University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

COUNCIL

The University Council met in the Council Room, Sandy Bay Campus, Hobart on Friday 8 April 2011, starting at 9am.

2010 Report on Performance against Institutional Goals Council received the Report on Performance against Institutional Goals for 2010. The 6 Institutional Goals, listed below, arise from the 4 cornerstone aspirations of the EDGE agenda – Excellence, Distinctiveness, Growth and Engagement. They are whole-of-institution goals, which encapsulate the pursuit of institutional excellence and distinctiveness, sustainable growth and meaningful engagement. 1. To be ranked in the top 10 Australian universities in terms of research performance. 2. To be ranked in the top 10 Australian universities in terms of teaching and learning

performance. 3. To be ranked within the top 250 of the Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World

Universities. 4. To increase the proportion of graduates in the Tasmanian workforce to at least the national

average. 5. To achieve annual enrolment targets and to grow to approximately 16,500 EFTSL,

ensuring a robust financial base with which to support UTAS’ academic strategic objectives.

6. To maintain financial viability and achieve annual and longer-term budgetary targets. Key Highlights for 2010- • Research – UTAS continues to perform consistently well on the key research benchmarks

of income, Australian Competitive Grants, HDR enrolments and Research Block Grants. • Teaching & Learning – in the 2010 AL&TC Citations and Awards, UTAS was successful

with 5 Citations (from 7 nominations) and 1 Award for Teaching Excellence (from 1 nomination).

• Enrolment Growth – total enrolments were up by 1,061 EFTSL (7%) on 2009, to 16,257 EFTSL. Operating Grant load increased by 7.7% to a total of 11,623 EFTSL; onshore Full Fee Paying Overseas Students (FFPOS) load increased by 6.4% to 2,362 EFTSL, and offshore FFPOS load increased by 12.1% to 1,472.

• Finance – overall operating result of $54.4 million, against a budget of $66.9 million. The main variances related to the recognition of academic leave liabilities ($4.9m) and net adjustments to Commonwealth student fee revenue for prior years ($6.4m).

2011 Enrolment Load Report Council received an Enrolment Load summary as at 28 March 2011.

Academic Senate

Council received a report on major items discussed at the 4 March 2011 meeting of Academic Senate.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

Reviews Policy Council approved the Reviews Policy. The Reviews Policy replaces the Policy on Administrative Reviews. The policy was considered by Audit & Risk Committee at is 17 March meeting, and has been amended since that meeting to clarify the continuing role of that committee. In December 2010, Council approved the implementation of a new Quality Management Framework, described in a Governance Level Principle and a Policy. Quality Committee is now putting in place the key policies and procedures to implement this Framework. A key element is a new Reviews Policy. Reviews are a key tool of quality assurance and continuous improvement, which are central to the Quality Management Framework. The policy explicitly recognises that responsibility for reviews is shared between 3 bodies- • Council has overall responsibility for the University’s strategic direction, academic and

general reputation, financial viability and the maintenance of high standards of conduct and probity. Within its overall responsibility for quality management, Council has general oversight of review processes across the University. Through its Audit and Risk Committee, Council commissions the Internal Audit Program.

• Academic Senate is responsible for advising Council and the Vice-Chancellor on

academic matters, including providing advice on means of achieving and maintaining excellence in academic activities. Sub-committees of Academic Senate therefore play an important role in overseeing reviews of academic matters.

• The Vice-Chancellor, supported by the Senior Management Team, is responsible to

Council for the overall functioning and performance of the University. Senior management, specifically via Planning, Performance and Review Committee, therefore has a central role to play in overseeing reviews of some types of phenomena.

The policy involves no changes to the role of Council, and acknowledges the importance of Audit and Risk Committee’s Internal Audit Program. It recognises the twin roles of Academic Senate and management, but makes one change to their responsibilities, namely that oversight of reviews of schools has moved from University Teaching and Learning Committee to a management committee. This reflects the multiple dimensions of school reviews, which are not limited to teaching and learning matters. The Reviews Policy establishes the overall framework within which reviews occur. Clearly, the implementation of the policy and the creation of relevant procedures are critical to the success and effectiveness of the policy. The University Teaching and Learning Committee is overseeing a major revision of the Teaching and Learning Quality Assurance Manual to reflect the proposed new arrangements. Senior Management Team has established its new sub-committee, Planning, Performance and Reviews Committee and relevant procedures are being developed for it.

Draft UTAS 2010 Annual Report Council approved the draft of the Annual Report of the University of Tasmania Council 2010 (excluding audited financial statements previously approved by Audit & Risk Committee and Council).

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

In accordance with the University of Tasmania Act 1992, Council is required to present to the Governor and the Minister for Education an annual report of the proceedings of the University during a financial year by 30 June the following year.

Senior Appointments

A new Manager, Strategic Human Resources position has been advertised and interviews are due to take place shortly.

AUQA Audit Preparations AUQA Portfolio preparations Portfolio drafting is progressing well. A Consultation Version of Chapter 1 has been circulated for feedback and Chapters 2 and 3 will be similarly circulated. The final portfolio will be sent to Council for approval in early May 2011. Further Information is available from Dr Angela Boyes, Audit Project Manager or from the Audit webpage at http://www.dvc.utas.edu.au/utas-auqa-audit . Communications During March, over 300 external stakeholders (including Schools, Colleges, industry partners and state and local governments) have been sent notification of the upcoming audit and advanced notice of the possibility of being called to interview. Student groups have similarly been notified. TNE partners have been notified of the confirmed audit dates and sent comprehensive briefing packages. UTAS staff members are regularly visiting offshore sites for pre-audit briefings. A second round of staff forums, delivered by Professor David Rich in Hobart, Burnie and Launceston, was held during March. Professor Rich will also be visiting Sydney to provide staff and students there with additional briefings.

Academic Standards Framework

Internationally, many universities and higher education regulators are developing standards frameworks. In Australia, one of the key functions of the proposed Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), due to come into operation in January 2012, will be to oversee the development of strengthened quality assurance arrangements intended to protect the overall quality of the Australian higher education system. New quality and regulatory arrangements proposed for the Australian higher education sector include the development of a Higher Education Standards Framework. Also, the current round of national quality audits has a focus on standards. In response to these developments, UTAS is preparing its own academic standards framework. This framework will- • provide important reference points for setting, monitoring and assessing academic

standards; • assist in the identification of potential areas for improvement and strategic direction for

the University;

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

• and promote a shared and common understanding across the University of the expectations of qualifications across the higher education sector.

The draft framework includes four dimensions – curriculum, research and research training, students and staff – and provides an outline of governance roles and responsibilities for academic standards at UTAS. The draft framework is presently undergoing a process of consultation and feedback from various committees across UTAS.

Your Voice process

Progress Reports have been prepared on the implementation of the Your Voice Action Plan with the February 2011 report now available at www.yourvoice.utas.edu.au. The status of each of the 41 action items is noted, with 11 items completed, 10 items commenced and on track, 13 items commenced with the timelines revised (or expected to need revision) and 7 items not yet commenced (3 of which can’t be commenced until 2012).

Abolition of the Australian Learning & Teaching Council

In January the Prime Minister announced that the Australian Teaching & Learning Council (ALTC) would be closed and its 4-year budget of $88M diverted to flood recovery. After protests from across the sector – including strong media statements from Professor David Rich, Acting Vice-Chancellor and negotiations by Professor Rich with Andrew Wilkie MP – a minority government deal was struck to restore $55M of that money. Nevertheless, it remains that the ALTC will be abolished with key ALTC programs to be transferred to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. In response to this situation, Senator Brett Mason, Shadow Minister for Universities and Research, has mounted a campaign to retain the ALTC.

