Public Relations and Corporate Communications Manager
John Kauter
(02) 6773 2779
Public Relations Specialist/Journalist
Jim Scanlan
(02) 6773 3049
Corporate Communications Officer
Leon Braun
(02) 6773 3771
Photographer
David Elkins
(02) 6773 3770
Events Coordinators
Kerry De Jong
(02) 6773 3955
and
Tracey James
(02) 6773 2768
Administrative Assistant
Kathleen Harper
(02) 6773 2736
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March 2005
January 2005Brush with fame as Chancellor’s portrait hung at UNE
February 28, 2005
An official portrait of Dr Pat O’Shane, former Chancellor of the University of New England, was unveiled at Booloominbah yesterday.
Dr O’Shane, who saw the finished painting for the first time at the unveiling, said she was delighted with the likeness, an oil on canvas by former Archibald Prize runner-up Matthew Lynn.
The painting now hangs on the ground floor of Booloominbah, which contains the office of the Chancellory, along with portraits of UNE’s previous Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors.
Dr O’Shane said she was “extremely proud to be able to take my place, as it were, among some very distinguished Australians.
“It is an enormous honour to ever be appointed Chancellor of a University, and I was extremely privileged to have had that honour. I treasure my association with this institution.”
Vice-Chancellor Professor Ingrid Moses said the painting “depicts Pat as we love her and is a really important contribution to our art collection”.
She said that while there had been a number of portraits painted of former Vice-Chancellors during the 1990s, the history of the University had yielded only a limited number of Chancellors’ paintings. These were all painted by different artists, whereas many of the paintings of former Vice-Chancellors were painted by the one artist, Judy Cassab.
Other important paintings in the University’s collection include a 1950 oil on canvas of UNE’s first Chancellor, Sir Earle Page, painted by Sir Joshua Smith, an oil on canvas of Dr Robert Madgwick, UNE’s first Vice-Chancellor, painted by Judy Cassab and an acrylic on board of Sir Frank Kitto, a former Chancellor, by Kevin O’Connor.
Guests at the unveiling included Mr Ed Wright, a descendent of former Chancellor P A Wright, current Chancellor John Cassidy, and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) Peter Flood.
Artist Matthew Lynn said it had been an honour to paint Dr O’Shane, his second portrait of the magistrate. “I had previously painted Dr O’Shane last year and that was accepted into the Archibald Prize [at the Art Gallery of NSW],” Mr Lynn said. “While that painting was quite sombre, this portrait presents Dr O’Shane as happy and glowing.”
Mr Lynn, 41, is well-known for his portrait paintings, having had many of his works accepted into the Archibald Prize every year since 1997. Two of his portraits have been runners-up in the final prize: a portrait of SBS presenter Jeanne Ryckmans and his 1998 painting of Chinese contemporary artist Guan Wei.
The artist lives in Blackheath and for his current portrait of Dr O’Shane he organised a number of sittings over a period of three months at Dr O’Shane’s Hunters Hill home.
For more information phone Leon Braun on 6773 3771 or Jenny Edmunds on 6773 2144.
Posted by Leon Braun at 02:11 PM
UNE trains Government resource managers
February 25, 2005
Thanks to the University of New England, NSW Government resource managers and planners can now all take advantage of the latest technology in mapping the State’s natural resources.
This week, UNE conducted its first training course in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for staff of the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources from throughout the State.
Dr Lalit Kumar, the Director of UNE’s Centre for Spatial Sciences, said the four-day course had introduced the participants to new software and methodologies that would allow them to complete mapping tasks much more quickly and efficiently than in the past. Dr Kumar, who coordinated the course, said: “Now they are familiar with the new software, they will be able to use it for a variety of natural resource management tasks. For example, preparing a vegetation map from a series of computer images will take far less time than collating information from paper maps.”
Twenty-eight people from as far afield as Jindabyne, Murwillumbah and Wagga Wagga took part in the course. One of them is Sue Rea, GIS Coordinator for the Department’s North Coast Region, based in Grafton. “We’re hoping that, with the help of UNE, we can have a consistent, State-wide approach to our GIS training needs,” Ms Rea said. “In the past, the various regions have done their own training.”
“We’ll work with the University in arriving at a course that meets all our needs,” she continued.
Dr Kumar said he was excited by the prospect of providing all the GIS training needs of a Government Department. “And this course has been so successful that we’re now thinking of running similar courses for other Departments and for Catchment Management Authorities,” he added.
UNE’s School of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources Management is a leader in GIS education, conducting an “Introduction to GIS” as well as an advanced course on “Spatial Analysis and Modelling” as part of its degree programs. These courses can lead to a Graduate Certificate and a Master’s degree in GIS.
Media contact: Dr Lalit Kumar, School of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources Management, UNE (02) 6773 5239 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.
The photograph of Dr Lalit Kumar and Sue Rea displayed here is available from Jim Scanlan. Please ring (02) 6773 3049.
Posted by Jim Scanlan at 09:21 AM
UNE gains US distance education accreditation
February 24, 2005
The University of New England is one of only four Australian universities to be accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), a US organisation dedicated to identifying and accrediting quality distance education providers.
In order to achieve accreditation, UNE had to satisfy a number of tough requirements in a rigorous evaluation process that took almost a year. Expert assessors reviewed a wide range of UNE’s distance education course materials, surveyed existing distance education students, evaluated many aspects of UNE’s policies and procedures and inspected UNE’s operations in Armidale.
