Wireless Broadband Tower Launched at UNE

April 28, 2006

The Vice-Chancellor of The University of New England (UNE), Professor Alan Pettigrew and General Manager for Telstra Country Wide - North West, Ms Elise Munsie jointly launched the new Telstra Country Wide wireless broadband tower at the University's Institute for Rural Futures yesterday.

The technology means ultra high-speed internet access can be achieved from anywhere on the campus, without wires. The new tower at UNE complements, the existing tower in Armidale and the state-of-the-art communications technology under development at UNE.

“This strong collaborative link between The University of New England and Telstra can only be mutually beneficial, into the future. Let's keep working together,” said Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew. “I am constantly struck by how fast technology is changing, particular in the area of telecommunications. It is important that UNE stays ahead of the game with what we do,” he said.

“With the cutting edge research at UNE, the sky's the limit for the potential applications for the kind of infrastructure invested by Telstra at UNE,” he said.

The Institute for Rural Futures at UNE focuses on understanding the combined social, environmental and economic pressures of change on rural and regional Australia, with some of these changes being positive steps forward. The Institute has been collaborating closely with Telstra Country Wide on research projects that utilise the kind of wireless technology launched at UNE for numerous
practical applications for farmers and rural communities. “This means that people can be completely mobile, whilst keeping up to speed. They can bring their home office from anywhere in Australia or overseas to the campus and get ultra-fast access. As coverage expands, farmers and residents across
rural Australia can remotely undertake farm activities, monitor stock and water and feel more secure at home,” said Director of the Institute, Professor, David Brunckhorst.

General Manager for Telstra Country Wide - North West, Ms Elise Munsie said Telstra offered wireless broadband internet services through its BigPond™ Wireless Broadband and Telstra Mobile Broadband products with average data speeds of 300 - 600 kilobits per second (Kbps), and a maximum of 2.4 megabits per second (Mbps).

“This innovative technology is a breakthrough for Armidale residents and businesses allowing them to connect to the internet and corporate networks while out of the home or office or away from campus,” Ms Munsie said.

Armidale is one of 272 sites around Australia including Tamworth and Moree to receive new or enhanced coverage as part of a major expansion program to meet the rapid rise in demand for wireless broadband access. The priority placed on the establishment of a tower at UNE is indicative of the
importance of the relationships between UNE and Telstra, in terms of research and development and with the University being the largest telecommunications consumer in northern inland NSW.

Pictured in the above-right photograph is UNE Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, Telstra Country Wide area General Manager, Elise Munsie, UNE's Institute for Rural Futures Deputy Director, Brendan Doyle and Director, Professor David Brunckhorst

For further information, please contact Professor David Brunckhorst on: 6773 3001

Posted by Gary Fry at 10:13 AM

Accolades Continue for World Renowned UNE Researcher

April 27, 2006

Acram Taji, Professor of Horticulture at The University of New England, has been honoured by Flinders University, Adelaide, on the occasion of its 40th anniversary.

Professor Taji, who graduated from Flinders University in 1979 with a PhD in plant physiology, has received one of that university's inaugural Distinguished Alumni Awards.

The award recognises Professor Taji's contribution to teaching and research in horticultural science both in Australia and abroad, and her voluntary contribution to higher education in developing countries.

"The award came as a complete surprise," Professor Taji said. "I feel hugely honoured." The Chancellor of Flinders University, Sir Eric Neal, presented awards to 40 Distinguished Alumni - one for each year of the university's existence - during a ceremony followed by a Gala Dinner last month. The awards recognise the beneficial impact of the recipients' work on a wide range of individuals and communities.

Professor Taji's voluntary work in developing countries has included establishing a Master of Biotechnology degree course at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka in 1995 (followed by teaching and other duties associated with the course), and the running of workshops in the area of plant tissue culture in Fiji, Malaysia and the Solomon Islands. She has examined PhD theses for universities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Fiji, donating all the payments back to the institutions themselves towards scholarships for needy students. Professor Taji says that she remains grateful to her late parents who taught her the value of education, dedication and sacrifice for others which have put her in good stead during her life.

She has been honoured by a number of national and international research and teaching awards including "Lecturer of The Year" at the University of the South Pacific, the Japanese Prime Minister's Senior Research Fellowship for Foreign Specialists, the inaugural Australian Award for University Teaching, The Australian Society for Plant Propagators Recognition Award, the Australian Society of Plant Scientists prize, the Australian College of Educators and NSW Minister for Education and Training Quality Teaching Award, and the International Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology award for excellence in research.

Professor Taji, who is Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) in UNE's Faculty of The Sciences, is a highly experienced educator who is passionate about her job and feels privileged by the opportunity to be a university teacher. Her philosophy underpins her teaching and research. "I believe that education is not just about job skills, but about teaching people to be good global citizens," she said. "It's about building cohesive societies, and caring for the environment and for each other."

For further information please contact Professor Acram Taji: (02) 6773 2869

Posted by Gary Fry at 09:06 AM

Taking Law lecture theatres to the students through cyber-space

April 26, 2006

The University of New England's Law School Web site has taken a quantum leap in distance education by using the latest Internet technology, known as “podcasting”. Students can now use an MP3 device such as an iPod to listen to their latest lecture, which is regularly updated in the process referred to as a Podcasting, like UNE, Training and Development Officer, Mark Kneen is pictured doing here.

