6 May 2009
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| Victorian Premier John Brumby tours the Australian Synchrotron. |
The National Health and Medical Research Council and the Victorian Government have announced $14.7 million for a major upgrade to the imaging and therapy beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, enabling it to become one of most advanced medical beamlines in the world.
Monash Centre for Synchrotron Science director Professor Rob Lewis said the upgrade would allow the full range of medical applications requested by the research community to be realised.
"This beamline will produce images at micron level resolution while also allowing researchers to trial new radiotherapy techniques, creating the potential for more effective treatment," Professor Lewis said.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish said University staff had worked with fellow scientists, universities, the CSIRO and medical research institutes to develop the case to build the facility.
"This funding is a coup for Australian science, further cementing this region of Victoria as one of the nation's premier innovation precincts," Professor Cornish said.
Research Platforms Director Professor Ian Smith said the upgrade meant Australian scientists could take the first steps towards using synchrotron light for human imaging and therapy.
"This new imaging facility will provide a 'one stop shop' for researchers in Australia and across the world," Professor Smith said.
The Monash Institute of Medical Research will benefit from the expansion, and work with the synchrotron and the Cancer Council of Victoria on a project that could see cancer patients withstand radiotherapy treatment at much higher radiation levels with fewer side effects.
"Cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy currently receive broad ray beams, with treatment spread over a number of days to allow the healthy tissue to recover between doses," Chief investigator Professor Peter Rogers said.
"We will use the beamline to produce ray beams 10 billion times more intense than conventional radiotherapy ray machines."
For more information visit the Australian Synchrotron website.
6 May 2009
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A fatal explosion on board a refugee vessel near Ashmore Reef off Western Australia in mid April has prompted heated debate about changes to the country's migration policy and the arrival of asylum seekers.
A number of asylum seekers have been intercepted entering Australian waters illegally so far this year, the most recent from trouble spots such as Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
A panel discussion, held as part of the Monash 2009 Public Lecture Series, will shed light on the issue, discussing the extent of the problem, the international context in which it is occurring and whether justice is being done in the way Australia is dealing with the arrivals on its shores.
The discussion will be facilitated by ABC journalist and broadcaster, Peter Mares, author of the award winning book Borderline: Australia's response to refugees and asylum seekers in the wake of the Tampa.
Panel participants will include Paris Aristotle from the Victoria Foundation for Survivors of Torture, Bruce Baird former Liberal MP and head of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Asylum Seekers Legislation, John Gibson from the Refugee Council of Australia, Voula Messimeri from the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council Australia and David Manne from the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre.
The public lecture will be held from 6 to 7 pm on Wednesday 13 May, 2009 at BMW Edge Theatre at Federation Square in Melbourne.
For more information and to register online for this free event visit the 2009 Public Lecture Series website.
6 May 2009
 Upgrade / install Flash player for optimum video viewing or refer to the alternative versions below. 2009 UN Australian Youth RepresentativeAlternative versions: |
Monash arts/law student Christopher Varney has been appointed the 2009 Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the United Nations Youth Associations (UNYA).
Christopher will be a fully-accredited member of the Australian delegation to the UN and will travel to New York in September to deliver an address to the General Assembly focused on youth participation in Australia.
Before taking the position in New York, Christopher will travel around the country, speaking to young people in an effort to ensure their views are represented at the UN.
Christopher has previously been involved in World Vision and its youth movement.
He said representing his generation was an amazing honour and privilege.
"Young people play a vital role in their communities today," Christopher said.
"I am thrilled to have this opportunity to elevate the voices of Australia's youth on the world stage.
"Young people are unfortunately thrown many criticisms.
"However I see today's young people as a 'generation of hope' that Australia can be proud of and as youth representative I am committed to sharing my generation's story and potential."
Christopher said the youth representative position was testament to Australia's commitment to respecting and developing young people's perspective and place in social discussion.
"I would like to thank the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the United Nations Youth Association for consistently providing young people with the opportunity to speak through this role," Christopher said.
The Youth Representative Program is an initiative of the United Nations Youth Association of Australia.
For more information and to get involved in the program visit the United Nations Youth Association of Australia website.
To contact Christopher email youthrep09@unya.asn.au.
6 May 2009
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Research shows that back pain is one of the most common long-term health conditions reported by teenagers and young adults, with up to 94 per cent experiencing some disability as a result.
These findings have prompted Professor Rachelle Buchbinder from Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and the Cabrini Institute, and Dr Andrew Briggs from Curtin University of Technology's School of Physiotherapy to call for back pain to be classified as a national health priority area.
Professor Buchbinder said classification of back pain as a priority area would improve public awareness and coordination of management strategies.
She said back pain was experienced by a cross section of the population with four out of five Australians likely to suffer from back pain in their lifetimes, and one in 10 experiencing significant disability.
