Issue 4 | December 2008 Tales from the high-rise P8 Universe found to be twice as bright P17

master Laser ‘tweezers’ for extra delicate diagnosis GU swinburne December 2008

6 8 10 Defects detected Tales from services get Contents in the blink of the high-rise smartened up Issue 4 | December 2008 a ‘mechanical eye’

Issue 4 | December 2008 tales from the high-rise P8 Universe found to be twice as bright P17

master Laser ‘tweezers’ for extra delicate diagnosis Swin_0812_p01.indd 1 GU19/11/08 3:31:17 PM cover story Features 03 Bird behaviour inspires 12 Skills shortage creates 18 Researchers 04 Medical diagnosis at a pinch fire-spotting plan increased demand for engineer Australia Laser beams are already used to manipulate and Robin taylor job-ready graduates for earthquakes

Upfront study red blood cells. Now Swinburne scientists The first wide-ranging study Just how well a type of building have taken their research into the nano-realm 06 Defects detected of work-integrated learning in common in Australia and Asia in the blink of Australia has been completed performs in low to moderate and are planning to shed laser light on single a ‘mechanical eye’ and reveals the benefits and earthquakes is being investigated  molecules Using techniques such as vision, challenges of this widespread through a collaborative research Penny Fannin the next generation of inspection approach to university teaching project systems could help Australian Penny Fannin Rebecca Thyer manufacturers improve quality and thereby their competitiveness 14 learning 20 The call to in the world market on the job making wine Rebecca Thyer Gone are the days when university With a distinctive outlook on life, students sat sponge-like in civil engineer Stephen Graham 08 Tales from lecture theatres absorbing the paves a way into wine-making – the high-rise words spoken at them. Career one of several Swinburne alumni Robin Taylor assistance, work placements and making a name for themselves in an array of electives designed to the quest for the perfect bouquet 09 Mobile internet improve generic work skills are Gio Braidotti finds new meaning making today’s students more David Adams job-ready than ever 22 Of winds Penny Fannin and waves 10 Services get A shallow lake north of smartened up 17 The shining: Canberra is the site of research Customers will soon have a astronomers find investigating how extreme winds bigger say in how they can our universe is generate monster waves in the access services, particularly twice as bright open ocean online services. It’s all part of a Julian Cribb Graeme O’Neill new field of technology known as smart services Julian Cribb

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Published by Swinburne University of Technology Swinburne University of Technology collects and uses your information in accordance with our Editor: Dorothy Albrecht, Director, Marketing Services Privacy Statement, which can be found at: www.swinburne.edu.au/privacy. Deputy editor: Julianne Camerotto, Communications Manager If you do not wish to receive communications from us, you can email [email protected], (Research and Industry), Marketing Services fax (03) 9214 8447, or write to Swinburne University of Technology, Privacy at Swinburne, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne PO Box 218, Hawthorn VIC 3122. The information contained in this publication was correct at the time of going to press, December 2008. Written, edited, designed and produced on behalf of Swinburne University CRICOS provider Code 00111D of Technology by Coretext, www.coretext.com.au, 03 9670 1168 ISSN 1835-6516 (Print) ISSN 1835-6524 (Online) Enquiries: 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) Website: www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine Email: [email protected] Cover photo: Paul Jones December 2008 swinburne Bird behaviour inspires fire-spotting plan story by Robin Taylor

As bushfires raged across California in

October 2007, Professor Tim Hendtlass intelligent systems was attracting a great deal of attention on the other side of the US, where he was describing to conference delegates how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could be deployed in large numbers to monitor remote and inaccessible terrain for fires. In Australia, bushfires destroy 100,000 hectares of forest and pasture each year and take the lives of many people and countless animals. Many fires start as a result of lightning strikes in remote areas, where they may burn undetected until they have caused vast damage and are almost impossible to control. The fires in 2003 that devastated large areas of north-east Victoria and the NSW Snowy Mountains, and descended on  Canberra – destroying hundreds of houses and claiming four lives – arose from bushfires that had been burning for weeks in the Namadgi National Park to the south and west of Canberra. It is situations such as this that Professor

Hendtlass, director of the Complex collis Evan Photo: Intelligent Systems Laboratory at Swinburne University of Technology, along with PhD point. “Could we invert the algorithm so that ‘work it out for themselves’. researcher David Howden envisage could instead of converging when searching they ,, “The process of sharing map information be monitored by using swarms of unmanned spread out?” was the question they posed. The process of between two UAVs that come close is spotter planes to search for fires. Professor Hendtlass says terrain is sharing map the key to making the independent UAVs They decided to use an approach known divided into a grid, with each grid square a information work as a dynamic team and enables a as collective intelligence to address the monitoring point. “Some monitoring points between two few cooperating UAVs to do work that question of how to control a number of need to be surveyed more often than others UAVs that come would take a much greater number of fully UAVs and their searching patterns. because they are more fire-prone. Lakes for close is the key independent UAVs to do,” he says. “That’s Professor Hendtlass is interested in using example rarely, if ever, need to be monitored, to making the where the collective intelligence comes in.” ideas from biology. “Nature has found while dry, bush-filled gullies in high independent Researchers are at the simulation stage some very efficient ways to do things and lightning-strike areas need to be surveyed UAVs work as a and have already written the algorithm that I’m interested in seeing if we can replicate frequently. Our aim is to survey all the points dynamic team could be developed into a software program this work in applying it to common human (every grid square) as close to the desired … that’s where for use by fire management agencies and problems,” he says. frequency as possible.” the collective which, with a little further development, will For example, researchers have modelled Their model also considers what happens intelligence soon be ready for commercialisation. the foraging behaviour of flocks of birds if two UAVs come within a certain distance comes in.” In the meantime, Mr Howden is working – the way they weave, search and share of each other and ensures they experience a Professor Tim on how to get the information back from the information to converge on promising food force that makes them diverge. Hendtlass UAVs to a central point and investigating sources – and created algorithims to describe Professor Hendtlass explains how each real data about fire spread to include in the this pattern. UAV has its own map of an area, which program. nn Rather than birds, or planes, converging it uses to make decisions about what on a point, Professor Hendtlass and to do next. Although central control of Contact. . Mr Howden are interested in describing UAVs is feasible in the lab, in real terrain Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) the opposite behaviour: where a swarm communications may be too unreliable for www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine of individuals (the UAVs) disperse from a this to be effective so the UAVs have to [email protected] swinburne December 2008 Medical diagnosis at a pinch s M icro-photonic



Laser beams are already used to manipulate and study red blood cells. Now Swinburne scientists have taken their research into the nano-realm and are planning to shed laser light on single molecules By Penny Fannin

