UWAnews - Official publications · and provocative essay by Jane Marceau on the future of university research, the book ultimately does not fully address the reality of change: universities

Perfectvision

Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science

■ Page 3 Biome hani s study ■ Page 6 S hool art elebrated at the GSE ■ Page 7 Lawren eWilson Art Gallery exhibitions

newsUWA21 August 2000

The University of Western Australia Volume 19 Number 12

Eye:Q, leading the world in laser vision correction.Picture by Chris Barry.

The vision achieved this year at the Lions EyeInstitute (LEI) is what the layman would

describe as perfect 20/20.The success of the world’s first reliable refractive solid

state laser is not only a landmark in biotechnical terms butthe commercialisation of the laser, Eye:Q, has rocketed Q-Vis, the company formed to develop and commercialise thework of the LEI’s bioengineering group, to the head ofAustralia’s biotechnology companies.

It listed on the Australian Stock Exchange last month,over subscribed. And, two weeks later, the company beganclinical trials in the United States.

LEI, at UWA’s Centre for Ophthalmology and VisualScience (COVS), now has the potential of a sustainingincome — the dream of every research centre.

The Eye:Q laser is smaller than established excimer (gas)lasers and is a low maintenance machine which creates thelaser wavelength required for eye surgery using a quintupledNd:YAG laser instead of gas.

Solid state technology has inherent advantages,including more reliability and less downtime than currentlasers.

This breakthrough was designed by the laser and bio-engineering group at the LEI, led by Dr Paul van Saarloos.

In 1986, LEI formed the company Q-Vis Ltd as a vehicleto develop and market the group’s laser technologies. Thisyear, it set up new facilities in Herdsman, where manu-facturing and testing of the Eye:Q state laser is under way,prior to export.

Dr van Saarloos, who remains the director of the laserand bioengineering group at LEI, is the Chief ScientificOfficer of Q-Vis.

He began research into development of excimer lasertechnology in 1986 and, since its inception, Q-Vis hasdeveloped several excimer lasers and laser delivery systems.

Professor Ian Constable, Director of the LEI, and UWA’sProfessor of Ophthalmology, performed the first laser visioncorrection procedure in Australia in 1991, using a Q-Visexcimer laser prototype. Since then, Q-Vis has exportedmore than ten excimer lasers to various countries.

For more than a decade, physicists around the world hadbeen attempting to design a laser which eliminated theexpensive and bulky gas component of the refractive lasers.

In 1998, the LEI claimed success, with the first patients toreceive refractive surgery with Eye:Q.

Continued on page 4

2 UWA news

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA • 21 AUGUST 2000

VCariousthoughts …

Deryck M. SchreuderVice-Chancellor and [email protected]

Good, punchy title Ithought when I first

saw and bought my copyof Why Universities Matter(Allen & Unwin, 2000),edited by Tony Coady, aProfessor of Philosophy atThe University of Melbourne.

In a series of essays the book makes out a good andreadable — but not especially original — set of argumentsfor the traditional role of universities, as custodians ofknowledge and freestanding research. Work in the artsfaculties is given special attention. A slight sense of nostalgiafor the past life of the campus — especially the Melbournecampus — also symbolises the volume. With the exceptionof a few chapters which do deal with the transformativechallenges facing universities globally, notably an excellentand provocative essay by Jane Marceau on the future ofuniversity research, the book ultimately does not fullyaddress the reality of change: universities will necessarilybecome somewhat different institutions in the new century,and yet they will still matter crucially in their new modes ofoperation.

Universities themselves are not helpless in determiningthat future, and so it is all the more important that we docontribute strongly and creatively to the public debate overpublic educational institutions such as our own. If we wantto defend and advance our ‘idea of a university’ — to coin aphrase! — then we need to do so in language and inconcepts which will win the public debate, influence thepolicy-makers, and convert our political masters.

And here two other documents have been published,from very different sources, which make the claim of whyuniversities matter in a manner actually much more likely tohelp us win that ongoing policy debate.

Both adopt a more narrowly utilitarian view, involvingeconomic cost-benefits to the nation. Yet curiously theymost significantly advance the general cause of universities aspowerhouses of original knowledge and key educationalcapacities for Australia in this new knowledge era.

The first document consists of a report to the MelbourneVice-Chancellor from their Higher Education ResearchProgram. It focuses on a balance-sheet approach (how muchdoes government spend on higher education and how muchdoes it get back in the form of higher tax returns from thehigher earning of graduates). The dramatic answer is thatgovernment is about $2.8 billion ahead on its $5.3 billioninvestment (1997-98 figures), with a high overall rate of

return to government on their investment at about 11 percent. In short: “Investments in higher education yield highreturns to individuals, society and the government”.

A second, and slightly broader study, commissioned byThe Business/Higher Education Round Table, with thematerialistic title Of Dollars and Cents — Valuing the EconomicContribution of Universities to the Australian Economy, comes tovery similar and positive conclusions. A figure of some $11billion is deemed to be the value which our universities addto the Australian economy. And as Stuart Hamilton

remarked aptly from the AVCC, in welcoming thissecond report, “That amount might be said to be theannual valuation on what it is for Australia to be amodern nation — one that takes for granted that itspeople have widespread access to professional skills,and the ideas and technology that supports them”.

Minister Kemp has provided an Introduction tothe BHERT study and offered the affirming statement

that the report “confirms the importance of universityeducation in building the nation’s human capital”.

The full value of a university such as ours cannot beconstrued in purely dollar terms and commercial values. Butthese reports do establish, in language and concepts readilyunderstood in Canberra, why universities are critical tonational wellbeing and development.

They provide the sharp end of an argument now beingbroadly advanced for a new policy and funding frameworkfor our universities as key forces in shaping a knowledgenation.

A wide spectrum of disciplines and research areasembody the spectrum of a major university, and a widerange of educational and professional courses symbolise itsservice to a complex modern society. All are critical inconstituting the mission of the ‘idea of the university’ in thetwenty-first century.

This last week my own diary well symbolised that diversemission . . . presenting national and international prizes tocolleagues in Arts, who had won awards in medieval andEuropean studies; introducing a visiting Americanphilosopher to a large public lecture on sociobiology;welcoming to the OVC a Berkeley colleague expert inengineering management; joining the Oil and Gas EngineeringPresentation Evening, involving major industry partners;speaking to St George’s residential college on virtual andflexible delivery in education; presenting a seminar paper tothe honours students in my own discipline, on the value ofhistory today; and working in our Albany Centre as welobbied the visiting Deputy Prime Minister for growth HECSplaces for WA.

All that is the modern university. And all that happens toreflect on the diverse reasons of why universities do indeedso crucially matter to our nation and its culture, both nowand in a future world of globalised knowledge.

Whyuniversities

matter

UWA news 3


biomechanics

Human Movement and Exercise Science

What is a fast start in aswimming race?

