11 February 2009
11 February 2009
|
|
Monash University's Gippsland campus is playing an important support role around this month's tragic bushfires.
The campus is being used as a staging area for agencies battling the devastating fires, as well as an evacuation point for families left homeless by the fires.
Agencies including the Country Fire Authority, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Department of Human Services, Latrobe City Council and St John Ambulance have worked around the clock to control the fire that started in the Strzelecki Ranges on Thursday 29 January.
This week more than 125 firefighters from across the state were accommodated at the campus.
Gippsland campus Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Bartlett said Monash University staff at Gippsland had done an amazing job supporting the community effort.
"The campus catering staff served hundreds of hot meals and breakfasts to weary firefighters who came to the campus for rest breaks before heading back to the fire front," Professor Bartlett said.
"Student housing has been very helpful for families evacuated from their communities.
"Some arrived very distressed having lost their homes or not knowing if their home would survive."
Professor Bartlett said the Gippsland campus had been safe at all times. The campus will continue to provide support during the recovery period as the needs of local families are assessed.
A free public seminar 'Dealing with trauma' will be held in the Auditorium at the Gippsland campus on Monday 16 February from 1 pm to address the personal and social issues created by the bushfires.
For more information contact Hugh Brown on +61 3 5122 6425.
11 February 2009
 Upgrade / install Flash player for optimum video viewing or refer to the alternative versions below. |
| Microbot video; showing in vivo swimming microbot, driven by piezoelectric ultrasonic resonant motor. Micromotor catheter application video; showing how vascular complexities are overcome with the use of the micromotor, compared to traditional neuro-catheter surgery. |
A range of complex surgical operations necessary to treat stroke victims, confront hardened arteries or address blockages in the bloodstream are about to be made safer.
Monash researchers from the Micro/Nanophysics Research laboratory in the Faculty of Engineering have used piezoelectricity - the energy force most commonly used to start
a gas stove - to produce micro motors just 250 micrometres or a quarter of
a millimetre wide.
The researchers believe these motors will be forceful enough to be injected into the blood stream and swim against the blood's current, reaching spots difficult to operate on.
Research team leader Professor James Friend said methods of minimally invasive surgery such as keyhole surgery were preferred by surgeons and patients because of the damage avoided when contrasted with "cut and sew" operations.
"However surgeons are often limited by the width of a catheter tube, for example, which in serious cases can fatally puncture narrow arteries," Professor Friend said.
"Remote controlled miniature robots small enough to swim up arteries could save lives by reaching parts of the body, like a stroke-damaged cranial artery, that catheters have previously been unable to reach.
"With the right sensor equipment attached to the microrobot motor, the surgeon's view and dexterity could also be enhanced."
The team has produced prototypes of the motors – dubbed the "Proteus" after the miniature submarine that traveled through the human body in the movie Fantastic Voyage - and is now working on ways to improve the assembly method and the mechanical device that moves and controls the micro motor.
11 February 2009
 |
| Faces can dramatically change appearance when seen from different viewpoints. Bees solve this difficult visual problem by averaging previously learnt views. |
Dr Adrian Dyer from the Department of Physiology has discovered that the bee brain, which is 0.01 per cent the size of the human brain, can learn to master complex visual recognition tasks like recognising human faces even when seen from different viewpoints.
Dr Dyer said the research could be applied in areas of new technology, particularly the development of imaging systems using minimal hardware resources.
The researchers individually trained different groups of free-flying bees using a sugar reward for correct choices and a bitter tasting solution for incorrect choices.
Faces were presented on a vertical screen and bees slowly learnt to fly to the correct target faces.
The bees were then tested in non-rewarded tests and those that had experienced multiple views (e.g. faces at both 0° and 60°) were able to pick the correct face from an angle of 30°.
"Bees that had learnt what a particular face looked like from two different viewpoints could recognise the face from previously unseen views or 'novel' views of rotated faces using a mechanism of interpolating or image averaging previously learnt views," Dr Dyer said.
"However bees that had only learnt a single view could not recognise the face from novel views."
Dr Dyer said the discovery helped answer a fundamental question about how brains solve complex image rotational problems by either image averaging or mentally rotating previously learnt views.