“Now, distance is increasingly less of a barrier for students striving to complete a law degree at UNE,” said Professor Stephen Colbran, Head of the School of Law at UNE. “When students cannot get to a lecture, the lecture can now come to them. In addition, they can listen to a lecture at their own convenience.”

Podcasting delivers content (audio / video) to people when, where, and how they want. It makes the experience of listening to or watching a lecture series via cyber-space as close to the experience of being on-campus as possible.

“The School of Law at UNE is the largest in regional Australia and is the nation's largest distance education provider in law,” Professor Colbran said. “The attraction of this style of study is UNE's well-established reputation in the field and the overall flexibility. The addition of podcasting to our formidable Web site services has further enhanced the quality and convenience experienced by UNE's distance education students.”

“Students studying the unit called 'Introduction to Legal Systems and Methods' in 2006 at UNE can now download recorded lectures as MP3 files or as a subscribed podcast,” he explained. “This is only the first unit to go 'live'; several other units will soon follow. Associate Professor Harry Geddes started recording lectures in the first week of semester one and will continue until lectures finish.

“This is an important development and will provide considerable assistance to students in their study of law. Now, external students have the advantage of hearing the lectures that were once only available to internal students. We are quite excited with this new development and are looking forward to delivering more podcasts for other units as soon as we can.”

For further details, contact Professor Stephen Colbran, Head of the School of Law at UNE: (02) 6773 2910

Posted by Gary Fry at 10:29 AM

Sport UNE hosting top-level soccer camp

April 24, 2006

The Northern NSW Soccer Federation State Selection Camp is being staged at The University of New England (UNE) from Monday 24 to Thursday 27 April. Hosting the camp has been described by the Executive Director of Sport UNE, Steve Griffith (pictured here), as a coup for the University and for Armidale.

“Our ability to attract the State Selection Camp for the first time has resulted from UNE’s ability to provide high quality sports facilities and support services within close proximity to residential colleges,” Mr Griffith said.

“This is essentially a talent identification camp for 14s,15s and 16s boys and 16s,17s and 18s girls from throughout northern NSW,” he explained. “It will provide the final selection for the Northern NSW representative squads for the respective age groups to compete in the National Championships. The Northern Region spreads west and north (to the Queensland border) from Newcastle.”

“There is also a talent camp for leading young referees from across northern NSW,” he added. “Around 150 players and 30 young referees have converged on UNE for the four-day clinic, with 20 support staff – including some of the State’s top coaches, managers, and sports medicine specialists in attendance.

“The promising soccer players are staying at Robb College, which has been the traditional home of soccer clinics at UNE since 1981. With UNE on holidays, the use of UNE’s sporting and residential college facilities during term breaks provides a win for participants, UNE, and the Armidale economy, which clearly benefits from 200 visitors staying at UNE for four days.”

“This is the first time that the State Selection Camp has been held in Armidale,” Mr Griffith said. (They have been held in centres such as Coffs Harbour and Kurri Kurri in the past.) “This demonstrates the importance of the facilities at Sport UNE and The University of New England to the broader New England region. Aspiring and talented sportspeople from this region are frequently forced to travel far afield; they welcome major trials that are close to home. This is also the first time that girls and boys have been accommodated at the one location at the same time, which was also made possible by UNE’s extensive facilities and dedicated staff team.”

For further details, contact David Smith NNSWSF Football manager on 0438 634 684.

Posted by Gary Fry at 03:18 PM

Performing arts students get a UNE experience

April 21, 2006

The Hunter School of Performing Arts concluded a whirlwind east-coast tour with a visit to The University of New England this week. The talented high school tour party comprised 134 people: 117 gifted young musicians, 12 parents and five staff.

“With a large proportion of the students in Years 11 and 12, the visit to UNE provided a timely insight into life and university study in a regional, inland city,” said Hunter School of Performing Arts music teacher, Kylie Gardner.

“We have our Stage Band, Senior Choir, and Marching Show Band on tour,” Mrs Gardner said. “Each performance is beneficial for the development of the kids, musically and professionally. It’s been a gruelling tour, but they have gained a great deal from every concert and every location they’ve visited.

“We left Newcastle on the Tuesday 11 March and performed at The Catholic Club in Coffs Harbour that night. The 12th saw us performing in Goonellabah (Lismore) to primary school children. The highlights for many of the kids were the 13th and 14th, when they performed at Dreamworld and Sea World, respectively. On the 15th they performed at South Bank, Brisbane. Still in Brisbane on the 16th, they competed in the Australian National Bands Championships, which occurs in a different capital city each year. We compete in the championships every year, unless Perth is chosen as the host city, which is logistically prohibitive for us.”

“Our Senior Concert Band came fourth in the Junior A Section, and our Intermediate Band came first in the Junior B Section,” she added. “We’re really proud of our performance in the ‘Nationals’ and our tour as a whole.

“On Tuesday 18 March our Marching Show Band performed in Armidale’s Curtis Park and we staged a concert in the Armidale Ex-Services Club that night. Both shows were free to the public.