This seemingly simple, but actuallycomplex, question has brought post-graduate students Rob Welcher fromArizona, USA and Conrad Pearsonfrom Ballarat, Victoria, to UWA’sUniswim pool.

They have chosen the Departmentof Human Movement and ExerciseScience (Rob could have goneanywhere in the world; Conrad couldchoose any university in Australia) forwhat they describe as its critical massof postgraduate biomechanics students— more, it seems, than almostanywhere else.

But the other attraction was thepool itself, or the aquatic laboratory.

“The name says it all. This pool isfirst and foremost for researchpurposes, so we have no trouble insetting up testing facilities,” Mr Pearsonsaid. “In Ballarat, the only day we couldbe guaranteed pool time for researchwas Sundays. All other times, the poolwas too busy being a swimming pool.”

Mr Welcher said pools at USuniversities were always under pressurefrom students training for inter-collegecompetitions and there was little pooltime available for research work.

His PhD in biomechanics has thepractical aim of improving the divingperformances of swimmers andworking out what their difficulties are.

“Biomechanics applies the principlesof physics to movement. It is applied topeople through ergonomics, pros-thetics and sport,” Mr Welcher said.

“As a former competitive swimmerand a current swimming coach, I’minterested in applying my research toswimmers, specifically their starts.”

The beststart forbiomechanics

Mr Welcher said that, as a swimmingcoach, he had noticed a girl who wasalways last to leave the diving blocks,but, within five or ten metres, she wasleading the swimmers in the pool.

The velocity with which she left theblocks obviously made up for leavingthe blocks later.

“I hadn’t been able to measure thedifferent forces with which swimmers,using different dives, could leave theblocks, until I came here,” he said.

He met up with Conrad Pearson,who brought with him from Ballarat awaterproof force plate, designed to befixed to the diving blocks to measuredifferent force production for differentdiving styles.

The pair have been testing youngswimmers most mornings over the pastfew weeks, building up data for theirresearch—Mr Welcher interested indifferent foot positions for diving andMr Pearson concentrating on pre-tension and the application of thebiomechanics of vertical jumping toswimming starts.

Mr Pearson, who is co-supervised byProfessors Bruce Elliot and BrianBlanksby, has already had an impact onswimming at the highest level.

Following research for his honoursthesis, Mr Pearson made recom-mendations to Antiwave, the companythat makes diving blocks, to change theangle of the handles they are nowproviding for swimmers.

“My work showed that the handleswould work better if they werereversed, making them easier to holdand suitable for swimmers of differentsizes,” he said.

The handles on the diving blocks atthe Olympic pool at Homebush werethen turned around.

“But they took them off completelyfor the Australian trials, so I don’tknow what will happen at theOlympics. I doubt the swimmers willuse them because they haven’t yet beenproven,” Mr Pearson said.

His handle design allows swimmersto position their centre of gravityfurther forward, while waiting for astart.

(1) Conrad Pearson supervises volunteerAdrian Davini as his dive is videotaped andrecorded on a computer by Rob Welcher;(2) The angle of the swimmer’s body ismonitored and (3) the rope handles areadjusted; (4) Rob Welcher monitors themeasurements from the force plate. Continued on page 4

4 UWA news


Since then, 63 patients have hadtheir vision corrected by Eye:Q. Thelaser will be placed in several countriesaround the world for use by ophthal-mologists, to provide independentlygathered clinical data.

The current clinical trial in the USwill be entered in the Food and DrugAdministration’s (FDA) Pre-marketApproval process for the Eye:Q.

Q-Vis Managing Director, JohnRoper, said the start of trials in the USwas an important and exciting step for

Continued from page 1

“You have to weigh up the trade offbetween losing force production byholding on to the handles and theadvantage of already being 40cm intothe race at the start,” he said.

He and Mr Welcher are testingswimmers using handle starts and threeother types of dives: the traditionalgrab start and the rear-weighted andfront-weighted track starts, inspired byfield athletes.

Both visitors enthused about theiraccess to “brilliant technicians andfacilities” at Human Movement andExercise Science.

Perfect Vision

Continued from page 3

The best start forbiomechanics

Q-Vis towards its goal of marketingEye:Q in the US.

Laser Vision Correction (LVC) tech-nology is one of the fastest growingmarkets in ophthalmology worldwide,valued at more than $2 billion perannum in the US alone.

An estimated three billion people, or50 per cent of the world’s population,suffer from some form of refractivevision disorder and need glasses orcontact lenses . . . and are candidatesfor refractive surgery.

Eye:Q relies on a computerised laserto treat refractive vision disorders suchas nearsightedness, astigmatism andfarsightedness with the goal ofeliminating or reducing reliance onglasses and contact lenses.

A computer-controlled laser beamchanges the shape of the human corneain a procedure that takes between 15and 90 seconds (depending on thedegree of refractive correction) and isperformed under local anaesthetic.

“This department has fantasticsupport, from analysis to biomechanicsand physiology. And being part of a biggroup of biomechanics postgrads iswonderful for bouncing ideas around.”

Mr Welcher has a student travelgrant from the International Society ofBiomechanics, and also has somefunding from his Department ofExercise Science and Physical Educationat Arizona State University. Mr Pearsonhas a UPA scholarship which means hereturns to the University of Ballaratwhen he’s finished his data collectionhere.

Rob Welcher (left) and Conrad Pearson.

Musicspin-off

forHackett

Perth’s famous organist,Annette Goerke, has

pledged the proceeds fromthe sale of her latest CD tothe University.

A UWA graduate, AnnetteGoerke has performed regularlyon the organ in Winthrop Hall.

Welcoming her philanthropiccommitment, the Vice-Chan-cellor, Professor DeryckSchreuder, said the proceedswould go to the HackettFoundation.

The CD, Litanies, includesworks by Saint Saiens, Franck,Messiaen and others.

“The University’s organ inWinthrop Hall on which AnnetteGoerke has performed for thecommunity on so many occasionswas acquired through a significantbequest and it is very pleasing tobe able to thank Annette forcontinuing that tradition ofgiving,” Professor Schreuder said.

Snaps for the memoriesDo you wish you had recorded special occasions in your department?

The farewell of a favourite professor, a prize night for those talentedstudents, congratulations on a big project completed . . .

You’d like to have photographs but don’t want to pay a professionalphotographer?

Here’s the answer: three undergraduate students, all keen on photography,all keen to make a few dollars, are available for occasional work on campus.

They are: Jeffrey Yeung (phone: 9401 8994 or 0404 865 994); Shona Tay(phone 9354 8143 or email: [email protected]) and Melissa Tan(phone 9497 1059 or email: [email protected]).

It costs $30 for about half an hour of their time, plus the cost, developingand printing of film.

Keep these names and contacts or call Lindy Brophy at Public Affairs onext. 2436 (email: [email protected]).

UWA news 5


For many years Charlie Dortch worked as thecurator of archaeology in the Department of

Anthropology of the WA Museum.His son Joe was growing up and showing, says Charlie,

“not the slightest interest in my work”.But, after he’d finished high school, Joe took a vacation

job on an archaeological dig in France and decided “it wasfun!”

