Spring 2013 Buried treasure Spring 2013 In brief 6 News from Australia’s national university. 20 Safe house One of Australia’s nearest neighbours is facing Pride of place 9 a nation-wide crisis of violence against women. The Research School of Earth Sciences received a very special present on its 40th birthday. 22 Untraceable ANU researchers have created a crack-proof encryption Pedal power 10 system that's got the nod from NASA. The Scicycle is a one-man show taking science to some unusual audiences. 24 Mystery island Five hundred years ago, the rock islands off Palau were A plus 11 thriving with human life. So why are they now abandoned? Emeritus Professor Rodney Baxter has been honoured by the world's oldest science academy. 26 Water tables OPEN DAY 2013 Australia is making the first splashes in water accounting, Buried treasure 12 helping individuals and countries alike manage their water. ANU geologists have discovered a giant fossil fish on the NSW South Coast. 28 Growth, destruction, rebirth The historic Mount Stromlo Observatory Director’s Forty winks 15 Residence is getting a new lease of life. People are heading online to discover the secret to a good night’s sleep. 30 Poetry and punishment Caribbean PhD student Melissa Jogie is shaking up Rumble in the jungle 16 the reading curriculum in Australian schools. A deadly battle between nature and capitalism is being 32 The power of nature waged deep within the forests of Cambodia. Two and a half billion years of experimentation by nature may provide us with a solution to the global energy crisis. Politics by numbers 18 Voter behaviour expert Professor Ian McAllister 33 Chasing dreams says the polls don't always add up. An ANU student has established a foundation to give Canberra teenagers the chance to realise their full potential. SATURDAY 31 AUGUST 9am-4pm ANU Reporter is a free magazine Views expressed in ANU Reporter are not published quarterly in hardcopy and necessarily the views of The Australian National University. This publication may contain third- online. To subscribe, send your Experience ANU first hand. party advertisements. ANU does not endorse details to: or recommend any of the third-party goods or services advertised and does not accept any Feel what it’s like to be inspired by our Editor: Tegan Dolstra responsibility or liability for the content of T 02 6125 4171 those advertisements or the goods or services expert educators, make friends with current F 02 6125 8255 they advertise. E [email protected] students and discover how ANU offers you W www.anu.edu.au/reporter Volume 44 No.3 more choice through its single, double or Mail: ANU Reporter Cover: Gavin Young, p12 Strategic Communications and Public Affairs research-intensive degrees. The Chancelry Photo: Belinda Pratten. The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 Design: Mikela Burnham anu.edu.au/openday Production: Fairfax Media ISSN 0727-386X CRICOS Provider No. 00120C ANU Reporter Spring 2013 3 Vice-Chancellor’s introduction fter the announcement of major government cuts to university funding A earlier this year, ANU and our sector face difficult times ahead. Difficult times force us to make a choice. They can mean the beginning of a decline: if we choose to do nothing, we begin a decline that would see our university become a shadow of its former self, abandoning the ambition of our founders. Alternatively, difficult times can be the catalyst for change, renewal and growth. Renewal that will ensure this great institution remains one that we can all be proud of. With input from our community, we have shaped a budget solutions package that will get us through these difficult times and ensure we have the ability to invest in the research and education that has, in less than 70 years, seen ANU grow from an idea to one of the finest universities in the world. WEAVING BRIAN SCHMIDT’S UNIVERSE In this edition of ANU Reporter we celebrate our Nobel Laureate Professor Brian Schmidt and Head of Textiles excellence in education and research in articles Valerie Kirk with the newly unveiled Schmidt Tapestry. such as ‘Untraceable’ (p. 22) and ‘The Power of The Schmidt Tapestry, which celebrates Professor Nature’ (p. 32), and the strong community spirit Schmidt's work, was unveiled in June. and rich history that characterise the University in More than one metre wide and two metres long, the tapestry ‘Chasing Dreams’ (p. 33) and ‘Growth, Destruction, took nine months to weave and is based on a Hubble Telescope Rebirth’ (p. 28). image that Professor Schmidt selected as the photograph By the time you finish reading, I’m sure you’ll that best sums up his work. agree with me that the ANU community has the But the tapestry isn’t just a view of the stars. The digital resourcefulness and resilience to turn our budget technology that played an important part in Professor Schmidt’s challenges into opportunities. research is also woven into the image, with pixels of varying sizes overlaying the supernovae, and in the lower section there is a Professor Ian Young AO small sliver of the Earth with equations on it. Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Schmidt says he never expected to inspire art with his research. “One of the things I love about ANU is how we are able to mix science and art and music – all of the things that ANU does well, and this is an expression of that,” he says. The tapestry hangs in University House next to tapestries celebrating Nobel Prize winners Rolf Zinkernagel and Peter Doherty, John Eccles, and Howard Florey, as well as one acknowledging the work of Frank Fenner. 4 ANU Reporter Spring 2013 ANU Reporter Spring 2013 5 Indigenous health Queen’s honours on agenda Three ANU academics A new scheme that were included on rewards high school the Queen’s Birthday students who undertake Honours List in June. Indigenous studies will Associate Professor start next year. Timothy Kain (pictured) All secondary school from the School of students who Music was made a successfully complete member of the Order the course will receive of Australia in recognition of more than 30 five bonus ATAR points when they apply years raising the profile of classical guitar in to study at ANU. Australia and nurturing the next generation of musicians. Last month the University also launched the Peter Sharp Scholarship for medical students Professor Graham Farquhar from the studying in the Indigenous health stream. Research School of Biology was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his Danielle Dries (pictured) was the inaugural contribution to the field of biophysics and recipient of the $50,000 scholarship, which is funded by the ACT Government. his role in creating a strain of water-efficient wheat. Graham Tuckwell with scholarship applicants. PHOTO BY STUART HAY. Heritage specialist Dr Michael Pearson from Triple launch at the Research School of Humanities and the Arts was also appointed an Officer of the Crawford School Order of Australia, for his work on cultural The Crawford School of Public Policy Tuckwell Scholars welcomed heritage conservation and management, has been busy lately. In May, the Federal and as an educator and researcher. Government announced a $3 million Chris Grange speaking at a budget forum. wenty-five of Australia’s brightest young The scholars will receive $20,000 a year for PHOTO BY STUART HAY. Sixteen ANU alumni were also honoured endowment to set up a Tax Studies Institute students have been selected for the the length of their undergraduate degree on the list. in the School. Graham & Louise Tuckwell Foundation T and accommodation on campus so they can scholarships. June saw the launch of the School’s new pursue community service and extracurricular Food Policy Institute, which will look at the The Tuckwell Scholarship Program was activities. They will also have the advice and New Head of challenges posed by the growing world established by ANU alumnus Graham Tuckwell support of the Tuckwell Fellows: human rights Art population. and his wife Louise in February. law expert Professor Simon Rice, biochemist Budget package Denise Ferris took up And last month at the ANU China Update The scholars were chosen from a shortlist Associate Professor Susan Howitt and historian the position of Head conference, Minister for Trade Richard of 72 students who spent a weekend at the of Southeast Asia Dr Mary Kilcline Cody. of the ANU School of Marles announced a $305,000 program University undertaking interviews and getting Art in May. to bring Chinese and Australian to know the campus and Mr Tuckwell. Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Young said the researchers together to confront the students would bring a great deal to ANU. announced Since she arrived at challenges of climate change policy. “We were after a highly talented group of ANU in 1987, she has students from all around Australia – from the “We are delighted to welcome such an been a Senior Lecturer city, from the country, from private schools, outstanding group of talented and passionate in Photography, from Catholic schools, from government young people to our community,” he said. Post Graduate Coursework and Honours ARC grants schools. That’s what we’ve got,” said he University has developed a plan to in the budget forums held over the first two solve the challenges presented by the weeks of June. Four times as many visited Convenor and Associate Dean (Education) Funding of more than Mr Tuckwell. Video: http://bit.ly/rep_Tscholars of the ANU College of Arts and Social $10 million out of an TFederal Government’s recent cuts to the website and over 300 submissions were university funding.