Two prominent graduates honoured on Australia Day

January 30, 2008

The present Governor and a former Premier of South Australia are among the graduates of the University of New England who were named in this year's Australia Day Honours List.

The Governor of South Australia, His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce (pictured here), was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for "distinguished contributions to Australia's defence industry through the provision of leadership and strategic advice on the development of naval capabilities, to maritime transport management, and to the people of South Australia".

Rear Admiral Scarce's distinguished career in the Royal Australian Navy from 1968 to 2004 included service in Vietnam on HMAS Sydney, at Spithead, UK on HMAS Melbourne, and at sea in HMA Ships Vendetta, Yarra, Duchess, and Perth. He took command of the training establishment HMAS Cerberus in 1995. Promoted to Commodore in 1997, he was appointed as Flag Officer Naval Training Command and then Commodore Logistics (responsible for supporting the Fleet at sea). He was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in 1999 and, from 2000 until 2003, was Head of Maritime Systems in the Defence Materiel Organisation of the Australian Defence Force – an organisation he led in 2004 before his retirement from the Navy.

He graduated from UNE with a Bachelor of Financial Administration degree in 1990. Among his other academic qualifications is a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National Defence University, Washington DC.

The Hon. Dean Brown was Premier of South Australia from December 1993 to November 1996, and held a number of key Ministerial positions before retiring from Parliament in March 2006. He has been Chairman and Director of the mineral resources exploration company Hillgrove Resources Limited since 2006. He was the independent Chair of the Strathalbyn Community Consultative Committee, established by the South Australian Government to consider issues relating to a proposal for a zinc mine near Strathalbyn.

Mr Brown was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "service to the Parliament of South Australia and to the promotion of economic development and reform, and service through enhancing business and investment opportunities".

He has worked as a management consultant in both the private and the public sectors, and holds a number of board appointments – including the National Youth Mental Health Advisory Board and Foodbank SA.

He graduated from UNE with a Bachelor of Rural Science degree in 1967 and a Master of Rural Science degree in 1972. His most recent visit to the Armidale campus was in 2006 to participate in events celebrating the 50th anniversary of UNE's Rural Science degree program and the University's original residential college – Wright College.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 06:02 PM

UNE joins forces with Cotton CRC to stop the rot

January 29, 2008

Scientists at the University of New England are putting cotton under the microscope to solve the not-so-microscopic problem of black root rot in the region's cotton fields.

Every year cotton growers lose as much as 40 per cent of their yield to the disease, which attacks the roots of cotton seedlings and stunts their growth.

Dr Lily Pereg-Gerk, a senior lecturer in the School of Science and Technology at UNE, is leading the research, which has been funded by a grant from the Cotton Catchment Communities Cooperative Research Centre (Cotton CRC), in which UNE is a participant. In all, funding for the project comes to about half-a-million dollars, to be spent over three years.

Dr Pereg-Gerk said that because the fungus that caused the disease was soil-borne, it was difficult to treat using conventional methods.

"What we're looking at in particular is molecular factors involved in the virulence of the pathogen towards the plant," Dr Pereg-Gerk said. "When we find such genes, we will try to see how they're activated, and from there, how they can perhaps be controlled."

Dr Pereg-Gerk and her colleagues were considering a number of techniques to combat the disease, she said, including genetic modification of the cotton plant and the introduction of "bio-controls" to help protect it from the disease-causing fungus.

"We are looking at the plant's response to the disease and whether we can utilise natural mechanisms of the plant to fight this disease and other soil-borne pathogens," she said.

Dr Pereg-Gerk said they were also looking for naturally-occuring micro-organisms that could help fight the disease. This could reduce the need for farmers to spray their crops with chemicals, she said.

The research has won praise from the cotton industry and the Cotton CRC. In response to initial findings by Dr Pereg-Gerk and her colleagues, Cotton CRC Chief Scientist Peter Gregg wrote that "The researchers are to be congratulated for making some major advances in understanding the molecular aspects of black-root rot interactions with cotton and other plants. This is particularly so in view of the low level of understanding at the start of the project. The use of UNE funds to establish the work, followed by applications to CRDC/CRC is appreciated."

