Climate for Change
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UNIKEN SUMMER 2015/16 Climate for change Scientists Stefan Rahmstorf and Matt England explain why time is running out to act on global warming + ACROSS THE GENERATIONS Glenn Murcutt on why more architects should teach FISHING FOR PEACE The unlikely peacemaker averting conflict and changing lives in PNG 1 Summer 2015/16 Cover story From the President 10 A climate for change 14 Out of the heat and Vice-Chancellor 16 The psychology of climate change Welcome to the Summer Issue of UNSW Features magazine – Uniken. 7 No time to waste Our cover story and extended feature on the Paris climate conference is led by two The moral wounds of war 8 of the world’s leading climate scientists – 9 Dogged democracy Professor Stefan Rahmstorf from the Potsdam research, groundbreaking work in green 17 Star turn Institute for Climate Impact Research and our manufacturing, the development of low own Scientia Professor Matthew England, carbon solutions for the design and Fishing for peace 18 from the UNSW Climate Change Research building of our cities, and legal frameworks 20 Gone bush Centre and the ARC Centre of Excellence in to manage the forced displacement of Climate System Science. people from climate-related events. Professor Rahmstorf is visiting UNSW, We have launched our UNSW climate working with Professor England at the CCRC change “Grand Challenge” as the first Arts and the pair sat down with the UNSW of a series of challenges that will be the magazine for a Q&A. Covering a range of subject of discussion, debate and policy topics from the chances of a legally binding 22 Wild Researchers formulation as part of UNSW’s 2025 agreement, climate change denial and need Strategy. Our intention is to ensure that 24 Death becomes her for policy action, it is a compelling read. UNSW plays a role as an international 25 One Degree At the Paris conference we hope that forum for thought leadership. Future grand participants will negotiate a new international challenges could include energy, water, agreement on carbon emissions that aims to equality, migration, urbanisation, ageing, keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. poverty and security. Regulars Stefan was one of the panellists at our Our grand challenges initiative sits within Climate for Change event on 10 November. our priority of social engagement, alongside The packed audience at our first Forum@ UpFront academic excellence and global impact as 3 UNSW event, which was held in partnership priorities in our new strategic plan. We will 26 UNSW books with the Sydney Morning Herald, also heard deliver the ambitious objectives of the 2025 27 BackStory from Peter Hartcher (SMH), Geoff Cousins strategy through a steady, carefully planned (Australian Conservation Foundation), Anika and determined process over the next Cover photo: Stefan Rahmstorf and Matt England by Molesworth (2015 Young Farmer of the decade. My thanks to you all for making Nick Cubbin. The UNSW magazine is published by UNSW’s Year) and Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick (UNSW Media Office: + 61 (2) 9385 1583 or [email protected]. the development of our strategy such a Issue 79. Co-editors: Steve Offner and Fran Strachan. CCRC) with Robyn Williams (ABC Science stimulating and exciting process. Editorial Advisers: Denise Knight and Kathy Bail. Show) moderating the panel discussion. Contributors: Dani Cooper, Amy Coopes, Myles Gough, UNSW is a leader in climate science Ashley Hay, Ben Newell, Chris Sheedy, Alvin Stone, research, as well as being at the forefront Dan Wheelahan, Louise Williams. Photography: Florian Boillot, Patrice von Collani, of developing solutions and new policy Amy Coopes, Nick Cubbin, Sean Davey, Tamara Dean, and legal frameworks. This includes Quentin Jones, Arunas Klupsas, James Lim, Aris Messinis, our world record-holding photovoltaic Professor Ian Jacobs Peter Rae, Jes Sammut, Leilah Schubert, Miles Standish, Grant Turner, Dan White. The magazine of The University DOWNLOAD THE of New South Wales UNIKEN APP UNSW magazine is the University’s flagship publication. Published quarterly, it reports on issues affecting the tertiary education sector and the latest developments in UNSW’s research and teaching. The magazine is distributed primarily to staff, students and visitors to the University. newsroom.unsw.edu.au Video Audio Slideshow 2 UpFront Built Environment’s Dean Utian is one of four UNSW staff to receive citations for excellence in the 2015 Australian Awards for University Teaching. Utian was recognised for his use of innovative video and games to empower his students to develop digital communication, design and creative expression. Other UNSW recipients are: Dr Martin Bliemel and Dr Natalie Buckmaster from the UNSW Business School, and Professor Alex Steel from UNSW Law. PHOTO Leilah Schubert understand the unprecedented opportunities quality educational technologies offer,” Professor Jacobs says. Professor Bob Fox, Deputy Director of UNSW’s Learning and Teaching Unit, says one of the