Semester 1 Orientation in 2011

The UTAS student orientation program for the semester 1 intake in 2011 encompassed centrally designed and delivered general orientation sessions, including a formal welcome and important campus and administrative information. Faculty based orientation activities vary significantly in focus and duration, but broadly focus on course program information and opportunities to connect with teaching staff and fellow students. Social activities included TUU sponsored lunchtime entertainment, food, information stalls and Sustainable Lifestyles Expo in Hobart. Attendance by commencing students at orientation was encouraging. Anecdotal feedback and initial survey data indicates that, while UTAS delivers orientation well, students and staff believe we can do more. Specifically, the nature, timing, duration and consistency of orientation offering were identified for attention. Consequently, a proposal for an organisational review of approaches to and delivery of orientation is being considered by the Student Transition & Retention Taskforce chaired by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students & Education). This review would seek to establish a strategic platform and associated quality assurance mechanisms for the on-going delivery of consistent, high quality and student-centred orientation programs at UTAS.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

University Preparation Program

For the first time, the full University Preparation Program is being offered face to face on all campuses and increased levels of student engagement are already being seen, with signs that an effective learning community is being built with a diverse group of mature aged students from many walks of life who share a desire to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed at University. New modes of study have been introduced with an Intensive Summer School run on all campuses; the University Preparation Program Winter School will be similarly commenced on all campuses in May.

Refurbishment of Morris Miller Library

The refurbishment of Level 2 of the Morris Miller Library was completed for the commencement of 1st semester 2011. The project was the second stage of the UTAS Library Master Plan to redevelop the Morris Miller Library and aligns with the UTAS Master Plan and the national trend for university libraries to upgrade their facilities. Funded through the Federal government’s Capital Development Pool (CDP) and Teaching and Learning Capital (TLC) funds, the project delivered a number of positive outcomes. These include: 24/7 access to Learning Hubs on Levels 2 and 3 which will be implemented in the coming weeks, significantly increased study spaces, improved communications through enhanced wireless access for the rapidly increasing trend towards laptop computers, a redeveloped space for high use Reserve and Reference collections, and modernised and improved client and staff areas.

Launceston Campus Library AMC Library closed in January and the collection was successfully relocated and integrated into the Launceston UTAS Library. The ex- AMC library space will be converted into a postgraduate area catering for 50 PhD students. One of the Launceston Liaison Librarians will be located for a portion of their time in this area and in adjacent academic areas to support this group of postgraduate students and staff. Refurbishment of the Launceston Library staff areas has commenced. It is anticipated work will be completed in 6-8 weeks.

Governor’s visit to Cradle Coast Campus

His Excellency, the Honourable Peter Underwood AC, Governor of Tasmania, visited the Cradle Coast Campus on Tuesday 22 March. His Excellency was taken on a tour of the campus and attended a lunch with staff and students. Graduation in Absentia and Conferring of Awards

These students graduated in absentia at the Council meeting- Abdulwahab Jamal Jafaar Abdulrahim Bachelor of Business Rawiah Nizar Abdulqader Al-Ateeqi Bachelor of Business Sahar Ezzat Souleiman Al-Baz Bachelor of Business

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

Shaimaa Mubarak Ali Al-Mutairi Bachelor of Business Lataifah Abdullatif Eissa Al-Qauod Bachelor of Business Fatima Hassan Al-Rashed Bachelor of Business Hend Mohamed Arshad AlShamsy Bachelor of Business Naser Adel Mohammad Behbehani Bachelor of Business Mohamed Ali Yousef Mohamed Bachelor of Business Bashar Adnan Amin Saleh Bachelor of Business Zeba Imtiyaz Sayed Bachelor of Business Mohammad Qasim Ali Abd O'an Bachelor of Engineering Technology Adnan Abdullah Abbas Abdullah Bachelor of Engineering Technology Jasem Abdulkareem Abdulrahman Al-Safran Bachelor of Engineering Technology

Ahmad Saad Abdulaziz AlOwayesh Bachelor of Engineering Technology Abdullah Mohammad Jasem AlSaeedi Bachelor of Engineering Technology Mohammad Ali Abdulaziz AlSaffar Bachelor of Engineering Technology Hashem Aqeel Yaqoub Behbehani Bachelor of Engineering Technology Mohammad Fahad Jawad Bouhamad Bachelor of Engineering Technology Akram Hesham Abdelmonem ElAasar Bachelor of Engineering Technology

Khaled Abdullah Ali Habeeb Bachelor of Engineering Technology Hesham Mohamed Emam Ibrahim Bachelor of Engineering Technology Ahmad Hamid Zadeh Bachelor of Engineering Technology Monther Nasser Zargani Bachelor of Engineering Technology John Nettleton Associate Degree in Arts Justice Guy Sean Paramore Associate Degree in Furniture Design Nathan Alexander Woolley Bachelor of Business Low Zhan Wen Eugene Bachelor of Business (Maritime and

Logistics Management) Mohamed Emdhadhullah Mohamed Ayoob Bachelor of Business (Maritime and

Logistics Management) Geok Lian Ng Bachelor of Business (Maritime and

Logistics Management) Tristan Andrew Jennings Bachelor of Engineering (Naval

Architecture) Zhi Quan Leong Bachelor of Engineering (Ocean

Engineering) Simon Francis Bourke Doctor of Philosophy Sven David Frijlink Doctor of Philosophy Jacob Mark Newman Bachelor of Business Ng Wei Loong Bachelor of Business He Wang Bachelor of Business Kun Yang Bachelor of Economics with Honours Wen Kang Lai Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) Andrew James Bridges Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics) Michelle Annette Halloway Bachelor of Fine Arts Zoltan Kelly Bachelor of Science Rita Silver Bachelor of Science

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

Rowan Iles Harris Bachelor of Science (Forest Ecology) with Honours

Owen Ralph Sprod Doctor of Philosophy Jenny Self Graduate Certificate of Management Mohd Nizar Khairuddin Graduate Diploma of Agricultural

Science Timothy Tonye Odo Master of Business Administration Satam Faihan Almutairi Master of Business Administration

(Human Resource Management) Rebekah Juliette Davidson Master of Education Chieng Cheing Yih Master of Business Administration

(Maritime and Logistics Management) Sanjeev Shrikrishna Samel Master of Business Administration

(Maritime and Logistics Management) Wojciech Zukowski Doctor of Philosophy

Additional reports for Council These reports were made available to Council members via the Council website-

Faculty News Faculty of Arts The Faculty has undergone an extensive review of its research strengths and the listed research groupings have been selected to receive strategic funds;

o Arts and Environment Research Group o Colonialism and Its Aftermath (CAIA) o Criminology, Law and Police Studies Research Group o Governance and Implementation Research Group

School of Asian Languages and Studies • An international workshop “Beyond the Xinjiang Problem” convened by Dr Ayxem

Eli in conjunction with Tom Cliff from ANU, will be held at Australian National University in Canberra from 3-4 November 2011. This conference has received total funding support of $20,000 from the Pan Asia Institute, Indiana University, Faculty of Arts, UTAS, Monash University and ANU.

• Barbara Hartley and Emerald King both presented at a conference on Japanese Popular Culture in Japan at Oita University. Ms King analysed popular Japanese culture in the cos-play community in Australia, while Dr Hartley examined the genealogy of “beautiful boy” images in popular illustrations in Japan from the 1920s to the present day.

