Vol. 25 No. 3 SPRING 2006 Alex Harris Memorial Award Science and Environment ADAPE State and National Tertiary Publication Awards Registered Print Post no 602669/00256 SPECIALISTS IN QUALITY CATERING, OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND TRULY MEMORABLE OCCASIONS enjoy your special celebration AMIDST THE GLORIOUS GARDENS AND GRAND ARCHITECTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA FULLY LICENSED new seasonal menu UnIVERSITY FUNCTION CATERERS The university of western australia 35 STIRLING HIGHWAY, CRAWLEY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6009 PHONE: 6488 2315 FACSIMILE: 6488 1115 EMAIL: [email protected] A DIVISION OF THE UWA GUILD OF UNDERGRADUATES Vol. 25 No.3 Spring 2006 CONTENTS FEATURES In Focus: campus news and views 2 From the Vice-Chancellery 7 School of Dentistry celebrates 8 Safeguarding our untamed rivers 14 Tackling asthma – on several fronts 16 More than bricks and mortar 17 Graduate profile: Greg Bourne 19 Singing for the soul 21 Healing the land 23 GRAD NEWS 27 GRAD BRIEFS 31 COVER: Perth toddler Xavier McKay who is participating in a trial to tackle asthma, the single most common reason for children being admitted to hospital – see Tackling asthma – on several fronts. Photo: Kerry Edwards, The West Australian. CONTENTS PAGE PHOTOGRAPHS: Top: Jan Vermeer’s Kitchen Maid, one of the 17th century Dutch paintings featured in UWA Extension’s Journey through 17th century art – see In Focus. Centre: Drysdale River, Kimberley – see Safeguarding our untamed rivers. Photo: Landscope Expeditions, CALM/UWA Extension. Bottom: Graduates Bronwyn Stirling, Bernie Bourke and Debbie Clinch enjoy the University Club’s Black Tie Dinner Dance – see In Focus. Editor-in-Chief: Colin Campbell-Fraser ([email protected]) Editor: Trea Wiltshire ([email protected]) • Grad Briefs: Terry Larder ([email protected]) • Production: UniPrint (www.uniprint. uwa.edu.au) • Advertising: Trea Wiltshire +61 8 6488 1914 • Editorial: Public Affairs, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Telephone: +61 8 6488 1914, Fax: +61 8 6488 1192. UNIVIEW is published three times a year, in February, June and October and is sent free to all UWA graduates. Spring edition publication date: October 2006. UNIVIEW is printed on environ- mentally friendly oxygen-bleached paper. Material from UNIVIEW may be reproduced accompanied by an appropriate credit. UNIVIEW can be viewed at http://www.publishing.uwa.edu.au UWA Internet: http://www.uwa.edu.au Changing your address? Please contact Terry Larder: Phone +61 8 6488 2447, +61 8 6488 7992 and +61 8 6488 8000, Fax: +61 8 6488 7996, Email: [email protected] 1 IN FOCUS CONFUCIUS AT HOME the Western Desert region. It entitled Breakfast on Pluto. is interwoven with Japanese Free brochures are available and Afghani narratives and the from 14 November or log on stories of servicemen involved to the Festival website – www. in the Maralinga tests. perthfestival.com.au Ngapartji Ngapartji, co- created by Scott Rankin and Trevor Jamieson, explores a theme central to the 2007 Festival: the human family and the desert. “It is an exhilarating theatre work that shares its epic narrative in a deceptively simple theatrical form,” says PIAF Artistic Director Lindy Hume. “Language – the universal currency of Trevor Jamieson in exchange between audience Ngapartji Ngapartji. and performer – is the ADVANCING OUR VISION expressive core and the dynamic ingredient that makes In this issue of UNIVIEW we this project unique.” have articles that reflect one At the opening of the Confucius Institute: (l to r)Ms Pearl Chua, Ms Thao Nguyen, Zhejiang University Snr Vice President Ni Mingjiang, UWA Vice- Tickets for the production of this University’s primary Chancellor Professor Alan Robson, Ms Kim Wee, Ms Elaine Burgess. go on sale on 14 November aims – to help shape a better world through learning and When its new home on the heritage-listed Claremont site on and you can enrol online by research. Goldsworthy Road was officially opened in June, Australia’s visiting the website: http:// In war-torn Iraq and, closer first Confucius Institute had just celebrated its first anniversary. ninti.ngapartji.org/ to home, in the fledgling nation The Institute is a joint non-profit venture between Beijing’s There will be no need to of East Timor, farmers are Ministry of Education and UWA, that sees this University brush up on language skills trialling crops developed by partnered with one of China’s premier institutions, Zhejiang for the PIAF Lottery West UWA agricultural scientists. University. Zhejiang province is Western Australia’s sister Festival Film season which Professor Kadambot state. runs nightly at UWA’s Siddique, who was recently UWA’s Confucius Institute is now part of a global network Somerville Auditorium and appointed Professor of established to promote Chinese language, culture, studies and the Joondalup Pines (Edith Agriculture, travelled to business. Institute Director, Dr Gary Sigley, said that WA was Cowan University) from 4 Syria late