- UTS News Room

NOV 14
RISING TO THE
CHALLENGE
Securing water for
the world’s most
vulnerable
JUST CAUSE FOR
RECOGNITION
Engaging students
with the law in action
INTERNSHIPS
THAT WORK
Why unpaid shouldn’t
mean unrewarded
|2|
EXECUTIVE COLUMN
ATTILA BRUNGS
BUILDING EXCELLENCE
It’s a great pleasure and privilege to be writing
my first U: magazine column as Vice-Chancellor.
In the three months I’ve been in the position,
I have found it both interesting and incredibly
rewarding. Of course, it hasn’t been without
its challenges.
Before taking up this position, I spent time
reflecting on what makes UTS so distinct –
we are vibrant, creative, collegiate and dynamic.
We are a university deeply committed to
social justice, diversity and equity – these are
core values that underpin all that we do as a
university community.
Photographer: Jesse Taylor
Our 25th anniversary marked the mid-point
of our 10-year strategic vision to become
a world-leading university of technology. Our
distinctiveness and commitment to excellence
and the commitment and hard work of our staff,
have enabled us to make great strides towards
delivering on this vision.
I am committed to building on the work of the
last 25 years supporting our drive towards
excellence and, in particular, focusing on our
efforts in three key areas:
First, we have developed a tremendous
reputation for teaching excellence. We need
to keep innovating in this area, continuing
to develop distinctive and relevant courses
that also harness the possibilities of the new
campus spaces. So building on the UTS model
of learning, the initiatives of Learning2014 and
Learning.Futures are critical to the organisation
in order to offer students a unique experience
blending face-to-face and online learning.
The nature of of the global workplace and
what a career means is undergoing significant
change; however our purpose of advancing
learning and knowledge for the benefit of both
society and the professions remains unchanged.
To that end, ensuring graduate workplace
success and delivering work-ready graduates is
a priority for UTS.
Secondly, we have always been an outwardlooking university, striving to engage and have
a real impact on the world around us – be that
through our students, our research or our
alumni. Continuing to connect and engage is
core to our ongoing success. As our new campus
continues to unfold, we have a great opportunity
to use our sense of place, revitalising the
southern gateway of Sydney to develop holistic
partnerships with industry that encompass
teaching, research and more.
Finally, we need to continue to enhance our
research performance. We have made great
progress very quickly, improving the quality
while increasing the quantity and collaborative
nature of our research. Ensuring the next
step-change in our research performance is
crucial to our continued success.
THE
RISING TOGE
CHALLEN ter for
Securing wamost
the world’s
e
vulnerabl
E FOR
JUST CAUS N
RECOGNITIOdents
Engaging stuin action
with the law
S
INTERNSHIP
THAT WORKshouldn’t
Why unpaid arded
mean unrew
Enquiries:
02 9514 2249
[email protected]
Contributors:
Amy Bishop
Celia Britton
Rachael Brown
Avalon Dennis
Aziza Green
Wilson Kwong
Joanna Leonard
Janet Ollevou
Internships that work
Rising to the challenge
Cover images:
Thinkstock
Printer:
Lindsay Yates Group
10
Learn how a UTS innovation could ensure food and
water security for the poorest 40 per cent of the
world’s population
REGULARS
Building 11 atrium.
Photographer:
Andrew Worssam
Media enquiries:
Robert Button
02 9514 1734
8
Championing the vital role internships play
in students’ professional development, and
safeguarding against exploitation
Professor Attila Brungs
Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President
Art direction:
Shahnam Roshan
Design:
Tui Prichard
6
Students are gaining new perspectives into the law
thanks to an award-winning approach to learning
I am confident we are well positioned to meet
the challenges of the coming years as we work
together to build excellence the UTS way, right
across the university.
U: is published by the Marketing and Communication Unit and provides a voice for the university
community. As such, the views in U: are not necessarily the views of the university or the editorial
team. U: reserves the right to edit as it sees fit any material submitted for publication.
Managing editor:
Izanda Ford
Editor:
Rachael Quigley
Editorial coordinator:
Hannah Jenkins
Just cause for recognition The leadership team across UTS have worked
closely to identify and develop initiatives
within these three key strategic areas. This
incorporates a range of pan-university projects
including Managing for Performance and
starting to prepare for potential deregulation,
should it be imposed on us. This is alongside
specific faculty-led programs to further embed
Learning2014, support research performance,
boost external engagement and progress or
indigenous strategies.
ISSUE 8
NOV 14
FEATURES
NEXT ISSUE
The next issue will be released on
Monday 2 March 2015.
All U: articles are available to read
online via newsroom.uts.edu.au
Send you story ideas, opinions and
events to [email protected]
discover, engage, empower,
deliver, sustain
EXECUTIVE COLUMN: ATTILA BRUNGS
2
NEWS: ACHIEVING BALANCE
4
AROUND U: A NUMBERS GAME
5
STAFF PROFILE: LABOUR OF LOVE
12
ALUMNI PROFILE: POSITIVELY CHARGED
13
THREE OF U: THE POWER OF THREE
14
STUDENT PROFILE: MAKING A DIFFERENCE
16
U: READ IT: UTS IN PRINT
17
FEATURED EVENT: SHOWCASING SUSTAINABILITY
18
WHAT’S ON: NOVEMBER
19
ART & U: UTS ART COLLECTION
19
Nerida Cole and Glenn Wightwick
|4|
NEWS
|5|
AROUND U
E&DU
SCIENCE
FMO
A
NUMBERS
GAME
Sustaining momentum and remaining
competitive are crucial aspects of
being a researcher. So what happens
if an academic has significant carer
responsibilities?
Taking time off, working part-time or
changing jobs can mean research stops,
grant applications are halted and money can
dry up. Even a small amount of time away
from research can make it difficult
to regain the momentum needed to
progress successfully and build a
sustained research career.
“Carer responsibilities bite into time
available for research, and the negative
impact of leave or working part-time – even
for a period can become cumulative,” says
Equity and Diversity Officer Joanna Leonard.
“That’s why it’s important to support people
in these situations.
“For example, if an academic has a fantastic
PhD, a fantastic post-doc, then has kids,
they’re then competing for academic
positions – at the time when research
really takes off – with one hand tied
behind their back.”
A Women in Research report released in
2012 documented gender differences
around engagement with research at UTS,
and the Equity and Diversity Unit (E&DU)
identified carer responsibilities as a major
contributing factor.
In response to this report, E&DU, supported
and championed by the Deputy ViceChancellor Research, has developed a
range of programs and activities under the
Research Equity Initiative (REI) to better
support researchers to maintain their
personal and professional passions.
