SEPTEMBER 2014

melbourne university magazine

Can a new generation of campus comics revive a flagging tradition? Laugh Lines

PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE INSIDE THE GRATTAN THINK TANK Want more? Go online! Social media can connect you with many of the University’s 300,000-strong alumni community. Our alumni are represented on all the major networks. Go to alumni.unimelb.edu.au/my-network/social-media to find out more.

Facebook With more University of Melbourne alumni on Pinterest Facebook than any other Find out what social network, it is the your fellow place to go for the latest alumni are up to alumni news, events by following the and benefits. Alumni in the news board on Pinterest.

Twitter Go to Twitter to follow famous alumni like 3010 cover star @ronnychieng, LinkedIn or to enjoy live Keen to move tweets from up the career selected alumni ladder or help events. others who are? Go to LinkedIn to get ­— or give — career advice and find new opportunities.

Weibo Get University updates and connect with Chinese-speaking alumni on Weibo, China’s popular Flickr microblogging Check out photos service. from alumni events around the world on Flickr — you might even spot yourself! 3 unimelb.edu.au/3010

AGENDA SETTERS Deep in thought In less than a decade, the Grattan Institute has become an influential voice in policy debates. Gay Alcorn goes inside the think tank. 6

UNIVERSITY NEWS Teaching to the masses 4 OAR GLORY Getting ready for the boat race 13 ON YOUR MARKS We were heartened by Athletics club celebrates 125 years 19 the warm response to MARKETS & MINDS THE ESSAY the first issue of 3010, So what is neuroeconomics? 22 OUR URBAN DESTINY 14 the new-look Melbourne Professor Rob Adams argues that University Magazine, CARING FOR CULTURE cities hold the key to our economic, which was published Art conservation gets a boost 24 social and environmental challenges. in June. DECODING EPILEPSY Gene research cracks a mystery 26 3010 is the postcode for Parkville, and is unique DOOKIE’S EVOLUTION to the University of An old campus, a new faculty 28 Melbourne. ALUMNI PROFILES We welcome your Startup stars 31 feedback. WELCOME TO MELBOURNE Email your comments to: Alumni extend a hand 34 PROFILE PHILANTHROPY INC. 16 [email protected] ALUMNI NEWS Audette Exel uses her flair in global Write to us at: Plus milestones 35 finance to help the poor in the world’s The Advancement Office, remotest places. THE LAST WORD The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia Art takes to the streets 38 Call us on: +61 3 8344 1751. COVER STORY FUNNY BUSINESS 10 A University tradition of nurturing fresh comic talent EDITORIAL TEAM may be undergoing a MANAGING EDITOR welcome revival. Val McFarlane EDITOR OUR COVER: Ken Merrigan/Mediaxpress Still laughing: Ronny Chieng, DESIGN 3010 Libbi Gorr and Rod Quantock. Bill Farr/Mediaxpress

PICTURE: JULES TAHAN 4 universitynews

EDUCATION INNOVATION

MOOC: teaching Researchers to to the masses give milk a shake

Longer-lasting Australian dairy products with high nutritional value will soon be available to consumers in Australia and overseas thanks to a major industrial research initiative. The new ARC Dairy Innovation Hub will help Australian dairy manufacturers to develop new products to meet the increasing local and global demand for high-quality dairy products, particularly in Asia. New products could include butter and dairy blends with improved taste and spreadability, lactose-free and reduced fat, long-life milks that really do “taste like real milk”, yoghurt that will retain its texture for longer without “watering off” in the fridge, and a wider range of more consistent, natural cheese flavours and textures. GOING Hub Director, Associate PICTURE: MARCEL AUCAR GLOBAL Professor Sally Gras (BSc(Hons) 2002, BE(ChemEng)(Hons) 2002), “The more the merrier” is not a cent hold higher degrees, and a from the University of Melbourne’s phrase often associated with class further 38 per cent have completed 12,000 Department of Chemical and size, but the increasing popularity undergraduate degrees. Approximate Biomolecular Engineering, says the of online learning may change that. Like all MOOCs, Assessment and number of initiative brings together three of The University of Melbourne’s Teaching of 21st Century Skills is international Australia’s leading dairy research Graduate School of Education offered free and enrolment is open students studying groups in a five-year, $13 million (MGSE) has launched a Massive to anyone. While students get the at the University research program co-funded by the Open Online Course – or MOOC – chance to learn from world-leading of Melbourne, Australian Research Council, Dairy on how to give school children the researchers, the researchers are about 25 per cent Innovation Australia, the University skills to survive in a world of ever- enthusiastic about the opportunity to of the student of Melbourne and the University of changing technology. share and collaborate with thousands population. Queensland. More than 15,000 people have of people. “Dairy manufacturing is currently enrolled in the course, titled “In such a new field, harnessing worth more than two billion dollars Assessment and Teaching of 21st the insights of such a large group 6884 to the Australian economy and will Century Skills. They are among is very exciting,” Griffin says. Number of continue to increase as the demand 500,000 who have enrolled in the “MOOCs challenge everyone international for food required in Asia doubles in University’s MOOCs since it joined involved – participants and staff – students coming years,” she says. international platform Coursera in to use and improve their skills in commencing a Dairy Innovation Australia CEO 2012. digital learning, which is in itself a new course of Dr Lesley MacLeod says the new Course co-ordinator Professor 21st-century skill.” study in 2013. centre will focus on translating Patrick Griffin (BSc 1968, MEd 1976) Organisers say they have learnt a research excellence into industry says the scale is unimaginable for lot from running this MOOC and are value. “This approach will use face-to-face teaching. The course has investigating the prospects of delivery 123 innovation to help our manufacturers attracted students from 160 different in different languages. Number of both grow and add value in domestic countries, about 50 of which are in nationalities and export markets,” she says. Asia. The cohort is highly educated: MOOCs at Melbourne: represented on Over the five years, researchers 9 per cent have doctorates, 38 per le.unimelb.edu.au/moocs campus. China is will also evaluate new processes to the leading source improve dairy manufacturing in CORRECTIONS An article on page 12 of the June issue of 3010, of international Australia. “These insights will help Mourning a lost generation, incorrectly attributed the poem Their Peace students, followed manufacturers make new products to Nellie Palmer. It should have said Nettie Palmer. by Malaysia, and design processes that can reduce The book More Memories of Melbourne University, mentioned in an article Indonesia and waste and lead to water and energy on page 24 on the history of Farrago, was published by Hutchinson, not MUP. the United States. savings,” Gras says. 5

CLIMATE CHANGE SPORT CAMPAIGN

The great polar Footy flourished Believe passes ice shrink as work week cut key milestone

AFL probably wouldn’t be More than $300 million has now been Melbourne’s dominant sporting raised by Believe – the Campaign for code today had city workers not won the University of Melbourne. Saturday afternoons off in the 1860s. Thanks to the generosity of A new study by the University, more than 16,000 donors across six published in the journal Sporting continents, the Campaign total passed Traditions, questions the origins of the $300 million mark in June. The Aussie rules. aim is to raise $500 million by 2017. A new study of satellite sea ice The study found that the 1856 “Support for the Campaign measurements shows that dramatic campaign for the eight-hour workday has been tremendous,” says Vice- changes in the world’s sea ice cover was the most important step in Principal (Advancement) Sue have occurred over the past 35 years. the game becoming Melbourne’s Cunningham. “Reaching this Lead investigator Professor Ian dominant code. important milestone is yet another Simmonds, from the University’s “For a sport to become the opportunity to thank our donors for School of Earth Sciences, says: “The dominant code, more than anything their generosity, and emphasise the late-summer Arctic sea ice coverage it needs to attract large numbers transformative impact their gifts have has shrunk by three million square of paying spectators,” says study had on the lives of others.” kilometres since 1979. DRAWING author Dr Tony Ward, an honorary The Campaign has three major “There were significant decreases A CROWD: South research fellow in the School of priorities: educating tomorrow’s for every month of the year, with the Melbourne great Historical and Philosophical Studies. leaders, finding answers to the world’s greatest rate of decrease in September. Roy Cazaly takes In the 1850s, the city’s population grand challenges through research Some are now suggesting that one of his iconic boomed with the gold rushes, but and enriching communities, in September sea ice could disappear one-handed people worked long, six-day weeks. Australia and beyond. from the Arctic in as little as 25 years. marks. Then, in 1856, stonemasons working Recent gifts include $10 million “In contrast, Antarctic sea ice at the University won the right to an from leading philanthropist Greg has been expanding, and 2013 was a eight-hour working day. Other trades Poche AO to create the University record-breaking year. In September, soon followed. of Melbourne Poche Centre for we saw the greatest coverage of sea ice In the 1860s and ’70s, Melbourne Indigenous Health, and $250,000 since satellite records started in 1979.” workers became the first in the from Campaign Board Member Jason Overall, sea ice around the world world to win Saturday afternoons off. Yeap OAM to the Asia Institute, is shrinking by about 35,000 square “Workers wanted entertainment and supporting research into the role kilometres a year. to let off steam when they clocked off of Asian-Australians in the Asian These dramatic changes are on Saturday afternoon. A trip to the Century. of concern, as the polar regions footy was the ideal outlet,” says Ward. The Campaign figure also includes influence global climate patterns. donations generated through the “It seems counter-intuitive, but University’s Annual Appeal, which the growth in the Antarctic sea ice is broke its record this year, passing the consistent with global warming and $1 million mark in only five months. the effects of increased atmospheric The $300 million milestone was carbon dioxide,’’ Simmonds says. celebrated with the production of “There is strong evidence to a video featuring just some of the indicate changes in the concentration students, researchers and projects that of greenhouse gases in the are benefiting from the funds raised. atmosphere are leading to region- specific changes in climate. To view the video and learn “The greenhouse effect is more about the Campaign strengthening the westerlies over the visit campaign.unimelb.edu.au Southern Ocean and this could be causing the increase in the Antarctic WINNER sea ice zone. Ultimately ocean Congratulations to Nicholas Manning warming will counteract this but it (BA, BCom 2011) who won a $250 book may be a number of years before that voucher after opting to receive 3010 by takes place.” email in future. If you would like to have the magazine delivered to your inbox, This study is published in the sign up for the digital version at Annals of Glaciology. unimelb.edu.au/3010 6 BIG IDEAS

Deep in thought PICTURE: DARREN HOWE BIG IDEAS 7 unimelb.edu.au/3010

Its mission is to help shape Australia’s big policy debates — and so far the Grattan Institute seems to have hit the mark. Gay Alcorn goes inside the think tank.

hey are into bold ideas and WHO’S WHO with limited practical relevance. It conducts rigorous big thinking but today the AT GRATTAN research, proposes solutions, and argues for them in the policy specialists at the OPPOSITE, FROM LEFT media, at private briefings, at public events and before T Grattan Institute are taking a parliamentary committees. It wants to change things. moment to savour a small success in their AUSTRALIAN For inspiration, three of its rooms are named for quest to influence the nation’s agenda. PERSPECTIVES people devoted to evidence as the driver of reform and One of the think tank’s reports on Professor John Daley, change – nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, Nobel superannuation has just created a splash Chief Executive Officer, Prize-winning physician Barry Marshall and Australia’s with its details on how excessive fees – has 25 years’ experience first Solicitor-General, Robert Garran. in the public, private and $20 billion a year in total – are hurting university sectors. Minifie, an economist who joined the institute two the retirement incomes of Australians. years ago, worked intensely with two other researchers The report has generated headlines, HIGHER EDUCATION for four months to complete the Super sting report. soundbites, commentary and more Andrew Norton was an There’s no formal academic peer review system, but the than a little disquiet in some quarters. adviser to the University’s work is tested before release – in this case, academics Vice-Chancellor and a “Lots of outrage,” as one of the institute’s research fellow at the reviewed it here and overseas, the OECD reviewed the researchers puts it, “which is what we Centre for Independent content, and it was sent to experts so they could “tell us want.” Studies. what we’ve got to fix”. At the weekly meeting of the The goal, Minifie says, is to change policy. “In so PRODUCTIVITY institute’s program directors – the doing you’ve got to think about the steps… some Dr Jim Minifie is a key people driving the research – this graduate in applied combination of the public, the political class if you like, feedback is well received, particularly the economics from Stanford and the senior public service need to be sufficiently part about vested interests being upset. University. Chief economist aligned that the policy would then have a chance of But the job is far from complete, of the Boston Consulting being picked up.” Professor John Daley, the Chief Executive, Group for seven years. Grattan is politically agnostic, unlike many well- tells his colleagues. “Step one,” he says, “is HEALTH known think tanks in Australia such as the libertarian to win the people who really think about Dr Stephen Duckett has Institute of Public Affairs, the right-wing Centre for this stuff deeply. Step two is to win the held senior positions in Independent Studies or the left-leaning Centre for public. That’s where this will have to go health care in Australia Policy Development. It’s evidence-based. This in an next, so congratulations everyone.” and Canada. Headed era – often labelled post-truth or post-evidence – of Then the meeting turns to possible the Commonwealth rancorous politics where common ground is viewed as follow-ups – hosting dinners with Department of Health. a sign of weakness. backbenchers from all sides in Canberra, ENERGY Daley is a sharp and energetic 47-year-old whose as well as private and public talks Tony Wood worked at degrees in science and law from the University of and briefings to push the case for Origin Energy for 11 years, Melbourne were followed by a DPhil from Oxford. He superannuation reform. and was an adviser to has spent years working in both the public and private the first Garnaut climate Dr Jim Minifie (BA(Hons) 1988, change review. sectors. The Grattan job appealed because it was “a bit MCom(Eco) 1992), the program director public sector, a bit private sector and a bit academic” of the Productivity Growth section which CITIES and because a think tank has the freedom to look at produced the report, says the research Jane-Frances Kelly anything it thinks is important, which is not always always comes first, but there is no point (below) spent three possible in the public service. years in the British Prime doing it if it gathers dust in a drawer. Minister’s Strategy Unit. He says policy debate in Australia is less hopelessly The Grattan Institute, tucked off a She has also worked for partisan than people might think. laneway in Carlton, is young by think the Queensland, Victorian “We’ve had a highly partisan public debate about tank standards – it was set up in 2008 and Commonwealth climate change, but when it comes to what else divides – and well-resourced, with an initial governments. our politicians, the answer is, by and large, it’s relatively endowment of $15 million from both the thin,” he says. Victorian and Federal governments, $4 “The real differences between Australian political million from BHP and support in kind parties are not that big, particularly when you compare from the University of Melbourne. Its us to the United States where the divide on policy is yearly budget is about $4.5 million. enormous. In Australia, there are huge chunks of policy Its “fundamental purpose”, says on which the parties basically agree.”

