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18 November 2009
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The lure of fast cars, roaring engines and the glamour of the motor racing industry is taking Monash engineering students out of the classroom and on to the track.
The 10 Monash Motorsport students are devoted to their project.
This year's entrants in the international design and racing competition Formula - Society of Automotive Engineers (F-SAE), sacrifice their social lives in favour of long days and nights at a mechanic's garage, or at the track testing the result of their work.
"We love learning how to make the best racing car and then competing against other students. We love the team work and the friendships that come with an experience like this," third-year student and 2009 project manager Rachel Mace said.
Just like real-world car racing, the team has a budget that F-SAE has set to $25,000 with which to build the car. Students raise funds to pay for the project.
"We're lucky that Monash supports us and a lot of business operators see that we're putting in the hard yards as well. A lot of time goes into this project, but the benefits are enormous," Ms Mace said.
Students will compete for the Australasian title at the end of each year. The team will also take the car to Germany in August 2010 to compete against European university teams. This means it will be even more work — up to 50 hours extra a week — to get the car up to scratch. Exam and study commitments must also be met.
The opportunity to gain skills in fabrication and machining is invaluable for the students, as they will take what they have learnt into the workforce after graduation, giving them an edge over other graduates.
Monash Motorsport is ranked among the top of more than 500 entrants worldwide, and took out fourth place in the world championships in 2008.
18 November 2009
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| Dr Shonali Krishnaswamy |
A team of researchers from the Faculty of Information Technology have developed a new application for new generation mobile phones that could speed up emergency response times.
For six years Dr Shonali Krishnaswamy and her team at the Centre for Distributed Systems and Software Engineering have been wrestling with the potential of mobile data mining - where information is collected from any number of sources, analysed and displayed via an individual's mobile phone screen.
The team recently filed a provisional patent for their "clutter-aware visualisation technique", which displays complex, constantly-changing information in a way that is simple and easily understood.
Dr Krishnaswamy said the application had wide-ranging possibilities but the team initially focused on healthcare and disaster management systems.
"Our technique can analyse calls made to emergency services during a wind storm or heavy rains, provide a bird's eye view of where most calls are coming from and then display this information on a map to mobiles that ground personnel are carrying," she said.
"The real-time data and analysis are immediately available to ground personnel, rather than first being transmitted to a command centre and then relayed back.
"This way, personnel on the field and in central command can understand an emerging situation and best respond."
In another example under development, physiological indicators like blood pressure or heart rate could be collected by state-of-the-art biosensors and relayed via a mobile phone to warn supervisors of escalating stress or fatigue levels at the scene of an emergency, warning them when to rotate staff.
Dr Krishnaswamy is now beginning to showcase the application to commercial organisations she believes will benefit from it in an emergency situation.
"The possibilities of mobile data mining are unlimited," she said. "We're just beginning to explore the usefulness of this cost-effective technology."
18 November 2009
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| Adeline Chia |
PhD student Adeline Chia from the University's Sunway campus in Malaysia has discovered that a compound in licorice can lower blood glucose.
Ms Adeline Chia's research on a natural compound called glycyrrhizic acid - widely found in commercial licorice products - has shown it contained lipid lowering effects in test subjects besides its glucose lowering effect.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease marked by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood as a result of the body's failure to respond to insulin produced or its inability to produce insulin.
Excessive sugar damages blood vessels which in turn results in heart attacks, strokes, blindness and kidney failure.
Medicines currently available can mainly lower blood glucose levels. However Ms Chia's study showed that the compound also improved the lipid profile besides lowering blood glucose.
Lipids, commonly known as fats, refers to a related group of organic compounds such as fatty acids and cholesterol that are important for energy storage and as structural components. Abnormality in serum lipid concentrations, termed dyslipidaemia, is a condition commonly seen in patients with diabetes and is associated with increased risk of hardening of the arteries and heart attack.
The dedicated scientist, spurred with her positive findings, wants to take her discovery a step further and conduct a clinical trial.
"I see a future in this research even though my findings are in the preliminary stages," she said.
Ms Chia recently presented these findings at a regional scientific conference where she won a best poster prize.
"It was definitely an unexpected but rewarding experience. I'm more confident about presenting my research findings now," she said.
"I'm glad that it is getting recognition and support from the scientific world."
Ms Chia, who completed her undergraduate degree and Honours at the Sunway campus, said the dedicated teaching staff and state-of-the-art facilities had contributed a lot to her success and she hoped to join the academic and research field once she completed her PhD.
18 November 2009
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| Dr Susan Kneebone |
Dr Susan Kneebone from the Faculty of Law has become a vocal part of an international network of academics and advocates working to improve government and community recognition of the rights of refugees.
Current estimates suggest that more than 24 million people are currently displaced from their homes because of armed conflict.
The unprecedented number of people on the move has placed new emphasis on the immigration and refugee systems of many western nations, including Australia.