The latest offering in the REI is a Research
Equity Fellowship open to men and
women whose research careers have
been significantly hindered due to carer
responsibilities.
Awarded for the first time in September to
Postdoctoral Research Fellow Nerida Cole,
the merit-based fellowship will provide
$50 000 to further her cutting-edge
research in the Faculty of Science at the
Elemental Bio-imaging Facility, an emerging
research strength for UTS. The grant will
support Cole’s work in pathology using the
facility’s unique laser technology.
The fellowship recognises the significance of
her research as well as her responsibilities
as a carer.
“This will make a really big difference for
me to pursue my research. I’m very grateful
for this opportunity and it reflects for me
what is so unique about UTS – it supports
pioneering research but also cares about the
people behind it.”
E&DU Project Officer Sybille Frank
explains, “This fellowship isn’t awarded
to someone just because they’ve had
carer responsibilities. It’s awarded based
on research of outstanding quality and
potential. Nerida must be congratulated.”
E&DU is working with faculties and central
units to roll out a university-wide strategy
to support staff with carer responsibilities.
“We want to attract and retain the best and
brightest to the university, and increasingly,
young men and women want more of a
balanced life between family and career,”
says Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research
Professor Glenn Wightwick.
This attitude towards balance, combined
with the impressive suite of initiatives
developed by UTS, has been recognised this
year by the National Health and Medical
Research Council.
“UTS was one of only two organisations
rated as outstanding in providing support
for gender equity,” says Wightwick.
“We hope to encourage both men and
women to be able to include their family
and carer responsibilities in conversations
about their careers.”
Hannah Jenkins
Marketing and Communication Unit
Photographer: Shane Lo
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Comment on this article at
UTS:NEWSROOM
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An important but relatively unknown
role at UTS is that of ‘people counting’,
performed by a team of experts
who come onto campus for a
one-week period during the year
to conduct space utilisation surveys
in teaching and informal areas.
Ever noticed someone walk into a
room mid-class, do a quick head
count and leave, only to repeat the
process an hour later? That’s them.
With space at a premium at UTS, the
results of the survey provide an insight
into how it can be used more effectively
– now, and as the university grows.
However, in today’s technological age it’s
surprising the survey is still so labourintensive. Collecting one week’s worth
of data can be a 29-week process.
“We knew there was a better solution,
and sure enough we found one,”
says Senior Project Manager
Bryce Hutchinson from of Facilities
Management Operations (FMO).
Two years ago, FMO conducted its first
trial of thermal image sensors in teaching
and informal areas in Buildings 2 and 5.
“There were a number of key requirements
for this technology,” Hutchinson says.
“It couldn’t be interruptive to classes,
it had to provide live and accurate data,
it had to communicate with UTS’s Syllabus
Plus interface used for timetabling, and it
had to offer fully automatic reporting.
“It was a rather tall order but the
technology ticked every box.”
The way it works is simple. A small
sensor, which looks remarkably like a
household fire alarm, is installed at each
entry point in a room. When a person –
or ‘heat source’ – walks under it to enter
or leave the room, it is recorded. In this
way, the system can determine how many
people are in a space at any given time.
Data is collected continuously rather
than over a one week period, and the
system generates reports automatically.
“We can see in real time which spaces
have been booked but not used or
whether a huge theatre has been
booked for a class of 20,” says Hutchinson.
“It ensures we make the best use of space
and appropriately plan for the future.
“As far as we know we’re the first
university in the world to use this
technology for space utilisation surveys.”
Following the success of the 2012 trial,
90 thermal sensor people counters were
installed throughout Building 11’s teaching
spaces at the start of Spring semester.
Hutchinson is excited that the technology,
which will be installed in the new
Thomas Street and Dr Chau Chak Wing
buildings in time for teaching in 2015,
has another potential benefit.
“The new people counters can send a
message to the university’s Building
Management System that at 9am there’s
going to be a class, so it turns the airconditioning on 10 minutes prior. Then,
at 9.10am, if no one’s showed up, the
people counters can tell the BMS to shut
the air-con off, or make adjustments if
the room is only half-full. The energy
savings for the university are huge.”
In fact, a one-room trial earlier this year
resulted in an energy saving of around
50 per cent in that room alone.
Software for this application is still
in development, but with the roll-out
of the people counter technology across
teaching spaces in existing buildings
due to commence in 2015, the potential
benefits to the university – and the
environment – are not far off.
Celia Britton
Marketing and Communication Unit
Photographer (main image): Joanne Saad
Inset: Bryce Hutchinson (centre) with Steven Ivanovski
and Amelia Anderberg from the FMO space team
Photographer: Shane Lo
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Comment on this article at
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|6|
|7|
TEACHING AND LEARNING
IML
LAW
JUST
CAUSE FOR
RECOGNITION
The recently announced Australian Awards for University Teaching recognised six UTS staff for their
outstanding contributions to student learning. Senior Lecturer in Law Penny Crofts was among the
academics honoured, receiving a citation for inspiring students with a passion for justice and integrity.
From helping to stop illegal dumping
outside charity bins, to collaborating
with councils looking into illegal felling
of mangroves, criminology and law
students at UTS can expect to get their
hands a little dirty under the supervision
of Senior Lecturer Penny Crofts.
Through practical fieldwork and
community-based assessment, Crofts
is instilling a sense of morality and
collective consciousness in her students.
“The community-based projects my
students undertake are an innovative
way to encourage them to think outside
the square about how all aspects of
the law combine,” says Crofts.
Her students agree.
“There is a wonderful alchemy that
occurs when students gain experience
as well as knowledge,” says one student
from Crofts’ 2013 class, “and that is what
happens in Wickedness and Vice.”
The approach has earned Crofts a national
Citation for Outstanding Contributions
to Student Learning. Crofts was one of
six UTS staff to receive a citation in the
Australian Government’s 2014 Awards
for University Teaching in September.
UTS received a total of four citations
– two for joint nominees – across four
faculties, the Institute for Interactive
Media and Learning (IML) and community
partnership program UTS Shopfront.
All were in honour of professionally
focused and ‘real-world’ approaches.
Crofts’ citation was in recognition of her
achievements in “developing authentic,
sustained and transformative experiences
of ‘law in action’ that inspire students
with a passion for justice and integrity”.
“The projects challenge pre-conceived
ideas and stereotypes, opening up a world
students are often sheltered from,” says
one of Crofts’ Juris Doctor students. “They
allowed us to question, evaluate and
weigh up the strengths and weaknesses
of our particular worldviews in light of
new evidence and information – which is
arguably the whole point of university.”
