9 February 2005
9 February 2005
Monash has featured strongly in this year's Australia Day Honours List with at least 23 staff, former staff and alumni receiving awards.
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| Emeritus Professor Enid Campbell, AC, OBE. |
Emeritus Professor Enid Campbell, OBE, a former Faculty of Law dean and Sir Isaac Isaacs Professor of Law at Monash, was awarded the AC (Companion in the Order of Australia) for her services to legal scholarship and education, to raising debate in the field of constitutional law and to public law reform.
Professor Campbell has had a long and distinguished academic career and has been a member of the Law faculty since 1967. Her research work encompasses legal history and constitutional and administrative law.
Among those to receive an AM (Member in the Order of Australia ) were Professor Warwick Anderson, head of the Department of Physiology and of the School of Biomedical Sciences in the Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences faculty, and Professor Margaret O'Connor, the inaugural Vivian Bullwinkel professor of nursing (palliative care) in the Department of Nursing at Peninsula campus.
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| Professor Warwick Anderson, AM. |
Professor Anderson was cited for service to health and medical research through leadership roles with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), to the development of medical science at Monash University and to hypertension and renal physiology research.
His research interests focus on the causes of high blood pressure, especially the role of kidney disease. He served as the inaugural chair of the NHMRC's Research Committee from 1997 to 2003.
Professor Anderson said he was honoured to have received the award.
"I feel very fortunate to have been able to serve Australian medical research through the NHMRC, which, in turn, has supported so much research aimed at improving people's lives and wellbeing," he said.
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| Professor Margaret O'Connor, AM. |
Professor O'Connor was surprised, but delighted, with her award, in recognition of her service to the development and establishment of palliative care services in Victoria.
"It is an honour that should be shared with the people I have worked with over my 20 years' involvement in palliative care," she said. "My research and other activities are ultimately about improving services and care for people at the end of life."
Monash vice-chancellor Professor Richard Larkins said the awards were a testimony to the achievements of those within the university and the wider Monash community.
"The awards recognise the outstanding contribution they have made to the Australian community," he said. "Those who received awards are to be congratulated on attaining this honour."
A full list of alumni, staff and former staff that received Australia Day Honours can be viewed at the Australia Day Honours 2005 website.
9 February 2005
Monash has again been declared one of Australia's most female-friendly employers.
The university has received an Employer of Choice for Women citation, for the fourth consecutive year.
The 2005 awards were released by the Federal Government's Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) on 5 February.
Vice-chancellor Professor Richard Larkins said he was delighted the university had again been recognised in this way.
"Quite apart from the question of fairness and equal opportunity, it is very much in the university's interests to maintain a supportive and flexible environment for women to allow us to attract and retain talented women, who make a superb contribution throughout the university in both academic and administrative roles," he said.
Ms Kay Gardner, manager of Monash University's Equity and Diversity Centre, said the university could be proud of being named an employer of choice for women four years in a row.
"This citation helps Monash attract high achievers, both female and male, who are keen to work in a university that provides all employees with equitable access to the opportunities available."
She said Monash was making great strides towards providing a gender-inclusive working environment that fully utilised the intellectual capital of all staff.
EOWA director Ms Anna McPhee said winning organisations supported their female staff and provided a positive and flexible environment for all staff, resulting in improvements to the company's overall bottom line.
There were 28 winners from Victoria, 51 from New South Wales, 15 from Queensland, seven from South Australia, six from Tasmania, four from Western Australia and two each from the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
9 February 2005
Major medical research facilities at Monash and Southern Health have been brought together under a single research entity to better facilitate medical research and scientific collaborations.
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| From left: Professor David de Kretser, Victorian Premier Mr Steve Bracks, Professor Edwina Cornish, dean of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Professor Edward Byrne and Southern Health Chief Executive Ms Linda Sorrell. |
The Monash Institute of Medical Research, which was launched by Victorian Premier Mr Steve Bracks on 1 February, brings together medical research groups from Monash. It includes the five centres of the Monash Institute of Reproduction, the Centre for Inflammatory Diseases and the Centre for Women's Health Research, as well as research entities from the Southern Health network.
Mr Bracks said the centre would help consolidate medical research in Victoria and was well positioned in one of Australia's major technology research hubs.
"The institute will be a very important part of what is a most important cluster in Australia," he said.
"We know it will also help us achieve our goal of being among the top five biotechnology clusters in the world."
The institute builds on the existing partnership with Southern Health.
Monash deputy vice-chancellor (research) Professor Edwina Cornish said partnership was a central Monash philosophy.
"We have invested in commercial partnerships, are working with CSIRO on a number of projects and have established the Science Technology Research and Innovation Precinct (STRIP) to further develop partnerships with industry, government and private institutions," she said.
"And the Monash Institute of Medical Research is the latest example -- and one of the greatest -- of this partnership approach. It will help us attract further research collaborations from around the world."
MIMR is an extension of the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development (MIRD), which brought together like-minded scientists working in related fields when it was established in 1991.
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| Professor David de Kretser. |
Institute director Professor David de Kretser said MIRD had grown beyond its original scope.