• Dr Nicole Tarulevicz received funding via the NZAsia Institute from the Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation for the Intra-Regional Popular Cultural Flows: Towards an East Asian Identity?, to present at a conference which will be jointly organised by the Institute of International Relations (IIR) at the National Chengchi University in Taiwan and the New Zealand Asia Institute (NZAI) at the University of Auckland at Taipei in April.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

School of Government • Associate Professor Marcus Haward has been appointed as co Chief Investigator for a

Changing Currents in Marine Biodiversity Conservation project. The project will be lead by Dr Michael Lockwood (School of Geography & Environmental Studies) and funded by from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the Department of Climate Change and Energy. The three year research project, covering marine environments on the eastern seaboard from Cape York to Tasmania, is aimed at improving the ways in which marine biodiversity is governed and managed and provide guidance for how governance and management systems can adapt to meet the challenges posed by climate change.

• Dr Hannah Murphy‘s book ‘The making of international trade policy’ has just been published by the British publisher Edward Elgar.

• Dr Joanna Vince’s book was published this month entitled ‘Marine Resources Management’ (Sydney: LexisNexis Butterworths 2011) W. Gullett, C. Schofield and J. Vince (Eds). Jo has one sole authored chapter and two co-authored chapters titled 'Managing Australia's Oceans through the Oceans Policy Process', 'Girt by Sea: The Challenge of Managing Australia's Marine Resources' and 'Advancing Maritime Australia'.

• Associate Professor Kate Crowley was invited to deliver a keynote address to the ACT Legislative Assembly on 4, February at the Dynamic Democracy: How Minority Governments Have Changed the Political Landscape in Australia forum with Bernard Keane of Crikey.com and convened by ANU Professor Marian Sawer.

• Associate Professor Richard Eccleston discussed the issue of retail contestability in the State electricity market on the ABC Morning Statewide program and wrote a piece for the Mercury on the state budget cuts.

• Honorary Associate, Dr Richard Herr is currently undertaking a Legislative Needs Assessment (LNA) of the Samoan National Parliament for the UNDP regional office in Suva, Fiji.

• Postgraduate Chavelli Sulikowski was awarded a Goddard Sapin‐Jaloustre Scholarship, to assist with funding her travel to France as part of her joint doctoral degree being undertaken at the European University Institute for Marine Science at the University of Western Brittany (UBO).

School of English, Journalism and European Languages • Billy Badger will have four articles published in 2011 in the German Studies Review,

Glossen, The International Journal of the Arts and Society and Seminar. • John Martinkus has published a book review of The Pen and the Sword: Press, War and

Terror in the 21st Century in the Australian Journalism Review, an article titled Who’s still in Afghanistan? on New Matilda (a news and current affairs website) and another article, Two faced policy on refugees exposes Liberals ugly side in the National Times section of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age websites, March 9.

Tasmanian School of Art • Megan Walch, was a finalist for the Arthur Guy Memorial Prize for Painting, Bendigo

Art Gallery as well as the Arts Tasmania Grant for New Work. • Neil Haddon was a finalist for the Arthur Guy Memorial Prize for Painting, Bendigo Art

Gallery as well as the Glover Art Prize 2011, Evandale Tasmania. • Recent Plimsoll Gallery Exhibitions have included The Tyler Collection: An exhibition of

artworks gifted to the UTAS Fine Art Collection and Reconstructing the Animal; group exhibition curated by Dr Yvette Watt for the Ten Days on the Island Festival.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

• Dr Llewellyn Negrin, Head of Art and Design Theory: The Self as Image: A Critical Appraisal of Postmodern Theories of Fashion originally published in the journal Theory, Culture & Society is to be published in Chinese in the journal Art and Design Research.

Conservatorium of Music • The Conservatorium presented the following events as part of its Visiting Artists Series:

o Pavlo Beznosiuk (baroque violinist) presented a recital and masterclass both of which were recorded for future broadcast on ABC Classic FM – March, 4

o Eric Dozier (African American gospel artist) presented a series of terrific workshops and a concert attended by some 200 people from UTAS and the broader community – March, 19/20

o John Bucchino, internationally renowned Broadway performer, will present a series of workshops and a public performance – March, 23

• Senior lecturer in Contemporary Music, Mr Nick Haywood has been giving a number of performances with some of Australia’s finest contemporary musicians at events such as; Walsh Bay Jazz Festival, Sydney with Kelly Ottaway's Modern Operative; Bennett's Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne with the Allan Browne Quintet, Bennetts’ Lane Big Band and Nick Haywood Quartet; Queensland Flood Relief Concert with Brian Ritchie Trio, Hobart Town Hall; and CD launch with the Tom Vincent Trio at Bosso and Boo, Hobart

• The following PhD candidates held recitals in partial fulfilment of their respective programs:

o Brigid Burke (clarinettist/composer/visual and video artist) and Scott McIntyre (composer) presented a multimedia performance which was recorded for broadcast by ABC Classic FM – March, 6

o Anthony Garcia (classical guitarist/composer) presented a recital of original compositions – March, 11

School of Visual and Performing Arts • Visiting Scholar Professor Deb Verhoeven, formerly of RMIT and now Chair of Cinema

Studies at Deakin, will visit the School over a three month period, and review the viability of developing courses in film/screen studies.

• Academy Gallery Exhibition Openings: o Cockle Creek to Queenstown, Against the Time, Recycled Space – A Historical

Narrative: Mandy Hunniford, 4 February o Tasmanian Residency: Bob Shay, Artist in Residence – (Think Tank – the visual

diary / artist’s books), 11 March o River Effects: the Waterways of Tasmania (part of Ten Days on the Island), 19

March • The Academy of the Arts hosted Theatre Fest 2011, 27 February • CentrStage held its 2011 Season Launch at the Annexe Theatre, 2 March • The 2011 Country Club Tasmania Theatrical Development Award was awarded at The

Country Club Casino, 25 February • ArtsForum showcased performances by Professor Donald Lawrence, Professor Bob Shay

and Stand-up Comedy by first year theatre students

Faculty of Health Sciences

School of Human Life Sciences The School of Human Life Sciences (HLS) continues to grow significantly. Student numbers have increased on both the Launceston and Sydney campuses for 2011. There has been a

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

pleasing increase in Honours student numbers (11 enrolled in 2010, with four completing in Feb 2011 and 7 further commencing in Feb 2011). Four new PhD students commenced during 2010 and four PhD and a Masters student graduated. The first graduates from the Bachelor of Exercise Science now have employment or are undertaking postgraduate study. The pathway to the Masters of Physiotherapy with the University of South Australia has been finalised (and received HWA funding), with four students selected to transfer in the middle of 2011. There has been some evaluation of an Occupational Therapy pathway. The Master of Biomedical Science (approved in 2009) has experienced pleasing enquiries. A range of support programs for prospective and current students has been optimised by further development of the Transition program for first year HLS students through social and academic support sessions, including Orientation, PASS program for 4 units and training of Mentors for the Mentor program in the School. A new process to identify potential at risk students that was implemented in 2010 was reviewed to further enhance support structures for 2011. Two new research active staff members from School of HLS have recently been appointed (one with existing NHMRC grants and many international collaborators). HLS had a total of 39 co-authored publications in all categories in 2010 (including 21 peer reviewed original research article and conference papers and two book chapters), with 14 grants submitted with 8 successful. Several multidisciplinary research groups involving cross faculty collaborators and external partners have been consolidated. New co-operations with rural health are developing in the area of environmental issues and food security.

Rural Clinical School The academic year at the Rural Clinical School (RCS) commenced with a total of 57 students (Year 4 – 33 students, Year 5 – 24 students). All 24 of the Year 5 students are returning students and five UTAS graduates have returned to the North West as interns for the North West Area Health Service.

Students have now completed their first rotation and feedback has been positive. Six Year 3 students from Hobart have also recently finished their primary care rotations with five general practices across the North West. Currently Year 4 and 5 students are on their second rotation and planning is underway for the Year 2 Rural Week due 11 to 15 April when 34 students will be placed with rural communities across the North West including Queenstown, Smithton, Wynyard, Ulverstone, Penguin, Port Sorell, Latrobe and Sheffield.