So he followed in his father’s footsteps and studied for adegree in archaeology, graduating with honours fromSouthampton University (“it was the closest university toFrance!”) in 1991.

Charlie has now spent 30 years at the museum and Joehas been working in heritage project management and,finally, he has caught up to his father.

They both handed in their PhD theses on the same daylast month, to the same supervisor, Dr Jane Balme, in theCentre for Archaeology.

Charlie had been working on Aboriginal history in thesouthwest for years and felt he wanted to bring his workinto focus. Joe said he knew that, for a long-term future inarchaeology, he would need a higher degree, and chose thesouthwest because it was close to home and easy to get to,working at first on a master’s degree on the limestone cavesof the Leeuwin-Naturaliste area.

Both father and son have looked at aspects of the lives ofthe Nyoongar people and their responses to changes inenvironment. Joe has concentrated on the hunter-gatherersof the forest region, examining evidence preserved in caves,that shows different occupation patterns in different foresttypes. Charlie has directed his research to the coastaloccupation.

“In the southwest, we have the country’s best recordsfrom the very first years after discovery by Europeans. Soonafter those first years, the records become clouded by bias,both positive and negative, about the Aboriginal people.”

He cited as a perfect example of unbiased history therecord of a shark caught by explorer Matthew Flinders offthe south coast. When his crew cut it open, they foundinside half a seal with a spear sticking out of it.

“This was the first proof that the Aboriginal peoplehunted seals — a totally unbiased record,” Charlie said.

He carried out some of his research on the RechercheArchipelago and Rottnest Island, which were parts of themainland before the polar ice cap melted about 10,000 yearsago, cutting off places like Tasmania, Kangaroo Island andRottnest.

Joe’s work took him to the caves in the karri forests ofthe southwest.

“But the evidence I found of occupation in the karriforests doesn’t mean that the Nyoongars lived among thekarri trees. These camps would have been among the jarrah,tuart and marri trees, a much more conducive environmentfor hunter-gatherers,” Joe said.

“The karri trees existed during the ice age but, as theclimate changed, so did the incidence of the vegetation.Trees and other plants are now found up to a fewkilometres from where they originally occurred thousands of

years ago.”The Dortchs’ theses are both arguing however that

vegetational changes have been small over thecenturies and have not had a huge effect on Aboriginalpopulations and the habitats.

“Australian vegetation is very stable,” Joe said.While his father is continuing his work at the

museum, Joe said he was “pretty optimistic” aboutfinding work with Noongar communities.

Both father and son agreed that Australia has greatarchaeological opportunities just waiting to be dis-covered.

“It’s been fantastic doing our PhDs here, rather thanin, say, the USA, where we’d have spent most of our timeinside with other people’s samples,” Joe said. “Here inAustralia, you can still go out and find your own.”

Joe (left) and Charlie Dortchdiscuss a kangaroo skull, oneof the thousands of Joe’ssamples, filed in the boxesbehind them.

A passionhanded down— two PhDshanded in

Centre for Archaeology

6 UWA news


The framing and hanging ofsome high school art in the

Graduate School of Education(GSE) boardroom has achievedmuch more than just decoratingthe walls.

A simple initiative by educationlecturer Megan Ewing not only becamea valuable lesson in self-esteem for thehigh school students, but helped theparents to understand the value oftheir children’s work, instituted asound educational program forGraduate Diploma of Education(GradDipEd) students and realised thewishes of the Head of the Department.

For a long time, Professor RogerSlee had been wanting the work ofstudents displayed at the GSE.

“It’s important for an educationfaculty to show its connection withschools and to appreciate the work ofits young people and children. We havea responsibility to celebrate theirwork,” Professor Slee said.

When GradDipEd students AndreaHogue and Linda Neal encouragedtheir students from non-English-speaking backgrounds to show what

His position as a worldleader in special educ-

ation was cemented recentlywhen Professor Roger Sleemade the keynote address atan international congress inManchester, England.

After delivering his paper,Talking Back to Power: the Politicsof Educational Exclusion, ProfessorSlee, Head of the GraduateSchool of Education and Co-Dean of the Australian Instituteof Education, was swamped bydelegates from all over the worldwho had read his publicationsand wanted to speak to him.

Professor Slee modestlyadmitted that academics andpractitioners from Brazil, SouthAfrica, Madrid and Bombay hadall read and admired his work.

The theme of his keynoteaddress was that inclusion fordisabled students is an issue ofcultural politics.

“Perhaps the basic problemfor inclusive schooling is that wehave failed to recognise that weare working from an oxymoron.Schools were never meant for allcomers.

He quoted colleague AllanLuke on the requirements foreducation’s changing role. ‘Themost important lesson foracademics is knowing when toshut up and listen.’

“As cultural workers tochange education for disabledstudents, we have to becomeobsessed with listening and inforging new partnerships.

Professor Slee has beeninvited to present anotherkeynote address at a conferenceon disability rights in Edmonton,Canada, in October.

Graduate School of Education

Professor Roger Slee helps Linda Neal and Andrea Hogue decide where to hangtheir student’s work.

Putting their workon the walls

they had learned through their art,their lecturer Megan Ewing saw achance to bring everything together.

Andrea and Linda were teachingYears 8 and 9 ESL (English as a SecondLanguage) students at Perth ModernSchool. They had been learningdescriptions of Australian animals andtheir habitats from Andrea and werestudying buildings with Linda.

The students encouraged thechildren to paint and draw buildingsfrom their own countries andAustralian animals. Ms Ewing had themframed and hung in the boardroom.

“It’s the start of an ongoing projectthat makes the children feel their workis valued and is a very successfuleducational project,” Ms Ewing said.

Linda Neal is already encouragingother GradDipEd students to take theirpupils down the same path, so theirwork can be celebrated and displayedat the GSE. As each new exhibition ismounted, the previous framed workswill be returned to the artists.

The GradDipEd students are verykeen on the project’s links between theGSE and schools.

Includingthe

excluded

UWA news 7


Both artists exhibiting at the Lawrence WilsonArt Gallery this month capture elements of

suburban life.But Max Dupain’s black and white photographs and John

Brack’s paintings and drawings evoke very differentresponses.

A smile of recognition is likely to accompany Dupain’simages of the beach, the kitchen and the special occasion,taken across the century, between the 1920s and the 1980s.

But something in Brack’s works creates a distancebetween his images and the viewer.

Although some of his works, Men’s Wear (pictured), LatinAmerican Grand Final and his portraits of his young family, arefamiliar scenes and subjects, there is something slightlyshadowy about them.

The exhibition, Inside and Outside , follows thisAustralian artist’s life chronologically and the latestpictures are so different from the early ones that it makes

you want to go back and startagain.

He uses images of pencils andpens — the artist’s tools — inrepresentations of chance and war.The earlier portrait of the LatinAmerican dancers is echoed in ameticulous arrangement of jointedwooden figures ballroom dancingon a marble tabletop.