"In 1990, Monash set out to do an experiment to co-locate scientists working in related areas. The outcome was MIRD, which now has 200 staff and an $18 million budget," he said.
"Over the past decade, our research has expanded beyond the confines of reproduction, requiring broader collaborations with colleagues in other fields.
"There is clearly great value to be gained by concentrating research activities under one banner and maximising the use of infrastructure resources and expensive equipment."
9 February 2005
Mr John Brumby, State Treasurer and Minister for State and Regional Development, visited Monash University Malaysia last week as part of a three-day visit to Malaysia to promote Victoria 's key business strengths.
During the visit, pro vice-chancellor Professor Merilyn Liddell briefed Mr Brumby on the university's development and future directions.
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| Pro vice-chancellor Professor Merilyn Liddell and Minister John Brumby. |
Mr Brumby said he had been impressed with the strong growth of the Malaysia campus.
He said the Victorian Government was working closely with Monash in the areas of science, technology, innovation and synchrotron technology and discussed potential collaboration with the university in biotechnology -- a particular strength in Victoria.
Mr Brumby is the first Victorian Government minister to visit Malaysia in recent times, and his visit is expected to forge stronger bilateral ties and enhanced investment and trade links between Victoria and the region.
"While our economic ties with South East Asia are good, the economic potential of Malaysia has never been fully explored," Mr Brumby said.
While in Malaysia, Mr Brumby held high-level talks with senior politicians, economic development organisations, scientists and business leaders.
9 February 2005
Four new emeritus professors have been added to Monash's prestigious roll.
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| Driving force: Professor Tom Triggs at the Monash University Accident Research Centre's driving simulator. Photo by: Greg Ford |
The recently retired Professor Tom Triggs, Professor Kim Ng, Professor Graeme Smith and Professor Michael Clyne received the honour last month.
Professor Ng retired at the end of last year as head of the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine after 10 years at the university.
He oversaw the move of psychology from the Faculty of Science to the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences as well as the groundbreaking development of a joint psychiatry/psychology doctorate.
Professor Triggs, former head of the Psychology department and deputy director of the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), joined the university in 1973.
During his career, his research interests have focused on the human factors and driver simulation program in road safety.
He played a key role in establishing MUARC and, after seeing a driving simulator in the US in 1989, introduced the concept into Australia as a safe way of testing driving conditions and others factors in a low-risk context. Professor Triggs will continue supervising research students and will maintain an interest in MUARC projects.
Professor Clyne, formerly professor of linguistics, joined Monash's German staff in 1962. He was awarded Monash's first PhD in the Faculty of Arts in 1965.
In 2001, he was appointed professorial fellow in the University of Melbourne's Department of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics.
After a 40-year career with Monash, Professor Smith, former deputy head of the Department of Psychological Medicine, is also maintaining links with the university through supervision of doctoral students. He is currently attending a conference in the US.
9 February 2005
A senior Monash alumnus has taken the helm at Monash University Malaysia's School of Information Technology.
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| Professor Lee Poh Aun. |
Professor Lee Poh Aun has more than 30 years' teaching and research experience in probability theory, statistical data analysis, image processing, modelling of computer communication and queuing networks.
In his new role, Professor Lee will help develop research projects that aim to advance knowledge in IT to benefit students and industry.
"My focus is to achieve synergy between the needs of the university and industry," he said. "Engagement with the industry will be given priority because it helps in addressing industry needs while sustaining the university's competitive advantage."
Professor Lee said the school would engage with the IT sector by offering professional and market-driven courses tailored to industry needs.
A Colombo Plan scholar, Professor Lee holds an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering majoring in communication and electronics from the University of Queensland, while his PhD, also in electrical engineering, was from Monash.
He has held various senior teaching positions including senior professor and dean of the Faculty of Information Technology of Multimedia University in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, and director of the Computer Centre at the University of Malaya.
During his time at both universities, Professor Lee was a consultant for the public and private sectors. Before joining Monash University Malaysia, he was the chief technology officer and CEO of a venture-backed Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) status start-up company.
9 February 2005
Professor Bernadette McSherry has been appointed to a dual research role in the Faculty of Law.
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| Professor Bernadette McSherry. |
She now holds the newly created Louis Waller Chair of Law, which incorporates the existing position of Associate Dean (Research).
"As Associate Dean (Research), I will work to strengthen the faculty's research culture through research mentoring programs, grants, research seminars and the integration of higher degree research students into faculty life," Professor McSherry said.
"I would like to encourage and support academic staff to carry out wide-ranging research that will result in quality publications. The goal is for staff members to publish works that will be considered primary reference points both nationally and internationally.
"We have many exceptionally talented academics at Monash Law who are highly respected in their fields, and we have recently appointed new members who will also make their mark. I want to ensure that all faculty academic staff are given as much support as possible to develop their research."
Professor McSherry said she was delighted to be appointed to the Louis Waller Chair, named in honour of Emeritus Professor Louis Waller.
"I tutored for Professor Waller in criminal law and procedure when I first started at Monash in 1991, and he's been a wonderful mentor to me ever since. I feel exceptionally privileged to be appointed to a chair in his name."