School of Pharmacy The School of Pharmacy piloted an intensive pharmaceutical science foundation program before the commencement of first semester. The aim was to provide a structured program for students with relevant prior studies in science or health science to be able to complete a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in three years instead of four. The introduction of this fast-track option to prospective students will ensure the School can meets its objective for growth as well as compensate for some first year attrition. Facilitated by Sandra Holmes, the pilot program has enabled 25 students, including 7 international students and 5 interstate students, direct second-year entry into the Bachelor of Pharmacy. Students have been overwhelmingly

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

positive about the program and have reported that the support they received from staff and student mentors throughout the program has made their transition into second-year relatively smooth. Dr Stuart Ferguson (School of Pharmacy) has been successful in being awarded a Cancer Council Tasmania Post-Doctoral Fellowship. The Fellowship will complement the research being conducted as part of his recent NHMRC grant. Stuart’s excellence in building a strong research portfolio has been acknowledged through his recent UTAS Rising Star Award.

University Department of Rural Health A number of UDRH staff have been successful in having papers accepted for the National rural Health Conference held in Perth from 7-9th March. One of these was selected as being in the “top 20” refereed papers and will also be published in a special edition of the Australian Journal of Rural Health. The Department has recently convened internal fora on Teaching and Learning and: Community Health and Development. These fora have been established as a regular mechanism to report, support and extend work undertaken by staff across the UDRH in these areas. Of particular note, was the large number of consultancies undertaken for government and others in the area of rural health – over a dozen of these projects have either commenced or are continuing into 2011. Work has recently commenced on an ALTC grant to investigate the transition of first year rural health care students as they relocate to undertaken studies away from home (“Thriving in Transition”). A total of $209,000 was awarded over 20011/12 and involves partnerships with UDRH in NSW and WA. The UDRH has farewelled Lorraine Smith, a lecturer in rural pharmacy based at the Mersey hospital. Lorraine on a program to assist pharmacy students to be placed in rural areas of the state and strengthens university ties with community pharmacists, thus encouraging health care professionals to live and work in rural areas. Congratulations are extended to Dr Gerard Gill a long-standing member of the School of Medicine and Honorary Associate with the UDRH) who has recently accepted the position of Alfred Deakin Professor of General Practice with Deakin University. Gerard undertook his doctoral studies with the UDRH and taught within both the University and his medical practice. The Faculty wishes Gerard and his wife all the very best with their move to Victoria and every success in the position. Faculty of Law Faculty activities and representation The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI), based within the Law Faculty, has recently completed its Final Report on Racial Vilification and Racially Motivated Offences. The Report considers the current laws in Tasmania that relate to racial vilification and examines the provisions that exist in other jurisdictions, including criminal provisions, penalty enhancement provisions and sentence aggravation provisions. The Report also looks at the extent and nature of racism in Tasmania and Australia. The Report recommends that sentence aggravation provisions be introduced in Tasmania to address racist behaviours. The TLRI

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

believes that this method of law reform is the most effective option as it offers both a strong symbolic function and, as evidenced in other Australian states with similar provisions, is the most workable of the various reform options. The TLRI also recommends that a sentence aggravation provision be as extensive as possible and include offences motivated by racial hatred, situations where the victim was deliberately selected because of their presumed membership of a group and where the offender demonstrated hatred either at the time of, or immediately before or after, an attack. The Report follows the release of an Issues Paper on the topic that was released in June 2010 (the reference for the project came from the Vice Chancellor of UTAS following an apparent increase in the number of racially motivated attacks in Tasmania and other Australian states). The Issues Paper attracted around 15 written responses. The TLRI also conducted a number of consultations and interviews. The Dean, Professor Margaret Otlowski, attended the official opening of the Michael Kirby Chambers in Hobart on the 3 February 2011. The Michael Kirby Chambers currently comprises the Honourable Duncan Kerr SC, Greg Geason and Greg Barnes. The Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG (former High Court Justice) was in attendance for the opening ceremony and gave the opening address. The opening was attended by the Premier, the Honourable Lara Giddings MHA, Leader of the Liberal Opposition, the Honourable Will Hodgman MHA (both UTAS Law alumni), members of the Federal Parliament and Government; Justices of the Supreme Court Blow and Evans; Justice of the Family Court of Australia Benjamin; members of the Magistracy; heads of tribunals and public authorities; Solicitor-General Leigh Sealy; the President of the Law Society of Tasmania, Bill Griffiths and Executive Director Martyn Hagan and numerous other senior members of the Tasmanian legal profession. Professor Margaret Otlowski also attended the Council of Australian Law Dean’s (CALD) meeting in early March at the New University of New England at Armidale. This one day meeting also comprised a tour of the campus, including the Law School. Associate Professor Rick Snell and Dr Jeremy Prichard have been jointly appointed to the ALTA (Australian Law Teachers Association) School Representative Role for 2011. Dr Gail Lugten represented the Faculty at the AUSTRADE Fair in Singapore 19-20 March 2011 and gave a presentation on the advantages of studying Law at the UTAS Law Faculty. The Faculty of Law has renewed its membership of the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration. Staff Professor Jan McDonald, New Star Professor in Environmental Law, has commenced her appointment with the Law Faculty. Professor McDonald’s immediate past role was at Griffith University, Queensland where she held the position of Director, of the Climate Change Response Program. She had been instrumental in securing substantial Commonwealth funding for the Nation al Climate Change Adaption Research Facility at Griffith University. Deputy Head of School, Professor Dianne Nicol, (currently Chair of the University’s Animal Ethics Committee) has been appointed to the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee by the Minister for Primary Industries and Water, the Honourable Bryan Green MHA.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

Distinguished Professor Don Chalmers has been reappointed to the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Gene Technology Ethics and Community Consultation Committee for the next triennium (2011-2013). Professor Margaret Otlowski was day host of the Head of School workshop on the 3rd February which explored the theme of how best to facilitate UTAS to achieve its research performance aspiration of being in the top 10 Australian Universities in the context of its social inclusion, and teaching and learning objectives. Associate Professor Rick Snell has been nominated (for the second year in a row) for the UniJobs Lecturer of the Year Award which places him among the top ten Lecturers at the University of Tasmania for 2010. Senior Lecturer Peter Lawrence who is currently on study leave, has recently returned from a Visiting Fellowship at ANU College of Law 7-25 February. During this visit Peter furthered his research and writing on his book project Justice for Future Generations: International Law and Climate Change (Edward Elgar). In the course of his visit, Peter met with various experts from ANU’s College of Law, from Political Science, the ANU Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, as well as a number of PhD students working in this field. He also held meetings with a number of government officials including the senior adviser to the Foreign Minister on UN sustainable development, Howard Bamsey and the Australian Representative to the World Heritage Convention, Dr Greg Terrell. Towards the end of his visit, Peter presented a staff seminar to the Faculty staff at ANU College of Law on: ‘What do we owe the future? Climate Change and Justice’. The seminar was well attended and ensuing discussions have prompted further lines of enquiry. Professor Dianne Nicol and Margaret Otlowski attended a Roundtable on Genomics in Melbourne co-hosted by the University of Melbourne, University of Otago and the New Zealand Law Foundation. Professor Nicol gave a presentation on the issue of patenting in the context of human genetics and proposed amendments to Commonwealth patenting legislation. A new book has just been published - Gale (editor) Pulp Friction in Tasmania containing a number of chapters by UTAS academics, including two by Faculty of Law Senior Lecturer, Michael Stokes. The book examines a number of issues surrounding Gunn’s proposed pulp mill and its assessment by the Tasmanian and Commonwealth Governments. Since joining the Law Faculty as a Research Fellow in September 2010, Rohan Price has had four articles accepted for publication, including two in A ranked journals: Implementing a Minimum Wage in Hong Kong – International Experiences and Local Conditions (with J Ho, CityU of HK) accepted for (2011) 40(2) Common Law World Review (June issue); The Need For a Regulatory Response to Diagnosis Fraud in Mesothelioma Cases -accepted by Journal of Law and Medicine, July issue. The beginning of 2011 also marked the official commencement of the ARC Discovery Grant on Personalised Medicine (2011-2014), led by Professor Dianne Nicol and involving also Distinguished Professor Don Chalmers and Professor Margaret Otlowski as Chief Investigators, together with Dr Christine Critchely from Swinburne University. Visitors Frank Bates, former Professor of Law from Newcastle and staff member of UTAS Law