In applying for the citation, Crofts was
surprised to find she exceeded the
eligibility requirements for the ‘sustained
practice’ criterion, which requires at least
three years’ work in a particular field.
“I thought ‘Oh my god, I’ve been doing
this for 19 years!’” she exclaims.
“Penny was probably overdue in her
application for an award like this,
given the amount of time she has spent
researching, and teaching in the field,”
says IML Lecturer Nicola Parker. “She
had more than enough material to
complete her application for a citation.”
As a faculty specialist for law, part of
Parker’s role is to help applicants from
the faculty to prepare their citation
applications for submission.
“Applicants often find it difficult to write
in the style required for the citation
application,” says Lecturer Katrina Waite
who works alongside Parker in IML and
also assisted Crofts in completing her
application for the national citation.
As with all UTS’s national citation
recipients this year, Crofts was first
successful in the annual UTS Learning
and Teaching Awards last year.
Nicola Parker and
Katrina Waite
Penny Crofts
“I worked closely with Nicola and Katrina
from IML, who are both experts in the area,”
says Crofts. “The support they gave me, and
the amount of time they spent helping me
prepare my application was phenomenal.”
Parker says, “People might not
necessarily be ready to apply for the
award, but Penny definitely was.”
At the time of her application, Crofts
already had a lot of supporting evidence
to choose from through student feedback
surveys, peer reviews and student
testimonials, which Parker and Waite
were able to assist her in selecting.
“The application needs to be a strong
narrative about the work the applicants have
done, and the evidence needs to support the
picture of what they’re actually claiming.
“Penny understood straight away
the kind of evidence needed, and she
had a drawer full!” Parker laughs.
Crofts was able to demonstrate that
her students had published work on
their community-based assessments in
refereed journals; that she had written
and contributed to textbooks that are
used across Australia in legal education;
and that her teaching and learning
approaches had been cited nationally
and internationally in research papers.
Crofts’ passion for social justice
encompasses a deep interest in the
concept of wickedness. “Society has a
tendency to overuse the language and
rhetoric of wickedness, without knowing
what it really means,” she says.
Her PhD thesis, completed at Griffith
University, was entitled Wickedness and
Crime: Laws of Homicide and Malice.
Published as a book in 2013, it addresses
“THERE IS A WONDERFUL
ALCHEMY THAT OCCURS
WHEN STUDENTS GAIN
EXPERIENCE AS WELL
AS KNOWLEDGE, AND
THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS
IN THE SUBJECT
WICKEDNESS AND VICE.”
discourses of wickedness and crime in
determining culpability and punishment.
Throughout the book, Crofts combines her
expertise in the fields of legal theory and
philosophy to challenge contemporary
frameworks for ascribing blameworthiness.
The book has since gone on to be used
as a teaching resource and reference
material by fellow law researchers. It also
garnered a review in The Cambridge Law
Journal; an honour for Crofts who is a
former master’s student of the university.
Crofts is now focusing her research interest
on the Royal Commission into Institutional
Responses to Child Abuse in Australia.
“I have a lot of projects, and this one
is quite a heavy topic,” she says.
“Without giving away too much, I am
also starting my research for a project
based on law and horror, which is a
fun and accessible way of analysing
how law and horror films represent
culpability and wickedness,” she says.
It is Crofts’ ability to bring this
curiosity and passion for all aspects
of the law to life for her students that
earned her the national citation.
As Parker so aptly summarises,
“She provides a transformative learning
experience for her students, and you
can’t ask for much more than that.”
Avalon Dennis
Bachelor of Arts in Communications (Writing and
Cultural Studies) / Bachelor of International Studies
Photographer: Shane Lo
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
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|8|
|9|
OPINION
“THE ULTIMATE AIM OF AN
INTERNSHIP SHOULD BE
FOR THE STUDENT AND
THE ORGANISATION TO BE
PARTNERS IN A LEARNING
EXPERIENCE.”
BUSINESS
Amy Bishop
Internships have been in the media spotlight recently, raising questions about exploitation. Yet from the
standpoint of universities, internships have a valuable role to play in developing students’ capabilities.
So how do we ensure internships benefit students as well as employers, particularly if the role is unpaid?
Internships have been in the news for all
the wrong reasons after a sharp rise in
complaints to the Fair Work Ombudsman
about “unpaid work”. But universities have
a great story to tell about internships,
and it would be unfortunate if our
much more structured programs were
unfairly tarred with the same brush as
the cases receiving media scrutiny.
Internships have tremendous benefits
for students, employers and universities.
They link theory to practice for students,
they help universities turn out graduates
who are work-ready, and they allow
employers to shape the education of
the next generation of employees while
tapping into fresh skills and knowledge.
For both employers and students,
a by-product of an internship can be
the opportunity to ‘try before you buy’.
Internships allow students to explore
different career paths and start building
a network of industry contacts.
Employers who have a good experience
with an intern may proceed to offer
them ongoing employment.
But the internships that have come in
for recent criticism are quite different to
those offered under the sorts of programs
supported by UTS and other higher
education institutions.
Media reports refer to ‘interns’ doing unpaid
work often with no connection to their
skills or experience. Far from being paid to
work, sometimes these ‘interns’ are paying
the services that find them placements.
This has prompted Fair Work Australia to
look into unpaid work, and unions have
called for an internships code of practice.
In contrast, university internship
programs only approve opportunities
that are relevant and will benefit
students’ professional development.
For example, in the UTS Business School,
Faculty of Engineering and Information
Technology, and UTS communication
program, internships are developed
as structured programs with clear
goals, and employers and placements
are carefully vetted. Similarly for work
placements in health and education.
Students can complete an internship as
part of a compulsory course requirement,
elective subject or independently. There
are excellent opportunities, ranging from
larger organisations with structured
programs through to smaller or start-up
organisations where students can really
immerse themselves in a business.
For a student who is not required to
complete an internship as part of their
course, the choice to take one on can
deliver a host of benefits.
Students gain a better understanding
of what they learn in the classroom by
applying it in the workplace. As interns,
they strengthen their soft skills such
as teamwork, problem-solving and
communication. And having relevant
experience is a distinct advantage when
it comes to graduate employment.
Yes, some internships are unpaid. But the
absence of a financial benefit is more than
offset by the experience and contacts the
students gain during their placements,
and potentially by the offer of a permanent
role. The internships we are involved
with – paid or unpaid – are vetted at the
outset and evaluated on completion.
So what are the ‘red flags’ to look
for when vetting an internship –
especially an unpaid one?