Daley (BSc 1987, LLB(Hons) 1989), is Good policy just takes time. “If you look back 3010 to influence public policy. It has little interest in researching worthy ideas CONTINUED PAGE 8 8 BIG IDEAS 1 2

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FROM PAGE 7 The Grattan Institute is being noticed. education debate beyond the constant Daley points out that both the majority demands for more money. at the history of reform in Australia, and dissenting reports of the recent Senate There’s also Grattan’s work on childcare if a government does one really big inquiry into the Government’s pre-budget showing that reducing its cost is much thing every year it has comprehensively Commission of Audit quoted its work, more important than paid parental leave outperformed. If it does one thing every something that pleased him enormously. when it comes to increasing workplace three years, it’s probably batting about Grattan is regularly cited in the participation – now a widely accepted average… I would say that the best mainstream media as a credible source of proposition. evidence wins a lot of the time.’’ factual information on contested topics, Andrew Norton, program director The Grattan Institute may be politically and it has played a part in shifting the of Higher Education, points out that unaligned, but it’s not value-free. Its ethos parameters of some debates. across politics there was scepticism about is to contribute to policy in Australia Two years ago, Grattan proposed the demand-driven system in higher “as a liberal democracy in a globalised increasing to 70 the age for accessing the education, in place since 2012, which enonomy”. It chooses its subjects in seven aged pension and superannuation. uncapped undergraduate student places. areas – Cities, Energy, Health, School Norton’s 2013 report, Keep the caps Education, Higher Education, Australian ‘It’s intellectually interesting, off!, argued that overall the system Perspectives and Productivity Growth – was working well to lift the supply of and focuses on big, achievable things that it’s engaging, it matters for graduates, improve choice and increase aren’t being tackled elsewhere. accessibility to disadvantaged students. Daley is conscious that only one of its the future of the country.’ That position is now widely accepted. program directors – Jane-Frances Kelly, And Dr Stephen Duckett, a former JOHN DALEY head of Cities – is female. “If you look at health department secretary and now in the senior levels of policy makers across charge of Health at the institute, has put Australia they are very (male) skewed, “At the time everybody said we were the high cost of Australia’s Pharmaceutical and that is ultimately the kind of pool we crazy, and today, it’s official government Benefits Scheme in clear focus. His report, are drawing out of. If I had more female policy to move the pension age to 70 and Australia’s bad drug deal, revealed we were program directors I would be happier.” the Treasurer (Joe Hockey) has said that paying at least $1.3 billion a year too much For the work itself, it is an “article of he and the PM are thinking of moving the for prescription drugs compared with faith that we are driven by the evidence superannuation age as well, so in two years countries such as New Zealand. and we talk to all sides of politics and we official policy has moved a very long way,” Drug companies were not happy, are not aligned”. he says. but Duckett and other Grattan program “We also deliberately pick off topics Then there’s the work of Dr Ben Jensen directors are unafraid of entering political precisely because we think they’re (BCom(Hons) 1996, PhD 2003), until debate. Duckett points out that the amenable to the type of analysis that we recently the program director of School evidence is Australia’s health system is do, and if the answer to the question is Education, on the consistent steps needed efficient by international standards and ultimately going to be driven by pure to turn disadvantaged schools around. His he has strongly criticised the May Federal political philosophy then that’s a bad 2012 report, Catching up, looked at the Budget, which “took a wrecking ball to place for us to go. For example, we don’t best-performing education systems in East trust in Commonwealth-state relations”. do any work on medical ethics, because Asia, and what Australia could learn from The idea for a well-resourced, heavy- no amount of crunching the numbers them. hitting domestic policy think tank came is going to convince you that stem cell His work has been taken up in state from Terry Moran AC about 2005, when experimentation is or is not a good idea.” bureaucracies, and has shifted the he was Secretary of the Department of BIG IDEAS 9 unimelb.edu.au/3010 4

Premier and Cabinet in Victoria (he was GRATTAN SAYS later the Secretary of the Department of FINDINGS FROM the Prime Minister and Cabinet under RECENT REPORTS the Rudd Government). The broader story is a case study in how 1 SUPER STING these things get up – a coming together of Australians are paying wounded state pride, personal connections up to three times and a few people who kept pushing. more than they should for superannuation. Moran gives credit to then-Premier Steve Excessively high fees are Bracks AC for embracing big ideas, to seriously damaging their Greg Hywood and Chris Barrett (BCom retirement balances and 1990, BA(Hons) 1991, MA(IntRel) 1999) hurting taxpayers, who Kemp (BA(Hons) 1965, LLB 1966) in the Howard – then working within the Department pay more for pensions Government, spent more than a decade in government when superannuation of Premier and Cabinet – Treasurer Peter runs short. and says the public service has been “cut to the core” Costello AC for agreeing in principle to April 2014 through successive efficiency dividends and is nervous federal matching funds, and Professor about big-picture policy work in case it causes political Glyn Davis AC, the Vice-Chancellor of 2 ECONOMIC REFORM controversy. the University of Melbourne. If Australian governments “I know when I worked in government we stopped The idea stalled for a year when want to increase rates of the public service doing things because of the danger economic growth they the Victorian Government and the must reform the tax of it being revealed publicly before it was ready to be. University of Melbourne bid for the US mix, and increase the That has a negative influence on public policy debate,” Studies Centre, which eventually went workforce participation he says. to the University of Sydney with the rates of women and older There has been rigorous discussion over the years support of Prime Minister John Howard. people. Together these about how many areas Grattan should focus on – game-changing reforms Bracks says “we were really angry” about could contribute more take on more or do a few topics in depth. that, and determined to push ahead with than $70 billion to the Moran says of the Grattan Institute that “for a while a major think tank for Victoria. The Australian economy. I felt they were just there to put out papers and weren’t University was also disappointed and June 2012 worried about having any impact, but that debate has refocused on supporting what would 3 EDUCATION been won from my point of view”. become the Grattan Institute. Bracks says the Grattan Institute is “now seen as the Some of Australia’s most Moran is blunt about the gap the troubled schools are pre-eminent domestic policy institute in Australia, and institute was intended to fill. turning around their there’s a bit of competition in that space. It’s addressing “Firstly, universities are doing a performance to achieve issues that no one else is really doing.” terrible job of turning the fruit of their remarkable results and Daley is confident it is having an impact. research into papers and positions serve as a model for “I don’t think I can prove that Grattan was a primary low-performing schools that will contribute to public policy,” across the country. The driver of any (policy shifts). Success always has lots he says. Second, most policy is multi- schools examined all of parents…What we can say is that some important disciplinary, which can be hard to pull succeeded by following recent changes are at least consistent with the direction off at a university. And the third reason the same five steps. we were pushing, and at the time we were in a relative was that it “was obvious then that media February 2014 minority pushing for them and today they have more or was heading for trouble and it was an 4 BAD DRUG DEAL less happened.’’ opportunity for public policy work to be Australia’s Pharmaceutical There’s a sense of intensity about the work at picked up when the media was less and Benefits Scheme pays at Grattan. It’s serious work but great fun, says Daley. less able to afford the resources to go and least $1.3 billion a year “It’s intellectually interesting, it’s engaging, it matters too much for prescription research things”. for the future of the country, you get to work with a 3010 Norton, a former adviser to drugs. March 2013 good number of people who are similarly motivated.

Federal Education Minister Dr David What’s not to like?” 10 COVER STORY A funny thing happened . . .

MAIN PICTURE: CRAIG SILLITOE COVER STORY 11 A funny thing happened . . . unimelb.edu.au/3010

Can Ronny Chieng and Chieng is now parlaying that success into and Tom Gleisner (BA 1983, LLB 1986), appearances on television shows such as who first worked together on University a new generation of Dirty Laundry Live, The Agony of Modern Law Revues in 1982 and 1983 when they Manners, It’s a Date and Have You Been produced the hugely successful Legal comedians rekindle Paying Attention? Aids: No-One is Immune. This brilliant career began on the Comic and radio host Libbi Gorr a University tradition University campus, where Chieng won a (the former Elle McFeast; BA 1986, LLB that began with Barry comedy competition and produced the 1987) auditioned for the 1984 revue famous Law Revue. Screw Loose and felt intimidated by Humphries? His path also suggests a possible the “private school ponytails and the revival of the great tradition of previous handsome private school boys” until she BY LIZ PORTER decades of student revues as a nursery for met “a chubby girl in a big fluffy jumper” major stage and TV comedians. – Magda Szubanski. omedian Ronny Chieng For Melbourne this tradition began on By 1993 Sitch, Cilauro, Gleisner and is on stage at the 2014 September 8, 1953, when the University’s Jane Kennedy had formed Working Dog, Melbourne International Dada Surrealist Art Group produced the company behind TV series such as C Comedy Festival’s late festival the lunch-hour revue Call Me Madman, Frontline and movies such as The Castle club, riffing on internet piracy. “The starring an extrovert arts student. Barry and The Dish. This year they shifted their US film industry says piracy is costing Humphries AO CBE (LLD 2003) later attention to the stage, launching their it $20 billion a year,” he says. “Can you appeared in a 1955 Union Theatre play The Speechmaker at the Melbourne believe that?” Repertory Company revue, for which he Theatre Company. He pauses a beat. “Don’t they know created a talkative housewife character Another significant figure was Steve they can download that stuff for free?” named Edna Everage. Vizard (LLB 1980), who made his debut Then he recounts a row with his Later stars of University revues in the 1976 Archi Revue, wrote for the girlfriend about sexist US rapper Kanye loomed large in the Australian comedy 1977 Law Revue and performed in the West. scene – both live and on TV – from first Melbourne Comedy Festival in 1987. “OK, let’s have this conversation,” the early ’80s. Hit TV comedy shows He went on to create the comedy shows he tells her. “I went to an elite law school. such as Australia You’re Standing In It Fast Forward and Full Frontal, host his I do not lose verbal arguments. OK? (1983-84) were performed and written own nightly comedy talk show and set up I will debate this until I win – or one of by comedians Rod Quantock, Mary the TV production house Artist Services. us dies.” Kenneally (BA(Hons), LLB 1972, This rich association between the While Chieng’s law degree from the St Mary’s College), Steve Blackburn University and comedy has looked under University of Melbourne is a rich source and Alan Pentland (BArch 1978), threat in recent times, with most students of material for his on-stage persona, all from the School of Architecture’s so busy with part-time work they have his University background has further famous Archi Revue. Kenneally is now little energy to indulge in such extra- significance. working on a research project for the curricular campus activities. Born in Malaysia and educated in University’s Centre for Cultural Materials One bright spot has been the career the US and Singapore, Chieng is one Conservation that will document of former Melbourne psychology of the brightest young comics in the both the seminal role of Archi Revue student Lawrence Leung (BA, BSc 2001), country, a stand-up who has garnered performers and the role of women in the assistant director of the 1997 uni arts rave reviews at comedy festivals from history of Australian comedy. review The Phantom Grimace – where he Melbourne to Montreal and Edinburgh, The cult TV comedy The worked with fellow students Courteney the UK comedy site Chortle praising his D-Generation (1986-87) starred a crop Hocking (a comedian and writer) and “comic skills, academic brilliance and of comics, including Rob Sitch (MB BS all-round credentials to make you laugh”. 1987), Santo Cilauro (BA 1983, LLB 1986) CONTINUED PAGE 12

From left: Barry Humphries; Tom Gleisner; Santo Cilauro; Rob Sitch; Magda Szubanski; Steve Blackburn; Steve Vizard;

Mary Kenneally; 3010 Lawrence Leung.

12 COVER STORY

FROM PAGE 11 of a more leisurely university life. “With as making and painting scenery, the others no HECS debt hovering over our heads in on-stage roles. The last one he saw, Kate McCartney (a comedian and actor). you could afford to fail a subject or two in sometime in the ’90s, had only four to six And now there’s Chieng, who arrived pursuit of comedy,” he says. University in people on stage. at the University of Melbourne knowing his day, he recalls, was the perfect Quantock also sees a link between the nothing of its extraordinary comic breeding ground for comedy – “generally creativity of his era and the fact that his tradition, or its apparent decline. intelligent people with far too much time peers were the first generation of students Yet this history touched him in 2009 on their hands”. with working-class parents to arrive at when, in his final year of law, he took on “In the early years no one seriously university. “There were all these people the job of producing the Law Revue and thought for a second that this would who – a generation earlier – would never found himself with a $2000 donation from become a career…We weren’t auditioning have got into uni or thought about it,” he Working Dog to spend on props. “They for a future job, we were just having fun.” says. “They chose architecture because it weren’t asking for sponsorship,” he says. Rod Quantock observes that student was the only creative subject.” “They just did it and it was a huge deal revues of his era were staged in a time The University’s proximity to Carlton’s for us – it went a long way.” of full employment, with no separate Pram Factory theatre (which opened in With Chieng now one of Australia’s university semesters, no continuous 1970) and John Pinder’s new comedy busiest comics, it’s hard to imagine him assessment and courses that “you could theatre restaurant, The Flying Trapeze as the hesitant law student who regularly pass with three or four weeks’ work at the Café (founded in 1974), was also crucial. signed up for auditions and then backed end of the year”. These offered venues for the former archi out – once even making it as far as the He recalls an Archi Revue with 120 students, who had by then become the waiting room before slinking away. students involved, half doing such work Razzle Dazzle Revue troupe and were so In 2009 (the year he graduated with eager to perform that they opened their a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of THE QUANTOCK EFFECT own venues – The Banana Lounge, Le Joke Commerce), he put his name down as and The Comedy Cafe. Over the past decade climate change an entrant for the Campus Comedy “It was as much about Carlton as it was and sustainability have been major competition for the third year in a row. about the University,” recalls Quantock. themes in Rod Quantock’s one-man This time he went through with it – “It was a symbiotic thing but the seeds were shows. His work schedule is also full and won. He still has the tape – “pretty definitely sown in that very concentrated of keynote addresses at universities rough stuff, not for polite company; a bit area of the University and Carlton.” and conferences. In recognition of this, about race, a bit about being mugged, he has been appointed an associate The legacy of this work, he says, was a and dating” – and plans to put it on his of the Melbourne Sustainable Society “career path” for the University revue stars upcoming DVD. Institute – a body that facilitates of the 1980s. “By then you could see that The win gave him the confidence to research into sustainability and comedy had a future. That wasn’t the case tackle gigs off-campus. Unable to find acknowledges the contribution of the when we left uni.” a job as a lawyer, he devoted himself social sciences and the humanities in By the time Libbi Gorr was in the to comedy and was runner-up in the addressing sustainability issues. last years of her law course, and part of 2010 Melbourne International Comedy The institute is hosted by the Faculty the all‑girl musical comedy act The Hot Festival’s national RAW Comedy of Architecture, Building and Planning. Bagels, the working path for student competition, staged at the Melbourne This new role brings the comedian performers was leading straight into the Town Hall. back to where he started his University vibrant Melbourne pub scene of the 1980s. Winning the 2012 festival’s Best studies more than 40 years ago. “Our venue was the Prince Patrick Hotel Newcomer Award was his big break. He – and this coincided with the beginning of also appeared that year at the Montreal the Melbourne Comedy Festival,” she says. Festival, but then went part-time as a “I was initiated into the comedy scene comic to complete his articles with a through the University. But I was slam- Melbourne law firm. dunked into it through The Hot Bagels, Chieng believes his legal training has which took me from university into the contributed to his skills as a stand-up. pubs.” “It helps with the way you can argue your The “Melbourne University factor” was point of view,” he says. vital in getting her comedy career started, But he’s yet to decide whether his law she recalls. “It was because of the contacts degree will ever be a job ticket. “The law – and the pedigree and because of the isn’t ruled out,” he says. “I’m still an officer confidence. You were begat of a good tribe.” of the Supreme Court of Victoria.” Gorr notes that, while the traditional He is also very aware of the differences role of university revues has faded, there between his campus life and that are now many other established and experienced by his comic predecessors. alternative paths into comedy. In contrast to the ’80s, for example, the “There is a definite career path: festivals Law Revue he produced was full of arts (local and international). Grab yourself a students. And if law students had no breakfast radio gig. Get yourself a bit of TV. time in 2009, he suggests, they’d have less “Stand-ups have business cards and now that their degree is a postgraduate managers – and career plans. qualification. “Someone like Ronny Chieng is much Working Dog’s Tom Gleisner sees the more polished and sure of where he’s going great comic troupes produced by the ’70s and what he’s doing than any of the stand- and ’80s revues as a direct consequence Just fooling: Rod Quantock and Libbi Gorr. ups I remember in my time.” BOAT RACE 13 unimelb.edu.au/3010 Rivals vie for rowing glory One student is determined to be on Sydney Harbour to experience a fierce contest.