"While the prevalence of back pain is low in children (one to six per cent) it rises sharply in adolescence (18 to 50 per cent)," Professor Buchbinder said.
"This increasing prevalence of back pain in adolescence suggests a growing burden into adulthood and a real threat to future workforce productivity.
"However disability from back pain could be minimised and even prevented by 'de-medicalising' the problem."
Professor Buchbinder said back pain was second only to mental health as a contributor to lost productivity.
"Back pain disrupts quality of life and accounts for an enormous cost to the community," Professor Buchbinder said.
"It is associated with significant workforce absenteeism and 'presenteeism', where people are at work but not productive.
"Including back pain as a national health priority will ensure greater opportunity to target funding at preventing or minimising the impact of back pain on individuals and the community."
6 May 2009
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| Monash Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Larkins signs the agreement with CAS Vice-President Jianyang Li. Also pictured are Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Professor Stephanie Fahey, Caroline Larkins, CAS Deputy-Directors Ronghui Su and Shizhuan Zhang. |
Monash will collaborate with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing in an effort to advance scientific research.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is the peak state scientific research centre in China, operating a network of laboratories and research centres across the country.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Larkins and Deputy Vice Chancellor (International) Professor Stephanie Fahey recently visited the academy to sign an agreement to further develop research links between the two institutions.
Professor Fahey said CAS was a key and important partner in the University's long-term China engagement strategy.
"The academy has 108 scientific research institutes, more than 200 science and technology enterprises and 150,000 students and staff," Professor Fahey said.
"About four per cent of the researchers from CAS produce more than 50 per cent of China's total contribution to high impact journals.
"We currently have a number of joint activities -- this agreement takes our very productive relationship to the next level."
Current activities include:
In the future the University also hopes to encourage a joint exchange program for postdoctoral fellows and senior researchers.
For more information visit the Monash China Network website or contact Chong Wang at Chong.Wang@adm.monash.edu.au.
6 May 2009
The most outstanding theses from last year's Monash PhD students have been recognised with the awarding of the annual Mollie Holman doctoral medals and Vice-Chancellor commendations.
This award is named after Emeritus Professor Mollie Holman in honour of her significant contribution to science and education.
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| Brigid Maher |
This year's recipients were:
Faculty of Art and Design
Catherine Bell for her thesis titled "Liminal gestures: ritualising the wound through performance and lived experience."
Faculty of Arts
Brigid Maher for her thesis "Jest and recreation: the translation of humour."
Faculty of Business and Economics
Dr Helene De Burgh-Woodman for her thesis "Sailing through subculture: understanding the historical and cultural influences on the discursive cohesion and consumption practices of the sailing subculture."
Faculty of Education
Dr Rosalie Triolo for her thesis "Our schools and the war: Victoria's education department and the Great War, 1914-1918."
Faculty of Engineering
Belinda Hatt for her thesis "Filtration technologies for stormwater harvesting."
Faculty of Information Technology
Ferdous Sohel for his thesis "Vertex-based shape coding framework."
Faculty of Law
Dr David Lindsay for his thesis "International domain name law: ICANN and the UDRP."
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Dr Fleur Tynan for her thesis "T cell receptor recognition of pMHC-I molecules: a structural investigation of lengthy, bulging epitopes and MHC polymorphisms."
Faculty of Pharmacy
Dr Katherine Gray for her thesis "A pharmacological study of the mechanisms underlying prostate contractility in mice."
Faculty of Science
Matthew Belousoff for his thesis "Metal complex and small molecule interactions with phosphate esters and nucleic acids."
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| Michael Wybrow |
The Vice-Chancellor's commendation for doctoral thesis excellence awards were presented to:
Faculty of Information Technology
Dr Michael Wybrow for his thesis "Using semi-automatic layout to improve the usability of diagramming software."
Faculty of Law
Dr Becky Batagol for her thesis "Bargaining in the shadow of the law? The case for family mediation."
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Associate Professor Karin Leder for her thesis "Characterising risks of infection among international travellers."
The Vice-Chancellor's commendation for masters thesis excellence were presented to:
Faculty of Art and Design
Anna White for her thesis "Interstices and Interface - Change, Design, Abstraction and Process."
Faculty of Arts
Ibrahim Abraham for his thesis "A very complex mix: Hegemony, hybridity and the queer Muslim question."
Faculty of Education
Sandra Dunne for her thesis "Host-national students at international schools: Identity, local connections and social responsibility."
Faculty of Engineering
Junfei Tian for his thesis "Adhesion Aspects in Planographic Printing."
For further information on the nomination process for next year's awards contact Arun Kumar on +61 3 9905 2070 or email arun.kumar@adm.monash.edu.au.
6 May 2009
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The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) is offering a postgraduate scholarship to encourage research in the area of in-vehicle technologies.