He was apparently disappointedby his only trip to Europe, eager toget back to Melbourne to startpainting again. But while he wasthere, he collected picturepostcards of antiquities and, laterin his life, incorporated them intohis paintings.

His views of twentieth-centuryAustralian life require a little moreeffort to appreciate than MaxDupain’s.

Dupain started his professionallife as an advertising photographerbut, after serving in World War II,decided he “did not want to goback to the cosmetic lie of fashionphotography or advertising illus-tration” even though some of

(LEFT) Max Dupain’sSunday Afternoon atthe Beach.

(BELOW) JohnBrack’s Men’s Wear.

Australianlife in the

frame

Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery

those commercial images have now become icons.His pictures of the Australian beach, peopled by

sunbakers, lifesavers and even nuns in full regalia, became hismost famous.

His early still life studies evoked a sense of time and placebut his later creations became more self-conscious.

Max Dupain’s exhibition makes great lunchtime viewing.It continues at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery until

September 3. John Brack’s exhibition will stay at the Galleryuntil September 24. It’s here by arrangement with theNational Gallery of Australia.

Tomorrow (Tuesday August 22), Perth artist MarioD’Alonzo will present a lunchtime talk at the Gallery on theart of John Brack, from the perspective of a practising artist.Next Tuesday (August 29), Ray Spiteri, from the School ofArchitecture and Fine Arts, will provide some insight intosome of John Brack’s key ideas.

tuesdays live at the Gallery start at 1pm.

8 UWA news


UWANews is published fortnightly. Information for thepublication dated September 4 should be forwarded to Joanna

Thompson, Publications Unit, ext 3029, fax 1162,email: [email protected]

NO LATER THAN 5PM ON AUGUST 23

Media enquiries to Public Affairs on 9380 2889.

Unless a restricted audience or charge is specified, all the events/exhibitions listed here are free and open to all and may attract

media interest.

Monday 21 August

POLITICAL SCIENCE AND ECONOMICS SEMINAR“The Middle East after Hafiz ul Asad”, Professor Moshe Moaz.12.30pm, University House.

ASTHMA AND ALLERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE SEMINAR“Inflammation in Atherosclerosis”, A/Prof Joe Hung. 12.30 to1.30pm, Joske Seminar Room, Medicine, G Block, SCGH.

HISTORY SEMINAR“History, Native Title and the law: processes and challenges in thepractice of history”, Christine Choo. 4.30pm, PostgraduateLounge, Hackett Hall.

Tuesday 22 August

ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS SEMINAR“Political theory and the city state”, Professor Paul Hirst, BirkbeckCollege, University of London. 10am, Hew Roberts LectureTheatre.

LAWRENCE WILSON ART GALLERY“Mario D’Alonzo on John Brack”. Artist Mario D’Alonzo willreflect on the art of John Brack from the point of view of apractising artist. 1pm, LWAG.

SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION SEMINAR“Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis as a method to assessmicrobial community structure in the rhizophere”, Dr PetraMarschner, Institute fur Angewandte Botanik, Hamburg. 4pm,Agriculture Lecture Theatre.

PERTH MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE GROUP TALK“Celtic law: bloodshed and compensation in ancient Ireland”,Professor Neil McLeod (School of Law, Murdoch University).7.30pm, Postgraduate Common Room, Hackett Hall.

Wednesday 23 August

CHEMISTRY SEMINAR“Wave-functions directly from scattering experiments”, DylanJayatilaka. 12 noon, White Lecture Theatre.

INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES/INAUGURALLECTURES 2000“Paedophiles, child molesters and incest perpetrators: what is therisk to our community?” David Mace Greenberg, ForensicPsychiatry. Kevin Durkin from Psychology will also be giving alecture. 1 to 2pm, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.

ANATOMY AND HUMAN BIOLOGY SEMINAR“Analysis of respiratory sounds”, Dr Ralph James, Physics. 4 to5pm, CTEC Seminar Room, Ground Floor, adjacent to Anatomyand Human Biology Building.

PHYSIOLOGY SEMINAR“Brain temperature regulation in large mammals,” Dr ShaneMaloney. 5pm, Physiology Seminar Room.

Thursday 24 August

FREE LUNCHTIME CONCERT“A recital of chamber music presented by senior students ofWAIM. 1.10pm, Octagon Theatre.

ZOOLOGY SEMINAR“Is nitrogen a limiting resource for reproduction in the honeypossum?” Professor Don Bradshaw. 4pm, Jennifer Arnold LectureTheatre.

WA HERBICIDE RESISTANCE INITIATIVE SEMINAR“Gene flow between adjacent herbicide resistant canola crops”,Dr Linda Hall, Agriculture Canada, Alberta. “Gene flow betweencanola and wild radish”, Professor Stephen Powles. 5.15pm,Simmonds Lecture Theatre.

Friday 25 August

MICROBIOLOGY SEMINAR“The role of the NK gene complex (NKC) in controlling infectionsby DNA viruses”, Dr Tony Scalzo. 9am, Seminar Room 1.1, FirstFloor, L Block, QEIIMC.

ANTHROPOLOGY SEMINAR“Creativity and politics in the cultural supermarket: synthesisingindigenous identities for the [r]evolution of spirit”, Jane Mulcock.12 noon to 1pm, Anthropology Conference Room.

ASIAN STUDIES SEMINAR“The end of the one-child policy? A review of recent issues inpopulation planning and governmental administration in con-temporary China and their relation to the deepening of marketreforms”, Gary Sigley. 1 to 2pm, G.25, Ground Floor, SocialSciences/Economics and Commerce Building.

CENTRE FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH INNEUROPSYCHIATRY SEMINAR“Psychosis in ethnic minorities”, Professor Julian Leff, Institute ofPsychiatry, Kings College, London. 3.30pm, Seminar Room 3,Gascoyne House, Graylands Hospital.

CIVIL AND RESOURCE ENGINEERING SEMINAR“T-bar and ball penetration in cohesive soil”, Qin Lu. 3.45pm,Room E151, Civil Engineering Building.

PATRICK O’BRIEN MEMORIAL LECTURE 2000“The future of governance”, Professor B. Guy Peters, Universityof Pittsburgh. 6pm, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery. Admission free.RSVP to Department of Political Science, tel: ext. 3448 [email protected] by Monday 21 August (today!).

Monday 28 August

BOTANY SEMINAR“AIRS in cowpea nodules: the fourth co-targeted protein?” DanicaGoggin. 4 to 5pm, Room 2.14, Department of Botany.

Tuesday 29 August

ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS SEMINAR“Cities ancient and modern (Part 1)”, Professor Paul Hirst,Birkbeck College, University of London. 10am, Hew RobertsLecture Theatre.

PERTH MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE GROUP TALK“The Globe and globalism: Shakespeare’s maps”, AssociateProfessor Chris Wortham, English. 1pm, ALR 9, Arts Building.