BY IAIN GILLESPIE whitewater canoeing championships. “But we got a half boat length ahead, Cooper eventually left the rapids and won.” cience student Hedda Cooper to concentrate on rowing at high Apart from arduous training – which has already led an Australian school. Her prowess blossomed at the included three-hour non-stop speed team to victory in the University’s rowing club. In a remarkably rowing sessions as part of her world S world’s top junior rowing short time, she has graduated from state, championship preparations – there competition. Now one of her dreams is to national, to international levels. are lots of tactics to learn. Even minor to help her university win a legendary Last year she represented Australia psychological warfare can be involved. rowing event much closer to home. in the Junior World Championships in “In Lithuania, the German team The University of were playing all sorts of Melbourne will face its rhythms on their legs to traditional rowing rival, try to distract us. Even the University of Sydney, in people’s attitudes walking the annual Australian Boat around the boat parks; Race on Sydney Harbour on there’s a million factors October 26 – and hoping for come into it and they’re crew selection is no minor certainly not only physical,” ambition. Cooper says. The universities alternate “It’s such a consuming the race each year between sport, and you can end the harbour and the Yarra up just being friends with River. They have the two most rowers. That’s something successful rowing clubs in I’ve realised quite recently, Australia, both more than so I’m very conscious of 150 years old, and between making sure I still maintain them contributed 18 athletes other relationships. to the country’s 2012 Olympic “I think the biggest thing rowing team. I’ve achieved is learning a “I was stunned to get lot about myself. I’ve gained into the boat race crew last a lot of knowledge from year, which was stacked rowing about how to react with previous and future and how to communicate Olympians along with a few with other people. Often of us young ones,” Cooper when people are driving me says. “It was awesome to be in crazy, I remember that if I that, and I learned so much was rowing I’d either leave from others in the crew.” it, or confront the issue right On a typical day, 19-year- away and get it sorted.” old Cooper rises at 5am, Cooper can feel the cycles to the University’s Australian Boat Race boathouse for a few hours’ beckoning as she trains tough training on the Yarra, for next year’s world and then sprints up Swanston championships. Given that Street for her University Melbourne beat Sydney on classes before another rowing the Yarra last year, there will be a fierce battle on Sydney’s session or gym workout in PHOTO: CHRIS HOPKINS the evening. home water in October. In between, she somehow sets aside Lithuania as a member of the women’s “This year it’s going to be even more the necessary private study time for coxless four, and led the crew on the competitive to be selected,” Cooper says. her Bachelor of Science degree and works water as the rower who makes the calls “But I think I’m at the level to get in, and as a coach for both the cross-country from the bow seat. Her race in the B final I’m definitely hoping.” skiing and rowing teams at her old was unforgettable. school, MLC. “We were neck to neck with Canada Don’t miss all the excitement of the A clearer picture of this talented with 400 metres to go,” Cooper says. Australian Boat Race 2014 to be held on and determined sportswoman emerges “I was the one doing the calls, and I knew Sydney Harbour on Sunday, October 26. Alumni can cheer from the shore or indulge when you visualise her battling rapids if we started the wind early (winds are 3010 during her primary school years and when a crew rows as fast as possible) in a spectator package. More details can be dreaming of competing in international we’d just die and they’d pass us. found at: go.unimelb.edu.au/7ivn 14 theessay

PROFESSOR ROB ADAMS AM PROFESSORIAL FELLOW, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE Wanted: choreographers to shape our urban destiny

Cities contribute 70 per cent in contrast to the urban riches of more traditional town and cities. At around the same time as this eye-opening experience, I read of global greenhouse gases Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock, which made me acutely aware of the and will be home to 70 per pressures of unconstrained population growth, and our failure to combat or accommodate it. It was nearly a decade later when cent of the world’s population I was working in squatter settlements in Harare, Zimbabwe, that by 2050. And in Australia, I first recognised that as families migrated to urban areas, and 80 per cent of all economic opportunities for employment and betterment increased, family size tended to reduce. In short, our developed cities have shown us that activity takes place in our urbanisation can be a very effective contraceptive. major urban centres. So why The final experience that was critical to my early thinking around cities was my return to the University of Cape Town and the (then) is it that the world’s cities are so often overlooked recently formed Campus Planning Unit in 1970. This was a time in discussions about our future? when large numbers of baby boomers were enrolling in tertiary education and most universities around t was this question I had in mind when the world were in expansionist mode. I attended my first World Economic However, Cape Town University’s I Forum in November 2009 as a member ability to grow was constrained by its of what was to become the Council on location on the side of Table Mountain Urbanization. My aim was to articulate an and the surrounding national parks. argument for cities to be included on the The university’s challenge was how to agenda by world leaders at Davos. get more out of a constrained site while So imagine my surprise as I sat in respecting the medium-rise design the plenary session after three days of framework put in place by British deliberation and realised that cities had architect Sir Herbert Baker. once again been unsuccessful in getting This challenge, and the realisation onto the agenda. Were they not seen as that many of their facilities were under- a central part of the debate about our utilised (lecture theatres were used for future? only 17 per cent of the day), led them to a This issue has rattled through my program of re-timetabling and gap filling head in one form or another for the past rather than expanding their “footprint”. 45 years. This approach allowed the university to Indeed, my thinking around the nature triple its student population over the next and future of our cities began to crystallise four decades while saving hundreds of after three highly formative experiences in millions of rand by getting more out of its the late 1960s and early 1970s. existing infrastructure. Another effect of The first of these experiences happened this greater concentration of students was in Europe during a period of travel study, I quickly recognised the failings a vibrant campus that was active for most as part of my architecture degree, in 1969. of the day. After visiting cities in Scandinavia and of our modernist cities as I thought that if this approach worked Italy I quickly recognised the failings of for a university then why not for a city? our modernist cities as places for people. places for people. These three experiences helped Whether it was the satellite towns outside formulate my thinking around the Stockholm, the housing at Albertslund central role cities would need to play in Copenhagen or the new towns of the in mitigating many of the global issues UK, the preoccupation with minimalist architecture and single-use facing us as we enter the 21st century. programs had placed the emphasis on separation and single objects I realised that communities seemed to attain a better balance above the overall quality of the public realm and produced soulless when they came together in dense, mixed-use situations that had living environments. good connectivity (where people can meet most of their daily Equally, their suburban cousins – products of the Garden City requirements on foot or public transport), and a high-quality public Movement that was built on the promise you could live in the realm designed for local conditions. In addition, it appeared that country (suburb) and work in the city (CBD) – were starting to fail these compact places provided greater choice, resulting in less need as they were increasingly spread thinly over vast areas, fast becoming or desire for the large families that typify many rural areas. the producers of traffic congestion and social isolation. All of this was And the lesson from Cape Town was that if you could achieve Cities and their future 15

PROFESSOR ROB ADAMS AM PROFESSORIAL FELLOW, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE Wanted: choreographers to shape our urban destiny

greater efficiency out of existing assets or infrastructure, you were University of Cape Town illustrated that trying to build their way out likely to reduce the costs of accommodating an expanding population of a problem might not be the best strategy, so universities today can while creating greater vibrancy. lead the way in developing the urban choreographers needed to help The opportunity to test these propositions was to come some shape our increasingly compact cities. years later in central Melbourne. The achievement of the City of The introduction of the “Melbourne model” at the University of Melbourne’s 1985 Strategy Plan’s objective of increasing density Melbourne is a significant step forward in achieving this goal. through the addition of residential apartments in a high-quality The Melbourne model provides a generalist base for students public realm with improved connectivity has seen a once-dying before they begin to specialise in a field. Like the study of medicine city centre transformed in just 30 years into one of the top urban – where doctors are trained to understand the full complexities of environments in the world. All of this as the tax burden on ratepayers the human body before moving on to specialise in one of its many dropped from 13 cents in the dollar in 1996 to 4.5 by 2013. component parts – so too should our built environment professionals Since the 1980s this process has been replicated in several be trained in the many complexities of our cities before specialising cities around the world. There is now no real mystery about the in one field. ingredients needed to make a good city. What is lacking, though, is It is an approach that will provide students with perspective and an acknowledgement at the highest levels an appreciation of the bigger picture. that the world’s cities are key players in In 2006, I witnessed first-hand a discussions about the critical issues we profound loss of perspective when the face in the 21st century. highly acclaimed urban design unit set up at Copenhagen University by Danish o why are our cities not appropriately architect and urban designer Jan Gehl recognised on the national and was closed. There appeared to be no good S international stage, despite the fact reason for the closure other than the that they have been increasingly successful siloed envy of the traditional disciplines in addressing key issues such as climate of architecture, landscape architecture and change, social cohesion, poverty and planning. They apparently felt threatened economic vitality? by the success of this new discipline. I think the answer lies in the very If we are to produce the urban format of our governments, institutions choreographers of the future, the and international meetings such as the context of urban design – the city – will World Economic Forum. need to form the platform for our built The forum is structured around 50 environment professionals. It can no separate “council” discussions, each longer remain a sideshow. Just as leading preparing its own pitch and each vying cities continue to work for greater for attention. What this format lacks is cohesion and innovation in the delivery a broader context, a structure within of city and global solutions, so too should which the priorities and actions of each universities continue to break out of discussion can be framed. The realisation traditional professional silos and produce for me was that cities – with their physical I now have little doubt that graduates capable of urban choreography. reality – were, in fact, the contextual Forty-five years after stepping into framework that could give meaning to cities will be key players on this debate I now have little doubt that these many debates. cities will be key players on the 21st- Indeed, maybe the reason cities were the 21st-century stage. century stage. Their ability to grapple starting to succeed was because their successfully with the looming challenges leaders could choreograph a “whole of city” of economic vitality, social cohesion approach, where all those separate issues and environmental sustainability will be were seen in a physical context. The reality is that city mayors stand or determined by whether our governments, institutions and decision- fall by their ability to co-ordinate these different issues, often achieved makers have the courage and leadership to step out of their comfort through advocacy rather than direct control. This contrasts with the zones – out of their narrow 20th-century silos – and onto the big narrower approach of federal or state-level ministers who necessarily stage. Our future depends on it. focus on their portfolios (e.g. transport, health, land use, education). Will this be signalled in 2015 when our leaders return to Davos? There is undoubtedly an urgent need for enlightened Will cities and their future role be on the agenda? choreography to oversee the development of our cities, and universities are arguably well positioned to facilitate this cultural shift Professor Rob Adams AM is Director of City Design away from the traditional siloed approach of government. Just as the at the City of Melbourne.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JUDY GREEN 16 PROFILE

BY LUKE SLATTERY feet. She heads off to slip into something employs more than 140 people, purring (BA(HONS) 1983) less comfortable and returns atop high along. A mere 10 staff are employed on the heels. Around the oval wooden table business side, though as Exel’s core skill is o reach the headquarters of the of a meeting room whose bookshelves international finance she does much of the ISIS Group you venture down are lined with guides to far-flung places lifting herself. Her financial expertise is a narrow alley in the inner and biographies of moral heroes such as put to use advising banks on, as she puts it, T Sydney suburb of Rozelle and Nelson Mandela, she explains the yin and “buying and selling each other and how to vault up a flight of steps. “ISIS: Uganda, yang principles that form the ISIS Group. invest hundreds of millions of dollars”. Nepal, United Kingdom, USA, Bermuda, The company has a business face, ISIS By her reckoning about 30,000 people Australia’’ reads the sign at the door. (Asia Pacific), and a philanthropic face, are benefiting from the Foundation’s What could possibly unite such disparate ISIS Foundation, and both are united in assistance. “We don’t fund grants, we do destinations? Audette Exel is the simple common purpose: to help support the our own work in teams on the ground,” answer. poor in remote regions of the developing she says. “And we are known the world I’m a little early for our chat and world. Exel is Chief Executive of the over for our remote work. Our most catch the University of Melbourne- former, Chair of the latter. Her stated aim remote service was 25 days’ walk from trained international finance lawyer is to “have the world of business hold the road when we began working there padding around the office of the unique hands with the world of development,” and 16 years ago.” business-for-purpose venture she started in this she has been strikingly successful. in 1998 – a global commercial business She needs to earn more than $100,000 that feeds a philanthropic organisation a month, she says, to keep the motor of focused on Nepal and Uganda – in bare the charity, which directly and indirectly A gift for giving PROFILE 17 unimelb.edu.au/3010

Most of this work targets the doubtless an often-asked question: that if you save a life you save a world. health and education of women and “If I had all the hours in the day and all I profoundly believe that and my motto young children, including early school the money in the world there’s so much is: just do something.” education and the fight against child need on the planet that I don’t know The backstory of this Kiwi-born trafficking. The virtuous circle linking where to start.” and philanthropically oriented global both the finance and humanitarian facets She agrees that Indigenous finance whizz is every bit as interesting of ISIS puts a smiling public face on the communities are in need of support, as her day-to-day work. As she tells it, banking sector, a rarity this side of the as are refugees. “I think refugees are her first three years of university, in New global financial crisis, and it produces heroes. But what I say about giving Zealand, came to an abrupt end when some nice ironies. is that everyone should follow his or she was injured in a skydiving accident in Exel closed a deal last December her passion. It doesn’t matter if it’s Australia. Unable to return for treatment that earned $2 million in advisor’s fees environment activism or work for because of the New Zealand accident for ISIS. “People in Uganda and Nepal, children in poverty. For me the most compensation system, she applied to all over the world, were celebrating a vulnerable people in the world, the US private equity fund,” she recalls. people who get me up every day, are CONTINUED PAGE 18 “I suppose that’s unheard of.” women and children in extreme poverty, Asked why her efforts are focused in remote places. There’s a Jewish saying on isolated communities abroad when there are so many remote Aboriginal communities closer to home in distress, she has a ready answer to what is A gift for giving

Audette Exel has deployed her skill in global finance to help the poor in the world’s remotest areas.