Dr Kneebone, a deputy-director of Monash's Castan Centre for Human Rights Law and a member of the Refugee Council of Australia, says her work has been driven by concern at a system she believes marginalises and unfairly treats a group of disadvantaged people.
She is one of a handful of academics to venture deeply into Australia's labyrinthine immigration laws.
In her critical investigations of Australia's Refugee Review Tribunal and the controversial Pacific Strategy, Dr Kneebone has argued that asylum seekers were discriminated against, and that government policy focused on deterrence rather than protection and the right to seek asylum.
"There is an unrealistic onus on refugees to prove their fears of persecution, torture or retribution if they are forced to return home," she said.
"As a result some people can be left waiting in limbo for years for their cases to be heard.
"The human rights of asylum seekers must be respected as far as possible."
With initial funding and support from the Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements, Dr Kneebone has produced a number of books, been awarded more than $300,000 worth of Australian Research Council Discovery Grants, been involved in UNHCR consultations, contributed to Australian senate committees, advised both sides of federal politics and spoken at major immigration law forums and in the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia.
Dr Kneebone is also engaging more with the Asia-Pacific and the refugee problems facing Australia's near-neighbours such as Thailand and Malaysia.
For more information see Dr Kneebone's profile page.
18 November 2009
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A world-first study by Monash researchers has discovered rainwater is safe for household use.
The research, led by Associate Professor Karin Leder from the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine in conjunction with Water Quality Research Australia, is the first prospective randomised study to investigate the health effects of rainwater consumption, either in Australia or internationally.
The study involved 300 volunteer households in Adelaide that were given a filter to treat their rainwater. Only half the filters were real while the rest were a "sham" that looked real but acted as a placebo.
The householders did not know whether they had a real filter. Families recorded their health over a 12-month period, after which time the health outcomes of the two groups were compared.
"The results showed that rates of gastroenteritis between both groups were very similar. People who drank untreated rainwater displayed no measurable increase in illness compared to those that consumed the filtered rainwater," Associate Professor Leder said.
Adelaide was the location chosen for the study as it the city with the highest use of rainwater tanks in Australia.
Associate Professor Leder said some health authorities had doubts about drinking rainwater due to safety concerns, particularly in cities where good quality mains-water is available.
"This study confirms there is a low risk of illness. The results may not be applicable in all situations; nevertheless these findings about the low risk of illness from drinking rainwater certainly imply that it can be used for activities such as showering/bathing where inadvertent or accidental ingestion of small quantities may occur," Associate Professor Leder said.
"Expanded use of rainwater for many household purposes can be considered and in current times of drought, we want to encourage people to use rainwater as a resource," she said.
18 November 2009
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| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Adam Shoemaker, centre, and from left Professor Constant Mews, Natalie Ngu, Karen Zhang, Sheng Gu and Stephanie Rock. |
More than 20 Monash students will volunteer at the Parliament of the World's Religions, being held in Melbourne from 3-9 December.
The parliament will bring together more than 8000 people from across the world, including renowned spiritual, political and religious leaders with the aim of promoting peace, diversity and sustainability in the context of interreligious understanding and cooperation.
The students, from a range of faculties across the University, will fulfil a number of roles across the event including front of house, administration, event management, public relations and hospitality.
Gippsland campus student Sheng Gu said the Parliament was an excellent opportunity to make a contribution.
"I hope to gain knowledge about social cohesion within societies locally and globally in order to explore the solutions to religious conflict and separatism," she said.
Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology in the Faculty of Arts, Professor Constant Mews said the volunteer program provided students with the opportunity to gain valuable career-enhancing skills.
"By participating in the parliament the students will grow their leadership, negotiation, communication and teamwork skills, while making a direct, tangible difference to the quality of life of others," Professor Mews said.
The event is sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education).
Professor Adam Shoemaker said Monash wanted to encourage students to give back to their community.
"Students at all of our campuses volunteer and give very specific skills back to their community. In essence what it is saying is the education is there and the basis is excellent but it's what you give back that defines you," Professor Shoemaker said.
For more information on volunteering opportunities at Monash visit the Monash Passport website.
18 November 2009
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| Professor Susan Davis |
Breast cancer sufferers who are well-educated and live alone are likely to be hardest hit by their illness according to a new study by the Monash Medical School's Women's Health Program.
Lead researchers Professor Susan Davis and Associate Professor Robin Bell found that educated women were more likely to seek additional information about their condition, and their increased understanding about their illness could lead to higher anxiety levels.
"The experience of having breast cancer is a personal one and is often accompanied by very complex emotions due to the fact that it strikes at a woman's very sense of self, purpose and sexuality," Professor Davis said.
"Until now there has been very little research into the health and well-being of women with breast cancer and what impact the diagnosis had on their overall mood.
"We found that women who lived alone generally had more time to spend contemplating and researching their illness.
