ISSN 2203-1375 UOW OUTLOOK MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG 2014/2015 ANNUAL ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Inside

GARNERING GOOGLERS The man who revolutionised Google’s recruitment and HR CAPITALISM WITH A CONSCIENCE Five entrepreneurs breaking the chains of exploitation IF THE SHOE FITS The New York footwear designer with a celebrity following JIHAD 3.0: ISIS AND THE MEDIA The dangerous ground between propaganda, entertainment and death in the 21st Century UOW Outlook Magazine ISSUE 2: 2014/2015 UOW Outlook Magazine is the University of Wollongong’s annual alumni magazine. It is produced by the Alumni Relations Team within the UOW Advancement Division.

Connect with us WHAT WE’RE MADE OF +61 2 4221 3169 [email protected] uow.edu.au/alumni facebook.com/uowalumni We were overwhelmed with the positive response we received from last linkedin.com [search UOW Alumni Group] year’s inaugural issue of UOW Outlook Magazine and we would like to thank Follow @uowalumni on Twitter and Instagram you for your comments, praise and suggestions—we loved hearing your views.

Content ideas, submissions, feedback In compiling our second issue, the University’s 40th Anniversary of [email protected] Independence from the University of New South Wales in 1975 loomed large in the consciousness of the editorial team. How would our magazine reflect Subscription preferences upon this important anniversary of autonomy that enabled the University to uow.edu.au/alumni/new-contact express its values and shape its impact on the world? +61 2 4221 3169 In short, we believe the stories in this issue showcase the values UOW holds The UOW Outlook Magazine team most dear, which are reflected in our global alumni community. These range Editor in Chief: Monique Harper-Richardson from the imagination of our alumni who are early years’ education innovators, Director of Advancement to the determination of our young altruistic alumni entrepreneurs and the President, UOW USA Foundation passion of our Honorary alumni for their extraordinary achievements. UOW B Comm Econ, M Strat Mktg Managing Editor: Leanne Newsham We met with many of the alumni featured in this issue during our global Alumni Relations Manager travels this year, as we connected with alumni living near and far (read about UOW BA Communications this on page 52). And without a doubt the most common question we were Editor: Evette Deaves asked was: “Is the Duck Pond Lawn still there?” Senior Alumni Communications Coordinator UOW BA Communications The front cover of this issue pays homage to that hallowed space. The Duck Editorial Committee Pond Lawn, with its combination of water, wildlife, fig trees and soft lawn, is Keeli Cambourne, Evette Deaves, Nick Hartgerink, a symbolic place that remains embedded within the memories of so many Monique Harper-Richardson, Leanne Newsham graduates for a range of reasons. Contributors Keeli Cambourne, Evette Deaves, Nick Hartgerink, For many of you, this was the meeting place with friends, for relaxing in the Monique Harper-Richardson, India Lloyd, warm sun between lectures or jamming with a group of musicians. Or it was a Tshibanda Gracia Mukiibi, Leanne Newsham, space to share and debate ideas, and over the years it has been host to public Dame Bridget Ogilvie AC DBE, Nicholas Underhill, lectures from politicians, thought leaders and scholars. For others it was a Jacqueline Wales, Professor Paul Wellings CBE place to protest, to voice an opinion or join like-minded people passionate Alumni Research: Samantha Nguyen about a cause. It played a special part in our campaign for independence in Alumni Research Coordinator UOW B Psych 1975 and it continues to remain a place to share, reflect and create. Design: Matt de Feudis While it’s heartwarming to know we have a shared memory of the Duck Pond Graphic Designer Lawn, it is inspiring to hear the individual journeys of our alumni beyond their UOW B Creative Arts studies. We’ve gathered but a few, and we hope you enjoy reading them and (Visual Arts & Graphic Design) feel inspired by their stories, achievements and thoughts. Illustration and Web Design: Claire Foxton Graphic Designer The UOW Outlook Magazine team UOW B Creative Arts (Visual Arts & Graphic Design) Print and Web Design Coordinator: Katherine Serplet Marketing and Communications Coordinator Photography new website Mark Newsham Print and Distribution We have launched the UOW Outlook Magazine website to UOW Print & Distribution Services. deliver you more content, including videos, photo albums and links to more information. Check it out on your desktop, tablet Copyright © 2014 University of Wollongong. CRICOS Provider No: 00102E. The views expressed are not necessarily those of or mobile device today: uow.edu.au/alumni/outlook the University. No responsibility is accepted by this University, publisher or printer for the accuracy of the information contained in the magazine. In this issue

Garnering Googlers Being top of the class isn’t the one thing that is going to get you through the door at 2 Google. Of course you have to have a pretty good grasp of computer technology to land a job as an engineer, but at this global giant, those that are hiring are looking for a lot more than academic skills.

Capitalism with a conscience Rather than looking at global domination, the new breed of entrepreneur is focused on 6 specialisation, creating niche and boutique businesses with a social conscience that get them noticed on the world stage.

If the shoe fits Matt Bernson is a footwear designer based in Tribeca in New York City. His shoes have 14 been used in runway shows for Zac Posen, Tommy Hilfiger and Edun to name a few and he has a large celebrity following, including Gisele Bündchen, Sara Jessica Parker and Naomi Watts.

Jihad 3.0: ISIS and the media The scene has become too familiar. Grey sky and bright sands. A kneeling man, dressed UOW OUTLOOKUOW 20 in a bright orange prison-like uniform. Another man, dressed completely in black, 1 bears over him with a knife. Terror has gone social, and very much in high definition.

Education innovators value young minds International research shows the importance of high quality educational experiences in 24 the early years of life—from birth to five years—in establishing learning patterns, and the transformational impact this can have on children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The journey from hopeless to hopeful Across the world, thousands of people are displaced every single day, and millions are 32 living in hopeless situations because they lack protection and the necessary support. We hear the stories of three alumni who fled their home countries to settle in Australia.

12 Celebrating 40 years of independence 18 Why aren’t we spending more on fertiliser? 28 The voice of the audience 36 A question of security: fish and the future of the Pacific 40 Is education worth the investment? 43 Honoris Causa 50 Awarding altruism 52 Connecting alumni 59 The year at UOW Garnering Googlers BY KEELI CAMBOURNE

Being top of the class isn’t the one thing that is going to get you through the door at Google. Of course you have to have

a pretty good grasp of computer technology to land a job as an engineer, but at this global giant, those that are hiring are

UOW OUTLOOKUOW looking for a lot more than academic skills. 2

UOW alumnus Sunil Chandra leads the “At Google, we use what we call team that not only hires and assesses the toothbrush test. People should the best candidates to work at the (hopefully) use a product twice a day ultimate tech-heads’ dream job, but and it should meaningfully improve supports them once they’re on board. their lives. We want to let technology As the head of Google’s People Services, do some of the heavy lifting so people Chandra is tasked with finding the next can get on with life, which can include generation of ‘Googlers’ (as Google everything from directing you around employees are called) to grow their traffic with Google Maps or pulling up teams globally. While the skills required a boarding pass when you need it with across roles may be different, the key Google Now.” attributes are remarkably consistent Chandra’s team has revolutionised and competence in the domain the way in which Google handles (technical or otherwise) is only one of its recruiting and human resources them. The others include a capacity for operations—which at a workplace humility or ‘Googleyness’; an ability to of roughly 55,000 employees in 100 think quickly and come up with solutions locations is no small feat. on the fly; and leadership, which includes the ability to admit when they’ve made However, if you asked him when he a mistake. graduated from UOW in 1995 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Class 1 “Technology is fundamentally about Honours) whether he’d find his niche in people. There is so much possibility for that far-from technical area of human technology to make people’s lives better resources rather than the hard-edged and it goes so far beyond automation,” science of computer engineering, he Chandra says. probably would have laughed.

“…Googlers are UOW OUTLOOKUOW the best thing 3 about Google.”

“But if you think about software a lesson that was instrumental in providing people-related services to engineering—it’s part art and part attracting the attention of Google. Google’s 55,000 employees across the science; and if you think about all the world, his team is responsible for hiring Supporting employees at some of the great products out there, it ultimately several thousand people each year from world’s largest and most influential comes down to the quality of people among the two million applications organisations has been a hallmark of and the culture of the organisations for they receive. his career. From his first job at Coopers which they work,” he says. and Lybrand in management consulting Even with such a seemingly monumental “So a lot of the skills I developed in services dealing with customer care, task, Chandra says the culture at Google engineering­­—systems thinking, problem to his position at Barclays Capital as inspires not just him but all those solving, scale and structure—are an the COO of Global Services Technology fortunate enough to get their foot in the incredibly useful foundation. It also providing technology services in 13 door at the company. helps to understand what the folks that Asia Pacific countries, supporting 2,000 “[The Google office] is less shocking build products at Google do and how employees and indirectly providing and more inspiring. We work hard to they approach problems.” infrastructure for another 25,000. create the healthiest, happiest and After leaving UOW Chandra learned So looking after tens of thousands of most productive work environments the way in which the art and science employees was not new to Chandra possible that support peak performance of computer engineering can come when he took up the position at Google and inspire well-being of everyone at together in a seamless transition, in 2007. These days, in addition to Google,” he says.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 4

Sunil Chandra “And that’s because Googlers are the And, Chandra says, some of those new “There is huge opportunity to continue best thing about Google. So not only do Googlers could come from Australia, her work, by supporting girls in you come to work in an environment more specifically from UOW. technology through programs like the that’s set up to help you innovate and Google Science Fair, to supporting “There is a tonne of great talent experiment, you get to work with some communities through initiatives like in Australia, which is part of what pretty amazing people who are there Women Techmakers and empowering motivated Google to open an office in to do the same. That’s why we believe entrepreneurs through programs like Sydney. We know there are great people hiring is the most important thing we do Women on the Web. there and have been able to build some at Google—it makes everything else we pretty key products including Maps and “There’s lots more to do here and at do possible. We’ve worked on building Drive for Mobile out of our Sydney office Google we’re always looking for women processes and systems to help us scale as a result of the calibre of talent in the who want to do things that can change our hiring of course, but having everyone continent,” he said. the world. That’s really what creating keen to pitch in and find new Googlers new technology is all about—making makes hiring at this kind of volume a “Australian graduates tend to have a people’s lives better. And the more much easier task.” very can-do approach, tend to have women joining the effort, the better great exposure to multiple cultures at job we’ll be able to do for our users.” university and beyond, and obviously have extremely strong skills—which Chandra believes that even as the makes for a great hire.” world has become more globalised, what hasn’t changed is the need for As technology makes it easier to do companies like Google to utilise business for everyone everywhere in local knowledge. the world, it means that a company

“No matter how like Google really champions the fact “Even if you look at a company like big or small that it’s employee base should reflect Google, market-specific expertise is that. Chandra is still a firm believer incredibly important to us because that Google hires the best from without it, we wouldn’t be able to the project, an OUTLOOKUOW everywhere in the world regardless of develop products that reflect the 5 attitude of background, and he is passionate about needs of, and make sense for, our users encouraging more women into the often globally. Working overseas does give excellence male-dominated world of computer you a new perspective, but it’s not the will get you information technologies. only thing necessary to be successful,” he says. “Women have always had a profound noticed.” impact on technology. From trailblazers “There are two things that come to like [computer scientist] Grace Hopper mind [when I think about advice for to Australia’s own Frances Rosamond, new graduates]. First, be open to who not only made her mark in opportunities—you never know what will computer science, but was passionately come up, but if you stay intellectually committed to removing barriers for curious, you’ll do well. And second, women to study and work in STEM whatever you do, do it well—no matter [science, technology, engineering and how big or small the project, an attitude math],” he said. of excellence will get you noticed.”

Sunil Chandra Keeli Cambourne UOW Bachelor of Engineering UOW Master of Arts (Journalism) 1994 (Computer Engineering) 1995 UOW Graduate Diploma of Education 2013

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 6

CAPITALISM WITH A CONSCIENCE BY KEELI CAMBOURNE Kimberley Abbott was volunteering in India in 2012 with the 40K Globe Program on a University of Wollongong grant when she took up a challenge to find an alternate source of income for the people of the granite quarries in Bangalore.

As an engineering student, it would sustainability that social business offers by hand 12 hours a day for a wage of follow that Abbott would have come up versus charity or non-government just $1.50 per day, she embarked on with a solution that involved something organisations. her mission and—using the innovative like roads, water or electricity—the thinking and problem-solving skills she “We initially had the idea to simply things most of us associate with this learned in her engineering degree—not create our business model around highly technical discipline. only overcame the challenges of finding the sale of jewellery, as jewellery is a a way to use granite dust, but also to However, Abbott looked around and saw significant symbol for women,” she said. start a business in a developing country an under-utilised by-product while still living and working of the quarries and found

in Australia. a way to use it to create a business that not only helps “We not only had untrained bring money into some of illiterate women, but we were the most poverty-stricken Abbott exemplifies the emerging in isolated villages with no villages in the region, but electricity, no water and no OUTLOOKUOW 7 also empowers the most movers and shakers of today’s way to use tools,” she said. vulnerable in the money-making ventures – young, “We have faced many country—women. challenges with Roka. We are Roka Jewellery is not just socially aware and altruistic. a youth-founded, developed fashionable and unique, and run social business, it is also a highly successful social “Roka’s mission is to do good, and doing so none of us have large amounts of enterprise that is helping give women in business is simply a by-product and a experience in start-up business, so even rural India the means to lift themselves means to do more good. So for us the figuring out the basics of simply getting out of the poverty cycle and gain bottom line is where it belongs—at the a business up and running has been financial independence. bottom. We believe business can be the a challenge. great engine that lifts billions out of Although it is centred on a social cause, “Distance has been a huge challenge, as poverty, but it needs to be a new kind of Roka Jewellery is still a business and obviously our women are in the granite values-driven business, where profit is Abbott exemplifies the emerging movers quarries in rural India and we are here the enabler, but not the sole motive. and shakers of today’s money-making in Sydney. We were only getting contact ventures—young, socially aware “Many corporations look to philanthropy with the women every six months or so and altruistic. or corporate social responsibility initially when volunteers were sent over programs to help their businesses meet with the 40K Globe Program, but now Rather than looking at global the ever-growing social conscience of we have hired a staff member in India to domination, this new breed their customers. However, these often manage the women so we have constant of entrepreneur is focused on simply end as a feel-good and tick-the- contact now which makes things run specialisation, creating niche and box activity by corporations. I believe it much smoother and faster.” boutique businesses with a social needs to be about doing good business conscience that get them noticed on Last year Roka was a finalist in the and creatively addressing significant the world stage. KnowledgeWorks Global Business issues that face business and society, Concept Challenge, and a team was For Abbott, the concept to develop not simply feeling good.” sent to Virginia Tech University in the a social business model developed When Abbott saw how hard the villagers US to pitch the business to a panel as she began to understand the in Bangalore worked, mining granite of high-level US executives. It was awarded second place, which Abbott It was after a stint working with said, “displayed the potential that was Australian Volunteers International in recognised in our social business model.” Nepal that Craine decided there had to be a better way to help developing “I think social businesses are becoming nations help themselves, but still be much more common in the business able to create a business that paid his landscape because people are becoming own bills. more socially aware and express desires to want to help society,” she said. “If you “Overall, at the end of university, I had can provide people with the business some life reasons to think why I was on product or service they want, but also the planet and how I might do something address a social issue at the same time, useful, so that’s what drove me towards “… a lot of younger you are meeting the customers’ needs Australian Volunteers International and and desires in every way, and social Nepal, and frankly still keeps me going entrepreneurs businesses really have the potential to now,” he said. have a greater capture large portions of the customer “Building another skyscraper or bridge or market by covering these two key highway in Australia is one career path, sense of self and customer requirements.” but being a part of a global effort to realise there is a For UOW alumnus Stewart Craine, end poverty before my generation dies, another engineering graduate, a where everyone gets a fair chance to live bigger planet to typical day at his office in Sydney their potential, for me is where I’d prefer can entail planning the layout of a to put my energies. But it doesn’t pay contribute to.” hospital power system in Liberia, well, nor is there any job or trying to make lamps hyena-proof or salary security. UOW OUTLOOKUOW salvaging products from a flooded 8 “So reality has to come into it as well, warehouse in Papua New Guinea. particularly when one is trying to raise this cannot be just getting lights and Craine is the founder of Barefoot a family. I’ve done the living-on-noodles charging mobile phones,” Craine said. Power, a business that assists people and $10,000 a year income once already, in developing countries to access and am hoping to find a less painful way “We need daytime uses of energy too, affordable renewable energy by this time, which might mean a return to like productive uses of agricultural providing lighting and phone charging the cubicle.” machinery, water pumping, refrigeration products specifically for low income and communications, to get the critical Barefoot Power was so successful in populations that do not have access mass of village micro-infrastructure both its social and business approach to electricity. in place that can help increase that within a couple of years of starting, productivity, decrease manual labour, The business started in 2006 and the company was selling about add value to their produce and designs, manufactures, distributes $1 million worth of product in Kenya eventually help them get out of poverty.” and sells micro-solar lighting and and Uganda and a few years after that phone charging products that have its revenue had expanded to around Andrea Culligan, owner/founder been designed to target communities $5 million. of Harteffect (a branding agency) in developing countries. He has also and Unigrad (a student jobs board), It proved to Craine, and investors that started Village Infrastructure, which and Communications Chair for took a chance on him, that making lends similar lighting systems and more Entrepreneurs Organisation – Sydney money didn’t have to mean forgetting advanced uses of electricity such as Chapter, says the focus of business about the planet or its people. milling for three to five years to the and business people has changed poor, removing the upfront cost barrier, His latest project with Village over the past decade. similar to leasing solar on residential Infrastructure is taking that concept to “Ten years ago people were focused households here in Sydney. the next level, trying to make solar agro- on creating businesses out of processing for women in developing Village Infrastructure has incorporated opportunity but now people start nations a reality. and developed a model focused them out of passion and purpose and on creating jobs and kick-starting “Access to energy is a goal the UN has there is a uniqueness that comes sustainable energy businesses, owned set for all poor people by 2030, but from a passionate purpose that drives and operated by local entrepreneurs. business,” she said.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 9 Kimberley Abbott in Bangalore as part of her Roka Jewellery social enterprise

