3 September 2008
3 September 2008
|
| Director Monash Sustainability Institute Professor David Griggs, Dr Cary Fowler and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish. |
A world expert has warned that agricultural production and the diversity of crops are seriously under threat, during a Monash University Research Month lecture.
Dr Cary Fowler, the Executive Director of Global Crop Diversity Trust, one of the organisations behind the creation of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, revealed how thousands of scientists, plant breeders, and farmers were working with the trust to identify and save as many distinct crop varieties as possible.
Costing the Norwegian government $9 million to build and the trust $200,000 a year to run, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, deep inside an Arctic mountain, is a "security deposit box" for seeds where countries from around the world can store samples of their native seed varieties to ensure they remain in existence.
The first deposits into the seed vault represent the most comprehensive and diverse collection of food crop seeds held anywhere in the world.
On opening in February this year, the vault took in shipments of 100 million seeds from over 100 countries. Deposits ranged from unique varieties of major African and Asian food staples such as maize, rice, wheat, cowpea, and sorghum to European and South American varieties of eggplant, lettuce, barley, and potato.
According to Dr Fowler, interviewed recently on 60 Minutes, the opening of the vault marked a turning point in ensuring the crops that sustain us will not be lost.
"Challenges such as population growth, little new land, less water, uncertain energy supplies and climate change mean our crops must produce more food, on the same amount of land, with less water, and more expensive and less secure supplies of energy and fertilizer," Dr Fowler said.
"These are conditions that farming has never experienced before."
"Crop diversity is our most precious natural resource for improving and adapting crops to meet all future challenges posed by the current world climate."
For more information on the seed vault and crop diversity visit the Global Crop Diversity Trust website.
Transport expert Sir Rod Eddington addressed a full house at the State Library in the second of last week's Research Month lectures.
Sir Rod discussed traffic congestion in a world where concerns about climate change are growing, and big infrastructure decisions need to be made now to cope with population growth.
He also spoke on his international experience and his report to the Victorian Government outlining an $18 billion blueprint to improve transport links between Melbourne's eastern and western suburbs.
For more information on Research Month visit the Research Matters website.
Main page image courtesy of Mari Tefre, Global Crop Diversity Trust.
3 September 2008
 |
| Dr Zane Andrews |
A Monash University scientist has discovered key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger and potentially weight-gain as we age.
The reduction in the appetite-suppressing cells could be one explanation for the complex condition of adult-onset obesity.
Dr Zane Andrews, a neuroendocrinologist with Monash University's Department of Physiology, has found that appetite-suppressing cells are attacked by free radicals after eating with the degeneration more significant following meals rich in carbohydrates and sugars.
"The more carbs and sugars you eat, the more your appetite-control cells are damaged, and potentially you consume more," Dr Andrews said.
Dr Andrews said the attack on appetite suppressing cells creates a cellular imbalance between our need to eat and the message to the brain to stop eating.
"People in the age group of 25 to 50 are most at risk. The neurons that tell people in the crucial age range not to over-eat are being killed-off."
"When the stomach is empty, it triggers the ghrelin hormone that notifies the brain that we are hungry. When we are full, a set of neurons known as POMC's kick in."
"However, free radicals created naturally in the body attack the POMC neurons. This process causes the neurons to degenerate overtime, affecting our judgement as to when our hunger is satisfied," Dr Andrews said.
The free radicals also try to attack the hunger neurons, but these are protected by the uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2).
"A diet rich in carbohydrate and sugar that has become more and more prevalent in modern societies over the last 20-30 years has placed so much strain on our bodies that it's leading to premature cell deterioration," Dr Andrews said.
Dr Andrews' next research project will focus on finding if a diet rich in carbohydrates and sugars has other impacts on the brain, such as the increased incidences of neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease.
3 September 2008
 |
||
| The AFL Peres Peace Team | ||
Message of Peace (5:02 8.5 mb)
Alternative video formats: |
The AFL Peres Peace Team, which includes players from Palestine and Israel, has been welcomed to Melbourne, with a reception held at the University's Caulfield campus last week.
A joint initiative between the Australian Friends Association and the Peres Centre for Peace, the Monash-sponsored Peace Team was formed to challenge stereotypes and discrimination through sport.
The team, which only began playing Australian Rules in February this year, is made up of a diverse range of players including religious Jews, secular Jews, and Ethiopian immigrants on the Israeli side, and both Christian and Muslim players on the Palestinian side.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish warmly welcomed the players, who were fresh from winning their first practice match.