Suspended in mid-air, a solitary red blood less light but more dexterity. The technology this recoiling force won’t have much effect.” cell is rotated, stretched and folded in half. has tremendous potential for medical But if the object is tiny, say one micrometre, Then the light goes out. In darkness, the cell diagnosis. the force is large enough to move the object. resumes its disc-like shape. But with the The centre’s director Professor Min Gu This phenomenon can be particularly light back on, the cell is again subjected to and Associate Professor Xiaosong Gan are well observed when an intense light such as forces that change its shape. leading a team that recently became the first a laser shines through a transparent sphere. The forces that are able to have such a in the world to demonstrate ‘near field’ laser When this occurs the light is refracted to profound effect on these tiny human cells are tweezers. Yet, to understand the significance one side, exerting a very slight force, which produced by laser beams. And the manipulation of this achievement it is important to know tends to push the sphere in the opposite is possible using delicate laser ‘tweezers’. how laser tweezers work. direction. Scientists at Swinburne University of “Light is composed of a lot of photons,” Professor Gu says red blood cells, which Technology’s Centre for Micro-Photonics are Professor Gu says. “When a photon hits are fairly transparent, can be manipulated by exploring the science behind these tweezers a target there’s a momentum change, a laser beams almost as if they were tiny glass to see if they can manipulate the cells with recoiling force. If the object is very big then balls. December 2008 swinburne Medical diagnosis at a pinch Laser tweezers, also called optical from one place to another within a tweezers or optical traps, are of particular single living cell, and to move isolated ,, interest to medical scientists as they can chromosomes on a microscope slide. There is a M icro-photonic s reveal a great deal about cell mechanics Although laser tweezers have been used worldwide without permanently altering the cell, in biological applications since the late competition to Professor Gu says. 1980s, they still carry the risk of damaging see who will be “Red blood cells are the standard model the cell being analysed. The tweezers also the first person for understanding cell mechanics. If the require the use of two laser beams for cell to achieve this shape of a red blood cell changes it may be manipulation, which can be difficult to nano-optical an indication of disease,” he says. synchronise, Associate Professor Gan says. tweezer … We Laser tweezers are frequently used to This is where Professor Gu and Associate are pioneers in study interactions between cells and how Professor Gan’s demonstration of ‘near field’ this field.” these interactions might influence disease laser tweezers is significant. Professor Min Gu development. “The benefit of the tweezers is Near field tweezers use an evanescent they have a temporary effect. As soon as the wave rather than a propagating wave, which laser beam is switched off the cell returns to means only one laser beam, not two, is normal. We can squeeze, bend and rotate the needed to trap and manipulate samples. blood cell, all without destroying it.” “With one beam we can achieve all the  Professor Sarah Russell, leader of the same mechanical actions – rotating, folding immune signalling laboratory at the Peter and stretching cells – as with two beams,” MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne Associate Professor Gan says. and a collaborator of Professor Gu’s, says “Using the evanescent beam you need biologists are becoming more aware that significantly less light to achieve the same factors such as a cell’s shape and orientation effect. Too much light can cause functional in relation to its environment are important change and damage the cell, so using less to how it develops. light is better as there’s less phototoxicity.” Finding tools that allow these factors Although the scientists have demonstrated to be manipulated so their effects can be the ‘near field’ tweezers on red blood cells determined is therefore imperative. “That’s their actions have opened a whole new vista where laser tweezers will come into play,” for medical science. The tweezers could also she says. “They allow us to manipulate cells be used to manipulate biological samples on in that way … and what’s important there is the nano-scale – single molecules such as that the cell is not damaged.” proteins. Professor Russell says laser tweezers will “With the near field tweezers we can do a be particularly useful in studying interactions big object like a cell, but the evanescent beam between cells as, at the moment, it is difficult is ideal for small objects like DNA – objects to identify exactly where the interface is that are one-hundredth the size of a red blood A transparent sphere (or red blood cell) between two cells. “Using laser tweezers cell,” Associate Professor Gan says. illuminated by a narrow laser seeks to we could flip the cells so we could see the Professor Gu says money is the only remain centered in the laser beam even interface and see things that have never been factor stopping the team from laser trapping as the beam moves. The effect can be seen before.” a single molecule. “There is a worldwide compared to suspending a table tennis Laser tweezers were first applied to the competition to see who will be the first ball in a rising jet of air; because of the biological sciences in the late 1980s when person to achieve this nano-optical tweezer,” Bernoulli effect, the ball remains centered they were used to trap a tobacco mosaic he says. “We are pioneers in this field. We in the jet, even if the jet moves or changes virus and Escherichia coli bacterium. In the have developed the technique, now we have direction. 1990s they were used to better understand to demonstrate it.” nn When a second laser beam is introduced the miniature motor/propeller assemblies

the sphere hovers between the two beams. Photo: Paul Jones that bacteria and other microbes use to get Contact. . The beams then act like tweezers and around. Optical tweezers have also been Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) the sphere (or red blood cell) can be used to sort cells, move organelles (tiny, www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine manipulated by steering the beams. specialised organs such as mitochondria) [email protected]  Industrial research Thenextgeneration visualof inspection systems could help Australian manufacturers willvitalbe improvequality andcompetitiveness. understandingBut thelimits theseof systems ‘mechanical eye’ D efects detected in the blink of a By Re By included hard-to-see faults such as missing as such faults hard-to-see included rabbits the says manager Cavallaro Andreà intocars onthe production line. project,deliberately released some ‘rabbits’ AustralianResearch Council (ARC) funded Engineeringand Industrial Sciences via an Universityof Technology’sFaculty of faults,Ford, which is working with Swinburne contactinspection systems work indetecting fault. for ‘Rabbit’jargon industry is Victoria,Campbellfield, plant. production company’sthe in loose running are that kind competitiveness. improvequality and, through that, global generationofinspection systems inbida to testingthe performance ofthe next productionline, Ford Australiahas been Byrunn b ecc Ford’s final assembly engineering Ford’sassembly final So,togauge how well vision-based, non- feral the of rabbits not is However,it a i ngra Thye bbi r ts through its automotive Ali Bab-Hadiashar, says that although that Bab-Hadiashar,says Ali and Professor Dunn Associate Michelle Timincludes Barry,team whose Nagarajah, Grouphas been involved with since 1991. Swinburne’sNon-Contact Inspection Research andagricultural industries, and it is an area that rapidlyin the global automotive, aerospace non-contactinspection systems is growing ona production line in real time. Theuse of capacitivesensing, they inspect components asvision, ultrasonics, light-scattering and dowhat they say. Using techniques such systems.” inspection computer-vision-based of generation current the of limitations the understand to – project this of purpose faults. that’swhole And the all, not but some, on up pick can systems these that showed it analysed, being still are results “Although bolts. unscrewed or Group leader Professor Romesh Professor leader Group Essentially,non-contact inspection systems

runsand complex parts. flexibleenough tocope with small production thistype ofinspection system must also be floor.”shop actual the on work our of most out carry to tend we why is “That says. Nagarajah Professor variations,” component natural day,from the or throughout changes light oil, or dust vibrations, from that be environment, manufacturing a in encountered differences the accommodate to ‘real-life’environment. manufacturing a in accuracy and robustness for testing and development by systems inspection contact non- of application reliable the extend to use. their limit can manufacturing in encountered variations the environments, many in applicable are systems these Despite these demanding requirements demanding these Despite Hesays for Australianmanufacturers, able be must system the words, other “In is this project of ARC objective The swinburne

December 2008 December 2008 swinburne

in remaining internationally competitive. systems replace humans, which brings Mr Cavallaro says that for Ford, positives and negatives. “Human inspectors improving quality is the ongoing priority. are very experienced and skillful, but can get “For us, this project and its outcomes are tired and therefore miss certain defects. An all about quality: giving the customer what automated system can avoid this pitfall but, they have paid for, and making sure that the on the other hand, eyes and brains process car functions the way it was designed to. information very quickly. So, to be viable, an Non-contact inspection systems will help us inspection system needs to balance issues of continue to do that and improve on that. accuracy and speed.” “Ultimately it should improve our Professor Nagarajah says inspection competitiveness because any improvement in systems also need to be flexible enough to

quality improves the brand,” he says. cope with different vehicle models and part Industr i al research Ford already uses various types of variations. “This can be further complicated vision systems for inspections at its plants because slight variations in part shape or in other countries. “At some of the more location do not necessarily signify a defect.” affluent, high-volume plants Ford has vision For example, hoses may not always be the systems on the end of robots, but it’s a very same shape. “They might be turned in or out, expensive set-up,” Mr Cavallaro says. but still be OK. Any system has to be able In Australia the company uses simple to recognise that. It underlines the difficulty vision systems for in-process, but not final, these systems have in assessing what is inspections. “Our aim is to use vision ‘good’ or ‘bad’.” systems for final quality inspections to By collecting and then analysing numerous confirm we have built the car to design.” images of the nine components under various Professor Nagarajah says that, typically, environmental conditions, Swinburne has a vision system comprises cameras, lighting developed methods and associated techniques systems and software for image processing, to accommodate these variations. The analysis and decision making – that is, deciding approach also uses artificial intelligence whether a component is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. techniques to help the system make a decision. “In this ARC-funded project, we have For Ford, any system must also be easy to  used off-the-shelf cameras and lighting use, Mr Cavallaro says. “If we need a rocket