"The relationships between different components of the object often dramatically change when viewed from different angles but it is amazing to find the bees’ brains have evolved clever mechanisms for problem solving that may help develop improved models for artificial intelligent face recognition systems."
11 February 2009
 |
Victorian school leavers have again voted Monash the university of first choice, reflecting strong interest in flexible, career-focused degrees, and the University's reputation for the highest standards of learning and teaching.
Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre data shows that 12,876 domestic school leavers, 22.8 per cent of the total pool, listed Monash as their first preference, up from 11,274 in 2008.
And it is the third year in a row that Monash had the greatest number of undergraduate first and total preferences after the change of preference period.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Adam Shoemaker said the enhanced interest in courses reflected the successful introduction of the Monash Passport.
"Monash offers professional degree programs that start from day one, as well as broad generalist degrees," Professor Shoemaker said.
"We have a strong international focus, offer support for students to study abroad and volunteer with organisations like Oxfam, and sponsor world-leading research in many disciplines."
Professor Shoemaker said there had been a sharp increase in applications for undergraduate degrees in medicine and science.
"The Science faculty has made the highest number of offers in its history – 100 more than last year," Professor Shoemaker said.
"With applications for law places at Monash doubling in the past two years, the faculty has also received additional Commonwealth Supported Places enabling it to make many more offers."
Highlights of the 2009 round of offers:
11 February 2009
 |
| Monash Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Research Training) Professor Max King, Australian National University’s Dr Margaret Kiley and Monash Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Adam Shoemaker. |
Representatives from six Victorian universities attended an Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) workshop on the role of honours study in higher education in Australia at the Caulfield campus last week.
In the last five years many Australian universities have been debating and reviewing their honours programs. The workshop heard from Dr Margaret Kiley from the Australian National University who presented the findings of a recent ALTC research project into the state of honours study in Australia.
Dr Kiley emphasised the pivotal role of the honours year in Australian higher education and the variety of forms that honours takes across different disciplines and universities.
She praised Monash for raising the profile of its honours program, in contrast to what is happening at many other universities.
With demand for honours study at Monash growing significantly over the past five years, the University is aiming to create the best honours program in the country.
In 2009 Monash is offering increased support to honours students including providing 70 honours scholarships, and new scholarships linking honours and PhD study.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Adam Shoemaker said the Monash honours year allowed students to gain a deeper understanding of topics that fascinated them.
"honours study gives students a grounding in research and self-driven analysis that will equip them for future work or a research career," Professor Shoemaker said.
"What is important about honours is not always the qualification itself, but the experience."
11 February 2009
 |
| Associate Professor Jun-Ping Liu |
Associate Professor Jun-Ping Liu from the Department of Immunology has received the prestigious 2009 Beckman Coulter Discovery Science Award from the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).
Associate Professor Liu received the award for distinguished contributions to the field of biochemistry and molecular biology.
As head of the Molecular Signaling Laboratory Associate Professor Liu's key research areas include investigation of cancer and neurodegenerative disease.
Associate Professor Liu said he was extremely pleased to win the award.
"I would like to thank the University for its support in allowing me to make contributions to medical research," Associate Professor Liu said.
The Beckman Coulter Discovery Science Award is a Travelling Lectureship that will enable Associate Professor Liu to present his and his team's work at a number of centres within Australia and New Zealand.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish congratulated Associate Professor Liu on his achievement.
"This is great recognition for some of the first-class work being carried out at Monash," Professor Cornish said.
For more information see Associate Professor Liu's profile.
11 February 2009
 |
| Monash sees science education and research as vital to the future growth of the country. |
Australia's best and brightest young science students spent their summer holidays studying at Monash University's Clayton campus as part of the Australian Science Olympiad program.
The 56 Year 11 and 12 students spent two and a half weeks completing an entire first-year university science course, which included lab work, lectures and exams in the student's chosen speciality of biology, chemistry or physics.
From this demanding course 13 students will be selected to form teams in physics, chemistry and biology and will go on to represent Australia at the 2009 International Science Olympiads. In 2009 the International Olympiads will be hosted by Japan (Biology), England (Chemistry) and Mexico (Physics).
