Research, Combined
Universities Centre for Rural Health
(CUCRH), Primary, Aboriginal
and Rural Health Care, Population
Health, Dentistry, External: ‘Not
Just Scholars but Leaders: Learning
Circles in Indigenous Health
Research’—$472,631 (2005-09)
NHMRC RESEARCH
FELLOWSHIPS
Prof Grant Morahan, UWA
Centre for Medical Research: ‘Senior
Research Fellowship’ (2006-07)
NEW STAFF
Welcome to the following new staff who
have joined the University since July
Zeenat Abdoolakhan, Graduate
Research Assistant, Economics and
Commerce
Gary Billingham, Classifier,
University Secretariat
Dr Pamela Bradshaw, Research
Fellow, Population Health
Tanya Brown, Administrative
Assistant, WACRRM
Dr Philip Burcham, Associate
Professor, Medicine and
Pharmacology
Sze Leng Chau, Associate
Lecturer, Economics and Commerce
Jason Cleary, PIAF Appointment,
Perth International Arts Festival
Hollie Cowhen, Technician,
Anatomy and Human Biology
Mary Joyce Dacruz, Project
Officer, E-Procurement Financial
Services
Graeme David, Furniture
Assembler / Truck Driver, Facilities
Management
Fiona De Garis, PIAF Appointment,
Perth International Arts Festival
Dianne De Jong, Dental Clinic
Assistant, Oral Health Centre of
WA
Soo Ling Eau, Associate Lecturer,
Economics and Commerce
Kathryn France, Research Officer,
Dentistry
Stephanie Gee, Administrative
Officer, Psychiatry and Clinical
Neurosciences
NEW STAFF
Reanna Holland, Dental Clinic
Assistant, Oral Health Centre of
WA
David Howard, Biological Sciences
Librarian, Library
Jesmin Islam, Associate Lecturer,
Economics and Commerce
Grace Kovesi, Web Assistant,
University Secretariat
Subramaniam Kumar, Library
Officer 1, Library
Wesley Leota, Field Officer,
Unipark, Facilities Management
Dr Jing Li, Research Associate,
Biomedical, Biomolecular and
Chemical Sciences
Tim Maling, Research
Associate, Centre for Legumes in
Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA_
Warwick Mathews, Project
Officer, Natural and Agricultural
Sciences
Michelle
Mazzardis,
Administrative Assistant, Medicine
and Pharmacology
Moira Mcdermont, Administrative
Officer, WACRRM
Michael Mcnamara, Associate
Lecturer, Economics and Commerce
Louise Oliver, Technician (L),
Biomedical, Biomolecular and
Chemical Sciences
Dr Jai Parekh, Dentist, Oral Health
Centre of WA
Gerald Roberts, Carpenter,
Maintenance Workshop, Facilities
Management
Bijan Rohani, Senior Research
Fellow, Electrical, Electronic and
Computer Engineering
Andrew Sawyer, Senior
Technician, Biomedical, Biomolecular
and Chemical Sciences
Dr Carolyn Stulner-Karthigasu,
Dentist, Oral Health Centre of WA
Carmen Tang, Graduate Research
Assistant, Psychiatry and Clinical
Neurosciences
Teck Huah Tang, Dentist, Oral
Health Centre of WA
Larissa Tilbury, Administrative
Assistant, Faculty of Life and Physical
Sciences
Emiel Van De Kar, Digital Copier
Assistant, UniPrint
Cornelia Viebahn, Research
Assistant, Biomedical, Biomolecular
and Chemical Sciences
Dr Ana Vrdoljak, Senior Lecturer,
Law
Annemarie
Wa l l a m ,
Administrative Assistant, Student
Services
S h a u n We l l b o u r n e - Wo o d ,
Marketing Manager, Centre for
English Language Teaching (CELT)
Dr Mark Westera, Research
Associate, Plant Biology
Dr Helen Wright, Senior Lecturer,
Paediatrics and Child Health
Antonio Yao, Associate Lecturer,
Economics and Commerce
Jia Xiang Zhou, Associate
Lecturer, Economics and Commerce
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
15
CLASSIFIED ADS
Classified advertising is free to
all university staff. To place your
advertisement, please email:
staffads@uwa.edu.au
FOR SALE
KIA RIO Jun/04 Hatchback 5dr Auto
4sp 1.5i with 30K Kms. $10,500ono.
Excellent condition. Phone: 0422016 828.
KIA CERATO Jun/04 LD Sedan
4dr Man. 5sp 2.0i with 17K Kms.