Photo: Paul Jones systems configured by our research team. scientist to tweak it or to keep it robust and All software development was also done by capable, then it obviously becomes less our team, partly using commercial software attractive to implement.” In a bid to promote research platforms. We’ve developed a prototype non- He says the research is finding good and innovation in Australia’s automotive industry, the contact inspection system that uses vision.” applications for vision systems and it will Australian Government Professor Romesh Nagarajah, leader of Swinburne’s Using this set-up, Swinburne researchers be just a matter of “how and when” a non- unveiled a $6.2 billion Non-Contact Inspection Research Group: chasing the are exploring the system’s limits by contact inspection system is introduced. innovation fund in ‘rabbits’ out of Ford’s production line. inspecting nine under-body car components, Professor Nagarajah says that once November to help make the industry more commercially representing varying degrees of complexity. outcomes from the ARC-funded project and environmentally Professor Nagarajah says the inspection are implemented the research team will sustainable by 2020. system must inspect, in real time, under-body be able to more accurately gauge the – and in a manufacturing environment where components to see if they are correct and in capabilities of current systems and associated Announcing the plan Australian companies face determined the right place. It also must be quick: “If you technologies. nn Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the government was competition from overseas rivals with lower are going to install these types of systems on committed to modern Contact. . labour costs – these systems are being a production line, they have to achieve the manufacturing. looked to with increasing interest. Their use speeds currently achieved on the line … or Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) has the potential to reduce labour costs and faster.” www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine See: www.innovation.gov. improve quality – two essential ingredients He says that in most cases automated [email protected] au/automotivereview

Automation keeps company competitive For safety equipment manufacturer Autoliv Australia, the use of automated, non-contact production line, thereby keeping labour costs down.” inspection systems has allowed the business to remain competitive. Mr Power says the company aims to run manufacturing by adhering to the Japanese Autoliv produces automotive safety equipment, including seatbelts and airbags, and has principle of jidoka. “It means trying to find the error before you make it … instead of 13 technical centres across the globe. With Swinburne’s non-contact inspection group and inspecting a product later, you inspect in real time. What that means is you may only make with Australian Research Council (ARC) support, Autoliv Australia has just completed a project one reject or, in many cases, it will stop you from making a reject. You don’t waste time and to manufacture complex assemblies with no defects using non-contact inspection systems. money making rejects and you don’t have to sort through rejects if you find the problem Managing director Seamus Power says the company looked to auto-detection for two straight away. It’s cheaper to make things right the first time.” reasons – quality and cost. “Quality, for us, is a given. Externally that quality has never Autoliv’s work with Swinburne researchers has helped it reduce internal first-time failures changed, but that obviously has a cost if we are rejecting a lot of products internally. So by 53 per cent. “The project paid itself back within three months,” Mr Power says. “If we we wanted to build in a non-contact inspection method that became part of our existing could get that every time, we’d be laughing.” swinburne December 2008 Tales from the high-rise story by Robin Taylor

Polina and Eva, two older ladies living in Melbourne, were born in the same village in the Ukraine and attended school together before their families were wrenched apart by World War II. Now, more than 60 years later, the two women have found each other,

both living as tenants in the same public Justin garnsworthy illustration: housing high-rise in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Prahran. Their story is one of a collection told in a digital storytelling project by students from Swinburne University of Technology’s Design Centre. The three-minute story of Polina and Eva, captured by Ugandan student Anita Birungi, unfolds movingly as it recounts the horrors Soci e ty the women experienced as young girls fleeing the German army with their families, and how the two met again years later. Using  a combination of photographs and other artefacts from the women’s lives, and with the help of an interpreter, the digital story records their tales. The digital story-telling project is now in its third year and this year adopted the theme ‘couples’. The first year was a pilot program and last year focused on multiculturalism. The students work with their subjects over it’s the first time they have ever had the because I tried a lot of new things.” a three-month period before condensing their ,, opportunity to do something like this. They All the students at the Design Centre stories into three-minute digital vignettes. The project enjoyed meeting the students and it built have already completed an undergraduate Some students tell the stories using animated shows the their confidence. They are now keen to get degree and are doing the project as part of figures, while others use cut-out photos. diversity of other tenants involved.” a master’s degree or honours year. Stefanto They combine elements of spoken word, people living in Ms Ingram says one of the best aspects completed a degree in multimedia design at sound, music and animation with images of public housing of the project has been seeing friendships Swinburne before being accepted into the the people’s homes to provide a glimpse into and the diversity develop between the tenants and the students Design Centre course this year. their rich lives. of their stories. who are telling their stories. The multimedia manager of the Design Digital storytelling works in the same way It’s been very Most of the participating students are Centre, Dylan Davis, says the centre works as oral history, supported by the artefacts that successful.” international students so the project has also like a design studio and gives students a people bring from their lives. Prue Ingram given them a chance to experience a part chance to gain professional experience in a The project is a joint initiative between of Australia they wouldn’t otherwise have university context. the Swinburne Design Centre and the Inner seen. Indonesian student Stefanto Tandyasra “They all report it has been a very South Community Health Service. recorded a story about Bill and Helen, two positive experience,” Mr Davis says. The program coordinator with the Inner people who have been friends for years. He “Meeting people and hearing their personal South Community Health Service, Prue spent a lot of time with them, even going stories, they learn to gain someone’s trust; Ingram, says one of the aims of the project is along to bingo. they make friendships beyond a normal to promote a more positive image of people Stefanto’s interpretation of Bill and client relationship. It’s a position of trust in public housing, who often feel stigmatised. Helen’s story uses a combination of where they are telling that person’s story and “These people have interesting lives,” animation and 3D. “For me, the most working with them.” nn Ms Ingram says. “The project shows the valuable part was the experience of getting diversity of people living in public housing to know them – because they have been Contact. . and the diversity of their stories. It’s been through a lot in their lives they have many Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) very successful. life experiences to share,” he says. “But it www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine “People involved have commented that was also rewarding academically, using 3D, [email protected] December 2008 swinburne Mobile internet finds new meaning story by David Adams

In the state of Orissa, India, the lack of internet access in rural and regional areas has led one company to implement an unusual approach to connectivity. United Villages Networks has introduced a low-cost internet system known as DakNet that can be accessed through computer kiosks located in village shops or schools. Rather than providing expensive ‘always on’ connectivity, computers in these kiosks Internet only connect to the internet when a local P hotolibrary.com photo: bus passes by the kiosk on its regular route. The bus is fitted with a wireless transmitter system was originally intended to allow what the patterns of activity are that are going and receiver that downloads and uploads villagers to access the internet for services ,, on globally: what are the kind of barriers data from the computer kiosk. When the bus such as email, voicemail and SMS, Rather than to adoption that people are facing; and, returns to its main depot in the state capital, Mr Watkins says an e-shopping system has providing equally, what are the kinds of compelling this data is then transferred to the internet. become tremendously popular, not only with expensive value propositions that we see being wrapped The DakNet system is one of many villagers but also small-business owners. ‘always on’ around technology that drive their adoption innovative ways in which companies and “The consumer is buying cheaper connectivity, despite remarkable obstacles?”  agencies in India are using technology. It has products, and small businessmen have been computers in Dr Bell says the company’s principal been unearthed as part of a study into how able to order goods that are delivered to their these kiosks interest in the Moving Content project information and communication technology door, thus avoiding the need to shut up shop only connect revolves around the last of these. “Part of what is applied in low-infrastructure areas of India and go into town to buy stock,” he says. to the internet this project is already producing is a set of and the cultural, economic and sociotechnical Associate Professor Jo Tacchi, of the when a local compelling stories about how consumers in consequences of these applications. Creative Industries Faculty at QUT says the bus passes by rural India are taking advantage of the internet; Known as Moving Content, the project builds upon previous work by the the kiosk on its when, in fact, it’s a fairly complicated thing project is a collaborative effort between research team, including the ARC/UNESCO- regular route. to go about doing,” she says. “I think it’s Swinburne University of Technology, funded project, Finding A Voice. This earlier also giving us an awareness of the kinds of Queensland University of Technology (QUT) study examined how community-based technology experiments that are going on at a and the US-based Intel Corporation. Funded by media and new technologies can be used to grassroots level in other parts of the world.” Intel’s Research Council, the three-year project help people on the margins of society have a While the project’s findings will be fed – which is being conducted under the banner voice in the decisions that affect their lives. back through the academic community and to of the Australian Research Council (ARC) “The Moving Content project is taking that development groups working in countries like Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries a little further in low-infrastructure areas in India, they will also be of interest to Australia, and Innovation – is about halfway through. India by looking at the conditions that allow where distance remains a major constraint The project team consists of six researchers, for interesting and innovative outcomes to to internet connectivity. “I think the United based across Australia, the US and India. Their emerge from information and communication Villages example shows how you can achieve research sites are clustered along the route technology projects. They might be this asynchronous connection across a big area of India’s Golden Quadrilateral – a major commercial, they might be public sector, they at a fraction of the cost,” Mr Watkins says. highway development that links the cities of might be community-based or non-profit.” “The Australian Government is talking about Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai. Moving Content is one of a long line of financing a national broadband system and, Jerry Watkins, a senior lecturer in research projects that the Intel Corporation although these things are desirable, are they Swinburne’s Faculty of Design, says the has supported to explore future technology really cost-effective? Do we need to attempt researchers undertook a “substantial” piece of directions. Dr Genevieve Bell, director to supply always-on broadband across an field work in Orissa in April 2008 examining of user experiences at Intel, says recent enormous country when asynchronous systems the impact infrastructure such as the internet projects have included tracking the growth of can deliver nearly the same level of service at and the Golden Quadrilateral road project has mobile computing in Britain and examining a fraction of the cost?” nn had on villages and communities. privacy practices in the US. “Our aim in all He says that one of the most interesting of these is really to increase our knowledge Contact. . aspects of the United Villages system is base about what people are doing. And the Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) what people use the internet for. Although particular aim in social sciences, interactivity www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine the company’s bus-mounted WiFi internet design and new media areas is to look at [email protected] swinburne December 2008