Professor David Rich, the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), said, ‘The accreditation underlines UNE’s status as a quality distance education provider. It will help us sell our distance education programs overseas, particularly in the United States, and provides our Australian students with the assurance that our programs meet exacting international standards’.
Accreditation means that many American students studying UNE distance units and courses will be able to claim financial assistance from the US government. Serving military personnel can now enrol in UNE courses at no cost to themselves. Several American states now accord UNE special status as an education provider.
Professor Robin Pollard, UNE’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (International and Entrepreneurial) said, ‘DETC accreditation is an important step in building international enrolments in our distance education programs. A marketing strategy is being developed to help us capitalise on this opportunity, and a range of other initiatives is in hand to further boost our competitiveness.’
More than two million US students are enrolled in 500 or so DETC-accredited courses, ranging from accounting to yacht design. The only other Australian universities to meet the stringent standards set by DETC are the University of Southern Queensland, Monash and Deakin. Indeed, Australia is one of just seven countries with DETC-accredited institutions.
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 10:07 AM
European students enrich UNE agriculture
February 23, 2005
They are the second group of European students to travel to Armidale under an exchange program funded by the Australian Government and the European Union. (The first group arrived at this time last year.)
The five students are from universities in Denmark, The Netherlands, and Germany. During their semester of study at UNE they will investigate organic farming in the New England region, and study a range of agricultural and resource management subjects of their own choice within UNE’s Faculty of The Sciences.
The program, called “Learning through Exchange: Agriculture, Food Systems and Environment”(LEAFSE), involves four Australian and four European universities. In Australia these are the Universities of Western Sydney, New England, Queensland and Western Australia, and in Europe the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Denmark, the University of Wageningen in The Netherlands, the University of Kassel in Germany, and the University of Wales in the UK. The students, all working towards Master’s degrees, spend an entire semester at one of the universities in the opposite hemisphere.
All the students (European and Australian) in the 2005 program, including six from UNE, spent two weeks together in Copenhagen earlier this year before moving on to their host universities.
Those studying at UNE are Marieke Zweers and Daniel van Vugt from The Netherlands, Regina Quast and Stefan Simon from Germany, and Vibeke Mortensen from Denmark. They are all aged between 23 and 25, and several of them have never been to Australia before. They are all excited about the prospect of experiencing the education system at an Australian university, and Australian culture and language, as well as about their studies at UNE. After their mid-year exams, they will all do some travelling around Australia before flying back to Europe.
As part of their studies, they will undertake a collaborative project on organic farming enterprises in the New England region, and will present a report that will contribute to our understanding of organic agriculture in Australia.
The facilitators of the LEAFSE program at UNE are Professor Acram Taji, Dr Heiko Daniel and Dr Paul Kristiansen, all from UNE’s School of Rural Science and Agriculture. “Last year’s visit by our first group of European LEAFSE students enriched us all,” Professor Taji said, “and this year’s visit will be just as stimulating. For their part, the students take away an experience of agricultural education at an Australian regional university that has a world-wide reputation for excellence in rural science.”
Media contact: Professor Acram Taji, Agronomy and Soil Science, UNE (02) 6773 2869 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.
The photograph reproduced here is available. Please contact Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049.
Posted by Jim Scanlan at 10:04 AM
Meeting of minds to overcome maths, science problems
February 22, 2005
A National Centre at the University of New England aimed at improving learning outcomes for students in mathematics, science and ICT will this week convene its members from across Australia.
The National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia (SIMERR) was opened at UNE last year by Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson.
Its main aim is to improve the quality of regional and rural students’ learning in mathematics, science and ICT, an issue that has received national attention since January, with Federal Education Minister Dr Brendan Nelson announcing a review of teacher education.
Today (February 22), university academics from across Australia will meet as part of the SiMERR National Centre to discuss ways of tackling underperformance of rural and regional students. It is the first time these educators, who are based in universities, outside UNE, have come together for a two-day intensive workshop.
Director of SiMERR, Professor John Pegg, said some of the projects to be discussed include a large National Survey of teachers, students and community members in rural and regional Australia.
“All students regardless of their geographic location deserve the opportunity to realize their academic potential. This meeting represents the first chance for university academics to address this issue across Australia in a coordinated and national way.”
Professor Victor Minichiello, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Health and Professional Studies, said the meeting was a way SiMERR could further develop its strategic plans and outcomes and would ultimately help governments in educational policy-making.
“The co-ordinators of the ‘hubs” from each of the states across Australia will be on campus to attend a workshop, with the aim of improving the current situation facing rural communities with regards to education outcomes in the area of Maths, Science and IT,” Professor Minichiello said.
“This is an important national collaborative project and it is hoped a major study will be announced as a result of this workshop in the weeks to come.”
SiMERR came about after a $4.95 million grant awarded to UNE through the Australian Government’s Regional Partnerships program.
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 02:56 PM
O, what a week for UNE students
February 21, 2005
Tamworth parents David and Cheryl Gulliford made a welcome return to the University of New England today (February 21) to help their son Sam start his studies.
The Gullifords (pictured, with daughter Georgia) are both UNE graduates and were just two of more than 150 parents who escorted their offspring to UNE for Orientation Week, or O Week.
Organised to help undergraduates familiarise themselves with the university, O Week runs until Friday, February 25 and offers an array of activities to freshers.
Proceedings officially began with a Welcome by Professor Peter Flood, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development).
He told about 1000 students how he had been an undergraduate at UNE more than 40 years ago, choosing a life of academe and returning to UNE as a lecturer 25 years ago after working at five other universities.