The people business: Audette Exel in 3010 Kathmandu with two of the children

her ISIS Foundation has rescued.

PICTURE: JONATHAN TORGOVNIK/torgovnik.com 18 PROFILE

FROM PAGE 17 frustration with recent policy changes. “If I had had to face the kind of fees that are being talked about I would finish her law degree at the University of never have studied law,” she says. “There’s just no way. Melbourne and was successful. At that My father was a journalist and my mother a fantastic moment everything changed. secretary; people rich in values though not in material She had come from what she describes wealth. I would have baulked at the concept that you as a “socially active left-wing” milieu at walk out of university indebted for 10 years. I just never the Victoria University of Wellington, would have done it. If this goes ahead I wonder how many and found herself sitting at the campus (students) we will miss out on.” cafeteria, or drinking at Jimmy Watson’s, There is probably no better person to comment on talking to fellow undergraduates about the the elevating power of education than someone who has mountains of money awaiting a successful dedicated her working life to the alleviation of poverty. Queen’s Counsel. “I’ve been working in the development sector for 16 “It was the first time I’d really met such years, and the private sector for longer, and I can vouch people,” she recalls. “I was even amazed for the astonishing success of people who come out of to see students driving their own cars to poverty. I would put them up against the best Wall Street university. And I realised I had a huge hole entrepreneurs that I’ve come across. To lose out on that in my knowledge base. I believed strongly AUDETTE pool of people being able to find their track and find a in social justice and human rights and EXEL AO voice in society – it would be a terrible loss. But I have to I saw that if I wanted to effect change I believe this too will pass.” needed to be able to reach across to people n Audette Exel, 51, At a brainstorming session to harvest ideas for the of wealth, power and influence. I needed is a founder of the next 30 years at ISIS the group’s founder was sideswiped to study the world of money and work ISIS Group and Chief by a sense of time’s passage. “I’ll be 81 years of age by for the most business-friendly law firm I Executive Officer of its then,” she says. Always the creative strategist, she is could find.” Australian company, conceptualising new ways for ISIS to approach the She fell in with a circle of like-minded ISIS (Asia Pacific). business side of its operations; to provide the fuel that “humanist focused” law students such She is also co-founder keeps the philanthropic motor going. But there is a snag. as Richard West (LLB(Hons) 1982), Gail and Chair of the ISIS “Of all the things that have kept me awake these past 16 Furness SC (LLB(Hons) 1984, LLM 1990) Foundation. years, the one thing I haven’t worried about is that a new and Richard McGarvie QC (LLB(Hons) Islamic militant group will use our name and become the 1985), who have cut more conventional n She was awarded first news story around the world. Of all the issues we’ve paths through the law. Audette Exel opted an Order of Australia had to face – I never expected we’d have a branding issue!” for a much more tangential direction, last year for her which took her in stages to Bermuda, work with women ‘We’ve survived Ebola outbreaks, where she ran a bank. and children living But first she needed to find that in extreme poverty Maoist terrorists, the world economic business-friendly law firm and had the in Nepal and Uganda. “incredible good fortune” to be accepted crisis. But we’ve never given up. by the commercially and globally n Before establishing oriented firm of Allens. “If I hadn’t gone ISIS, she was Managing We never have. We never will.’ to Melbourne University I wouldn’t have Director of Bermuda AUDETTE EXEL got into Allens, and if I hadn’t worked at Commercial Bank Allens I wouldn’t be where I am,” she says. (1993–96), Chairman Recently the group advertised for a staffer in Uganda When we meet she is preparing for a of the Bermuda Stock and realised just in time that it called for applications circuit of work engagements in Singapore, Exchange (1995–96) to work for ISIS without distinguishing itself from that London and Manhattan. “I so love New and was on the board of militant group. “It could so easily be misunderstood,” she York,” she says. “They really know how to the Bermuda Monetary says. “We could so easily have ended up on some list and think big.” She is no stranger to the wide- Authority, Bermuda’s found our bank accounts frozen.” The sobering reality is angled lens of global ambition herself, central financial that she is considering a name change for her baby of 16 and is planning new ways of engaging the services regulator years. “Who would have thunk it?” she sighs. corporate world in projects that will aid (1999–2005). A life of engagement with the poor and vulnerable the beneficiaries of ISIS: the poor. in troubled parts of the globe has served to darken her Her social ideals are ageless, and there’s n She had previously world-view somewhat and she cautions against the no lessening of the passion that shaped her practised as a lawyer deepening of religious divisions and economic polarities. early move towards finance as a fuel for specialising in “Jews, Christians, Muslims and Hindus are standing philanthropy. “I’m absolutely adamant that international finance. on different hilltops throwing stones at one another, as education is a social asset and the wider She was named the they always have. And the divisions between rich and we can cast the net the better,” she says in Telstra NSW Business poor are widening: I find it frightening the way the rich relation to the Federal Coalition’s budget Woman of the Year in are walling themselves off from the poor. Unless we act, measures for higher education. “When 2012. The Australian the world will become a much more dangerous and much you close education down to only higher Financial Review more unhappy place.” socio-economic groups the whole world is nominated her as one Despite her gloomy prognostications of a fractured the lesser for it.” of the 100 Women of world she pronounces herself an optimist. “We’ve survived She insists that these are “non- Influence in Australia many crises at ISIS. We’ve survived Ebola outbreaks, political” remarks, and yet there’s a (2012). Maoist terrorists, the world economic crisis. But we’ve touch of heat in her voice suggesting a never given up. We never have. We never will.” ANNIVERSARY 19 Gold standard unimelb.edu.au/3010

The University fourth-oldest club – behind the cricket, Games organising committee and had rowing and football clubs – and close links to the University. He was Athletics Club is maintains a proud record of producing instrumental in having a new running elite athletes and sports administrators. track built on the campus as a training about to mark 125 While a fledgling athletics club was venue for the Olympics. formed in 1872, in conjunction with the The new track was the reason Kevan years of success, cricket club, it is generally agreed that the Gosper AO, for one, joined the club in all the way to MUAC was established in 1890, primarily 1955. by medical students who had been urged Gosper, who hailed from Newcastle Olympic glory. to take up running “to enable them to in NSW and would go on to become stand the stress and strain of the grandest a leading figure on the International profession in the world’’. Olympic Committee, had forged a BY CHARLES HAPPELL In those early days, training and successful track career at Michigan State (BA(HONS) 1984, competition took place on a grass track University in the US before returning to TRINITY COLLEGE) on the main University oval. Into the new Australia in 1955. century, the club began to establish itself Working for Shell in Melbourne at t’s been a talent production as a force in intervarsity competition, the time, Gosper was invited to train line for countless Australian winning the first seven titles. and compete for the MUAC, an offer he Olympic teams, and a vibrant enthusiastically accepted given it boasted I hub of University life for as ‘What do I remember of this new red cinder track and he was one long as anyone can remember, and next of the leading contenders for the 400m year the Melbourne University Athletics that time? Mostly pain.’ title at the upcoming Olympics. Club celebrates its 125th anniversary. He occasionally trained with RALPH DOUBELL The club, which has been represented OLYMPIC CHAMPION John Landy – the famous miler (and by the likes of Ralph Doubell, John Landy, University of Melbourne student) using Merv Lincoln, Nova Peris-Kneebone Regular interclub competition was Gosper to help with sprint training and and Jana Pittman, has produced a raft introduced by the Victorian Amateur Gosper relying on Landy to help build of Australian champions, national Athletics Association in 1913 to provide his stamina. record holders, Olympians and Olympic athletes with a year-round calendar of A club competition would be held medallists. events. By 1928, University athletics each Saturday during the warmer None has been better than Doubell. competitions had become so popular months. Amateur athletics was thriving. After honing his skills on the MUAC red that 1500 people attended a relay meeting Gosper remembers a time of good cinder track, he sensationally claimed the on the campus. fun, strong competition and lasting 800-metre gold medal at the 1968 Mexico But it was the lead-up to the friendships. “Although none of us were Olympics in a time (1 minute and 44.3 Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956 that big drinkers, we used to socialise together seconds) that was a joint world record heralded a brave new era for the club. on Saturday nights,’’ he recalls. then and still stands as a national record. Sir Frank Beaurepaire, a former At that time, Alf Lazer AM was the Located in the heart of the Parkville Melbourne Lord Mayor and Olympic team captain and club stalwart. In fact, campus, the MUAC is the University’s swimmer, was head of the Olympic few amateur sports administrators in

CONTINUED PAGE 20 3010

20 ANNIVERSARY

FROM PAGE 19

Australia can have had a greater impact on a club than Lazer did with the MUAC. He joined it as a student during the war, then became an office-bearer in a raft of different roles, including president for 31 years, over the next six decades. His extraordinary dedication was rewarded with a Gold Medal by the University, and he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia by the Federal Government in 1985. MUAC also had another reason to be thankful for Beaurepaire’s interest in track and field and Olympic sport. In 1955, he recruited the world-famous track and field coach Franz Stampfl from Oxford, less than 12 months after Stampfl had helped Englishman Roger Bannister achieve fame by breaking the four-minute mile barrier. Stampfl accepted the invitation to become Director of Athletics at the University of Melbourne and quickly of interval training, which became popular settled in. Eleven of his athletes with sprint and middle-distance athletes, competed at the Melbourne Games. including – eight years later – Doubell. One of those athletes was Merv It essentially revolved around speed Lincoln who, in March the following and quality, rather than the conventional year, would become just the 11th man method of volume and quantity. and the third Australian to run a four- Now 69, Doubell remembers meeting minute mile. He achieved the feat in Stampfl – whose reputation as a coach and front of Stampfl, and many of his own feisty autocrat had preceded him – when he MUAC teammates, on the University’s enrolled at the University in 1963 and soon Rawlinson Track. Landy had become joined the athletics club. the first Australian to join Bannister as Doubell’s commitment to running, a sub-four-minute miler, just six weeks however, was initially only lukewarm. It was GOLDEN MOMENT: after the Englishman in 1954. only after hearing about the travel potential Ralph Doubell wins in Mexico (inset) The Austrian-born Stampfl, a cyclonic offered by the sport that he approached and on the MUAC track today. force of nature if all the stories are to be Stampfl. “I told him that I wanted to run PICTURE: DARREN JAMES believed, pioneered a scientific system 50 seconds for the quarter (mile) and train

The University has a long and proud involvement with the Olympic movement. Students, alumni, staff and club members have represented Australia at the Games on some 140 occasions.

Mates and fellow Perhaps our most famous graduates Tom King OAM Olympian, Cathy Freeman (BE(Mech&ManufEng) 1998) OAM, came to live in and Mark Turnbull OAM Melbourne in 1992 and (BPD(PC) 1995, BBldg 1996) enrolled in an Arts course. won yachting gold in the Her biography notes that 470 Class at Sydney while she was “far from in 2000. committed” as a student, she enjoyed “being part Included in that number Another building of a freethinking is rower Nick Green OAM, student who did his community”. an original member of the best work on the water, Oarsome Foursome who rower Peter Antonie OAM won the 1992 and 1996 won the double sculls at Olympic gold medals Barcelona in 1992. in the men’s fours. He was a horticulture student. ANNIVERSARY 21 unimelb.edu.au/3010 three times a week,’’ he recalls. “Franz culminated in that one magical race in peered at me through his monocle and Mexico in 1968 when all of Doubell’s very matter-of-factly said: ‘I will tell you hard work, overseen by his no-nonsense how much and how often you train’.” mentor, was rewarded with a gold medal. And so it proved. Stampfl soon had Doubell’s famous kick – his finishing his new charge churning through the sprint, which was honed on the work. Rawlinson Track – meant he was able “What do I remember of that to pass Kenya’s Wilson Kiprugut in time? Mostly pain,’’ Doubell says. “But the straight to become just the third Franz and I got to know each other Australian man to win an Olympic gold incredibly well; it was almost a father-son medal on the track. relationship. He pushed the boundaries In the Stampfl era, University athletics but he knew how much work I could flourished and the Rawlinson Track was absorb.’’ regarded as Australia’s premier training The camaraderie among the middle- venue. Of the 1040 athletes to represent distance runners at MUAC helped Australia in track and field competition, Doubell through the tough times. “I according to Athletics Australia, 53 have trained with a group of people who been MUAC members. helped me enormously but didn’t have As well as Landy, Doubell, Lincoln, the same success. I certainly couldn’t Pittman, Gosper and Peris-Kneebone, have done it without them,” he says. that group includes the javelin thrower “Many people would see repetition Petra Rivers (DipTeach 1978), a two-time after repetition at Melbourne University Commonwealth Games gold medallist, as very boring, and sometimes it was. But Judy Canty (BSc(Hons) 1973, University we had a fine group of people who would College, St Hilda’s College), who won swap stories and work experiences... You gold at the Edmonton Commonwealth always had that spirit of camaraderie and Games, and John Higham OAM (BA, co-operation.” LLB 1974, Newman College), a national On Fridays, his day off, Doubell and champion in both 400m and 800m. his headstrong mentor would head off to Some of the club records date back Gina’s restaurant in Lygon St for lunch more than 50 years. These include the between noon and 3pm, then move to 1957 mile record of Dr Merv Lincoln Jimmy Watson’s for a “warm down” for (BCom 1954, MBA 1968, PhD 1983, an hour before Doubell had to attend a Queen’s College, Ormond College), lecture at the University at 4.15pm. Doubell’s 800m mark and Higham’s “After those four hours with Franz, 400m time from 1978. when we used to discuss music, food, That remains the challenge of wine, literature and, of course, his the University’s new generation of training philosophies, I felt like I could athletes and their highly regarded beat anyone in the world.’’ coach – Stampfl’s successor, Manfred Their friendship, and partnership, Lewandowski.