LAWRENCE WILSON ART GALLERY FLOORTALK“Ray Spiteri on John Brack. 1pm, LWAG.

LAND PLACE CULTURE IDENTITY/INSTITUTE OFADVANCED STUDIES PROGRAMME“Australians and their culture: from Bondi to Beethoven”, A/ProfMargaret Seares. 5.15pm, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.

Wednesday 30 August

CHEMISTRY SEMINAR“Iron carbides as alternative iron sources”, Shoji Hayashi. 12noon, White Lecture Theatre.

UWA news 9


ENGLISH WORK-IN-PROGRESS SEMINAR“Sacred ground”, Sister Veronica Brady. 1 to 2 pm, Ground FloorCommon Room (G14), Department of English.

THE PHILOSOPHY SOCIETY MEETING“On how to undermine the Kalam cosmological argument — at aprice”, Paul Kabay. 4.30pm, Arts Seminar Room 1.33.

LAND PLACE CULTURE IDENTITY/INSTITUTE OFADVANCED STUDIES PROGRAMME“Town and country in modern Britain”, Professor Paul Hirst,Birkbeck College, University of London. 6pm, Lawrence WilsonArt Gallery.

ANATOMY AND HUMAN BIOLOGY SEMINAR“The development of an anatomically-guided ultrasound techniquefor the early diagnosis of vasospasm, following acute subarachnoidhaemmorhage”, Rob Hart. 4 to 5pm, CTEC Seminar Room,Ground Floor, adjacent to Anatomy and Human Biology Building.

Thursday 31 August

FREE LUNCHTIME CONCERT“WAIM wind ensembles present the Hindemith Quintet andHummel’s Octet. 1.10pm, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.

ZOOLOGY SEMINAR“Polynesia revisited: parallel evolution in Marquesan partulid landsnails”, A/Prof Mike Johnson. 4pm, Jennifer Arnold LectureTheatre.

Friday 1 September

ANTHROPOLOGY SEMINAR“Social inequality is a health hazard: the case of some AboriginalAustralians”, Dr Myrna Tonkinson. 12 noon to 1pm, AnthropologyConference Room.

BIOCHEMISTRY SEMINAR“Transcriptional control of plant stress/defense gene expression”A/Prof Karam Singh, Plant Industry, CSIRO. 1pm, SimmondsLecture Theatre.

CENTRE FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH IN NEUROPSYCHIATRYSEMINAR“Early diagnostic tests and therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer’sdisease”, Dr Ralph Martins, Curtin University/Department ofSurgery (UWA). 3.30pm, Seminar Room 3, Gascoyne House,Graylands Hospital.

CIVIL AND RESOURCE ENGINEERING SEMINAR“Modelling of time-dependent scour below offshore pipelines”,Fangjun Li. 3.45pm, Room E151, Civil Engineering Building.

TOYS

soft toys • marbles • sporting equipment(condition is irrelevant)SCHOOL SUPPLIES

pens • pencils • textas • coloured paper •exercise books • colour-in books • picturebooks (with few words)CHILDREN’S CLOTHES

TOYDRIVEThe Law Students CommunitySupport Group request yourhelp to fill a ship container andto raise the money to send it toCambodia.

The container is nearly full withother donations includingurgently needed medical andbuilding supplies for Cambodianorphanages funded and built byAwareness Cambodia Inc.

Donations should bemade by31 August and maybe left at the LawSchool General Office.

10 UWA news


This year’s Outstanding Woman of the Year in a

Non-Traditional Area almostchose a career in a verytraditional area for women

— the arts.Angeline Loh, (pictured)

who won the NationalCentre for Gender andCultural Diversity’sannual award, is in herfourth year of anEng ineer ing /Sc iencedegree.

But, while still atschool, she had plannedto study arts.

Acomputer hiccup meant Geography post-graduate student Julianna Priskin almost didn’t

make it to an international conference in Oregonlast month.

But her supervisor, Dr Ian Eliot, persuaded her that shecould rewrite her paper over a weekend, despite having lostit to cyberspace. That hectic weekend meant Miss Priskin(pictured) won the prize for Best Student Paper at the 17th

International Conference of The Coastal Society in Portland,USA.

Coastal environments and coastal zone planningthroughout the world were under the microscope at theconference. Miss Priskin’s paper on environmentalassessment of coastal environments in the Central CoastRegion of WA was selected from 20 student contri-butions accepted for presentation by the conferenceorganisers.

Miss Priskin is examining the development of nature-based tourism in the coastal area between Perth andGeraldton, working with various government authorities andlocal communities.

“We are sharing and getting feedback on informationconstantly. It’s a unique opportunity to work on a projectlike this and I feel quite privileged to be involved,” she said.

Her winning paper reported a technique to measure thephysical impact of nature-based tourism activities andcombined a range of standard techniques, including matrixevaluation, environmental surveys, field mapping andadministration of questionnaires.

As well as her research of tourism development in WA,Julianna has an active interest in cross-cultural liaison. She

Tourism researchis no holiday

has taken short courses at Uppsala University in Sweden andBergen University in Norway as part of her doctoral studies.

She has just been granted an Education Exchangescholarship by the Hungarian Department of EuropeanAffairs and Bilateral Relations. She will investigate the impactof the recent environmental catastrophe on local tourism inthe Tisza River region of Hungary.

The catastrophe was caused by the breakage of a tailingdam at a gold mine in the northwest of Romania whichwashed vast quantities of wastewater, contaminated withcyanides and heavy metals, into Hungary’s river system.

“The University’s summer engineering camp for Year10 students was pivotal in my career choice,” Ms Lohsaid.

“I got left behind on a visit to ERG Telecommuni-cations and stumbled into a research and design lab. Theirjobs sounded so fascinating and they ended up inviting meto do some work experience there.”

Ms Loh now works as a voluntary tutor at thosesummer camps, as well as visiting schools as a studentambassador for WISE, working as a science demonstratorat Scitech, and being involved with Electrical andElectronic Engineering’s GENESIS program.

She worked on a Woodside gas platform last summerand is learning to fly, with the help of a Robert Holmes àCourt flying scholarship.

Both the WISE and GENESIS programs take her offcampus to schools.

“Sometimes girls track me down after a demonstrationto find out about engineering. That makes me feel reallygood!”

a WISE choice

UWA news 11


Television news bulletins onthe Saturday night of the

Avon Descent showed a spec-tacular attempt by a powerboat todrive through the notoriousExtracts Weir.

The boat obscured by the foam wasthe brilliant yellow Daytrader HQ,designed, built and raced by studentsfrom the Department of Mechanicaland Materials Engineering.

Haydn Law and Andy Buck put inthe work for their final-yearengineering project: a project con-ceived by PhD student Laurie Walkerand supervised by Dr Angus Tavner.

And it paid off, not only in academicand technical terms. Haydn and Andycame second in the 8 HP standardcategory and won the novice category.

