melbourne university magazine WATC H THIS SPAC E Her ambition is to be an astronaut. And so far Beth Jens is on the right trajectory. ISSUE 1, 2016 3 unimelb.edu.au/3010 unimelb.edu.au/3010 MEDICINE Care rises to a new level 6 Inside Melbourne’s revolutionary new $1 billion Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. UNIVERSITY NEWS Coming soon: Science Gallery 4 HOORAY FOR BOLLYWOOD 6 A foot in two cultural camps 10 POLITICS AND GENDER Lighting the way for more women 12 LOOK, UP IN THE SKY! A bold step into space 15 THE ESSAY The power of staying positive 18 CLOSE ENCOUNTER What Anna Funder did next 20 FIVE QUESTIONS 12 20 Explaining the “bionic spine” 22 THE TWO OF US A mentor’s reward 24 FULL OF BEANS Meet the Coffee King 26 DOWN THE GARDEN PATH Paul Bangay goes back to Burnley 28 OUR ALUMNI IN PROFILE Snapshot of a community 31 ALUMNI MILESTONES Appointments and accolades 36 22 28 THE LAST WORD A winemaker’s journey 38 The big EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD DR JAMES ALLAN DIRECTOR, ALUMNI SIÔN LUTLEY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MAXINE McKEW picture AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS ADVANCEMENT AND DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR’S FELLOW VICE-PRINCIPAL (ADVANCEMENT) COVER IMAGE: JULIAN KINGMA (DIGITALLY ALTERED) Market stalls have EOIN HAHESSY ADVISOR PROFESSOR PETER McPHEE AM become a regular COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (BA(Hons) 1969, MA 1973, PhD 1977, LLD RELATIONS, ENGAGEMENT TIMOTHY LYNCH GRADUATE SCHOOL presence on the 2009, TRINITY COLLEGE) MELBOURNE WE WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK This publication is produced on a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, paper that is produced at an FSC certified paper mill under an ISO14001 DR JENNIFER HENRY (BAgr(Hons) 1990, ISSUE 1 Parkville campus. Email your comments to: environmental management system, using elemental chlorine-free PhD 2000) BEQUESTS MANAGER SIMON MANN EDITOR, THE CITIZEN, MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING Seen here on Open Day, whitening processes. Printed by Complete Colour, an ISO14001 environmental management CENTRE FOR ADVANCING JOURNALISM [email protected] the farmers’ market PETER KRONBORG (MBA 1979) DR DAMIAN POWELL (BA(Hons) 1989) Write to us at: system and ISO9001 quality management system certified printer with FSC (Chain of Custody) UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE CATRIONA MAY CONTENT TEAM PRINCIPAL, JANET CLARKE HALL The Advancement Office, certification and Sustainability Victoria Wastewise Gold certification, on an ecologically rated sets up once a month, , 2016 ALUMNI COUNCIL LEADER, EXTERNAL RELATIONS printing press using a chemical recirculation system and produced with vegetable-based inks offering everything The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia made from renewable resources. This publication is fully recyclable — please dispose of it wisely. from jam to fresh EDITORIAL TEAM Call us on: +61 3 8344 1751 Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily endorsed by the University. produce. For more exclusive content visit: unimelb.edu.au/3010 ISSN: 1442-1349 Produced for the University of Melbourne by MEDIAXPRESS mediaxpress.net.au MANAGING EDITOR VAL McFARLANE EDITOR KEN MERRIGAN, MEDIAXPRESS DESIGN BILL FARR, MEDIAXPRESS 4 universitynews 5 SCIENCE GALLERY RESEARCH DONORS TECHNOLOGY RECORD New ‘front door’ designed Pursuit tells the Campaign sets Project is Student offers for creative collision latest stories new target primates’ play on the rise University of Melbourne research Believe – the Campaign for the The University has made a record is changing the world – from the University of Melbourne has passed number of offers to interstate and development of 3D-printed its target two years ahead of schedule, Indigenous students for 2016, replacement arteries, to revealing the thanks to the generosity of more than according to Victorian Tertiary impact of a paleo diet on health, to 20,000 donors worldwide. Admissions Centre (VTAC) data. finding novel ways of controlling The Campaign, launched publicly The University has provided 2059 Australia’s cane toad problem. in 2013, aimed to raise $500 million offers to interstate applicants, up And now there’s a new place by the end of 2017. Having achieved from more than 1700 offers last year. to learn about these discoveries: that, a new goal of raising $1 billion Indigenous applications also hit a new the University’s new multi-media and engaging 100,000 alumni by 2021 five-year high, with 68 offers made, << platform, Pursuit. has been set. up from under 50. New venue: The stories on Pursuit are as Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn In total, 7794 students received A concept drawing diverse as the University’s academics Davis AC says the University has a University of Melbourne offer, of the Science themselves. Recent items look at how been overwhelmed by the generosity up from 7544 offers in 2015. Gallery, part of the Australian TV became flooded with of its donors. Provost Professor Margaret Sheil Carlton Connect US imports, the discovery of 20 new “Our intent with the Campaign