The Cotton CRC, through its Summer Scholarship program, has enabled several UNE students to work with Dr Pereg-Gerk and her team on the black root rot project.

Posted by Leon Braun at 04:27 PM

Exploring the magic and mystery of Mexico

January 25, 2008

More than 240 members of the Country Women's Association (CWA) of NSW will immerse themselves in the colour and drama of Mexican history, culture and politics when they gather for the 38th Annual CWA Weekend Country of Study School at the University of New England.

This is a record number of delegates to the annual event at UNE, which will begin this year on Friday 1 February and continue through the weekend.

Heading the impressive list of guest speakers is the Second Secretary of the Embassy of Mexico in Australia, Mr Emmanuel Trinidad, who will present a "Welcome to Mexico" at the formal dinner on Friday evening, and an "Overview of Mexico" on Saturday morning [2 February] to open the study program.

The invited speakers include prominent writers and academics with close personal ties to – and interests in – Mexico. The journalist and novelist Erina Reddan will discuss the writing of her novel Lilia's Secret in a talk titled "Magic, mystery and murder in Mexico", Dr Blanca Tovias de Plaisted from the School of History and Philosophy at the University of NSW will talk about "Violence and religion in the history of Mexico", and Dr Lilit Thwaites from La Trobe University will present "Two key women of Mexico": La Malinche (the Indigenous partner of the conqueror Hernan Cortes) and the artist Frida Kahlo. Other visiting speakers will focus on diverse aspects of Mexican culture and politics.

A Mexican "cultural experience" on the Saturday evening will feature members of the celebrated Sydney-based entertainment company "The Real Mexico".

The CWA Study School, hosted by UNE's Earle Page College and organised by the UNE Conference Company, is one expression of the long-standing relationship between the University and the CWA. The Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, will welcome the delegates to the University during Friday night's dinner, while the Armidale Dumaresq Mayor, Councillor Peter Ducat, will welcome them to Armidale.

Sharon Gallen, Manager of the UNE Conference Company, said the Study School was one of the longest-running annual events hosted by the University. "The weekend is designed to give participants a real insight into the history, culture and society of a different country each year," Ms Gallen said.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:17 PM

New courses attract students

January 23, 2008

So far this year, the University of New England has been able to offer more school leavers an on-campus undergraduate place than at the same stage last year.

The University's Director of Planning and Institutional Research, Dr John Kleeman, said that 1,488 offers had been made to date, including those for the inaugural intake of 60 first-year medical students at UNE under the Joint Medical Program in collaboration with the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Health. The number of offers at this stage last year was 1,456.

The Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, said these figures boded well for "an exciting and constructive year" at UNE. "The introduction of 20 new courses in Semester 1 – including the Bachelor of Medicine course – will contribute significantly to that excitement," he said. "The new Bachelor's degree courses in Criminology, Psychological Science, and Theatre Studies are all attracting students, and have driven the overall offer tally up by 7.6 per cent in the area of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Sciences group of courses is up by 11 per cent (helped by the new Bachelor of Biomedical Science course), and Teaching is up by 7 per cent."

Professor Pettigrew said that University staff were now focused on facilitating the enrolment and re-location to Armidale of those who had received offers, or who would receive them in the imminent late and final rounds.

Many students have already enrolled. Among them are Gemma Moody from Yamba and Michaela Andrew from Wauchope who both gained early entry to UNE under the Schools Recommendation Admission Scheme.

Gemma, who is a champion surfer and Yamba's only female lifeguard, decided in her senior years at Maclean High School that she wanted to pursue a career in nursing. "I'm an active, sports-loving person," she said, "and nursing was rather a change in direction from earlier thoughts of becoming a physical education teacher."

UNE's Bachelor of Nursing course was her first preference. "I'd heard a lot of positive comments about the UNE nursing program," she said. "Then I visited the UNE campus on Open Day last September, and that confirmed my ambition to study nursing there. I decided then, too, on Robb College as a residence, and will be moving in to College on the 9th of February. I'll definitely be getting involved in Robb's sporting activities."