And it is young entrepreneurs who have “Social responsibility comes back to the Investing in a business that has social that passion, says Culligan. business purpose,” said Culligan. “Not responsibility is what drives Larissa all socially responsible businesses have Robertson’s clients. “I think younger people can start a to be philanthropic, but a lot of younger business so much easier than in the Robertson is the Managing Director of entrepreneurs have a greater sense of past with so much access to knowledge, SCO Recruitment, which also has a not- self and realise there is a bigger planet talent and software systems all at their for-profit arm called Trim and Proper to contribute to. fingertips,” she said. Property Services that employs socially “These new business models can disadvantaged, long term unemployed “When you ask an entrepreneur what contribute by doing things as simple as and Indigenous Australians as cleaners, they would have done differently when focusing on diversity in the workplace gardeners, horticulturalists and starting a business they often say they or providing internships, but there is a handypersons to service its property would have gone harder, bigger, faster stronger focus on the community at maintenance contracts. and riskier. Young entrepreneurs rarely large, rather than just running have a house, kids or other areas of Over the past three years, SCO a business. financial support they need to supply Recruiting has contributed in-kind to—they have the ability to take There is a transition towards this model services to the value of almost those risks.” because it is becoming something $700,000 to Trim and Proper, or 15 per people are looking for when they cent of its gross profits each year. One of those risks is to throw traditional invest and they realise they have an business models out the window and Robertson, a UOW business graduate, opportunity in some way to change take the gamble on being able to survive bought SCO Recruitment in 2009 after their world.” while giving something back to the working with the agency—which was community as well. then called Spectrum—since 2005.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 10

“The charity side of the business was one of the reasons I decided to take it on after it went into liquidation,” she said. “And it was the reason that a lot of the For Mona Tavassoli, founder and officially launched in March of 2012, existing clients we had stayed with the director of Mom Souq—a parents’ Tavassoli says she listened to what her business as well. online bazaar that gives everyone an audience was saying, and tried to help opportunity to buy and sell their baby grow the community by providing other “I believed in what Spectrum was trying products—helping others achieve services that were needed. to do. Some recruitment companies are their goals has been the basis of her cut-throat and to know that we are not “As a result we relaunched in September business in Dubai. is why clients are happy to stay with us. 2012 with a whole load of new features If running this business was just about Tavassoli, who graduated from and segments such as Expert Corner, the money I think it would be easier to go University of Wollongong in Dubai with Mompreneurs, Mommy Bloggers, and work for someone else. For me it is a Bachelor of Computer Science and Events,” she said. definitely about making a change.” a Master of International Business, “We are now promoting over 200 mum started her business after moving to the SCO Recruitment is one of the fastest entrepreneurs on our website and we United Arab Emirates from France with growing recruitment companies in gave them media exposure to promote her husband. NSW and Robertson believes the way their business, such as magazine in which the company gives back to the “One of the hardest things about living interviews, radio and television. As community sets it apart. outside of one’s own country as an a start-up, it has been always very expatriate is that often you do not have encouraging to support and help “A lot of entrepreneurs are already an extended family with whom you can other start-ups. giving back. It is capitalism with a interact. I decided to create a community conscience. You don’t have to go into a “We started promoting mum where people can meet and interact and socially responsible business just to be entrepreneurs for free on our website communicate to fill this gap,” she said. nice and not make money. You can also and social media platforms. This was a have a high social impact and make a After the initial concept of an online support from our side to promote and profit,” she said. classifieds for parents in the UAE was help other entrepreneurs to market “My big ‘why’ is women’s empowerment, especially in the Middle East. I am a strong believer that empowering women leads to a more peaceful family, community and world.”

their products and services. Mentoring, next generation of women, she hopes sharing and contributing are different to empower them to shape the future ways to support the community and I and accelerate progress in their

believe it is essential to consider some communities. sort of corporate social responsibility “The ‘why’ behind every business is the activity for your business from key to its success,” she said.

the beginning.” OUTLOOKUOW “The ‘why’ cannot be financial growth 11 In just two years the business and and success, it’s the main reason that Mona Tavassoli on her expedition up website have grown and so has Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for you start the business and it is a way to Tavassoli’s profile and her passion female students in Afghanistan serve others and add value to their life. for social causes, especially helping My big ‘why’ is women’s empowerment, to empower women in countries especially in the Middle East. I am where they have few opportunities for a strong believer that empowering education or independence. women leads to a more peaceful family, In July this year, Tavassoli, embarked on community and world. a challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro “Women raise the next generation and to raise $6,000 to secure two years’ their belief has a direct influence on “Making money stationery supplies for 12 schools with their children. I dream of a world where around 24,000 female students in every mother raises their children didn’t have to Afghanistan. without teaching them discrimination mean forgetting UOW Dubai was one of the main and judgement. This is the big ‘why’ sponsors of the expedition carried out behind both my businesses, Mom Souq about the planet under the banner World Peace through and Mompreneurs Middle East. It helps or its people.” Women’s Empowerment, and Tavassoli me to carry on and not give up especially says by supporting the education of the during the challenging times.”

Kimberley Abbott Larissa Robertson UOW Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering 2012 UOW Bachelor of Commerce (Accountancy) 2004 UOW Bachelor of Science (Exercise Science) 2012 Mona Tavassoli Stewart Craine UOWD Bachelor of Computer Science (Software Development) 2004 UOW Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering) 1999 UOWD Master of International Business 2007 UOW Bachelor of Mathematics (Mathematics & Applied Statistics) 1998

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 12 Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings, CBE in New York City for the inaugural Board meeting of the University of Wollongong USA Foundation.

Celebrating 40 years of independence

By Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings CBE In 2015 the University of Wollongong celebrates 40 years as an independent institution.

We became Australia’s 18th university on the first of January, 1975, and it was a huge milestone for the University and the whole region.

UOW grew from a divisional college of superconducters to health sciences, 22nd in the world for universities that the University of NSW that had been business and humanities. are under 50 years old. originally established in 1951. Autonomy Since then we have embraced emerging This is an admirable achievement for a galvanised and energised the University, technologies such as biomedical university of our size, but we are working and it has achieved extraordinary things devices, nanotechnology and 3D very hard to get to the next level. We over the past four decades. printing, and opened major research have never been content to rest on Simple figures tell the story. facilities for health and medical our laurels. sciences, infrastructure planning and In 1975 when Foundation Vice- And you, our alumni, have been sustainable buildings technologies. Chancellor Professor Michael Birt outstanding ambassadors by being The Early Start education, training and began shaping the University we had living testament to the quality of our research centre that will open in 2015 2,000 students. Now we have almost teaching, our research environment and builds on our already strong reputation 25,000 students in Australia alone, the standards our students aspire to and in that field, and we are a global leader and another 7,000 studying with us in attain. The University is greatly indebted in disciplines as diverse as chemistry Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong to our alumni community for this and international maritime law. Kong. We have three education centres practical demonstration of the qualities on the South Coast, two of UOW graduates in OUTLOOKUOW 13 in Sydney and one in the workplaces across Australia Southern Highlands, and and around the world. our Innovation Campus is Many alumni also continue a significant research and to play an active role in their development precinct that “The University now contributes University, and for that we is attracting businesses to are extremely grateful. Wollongong and more than $2 billion annually generating jobs. to the national economy.” This second edition of our annual alumni magazine, In 1975 we had a modest UOW Outlook Magazine, offering of degree courses. We have also been consistently ranked celebrates our alumni and the Now we offer more than 470 degrees among the top universities in Australia extraordinary contribution they are across a broad range of disciplines, from for teaching quality, student experience making in many different fields. the pioneering engineering, science, and graduate outcomes over many commerce and arts disciplines that the These are challenging times in years. So our students do very well University was built on, to law, medicine Australia’s higher education sector, while they are here, and also after and computer sciences. with a Federal Government agenda they graduate. for change generating considerable The University now contributes more We have probably received more discussion on the best way to offer than $2 billion annually to the national accolades than any other Australian degrees to students while maintaining economy – much of that generated in university of comparable size, the financial sustainability of the sector. our home region. So we are a major including two Australian University force for economic development. Whatever changes may come into effect, of the Year awards and the inaugural one thing that won’t change is the value In the 1990s the University became Commonwealth University of the Year of an ongoing relationship between a very serious about building its research in 2006. university and its alumni. capacity, developing a number of We are currently ranked in the top two key research strengths ranging We look forward to building on this per cent of universities in the world on from computer sciences, materials relationship in the coming years. the three major rankings tables, and engineering, intelligent polymers and IF THE SHOE FITS

Matt Bernson is a footwear designer based in Tribeca in New York City. His shoes—influenced by art, culture and global style—have been used in runway shows for Zac Posen, Tommy Hilfiger and Edun to name a few. He has a large celebrity following, including Gisele Bündchen, Sarah Jessica

Parker and Naomi Watts.

Matt studied for a year at UOW in 2000 while on exchange UOW OUTLOOKUOW 14 and spoke with Keeli Cambourne about his muse, Toyota LandCruisers and Courteney Cox.

Was fashion an industry in which you between women and shoes. I wanted Did your time at UOW and in have always had an interest? If not, to recreate that in a bigger way. Wollongong have an impact on what how did you get into the business? you are doing now? You put on your LinkedIn profile you Fashion was something I was always graduated from UOW in surfing, Here is the simplest way I can answer interested in but I never pursued it tourism and philosophy. What did this question. I bought a 1974 baby blue as a course of study or in any formal you take away from the University Toyota LandCruiser with three other manner. I have always enjoyed good of Wollongong that has inspired you guys I met the first week in Wollongong. taste and beautiful expression of ideas or given you an edge in the fashion A photo of that car and those three in a harmonious way, and I am a bit industry? friends is framed and hangs above my particular when it comes to my own son’s diaper changing table. It sounds cliché, but I really found myself footwear. I was travelling in India, found while at Wollongong. I knew that I was Getting the support or endorsement a sandal as a gift, and it sparked an idea on the wrong path going into a career from celebrity clientele is a must for to try and design my own. in finance. I wanted to do something any successful business, especially Starting a fashion business in New creative and infused with adventure. At in fashion. Who was your first big York is a tough call. How did it begin? that time I didn’t know exactly what, but name client that helped put your What was the inspiration or the ‘ah I knew what I didn’t want to do. Through brand on the front foot? ha’ moment that put you on this path? traveling, surfing and studying outside The first celebrity to wear my shoes was of my major I came closer to knowing. I The ‘ah ha’ moment came when I gave Courteney Cox, she wore them on New look back at my time at UOW with such my then girlfriend, now wife, the gift Year’s Eve in Cabo San Lucas holding fondness and it reminds me to stay the of the sandal I bought for her in India. a white rose—she was newly married course because it feels like what I set Her excitement and reaction made to David Arquette. It was a huge photo out to do. me realise the powerful connection and was in every weekly magazine. They

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 15

Matt Bernson

noted her shoes and her happy smile. Did you actively seek it or was That shoe was the Love Sandal in black it serendipity? and we still sell it to this day. In the beginning it was all just chance. How much does having that celebrity Celebrities bought them and wore them connection help in fashion? and got photographed. Then we started getting contacted by stylists and editors For me it is one component of what I do. dressing celebrities. From that we The number one most important thing is started relationships directly with these having an amazing quality product that people who are now regular clients and people love. The celebrity part helps get come in to our store or request things the word out, no doubt. But it can’t just for events, travel, etc. be anyone, for me anyway. They have to have style, brains and be talented at what they do. They have to have a spirit that aligns with our brand mission.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 16

accounting, planning and managing as much a tech company as we are of a business. Boring but useful, I footwear design and manufacturing. It is “It sounds clichéd, know. I learned the brand building and so fast and complicated and much more importance of vision through doing and competitive than when I first started. trying to evolve as a designer and brand. but I really found There has been a bit of debate lately What was the biggest challenge for about what constitutes a muse or myself while at you in launching your business in the style icon. Do you have one? US and then globally? Wollongong.” Our muse and style icons change with The biggest challenge was lack of each season. My true muse is my wife starting capital and trying to make because she has kept me from giving As a business major, you must have everything work on a shoe-string up countless times, and that is actually also learned the power of branding budget and make it happen organically. the most important part of creativity: and how to keep the momentum in an Looking back it was my biggest asset moving forward and not giving up when industry like fashion going forward. because it made me and my team things feel hopeless. We look at who What was the most important thing have to really out-think bigger, more is wearing our designs and try to think you learned through your business experienced organisations. where they might go in the future to studies that has helped you? inform some of our inspiration. How have you seen the business I wish I had studied branding and environment change over time and Who do you have in mind when you practical elements of business. I studied how do you ensure the brand is seen are designing? business finance which is the study of by those who can help it grow? Right now, Naomi Watts. She came in to managing other people’s money, right? Things have changed so dramatically our store and her effortless style and I learned the importance of sound and quickly that we are evolving into vibe was radiating and feels right to me. “The first celebrity to wear my shoes was Courteney Cox, she wore them on New Year’s Eve in Cabo San Lucas holding a white rose—she was newly married to David Arquette.”

Watch an interview with Matt Bernson, visit uow.edu.au/alumni/outlook

Not many new graduates would think Has the focus of your business UOW OUTLOOKUOW they can go from a general business changed in the past few years? Is the 17 degree to high-end fashion. What US still the market to break or is that You use a lot of tribal/gladiator sort of steps did you take in between? changing? designs in your shoes. Why is this? I found myself doing something that I The core philosophy is still the same: My youthful inner rebellion was against didn’t have a passion for: I was working make cool, casual, high quality shoes the feeling of the constraint of modern in construction to pay the bills. I just that are comfortable. The way we do society. I thought that the romantic made the leap, dug myself into a deep business and where we are headed is notion of tribal living and cultures was financial hole and then set a course constantly improving and changing. We very appealing. There is an authenticity to build a sound business and design are focused heavily on the US. When it of tribal culture and artefact that is studio. I don’t recommend it—it was comes to international, it is important, undeniable. We borrow from that to add painful in many ways. I always want but we let them find us, it seems to work code and meaning to modern design. other people to have an easier more better that way. Sometimes it isn’t conscious. joyful start. Anything else you would like You also use materials like memory What advice would you give new to mention? foam in the designs. Is comfort just graduates coming into the workforce Yes, one of my favourite surf spots ever as important in shoe design today as looking for that big break? is Mystics, south of Wollongong. The high fashion? And why? Find your passion, what you love, and wave has side bounce off the rock wall— We call ourselves a ‘secret comfort you will not only succeed but be well it’s wild. The view when you pull up is brand’, because the word ‘comfort’ has rewarded for it if you truly put in the truly mystical, hence the spot’s name. been linked so closely with ‘ugly’ in time and hard work that it takes. Also, And, if you are ever in New York and stop fashion and especially footwear. When travel a lot, because you learn so much in my store, our studio is below and I first started, my mum and wife were and meet so many people that can alter I am always excited to say hi. testing the shoes. I gave them blisters your thinking, in a good way. Just ask for me! because the shoes were stiff and hard. I realised that making cool shoes that were technically comfortable would Matt Bernson make women want to keep coming back Studied at UOW for a year in 2000 on exchange from the US for more. Why aren’t we spending more on fertiliser?

