Antarctic Odyssey in the Footsteps of SIR Douglas Mawson
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Never Stand Still ANTARCTIC ODYSSEY IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON BILL GATES THE CHINA QUESTION ROBOTIC LOVE How the world’s richest man As China ties strengthen, can we The future of interactive inspires a generation have our cake and eat it too? technology UNIKEN • Contents UNIKEN WINTER 2013 COVER STORY In the footsteps of Mawson 8 FEATURES Eye on the future 6 Lessons from the Bronx 7 Path to independence 11 The China question 12 YOUR TIME STArts now … Battle of the minds 15 MEHREEN FARUQI, ASB Where there’s a will 18 Environmental engineer, climate change What policies do you hope to influence OPINION activist and feminist, Mehreen Faruqi in the Greens? Decriminalising abortion Show us the plan 16 is the first Muslim woman to enter an in NSW, stopping hunting in national Australian parliament. She hopes her parks, the creation of a world-class Referendum realpolitik 17 appointment by the NSW Greens will lead integrated transport system and to more diversity in our legislature. addressing climate change. ARTS “I want to change the stereotypical How do you reconcile Green politics Robotic love 19 views people have about Muslim women,” with your faith? We live in a democracy she says. “I’ve never been defined by my Resistance is futile 20 and a secular system of governance that religion in any of my leadership roles – I’m should allow societies of different faiths not a religious spokesperson. The politics REGULAR and beliefs to come together without I’ll be advocating relate to social justice, fear of discrimination. human rights and gender equality.” Your time starts now 2 Most vivid memory growing up in Faruqi grew up in Pakistan. In the Upfront 3 Pakistan: Playing cricket in the long final year of her civil engineering degree, summer evenings with the other kids UNSW books 22 two of her classmates went to war and on the street and enjoying the mangoes. Final word 23 never returned. Shortly afterwards she immigrated to Australia with her husband, Most treasured possession: The fabulous photos my dad, who has passed away, Cover photo: Chris Turney. Turney/Fogwill. infant son and two suitcases. Uniken is produced by UNSW’s Media Office; “It was the early 1990s, the Soviet– took during his first trip to Australia. +61 (2) 9385 1583 or [email protected]. Issue 69. Afghan war had ended, a dictator had I can still hear him saying, “Sydney is the Editor: Steve Offner; Deputy Editor: Fran Strachan; most beautiful place on the planet”. Editorial Advisers: Kathy Bail, Denise Knight; come to power in Pakistan and corruption Contributors: Anabel Dean, Joshua Gliddon, Susi was entrenched. We wanted a better life Book that changed me: Silas Marner Hamilton, Sarah Macdonald, Jonathan Pearlman, Deborah Smith, Fran Strachan, Louise Williams; – it’s a typical migrant story,” she says by George Eliot. Even though it was set Photography: Andy Baker, Maja Baska, Britta pragmatically. in England and I read it as a student in Campion, Steve Christo; Design and Production: With a Masters and PhD from UNSW, Pakistan, the questions it raised about Fresco Creative; Subediting: Dani Cooper; Proofreading: Pam Dunne. she is now Academic Director, Master class systems resonated with me and of Business and Technology Program, increased my awareness of social justice. AGSM. Faruqi is the second of three Role model: Dr Ronnie Harding DOWNLOAD THE UNIKEN APP FOR generations to study at UNSW: her who started UNSW’s Institute of father came to Sydney as part of the Environmental Studies. She was my Colombo Plan in 1957 to study civil lecturer and is the epitome of “practise VIDEO AUDIO SLIDESHOW engineering and her son is completing what you preach”. an environmental engineering degree. By Fran Strachan. Photo: Britta Campion 2 UPFRONT • GLOBAL HEALTH GATES INSPIRES It’s not often that politicians, business leaders, researchers and of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, students alike are united in their praise for – and excitement which operates under the auspices of the UNSW Foundation. about – a public figure. But Microsoft co-founder and UNSW Commerce Law student Allina Yang asked Gates philanthropist Bill Gates is no ordinary billionaire. about his personal motivations and philosophies. Given an Close to 3,500 students and alumni competed for free tickets email interview with the philanthropist prior to the event, to hear the world’s richest man speak at a UNSW event, aired Yang published an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald. as a special ABC TV Q&A program, facilitated by Tony Jones. Gates spoke in the interview about “investing” in global Gates, 57, was in Australia for around 14 hours, during development in much the same way as other people talk about which time he lobbied the Prime Minister to increase Australia’s investing in