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

Faculty, spent some time at the Faculty in February-March to work on a new monograph on Taxonomy in the Conflict of Laws. Barbara Etter, Chief Executive of the Tasmanian Integrity Commission, presented a staff seminar on the Role of the Tasmanian Integrity Commission. Barbara Etter holds a Pharmacy degree, an Honours law degree, a Master of Business Administration and Master of Laws in Comparative Law. Students This year’s team for the National Round of the Jessup International Law moot competition held at the ANU and the High Court in Canberra (1-5 February) did very well in the competition: they reached the quarter final in the mooting (advocacy) component which placed them 7th out of 19 teams nationally. They did exceptionally well with the written memorials, winning first prize for the Respondent memorial and came second overall for the combined Respondent/Applicant memorials. The Faculty was very fortunate to be able to call on the assistance of some key people for advocacy training and moot practices, including Adjunct Professor Tim McCormack, and his Excellency, The Governor of Tasmania, Peter Underwood AO. Warmest congratulations go to the students Bridget Dunne, Jesse Murphy, Simon McKenzie, Emily Woodgate and Daniel Teoh. Congratulations are also extended to their coach, Anja Hilkemeijer and Lionel Nichols, former participant of an earlier UTAS Jessup team and currently Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, who spent a few weeks in Hobart and assisted in the coaching of the team. Caitlin Dwyer has been awarded the 2011 Tim Hawkins Scholarship. This scholarship was established in memory of an outstanding young Tasmania, Tim Hawkins who was tragically killed in a terrorist attack in Bali in 2002. This prestigious scholarship, worth $13,000, will allow Caitlin to work for six months at the International Criminal Court at the Hague in The Netherlands. She will be working with a special advisor to the prosecutor in international humanitarian law. To cater for growing student interest in international exchanges, an information session for prospective international exchanges students has been held, coordinated by the Faculty Executive Officer, Kira White. More than 60 students attended and presentations were given by returning exchange students who shared their experiences and gave out lots of handy tips to the future exchanges. Students returning from Copenhagen, Ottawa, Lucerne and Masaryk gave presentations, and Kira White provided information about some of the administrative processes. All indications are that the Faculty will have another big exchange group this year. In mid March, a social event was held at the Law Faculty involving members of the Executive of TULS (Tasmanian University Law Society) and Faculty staff to provide a forum for information to be exchanged and to facilitate the already strong working relationship between TULS and the Faculty. The new TULS Executive members were each given an opportunity talk about their respective roles and planned activities for the year, including a student mentoring program, careers support and liaising with the profession, competitions, assistance with student recruitment as well as a range of social activities. There have also been positive developments on the postgraduate front, with three successful completions, one new admission and two others pending. In addition, the Faculty has created an Elite Scholarship in Comparative Marine Law and Policy, with a PhD student recruited for that scholarship.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

Each year the Faculty of Law offers four postgraduate scholarships for our graduates or current postgraduates: the Neasey Scholarship, the Andrew Inglis Clark Scholarship, the Sir Henry Baker Memorial Fellowship, and the McDougall Postgraduate Scholarship. The value of these awards ranges from $1000 for the Neasey Scholarship, to $11,500 for the McDougall Postgraduate Scholarship. This year also saw the inclusion of a fifth award, the Burke Scholarship, specifically directed at Faculty of Law graduates who intend to undertake postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom – the value of which is $5,000. This year we received several applications for a range of proposals. The Scholarships Committee, however, awarded the majority of the scholarships (Neasey, Andrew Inglis Clark and McDougal) to one of our postgraduate students, Vanessa Diaz, for the purpose of attending a conference relating to her studies in Mexico. Other recipients were Jason Allen and Josephine Castillo who shared the Sir Henry Baker Scholarship; Josephine Castillo also received a share of the Andrew Inglis Clark Scholarship. PhD candidate Vanessa Diaz Rodriguez presented a staff seminar on Legal Issues in Biometric Systems: Automated Measurements for ID Purposes in Australia Mexico, Spain and New Zealand; and PhD candidate Sarah-Jane Hiller presented a seminar to staff on ‘Moving Beyond Traditional Legal Pedagogy: Reflective Journals as an Innovative Pedagogical Tool.’ Alumni On the 11th March, the Faculty welcomed a group of UTAS Law Alumni who were visiting the School as part of their 50th Anniversary of their graduation. This was the seventh reunion of the group, the first occurring in 1986. They were welcomed to the Faculty by the Dean, Professor Margaret Otlowski, and Deputy Head of School, Professor Dianne Nicol, and were given a tour of the Faculty, including the Law Library (their own studies having been undertaken at the University building on the Domain). The tour was followed by a reception hosted by the Law School at which the Dean, gave an address, as did well-known Tasmanian lawyer and member of graduating group in 1960, Bruce Crawford who was the co-organiser of the Anniversary event, together with Cyril Clark. Other esteemed alumni in attendance from this graduating group of eleven were (together with partners) David Bennett QC, Barrister in Victoria and Senior Fellow, Melbourne University Law School, Brian Doyle (Victorian lawyer), Cyril Clark (former Executive Director of the Law Society of Tasmania), The Hon Peter Heerey QC (former Federal Court Judge and now Melbourne barrister), the Hon Michael Hodgman QC (former Commonwealth and State politician and lawyer), John Turner former Hobart lawyer, Peter Rae (former chairman of Hydro Tasmania former Commonwealth politician and now Launceston barrister), and Val Smith (former lawyer and now consultant with Hobart legal firm Dobson Mitchell and Allport.) The remaining two have sadly passed away – Hobart lawyer Richard Webster and Des Dwyer, former secretary to the State Attorney General’s Department. Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology The Dean of SET, Professor Margaret Britz, hosted a cocktail party in March to mark a number of important milestones in the development of research in environmental sciences at UTAS. In particular, the expansion of the laboratory space housing the Centre for Environment and the strengthening of international collaborations established by the School of Plant Science, which includes:

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

• The UTAS Forest Ecology/PIRE (Partnerships for International Research & Education) Research Group visiting UTAS (Professor Tom Veblen, University of Colorado, and Professor Cathy Whitlock, Montana State University).

• The National Science Foundation (USA) funded PIRE consortium enables collaborative research on the fire ecology of southern South America, New Zealand and Tasmania, led by Professor Whitlock.

• ARC Discovery Grant investigating fire history over the last 10,000 years, lead by Professor David Bowman (School of Plant Science).

• Establishment of the Tasmanian Dendrochonological Facility to store wood samples from long-lived Tasmanian tree species.

• ARC Future Fellow Dr Tim Brodribb examining the influence of drought on the ecology and evolution of southern conifers.

• Commencement of UTAS Elite PhD Scholar Greg Sanders on the ecology and growth of King Billy and Pencil Pines (supervised by Professor Bowman and Dr Brodribb).

• Collaboration with ANU on climate and human impacts in Tasmania over the last 2,000 years (ARC DIRD project led by Dr Michael Fletcher and Dr Simon Haberle, ANU).