Monash University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Adam Shoemaker said the University supported enhancement studies for pre-tertiary students through contact with exemplary teachers and mentors in high-standard facilities.
"Monash also sees science education and research as a vital part of the future growth of our country," Professor Shoemaker said.
"We believe the Australian Science Olympiad program is a tangible way of enhancing students' interests in developments in science, opening them up to the future career opportunities they can provide.
"Although these students are not yet at university level, they are very much intellectually at a university level.
"We hope that in supporting the Olympiads program we can improve their pre-tertiary study experience, inspire their future choices, and help them in their transition to university life."
Australian Science Olympiads is a program run by Australian Science Innovations, a national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting science and enhancing the capability of Australia's science students.
For more information visit the Australian Science Olympiads website.
11 February 2009
 |
| Student Jack Fogarty takes on Melbourne Victory's Carlos Hernandez. |
About 80 school children joined their soccer idols at a school holiday coaching clinic hosted by Australian A-League soccer club Melbourne Victory at the Clayton campus late last month.
Melbourne Victory is the only A-League team based in Victoria. The team attracts the largest average crowd of any club, consistently setting attendance records.
The two-hour junior development clinic taught the budding young footballers the finer points of the game. Afterwards players signed autographs for participants.
High Performance Sport Coordinator Matthew Sheldon-Collins said the clinic was a great opportunity for youngsters to develop their soccer skills.
"Monash Sport is committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity and promoting a healthy lifestyle," Mr Sheldon-Collins said.
"We have a developing relationship with Melbourne Victory that should ensure more opportunities for both parties to work with the wider community."
For more information on Monash Sport visit the Monash Sport website.
For more information on Melbourne Victory visit the Melbourne Victory official website.
11 February 2009
 |
| Professor Mick Dodson |
Monash alumnus Professor Mick Dodson AM (BJuris 1974, LLB 1978) is the 2009 Australian of the Year.
Professor Dodson is the second Monash alumnus to receive the prestigious national honour; Professor Tim Flannery (MSc 1981) was Australian of the Year 2007.
Many members of the Monash community also received Australia Day Honours.
Professor Dodson is an academic and Indigenous issues advocate. He is the director of the National Centre for Indigenous Studies at the Australian National University and chair of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
Presenting the award Prime Minister Kevin Rudd thanked Professor Dodson for his lifetime commitment to improving the lives of Aboriginal people and promoting understanding between all Australians.
"Mick Dodson has been a courageous fighter for reconciliation and for closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians," said the Prime Minister.
"His efforts truly show that if we work together, we can achieve real progress."
Read Professor Mick Dodson's profile on the Monash prominent alumni website.
For more information about the awards visit the Australian of the Year Award website.
3 December 2008
I am writing this final edition of Ancora Imparo for 2008 in Hyderabad while attending the Association of Commonwealth Universities Council meeting and conference. Before coming to Hyderabad, I had taken part in the highly successful launch of the IITB-Monash Research Academy in Mumbai. As you all know, Mumbai was the target on that evening of a terrible terrorist attack. The members of the large Monash delegation attending the scientific thematic symposia for the opening of the Academy were all a long way from the sites of the attack and were safe. We offer our most sincere condolences to everyone in Mumbai who was affected by these terrible events and also extend our sympathy to any of our students from India whose family may have been affected.
The crisis has strengthened our relationship with IITB and I am sure that the Academy will be a centre of excellence in research and research training. It is a unique partnership model which will benefit both institutions as well as providing high quality research addressing the needs of industry and some of the most pressing problems facing our two nations and the planet.
I am delighted to be able to congratulate Professor Stephen Barkoczy on being the joint recipient of the Prime Minister's Teacher of the Year Award. In recent years we have had a number of recipients of prestigious research awards, but I am particularly pleased that on this occasion one of our staff has been recognised for teaching excellence. I also have great pleasure in congratulating Anthea Lindquist, a final year medical student, on being the recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship for Victoria this year.
As this is the last Ancora Imparo for 2008 I will provide a brief summary of the year. It has been another very successful year for Monash University. Ultimately we exist to provide a high quality educational experience for our students and to advance knowledge for the benefit of humankind through research and scholarship. Essential ingredients are to provide an environment whereby we can attract, retain and develop the best possible staff and provide opportunities for the best students from diverse backgrounds to achieve their potential. We must also have sound financial management and administrative capability aligned to the objectives of the University.