“We came here because it was a different environment to the rest of our tour, which was coastal or metropolitan. Plus, as a former UNE student, I knew this would be a great opportunity for them to check out a country centre and a regional university. Following the concert, the kids got their first taste of college life, spending the night at Robb College, after more than a week of dormitory style accommodation. The tour of UNE included an introductory lecture on studies at the University, a Theatre Studies workshop, and tours of the Library and Sport UNE facilities.”

Lead clarinettist in the Marching and Junior A Concert Bands, Year 12 student Justine Williams, was inspired by what she saw at UNE. “My year adviser suggested UNE to me but I hadn’t seriously considered it until now,” Justine said. “Coming from the Hunter region, I’ve gone through Newcastle University with my big sister and found it so big and daunting. It felt scary going from a small performing arts school to being a small speck in a huge institution. I’d never been here before; it seems a lot friendlier and more personal than the city universities.”

The photograph displayed here shows the Hunter School of Performing Arts Marching Show Band in action. Click on image to enlarge.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 02:19 PM

New building to be the focus of Indigenous education strategy

April 20, 2006

A new, $2.3 million building at The University of New England will make university education more accessible to Aboriginal students throughout northern NSW – and the nation.

The new building will accommodate UNE’s Oorala Aboriginal Centre, which provides educational resources and advice – and academic support – to Aboriginal students, as well as being a link between the University and the Aboriginal community. In addition to the Oorala Centre, the multi-purpose building will include areas for use by the entire University community.

The Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, who signed the construction contract for the building last week, said it would be “a great new addition to the campus”. The re-housed Oorala Centre would be “a focal point for the University’s Indigenous education strategies,” Professor Pettigrew said.

“We’ve put a lot of thought into the design, to make it accessible both to students and to the local community,” said Diane Mumbler, Director of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre. “It’s a vital educational centre, with a state-of-the-art computer laboratory and lecture theatre. It will be equipped with the latest information technology to facilitate our distance education programs, and will have video-conferencing links with UNE’s regional Access Centres. This will make education and study much more accessible to Aboriginal students - throughout the New England region and nationally.”

“It will incorporate public space,” she continued, “for local and travelling exhibitions that will be of interest to the whole New England community. And it will enable the community to have greater access to Indigenous research projects of local interest.”

Work will begin on Monday 24 April with the removal of the old Oorala building (a demountable structure set up in the 1960s) to make way for the new building on the same site. The contract, with the Armidale-based company National Buildplan Group, is for an estimated construction time of eight months. The company has won and completed several contracts on the UNE campus, including the building of the Natural Resources complex and the refurbishment of the Riggs chemistry building.

Funding for the project comprises a $1.26 million grant from the Capital Development Pool of the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training, and more than $1 million from UNE’s Capital Development Fund.

The new building will allow for greater integration of the Oorala Centre’s educational programs with the life of the University as a whole. “I see it, in fact, as a tangible reconciliation statement,” Ms Mumbler said. “It will be an educational resource for everyone, and a University-wide asset at UNE.”

The photograph displayed here, taken just before the signing of the building contract, shows (from left) Diane Mumbler, Professor Alan Pettigrew, Michael Quinlan (Director of UNE's Facilities Management Services), and Mark Kelly (a Project Manager for National Buildplan Group). Click on image to enlarge.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 12:16 PM

UNE helps new teachers 'move into the unknown'

April 19, 2006

A project at The University of New England has shown that online mentoring and peer support can be a lifeline for newly-graduated teachers learning to cope with the realities of the classroom.

"Beginning teachers, when they go into a classroom for the first time with full responsibility, are moving into the unknown," explained the project leader, Associate Professor Tom Maxwell. "This can sometimes be very challenging."

The "Educational Alumni Support Project", funded by a competitive Commonwealth Government grant of more than $29,000, ran through 2005. It allowed UNE teaching graduates, throughout their first year of service, to access a Web site where they could share experiences and tackle problems by "talking" online to each other and UNE mentors. Dr Maxwell and his team have just submitted their final report to the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). It is located on the Internet at:
http://fehps.une.edu.au/Education/EdASP_Final_Rpt.pdf

The participants were UNE graduates of 2004 who took up their first teaching positions at the beginning of 2005. About 50 of them chose to contribute to the online forums, while many more logged on as observers.

Dr Maxwell (pictured here), together with his UNE colleague Howard Smith, applied for the government funding. Once that was granted, other academics from UNE's School of Education joined the team to act as mentors. It was the first time such support had been offered to beginning teachers on so large a scale. Although funding for the one-year project has ended, novice teachers (i.e., those who started work in 2006) and UNE mentors still "talk" to each other via the Web site.

Two discussion forums were established: one for primary and one for secondary teachers. Two-thirds of the active participants were secondary teachers. The report suggests that, among the reasons for this imbalance, could be that there are fewer "team approaches" to teaching - and therefore greater potential for a sense of isolation - among secondary teachers.

"One of our major findings was that Term One is crucial," Dr Maxwell said. "It's the initial crossing of the line into the unknown." (He added, however, that " some of the teachers wanted - or needed - support throughout the year".)

Discussion subjects ranged from immediate problems of behaviour management to more general questions of teaching strategies and curriculum content. "The concerns of the participants tended to change over time," Dr Maxwell said. "At first they centred on behaviour management, but eventually moved more towards aspects of learning and teaching."