Master of Ceremonies at the welcome, Andrew St John Brown, encouraged undergraduates to embrace university life while student representative Samantha Aber spoke briefly about what undergraduates might expect at UNE and some of the opportunities afforded them.
The welcome was followed by a Q&A for parents, with more than 200 mums and dads asking a panel of experts dozens of education-related questions, many concerned about the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS).
For the Gullifords, it was a welcome innovation from the time they spent at UNE.
“It is just so good to see the support available and the many facilities open to students,” Mr Gulliford, a Technical Officer with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, said.
He was an external student at UNE, graduating in 1991 while wife Cheryl graduated in 1976. Both were awarded BAs.
Son Sam, 18, has opted for a Bachelor of Rural Science (BRurSc) and will live in St Albert’s College during his studies.
Mrs Gulliford said she was thrilled he had chosen UNE because it had a good educational reputation and was a safe place to study.
Local band The Looks gave a free concert in the Central Courtyard after the Official Welcome while a series of free bus tours took Parents and Friends on a journey across campus, including the refurbished Sport UNE (with its heated swimming pool) and eight colleges (as well as Wright Village).
Barbecues, sausage sizzles and other entertainment kept the campus alive throughout the day and more is promised later in the week.
O Week culminates in enrolment on Wednesday (February 23) in Lazenby Hall with a Fresher’s Ball held in the UNE Union at night.
The week concludes with an Intercollegiate Swimming Carnival at Sport UNE.
For more information phone Lydia Roberts on 6773 2779.
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 02:56 PM
UNE fosters world network of young geneticists
February 18, 2005
Several young scientists and postgraduate students from Malaysia and New Zealand have travelled to Australia to take part in this year’s Animal Breeding Summer Course at the University of New England.
The UNE course, now in its fourth year, has become known around Australia and throughout the world as a source of current information on animal genetics at an advanced level, and a meeting place for young geneticists. This year’s course focused on breeding objectives, scientific writing skills, and the analysis of genetic data.
Fifty-six people of many nationalities, some of whom are working towards PhD degrees at UNE and other Australian universities, attended the two-week course beginning on Monday 7 and ending on Friday 18 February.
“UNE is the only university in Australia to teach coursework in animal genetics at PhD level,” said the course coordinator, Associate Professor Julius van der Werf from UNE’s School of Rural Science and Agriculture. “The popularity and effectiveness of the Summer Course confirm UNE’s role as a ‘centre of excellence’ in teaching animal genetics at this level.”
“It’s important for all young scientists to start networking,” Dr van der Werf explained, “and this course, based on a European model, is designed not only to communicate the latest developments in breeding practice and genetic theory, but to facilitate networking at both national and international levels.
“With the enormous growth in the amount of genetic data available, and the continual development of new tools to store and analyse it, young geneticists need to be able to ‘talk the same language’ in discussions and collaboration.”
Three UNE geneticists (Dr van der Werf, Professor Brian Kinghorn and Professor John Gibson) were joined by Emeritus Professor David Lindsay from the University of Western Australia and Dr Arthur Gilmour from NSW Agriculture in presenting the course. Sang Hong Lee from UNE’s School of Rural Science and Agriculture was co-organiser of the event.
The Armidale Animal Breeding Summer Course is sponsored by Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia.
Media contact: Associate Professor Julius van der Werf, School of Rural Science and Agriculture, UNE (02) 6773 2092 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.
Photographs are available. Please contact Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049.
Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:24 PM
UNE professor wins top poultry industry award
February 17, 2005
A University of New England professor who migrated from Inner Mongolia to Australia as a student just 18 years ago has received Australia’s most important poultry industry award.
Now Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Poultry Cooperative Research Centre (Poultry CRC), Professor Mingan Choct received the award during last week’s Australian Poultry Science Symposium in Sydney.
The citation for the Australian Poultry Award 2004 points out that, “during his relatively short career of less than 15 years in research and teaching,” Professor Choct has published “more than 170 articles, including 140 refereed papers in scientific journals and conference proceedings, and 12 books or book chapters”.
Professor Choct’s work has brought about dramatic improvements in the Australian poultry industries, beginning with his PhD research that demonstrated the harmful effects of soluble fibre in chicken feed and developed a solution to the problem. That research alone, which won him the Syd Wilkins Memorial Prize of the World’s Poultry Science Association in 1991, has saved the industries many millions of dollars. As a student he received other awards for academic and research achievement in both Inner Mongolia and Australia, and in 1997 the Inner Mongolian Government recognised his innovative contribution to science and technology by presenting him with its Scientific Development Award. “His crowning achievement to date,” the citation concludes, “is the establishment of the Australian Poultry Cooperative Research Centre.”
In receiving the Australian Poultry Award, Professor Choct said: “My first impression on arriving in Australia in 1987 was of a country of smiling faces. I’ve tried to make the most of all the opportunities this country has given me, and in return I’d like to continue to contribute to the Australian poultry industries and the wider community, and to the University [UNE] that has been so good to me.”
Professor Choct came to UNE in 1995 as a Lecturer in Animal Science, and quickly progressed to Senior Lecturer (1997), Associate Professor (2000) and Professor (2003). In 2002 he coordinated the successful bid for the establishment of the Poultry CRC. “His leadership, inspiration and persistence throughout the difficult and complex process, commencing with the initial idea through to the acceptance of the proposal by the Australian Government, were key elements leading to ultimate success,” the citation reads. “He was able to persuade and motivate many supporters from industry, universities and research organisations at a time when many other people thought that a bid for the Poultry CRC had little chance of success.” He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Poultry CRC in May 2003.
The Australian Poultry Award is presented each year by the Australian Branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association.