By Dame Bridget Ogilvie AC DBE

In the late 1950s when I was studying of a recent analysis that shows that and innovation certainly reap a strong for my undergraduate degree, I was the Australian government investment in economic dividend. UOW OUTLOOKUOW only woman in my year of the Bachelor research and development is at a 18 I see that the Australian scientific of Rural Science course at the University 30-year low: 2.2 per cent of total community is not taking this situation of New England. budget expenditure. lying down. Australia’s Chief Scientist I was extremely fortunate that my The Fairfax Media figures reveal that Professor Ian Chubb is leading a chorus farmer father valued education highly. government research and development of people who are calling for more In fact, he was a Balliol College, Oxford (R&D) spending has fallen as a share government investment in graduate and two of his sisters had of either GDP or total budget spend scientific research. degrees. He felt women had as much for the third consecutive year. So it He needs all the support he can get. right to a university education as men— is clear that governments of both a somewhat revolutionary view at political persuasions have contributed Professor Chubb makes the very good the time. to Australia falling to 18th out of 20 point that government investment in advanced economies for government science flows through to the private At one point the farm mustn’t have been R&D spending as a proportion of GDP. sector by encouraging businesses to going too well, because my father’s bank take “creative risks” to develop and manager called him in and said: “Look at It is deeply disappointing that Australia, apply new knowledge. While this has all these red lines here, John (indicating which produced some of the outstanding obvious flow-on effects for jobs and the negative accounts). You’re spending scientific minds of the 20th century and economy, the opposite also applies if the money on your daughter’s university participated prominently in some of the government cuts its support of research. education. You should be spending it on major scientific and medical science more fertiliser.” breakthroughs achieved in the past 100 I worry that science has lost its appeal— years, should be lagging so far behind in for the public and therefore politicians. My father said to him: “Fred, as a matter terms of government commitment of fact, it’s the finest form of fertiliser In my generation it was the thing to to science. I know.” become a scientist. In the 1950s the It seems Australia has fallen into the public was very excited by scientific Wasn’t I lucky that my father considered trap of viewing scientific research as a discoveries because the fruits of the education an investment, not a cost? cost, not an investment. medical revolution, in the form of I was reminded of that story that is vaccines, were fresh in people’s minds. Yet all the evidence is to the contrary. part of my family folklore when I heard Nations that invest in scientific research Dame Bridget Ogilvie AC DBE

and technological breakthroughs that and thereby depriving other professions have succeeded them. Even space including science of excellent people. UOW OUTLOOKUOW travel doesn’t seem to get people In Britain we have seen that top 19 “You’re spending money excited anymore. mathematicians, physicists, biochemists on your daughter’s People have come to expect constant and chemists have gone into financial university education. upgrades to their personal technology services. People now talk about the like their smart phones, tablets and damaging effect to other professions of You should be spending satellite navigation systems, without this focus on one aspect of the economy. necessarily considering the investment it on more fertiliser.” We need to reverse this brain drain in research and innovation that is driving from the sciences, and a good place to these changes. start would be for government to more Australia’s last polio epidemic took Unfortunately most of these innovations pro-actively (and financially) support place while I was in high school. Then are coming from overseas. scientific research and innovation. the vaccines came along so everyone was acutely aware of what they Another problem is the massive Australia has many fine scientists who could do. salaries earned by chief executives of will continue to provide excellent service big corporations, especially banks and to the nation. But imagine how much But the public became blasé about other financial institutions, which are more they could do if the government those medical wonders and the medical attracting our best and brightest minds was prepared to apply more fertiliser!

Eminent international scientist and biomedical researcher Dame Bridget Ogilvie AC DBE, divides her time between Britain and a home in Wollongong. She has made a significant contribution to research at UOW as the inaugural Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI ) and as Chair of the International Advisory Committee of the Australian Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials Science (ACES). In 2005 UOW recognised Dame Bridget’s lifetime contribution to science by awarding her an Honorary Doctorate of Science. Jihad 3.0: ISIS and the media

By Nicholas Underhill

The scene has become too familiar. Grey sky and bright sands. A kneeling man, dressed in a bright orange prison-like uniform. Another man, dressed completely in black, bears over him. He holds a knife, and knowing how it will be used I can’t help but think it looks much too small. The man kneeling gives a surprisingly coherent speech directed at his family and the

enemy, in this case US President Barack Obama, before he’s beheaded.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW I hesitated before watching the Guantanamo jail jumpsuit and all-black “emotional force” of these “planned 20 decapitations. I couldn’t help but feel jihadist uniform were costumes. The killings”, stems from our everyday like a voyeur. But I did watch, and felt bright, sandy desert: a movie set, on- “dance around mortality”. “To see it deeply unsettled—in the same way I did location. So that we could hear him played out affects us all,” she told me. It watching the twin towers of New York’s without the distortion of a desert wind, reminds us that “we’re all only here for a World Trade Centre fall back in 2001. the killer wore a wireless microphone, short time”. In the words of David Carr from the which would be more at home in a Extremists, realising the effectiveness New York Times, there is a sense that theatre or live broadcast than on the of a solid media strategy, are leveraging “everything has changed, no one is safe,” site of a terrorist beheading. Even the our addiction to social media, and our that we’re “impotent against editing was carefully thought out. The fascination with the spectacle of death, true believers”. beheading itself wasn’t shown, only the to cultivate this fear and spread their knife at the throat, the initial cut, then The videos were revealing and message. Terror has gone social, and a quick fade to black. One of the last disturbing, but not in the ways I had very much in high definition. images shown was the head carefully expected. They were shocking and arranged, cradled in the hands of The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham— graphic of course, but they were jarring the victim. or ISIS or ISIL or IS depending on who because there was a surprising level of is speaking—the group behind the restraint in their production. The videos There’s no doubt that these videos had decapitations of James Foley, Steven were carefully shot, coherently edited a director. They were gory without being Sotloff and David Haines, has brought and released in high definition. Gone gratuitous. Shocking but still shareable. about this social media game changer. were the grainy and jumpy videos filmed They wanted these videos to go viral Part terrorist organisation, part state, on mobile phones. In those you could on Facebook and Twitter, but for that ISIS is calling radical Muslims around barely make out the pixelated shadows to happen they needed to show some the world to join them in their creation of people let alone verify a murder. restraint. And it’s the thought that had of a caliphate, an Islamic state with a These latest videos were different. They gone into this brazen strategy that was supreme religious figure as its head. The were well lit and clear: they looked in some ways the most chilling aspect. group has surprised the world, not only professional and were strategically Dr Kate Bowles from the University of with its incredibly violent videos showing released for maximum impact. Wollongong’s school of Arts, English massacres of Muslims, Christians and In the last video I watched, the and Media believes that this chilling Yazidi alike, but its ability to take, and murder itself felt staged. The orange development, what she calls the hold, large swathes of territory. Despite looking like it was fading into obscurity than extremist Islam. “The Islamic “This new wave of videos is much just a year ago, it’s estimated that they State will break the cross!” read a more sophisticated—we haven’t really have controlled up to 35 per cent of Iraq message recently graffitied on a small seen anything of this quality before,” and Syria—a territory about the same church in Tripoli. Only a few kilometres Alister McMillan, editor of world news size as Jordan in which an estimated 10 away another church was defaced, at The Australian, told me. “It’s a new million people live. The group controls this time with the proclamation: “The phenomenon.” and profits from key infrastructure, Islamic State is coming”. While likely Scott Shane, a national security reporter funding its operations with oil wells and perpetrated by excitable youths, the with the New York Times, says that while seized banks. ISIS even briefly occupied messages reflect the uncertainty and ISIS’ message might seem barbaric

the Haditha dam on the Euphrates River fear pervading the Middle East. OUTLOOKUOW and medieval, its dissemination is “very that if opened could have 21 21st century”. He says there has been flooded Baghdad. a traceable evolution of terrorist A large part of their success media strategy. “Osama Bin can be attributed to their Laden was the first generation online reach. They have using pre-internet media, with successfully created a mix Terror has gone social, and smuggled videotapes to Al of content that ranges from Jazeera... The second might be gruesome violence to soft very much in high definition. Anwar al-Awlaki, an American propaganda depending on the born Yemeni cleric, who spoke in a audience. As well as the brutal much more understandable style beheadings, for example, ISIS uploaded and colloquial English—he even had a “Tensions are definitely on the rise,” a compilation of their favourite terrorist blog and a Facebook page. And now we says a reporter from Beirut who I spoke attacks, a veritable ‘best of’ massacres have this third generation which is very to on condition of anonymity. “People and suicide bombings designed to appeal sophisticated in its video production, are being extremely cautious—there’s a to foreigners with a penchant for killing. in its use of Twitter and other social distinct wariness here.” At the other end of the scale, they have media”. developed tourism-style videos showing Like the beheadings haunting the West, ISIS, Shane says, is online jihad 3.0. It intelligent, young idealists having a Lebanon has also seen its fair share of employs the use of dozens of Twitter, good time to appeal to more moderate, filmed decapitations. In early August Instagram and YouTube accounts, and disenfranchised Sunnis. These videos 2014 the Islamic State raided the border when one is blocked, dozens spring are then pushed to their targeted city of Arsal, and while the offensive up to replace it. As well as having a audiences by leveraging regional was technically unsuccessful—they standard press officer, which on the languages and social platforms. The were pushed out by the army—ISIS took surface seems strange for an extremist strategy has worked better than with them 24 hostages. In a move now terror inspiring organisation, their videos anyone expected. characteristic of the group, ISIS issued are edited by professionals, many of demands, in this case the release of Their reach has even extended into the them foreign, who borrow techniques prisoners, that when unmet saw the relatively stable Lebanon, much better from Hollywood, video games and even decapitation of soldiers. One by one. known for nightclubs and beaches television dramas. Their sensational dispatches are then echoed and displaced and raped. Some women had amplified on social media. metal pipes and rodents inserted into their private parts as a torture tactic. But with these new tactics comes a While I would edit some graphic footage, familiar debate: at what point does I included all interviews and accounts of reporting on these terrorist media these cases so the world would know releases—or even sharing them online— what is happening here. serve to promote ISIS’ cause? The videos are released, after all, for the “As a journalist and as a civilian I need purposes of publicity, and to provoke a to know the truth... I don’t believe in response from world citizens and showing all the gruesome details their governments. however I don’t believe they should be overlooked,” she added. The Australian’s McMillan argues that the role of mainstream media is Dr Eric Loo, a journalism lecturer at important: they provide context and the University of Wollongong, doesn’t analysis that doesn’t often accompany believe this debate will disappear online viewings. ”We’re not glamorising anytime soon. “It’s an extremely them,” he said, “I’d rather a young person complex issue—the ethical decision isn’t who’s thinking about heading over there clear. There’s certainly an argument to read our take on ISIS than read the be made around transparency—but it’s things coming from their channels.” important to keep in mind that these extremist groups want their message The now iconic desert scene, with the spread. They use these incredibly violent orange jumpsuit and British-accented videos to recruit.” “Have we lost killer, has been plastered across the front pages of newspapers around the But when these videos are shared the capacity world. The New York Post in particular online, bypassing newspapers and

UOW OUTLOOKUOW to pause and was criticised for their front page TV, does it really matter what the 22 depiction of James Foley with the mainstream media show? Have they honour a knife at his throat, a heartbeat before already lost control of the conversation? his decapitation. After the second It would seem that the hands of old human life in beheading, of Steven Sotloff, freelance fashioned media outlets are tied: if they journalist Jeb Boone tweeted: “Can’t don’t report the press release-style the moment of believe this bears repeating, but one beheadings, then they look out of touch, its ending?” should not empower ISIS by publishing uninformed; if they do report them, then their PR materials.” they look like they’re playing catch up, only picking up the social media scraps. “It’s a major debate that is still underway,” The Australian’s McMillan Dr Kate Bowles has a more philosophical continues, “We’ve run [these images] perspective: “Constraining consumer prominently—not on the front page opportunity to see whatever we want to but prominently in the world section… see could be something good, something There’s a tension between our obligation that would speak well of us. Perhaps to show readers the full horror, and to we don’t grasp the significance of this.” not give terrorists publicity.” “What does it mean to be able to see Hermoine Macura, UOW alumna, news this on my computer, in my kitchen, and anchor and CEO of Straight Street then put a load of laundry on?” she said, Media, a global media consulting “Have we lost the capacity to pause and company based in the United Arab honour a human life in the moment of Emirates believes above all that its ending?” “honest reporting is important”. She This isn’t a new debate. In recent years saw firsthand the human impact of civil journalists have been grappling with war in Syria, out of which the modern what terrorist actions to report, and ISIS was born. For her, that experience have subsequently self-censored— cemented the need to report without particularly around cases of kidnappings self-censorship. “I interviewed hundreds and abductions that they argue could of refugees who had been tortured, endanger the captive. Their resources have similarly been stretched as media outlets close foreign bureaus and remove foreign correspondents from their payroll. While the ‘go to’ source for world news was once the exclusive domain of prestigious papers, upstarts are challenging this mantle.

VICE News has been one surprising addition, branching out from its hipster magazines and heavily investing in edgy, daredevil news content shared largely online. They launched onto the world scene after using Dennis Rodman, a famous American NBA player, as a Trojan horse to get a film crew into basketball-crazy North Korea.

This year VICE News did it again: upping the stakes by embedding a video journalist within ISIS itself, providing a firsthand (albeit very controlled) glimpse into the world of the Islamic State. journalists visiting these places of of war. On the other hand, the very same

Respected journalist Medyan Dairieh conflict on their own terms—and instead networks give terrorists the ability spent two weeks with ISIS press officer of waiting to sell their work, they’re to share their disturbing propaganda, Abu Mosa (who has since been killed tweeting and ‘instagramming’ what allowing them to reach more people in a Syrian airstrike). Throughout the they see. While this gives them—and than ever before. 40-minute movie VICE News published, us—incredible access to these areas, OUTLOOKUOW The videos are unlikely to end anytime 23 Dairieh reiterates the difficulty they’re operating in arguably the most soon. ISIS have a vested interest in separating propaganda and journalism. dangerous places in the world, and seeing the chaos continue—but sensitive kidnappings aren’t uncommon. When asked how they managed to pull reporting has shown us not just the off something so daring, VICE News CEO “Foley was extremely worldly, terror, but the humanitarian disaster Shane Smith simply responded: intelligent, smart, but at the end of that is unfolding. Journalists like Macura “We just asked.” the day it’s an incredibly unpredictable make it easier for us to understand the environment,” McMillan told me. Despite human tragedy of war. While some believe it’s innovative and vast experience and connections, Foley engaging, many media pundits have While at this stage ISIS, Iraq and Syria wasn’t able to get out. labelled the ‘Vice-ification’ of online seem like too big of a problem, there news, often shared without analysis, Terrorist states and media empires are some grounds for optimism. The ‘stunt journalism’ that at best is are both changing the ways they reach growing strength and lightning progress misleading and at worst audiences—and unsurprisingly we’re of ISIS has resulted in soul searching plain dangerous. moving online. For the consumer, the across the Middle East. Everyday situation is complex. The good news is Muslims are leveraging the same McMillan told me that this style of that we have incredible resources at our mediums used by ISIS and journalists to gonzo journalism is a reaction to the fingertips, as journalists share with us tell the world that ISIS does not speak overregulation of coverage from other stories and images from the frontline. for them. wars. “In previous conflicts it was very They are our witnesses to the atrocities difficult for the media to get near the action. Journalists were embedded with Coalition forces and kept behind a fence. We weren’t seeing the real thing,” Nicholas Underhill Hermoine Macura he said. UOW International Bachelor of UOW Bachelor of Arts (Communication News coming out of Syria and Iraq, Communication and Media Studies Studies) 2003 Honours (Journalism) 2013 however, is not filtering through the experience of unit-embedded journalists. Instead we’re seeing a new wave of [Editor’s note: this article was finalised late September 2014, further developments on this issue have not been included.] Education UOW OUTLOOKUOW 24 innovators value young minds

The University of Wollongong’s $44 million Early Start teaching, learning and research facility will open in 2015. Early Start is based on international research that shows the importance of high quality educational experiences in the early years of life—from birth to five years—in establishing learning patterns, and the transformational impact this can have on children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Early Start initiative involves a state-of-the-art building with innovative teaching, research and community engagement areas, a Discovery Space with public access for children and families, and a connected network of early childhood education and care centres throughout Australia.

