Vol. 24 No. 3 SPRING 2005 Alex Harris Memorial Award Science and Environment ADAPE State and National Tertiary Publication Awards Registered Print Post no 602669/00256 Vol. 24 No.3 Spring 2005 CONTENTS FEATURES In Focus: campus news and views 2 Graduate Profile: John Welborn 5 From the Vice-Chancellery 7 Nightingales in France 8 UWA’s China connections 12 Celebrating Seventy! 19 A ‘happy accident’ for Australian music 21 The vision: a national museum of Indigenous art 23 Newsmakers: Dr Ken Michael 24 GRAD NEWS 27 GRAD BRIEFS 30 COVER: As the world becomes more aware of China’s rich cultural heritage, UWA becomes the site for Australia’s first Confucius Institute. (Photo: FormAsia Books, Hong Kong) CONTENTS PAGE PHOTOGRAPHS: Top: Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Robson and His Excellency, Mr Raidi, Vice-Chairman of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, at the launch of UWA’s Confucius Institute – see UWA’s China connections (Photo: The Australian). Centre: Research Assistant Leisha Richards samples river water in Albany – see New Course for Albany in In Focus. Bottom: Kimberley artist Gilgie of Derby – see The vision: a national museum of Indigenous art. Editor-in-Chief: Colin Campbell-Fraser ([email protected]) Editor: Trea Wiltshire ([email protected]) • Grad Briefs: Terry Larder ([email protected]) • Production: Craig Mackenzie, UniPrint Design Team • Printing: PK Print Pty Ltd • Advertising: Trea Wiltshire +61 8 6488 1914 • Editorial: Public Affairs, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Telephone: +61 8 6488 1914, Fax: +61 8 6488 1192. UNIVIEW is published three times a year, in February, June and October and is sent free to all UWA graduates. Spring edition publication date: October 2005. UNIVIEW is printed on environmentally friendly oxygen-bleached paper. Material from UNIVIEW may be reproduced accompanied by an appropriate credit. UNIVIEW can be viewed at http://www.publishing.uwa.edu.au UWA Internet: http://www.uwa.edu.au Changing your address? Please contact Terry Larder: Phone +61 8 6488 2447, +61 8 6488 7992 and +61 8 6488 8000, Fax: +61 8 6488 7996 ([email protected]) 1 IN FOCUS WELCOME TO UWA CHANCELLOR WA’S NEXT GOVERNOR the British to build a rocket to OUR WORLD! transport the mail from Scarp UWA opens its doors to the Island to the mainland. Film community on a daily basis as season programs and tickets school choirs compete in choral will be available from early festivals, student groups visit November at all BOCS outlets. campus museums, art lovers attend public programs at the TSUNAMI RELIEF Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery CONCERT or recitals in Winthrop Hall, Winthrop Hall will be the and people gather for public venue for a Tsunami Relief lectures and conferences. Concert being jointly organised However, for UWA Expo, by UWA’s School of Music the doors are extra wide for the and the Society of Professional thousands of visitors, including Social Workers. One of the secondary school students highlights of a packed program wanting to check out their UWA Chancellor Dr Ken Michael and his wife Julie. will be the world premier (Photo: The West Australian) career options. Last month, of a Lament by composer visitors enjoyed a variety of UWA’s Chancellor, Dr Ken Michael, a much admired Roger Smalley (see A ‘happy Expo experiences – including contributor to the community and this University, has been accident’ for Australian music), challenging a chess champion, appointed WA’s next governor. Dr Michael, who completed a performed by UWA’s Darryl experiencing an engineered Bachelor of Engineering with First Class Honours in 1961 is Poulsen. The concert, which earthquake, meeting the our Newsmakers in this issue. will raise funds for children world’s best behaved (and As the University farewells one Chancellor, another in remote coastal areas of Sri computer-programmed) dog, distinguished UWA graduate, Dr Michael Chaney, will Lanka, is at 5pm on Sunday watching a legal battle unfold assume this post in early 2006. 27 November. (Tickets: phone: and sampling wine and cheese UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson paid tribute +61 86488 2051) made by staff and students. to Dr Michael’s great contribution to the University and The hands-on activities, welcomed Dr Chaney’s appointment. FRIENDS GET research displays and lectures “It will be a privilege to work with Dr Chaney who has THEATRICAL were all aimed at giving given significant time and energy to University activities and While Dr Michael Chaney visitors a behind-the-scenes initiatives. His involvement in many aspects of business and prepares to assume the role glimpse at the workings of community activity within Western Australia is an example of Chancellor, Rose Chaney the State’s longest-established of both good leadership and good citizenship,” said Professor will continue her contribution university. Robson. to the University