Media contact: Professor Mingan Choct, Australian Poultry CRC, UNE (02) 6773 5121 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.
The photograph of Professor Choct displayed here is available. Please contact Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049.
Posted by Jim Scanlan at 10:12 AM
Japanese students exchange chill for cheers at UNE
February 16, 2005
Friendly faces and warm weather were just some of the first impressions gleaned by 20 students from Japan on an English program at the University of New England.
Organised by the university’s Language Training Centre (LTC), the program includes 20 students -- 14 women and six men -- from Chubu University, in Aichi-ken.
They were accompanied by the Vice- President of Chubu University, Dr Masayuki Ito and the Chairman of the Department of English Language and Culture, Professor Tadashi Shiozawa.
According to Professor Shiozawa, UNE was chosen from 20 Australian universities to host the program, a first for UNE.
The students arrived on Monday, February 14 and wore traditional costume for an official welcome. They were greeted by Ms Daisy William, Director of the LTC and other UNE dignitaries.
Professor Tadashi Shiozawa said UNE was chosen because of its excellent program and rural setting. “It is a beautiful campus and one of the things we noticed was the hotter weather, which was great after coming from a cold climate such as Japan,” Professor Shiozawa said.
The program was developed by Ms William. “It will mainly help the students in their English learning, but it also provides a cultural opportunity between the two countries,” she said.
A feature of the exchange program is a Cross-Cultural Communication study involving the students and Linguistics Professor Cliff Goddard, who will deliver a number of two-hour lectures aimed at improving students’ practical communication skills.
Besides learning English, the students will take part in an array of other activities while in Armidale, including sports activities, weekend excursions, cross-cultural communication study and a one-week trip to Sydney.
Chubu University also has a similar cultural program with Ohio University in the US, Professor Shiozawa said. “These programs certainly motivate the students and is a chance for them to learn a lot more about Australian culture and for them to tell their friends about their experiences,” he said.
Professor Robin Pollard also met with the dignitaries from Chubu University to discuss other opportunities for academic and scientific co-operation.
For more information phone Ms William on 6773 6430 or
Lydia Roberts on 6773 2779
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 10:40 AM
New Dean of the Sciences assumes post
February 15, 2005
Attracting students back to science is a top priority for Professor Margaret Sedgley in her new role as Executive Dean of the Sciences at the University of New England.
If the national trend away from studying science were not addressed soon Australia would “miss out as a nation”, Professor Sedgley said.
“Enrolments are falling in science across the country, and indeed the whole globe. We need to work together with government and the community to see that there are credible career structures in science with adequate remuneration,” Professor Sedgley said.
“Young people need to receive more encouragement to do science from a very early stage. By the time they get to Year 12 they need to have done the right subjects or it is too late.”
Enthusing young people about science is just one area where Professor Sedgley hopes to bring her many years of experience to bear at UNE. Engaging with the community is another. Professor Sedgley said UNE was “getting it right” when it came to liaising and involving the community.
“What I really like about UNE is the relationship with the local community, which is found here far more than at the city universities. I feel it’s very important for universities to be involved with their local communities, instead of being something aside and overly-elite.”
Speaking as a rural scientist she said the benefits of community engagement were even more obvious in rural areas.
“As a rural scientist I’ve always found that when you’re working in rural areas your work is more valued that when you’re working in the city.”
Professor Sedgley said she was looking forward to “developing new directions” such as the Primary Industries Innovation Centre, launched last week.
“There’s something in it [the centre] for just about everybody, right across the whole faculty,” Professor Sedgley said. “I’m looking forward to working with all the staff of the faculty. I see it as very much a collaborative effort with everyone pulling in the same direction.”
Professor Sedgley was born in England and grew up in Manchester. She studied Agricultural Botany at the University of Leeds and completed her PhD at the University of St Andrews. She came to Australia in 1974 to take up a two-year, post-doctoral position with the CSIRO. Two years became 11 and she didn’t leave the CSIRO until 1985, when she joined the staff at Adelaide University. In 1995 she became the Head of the Department of Horticulture, Viticulture and Oenology and last year she took up a position as Dean of Graduate Studies.
Her research interests include the reproductive biology of higher plants, comprising microscopy and microanalysis, pistil-pollen interaction, outcrossing mechanisms and breeding methodology.
Professor Sedgley said her research straddled both fundamental and applied science.
“I love applied science because it results in positive outcomes for the community. I love fundamental science because I love the thrill of finding something new that nobody ever knew before.”
It was important to strike the right balance between fundamental and applied science, she said, because “today’s fundamental science is tomorrow’s applied science”. A good mix of both was a strength of UNE’s Science faculty, she said.
Posted by Leon Braun at 11:49 AM
Pioneering partnerships with US shares wealth of ideas
February 14, 2005
Postgraduate research into sexual responses of Middle Eastern women and mid-life career changes are just some of the projects benefiting from a new residential school set up by the University of New England with a US counterpart.
Professor Victor Minichiello, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Health and Professional Studies at UNE will this week return from the first, four-day residential school held at the Fullerton campus of California State University (CSU).
In that time, he worked with colleagues and PhD students on how to design research questions.
“Some of the research projects of interest to the students include how therapists experience, conceptualise and treat sexually reactive adolescents; cross-cultural parenting experiences; the midlife career transitions of scientists and engineers; the impact of childhood wounds on couple relationships; the cultural influences on the sexual responses of middle Eastern women; and the therapeutic applications of art for women and children,” Professor Minichiello said.