The University of Melbourne’s Bachelor of Science degree links Other University of three of Australia’s best-known Olympic gold medallists. Melbourne Olympians

Kathy Watt OAM, who John Landy AC OBE became Australia’s first (BAgrSc 1954, LLD 2003), female cycling gold former Governor of Victoria; medallist when she claimed 1500-metre bronze medal, the road race at the Melbourne 1956. 1992 Barcelona Margot Foster (BA 1978, Games, was also a LLB 1980, Trinity College), Bachelor of Science former Australian Sports graduate, having Commission board member; Ralph Doubell AM, majored in Herb Elliott AC MBE, the rowing bronze medal, Los whose scorching physiology 1500-metre colossus whose Angeles 1984. time in winning the 1968 and pathology. victory at the Rome Games Kim Crow (BA(Media& Olympic Games 800-metre in 1960 came in the middle Comm), LLB 2010), gold medal remains a of a four-year period when Australian athlete of the national record, graduated he was undefeated over that year in 2013; double sculls from Melbourne with a distance, began a science silver medal and single science degree in 1967. degree at Melbourne before sculls bronze medal, London 3010 completing it at Cambridge. 2012.

22 FIVE QUESTIONS OF MARKETS MINDS FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE NEW & FIELD OF NEUROECONOMICS Professor Peter Bossaerts freely admits that he is considered something of an oddball in the world of finance and economics. The researcher, who joined the University this year, is leading a revolution in how economic theory is developed and tested. His methods are regarded as radical – but they could just help us solve some of the world’s biggest financial issues. Val McFarlane meets him.

You’re regarded as the field call this “revealed preference”. This has gotten the field into trouble, one of the founders because there is so much heterogeneity of neuroeconomics. in behaviour out there, across people and across circumstances. We want to Can you tell us what understand the algorithms that the brain that is? uses to generate choices. This necessarily involves mathematics, and this is a good Neuroeconomics is an exploration of thing. First, because financial economics the neurobiology behind individual is actually good at describing choices decision-making. Traditionally with in terms of mathematics. And second, economics, people will construct mathematics means you can measure models, different schools of thought, things, and that’s the first step to real and with that they will make policy science. recommendations. They use their model to explain what is happening in the world What particular but there is no scientific evaluation, no markets are inefficient and unfair. But experiment to see whether the theory areas are you there are also people in finance who are is right. That’s where we come in. We working on? against outlawing these markets because work with people from other disciplines, they claim that they play an important such as neuroscience, computer science, At the individual level, we study how role, and they have a theory to back that psychology and engineering, to run humans deal with outliers. Outliers are up. If their argument is correct, then experiments in controlled environments very important in financial markets. They what is happening in Europe and the that help us understand more about happen all the time, and humans do not US is wrong and we are eliminating an decision-making, at every level from cope well. In order to understand why, we extremely good form of market. We want the individual to the market. have been exploring the neurobiology. to run experiments to shed light on which We’re looking at dark markets, among argument is right. Why is this others, where secretive, unregulated We are also studying high-frequency trading happens. These markets have or robotic trading, where computer approach useful? been effectively outlawed in Europe and algorithms are used to rapidly trade the US, partly because many economists securities. Opinions are divided as to Financial economics relies too much think they contributed to the global whether it is good or not. Some people will on observation of choices – people in financial crisis, and they think these tell you it is bad, that they are destabilising FIVE QUESTIONS 23 unimelb.edu.au/3010 OF MARKETS MINDS Radical approach: & Peter Bossaerts doesn’t follow traditional methods. PICTURE: CHRIS HOPKINS

be sitting together with the people I am working with on a daily basis because this is the way research eventually gets done. What I don’t want is to be in a department only with people from my field. I would get very bored! What do you hope your research will achieve?

Our research has a fundamental aspect to it but there is also a practical application, in terms of the regulation of the markets. I became interested in this area because I realised that if we keep on acting according to economic theory we are going to destroy this planet. There are situations when the markets do a very good job, but only with the right rules of engagement. On an individual level, we see people struggle with our decision-making games in the lab and we see how badly they do, but then we are increasingly making them personally responsible for their savings, their superannuation… people have real issues dealing with the risk in these situations. We want to help people, give them tools to improve their behaviour. If we can decode the brain, we can also find ways of helping in other areas where people have to deal with similar decisions. markets. And how do we regulate it? The for example, engineering in working It’s not easy. It is very difficult to regulators call a group of wise men, ask with a team of people from different actually define what makes a good them what they think, and argue about it. fields to tackle a problem. Neuroscience experiment in finance. We are having to They can come up with an argument as too has become team work. We need develop it ourselves. But physics used to to why it is wrong or right, but where is to bring together people from different be hard in the Middle Ages. There were the scientific evidence? fields because the problems we are facing theories out there, but it wasn’t until we cannot be solved by one traditional field started running the right experiments Why has this alone. It’s a gigantic revolution in the way that we worked it out. Once you do that things are done in this field. everything falls into place. work not been Bringing people together from done before? different fields is the best way to make Peter Bossaerts is Professor of interesting things happen. I wanted Experimental Finance and Decision Most people understand what I am to find an opportunity to set up a Neuroscience at the Faculty of Business and doing here but it doesn’t fit traditional team that could work in a genuinely Economics, and an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience structures. Teamwork is necessary to interdisciplinary way, and Melbourne has 3010 run the experiments we are involved in. given me that opportunity. and Mental Health. Watch an interview here:

Economics and finance is way behind, I don’t need my own office. I want to go.unimelb.edu.au/3ivn 24 ART AND PHILANTHROPY

Restoring treasures is all in a day’s work for the Centre for Caring for culture Cultural Materials Conservation.

BY KATHY KIZILOS

hen a flash flood raged through Turkey Creek in 2011, the Gija people in W the East Kimberley lost more than their homes. Their precious art collection – a living link to their history and culture – was inundated by the “angry water”. That’s when the peak Aboriginal artists’ association, ANKAAA, called the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation to help save the works. Conservator Marcelle Scott (GCertUniTeach 2005) and PhD candidate Lyndon Ormond-Parker flew to Kununurra, in northern Western Australia, to assess the damage. About 400 paintings and artefacts had been airlifted to the town by a helicopter provided by Argyle Diamonds. “There were paintings on canvas, paintings on wood, chipboard and plywood, and a large number of wooden carvings,” recalls Scott. Most were mouldy, others were encased in mud, with bits of twigs and leaves and “other material” stuck on to them. The paintings and artefacts, known as the Warmun Community Collection, Art meets science: Conservator Marcelle Scott, left, and Associate Professor Robyn Sloggett. had been housed in an inner room at the Warmun Art Centre. Gija elders, some of emotional moment for me and the elders.” The Centre’s work has just received a whom had gone on to become prominent The Warmun collection, she explains, massive boost with a $6.9 million donation Australian artists, had produced the represented the collective wisdom of from the Cripps Foundation, as part of paintings, boomerangs, spears and generations. “To me, that is what art Believe – the Campaign for the University carvings to teach Gija children about their conservation is about, and it brought it of Melbourne. The money will allow the traditional way of life and beliefs. back to me in a real way.” Centre to move to dedicated modern The flood knocked out Warmun’s power Scott and Ormond-Parker worked laboratories opposite the University’s Ian and phone lines and forced most of the to document and stabilise the works – a Potter Museum of Art. The donation will population to be evacuated. “The members process of “art triage”. About 300 pieces also support an endowed Chair, with the of the community were in several different requiring laboratory-based treatment were inaugural appointment expected in early places,” recalls Scott. then loaded into a refrigerated truck and 2016. “Some were stranded on the other side driven 4500 kilometres to the University’s The new facility, expected to be of Turkey Creek, some were evacuated to conservation laboratories in Carlton. Scott ready by the end of the year, will be Kununurra.” promised that all the pieces would be known as the Grimwade Centre for Art Despite the many problems they treated respectfully, and returned. Conservation. The original centre was faced, senior members of the Warmun “Most people don’t have a clear idea founded in 1989 with support from the Ian community travelled to Kununurra to what we do, or the need for it,” says the Potter Foundation and the Sir Russell and examine the saved works. The effort they Centre’s director, Associate Professor Lady Mab Grimwade Miegunyah fund. made during a time of crisis made a big Robyn Sloggett (BA(Hons) 1979, PhD The Centre’s work encompasses impression on Scott. 2010). “They think it’s about fixing up academic research and real-life practice “I saw that it was a very, very important paintings. In Australia, it’s very different and is also multi-disciplinary. Graduates project,” she recalls. “It was a hugely to that.” applying for the Master’s program must ART AND PHILANTHROPY 25 unimelb.edu.au/3010

Businessman and philanthropist Robert Cripps first approached the conservators in the late 1990s because he wanted to take better care of his Caring for culture paintings – works depicting East Anglia, a region in England with a strong family connection. The Cripps Foundation was established by the family in 1956. have an interest in art and science. ‘Our students are When the Centre began to teach a Chemistry is a compulsory component; a Master’s course in 2004, Robert was asked bridging chemistry subject is offered for phenomenal. Good to join the advisory committee. “I wanted students who have an arts background, Robert because of his understanding of while science students are expected to critical thinkers. collections and collectors, and also as a have knowledge of fine arts. business person,” says Sloggett. “He was a “We are rigorous,” says Sloggett. “Our Very highly motivated.’ sympathetic partner.” students are phenomenal. Good critical Universities are now encouraged thinkers. Very highly motivated.” ROBYN SLOGGETT to develop commercial arms and When talking about the Centre’s work, partnerships, but in 2006 a University Sloggett often uses the word “materiality”. Indigenous people with high levels of restructure meant the Centre’s commercial Conservators need to respect the skill and experience, which may provide operation was under threat, says Sloggett. historical and cultural significance of the option of going on to do a Master’s She considered it vital that it continue. the pieces they work on, but just as degree. “We need to know what the relevant importantly they need to understand Student conservators from the Centre questions are out there in the real world,” how they are made – whether from clay, are also engaged with East Timor, with she says. It is also important for graduates canvas, woven silk or pieces of bark. some learning one of the country’s official and researchers to “have a relationship The Warmun collection was made languages, Tetum. with the people managing collections”. using traditional methods, but also Sloggett’s crowded office shows a The commercial services provided from modern materials that the artists delight in the material world: a bird’s by the Centre combine art historical found. Repairing the salvaged Gija art nest teeters on a bookshelf and Timorese research, caring for physical materials and works presented many challenges – some weavings are draped on a chair. science-based solutions. The Cripps gift material, some cultural. When the Centre began, it offered means the work done will continue, and In October 2011, Gija elders Patrick professional fee-based conservation grow. Mung Mung, Nancy Nodea, Eileen Bray services. These range from helping police “The work takes place in the real and Mabel Juli travelled to Melbourne authenticate and attribute works of art, world. You can’t make it up,” says to assist in the restoration work. Their to assisting in the care of private art Sloggett. “We respond to real need.” advice was that flood damage should collections. be treated but that no repainting should occur. The elders shared the songs and stories associated with the paintings, Saving an icon: so the University’s students and staff Gija woman could understand their significance. Roseleen Park Conservators and students worked on works to restore a restoring the collection over two years. flood-damaged When the paintings were returned to figure from the Warmun, “a joonba”, or big ceremonial Warmun collection. performance, was held to celebrate. PICTURES: Patrick Mung Mung explained how the CHRIS HOPKINS (OPPOSITE PAGE) “two-way learning”, which initiated JOE ARMAO the collection, continued during (LEFT) the restoration: “These paintings were made by the old people to teach young Gija people. Now they are used for young people at the University, and soon they will be used in Warmun to educate Gija young people again.” Work with remote communities is an important part of

the Centre’s work. 3010 A Specialist Certificate

is now offered to 26 MEDICAL RESEARCH Decoding the mystery of epilepsy

Genetic research is Leading the way: Professor shedding new light on Sam Berkovic and Professor a brain disorder that Ingrid Scheffer. has long drawn an unfortunate stigma.