NICK HARTGERINK spoke to two UOW graduates from the Class of 1991 who are both passionate about the importance of early childhood education, and who share a commitment to innovation. John Goh is Principal of Merrylands Goh, who graduated from UOW with a to content and are having experiences East Public School. He is widely Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) degree with technology in their early years that regarded as one of the most in 1991, is leading this education are almost beyond our comprehension.” innovative school leaders in NSW, revolution. He says Merrylands East Goh says the approach to learning at encouraging his teachers and isn’t so much pioneering new ways to Merrylands East is in part a response to students to be flexible and constantly educate as simply preparing its students the experiences many of the students challenging conventional ideas about for the realities of 21st century life using have before they start school. education. He regularly uses social 21st century methods and technology, media and blogs to communicate his which allow for learning any “We are faced with the challenge of ideas to the wider community. time, anywhere. engaging these young children who have already had all these experiences and There are no school bells at Merrylands However, he does concede that he and capturing and nurturing their ability to East Public School. From the day his staff are, in effect, researchers learn. Technology engages the students, they start kindergarten, students are who are “exploring the possibilities to but what and how they learn using that expected to self-regulate their time and improve ourselves as teachers and to technology depends on the pedagogy know where they need to be throughout improve the outcomes for our students”. skills of the teachers.” the day. It’s all based on the premise that Goh says a key strategy is encouraging No traditional classes or timetables students, even the four and five-year- students to pursue what they are either. All Merrylands East’s 22 teachers olds starting kindergarten, are capable passionate about. are involved in team teaching and are of self-regulating their own learning. also available to students “That’s where self-regulation from Kindergarten to Year 6 comes in,” he said. “You don’t as needed. take children who have grown up in a technology environment And the school day starts at and switch them to a 8am and finishes at 1.15pm “Many of our students have rote learning environment to capture the children’s OUTLOOKUOW quite advanced technical skills when they start school. optimal learning time—the 25 only primary school in NSW before they start school.” “The worst thing a teacher can to adopt these hours. do is disengage the engaged, so we want our students Principal John Goh doesn’t sit behind a So Goh doesn’t need any convincing to have a passion for what they are desk, but rather operates from a virtual about the value of the early years in a learning. Part of that is giving them time office wherever he happens to be in child’s learning. He sees it every day in and space to solve problems. the school. his own school. “That’s why we don’t have timetables. Technology rules, with teachers using “The early years are fundamentally We give our students the opportunity to their teaching skills to provide the tools crucial to a child’s development,” he lead their own learning.” and ‘scaffolding’ to engage the students said. “Think of what a child learns before in learning. The students in turn use Goh says Merrylands East is moving he or she comes to school: socialising, technology to explore options undreamt towards being a class-less school. language, fine motor skills, gross motor of even a generation ago. skills, imagination, the ability to take “We’re moving along a road where each For example, Merrylands East students concepts to reality, connection with the student’s learning is not determined access digitalised images, manipulate world, independence. simply by age or grade,” he said. “All our the images using the latest software students are able to benefit from the “The wonderful world of print becomes programs and print out the results on skills or expertise of any of our teachers. meaningful for the first time and they sophisticated 3D printers. If a teacher has specific skills that a are increasingly engaged student needs, he or she can access Some have used their technical skills to with technology. that teacher.” start commercial ventures. After she “Many of our students have quite completed Year 6, one student started He says the Merrylands East approach advanced technical skills before they a business producing acrylic finger nails has been in part driven by its diverse start school. It is not uncommon for and had an e-store selling them to the cultural mix and its high proportion of children starting school to know how to world. Others are designing e-games students from refugee families, many of use a keyboard, be familiar with tablet and blogging about a range of topics. whom have had interrupted schooling. technology and know about social “Some of our students come to us with media. They have more and more access big gaps in their formal schooling… but they also come with many skills, value in terms of education and success. and teachers—have embraced the knowledge and experiences. We need to It comes down to how the children are school’s approach to learning. capture and enhance those skills.” engaging in learning, and the best school “Our teachers have really embraced to measure is your own. He concedes that the approach may our approach, and the parents can not work at other primary schools, but “In the past teachers would run a really see the difference. But most of that all schools share the same goal—to lesson and then measure two or all it’s about the students, and I am improve outcomes for their students. three outcomes. Now students can constantly amazed by our students. I see demonstrate a lot more skills like magnificence every day!” “There are remarkable programs blogging, animation, developing an happening all around Australia, where iPhone app… so we can measure a lot teachers are making a fundamental more outcomes in the curriculum.” difference to the lives of their students,” John Goh he says. “Australia has a variety of tests Goh has been Principal at Merrylands UOW Bachelor of Education and other data to measure success, but East since 2005. He says the whole (Primary) 1991 in the end it comes down to what you school community—students, parents

Q&A WITH A BIG FAT SMILE UOW OUTLOOKUOW 26 Bill Feld is Chief Executive Officer at Big Fat Smile, a Wollongong-based not-for-profit organisation that runs preschools, long day care centres and after-school care centres across the Illawarra, Southern Highlands and Sydney. It also offers family support and child inclusion programs. With 500 staff and an annual turnover exceeding $35 million, it is a serious player in Early Childhood education in NSW.

Big Fat Smile is an important partner has recommended relaxing the shared curiosities and experiences. in the University of Wollongong’s qualification requirements for early Many local families now have pioneering Early Start education, childhood educators who work with aspirations that their children will go on research and training centre and five children aged under three. It’s counter- to higher education and careers. Early of your centres will be Early Start intuitive and completely at odds with the Start’s legacy will be its facilitation of engagement centres. What is your international research on foundations for opportunity and breaking the cycle of experience of the importance of early learning and development. disadvantage. years education? What contribution do you see UOW’s How important is it to your organisation Close to 90 per cent of human brain Early Start making to early years that early years’ education is now being development occurs before the age education in the future? taken more seriously with dedicated of five. As a nation, we can invest in academic research and training? I’ve watched the Early Start engagement early education or, alternatively, we centre pilot at Bellambi Point from its It’s very important, but there’s still a can spend much more on difficult beginnings and Early Start is already view that early education and care is a interventions later in life. Early years’ making a difference. The children have time to be endured—a costly prelude education is important in shaping young access to a program and technologies to the main game of formal schooling. lives, and particularly in disadvantaged that are preparing them better for life We have a long way to go before early communities. With that in mind it’s and the rigours of ‘big school’. It also education and care is regarded as an disappointing that the [Australian brings families closer together through investment, rather than as a cost. Government] Productivity Commission Big Fat Smile is a highly successful teaching practice and cultures, and to organisation that clearly takes early bring exciting new experiences to the education very seriously. As the name children. The cultural exchange already “There’s still a view implies, it also believes that young has the children connected via Skype children should also have fun. What and practising Kung Fu. that early education is the cross-over between fun and We’ve also teamed up with the learning? and care is a time Capital Institute of Pediatrics and

Learning is so much better when you China Disabilities Federation to to be endured.” OUTLOOKUOW enjoy it! initiate systemic funding of therapies 27 and interventions for children with Is there sufficient equity and fairness What are some of the more Autism across China. With in-principle in Australian education? Do we give successful innovations that Big Fat agreement secured, we’re now at the people from all socio-economic Smile has introduced in recent years? funding application stage for the pilot backgrounds the means to be We’ve invested in roving teams of artists, project. We’re really proud of our work educated properly? musicians, sports leaders, cultural in influencing better outcomes for The short answer is no. The access of experts and environmental educators to children wherever they might live, and people in disadvantaged communities to extend and enhance our local programs. we’re thrilled that the University of university education is not what it should We’ve built art studios in Corrimal and Wollongong has joined us in the be. The ‘buy now, pay later’ system Miller, which have become sought-after research phase. for higher education is not equitable, excursion venues. We’ve also opened Around the world but particularly in fair or smart. It simply compounds new, purpose-built preschools in Sydney developing countries, education is disadvantage. Our system lacks and regional locations to meet local seen as the all-important passport to vision and places us at a competitive demand for early education and care. escaping poverty and building a better disadvantage on the world stage. We established Green Bean Play Café in life. Does Australia (and do Australians) The Australian Government’s early Corrimal. It hosts important community place enough value on education? years education investment in initiatives like our postnatal depression Australians understand the importance disadvantaged communities encourages therapy groups, delivered free and in of education, but gains in one sector parents to pursue higher education for partnership with Illawarra-Shoalhaven are too often made at the expense of their children. Ironically, just when so Medicare Local. another. The most encouraging signs many families are gaining new insights Our latest international partnership have been in the national investment into the power of education, we see real has educators from our preschools in early education and care, which has access to higher education diminishing. exchanging with educators from Moon quadrupled in the past 10 years. Early City, Ming Xing and Mei Qi Bi-lingual education and care now gets media Bill Feld Preschools in Yangzhou, China. The attention and is routinely an election UOW Master of Business purpose is to gain better understandings issue. This wasn’t the case just a few Administration (Management) 1994 of our respective education systems, elections back. THE VOICE OF THE AUDIENCE

Sumi Barry, Senior Vice-President of Consumer and Market

UOW OUTLOOKUOW Intelligence at NBC Entertainment talks to Keeli Cambourne 28 about her not-so-fairy tale climb to the top.

In her last year as a Bachelor of As the Senior Vice-President of Commerce undergraduate at the Consumer and Market Intelligence at University of Wollongong, Sumi NBC Entertainment, it is Barry’s job to Barry saw a call out for extras on a help decide which new shows will make film shoot and decided this was an it to air, how they should be marketed, opportunity she couldn’t miss. produced, evolve and become part of the lexicon of everyday life. Working in the entertainment industry “I never thought I would have anything was not a career that crossed to do with the media industry, and “I am the voice of the audience. My job Barry’s mind when she landed in believed I wouldn’t have the chance to involves seeing the first episodes of Wollongong from Malaysia as a teenage do something like this again,” Barry said. new shows, testing them and getting undergraduate in 1989. She had gained “It was the most gruelling, the most feedback from audiences. I also help entry into the Bachelor of Commerce, unglamorous thing I had ever done. After the marketing team with strategies to deciding to take up the offer at UOW it was over I thought ‘been there, done promote the shows, when to schedule rather than a Sydney-based institution. that. It was interesting but that sort of them and I work loosely with the opportunity will never come up again’.” programming division to shape the “I had relatives in Kiama so that was the shows based on feedback from the initial reason I looked at going to UOW, Two decades on, however, Barry is a audience,” Barry said. but when I did more research I knew the senior executive at one of the world’s university had a great reputation and leading media and entertainment “One of the most successful shows was in a beautiful city,” she said. companies, NBCUniversal, helping I’ve worked on has been Blacklist with to create television shows that have James Spader. I’ve also worked on The “I had been accepted into two Sydney become part of our lives and ingrained Voice, Law and Order: Special Victims universities but I knew UOW would in television history. Unit, and the US version of The Office.” provide me with more personal

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 29

“I am the voice of the audience. My job involves seeing the first episodes of new shows, testing them and getting feedback from audiences.”

Sumi Barry

attention. I know people who went to give me a foundation to the types of to continue with my studies and see bigger schools and got lost in the mix. opportunities I wanted to pursue. I didn’t what happened, but at UOW I could go My parents were a little concerned with know what my career was going to be to anyone in my faculty and talk to them me living in a big city and the relative or the path I was going to take, I just about what careers I could pursue and it quiet of Wollongong was an attraction wanted a firm foundation. But along the helped me build a lot more confidence. as well.” way I did a psychology unit and liked it I did have to explain to my parents so much that I picked up a lot of other why I was taking these additional The plan was to finish her commerce psychology subjects so it became like a psychology subjects but after talking degree and find a career in law, business minor degree and it gave me structure to my professors and seeing how much or accounting and Barry admits she that I could build on,” she said. interest I had in the subject they believed went into her studies assuming she I was making the right decision.” would fall into those categories. “At UOW the faculty was very approachable and made it easy for me After graduating with a Bachelor of “The Bachelor of Commerce was a to talk to them about different ideas. I Commerce in 1993, Barry’s first job general degree that I knew would arrived with no plan and was just going was at a law school in Kuala Lumpur

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 30

The Blacklist is one of the popular shows that Sumi Barry worked on for NBC Entertainment.

doing market research. It was during her “I was lucky enough to land it and it up and it all fell into place for me. A first year of work that an opportunity started my career,” she said. lot of the research, and the way the came up at Astro Television, a satellite information was communicated made “This industry is pretty competitive but broadcasting company, which set her on sense to me, and I believed this was what I think helped me the most was the path into the entertainment industry. where I was meant to be. the psychology units I took at university. During the two years she was with Astro They taught me how to think and how to “The biggest lesson I learned at Disney Television, Barry designed primary ask the right questions. I was very shy was how to communicate. When I first research to support program content but I believed in myself enough to put started I barely spoke up at meetings and pricing and packaging of services. myself out there and ask the but my boss and mentor pushed me out right questions. of my comfort zone and that was one She moved to LA in 1997 with her of the most important skill sets producer husband Jonathan, and “At Disney I learned a lot in a short I developed.” through his links in the entertainment time. I was starting [in this career] later industry found out about a job as a junior than my colleagues. I was already 27 In 2000, Barry was offered a position analyst at Disney Channel. and most people had moved up a little at NBC Entertainment, and has steadily by then so I was determined to catch moved up the career ladder. Barry’s position at the global entertainment giant is so influential that when she took on her current role, her appointment was written up in the industry bible, Variety Magazine.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 31 Watch an interview with Sumi Barry, visit uow.edu.au/alumni/outlook

“When I came over [to NBC] I started at I got here I saw women in leadership “Don’t fall back on tradition. Take the bottom again. I was under-qualified positions which led me to believe that advantage of any opportunities you are for the position but they recognised my there are opportunities open exposed to,” she said. enthusiasm and told me they were going for everyone. “Pursue your passion and don’t just to lower the title so they could bring me “I was also lucky enough that the first chase the title and salary as much early in,” she said. person I worked for in the US was a in your career when you can explore In a cutthroat industry where companies woman and when I came to NBC there a little bit more. Give yourself that live and die by their ratings, Barry had were heads of departments who are opportunity because it pays off so much to quickly learn to hold her own in male- women, and even more now.” in the future. I took pay cuts to work dominated boardrooms, part of adapting at Disney and NBC because it was a Barry’s position at the global to a new culture. path I wanted to pursue and I have the entertainment giant is so influential satisfaction of wanting to go into work “I have to admit that coming from an that when she took on her current role, every day. Asian culture [the US] felt very different her appointment was written up in the but in a good way. Where I grew up industry bible, Variety Magazine. “I get paid to watch TV and who doesn’t [women] were told that [they] should love doing that.” “It was lovely being mentioned in Variety be seen and not heard and that extends and I think it made my mother realise a bit into the corporate culture, but it is that I have a real job,” she said. changing now,” she said. Barry said it’s important that “Coming here, the women have much graduates—and undergraduates—don’t Sumi Barry more of a voice. There is still some limit themselves when they’re choosing UOW Bachelor of Commerce dissatisfaction with equality but this in their career paths. (Marketing) 1993 an industry where women do well. When The journey from hopeless to hopeful

BY Tshibanda Gracia Mukiibi

I am very privileged and blessed; I wish I could say this for every refugee whose life has been shattered and tormented by persecution and conflicts of all kinds. My name is Tshibanda Gracia Mukiibi and I’m a Congolese-born Australian freelance journalist, author, human rights advocate and UOW alumna. UOW OUTLOOKUOW 32 My family and I fled the Democratic think about that woman, a single mother newly displaced due to conflict Republic of Congo in 2002 due to with eight children, whose husband or persecution. tribal and political conflicts. Coming disappeared without a trace, and she Across the world, thousands of people from a family of 13 children, life was was forced to flee South Sudan to are displaced every day, and millions are challenging. We had to pursue peace an unknown destination in pursuit of living in hopeless situations, seeing their because our lives were in danger, leaving peace. I think of that child who, at the loved ones passing away or disappearing behind my four older sisters who were age of 12, had lost his parents and four because they lack protection and the residing in a different city. siblings in the civil war in Sierra Leone. necessary support. I also think about that family of five From Congo we went to South Africa, whose lives were cut short by explosive This highlights the imperative for where we were refugees for three years. bombs in Syria. I then think of that wealthy nations like Australia, along Even in South Africa, life had its own father in Iraq who lost his 10-year-old with the entire international community, predicaments: living in a two-bedroom daughter because she was persecuted to address this matter. Humanity needs apartment 11 of us, nine children with over her family’s religious affiliations. to regain its dignity. People are deprived mum and dad, with no source of income This is the norm for most refugees. It’s of the most basic human rights: the because my father was unemployed. unfortunate that innocent civilians are right to life, and the right to liberty and Fortunately, from South Africa my the ones paying the high price for war security. family was granted humanitarian visas and conflict, and as time passes, the One of my role models is Paul Power, to live in Australia. Soon after my arrival calamities escalate. Chief Executive Officer of the Refugee in Australia in July 2005, I started According to a recent report released by Council of Australia (RCOA), the national volunteering with Strategic Community the United Nations High Commissioner umbrella body for organisations working Assistance to Refugee Families (SCARF) for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of with refugees and asylum seekers. and a number of youth organisations. refugees, asylum-seekers and internally I was very passionate about making a Power graduated from UOW with a displaced people worldwide has, for the difference in whatever way possible, Master of Arts (Honours) in Journalism first time in the post-World War II era, particularly in the lives of refugee youth. in 1994 and is a refugee advocate who is exceeded 50 million people. In 2013 an passionate to see change. I often think about the people I came estimated 10.7 million individuals were across through my work with SCARF; I Australia’s response Australia is just one of the developed nations that has opened its doors to refugee resettlement. Thousands of refugees and asylum seekers over the past few decades have made Australia their home. This has significantly contributed to the multicultural Australia we are proud of today.

Particularly, the city of Wollongong has been enriched by the diversity of refugee arrivals. In 2002 Wollongong City Council signed up as a Welcome Zone for Humanitarian Refugees. Since then, many hundreds of refugees have become part of the multicultural fabric of Wollongong. Many organisations like SCARF have played a pivotal role in assisting refugee communities in their resettlement process in this great land.

Tshibanda Gracia Mukiibi Another of my role models is Sharyn Mackenzie, the founder of Strategic Community Assistance to Refugee

Growing up in a culturally diverse The global refugee situation Families (SCARF). She remembers OUTLOOKUOW neighbourhood in Sydney, the global meeting her first refugee family. 33 My own experience of being both from refugee situation and the concept of a refugee background and working with “At church, early in 2003, we met one multiculturalism captured Power’s heart refugee clients over the past several of the first families to arrive, who were from a young age. years, I can see that the situation is Southern Sudanese and had been in “The neighbourhood included many certainly deteriorating. We read about Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya for more former refugees from Eastern Europe, it, we see on television, in fact it’s than 10 years. Their greatest need was Indochina, the Middle East and Latin everywhere. The sad thing about it is the help for their children with basic literacy America: people who valued Australia’s assistance provided to these individuals and numeracy. We started visiting their freedom, worked hard and contributed in need is very minimal and most receive home regularly to provide that support,” much to Australian society,” he said. no help. Mackenzie said.

Power was raised in a nurturing “In 2013, resettlement was made Through that family Sharyn and her environment by parents who valued available to just 98,426 refugees husband, Kel Mackenzie, were able to volunteering, which led to him which is less than one per cent of the meet all of the other families in the developing an interest in matters of refugees under the UNHCR’s mandate,” early intake of refugees. She identified social justice and social policy. Through Power said. If less than one per cent of clear gaps in what was being offered meeting former refugees, Power’s the world refugee population is being by government agencies, and this saw interest in Australian refugee policy resettled, I think about what would the birth of SCARF in 2005 with many grew, along with his concern about the possibly happen to the remaining volunteers jumping onboard to assist national political debate about asylum. 99 per cent. new refugees arriving in Wollongong.