last year to meet fortunate to have a strong network of business and community December. Highlights are Luis with agricultural scientists organisations with links to China. “In conjunction with such Mandoki’s Innocent Voices (set involved in an ambitious strategic partners, the Confucius Institute sees great benefit in mid-1980s El Salvador), the project to improve the yield for WA in positioning the Institute as a world class centre Spanish drama The Gronholm of grain crops and forages for coordinating, facilitating and enhancing China-related Method, the Canadian film in Iraq. Earlier this year the activities into the 21st century.” C.R.A.Z.Y. and the topically- AUDIENCE Much of the dialogue is in PARTICIPATION Pitjantatjara, the central desert In the Pitjantjatjara language language – and an important Ngapartji Ngapartji means ‘I survivor among the 250 give you something, you give languages that once thrived me something’ – and that is across Australia. The UWA the essence of what could be PIAF production aims to stir the most talked about theatre new interest in the language event of the 2007 UWA Perth by urging those buying tickets International Arts Festival. to enrol in an online language Audience participation is course to enhance appreciation a key element in a production of a show that sold out at the that dramatises the impact 2005 Melbourne International of the Cold War and the Arts Festival. Maralinga nuclear tests on one The theatre work centres of the world’s oldest nations, on the life of Trevor Jamieson Professor Ian Constable examines the eyes of a patient. the Spinifex people. of the Spinifex people from (Photo Max Cuypers ©). 2 IN FOCUS UWA professor was in East BUSINESS SCHOOL TAKES SHAPE encouraging community Timor working on a project participation in governance aimed at strengthening seed issues, particularly in relation production. At the same time, to local government. It will three UWA students were work with a group of gifted working in other areas aimed young leaders with the aim at strengthening the young of raising awareness of nation. (See Healing the land) opportunities for participating Also exemplifying the in community decision- University’s determination to making processes. make a difference is Professor Ian Constable, Director of the UWA’S INVENTORS Lions Eye Institute, which In seeking clean energy pioneered work in orbital solutions for transport, there implant technologies and is likely to be wide interest in artificial corneas, gene therapy a catalytic process to convert treatment and telemedicine. (l – r) Professor Alan Robson, Mr Richard Goyder, Mr Mark Barnaba, natural gas into hydrogen and Under Professor Con- Ms Tracey Horton, Mr Stan Perron and Mr Don Voelte. graphite that has almost no stable’s leadership, the Institute carbon dioxide emissions. It supports community services While known for its heritage gardens and classic buildings, was developed by Associate aimed at the early detection and UWA’s contemporary architecture is also being heralded for Professor Hui Tong Chua prevention of diseases causing its innovative design and environmental credentials. and Dr Lizhen Gao from blindness and in improving The new Molecular and Chemical Sciences Building, with UWA’s School of Mechanical the eye health of remote its DNA double helix sculpture, and the stylish University Engineering. Indigenous communities. It Club have both attracted media comment – as will the This frontier research also welcomes international dramatic lines of the UWA Business School that is beginning – one of four UWA prize ophthalmologists for training to transform the southern end of the campus. winners in the inaugural WA to a higher level of skill and With strong support from WA’s business community Inventor of the Year Awards – Professor Constable has put and UWA alumni, this ambitious project sees a new chapter avoids generating greenhouse his surgical skills to good use unfold on a riverside site that was once a meeting place for gases, its by-product being a in many Asian countries. Indigenous people gathering to reaffirm their spiritual ties high value-added graphitized Awarding him this with the land, to enjoy a sense of community and to trade. carbon of use to industry. year’s ANZAC Peace Prize, Later the site assumed a rural character when grazed by sheep The project has two industry the Returned and Services belonging to the School of Agriculture. partners Wesfarmers and XL League of Australia described It was therefore appropriate that Nyungar elders and Tech Group from the United Professor Constable, WA business leaders were present at a recent ceremony States. Director of UWA’s Centre that echoed the past and marked the future. A traditional Major prizes also went for Ophthalmology and Aboriginal ‘Smoking Ceremony’ accompanied the turning of to a new biochemical test, Visual Science, as “a man earth for the $45 million UWA Business School designed by Hepascore, that accurately of complete integrity and the Perth office of Woods Bagot (see Developments).