Another important finding was that casual teachers, who experience a greater range of problems than most permanent teachers, can need even more support than their permanent colleagues. The report to DEST says that some people beginning work as casual teachers, with "demands varying from day to day and across schools", were "clearly at risk" of leaving the profession.

"Teachers are in short supply," Dr Maxwell said. "Our hope is that people joining the profession will be more likely to remain in it if they can successfully negotiate the first term or two, which can sometimes be most traumatic. At UNE we've shown that, together with the teachers themselves, we can provide an online support network that can help some people through that period."

The report says that most of the participants felt the project had helped them to minimise feelings of "professional isolation", and that several of them believed it had played a significant role in their decision to continue working as teachers.

Click on photograph to enlarge.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 10:33 AM

Passionate graduation address gets standing ovation

April 13, 2006

The distinguished Australian educator Dr Paul Brock AM received a standing ovation for his passionate and eloquent address to graduands at the last of The University of New England’s four Autumn Graduation ceremonies for 2006.

Dr Brock, who is Director, Learning and Development Research, for the NSW Department of Education and Training, examined “the role that education should play in confronting issues of national – indeed global – significance”. He was speaking to 300 people graduating in the fields of Education and Professional Studies on Saturday 8 April, as well as to their friends and members of their families.

“In all its complex and often contradictory aspects, what has been called the ‘War on Terrorism’ dominates much of contemporary social, political and humanitarian discourse,” he said. “What forces will protect us from the evils imposed on and within society under the banner of terrorism on the one hand, or under the banner of protecting us from terrorism on the other?”

In this climate, he asked “to what can we look today? Surely it must be to education – in all its depth, breadth and rigour . . . . In particular, a quality of public education that is informed, honest, critiqued, and properly resourced; that is properly idealistic and properly sceptical.”

Quoting Voltaire’s famous dictum “While I strongly disagree with what you say, I will defend to the death your right to say it”, he continued: “This is one of the values to which we as educators must always be committed. But I fear that there is a new political correctness, maybe even a new McCarthyism, abroad in Australia. It seems to me that people may be beginning to be afraid to speak out publicly on some important issues.

“Perhaps we are entering a period when we need seriously to remind ourselves of the writings of people like George Orwell and to act upon his insights into political correctness and the gradual dismemberment of freedoms. Those great novels '1984' and 'Animal Farm' cry out for re-reading.”

The full text of Dr Brock’s address is at: http://fehps.une.edu.au/Faculty/2006_Graduation/

Dr Brock was a member of staff of UNE from 1979 to 1993: he was a Senior Lecturer in English and Coordinator of the Secondary English Method course within the Faculty of Education, and spent three years as the Chair of the Teacher Education Program and Sub-Dean of the Faculty. His PhD in English was conferred on him by the University in 1985. His wife Dr Jacqueline Manuel, who accompanied him to the ceremony, is a triple graduate of UNE.

Diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) nine years ago, Dr Brock is an educator and campaigner on the disease. “At any time there are about 1,400 people afflicted with MND in Australia,” he told the graduands. “Every day one Australian dies of MND and one more is diagnosed.

“There is a desperate need to raise the level of community and government awareness of MND. For a disease first identified in the scientific literature by the great French neurologist Jean Charcot in 1869, it is a scientific/medical research disgrace that in 2006 nobody still understands the cause and nobody has yet discovered a cure for MND. Yet in the last 12 months, for example, total funding for MND research right across Australia was a mere pittance of just over $350,000.

Dr Brock concluded his address by quoting a passage from his autobiography ("A Passion for Life", ABC Books, 2004) that summed up his hopes and aspirations for education by focusing on the quality of public-school education he wanted for his own daughters Sophie and Millie – an education that would enable them “to contribute to and enjoy the fruits of living within an Australian society that is fair, just, tolerant, honourable, knowledgeable, prosperous and happy”.

The photograph displayed here shows Dr Brock (centre) with UNE Council member Mrs Jennifer Crew and the Executive Dean of UNE's Faculty of Education, Health and Professional Studies, Professor Victor Minichiello.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 01:51 PM

UNE Council endorses outline of new Strategic Plan

April 12, 2006

The University of New England Council has endorsed the outline of a new Strategic Plan for the University.

UNE’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, presented the outline (which includes a basic timeline) to Council at its meeting last week.

“The development of a new Strategic Plan for UNE is one of the most important tasks that we need to undertake in 2006,” Professor Pettigrew said yesterday in a message to the University’s staff. “The first step in the planning process is to seek the views of the University community on performance against the current Plan, and ideas for the future. I have asked the Executive Deans to provide this input from the Faculties and will seek similar input from research centres and the administrative units. Individual staff can also participate in this process over the next few weeks by sending their input to Prue Bedford, the Project Officer in my office.” (Prue Bedford’s e-mail address is: pbedford@une.edu.au)

Professor Pettigrew (pictured here) also announced changes to the portfolios of the University’s executive team. The changes were the result of a review and consultation with members of the team, he said.

“The new portfolios have led to changes in the descriptors of the three Pro Vice-Chancellor positions,” Professor Pettigrew said. “These are now to be ‘Academic’, ‘Research’, and ‘Development and International’. The titles of the Executive Director (Business and Administration) and the Chief Financial Officer are unchanged.

“I have also made changes to the supervision and reporting lines for administrative units that report to the executive team. All of these changes are designed to re-balance the portfolios and to provide a better alignment of activities for each member of the team. I will now work with each member of the executive team to set performance goals.