business. When every life has equal value, the success aid budget to 0.5%, won an extra $80 million toward polio of entrepreneurs and corporations should not be measured solely eradication and addressed the Canberra Press Club. by financial means, Gates told her. During his Sydney talk on global health and development, Audience members quizzed Gates on other topics including hosted by UNSW Chancellor Mr David Gonski and Vice- taxation, technology and being an introvert in business. Gates Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer, Mr Gates said he was said he was “one of those rare people who is actually for taxes”, confident polio could be eradicated within five years. having paid a total of $US6 billion. With fewer than 300 cases identified in the world, the co-chair When asked if his sense of perspective had been changed by of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said the disease could his wealth, Gates admitted: “Absolutely. I haven’t mowed the lawn be stamped out with an investment of $US5.5 billion. for a long time. I forget what it’s like. I do wash the dishes every Answering a question from a polio survivor, Gates told night so there are certain rituals that are worth maintaining.” a story about comforting a paralysed two-year-old Indian girl. And he used the same gentle humour to explain his “She didn’t really understand what it meant for her life,” he philanthropy. “When you’re lucky enough to have substantial said. “The likelihood of her having the full life that she deserved wealth, what are the possibilities? You can build a pyramid. was not very good. Hopefully we can ... raise the visibility of You can have 400 people fan you. There’s a limit to consumption the fact that there are still people who need help. But first and and so then you have to say, what do you feel? foremost, we want to make sure that no one else has to go “If you feel like you’re a citizen of the world and you through that.” want to help all of humanity, then you think, ‘Where The Gates Foundation is supporting UNSW’s Kirby Institute is the greatest injustice?’” with $US12.5 million to lead an international research project The event was organised by the UNSW Alumni and Community with the potential to extend antiretroviral therapy to millions Engagement team. of HIV-affected people. It also supports the Pacific Friends – Susi Hamilton Bill Gates and Tony Jones on the set of the UNSW Q&A. Photo: Andy Baker 3 UNIKEN • Upfront • THE HOT SEAT BRIEFS NEW FINANCE CHAIR Scientia Professor Ross Buckley has been appointed to a new TOWARDS A QUANTUM INTERNET Chair in International Finance and Regulation to drive research A UNSW-led team of researchers has achieved a into systemic responses to global financial insecurity. breakthrough that brings the prospect of a network of ultra- Leading international law firm King & Wood Mallesons powerful quantum computers – connected via a quantum (KWM) has sponsored the Chair in partnership with the internet – closer to reality. The team is the first in the world Centre for International Finance and Regulation (CIFR), to have detected the spin, or quantum state, of a single hosted by UNSW. atom using a combined optical and electrical approach. The high-impact research of the Chair will have The technical feat was achieved with a single atom practical policy application through CIFR’s extensive of erbium – a rare earth element commonly used in engagement with finance sector participants, industry communications – embedded in silicon. The study was associations, government, and regulatory agencies in published in the journal Nature. Australia and the Asia–Pacific. The relationship makes KWM the sole legal ‘FaTHER OF PHOTOVOLTAics’ honoured partner of CIFR, joining its other industry partners World leader and pioneer in solar photovoltaics, Macquarie Group, Commonwealth Bank and KPMG. Scientia Professor Martin Green, has been elected into “This exciting initiative engages the leading the prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Society, the Chinese–Australian law firm in shaping thinking in UK’s national academy of science. The self-governing the region,” says Buckley, a world-class thought leader Fellowship consists of some 1,450 of the world’s most on financial governance. “The merger of King & distinguished scientists and engineers, including 80 Wood and Mallesons was itself a huge commitment Nobel Laureates. Green, the Director of the Centre for to the future of relations between China and Australia. Photo: Maja Baska Advanced Photovoltaics, is renowned for developing This Chair takes that process a step further with KWM and commercialising silicon solar cell technologies, and investing heavily in the generation of ideas of importance to our region.” has been referred to as the ‘father of photovoltaics’ – the Several projects linked to the Chair are already under way, with one science of converting sunlight into electrical energy.