The ultimate aim of an unpaid internship
should be for the student and the
organisation to be partners in a learning
experience. So a key question that should
be asked is whether the unpaid internship
is for the benefit of the young person,
or the employer? The balance should
definitely fall in the unpaid intern’s favour.
Legally, under the Fair Work Act 2009,
an internship can be unpaid as long
as the person is not in an employment
relationship. One of the factors considered
in determining whether an employment
relationship exists is who profits from the
internship. In an unpaid internship the
main benefit should be for the individual.
The longer someone interns for a
business without pay, the more
likely it could be argued they are in
an employment relationship.
So what might be considered a reasonable
timeframe? For the internship subjects
that are part of UTS Business School
courses, 210 hours – the equivalent of
30 days full-time – spread over a period
as long as 12 months can be approved
initially. If more hours are proposed,
the question will be asked what other
learning will take place to warrant this.
Students who take part in an internship
as part of a formal subject in the UTS
Business School are required to produce a
proposal that demonstrates the internship
is a genuine opportunity. They must have
an application, and health and safety
forms signed off before commencing.
safeguard. Among other things, we have an
unpaid internships checklist to help students
assess the merit of the proposed placement.
Internships can be a fantastic opportunity
for students to gain experience,
learning, networks and potentially
subject credits, as well as a chance for
employers to help shape education.
The structured framework and rigorous
processes provided by university internship
programs set a benchmark. Private
providers and regulators could look to
elements of these programs in ensuring
‘interns’ really are interns – not free labour.
Amy Bishop
Internship and Career Support Manager,
UTS Business School
Photographer: Joanne Saad
Agreed learning objectives are required,
along with an assigned supervisor to provide
support within the host organisation.
Even students arranging their own
internships – independently of any
subject requirement or UTS program
– are encouraged to approach their faculty
to get the internship approved, as a
Comment on this article at
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|10|
|11|
COVER
ADVANCEMENT
SCIENCE
Derek Eamus
RISING
TO THE
CHALLENGE
With its potential to change the lives of the world’s most vulnerable, Derek Eamus’ research
embodies ‘practical innovation’. His success in Google’s recent national impact challenge engaged
the UTS community and opened new possibilities to make global water security a reality.
Last month, Professor of Environmental
Science Derek Eamus was awarded a
grant of $250 000 in the Google Impact
Challenge for an innovative and simple
device that could provide food and
water security to the poorest
40 per cent of the world’s population.
“The problem I’m addressing is how to
minimise the impacts of over-extraction of
groundwater in arid and semi-arid regions
where almost half the world’s population
relies on groundwater for their wealth
and health,” Eamus explained in a video
viewed thousands of times by voters in
the Google Impact Challenge Australia.
The challenge invited not-for-profit
organisations Australia-wide to show
how they would use technology to
make a better world, with the
possibility of earning Google’s
support to bring their project to life.
Eamus’ work in developing an early warning
system for communities who may be at
risk of over-using the local groundwater
table saw him placed in the top 10 projects
from over 350 submitted to the inaugural
competition run by Google Australia.
Google awarded four grants of $500 000
to the top four projects: three decided
by a panel of judges, and the fourth
determined by popular vote.
The judging panel awarded a further
six grants of $250 000 to the remaining
finalists – including Eamus – based on the
outstanding quality of their projects.
Google also assigned a relationship
manager to Eamus’ project to work with
UTS and give support in accessing services
and platforms that will enable Eamus to
develop and maintain strong links with the
company and, more importantly, showcase
the results of the project internationally.
“Groundwater is really important in
so many places globally,” says Eamus.
“People use it for irrigation and for
drinking, but many people don’t realise
groundwater feeds a lot of rivers and
keeps terrestrial ecosystems healthy.
“As the population of the world expands,
we’re seeing increased demand for
groundwater. This means that
groundwater – a major global resource –
is being over-extracted at an unstainable
rate, threatening ecosystems and
water security across the world.”
To address this problem, Eamus has
developed a device that measures and
records the swelling and shrinkage
patterns in trees that have roots
accessing groundwater. “It’s a simple
sensor using old technology in a new
way to let communities know when
they’re using too much groundwater.”
A point dendrometer – the critical
device in Eamus’ project
Jim O’Brien and Julie McWilliams
“GROUNDWATER IS A MAJOR GLOBAL RESOURCE, AND AS
THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD EXPANDS IT IS BEING
OVER-EXTRACTED AT AN UNSTAINABLE RATE, THREATENING
ECOSYSTEMS AND WATER SECURITY ACROSS THE WORLD.”
Using existing technology in an innovative
way means Eamus’ project is scalable
and could improve the lives and food
security of almost half the world’s
population who live in arid and semi-arid
regions, including areas of Australia.
Eamus’ project may offer a simple solution
but the science behind it is complex,
relying on unique insights Eamus has
derived from decades of research.
Communicating this scientific research in
understandable terms has been the key to
inspiring people to engage with the project.
Details of the project and its potential
impact had to be immediately clear to
project short-listers, the initial interview
panel and, later, to a panel of judges
from non-scientific backgrounds. With
one award being subject to a public vote,
communication about the project also
had to inspire the wider community.
Deputy Director of Development and
External Engagement Jim O’Brien
explains, “We knew Google was going
to get a lot of applications, so the most
important part of the initial application
was getting the real impact points
out in the first couple of pages.”
Ensuring Eamus stood out to Google
meant explaining how his work
could improve lives, leverage existing
technology and be ready to implement
immediately – all in the first page.
“Originally, the application Derek drafted
was technical,” says External Engagement
Manager Julie McWilliams. “We worked
together to reinforce the impact of the
project and make it a more compelling case
for support for a non-technical audience.”
Eamus honed his application and worked
with the expertise of the Development
Office to align his work with Google’s brief.
“I write scientific papers, but this needed
a different approach,” says Eamus.
“When I write an academic paper,
I’d normally get it reviewed by my
colleagues in the scientific community
whereas this was something that
had to go out to everyone.
“The structure is totally different;
you start with the bang then present
the evidence. It’s very different but
it’s been a good skill to learn.”
Once UTS received the good news
that Eamus’ project had made it to the
top 10, competition intensified.
McWilliams and O’Brien, along with
staff from the Research and Innovation
Office, Marketing and Communication
Unit and External Engagement began
the task of promoting Eamus’ work to
UTS and the wider community, including
UTS Alumni, UTS Childcare, the Students’
Association and ActivateUTS, in the hope
of winning the people’s choice vote.
O’Brien says support from staff in creating
posters, images and articles to “mobilise the
troops” brought the university together.