as President Dr Chaney has particularly fond memories of UWA and a of the Friends of the UWA PIAF FOCUS ON particular Uni Camp for Kids at which he met his wife Rose. Grounds group which fosters NOONGAR CULTURE It’s one of two very readable reminiscences in our story about community interest in UWA’s the UWA charity that is celebrating its 70th anniversary next National Estate-registered year (see Celebrating Seventy). gardens. On October 26, members production of Tom Wright’s to select six Noongar artists will enjoy an afternoon tour The Odyssey – energy levels to develop a creative symbol of the University’s impressive are running high in the offices that reflects the connection suite of theatres that will of the UWA Perth International to country. Carol Innes, the illustrate how our campus Arts Festival. Festival’s Noongar Projects enriches the cultural life of Noongar culture will be Program Manager, says the the State it serves. the focus of the 2006 Festival Ngallak Koort Boodja project For more information that will include an exhibition will make a strong statement about the Friends group, of artworks produced by and command a world stage. contact Judith Edwards on Stolen Generation children “With the partnership between +61 8 6488 8541 (or email: Landscape by Claude Kelly, at the Carrolup River Native Yirra Yaakin Aboriginal [email protected]) Carrolup 1949 (courtesy of UWA’s Settlement. Carrolup art from Corporation and the Festival, Berndt Museum of Anthropology) UWA’s Berndt Museum of our voices are being heard,” OUR MAN IN With the opening of the Anthropology plus recently she says. IVORY COAST… Lotterywest Film Season discovered works from Colgate The Lotterywest film UWA graduates get to all just weeks away, and the University in New York will season (starting 5 December) points of the globe – which announcement of several make this a landmark event opens with a World War II makes maintaining the centrepiece events – including In addition the Noongar story, The Rocket Post, about a University’s Graduate an epic Black Swan Theatre Elders have come together German scientist employed by Database a challenge! 2 IN FOCUS One satisfied graduate SCHOLARSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE the murder-suicide of children once wrote to UNIVIEW and a parent following family saying: “Congratulations breakdown. The result is on a first class magazine. I the UWA Press title Come calculate since graduating I with Daddy, a Study of have had at least 12 addresses Child Murder-Suicide after and yet you still manage to Separation. track me down – well done!” The author, who completed He’s probably moved several a Master’s degree at UWA times since then, but we’re and is continuing research in confident he’s still receiving this area through PhD studies UNIVIEW! (under the supervision of However, as the ‘lost Dr Maria Harries of UWA’s graduates’ notice in GRAD School of Social and Cultural NEWS indicates, some Studies) has been a social graduates do for one reason or UWA’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Margaret Seares, worker involved in child Professor Dennis Haskell and UWA Centenary Trust for Women another fall off the database. Scholarship recipient Ms Barbara Temperton protection. Those who have However, Science graduate shared their insights with her Sam Berridge, featured in our Economic disadvantage, cultural differences, disability or have included mothers who database notice on page 25 a commitment to care for family can all play a role in have relived their darkest is far from ‘lost’ – in fact he making study difficult for women – which is why UWA was hours in the hope of building submitted a Grad Brief that determined to tackle this issue and as Mrs Marlena Jeffery, a more comprehensive picture caught our eye in the June wife of WA’s Governor, put it “transform the seed of a good of such crimes. issue. idea into a magnificent reality.” “Every case is very Sam graduated in 2002 Mrs Jeffery was speaking at the annual luncheon of different, but I think my study and worked as a geologist in the UWA Centenary Trust for Women and guests were will dispel at least some of the Mt Magnet before being sent delighted to hear winner Barbara Temperton talking about the myths,” says Carolyn. “The by Equigold to the company’s difference the Trust scholarship had made to her Master of message is that community first off-shore gold project in Arts in Creative Writing research at UWA’s Albany Centre. agencies and family members Ivory Coast. “I love poetry,” said Barbara. “I love writing. I love need to work collaboratively “Ivory Coast is possibly research. This MA promised me an ample supply of all three, and share information if we one of the most prospective plus the opportunity to be supervised by Dr Dennis Haskell are going to prevent these areas of gold in the world,” whose scholarship and writing I have long admired.” crimes from occurring.” says Sam.