Issue 01. 10 March 2008 [PDF File, 1.4 MB] - UWA Staff

Transcription

UWA NEWS
10 March 2008 Volume 27 Number 1
Curry
is
good
for you
by Lindy Brophy
When you next eat a
curry, you could be
helping to protect
yourself from cancer.
Chances are the curry will contain the
Indian spice turmeric, the major
component of which, curcumin, has
been used in Eastern medicine for
thousands of years.
Curcumin shows anti-inflammatory,
anti-carcinogenic, anti-tumour and
anti-cancer capabilities. But it is rarely
used in Western medicine because of
its poor bioavailability, or poor
absorption rate.
Final-year undergraduate Green
Chemistry student Nigel Clifford said
that trials performed on rats found that
oral consumption of curcumin resulted
in 75 per cent of the drug being
excreted.
“This suggested that intestines absorb
curcumin poorly,” he said. “So I looked
for a way to overcome this hurdle.”
Nigel has been working on a delivery
method, in the Centre for Strategic
Nano-Fabrication, using mesoporous
silica particles to encapsulate curcumin
and ensure a controlled delivery.
He wrote a paper about his work and,
in the first month of its publication on
the Materials Chemistry journal
website, it was the most downloaded
publication.
Mesoporous silica capsules have
minute pores, meso being a nanometre
dimension. (Nano-particles are defined
as having a measurement of less than
100 nanometres, a metre being a billion
nanometres.)
“Generally, all drugs have side effects.
Above a certain concentration, they are
toxic, below a certain concentration
they are ineffective. With slow
controlled release, toxicity is
minimalised,” he said.
Deputy Director of the Centre for
Strategic Nano-Fabrication, Dr Iyer
Swaminathan, said combining the
curcumin with the mesoporous silica
enhanced its fluorescent properties, so
it would be ideal as a molecular tracker
and a drug carrier, as well as a
controlled drug release system.
The discipline of Green Chemistry, used
in the Centre, is always aimed at
reducing toxicity.
Professor Colin Raston, Director of the
Centre, said the ability to deliver
curcumin (which is known as a
nutraceutical) or other drugs with a slow
controlled release meant fewer side
effects for humans.
Indian people, who eat lots of turmeric, have
significantly lower rates of bowel and intestinal
cancer than Western people.
– Iyer Swaminathan
In this issue
“
“
Nigel Clifford keeps healthy with a turmeric-laden curry, watched
hungrily by Dr Iyer Swaminathan and Professor Colin Raston
P3 VINTAGE COMMUTING
P7 THE PLAY’S THE THING
“This controlled release is also a good
way to deliver very expensive drugs, so
that patients get the most benefit from
them and they are not excreted from
the body when only part of the drug is
absorbed,” Professor Raston said.
Dr Swaminathan said that Indian
people, who eat lots of turmeric, have
significantly lower rates of bowel and
intestinal cancer than Western people.
Nigel will complete his Green Chemistry
degree this semester. Last year he won
a State Government Science and
Innovation Studentship, giving him 10
weeks work over the summer with
green pharmaceutical company
iCeutica, which specialises in nanodelivery.
P10 a new bioimaging iniative
Quality
identifying
Denise Chalmers has
been the driving force
behind the Carrick
Institute’s awards and
fellowships program and
is currently the national
project leader for the
Institute’s Teaching
Quality Indicators (TQI)
project.
What better qualifications for the new
Director of UWA’s Centre for the
Advancement of Teaching and Learning
(CATL)?
Professor Chalmers settles into her
new role later this month and retains
her leadership of the TQI project.
“This is a coup for UWA,” said
Associate Professor Jane Long, Pro
Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and
Learning) and institutional leader of the
project.
“Professor Chalmers has a formidable
reputation in Australia and overseas.
She brings with her such broad
experience – it’s a very exciting
appointment.”
Originally from WA, Professor Chalmers
honed her skills in the higher education
sector at the University of Queensland,
before creating new opportunities,
through the Carrick Institute, for the
recognition of quality in teaching and
practice.
The then Department of Education,
Science and Training asked us what
indicators they should use, and we
couldn’t come up with them.
UWA is one of eight tertiary institutions
around the country which are part of a
pilot study for TQI, which A/Professor
Long describes as the biggest and
most significant project the Carrick
Institute is currently running.
“This project will lead to indicators on
which the sector agrees, generated
and road-tested by the sector,” she
said.
The Institute is a federally-funded body
that oversees the distribution of grants,
awards and fellowships for teaching
and learning.
“The TQI project’s aim is to identify and
develop robust indicators of teaching
quality in higher education that can be
used and applied sector-wide,
university-wide and within individual
universities,” A/Professor Long said.
“Until now, there has been no
consensus on the indicators of
teaching quality. For example, the
Learning and Teaching Performance
Fund (in which UWA did extremely well)
brought up concerns from us and
others in the sector about its indicators.
“Some groups had previously identified
graduate employment or student
retention as indicators of quality of
teaching, but they don’t work. The first
depends on the economic situation
among other variables, and the second
varies from faculty to faculty. Medicine,
for example has an extremely high
retention rate, while Arts is the
opposite, but that’s the nature of Arts
students.”
Jacqueline Flowers has been
seconded from the Faculty for
Architecture, Landscape and Visual
Arts, to the position of project officer.
In A/Professor Long’s words,the
project is “much needed, timely and
exciting.”
A/Professor Jane Long welcomes the new director of CATL, Professor Denise
Chalmers. They will assisted by Jacqueline Flowers (right) on the TQI project
2
UWA NEWS 10 March 2008
The University of Western Australiia
vintage
commuting
“Can you see a spot there?” David McPhee (left) and
Lance Maschmedt compare their old and much-loved cars
They refer to them as their ‘old
girls’, and, like faithful partners,
Lance Maschmedt’s and David
McPhee’s cars have been around
for more than 40 years.
Lance, the School of Physics senior teaching
technician, has owned his Chrysler Valiant VC Regal
for all of its 43 years. “It was the first and only car
I’ve ever bought and it has been the best purchase of
my life,” he said.
Lance bought the 1965 car at the age of 17 for
£1,995 and joined the University around the same
time. “It’s coming up to three times round the clock,
the first 78,000 in miles, the next 220,000 in
kilometres,” he said.
Physics colleague and fellow car enthusiast David
McPhee’s Ford Falcon XK is even older. It’s a 1962
model but David bought it just ten years ago, the third
XK that he’s restored. It took him two years to return it
to its original glory. “A 1960 XK sold at auction recently
for $28,000, which makes me pretty pleased,” said the
cryogenic technician.
David is a fitter and turner by profession and his
restoration of old Fords has been a labour of love. “But
this is the last one I’ll do. It’s becoming too expensive,”
he said.
Both cars have retro plates, sporting their original
licence numbers and both owners have fitted seat belts
even though, by law, they didn’t have to in cars this old.
While Lance drives his Regal to the campus every day,
David brings his XK only on Fridays. He cycles, or drives
the four-year-old family Falcon, on other days.
The ‘old girls’ are the sort of cars you associate with the
1960s entertainments of the drive-in movies and the
Speedway on Friday night.
“I used to go to the Speedway with three mates, all who
were about my height (more than two metres),” said
Lance. “The boot is so big that three of us could pile in
there, just leaving the driver to pay for one person!”
David said he and his family still go to Perth’s last
remaining drive-in, in Kingsley, together with other
members of the Ace Ford Club.
Both cars were made in Australia when petrol was in
cheap and plentiful supply. They use between 16 and 18
litres for every hundred kilometres or just 18 or 19 miles
to the gallon. Despite this, Lance has driven his car all
over the state.
“I’ve driven to Port Hedland, Esperance, Kalgoorlie and
even took it on my honeymoon.” he smiled.
3
Retreating to
advance our
connections
to the world
Memories The use of the word ‘retreat’ to describe a gathering of UWA staff to
discuss how to take the University forward might raise a smile in
some quarters. But the senior management retreat held annually at
the beginning of each year is taken very seriously by all involved.
It’s where we consider many of the important issues surrounding how we plan to take
the University forward in the year ahead both at strategic and operational levels.
At the University Club last month, some 200 senior academic and professional staff
gathered over two days to consider the theme Connecting to the World. It is a topic
which lays out many challenges.
It is becoming increasing clear that our mission as a research-intensive university —
and our ambition to be within the top 50 universities in the world within 50 years — is
a very expensive one, particularly at our current size. Our success will depend on our
ability to attract funding in an increasingly competitive environment, and on our
strategies to respond to the many external forces which shape and drive national and
international economies.
This is perhaps the overriding issue facing this University and the higher education
sector more generally.