“We definitely appreciated everyone’s
willingness to chip in,” he says. “It’s one of
the good things about UTS. When something
like this comes along, everyone gets
behind it – even the Vice-Chancellor
promoted it at his all-staff forum in October.”
The promotion of the Eamus’ proposed
project – on campus, through social
media and word-of-mouth throughout
Sydney – has pushed Eamus and the UTS
professional staff involved into the spotlight.
Says Eamus, “I’ve been really impressed
with the amount of support and enthusiasm
UTS has put behind me and this project.
I didn’t realise there was that level of
support across media and communications.
“I find a lot of academics are reluctant
to change the way they communicate,
but it’s been brilliant to just turn the
whole thing around, and I think that’s
what made this application successful.”
Eamus’ achievement in the Google Impact
Challenge means he will have funding
to continue a trial of his innovative
device in remote areas of Australia. His
project has also been seen by thousands
of people who now realise that simple
technology can make a huge difference.
“It really reflects well on the university,”
says O’Brien. “It’s the kind of project that
I think is uniquely UTS; it’s about bettering
the world, it’s practical, it’s good.”
Hannah Jenkins
Marketing and Communication Unit
Images (D Eamus, point dendrometer):
supplied by Derek Eamus
Photographer (J McWilliams and J O’Brien): Kevin Cheung
Comment on this article at
UTS:NEWSROOM
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|12|
|13|
Esita Sogotubu
STAFF PROFILE
ALUMNI PROFILE
CAREERS
ACTIVATEUTS
BUSINESS
FASS
L ABOUR OF
L VE
‘Choose a job you love, and you’ll never
have to work a day in your life.’ It’s
a motto Esita Sogotubu has taken to
heart as the Employability Coordinator
(International) for UTS Careers, a role
in which she’s mentored more than
80 students over the past two years
through the Univative program.
It’s no coincidence that international
students have been some of the most
engaged and successful graduates of the
program. Sogotubu draws on her own
experiences as an international student
to relate to the cultural barriers they face.
The annual inter-university competition
sees students placed into groups to
work on a real-life project with limited
time and resources. Over the course of
three weeks, each team must develop a
solution to a problem from a nominated
host organisation. Each project host
then selects a winning team based on
a final presentation and report.
“I had people asking me how I got to
Australia and I just wanted to say, ‘I was
in my grass skirt, paddling over in a boat’,
you know what I mean?” she laughs.
This year, the UTS teams working
with Ericsson and ClickView were
selected as winners after coming
up with solutions to a wide range of
issues, including the development
of a marketing plan to promote the
organisations to potential graduates.
“One of our major objectives is for
students to develop and enhance their
employability skills by working in a
mixed environment,” says Sogotubu.
“It’s all about the journey of working
with people from different backgrounds,
because that’s what the workplace is like.”
Originally from Fiji, Sogotubu studied
Law at the University of Tasmania in the
early 90s, a time when there wasn’t a great
deal of cultural diversity on campus.
“Working at the Careers Service, I’ve come
across students who really want to go
and do more but are held back by those
cultural differences. With Univative, it’s
great to see international students gain
the confidence to hang out with local
students and make all those connections.”
Sogotubu’s tips to students looking
to enhance their employability?
“Develop your soft skills! You might have
all the technical skills in the world but if
you can’t work in a team, people won’t
hire you. If you’ve got great ideas on
paper, but can’t express them to somebody
else, that doesn’t help you either.
“That’s where Univative comes in,
because it’s all about developing those
soft skills you can use as examples
in job applications or interviews. If
someone asked you about project work,
or working under pressure, you can talk
about your experience in Univative.”
It’s the way Sogotubu’s eyes light
up when talking about her passion
project that gives away the fact this
is so much more than a job to her.
“Going through that intense time with the
students, you get attached,” she admits.
“One of my students said, ‘It must be
nice now that Univative’s done and
dusted.’ But I said, ‘Nah not really!’
“Sometimes I’ll whinge about how
much work it is, but I really love doing
this. When you see your students on
campus and they’re doing well, that’s
what brings a smile to my face.”
Wilson Kwong
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
(Public Communication)
Photographer: Joanne Saad
Comment on this article at
UTS:NEWSROOM
newsroom.uts.edu.au/news/2014/11/labour-of-love
POSITIVELY
CHARGED
Laura Earl’s distinctive laugh and
let’s-get-stuff-done attitude make
her one of UTS’s most recognisable
personalities.
In her four years as Social Clubs and
Programs Manager with ActivateUTS,
Earl has built an expansive network of
collaborative relationships and programs
that have energised the campus culture.
“I love the creative aspect of my job.
We work really closely with our students to
get their feedback and ideas. Then we run
with it and try to create the best possible
atmosphere or event for them.”
In addition to organising the student events
calendar, Earl manages the 100-plus social
clubs – which in turn run their own events,
covering everything from movie nights and
sporting competitions to language classes.
Earl’s connection to UTS stems back to her
undergraduate days when she combined
events and leisure management with
international studies.
“I was always a pretty social kind of person
and as a high school student, the events side
of it sounded awesome. It never occurred to
me that the majority of the degree would be
business, but there you go.
“I sort of hoped it might lead me to work
with some hot sports people if I’m honest.”
Earl spent the first three years of her
degree at Kuring-gai, and still feels strong
ties to the campus.
“In those days, Kuring-gai was absolutely
heaving. The people there were so close.
It was really relaxed and we used to have
massive parties in the cafeteria.”
With the site closing at the end of next year,
Earl is in the process of conceiving a ‘Byebye Kuring-gai’ event. “I’ve spoken to a few
alumni who went to Kuring-gai and they’re
like, ‘Ye-eah. We’ll definitely come.’ Because
everyone has really fond memories.”
Earl’s international studies year took her
to France where she studied and taught
English in Caen, Normandy. She says it was
one of the best years of her life.
“I’m still very good friends with all the
people who went to France from my year.
We still do a French restaurant dinner once
a month in Sydney.”
After graduating, Earl worked for four years
as a tour guide manager in Europe – one of
the many possibilities she says international
studies opened up for her.
Laura Earl
She continues to travel overseas every
two years and makes an effort to include
university visits into her trips, with the
aim of tapping new ideas for student
engagement.
“When I went to the Olympics in 2012,
I visited Imperial College London, which
is really similar to here in that it’s an
inner-city campus. And this year when
I was in Boston, I went to Harvard!”
Earl laments that being a natural organiser
is not always a good thing. “It means people
come to rely on you to do everything.
Friends. Sporting groups. The whole
shebang. Because they know it will get
done, no matter what.
