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Faculty of Arts celebrates 1000th doctorate

18 October 2006

From left: Faculty of Arts Dean Professor Homer Le Grand, 1000th Arts PhD awardee Dr Akiko Yamane, School of Geography and Environmental Science Graduate Research Coordinator and Dr Yamane's PhD supervisor Dr Priya Rangan, and Associate Dean (Graduate Research) Associate Professor Denise Cuthbert.

The Faculty of Arts last week celebrated the awarding of its 1000th doctorate.

At a graduation ceremony last Thursday, Dr Akiko Yamane received a PhD for her thesis, 'Rethinking climate change and vulnerability in Sri Lanka'.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish, Faculty of Arts Dean Professor Homer Le Grand and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Research Training) Professor Max King were among those who attended a celebratory reception at the Clayton Staff Club after the graduation.

Dr Yamane took a break from her position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at the California State University, Fresno, in the US, to attend the ceremony and reception and was overwhelmed to receive such recognition.

"I realise there have been 999 others in the Faculty of Arts who have all done very fine work in having their doctoral thesis submissions accepted, and I was just the lucky 1000th," she said.

Dr Yamane said she considered the high international standing of the faculty's School of Geography and Environmental Science, where she studied, had been instrumental in her obtaining such a prestigious position so early in her career.

Faculty of Arts Associate Dean (Graduate Research) Associate Professor Denise Cuthbert said the faculty awarded doctorates in diverse areas, including the traditional arts and social disciplines and in newer interdisciplinary fields such as Indigenous studies and women's studies.

"The 1000th PhD is great milestone, especially considering that the faculty's first intake of students only took place in 1961," she said. "It is interesting to note that Dr Yamane's topic of climate change has a strong history within the faculty."

Monash first awarded higher degrees in 1963. In 1966, Professor Michael Clyne was awarded the Faculty of Arts' first doctorate for his thesis on the linguistics of Melbourne's German community. Just two years later, in 1968, Dr Edward Derbyshire was awarded a PhD for his research on glacial morphology and climate change in Tasmania. Associate Professor Cuthbert acknowledged the efforts of all those who had contributed to the 1000 doctoral theses.

"As a supervisor, I am aware of the hundreds of hours of supervision time that goes into one PhD completion, and I would like to thank staff for their dedication and rigorous intellectual support of PhD candidates over the past 40 years," she said.

The Faculty of Arts is calling for applicants for PhD and Masters by Research programs, and scholarships are available for suitably qualified applicants. The deadline for scholarship applications for study in 2007 is 31 October. Inquiries should be directed to ARGS@arts.monash.edu.au.