“The new arrangements will come into effect immediately. However, the executive team will be working together over the next few weeks to establish the new arrangements for administrative units. This will be done in consultation with the affected staff. There is no intention that this realignment of reporting relationships will affect the number of staff positions.”

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 12:22 PM

Prehistoric fish traps the focus of cross-cultural project

April 11, 2006

Aboriginal fish traps made of stone and thought to be more than 1,000 years old are coming back into use on the Arrawarra Headland near Coffs Harbour.

The resumption of traditional harvesting from the ocean is being monitored as part of a unique, cross-cultural educational project that combines Aboriginal fishing traditions and modern ecological research.

Coordinated by The University of New England's Associate Professor Stephen Smith and funded by the NSW Government's Environmental Trust, the three-year project aims to work with the Garby Elders of the north-east Gumbaynggirr people to inform a wider public about traditional Aboriginal fishing practices, while training Aboriginal participants to monitor those practices scientifically. The Garby Elders are celebrating this acknowledgement of their traditional ties to the area.

Dr Smith, who is stationed at the National Marine Science Centre, Coffs Harbour, explained that the Garby Elders and members of the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation had lost their traditional marine harvesting rights with the declaration of the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve in 1991. He said that the Elders and the local Aboriginal community had found it difficult to understand why they were denied traditional rights while scientists could take marine organisms for research purposes. "This project is marrying the interests of the two groups - Aboriginal and scientific," he said. "It's a fantastic cross-cultural exercise."

Knowledgeable members of the Garby Elders and Yarrawarra will use the ancient fish traps to catch fish such as bream. In addition, molluscs such as turban shell and other marine organisms will be harvested from adjacent areas of the headland. At the same time, local Aboriginal trainees will learn how to use modern scientific methods to assess the sustainability of their harvesting practices.

"In fact, the local people lived sustainably for thousands of years," Dr Smith said. "To help them do so, they had a 'bush calendar' that told them at what time of year to harvest each particular marine organism. We want to document that 'calendar' when it is put into practice here. We also want to test, scientifically, traditional knowledge such as the ability to tell whether a sea creature is healthy or not."

"The local Elders want to gather all this information so they can pass it down to their children," Dr Smith said. "In addition, they want to see Indigenous and non-Indigenous children sitting down together to learn about it. They're very happy to share much of this information with the non-Indigenous community."

Throughout the planning of the project, the scientific and Aboriginal communities have been working closely with the NSW Marine Parks Authority. The project team includes Tony Perkins (General Manager of the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation and spokesperson for the Garby Elders), Milton Duroux (Aboriginal Sites Officer for the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation), Ricky Cain (Aboriginal Sites and Vegetation Officer for the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation), Libby Sterling (previous Manager of the Solitary Islands Marine Park), Nicola Johnstone (Acting Manager of the Marine Park), Russell Glover (Regional National Resource Management Facilitator for the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority), and Darren Murray (Catchment Officer, Aboriginal Projects, for the Catchment Management Authority).

The project will see the production of educational fact sheets for classrooms, Web sites, and filmed documentaries. "It's a breath of fresh air," Dr Smith said, "to work with a group of people who are passionate about - and in tune with - the environment."

The photograph displayed here shows some of the project team - Dr Smith (left), Adam Davey (centre) and Ricky Cain - measuring turban shells at Arrawarra Headland. Turban shells are one of the species that will be targeted with the resumption of traditional harvesting at the headland.

Media contact: Associate Professor Stephen Smith, UNE, National Marine Science Centre on (02) 6648 3900 or 0408 435 752.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:18 PM

Scholarship helps kayaking champion shoot the rapids of sport and study

April 10, 2006

A great white-water talent in Australian kayaking, Tom Bedford, is combining international sport with tertiary education through a scholarship program at The University of New England.

Tom (pictured here) was selected by the peak national canoe/kayak body, Australian Canoeing, to be one of two senior paddlers who will travel as coaches with the Junior Australian team that will tackle the world-renowned rapids of New Zealand over Easter. His selection comes after years at the forefront of junior
white-water kayaking in Australia. After competing in the National White Water Kayaking Championships in Tasmania in January, Tom was declared the National Age Kayaking Champion for 2006. This was the fourth time he has claimed the title.

“For me it's the opportunity to test the waters in elite coaching,” Tom said. “I've got a great deal out of white-water kayaking: I've travelled and represented my home town of Armidale, my State of NSW, and my country. I see this new role in the Junior Development Wildwater Team as a chance to give something back to the sport while still being involved in elite competition.”

“The team will compete in the New Zealand National Titles on the 14th and 15th of April,” he continued. “We then head to the New Zealand National School Titles on the 20th of April. I'll be paddling on this tour as well as coaching; I'll be competing against other international-level paddlers, but it will be a friendly competition. My focus will be on helping our Australian juniors to do their best against the Kiwis.”

“I train ten times a week, at least one hour a session,” Tom explained. “Some of that is on the only water close to Armidale: Dumaresq Dam. I also do a lot of cross-training (weights and running) at Sport UNE. I'm in my first year of a Bachelor of Science Degree at UNE, with a Biomedical major. I'm doing 40 hours a week face-to-face study at the University, so combined with training I'm doing very long days.”