Their HOD, Professor Mark Bush,described it as “a remarkable achieve-ment for first time Avon Descenters”and sent his congratulations to allinvolved in the project.

DESCENT MARKSA NEW HIGHFOR STUDENTS

Daytrader HQ looking great and the crew,Dr Angus Tavner, Laurie Walker, Andy Buckand Haydn Law looking expectant just daysbefore the Avon Descent.

The project involved some innovativecomposite materials design, an area onwhich Laurie Walker is concentratingfor his postgraduate research.

“We had lots and lots of peopleasking us about our boat’s design at theAvon,” Laurie said.

The boat was battered and Andywas slightly injured but the students areplanning to get Daytrader HQ back intothe white water again before the end ofthe season.

We are happy to announce the introductionof an IAS Professor-at-Large Program to

commence in 2001.This initiative is designed to enable individuals who

have achieved distinction through broad intellectualinterests to be invited to visit the University and roamwidely across disciplines and the intellectual life of thecampus community.

Visitors selected as a Professor-at-Large will make acommitment to travel to UWA for a minimum of twoweeks each year for two years, with the potential ofrenewal for a third year. The program will covereconomy airfare from their home institution to Perth,accommodation in Perth and honorarium.

The requirements of a Professor-at-Large are, toborrow the words of another scheme, to “enliven theintellectual and cultural life of the University.”

Professors-at-Large do not have to be academics —they may also be writers, public intellectuals and artists.The establishment of this program will complementcurrent arrangements for inviting and hosting dis-tinguished visitors to UWA. The program aims to attracteminent visitors to the University on a regular and co-ordinated basis; the rewards of such ongoing associationsare numerous and include loyalty and ambassadorship.

SelectionSelection will be made in two stages by a Selection

Committee set up by the IAS. The first stage consists of abrief letter (no more than two pages) signed byacademics from at least two departments who will beexpected to act as co-hosts along with IAS. This lettershould outline the appeal of the nominee acrossdisciplines with an indication of potential forthcomingsupport from other departments or areas. A briefcurriculum vitae of the nominee should be attached. Atthis stage it is unnecessary to have contacted thenominee.

Further information: Terri-ann White, Instituteof Advanced Studies, 9380 2114 or [email protected].

Institute of Advanced Studies

Professor-at-LargeProgram

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

12 UWA news


Dr Joe Gentilli, one of theUniversity’s, and the coun-

try’s, great geographers, diedrecently aged 88.

Dr Gentilli , Senior HonoraryResearch Fellow in the Department ofGeography, was an outstanding scholar,teacher and researcher who over manydecades made a major contribution tothe study of physical geography andmigration studies.

He was one of Australia’s foremostclimatologists; a fellow of the RoyalMeteorological Society and the RoyalGeographical Society and a member ofthe American Meteorological Society.During his career he was the author ofhundreds of papers and several books.

Dr Gentilli was instrumental infounding UWA’s Department of Geo-

graphy and will be remembered bymany UWA graduates and staff for hisenthusiasm and his ability to stimulateand excite interest in climatology.

Dr Gentilli began work as a lecturerat UWA in 1940. He retired at the endof 1977, but continued his associationwith the University as a ResearchFellow right up until he became ill inlate 1998.

He had just published a major workon the growth and development of theWanneroo-Joondalup-Yanchep region.He talked about the city of Joondalup,with whimsical analogy, springing upout of the bushland he remembered sowell from his long Australian life.

“In Greek mythology, Athene, thegoddess of wisdom, had sprung fullyclad and armed from the brain of Zeus.

Likewise, here we have a new city,armed with all sorts of educationalinstitutions, and clad in the shimmeringof its lake, springing suddenly to life.”

The Department of Geographysuspended all teaching for the morning,on the day of Dr Gentilli’s funeral, as amark of respect for their fondlyremembered colleague.

Geography with awhimsical touch

Obituary

You show me yours, I’ll showyou mine was the enticing

title of one of the workshops atthe recent science teachers’conference at UWA.

Along with Executive DeanProfessor George Stewart’s keynoteaddress on forensic science, The Plant,the Crim and the Bust, it set the tone forthe three-day Conference of AustralianScience Teachers Association, for morethan 300 science educators fromaround Australia.

Professor Stewart said theconference theme, Past Reflections,Future Directions, was timely, given thenational and international focus on the

Faculty of Science

Inspirationforscienceteachers

Khim Harris and Dr Pam Garnetthave fun with a chemistrydemonstration.

challenges, both ethical and technical,facing the study of science.

Delegates learned of new pro-cedures to place vaccines for hepatitisB in genetically modified potatoes andbananas and the development of agenetic modification for aquaculturesalmon from Murdoch University’sJoanne Edmonston.

UWA’s Professor Barry Marshallpresented his story of the battle tohave accepted the diagnosis andtreatment he had developed for thetreatment of stomach ulcers.

Teachers had opportunities todiscuss cutting-edge technology withresearchers and scientists from a range

of fields covering physical, earth and lifesciences.

“If Australia is to fulfil its potentialand succeed in the twenty-f irstcentury, it needs to have a strongbase in science,” Professor Stewartsaid. “It needs skilled and effectiveteachers, a strong research base andresources to maintain its educationalinfrastructure.

“As a progressive society, we haveto be prepared to commit resources tothe education and training of the nextgeneration of scientists and tech-nologists. The community needs tovalue science teachers and scienceeducation.”

UWA news 13


T he Save the ChildrenFund Booksale reached

another milestone this year.Last year, their total for more

than 30 years of booksales, passedthe million-dollar mark. This year,they made their first individual“tonne”, netting more than$100,000 for the first time.

The final total of $103,000 willbe distributed to needy children,both locally and overseas throughcharitable projects.

The group is already receivingdonations for next year’s sale.They are now based at the oldZoology building in Crawley,behind St Georges College. It’s just close enough, says organiserRosalind Lindsay, for staff members to walk over and donate their lunchhours occasionally to help sort the books.

“We are often in need of some specialist advice when we receivetextbooks,” Mrs Lindsay said. “But we would welcome help fromanybody on campus.” Mrs Lindsay’s phone number is 9381 3423.

A rarely-told musical storyDo you remember when Israel in Egypt was last performed in Perth?

Handel’s tumultuous and evocative oratorio recounts the story of theoppression of the Israelites in Egypt, of the plagues that befell the Egyptians and of theflight of the Israelites from Egypt.

But the story has not been told in Perth since 1950 when it was performed at theRoss Memorial Church by the University Choral Society and the ABC Singers.

The UWA Choral Society has joined with the Perth Oratorio Choir to bring thismagnificent work back to the stage on Saturday September 2.

The 160-voice choir, conducted by Robert Braham, will perform at the PerthConcert Hall at 8pm.

The choirs’ performance is supported by Healthways to promote the HeartFoundation’s message: SmokeFree WA.