"At first I was a bit nervous about starting university," Gemma said, "but over the summer I've met quite a few people, on holidays in Yamba, who are studying at UNE – and even living at Robb College. And talking to friends who have successfully completed the UNE nursing course has reassured me."

Michaela decided last year to aim for a career as a high-school teacher of English and drama. "Those are my two main passions," she said, "and I'd like to be able to immerse myself in them, and then pass my enthusiasm on to others."

UNE's Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Teaching program was Michaela's first preference. She visited the campus last year with a group of students from Wauchope High School, and will be living – off campus – in the same house as a friend from Wauchope who started studying at UNE last year. "A few of my friends from Wauchope High are starting at UNE this year," she said, "so I won't be entirely surrounded by new faces."

She said an important consideration in choosing UNE was its rural location. "I didn't want to move to a city," she said. As it is, the move away from home is "exciting, but scary," she added. "It's like starting all over again."

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:54 PM

Young pianists broaden their experience at Summer School

January 21, 2008

Live piano music is echoing through the corridors of the University of New England this week.

Talented young pianists from around Australia have come together at UNE for five days of classes and workshops designed to widen their musical horizons. The inaugural Australasian Piano Summer School began today, and runs through the week, finishing on Friday afternoon.

The 14 senior high-school students – from Queensland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia – have all reached high levels of achievement through the Australian Music Examinations Board. Working together – and inspired by several of Australia's leading music educators – they will broaden both their understanding and their experience of music performance.

"Pianists tend to work in isolation," said UNE's Dr Terrence Hays, the Artistic Coordinator of the Summer School. "Most of them don't get many opportunities to perform with others. Here at the Summer School they will be playing in ensembles and singing together as a choir, as well as taking part in master-classes and workshops. We believe they'll be more rounded musicians by the end of it."

The international concert pianist Michael Leslie (pictured here) is conducting a series of master-classes with the students, in which he is encouraging them to be "powerhouses" in performance. "A musician is an actor," he explained. "So many students hide behind the music when they play. But, in order to communicate with the audience and get them sitting on the edge of their seats, you have to be a powerhouse of energy."

Michael Leslie – an Australian – lives in Germany, where he is a Professor at the Richard Strauss Conservatorium in Munich. His intensive master-classes will give the students a fresh insight – from a performer's perspective - into the expressive and communicative power of sonata form: from "exposition" through "development" to "recapitulation".

A public recital by Professor Leslie this evening (at 7.15 pm in Room 224, Education Building, UNE) will be a highlight of the week, and a concert on Thursday evening will comprise performances by each of the students.

Other visiting teachers at the Summer School are the Armidale-based musicians and choral conductors George Torbay and Deidre Rickards, Dr Peter Roennfeldt (Director of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music) and Dr Christine Logan (Head of the School of Music and Head of Keyboard Studies at the University of NSW). They and members of the UNE Music staff are presenting classes and workshops covering subjects such as improvisation, style and interpretation, composition, piano technologies, and harpsichord and organ playing.

Dr Hays said the Summer School was "privileged to have the support of Kawai Australia", which has lent UNE 15 upright pianos – as well as a grand piano – for use throughout the week.

He said the quality of students and teachers at this inaugural Piano Summer School boded well for the future of an event that he – and everyone else involved – would like to see continue on a biennial basis.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:58 PM

UNE mathematician crunches numbers on species extinction

January 18, 2008

Like the heroes of the TV program "Numb3rs", mathematicians at the University of New England are attempting to use maths to model real-world situations and make predictions about their outcomes – most recently, to model the struggle between two competing species fighting to occupy the same territory.

The research has a number of potential applications, including fisheries management and the protection of endangered species.

Yihong Du, a professor in the School of Science and Technology at UNE, has been using differential equations to model animal populations and predator-prey interactions for the past 10 years. His latest research, about to be published in the Journal of Differential Equations, looks at how the survival of species is affected by the shape and size of their habitat.

Prof Du collaborated on the research with colleagues from China, Taiwan, the US, as well as Australia.

He said that while theoretical results generally matched well with real situations, there were very few models that could be used to make accurate predictions about life in the animal world.

"The models I am working on will hopefully reveal new phenomena," he said.

