Sensing a change in the wind: Hurricane Katrina left a trail of devastation across the Gulf Coast of the United States in 2005, claiming more than 1000 lives and causing billions of dollars in damage. The natural disaster has provided many lessons that Monash researchers say Australia should be learning from.

Features

Five minutes with our new Chancellor
He has established a world-class supplier of electronic and robotic instruments, invented a device that was successfully commercialised to speed drug research, and co-founded the award-winning science magazine Cosmos. Now Dr Alan Finkel will take the helm as Chancellor of Monash University in 2008.

Shining lights
Advance experiments at the Australian Synchrotron commenced recently, bringing cutting-edge scientific research close to home. Australian scientists who once had to queue for slots at overseas facilities can now take advantage of the new facility adjacent to University's Clayton campus.

Art by design
The city of Melbourne is already a hotspot for architecture and that's set to grow with the creation of a distinctive new architecture program at Monash University's Caulfield campus next year.