Our capacity to develop and improve our position in teaching and research — and
equally importantly to grow at international standards of excellence — fundamentally
relies on our ability to increase our budget to support our mission.
This is a situation which those at the retreat agreed would require us all to consider
innovative, effective, efficient and timely ways of developing our capacity to meet the
demands of our State and our students.
Following the retreat, these were issues which were again brought into sharp focus
as we welcomed more than 3,000 commencing students — including many of the
State’s brightest minds — into the University. We are all charged with the challenge of
ensuring these students leave the University with the skills, knowledge and capacity
to indeed connect with the world.
Looking forward into 2008, there are two other significant issues. First is the major
review of course structures and the challenges and opportunities it presents; and the
second, our engagement with the new Federal Government and its commitment to
an ‘education revolution’.
The course structures review, which has been the subject of wide consultation for
many months now, has provided the basis for considering significant change to
ensure that in every field of study the quality of education provided by this University
will meet international standards of excellence.
Rosie attends a day centre
for Indigenous people with
intellectual disabilities
where she spends a lot of
time painting, particularly
birds, which she loves. The
film-making team took her
to a bird sanctuary near
her home in Armadale and
filmed her with the birds,
at home and at the day
centre. They captured her
sense of humour, her love
of birds and her
wonderfully gravelly
singing voice.
On the national scene, we have a rare and valuable opportunity right now to work
with a new Government which campaigned strongly on education and made a
commitment to redressing policy shortcomings of the past.
Along with other members of the Executive, I will be using a range of public and
private opportunities to highlight the need for increased funding per student to
reverse disturbing increases in student to staff ratios; the need to increase
considerably the infrastructure support for research to match the increases in
competitive research grants; and to address issues relating to financial support for
students.
Alan Robson Vice-Chancellor
4
that make a difference
Communications students Breanne Wood, Kate Fogarty
and Katherine Mills with the star of their film, Rosie.
Final year Arts students and a dozen people
with disabilities have made a big difference to
each other’s lives.
Through a project called Living Memories, the Arts
(Communications) students have made short films about
Perth people with disabilities, in collaboration with the
Disabilities Services Commission (DSC).
The project is now its third year, co-ordinated by the
faculty’s student projects manager Leitha Delves and DSC
(accommodation) local area manager, Kerry Peterkin.
The final year students are given the option of making a film
about anything they choose or one about a person with
intellectual disabilities. About a third of the students last
year chose the latter option, working with ‘stars’ chosen by
Ms Peterkin.
Eight films were made last year, five the year before. Each
one concentrates on an individual and some aspect of his
or her life. The students have to negotiate the ethical
representation of their subjects. They learn from DSC staff
how to do it, how to behave around people with disabilties,
how to communicate with them.
The project culminates in a screening night in November
each year, when the students, the stars of the films, the
families of both, and University and DSC staff watch the
films together. Last year, the mother of one of the students
thanked Kerry Peterkin for the opportunity for her daughter
to interact with people with disabilities, something she had
never done before and something that had enriched her
life.
“A Malaysian student from the 2006 project told me she
had seen people with disabilities living on the streets of her
home town. After being involved with Living Memories, she
was inspired to go back home and work with these people
to improve their lives,” Ms Peterkin said.
Everybody involved agreed that both parties
enriched each other’s lives.
“The people featured in the films live in group
accommodation,” said Leitha Delves. “These films are a
chance for them to stand out as individuals, to feel
worthwhile and important. It is also a great opportunity for
the students to become involved with a group they may
never have encountered otherwise.
“It is wonderful to see them all greet each other at
the presentation night with such affection.”
Ms Peterkin said the films were exactly what the project
name implied, living memories for people whose carers
come and go, whose housemates might do the same, and
whose communication skills might not be good enough to
tell other people about their lives.
5
Winthrop Hall
re - organ-ised
Winthrop Hall’s crowning glory, the McGillivray
organ, is being reinstalled and will be ready for
graduation ceremonies later this month.
The organ has been in New Zealand for nearly10 months,
being repaired by the South Island Organ Company.
It is taking twice as long to reassemble the organ’s 3,000
pipes and 13 kilometres of wiring as it took to take it apart.
The $600,000 repair bill is minimal, compared with the cost of
replacement, estimated to be about $3 million.
The organ was part of a major bequest from Dr William Sim
McGillivray. It was built in England in 1965 and cost the
University £25,000.
Project manager Kevin Hamersley, the Manager of University
Theatres, said the organ had not had any major maintenance
in more than 40 years. “There are a lot of moving parts and
many of them are organic, made of leather or wood, so
natural ageing meant they were worn and needing replacing,”
he said.
While the organ was away, the rose window was cleaned and
some secret paintings, by George Benson, the artist who
decorated the ceiling of Winthrop Hall in 1931, were
rediscovered.
Streamlining research grant processes
When you ask some academics
what the main focus of their
work is, they reply “writing
grant applications”.
will be able to access information on
the various stages of the approval
process, so they know what’s going on,
instead of just waiting to be told.
This often tedious, time-consuming but
necessary side of a research career is
about to get quicker and easier.
“The one system will manage the grant
application process, reporting and
accountability and compliance with
approvals for ethics and biosafety,” he
said.
The University is implementing its fourth
major corporate system, the electronic
Research Management (eRM) project,
which will bring together all aspects of
research management and funding,
which is worth, at UWA, about $140
million.
(The other three are Calista, for student
records, PeopleSoft for the financial
sector, and Alesco for human
resources.)
Dr Campbell Thomson, Director of
Research Services, said the new
system would streamline both the
application process for researchers and
reporting back, with automatic
reminders to research staff when a
report is due.
“It makes it more transparent for
researchers,” Dr Thomson said. “They
6
“Our current system, Research Master
is just not adequate for our needs. With
the new system, you will be able to get
all the information about a research
grant in one place. For example, you
will know who is doing the research,
when, where and with whom; the
funding source, what animals are being
used, the reporting schedule and
anything else that is relevant.
“We have a team of 15 full-time staff to
implement it, much the same as the
implementation process for Calista,” he
said. The team is made up of new
employees, some seconded from
Research Services and some from ITS.
IT consultant Bruce Kirkby has come
out of retirement to be the functional
lead for the project.
“We have called for people interested in
making up a stakeholder reference
group, once again, as was done with
Calista. This group will be a sounding
board for ideas on how to use the
product and will communicate with the
rest of the University community.”
“With the current system, Research
Services staff had to interrogate several
different systems to get the whole
picture.”
The new system is being supplied by
InfoEd, a US-based company, who
have 100 eRM clients in the US,
including Stanford University, and five in
Australia, the other four in New South
Wales universities and research
institutes.
Dr Thomson said it had taken 18
months to choose and procure the
system and it would take three years
for implementation.
For more information contact Daniel
Mather, Change and Communication
Manager, 6488 7593 or [email protected]
The play’s
the thing
The audience used to be on the other
side of the footlights last century
“
“
At the opening night back in 1948, film legends
Sir Laurence Olivier and his wife Vivien Leigh were
in the audience …
“Well, here we all are again,”
said Professor Geoffrey Bolton,
and 200 people were
transported back to the opening
night of the first play performed
in the Sunken Garden – 60 years
ago.
They gathered in an atmosphere of
excitement and nostalgia to celebrate
what Professor Bolton called “the
glorious days of the University Dramatic
Society.”
“From where I stand, it looks like a
splendid rehearsal for The
Resurrection,” he said, looking at the
grey heads and unsteady gaits of many
of the guests.
After Professor Bolton’s Shakespearianstyle prologue, Perth actress Faith
Accolades across faculties
Dean of Medicine and Dentistry Professor Ian Puddey has been awarded a
Heart Foundation President’s Award for his research into cardiovascular risk
factors and prevention of coronary artery disease and stroke.
Heart Foundation Chief Executive Maurice Swanson said Professor Puddey’s
work on cardiovascular disease – which claims a life every 10 minutes in
Australia – was tremendous.
“This award recognises Professor Puddey’s important contribution to
underpinning public health recommendations for changes in lifestyle that
reduce risk of cardiovascular disease,” he said.
Also achieving academic excellence by invitation to become a Fellow of the
Australian Academy of the Humanities is Professor Gareth Griffiths from the
School of English, Communication and Cultural Studies.
Professor Griffiths’ research includes African literature in English, mission texts
and religion in postcolonial societies.
Faith Clayton relives that night
60 years ago, as Jocasta
Clayton, who starred as Jocasta in that
first production, Oedipus Rex,
appeared on the stage in full flight, with
a passionate rendition of one of
Jocasta’s speeches.
She was followed by theatre doyenne
and publisher Katherine Brisbane (who
had come from Sydney for the reunion),
with a Puckish epilogue from Joan
Pope, whose children’s productions
delighted so many in the Sunken
Garden for many years.