Services get smartened up Customers will soon have a bigger say in how they can access services, particularly online services. It’s all part of a new field of technology known as smart services By Julian Cribb S ervice delivery

10 The customers of the future will help for the CRC, a project that is building on the from collaborating with their customers design the services they need. That is one revolution created by social networking sites on improving products. It is a large part of the philosophies driving the new Smart such as MySpace and YouTube. of why the $120 million Smart Services Services Cooperative Research Centre “There is a recognition that worldwide CRC includes 10 industry players and (CRC), in which Swinburne University of this huge community is springing up which six universities and is co-funded by the Technology is playing a key role. The CRC is happy to work collaboratively, to design private sector and governments. The CRC is helping to reshape services, a sector of the better systems, software and experiences,” has 10 major projects covering areas Australian economy worth well over half a Mr Sharp says. “It’s a truly profound shift including: the development of social media; trillion dollars and generating five jobs in in the way we achieve innovation in society personalising the internet for individuals; every six. and the economy – one where we leverage providing uniform experiences across Smart services are at the juncture between the skills and knowledge of customers and different services; understanding how the internet and society. One of Swinburne’s users so they become active participants in immersive environments can be used contributions to this fast-growing field the co-creation of new products. commercially; one-stop personalised financial of technology is in the social sciences “Many of these people just like working services; smart education; and ways to bring – understanding what people really want and in self-organising communities where they together and combine different services can do together, says Smart Services CEO achieve things together, contribute their so they are more accessible. Important Warren Bradey. knowledge and skills to society without any Swinburne contributions to the CRC also “The services sector is huge, and the heavy management overlay. include the work of Professor Ryszard reason the centre was set up is that people “It all works on the logic of abundance Kowalczyk in service aggregation (methods realised that comparatively little research rather than the logic of scarcity. There is and tools that create composite services) and had gone into ways of improving it, either abundant knowledge out there if you know Professor Jun Han in service delivery. in Australia or anywhere else around how to tap it and it is infinitely distributable. Swinburne researcher Mandy Salomon is the world,” Mr Bradey says. “There is a These communities are responding to the leading the research into the immersive web tremendously fertile field in improving need to solve global challenges in ways that and virtual worlds, looking at how online the way business and government deliver the old power structures are having difficulty spaces such as Second Life can work for the services to their customers – and in coping with.” education, health, government services and understanding what it is that their customers Mr Sharp uses the example of Danish technology delivery sectors. really want, what they do and how best to toymaker Lego, which found an online “Part of my job is to find the lead users meet their needs.” community of ‘hackers’ designing new and lead developers and start to make One answer is to engage ordinary people tasks for Lego’s latest robot toy that the sense of this nascent technology, to start in ‘user-led innovation’ in which they design manufacturer had never thought of – and to construct some useful frameworks from or modify services to suit their particular decided, instead of penalising them, to which our industry partners can benefit,” needs, says Swinburne researcher Darren recruit them as lead-user designers. Ms Salomon says. “The aim is to assist them Sharp, who leads the social media project Businesses stand to gain a great deal to find solutions to current and near-future December 2008 swinburne

needs, but also to open them to new practices that may extend their current horizons in Swinburne researcher Darren Sharp: “It all works on the ways they may not yet have imagined. Over logic of abundance rather than the logic of scarcity.” time, this will lead to an improved delivery Jones Paul Photo: of services, enlivened work processes and new products.” Explaining how the virtual world can meet the real world, she says: “Take a precious commodity like water. Imagine that there is an issue with a dam in a developing country. Wouldn’t it be great if an expert engineer from Australia was able to meet a local worker in the online space and together examine the site. They could share the inspection experience, discuss solutions service delivery and even control settings from an offshore computer.” Education and training are the sectors pioneering the virtual world, Ms Salomon says. “Eighteen of the US’s top 20 universities are in Second Life, and many Australian learning centres are well advanced with their own virtual- world learning environments. Swinburne students use Second Life across a number of disciplines including Media and Communications, IT and Design.” “Immersive environments mean bringing in real people on the web so you can interact 11 with them,” Warren Bradey explains. “Whether it is learning, serving, or buying and selling, you see people as real people, not avatars. You converse with them, exchange ideas, find out what you want in a total 3D environment.” A school history class could, for example, spend a lesson wandering around the ruins of Pompeii or Petra, going into buildings and seeing what they would see if they were actually there, providing a much livelier form of education in a form that can be exported around the world. Instead of every business or agency providing services in its own unique – and sometimes uniquely confusing – way, service enterprises can begin to use common delivery platforms, Mr Bradey adds. “Essentially, this means providing different services in a common way, which is much less confusing for the customer.” Even setting up a business becomes easier, as these new tools enable the intending owner to explore the market, demographics, competition, space availability, restrictions and costs – all information that currently has to be gathered piecemeal and with great labour, he says. For more information To help with this the CRC has established nwww.smartservicescrc.com.au  a ‘service innovation foundry’ where new ideas can be prototyped and tested in the real Contact. . world, taking them from a good research Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) idea to a real product or service in a much www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine shorter time. nn [email protected] swinburne December 2008 Skills shortage creates increased demand for job-ready graduates

The first wide-ranging study of work-integrated learning in Australia has been completed and reveals the benefits and challenges of this widespread approach to university teaching By Penny Fannin