greatest benefits of educational technology is to enable great teachers to make the most productive use of face-to-face time with students. A recent Learning and Teaching forum at UNSW – Blended Learning: Past, Present and Future – was told, for example, that all first-year chemistry students now use online, interactive “Lecture Prep” units that take them through the assumed knowledge they need ahead of each class. Teaching the way to the top This “flipped classroom” approach has so effectively engaged students – 95% participate As it looks to the next decade, UNSW will pursue excellence in every week without prompting – and improved student outcomes that it will be emulated research while rewarding inspiring teachers. Louise Williams reports. across the School of Chemistry. Likewise, in accounting subjects, an online s it possible to be a top-quality research- For academics it means the opportunity to flipped classroom delivers key content ahead intensive university in the top 50 in the pursue a “teaching only” career pathway for of classes so valuable face-to-face time can be Iworld and also teach a very large number the first time and to be properly recognised dedicated to enriching discussions and activities, of diverse and outstanding students? and rewarded for doing so. rather than the mere delivery of course content. Professor Ian Jacobs, UNSW’s President Professor Jacobs says UNSW will “recognise, Another outstanding UNSW innovation is and Vice-Chancellor, is convinced it is. reward and promote teachers in a way that has a cloud-based virtual PV solar cell factory that Releasing the University’s 2025 Strategy, never happened before”. allows students to learn how to manufacture he unveiled an education model that rejects “I don’t think that many universities in the batches of silicon solar cells by progressing the conventional wisdom that says if you world have really valued teachers,” he says. through levels of attainment, much like a are to excel at research, you must relegate “In the past it hasn’t often been possible to become computer game. teaching to second place. a top level professor by doing day in, day out Since its inception in mid-2014, and its “UNSW is possibly the first university in the inspiring teaching that changes the lives of people public launch in early 2015, thousands of world to declare itself both research and teaching and influences their careers. I think that’s wrong.” people from 85 countries have made more than intensive,” Professor Jacobs says. “We are among A recent UNSW-commissioned report by 600,000 virtual solar cells. UNSW students a limited group of universities worldwide capable Deloitte Access Economics found the skills and also improved their performances on an of delivering research excellence alongside the additional productivity universities contribute to assessment by an average of 6% after working highest-quality education on a large scale.” the Australian economy, largely through teaching with the virtual factory. A flagship of the UNSW 2025 vision is the and producing talented graduates, was worth Meanwhile, a free UNSW Massive Open design, development and implementation of the $140 billion in 2014. “This is a very large sum of Online Course in systems engineering, which new Scientia Educational Experience that will money ... and the benefits are not just economic, would previously have been restricted to offer academics and students more flexible and they are social as well,” Professor Jacobs says. 25 students a class, recently attracted more personalised pathways aligned with their skills, The transformation in the way UNSW than 20,000 students worldwide. circumstances and aspirations. students learn, and teachers teach, is already “What we are seeing at UNSW is an For students it means many more choices well underway and the results are being increasing number of recognised quality within a three-semester structure, the seamless constantly and rigorously assessed so that innovations ... into the future we will have integration of on-campus and digital learning, lessons learned today are fed back into learning even more variety in the way people learn and the benefits of a global perspective and a keen models to drive future innovation. where they learn,” Professor Fox says. “At the awareness of the role universities can play “As both an early adopter of the educational heart of education is a high-quality curriculum in promoting social justice and giving back technology, and an inventor of e-learning but technology is enabling us to deliver it in to communities. systems ourselves, UNSW is well placed to many more ways.” 3 UpFront Briefs Top thinkers come MENTAL HEALTH, HIV together for forum GET FUNDING BOOST New drug trials for treating HIV infection on Paris climate talks and investgations into major depression and dementia were among the UNSW Experts from climate science, political projects to receive major backing in the journalism, agriculture and business debated latest round of Australian Government the promises and pitfalls of the Paris climate funding.