At the opening night back in 1948, film
legends Sir Laurence Olivier and his
wife Vivien Leigh were in the audience
and were so impressed with the UDS
production that they urged further
development of theatre on campus.
It was probably due more to a talented
and enthusiastic bunch of pre-television
students and supportive staff rather
than the urging of these big stars, that
theatre flourished at UWA.
A history of theatre on campus is now
being compiled by Joan Pope and
former head of the English department,
Bill Dunstone and their research team.
7
measuring
University benefactors Brettney
and Annie Fogarty have extended
their passion for learning to the
Faculty of Education.
Since 2004, they have been awarding the University’s
most generous undergraduate scholarships to several
bright school leavers each year. Last year they lent their
support to scholarships for practising teachers.
These scholarships, which will be awarded to at least five
teachers annually, will help them to study for a Graduate
Diploma in Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation.
The first 10 scholarships (five full and five half) were
announced at the third international conference on
measurement in health, education, psychology and
marketing, hosted by the Faculty of Education. The
Fogartys also funded a $500 prize for the best student
paper presented at the conference.
The Faculty’s Chapple Chair in Education, Professor
David Andrich, is the world’s foremost exponent of the
Rasch model of measurement and all its aspects. He has
applied the model to a wide range of contexts including
education, psychology, medical and allied health fields,
sociology, environmental science and linguistics.
He co-supervised PhD candidate, Annette Mercer, a
senior lecturer in the education centre in the Faculty of
Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, whose PhD
used the Rasch model of measurement to
demonstrate the consistency and precision of
the ratings derived from the structured
interviews of prospective medical and dental
students. Her paper detailed this part of her
research.
Dr Mercer (who has recently completed her PhD)
was the inaugural winner of the Fogarty award for the
best student paper.
Part of her job in the medical faculty is designing and
assessing the interview for prospective students, where,
she says, consistency and precision of interview is
critical.
Her other supervisor was Dr Irene Styles, an adjunct
Associate Professor in the Graduate School of
Education, whose areas of expertise include educational
psychology and the use of mixed methodologies,
including the application of the Rasch measurement
model.
Assessment, evaluation and measurement in education
is about more than simply marking exams and
assignments. Feedback from some of the teachers who
studied for their graduate diploma in the field last year
shows the scope of the subject: a secondary teacher
developed a science test that better discriminated
between academically able students.
Another teacher, who found that her students had a
range of avoidance techniques when it came to test
taking, developed an assessment that was engaging and
almost playful but which provided good information of
students’ ability.
Dr Annette Mercer (centre) is congratulated by her
supervisors, Dr Irene Styles and Professor David Andrich
8
Rebecca Joel (right) saved the life of Maksim Cuk (front). She is congratulated by
Maksim’s mother Daliborka, his brother Nikolas and St John Ambulance paramedics
Darryl Payne and Paul Gaughan
(Photo: Nathan Archer Photography)
Rebecca to the rescue
“
I could hear
the voice of my
First Aid
teacher saying:
‘Just do
something
– anything is
better than
“
nothing.’
When Rebecca Joel heard her
neighbour’s screams for help,
her instincts as a First Aid
officer kicked in.
An ambulance arrived about five
minutes later and Maksim was taken to
hospital where he was on life support
and in a critical condition for two days.
She raced across the road to find the
lifeless body of three-year-old Maksim
Cuk who had fallen into the family’s
swimming pool and had been under
the water for about five minutes.
But he began responding to treatment
and, within two weeks, he was back
home again, healthy and happy.
Rebecca, a UWA library officer on
secondment to the Safety and Health
Office, learnt Cardio Pulmonary
Resuscitation (CPR) techniques
through St John Ambulance in her role
as a UWA First Aid Officer, but had
never used them before.
“But it came naturally to me. I just knew
what to do, even though I was nervous
and shaking. I was using two hands
over his heart (to stop my shaking),
then suddenly I remembered it should
be just one hand for a child and I was
worried that I would break his ribs. But
better to be alive with broken ribs than
dead,” she said.
(St John Ambulance have since revised
their techniques, and two hands are
recommended for all cardio
resuscitation, except on babies.)
“It seemed a lot longer than five
minutes that I was tyring to resuscitate
Maksim,” said Rebecca. “I could hear
the voice of my First Aid teacher
saying: ‘Just do something – anything
is better than nothing.’ I could also hear
the desperation in Maksim’s mother’s
voice and, as a mother of two myself, I
knew how she must be feeling.”
Rebecca was honoured with a special
award for courage from St John
Ambulance.
“You never know when you might need
to administer CPR. It’s such a good skill
to have. I think it’s great that Gaye
McMath (Executive Director Finance
and Resources) is encouraging all her
staff to take a basic resuscitation
course,” Rebecca said.
The course is being offered free of
charge and within working hours to all
Finance and Resources staff.
9
Bringing the best
diagnostic tools
from the
laboratory to
the bedside
A new bioimaging initiative will take
diagnostic medicine beyond MRI and
bring together medical researchers,
engineers, physicists, computer
experts and even animal biologists.
Professor David Sampson, from the School of Electrical,
Electronic and Computer Engineering, is the director of this
UWA initiative. All his work has been in imaging – in
microscopy and especially in translating microscopy
techniques into clinical medicine. Nearly 10 years ago, his
group, the Optical + Biomedical Engineering Laboratory
(OBEL), was working on using a light probe to detect skin
cancers and he has progressed from there.
Professor Sampson has a plan to create a superstructure
within the University to share bioimaging expertise across
faculties.
As part of his new responsibilities, Professor Sampson is also
the director of the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and
Analysis (CMCA) for the next five years.
Bioimaging is the hub at the centre of a wheel — the spokes
reach out in many directions, from physicists and engineers
who design and develop the equipment for use by medical
scientists, to providing the image manipulation tools that are
becoming so dominant. No one group has expertise across
the entire field.
He has a vision of collaboration that will successfully broaden
and deepen bioimaging, including translating laboratory
research to clinical application.
“The notion of translational bioimaging research is quite unique
to UWA. There is very little of it going on elsewhere in the
country,” Professor Sampson said.
“Until recently, the CMCA has had a history of working more in
the physical sciences, but this has begun to change with the
imaging facility at QEII joining the CMCA. I want to further
expand the horizons and bring in the life and medical sciences
much more. With microscopy, you can get incredible
specificity in the lab and I would like to apply the same
techniques to small animals and to the human body.
“I not only want to put the world’s best commercially available
bioimaging research tools in people’s hands, I want to give
them access to unique tools that no one else in the world has
— homegrown.
Neuronal Dentrites Neuronal dentritic processes (shown
in green) from a retinal explant growing over astrocytes (red)
with cell nuclei shown in blue.
Samples prepared by: Lindy Fitzgerald and Lauren Evill, EaRN
Imaged by Paul Rigby, CMCA
10
“A lot of these tools will use light - it doesn’t penetrate very deeply
but 85 per cent of cancers are epithelial, that is, they occur on
the surface of organs. But we’re not wedded to one technology
— we expect to be providing imaging facilities, at least for small
animal studies, using MRI, X-rays, and PET,” he said.
He sees a reinvigorated collaboration with the microscopy
centres and medical researchers distributed widely across the
campus. “The centre of gravity of the CMCA is in the physical
sciences precinct — and there is a presence in the QEII
“
This initiative is all
about taking excellent
people and, by linking
them, adding
superlative value.
Professor David Sampson
“
Former director of the CMCA, Craig Atkins, hands
over the reins to David Sampson
My model to do this efficiently is to set up a virtual centre, that
links together our expertise distributed across the campus,
including the hospital sites, and Shenton Park.
“A good example is how to manage data and how to
manipulate images – these are needs common to most
imaging. I’m hoping that the WA Supercomputer Program
(WASP) will come on board. At the international microscopy
forum I organised last year, we saw a movie that took us on a
virtual flight through a cell. It was like watching The Matrix. We
want to be doing that here – taking excellent data and using
computer capabilities to take publishing up a notch. I want to
take it to the next level with the help of people like Karen
Haines (Director) and Paul Bourke (senior research fellow in
visualisation) in WASP.
“And then there are the engineers who build the equipment.
You need strong mechanical design, which electronic engineers
don’t have but mechanical engineers do. And you also need the
electronic engineers for the imaging components. These are the
people who can make unique tools.
precinct — we would really like to see a presence in the life
sciences precinct too, for example linking to Cell Central.
“This initiative is all about taking excellent people and, by
linking them, adding superlative value.
“A really important part of the initiative I’d like to see move
ahead soon is small animal imaging facilities,” Professor
Sampson said. “A lot of people want them and we want to
help put them in place, and then make sure they are
sustained.