ation Whether it is in the mines of outback and interest in WIL over the past three years, Queensland, the jet propulsion laboratories both from universities and employers, as we of California or the corporate offices that grapple with the skill shortages Australia is E du c line our city streets, students from around currently facing,” Ms Pocknee says. “The ill e artv i on: ILLustrat Australia are putting theory into practice by time is right to have a really good look at undertaking work-based learning experiences what is going on with WIL. 12 during their courses. “With this project we’re trying to Australian universities, along with their contribute to the development of curricula industry partners, are increasingly using that are more responsive to the real world, the workplace to develop programs that that build up a graduate’s professional skills produce graduates who are adaptable and and capabilities. Work-integrated learning ready for work. However, there has never is not just about work experience or doing been a comprehensive evaluation in Australia a community placement, it’s about giving of this work-integrated learning (WIL) students the opportunity to apply their – how widespread it is and what challenges theory to a real workplace setting and about and benefits it may offer to universities, building new professional knowledge while employers and students. they are there. Students really engage with Although WIL has different incarnations this type of learning.” at different academic institutions it can be Traditionally, WIL has been associated loosely defined as a learning experience that with teaching, nursing, medicine and ,, seeks to integrate academic study, work, engineering; although these disciplines With this project formal and informal learning, and social usually refer to it as practicum or we’re trying to interaction. Its definition is broad because clinical placement. But it now extends to contribute to different universities and disciplines take a accounting, biosciences and information and the development diverse approach to its development. communications technology. of curricula into what To get a better idea of what is going The scoping study identified hundreds that are more other people on in the world of WIL, the Australian of different examples of WIL and the responsive to and universities are Learning and Teaching Council (formerly the researchers collaborated with universities the real world, doing. It’s a rapidly changing Carrick Institute) commissioned Swinburne in developing case studies on 30 programs. that build up environment out there and we need to University of Technology, Griffith University The case studies have been made available a graduate’s share.” and Queensland University of Technology online so university staff who are developing professional Carol-Joy Patrick, another of the project’s (QUT) to carry out the nation’s first large- curricula can gather information on the skills and leaders and head of Griffith University’s scale scoping study of WIL. Thirty-four different ways WIL can be delivered. capabilities.” Industrial Affiliates Program, says Australian universities took part and the final Ms Pocknee says the study showed that Catherine universities are facing growing pressure report was released in October. many new WIL models have been developed Pocknee from business and students for an education Catherine Pocknee, from Swinburne’s in response to industry needs. “However, that turns out job-ready graduates. “Students Cooperative Education Office, was one of with WIL one size won’t fit all, and staff expect more from their degrees, and the project’s leaders and says its overarching across the education sector are always keen business is responding to skills shortages by goal was to improve the learning experience to hear about new ideas and concepts. We assigning real projects to students on work for students. “There has been rapid growth hope the case studies give them some insight placements,” she says. December 2008 swinburne

“The skills shortage means everyone challenge for WIL. Professions Australia “In many cases industry wants to use Working in the has to be ready to do more, more quickly. is a national organisation of professional universities as an employment agency, real world When a graduate walks into an organisation associations. Its 29 member associations but we need to work on developing more The scoping study now, the chances of them becoming a team represent about 400,000 professionals across sophisticated partnerships with employers identified various leader within their first year are much higher, Australia. so we can develop mutually beneficial examples of work- especially in engineering and mining.” However, he says, WIL offers great programs. We need to include students in integrated learning Consequently, universities have begun benefits: “For the employer it’s having a the debate as well so we can make sure it’s a (WIL) and turned some to pay more attention to the generic skills more work-ready graduate and from the worthwhile experience for them too.” into case studies, demanded in the workplace, such as graduate side of things it’s to be a greater Ms Pocknee says employers and which include: E du c communications, teamwork and problem- contributor (to the business) early on. universities will increasingly need to solving, Ms Patrick says. “Both sides, the employers and develop work-based learning experiences n The Griffith

Dr Deborah Peach, the project leader the universities, are still finding their for students. “We can’t just give students University Innocence ation from QUT, says the project has highlighted way through to how best WIL can be a whole lot of theoretical knowledge in a Project – a pro bono some of the major issues and challenges implemented and progress is being made,” university setting and hope for the best when project that brings associated with WIL. Mr Farrow says. they get a job. We need to transition them together lawyers, “We have spoken with students, academic Ms Pocknee says students, universities into employment and this sort of learning academics and law staff, professional staff who manage the WIL and industry have different expectations needs to be purposefully planned and students who work programs, senior university management when it comes to WIL. “It’s really difficult designed if it is to be effective. nn together to identify and and employers to really try and identify to manage people’s expectations because help innocent people 13 any problems, complications or areas of industry wants employees who have all these Contact. . who have been wrongly dissatisfaction,” she says. “There is no work competencies and professional skills Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) convicted in Australia. question that WIL is essential for students rather than students who are still learning www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine to have an opportunity to demonstrate these skills,” she says. [email protected] n A Curtin University knowledge, reflect on practice and learn of Technology on-the-job, but we identified a number of program where problematic areas. students of pharmacy, “One area of particular concern is physiotherapy, international students being limited in occupational their access to work placements. Under therapy and human the current visa requirements international communication science students can’t do a work placement unless undertake a four-week it’s a compulsory part of their course, which placement in China, significantly disadvantages them in relation India, South Africa or to Australian-based students. To achieve Ukraine where they equity for these students the current visa develop clinical skills, requirements need to be changed so they work collaboratively allow the students to participate in work with students of other placements.” allied health professions Dr Peach says the scoping study revealed and gain cross-cultural the importance of clear communication experience. between the university and employer and managing expectations on both sides. n Swinburne’s Design “Work-integrated learning needs to be a Centre – where worthwhile experience for all involved. It honours and masters is not good enough to stand a student in students in Industrial, front of a photocopier all day, for example. Communication and The experience needs to be beneficial to the Multimedia Design student as well as the employer.” complete paid and The chief executive officer of Professions pro bono design and Australia, Malcolm Farrow, agrees with the consultancy projects. study’s finding that managing expectations of employers and students remains a swinburne December 2008 Learning on the job Gone are the days when university students sat sponge-like in lecture theatres absorbing the words spoken at them. Career assistance, work placements and an array of electives designed to improve generic work skills are making today’s students more job-ready than ever By Penny Fannin

Within days of university student Marika had not received a high distinction in any of participate in the program. All six Mulqueen arriving at the City of Melbourne my subjects before then. faculties at Swinburne offer either IBL for her Industry-Based Learning (IBL) “It (the IBL) made me realise the point of or Industry Placement programs to their I mproving learning placement in 2002 she was designing a tree everything, how the theory stuff relates and undergraduate students, though only some guard for the city’s Greek precinct. That that it’s not just for uni, you actually have to of those programs are open to international was quickly succeeded by a tree sculpture get out and do it all.” students due to Federal Government visa 14 to be installed at Southbank. And not long Ms Mulqueen’s IBL placement at the restrictions.” after she was designing lighting for the sea City of Melbourne was for 12 months, but About four years ago Swinburne’s wall viewing area at Birrarung Marr, the before she completed her time she was asked management began a review of the riverside parkland adjacent to Melbourne’s to stay on and bring the city’s two-person university’s curriculum. Nicki Lee, academic Federation Square. design team up to three. It was a far cry coordinator of experiential learning in the It was a rigorous introduction to from Ms Mulqueen’s expectations on first Swinburne Professional Learning Unit, professional working life for Ms Mulqueen, arriving. “I felt completely out of my depth. says the review led to the development of who until then was a self-proclaimed I didn’t know if I would end up being any Swinburne’s Professional Learning Model. ‘average’ student in the Bachelor of value and how my skills would relate back to “One of the review’s aims was to look Engineering (Product Design Engineering) at the City of Melbourne,” she says. at what we do well and look at ways to Swinburne University of Technology. IBL has a long history at Swinburne, expand on our strengths as a university of “Before I left for my IBL I didn’t starting in 1963 in the Engineering technology,” Ms Lee says. “That included understand how the theory related to Department. It is the longest running IBL the IBL, but also the work in individual industry,” Ms Mulqueen says. “I was a fairly program in Australia. Catherine Pocknee, disciplines that goes towards preparing average student … but after the placement from Swinburne’s Professional Learning students for professional life.” at the City of Melbourne I was much more Unit, says each year the university places Professor Margaret Mazzolini, motivated and excited about the course more than 550 students from more than Swinburne’s Dean (Learning and Teaching), and studied really hard. I received high 30 degree programs into IBL. “Most says the review identified several initiatives distinctions for all my subjects in 2004 and years we have more than 350 businesses and approaches in individual faculties IBL placements make good business sense

In a company of 18 employees, it may seem a big commitment to take on says. “We saw it (participating in the BIT program) as a good opportunity two Industry-Based Learning (IBL) students a year, but for Melbourne-based to identify prospective employees at an early stage. We also wanted to Fenwick Software it has proven to be good business sense. put something back into the industry, and provide ourselves with a pool of Fenwick signed on as a sponsor of Swinburne’s Bachelor of Information excellent people to choose from, with the option to employ some of them at a Technology (BIT) in December 2001, and took on its first IBL student later date.” in February 2002. Fenwick principal consultant Andrew Ferguson says Students in the BIT undertake two 20-week IBL placements, one in second 17 students have since completed an IBL placement with the company, year and one in third year. Like any prospective employee, they apply and are “It is a big commitment, but finding good graduates is becoming more and interviewed for the positions. more difficult. There is a shortage of IT people with good skills,” Mr Ferguson Since joining the BIT program, Fenwick has offered employment to 11 of its improving learning 15 Mulqueen 60 is