BY CAROLINE MILBURN

hen Sam Berkovic was a young medical intern in 1978 doing a training W rotation in neurology at Melbourne’s Austin Hospital, he entered the orbit of a brilliant physician, Dr Peter Bladin AO. About 3 to 4 per cent of the Australian Dr Bladin specialised in treating population has epilepsy at some time in epilepsy, a brain disorder shrouded in life, which ranges from mild forms stigma and mystery due to its unknown with barely noticeable symptoms to cause. Dr Bladin (BSc 1951, MB BS 1954, much more severe types that involve MD 1971) became a mentor to Berkovic chronic seizures. and inspired the young intern’s interest in “Historically it has been a epilepsy research. disease where people have Fast-forward 36 years and Professor suffered inordinately because Sam Berkovic AC is now the Chair of of the stigmatisation, where Epilepsy Melbourne, renowned as one people thought it involved a spiritual of the world’s largest and most effective element of possession,” Berkovic says. teams of epilepsy researchers. “That sort of view persisted until “The brain is the last frontier in not all that long ago. In modern medicine,” he says, reflecting on why he society that sort of thing is no longer chose to specialise in treating epilepsy, believed but many people still have a which can cause debilitating physical considerable fear of people with epilepsy. seizures and cognitive impairment for “We can easily empathise with In 1995 those who have the disorder. someone who has bad asthma and how Berkovic’s team “Dealing with epilepsy involves patients’ the condition might affect them, but the made history physical symptoms – how it affects the idea that someone might be lucid for with a remarkable brain – and almost always significant most of the day and then be seized and breakthrough in genetic psychological factors that contribute to convulsing or possibly lose consciousness research. His group, patients’ loss of quality of life. One deals is something that gives an unfortunate together with molecular with a lot of young people who have the extra stigma to epilepsy. There’s a lot of genetic collaborators in condition and therefore if you can fix it misunderstanding about this disease at all Adelaide and Germany, or improve it you’re giving them a lot of levels of society.” discovered the first faulty gene healthy years to look forward to.” More than 20 years ago the medical that causes epilepsy. Epilepsy Melbourne is a coalition of profession had made small inroads into Then in 2003 the Human Melbourne-based medical researchers cracking the mystery of what causes Genome Project, an working at four University of Melbourne epilepsy. Doctors were able to identify that international consortium teaching hospitals and two research a variety of physical injuries to a person’s of hundreds of scientists, institutes, the Florey Institute and the brain, such as a serious head injury from provided a giant leap Bionics Institute. Their collaboration has a car accident or a fall, a stroke or other forward for science led to groundbreaking discoveries about types of physical injury caused about a worldwide by publishing the epilepsy and helped revolutionise the way quarter of all diagnosed cases of epilepsy. completed sequence of the the disease is diagnosed and treated. But in most cases the cause remained human body’s entire genetic Berkovic (BMedSc 1974, MB BS 1977, undetected. Recent advances in gene code – about 20,000 genes. MD 1984) is a neurologist and director of technology have since confirmed what the It allowed genetic the Epilepsy Research Centre at the Austin medical profession had long suspected – researchers to move from Hospital, where his team focuses on that genetics held the key to unlocking the investigating a single gene to identifying the genetic causes of epilepsy. mystery. investigating large-scale genome MEDICAL RESEARCH 27 Decoding the mystery of epilepsy unimelb.edu.au/3010

finding that there are drugs available this particular gene. If you can tell families that are being tested in humans for other why, it really empowers them.” disorders that might be effective acting Berkovic works closely with paediatric on that pathway as well. We’re using neurologist Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO genetics to improve therapy.” (PhD 1998), who is based at the Austin By identifying the causes of epilepsies Hospital and the Royal Children’s Hospital. the team has also helped lift the pall of The team has identified epilepsy genetic guilt that many parents mistakenly feel changes that are hereditary and others when their child is first diagnosed with that have nothing to do with a person’s the disease. family history. This year they found a gene Berkovic says parents often wrongly believed to be a major cause for the most assume that vaccinations or a trivial common form of epilepsy, affecting 60 per event, such as their child falling cent of people with the brain disorder. over, may have caused their Scheffer was recently honoured with child’s seizures. the prestigious GSK Australia Award for “When one can tell Research Excellence. She and fellow team families there’s nothing members have identified more than half of they could have done to the 30 known epilepsy genes. prevent the condition it’s In an interview with ABC television’s an enormous relief for 7.30 soon after she won the award, them. It means they can Scheffer described how the team’s work get focused – that little is helping pave the way for more effective Johnny has a change in treatments of epilepsy and more accurate assessments about the hereditary risks linked to the condition. “I can imagine that in the future, a baby will be born, some cord blood will be taken and we’ll go and do their whole sequences. “We’ve genetic fingerprint,” Scheffer said. known that there’s “So we might be able to identify genetic been a hereditary changes that will be a problem earlier component to epilepsy and maybe then if we can implement since time immemorial. treatments or particularly genetic therapies Hippocrates thought – they’re not really there yet, but earlier, that there was a genetic then maybe we can prevent the seizures... component,” Berkovic says. and make a huge, long-term difference.” “Over the years we’ve known Scheffer and other members of that there’s been a higher rate of Melbourne Epilepsy are also involved family history in most people with in global research projects, a sign of epilepsy, but what’s becoming clear the team’s international reputation for is genetics is even more important identifying specific types of epilepsy. than we had realised from the straight She and Berkovic and Professor Terence clinical genetics.” O’Brien (MB BS 1988, MD 2000), of the Since 1995, Berkovic’s team has Royal Melbourne Hospital, are part of the discovered that epilepsy is caused by Epi4K Consortium, a global project that many genes rather than a single gene aims to find as many genetic explanations and should therefore be thought of as for epilepsies as possible by sequencing a series of epilepsies rather than as a about 4000 genomes from patients and single condition. their families. “New genes are discovered almost every week with the The work of Professor Scheffer new technology,” he says. “The and Professor Berkovic builds concept now emerging is that on epilepsy research across the it’s not so much an individual University, where a host of leading gene that one might target but researchers, including Professor it’s a pathway that a bunch of O’Brien and Professor Mark genes might fit into. If we Cook, are enabling insights into how epilepsy can be can target that pathway it 3010 might lead to new avenues managed to improve

for treatment. We’re also quality of life.

ILLUSTRATION BY FRANK MAIORANA 28 NEW FACULTY

LAND NEW FACULTY 29 unimelb.edu.au/3010 The ‘living laboratory’ of Dookie Campus gives students a high-tech grasp of our future food needs.

BY IAIN GILLESPIE you can almost go into anything. We’re unites their expertise and cements the studying climate change and impacts, University’s national prominence in magine a place where robots learning more about the need for food animal health and agriculture. gather food as well as vital security, and we want to contribute to “All the activities we have been production data, where that. There will be more and more work involved in will continue, but they will I remote-control drones fly as the years go on.” merge into the new faculty and students overhead, in-ground sensors link to Aisha is one of a growing number of won’t be affected,” says Dookie Campus sophisticated computer programs and female students studying at Dookie who Director Ros Gall (BCom 1985). roaming self-drive vehicles carry out have contributed to a four-fold increase “It’s a positive thing, because there automated tasks. in enrolments in the program over the are a lot of synergies between veterinary science and what we do here. Dookie has a lot to offer vet students in terms of research opportunities as well as training in animal handling.” The new faculty will continue to offer the Bachelor of Agriculture, along with masters by coursework programs that RITES include Masters in Agriculture, Animal What might sound like plans for past two years. The proportion of female or Food Science. a future colony on Mars is actually a students has now reached 60 per cent, “There’s also a one-year full-time modern farm, and apart from the flying a remarkable change in a campus that, pathway program offered here at Dookie drones, which are still in development, until 1972, had only male students. called Diploma in General Studies,” Gall such leading-edge agricultural Having served as a catalyst for says. “Students can live on campus, and technology is part of everyday life for agricultural innovation for almost 130 articulate from that into agriculture. It’s students at Dookie Campus. years, Dookie Campus reached another particularly designed as a cost-effective An agricultural research centre historic milestone last month when it way to allow rural and regional students has existed at Dookie since 1877, but became part of the University’s new to get a taste of tertiary study, because its association with the University of Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural it’s pretty expensive to have to relocate to Melbourne began in 1910, when Bachelor Sciences. Melbourne. of Agricultural Science students spent a The newly named faculty combines “The idea is that you can do a year there as part of their degree studies. Dookie’s on-farm animal and plant generalist undergraduate degree, then It’s a place where early agronomists production activities with the Faculty build on more discipline-specific studies grappled with the laws of hybridisation of Veterinary Science, a move that as part of your masters.” and World War I soldier settlers learned Dookie Campus is an extraordinary to eke out a living on the land. Now it’s a hive of education and experimentation, 2400-hectare “living laboratory” where with contemporary classrooms, student students prepare to meet the challenges accommodation, laboratories and and rich career opportunities of a world agricultural projects bristling with threatened by climate change and food advanced technology mixed with historic scarcity. farm buildings. Dookie – 220 kilometres north of Researchers are using a six-metre long Melbourne in the Goulburn Valley – tethered blimp with optical and thermal no longer trains farmers. It produces cameras to monitor variations in plant agricultural scientists, consultants and water stresses from up to 90 metres resource managers with specialised above the campus’s dairy paddocks and skills and amazing technology at their automatically irrigated orchard. fingertips, and the current crop of first- A new robotic dairy allows cows to year students have a strong sense of wander in to be milked whenever they mission. feel like it. Troughs of grain entice them One first-year student resident at into cubicles where sensors automatically Dookie, Aisha Ozaksoy, sums it up this position suction cups on their udders. way: “It’s definitely exciting. When you After sensing no more milk is being say agricultural science, people think it’s produced, the mechanism gently only to do with farming, just checking On the land: (opposite page) First-year withdraws, the cubicle doors open, and students Aisha Ozaksoy and Sophie Dansie; out the soil or something, but it’s a lot for good measure the cows are given an 3010 more than that. above, honours student Michael Curtis.

“Agriculture is such a broad sector PICTURES: PAUL ROVERE CONTINUED PAGE 30 30 NEW FACULTY

New approach to food production

The newly-named Faculty of Veterinary ‘It’s particularly designed as a cost-effective way to allow and Agricultural Sciences has consolidated the University of Melbourne’s strengths in rural and regional students to get a taste of tertiary study.’ food production teaching and research, in a move that effectively converges three ROS GALL DOOKIE CAMPUS DIRECTOR faculties into two. All activities relating to on-farm FROM PAGE 29 limited or scarce resources and developing animal and plant production at Dookie markets. Campus, including the Bachelor of enjoyable rub by a rotating bristle brush “Down the track with more students Agriculture, have been moved from the on their way out. enrolling – and we envisage enrolments former Melbourne School of Land and “New technologies are increasingly will go up – the number of specialisations Environment to the renamed faculty. used on farms, and are taking over some will probably grow as graduates are The former school’s Creswick manual routine operations,” says Campus required to work in an increasing number Campus, which is engaged in forest Manager, Bill O’Connor. “People talk of important areas,” he says. science, and Burnley Campus, which about self-drive cars in the future, but self- “A lot of what we are doing now is provides environmental and ornamental drive vehicles have been on farms for nearly about addressing at a scientific level how horticulture education and research, have a decade. we can meet those challenges, but equally been absorbed by the Faculty of Science. “All the tractors coming on to the important – if not more important – is the The new structure will not affect market now have auto-steer on them. number and capability of people who will current teaching programs. The role They can be programmed to drive down be qualified to work on them. of the Veterinary Hospital, and the a paddock with an accuracy range of “We are seeing now that the number teaching and accreditation of the two centimetres. They have maps stored of employment opportunities exceeds Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and in their computer systems, so parts of the number of agriculture graduates. We other coursework programs, will the paddock that are more productive need to position ourselves to produce continue unchanged. However, the can have more fertiliser and more seed very capable graduates who can meet the move will create greater cohesion of automatically put onto them. challenges of the future across a number of the University’s learning, research and “This is a big open laboratory. Third- key areas. engagement programs in the production year research projects can be set up here “The Bachelor of Agriculture has a of animal and plant food and fibre, and an under the guidance of an academic, and Production Animal Health major that a increased scope for new initiatives. veterinary students can explore animal lot of students are undertaking with a view Professor Ken Hinchcliff (BVSc(Hons) health and production while also gaining to applying for the Doctor of Veterinary 1980, Trinity College) will remain Dean hands-on experience with livestock.” Medicine, and I think that’s also opening of the new Faculty of Veterinary and The campus includes a broad-acre their eyes to the importance of livestock. Agricultural Sciences. Associate Professor cropping and sheep enterprise as well as “I envisage that not only are we going Brian Leury has been appointed Deputy an apple orchard on the southern slopes to have more agriculture graduates who Dean. of Mount Major, which are all used as part will increase our capacity to produce “There were already strong synergies of the teaching and research resources. food through research and policy, but we between what was the Department There’s also a nationally significant will also have more veterinary science of Agriculture and Food Systems and 270-hectare bushland reserve that enables graduates who will be involved in food the Faculty of Veterinary Science – for education and research involving fuel production.” example the Animal Welfare Science reduction, flora and fauna conservation Aisha Ozaksoy backs up the Deputy Centre worked across both,” Leury says. and pest, animal and plant management. Dean’s belief. “In second year you can “There are other synergies around Deputy Dean of the new faculty, choose whether to go more into either animal health, microbiology and Associate Professor Brian Leury, points animal or crop production, and I’ve food production. The new faculty will to the overlap between agriculture and chosen to follow the animal pathway,” consolidate the University’s strengths veterinary science, and says combining she says. in producing graduates to meet the them in one faculty will help students “They’ve predicted there will be a food important challenges and opportunities address crucial challenges in future food shortage within 50 years, so tackling that involved in future food production.” production, including climate change, problem is definitely a priority.” alumniprofiles 31

The trick to most successful startups is using technology to identify a solution to a customer need, one that saves time and money. Startups Simply that survive and thrive disrupt markets with simple solutions, making it easy for developers to raise cash and develop their business. It’s every budding entrepreneur’s dream. Angela Martinkus talks to startups three graduates who have pulled it off.