“The political backlash against asylum Figures from the UNHCR show that As a former refugee myself, and seekers which began in the late 1990s during 2013 conflict and persecution despite the fact that I come from an shocked me. I couldn’t accept that forced an average of 32,200 individuals educated family and spoke a little bit Australia would punish people seeking per day to leave their homes and seek of English upon my arrival in Australia, refuge in order to deter others trying protection elsewhere, either within the coming to a new country was a very to find safety from persecution. It borders of their own country or in other complex process, an exciting yet challenged much of what I believed countries. This compares to 23,400 in daunting experience. I’ve seen many about my country,” he said. 2012 and 14,200 in 2011. other refugees doing it tough, and ...the city of Wollongong has been enriched by the diversity of refugee arrivals.

Joseph Bol

that’s why I’m so grateful and thankful Contributions made by Bol completed his studies at UOW with a to organisations like SCARF who refugee ARRIVALS Bachelor of Environmental Engineering enabled many of us to have a smooth in 2010 and Masters of Environmental resettlement process. “Receiving people from refugee Science in 2012 and is now a strong backgrounds into Australia has many community figure and role model. UOW OUTLOOKUOW I certainly acknowledge the benefits, and not least of these is the 34 government’s assistance in providing opportunity for us, as a host nation, “I have been working with refugees from the very basics for people to kick-start to demonstrate our capacity for 2004 to the present day. Not only did their lives in Australia with access to compassion and generosity as world I come to Australia as a refugee, but Centrelink benefits, health services, citizens… to demonstrate our humanity,” I also have a passion to assist people education and English classes among Mackenzie added. who have been made vulnerable by the other services. However, the expectation occurrences in their home countries and from the government to settle within It is evident that the refugee community are now settled in Australia,” Bol said. six months of one’s arrival is certainly has brought a wonderful diversity of Widyan Al-Ubudy is also a former unrealistic and has been a challenge cultural heritage across Australia. refugee who fled Iraq, her country of for many. Culturally and linguistically diverse communities have significantly birth, with her family due to persecution For me, when arriving in Australia contributed to our national prosperity in under Saddam Hussein’s regime. Her everything was new and I experienced countless fields of the humanities and family spent five years in Rafha refugee a number of difficulties. I struggled the sciences. camp where living conditions were very with the language, education system, poor with minimal food and water, and the culture and more. SCARF certainly Former refugee Joseph Bol, Settlement lack of employment. helped me to fill the gaps by assisting and Training Coordinator with Navitas Al-Ubudy graduated from UOW in 2013 me with my homework and mentoring English, is using his experiences and with a Bachelor of Communication me to be the best that I could be. UOW education to give back to his community in a range of positive ways. and Media Studies and completed “SCARF has provided some level of her Honours. Now an SBS broadcast assistance to about 250 households and Bol arrived in Australia in 2003 from journalist, published writer, media currently has 187 households registered South Sudan (then Sudan before researcher, public speaker and as having access to its services. We separation or independence). He was community leader, she is making a do not restrict services or support granted humanitarian entrance due to significant difference in her community [to a time limit] as community needs the 25 years of Civil War that displaced and the wider Australian society. change… what is needed upon arrival is millions of Sudanese people and It’s apparent that personal experiences very different from the type of support resulted in countless deaths and play an important role when it comes to needed at year six of settlement,” human disruption. giving back to the community. Mackenzie said. “My own experience is the reason I I’m concerned about where we are am now a refugee advocate, and the headed. Wealthy countries invest an fact that 20 years on such appalling enormous amount to secure its borders, things are still happening. I feel like my and pay an awful amount of money experience is not finished until those to fight in wars, and yet not enough experiences of others stop, and they attention is paid to address the root will never stop so neither will I,” of the problem. Al-Ubudy said. “In my humble opinion and given that What should be done? I work in the sector, I don’t think the refugee situation in the world is getting The global refugee situation is any better. For example, the refugee escalating, not due to the absence of situation in Syria and for internally love in the world, but due to greed, displaced people in South Sudan is corruption and inept leadership. From worse,” Bol said. my own personal experiences and observations, I can see that these are “Things seem to be improving and then just a few of the causes. There’s a lot worsening. We have so many crises of work still to be done, and I believe impacting refugees like malnutrition, those who are in a better position can illnesses and terrorism,” Al-Ubudy said. Widyan Al-Ubudy accommodate others. “With all that bad there is good; there

“Well, Australia’s current refugee intake are so many dedicated volunteers and is better than nothing compared to other medics working with refugees using countries. However, I believe Australia their skills and knowledge, and that has a capacity to increase its intake to restores my faith in humanity and makes accommodate more refugees,” Bol said. me believe one day it will get better— OUTLOOKUOW I hope.” “My own experience 35 “We have the space and can improve our infrastructure. We are a wealthy country I ask myself, when will we see the day is the reason I am and if Jordan can take over one million that the entire world is in total peace, refugees and Jordan isn’t wealthy like where human beings cohabit with their now a refugee Australia—then there is no excuse for us counterparts despite their differences. I advocate…” not to do our part,” Al-Ubudy said. long to see the end of war and conflicts causing deaths, human disruption This world would be a better place and suffering. I hope that at least if only the international community generations after me will live to see was more compassionate toward the this day. vulnerable and advocate for peace and unity across the world.

“Unfortunately we are also seeing wealthy nations increasingly adopt harsher asylum policies that deter, punish and expel people seeking a life free from persecution,” Power said.

Tshibanda Gracia Mukiibi Widyan Al-Ubudy UOW Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies UOW Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (Honours) (International Media and Communications) / in Journalism 2013 Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resource Management) 2013 Joseph Bol Paul Power UOW Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental Engineering) 2010 UOW Master of Arts (Honours) in Journalism 1994 UOW Master of Environmental Science 2012 A question of security: fish and the future of the Pacific

By India Lloyd

We often come face-to-face with older generations regaling us with stories of how much the world has changed. Technology,

food, communication, the way we live and work: few things are the same now as they were 60, 40 or even 10 years ago. UOW OUTLOOKUOW 36 Dr Josie Tamate regularly hears about Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji, Professor Clive Schofield, Sustaining the transformations that have taken faces two great threats to its way of life: Coastal and Marine Zones leader in place on the tiny island of Niue in food security and climate change. UOW’s Global Challenges Program, the South Pacific. But it is when the said food security, as it applies to the These issues are prevalent in most nations reminiscing changes to the state of the Pacific, is essentially about fish. around the world, but it is in the Pacific region’s fisheries and environment that region that the dual pressures look poised “The rest of the world hears food security it takes a poignant turn. to critically upset the locals’ way of life and thinks of agriculture and crops,” said “I spend a lot of time talking to older folk and their place in the global landscape. Professor Schofield, a political geographer in the communities in the Pacific, and And while the rest of the world may view and international legal scholar. “But in they’ve seen huge changes to the marine the islands of the Pacific as tiny, and the Pacific, food security means primarily environment just in their lifetime,” said Dr lacking in political might, their immense fish and ensuring there is enough capacity Tamate, Director General of the Ministry oceanic backyards mean they are, in in this resource to meet global and local of Resources in Niue and a University of reality, maritime superpowers. demand. It is a question of nutrition as Wollongong PhD graduate. well, and ensuring that people in the Current and former University of Pacific have access to the fish in their “Sharks are travelling closer to shore now Wollongong researchers are at the own backyard.” and there are much fewer fish than there forefront of the push to aid the Pacific used to be. Young people think there’s region, both on the ground and in research According to the World Health still plenty of fish, but it has changed. We and governance roles. They are helping Organisation, the three pillars of food don’t want future generations to only see communities to combat the threats posed security are availability, access and pictures of fish in books because there’s to food security—notably overfishing—by use. In other words, helping developing nothing left.” empowering them to engage with the issue nations to access sufficient quantities and encouraging governments to take of food that are nutritious, affordable The Pacific is a region undergoing intense control of their decision-making power. and environmentally sustainable. In the social and environmental upheaval. For Pacific it relates to the plethora of fish that locals, as Dr Tamate’s experience shows, But, in a modern world defined by its inhabit the vast waters surrounding these the future is not a given. The Western and abundance of food, what exactly is island nations and concerns over food Central Pacific, which includes the island food security? security are only exacerbated by growing nations of Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, population pressures in the region.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 37

Photo courtesy of Dr Quentin Hanich

Professor Schofield, who is Director of Dr Quentin Hanich, a Senior Research “Kiribati, for example, has 3,000 square Research at the Australian Centre for Fellow at ANCORS, said the world’s kilometres of ocean to cover, and one Ocean Resource and Security (ANCORS), appetite for seafood has created a patrol boat, which is able to go out 30 said tuna is the most valuable resource in precarious situation in the Pacific—one days a year,” he said. “You need aerial the Pacific, in a monetary sense. Larger with dire consequences for the region. surveillance, but for the nations who can developed nations, such as Japan and do that—New Zealand, France, Australia— “The Atlantic, the Indian and the East the United States, greatly benefit from the area is not a priority.” Pacific Oceans have all been overfished tuna reserves in the Western and Central or are at full capacity, but rather than When it comes to overfishing and food Pacific, namely Bigeye, Bluefin, Skipjack address these issues, many of the boats security there are hard decisions that need and Albacore, but the island nations and trawlers have simply moved into the to be made to ensure the world’s tuna receive a mere slice of the profit. West Pacific,” said Dr Hanich, who spends stocks, in particular, are not wiped out. The “The fish is their natural resource, but they up to a week each month conducting Western and Central Pacific is home to the have little of the industry and few jobs. research in the Pacific islands world’s most prolific tuna industry, worth They are denied access to the end market,” approximately $6 billion. In an area that spans the size of China Professor Schofield said. “The fraction and Central America combined, with It is an area of work Dr Hanich is that goes back to the Pacific nations is a population of fewer than 10 million, passionate about and much of his research critical to their economy, but it’s only a overfishing is extremely difficult to police. involves empowering local communities fraction of what that fish earns on Each island has an exclusive economic to take a ground-up approach to manage the market. zone (EEZ) of 200 miles, which functions their own fisheries, and helping the “It also poses problems around nutrition. as the limit of their maritime jurisdiction. governments of these island nations to The people of the Pacific eat what they But the sheer practicalities involved in stand up for their rights and “determine catch, and we need to ensure this supply surveying that amount of open water their own destinies”. continues for future generations.” are simply overwhelming, said Professor Schofield. Photo courtesy of Dr Quentin Hanich

“Collaboration among Pacific nations is She said the region relies heavily on conservation measures”. Who bears the vital,” said Dr Hanich. “They are small its surrounding waters for sustenance responsibility for protecting the Pacific and

nations, but in the absence of political and financial support, which is being its precious maritime resources? might, they must find a way to agree compromised by overfishing. In a “The larger nations are historically on measures to prevent overfishing traditional land sense, the island of Niue responsible for unsustainable fishing and provide a solution to food security. in the South Pacific is home to just 1,400 UOW OUTLOOKUOW practices,” said Dr Hanich, who is also a Fish don’t pay attention to maritime people, but it is a major player in 38 member of the Fisheries Equity Research boundaries.” the maritime sphere. Network, which comprises researchers It is a concern echoed by Dr Julia Xue, “Some of the islands don’t have enough from marine institutions throughout the Chair Professor of KoGuan Law School land resources, and they depend so much world. “Developing nations have never at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in on the ocean,” Dr Tamate said. “Kiribati, had a chance to fish on a large scale, but China, who believes poor fisheries for example, doesn’t have enough land they’re expected to bear the conservation management has created a difficult to support agriculture. The only major burden. It’s inconsistent and inequitable.” situation for communities in the Pacific. resource they have is fisheries. It’s their Dr Tamate agrees and said Pacific livelihood. If you deplete that stock, and Dr Xue, who completed her PhD on Islanders simply want to ensure they there’s no fish left, what is the alternative international fisheries law and policy receive their fair share of the for those people?” at UOW, said cooperation among the billion-dollar profits. Pacific nations is essential to creating a Like Dr Tamate, Dr Hanich is on the “Food security for Pacific Islanders sustainable future. But it is not easy. frontline of this growing fight. He leads a is a fundamental concern,” she said. major project in Kiribati that aims to work “We’ve been working to make people in the “They have a right to make sure their with local communities to improve coastal Pacific understand the situation and the resources are protected. And adequate fisheries management. The project brings impact of overfishing on the environment, compensation is essential to the economic together the UOW Global Challenges but this generation want to get as much as development of the island states Program, ANCORS, the Secretariat of the possible,” she said. “They’re not concerned and nations. Pacific Community and The WorldFish about protecting resources for the Centre, a research group that focuses on “If we don’t manage our fisheries and our next generation. fisheries and aquaculture in the developing resources, future generations might not “It’s very difficult to change that mindset,” world. It also extends to the Solomon have the same opportunity to enjoy the Dr Xue admitted. Islands and Vanuatu and, Dr Hanich said, resources that we have had.” is essential to empowering people in the Dr Tamate completed her PhD in While unsustainable fishing is creating an Pacific to protect their resources. fisheries management at ANCORS and untenable situation for the people of the sees firsthand the impact that declining One of Dr Hanich’s major concerns Pacific and raising questions about the food security and unsustainable fishing is sharing what he calls “the future of the region, the problem is greatly practices have on the Pacific. disproportionate burden of necessary compounded by the growing impact of climate change. The Pacific is particularly vulnerable “If we move quickly, and do everything to climate change, which has the we can, we can adapt. But in the long UOW’s potential to exacerbate issues of food term, to do nothing, we are not just security and nutrition, such as damage giving up the Pacific, rising sea levels Global to infrastructure and agricultural crops, means we are also giving up Thirroul and the relocation of precious fish and Wollongong, and the global coastal Challenges stocks. For example, South Tarawa, the cities of London, Venice and capital of Kiribati, is only three metres New York City. Program above sea level, leaving little room to “Australia has a direct interest. We move in the event of rising seas or a don’t want a backyard full of failed catastrophic storm, Professor The Global Challenges Program is states. Failed states lead to poverty, Schofield said. a major research initiative at the University of Wollongong. The program, now in its second year, harnesses the multidisciplinary expertise of world-class researchers to address the complex “This is a tiny part of the world. It is problems facing our world. The Global Challenges Program is the most vulnerable to the impacts of focused on three major challenges: Living Well, Longer; Sustaining Coastal climate change and food security, but and Marine Zones; and Manufacturing Innovation, under the overarching theme of it did the least to contribute to that.” Transforming Lives and Regions.

Sustaining Coastal and Marine Zones, led “There are signs in Kiribati that say, civil unrest, malnutrition and mass by Professor Clive Schofield, examines ‘Rising Seas. Drowning Islands’,” said immigration problems. Where are all how we can protect and preserve our Professor Schofield of the island, which these people going to go when they precious coastlines and marine spaces. OUTLOOKUOW is largely made up of low-lying coastal don’t have a home?” Dr Hanich asks of More than half the world, including 66 39 atolls. “Climate change is very much the Pacific’s 10 million residents. per cent of Australians, live on the coast. a local concern, but it is intensified by Our environmental, economic, social and issues of overpopulation. There are now If the rest of the world is willing to cultural health is intrinsically linked to the people living in low-lying places where benefit from the Pacific’s resources, ocean, which is why it is so essential that no-one had previously lived so every they must also be willing to act when we safeguard against the myriad problems time there is a weather system, their times get tough, Dr Tamate said. that threaten these spaces: climate homes are flooded.” “Everybody has different interests, change, food security, sustainability “This is a tiny part of the world. It is but they all recognise that something and maritime safety. the most vulnerable to the impacts of needs to be done. And that involves Under the Sustaining Coastal and Marine climate change and food security, but it negotiation, which means there are Zones theme, the Global Challenges did the least to contribute to that. The always going to be winners and losers,” Program has a number of projects that will rest of the world’s problems are coming she said. help protect our maritime environment home to roost.” “Pacific Islanders are very vulnerable. and examine the importance of the deep While these experts all have different The communities I’ve visited in Niue and blue to communities around the globe. roles to play in the fight against climate throughout the Pacific are facing hard It is exploring food security in the Pacific change and food security, they agree times. Actually seeing it with your own region, flooding and urban inundation in there is no simple solution. eyes, you realise what challenges they Jakarta, the impact of deep water anchors on sea beds, mangrove regeneration in “In the short-term, the situation is are going through.” Vietnam’s Mekong Delta and the security confronting and challenging, but it is of maritime vessels. still survivable,” Dr Hanich said. “In 100 years from now, we will look back and say, ‘did we do everything we could?’.