$12,500ono. Smells and look new.
Phone: 0422-016 828.
FOR RENT
CRAWLEY: House-share from now
until end of December 2005 is
available for a female post-graduate
student or visiting academic. The
house is 5 minutes walk from
UWA. Rent $100 per week. Email:
kathleen@maths.uwa.edu.au or
phone Kathleen on Ext 3352.
WANTED
ACCOMMODATION: Seeking
accommodation for a visiting
academic from Germany for the
period of 14/10/2005 to 09/12/2005.
Preferably fully-furnished and
reasonably close to UWA. Please
contact: heiko@csse.uwa.edu.au
AC C O M M O D AT I O N : R e n t a l
accommodation sought by Academic
(and family) taking up permanent
appointment at UWA. Prefer
townhouse or courtyard home
near Uni or transport. Start midDecember or early January. Short
or long term neg. Please contact
matthew.tilling@flinders.edu.au.
HOUSESITTING
Family seeking rental or house
sitting opportunity from September/
October 2005 until February 2006.
Contact: Dr Steven Harding: steven.
harding@health.wa.gov.au
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UWAnews
UWAnews
16
Wayne Browne
the last word
Former Manager, Property Management, Facilities Management
Fontsfunding &fax
machines
I came to Australia some 35 years ago on a
working holiday, started work within a few
months of arriving and have kept working
ever since. So it’s time for me to revert to the
original plan.
Once you have decided to leave, the next issue is what to say
in your resignation letter.
I remember staring at a blank computer screen about 4:30 in
the morning for ages thinking about what I should say in my letter
to Russell Candy.
Should I review my working history over the past 25 years
and say what a privilege it had been to work at the University? I
had a couple of goes at this version but then it occurred to me
that Russell and some admin person in Human Resources were
the only ones likely to see the letter. So I decided not go into any
flowery recitation of my work at UWA and played around with a
couple of shorter versions. I had one version that went …
Dear Russell, I quit, Regards Wayne
I eventually opted for something a bit longer but not much.
When do you submit your resignation letter?
I suggest that you avoid the 1 April — April Fool’s day. I got
my letter in on the 31 March. Even then I had some difficulty
convincing people that I had resigned.
What size type face should you use?
You wouldn’t think that this would be an issue would you?
I remember on the morning I was submitting my resignation I
printed off different versions with different typefaces. What font
size should you use on your resignation letter, particularly if you
have worked at the University for 25 years? If it’s too small you
look like a wimp – if it’s too large it looks too aggressive and
almost as if you are shouting out your resignation. This is not
something that they cover in the retirement seminars. Imagine
fussing over the size of the typeface. After playing around with a
few different versions, it occurred to me that it was probably just
as well I was leaving the University.
When I joined the University in 1979 one of my responsibilities
was to determine the number of telephone lines which could be
issued to departments. The University had an old telephone
switchboard with about 1400 lines on it. At one stage I think
we had 15 lines spare. So my job was to recover lines from
departments that had lost staff, and issue them to departments
that had gained staff. Anyone below lecturer level or at the admin
assistant level had to share a phone. In some cases, junior staff
were allowed a third of a line each. Accommodation disputes are
bad but wait until you try to take someone’s telephone away. I
was not a very popular person at that time. Now everyone who
needs a telephone gets one.
I also had to keep track of about 300 IBM golf ball typewriters
on campus, all the serial numbers which went to about 10 digits
and letters and negotiate a service contract for these each year.
They are probably museum pieces now.
Any departments wishing to purchase or lease a photocopy
machine had to come through me and I would then make a
recommendation on the type of machine to the Deputy ViceChancellor. Can you imagine a Deputy Vice-Chancellor of today
having the slightest interest in what sort of photocopy machine a
school/section wants to purchase?
When I started, the University was required to submit its
capital works proposals every three years to the Commonwealth
in what was called the triennial funding program. In one round,
the University got something like $2M for a new building for
Architecture. Nowadays $2M would get you about eight bays in
the Motorola car park. Currently the University’s capital works
program is in the order of about $20M per year.
As my six month probationary period was coming to an end
I can remember saying to my wife Anita that I was not cut out
for University life and I was going to start looking for another
job. Not long after that I was informed that my appointment was
being converted to permanent and that they were very pleased
with my work.
And so here I am 25 years later deciding that I am no longer
cut out for University life.
Thanks for being such a great group of people to work with.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 22 AUGUST 2005
UniPrint 40644
An edited version of Wayne Browne’s farewell speech