The successful student will work with the human factors team, conducting research into the safety benefits associated with the implementation of semi-autonomous advanced driver assistance systems.
A stipend of $28,000 a year for three years is offered as part of the scholarship.
Eve Mitsopoulos-Rubens is currently undertaking a PhD at MUARC after completing an honours degree in psychology. She will submit her thesis on young novice drivers this year.
"Pursuing a PhD at MUARC gives you the opportunity to explore every inch of a topic -- a luxury we don't often have when working on commercial projects," Ms Mitsopoulos-Rubens said.
"The experience has also been an opportunity for me to broaden my understanding of the human factors discipline and to be part of a research environment that so often sees research translated into practice.
"As I also work as a research fellow at MUARC I can apply what I learnt as part of my PhD into other projects.
"I hope to continue working as a researcher in this field and develop my skills and knowledge further."
Senior research fellow Dr Christina (Missy) Rudin-Brown said road safety and driver behaviour were exciting and interesting research areas.
"The scholarship recipient will have the opportunity to learn while conducting informative and leading-edge research that could lead to improved road safety in Australia and internationally," Dr Rudin-Brown said.
"Being an industry-funded scholarship, the student will have the opportunity to interact with engineers, designers and marketing professionals, which may potentially lead to postgraduate employment opportunities."
Applicants should hold a degree in psychology, ergonomics, human factors, or a related discipline, preferably at first class honours level or equivalent.
Applications close Friday 29 May, 2009. For more information, including the application process, visit the MUARC website.
6 May 2009
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| Sovira Chhum |
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| Max Lavery |
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| Sally Renouf |
Two Monash Japanese studies students will spend the next year in Japan thanks to a scholarship from Sakata Holdings.
The Sakata scholarships are awarded to high-achieving third-year students who demonstrate a commitment to, and knowledge of, Japanese culture.
Sovira Chhum and Alvin Beh each received $5000 to study abroad.
Alvin is studying at Saitama University in the Saitama Prefecture while Sovira is placed at Nagoya University located in Aichi Prefecture, about two hours south of Tokyo.
Sovira said being on exchange in Japan was an amazing opportunity.
"I am undertaking an intensive language program as well as Japanese cultural study," Sovira said.
"I'm hoping to improve my language skills and also explore Japan, making loads of new friends along the way.
"I have really wanted to go on exchange and my language study at Monash has allowed me to do this."
Fellow Japanese studies students Max Lavery and Sally Renouf were also recognised by Sakata, receiving $3000 to study Japanese level 11 and 9 respectively.
Max said the scholarship gave him the confidence to continue to achieve at a high level.
"I am interested in a career in diplomacy or possibly even a position in the Australian Government so anything that supports my education puts me closer to achieving these career aspirations," Max said.
Sally said the scholarship would allow her to continue her studies full-time and also help fund a research excursion to Japan.
"My university studies have introduced me to the intricate underlying issues prevalent in Japanese society today and I have a strong desire to travel to Japan again," Sally said.
"I'm looking forward to completing my major in Japanese this year and hope to continue on with Honours if possible."
For more information on studying Japanese at Monash visit the Japanese studies website.
Explore the opportunity to Study Abroad as part of the Monash Passport.
6 May 2009
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| Professor Arthur Lowery |
Professor Arthur Lowery from the Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering has been elected to the grade of IEEE Fellow for his leadership in computer modelling of optical communication systems.
He was recognised for his development and commercialisation of software tools that have been used worldwide to design fibre-optic communications systems.
The IEEE is a non-profit organisation and the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology.
Professor Lowery joins a group of more than 6000, all of whom have contributed to the advancement or application of engineering, science and technology.
Professor Lowery said he was honoured to receive the award.
"Being a Fellow is the culmination of 20 years of work, which began when I was a PhD student trying to simulate semiconductor lasers on a 32-kByte computer," Professor Lowery said.
"At that time British Telecom wanted faster communications systems, not much faster than 1-Gbit per second, though.
"In 1996, I set up a company, Virtual Photonics, which had 50 customers in its first year.
"Our first customer was Fujitsu, our second IBM. Now VPI systems designs broad-band networks around the world, including for British Telecom."
At Monash, Professor Lowery and Professor Jean Armstrong have pioneered optical technology that delivers 100-Gbit/s per fibre wavelength.
This research is being commercialised by a new Australian company, Ofidium, which has recently received $6m funding from Starfish Ventures.
For more information visit Professor Lowery's profile.
In April, I attended my last Board meeting of Monash University Sunway campus Malaysia. It was held at Johor Bahru, on the southern tip of the Malaysian peninsula, at the site of the Clinical School of the Medical School. The facilities there are excellent and the enthusiasm of the staff and students we met was quite inspiring.