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competitive the 946) Penny December 2008 to part-time able Cox experience the the return practical to good end Fannin and December 2008 swinburne The shining: astronomers find our universe is twice as bright story by Julian Cribb Astronomy

Dr Alister Graham

photo: michelle Templeton Astronomers have torn aside an on their observations and correct for it, Dust changes the colour of a galaxy enshrouding veil of dust to reveal that the giving a more accurate appraisal of what is ,, – making it appear redder. Given that both universe is twice as brilliant and fiery a taking place. We’ve known the brightness and the colour of a galaxy place as we had previously imagined. The dust originates from material blown for a long time are used to convert its observed stellar flux 17 In one of those profound discoveries that off by stars, like exhaust fumes, as they that there is into a stellar mass, this colour adjustment can shift our perception of the universe, mature. Mixed in the wind from these stellar dust in galaxies accounts for why 100 per cent more stars an international team of astrophysicists furnaces are particles of silicate and graphite, – we just didn’t were not reported, even though the galaxies has demonstrated that there is double which build up in galactic clouds and trap the appreciate the are twice as bright at blue wavelengths. the amount of light in the universe than starlight, inhibiting its escape from a galaxy. extent of its The team says that although their research previously thought, but that half of it is In making their discovery, the team first influence.” indicates the universe is more dusty, the total masked by clouds of interstellar dust. measured the brightness of a huge population Dr Alister mass of the dust remains relatively tiny (well “We’ve known for a long time that of disc-shaped spiral galaxies with different Graham below one per cent) compared to everything there is dust in galaxies – we just didn’t orientations – face-on, edge-on and in else, and therefore does not cancel out appreciate the extent of its influence,” between – to try to work out how much dust the belief that there is still a great deal of says Swinburne University of Technology they contained. The idea is that galaxies seen enigmatic ‘dark matter’ in galaxies. astrophysicist Dr Alister Graham. “It came face-on will appear brighter because, on However, there are billions of distant as something of a shock – we’ve only been average, there is less dust lying between their stars in the disc of our galaxy, the Milky seeing half the show.” stars and the viewer. In contrast, the majority Way, that we cannot see because they are The discovery, founded on a 10-year of stars in edge-on galaxies are shaded by obscured by dust as we look sideways survey of some 10,000 galaxies, has been dust such that only the facing outer rim of through the dusty galactic plane. The published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. stars is seen. researchers say that the night-time band “At first we thought that we must From comparisons with a computer- of light that is our galaxy would indeed be have made a mistake,” Dr Graham says. simulated model of a dusty galaxy, the brighter if not for this dust. “However, we were able to check the result team determined how much light was The research was carried out through a by studying how the light-obscuring dust actually escaping from the thousands of global collaboration between the University glowed in the infrared when heated by different galaxies in their survey sample. of St Andrews, Swinburne, the University of the starlight. This thermal glow, invisible By measuring the infrared glow of the dust Central Lancashire, Liverpool John Moores at optical wavelengths, gave us the itself, which is heated by the absorbed University, the Max Planck Institute and the confirmation we needed. starlight, they were also able to confirm European Southern Observatory. nn “It is rather poetic that, in order to how much energy was not escaping in the appreciate the full glory of our universe, we form of visible light – providing an accurate For images first had to appreciate something as small as energy balance for the galaxies and thus our nhttp://astronomy.swin.edu.au/~agraham/dust  the particles of dust that obscure it.” universe. Professor Simon Driver, from the “The survey also enabled us to determine Contact. . University of St Andrews in Scotland, says that our universe contains some 20 per cent Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) the discovery means astronomers can now more mass in stars than we had previously www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine better understand the effect dust is having realised,” Dr Graham adds. [email protected] swinburne December 2008

Researchers engineer Australia for earthquakes New standard Just how well a All new buildings in Australia, with the exception building type common of private houses, will have to be designed to in Australia and Asia withstand earthquakes following the adoption of performs in mild to new building codes specially created for Australian moderate earthquakes conditions. is being investigated Traditionally, historic seismicity has been through a collaborative used as a predictor of future earthquake events and, on this basis, building standards have been research project developed. However Professor Wilson, who chaired By Rebecca Thyer the committee that designed the new Australian Earthquake Loading Standard, says the earthquakes in Newcastle and Tennant Creek highlight the need to upgrade the building code.

ngin ee ring “It will mean that engineers build buildings that

E are sufficiently robust to tolerate any significant ground shifting, by either increasing their lateral force capacity by making them stronger 18 or by making them more flexible to withstand displacement.”

For two of Australia’s leading seismic First, the buildings were demolished to Because a lot of these happen in remote engineers, the demolition of part of an inner- first-floor level. Then by adding weights and areas, damage is limited. “But when they Melbourne housing estate provided a rare applying force in a horizontal direction, the occur in or near an urban area they can be chance to do what engineers dream about: buildings were made to sway – simulating quite catastrophic. The 1989 Newcastle push a building sideways until it collapses, the typical action caused by an earthquake. earthquake was a magnitude 5.6 earthquake essentially testing how well it performs in By pushing the buildings sideways, the team yet killed 11 people and caused $2 billion earthquake-like conditions. tested how much displacement the structures worth of damage. On a world scale it is a Their opportunity came about when, had; that is, how much they could move small earthquake, but it shows what happens through their involvement in a collaborative without collapsing. if you have a bullseye event.” Australian Research Council (ARC) “We were pleasantly surprised to find That earthquake provided the impetus for Discovery Project involving the University they had more displacement capacity than the long-time collaborators’ research, which of Melbourne and Swinburne University we had predicted, so we are now using that is helping to provide an Australian context to of Technology, they heard that some of information for further investigations and to earthquakes and the damage they cause. It will Carlton’s historic four-storey walk-ups were model this behaviour,” Professor Wilson says. also help assess whether Australian buildings being demolished. As researchers, as well Although earthquakes might seem a low meet a new earthquake building standard. as engineers, Professor John Wilson and priority to many Australians, they do pose Adopted in January 2008, the standard Associate Professor Nelson Lam jumped a significant risk. Australia’s major insurers means all new buildings, with the exception at the chance of adding to their earthquake regard them as sufficiently risky to annually of private houses, will have to be designed to knowledge. transfer $200 million to $300 million to re- withstand earthquakes. Professor Wilson, director of Swinburne’s insurance companies overseas to offset their Associate Professor Lam says the Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure, says exposure. The re-insurance companies rate objective of the ARC project is to provide opportunities to assess buildings’ earthquake an earthquake in Sydney within their 20 top realistic predictions on the performance performance do not come along often. risk exposures worldwide. of buildings deemed vulnerable by the So, with the University of Melbourne’s “Australia is not silent when it comes new standard and, through that, whether Associate Professor Lam, students from both to earthquakes,” Professor Wilson says. retrofitting is needed. universities and one of the Victorian Office “We have a magnitude five earthquake “It is not really helpful to housing of Housing’s engineers, Fiona Hodges, he set somewhere in Australia every year and a authorities and the like to say: ‘All these about engineering an earthquake. magnitude six every five years.” buildings need to be pulled down because December 2008 swinburne