Tom recently received Sport UNE's Clem Jones Scholarship.

“The scholarship has made it possible for me to train and compete at the international level, attend university, and continue to live at home in the country,” he said. “It consists of unlimited use of the facilities at Sport UNE and $3,000, which has helped fund my trip to New Zealand and my studies this year.”

Alongside his studies at UNE, Tom will maintain a gruelling training regime, with his sights set on the World Titles in Europe in mid-2007, which he plans to compete in as a senior for the first time.

The Australian team members on the NZ tour are: Joint team managers, Leon Rumford (WA) and Peter McIntyre (NSW); Senior paddlers and coaches, Tom Bedford (NSW) and Steve Myers (WA); Athletes, Alayne Bonney (TAS), Karryne Brooker (NSW) Jonathon Rumford (WA), Josh Kippin (WA), Alex McIntyre (NSW), Brayden March (NSW) and Jordan Stewart (NSW). They depart on the 12th of April and return to Australia on the 21st of April.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:03 PM

'Universities bring out the best in us,' says graduation speaker

April 07, 2006

Professor Mary O’Kane, a leading adviser on innovation, education, research and development, speaking at a graduation ceremony at The University of New England today, celebrated the role of universities in enhancing their students’ natural gifts.

Addressing more than 300 graduands in the Sciences and Health, Professor O’Kane said: “Universities can bring out the best in us. They can allow us to refine the gifts we were aware of, and make us aware of those gifts that are latent in us.”

She made the point that, while acquiring knowledge is an important part of university education, it is not the most enduring part. “Knowledge might be immediately useful,” she said, “but much of it dates relatively quickly. It’s the skills we learn along the way (including learning, reasoning and information-processing skills) that are of long-lasting value.”

Professor O’Kane, the Executive Chairman of Mary O’Kane & Associates Pty Ltd (a company that advises governments, universities and the private sector) has served as Vice-Chancellor (1996-2001) and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research (1994-96) of the University of Adelaide, where she was also Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. She is a member of the Australian Research Council, the Cooperative Research Centre Committee and the CSIRO Board, a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia.

During her Occasional Address today, Professor O’Kane quoted a verse of Hilaire Belloc to introduce her theme that universities “give us again our own gifts”, and help us make the most of those gifts through the acquisition of new knowledge and new skills. Congratulating the graduands, she said: “My wish for you is that you will use your gifts, knowledge and skills – all enhanced through the hard work of gaining the degree you are awarded today – to tackle successfully the important issues you encounter in work and in life.”

Today’s ceremony was the third of four at UNE this Autumn. The Chancellor, Mr John Cassidy, presented testamurs to 311 graduands, including 23 graduating with PhDs. Two of the graduands – Emma Williams (Bachelor of Rural Science with Honours) and Romulus Apolzan (Bachelor of Computer Science with Honours) – received University Medals, Emma Williams also receiving the Edgar H. Booth Memorial Prize. The final ceremony, tomorrow, will be for graduands in Education and Professional Studies.

The photograph displayed here shows Professor Mary O'Kane (right) with the Executive Dean of UNE's Faculty of The Sciences, Professor Margaret Sedgley.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:48 PM

Smile, you're on GradCam

April 07, 2006

Those who can't make it to Autumn graduation at UNE will be able to experience the next best thing to being there, thanks to “GradCam”, a digital video camera that will post live images and sound of the ceremonies to the World Wide Web.

Broadband users will be able to watch live, streaming video of the ceremonies, with sound, while dial-up and low bandwidth users will be able to view a still image that is updated every 30 seconds.

The camera has been placed in a window on the first floor of Booloominbah, the historic UNE homestead on whose lawns the cermonies will take place. In the event of inclement weather the ceremonies will be moved inside Lazenby Hall, and with them GradCam, which will be placed in the projection booth that overlooks the hall.

GradCam was first trialled in 2005, to great success. Hundreds of people viewed the GradCam site over two days, from Australia, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
Try the new, improved GradCam for yourself at http://grad-cam.une.edu.au or, for the low bandwidth version, go to http://www-personal.une.edu.au/~gordon/gradcam.

Please note: viewers should be aware that using this facility for any length of time may download a large amount of data which will be deducted from their usage quota if their ISP provides them with an internet connection on a monthly download quota basis.

Posted by Leon Braun at 09:00 AM

Dangers of reducing heritage value to economic terms

April 06, 2006

A prominent teacher, adviser and commentator on Australia’s national heritage, in a public lecture at The University of New England this week, spoke about the dangers of reducing heritage value to economic terms.

Delivering UNE’s second annual John Ferry Heritage Lecture, Professor Graeme Davison said that the heritage movement in Australia had entered a phase when “intangible” heritage (such as ideological traditions) was often considered to be more important than “tangible” heritage (such as buildings). He explained that there was always an interaction between these two aspects of heritage.

Graeme Davison, a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor at Monash University in Melbourne, is currently the Director of the Monash University Centre at King’s College London. In his lecture on Tuesday, titled “Heritage in Retreat?”, he discussed the “golden era” for the built heritage of Australia in the 1970s and 1980s, and its decline since the 1990s. “The peak heritage organisations, such as the National Trust, have lost membership and influence,” he said, “while both State and Federal governments, bowing to neo-liberal economic doctrines, have become more reluctant to use coercive State power to protect the heritage.” In spite of this, he added, “’heritage’ remains a popular ideal”.