Dr Josie Tamate Dr Quentin Hanich Dr Julia Xue UOW Doctor of UOW Doctor of UOW Doctor of Philosophy (Law) 2014 Philosophy (Law) 2011 Philosophy (Law) 2004 is Education worth the investment ? BY KEELI CAMBOURNE Philip and Elizabeth Stevenson

Like most students Farah Daher wants which can cost me $500 a semester, associated with education and innovation to be able to leave university with a well- makes studying very expensive.” too,” Harper-Richardson said. rounded education. The University of Wollongong has a strong Philanthropy Australia estimates $3 billion

But for Farah—like thousands of other history of philanthropy. The campus was is held in private foundations, up from students throughout Australia—that is not built through the generous donations of around $2 billion in 2011. At least five per a possibility without financial help. community and industry in the Illawarra cent of that is donated to charity each year after the Lord Mayor, Albert Squires, set and, as more high-profile philanthropists UOW OUTLOOKUOW As the landscape of funding in Australian up an appeal which raised $100,279 by go public with their donations, it is hoped 40 tertiary education goes through its most 1959 to get building works started on the average Australians will be encouraged dramatic upheaval for decades, the role then University of NSW satellite campus. to be more generous too. Multimillionaire of philanthropy and encouraging a culture mining magnate Andrew Forrest, at the of giving to higher education is becoming Since 1975, when the University gained its Philanthropy Australia Conference in a much more important and immediate independence from UNSW, philanthropic August 2014, called on universities in concern for Australian universities. support has been an integral part of the Australia to get better at dealing with institution’s growth to date, however For Daher, the gift of a scholarship meant small and medium financial donors, rather private support is essential to support she has been able to become involved than focusing their time to the biggest world-class educational experiences and in the extracurricular activities that are givers. outcomes for the broader community. part of her double degree in law and It’s a recommendation that Harper- international studies. She is one of 10 UOW But the reasons and message behind the Richardson says UOW is already following. students who are awarded a learning and case for support is changing, according to development scholarship each year that Director of Advancement at UOW, Monique “Getting involved through philanthropy gives them financial support of $3,000 per Harper-Richardson. “Education changes enables meaningful and purposeful year for three years. lives and has an enormous impact not just relationships dedicated to making a on the individual but at a community and change,” she said. When it started in 2007, the Learning global level. and Development Scholarship Fund “The University has always engaged was only able to offer a $1,000, one- “Philanthropy through education has the heavily with the community to develop off payment to one student in financial ability to disrupt the current state for a relationships. Gifts of all sizes can make hardship, but with support from UOW bigger idea, a bigger vision and a wider an impact.” staff through workplace giving, alumni and impact. The fact that philanthropy helped The University of Wollongong relies heavily the community, the fund has grown to its create the University is a great example on those smaller, community donations present capacity. of what a game-changer education can to not just fund things like the Learning be through the generosity of others. The “The scholarship means I can apply for and Development Scholarships, but also University has been able to be part of citizenship activities that are part of the to facilitate relationships between the the changing face of the Illawarra from degree,” Daher said. “Without that extra institution and business. a region which was once associated just financial support I couldn’t do those things. with heavy industry to one that is now “UOW has the ability to align all the Travelling and parking, on top of textbooks, necessary elements—knowledge, relationships and aspiration—together to realise the potential of an idea, to shape society, and to change lives and regions as our mission states,” Harper-Richardson said.

Last year, more than $5.2 million in donations and gifts was received from community organisations, corporations and individuals who gave to a variety of projects, from dementia or cancer research to infrastructure projects and student scholarships. The University was also one of the founding partners in this SHOW YOUR year’s Westpac Bicentennial Foundation—the single largest private education scholarship program in Australia’s history. SUPPORT AND The foundation is worth $100 million and will fund around 100 scholarships and awards every year in perpetuity to Australians MAKE A GIFT TODAY from all walks of life who have the potential to shape Australia’s future.

Help us elevate our students, illuminate “Philip Stevenson is adamant the world through research and cultivate our community. Join over 3,000 that education is one of the best supporters and make a gift today. gifts in life. And it is a gift that he and his wife wanted to make All gifts to the University of Wollongong are tax deductible. to UOW students though the establishment of a scholarship”

Large donations—like the $7 million UOW received last year from Chris Abbott to help fund the building of the new Early MAKE A GIFT Start learning, teaching and research facility due to open early in 2015—are often the gifts that get the most publicity. However, Online the smaller but no less significant gifts from community Make a secure gift online groups, individuals and local businesses are the strength of any using your credit card, visit university development office. youruowcommunity.edu.au/givenow As part of the increasing focus on philanthropy and generating a culture of giving, this year the University of Wollongong USA Phone Foundation was established. This next step in development represents the University’s commitment to having a strong Call us to make your gift and learn more and sustainable presence in North America. According to about how your donation can help. Harper-Richardson, there are approximately 6,000 UOW alumni Call +61 2 4221 5915 currently living and working in the US, half of those having studied at UOW on exchange. Mail UOW is one of only a handful of Australian universities to have Complete and return this form to: a public charity with 501 (c)(3) status allowing US taxpayers to Advancement Division, claim donations as tax deductions. In accordance with this, the Reply Paid 71942, Foundation’s Board of Trustees will allocate all University of Wollongong, donated gifts. NSW 2522 And it is nurturing those supporters and encouraging their passion to help shape the future that is set to become the basis for future fundraising. PTO> MY GIFT

First Name......

Surname......

Address...... “UOW provides those who wish to support education financially with a link to where they may want their resources to be Suburb...... deployed, to change the shape of the future,” Harper-Richardson said. State...... Postcode...... For Philip Stevenson and his wife Elizabeth, donating to the Country...... University was a decision they made because they wanted to Email...... make a difference not just to the life of one student but future generations. Phone...... Mobile...... Stevenson, who has returned to tertiary study, may be older than I would like to make a gift to the University of most of his fellow students— and lecturers as he likes to joke— Wollongong in my Will but the Southern Highlands’ retiree is adamant that education is one of the best gifts in life. And it is a gift that he and his wife Yes I want to support UOW with a tax deductible wanted to make to UOW students through the establishment of a donation of: scholarship in the social science faculty.

$20 $50 The Stevenson Family Scholarship in Social Work is one of the $100 $200 first for UOW in this burgeoning field of study and an area about which both the Stevensons are extremely passionate. $500 Other...... The ongoing scholarship will be offered as an encouragement I would like my donation made: to prospective students who are seeking to improve the lives of others through the completion of a Bachelor of Social Work or Monthly Annually Once only Bachelor of Social Science. Please direct my gift to: “As a mature aged student at UOW I appreciate the value of Elevate our students (scholarships) education, perhaps more so than when I was trying to build my own career,” Stevenson said. Illuminate our world (research) “I also appreciate how much more difficult it is to get started in Cultivate our community (engagement) a career in the present era without scholastic qualifications and Area of greatest need so my wife and I agreed that we should try to help those whose advancement is restricted by financial constraints. So we decided Other...... to become donors to the UOW Scholarship Program.”

The Stevensons engaged with the University to see how PAYMENT DETAILS they could best support students and after talking with the University’s Development Team decided a scholarship would be VISA MasterCard American Express an ideal way to make a gift. Card Number: ...... “It’s through generous gifts and the support of people like the Expiry Date: ...... Stevensons that students at UOW can realise their potential and help make a difference to the world when they graduate,” Renee Name on Card: ...... Burton, Senior Development Co-ordinator, Scholarships said. Signature: ...... “We work with our scholarship donors to ensure their support is Today’s date: ...... directed to an area they are passionate about, and are extremely grateful for their contribution to students, staff and the OR I enclose my cheque/money order (payable to community. the University of Wollongong). “It is inspiring to work with people like Philip and Elizabeth, who are living and breathing their philosophy of making the world THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING a better place by not only supporting a scholarship but in a THE UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG discipline that aims to serve the same purpose.”

For more information about how to support the University, through giving to scholarships, research or other areas of learning visit uow.edu.au/donations

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 43

HONORIS CAUSA: for the sake of honour

Honorary degrees are a university’s opportunity to recognise people who have made outstanding contributions internationally, to their nation, their community or in their field, or given exceptional service to the institution. With the University of Wollongong celebrating its 40th anniversary as an autonomous institution in 2015, NICK HARTGERINK looks back on how it has maintained the Honoris Causa tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. Gough Whitlam AC, Michael Somare CH and Sir John Gorton GCMG AC CH

Kings, princesses, governors, prime UOW’s two highest officials at the time, GOVERNORS ministers, judges, musicians, artists, Chancellor Michael Codd and Vice- UOW has three NSW Governors among captains of industry, scientists, Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton, its Honoraries—the two longest-serving administrators. travelled to Thailand in 2002 to confer Governors, the late Sir Roden Cutler

UOW OUTLOOKUOW the Honorary degree on His Majesty in a The University of Wollongong has VC AK KCVO KCMG CBE and Professor 44 special ceremony. honoured an extraordinary cross-section Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO, and the of eminent people from Australia and The King’s degree followed the Honorary new Governor General His Excellency overseas with Honorary Doctorates Doctor of Science UOW presented to his General The Honourable David Hurley since it became an autonomous daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess AC DSC, who succeeded Professor university in 1975. Chulabhorn Mahidol in 1999. Princess Dame Bashir in October this year. Chulabhorn, an eminent scientist with UOW’s Honoraries reflect outstanding Sir Roden was NSW Governor when the a PhD in Organic Chemistry, used her achievements in many fields, significant University gained its autonomy, and gave scientific background and her status as contributions to society and exceptional the institution unstinting support. In fact, a member of the Thai Royal Family to service, both in Australia and he became the Foundation Visitor of profoundly influence scientific research internationally. the University, an ancient honour which in her country. In 1987 she established gave him “full authority and jurisdiction Consider some of the notable names on the Chulabhorn Research Institute, to do all such things and entertain such the list: which has made enormous contributions causes as may pertain to or be exercised to Thailand’s economic and social ROYALS by visitors as often as he thinks fit”. development through its work in areas The world’s longest-serving monarch such as health, the environment and Sir Roden was a World War II hero who and Head of State his Majesty King agriculture. received the ultimate award for bravery, Bhimibol Adulyadej of Thailand the Victoria Cross, after an action in Princess Chulabhorn visited UOW in graciously accepted an Honorary the desert campaigns of 1941 in which December 1999 to have the degree Doctor of Science degree in 2002. he lost his leg. After the war he had a conferred and to sign an Education and UOW acknowledged Thailand’s revered successful career as Australian High Scientific Agreement with UOW. monarch, who has reigned since 1946, Commissioner to New Zealand and later for his distinguished leadership and These two degrees reflected the special Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) before being humanitarianism, especially his personal relationship UOW has had with Thailand appointed NSW Governor in 1966. He involvement in more than 2,000 projects over many years. was to serve in the position with great designed to encourage self-reliance and distinction for 15 years.

local initiative in regional areas

across Thailand. Professor Dame Bashir, who had a The doctorates were conferred to mark an Honorary Doctorate of Creative distinguished career in medicine and the three Prime Ministers’ “contributions Arts in 1985. In 1998 UOW bestowed medical education as a Professor of to the cultural, educational and political a double family honour on the Tognetti Psychology before becoming Governor, independence of their nations”, but they Family at the mid-year graduation was also a staunch UOW supporter and also marked a coming of age for UOW. ceremony. Long-serving academic, took special interest in the Graduate During the 1980s the University had also mathematician Professor Keith Tognetti School of Medicine. She received her established its own cultural, educational was made a Fellow of the University Honorary Doctor of Science from UOW and political independence, and its while his son, Australian Chamber at a special ceremony to welcome the growing self-belief was epitomised in Orchestra Artistic Director Richard first cohort of medical students in 2007, this “gesture of breathtaking inspiration”. Tognetti received an Honorary Doctorate at which she was the guest speaker. in Creative Arts. Richard had already JUDGES She also gave the Occasional Address been named one of Australia’s 100 at the first medical school graduation UOW has awarded Honorary degrees Living Treasures. ceremony four years later. to a number of prominent judges and Artists on the distinguished list include jurists over the years, stretching from UOW honoured Wollongong-born His sculptor Bert Flugelman and Archibald Commonwealth Conciliation and Excellency General The Honourable Prize-winning painter Guy Warren Arbitration Commission President and David Hurley with an Honorary Doctor OAM, who was director of the UOW Art Chief Judge Sir Richard Kirby who was of Letters degree in 2013, to mark his Collection for many years. Warren won awarded a Doctor of Letters in 1987 outstanding 40-year military career the 1985 Archibald Prize, Australia’s to High Court Justice Virginia Bell who

which culminated in him becoming Chief premier portrait competition, with a was awarded a Doctor of Laws in 2013. of the Australian Defence Force in 2011. painting of his great friend Flugelman. Both had a close association with UOW, He succeeded Professor Dame Bashir as He later donated the painting to the while Justice Bell also had a family NSW Governor on 1 October 2014. UOW Art Collection and it is hanging in connection. Her late father John Bell the University Library. OUTLOOKUOW PRIME MINISTERS had been UOW’s Estate Manager when 45 it gained autonomy and had played a key Prominent children’s author Merrion Perhaps the most spectacular Honorary role in the design and layout of UOW’s (Mem) Fox AM, whose books included degree conferral in the University’s iconic bushland campus. the internationally acclaimed Possum history occurred on 8 December 1989 Magic, was awarded an Honorary Doctor when UOW conferred Honorary Doctor In 1991 UOW honoured its Foundation of Letters in 1996. of Letters degrees on three former Chancellor Justice Robert Hope AC Prime Ministers—Australians Sir John CMG with an Honorary Doctor of Laws. CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY Gorton GCMG AC CH and Gough Supreme Court Justice Hope served In 2013 UOW honoured one of our own, Whitlam AC, and Michael Somare CH as Chancellor from 1975­-1997, an Mining Engineering graduate Mark from Papua New Guinea. extraordinary 22 years of exemplary Cutifani, with a Doctor of Business service which played a pivotal role in Former Vice-Chancellor of the Administration. Mr Cutifani, who grew setting the University on its course for University of Papua New Guinea up in Wollongong and studied Mining future success. Professor Ken Inglis summed up the Engineering while working in the local importance of the occasion in the MUSICIANS, ARTISTS AND AUTHORS coal industry, is now Chief Executive commemorative program for the event, Officer of international mining giant UOW nurtured the creative arts from the writing: “In a time of such ferment, every Anglo American. beginning, producing many fine visual public event in a university takes on a artists, musicians, actors and writers He joined a list of prominent symbolic importance; and in offering over the years as well as building an industrialists including Transfield Honorary degrees to Sir John Gorton, extensive Art Collection. founder Franco Belgiono-Nettis CBE AM Gough Whitlam and Michael Somare the (1990) and two BHP chairmen Sir Ian University of Wollongong is making an So it is no surprise that musicians and McLennan KBE CBE (1978) and Brian affirmation about higher education and artists figure prominently in UOW’s Loton AC (1992), all of whom received nationhood. Honouring a Prime Minister honoraries list. Honorary Doctor of Science degrees. is not unusual. Honouring two Prime Musicians include acclaimed composer Ministers on the one occasion is as far SCIENTISTS and performer Roger Woodward, who as I know unprecedented. Honouring was awarded an Honorary Doctorate When UOW conferred Honorary Doctor three Prime Ministers is a gesture of of Creative Arts in 1992 and composer of Science degrees on Professor Mary breathtaking inspiration.” John Antill OBE CMG who was awarded O’Kane and Professor Tom Johansen The year is 1976 and NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler (left) and Foundation Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Birt officially install Justice Robert Hope as Foundation Chancellor. All three were later awarded honorary degrees from UOW for their major contributions to the University: Sir Roden and Professor Birt Honorary Doctor of Letters degrees and Justice Hope an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree

in 2013, it was maintaining a tradition ADMINISTRATORS UOW’s second Chancellor Michael Codd of recognising prominent scientists AC was awarded an Honorary Doctor Having previously been a regional who have collaborated with UOW of Letters when he stepped down divisional college of the University of researchers. Professor O’Kane, the from the role after 12 years in 2009. New South Wales (UNSW), UOW held NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, has As previously stated, his predecessor its first graduation ceremony as an assisted the University with review and Justice Robert Hope was awarded an

autonomous institution early in 1976, development of Centres of Excellence Honorary Doctorate of Laws in 1991. where the ‘Class of ‘75’ received the first and on critical research appointments, UOW testamurs (although they could Foundation Vice-Chancellor Professor as well as serving on the board of UOW’s still elect to receive a UNSW degree Michael Birt AO CBE was awarded an corporate arm ITC Limited (now called UOW OUTLOOKUOW if they preferred, having started their Honorary Doctor of Letters in 1981, UOW Enterprises). Professor Johansen, 46 studies when the college was under his successor Professor Ken McKinnon from the University of Oslo in Norway, UNSW control). At the ceremony, held the same degree in 1994 and Professor has worked closely with researchers at in Wollongong Town Hall, the young Gerard Sutton AO was awarded an UOW’s Institute for Superconducting institution awarded its first Honorary Honorary Doctorate of Science when he and Electronic Materials. degrees to acknowledge the people who retired as Vice-Chancellor in 2011. UOW honoured Dame Bridget Ogilvie had guided the previous Wollongong At the mid-year graduation in 2014 AC, DBE’s lifetime achievement as a University College, presenting UOW awarded three Honorary degrees: research scientist with an Honorary Doctorates of Science to UNSW Indigenous academic and community Doctorate of Science in 2008 (see Dame Chancellor Sir Robert Webster and Vice- leader Aunty Barbara Nicholson and Ogilvie’s opinion piece, page 18). Chancellor Professor Rupert Myers. Virgin Australia Group of Airlines CEO Other prominent scientists on the It also conferred Honorary Doctorates and MD John Borghetti were awarded Honorary list include the ‘father’ of the of Science on Professor Charles Gray, Honorary Doctorates of Laws, while Bionic Ear Professor Graeme Clark AO who as Warden had been the College’s eminent Chinese engineering researcher (2002), who has a long association with chief administrative officer, and Dr David Professor Jinghai Li was awarded a UOW’s Intelligent Polymer Research Parry, who had chaired the previous Doctor of Science. Institute and Australia’s Chief Defence College Council and was now Deputy UOW has awarded 77 Honorary Scientist and UOW alumnus Dr Alex Chancellor of the young university. Doctorates. Who will be next to join Zelinsky, who has a Bachelor of Thus began a tradition of conferring this illustrious list? Mathematical Sciences (Honours) and a Honorary degrees on its chief PhD from UOW to go with his Honorary administrators. Doctorate of Science awarded in 2010.