“I want to achieve a framework in which all these people can
meet in a structured way and delocalise everything so experts
in different fields feel comfortable interacting with each other.”
“A big issue with modern infrastructure is running it sustainably
— it costs a lot to acquire, but it usually costs more to run.
Professor Sampson said to realise his vision was a daunting
prospect. “It’s very challenging but the potential benefits are
huge. Bioimaging could be a great example of how
cooperative research will be done in the future.”
Blood vessels in the pancreas imaged using
3-dimensional confocal microscopy and displayed
using projection (left) and surface rendering (right)
techniques.
Skeletal muscle fibres from a transgenic mouse model
of muscle disease showing irregular expression and location
of actin which has been localised using green fluorescent
protein.
Samples prepared and imaged by: Ruth Ganss, WAIMR
Samples prepared and imaged by: Kristen Nowak and Gina Ravenscroft, WAIM
11
Eva wins twice with CareerHub
Looking for work through CareerHub paid off for
commerce student Eva Wong who not only found
summer vacation work but walked away from the
site survey with a brand new iPod in hand.
Eager to complement her 2nd year studies in accounting and
finance in a ‘hands-on’ work environment over the summer
break, Eva began using CareerHub last year to access its 120
vacation jobs and workshops advertised by employers across
a broad range of industries.
“CareerHub is specifically for students whereas other general
job vacancy sites mostly have jobs where they want applicants
to have had previous experience,” she said.
With a resume builder and sample cover letters on the site to
help her, Eva successfully secured herself a six-week
placement at Subiaco accounting firm BDO Kendalls. She also
joined 4,000 other students in a website survey, offering
valuable feedback on how to further develop the site to suit
student needs, and was lucky to win an iPod for her time.
Careers Centre (Student Services) Careers Adviser Susy
Vaughan said the survey revealed that respondents registered
with CareerHub primarily for job vacancies they would
otherwise not been made aware of.
Susy Vaughan presents Eva Wong
with her iPod
Prize
winning
plan
UWA’s Sports Park Master Plan has
won a planning award for the town
planning and urban design firm that
developed it, Chappell Lambert
Everett.
The AK Reserve/UWA Sports Park received
a commendation at the Planning Institute of
Western Australia.
The master plan deals with a complex site
that includes a diverse mix of stakeholders
including UWA, State Government
agencies, private schools,
environmentalists, the community and a
range of sporting bodies and providers.
It also has a range of requirements, from
protecting the environment to improving
transport access, provision of on-site
parking for major sports events and
allowing for integrated use of the sports
facilities.
It is expected the development will take
about a decade to complete.
12
Seeds of
the future
Promising new varieties of
staple crops such as rice,
maize, sweet potato, peanuts
and cassava will result in
dramatic yield increases in
Timor Leste (East Timor).
Adjunct Professor Harry Nesbitt,
Australian Program Coordinator of the
national Seeds of Life program,
reported this research to Timor Leste’s
Foreign Affairs Minister and
Ambassador when they visited the
Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean
Agriculture (CLIMA) last month.
CLIMA manages the Seeds of Life
program that is increasing yields and
conducting field trials on local farms.
The program also trains East Timorese
agricultural scientists. Dr Nesbitt said
that yield increases of up to 50 per cent
Dr Harry Nesbitt explains his research to Elizabeth de Silva,
Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa and Marcal Guzmao
had already been recorded simply by
changing the variety of seeds used
(without using any fertiliser).
The Foreign Minister, Mr Zacarias
Albano Da Costa and the Ambassador,
Dr Hernani Filomena Coelho da Silva,
met UWA Timorese students, including
agricultural scientist Marcal Gusmao,
who heads the Agronomy Department
of the National University of Timor Leste
and is studying for his PhD at UWA.
From Jesuits to Bollywood
an ocean of culture
The 16th century explorers created a grand and
romantic mystique around the Indian Ocean.
language and literature with a specific research focus on
multi-ethnic island cultures in the Indian Ocean.
Now, 400 years later, a three-day workshop on cultural
exchanges in the Indian Ocean has taken a step toward
reinstituting the grandeur of the region.
“Many people don’t know that there is a group of
interested researchers and postgraduate students working
around Indian Ocean issues here at UWA,” she said. There
are major Indian Ocean research centres in South African,
Dutch, Indian and Sydney universities and these people,
along with other international historians, anthropologists,
scientists, economists, geographers and academics in
literature and cultural studies attended the workshop in
February.
Srilata Ravi, the discipline chair in European Languages
and Studies, co-organised the workshop, Oceans of
Stories: Intercoloniality, networks and cultural exchange
around the Indian Ocean with the University of Technology,
Sydney, to raise the profile of work being done by her and
other interstate and international academics on the culture
of the region, including health, religion and diasporic
movements of peoples in the Indian Ocean.
“We tried to conceptualise what was specific about the
Indian Ocean,” Dr Ravi explained. “Its stories are very
different from that of the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific
Ocean. The Indian Ocean is an ocean of stories about
movements of people, objects, faiths, ideas and diseases
across waters. Workshop presentations revealed
fascinating narratives relating circuits of Jesuit conversions
in the sixteenth century, stories of textile trade between
India and Indonesia in the eighteenth century, tales of
African soldiers in the Dutch East Indies in the nineteenth
century, influence of Bollywood motifs on island cultures in
the 21st century as well as many others.”
“UWA is attracting more students from India to come here
and study. There is also an increase in the number of
Mauritian students on campus. It will encourage them to
know there is an academic forum here to talk about Indian
and Indian Ocean cultures.”
The French influence in the region is where Dr Ravi entered
the Indian Ocean conversation, being a teacher of French
13
Statistics not dull with this expert
It presented advanced statistical
methods to approach these problems,
including the study of multi-scale
spatial patterns displayed by natural or
man-threatened communities.
Professor Legendre will present a free
public lecture tonight (Monday March
10) on his exploration of hydrothermal
vents on the mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Professor Legendre explains some of his
statistical methods to postgraduate students
Why was eminent ecologist
Professor Pierre Legendre
discussing the trend in Body
Mass Index of Miss America
Pageant winners between 1922
and 1999?
It was a surprising time to walk into his
five-day workshop on Recent Advances
in Spatial Ecology, and see a graph of
women’s body weights on the screen.
But the 2008 Gledden Visiting Senior
Fellow from the University of Montreal
says he often uses data from areas
vastly different from aquatic ecology, to
emphasise how to assess, analyse and
use statistics.
“I use the Miss America example to
show that you should never extrapolate
from a regression model like this using
the linear data only. If you did, in this
instance, we would expect the pageant
winner of 2050 to have a BMI of zero!”
Professor Legendre said his most
popular lecture was on a paper he
prepared comparing malt scotch
whiskeys, to demonstrate a particular
statistical method. His audience learns
not only a new method but is usually
very interested in the results.
The workshop, hosted by Dr Ana
Ghadouani from Aquatic Ecology and
Ecosystems Studies in the School of
Environmental Systems Engineering,
attracted researchers and graduate
students from WA universities, the
CSIRO, the Department of the
Environment and others interested in
studying multi-species communities or
other types of multivariate data.
The lecture is at 6pm in the Geography
Lecture Theatre.
He will explain the origin of oceanic
ridges and describe the surprising
fauna associated with that deep-sea
environment. Over the past 15 years,
deep-ocean scientists have discovered
three major vent fields (where hot water
is forced, like a volcano, out of the
ridge). He explored these vents during
a research cruise in 2006, using a
remotely operated vehicle to film two
kilometres below the surface.
Professor Legendre’s workshop was
sponsored by the Institute of Advanced
Studies, the School of Environmental
Systems Engineering, the faculties of
Natural and Agricultural Sciences and
Engineering, Computing and
Mathematics, the Graduate Research
School and the Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Research and Research Training).
Generous sponsors support boom
Resources giant BHP Billiton has boosted business
education and research at UWA with a $5 million
partnership.
new level and to ensure WA is recognised as an international
hub for the development of business and leaderships skills,”
Ms Horton said.
The alliance was forged with the University to support research,
education and employment opportunities for Western
Australian students, particularly for those in the regional areas in
which the company operates.
The new Business School building is expected to be completed
later this year.
It will help to establish a new Professorial Chair (BHP Billiton
Chair in the Business of Resources), research initiatives,
scholarships and targeted training.
Graduate employment, professional development and
executive programs will also be supported by the partnership.
Jimmy Wilson, President of BHP Billiton Stainless Steel
Materials, said the partnership reflected the company’s
commitment to investing in the educational and business future
of the Western Australian economy.