The event was attended by staff and researchers from the Faculty of SET, School of Plant Science, Centre for Environment, the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, CSIRO Forestry, Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water & Environment, Department of Economic Development, Forestry Tasmania, Tasmanian Fire Service, Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Tasmanian Land Conservancy, NRM South.

School of Agricultural Science/TIAR Food Innovation Centre Launched Federal Defence Science and Personnel Minister, Warren Snowdon, launched the new Food Innovation Centre in Scottsdale on 14 February. The Centre is a partnership between UTAS, CSIRO and the Defence, Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), and will be supported by an $18.7 million redevelopment of the Australian Defence Force’s nutrition research facility in Scottsdale. The Centre, led by UTAS, will include Enterprise Connect for development of small to medium sized businesses involved in the food manufacturing industry in Tasmania “The new centre, together with the redevelopment of the Scottsdale facility, is expected to significantly enhance DSTO’s ability to provide the Australian Defence Force with state-of-the-art support on nutrition and feeding strategies,” Mr Snowdon said. “It will draw on the synergies between the DSTO, the CSIRO and UTAS to develop novel approaches to nutrition and food science that will benefit the performance of ADF personnel as well as the needs of the wider Australian community.” Dairy Centre Commissioned TIAR’s Dairy Centre has commenced a project commissioned by DairyTas and jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program and Dairy Australia, to test soil nutrient levels on every paddock on nine farms in the Togari/Brittons swamp district. The farms were all tested in 2005–06 and this new project will assess changes in soil nutrient levels and fertiliser practices over the intervening five years. Farmer’s Forum A farmers’ forum was held on King Island on 4 February as part of a climate change adaptation extension program led by TIAR Dairy Centre. The forum featured speakers on energy and new, resilient forages. The energy topics covered included the cost of energy, energy efficiencies in the dairy shed and in water use and renewable energy. This forum used

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

innovate technologies where speakers came on line by webinar to the forum. This is the first time this technology has been used in extension in Tasmania and it was very successful as a first attempt. It allowed for seven speakers to contribute to the forum without the cost of flights and consultancy fees. Awards Dr Keith Pembleton, TIAR research agronomist, has won two national awards. Keith won the Dairy Australia Award, part of the annual Science and Innovation Awards run by Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES). Dr Pembleton will receive a grant of up to $22,000 to undertake a project on an emerging scientific issue or innovative activity over the next twelve months. Dr Pembleton’s research focuses on lucerne, a forage crop used widely around the world. His research will identify which of the lucerne genotypes currently available in Australia shows the greatest drought tolerance and water-use efficiency. Keith also won the Minister’s Award which will mean an additional $33,000 for his research area. Keith has been working on ways to assist dairy farmers conserve water and manage variability in rainfall. Research • Red Meat Targets project now has a signed $44,000 agreement between MLA and TIAR

for funding of a producer demonstration site (PDS) at Ringarooma. This site aims to collect information on the benefit-cost of perennial legume based pastures and collect information on production potential. Two field days were held at the site prior to Christmas to view the pasture establishment and preparatory grazing. These were well attended discussion group days that included tours of two other commercial but complementary sites developed by Wrightsons and ServAg.

• TIARs Food Safety Centre produced predictive models for Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Total Bacterial Counts (shelf-life) in Pacific oysters. These products of Australian Seafood CRC funding have been extended to Tasmanian oyster growers in face-to-face training sessions. Recent sessions have been conducted with Bolduans Oysters, Marine Culture, and Melshell Oysters who are planning to use the models in their businesses.

• Perennial Horticulture Centre Leader Dugald Close conducted discussions with Cherry Growers Australia CEO, Simon Boughey, Business Development Manager, Lucy Gregg and Horticulture Australia Ltd Cherry Industry Services Manager, Owen Connelly, regarding an industry led, nationally coordinated RD&E program with TIAR as the national lead agency.

• A variety of Russet Burbank potato that is resistant to common scab disease has been produced by a TIAR research program and is under commercial assessment by Simplot Australia Pty. Highly beneficial results in terms of reduced powdery scab and late blight disease in these semi-commercial trials suggest broad scale disease resistance may have been obtained.

• TIAR Vegetable Centre Leader Colin Birch and Dr Laurie Bonney travelled to Papua New Guinea as part of the implementation of an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research funded project to increase vegetable production in Central Province, PNG, for Port Moresby Markets. A substantial amount of agricultural value chain research has been conducted in PNG over the last five months, much of which will also be of direct benefit to the industry here in Tasmania. This project is a significant international collaboration with research, development and extension providers, the Pacific Adventist University, and commercial interests, with outcomes in value chain research, crop physiology and climate change adaptation applicable in Tasmania and nationally.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

School of Architecture & Design • The School of Architecture & Design has had a very positive start to 2011, with strong

student numbers that have exceeded the EFTSL target, student scholarship and design award successes, staff successes, and a vibrant launch into the School’s public lecture program for 2011.

Student successes Scholarships • The School of Architecture & Design has recently awarded Architecture student Edwina

Lauren Hughes the Rory Spence Travelling Scholarship. Ms Hughes completed her Bachelor of Environmental Design in the School and is now studying the Master of Architecture. The travelling scholarship will allow her to undertake a study tour to New York, where she will explore the preservation of city parks and green belts, and the development of communal spaces in urban environments.

• The School of Architecture & Design has also recently awarded the Martin Davies Memorial Scholarship to Master of Architecture student, Nikki Holdsworth, to conduct a project that will explore the impact of walls in our community (particularly surrounding the Tamar River). The project is Tasmanian-based, community minded, and one that has the potential to benefit the architectural and cultural heritage practice in Launceston and further afield.

• On 10 March 2011, the School launched the Robert Fergusson Family Foundation Scholarship. The Robert Fergusson Family Foundation Scholarship in Architecture & Design is provided through the immense generosity of the Fergusson Foundation, to support a student undertaking the Bachelor of Environmental Design at the University of Tasmania. The scholarship totals $15,000 over three years for each recipient. Each year, the scholarship will go to a student who is able to demonstrate commendable performance in design, in either architecture, interior design, furniture design or landscape architecture. In addition, the student is to demonstrate a commitment to issues surrounding sustainability and design, as well as architecture and design history and the conservation of constructed and built heritage. The scholarship invests in Tasmania’s future design professions and professionals.

• This year three students were shortlisted for the prize. The Foundation was so impressed with the quality of the applicants that the selection committee offered two commendation prizes in addition to the winning prize. The following students were awarded:

o Winner of the 2011 Prize ($3000): Fiona McMullen o Commendations ($1000): Jessica Langdon and Angus Cosgrove

Design Awards • It was recently announced that second-year Furniture student Matty Smith was the winner

of the 2010 Tasmanian Design Centre Award for Sustainability and the winner of the Emerging Designer Award. He won the awards for his quirky take on a cabinet named ‘Shortdivision’ (pictured). Mr Smith says that integrating sustainable practices with good design is very important to him. His focus is to “design and manufacture objects using the most ethically minded materials and practices available, with a focus on quality.” His

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

winning piece reflects these philosophies – it is made sustainably from FSC plywood, salvaged Tasmanian Blackwood, and finished with low VOC paints and solvent free glues.

• This piece also won the 2011 Design Centre Tasmania Biennial Exhibition General Acquisition Award. The work, along with other entries in the Tasmanian Wood Design Collection Biennial Exhibition, was displayed at the Long Gallery, Salamanca Place, Hobart, with winners announced on 4 February at the gala opening event. The exhibition then toured to Launceston to the Design Centre Tasmania, home of the Tasmanian Wood Design Collection, which now includes Matty Smith’s ‘Shortdivision’!