It has been great to see the progress of our Sunway campus. It now has seven Faculties represented, with Pharmacy starting successfully this year. The Law Faculty intends to send students to the campus in 2010 to study Asian law along the model of the very successful Prato law programs so there will then be eight faculties represented on the campus. The number of students from Monash campuses outside Malaysia studying at the campus has increased markedly, with 49 students from Monash Australia and six students from Monash South Africa at the campus for semester 1 and 83 students from Monash Australia planned for semester 2. The feedback from the students has been extremely positive and attractive travel and accommodation packages have been provided by the Sunway campus.
There are now over 4400 students at the campus. The new purpose-built campus is stunning. It is operating at a surplus which is returned to the campus to enhance its research activities and to provide for further physical expansion of the campus. Monash University in Australia receives a royalty which is based on the revenue attracted. This amounts to approximately $6m per year, two thirds of which is directed to the relevant Faculties represented on the campus. This recognises the role of the Faculties in supporting the campus, particularly in providing educational resources and quality control.
Other activities over the last month have included a visit to Beijing to sign a collaboration agreement with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This academy represents the foremost researchers in science and technology in China and has a substantial intramural program with several associated institutes. A number of our researchers already have a relationship with the Academy and the agreement foreshadows dual site and joint PhD programs, postdoctoral fellowships and other research collaborations and exchanges. While in Beijing, I was an invited speaker at the Asia Pacific Association for International Education. This is an organisation which is growing in significance. It is planning an initiative where funds will be obtained to support the brightest students in the Asia Pacific region to undertake exchanges to leading universities in the region to undertake PhD and postdoctoral studies - the Asia Pacific Leaders program. This will be along the lines of a regional Rhodes Scholarship and recognises the need for countries in our region to look to each other rather than only concentrating on North America and Europe.
I was also an invited keynote lecturer at the World Universities Forum in Belgrade. I took the opportunity to visit the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg as Monash is to be the lead participant in the Australian associate membership of EMBL. EMBL is the most productive molecular biology laboratory outside the US, is supported by 20 European countries and has five outstations or nodes in other European countries. It comprises teams which include PhD students led by star young scientists who have a maximum period of nine years in EMBL before leaving to populate the leading research institutes and universities around Europe and the rest of the world. It has been a highly successful model.
Most staff (with the exception of some senior staff) received a two per cent salary increase in the first pay after 1 April. Our negotiating team has had positive discussions with the NTEU concerning a new Enterprise Agreement and have agreed on most points. Some issues remain concerning sessional staff, which we hope to be able to resolve. There is also a significant discrepancy in the claim of the NTEU in relation to salaries. We hope to be able to reach a fair and affordable resolution of the differences.
Monash University is fortunate in having a highly skilled and committed workforce. Those negotiating the Enterprise Agreement for the University wish to recognise this by arriving at an Agreement which is as generous as it can be in the prevailing circumstances. It is also essential that the agreement is financially responsible and ensures a continuing bright future for the University with the best possible educational outcomes for our students.
6 May 2009
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Name: Constant Mews
Org. Unit: Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology
Title: Professor
Dept: School of Historical Studies
How long have you been with Monash University?
Twenty-two years.
Prior to working at Monash, where were you located and what was your role?
I was a research fellow in the history department at the University of Sheffield, UK, editing the writings of Peter Abelard, a controversial medieval thinker. However, the five years I spent in Paris before that really shaped me.
What challenges are ahead in your current role?
In my role as president of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Medieval and Early Modern Studies I am committed to supporting the study of medieval and early modern Europe, which is unusually strong at Monash.
As Director for the Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology, I will be actively promoting critical reflection on religious traditions and the cause of interreligious dialogue, particularly in the lead up to the Parliament of the World's Religions being held in Melbourne in December this year.
What is it about your job that holds your interest or is particularly satisfying?
I love the intellectual stimulation of working with both undergraduates and postgraduates in a wide range of fields, from medieval studies to rethinking spirituality in the context of the body and ecological concerns.
What is your favourite place in the world and why?
Paris because it has been a place of meeting and developing new ideas from the Middle Ages to the modern day.
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
My teacher in Paris, Jean Jolivet, reminded me that we are all amateurs, driven by love of what we do.
What is something about yourself that most of your colleagues wouldn't know?
I love to sing in choirs when I get the chance.
6 May 2009
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Monash has launched a You Tube channel to showcase its research and community engagement activities as well as the experiences of its students.
Monash videos are featured across the University's website including on campus and faculty sites, on the research website, on campaign sites such as Open Day and Sustainability Month, in Monash Memo and, in the future, Monash Magazine.
The You Tube channel provides Monash with a portal to make these videos available to a much wider audience.
For more information or to subscribe visit the Monash You Tube channel.