Tracey Horton, Dean of the Business School, said its
fundraising campaign, launched just 12 months ago, had
received “immense support” from the business community, and
individuals, and was close to achieving its target of $25 million.
“Partnerships with global corporations such as BHP Billiton
support our objective to take business education at UWA to a
14
Mark Barnaba (Chair of the Business School board),
Tracey Horton, Professor Alan Robson and Jimmy Wilson
inspect progress on the new building (Photo: Jeremy McGready)
NOTICES
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RAINE VISITING PROFESSORSHIPS
University of Western
Australia Academic Staff Association
FIRST ROUND
Election of Officers pursuant to section 69(4) of
the Industrial Relations Act 1979
Closing Date: Monday 7th April 2008
First Round nominations are invited for Raine Visiting Professorships in 2008/2009
with a closing date of Monday 7th April 2008 at 5.00 pm.
All Schools (including Centres) in the University may now nominate for Raine Visiting
Professorship Awards. These awards facilitate the visits of distinguished scholars to
the University for the purpose of advancing medical research.
Two categories of Visiting Professorship are offered:
x long-term visits fully funded by the Raine Foundation
(Category 1 Professorships); and
x short-term visits funded on a shared basis with the host School
(Category 2 Professorships).
A copy of the Conditions and Nomination Form are available from the Raine
administrative office or the web site as detailed below.
http://www.raine.uwa.edu.au/visit/
Raine Medical Research Foundation
Suite 24, Hollywood Specialist Centre
95 Monash Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009
23/2/06 11:13:31 AM
ELECTION NOTICE
Nominations are called from eligible candidates
for the election of:
President (1)
Vice President (1)
Secretary (1)
Treasurer (1)
Ordinary Member of the Committee of Management (6)
The above positions are for a one year term commencing from 1 July
2008.
Nominations will be accepted from Thursday 13 March 2008.
Nomination forms are to be completed in accordance with the Rules
of the University of Western Australia Academic Staff Association and
must reach the WA Electoral Commission by 5pm on Thursday 27
March 2008.
Nomination forms and lodgement instructions are available from the
UWAASA office: [email protected]: www.uwaasa.uwa.edu.au
Garry Hawkes
Telephone: 9386 9880
Fax: 9386 9522
Email: [email protected]
RETURNING OFFICER
15
Keyed Up!
The first Keyed Up! Piano recital of the 2008 season features Australian
pianist, Piers Lane.
Piers lives in London and is Australia’s best-known international pianist.
He returns to WA to perform a celebration of the centenary of Eileen
Joyce, Australia’s most famous pianist of all time.
Octagon Theatre, March 16 at 5pm
RAINE INTERNATIONAL VISITING RESEARCH
FELLOWSHIPS
Institute of Advanced Studies Events MARCH 2008
FIRST ROUND
PUBLIC LECTURE AND READING
Closing Date: Monday 7th April 2008
Representing London
These Fellowships have been recently introduced to facilitate the visit of international
postdoctoral research scientists to the University, to bring new knowledge and
techniques in medical research; to facilitate the training of University staff and
students; and to initiate and undertake collaborative research.
Join British author Tony White for a rare chance to hear him read from
his fiction, in particular the critically acclaimed novel, Foxy-T, and
discuss his work in the context of historical and contemporary literary
approaches to writing about London - from Jack London to Linton
Kwesi Johnson and Iain Sinclair.
Thursday 13 March 2008 at 6pm
Alexander Lecture Theatre
All Schools (including Centres) in the University may nominate for Raine International
Visiting Research Fellowships.
PUBLIC LECTURE
Nominations are invited for Raine International Visiting Research Fellowships in
2008/2009 with a closing date of Monday 7th April 2008 at 5.00 pm.
A copy of the Conditions and Nomination Form are available from the Raine
administrative office or the web site as detailed below.
Raine Medical Research Foundation
Suite 24, Hollywood Specialist Centre
95 Monash Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009
Telephone: 9386 9880
Fax: 9386 9522
The Lung Institute of Western Australia
Employment Vacancies 2008
The Lung Institute of Western Australia (Inc) is a not-for-profit
medical research institute carrying out scientific and clinical
research into the treatment and management of lung disease
including asthma, allergies, lung cancer, infectious diseases
and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We are seeking to
appoint the following four positions:
Executive Officer
LIWA is seeking to appoint an Executive Officer to assist the
Director in running the Organisation. The successful applicant will
provide support to LIWA’s Board and lead a team of administrative
and support staff. It is envisioned that the successful applicant will
have a tertiary qualification in business and would have significant
experience in a similar role. The applicant will require a proven
ability to contribute to strategic planning and policy formulation,
demonstrated leadership, communication and negotiation skills.
High level organisational, financial management and problem
solving skills will also be required. Experience in working in
a University and /or a not forprofit environment would be a
considerable advantage.
Editorial Assistant—Respirology Biomedical Journal
Respirology is an international biomedical journal publishing
articles of scientific excellence in clinical and experimental
respiratory biology and disease. An Editorial Assistant is required
to assist the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Office Manager. The ideal
person will be a confident self-starter who enjoys seeing a task
through to completion. The main duties are to:
• Check newly submitted manuscripts for compliance with journal
requirements;
• Edit accepted manuscripts and prepare for sending to publisher;
• Check galley proofs; and
• Liaise with authors, the editorial team and publisher.
Job descriptions, selection criteria and closing dates for all of
these roles are available from www.liwa.uwa.edu.au. For more
information, please contact Ruth Leveson at 9346 3198 or rleveson@
liwa.uwa.edu.au.
16
The Very Modern World of Fritz Lang
Mark Bould, Reader in Film and Literature at the University of the West
of England, will examine the American career of filmmaker Fritz Lang.
The lecture will be followed by a screening of Lang’s film Metropolis.
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Social Sciences Lecture Theatre
PUBLIC LECTURE
SUSY and the Lords of the Ring. Supersymmetry Theory
Professor Sylvester James Gates, John S. Toll Professor and Director
of Centre for String and Particle Theory, University of Maryland
The last decade in physics has led to an array of new ideas including
one called supersymmetry. SUSY is its shorter name. If valid, Nature
may soon begin to reveal the existence of “superpartners,” new forms
of matter and energy. Names for such hypothetical objects such as
selectrons, squarks, sneutrinos and winos have already been given.
What are these objects? How does humanity learn more about them?
At the CERN laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland nearing completion is a
ring that will help rule upon them all. It is called the LHC (Large Hadron
Collider). Come to this lecture and learn about this Fellowship of the
Ring.
Wednesday 26 March 2008 at 6pm
Social Sciences Lecture Theatre
All of the above are free events
NEW STAFF
Welcome to the following people who have joined the University since
December 2007. The list will continue in the next issue.