To preserve the fragile link with the past, Professor Davison said, it was always “better to err on the side of retention than of disposal”. Referring to the recent Productivity Commission report on the costs and benefits of heritage, he said: “Once you reduce the argument to economic terms only, the battle is at least half lost.”

Professor Davison was the Founding Director of the Monash Institute for Public History. His books "A Heritage Handbook" (co-edited, 1991) and "The Use and Abuse of Australian History" (2000) draw upon his experience as a former Chair of the Heritage Council of Victoria, a former councillor of the National Trust, and an adviser to the Commonwealth on world heritage. He has been a member of the Advisory Council of the National Archives of Australia, and an historical adviser to the National Museum of Australia.

The John Ferry Heritage Lecture, organised by UNE’s Heritage Futures Research Centre, honours the memory and work of the UNE-based historian Dr John Ferry (1949-2004). Dr Ferry wrote and taught about (among other things) heritage conservation and architectural history. He wrote books for use in schools, produced many conservation studies and reports, and was in constant demand to assist local councils and community groups to increase their awareness and use of local heritage assets. His prize-winning book, "Colonial Armidale", is regarded by many leading Australian historians as the best and most innovative local history written in Australia.

The photograph displayed here shows Professor Davison (left) with the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew (centre) and the foundation Director of UNE's Heritage Futures Research Centre, Professor Iain Davidson.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 09:52 AM

Young scientists rise to the Challenge

April 05, 2006

Teams of Year 10 students from throughout the New England region pitted their scientific wits against each other today in the fourth annual Armidale Science and Engineering Challenge.

More than 200 students from schools in Armidale, Inverell, Tenterfield, Walcha and Uralla took part in today’s Challenge, which was hosted (as in previous years) by The University of New England. They responded to the challenge with great enthusiasm, becoming engrossed in activities that included building and flying an airship, solving a maze problem, and building a chair.

Altogether, more than 10,000 students from eastern and southern Australia will compete in regional Challenge events over the coming weeks.

For the third successive year, a team from The Armidale School (TAS) emerged the winner of the Armidale Challenge. The TAS team will travel to Newcastle in August to compete with other regional winners in the Super Challenge Series. (The University of Newcastle coordinates the Science and Engineering Challenge nationally.) The runner-up at UNE today was PLC Armidale.

Sponsored by UNE, Engineers Australia, Young Engineers Australia and Armidale Central Rotary Club, the Armidale Challenge is organised by a committee chaired by the Rotary Club’s David Steller. About 25 people, including UNE lecturers, technical officers, postgraduate students and science-teaching students, as well as Rotary members, guided the teams through the activities in UNE’s Lazenby Hall.

At the end of the day Dr Sarah Pearson, a UNE physicist, congratulated all the participants for “giving it a go, keeping going, and being creative”. “You did that,” Dr Pearson said, “and so you are all scientists. We look forward to meeting you again in the world of science – the last frontier.”

The Executive Dean of UNE’s Faculty of The Sciences, Professor Margaret Sedgley, presented the winner’s trophy to a representative of the team from TAS, and Mr Steller presented participation awards to each team.

The photograph displayed here shows UNE physicist Dr Sarah Pearson and the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) of UNE, Professor Peter Flood, surveying the excitement in Lazenby Hall.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:32 PM

Award for 'innovative' teaching of criminology

April 04, 2006

Dr John Scott, who teaches one of The University of New England’s most popular units – "Criminology" – has won the University’s major award for teaching excellence.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, presented Dr Scott with a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching during the graduation ceremony for the University’s Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences last Saturday. (Professor Pettigrew, left, and Dr Scott are pictured here after the ceremony.)

Dr Scott, who also teaches another popular unit – "The Australian Criminal Justice System" – has been a lecturer in UNE’s School of Social Science since 2001.

In presenting the award, Professor Pettigrew said Dr Scott’s “innovative and interactive approach clearly motivates and inspires his students”. “In particular,” he continued, “his use of problem scenarios relating to crime and crime prevention issues requires students to engage actively with the material and to think deeply in ways that promote high-quality learning.” Professor Pettigrew then drew attention to Dr Scott’s “use of current events as contexts for learning, ensuring that his students are aware of the direct relevance of the material, and giving them every opportunity to relate it to their lives”.

Dr Scott confirmed that his use of criminal cases currently in the media had proved an effective way of engaging students in the subject. “Criminology as we teach it, however, is not about profiling serial killers,” he explained, “but about more general questions such as crime rates and prevention policies.” He added that UNE had developed a particular expertise in research and teaching on rural crime, with recognised experts in this field in the University’s School of Law and Institute for Rural Futures as well as in the School of Social Science.

Professor Pettigrew praised Dr Scott for his “intelligent use of a range of information technologies” that “ensures that all students are able to participate fully, regardless of their enrolment mode or location”. “Students are able to access information and support on demand via discussion boards, chat rooms and voice mail,” he continued. “Online tutorials provide interactive learning for distance students. Dr Scott’s excellent personal communication style ensures rapid feedback to all participants. Students consistently report feeling valued and supported as individuals.”