Prosh proceeds appreciatedAmanda Young, the University rower, who died tragically in 1997

after an intervarsity regatta, has been remembered by her peers.The Amanda Young Foundation is a major beneficiary of Prosh 2000.Prosh raised a record $70,000 this year, easily eclipsing last year’s (also record)

total of $58,000.The aims of the Amanda Young Foundation are to increase public awareness in

the early recognition of the symptoms of Meningococcal Septicaemia; to raise fundsfor medical research; and to conduct an annual summer camp for Year 11 studentswith a focus on educational leadership and public health issues.

Meningococcal Septicaemia has a high incidence among 16 to 24-year-olds,especially at universities and student hostels.

Other charities to benefit from the students’ day of fun are the LeukaemiaFoundation of WA, the Huntingdon Awareness Ride, the Motor Neurone DiseaseAssociation of WA; and the Resource Unit for Children with Special Needs.

Prosh organisers have already presented cheques to these charities and havereceived a heartfelt thanks from the parents of Amanda Young.

BOOKSALEBOOKSALE

Student Guild

CLASSICALVISIT

While manyhigh schools t u d e n t s

are eyeinga career in

InformationTechnology, it appears not allof them have their eyes onthe future.

Nearly 80 students visited theDepartment of Classics andAncient History recently, showingan interest in Greek and Latin.

HOD Associate ProfessorJohn Melville-Jones met thestudents from Carey BaptistCollege in Winthrop Hall, theperfect backdrop for a shorthistory of the University.

The students were then givensome brief lessons in the ancientGreek and Latin origins of someEnglish words — words thatmight inspire them to return toUWA to study the classics.

14 UWA news


Redundant Equipment for SaleITEM PRICE AGE COND. CONTACT DEPARTMENT EXT

IMAC 233Mhz, 64MB RAM4.0GB Hard Disk, MACOS 8.6 .............................................. $1100 ono — 2 Mark ECEL 1405Power Mac 7200/120, 88MB RAM,1.2GB Hard Disk, MACOS 8.0 .............................................. $600 ono — 2 Mark ECEL 140517inch Display Power Mac 7200/75,40MB RAM, 2.0GB Hard Disk, MACOS 8.6 ....................... $350 ono — 2 Mark ECEL 1405Power Mac 7200/120, 64MB RAM,1.2GB Hard Disk, MACOS 8.1 .............................................. $600 ono — 2 Mark ECEL 140517inch Display Power Mac 7200/7524MB RAM, 1.6GB Hard Disk, MACOS 8.6 ....................... $350 ono — 2 Mark ECEL 1405Apple Mac II SI, Mac 05 7.1 ..................................................... $50 6-7 3 Vicki Music 2052

Quadra 605, Mac 05 7.5 .......................................................... $150 6-7 3 Vicki Music 2052

Bids should be accepted by Monday September 4 with departments to have first option

Departments are reminded that all University equipment available for sale must be advertised in the UWANews. Receipts should be PeopleSoftaccount 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 3618/2547 for details.

CONDITION refers to the general condition of item ( 1 = as new; 2 = good; 3 = serviceable; 4 = unserviceable). AGE refers to the nearest year.

CLASSIFIEDSFOR RENT

GUY/GIRL REQUIRED to share a large olderstyle house in Nedlands (5 mins from campus)with two guys. Rent is $85 p/w plus expenses(electricity, water, phone) and includes largeunfurnished bedroom and fully furnishedcommunal rooms (kitchen, living room anddining room). Available now. Contact Paul on9380 7872 or email [email protected].

WANTED TO RENT

PROFESSIONAL COUPLE seeking temporaryresidence in Perth for the duration of threemonths starting October 2000. One bedroom,self-contained suite would be ideal, but anythingwill be appreciated. Happy to housesit, and lookafter animals. Contact Brett on 3111 for furtherdetails.

COUPLE WANTING HOUSE OR UNIT FULLYFURNISHED. Two or three bedrooms. Lease forsix months. Contact Mike on ext. 2735 or [email protected].

FOR SALE

HOLDEN BROUGHAM HT 308 VB. Collector’sitem. Original, immaculate condition. Power discbrakes, power steering, power glide 2 speedauto. 96,000 genuine miles. Log Book and servicehistory available. RAC Inspection Report (April2000). $6500. Phone Keryl on ext. 3583 or 93198868.

and book a one, two or three bedroom townhome absolutely fullyequipped with everything! Short or long stay. From $350 per week,

including all amenities.

Location: cnr Fairway and Edward Streets, Crawley (oppositeMechanical Engineering)

Enquiries: 0412 953 100 or fax 9389 8326

KenataRentals

Call

Kenata Rentals providing short term, fully furnished accommodation to UWA since 1982.

There are times when all of us have challenging issuesto deal with. When personal or work related issuesmake life difficult, the University has an EmployeeAssistance Program (EAP) to help staff manage theseissues more effectively.The EAP is a professional, confidential counselling andconsultation service. The services of Davidson Trahaireare available FREE to you and your family for up to sixsessions a year.For appointments, please ring Davidson Trahaireon 9382 8100 or if urgent 9480 4847(24 hours).Their offices are located at Suite 11, 100 Hay St,Subiaco. Further information can be obtained atwww.admin.uwa.edu.au/sho

UWAEmployeeAssistanceProgram

Can you help us in our research?

FAMILY ASTHMA STUDYWe are seeking families in which two siblings have or have had asthma. Thosesiblings must be aged between 7 and 35 years.Participation involves a home interview and a clinic visit to complete respiratoryfunction and allergy assessment.For further information please contact: Professor Peter Sly, Dr Raewyn Mutchor Ann Callaghan (RN) 9489 7811, TVW Telethon Institute for ChildHealth Research, 100 Roberts Rd, Subiaco, 6008

UWA news 15


ResearchGrantsContracts

&AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Dr Timothy Robert Ackland, Dr DavidGavin Lloyd, Mr Thor Franciscus Besierand Prof Bruce Clifford Elliott, HumanMovement and Exercise Science: “The effect ofstrength and proprioceptive training on kneejoint ligament loading” — $32,000

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATIONOF AMERICA (MDA)

Prof Miranda Deirdre Grounds, Anatomyand Human Biology, and A/Prof N. Rosenthal(external): “Enhancement of stem-cell mediatedmuscle regeneration by IGF-I” — $85,000 (2001/02/03).

NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSISSOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA

Dr W. M. Carroll, Neuromuscular andNeurological Disorders, “Capacity forreplenishment of oligodenrocyte progenitorsfollowing demyelination of adult mammalianCNS” — $40,000 (2000/01).

NHMRC

C. J. Martin: Fellowship, “Transfer fromFlinders University to UWA”.

Dr C. A. Jones, Paediatrics: PMH Fellowship:“The association between childhood atopy andthe intrauterine environment”.

Dr N. H. De Klerk, Institute for Child HealthResearch, Ms M. L. Croft, Public Health, andDr A. L. James (external): “Exploring thecomplexity of the asthma phenotype” —$113,490 (2000); $101,383 (2001); $103,231(2002).

