From the Vice-Chancellor
Two weeks ago, a group of around 100 members of the ANU community,
including senior and newer staff and student representatives,
met for two days at Bowral for concentrated discussion of the
issues likely to affect the University in the near future. A
summary of the discussions is now available to staff on the
ANU website at http://info.anu.edu.au/OVC/About_this_Office/Current_Issues.asp.
We agreed that the key challenge facing ANU is to maintain
the quality (and quantity) of our work in an unpredictable and
ever changing environment – something easy to say, but
important to do. >>
Professor Ian Chubb AC
News briefs
Finnish leader looks to links
Connections between Europe and the Asia-Pacific region were high
on the agenda when the Finnish head of state spoke at ANU on 15
February. >>
ANU tops Australia in natural sciences and
mathematics
ANU is among the world’s best in science, mathematics
and social sciences, according to a new analysis of international
universities. >>
Yang named Coombs fellow
A renowned Australian performance artist, documentary maker
and photographer has been named the next H.C. Coombs Creative
Arts Fellow. >>
Academic conferences seen as boon for Canberra
Academic conferences have been identified as having major economic flow-on effects for Canberra and ANU, according to the capital's peak convention body. >>
High recognition for digital data program
An ANU-based partnership tackling digital obsolescence has been
praised in a new report. >>
^^
Awards
Lifetime award for filmmaker
Documentary maker Gary Kildea from the Research School of Pacific
and Asian Studies has been given a Lifetime Achievement Award
by the American Anthropological Association's Society for Visual
Anthropology. This prize recognised his much lauded body of
work, which includes the films Trobriand Cricket, Celso
and Cora, Man of Strings and Koriam’s Law.
The latter film also won the Sibiu 2007 Cultural Capital of
Europe Award at the recent Astra Film Festival in Romania.
For more on Koriam’s Law, click
here.
Islam book receives US prize
A book documenting the many different views of Islam in Southeast
Asia has been named an Outstanding Academic Title in 2007 by
Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries (USA).
Voices of Islam was edited by Professor Virginia Hooker
and Dr Greg Fealy from the Research School of Pacific and Asian
Studies. The award is given to books selected for “their
excellence in scholarship and presentation, the significance
of their contribution to the field, and their value as important
– often the first – treatment of their subject.”
For more information about the book, go here.
^^
Research
New method of cyanide removal to help
millions
A simple process pioneered by an ANU plant chemist could help
to remove harmful levels of cyanide from the diets of millions
of people in the developing world. >>
^^
Education
Award-winning teacher places emphasis on
learning
Take a class with Professor Richard Baker, and the first thing
you’ll learn is how to learn. On Campus profiles
another Carrick award winner. >>
Burton and Garran leaders take to the sea
Student leaders from Burton and Garran Hall have discovered that few team building exercises can top taking to the high seas on a vintage tall ship. >>
^^
Staff info
New student accommodation/precinct to open
A street festival will mark the opening of the new Unilodge
accommodation complex and Childers Street precinct in the ANU
Exchange. Staff and students are invited to bring their friends
and family to the event on the eastern fringe of the campus,
which will run between 4–9pm on Saturday 24 February.
There will be an official opening ceremony for the 500 plus
student accommodation building, followed by food and entertainment
along Childers Street into the evening.
Road restrictions at Clunies Ross
Right hand turns from Dickson Road into Clunies Ross Street
have been prohibited while traffic lights are being installed.
The University is investigating if temporary traffic signals
or other formal traffic control measures can be installed until
the major works are completed on 5 April 2007.
Newsletter to delve into ANU statistics
Statistical Services has launched an email newsletter, it figures, which will begin circulation on Monday 19 February. it figures will be published on an infrequent basis and will highlight figures related to research, student, and staff activities. It will also showcase the achievements of the ANU against other Australian universities, as well as looking at the University’s international partnerships. The next few issues will cover topics like the Workforce Planning report, the new alumni database, and HESA compliance. The first issue of the newsletter can be read on-line at: http://unistats.anu.edu.au/itfigures/Feb07.To subscribe to it figures: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/it_figures.
Take care on hotter days – warning issued
Staff members who are working or doing recreational
activities out of doors in the late summer heat are being cautioned
to watch out for signs of dehydration and heat illness. The
Occupational Health and Safety Unit (OHS) in HR said that it
is difficult for the human body to maintain its normal temperature
when the mercury reaches 35 degrees Celsius or above, and that
this problem is exacerbated by physical activity. The OHS Unit
is warning people to watch for symptoms like muscle cramps,
headaches and nausea; to avoid exercising during the hottest
part of the day; and to think about exercising indoors or under
shade on days where the temperature is 32 degrees C or above.
To read more about potential dangers like heat stroke and the
OHS Unit online reporting system, go here.
ANU E Press holds open sessions
The University’s digital publisher ANU E Press
will host two open presentation and discussion sessions over
the next few weeks. Staff will explain why the press was established,
what it does, and where it's going, as well as covering the
ins and outs of electronic publishing. ANU E Press produces
peer-reviewed works and is listed by DEST on their Register
of Acceptable Commercial Publishers. The sessions on 27 February
and 2 March will be held between 1-2pm at the McDonald Room,
Menzies Library.
For more information, go
here. Contact: anuepress@anu.edu.au
Eureka, it’s time for nominations!
Nominations have opened for the 2007 Prime Minister's Prizes
for Science. The national awards recognise excellence in scientific
research and teaching. Entries must be in by 27 April. For more
information, please
click here.
The Australian Museum is also calling for nominations for the
Eureka Prizes. These awards cover scientific research and innovation,
leadership, education and communication. Nominations close on
4 May. For more information, please
visit here.
Harmony Day to highlight cultural diversity
Staff members who wish to celebrate the cultural diversity of
Australian society can start planning for Harmony Day on 21
March. This annual event was created by the federal government
in 1999 to highlight the many different cultural backgrounds
that make up our nation. There are support materials available
from the government.
For more information, click here.
^^
Find out which restaurants excite Exmond DeCruz's taste buds. >>
^^
Q&A
ANU is home to experts on all manner of subjects. Why not put
your question out there? Or if you know the answer, tell the
campus. Email on.campus@anu.edu.au with your queries and responses.
Q. Where is the fountain on campus that is named in
honour of Mrs Patricia Tillyard, patron of the Tillyard Prize
for undergraduates?
A. The Patricia Tillyard Memorial Bird Bath is located between
Hancock and the Research School of Biological Sciences. It was
officially opened by Vice-Chancellor Professor Anthony Low in
1976 and was the result of subscriptions from Australian Federation
of University Women members to a trust fund to commemorate Mrs
Tillyard's contribution to university life in Canberra. The
University Archives has photographs of the opening which was
reported in the ANU Reporter of 9 April 1976. - Maggie Shapley,
University Archivist
A. It’s at reference point 4E on the Campus Map. –
Clare Astten, Foundation and Alumni Relations
Q. I visited ANU web site recently and saw something
saying that ANU provides incentives for those who bicycle to
work or car-pool. I'd be interested to know what those incentives
are. – Barbara Gilby, School of Music
^^
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