According to Prof Du's theory, where two species are fiercely competing for resources in a round or spherical shaped habitat, the stronger species will inevitably prevail, while the weaker species will die out. In a dumbbell or hourglass shaped habitat, however, the two species will be able to co-exist, with a mathematically predictable "border" arising between their respective territories.

"Mathematically, this division will occur at the place with the shortest border," Prof Du said.

Prof Du has also used maths to predict how big a protective reserve needs to be to protect a weaker species from a stronger one.

"If we want to create a protective zone for a weaker species, there is a critical size," Prof Du said. "If the protective zone is smaller than that size, it will have no effect, and the weaker species will be wiped out regardless of our efforts."

The critical size of the habitat was mathematically determined by the birth-rate of the weaker species, Prof Du said.

While he hastened to point out that his model was merely a theoretical representation of what might happen in the real world, Prof Du said that he hoped by publishing his research in prestigious international journals, others might pick up where he left off.

"If a biologist or someone reads about this model and is able to apply it to his own populations research, then that would be great," Prof Du said.

Posted by Leon Braun at 03:19 PM

Become a Living Book

January 17, 2008

Those with interesting or unusual stories to tell are invited to join the Living Library project run by Armidale Dumaresq Council, with the first event being held at the Australia Day celebrations at the Armidale Racecourse.

Armidale Dumaresq Council's Community Liaison Officer Steve Widders says he is after anyone with unusual occupations, lifestyles or from different social, religious and ethnic backgrounds to tell others about their beliefs and ways of life.

"Armidale certainly has the interested and interesting people needed to make this project work and we hope to attract as many people as possible to help promote the community harmony and understanding that the Living Library project offers," he said.

First developed in Denmark, the Living Library aims to foster social cohesion and understanding of individual differences by providing a supportive environment that opens people's minds to a wider community beyond their usual familiar circles of reference.

A similar exercise was run briefly in October last year as part of the Together Together project, which represented the diversity of the Armidale community by including French, Chilean, German and Filipino migrants, members of the Aboriginal and Sudanese refugee communities, and those with Anglo backgrounds.

All enquiries should be directed to Steve Widders at Armidale Dumaresq Council on 6770 3865. Those wishing to take part in the Australia Day event as living books should contact him before 21 January.

Posted by Alex Dunn at 02:38 PM

Students Live and Learn the Actor's Craft

January 16, 2008

A diverse group of University of New England students enrolled in an intensive Theatre Studies residential school are finding the rewards are just as great as the challenges.

Many of the students, including working actors, film makers and drama teachers, say they don't have the time to attend specialised drama schools, and so find the 11-day program, which runs during the holiday period (from 7-17 January this year), ideal for their lifestyles.

Beth Champion, who lives in the Blue Mountains and has 17 years of experience acting in film and television, said while she was initially daunted by the intensive nature of the school, she found it was well worth the effort.

"I grew up in TV so I didn't really get the formalised drama school training that I wanted," she said. "I just leapt into doing film and TV, but I didn't do anything for the stage. This is a kind of very condensed version of going to drama school, and while it's terrifying being thrown in the deep end like this, that's what's exciting."

Ridwan Hassim, is a filmmaker from Sydney who wanted to glean some first-hand experience into what it is like to work on the other side of the camera.

"I'm a director as well as an actor and producer," he said. "From my directing perspective, whilst I've worked with professional crews, I wanted to get the insight of the actor's craft, and by understanding it I will be able to better direct my films."

The Actor's Craft residential school surveys some of the most significant and influential approaches to actor training, with classes examining and exercising actor's skills in not just acting, but also in generating and interpreting texts for performance. Particular attention is paid to voice, movement, textual interpretation, improvisation and theatre "wrighting".

What makes this residential school unique amongst others offered by UNE is that students live and learn at historic Smith House (a former residence for teachers in training) in the town of Armidale, which is only a short walk away from food shopping and entertainment facilities.

Mr Hassim said that his teacher, UNE lecturer Sue Fell, is incredibly inspirational.

"You recall that movie Dead Poets Society?" he said. "The Robin Williams character is Sue".