says the results highlight the positive innovation fish species, why China needs to has always been to change the lives outcomes being achieved as a result precinct. come clean on its military plans and of future generations. Thanks to our of the University’s strategic planning. progress in the fight against malaria. incredible alumni and donors, the “In the latest Growing Esteem Plans to create a dynamic new venue Science, says the new venue will Editor Phil Gardner says the mix, impact has been nothing short of Primates at Melbourne Zoo are strategy we made a strong for science and art collaboration at contribute to the vibrant and rapidly significance and breadth of stories transformative,” he says. getting into the swing of a new way commitment to increase the number the University of Melbourne are well expanding innovation “ecosystem” on Pursuit is already attracting “We’ve been able to provide to play. of Indigenous students on campus, so under way. at the University of Melbourne. readers from around the world. more than $150 million to educate In a world first, researchers from these results are particularly pleasing Science Gallery Melbourne “Seventy-five per cent of the “The common thread through tomorrow’s leaders, $120 million Zoos Victoria and the University’s on this front,” she says. will open in 2018 at the corner of fastest-growing occupations require everything on Pursuit – story, video, towards enriching our communities, Microsoft Research Centre for Social “Likewise, our enhanced Swanston and Grattan Streets, and act STEM subjects, where Australia has graphic or podcast – is that it is all on top of the more than $230 million Natural User Interfaces are trialling investment in student accommodation as the “front door” to the University’s worrying gaps in these skills from directly informed by world-leading raised for ground-breaking research “intelligent projection” technology options close to the University – such new innovation precinct, Carlton primary to tertiary education levels. experts,” he says. “Every piece is in areas including melanoma and to give orang-utans control over the as the development in Leicester Street Connect. A Science Gallery Melbourne would research-informed, authoritative and skin cancers, childhood mental health games and applications they play to – is making a Melbourne offer even Science Gallery is an award- be a powerful addition towards the latest in its field.” and human rights law.” challenge their minds. more attractive to interstate students. winning international initiative building Australia’s engagement and Pursuit’s stories vary in length and The major gifts the University While zoos around the world, “We’re very happy that the number pioneered by Trinity College Dublin literacy in STEM subjects and in style, designed to keep you coming has received include $10 million PRIDE including Melbourne, have for years of students choosing to come to that delivers a dynamic new model providing a creative bridge between back on a smartphone, tablet or PC to establish the Wade Institute for OF PLACE been using computer tablets to enrich Melbourne from interstate is on for engaging those aged 15 to 25 with art and science,” she says. as often as you want. It is updated Entrepreneurship, $26 million activities for their primates, the the rise. We can also count a record science. Once established, Science Michael John Gorman, CEO of daily, and you can subscribe to receive for the Michael Buxton Centre of 91 animals can smash these devices in number of Chancellor’s Scholars Gallery Melbourne will be part of Science Gallery International, says regular updates alerting you to new Contemporary Art and donations per cent of alumni minutes. on the offer list – 158 in total. We’re the Global Science Gallery Network Melbourne was a natural choice for articles in your areas of interest. that will create 24 new professorships take pride in their The computer games, painting thrilled with the overall result.” – a network of eight Science Gallery the next Science Gallery. Learn more: pursuit.unimelb.edu.au across the University. Melbourne degree, applications and picture galleries In total, more than 57,000 students locations developed in partnership “For Science Gallery International, Professor Davis says the according to recent being developed at Melbourne use received first-round offers from VTAC. with leading universities in urban Melbourne was the obvious choice University’s alumni and donor University research. projections, so the animals can use As in 2015, the Bachelor of Science centres. for the location of the first and community has been essential to the their whole bodies to activate the remains the University’s most popular Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn only planned Australian Science Campaign’s success. space. If the trial is successful, within undergraduate course. Davis AC says establishing a Science Gallery due to its combination of Campaign Chair Mr Allan Myers WINNER a few years the orang-utans could be Gallery in Melbourne is a key pillar of a world-class university partner in AC QC (BA 1969, LLB(Hons) 1970, Lauren Tapper playing computer games with visitors the University’s engagement strategy.