Dr Alshahrani Abdulaziz, Associate Lecturer, Dentistry
Kirsten Abe, Prospective Students Adviser, Student Services
Gail Abernethy, Research Nurse, Medicine and Pharmacology
Craig Allen, Lecturer, Primary, Aboriginal and Rural Health Care
Andrew Allsopp, Technician (Laboratory), Civil and Resource Engineering
Genevieve Angove, Research Assistant, Social and Cultural Studies
Dr Dimitar Azmanov, Research Associate, UWA Centre for Medical
Research
Tracie Barbour, Research Nurse, Medicine and Pharmacology
Saran Bavich, Human Resource Assistant, Human Resources
Hon Kim Beazley, Professorial Fellow, Arts, Humanities and Social
Sciences
Dr Minoti Bhagat, Senior Lecturer, Medicine and Pharmacology
Derek Booth, Customer Support Officer, UniPrint
Kristine Brimmell, Assistant Curator, Earth and Geographical Sciences
Kate Burgess, Dentist, Primary, Aboriginal and Rural Health Care
Concettina Carbonaro, Administrative Assistant, Medicine and
Pharmacology
RESEARCH GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
American Accounting
Association
Dr Ann Tarca, C Linthicum, Prof
W Aerts, Business School, External:
‘Factors Affecting Informative
MD&A Disclosures and Foreign
Registrants’—$12,048 (2007-08)
Anz Philanthropy Partners
Holsworth Wildlife
MJ Young, Animal Biology,
External: ‘The Evolution of
Colour Patterns in the Western
Rainbowfish’—$5,000 (2008)
Dr Jane Prince, Dr Jonathan
Evans, Dr Winn Kennington,
Miss Rachel Binks, Animal
Biology: ‘Reproductive and
Genetic Ecology of the Australian
Sea Urchin Heliocidaris
Erythrogamma’—$4,000 (2008)
Association Française
Contre Les Myopathies
(AFM)
Prof Nigel Laing, Dr Kristen
Nowak, UWA Centre for Medical
Research: ‘In Vitro Drug Screening
- Reactivating Cardiac Actin
to Treat Skeletal Muscle Actin
Disease’—$78,6745 (2007)
Asthma Foundation
Dr Matthew Wikstrom, Dr
Deborah Strickland, Biomedical,
Biomolecular and Chemical
Sciences, UWA Centre for Child
Health Research: ‘The Role of
CD103 in Airway Homeostasis and
Inflammatory Reactions’—$21,650
(2008)
Australian and New Zealand
College Of Anaesthetists
A/Prof Stephan Schug, Dr S Rao,
Ms Allyson Browne, Medicine
and Pharmacology, Psychology,
External: ‘Identifying Clinical
Predictors of Long Term Pain
Outcomes Among Severe Physical
Trauma Survivors’—$27,590 (2008)
Australian Research Council:
Linkage Infrastructure
Equipment Facilities
Prof David Blair, Prof Jesper
Munch, Prof DE McClelland, Dr
Li Ju, Physics, External: ‘Project
Title: High Power Laser Test
Masses Digital Control System
and Vacuum System for High
Optical Power Interferometry
Experiments’—$600,000 (2008)
Barrick Gold Of Australia
Ltd, Bhp Billiton Iron Ore
Pty Ltd, Sally Malay Mining
Limited
Prof Andries Fourie, Prof
Martin Fahey, Australian Centre
for Geo-mechanics, Civil and
Resource Engineering: ‘An
Effective Stress Approach to Mine
Backfill’—$615,600 (2008-10)
Colorectal Surgical Society
of Australia and New
Zealand
Prof Cameron Platell, A/Prof
Barry Iacopetta, Dr Paul Salama,
Surgery and Pathology: ‘Survival
Outcomes in Patients with Stage II
Colon Cancer’—$70,500 (2007-08)
CSIRO Flagship
Collaboration Fund Projects
Dr Jishan Liu, Mechanical
Engineering: ‘V-MEOR: A Numerical
Visualizer for MEOR’—$214,601
(2008-10)
Department of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry
(DAFF)
Ms Samantha Bickell, Animal
Biology: ‘Investigating the Role of
Temperament in the Establishment
of the Ewe Lamb Bond and Lamb
Survival’—$9,950 (2008)
Department of Environment
And Conservation WA
Prof Grant Morahan, Prof John
Roberts, UWA Centre for Medical
Research: ‘Australian Cane Toad
Genome Programme’—$500,000
(2008)
Department of Environment
and Water Resources
CERF (Commonwealth
Environment Research
Facilities)
Dr Pauline Grierson, Burak
Pekin, Dr Craig Macfarlane, Dr
Matthias Boer, Plant Biology,
Natural and Agricultural Sciences:
‘UWA Biomass Assessment
Programme’—$30,000 (2008)
Department of Health and
Ageing: Miscellaneous
Dr David Glance, Computer
Science and Software Engineering:
‘Great Southern Managed Health
Network’—$1,173,191 (2007)
DEST ISL Australia-China
Special Fund for S&T
Cooperation
A/Prof John Dell, Dr Charles
Musca, Prof Lorenzo Faraone,
Electrical, Electronic and Computer
Engineering: ‘A Fundamental Study
of Interface Effects in HgCdTe
Materials and Devices’—$501,438
(2008-10)
Fishwell Consulting Ex
Australian Fisheries
Dr I Knuckey, Dr J Prince, Dr K
Rowling, Dr Euan Harvey, Plant
Biology, External: ‘Industry Survey
to Obtain a Relative Abundance
Index for Spawning Eastern
Gemfish - Traditional and Innovative
Methods’—$77,240 (2007)
Garnett Passe and
Rodney Williams Memorial
Foundation
Dr R Marano, Surgery and
Pathology: ‘Genetics of Noise
Induced Hearing Loss’—$269,135
(2008-10)
Grains Research and
Development Corporation
Ms Mechelle Owen, Plant Biology:
‘Travel Grant - Fifth International
Weed Science Congress Vancouver
Canada 2008’—$2,500 (2008)
Prof Matthew Knuiman,
Population Health, —$38,699
(2007)
Grains Research and
Development Corporation
A/Prof Jiake Xu, Surgery and
Pathology, —$11,986 (2007)
Prof Stephen Powles, Plant
Biology: ‘Western Australian
Herbicide Resistance Initiative Phase 3’—$1,800,000 (2007-10)
Group of Eight Daad German
Research Cooperation
Prof Charitha Pattiaratchi,
School of Environmental Systems
Engineering: ‘Turbulant Transport
and Mixing in Estuarine and Coastal
Seas’—$23,400 (2008-09)
Prof Ian Small, Dr Anne-Laure
Chateigner-Boutin, Dr Kristina
Kuhn, Centre of Excellence
for Plant Energy Biology: ‘The
Characterisation of RNA Binding
Proteins Involved in Chloroplast
RNA Editing’—$24,300 (2008-09)
ICEUTICA
Prof Colin Raston, Dr Aaron
Dodd, Biomedical, Biomolecular
and Chemical Sciences:
‘Optimisation of the iCeutica IP
for a Range of Pharmaceutical
Compounds Identified by the
Project Manager’—$136,194 (2008)
MCEETYA Performance
Measurement Reporting
Taskforce
Prof David Andrich, Dr Stephen
Humphry, Graduate School of
Education: ‘Maintaining a Precise
Invariant Unit in State National and
International Education’—$105,000
(2007-09)
Medical and Health
Research Infrastructure
Fund
Prof Donald Robertson, Biomedical,
Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences,
—$17,003 (2007)
Prof Geoffrey Stewart, Biomedical,
Sciences, —$10,826 (2007)
A/Prof Ian Jacobs, Dr Judith Finn,
Emergency Medicine,Population
Health, —$16,785 (2007)
Prof Peter Barrett, Medicine and
Pharmacology, —$26,708 (2007)
Prof Timothy Davis, Medicine and
Pharmacology, —$11,525 (2007
A/Prof Peter Henry, Medicine and
Dr Trevor Mori, Medicine and
Dr Deborah Trinder, Medicine and
Dr Sunalene Devadason,
Paediatrics and Child Health,
—$20,767 (2007)
Prof Susan Prescott, Paediatrics
and Child Health, —$23,438 (2007)
Prof Billie Giles-Corti, Population
Health, —$33,816 (2007)
Prof D’Arcy Holman, Population
Health, —$76,016 (2007)
Prof Ming Zheng, Surgery and
Pathology, —$12,006 (2007)
National Heart Foundation
Dr Bu Yeap, Prof Kevin Croft,
A/Prof Wendy Jessup, Medicine
and Pharmacology, External:
‘Effects of PPAR Agonists in a
Novel Macrophage Model of
Diabetic Atherogenesis’—$125,845
(2008-09)
National Prescribing Service
Limited
Prof D’Arcy Holman, Dr David
Preen, Population Health: ‘Use of
Linked Data to Inform NPS Program
Evaluation’—$397,319 (2007-11)
NCRIS National Collaborative
Research Infrastructure
Strategy
Prof Laurie Faraone, Electrical,
Electronic and Computer
Engineering: ‘Australian National
Fabrication Facility’—$1,000,000
(2008-11)
NHMRC National Research
Centre Asbestos Related
Diseases
Dr Steven Mutsaers, Dr Yun
Lee, Dr R McAnulty, Medicine
and Pharmacology, External:
‘Transforming growth factor
beta signalling in malignant
mesothelioma growth and collagen
production’—$483,870 (2007-09)
NHMRC Project Grants
A/Prof Peter Henry, Medicine
and Pharmacology: ‘How Antiinflammatory Drugs Differentially
affect the Bronchoprotective
Signalling of Protease-Activated
Receptor-2’—$406,875 (2007-09)
NHMRC: EQUIPMENT GRANTS
Prof Alan Harvey, Prof Sarah
Dunlop, Prof Lynda Beazley,
Dr Jennifer Rodger, Dr Giles
Plant, Dr Marc Ruitenberg,
Prof Miranda Grounds, Dr Thea
Shavlakadze, Prof Brendan
Waddell, Dr Peter Mark, Prof
Arunasalam Dharmarajan, Prof
Howard Mitchell, Mr Peter