CAMERON ADAMS (BSc, LLB 2002) Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Canva

HEN Cameron Adams completed a degree in Science formerly of Seek, Ken Goldman, the CFO of Yahoo, and a Sydney- and Law in 2002 he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, based startup called Blackbird. so he worked as a graphic designer building websites. That was in 2012. Fast-forward two years and the site that allows W An interesting career option? Maybe. But given average Joes to design visuals for their website, blog, Facebook page it was his part-time job during university, which later led to a job or Twitter post is going gangbusters. at Google and a role co-founding design website Canva, it was an “Our aim is to democratise the field and provide tools for anyone inspired decision. to create beautiful design,” says Adams. “If you need a blog image, a Adams, 34, found his computer science degree came in handy business card, a flyer image, or presentation graphics you can do it when writing code and two books on JavaScript, the computer yourself. language used for web design. “As part of the design process you can choose from our massive In 2007 he “got a call from Google” asking him to work in Sydney library of elements; some are free and some are a dollar.” with Lars Rasmussen, the creator of Google Maps. “It was a great When the user is finished, Canva adds up the cost of the chosen learning curve,” Adams says. elements. The typical charge is about $3. Most users are bloggers, Then, after three-and-a-half years, he struck out with a couple marketers and social media professionals. of computer engineers to build a startup called Fluent. “It was a Like any good web-enabled startup Canva reduces the cost of futuristic email client but we weren’t lucky enough to land a deal.” entry into a market, in this case graphic design. “We’re not going to The Google network threw up a meeting with Canva co-founders replace really high-level design,” says Adams. “It’s the grunt work that Melanie Perkins and Cliff Orbrecht, who had run a successful is tedious for graphic designers.” business called Fusion Yearbooks. Canva takes that concept to a Launched in August 2013, the company now has a team of higher online level. 26 and enjoys revenue and user growth of about 400 per cent month- When his startup fell over, Adams got in touch with Perkins and on-month. Orbrecht. The pair were in San Francisco raising money for the site The ambition of the Canva team is to create a great self-sustaining and suggested he “jump on board”. Australian company. “We are not planning to sell out or get acquired,” They raised $2 million from the US-based funds Matrix Partners Adams says. “We just want to change the world by introducing great and Inter-West and, back in Sydney, attracted funds from Paul Basset, design to everyone.’’ canva.com 32 alumniprofiles Simply startups GILLIAN TEE MARISSA DI PASQUALE (BCompSc(Hons) 2004) (BSc(Hons) 1985, JD 2007) Co-founder of Rocketrip Founder and CEO of Cashtivity When Gillian Tee started a A Science honours degree Computer Science degree from the University of in 2000 she soon realised Melbourne set up Marissa the power of the technology Di Pasquale for more than a she was studying. “It gave decade working in IT product me a really good technical development and consulting, grounding,” says Tee, which turned out to be the speaking from the New ideal training ground for a York offices of Rocketrip, career as an entrepreneur. a business travel application Throughout the 1990s that rewards users who save Di Pasquale cut her product on travel expenses for their development teeth working companies. at Telstra on global internet It’s an apt name for her products and completed a stint startup, which has raised working for UK investment $6.1 million from investors bank Kleinwort Benson in the US and is launching worldwide this year. managing its global IT development and outsourcing. The 31-year-old says her technology background has helped her After the birth of her twins (now aged 11) a change in direction career, but adds: “It is that desire to disrupt and improve existing beckoned. Di Pasquale completed a JD at the University of Melbourne systems that drives me.” Law School and worked as a corporate lawyer for a couple of years. Tee’s first job was with Accenture in Melbourne, but she then But, as her children started school, she was destined to return to felt a hankering to be “closer to the innovation”. She transferred to “what I love, which is developing products”. New York and was soon working with the likes of Google. In 2010 “I entered the classroom when the possibility of using technology she signed up for an MBA at Columbia University and hooked into to create learning applications was just taking off,” she says – and the its startup network. idea for Cashtivity, an online tool to create a generation of financially “Having been very technical most of my life I wanted to be literate children, was born. equipped to drive a business and think about marketing and strategic Struck by the impact of technology, tablets and smartphones on directions for a product,” she says. children, Di Pasquale asked: is it possible to develop tools to teach She completed her MBA in 2012 and when she was introduced our children about business and money? to Rocketrip co-founder Daniel Ruch, she was ready. The pair built She started with customer research in a Melbourne primary a prototype and then raised the first $3.1 million in funding through school and over three years observed how children use, interact and Y Combinator, a US-based seed accelerator. learn with technology. “Kids and teens prefer to learn by actually What is Rocketrip? “Think about it as sales commission in reverse,” ‘doing’ but when it came to teaching them about finance and business she says. it’s hard for teachers to create a practical experience,” she says. “An employee needs to take a trip, so they go to our platform to get Di Pasquale developed the product over two years, working out a budget using real-time searches of travel-provider data. We create of Australia and San Francisco, where she also conducted “deep dive” the itinerary and apply the company policy over the top. They get research with schools in the United States. the ‘price to beat’ and if they beat it when they book their trip they “Cashtivity helps students practise the fundamental principles pocket the savings.” Rocketrip takes a percentage of that money. of business in a fun and engaging way,” she says. A pilot using a control group of companies showed Rocketrip Di Pasquale managed product development, hired a chief is saving up to 40 per cent on business travel costs and changing technology officer and assembled a team of computer engineers behaviour. “Employees are booking flights earlier because they are to build the core application. This year the Silicon Valley Founders incentivised,” says Tee. “Just last week a guy earned $2500 by taking Institute named Cashtivity its Australian startup of the year. It also a trip and staying on a buddy’s couch.” received a grant from Commercialisation Australia for the launch The team has expanded to 13 and has global expansion in its growth later this year. plans. It’s a truly disruptive concept. “We are hoping the value of the “If you want to bring something new to the market you need to extravagant business travel market shrinks and is redistributed back keep focused at the grassroots, engaging with customers and what to the company and the pockets of its employees,” Tee says. works for them,” she says. rocketrip.com cashtivity.com

The University is nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs through supporting more than 15 startups and is seeking support through Believe the Melbourne Accelerator Program. MAP was launched by the – the Campaign for the University of Melbourne to allow it to help more. Melbourne School of Engineering and the Faculty of Business and For more information visit map.eng.unimelb.edu.au and to make a gift Economics, but more faculties have now signed up. It is already go to: go.unimelb.edu.au/5hmn 33 stay connected alumni.unimelb.edu.au

JEFA GREENAWAY THE ARCHITECT (BPD(Arch) 1997, BArch(Hons) 1999)

efa Greenaway’s career encompasses an impressive range of activities – he is a practising architect, a teacher, an advocate, J activist and organiser. Running through all of this is a clear desire to make a difference. This might be done at the private scale of a house alteration or by consulting on Indigenous culture and heritage for larger projects or urban design frameworks. It might be about enabling students to explore what architecture could contribute to Indigenous communities, or encouraging Indigenous students to consider architecture as a career, or advocating within the profession to help bring Indigenous perspectives into the work of other architects. Much of this work involves exchanges between different groups and modes of knowledge. For example, Greenaway believes in the value of architecture and is interested in how the discipline can contribute more fully to Indigenous Australia. But this is not a one-way proposition. He is also committed to expressing and exploring the ways that Indigenous approaches might impact on the rethinking of the profession. As the first Indigenous registered architect in Victoria, Greenaway joins a small cohort of Indigenous architects nationwide and he embraces the opportunities and obligations that come with this. He has a strong interest in exploring the possibilities of Indigenous place-making and to “strengthening culture and design in the built environment” and is highly articulate about the opportunities this can bring at both pragmatic and conceptual levels. This is not just about making buildings as objects, but about developing a broader conception of place in relation to the environment and landscape. Again he sees that this can be investigated and implemented though diverse means. These include education “as a means of empowerment and emancipation”, but also conventional planning tools such as heritage overlays, which can be used to make Indigenous knowledge available while also acknowledging that not all Aboriginal knowledge can or should be given. Greenaway, the son of an Aboriginal activist who campaigned for the 1967 referendum, studied politics prior to architecture. He sees synergies between politics, planning and architecture. “Too often architects are GRAND DESIGNS: not political enough – too few operate in the realm of Jefa Greenaway is working activism and advocacy,” he says. to bring Indigenous One important project is Indigenous Architecture perspectives to the world and Design Victoria (IADV), which he founded with of architecture. Rueben Berg. This provides support and advice “on all PICTURE: SIMON SCHLUTER aspects of architecture related to Aboriginal people in Victoria”. The IADV website (iadv.org.au) is a significant ‘Too often architects are not resource hub and includes guidance for other architects about how to become more engaged with Indigenous political enough — too few operate in communities along with information for Indigenous people interested in becoming architects. the realm of activism and advocacy.’ JUSTINE CLARK 34 WELCOME TO MELBOURNE

A friendly face in a foreign land

BY CHRIS WEAVER Mongolia, Cambodia and now Liberia,” world and I really want to improve my (BA, LLB 2006) she recalls as she sits in a cafe and does English,” he says. a very Melbourne thing, sharing a flat He is effusive about the Welcome to t’s a cold and blustery day white with Odgerel and another of the Melbourne program and his adopted in Melbourne, so Odgerel students she is hosting, Cambodian home. He laughs when asked about Ochbold should feel right at Saovorak Nov. Melbourne’s public transport, a bone I home. Yet these conditions Campbell spent five years as the of contention for many locals. are not what she anticipated when she left External Relations Director at Melbourne “For me it is actually very convenient Mongolia’s capital, Ulan Bator, in January Law School and still mentors Juris Doctor and safe,” he says of his daily commute to start a two-year Australia Awards students, many benefiting indirectly from from Springvale to Parkville. “Back Scholarship at the University. the Welcome to Melbourne program. home we don’t have this kind of public Odgerel, a Master of Management “One of my Law students is meeting transport and from my province to (Finance) student in the Faculty of with my Welcome to Melbourne Phnom Penh is a two-hour taxi ride.” Business and Economics, arrived expecting Vietnamese contact – Pham – in Hanoi,” Odgerel, one of only 19 Mongolian Melbourne to be “green and hot”. she says. “She wants to work with students in Victoria, has worked hard “That was my expectation, but it is overseas not-for-profits, so Pham will to integrate with Campbell’s family and very cold here!” she says – and that’s from assist her and other Australians.” friends. She has introduced them to someone from the world’s coldest capital Mongolian tea (which contains milk, city, where winter temperatures regularly ‘What I’ve gained the herbs, barley and salt), while they have plunge to minus 40 degrees. “Compared shown her Brighton’s bathing boxes. to Mongolia, it is not so cold – but it is most are many joyous “I took a lot of pictures,” Odgerel says. very chilly, which was a shock.” “Seeing the sea was nice – at home it is Travelling overseas to study can be relationships’ several thousand kilometres away.” a daunting experience, and not just Last month they attended a Michael because of surprising weather. Beyond ROBYN CAMPBELL Bublé concert together after it emerged cultural shocks, loneliness is often an Pictured above with Odgerel the crooner is very popular in Mongolia. unwelcome companion and finances can Ochbold and Saovorak Nov. “I mentioned that we listened to Michael be stretched thin. Bublé at home – who knew I would see The University’s Welcome to Campbell’s pride is evident as she him in Melbourne?” Odgerel says. Melbourne program – now in its fifth recalls the story, and her enthusiasm is Such unlikely discoveries break down year – offers an antidote to some of the infectious. She likes to encourage her barriers and lie at the heart of Welcome problems affecting Australia Awards students and provide friendship on what to Melbourne’s success. students. Each semester, more than 150 can be an emotional journey. Campbell heartily recommends students – mostly doing postgraduate Nov, who is studying the Master of becoming a student host. “We all learn studies – are partnered with a local Development Studies at the Melbourne something about other cultures,” she says. alumni host who seeks to smooth the School of Government, made significant “But what I’ve gained the most are many way and introduce them to the city and sacrifices to come to Australia. He has joyous relationships.” the University. left behind a wife and one-year-old son Robyn Campbell, a pioneer of the in Kampong Chhnang Province to learn Hosts are needed for the next Welcome to first Welcome to Melbourne program skills that will benefit rural Cambodian Melbourne program. To find out more visit in 2010, is acting as Odgerel’s host. “I’ve communities. alumni.unimelb.edu.au/get-involved/ had students from places as disparate as “I came to Australia because the welcome-melbourne or call the alumni the Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, Fiji, education system is one of the best in the relations team on +61 3 8344 1746.

PICTURE: CHRIS HOPKINS alumninews 35

SILVER JUBILEE CAREERS GUIDANCE

Graduates gather in Alumni shine a guiding Kuala Lumpur for celebration light for a new generation

For many students, the thought of “We’ve had a fantastic response having to find their first role after to the videos and students love university can be scary. them as the information is from Luckily for Melbourne students, such relevant sources,” she says. the University’s alumni are on “I’m really pleased with their hand to help. success, and the volunteers were Ten alumni volunteered to be great. We are so grateful to the the stars of a series of “Alumni alumni who gave up their time to career tips” videos, targeting those take part.” who will soon be looking for their Matthew Hale (BA, BCom 2011), first graduate position. an associate at NAB in Melbourne, The four short videos answer was one of the alumni who some of the most common appeared in the videos. questions new graduates have “I saw it as an opportunity – from making the most of work to share my experiences with experience and how to network students in a similar situation to effectively to writing a great what I had faced only a few years job application and handling ago,” he says. Silver celebration: Members of the gala dinner organising interviews well. “The 20 minutes of filming committee and University staff. By the end of June the videos at my workplace provided me had been viewed almost 4000 with a great opportunity to offer The University of Melbourne Alumni Association Malaysia times on YouTube and shared a young alumni lens to common (UMAA) has been celebrating its silver jubilee in style. across social media, as well as in student recruitment issues and The association, which started as a group of friends in the several publications aimed at new also allowed me to give something 1980s before being officially registered in 1989, held a gala graduates. back to the University.” dinner at the Ritz Carlton in Kuala Lumpur in June to mark University staff are using them the anniversary. in careers presentations and, Go to the University’s Careers and One hundred and eighty guests attended the glittering although targeted at graduates, Employment channel on YouTube celebration, including Founding President, Professor Emeritus the videos are also being used as at go.unimelb.edu.au/6evn to HF Chin (BAgrSc 1961, MAgrSc 1971, PhD 1974, PhD 1994, a resource by high school careers watch the videos. There are many Ridley College, International House) and current President, advisers. opportunities available to alumni Ms Gloria Goh (BCom(Hons) 1982). Alumni Careers Co-ordinator to help current students. Learn “The evening was a superb celebration of the success Rachael Ballamy produced the more at the InTouch alumni portal: of UMAA over the years,” Professor Chin says. “It was videos. alumni.unimelb.edu.au/ particularly wonderful to see the younger alumni continuing the UMAA tradition of collaboration and support for all graduates of the University.” Have your say by voting Other special guests at the dinner included association patron and patron of Believe – the Campaign for the University Alumni will soon be able to have all alumni to take the time to cast of Melbourne, YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed (BA(Hons) 1974, their say on who should represent a vote in this important election. DCom 1997, Queen’s College), Australian High Commissioner, them on the Alumni Council. Alumni Council members play a HE Rod Smith PSM and Victorian State Government The next Council election is crucial role, not only in ensuring Commissioner to South East Asia, Mr Tim Dillon. being held in October 2014 and all that alumni views are heard, but As part of Believe – the Campaign for the University of alumni are eligible to vote. also in helping develop programs Melbourne, alumnus Dato’ Jimmy Lim (BCom 1973) presented The Council acts as the “voice” and activities which are of benefit a $30,000 donation to the Faculty of Business and Economics of University of Melbourne to all alumni.” to go towards the Melbourne Accelerator Program, which alumni and represents the alumni The voting period runs from provides startups with funding, office space, mentoring and community in a number of October 3 to October 31, 2014 and access to experts. important forums. successful candidates will take up The association runs a number of activities throughout It also works on a range of their positions in November. the year, including monthly First Friday informal networking projects aimed at growing alumni catch-ups and events designed to welcome new graduates back networks, and enriching the Visit alumni.unimelb.edu.au/ to their home country. New members are always welcome. student and alumni experience. get-involved/alumni-council Sarah Banks, Deputy Director for more information and to For information on how to get involved: http://umaamy.blogspot.com.au/ Alumni Relations, says: “We urge cast your vote. 36 alumnimilestones