The "Criminology" unit at UNE was one of Australia’s first university units on this subject to include elements of online teaching. “We’ve been willing to be innovative,” Dr Scott commented.

Last Saturday’s graduation ceremony was the second of four this Autumn. The remaining two ceremonies will be on Friday 7 April (the Sciences and Health) and Saturday 8 April (Education and Professional Studies).

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:11 PM

Vote of thanks from grateful graduate

April 03, 2006

With an honours degree in her pocket and a University Medal around her neck, Cynthia Honan had every reason to be smiling on Saturday. And it was with heartfelt gratitude that she delivered a vote of thanks on behalf of all graduates to The University of New England, its staff, family and friends at the graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

“For many of us graduands, it is hard to believe that we have finally made it,” she told the crowd of more than 1000. “And whilst we all have our own special story to tell of our time here with The University of New England, we can all agree that it has certainly been a long journey.”

For Ms Honan, who graduated with a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), her journey began in 2001, when she enrolled at UNE as an external student. At the beginning of 2005 she transferred to Armidale to complete her honours year. Along the way she collected a Frederick G. White scholarship and the Australian Psychological Society Prize. She is now pursuing a PhD in Psychology at UNE, with the hope of becoming a research psychologist upon graduation.

In addition to studying, Ms Honan held down a full-time job for the first four years of her studies, a feat that she could not have pulled off without UNE's outstanding distance education program, she said on Saturday.

“Studying at Australia’s first regional university, and leading university for distance education, meant that I had the opportunity to pursue my interests in psychology whilst continuing full-time employment. For many other graduands here, being an external student also meant having the opportunity to study whilst actively participating in family life. Without the distance education so generously offered by The University of New England, higher learning for many of us would simply not be possible.”

“What was also significant about my time here at The University of New England, was the manner in which I was inspired to pursue my goals and meet the challenges posed by higher learning. The provision of high quality teaching resulted in a curriculum that was both stimulating and extremely rewarding. Furthermore, the personalised support and encouragement I received from staff within the University, whether it was for academic matters, administrative matters, or even personal matters, can only be commended. Through this support, I learnt that genius was not the key to success, but rather, it was simply hard work and determination.”

“On behalf of all graduands, I therefore thank The University of New England and all those who have helped us along the way, for giving us the opportunity to attend this great institution. Rest assured that as we now continue our journey into the world of work, further study or other exciting opportunities, we can be proud of the fact that we were awarded a qualification from this university.”

For a complete transcript of Ms Honan's speech, click here.

Posted by Leon Braun at 03:28 PM

Cynthia Honan's Vote of Thanks

April 03, 2006

Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, other members of the UNE Council, dignitaries, official guests, academic staff, family and friends, and fellow graduands.

It is with great pleasure and honour that I present the Vote of Thanks on behalf of all graduands of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, here on this special occasion.

For many of us graduands, it is hard to believe that we have finally made it. And whilst we all have our own special story to tell of our time here with The University of New England, we can all agree that it has certainly been a long journey.

I started my studies with The University of New England in 2001 as an external student, with what began as a mere curiosity in the field of psychology. Studying at Australia’s first regional university, and leading university for distance education, meant that I had the opportunity to pursue my interests in psychology whilst continuing full-time employment. For many other graduands here, being an external student also meant having the opportunity to study whilst actively participating in family life. Without the distance education so generously offered by The University of New England, higher learning for many of us would simply not be possible.

Perhaps my most memorable experience as a student of the University was the abundant opportunity to meet and interact with likeminded people. This opportunity was a result of attending classes, residing in the colleges, involvement in interest groups, or participation in residential schools. I made lifelong friends here - and I feel extremely privileged to be graduating with some of them today.

What was also significant about my time here at The University of New England was the manner in which I was inspired to pursue my goals and meet the challenges proposed by higher learning. The provision of high quality teaching resulted in a curriculum that was both stimulating and extremely rewarding.

Furthermore, the personalised support and encouragement I received from staff within the university, whether it was for academic matters, administrative matters, or even personal matters, can only be commended. Through this support, I learnt that genius was not the key to success, but rather, it was simply hard work and determination. It wasn’t long before my initial curiosity in psychology became a passion -- and it was this passion that ultimately lead to my decision to pursue full-time study in the final year of my degree.

The support and encouragement I received from both academics and study colleagues is truly a testament to the University’s ability to facilitate a great learning and teaching environment. It is really no wonder that The University of New England has a well-earned reputation as one of Australia's great teaching, training and research universities.

I must also acknowledge efforts by The University of New England to make scholarships available to students with high academic ability or lack of financial support. The University offers rewards and support to students worth more than $1.3 million each year. However, this tremendous effort is not possible without the generosity of scholarship donors in the wider community. On behalf of all graduands who received scholarships, I wish to thank these donors for their continuing support. For many, the ability to study and achieve high academic success would not have been possible without them.

I extend very special thanks to family and friends who have helped us over the years. Your unreserved support through all the triumphs and tribulations will never be forgotten.

On behalf of all graduands, I therefore thank The University of New England and all those who have helped us along the way, for giving us the opportunity to attend this great institution. Rest assured that as we now continue our journey into the world of work, further study or other exciting opportunity, we can be proud of the fact that we were awarded a qualification from this university.

I thank you once again!

Posted by Leon Braun at 03:00 PM