Mcfawn, Anatomy and Human
Biology, Animal Biology, Biomedical,
Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry and
Health Sciences: ‘State-of-the-Art
Leica ASP-200 Automated Vacuum
Tissue Processor for High Quality
Processing of Animal and Human
Tissue Samples for Light Microscopy
Analysis’—$37,000 (2008)
A/Prof Lawrence Abraham,
Prof Geoffrey Stewart, Dr Mark
Cregan, Dr Scott Stewart, Dr
Daniela Ulgiati, Prof George Yeoh,
Prof Lynda Beazley, Prof Sarah
Dunlop, Dr Marc Ruitenberg, Prof
Arunasalam Dharmarajan, Prof
continued overleaf
17
RESEARCH GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
Brendan Waddell, Biomedical,
Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences,
Anatomy and Human Biology, Animal
Biology: ‘FACSCalibur 4-colour Flow
Cytometer’—$45,000 (2008)
Dr Livia Hool, Dr Peter Arthur,
Dr Ben Corry, Dr Evan Ingley,
Dr John Alvarez, Dr William
Macdonald, Biomedical,
Sciences, Surgery and Pathology,
UWA Centre for Medical Research:
‘MultiClamp 700B Amplifier ad
Nikon Ti-U Inverted Microscope for
performing Studies on Membrane
Conductance in Conjunction
with patch-Clamp Ion Channel
Recordings’ —$34,499 (2008)
Dr Gavin Pinniger, Dr Anthony
Bakker, Prof Nigel Laing, Prof
Miranda Grounds, Dr Susan
Fletcher, Dr Jennifer Pillow,
Anatomy and Human Biology,
Biomedical, Biomolecular and
Chemical Sciences, Centre for
Neuromuscular and Neurological
Disorders, UWA Centre for Medical
Research, Women’s and Infants’
Health: ‘Skeletal Muscle Test
System’—$62,000 (2008)
Dr Paul Rigby, Dr Fiona Pixley,
A/Prof Ruth Ganss, Dr Archa
Fox, Centre for Microscopy and
Microanalysis, Medicine and
Pharmacology, UWA Centre
for Medical Research: ‘High
Resolution Inverted Optical
Microscope for Live Cell and Tissue
Research’—$85,290 (2008)
Dr Deborah Trinder, Dr Simon
Brown, A/Prof Ian Lawrance, Dr
Jane Allan, Prof Michael Stacey,
Prof John Olynyk, Medicine and
Pharmacology, Primary, Aboriginal
and Rural Health Care, Surgery
and Pathology: ‘Cryogenic
Applications’—$28,121 (2008)
Prof Billie Giles-Corti, Prof S Zubrick,
Dr Kimberly Van Niel, Prof Osvaldo
Almeida, Population Health, Earth and
Geographical Sciences, Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences,
External: ‘Equipment to Enable Objective Measurement of Physical Activity
and Movement in Children, Adults and
Older Adults’—$35,714 (2008)
Prof Jenefer Blackwell, Prof Patrick
Holt, Prof Wayne Thomas, Dr
Peter Richmond, UWA Centre for
Child Health Research, Paediatrics
and Child Health: ‘Beckman Coulter
Biomek NX Laboratory Automation
Workstation’—$68,000 (2008)
Dr Evan Ingley, Dr Andrew Barker,
Prof Peter Leedman, UWA Centre
for Medical Research, Medicine
and Pharmacology: ‘Biorad
Biologic Duoflow FPLC and Profinia
Instrument’—$74,645 (2008)
Dr Graeme Polglase, Dr Jennifer
Pillow, Prof John Newnham,
Dr Ilias Nitsos, Women’s and
Infants’ Health: ‘Sonosite 180
Plus Hand Carried Ultrasound
System’—$26,280 (2007)
Rural Industries Research
And Development
Corporation
UWA Research Grants
Scheme
Whitfeld Fellowships
Dr Mohammed Benghezal, Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical
Sciences: ‘Prey-predator Interaction
Model to Study the Virulence,
Survival and Transmission of
Helicobacter Pylori’—$6,000 (2008)
Dr Anne-Laure ChateignerBoutin, Centre of Excellence for
Plant Energy Biology: ‘Sequencing
the Mitochondrial Transcripts
of Arabidopsis Thaliana to
Assess the Significance of RNA
Editing’—$6,451 (2008)
Dr Mikhail Kostylev, Physics:
‘Artificial Materials for Applications
in fast Magnetic Logic and MetaMaterials’—$18,500 (2008)
Ms Karen Hall, Social and Cultural
Studies, Student Services: ‘Whitfeld
Fellowship - Karen Hall’ (2008)
Mr Ernest Koh, Social and Cultural
Studies: ‘Whitfeld Fellowship Ernest Koh’ (2007)
Mr Jay Ebert, Sport Science,
Exercice and Health: ‘Whitfeld
Fellowship - Ebert - Improving
Patient Outcome Following
Autologous Chondrocyte
Implantation: Accelerated vs
Traditional Rehabilitation Outcomes
up to Five Years Post-Surgery
(2007)
STAFF ADS
Ms Katherine Hammer, Prof
Thomas Riley, Ms Christine
Carson, Dr Kerry Carson,
Biomedical, Biomolecular and
Chemical Sciences: ‘Effects
of tea tree oil on microbial
adhesion’—$71,000 (2007-08)
Classified advertising is free to staff. Email [email protected]
FOR SALE
HOUSESITTING
TV PHILIPS 51cm, Trinitron CRT,
$20. Contact Alex on Ext 8095 or
[email protected]
Housesitter available. Irish University
employee, travelling to Perth will look
after home, pets, plants. Reliable,
non-smoker, tidy. Available from
March for 6 months. Contact Deirdre
at: [email protected]
SOFABED (futon, wooden frame),
picture available. $100. Outdoor
furniture (table, 2 folding chairs - as
new) $20. Contact Alex on Ext
8095 or email [email protected].
edu.au
Sanofi Aventis
Dr A Jennings, Dr W Carroll,
Surgery: ‘Reliable Identification of
Oligodendroctye Lineage Cells in
MS Lesions’—$10,000 (2008)
Sir Charles Gairdner
Hospital
TO LET
Dr Judith Finn, Population Health:
‘Failure to Rescue’—$120,784
(2007)
Troy Resources NL
Mr Craig Hart, Earth and
Geographical Sciences: ‘Troy
Resources Mongolia Targeting
Exercise’—$591,048 (2008-09)
University Of Queensland ex
ARC
Prof Janet McColl-Kennedy,
Tracey Dagger, Prof Jillian
Sweeney, Business School,
External: ‘Customer Co Production
in Ongoing Health Service Delivery
- A Longitudinal Study’—$46,394
(2008-09)
CRAWLEY. Furnished accommodation. Short and long term.
Delightful two bedroom selfcontained apartment in Fairway,
next to UWA. Fully furnished
and fitted out (including linen).
Air-conditioning, heating, TV,
telephone; undercover parking.
This apartment has been highly
commended by visiting academics
and medicos. Available from
mid April 2008 for periods of 6
months and longer. Email: [email protected] Web
Address: www.goodstay.com/
perthapartment Mobile: (+61) 0418
914 204
WANTED
ACCOMMODATION: lecturer in
Library and Information Science
at Stuttgart Media University and
family (two children) is looking for
a furnished 2-3 bed room house
during a sabbatical. We are happy to
provide up-to-date references from
Australia. The desired rental period
is from August/September 2008
to December 2008/January 2009.
Please contact: [email protected] or +49 7664 612 344
ACCOMMODATION: Paediatric
gastro-enterologist from Brisbane
working at PMH for 3 months,
April, May and June, requires
accommodation for himself and
wife. Need to be fairly close to the
hospital. Happy to house sit, look
after pets, etc. Please contact on
0438 004 305 or email: mkp@
coolumbla.com.au
REDUNDANT EQUIPMENT
CONDITION refers to the general condition of the item (1=as new, 2=good, 3=serviceable, 4=unserviceable). AGE refers to the nearest year.
Schools are reminded that all university equipment available for sale must be advertised in UWA news. Receipts should be PeopleSoft account coded 490
(computing with barcode), 491 (non-computing with barcode) or 493 (items with no barcode). If equipment has an existing barcode please contact extension
3618/2546 for details. Preference will be given to School bids. Please identify your bid as School or private.
ITEM
Colour Printer Epson Stylus C61
Needs service and new ink cartridges
1 x Canon 6085 High Volume Photocopier
15 x 17” CRT Monitors
1 x Panasonic facsimile machine (UF-885)
3 modems:
1) D-Link DU-562M USB, with USB cable
2) D-Link DFM-562e, with serial cable and power supply
3) Hayes Accura 288 Message Modem 5321AU,
with serial cable and power supply
1 X Laserjet 400N printer, in good working order.
Not networkable
18
PRICEAGE COND SECTION
CONTACT
Free
$500
$20 ea
$50
SIMS Support
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Library Administration
[email protected]
[email protected] Ext 3126
Karen Ext 1904
Financial Services
Human Resources [email protected]
Free
$30
4
8
5
7
3
3
2
2
2-5
2-3
2 The University of Western Australiia
PROMOTION BRIEFS
Provided by Elizabeth Hutchinson, Executive Officer, Promotions and Tenure Committee, Human Resources
LECTURER
Dr Timothy French (School of Computer Science and Software
Engineering
Dr French’s primary area of research is modal logic, extensions of modal
logics and applications of modal logic to computer science and software
engineering.