Staff successes • School of Architecture & Design staff and students (Simon Ancher, Matt Prince and

Matty Smith) will be showing works in the exhibition, Furnished (presented by Designed Objects Tasmania), which forms part of the state’s Ten Days On The Island program. If home is where the heart is, then how would you design it to your heart’s content? Furnished transforms Mawson Place, Hobart, into a series of discrete living spaces featuring local design and manufacturing practice. Designers have been invited to interpret the idea of ‘home’ with a personal and Tasmanian flavour. Furnished questions the way we think about living spaces and how we inhabit them in the face of the constant pace of changing lifestyles, issues of mass production, one-off design and economic and environmental sustainability.

• Mawson Place Waterside Pavilion Hobart 25 Mar – 4 Apr 2011 10am – 5pm Daily • School Executive Officer, Poppy Fay, was a successful applicant for the Tasmanian

Leaders Program 2011, a high-level professional development program that has been designed specifically to identify and develop leaders from across Tasmania. Selected participants are offered the opportunity to enhance and develop their leadership capacity by participating in a unique, challenging and rewarding 10-month program.

Public Lectures • On 10 March, Dr Karen Burns presented an Inveresk Design Lecture. Dr Burns lectures in

architectural history and theory in the Department of Architecture at Monash University, Melbourne. Her lecture, entitled "Between the Walls: Reflections on the European architectural culture of the Australian frontier," offered some preliminary analyses of the mythic, psychic and ritualistic function of European architecture on the nineteenth-century frontier.

• Dr Burns also participated in a School of Architecture & Design roundtable on Tasmanian Architectural History and Historiography on Friday 11 March as part of the School of Architecture & Design’s research strategic plan to develop research concentration in history and theory of architecture and design.

• On 17 March, Launceston City Council and UTAS presented the public launch of the Launceston Public Spaces and Public Life 2011 report by internationally renowned urban design consultants Gehl Architects. A lecture on the findings of the report was delivered by Henriette Vamberg and Sia Kirknæs of Gehl Architects, followed by a facilitated question and answer session. Reception drinks were held in the School of Architecture & Design.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

• Also on 17 March, the School of Architecture & Design hosted a public lecture presented by Rob McGauran entitled “Engaging Practice,” which investigated issues currently dominating the airwaves including housing affordability and social inclusion, access to high quality public transport and the sustainability of our cities and places. Each has been a recurring theme at McGauran Giannini Soon (MGS) since its inception in 1985. The talk used case studies of MGS’s work to describe their approach to practice and design, the architect as advocate and enabler for both design and future place and the role of research in practice.

• Architecture & Design Lecturer, Dr Ceridwen Owen, will be presenting at the upcoming Women In the North (WIN) meeting on Friday 1 April. WIN is an initiative of the Women’s Mentoring Program and is conducted on the Launceston campus to widen networks outside individual areas of expertise, encourage new friendships, and enable peer mentoring among UTAS women. The meeting will be held http://www.staff.utas.edu.au/news/articles/inaugural-women-in-the-north-win-meeting

Vale On a sad final note, the School of Architecture & Design grieves the recent death, on 18 March 2011, of theatre student Leo Cooper-White, who was such a prominent figure on the Inveresk campus, and who was known and liked and respected by staff and students alike. He will be sadly missed.

School of Chemistry/ACROSS Staff & Students • Dr Nigel Brookes, PhD Student - finished in January. Nigel came to the university as a

mature age PhD student in 2006 and completed a very successful project (with supervisor Brian Yates) on the computational study of the activation of small molecules with transition metals. His PhD work produced 13 articles in high quality journals. Nigel has now taken up an excellent job as Chemistry Master at Guilford Young College.

• Visiting Researchers –Andrew Dadson (US Synthetic Inc.), Matthew Lindford, Landon Wiest and David Jensen (Brigham Young University, Utah). All were collaborating with Pavel Nesterenko.

Awards, Grants & Promotions Congratulations to the following staff on their recent success: • A/Professor Michael Breadmore—VC’s Award for outstanding contributions to Research

and Research Training (Internationally Recognised by staff at Level C & D). • Mr Vipul Agarwal – awarded the Tasmania Section of the AusBioTech Award. • Professor Allan Canty - RACI Distinguished Fellowship award. • Dr Michael Gardiner—AINSE Award. • Professor Paul Haddad - RACI Applied Research Award, Marcel Golay Award for

Research Excellence in Chromatography. • Dr Massoud Kaykhaii– Endeavour Fellowship. • Dr Andrew Seen – Vice-Chancellor‘s Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching

and Learning. • Dr Robert Shellie - UTAS Awards for Research Excellence, RACI Analytical and

Environmental Division Cattrall Medal. • Promotions: Michael Breadmore, Greg Dicinoski and Joselito Quirino to A/Professor and

Emily Hilder to Professor.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

ERA The School results faired extremely well from the Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) round. This process assesses the impact of research performed in Australia in relation to world averages. A score of 3 was defined as world average, and the School of Chemistry achieved a score of 4 which is well above world average—only 2 Schools of Chemistry in Australia were awarded a 5. In analytical and inorganic chemistry the School was awarded a 5 and a 4 respectively. These results were in the top 3 and 2 nation-wide respectively. These results place the School of Chemistry in the very top echelon for chemistry departments in the country. This result was fantastic for the School and the University, and now must be maintained for the next round. Conferences • Emily Hilder and Lea Mauko - 23rd biennial Australian and New Zealand Society for

Mass Spectrometry (ANZSMS) conference, Fremantle, WA, (29 Jan-3 Feb). • Greg Dicinoski - Homemade Explosives International Workshop, McLean, USA (1-4 Feb

2011). • Greg Dicinoski, Paul Haddad, Mirek Macka & Robert Shellie Pittsburgh Exposition on

Analytical Chemistry (Pittcon 2011), Atlanta, USA (13-17 Mar ).

School of Geography & Environmental Studies Research • Dr Michael Lockwood and Associate Professor Marcus Haward, working with Dr Julie

Davidson and others, has have secured a Department of Climate Change, Energy & Efficiency and FRDC Grant through the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility. Entitled Changing Currents in Marine Biodiversity Governance and Management: Responding to Climate Change, the $314,999 grant is over three years from 2011.

• Ms Kristin Warr and Dr Aidan Davison have been accepted as two of 40 academic researchers taking part in an international research seminar hosted by Elon University in the United States. This grant will fund participants to attend three annual collaborative research meetings at the Elon Campus in North Carolina. Participants will form teams to address questions of writing skill development and the transfer of these skills across critical transition zones in tertiary learning.

• Dr Christopher Watson is working closely with Dr Matt King of Newcastle University, United Kingdom, on research related to environmental geodesy and application of Global Navigation Satellite Systems. Another spatial scientist, Dr Arko Lucieer, has recently returned from Antarctica with Mr Darren Turner, the School’s senior technical officer, whose work on the unmanned Oktocopter has attracted significant interest. The two were engaged in various trials of the technology in cold remote climates.

Community Engagement The School has established a number of interpretive trails for school aged children. One, internal to the School, showcases various interesting ephemera and engages children in geographical games. Another, focused on sustainability, and funded from UTAS Community Engagement Grant funds, is being trialled to encompass many more aspects of the Sandy Bay campus. Children visit areas from Geography and Geology to the central plaza and its water and recycling facilities and, via the Classics Museum, end up at Source Wholefoods. A third, for which funds have recently been secured from the Tasmanian Climate Change Office’s

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

Earn your Stars program, will see groups of school children create podcasts for use on a particular interpretive trail oriented to climate change. Visiting Researchers • The School has been the beneficiary of UTAS visiting scholar funds which have brought

to the University the Canada Research Chair in Island Studies, Professor Godfrey Baldacchino, based at the University of Prince Edward Island. By the time he departs Tasmania in early April, Professor Baldacchino will have given five guest lectures in Hobart, Launceston and the Cradle Coast on diverse aspects of island studies, participated in Home Truths for Ten Days on the Island, and worked on various research proposals with Associate Professor Elaine Stratford and others.

