From the VC
Colleagues,
I recently alerted you to a new guiding statement on academic
expertise and public debate, which has been adopted by the University’s
Council. This statement is available
online and is reproduced in full in this edition of On
Campus. I urge you all to read it, as it is my wish that
we continue to be involved in a vigorous way in the wider conversation
of the Australian public.
It’s also important that we continue our conversations
with our colleagues at universities in other countries. To facilitate
this, I have approved a range of new
travel funds that will support staff and students who wish
to visit foreign institutions. This initiative will also bring
more international scholars to ANU to enrich our research and
education.
On a sombre note, I was saddened to hear that two ANU alumni
were among those who lost their lives in the Garuda Airlines
crash at Jogjakarta airport on 7 March. On behalf of ANU, I
extend my sympathy to the families of Allison Sudjarat and Morgan
Mellish. I also wish Cynthia Banham, another ANU graduate, well
as she recovers after the incident.
Best wishes,
Professor Ian Chubb AC, Vice-Chancellor
News briefs
IARU
Presidents and PhDs brainstorm at ANU
Leaders from ten of the world’s top research universities
have agreed to cooperate on a range of projects including a global
summer college and campus sustainability after a meeting at ANU
last week. >>
$6.3
million for new travel grants
The Vice-Chancellor has set aside $6.3 million over the next
three years to fund a suite of new travel grants that will allow
more staff and students to study at overseas institutions, while
also bringing more international scholars to ANU. >>
Chinese
Vice Premier “clued into science”
The ANU College of Science hosted one of the Vice Premiers of
the State Council of China, Mr Zeng Peiyan, during his recent
visit to Australia. >>
ANU-based
research centres share in $8 million extra funding
Imagine a DVD with 20 times the storage capacity of those on
the market today, or an atomic laser sensor that will make minerals
exploration as precise a science as neurosurgery. >>
Academic
freedom statement
The Council of the ANU has adopted a statement on the use of
academic expertise in public debate. >>
Honorary
doctorates bestowed
ANU awards Honorary Doctorates to the former Prime Minister
of Singapore and the head of the POSCO Foundation in South Korea. >>
^^
Awards
Australian Academy of Science Fellows announced
ANU experts in systems theory and statistics were elected to
the Australian Academy of Science on 22 March. The new Fellows
are Professor
David Hill from the Research School of Information Science
and Engineering, and Professor
Alan Welsh from the Centre for Mathematics and its Applications.
Election to the Academy recognises a career that has significantly
advanced, and continues to advance, the world’s scientific
knowledge.
Scholarship goes to multimedia talent
A multimedia arts student has been awarded the first ANU Foundation
for the Visual Arts scholarship. Alyssa Coursey, a first-year
student studying Photomedia as part of a combined degree, received
the inaugural $5,000 scholarship at a ceremony at the School
of Art on 22 March. Her work uses photography, film and painting
to explore different aspects of self identity. The Foundation
was set up to fund scholarships for students, and support national
and international visiting artists to the School of Art and
the Drill Hall Gallery.
^^
Research
Trick
of the light throws up rarely seen dwarf
A galaxy long considered to be a giant has turned out to be
an optical illusion, with new observations by an ANU astronomer
revealing that the star group is a dwarf. >>
Role
of dinosaur demise in mammal rise challenged
Scientists have long thought that the mass extinction of the
dinosaurs around 65 millions years ago opened the door for modern
mammal species to proliferate. >>
^^
Education
Teaching
electronic tools
Computer technology has transformed modern universities, making
once cumbersome tasks like word processing and database management
relatively easy. But what if you were never taught how to use
such tools in the first place? >>
^^
Staff info
Kioloa open day
Members of the ANU community are invited to attend an Open
Day Picnic at the Kioloa Coastal
Campus on Sunday 15 April starting at 11am. The Vice-Chancellor
will give an update on ANU at the event, and Professor Will
Steffen from the Fenner School will talk about the risks to
coastal areas from global warming. There will be a performance
by the Virtuosi musical ensemble from the School of Music. RSVP
by Monday 2 April at the Alumni
webpage.
UniSuper Seminars
ANU provides information and arranges a number of annual seminars
to assist staff with understanding their superannuation and
preparing for retirement. The seminars are conducted by UniSuper
and are free for all members. The seminar on UniSuper Pension
Product Changes and 20 September Centrelink changes will briefly
cover some of the superannuation changes in line with the proposed
Federal Government 20/06/07 Budget.
UniSuper Pension Product Changes
Wednesday 9 May 2007
12pm – 2.30pm
Leonard Huxley Lecture Theatre (Building 56)
Members are requested to register for these seminars through
the UniSuper
seminar website UniSuper seminars are also advertised through
the HR
website.
Conference for tertiary education managers
The Association for Tertiary Education Managers will host the
2007 Tertiary Education Management conference later this year.
This event is for any employee within the tertiary sector in
Australia, and this year will focus on the changing face of
tertiary education. The conference will be held at the Hyatt
Hotel in Canberra, 23 – 26 September. More information
can be found here.
Learning to teach: A training course for trainers
The Information Literacy Program (ILP) is calling for participants
to undertake the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment,
which targets people who train others in the work place, whether
one-to-one or in larger groups. This successful program has
been running for 7 years at ANU, led by Caron Egle of IMPACT
Learning and Development Pty Ltd. Participants learn how to
train people within an academic environment. An information
session on the certificate will be held between 9.30 –
11am on Tuesday, 3 April, in the Menzies Building. Morning tea
will be provided. To RSVP, email ilp@anu.edu.au
or call 02 6125 8886. More information is available on the ILP
website.
New staff welcome successful
ANUGreen, Human Resources, Statistical Services, Finance and
Business Services, the Media Office … it’s rare
that you get these representatives in one room at one time,
except at the new staff welcome. About 100 new staff attended
the event on 9 March, which was organised by the Human Resources
Division and addressed by the Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice Chancellor,
Professor Mandy Thomas. The event has been restructured in recent
years. Each area hosted a stall with information about their
activities, before speeches were given and a morning tea served.
^^
Movements
Dr Daniel Connell has moved from the Fenner
School of Environment and Society to take up a joint appointment
with the Crawford School of Economics and Government and the
ANU Water Initiative.
Professor
Quentin Grafton from the Crawford School of Economics
and Government has been appointed Deputy Chair of the ANU
Water Initiative.
^^
Books
Dr Tim Rowse from the Research School of
Social Sciences has co-authored a book with Murray Goot called
Divided
Nation?, which explores constructions of ‘the
public’ and ‘Indigenous Australia’.
Water
Politics in the Murray Darling Basin by Dr
Daniel Connell tracks relationships between the governments
who oversee one of Australia’s most important water resources.
^^
Family time and a seat at Roza's table is just what Dr Thomas
Faunce ordered. >>
^^
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. Which unit makes the most phone calls at ANU?
A. Based on call costs, JCSMR makes the most calls. This is
mainly because they have 254 extensions appearing under one
charge code. For the month of February they made 3647 local
calls, 635 STD calls, 108 IDD calls, 1667 mobile calls, totalling
6057 calls. – Wes Dinsmore, Voice Services
^^
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