Watch out for more ResearchGrants and Contracts in thenext issue of UWA News.

EDITOR/FEATURE STORY WRITER

Lindy BrophyTel.: 9380 2436 Fax: 9380 1192Email: [email protected]

CAMPUS DIARY/ADVERTISING/CLASSIFIEDS/REDUNDANT EQUIPMENT/

DISTRIBUTION LIST

Jo ThompsonTel.: 9380 3029 Fax: 9380 1162

Email: [email protected]

Designed and produced byPublications Unit

The University of Western Australia

Printed byUniprint

The University of Western Australia

UWAnews onlinehttp://www.publishing.uwa.edu.au/uwanews/

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Colin Campbell-FraserTel.: 9380 2889 Fax: 9380 1020

Email: [email protected]

newsUWA

PFIZER CENTRAL RESEARCH

A/Prof Michael Conway Stacey, Surgery:“Venous ulceration” — $334,312 (2000);$339,271 (2001); $87,706 (2002).

WAGIN WOOLORAMA

Prof D. R. Lindsay, Animal Science andProduction: “Factors involved in woolcolouration” — $5000

WA HEALTH PROMOTIONFOUNDATION

Dr Stephen Randolph Kisely, Psychiatry andBehavioural Science, and Dr P. Shannon andMr N. Preston (external), Starter Grant: “Apilot study to reduce smoking in mental healthsettings” — $19,977 (2001).

HEALTHWESTDr Alison Marie Ward, General Practice, andDr D. Pritchard (external): “Sentinel PracticeProject Evaluation” — $40,000.

LAND AND WATER RESOURCES RAND D CORPORATIONA/Prof Wallace Andrew Cowling, PlantSciences: “Scoping study — opportunities tobreed/select bioengineer plant species to controldeep drainage and nitrogen leakage” — $2000.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THEMENTALLY ILL (NAMI): THEODOREAND VADA STANLEY FOUNDATIONProf Assen Veniaminov Jablensky, Ms VeraAnne Morgan, Psychiatry and BehaviouralScience, A/Prof C. Bower and A/Prof S. R.Zubrick, Institute for Child Health Research,and Mr N. Preston (external): “Pathways ofrisk from conception to disease: a population-based study of the offspring of women withbipolar disorder and schizophrenia” — $103,055(2000); $84,642 (2001).

NHMRCDr Rodney Francis Minchin, Pharmacology:“Targeting of CD4 positive cells for anti-HIVgene therapy” — $112,248 (2000); $116,080(2001); $119,909 (2002).

RURAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH ANDDEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONProf John Anthony Considine, Agriculture,Mr D. J. Growns and Mr M. Webb (external):“Preparation and publication of a protocol forobtaining intellectual property rights for plants”— $9000.

SMITH KLINE BEECHAMA/Prof Gerald Francis Watts, Medicine:“Insulin as a regulator of postprandial lipaemiaand related projects” — $20,000.

UROLOGICAL FOUNDATION OFAUSTRALASIADr Justin Vivian, Surgery: “The role of CD44in renal cell carcinoma” — $40,000.

WA HEALTH PROMOTIONFOUNDATIONDr B. Giles-Corti, Public Health, Ms A.Williams, Institute for Child Health Research,Ms L. J. Wood and Ms S. M. Mackay(external): “Starter Grant: Social capital, physicalenvironments and health” — $19,000 (2001).Convocation, the UWA Graduates Association and

the UWA Student Guildpresent

FOR CULTURAL EXCELLENCE

AREAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE $1000 INCLUDE:

ARTS MUSIC DANCE DRAMA LITERATUREPUBLIC SPEAKING VISUAL ARTS

NOMINATIONS FOR THE MATILDA AWARDMAY BE FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS

Applications close Friday 22 September 2000For further information

and nomination forms, contactThe Graduates Co-ordinator

Convocation, the UWA Graduates AssociationTelephone: (08) 9380 1336

email: [email protected]

The UWA Student GuildTelephone: (08) 9380 2295

email: [email protected]

16 UWA news


Dr Andrew PageSenior Lecturer, Clinical Unit, Department of Psychology

...the last word

A report on universities in the United States has resulted in third-year undergraduates in the

Department of Psychology becoming involved inresearch.

The Boyer Commission’s report on Higher Education(http://notes.cc.sunysb.edu/Pres/boyer.nsf) examinedresearch-intensive universities within the United States andoffered a variety of criticisms, including these failures:

• to take every opportunity to welcome undergraduatestudents into the research activities of the university;

• to provide opportunities for undergraduate students tomeet and collaborate with staff members withinternational research renown; and

• to provide a context where undergraduate andpostgraduate students could meet and foster links anddevelop mentoring relationships as students grew anddeveloped while studying at a university;

• to provide opportunities for postgraduate students todevelop their own teaching and mentoring skills.

Even though these criticisms are less pertinent toAustralian universities, staff at the Department of Psychologywere inspired by the recommendations to increase thedegree to which the research activity of the departmentcould be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum.

Drs Andrew Page and Vance Locke were given the taskof developing guidelines for just such a development, in

collaboration with the department’s UndergraduateTeaching Committee, chaired by Dr Davina French.

The outcome has been a new program of study fullysupported by the department. Consequently, theDepartment of Psychology has restructured itsundergraduate study to implement many of the key aspectsof the Boyer Commission Report. In making these changes,the chief aim has been to welcome undergraduate studentsinto the internationally-recognised research activities of thedepartment, by giving them an opportunity to becomepartners in the science of psychology.

The centrepiece is a newly-introduced teaching unit thatbuilds on innovative teaching developments instituted by anumber of staff members in a variety of our courses to date.The unit seeks to fulfil a number of aims. Among them arethe following:• To further strengthen the teaching-research nexus by

bringing an enlivening research experience into theundergraduate teaching curriculum.

• To allow undergraduate students the opportunity towork with academics in their own area of expertise.

• To provide an opportunity for mentoring relationshipsacross years and between students who are learningwithin the undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

• To enhance the research skills of students in preparationfor research in their honours year, the existing capstoneexperience of the undergraduate program.

• To create teams, where academic staff and postgraduatestudents work together in the planning and delivery ofteaching.The seminar and laboratory classes, led collaboratively by

a staff member and an advanced PhD student, shepherdsclass members to conduct research of their own devising insmall groups.

In the course of the unit, students hear presentations fromthe current honours students and then present the results oftheir own research investigations to the current second-yearstudents. In so doing, students can be mentored as theybecome active participants in innovative and internationally-

recognised research programs currently takingplace within the department, and learn how topresent research to non-specialised audiences.

Mounted for the first time this year,the new unit has

been greetedwithexcitement

and enthusiasmfrom staff

andstudents.

It’s nevertoo earlyfor research

...the last word

LEFT TO RIGHT: Andrew Page,Vance Locke, Davina French

Documents

UWAnews - Official publications · and provocative essay by Jane Marceau on the future of university research, the book ultimately does not fully address the reality of change: universities