Despite an extraordinarily difficult external environment we have continued to work towards achieving our major objectives in research and education. The University's research performance has been strong and has continued the momentum of recent years although there is still room for improvement, particularly in achieving a greater level of success in ARC Discovery Grants. Major new research platforms have been delivered including the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, the Monash Antibody Technology Facility, the robotic protein crystallography facility and the Zebra fish facility. A number of leading researchers have been attracted to Monash, partly because of these platforms and partly because of the reputation that Monash has gained as a good place to work. The capital program has progressed satisfactorily with the STRIP 2 building close to completion.
With respect to education, the Monash Passport, a major refocussing of our educational programs, has been launched successfully. The unit evaluations by students have steadily improved and the University had a 16 per cent increase in first preferences through the initial choices from the VTAC system, making it easily the most popular Victorian university.
Our international campuses in Malaysia and South Africa have had excellent years. Monash University’s Sunway campus, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, goes from strength to strength with almost 4000 students, improved research performance and good educational outcomes. The Monash South Africa campus has once again exceeded its student number target and now has 2300 students and is likely to better its budget target once more.
The program to celebrate fifty years since the formal foundation of Monash University has been very successful with the public lecture series being outstanding and the Gala Dinner where the public phase of the Fund-Raising Campaign was announced was a very high profile, memorable event. Already more than $A70m of a target of $A200m has been raised since this campaign began in 2006.
In many ways, the most significant event in the 50 year celebrations was the staff celebration on 2 December where the role of the staff in the outstanding achievements of Monash University in 50 short years was recognised. Monash has been characterised since its foundation by bold, innovative and committed staff and its incredible progress is entirely attributable to this.
I was delighted to learn that Professor Ed Byrne has been appointed to replace me when my term finishes on 30 June next year. Many of you will know Professor Byrne from his time at Monash as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. He has all the qualities to provide outstanding leadership to the University and I am sure it will continue to go from strength to strength under his guidance.
I wish you all a peaceful and restful holiday break.
11 February 2009
 |
Name: Alexander Pinto
Course: PhD candidate
What is it about your course and the University that helped you to choose Monash?
A PhD allows you to explore and answer specific scientific questions. The decision to choose Monash was very easy. I had completed my undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences) and Honours at Monash, and was very familiar with the University. I knew Monash had excellent resources, facilities and staff so it was the ideal university to conduct a PhD project.
What is your favourite subject and why?
Cell biology and molecular biology are perhaps my equal favourites. I have been interested in biogerontology and regenerative biology for a long time. Cell biology and molecular biology allow us to understand processes that are important for cell ageing and tissue regeneration.
What challenges are ahead for you this year?
Publishing some exciting and surprising data I have discovered during my PhD.
What will be your ideal career (and what will it involve) when you graduate?
My ulitmate goal is to manage my own lab. Before I can achieve that I need to accrue sufficient experience and publications to convince funding sources that their money is safe with me.
What is it about your research that holds your interest or is particularly satisfying?
I find discovering something new that no one else has shown before very satisfying. Current PhD students conducting cell biology projects are very lucky since the technology available allows us to make signficant discoveries. It is really a very exciting time to be a young scientist.
What is your favourite destination and why?
I was born in Sri Lanka although we left when I was eight. I have been back once since and have very fond memories - I would love to return in the near future. My favourite place is probably my home in Melbourne. I especially enjoy the kitchen and putting my biochemistry skills to good use
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
There are no rehearsals in life.
What is something about yourself that most of your colleagues wouldn't know?
My favourite dish is my mum's ox tongue curry.
11 February 2009
 |
This year marks 10 years since the anti-flu drug Relenza was made available in Australia.
Relenza was designed and synthesised by Professor Mark von Itzstein and his team from Monash University's Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (formally Victorian College of Pharmacy).
Human influenza can affect up to 500 million people each year and in high-risk groups, complications can be fatal.
Relenza works by inhibiting the life cycle of the flu virus by blocking the viral enzyme that allows it to multiply.
For more information visit the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences website.