The residential school brought together a cohort of PhD students and academic staff from CSU’s Department of Counselling. The sessions were co-ordinated by Professor Jeffrey Kottler, Head of Counselling at CSU (see photo).
Dr Jay Oh, Chair of the Department of Counselling at Cheonan University in Seoul, Korea and one of the PhD students taking part in the residential school, said: “This counselling program is unique in terms of its multicultural and international emphasis and its focus for working professionals such as myself,” Dr Oh said.
Another PhD student, Cheryl Crippen, a Research Associate at University of California Irvine, said: “My research interest is in cross-cultural parenting and I was drawn to this program because of the unique opportunity to collaborate with scholars across cultures. In this transnational academy I benefit from local support and supervision at CSUF as well as an international community at the University of New England. The experience has been extremely supportive and collaborative and I look forward to my continuing journey.”
Professor Minichiello said it was a pioneer program for UNE in that it supported students through residential schools offered three times a year, two of which are delivered at CSU.
Professor Jeffrey Kottler, Co-Director of the program with Professor Minichiello, said: “I was so impressed with the learning community that developed so quickly. “Students journeyed here from all parts of the world. Faculty and students represented so many cultural backgrounds (Chinese, Korean, Persian, Australian, American, Japanese, Mexican, New Guinean and Canadian) and so many different professional backgrounds (psychology, counseling, theology, nuclear physics, engineering, sociology and medical research). This diversity of experience makes this group so interesting for us to work with.”
The students will come to UNE later in the year for a follow-up residential school.
We hope the interactions between the UNE staff and students, plus those from CSUF, will make for stimulating discussions and collaborative relationships, said Professor Kottler.
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 10:27 AM
New director takes helm at National Marine Science Centre
February 11, 2005
Professor Alistair McIlgorm is the new Director of the National Marine Science Centre (NMSC), a joint venture between the University of New England and Southern Cross University.
For the past nine years Professor McIlgorm has run a private consultancy, working on more than 50 fisheries and marine management projects for a range of State, Commonwealth and international agencies.
While running his consultancy, Professor McIllgorm lectured part-time at the Centre for Marine Science, University of NSW and has been an Honorary Senior Research fellow at the University of Wollongong, involved in research for the Marine Conservation Working Group of APEC.
“The expertise in Fisheries economics will be an excellent addition to the research expertise at the NMSC,” said Professor Peter Flood, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) at UNE.
Prior to establishing the consultancy, Professor McIllgorm was an Associate Director of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Environment at the Australian Maritime College. He holds a PhD from the University of Queensland, in which he modelled management of the East Australian tuna fishery.
“It is particularly pleasing to have secured someone of Professor McIlgorm’s calibre for this important role. He will steer the Centre into its next phase of research and development,” said Professor Paul Clark, Chairman of the National Marine Science Centre.
Professor Mcllgorm said he was honoured to be appointed to the position. “I see the Centre continuing to undertake important research in marine science, and further developing its contribution to the sustainable management and conservation of marine resources in the local, Australian and international arenas,” Professor Mcllgorm said.
The National Marine Science Centre is based at Coffs Harbour and was established for research and teaching on the marine ecology and management of Australia's marine zone and beyond. The centre, near Charlesworth Bay, includes an experimental tank farm, aquarium room, boat and scuba area, research vessel, teaching and research laboratories.
Research projects carried out at the Centre have include studies into fish and crab populations on the North Coast and a study of sea anemones, which resulted in the first scientific recording of their spectacular mass spawning in the Solitary Islands Marine Park.
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 03:40 PM
Minister signs-up for innovative centre
February 10, 2005
A new centre aimed at delivering innovations in the agricultural and forestry industries is one step closer with the signing of an agreement at the University of New England today (February 10).
NSW Primary Industries Minister, Mr Ian Macdonald, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at Booloominbah with Professor Ingrid Moses, Vice-Chancellor of UNE which establishes the Primary Industries Innovation Centre (PIIC).
The signing was witnessed by the Chancellor of UNE, Mr John Cassidy and the Director-General of NSW Primary Industries, Mr Barry Buffier.
Mr Macdonald (pictured, with Professor Moses) said: "This joint venture strengthens the links between the NSW Department of Primary Industries and UNE.
"The Centre will see scientists, extension officers and educators from both organisations working together to deliver the best possible result for our State's farmers, particularly those in the North-west of NSW."
Talks to set up the Centre actually began in the late 1990s, Professor Moses told guests at the official signing and launch.
"This centre will foster and drive interaction between personnel at several UNE faculties and the Department of Primary Industries," Professor Moses said.
Today's signing and launch brings together professionals from the Armidale Beef Industry Centre of Excellence, Tamworth Agricultural Institute and the Glen Innes Centre for Perennial Grazing.
About 80 people attended the event, including Mr Richard Torbay, Independent Member for the Northern Tablelands, Mr Barry Buffier, Director-General of the DPI, Mr Mike Curll, Deputy Director-General of the DPI, Dr Helen Scott-Orr, Director, Health Sciences and Strategic Alliances and Professor Peter Flood, UNE Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development).
The Primary Industries Innovation Centre will be based at UNE. Mr Macdonald said it would help the region's 7500 farming properties, which provide employment for about 8000 people in NSW and contribute $8 billion to the economy.
Some of the projects scientists hope to research when the Centre is open include:
* New tools for selecting superior livestock
* Greater drought tolerance and improved pasture persistence and productivity
* Ways to reduce greenhouse production from livestock
* Improving water use by developing best-practice farming and grazing techniques
* Consulting with regional Catchment Management Boards and other agencies to achieve greater management of soils, water, vegetation and biodiversity.