• In March, in conjunction with the School of Philosophy, the School was also pleased to host a visit from Professor Stuart Elden, based in Geography at prestigious Durham University. Professor Elden provided an extensive talk and discussion on the birth of territory, and participated in a panel discussion with Professors Malpas [Philosophy] and Baldacchino [UPEI], and A/Professor Stratford [GES] on the subject of islands, places, territories.

Media Highlights UTAS telescope has great fringe benefits The UTAS radio telescope located on the Katherine campus of Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory reached an important milestone - its first “fringes.” These “first fringes” mean the telescope is working properly and also communicating with the Mount Pleasant telescope here in Hobart. The telescopes are part of the AuScope Very Long Baseline Interferometry Project, which comprises the construction and operation of three new radio telescopes by the UTAS School of Maths and Physics. The other telescopes in the network are located at Mount Pleasant in Hobart and Yarragadee in Western Australia. Local: Launceston Examiner, ABC 936 Hobart National: ABC Darwin, Katharine Times, Northern Territory News Grazing does not always stop blazing A UTAS study has examined the widely-held view that “grazing stops blazing‟ and found that is not always true. In fact, in some vegetation, grazing may actually increase the likelihood of fire. Professor James Kirkpatrick from the UTAS School of Geography and Environmental Studies said the truth of the “grazing stops blazing‟ argument is dependent on vegetation type and environment. Local: Tasmanian Country, ABC 936 Hobart, Burnie Advocate, Launceston Examiner, Heart FM, HO FM National: Stock and Land, The Age, ABC Goulburn Murray, ABC Ballarat, Mansfield Courier New report explores lasting effects of childhood cancer A UTAS PhD sociology and social work student has completed a landmark, three-year study into the effects of childhood cancer on families.

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

As part of his research project, Terry Cox interviewed 38 Australian parents whose children had survived cancer. Participants were interviewed at stages from five to 20 years after their child was first diagnosed. With childhood cancer survival rates reaching nearly 80 per cent, Mr Cox said surprisingly little research had been undertaken into the long-term effects of childhood cancer on primary carers and family relationships. Local: Win Hobart, Hobart Mercury, ABC Northern Tasmania, ABC 936 Hobart The secret lives of our convict ancestors Founders and Survivors: Australian Life Courses in Historical Context, is a national collaboration between demographers, historians, epidemiologists and genealogists. By examining birth, death and marriage records and other historical sources. the project will produce the means of analysing the health and welfare of Australians over the past 200 years. Associate Professor Hamish Maxwell-Stewart, from the UTAS School of History and Classics and Professor Alison Venn from the Menzies Research Institute, are both Chief Investigators on the project. Assoc Professor Maxwell-Stewart said the project aims to reconstruct life courses in historical context, reconstituting people’s fertility, household formation, health, survival time and social and geographical mobility. Local: ABC 936 Hobart, ABC1 National: ABC 666 Canberra, ABC News 24, ABC 702 Sydney Saving lives by sifting through the sewers Science and sewerage are being mixed to measure Australia’s illicit drug trade, under a research program being jointly conducted by UTAS, the Australian Federal Police and chemists from the University of Queensland. The research team has been monitoring wastewater from a Queensland suburb and using analytical chemistry to determine illicit drug levels, in what is the first Australian study of its kind. UTAS criminologist Dr Jeremy Prichard said that compared with other methods such as surveys chemical analysis of wastewater gave extremely accurate indications of the prevalence of illicit drugs in the general community. Wastewater analysis could identify different drugs and the amounts being used, and might one day become a law enforcement tool to detect whether chemicals related to the manufacture of drugs, or even explosives, come from a particular building. The research could ultimately influence policing methods and government anti-drug strategies. Local: Hobart Mercury, National: Port Stephens Examiner NSW, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Border Mail, Radio National Canberra, International: Straight furrow NZ University News: The romance and allure of island life A visiting Canadian professor delivered a public lecture on Friday in Hobart about the romance and reality of islands and island life. Professor Godfrey Baldacchino, the Canada Research Chair in Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Islands, is visiting the UTAS School of Geography and Environmental Studies until April as part of a sabbatical

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

year. Prof. Baldacchino said islands were a fascinating area of study, which allowed him to travel around the world to exotic locations -- “to the eternal envy” of his colleagues. Local: Sunday Tasmanian, Burnie Advocate, ABC 936 Hobart, ABC Northern Tasmania It’s time to get serious about humour Academics got serious about the study of humour recently at the 17th annual colloquium of the Australasian Humour Studies Network (AHSN). The event was held at the UTAS Sandy Bay campus. Entitled Time, Place and Humour the colloquium delegates from around Australia, New Zealand and Asia. The colloquium’s local convener is UTAS PhD student Daryl Peebles. Mr Peebles’ PhD is being undertaken in the School of Management but he said the study of humour is across a wide variety of disciplines. The AHSN is a network linking Australian and New Zealand humour scholars and practitioners in different academic and geographical locations. Local: Sunday Tasmanian, ABC Northern Tasmania National: ABC 774 Melbourne Dr Ken Henry to deliver 2011 Giblin Lecture Dr Ken Henry AC, Treasury Secretary presented the 2011 Giblin Lecture at the University of Tasmania’s Sandy Bay campus recently. The title of Dr Henry’s lecture was Australia 2011: Opportunities, Challenges and Policy Responses. Dr Henry has held the position of Secretary to the Treasury since 2001, providing advice on economic policy and reforms to the Federal Government during the past three decades. In 2010 he released the Henry Tax Review which outlined recommendations for superannuation, rent tax on the mining sector and tax reform for small businesses. The lecture was Dr Henry’s final public engagement before stepping down as Secretary in March. Local: Hobart Mercury, ABC 936 Hobart, Heart FM National: Adelaide Advertiser, Herald Sun, Northern Territory News,The Age, Courier Mail, Daily telegraph, The Australian, Australian Financial Review, ABC 666 Canberra, ABC News 24, Radio National, Weekend Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Saturday Age Medical scholarships awarded to gifted students Three promising students have been awarded scholarships to study medicine at UTAS. The Medical Council of Tasmania funded a perpetual scholarship upon its dissolution in 2010 to support deserving students in their study of Medicine. To mark the inaugural Medical Council of Tasmania Medical Student Scholarship, two awards were made in 2011 to outstanding students. The scholarship provides an income of $8000 per year, for up to five years. An annual scholarship will be awarded each year from 2012. The Medical Council Scholarship was awarded to both Victoria Jordan, 18 of Hawley Beach and Tristram Parr, 19, of Gretna. In addition, the UTAS School of Medicine has generously provided an annual scholarship to support talented students in their studies. The scholarship is valued at $8000 per year for up to five years. This was awarded to Jessica Beechey, 18, of West Moonah. Local: Burnie Advocate, Hobart Mercury, ABC 936 Hobart, Southern Cross News Expertise:

University of Tasmania Council Report

8 April 2011

ALTC The Acting Vice-Chancellor of UTAS, Professor David Rich, condemned the Federal Government’s proposed axing of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council and will work to overturn the move. Professor Rich is critical of the lack of consultation with the university sector and has labelled the move nonsense for a government needing such a group to help it achieve key higher education goals. He joined seven other Australian universities concerned that the cuts’ impact will harm the longer term productivity of universities and the quality of graduates. Local: ABC Northern Tasmania, ABC 936 Hobart, Launceston Examiner, National: The Australian