UOW has two other Honorary categories: Emeritus Professorships which are awarded to academic staff who have given outstanding service over a long period; and Fellows of the University, staff and community members who have made a significant contribution to the University over an extended period. UOW recognises its Fellows at its annual University Fellowship and Alumni Awards Dinner. Honorary ALUMNI

The University recognises outstanding achievement, exceptional service and significant contribution through the granting of the following honorary awards: Honorary Doctorates, Emeritus Professorships and University Fellowships. This is the complete list of Honorary Award Recipients, dating back to 1976.

KEY TO Higher Doctoral Degrees Hon DLitt Honorary Doctor of Letters Hon DCA Honorary Doctor of Creative Arts Hon LLD Honorary Doctor of Laws Hon PhD Honorary Doctor of Philosophy Hon DBA Honorary Doctor of Business Administration Hon MA Honorary Master of Arts Hon DSc Honorary Doctor of Science Hon DUOW Honorary Doctor of the Hon EdD Honorary Doctor of Education University of Wollongong

HONORARY DOCTORATE RECIPIENTS 2000 Hon LLD Lindsay James Curtis AM (dec’d) Hon PhD Rosemary Allison Stanton 2014 Hon DLitt John Borghetti 1999 Hon DLitt Bruce Gordon Hon DCs Jinghai Li

Hon DLitt Frances Daniel Hayes (dec’d) Hon LLD Barbara Nicholson Hon DSc Her Royal Highness Princess 2013 Hon DLitt Christopher Abbott AM Chulabhorn Mahidol Hon LLD Virginia Bell AC Hon DSc Alan William Roberts AM

Hon DBA Mark Cutifani OUTLOOKUOW Hon DCA Richard Leo Tognetti 1998 47 Hon DLitt His Excellency General The Honourable Hon DCA Guy Wilkie Warren OAM David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) 1997 Hon DSC Richard Merle Lambrecht (dec’d) Hon DSc Tom Henning Johansen Hon DSc Mary Josephine O’Kane 1996 Hon DLitt Merrion Frances Fox AM Hon DSc John Hogg OAM (dec’d) 1995 Hon DCA Arthur Merric Bloomfield Boyd (dec’d) 2012 Hon DLitt Robert Gordon Castle Hon DCA Herbert Flugelman (dec’d) Hon DLitt The Honourable Barry Owen Jones AO 2011 Hon LLD Nicholas Cowdery AM Hon DSc John Wilcox Stocker Hon DSc Gerard Sutton AO Hon LLD The Honourable John Halden Wootton AC 2010 Hon DSc Alex Zelinsky 1994 Hon DLitt Dorothy Jones 2009 Hon DSc Roger Summons Hon DLitt Ken McKinnon Hon DLitt Michael Henry Codd AC Hon LLD Patricia June O’Shane AM 2008 Hon DSc Roy Andrew Lawrie Hon DSc Guy Kendall White

2007 Hon DSc Professor Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO 1993 Hon DSc Raymond John Chambers AO (dec’d) Hon DLitt Karina Kelly Hon DLitt The Most Reverend Richard Henry Goodhew 2005 Hon DSc Leonard F Lindoy Hon DSc Dame Bridget Ogilvie AC DBE Hon LLD The Honourable Justice Jane Mathews

2004 Hon EdD Brian Finn AO 1992 Hon DSc Brian Thorley Loton AC Hon DLitt John Arthur Passmore AC (dec’d) 2003 Hon DCA Peter Carroll Hon DCA Roger Robert Woodward AC OM (Pol) OBE Hon DLitt Christine Nixon 1991 Hon DSc Joseph Mark Gani 2002 Hon DUOW His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand Hon LLD The Honourable Robert Marsden Hope AC CMG (dec’d) Hon DSc Graeme Milbourne Clark AO Hon LLD Geoffrey Sawer (dec’d) 2001 Hon DSc Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao 1990 Hon DSc Franco Belgiorno-Nettis CBE AM (dec’d) Hon DSc Mary Elizabeth White 1989 Hon DLitt Brian Somerville Gillett 2004 Druce Dunne

Hon DLitt The Rt Honourable Sir John Grey 2003 Sharon Bell Gorton GCMG AC CH (dec’d) Robin Chowdhury Hon DLitt The Rt Honourable Michael Thomas Joan Ann Cooper Somare CH 2001 Austin Duncan Brown Hon PhD The Honourable Edward Gough Alexander Marshall Clarke (dec’d) Whitlam AC (dec’d) Christine Elizabeth Ewan Hon DLitt Allan Roy Sefton (dec’d) Carla Fasano 1988 Hon DSc Howard Knox Worner CBE (dec’d) Helen Elizabeth Craig Gamble Hon DSc Daniel Tague (dec’d) Robert Kenneth Norris 1985 Hon DSc Thistle Yolette Stead (dec’d) Gill Palmer Hon DLitt Sir Roden Cutler VC AK KCVO KCMG Peter Mather Robinson AM CBE (dec’d) 2000 Peter Fisher (dec’d) Hon DCA John Henry Antill OBE CMG (dec’d) Dudley Jackson Hon MA Luigi Strano (dec’d) Lewis Christian Schmidt (dec’d) 1984 Hon DLitt Sir Richard Kirby (dec’d) James Wieland

1981 Hon DLitt Lindsay Michael Birt AO CBE (dec’d) 1999 Gary Anido (dec’d) William Lovegrove 1980 Hon DLitt Walter Pike 1998 Peter Arnold 1978 Hon DSc Sir Ian Munro McLennan KBE CBE (dec’d) Jack Goldring (dec’d) 1977 Hon DLitt Edgar Beale (dec’d) 1997 James Edward Falk 1976 Hon DSc Charles A M Gray (dec’d) 1996 Hugh Bradlow Hon DSc Sir Rupert H Myers KBE AO Murray Wilson Hon DSc David Edwin Parry (dec’d) Hon DSc Sir Robert Webster CMG CBE (dec’d) 1995 Barry Conyngham Helen Garnett

UOW OUTLOOKUOW James S Hagan (dec’d) 48 Ken McKinnon AO

1993 Lauchlan Carter Chipman EMERITUS PROFESSORSHIP RECIPIENTS 1990 Ian William Chubb Awarded to academic staff who have given outstanding service over a long period. 1989 Peter Desmond Rousch

2014 Rob Whelan 1988 Brian H Smith (dec’d)

2012 Robert Castle 1986 Robert Barry Leal AM Diana Wood Conroy 1985 Geoffrey Brinson John Norrish 1981 Kenneth Alan Blakey (dec’d) 2011 John Bern 1978 Austin Keane (dec’d) Brendon Parker Gerard Sutton AO

2010 David Farrier Leon Kane-Maguire (dec’d) UNIVERSITY FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS Au Chung Tsoi Staff and community members who have made a significant 2009 Victor Gosbell contribution to the University over an extended period.

2008 John Bremner 2014 Linchong Chorrojprasert Dennis Calvert Yvonne Kerr Stephen Hill AM Halina Majer John Hogg OAM (dec’d) Lynn Woodley

2007 Barry Harper 2013 Naj Aziz Margaret Sheil Jack Baker David Price 2005 Philip Broadbridge David Rome Michael Gaffikin Dara Rome Don Lewis 2012 Bronwyn Evans 1997 Kenneth Eardley Baumber Bob Slater June Llewellyn Hope (dec’d) David Vance Beverley Ann Lawson APM (dec’d) 2011 Vic Chapman Rod Oxley Bob Wheway Nancy Una Reynolds OAM

2010 Susan Chapman Winifred Bullôt Smith OAM (dec’d) Kerry Kyriakoudes Robert Duncan Somervaille AO (dec’d) Felicity McGregor Kevin Edward Turnbull David John Waters OAM (dec’d) 2009 Terry Graham Hazel Holmwood 1996 Ronald James Broadfoot (dec’d) James Langridge Paul Edward Jeans George Frederick Maltby 2008 George Edgar Ian Melville McMaster Ian Gentle (dec’d) Patricia Diana Mowbray (dec’d) Brian Hickman Shirley Anne Nixon Liz Jeneid Winifred Lily Ward AM (dec’d) 2007 Jean Clarke 1995 David Campbell 2006 Wilma Clase Furlonger Vincent Joseph Cincotta Marjory Robertson Macdonald Jeremy Kitson Ellis John Francis Mann Mavis Miller (dec’d) Brian McCarthy Grahame Maurice Parker 2005 Terry Burke 1994 Ronald William James (dec’d) William James Crozier Walter Wilson Jervis OAM

Roslyn Mary Muston John Charles Steinke (dec’d) 2004 Roger Evans Ir Djoko Subagyo James David Greenstein Robert William Upfold (dec’d) Liz Hilton Ross Walker UOW OUTLOOKUOW Jeff Kevin 1993 Dr Sultan Aly 49 2003 Greg Doherty Noel Gordon Diffey Colin William Markham Peter George Kell Ben Meek 1992 Cornelius Harris Martin AO (dec’d) Charles Thomas Pasfield Edward Walter Tobin (dec’d) Liliah Binti Mohamad Salleh 1991 Des Davis 2002 Josephine Armorel Castle Harold Hanson Bryce Fraser Raymond Errol Heslehurst John Edward Hatton AO James Barry Kelly (dec’d) David Morgan Williams 1990 Efrem Bonacina OAM (dec’d) 2001 Colin Milton Pinney Giulia Bonacina BEM OAM (dec’d) Vivien Twyford Herbert Flugelman (dec’d) 2000 Constance Dennis (dec’d) Ferdinando Lelli Leo Dennis (dec’d) 1989 John Eveleigh William George Hilzinger 1988 John Frederick Bell (dec’d) Khunying Songsuda Yodmani Colin Denley Suvit Yodmani Gerald Anthony Freed 1999 John Terence Flanagan Winifred Joyce Mitchell AM (dec’d) Peter Wayne Robertson 1986 John Forrest Haymen Clark AM Peter George Wood Burton Challice Moldrich 1998 Stephen Edward John Andersen OAM Robert John Butler Pearson AM (dec’d) Keith William Phipps OAM (dec’d) 1985 Francis Neville Arkell (dec’d) John Neville Shipp Ethel Hoskins Hayton (dec’d) Keith Phillip Tognetti Hon Lawrence Borthwick Kelly AM Alex Whitworth Mervyn Francis Xavier Nixon (dec’d) Awarding Altruism

The UOW Alumni Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding personal and professional achievements of our graduates worldwide in three Award categories: Community Service, Young Alumni and Outstanding Alumni. Jacqueline Wales discovered why their altruistic viewpoints won them their award.

am now. I feel that my experience at UOW Then in 2008, Bhutan’s King, His Majesty totally transformed my life,” she adds. Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, appointed Wangmo as one of five Eminent UOW Honorary Senior Fellow Maureen UOW OUTLOOKUOW Members of the first-ever Bhutanese Bell nominated Wangmo for an Alumni 50 National Council. Award. When describing her, Bell said: “Tashi is always hesitant to say ‘I In an official letter of recommendation have done this’, rather she believes in for her UOW Alumni Award nomination, demonstration through action. Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said: “I have observed her not only as “Her principle of working for the country, a sincere, hard working, reliable and for the general benefit of society has never competent officer but also as a good changed. She has always worked with leader in the field of planning and policy the same spirit of ‘I’m not looking for any analysis. She is one of the most recognised reward—I’m just doing my job’,” Bell added and active civil servants in Bhutan today, THE HONOURABLE TASHI WANGMO After graduating from UOW in 1997, playing an important role in pursuing OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD Wangmo returned to Bhutan to put her vibrant democracy in Bhutan.” engineering degree to work. But over The Honourable Tashi Wangmo, winner When asked about receiving the UOW time, an interest in public policy saw her of the Outstanding Alumni Award, has Outstanding Alumni Award, Wangmo gravitate toward other opportunities. worked tirelessly to build the capacity of said: “I am deeply touched, humbled and the people of Bhutan to achieve a just, fair In 2000, Wangmo joined the National overwhelmed by the recognition honoured and prosperous society in times of great Technical Training Authority as a Planning to me by the University of Wollongong. The change and challenges. Officer and became deeply involved in the University of Wollongong has not only left development of the Vocational Education an indelible imprint on an earlier part of my In 1994, Wangmo travelled from the and Training sector. In 2004, Wangmo life as an undergraduate student, but also Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan to joined the Ministry of Labour and Human having selected me for this prestigious Wollongong to commence a degree in Resources as Chief Planning Officer and award this year has yet again left a trail, in Mechanical engineering. She was one of over a four-year period established the its own right, in my life even at this stage. I the first Bhutanese students to complete Ministry’s Policy and Planning Division, feel ever more inspired and invigorated to their university education in Australia. drafted the National Employment policy continue following my heart in whatever I “The course was quite rigorous, but it was and managed a report financed by the do hereafter.” worth it,” Wangmo recalls. “If it hadn’t United Nations Development Program been so rigorous then I wouldn’t be where I Country Office looking at future demand on human resources. Downton plans to become a rural years,” Ms Kay Kent said when nominating generalist—a doctor that provides primary Downton for a UOW Alumni Award. and continuing care at the office and on “Her high level of engagement with the hospital ward—with specialist skills in important stakeholders on issues affecting obstetrics. Such generalists are a prized the future rural health workforce on behalf commodity in rural Australia where of her fellow students and young health communities often experience poorer professionals, has helped to trail blaze a health outcomes. greater number of opportunities for this Already, at the age of 26, Downton’s cohort to provide input into policies and CV includes a list of ‘extracurricular initiatives that will ultimately influence the involvements’ almost a page long; future of rural health,” Kent added. evidence of a good-natured and organised “I feel truly humbled to have been selected young professional. for the 2014 Young Alumni Award, from DR TEENA DOWNTON As Downton continues to gain respect among what must be an outstanding YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD as a doctor and a genuine force for pool of high achieving young University of good, she has acquired more significant Wollongong graduates in Australia and all A graduate of UOW’s School of Medicine, appointments, including as President of over the world,” Downton said. Downton is currently a Junior Doctor at the Tamworth Resident Medical Officer Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital, and “I have much to thank the University for Association and Deputy Chair and that’s exactly where she wants to be. with regard to inspiring me along this path. Tamworth Hospital Representative of the I therefore find it a huge honour for the “I think I have an altruistic personality. I Junior Medical Officer Quality and Safety University to be formally recognising my want to make a difference in rural health Committee for the Hunter New England achievements in this area. I hope it inspires through medicine. Plus, I think working in Local Health District. other young alumni of the University to rural areas provides exciting opportunities “Teena has been an outstanding advocate keep achieving.” and experience clinically that you can’t get and face for rural health over several in the city,” Downton said

UOW OUTLOOKUOW and effectively counsel those that are Professor Frank Deane nominated Gould 51 experiencing a crisis. for a UOW Alumni Award and summarised Gould’s outstanding dedication to his Since starting at Lifeline in 1992, Gould work. “Grahame has made significant has overseen the success of Lifeline contributions to Lifeline, Australia-wide. South Coast, including driving innovative He is an active voice in trying to increase approaches such as the Good Mood Guide the effectiveness and efficiency of and the Good Mood Safari. Gould has seen Lifeline services. Grahame’s leadership quite a few changes in the way mental in Lifeline South Coast has contributed health issues are managed and treated to this organisation being one of the most during his time as Director. respected of Lifeline’s service,” Deane said. “It has become much more acceptable to discuss suicide and mental health GRAHAME GOULD problems and help-seeking has become COMMUNITY SERVICE much more widely accepted,” Gould said. Watch an interview with the Alumni Award ALUMNI AWARD Winners, visit uow.edu.au/alumni/outlook Lifeline operates with the belief that the A willingness to explore new ways of broader community can play a critical role engaging with the community is a trait that in suicide prevention. “Suicide is everyone’s many have recognised in Grahame Gould, business and Lifeline is just one way Director of Lifeline South Coast and this people are working together to support The Honourable Tashi Wangmo year’s recipient of the UOW Alumni Award each other. It’s about community helping UOW Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) 1998 for Community Service. community,” Gould said. Grahame Gould Lifeline is the national charity that “People who experience depression often UOW Master of Clinical Psychology 2000 provides 24 hour crisis support and don’t have initiative, and that’s part of the suicide prevention services. During the illness. If you’re someone experiencing a Dr Teena Downton last financial year alone approximately crisis, you need the people around you to UOW Bachelor of Medical Science 15,000 calls were received to its recognise that and take the initiative to 2008 MBBS UOW Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of telephone crisis service, which is manned get help on your behalf. Everyone has to Surgery 2012 by trained volunteers who can confidently be involved.” Welcoming new Honorary alumni

In July, four Honorary Awards were conferred, with more to be conferred in December 2014:

• Mr John Borghetti LLD (Hons) (pictured with Chancellor Broadbent AO) • Professor Jinghai Li DSc (Hons) • Aunty Barbara Nicholson LLD (Hons) • Emeritus Professor Rob Whelan

For more details about Honoray Awards and historical recipients, see page 43.