“I spend my life organising people –
but I enjoy it. I like seeing the outcome
of my hard work.”
It’s an engrained part of Earl’s nature to rise
to a challenge. “We do things well,” she says.
“But you can always do better!”
Rachael Quigley
Marketing and Communication Unit
Photographer: Joanne Saad
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|14|
|15|
THREE OF U
FEIT
THE POWER OF
THREE
Since childhood, the Perez brothers have shared a curiosity about how
things work. This interest led all three to study engineering at UTS.
Twenty-four year-old Eduardo is majoring in information and
communication technology, 22-year-old Rafael is a third-year mechatronics
major, while 18-year-old Oscar studies electrical engineering. Having
completed high school in Mexico, Eduardo began his studies at TAFE and is
now in his first year at university alongside youngest brother, Oscar.
Oscar, Eduardo and Rafael Perez
Rafael: I liked playing with engineering
things since I was little – Lego and
building and those types of things. I always
liked the robots as well. I have been to
expositions and I liked the mechatronics
stand with the robots. I didn’t really
see myself doing anything else.
Oscar: I used to play with all types
of Lego and Meccano, so my dad
called me ‘engineer’ and I liked it. I
had a book on electronics since I was
young and I read a lot of it, so I had an
advantage. If I went into civil or any other
engineering, it would be a waste of that
knowledge. So it had to be electrical.
Eduardo: Well for myself, since I was
little I used to take apart computers and
electrical appliances just to see how they
worked. I actually fixed many appliances at
home. I broke down many computers, but
I also fixed many computers. And in high
school I got a job at fixing computers –
Oscar: Because he was good at it.
Eduardo: So I basically got into
programming and then I saw my brother
playing with electronics and I said to myself,
‘Why not?’ So I also got into electronics.
I decided computer systems was the best
mix between software and hardware.
It runs in the family to fix things –
Oscar: – and to break things.
Eduardo: And like my brother said,
I don’t see myself doing anything else.
Rafael: My grandfather was
always showing us electronic things
and interesting stuff like space.
Eduardo: He is a thinker.
Rafael: So we got an interest because
we grew up being exposed to all these
things. People used to bring us broken
computers and we would open them and
be like, ‘What’s inside? Oh, what’s this?’
Oscar: In Year 9 and 10, I was a really
bad student. I was getting really low marks,
but in Year 11 I decided I wanted to do
computer engineering. I started to study a
lot and I got a really good ATAR in year 12.
So I made it here, and I’m really enjoying it.
Eduardo: Yes, he is better than both of us.
Rafael: I chose UTS because I liked
the practical and internship part. And
it’s close to Central Station. We also had
a guy come to our school to talk to us
about engineering. I guess not many
people have brothers who have the same
interests. You could say they copied me.
Rafael: He is very good at the practical
side. He does all the circuits and all that,
but he struggled a bit with the maths.
Because you need complex numbers –
a bit of advanced maths with the subject
– so I gave him a hand. But he’s really
doing well by himself. I kind of just gave
him the heads up of what’s to come
and he got ready for it. And he’s very
smart, so he can improvise anything.
Rafael: We never see each other on
campus because, you know, when Eduardo is
free, I’m busy or when I’m free, Oscar is busy.
Eduardo: When they need help with
programming, I help them. And if someone
needs help with electronics, then Oscar
helps out. And Rafael helps with maths.
Eduardo: I didn’t decide to come to
UTS because Rafael was here – I had
already decided I wanted to come here.
Oscar: Eduardo and I did our
Introduction to Electrical Engineering
class together, though.
Rafael: I also did that subject
when I was in first year. We all share
electrical and a bit of programming.
Oscar is very good at electrical.
Oscar: We share and we trade knowledge.
Rafael: Yeah, we rotate. ‘What do
you have for me?’ And, ‘What do you
have for me?’ We help each other out.
Oscar: Between us we have the perfect
team to build a robot. Eduardo can program
it, Rafael can make the things that move,
and I can make the electronic parts. We
haven’t made any projects together so far,
but we were thinking we have to make
something, because it’s the perfect team.
Eduardo: At the moment I’m not
sure what I’ll do at the end of my
degree. I will definitely try to land a job
at IBM or wherever I can. If I can’t, I’m
probably going to look overseas. I think
I would like to work for an international
company, where I have more options.
Rafael: For me, I guess I’ll look at
energy companies or mining. At SAACKE,
where I work now, we use the control
systems from Siemens, so I know
their products and the company and
a few people from that company.
Oscar: I think I want to join the navy
or the airforce – to work on aircraft or
submarines as an electrical engineer.
Rafael: When I was in second year, one
of our lecturers told us that we should be
very proud to be engineers. I really felt
that. I thought, ‘Now I need to graduate
and become an engineer.’ Engineers do a
lot of good things for people. They make
electricity and try to improve things and
make them safe or more reliable or efficient.
Oscar: Cheaper, more accessible for people.
Eduardo: Engineers are an
important part of society.
Rafael: I guess we’re doing our part for
society. I feel proud to be an engineering
student. It’s a rewarding experience. I can
tell people I’m an engineer and they’re like,
‘Oh, great.’ It’s a very good achievement.
Rachael Quigley
Marketing and Communication Unit
Julia Stepowska
Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Photographer: Joanne Saad
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|16|
|17|
Linnea Wastberg
STUDENT PROFILE
READ IT
UTS IN PRINT
FASS
INTERNATIONAL
SSU
ONLY THE ANIMALS
BY: CERIDWEN DOVEY
PUBLISHER:
PENGUIN BOOKS
AUSTRALIA
THE
UNDESIRABLES:
INSIDE NAURU
BY: MARK ISAACS
PUBLISHER:
HARDIE GRANT
BOOK
MAKING A
DIFFERENCE
Linnea Wastberg leads life at a dizzying
pace. In addition to her full-time studies,
the Bachelor of Arts in Communication
(Social Inquiry) student works part-time
in disability support, interns with
the City of Sydney and fits in some
occasional nannying.
She’s also involved in a raft of programs on
campus, including the Peer Network where
she welcomes new students and helps them
find their way at UTS during Orientation.
It was this experience that stimulated her
interest in other extracurricular programs.
“The Peer Network opened my eyes to how
many different things you can do at UTS.
All the people I met there were involved in
so many things, it’s insane. It’s just such a
vibrant program, they got me going, ‘Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah!’ And I wanted to do more.”
Wastberg is now an active member of BUiLD
(Beyond UTS International Leadership
Development) and volunteers as a student
mentor to help international students
practise their conversational English skills
through HELPS (Higher Education Language
and Presentation Support).