Fact box Swinburne and the University of Melbourne were asked by the Office of Earthquakes: energy unleashed Housing to check some of the office’s high- Earthquakes result from a sudden release of strain energy in tectonic plates, which has accumulated rise buildings to see if they complied with from the relative movement of the plates on the earth’s molten mantle. the new standard. About 90 per cent of earthquakes occur on plate boundaries and are known as interplate Ms Hodges says there was no seismic earthquakes. The remaining 10 per cent occur away from the plate boundary and are called intraplate code when the buildings were built and earthquakes. although they met all engineering standards e ngin ee ring Although Australia is far away from its tectonic plate boundary, the continent still experiences at the time, “we wanted to check how they earthquakes because its plate is very compressed – it is moving northwards at about 70 millimetres performed according to the new code. So each year. that is how this whole thing started.” Professor Wilson says that just north of New Guinea, Australia’s plate hits the Pacific plate. “So it is She says the demolition provided a under massive compression and we don’t know where the next earthquake will hit or how big it is going “once in a lifetime opportunity” to calculate to be.” buildings’ responses to earthquakes. Earthquakes in Australia can be considered low-probability, high-consequence events, he says. Professor Wilson says the team essentially The largest earthquake recorded in Australia was a magnitude 6.9 and occurred in WA. wants to establish buildings’ displacement The 1988 Tennant Creek earthquake highlights how much there is to learn about earthquakes in capacity. “If you push them sideways, how regions of low to moderate risk, such as Australia. “In 1988 we thought Tennant Creek was so stable that many millimetres can you keep pushing it was considered as a site for a nuclear waste depositary. But then it had three 6.3 to 6.8-magnitude them till they suddenly collapse? This is 19 events in 24 hours,” Professor Wilson says. what the demolition project allowed us to do. “From an earthquake perspective, displacement collapses buildings. If a photos: getty images building drifts too much then the gravity loading takes over and it collapses. It’s all they do not comply with new earthquake ARC project, soft-storey buildings are being about stability.” About 90 standards’,” he says. “This is impractical. investigated. Professor Wilson says by the project’s per cent of Instead, our research helps contribute to Soft-storey buildings have an open space end in 2010 the team hopes to be able to say earthquakes general knowledge by saying that many of at the bottom – often used for car parks and that although soft-storey buildings are not occur on plate these buildings are OK, they just need some retail space – and rely heavily on slender suited to high-seismic regions, they have boundaries improvement.” columns to resist horizontal forces at the their place in low to moderate-risk regions. and are known Both Professor Wilson and Associate ground floor level. Without structural walls “In Melbourne and other cities, building as interplate Professor Lam believe the work is to act as bracing elements in an extreme standards for wind will often be enough to earthquakes. crucial given that the vulnerability of event, they are banned in high-seismic protect buildings from earthquakes. I think many Australian buildings is rated using regions because large earthquakes cause we may be able to confirm this.” The remaining 10 information better suited to regions of column entries to fail and buildings to “What we have found so far is that per cent occur high seismicity, such as New Zealand and collapse. buildings that were once thought to be very away from the California. Associate Professor Lam says the new dangerous or vulnerable are not really as bad plate boundary “It is important for us to have an Australian building standard does not as they seemed,” Associate Professor Lam and are called Australian focus,” Associate Professor Lam prohibit these buildings, but contains little adds. intraplate says. “It is why we have been working on information that exclusively addresses this Soft-storey buildings are also very earthquakes. both the behaviour of buildings and on construction type. “Our ARC Discovery popular in Asia and both Professor Wilson the physical properties of Australian-type Project started after the draft of the new and Associate Professor Lam are working The largest earthquakes.” standard was completed, but our research with colleagues in Singapore and Hong earthquake He says the work has been multi- will potentially contribute to future editions.” Kong on earthquake impacts. “The work recorded in disciplinary. “We understand how the ground Soft-storey buildings are common in will have relevance in Asia where areas are Australia was a motion behaves and are studying intensively Australia, so the project team set out to very urbanised and have lots of soft-storey magnitude 6.9 how structures relate to these ground investigate the buildings’ potential seismic buildings.” nn and occurred in motions.” performance and whether they met the WA. Initially the team looked at brick new earthquake standard. However, it was Contact. . buildings because they suffered – and work with the Office of Housing that really Swinburne on 1300 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) therefore caused – the most damage in the created the means to test existing buildings’ www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine Newcastle earthquake. Now, through the performance. [email protected] swinburne december 2008 The call to making wine With a distinctive outlook on life, a civil engineer with a knack for road construction technology paves a way into wine-making – one of several Swinburne alumni making a name for themselves in the quest for the perfect bouquet By Gio Braidotti

It’s a ‘young palate’ market. That cover just the first monthly payment on one into laughter. “I didn’t just want to make is how Stephen Graham, owner of the machine costing $500,000. wine. We hope to make some of the Yarra boutique winery Boat O’Craigo accounts He now uses the words “mad” and Valley’s best shiraz. I want to make better, for slumping cabernet sauvignon and “eccentric” to describe those gutsy leaps of more distinctive wines.” chardonnay sales. Young people find them self-faith. But in actual fact, he correctly With a well-received first bottling in too heavy, he says. spotted the trend, trusted his instincts, 2003, Boat O’Craigo has since come along He hardly seems to mind the classics understood the risks and had the confidence nicely. There are now two vineyards to the alumni profile waning. On the contrary, he has enormous to follow through. He repeated the label, with the reds produced at the warmer, faith in younger generations – X, Y pattern, establishing a string of companies western end of the Yarra Valley and the or however they are labelled. “I think culminating with Boat O’Craigo in the Yarra whites in the cooler eastern foothills. As 20 everybody over 60 needs to move over – be Valley. Occasionally, ventures fell over, but to the skills needed, Stephen had to make a guide from the side and not a sage on the he has a knack for knowing when to cut another huge leap, aided by the immense stage,” he says, with heartfelt indignation his losses and move on. He is that rarest of faith he has in people. at the tendency among peers – especially entities in the business world – a natural- “My success in life comes from taking on footy coaches and rock stars – to cling to born entrepreneur. people to do the things that I’m not good at the limelight. Besides, he is a devoted shiraz “I take risks,” he says. “That’s the – people who are winners. So I’m not locked drinker. difference between me and others. I love into a mindset of my own. I think anyone The self-confessed “old guy” practises risk. I leave a backdoor open somewhere, an in business will agree that you are only as what he preaches. This is a businessman escape route, but I follow my instincts.” successful as the people who work for you. who relishes enacting carefully considered He also sees opportunities everywhere. To believe otherwise is bullshit. If you are succession plans for his diverse companies. The sheer diversity of his companies – which successful, you picked good people.” He is not just freeing himself up to “swan include a nursery and quarry – testify to that. As a self-confessed old guy with around” the vineyards. The winery too has a Yet it is the incongruous contrast between succession plans, a Harley-Davidson and a successor in the pipeline, Stephen’s daughter road construction and wine-making that measure of wealth, Stephen’s faith in people Courtney, the company’s current artwork drives the point home. The story behind the and natural progression has seen him venture and website designer. Rather, it is about Francophile’s creation of a personal supply into the field of philanthropy. As a donor, faith in natural progression and the pleasure of shiraz is evidence of his style. his focus is on young people and educational of helping young people he considers to be “I’m a motorbike rider and the Yarra opportunities. He shares his good fortune immensely talented spread their wings and Valley is good touring country,” he says. “I with Swinburne and chairs the Edmund take on the world. was cruising through the hills, just on a joy Rice Foundation, which provides schools to He took a very similar approach to his ride. And I sort of bought a block of land; Africa along with the support children need ,, own early career. actually, 12 hectares.” to succeed – food, shelter and healthcare. I take risks. Within a decade of graduating from He had no long-term plan for what was As to his personal life with wife That’s the Swinburne University of Technology in 1970 to become Kangaroo Ground. Chuckling, he Margaret, he finds himself drawn ever difference with a civil engineering degree, Stephen compares himself to the dog that chases the more to the vineyards, their beauty and an between me and resigned from the Country Roads Board, car … and one day actually catches it. What industry he finds nurturing, cooperative others. I love staking his future on a private venture built does he do with it? and encouraging. “Construction is a bit of risk. I leave a around new road rehabilitation and recycling “I wanted to make the land productive,” he a dog-eat-dog industry; but you get into the backdoor open technology. says. “And besides, I always like things to be network of winemakers and it is a terrific somewhere, an The company he started, Bitu-mill, now tax effective, as well. Two sheep wasn’t going industry,” he says. escape route, has an annual turnover of $50 million. But to work. So someone said put in vines.” So The network appears to have a special but I follow my to get it off the ground, Stephen had to make he did. allure for Swinburne alumni. There is Garry instincts.” a huge jump. His payout from the Country “That started quite a journey,” he says Hounsell, owner of Toolangi Vineyards, Stephen Graham Roads Board came to $10,000 … enough to rather solemnly before grinning and erupting situated literally a hill away from Stephen, in alumni profile 21 MY SWIN (1300 697 946) n n . . . Wine tastings Wine are readily on hand “The precursor to that is simply making www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine [email protected] Contact Swinburne on 1300 launched by Leon Massoni of the Florentino restaurant family. among this group of alumni, offered on the slightest of certainly how pretexts. That’s Stephen Graham likes to operate: cut out the corporate middlemen, pass the savings on to customers, and deal directly with consumers, bars and restaurants that have fallen in love with his wine. better wine each he year,” says. “Sure you have fun, take risks. But life is not a dress rehearsal.” A younger generation A is also finding its “We tend to work with “We companies pushing People used Australia to couldn’t say make pinot but noir, now we are producing some wonderful wines.” way into among the them industry, co-owner of Charles Massoni Wines, Pellegrino, who completed his accounting degree at Swinburne in 1991. He then headed to the Mornington Peninsula, buying the winery consultant ever since. His firm now has two branches: Network the Wine offers viticulture and wine-making services, while Memstar designs, builds and exports wine treatment equipment. the boundaries, trying to make better wines every he year,” says. “One of the things I’ve been involved with is the improvement of pinot noir and in Tasmania. southern Victoria swinburne He subsequently worked in wine-making Then there is Gary Baldwin, who in 1988. Gary has been an independent Brad Collis Photos: in the Hunter Valley and then in moved the to Hunter Valley the Research Australian Wine Institute before he purchased his own wine consulting business basis of wine-making, which is essentially a microbiological process,” Gary says. whom he had been working as a wine waiter. “Swinburne set me up with the basic science required to understand fermentation, the graduated from Swinburne with a Diploma of Biochemistry in 1970. He was immediately offered a job in the cider making industry by the restaurateur for sits on the boards of Qantas, Orica and Nufarm. Healesville. Garry completed a Bachelor of Business at Swinburne in 1975 and currently er 2008 Decemb Of windsswinburne December 2008and waves