"Two years post-diagnosis, women with breast cancer were not more likely to be depressed but were more likely to experience a lowered sense of control over their life, and lower general health, with lessened vitality being limited to older women."
Professor Davis encouraged health-care providers to be sensitive to the fact that more highly-educated women may deal less well with psychological aspects of their disease than others.
"The study shows women need extra support during and post treatment and their condition needs to be treated with a holistic approach," Professor Davis said.
"Their mental and emotional wellbeing is paramount to a stronger recovery."
The study is following 1700 breast cancer survivors to determine the physical, psychosocial and socio-economic issues influencing the quality of life of women post breast cancer diagnosis.
18 November 2009
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| Mark Lindsay |
School of Geosciences PhD candidate Mark Lindsay has received a scholarship from the Monash eResearch Centre (MeRC) to enable him to use high-performance computing to support his research.
He is investigating methods that generate thousands of simulated 3D geological models with the aim to improve understanding of real geology when used in conjunction with tectonic and geophysical information.
There are a number of possible geological models that can be developed from a single set of geological measurements. His work will create software that will enable other researchers to use field measurements to compare and assess possible variations in geological architecture.
It's a process that requires a significant amount of computing power.
"The calculations I need to perform require more power than is commonly available on your everyday computer," Mark said.
"The high-performance computing resources offered by MeRC allow more complex geological simulations to be conducted in a much shorter timeframe.
"The expertise available from their staff will also be very handy, as my experience with high performance computing is similar to my experience with flying the Space Shuttle - non-existent."
Mark will also travel to France with his family next year to further his research at the University of Toulouse (Toulouse III), studying under ex-Monash researcher Dr Mark Jessell, under a co-tutelle agreement.
Dr Jessell specialises in developing computational methods to solve complex geological programs.
"Working and collaborating with scientists with different expertise and backgrounds will be a fantastic opportunity for me," Mark said.
"I believe that there is much more to be gained by working with a wide range of researchers and I hope to broaden my research skills by observing how other institutions organise their research programs, by learning another language and by living in another country."
Mark's research recently won the Best Oral Presentation at the 23rd Victorian Universities Earth and Environmental Sciences Conference (VUEESC) 2009.
18 November 2009
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Australia's largest simulator study of older drivers has confirmed that seniors are slower drivers and are more likely to "self-regulate" their behaviour to avoid risky road situations.
The driving simulator study, undertaken by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Automotive Technology (AutoCRC) and GM Holden, found that drivers aged over 65 were not only less likely to exceed the speed limit, but they made driving decisions based more on caution and risk-aversion compared to younger road users.
“Our research indicates that older drivers will go for less hazard-prone options in negotiating traffic and will make decisions that keep themselves safe," lead researcher MUARC's Dr Judith Charlton said.
The study also revealed that seniors are slower to apply brakes compared to middle-aged and younger drivers. In the simulator environment drivers aged over 75 took on average almost half a second longer to apply the brake than middle-aged drivers to avoid a pedestrian.
Dr Charlton said that while the findings would help in identifying risk trends in the different age brackets, it wasn't possible to make blanket judgements about older, middle-aged or younger drivers.
“Unsafe driving can be found in all age groups, there are wide individual variations. And older drivers are possibly compensating for their slower reaction times by being more careful drivers in general," Dr Charlton said.
Dr Charlton's research team has recently been awarded a $1.8m, five-year Australian Research Council Linkage grant to further investigate older driver safe mobility in collaboration with Canada's CanDrive project team and in partnership with VicRoads, Victoria Police, TAC, Road Safety Trust New Zealand, and Eastern Health.
Drivers who participated in the study will have the opportunity to hear more about the findings at a presentation at Monash on 2 December.
18 November 2009
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Name: Nick Mourtzakis
Org. Unit: Faculty of Art and Design
Title: Lecturer in drawing
Dept: Fine Art
How long have you been with Monash University?
Two and a half years.
Prior to working at Monash, where were you located and what was your role?
Lecturer in painting and drawing in the School of Art at RMIT.
What challenges are ahead in your current role?
The teaching and studio research of creative thought and its processes.
What is it about your job that holds your interest or is particularly satisfying?
The dialogue with students and colleagues and further, the subtlety of the problems inherent to a creative studio practice in the arts.
What is your favourite place in the world and why?
The Acropolis in Athens, Greece because of the Parthenon and its sculptures.
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
In the first two lines of a poem titled As Much As You Can the poet Konstantin Kavafy writes: "even if you can't shape your life the way you want, at least try as much as you can not to degrade it."
What is something about yourself that most of your colleagues wouldn't know?
How private a person I am.
18 November 2009
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A chair once owned by Sir John Monash is housed in the Faculty of Engineering at Clayton campus.
The chair, carved from Western Australian jarrah by William Howitt, is thought to have been used by Sir John when he was president of the Naval and Military Club in Melbourne from 1921 to 1931.
It was donated to Monash by Mr A M Scovell in 1961.