CONNECTING UOW OUTLOOKUOW 52 ALUMNI

We travelled the world in 2014 to connect with alumni near and far. This is an update on some of the major activities undertaken by our global alumni community of over 120,000 in more than 160 countries.

View a collection of photos from 2014 alumni activities, visit uow.edu.au/alumni/outlook

WOLLONGONG ALUMNI EVENT

Entrepreneur and alumnus Dr Tom Denniss (pictured) entertained and inspired his fellow alumni in Wollongong in February with the story about his world record- breaking run around the world. He ran 26,232km in 622 days to raise funds for Oxfam, and likened himself to the film character Forrest Gump. Alumni Leaders Dinners

Alumni who are leaders in their fields were invited to join the Vice-Chancellor at intimate dinners to discuss topics including the Curriculum Transformation Project. The UOW Dubai alumni reunion Alumni Leaders Dinners were More than 250 UOW Dubai alumni from across the University’s 21-year held in Sydney, San Francisco and history reunited in March in a social event that also celebrated its 7,000 New York City. strong alumni community.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 53

CAMPUS CHAPTER AWARDS DESERVING STUDENTS

The Alumni Campus Chapter 2013 Scholarship Prize Night held in March awarded scholarships to two students faced with adversity, to the value of $6,000 each from funds raised by the Chapter through the Alumni Bookshop. A second Prize Night was held in October to award the 2014 Scholarship recipients.

The Campus Chapter has also awarded monetary prizes to final year students from all 22 Schools. The prizes are awarded to students in their final year who have achieved the highest weighted average mark throughout their degree.

Graduates shared their moment with VIETNAM #uowalumni CHAPTER AND We asked graduating students to ALUMNI EVENT snap, tag and share their special The newly established Graduation Day moments on social southern branch of the media. We curated this album for all Vietnam Chapter represented to share in the excitement, visit UOW at the Vietnam Alumni uow.edu.adu/alumni/graduation Awards ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City in November. SUTHERLAND SHIRE ALUMNI EVENT

Alumni living in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire region gathered in November at the first alumni networking event in the area. They heard from fellow graduate Paul Vella, who spoke about how his passion for surfing and fun took him on his career journey. UOW Dubai Alumni Iftar

UOW Dubai hosted its annual Iftar dinner in July at the Conrad Hotel. The dinner brought together over 200 alumni to observe the Holy Month of Ramadan.

UNIVERSITY FELLOWSHIP AND ALUMNI AWARDS DINNER

At the second annual Gala Dinner

UOW OUTLOOKUOW held in Wollongong in October, 54 University Fellowships were awarded to:

• Associate Professor Linchong Chorrojprasert • Associate Professor Yvonne Kerr • Ms Halina Majer • Ms Lynn Woodley

UOW Alumni Award winners included (see page 50):

• Outstanding Alumni Award: The Honourable Tashi Wangmo • Young Alumni Award: Dr Teena Downton • Community Service Alumni Award: Mr Grahame Gould

Canberra HONORARY ALUMNI CHAPTER alumni event This active and committed Chapter met regularly throughout 2014 to discuss ways to engage with, and advance the University. The annual Honorary Alumni Alumni based in Canberra gathered Dinner held on campus in May provided an opportunity for the Vice-Chancellor alongside politicians and diplomats Professor Paul Wellings CBE and Chief Administrative Officer Melva Crouch for the official launch of UOW’s CSM to speak with honorary alumni about the strategic priorities and future Global Challenges multi disciplinary plans of the University. research program in June. LONDON ALUMNI EVENT

70 alumni and friends joined Professor Paul Wellings CBE at an alumni reception held at the Haymarket Hotel in London in September.

UOW OUTLOOKUOW 55 MALAYSIA CHAPTER AND ALUMNI EVENT

The newly established UOW Malaysian Alumni Chapter hosted a dinner for over 100 alumni including newly graduated students from the UOW-INTI Laureate program in Kuala Lumpur in April.

SINGAPORE CHAPTER AND ALUMNI EVENT

With over 3,300 alumni, the busy Singapore Alumni Chapter hosted several activities in 2014 including a networking event in April and an event to welcome newly graduated students from both the SIM and PSB partner programs in October. MELBOURNE ALUMNI EVENT

Alumni based in Melbourne gathered in September for a social event and to hear from alumnus and 2013 UOW Young Alumni Award winner Tristan Knowles OAM (pictured). He spoke about his journey from surviving childhood cancer to becoming a Paralympian and wheelchair basketball World Champion, and starting the Tristan Knowles Kids Cancer Foundation.

INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI AWARDS

In 2014, the UOW Alumni Relations Team nominated alumni for several international awards which recognise alumni from

Australian universities living and working internationally. Congratulations to the following finalists: UOW OUTLOOKUOW 56 CHINA ALUMNI AWARDS VIETNAM ALUMNI AWARDS MALAYSIA ALUMNI AWARDS

ƒƒ Banking & Finance Award ƒƒ Business Leadership Award ƒƒ Distinguished Alumni Award Ms Sherry Zhu, Mr Ha Trung Hieu, Mr Ch’ng Huck Theng, Chief Financial Officer, Deputy Head, Vietnam Investment President, Chtnetwork Hearst Advertising China Development Group

ƒƒ Corporate Achievement Award Mr Dang Thanh Hung, Mr Greg Smith, Marketing Director, Regional Director Asia Pacific, Ariston Thermo Group IRAP

THAILAND CHAPTER AND ALUMNI EVENT

The Thailand Chapter hosted its annual alumni and friends networking event in Bangkok in October with over 80 alumni in attendance. SHOALHAVEN ALUMNI CHAPTER

The Shoalhaven Alumni Chapter met quarterly to discuss how to facilitate and enhance the networking of UOW alumni with an interest in the Shoalhaven Campus and region and also to enhance the University’s reputation in the local area through outward looking activities and fostering active community engagement projects. UOW celebrates its oldest graduate

Sidney Chuck became UOW’s oldest ever graduate this year after completing an Arts degree at the Batemans Bay Campus at the age of 88.

EARLY YEARS EDUCATION CHAPTER

The Early Years Alumni Chapter has been very busy this year, coordinating opportunities for Early Years alumni to engage with the University and their peers. A number of meetings and dinners were held, with the aim of promoting lifelong connections between alumni and the OUTLOOKUOW 57 University and supporting the next generation of teachers through networking and professional development opportunities.

Alumni mentoring students

Many opportunities were extended to alumni to return to campus and offer their advice and guidance to students. Some of the opportunities included keynote speaking and panelist participation in Career Readiness Watch a video of the dinner at Conferences for students about uow.edu.au/alumni/outlook to enter the workforce, imparting advice to students to develop their networking skills at Networking SAN FRANCISCO After 5 and being Judges in the ALUMNI EVENT UOW Illawarra Coal Science Fair.

Alumni based in the San Francisco Bay Area joined UOW Vice-Chancellor Many more opportunities will be Professor Paul Wellings CBE and other senior executives at an alumni dinner in present in 2015. Palo Alto in September. UOW on the road in 2015

Places we will be visiting include:

• Canberra • Melbourne • Shoalhaven • Sydney • Wollongong • China • Dubai • Hong Kong • Malaysia Watch a video of the night at • Singapore uow.edu.au/alumni/outlook • Thailand • UK • USA NEW YORK ALUMNI EVENT • Vietnam

Over 100 alumni and friends attended the alumni networking event at SoHo House New York in September. UOW alumnus Matt Bernson (see page 14) entertained the audience with a heartfelt speech on how his year on exchange at UOW was the game changer that led him down the path to becoming a renowned designer. Remember to tell us when you move house or change jobs, visit uow.edu.au/alumni

UOW OUTLOOKUOW ALUMNI BENEFITS 58 Take advantage of the range of benefits and opportunities available to you, including: • Complimentary library membership • Benefits Program • Alumni Business Directory • UOWmail email for life • Alumni Collective quarterly newsletter

For details, visit uow.edu.au/alumni

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[email protected] The Year at UOW

JANUARY

UOW started the year on a high when the QS World University Rankings for Universities under 50 years of age were released, with UOW ranked in the top 25 young universities in the world for the second consecutive year. QS ranked UOW as 22nd in the world, an improvement of two places on the previous year, and second in Australia.

“UOW has moved from strength to strength in recent years in the face of strong global competition,” Vice- Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings Professor Eeva Leinonen said. “Since UOW gained its autonomy in 1975, we have forged a strong record of achievement as a world-class university with exceptional teaching standards and a FEBRUARY APRIL strong research environment.” UOW’s reputation in quality of its teaching UOW Science Centre Director and 2013

To underline UOW’s strong research was recognised when Federal Education UOW Alumni Award winner Glen Moore OUTLOOKUOW environment, researchers from UOW’s Minister Christopher Pyne appointed retired in April after more than 30 years 59 Institute for Superconducting and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the University, during which time he Electronic Materials in January announced Professor Eeva Leinonen to his eight- had developed the Science Centre into an important breakthrough, when they member Teacher Education Ministerial Wollongong’s premier indoor tourist became the first team in Australia to Advisory Group (TEMAG). Professor attraction. Glen had provided the University successfully fabricate single-atom-layer Leinonen and the other TEMAG members with long and valuable service as the silicene. The new material is expected to are examining current methods of teaching visionary, initiator and long-term Director have a range of applications, from being and learning, subject content of the Science Centre, which opened in used to make small, faster computer chips and ways of improving in-school 1989 and has become the region’s most to new medical technologies and vehicle experience opportunities. visited indoor tourist attraction, marking its and aircraft parts. one millionth visitor in 2013.

Associate Professor Pauline Lysaght MARCH became UOW’s first Student Ombudsman UOW announced a new policy that aims in April. The role sees Professor Lysaght to unlock access to its greatest asset— investigating all student academic knowledge. The Open Access Policy grievances (including those from Higher allows anyone from anywhere in the world Degree Research students) that have not to download academic publications via the been resolved at Faculty level, as well as University’s Research Online platform. overseeing the student course progress Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) appeals process. Professor Judy Raper said the initiative NSW Minister for the Illawarra John Ajaka would increase visibility and make visited UOW’s Innovation Campus for a research outputs such as publications sod-turning ceremony for the iAccelerate more discoverable and accessible. “The building, which is being built with $16.5 Policy encourages immediate, online million funding from the NSW Government. and free availability of research outputs UOW is establishing iAccelerate as a without restrictions on use, which may centre for start-up companies, providing be imposed by published copyright mentoring, support, professional services Professor Judy Raper agreements,” Professor Raper said. and seed funding. MAY JUNE Dr Sina Naficy and Dr Robert Gorkin UOW confirmed Professor Alison Jones’ The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation appointment as Executive Dean of the announced funding for UOW researchers Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health to help develop a next generation condom (SMAH). Professor Jones joined UOW that “significantly preserves or enhances JULY in 2011 as Dean of the Graduate School pleasure, in order to improve uptake and The Australian Research Council Centre of of Medicine. She is an internationally regular use”. Excellence for Electromaterials Science recognised and research-active The UOW team was one of only 52 grants (ACES), based at UOW’s Innovation toxicologist and physician, serving on a funded worldwide, out of more than 1,700 Campus, received $25 million in funding for wide variety of expert advisory groups applications for the Grand Challenges another seven years to make Wollongong and providing advice to State and Explorations initiative, which covers the global headquarters of an international Commonwealth government departments. UOW OUTLOOKUOW five diverse project areas ranging from materials research effort. She is a Director of the Australian 60 agriculture to healthcare. Initial grants Strategic Policy Institute and serves on Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings of US$100,000 are awarded two times the Executive of MDANZ (Medical Deans received two accolades in July. Early in the a year. Successful projects have the of Australia and New Zealand). month the NSW Government appointed opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of Professor Wellings to an expert board to up to US$1 million. advise the government on the continued The UOW team will work to develop a development of the state’s international replacement for latex condoms using new education sector. materials called tough hydrogels to lift The International Education Advisory condom use in countries with significant Board will provide expert insight and social, economic and environmental advice on the delivery of the government’s problems stemming from a lack of 10-year international education strategy birth control and the spread of sexually and the future direction of StudyNSW. The transmitted diseases. Professor Alison Jones board brings together 10 experts, including In June UOW held a national launch for Professor Wellings, from the education, its Global Challenges research program research, industry and government Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings at Old Parliament House in Canberra. The sectors. joined NSW Premier Mike Baird, Minister unique research program brings together Later in the month Professor Wellings for the Illawarra John Ajaka and world-class expertise in a bid to offer received an honorary degree from Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery solutions to complex world problems, Lancaster University in the United to promote Wollongong to potential based on three themes: Living Well, Kingdom, where he served as Vice- business and industry investors at Longer; Manufacturing Innovation; and Chancellor from 2002–2011. Lancaster NSW Parliament House on 15 May Sustaining Coastal and Marine Zones. University’s Pro-Chancellor Lord Liddle 2014. Professor Wellings spoke about Global Challenges Director Professor awarded Professor Wellings a Doctor UOW’s prominent position in national and Chris Gibson outlined the program to the of Science (Honoris Causa) at a graduation international rankings, and its role as an audience of politicians and diplomats at an ceremony during Lancaster’s 50th economic driver for the region, with the event hosted by UOW Brand Ambassador anniversary celebrations. University’s iAccelerate business and former Australian cricketer Adam incubator providing a new face and Gilchrist AM. direction for the region’s economy. AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

Australian Minister for Employment The QS World University Rankings Community outreach was the focus of Senator Eric Abetz visited the Innovation Graduate Employers Survey released in two of UOW’s newest research institutes Campus in August to officially open the September ranked UOW in the top 100 in October. Sustainable Buildings Research Centre universities in the world for graduate The Sustainable Buildings Research (SBRC). The research and training centre is quality for the seventh successive year. Centre at the Innovation Campus hosted dedicated to developing new technologies UOW also scored five stars for student its first Open Day on the 25 October 2014. and techniques to make buildings more retention and graduates getting a full-time The community was invited to tour the environmentally sustainable. The job in the 2015 Good Universities Guide— SBRC’s laboratories, view displays and Australian Government funded the the 14th successive year that UOW had visit the Illawarra Flame House, UOW’s building’s construction with $25.1 million received five stars for graduates getting a winning entry in the 2013 Solar Decathlon through the Education Investment Fund. full-time job. China Sustainability competition. The iAccelerate launched a $10 million seed Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings solar-powered house has been erected as fund to enable its startup companies to visited India in the first week of September a permanent display adjacent to SBRC. grow and thrive. The fund aims to attract with Prime Minister Tony Abbott as And the Early Start Research Institute, investors with a passion and commitment part of the Australia: Open For Business whose home will be in the Early Start to the startup sector who will contribute delegation to further strengthen UOW’s building due to open in 2015, hosted a to the $10 million seed fund pledge. In connections with India. Professor Wellings Public Forum as part of its community turn, the fund will provide investors with and UOW Brand Ambassador Adam outreach program, featuring pioneering access to a unique pipeline of early stage Gilchrist were members of the Prime US academic Professor Joseph Starling business investment opportunities. Minister’s high-level delegation of business from the University of North Carolina. The leaders covering key industry sectors, UOW hosted its first Open Day in forum focused on Professor Starling’s and used the opportunity to promote decades on 16 August 2014. More than life-long work using education to UOW as a destination for Indian students 5000 prospective students and their transform life-long outcomes for and the Innovation Campus research families from many parts of NSW visited disadvantaged communities. and development precinct as an ideal

the campus for tours and a range of location for Indian companies to establish information sessions on courses, Early operations in Australia. Admission possibilities, scholarships NOVEMBER and career opportunities from different Minister for Industry Ian Macfarlane UOW launched its 40th Anniversary of

degrees. Later in the month UOW’s Sydney launched the Australian Research OUTLOOKUOW Independence celebrations, in preparation Business School hosted an Open Day at its Council Research Hub for Australian for 2015. UOW officially became an spectacular campus overlooking Sydney’s Steel Manufacturing, based at UOW, in a autonomous university on 1 January 1975, Circular Quay to showcase new specialist function at Parliament House in Canberra and the coming year will feature a number Bachelor of Banking and Financial Services in September. The Hub will focus on of celebrations and events to mark the and Bachelor of Accounting and Financial research and development into steel anniversary. Prior to 1975, it had been a Services degrees. manufacturing techniques and processes, divisional college of the University of NSW. innovation in new steel products and best- The 40th anniversary website celebrates practice pathways for bringing new ideas many of the milestones and achievements to market. of the past four decades.

DECEMBER

UOW farewells Senior Deputy Vice- Chancellor Professor John Patterson, who will retire after 40 years at the institution. Professor Patterson joined the Wollongong Institute of Education as a PE lecturer in 1974, and moved across to UOW when the University and Institute merged in 1982. He was appointed Deputy Dean of Education in 1986 and Dean in 1993. In 2000 he became Dean of Health and Behavioural Sciences and 2001 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Operations). He has been Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor since 2010.

The Sustainable Buildings Research Centre WHAT WE’RE MADE OF

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