These sentiments are echoed by Ms Champion.

"I want to put her in my pocket. She is just so energetic and so fearless. That's why I love doing classes with her, because I want to become as fearless a performer as she is, and she instils that," she said.

Pictured: Beth Champion, Ridwan Hassim, Sarah Mills and Josh Hamilton.

Posted by Alex Dunn at 04:47 PM

Budding scientists get an experience to remember

January 15, 2008

High-school students from throughout NSW are extending their knowledge of science and their experience of scientific research in a three-day program at the University of New England this week.

The students, who are entering Year 10 this year, are from the New England, North-west and North Coast regions, and from as far away as Albury, Cowra, and Sydney.

They are taking part in the annual Siemens Science Experience – a national program conducted at 36 Australian universities in association with local Rotary Clubs and with the support of Young Scientists of Australia and the Australian Science Teachers' Association. This year's Experience at UNE runs from Tuesday 15 to Thursday 17 January.

Practical sessions include investigations in physics, chemistry, biology, robotics and physiology. The students are also attending lectures – with titles such as "The life of birds", "The code of life", and "A chemist's view of energy" – by some of UNE's most distinguished scientists.

In UNE's science laboratories they are encountering techniques and equipment not often available in schools. Andrew Grigg, a student from The Armidale School, confirmed that this exposure to equipment used by professional scientists – and to the scientists themselves – was an important part of the Experience.

"It's been great," said Inverell High student Nicole Charalambous towards the end of the first day. She and Andrew had been taking part in a practical chemistry session that saw them making both asprin and "oil of wintergreen" from salicylic acid. UNE's Dr Chris Fellows, who guided the students through the session, said it had given them "time to experiment" with the chemical reactions involved.

The director of the Siemens Science Experience at UNE, Associate Professor Jim McFarlane, said that one aim of the Experience was to encourage keen students to continue with science by demonstrating its relevance to a wide range of pursuits and professions.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here was taken today in a practical session on "the physics of music".

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 06:03 PM

Beefing up Networks and Knowledge

January 10, 2008

University of New England Bachelor of Agriculture graduate Danae Reed will find herself rubbing shoulders with international heavyweights from the beef industry after winning a travel fellowship to the 2008 International Livestock Congress in the USA.

Ms Reed won a highly coveted International Stockmen’s Educational Foundation Travel Fellowship, which will see her travel to Denver Colorado for the Congress beginning on 15 January. She was selected by a multi-national selection committee for her scholastic achievement, leadership and letters of recommendation, and is one of only 12 students representing 11 universities from three countries (Australia, Brazil and the United States) to be given the honour.

Ms Reed entered the Department of Primary Industries Victoria Graduate Program after completing her Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree at UNE. She now works for the Victorian DPI in Hamilton as a Beef Officer and has completed a Graduate Certificate in Rural Systems Management from the University of Queensland.

“This experience has allowed me to expand my technical knowledge and networks in the southern beef industry and played a major part in my selection for the fellowship as I work directly with beef producers,” Ms Reed said. “I will now be in a position to pass on the skills and knowledge I gain at the congress to the producers I work with.”

The Denver congress, endorsed by the International Livestock Congress, brings together producers, retailers, packers and others in the industry supply chain to help build global beef networks and focus on the emerging issues facing the beef industry from an international perspective.

Ms Reed said the congress will not only expand her networks, but also allow her to see first hand how other countries are dealing with the effects of climate change on the beef industry in the hope that some of the methods will be worth trialling in Victoria. As part of her fellowship she will also be required to write a professional paper to be submitted to the International Stockmen’s Educational Foundation Board for publication in the event proceedings.

Ms Reed says three aspects of UNE helped her get where she is: the college system and the networks she formed there; the highly respected, passionate and approachable teachers, and the rural setting that allowed for extensive practical experience in a safe learning environment.

“UNE graduates are highly valued because of our networking and organisational skills and technical knowledge. There are no less than seven recent graduates working for the DPI, Victoria,” she said.