A shallow lake north of Canberra is the site of research investigating how extreme winds generate monster waves in the open ocean By Graeme O’Neill

As Category 4 Tropical Cyclone Olivia the research with physicist Professor Mark have since confirmed that severe storms in tracked across Australia’s North West Donelan of the Rosenstiel School of Marine the open ocean often spawn ‘rogue’ waves Modelling Shelf in April 1996, a wave-measuring and Atmospheric Science at the University exceeding 20 metres. buoy recorded a 22-metre monster passing of Miami, climate modeller Dr Andrey In shallow coastal waters interactions Woodside Energy’s North Rankin A gas Ganopolski of the Potsdam Institute with the seabed cause waves to slow, mound 22 platform. for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and up and break. But Dr Babanin says that It is a long way from the North West metocean engineer Jason McConochie of about one in 50 wind-generated waves Shelf to the shallow expanse of Lake George, Woodside. breaks spontaneously in deep oceanic north of Canberra, and windspeeds and wave Funded by an Australian Research waters. The physics of this phenomenon heights are much more modest. Yet it is here Council (ARC) Linkage Grant, the wave are as elusive as those that generate rogue that Swinburne University of Technology project is developing a mathematical model waves. physicist Associate Professor Alex Babanin of the forces involved in transferring energy “Waves are generated by turbulent winds and his colleagues are investigating the from the atmosphere to the ocean – one that – no wind, no turbulence, no waves,” he powerful but elusive forces that make and should illuminate how extreme winds spawn says. “But even with an effectively limitless break waves in the open ocean. waves such as Olivia’s behemoth progeny. wave fetch (the length of water over which Dr Babanin and Swinburne colleague Along with mermaids and sea monsters, a given wind has blown) and wind forcing Professor Ian Young are collaborating on giant waves had been thought to exist only of the Southern Ocean, waves don’t grow in in the imaginations of mariners who had an unlimited manner – wave breaking limits been too long at sea. their growth, and dissipates their energy. Then, on New Year’s “Understanding energy dissipation Day 1995, a video camera and by ‘whitecapping’ is as important as a laser recorded a wave 26 metres understanding the mechanisms from trough to crest passing the Draupner that generate waves.” oil platform in the North Sea. The Draupner Dr Babanin says wave confronted physicists, meteorologists, strong, non-linear oceanographers and marine engineers mechanisms are with proof of the existence of giant waves involved. Over potentially capable of sinking ships and very long fetches destroying large marine structures. of open ocean, Satellite-borne microwave altimeters a wind-driven

modelling 23

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946) n 697 n v (1300 e believe the same sort of interactions SWIN W 1300 MY . on

. act Tests confirmed the Tests model was sensitive “There’s a simple “There’s relation: if steepness is “As the dominant waves break, they cause Dr Babanin spent six months in Potsdam The project began with tests to confirm

Cont Swinburne www.swinburne.edu.au/magazine [email protected] a Associate Professor Alex Babanin resolution of 100 square kilometres, was responsive to alterations in wind and wave properties. to changes in wind fields and wave activity at this scale – increased wind speeds raised larger waves, between creating greater ‘drag’ the atmosphere and the sea surface – a first for a global climate model. ,, The physics of breaking waves are even more complex than the physics of wave formation by All wind. sorts of non-linear interactions are from involved, very weak to very strong. can also generate freak waves up to 30 metres high.” dissipation function as part of the model. below a certain value, waves do not break, so there is little energy dissipation,” Dr Babanin says. “But as waves accumulate energy and grow a larger and threshold there’s steeper, steepness value at which they begin to break. smaller waves to break in turn, so what happens is the large scale strongly influences what happens at the smaller scale.” this working year, with Dr Ganopolski to integrate and test the wave model as a component global of climate PIK’s model. that the model, which operates at a grid

w By establishing a limit for maximum At Lake George, Dr Babanin, Professor At his laboratory in Miami, Professor The Lake George and wave-tank “Once we have data on wind, wave Professor Donelan says cyclones are However, Mr However, McConochie, Dr Babanin Some of the instruments are now being experiments have determined how waves dissipate energy by breaking, after reaching a critical height and steepness. wave height at the breaking onset, and Professor Dr Babanin, Young Professor Donelan have been able to derive a wave- warm layers – a stationary cyclone would soon run out of energy and die. and Profesor Donelan Young have conducted experiments to measure the air/sea interaction, wave generation and dissipation. Donelan has used lasers and wave tanks to measure variations in the height of passing sets of waves as individual waves variously break and subside, or constructively interfere with each forming other, larger waves. data will help engineers estimate the return intervals of cyclone waves for input into the structural design of offshore platforms. and current fields from each cyclone, we can estimate the maximum winds, wave heights and currents that are likely to occur during 100 and 1000-year cyclones,” Mr McConochie says. ultimately powered by heat stored in warm upper layers of the ocean. Cyclonic winds create turbulent mixing and cooling of the and their colleagues are preparing a major experiment, funded ARC by Linkage the Grant, to measure real-world wave heights and sea currents, to determine the impacts on the offshore gas platforms during a full- blown tropical cyclone. installed, in time to take measurements during the next tropical cyclone season. The d Woodside’s Jason Woodside’s McConochie says platforms in Australian platforms in

swinburne waters, like those in the North at them.

Sea, are already sufficiently robust for Woodside and other energy Woodside companies Dr Babanin says climate modellers need To a great To extent, wind-generated “The physics of breaking waves are even

n

Woodside operates on behalf Woodside of six joint venture participants. did on platform the during A North Rankin Cyclone Olivia in 1996. The platform forms which part of Shelf Venture, the North West essential personnel to remain on-station through the most powerful storms, as they offshore offshore oil and gas platforms can survive the largest waves that nature can throw at sea. will apply the findings to ensure their is very important. The research will also find application in weather forecasting, particularly in predicting extreme conditions processes that transfer energy and gases, such as carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere to the mixed upper, layer of the ocean; so knowledge of the physics of surface waves major influence on climate. a more sophisticated simulation of the waves mediate interactions between the atmosphere and the oceans, which have a to very strong. We to believe very the strong. same We sort of interactions can also generate freak waves up to 30 metres high.” more complex than the physics of wave formation All by sorts wind. of non-linear interactions are involved, from very weak obvious reason, it will break and collapse, dissipating most of its energy in a few seconds. wave will progressively accumulate energy and grow in height. Then, for no 2008 December

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