VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2 SUMMERSPRING 2017 2017

INSIDE LEADINGINSIDE BY EXAMPLE Prominent Indigenous FRESH IDEA GOES Australians, Professor COCO-NUTS Michael McDaniel and Dr AnitaTake Heiss, three reflect siblings with on theirWestern careers, the University powerBusiness of education and Commerce and the profounddegrees, impact add a dollop of of positiveentrepreneurial role models. spirit and a truckload of coconuts. MISSION POSSIBLE NEW CAMPUS UNVEILED Dr Sameer Dixit reflects on how muchBusiness can educationbe achieved has throughreceived education, an innovative GradLife determinationshake-up andwith refusing the opening to takeof noWestern for an answer.Sydney University’s flagship DynamicHealth, changemakersReimagined HEALTHYParramatta CHUCKLE: City campus. USING LAUGHTER TO IMPROVELISA’S LIVES MARS MISSION A badA case Martian of the gardener, giggles space is goodeducator for the and mind, aspiring bodyastronaut, and soul. ForLisa one Stojanovski graduate,took herthe firsteffect steps has towards beenextraterrestrial positively life- life at changing.Western Sydney University. IN THIS EDITION

4MESSAGE FROM . VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT, PROFESSOR BARNEY GLOVER

5OK, SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘WELLBEING’? 10PROGRAM LURES DOCTORS BEYOND THE Dr Anthony Brown explores what wellbeing CITY means to him. Over the past week working at Bathurst 14HEALTHY CHUCKLE: USING LAUGHTER TO Base Hospital, Dr Ross Wilson has delivered IMPROVE LIVES babies, treated pneumonia, dealt with two A bad case of the giggles is good for the cases of kidney stones and anesthetised an mind, body and soul. For one graduate, the assault victim. effect has been positively life-changing.

11WHERE BRIGHT FUTURES BEGIN

6LEADING BY EXAMPLE Prominent , 16CHESTERFIELDS TO COMPUTERS: THE Professor Michael McDaniel and Dr Anita RISE OF ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH Heiss, reflect on their careers, the power From apps as effective as anti-depressants of education and the profound impact of to real-time emotional mapping through positive role models. social media, e-mental health offers life- changing possibilities for the one-in-five Australians who experience mental illness each year.

12MISSION POSSIBLE

8SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CELEBRATES Dr Sameer Dixit, Western Sydney University DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT Graduate and Alumni of the Year Award winner, reflects on how much can be achieved through education, determination 18PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE TO FIGHT and refusing to take no for an answer. DIABETES 20DESIGNING A BETTER LIFE 30AWARD HONOURS HUMBLE COMMUNITY HERO Exploring why good design really can be a matter of life and death.

31STAY CONNECTED

21BONDING WITH BUB IN THE DIGITAL AGE

27MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE Trailblazing maestro Sarah-Grace Williams wants all Sydneysiders – not just the privileged few - to experience the magic of orchestral music.

Front Cover Photo: Dr Sameer Dixit, PhD 22SISTERS IN SUN, SURF AND SAND Science and Health, 2005, International Alumni of the Year Award winner, 2017 One Western Sydney University graduate is demonstrating that all women are entitled GradLife Enquiries: Advancement and to the delights of sun, surf and sand, Alumni, Western Sydney University regardless of how they dress. GradLife, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751 Australia

Website: westernsydney.edu.au/alumni

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +61 2 9685 9500 ADVENTURER’S28 WILD RIDE TO THE TOP INSPIRATIONAL23 LEADERS: THE 2017 Design: Celia Zhao, Western Sydney ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS Whether he’s travelling down the Amazon or building a pioneering company, MBA University graduate Steve Crombie is unstoppable in life and business. Photography: Sally Tsoutas, Western Sydney University

Journalist: Laura Albulario

Copyright 2017

26KOKODA A PATH TO POSITIVE CHANGE MESSAGE FROM VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT, PROFESSOR BARNEY GLOVER

In celebration of the