Mr Macdonald told guests he was proud of the long-term partnership between UNE and the DPI and thanked Mr Cassidy and Professor Moses for their part in the new Centre.
"UNE is one of the most respected agricultural institutions in Australia," he said.
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 01:10 PM
Radical new theory illuminates 'dark matter'
February 09, 2005
A physicist at the University of New England has an answer to the most perplexing problem in modern astronomy: Why is most of the matter in the universe invisible?
Dr Allan Ernest's answer to the "dark matter" enigma has so impressed the scientific world that he was asked to contribute a chapter on his theory to an authoritative book, Progress in Dark Matter Research, to be published in the United States in April this year.
While the search for ever-more-exotic particles constituting the "dark matter" has consumed billions of dollars in Europe and America with no definite result, Dr Ernest's theory invokes no new particles or new laws of physics. It involves, instead, a daring application of quantum theory, normally used to describe the movement of subatomic particles, to the universal force of gravity on an astronomical scale.
Scientists agree that the existence of "dark matter" is necessary to explain precisely-observed gravitational effects on the movement of stars and galaxies, and the "bending" of light. They have calculated that about 90 per cent of matter in the universe is invisible (i.e., unable to emit or reflect light because its interaction with visible matter and radiation is so weak), prompting the search for unknown particles and forces that could produce this effect.
"In my solution to the problem, particles already known to science can form very pure stationary gravitational states around a black hole," Dr Ernest explained. "You can describe these states in an analogous way to those states controlling electron behaviour within atoms." According to my theory the black holes would have formed first; then the gravitational states around the newly-formed black hole are quickly populated in the dense conditions of the early universe, forming a massive dark halo. These dark halos are the 'seeds' for accumulations of visible matter that eventually form the galaxies."
"There isn't anything in quantum theory that forbids such gravitational quantum states," he continued, "and in fact many recent experiments have demonstrated macroscopic (large-scale) quantum phenomena. Although there's no acceptable theory of quantum gravity, the application of the mathematics of quantum theory in weak gravity seems to predict all of the features we know about dark matter. In fact, what's kept me going with this pretty radical idea is the way the numbers just fall into place."
Dr Ernest's theory is supported by observations suggesting that all regular galaxies harbour supermassive black holes at their centre. "The sizes and shapes of observed dark halos tend to be consistent with the theory," he added, "and the theory has the potential to predict the largely flat galactic rotation curves observed by astronomers." He believes the results of his mathematical modelling are good enough to justify further experimental study of gravitational quantum states here on Earth, and a reworking of the models of galactic evolution using the gravitational quantum state hypothesis.
Progress in Dark Matter Research, edited by J. Val Blain, is being published by NOVA, New York. Dr Ernest's chapter is titled "A Quantum Approach to Dark
Matter".
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 12:01 PM
ABC personality joins ranks of postgraduates
February 08, 2005
The University of New England has welcomed a local celebrity to its student ranks – Tamworth based ABC New England North West morning presenter Jodie Gunders.
Ms Gunders has been accepted as an external student to study a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education.
“My goal is to eventually teach secondary students in either History, Social Science or Media Studies,” Ms Gunders said during a break from her residential school studies.
She aims to fulfil that goal within four years and has just attended her first residential school at UNE as part of her study for the diploma.
Residential schools are held on campus four times a year, to complement studies taken by external students.
While the experience can be intense, usually running over a week, it is a way of uniting lecturers face-to-face with students who choose to study off-campus.
Said Ms Gunders: “I’m impressed that the residential school is so hands-on and practical.
“ I relish the encouragement given through this type of approach to immerse myself back into study.
“I also love the diversity of the residential school and have met fellow students from around the country who work in differing fields.
“I even met a fireman, another local journalist and an academic with a Master’s degree in Peace Studies, who of whom are all undertaking the same studies.”
Ms Gunders completed a BA at the University of Southern Queensland, where she majored in Broadcast Journalism and Australian History.
Part of that course allowed her to experience journalism first-hand, producing a weekly radio and television news broadcast. The experience provided a springboard to her first job in journalism, gaining a position as a journalist in the ABC Radio Longreach newsroom in Queensland.
She has been working in Tamworth for the past three years and is soon to take up a position with ABC Coast FM on the Gold Coast Radio.
She decided to return to study last year to broaden her skill base.
“I was attracted to UNE because it offered the course I was looking for and I was able to gain all the information I needed from the UNE website,” Ms Gunders said.
She found enrolling into the course straightforward.
Professor Victor Minichiello, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Health and Professional Studies, welcomed Ms Gunders to UNE and wished her well in her studies.
“Our School of Education has been shown to be among the best in Australia,” Professor Minichiello said.
“The School has a very high standard and not all who apply to the course are successful, so I congratulate Jodie on being accepted into the course.”
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 12:48 PM
Visiting professor compares farm laws in USA, Australia
February 07, 2005
The Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law (AgLaw Centre) is benefiting from the experience of an American professor who has witnessed big changes in the regulation of agriculture in the United States over the past 20 years.
During his three-week stay at the AgLaw Centre within the University of New England, Professor John Becker will, among other things, be comparing the industrialisation of agriculture in the United States and Australia. He is visiting the AgLaw Centre as a Fulbright Senior Specialist Fellow.
John Becker, Professor of Agricultural Economics and Law at The Pennsylvania State University, conducts research on the legal, economic and policy issues affecting those involved in agriculture in the United States, and the impact of environmental laws on farmers and rural communities. “When I started teaching at Penn State University 20 years ago, one of the ideas people found difficult to accept was that ‘a farm is a business and has to be run as a business’,” he said. “These days, that idea is accepted by a large proportion of the agricultural community.”