"We are delighted to be able to support such a positive initiative that encourages peace and harmony," Professor Cornish said.
"The purpose of the AFL Peres Peace Team is directly in line with Monash University's commitment to improving the human condition."
The welcome reception included the screening of a DVD (see right) highlighting the University's strong commitment to peace, security and social cohesion.
This was followed by addresses from Roni Kresner from the Peres Centre for Peace, Peace Team members Gal and Naser, and Monash academic Professor Fania Oz-Salzberger. A vote of thanks was delivered by Leon Kempler OAM.
"Monash University wishes the AFL Peres Peace Team the best of luck in their upcoming games," Professor Cornish said.
3 September 2008
 |
| Professor Nick Birrell |
A new Monash postgraduate course is giving science students the skills they need to convert science discoveries into business success stories, helping to ensure Australian ideas aren't lost overseas.
When it comes to research, Australian scientists are punching above their weight. While representing just 0.3 per cent of the world's population, Australia produces 2 per cent of total research.
Professor Nick Birrell, who is speaking tomorrow at the Clayton campus as part of Research Month, said while there were some outstanding research success stories, the same cannot always be said of Australia's ability to translate those results from laboratory to board room.
"The nation's researchers regularly lead thinking on drug development, engineering innovation and technological evolution, but we do not have the infrastructure to develop them," Professor Birrell said.
The solution is a unique course at Monash, a Masters in commercialisation of science and technology, developed in conjunction with the Graduate School of Business.
"Researching a great idea is one thing, but ensuring it becomes a commercial reality is another altogether. This course fills the gap, ensuring Australia can capitalise on our intellectual strengths and commercialise research discoveries," Professor Birrell said.
The course gives science graduates the skills they need to commercialise leading-edge medical, scientific and technology research projects. Subjects include law, patents and marketing, but unlike other courses, aspiring entrepreneurs also get hands-on experience, being assigned to work alongside some of the University's elite teams of researchers to develop real commercialisation plans for emerging research.
In 2007, the course attracted a dozen post graduate students. In 2008, numbers have grown to 29, with half the students travelling from countries including Malaysia, India and the US.
The course is getting some early results for students and businesses with several graduates already earning jobs with PricewaterhouseCoopers and corporate partner nabCapital.
Professor Birrell will discuss how to make money from research at the Clayton campus tomorrow, Thursday 4 September, at the Rotunda Theatre in Building 8 from 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm.
For more information about the event visit the Research Matters website.
3 September 2008
 |
| Professor Stephanie Fahey from Monash University and Professor Frank Youngman from the University of Botswana. |
Monash University and the University of Botswana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see new collaborations in education and research.
The agreement builds on a long-standing relationship between the two universities and will focus on areas of common interest to Australia and Botswana including sustainability, accident research, global movements, health, water and energy.
New nodes of established Monash research centres and institutes such as the Monash Sustainability Institute, based at Monash South Africa, will form the vehicle through which many of these collaborations are facilitated.
Monash currently has 549 students from Botswana studying undergraduate, postgraduate coursework and research degrees across its network of campuses in a range of faculties including engineering, medicine and IT.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Professor Stephanie Fahey said Monash was committed to a continuing and enhanced relationship with the University of Botswana.
"The agreement builds upon a significant history of collaboration between our respective institutions and is a very positive sign of the importance we place on the development of this relationship," Professor Fahey said.
"The collaborations which result from our partnership will not only benefit both our institutions, but Botswana and Africa more broadly."
"Monash places high priority on its engagement with Africa and this is an exciting step forward both for Monash in Australia and for Monash South Africa."
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed during a recent delegation to Monash which included Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Affairs Professor Frank Youngman and Dean Faculty of Humanities Dr Moahi from the University of Botswana.
3 September 2008
 |
| Professor Rod McClure |
The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has been selected to co-host a major national conference next year.
MUARC and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine will co-host the National Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion in Melbourne from 26 to 28 July, 2009.
The theme will be Applying the Science: An Integrated Approach.
The conference, presented by the Australian Injury Prevention Network, will have an emphasis on translating new knowledge into practice by exploring links between forensic medicine, coroners' investigations and the prevention of injury.
Renowned US injury prevention expert Dr Nancy Stout will be the conference's keynote speaker.