As an international student from Sweden,
Wastberg was recommended for a
student representative position on UTS’s
International Student Liaison Committee
by one of her first semester lecturers.
Meeting twice a semester, the committee
gives students a chance to discuss issues,
voice concerns and explore ways of
improving the international student
experience at UTS in collaboration with
UTS International staff and the Deputy
Vice-Chancellor (International and
Advancement).
“One of the problems for international
students is the lack of internships or work
opportunities. Quite often the internships
offered by the bigger firms are targeted for
Australian citizens or permanent residents.”
The City of Sydney international student
internship program is providing muchneeded professional opportunities as part of
its broader strategy to engage and support
international students.
In her role with the council, Wastberg has
contributed to their international education
action plan, which addresses questions such
as: “How do we attract more international
students? How do we make them feel
comfortable and safe? How do we help them
enjoy their time in Sydney?”
Despite the demands on her time, Wastberg
radiates calmness and composure. Having
just completed the UTS Accomplish Award –
a year-long skills development program run
by the Careers Service – she is already on
the lookout for new ways to contribute.
“I’ve been in contact with the International
Student Collective, in the Students’
Association. Now that I have a bit more
time, I’m hoping to be more engaged
with that.
“I think while you’re studying, it’s such a
great opportunity to get involved in things.”
Wastberg is now in the final year of her
studies, and has no immediate plans to
return to Sweden.
“When I finish my degree, I can get a two
year post-study work visa in Australia, so
I’ll probably pick up on that. It would be a
waste if I don’t take it – it’s an opportunity
I’m never going to be given again.”
She’d also like to see more of the world
and is keen to pursue an internship with
Amnesty International.
“I went to Vietnam with BUiLD earlier
in the year, and some of the organisations
we met there do such an amazing job
for disadvantaged youth and children.
That’s another area that I would really
like to get into.”
Rachael Quigley
Marketing and Communication Unit
Photographer: Shane Lo
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Comment on this article at
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newsroom.uts.edu.au/news/2014/11/making-a-difference
Asylum seekers are often the centre of
political debate, contentious front page
news and polarised public opinion in
Australia. Mark Isaacs’ The Undesirables:
Inside Nauru uncovers the reality of
life for asylum seekers, a story that has
been relatively untold. Isaacs shares his
experience working for the Salvation Army
in the Nauru Regional Processing Centre
from October 2012 to June 2013. His role
was to provide support and humanitarian
aid for the asylum seekers. Isaacs offers
an insight into daily life on Nauru and
the personal stories from the men
detained there. It’s a shocking eyewitness
account that exposes the centre’s brutal
conditions as well as the poor treatment
and emotional journey experienced by
the asylum seekers – from anger and
frustration, despair and desperation, to
the fleeting moments of joy and hope. As
Isaacs develops close friendships with
the men, his observations become further
intertwined with compassion towards the
plight of the asylum seekers. His compelling
personal account is relayed within the
context of policy decisions and international
law, providing transparency to the callous
actions and horrific conditions in Nauru.
It’s an emotional and thought-provoking
read, exposing the disturbing truth about
Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers.
“What does it mean to be human?” wrote
Boria Sax. “Perhaps only the animals can
know.” In this collection of 10 linked stories,
which takes its title from Sax’s quote,
Ceridwen Dovey follows a long literary
tradition of writers providing a voice to
the animals and exposing what it is to be
human. Ten wildly different animals caught
in human conflicts over the last century or
so tell us the story of their deaths – from a
camel camping out the back of Bourke with
Henry Lawson, to French writer Colette’s
cat caught in World War 1 trench warfare,
to the US Navy dolphin writing letters to
Sylvia Plath from the Gulf War. I must admit
I found the first stories tricky to read.
They are layered, and the animal souls
seem to have both human and animal
consciousness. The stories later in the
collection felt more successful to me, or
perhaps I became more comfortable with
Dovey’s writing style. In particular, the
stories within the story of the starving
bears trapped in the Sarajevo Zoo resonated
strongly as good myths do, and has stayed
with me long after I finished the book.
Joanna Leonard
Equity and Diversity Unit
Ceridwen Dovey is a former researcher with the Institute
for Sustainable Futures at UTS. Only the Animals is her
second novel. A haunting animation of selected passages
from the book can be viewed on YouTube.
Rachael Brown
UTS International
CRACKING THE SPINE:
TEN AUSTRALIAN SHORT
STORIES AND HOW THEY
WERE WRITTEN
EDITED BY: JULIE
CHEVALIER AND
BRONWYN MEHAN
PUBLISHER:
SPINELESS WONDERS
The short fiction form must hook the reader
quickly, make her smile with recognition
and move her in just a few pages. The
Cracking the Spine collection is filled with
stories that do all this in the first few
sentences. Each piece of fiction gives the
reader a peek into the small but rich worlds
of fully realised characters, who live on after
the narratives end. The stories on their own
crackle with life and originality, however,
the insightful accompanying essays have the
added effect of sparking a need to revisit
the text to mine the subtle details. The
essays give the reader a rare look into the
inner workings of the creative writer; the
literary context and personal experience
from which the stories emerge and the
haphazard, at times anxious, practice of
crafting colourful lies for living. The authors
explore influential literary traditions and
personal reflections, with the offbeat selfawareness and kooky charm of thoughtful
writers – demonstrating that process of
inspiration and writing is as diverse as the
stories compiled within the volume. A great
read for fellow writers and all lovers of a
good yarn.
Aziza Green
Marketing and Communication Unit
Julie Chevalier and Bronwyn Mehan are both graduates
of the UTS writing program. Chevalier is a poet and short
story writer who also teaches writing workshops, mentors
and edits. Mehan is a writer and freelance editor, and runs
the publishing company Spineless Wonders.
Mark Isaacs is a UTS Bachelor of Arts in Communication
(Writing and Cultural Studies) / Bachelor of International
Studies (Latin America) graduate. His comedy The Dark of
the Matinee was performed at the 2006 Short and Sweet
Ten Minute Play Festival. He has also worked for Oxfam as
a content writer and for their 3 Things youth movement.
U:BOOKWORMS
During November, the Co-op on Broadway is offering Co-op members
a 20 per cent discount on the three books reviewed in this issue.
Mention U: magazine when you purchase any of these books instore.
|18|
|19|
Danielle McCartney
FEATURED EVENT
ART & U
WHAT’S ON
FEIT
PMO
NOVEMBER
& DECEMBER
Email your events for March to
[email protected] by Monday 9 February.