THE ARTS APPOINTMENTS

Miles Allinson (BCA 2003) has followed in the footsteps of fellow Professor alumnus Dr Graeme Simsion Philip Alston (PhD 2006) by winning the Victorian (LLB(Hons) 1972, Premier’s Unpublished Manuscript LLM 1976, BCom Award for Fever of Animals. 1977, Ormond Dr Simsion’s The Rosie Project has College) has sold a million copies around the world been appointed and was named Book of the Year at by the UN the Australian Book Industry Awards. Human Rights Council to serve Melbourne’s rich art history as the next Special Rapporteur Michelle de Kretser inspired the debut novel by Dr David Parnham (PhD 1992) on extreme poverty and human (BA(Hons) 1979), Dr Emily Bitto (MA(EngLang) explores the provocative theological rights. Alston is John Norton who won last year’s 2008, PhD 2013). Dr Bitto wrote writings of two 17th-century English Pomeroy Professor of Law at the Miles Franklin Literary The Strays as part of her PhD in puritans in Heretics Within: Anthony New York University School of Award and the Prime creative writing. It was shortlisted Wotton, John Goodwin, and the Law and co-Chair of the School’s Minister’s Award for for a 2013 Victorian Premier’s Orthodox Divines. Dr Parnham Center for Human Rights and Fiction, has picked up Literary Award for an Unpublished identifies the ways in which Wotton Global Justice. His previous roles more prizes for her Manuscript before being and Goodwin departed from include UN Special Rapporteur book Questions of published this year. orthodox norms, and offers analysis on extrajudicial, summary or Travel. The novel was of the heated controversies to which arbitrary executions from named Book of the those departures gave rise. 2004 to 2010. Year at the New South Chilling ghost story The Haunting Wales Premier’s of Lily Frost is the first young adult Australia’s Children’s Courts Literary Awards, as novel by author Nova Weetman Today and Tomorrow, a new book Anthony Healy well as winning the (GDipArts(CrWrtg) 1995). co-edited by alumnus Professor (BSc 1989, PGDipEco Christina Stead Prize Ms Weetman’s work has appeared in Allan Borowski, explores one of 1990, PGDipFin for Fiction and sharing various literary magazines and she society’s most important and 1996, Ormond the Community has written for children’s television controversial institutions. Professor College) has been Relations Commission series Pixel Pinkie and Buzz Bumble. Borowski (GDip(Social Studies) 1972, appointed CEO of for a Multicultural One of her short films, Mr Wasinski’s BCom 1973, MA 1976) is Professor the Bank of New NSW Award. Song, won an AWGIE nomination for of Social Work and Social Policy at Zealand. Healy best short screenplay, and the Best La Trobe University. joined BNZ in 2009 after 18 years Short Film Award from the Melbourne with the ANZ Banking Group and has International Film Festival. Recent VCA graduate Catherine held several senior executive and Evans (BFineArt(Hons) 2012) is director-level roles in New Zealand, Karen Viggers one of the inaugural VCA Graduate Australia, Asia and the Middle East. (BVSc(Hons) 1987) Mentorship recipients. She is enjoying drew inspiration an extremely productive 2014, with Professor Andrew from the three exhibitions in Melbourne, plus Holmes AM Brindabella Range artist residencies in Berlin and (BSc 1965, MSc 1967, near Canberra for Canberra. Ms Evans’ work incorporates Ormond College) her third novel, photography, video and sculpture. has been elected The Grass Castle. the 18th President Dr Viggers, the bestselling author of Violinist Brigid Coleridge (BA, of the Australian The Lightkeeper’s Wife, spent many BMus 2011) recently appeared solo Academy of months working in the Brindabellas at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Science. This distinction adds to his while researching the local kangaroo Ms Coleridge, who has performed recent appointment as a Melbourne population. at Buckingham Palace, received a Laureate Professor Emeritus at the Dorcas McClean Travelling Scholarship University of Melbourne’s Bio21 Jennifer Chrystie (BSc 1963, DipEd and a Welsford Smithers Travelling Institute. Professor Holmes is joined 1964) launched her second poetry Scholarship at Melbourne. on the Academy’s Executive book, Weight of Snow, in July 2013. Committee by Professor Pauline Her first poetry book, Polishing the Actor and VCA alumnus Jason Clarke Ladiges AO (BSc(Hons) 1969, GDipEd Silver, was commended in the (BDramArt 1994) has been in demand 1971, MSc 1972, PhD 1976), Professorial Fellowship of Australian Writers’ in Hollywood in the past 18 months. Fellow in the School of Botany, who Anne Elder Award. Ginninderra Press Apart from the current Dawn of has been appointed Secretary of publishes both books. the Planet of the Apes, he has also Education and Public Awareness. appeared in Zero Dark Thirty, Thomas McPherson (BA(Hons) 2013) The Great Gatsby and Lawless. Gillon McLachlan (LLB(Hons) 1996), has been named the winner of this The unassuming 44-year-old also a life member of the University year’s Banjo Paterson Writing Award. has a clutch of forthcoming movies, Blues Football Club, has taken on He took inspiration from childhood including The Better Angels, Child 44 one of the most high-profile jobs cricket games for his winning short and Knight of Cups. in sport – Chief Executive Officer story, Cricket Woes. of the Australian Football League. Mr McLachlan was captain of the Blues for three years. 37 stay connected alumni.unimelb.edu.au

AWARDS AND HONOURS

Historian Dr Clare Wright (BA(Hons) Melbourne VCA alumnus, performer and 1991, PhD 2002) won the Stella Prize Law School playwright Angus Cerini (BCA 2000) Former University Vice-Chancellor for her book, The Forgotten Rebels of and Professor has won the 2014 Griffin Award for and Professor Emeritus Eureka, an account of the Eureka Pip Nicholson, his new play The Bleeding Tree. David Penington AC (MB BS 1949, Stockade and the years leading up to Director of the The Griffin Award is a national LLD 1995, Queen’s College) has it. It is the first non-fiction work to win University’s Asian playwriting prize awarded in been named Victorian of the Year the prize. Dr Wright plans to donate 10 Law Centre, have recognition of an outstanding play for his contributions to the per cent of the $50,000 prize money been recognised by or performance text displaying Victorian community and his work to be split between two organisations Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice for their “an authentic, inventive and in medical education, research close to her heart – the Indigenous services to law reform in Vietnam. contemporary Australian voice”. policy and public health. Professor Literacy Foundation, which works Professor Carolyn Evans, Dean of the Past winners of the award include Penington began his medical to close the gap in educational Law School, accepted the prestigious alumnus Lachlan Philpott training at the University and outcomes between Indigenous and Minister for Justice Certificate, which (GDipDramArt(Direction) 1999). attended Oxford on a scholarship non-Indigenous Australians, and is the highest award given to an in 1950, graduating in 1955. He Northcote High School, to fund an organisation by Vietnam’s Ministry of Professor John Tobin was presented returned to the University as annual academic award, the Eureka Justice. It recognises the Melbourne with the Paul Baker Award at the Law Professor of Medicine and Head of Prize for Women’s History. Law School’s collaborative Institute of Victoria Awards. He was the Department of Medicine at St relationship with the ministry in recognised for his extraordinary Vincent’s Hospital in 1970, served Associate providing professional development work, both within the Law School and as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Professor Peter training for their staff. Professor beyond, in the promotion of human from 1978 to 1985 and as Barlis (MB BS(Hons) Nicholson (BA 1986, LLB 1988, PhD rights. Professor Tobin (BCom 1992, Vice-Chancellor of the University 1997) has been 2001, Ormond College) received the LLB(Hons) 1993, PhD 2009) has from 1988 to 1995. He carried out named a Fellow Ministry of Justice Medal for the designed and taught several subjects groundbreaking work on tackling of the American “Cause of Justice” in Vietnam. The for Melbourne Law School in the the drug epidemic and the spread College of medal is the highest award provided areas of international law, human of HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and Cardiology for by the minister to an individual, and is rights, children’s rights and public inspired the creation this year his outstanding achievements in usually given to high-ranking officials interest lawyering. In 2010 he was of the Penington Institute, cardiovascular medicine. The for their work with the ministry. awarded for teaching excellence a not-for-profit organisation American College of Cardiology is by the University of Melbourne. focussed on drug the foremost professional society Researcher issues. representing heart specialists in Dr Jaclyn Pearson Chris Summers has the US and throughout the world. has been awarded won a major award Associate Professor Barlis, of the the prestigious 2014 for his play, King University’s NorthWest Academic Premier’s Award for Arthur. Mr Summers Centre, is particularly acclaimed for Health and Medical (BCA(Hons), LLB his work in the field of coronary Research for her 2013) was presented imaging. ground–breaking with the Patrick work into how a strain of E. coli White Playwrights’ Two Melbourne alumni have bacteria caused diarrhoea in humans Award by Sydney Theatre Company claimed the Johann Jacob Wepfer by disarming immune defences. for the play, which follows a retired Award for their work in the field of Dr Pearson (GCALL 2013, PhD 2013) is film maker who decides to direct stroke research. Professor Stephen based at the University’s Department a sequel to a cult film he made in Davis AM (MB BS 1972, MD 1985, of Microbiology and Immunology at his youth. Ormond College) and Professor the Doherty Institute for Infection Geoffrey Donnan AO (MB BS 1972, and Immunity. A University alumnus and staff MD 1980, Ormond College) received member has been honoured for the award at the European Stroke Ismail Fajrie Alatas helping deliver more than 32,000 Conference in Nice, France. The (BA(Hons) 2005) tonnes of carbon emissions since award honours scientists for has been named 2008. Harry Troedel, Sustainability outstanding scientific work in the one of the Manager, Implementation in Property field of cerebrovascular diseases Charlotte W and Campus Services, was presented (such as hypertension) and significant Newcombe Doctoral with the Business Leader of the Year contributions to the knowledge about Dissertation Fellows Award as part of the Climate Alliance treatment of acute stroke. Professor for 2014 by the 2014 Business Leadership awards. Davis is Director of Neurosciences at Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Mr Troedel (BCom 1998) leads the the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Foundation. The Newcombe University’s Energy Reduction and current President of the World Stroke Fellowship is the largest and most Carbon Mining initiative, which aims Organisation (WSO). Professor prestigious such award in the US for to achieve a more sustainable Donnan is Director of the Florey PhD candidates in the humanities campus. His work has led to annual Institute of Neuroscience and Mental and social sciences addressing savings of more than $3 million in Health and previous president of questions of ethical and religious energy bills for the University. the WSO. values. Mr Alatas is now a doctoral candidate in anthropology and history at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 38 THE LAST WORD Art and soul of the community

BY KAFF-EINE (BA, LLB(HONS) 2008)

dropped out of high school in year 11. Years later, (The Promise and Vera) released by Scholastic; I’ve held sell-out a “friend” told me that she didn’t think I had the solo exhibitions and been in successful group exhibitions; I’ve academic goods to go to uni; so I enrolled to do an collaborated with international graffiti icons; I’ve been invited I Arts/Law degree at the University of Melbourne to paint in Germany, France, the USA and the Philippines; I’ve to prove her wrong. I’d probably be sitting in a nice office in an helped raise funds for victims of Typhoon Haiyan by headlining executive job right now, but for the fact that street art captured live street-art events in Manila. my attention, and then my heart. I’ve also painted public murals in chaotic Manila shanty towns; I graduated in 2007 and went straight into a policy role in a and I’ve completed a collaborative project with young people State Government graduate program. I had a great job, beautiful in Berry Street schools, reinterpreting their stories of poverty, house, nice things. A couple of years after I graduated, I met some violence, abuse, neglect and hope as a series of wall paintings on new friends, some of whom were street artists. I was intrigued Melbourne’s streets, rooftops and special places. by what they did, so I made a few drawings of my own, followed I used to hide from the public, but that’s impossible now that them at night, and began to paste up my own drawings. I take on large public commissions, which take days to complete I loved it. No clients, no money, just night-time adventures in and sometimes require scissor lifts and traffic control. People in dark places, putting up drawings as gifts for strangers to think inner Melbourne are now pretty used to street artists doing their about or enjoy when the sun rose. thing on walls, so I don’t get hassled very often. People started photographing my street pieces and following Occasionally someone will call the cops on me, thinking my work online. They also contacted me for commissioned that what I’m doing is illegal, but most people are actually really pieces. My work became larger, more intricate, more challenging supportive and lovely. Over a blistering hot week last summer and more frequent. I moved on to aerosol, painting directly onto I painted a long wall on Alexandra Parade in Fitzroy and every walls, going out as many nights as the weather would allow. day the locals would bring me coffee, icy-poles and even meals. I was always very careful not to be identified or seen while It was such a great experience; I felt so connected to the painting. I usually painted with a “scout” who kept watch while community. I loved hearing how connected they felt to their new I painted, and I often painted in areas hidden from public view, mural. such as old factories, abandoned buildings and drains. I exhibited I love the freedom, creativity, autonomy, excitement and my work in group shows, sold artworks and gave interviews fulfilment I get from my street and public art. If one day everyone anonymously. The public didn’t know who Kaff-eine was, and starts to dislike my art, I can always go back to working in a policy that suited me perfectly. or legal role in an office. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened yet. I found it harder and harder to keep up 40 hours in my policy career and another 40 in street art, so in 2012 I sold my house, HEARTCORE, a book of young people’s stories and the artworks they quit my job and left the office to pursue my career as a street inspire by Kaff-eine, will be launched on September 25. All proceeds artist. from book sales will be used to support Berry Street’s work with young In the two years since, my life has completely changed. I work people and families. kaffeinestreetartist.wordpress.com seven days a week, and I absolutely love it. Every day brings new challenges and experiences. I have illustrated two children’s books For more on Melbourne’s street-art scene, visit unimelb.edu.au/3010 EDITORIAL BOARD SUE CUNNINGHAM A world of Vice Principal (Advancement) Chair of the Editorial Board ADRIAN COLLETTE AM (MA 1980) Vice-Principal (Engagement) knowledge DR CHRISTOPHER KREMMER Senior Lecturer, Centre for Advancing Journalism PETER KRONBORG (MBA 1979) at your University of Melbourne Alumni Council CORRINA LANGELAAN Deputy Director of Communications, Advancement fingertips . . . SIÔN LUTLEY Executive Director Advancement (Deputy to Vice-Principal) ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR TIMOTHY LYNCH It pays to be a member of Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences the University of Melbourne SIMON MANN alumni community. 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