Dr Stout, who has published extensively on occupational injury research and prevention, is the Director of the Division of Safety Research at America's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
MUARC Director Professor Rod McClure said Monash University was delighted to host a conference that played such a vital role in supporting injury prevention in Australia and overseas.
"It will achieve links between researchers, policy makers, and practitioners and will focus attention on the urgent need to break the bonds of routine expectation and strive towards innovation by discovering new ways to reduce injury-related harm," Professor McClure said.
"I would invite anyone interested in the field of injury prevention to attend what promises to be a stimulating series of presentations from top local and international experts."
A call for conference submissions plus further announcements on special guest speakers will take place over coming months.
For more information, visit the Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion conference website.
To register your interest in attending the conference contact the Monash University Events Office by emailing oce@adm.monash.edu.au.
3 September 2008
 |
| Olympic swimming champion Brooke Hanson with Professor Bill Charman. |
The Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has unveiled new gold medal honour boards to recognise its highest achieving undergraduate students.
The faculty has celebrated and supported student excellence through the awarding of gold medals since 1885.
Former 'gold medallists' joined 240 students, staff, former staff, alumni and industry representatives at the recent launch, which included guest speaker Olympic swimming champion Brooke Hanson.
Ms Hanson spoke about her own journey and passion for success, encouraging the gathered crowd to follow their dreams. She said the prize wasn't the medal itself, but the resolve to "do your best."
Pharmacy Dean Professor Bill Charman said the faculty continued to strive for excellence.
"We embrace our responsibility to inspire and extend tomorrow's generation of students, researchers and leaders within pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences," he said.
The excellence of the faculty's staff was also celebrated with the unveiling of a portrait of Professor Colin Chapman, who was dean from 1991 to 2006.
Professor Chapman had a tremendous impact on the profession, the faculty and the standing of pharmacy within the community and strategically led the faculty through its amalgamation with Monash.
Professor Chapman's portrait and the new gold medal honour boards are located in Cossar Hall at the Parkville campus.
For more information visit the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences website.
3 September 2008
 |
| Members of Monash SIFE teams from Melbourne and South Africa. |
Monash students from Melbourne and South Africa have received strong recognition at a national competition for projects aimed at improving opportunities for disadvantaged people.
The students' projects were undertaken under the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) program at Monash.
The first project of the Monash team from Melbourne involved nine students from the business and economics, law and arts faculties teaching a small business owner how to improve her soy candle business through stock control, product selection and marketing techniques.
The business owner now plans to teach out-of-work immigrant mothers how to make and sell soy candles. The Melbourne team's second project will involve helping disadvantaged young school students develop the business skills required to produce eco-friendly, commercially-viable projects.
The team presented their projects to a panel of business representatives at the national SIFE competition in Brisbane in July and achieved a creditable equal-fifth placing from a field of 20 universities. The team received silver medals, a plaque and $1500.
The five-person team from Monash South Africa (MSA) presented information on a range of education, sporting and other community projects being run by MSA students.
The team attended the competition as a demonstration entry as part of their preparation for their inaugural entry in the South African National SIFE Competition in 2009. The team received excellent feedback, with one judge saying, "other SIFE teams help change communities, you are changing a country."
The driving force behind the Monash's Melbourne team, arts and law student Mae Comber, was named the SIFE Most Outstanding Student Leader and won a trip to the SIFE World Cup being held in Singapore in October this year.
Academic director Professor Rob Willis won the Most Supportive Administrator Award. He received the award last night at a function attended by Monash Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Larkins, SIFE Australia Board members and representatives from some of Australia's leading corporations.
The Monash SIFE teams were mentored by student development manager Alison Richardson from the Faculty of Business and Economics, and work integrated learning project officer Cait Ryan from Employment and Career Development.
The next SIFE Australia competition is being held in Sydney in July 2009.
Students and staff interested in getting involved in SIFE or seeking further information should email sifemonash@hotmail.com or visit the SIFE Australia website.
3 September 2008
Worldwide, there is a growing shortage of high quality academic staff for the university sector. In Australia, the academic workforce is aging, with probably only farming having an older age profile. A recent University of Adelaide study concluded that there was an increase of more than 80 per cent in the academic workforce aged over 50 between 1991 and 2006. The huge expansion of universities in China, Korea, India and South East Asia means that we can no longer expect to attract large numbers of academic staff from these countries. And with a plateau in the number of Australian students undertaking research higher degrees over the last decade, the situation is likely to worsen.