Professor McSherry replaces Associate Professor Ann Monotti as Associate Dean (Research).
9 February 2005
Melbourne will be home to a new financial studies research hub, thanks to support from three universities including Monash, the state government and industry.
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| Professor Jayne Godfrey. |
The Centre for Financial Studies is being set up this year by a consortium involving Monash, the University of Melbourne and RMIT University.
It will drive research in financial studies including the areas of banking and financial services, Australian and Asia/Pacific financial markets, funds management and derivatives and tradeable markets.
Professor Jayne Godfrey, head of the Department of Accounting and Finance in the Faculty of Business and Economics and Monash's representative within the consortium, said the centre was an outstanding venture and would lead to sponsorship and contract research work.
"We will also work collaboratively with the government and business to shape the research agenda of the centre to ensure that Melbourne's place as the financial centre for the region is firmly established," she said.
The centre will be part of the Victorian Government's plan to showcase Melbourne as a leader in financial research. It will contribute up to $1 million over two years towards the centre, while the universities will invest a combined $900,000, and the private sector will contribute funds and expertise.
The centre's research activities will be overseen by an advisory board that will include senior representation from the financial services industry. Its location, in Melbourne's CBD, is still to be confirmed.
"We are keen to work with leading financial services, business participants, professional bodies and the government, who will all benefit greatly from access to the cutting-edge research outcomes of the centre," Professor Godfrey said.
9 February 2005
Monash College has welcomed its new principal, Ms Sue Bell, who took up her position on Monday 25 January.
Ms Bell said she was delighted with her appointment and was looking forward to a successful and challenging year ahead.
"Monash College has very strong foundations, expert staff and professional teachers, and there is a real sense of energy and excitement," she said.
"This year, we will have between 800 and 1000 students internationally, so I hope to continue to enhance student experiences and provide a pathway into education at Monash University."
Ms Bell replaces Ms Dianne Martin who was with Monash College for nine years.Formerly acting principal of Melbourne High School , Ms Bell has worked in state education for more than 25 years.
She said she felt fortunate to be principal of an organisation which was growing and which continued to prosper.
"My aim is for our students to enjoy their time here and move on to university as confident and independent learners," she said.
"It is equally important, however, to encourage staff to continue to strive for excellence through professional development and training."
9 February 2005
Contemporary views towards Jews have been examined at an international anti-Semitism conference at Monash's Caulfield campus at the weekend.
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| Professor Andrew Markus (left) with Dr Philip Mendes. |
The two-day conference, 'Anti-Semitism in the contemporary world', was the first to be held in Melbourne in more than 20 years and coincided with the 60-year anniversary of the Holocaust.
Speakers from the UK, Europe, the US, New Zealand and Israel discussed a range of issues surrounding the ever-changing face of anti-Semitism, including protective mechanisms against anti-Semitism in Australia, anti-Semitism on campus and Muslim anti-Semitism in history and today.
The convenor and director of the Monash Centre for the Study of Jewish Civilisation, Professor Andrew Markus, said there was a great need for such a conference with the resurgence of anti-Semitism throughout the world.
"This has been reflected in both physical attacks on Jews and widespread expressions of verbal and rhetorical hatred," he said.
"It is fitting the conference was held in Melbourne, as the city is host to the biggest surviving Holocaust community outside of Israel."
9 February 2005
Monash is hosting a major exhibition of new paintings, works on paper and sculptural installations by five contemporary Vietnamese artists.
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| New Vietnamese art on display. Nguyen Thai Tuan, 'Untitled' 2002, oil on canvas, 130cm x 81cm. |
New Figuration in Vietnamese Painting and Sculpture is on display until 10 March at the Faculty Gallery, Caulfield campus.
It features the work of DoHoang Tuong, Nguyen Thanh Son, Nguyen Thai Tuan, Tran Anh Quan and Nguyen Minh Phuong.
The exhibition has been curated by Dr Annette Van den Bosch, lecturer in visual culture within Monash's Faculty of Arts, and Ms Tran Thi Huynh Nga, director of Blue Space Contemporary Arts Centre in Ho Chi Minh City .
Dr Van den Bosch specialises in teaching 20th-century international art and is the only university historian in Australia writing about Vietnamese art history.
The idea for an exhibition was sparked during her time as a visiting lecturer at the University Faculty of Fine Arts in Saigon in 2003.
"This exhibition brings to Australia some of the interesting, critical and challenging works being produced in Vietnam," she said.
"These works are important because they represent some of the complex changes taking place in contemporary understanding of Vietnamese subjectivity and the (human) body.
"Painting and sculpture in Vietnam were under the influence of French Modernism and Soviet Socialist Realism for almost 100 years, while historical influences came from Chinese painting and print-making, and the Vietnamese painter-poet tradition of landscape and figurative genre painting.
"It is particularly important to exhibit new Vietnamese art in Melbourne, which has a large Vietnamese diaspora, because the interchange between the culture of origin and culture of the diaspora is now one of the most interesting subjects in critical theory."
For further information, visit the Faculty Gallery website.