This change of attitude has been associated with a change of scale from an industry consisting largely of family farms to one becoming dominated by larger-scale enterprises. “And with this change in the scale of production,” Professor Becker said, “agriculture has become more subject to general industrial regulation (for example, regulations relating to workplace safety). Until fairly recently, agriculture was regarded as a ‘special’ or ‘foundation’ segment of the economy, and not necessarily subject to the same rules as manufacturing industries.”
Professor Becker said the AgLaw Centre at UNE, the first Centre of its kind in Australia, was unique in his experience in its broad-based access to expertise in law, economics, science, and business management. He said his Fulbright Fellowship was an “ideal opportunity” to get an international perspective on issues of agriculture and law.
While at the AgLaw Centre, Professor Becker will be advising on the development of a planned Master of Agricultural Law degree at UNE, leading seminars (for both lawyers and non-lawyers) on agricultural law, and advising the Centre on its research program, as well as undertaking comparative research on the effects of restrictive trade practices and the industrialisation of agriculture. He said he would also like to discuss the possibility of student exchange between Penn State University and UNE, and of a jointly-developed curriculum.
“The issues facing agricultural production and rural communities now are more complex than they were in the past,” he said. “Lawyers need to understand as much about the science as scientists understand about the law, and producers need to understand a bit of both. The AgLaw Centre is uniquely placed to facilitate such understanding.”
Media contact: Professor John Becker, AgLaw Centre, UNE (02) 6773 3437 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.
For the photograph of Professor Becker reproduced here, please contact Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049.
Posted by Jim Scanlan at 02:47 PM
UNE program reduces anxiety about starting school
February 04, 2005
A University of New England program for the parents of four-to-seven-year-olds is helping to prevent the development of anxiety and depression in some children as they progress through school.
Called “Confident Kids: Helping Your Child Overcome Anxiety”, the program is designed for parents who have noticed signs of anxiety in their children about the experience of starting school, going into a new class, or other novel events or changes to routine.
Dr Margaret Brechman-Toussaint from UNE’s School of Psychology, who manages the program, said: “About one child in ten starting school develops clinical levels of anxiety in their later primary years, and these children can go on to develop symptoms of depression at high school.”
“Young children who become distressed when they have to separate from their parent or caregiver, and/or who are shy and withdrawn in social situations, may be at risk of ongoing anxiety problems,” she explained. “Additionally, many parents of anxious or shy children find the beginning of the school year a stressful time, particularly if they believe their child will have trouble settling in to the new routine. If they are unsure about the best way to manage their child’s behaviour, they may become stressed and anxious themselves.”
The “Confident Kids” program, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, works by early intervention at the beginning of a child’s school career. “It is now in its third year,” Dr Brechman-Toussaint said, “and the feedback from previous years has been very positive.” She said that sessions for parents would soon begin in Armidale and Tamworth, and that those interested in participating should contact her at UNE on (02) 6773 3135 (or e-mail: mbrechma@une.edu.au).
The program, delivered by trained psychologists, consists of four weekly, two-hour group sessions for parents, followed by individual telephone calls to help them put into practice what they have learnt. “Parents are taught anxiety management strategies, how to model and reward non-anxious behaviours, and how to coach children in active problem-solving skills,” she said. “The skills that parents learn through their involvement in this program will not only help their families as the children start school, but will be helpful across their life span as they and their children face other challenges.”
Dr Brechman-Toussaint, a registered clinical psychologist, is a Lecturer within the Clinical Program at UNE. She has 12 years’ experience in the delivery of parenting programs, specialising in programs for children with emotional or behavioural problems.
Media contact: Dr Margaret Brechman-Toussaint, School of Psychology, UNE (02) 6773 3135 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.
Posted by Jim Scanlan at 01:49 PM
Leading genome survey edited in Australia
February 03, 2005
![Anatoly Ruvinsky 001[1].jpg](http://www.une.edu.au/news/archives/images/Anatoly Ruvinsky 001[1].jpg)
The world’s most comprehensive and up-to-date book on the genetic make-up of mammals, just published in the UK, was edited in Australia.
“It includes important contributions by Australian researchers, adding to Australia’s achievement in a rapidly developing field of modern science,” said one of the book’s two editors, Professor Anatoly Ruvinsky from the University of New England.
Mammalian Genomics (CABI Publishing, 2005) comprises 21 chapters written by 40 leading geneticists from Europe, the United States, Australia and Japan. The authors are based at world-renowned institutions such as the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (UK), the Pasteur Institute (France), the Russian Academy of Sciences, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA) and the University of Geneva (Switzerland). Professor Ruvinsky’s collaborating editor is Professor J.A. Marshall Graves from the Australian National University.
The book, a synthesis of the vast amount of new knowledge in genetics and genomics accumulated over the past 15 years and written for specialists and advanced students, is the only one of its kind on the market. (Professor Ruvinsky explained that its focus on mammals allowed for a level of detail that would not have been possible if its scope had been broader.) It is divided into five sections, covering the structure, function and evolution of mammalian genomes, the computer-based storage and analysis of genomic data, and the application of genomics in fields such as medicine, pharmacology, animal breeding, and population genetics. One of the chapters on the evolution of genomes amounts to what Professor Ruvinsky described as “an heroic attempt to understand the genome of a primordial mammal that lived approximately 200 million years ago”.