Posted by Alex Dunn at 05:19 PM

UNE Academic to head L.H. Martin Institute

January 09, 2008

Professor Lynn Meek, Director of the University of New England's Centre for Higher Education Management and Policy (CHEMP), has been appointed as the Foundation Director of the University of Melbourne-based L.H. Martin Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Management.

The L.H. Martin Institute was set up in May last year with $10 million of Commonwealth funding in order to provide a focussed and systematic approach to post-secondary education and governance.

"The Martin Institute will become the leading organisation for education and training in the field of post-secondary leadership and management in Australia," Professor Meek said. "This will be accomplished both through award courses at the master’s and doctoral levels and through a series of well designed and highly relevant short courses."

“The Institute will also provide research into the most pressing higher education management and governance issues facing Australia, which in turn will ensure that all courses are evidence based and research led,” he said.

While Professor Meek will be leaving UNE to take up his new role in early March, he says he is keen to build and strengthen the relationship between CHEMP and the Institute as the UNE Centre was listed as a key external collaborator with the Institute in the proposal that saw its foundation.

"The experience I have gained in leading CHEMP will have a direct impact on my Directorship at the Martin Institute," he said. "CHEMP has built up an international network of higher education research scholars which I will be able to draw upon at Melbourne."

"Also, I will take with me the experience of working over the years with a number of wonderful colleagues," Professor Meek added.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of The Professions, Professor Victor Minichiello, said that Professor Meek’s decades long contribution to UNE in the areas of research, teaching and administrative leadership was outstanding and he wished him well in his new role.

"The Martin Institute is a project of international significance and his appointment indicates the excellent work he and UNE are conducting in the field of higher education," Professor Minichiello said.

Posted by Alex Dunn at 04:45 PM

Australia's Top 200 Mathematics Teachers go back to School at UNE

January 08, 2008

Some of Australia's finest mathematics teachers were welcomed to UNE on Monday, January 7, as they embarked on the inaugural Australian Government Summer School for Teachers of Mathematics.

The non-stop 10-day program includes two major presentations a day by top ranking speakers from the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Speakers represent relevant stakeholders, including academia, the teaching profession itself and industry, and will cover topics as diverse as the latest developments in neuroscience to discussions of assessment methods.

The 200 “high performing” teachers will also be engaged in daily workshops and tutorials.

Professor John Pegg, Project Director of the Mathematics and Science Summer Schools and Director of UNE’s National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia (SiMERR) said:

“The idea behind the Summer School is to have very experienced teachers work through the most recent information and techniques about learning mathematics in schools. This information is provided by international leaders in the field including many of the best speakers Australia has on offer.”

A feature of the summer school is its residential nature, with all the participants staying at UNE’s Duval College. In what is expected to be a boon to Armidale, the participants will also squeeze in time for a range of activities in Armidale and the region.

Participants will not only gain from the speakers’ insights, the extensive resource materials provided and the networking possibilities, but will also be eligible for advanced standing and partial credit towards postgraduate courses at universities as well as professional development accreditation.

The outstanding teachers from primary and secondary schools, in both the public and private sectors, come from every state and territory and were chosen through competitive government selection panels. Each participant will have the opportunity to obtain a $2000 grant for their school to set up programs stemming from the summer school experience. They will also have ongoing access to an online learning community that includes all those involved in the summer school.

The event comes to UNE after SiMERR won a competitive tender against many top Australian universities. SiMMERR also won the Australian Government Summer School for Teachers of Science tender, which will be conducted simultaneously at Flinders University in Adelaide. Both programs are part of a $100 million Commonwealth Government initiative to boost teaching and learning in maths, science, English, Australian history and literacy and numeracy.

Participants will also benefit from the variety of information gleaned by SiMERR itself, including the results of several recent research projects including last year’s ground-breaking national survey into the teaching of mathematics, information and communications technology and science in rural and regional areas.

In welcoming the outstanding teachers, UNE Vice-Chancellor and CEO Professor Alan Pettigrew, said that the enthusiasm of the staff at UNE was vital in securing the summer school and asked the participants to relay some of that enthusiasm to their students.

“You will have the opportunity to exchange views, make new friends and new networks, I encourage you to make the most of it,” Professor Pettigrew said.

Posted by Leon Braun at 01:55 PM