Bright Minds Inspired by Generosity
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XXX I BRIGHT MINDS INSPIRED BY GENEROSITY SYDNEY ANNUAL THE 2010 REPORT ON ACHIEVEMENT & PHILANTHROPY II XX 02 WELCOME 15 Embracing the Chinese century: 32 GIFT REPORT CONTENTS 02 A message from the Chancellor the new China Studies Centre 03 A message from the Vice-Chancellor 16 Nurturing social entrepreneurs: 33 Recent graduates accept the two new scholarships foster innovation challenge: how the ‘Challenge Fund’ is 04 DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS in economics inspiring a new generation of donors 04 The inspiration factory: new 20 Bringing home cancer support: Centre for Obesity, Diabetes and community nurses can provide vital 34 HONOUR ROLL Cardiovascular Disease support to chemotherapy outpatients 34 Individuals 06 Let there be music! The Gerald 24 From Camperdown to Bidyadanga: 56 Organisations and Foundations Westheimer collection of classic violins how veterinary science is helping 60 Bequests and Estates at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music improve health and education 61 Challis Bequest Society 08 Human rights no theoretical matter: outcomes for Indigenous Australians. 64 Foundations and external centres new Master of Human Rights and 30 Change of climate for Sydney Law Democratisation (Asia Pacific) School: new course focuses on global 65 INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL 12 Year of the Dragon: coming to terms energy and resources law MANAGEMENT REPORT with the new China 66 MORE INFORMATION 2 3 Undeniably, our University is an inspiring place The plan reflects our vision for the Sydney is immensely fortunate to have a A MESSAGE A MESSAGE University as an institution in which large and growing number of supporters who FROM THE at the forefront of research and learning. It is FROM students and researchers have a sense believe in our vision and purpose. It gives collectively energised by the people who are part of belonging to a single community of me great pleasure to be able to thank all of CHANCELLOR THE VICE- scholars, of being engaged together our 8700-plus donors, on behalf of those of our community of scholars, and our donors in learning and enquiry, and in which who have benefited from your support. CHANCELLOR excellence in research and education Your generosity and foresight is core to our and benefactors form an integral part of that is prized because of the benefits it University and its achievements. community underpinning our success. creates for Australia and the wider world. In this vision, our community of scholars is marked by its diversity, by its global Dr Michael Spence The generosity of the University’s donors research and education in international orientation, and by its commitment Vice-Chancellor and Principal and benefactors in 2010 was, as always, security and human rights. to working in partnership with The University of Sydney tremendously heartening. So too was It gives me great pleasure to thank and Indigenous Australia. the sheer number of donors, with many honour all of the University’s donors and This year’s edition of Sydney Annual thousands of generous individuals and benefactors. Your belief in the University organisations supporting us. demonstrates to me how our donors are of Sydney and the power of research and already helping us to achieve this vision. It The stories in Sydney Annual demonstrate education is truly commendable. Indeed, it is highlights just a few of the many gifts that the true impact which our donors and a most valuable investment in our nation. 2010 was a pivotal year are already helping to drive the University benefactors have on the University and, for the University in forward, and will continue to help us far indeed, Australia. This year’s inspirational into the future, increasing the breadth and Her Excellency Professor stories cover a breadth of disciplines and which we laid down our intensity of our enquiry and ensuring we Marie Bashir AC CVO initiatives, from diabetes research and strategic plan for the attract and support the most promising chemotherapy patient support, to initiatives Chancellor students from all backgrounds. in Indigenous communities, through to The University of Sydney next five years. development XXX 4 highlights 5 “We were inspired by the University’s vision to break down the barriers between traditionally individualistic disciplines.” DR NEVILLE HOWARD PRESIDENT OF THE Australian DIABETES COUNCIL The eating habits of locusts may sound like an Professor Simpson’s research project is barriers between traditionally individualistic Another area under the spotlight will others. “As you can see, we have our work “By putting our research knowledge into THE unlikely place to start in the search for new just one of many surprising fields of study disciplines,” says Dr Neville Howard, be risk factors for diabetes, such as cut out for us,” says Professor Twigg. practice, including new technologies, we INSPIRATION ways to tackle diabetes. But by understanding arising from a major new effort to combat president of the Council. “The scale of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle: “Much The Australian Diabetes Council’s members were able to avoid a hospital admission how the insects regulate their intake of protein obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease the epidemic, and its cost in human and of the focus will be on how we can have are hopeful that the Chair will bring us by reversing the excess acid which was FACTORY – they tend to keep eating until they reach a using a cross-disciplinary approach. The monetary terms, is such that we have to a healthier community, which means trying closer to a potential cure for diabetes as developing in her blood. At the same time target level of protein – University of Sydney University’s state-of-the-art Centre for continually think of new ways to try and to minimise obesity, increase physical well as unlocking practical ways to manage we stabilised her blood glucose to help researchers could help us take an important Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular combat the disease.” activity, and maintain as normal a body the disease. prevent unconscious low-blood-glucose step forward in the fight against Australia’s Disease, to be completed in 2013, aims to weight as possible.” episodes from occurring in the immediate Leading the fight will be researchers If current research at the University is looming obesity and diabetes crisis. become a global hub for innovative research and long term,” he says. doing basic scientific work on animal To address these issues the centre will take anything to go by, the centre is likely to bring into the three related conditions. Work by biologist and locust expert and cell-based models, as well as those a world-first interdisciplinary approach, tangible improvements to diabetics’ lives. “This is a very exciting aspect of patient Professor Stephen Simpson has raised the At the heart of the centre will be the newly undertaking clinical and translational bringing together public health and policy One Sydney researcher, Professor Anthony management; seeing that quality of life as possibility that falling protein levels in our created Australian Diabetes Council Chair research – with much cross-fertilisation experts, social scientists, urban planners, Keech, is having great success using the well as lifespan can be improved in people food could be preventing us from feeling full, of Diabetes, which will spearhead research between the different areas. architects and engineers, whose combined cholesterol-lowering drug fenofibrate to with diabetes. And it’s only by applying key The University of triggering us to overeat, and thereby driving specifically into type 1 and 2 diabetes as well “Key questions will include why the expertise can help society build more active prevent complications such as human learning acquired through research that we Sydney will spearhead up rates of obesity: a major risk factor for as being an advocate for greater awareness. pancreas fails (leading to diabetes), how to communities where people drive less and diabetic eye disease. can find the best way to do it.” type 2 diabetes. More than one million Australians have prevent and treat diabetes complications, walk more. Meanwhile, legal scholars will As well, animal models are being developed new research on His team recently confirmed this hypothesis type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and prevalence is and how to optimise health care service have a role in asking how society might that better mimic human disease and diabetes thanks to through experiments in which human growing; around 100,000 people develop the delivery for diabetics, who often need better regulate unhealthy food. provide a clearer research window into subjects had the protein concentration condition each year. highly personalised medical care,” explains On top of all that, the centre will examine human diabetes and its complications. the support of the in their diet covertly manipulated over a The Chair will be funded by a generous Professor Stephen Twigg, Associate the family, ethnic and genetic factors that Professor Twigg witnesses the results of Australian Diabetes three-week period. As predicted, diluting $5 million endowment from the Australian Professor in Medicine at the University of can combine with lifestyle to predispose university research every day in his practice. the protein content resulted in overeating Diabetes Council, the nation’s largest Sydney Medical School and theme leader for some people to diabetes, and determine He gives the example of a patient he treated Council, writes – even when subjects had no idea how diabetes charity. “We