Professor Ruvinsky is an editor of nine previous books on genetics, including a series of five books dealing separately with the genetics of pigs, cattle, horses, sheep, and dogs. “While each of those books dealt with a particular species, the new one is devoted to a specific set of problems,” he said. “In addressing these problems it draws on genomic studies of a wide range of species, from marsupials to humans. We didn’t leave too many stones unturned.”
“One of the challenges for the editors was the presentation of such a huge array of topics in a logically-structured book of only 600 pages,” he continued. “It took us about a year to arrive at a structure that was both practical and intellectually appealing.”
Another major difficulty, he explained, was ensuring “the most comprehensive coverage of each topic” by encouraging collaboration between individual authors whose work, when brought together in a single chapter, would create that “comprehensive coverage”. In several cases, he said, this involved collaboration between authors who have never met each other in person.
“This book was one of the most difficult editing projects I have worked on,” Professor Ruvinsky concluded. “I hope it will be useful for those who need to review the latest knowledge about the mammalian genome.”
Media contact: Professor Anatoly Ruvinsky, School of Rural Science and Agriculture, UNE (02) 6773 3900 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049. The photograph of Professor Ruvinsky published here is available from Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049.
Posted by Jim Scanlan at 02:57 PM
University of New England hosts conference for Italian teachers
February 02, 2005
Teachers of Italian from around the country will meet in Sydney this month for a major conference hosted by the University of New England.
The two-day conference, titled The Italian Language in Literature and the Mass Media, will address ways in which the language of the media can be used to teach Italian in the classroom.
About 80 teachers are expected to attend, mostly from Australian primary and secondary schools.
Guest speakers will include renowned Italian journalist and European correspondent for the Corriere dello Sport Vittorio Leoni; celebrated Italian-Australian children's author Archimede Fusillo; and historian and author Gianfranco Cresciani, on whose work the ABC TV series The Italians was based. The Italian Consul General in Sydney, Dr Antonio Verde, will open proceedings.
Conference Director Dr Franko Leoni, of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics at the University of New England, said the conference was the product of many long hours of intense work and that he hoped it would produce an inspired investigation of the Italian language as it is used in narrative, on television and radio, and in newspapers.
"This is the immediate, actual language as it is used," Dr Leoni said. "More and more the language of the mass media and literature are being used in a classroom setting and teachers need to be aware of the need to utilise the language and idioms of the mass media in their lessons."
The conference was made possible by a $21,000 grant from the Italian government, which has been generous with the Italian section at the University of New England over the past few years. This is the third such conference they have sponsored, and they have funded the employment of a full-time Italian lecturer at UNE since 1998.
Dr Leoni said UNE's favoured position with the Italian government was "recognition we're doing something right for the promotion of Italian language and culture in Australia."
"We are very grateful to the Italian government that has recognised our expertise in the teaching of Italian and they have told us through the Italian Consul that they are very happy with our efforts."
The Italian Language in Literature and the Mass Media will run at UNE's Sydney centre in Bathurst Street on February 11 and 12.
For more information contact Dr Franko Leoni on (02) 6773 3133 or Leon Braun on (02) 6773 3771.
Posted by Leon Braun at 10:36 AM
Close shave for group of hairy actors
February 01, 2005
They have presence, voice and experience, but the four male leads in a play to be performed at the University of New England need something else. A beard.
Director Barbara Altorjai-Albury insisted the beard (or ability to grow one) was essential for the four main male leads in the 19th Century German play, Woyzeck.
It is scheduled to be a highlight of the inaugural Armidale German Festival, to be held during March 12-19. Ms Altorjai-Albury has been working closely with staff in the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics at UNE to ensure the festival is a success.
A well-known local director, Ms Altorjai-Albury is producing the play in keeping with the German spirit.
She chose Georg Buchner’s Woyzeck, about a jilted soldier who kills his girlfriend.
Set in the early part of the 19th Century, Woyzeck has four male leads; the boyfriend, a doctor, a fellow soldier and a solicitor.
While all the actors who successfully auditioned for these parts were sufficiently hirsute, two have the added pressure of growing beards.
But one of the actors, Adam Cafarella, is forced to have his beard shaved at every performance, five in all, as well as a matinee.
All in the name of art.
Said one of the bearded main leads, actor Alexander Borkowski (who plays the strong, handsome Drum-Major in Woyzeck): “The playwright actually wrote that I had to have a beard like a lion, so, since rehearsals last year, I have been growing this mane.
“My wife doesn’t really like it, but it has to stay until the final performance in March.”
Buchner was in his early 20s when he wrote Woyzeck and died before writing its conclusion. It is often considered the first modern play, since its scenes are short and cinematic, depicting social pressures and frustrated ambitions. The play lasts for about 90 minutes and according to Ms Altorjai-Albury, includes black comedy.
Besides the bearded main characters, Woyzeck includes a chorus of young children and two female leads.
Assistant director Jenny Vaughan’s task is to find suitable wigs for the play.
Said Ms Altorjai-Albury: “As well as the beards, we need wigs, which were commonly worn around the same period. These will be used as propos in the play.
“Any wig will do, preferably one which we can crop at the back into a ponytail.”
Woyzeck opens on March 16 at the UNE Arts Theatre, Armidale.
The gala opening night is Thursday, March 17, when German Consul Dr Guenter Gruber is expected as a guest of honour.
Tickets cost $16 (concessions available) and can be bought from the Armidale Visitor Information Centre. A preview is Wednesday, March 16. Cost: $8. Final performance is March 19.
Phone 1800 627 736.
Posted by Lydia Roberts at 10:29 AM