So far, Monash University has continued to attract excellent academic staff and in most fields the shortage of candidates has not yet impacted negatively on recruitment. However, in some areas the problem is already apparent and it is inevitable that in the coming years it will spread to other areas.
To respond to these challenges, we must provide an exciting and rewarding work environment. Results from the staff attitude survey last year recorded a big improvement from two years before, and showed a level of staff satisfaction that compared well with other universities and with the commercial sector. But the survey results also indicated that there was plenty of room for improvement and all work areas are working hard in response.
Staff must be adequately rewarded for their work. The consistent underfunding of universities over the last dozen years has made this difficult to achieve. Unless the current reviews of higher education and innovation deliver substantially increased levels of university funding, it will be difficult to address this significantly in the current round of enterprise bargaining. Recent discussions I have had with senior members of Government and with Government departments reassure me that they are aware that university funding must be increased. So there is perhaps room for cautious optimism on this front. Given the global nature of the academic market, this will be essential to the viability of the university sector as a whole. Monash will certainly be seeking to deliver the best salary outcome that is compatible with the University's long-term financial sustainability, and also to provide our staff with the best possible work environment and conditions.
As well as responding to the needs of the present, Monash also wants to provide our staff with forward-looking opportunities for personal and professional development. In this context, I am pleased to announce the launch of the new performance development process for our academic staff.
This new process has been endorsed by the Council and the senior management group of the University. It is essential that it is followed by all academic supervisors when providing feedback and performance development opportunities to their staff.
The process emphasises the development aspect of performance and creates a focus on career development through personal and professional growth. It does this by applying three guiding principles: growth, feedback and accountability.
The first principle, growth, is about providing every academic staff member with personal and professional development opportunities.
The second principle is feedback. This means actively seeking constructive feedback -- through supervisor reviews, other evaluations (such as 360 degree feedback), output measures, and performance discussions, or more informally through day to day conversations.
The third principle, accountability, equates to transparent documentation of academic staff members' goals, workload and achievements.
The Human Resources Division will be delivering a series of information sessions for all academic staff members and appropriate training and education workshops for supervisors of academic staff members. I encourage all members of the academic staff to avail themselves of this opportunity to learn about the new process.
For further information on the new Performance Development Process: Academic Staff, visit the Performance Development Process website.
3 September 2008
 |
Name: Graham Oppy
Org Unit: Faculty of Arts
Title: Professor
Dept: School of Philosophy and Bioethics
How long have you been with Monash University?
Twelve years.
Prior to working at Monash, where were you located and what was your role?
I was an ARC Postdoctoral Fellow in the Philosophy Program in the Research School for the Social Sciences at the Australian National University.
What challenges are ahead in your current role?
My immediate challenge is to complete a range of research projects, including a large ARC project on the history of philosophy in Australasia, a project on the history of western philosophy of religion, and a project on fictionalism; I am also co-writing a textbook on philosophy of religion.
What is it about your job that holds your interest or is particularly satisfying?
In the past eight years, my job has had many parts. I've been a tutor and lecturer, an honours and HDR supervisor, a researcher, and an administrator, head of school and associate dean. Part of the satisfaction of the job is to perform in all of the parts at an acceptable level.
What is your favourite place in the world and why?
Home. Best of all, I like to hang out with my kids. (Yep, there still young enough to tolerate having me around.) And with Camille (who's maybe not quite so young anymore, but does also tolerate having me around).
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
I've thought about this for quite a while, and nothing much comes to mind. I've always been grateful to the headmaster of my secondary school, who advised me to study as much mathematics as I could while I was at school.
What is something about yourself that most of your colleagues wouldn't know?
I was nominally the coach of the Glendal Saints U12B football team that won the Eastern Primary Schools Football League Grand Final in 2006, that had another win on Grand Final day in 2007. After "coaching" for two seasons in total, I "retired" at the end of 2007. I reckon I'll rest on my laurels for the rest of my life.
Archive of 60 seconds with...3 September 2008
 |
Struan House at the Peninsula campus is the only original building on the complex to be in continuous use since its construction.
Built in 1924, the building was named Struan in 1951 by Dr Frank Vincent who sold it to the Education Department in 1957. It then became part of the Frankston Teachers' College complex, housing the first intake of 109 students, and then the Chisholm Institute of Technology, before Chisholm amalgamated with Monash in 1990.
Since that time, Struan has remained a prominent feature at the Peninsula campus and in early 2007 was converted into the Struan Postgraduate Studies Centre and Business Lounge.
For more information visit the Peninsula campus website.