SHOWCASING
SUSTAINABILITY
When the UTS Sustainability team
organised public tours of the new
Faculty of Engineering and Information
Technology Building as part of World
Green Building Week in September,
the sessions proved so popular they
decided to offer tours on an ongoing
monthly basis.
Promoted through the Green Building Council
of Australia (GBCA) as part of a weeklong
nationwide program of green building visits,
the initial tours of Building 11 attracted a
primarily industry audience.
“We originally thought we’d get maybe 10
to 15 people per time slot and we ended up
getting double,” says Sustainability Manager
with the Program Management Office
Danielle McCartney. “They were mainly
in the building industry – consultants,
architects, engineers with a professional
interest in sustainability.
“There were some UTS staff on those tours
as well, and we got some really positive
feedback.” As a result, the team decided to
offer ongoing tours focusing on UTS staff.
Among the highlights of the tours are the
Australian-first urine diversion technology
from the Institute for Sustainable Futures,
which recovers urine from toilets in
the building for treatment and reuse as
agricultural fertiliser; the rooftop microgrid
for renewable technology (viewed via
webcam); and the building’s indoor air
quality monitoring.
“There are 2000 meters and sensors, some
of which monitor the indoor environment
– carbon dioxide levels and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs),” explains McCartney.
“That’s the off-gassing from new furniture
and flooring – similar to that new car smell,
which is actually really bad for you.”
Since the materials, paints and flooring
selected for the building have low or no
VOCs, McCartney says the sensors shouldn’t
be picking up much in that respect. “But
they also control the airflow through the
building. So if the system detects high
carbon dioxide levels, it will automatically
flush more fresh air through.”
In addition to the sustainability features of
the building, the tours provide a chance to
explore the new collaborative classrooms
and a space McCartney says is “one of the
best on campus”: the Dean’s Winter Garden
on level 12.
The indoor garden serves as a meeting
room, and includes an L-shaped green
wall and rows of potted plants almost two
metres tall.
“It’s beautiful. It looks down through the
binary screen, through the glazing, straight
down to Alumni Green. And all of that
greenery is watered by recycled water from
from the rainwater tanks on the roof.”
McCartney says targeting Green Star
certification from the GBCA has been an
asset in ensuring the three new buildings
01-30
EXHIBITION
As part of The Powerhouse Museum’s Recollect
series in November, hundreds of pairs of shoes from
their world-renowned collection will be on public
display – from designer heels to 500 year-old boots.
MELBOURNE CUP
Soak up the sun and enjoy a decadent lunch
while watching the race that stops the nation at
UTS Haberfield Club. Bonus fashions on the field,
lucky door prizes and a fashion show brought to
you by Rozzi Boutique.
“In major building projects like this, when
money gets tight the sustainability features
are usually the first things to go. The Green
Star scheme makes sure they’re kept in to
achieve the certification. So that’s a really
good outcome for UTS.”
“After working consistently on the buildings
for over three years through planning,
design and construction to make sure
our sustainability initiatives are followed
through, it’s really nice to be able to take
people around and point them out and have
that positive feedback,” says McCartney.
“It’s like the icing on the cake at the end
of the project.”
The next free one-hour tour of
Building 11 will take place at midday
on Tuesday 18 November. To book,
email [email protected]
Rachael Quigley
Marketing and Communication Unit
Image: Danielle McCartney in the Dean’s Winter Garden
Photographer: Joanne Saad
Comment on this article at
UTS:NEWSROOM
newsroom.uts.edu.au/news/2014/11/showcasingsustainability
For more than 25 years, Australian artist Robyn
Stacey has worked consistently on the edge
of photographic and digital media, bringing
into focus the relationships between photodocumentation, analysis and meaning.
For details:
powerhousemuseum.com/exhibitions
on campus deliver on their original
sustainability objectives.
When the Thomas Street and Dr Chau Chak
Wing buildings open, the team plan to offer
monthly tours in those locations too.
Robyn Stacey, Tulip 1998, Type C photograph
04
For details:
activateuts.com.au/haberfieldmelbournecup
Booking essential: 9797 9523
11
01
NOV
DEC
BUILDING TOURS
Take a behind-the-scenes look inside Building 11 with
free guided tours showcasing sustainability features.
Learn more about the major upgrades, ambitious
recycling targets and green roof and walls.
TALK, WORKSHOP, NETWORK
Bookings essential:
[email protected]
Water security is one of the fastest-growing social,
political and economic challenges faced today – and
it’s also the topic of the Powerhouse Museum’s
latest HotHouse event. Discover how we can tackle
the big problems through an action-packed evening
of speakers and audience participation covering the
topic of water. For or details and tickets:
powerhousemuseum.com/whatson/
hothouse.php
12
We are fortunate to have several of Stacey’s
works on campus from different stages of her
career, including Ice 1989, in 2SER. These early
works by Stacey are marked by an edgy film noir
quality, delving into popular culture through her
skilful use of digitally manipulated photography.
Increasingly however, her subject matter has
turned to the more formal arrangements
like those of still life paintings, often
reinterpreting scientific collections as
aesthetic objects, and investigating the
processes of collection and categorisation.
Tulip 1998 is one of a series of botanical
studies that signalled this shift. In 2000, Stacey
was artist-in-residence at the Royal Botanic
Gardens in Sydney. Fern Journals, on display
on the lower floor of the Blake Library on the
City campus, is part of a series of photographic
works produced during this project.
Two extraordinary publications – Herbarium
and Museum – feature Stacey’s photographic
arrangements of objects from the
collections of the Royal Botanical Society
and the Macleay Museum at the University
of Sydney. More recently House featured
items from the Historic Houses Trust.
For more news and highlights from the
UTS Art Collection, visit art.uts.edu.au
Janet Ollevou
UTS Art Collection
Art & U profiles a piece of work from
the UTS Art Collection every issue.
DISORDERED
PERCEPTIONS
This photo is part of a series
examining mental health
disorders. Arcifa uses
photographic elements to give
insight into the psychological
and behavioural aspects of
these conditions. This piece
provides a small, personal
window into Post-traumatic
Stress Disorder.
“I’m proud of this series as it
speaks for a good cause; to help
raise awareness of and support
for mental health in rural areas
where they are critically lacking.
“I find the composition of
this piece both striking
and confronting, with the
juxtaposition of child-like
innocence and darkness, which
may lead to some revelation
within the viewer.”
Photographer: Caleb Arcifa
Bachelor of Design in Integrated Product
Design / Bachelor of Creative Intelligence
and Innovation
UTS has done its bit for the environment by using
environmentally friendly paper and ink to produce U:
UTS CRICOS Provider Code: 00099F
ISSN No: 1833-4113