His contributions to teaching are significant, being involved with thirteen
different units over the past five years. He is the coordinator of the Software
Engineering program within the School.
Dr Janet Muhling (Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and
Analysis)
Dr Muhling’s research interests are the textural, compositional and age
relationships of the minerals in rocks, and relating these to geological
processes. Currently her main area of research is what controls the growth
and stability of the REE phosphate minerals, monazite and xenotime,
and using these minerals to work out the timing, rates and durations of
geological processes.
His clinical research focuses on ways to improve the diagnosis of,
differentiation between, and classification of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative
colitis. Dr Lawrance is internationally recognised in his field. He has built
up a powerful research group and has published in extremely high impact
papers. Associate Professor Julie Lee (Marketing, UWA Business School)
A/Professor Lee’s research is multidisciplinary, focusing on cross cultural
consumer behaviour. Her original textbook Marketing Across Cultures had
global sales of more than 5,000. A/Professor Lee is a reviewer for many
of the leading journals in the discipline. In 2007 she was the Director of
Doctoral Programs for the Business School.
Associate Professor Bu Yeap (School of Medicine and
Pharmacology, Fremantle Hospital Unit)
A/ Professor Yeap’s main areas of research include the role of hormones as
determinants of ill-health during male ageing, and investigating mechanisms
of atherosclerosis in the context of Type 2 diabetes.
She has made contributions to courses in Geology, Nanotechnology and
Forensic Science. Dr Muhling has a high record of service to the national
and international scientific community through her involvement in conference
organisation and the Geological Society of Australia.
He has played a substantial role in the development of the MBBS course
including coordinating and developing Year 4 and 5 Medicine clinical
attachments, redeveloping the Year 4 Clinical Skills exam and holding
the position of Director of Teaching for the School of Medicine and
Pharmacology.
SENIOR LECTURER
PROFESSORIAL FELLOW (RESEARCH)
Jani McCutcheon (Law School)
Ms McCutcheon’s primary research interest is intellectual property law
which encompasses copyright, trademarks, designs, patents, confidential
information, and misleading trade practices. Her research publications make
a significant contribution to intellectual property scholarship and are an
exceptional contribution to the field.
Associate Professor Yasmin Haskell (School of Humanities)
Ms McCutcheon teaches across two different programs, the LLB degree
and Business Law which involve very different students with distinct
academic backgrounds and requirements.
She was recently appointed a member of the Law School Research
Committee.
Dr Elizabeth Quail (School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and
Chemical Sciences
Dr Quail’s current research focus is on cytokine transcriptional control in the
liver which has involved the physiology and molecular control of expression
in the liver. Her publications have achieved high citation rates.
She has played a major role in teaching and learning, in curriculum
development, the provision of new materials, innovative design of laboratory
classes and the administration and coordination of courses, together with
the mentoring of new staff.
Dr Helen Spafford (School of Animal Biology)
Dr Spafford’s primary research interest is Applied Entomology. She
has established a research laboratory with several PhD students and
undergraduate research students. She has a high national and international
profile having presented much of her research at national and international
conferences. She received the award for the Best Paper at the 14th
Australian Weeds Conference in 2004. Dr Spafford is the Faculty-wide coordinator for a large Honours program and
is an integral part of the quality assurance program in postgraduate training.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Associate Professor Alex Gardner (Law School)
A/ Professor Gardner’s principal research interest over the past fifteen
years has been the law for the management of terrestrial natural resources,
especially land, water and biodiversity. In the past ten years, he has focused
on water resources law, researching and advising on water resources
law reform that has been driven by Commonwealth involvement in the
development of national water policy.
A/ Professor Haskell’s areas of expertise are neo-Latin studies and history
of science and medicine in the early modern period. A/Professor Haskell’s
publications are held in high esteem by the international scientific community
not only in English-speaking countries but in continental Europe, especially
in Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, and Scandinavia. Her monograph on
Jesuit Latin didactic poetry (on the arts and sciences) made a particularly
significant contribution to neo-Latin studies. She is considered the world
authority on this literature by senior figures in the field.
PROFESSOR
Professor Mohammed Bennamoun (School of Computer Science and
Software Engineering)
Professor Bennamoun’s research expertise is in the development of
algorithms and test platforms to control robots capable of using a
combination of sensors (particularly visual sensors) to perform intelligent
actions for the purpose of real life applications , to improve human lives.
Professor Bennamoun is currently Head of School, was Project Leader
of the Vision Group within the School and contributed as Director of the
Research Concentration in Computer Vision and Automation from 2001 to
2002, and from 1998 to 2001 as Director of the Space Centre for Satellite
Navigation at Queensland University of Technology.
Professor Keith Smettem (School of Environmental Systems
Engineering)
Professor Smettem’s core disciplines of research are in Hydrology and Soil
Physics, particularly the measurement and modelling of water flow in the
landscape for which he is internationally recognised as a world leader. This
core research is augmented by a leading body of work and publication
in a wide range of related interdisciplinary subject areas. He has actively
led multidisciplinary research groups and collaborated and published
successfully with agronomists, microbiologists, forest scientists, chemists,
environmental scientists and geologists.
He is currently Head of Environmental Systems Engineering and Research
Director of the Centre for Ecohydrology.
A/Professor Gardner has, with colleagues, developed LLB units in
Environmental Law, Natural Resources Management, Mining Law,
and Comparative Law (Asia). He has also taught Constitutional and
Administrative Law to undergraduates. Associate Professor Ian Lawrance (School of Medicine and
Pharmacology)
A/Professor Lawrance’s area of research is divided into internationally
organised and run clinical trials and his clinically based research,
investigating the use of novel medications in the treatment of inflammatory
bowel diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders.
19
the last word …
Why all the fuss about
marketing ?
The broad aim of marketing at UWA is to
positively communicate with key groups and
manage relationships in ways that benefit both
the University and those with whom we wish to
engage.
The operational priority is to present structured, consistent,
coordinated, cohesive and coherent implementation across
the University. In the operational environment, new
technologies, political developments, societal trends,
demographic and structural changes and community
expectations all influence the strategic direction of UWA and
highlight the importance of consistent responses.
Our devolved university structure points to the need for
foundational marketing structures on which to develop a
robust framework which can underpin the external relations
approach to ‘achieving international excellence’.
Marketing in a university context has many faces and facets
and means different things to different people. For me it’s
about reputation – or the brand. Everything we do is
reflected in our brand – and everything we do is touched by
the brand.
Having professional experience in a marketing capacity at
universities in Australia, New Zealand and most recently
Singapore, I am of the view that while individual universities
have their own specific issues, challenges, priorities and
opportunities, essentially we all have very similar messages
to convey in terms of the quality of our student and teaching
cohort and the extent of our research capacity. In that
regard, we often hear about excellence, world-class
research, high quality staff, exceptional graduate outcomes,
and so on.
Marketing in this context then becomes an exercise in
differentiation; and it is about being able to back our claims
with substance – we must be able tell the truth about who
we are and what we stand for, and we must be able to back
it up with clear statements of fact.
Kirsten McHarg
University Marketing Manager
At UWA we have been challenged by the Vice-Chancellor
Professor Alan Robson to ensure we develop a ‘one staff,
one university’ approach. An important part of that challenge
is to ensure that we are seen to be part of one institution
with a common direction, theme and vision.
A good starting point for articulating that strength is the
development of a common ‘look and feel’. In marketing
terms, our brand may be diluted without such a common
framework and guidelines.
If we are to meet our priority objective in external relations –
that is, to improve the University’s positioning, reputation and
strategic relationships — commonality, coherence and
cohesion in communications and marketing are the key.
A commitment to this approach will not only engender
participation and inclusion but will also support the one staff
— one university philosophy.
As a consequence the visual expression of what we do is of
vital importance.
UWA NEWS
EDITOR/WRITER Lindy Brophy, Public Affairs
Tel: 6488 2436 Fax: 6488 1192
Director of Public Affairs: Doug Durack
Tel: 6488 2806 Fax: 6488 1020
Designed, typeset and printed by UniPrint, UWA
UWAnews online: http://uwanews.publishing.uwa.edu.au/
20
UniPrint 58978
Some may ask what the fuss is all about
when it comes to branding and visual
identity. For me professionally it is about a
sense of belonging and purpose (for the
university community) and consistency and
visual coherence (for external audiences).

Issue 01. 10 March 2008 [PDF File, 1.4 MB] - UWA Staff

Transcription

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