unikenISSUE 52 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 UNSW 1949-2009 How far we’ve come Restoring sight stem cell breakthrough Cheryl Kernot on the new entrepreneur D R ARY S R eco E R V contents ON THE COVER 9-1 UNSW 1949-009 nni How far we’ve come the A Starting from nothing just six decades ago, R UNSW has become one of Australia’s top research th intensive universities. We mark the milestone in fo pictures and quotes. 60 ON THE BACK COVER 0 60 and beyond We meet one of the University’s first sons and one of its newest daughters. elcome to this special edition “Stephen Fielding has fallen hook, FEATURES of Uniken commemorating line and sinker for some of the most 5 Sight for sore eyes the 60th anniversary of the commonly paraded furphies of the A chance discovery has led to sight being restored W climate change naysayer brigade.” University of New South Wales. in some sufferers of blinding corneal disease. In 60 short years, we have a record Matt England, joint Director of the 7 Singing the same song in a different tune of extraordinary achievement. We are Climate Change Research Centre on A remote Indigenous community is preserving the results of the Independent Senator’s ranked amongst the top 50 universities its culture and language through an animation climate change study trip to the United in the world and are one of the of traditional songlines. States – Sydney Morning Herald leading Australian research-intensive 8 Fear and loathing in the suburbs universities. Obsessive compulsive disorder is one of the “Superannuation is a good idea. But it Our motto, Scientia Manu et Mente most debilitating disorders in the west – a UNSW should not be a magic pudding for the researcher is assessing the scope of the problem. – Knowledge by Hand and Mind, wealthy, a poor deal for low-income 13 In Profile continues to be a critical part of our people and a straitjacket for too many A renowned composer takes up a key role which distinctiveness. Our achievements of the rest.” blends his passions of music and language. have been built through engagement Professor Julian Disney, Director Social 14 Opinion with business and industry, on a Justice Project on the complexities Cheryl Kernot from the Centre for Social Impact strong tradition of social justice. We and inequalities of the Australian on the new breed of entrepreneur. have developed defined strengths superannuation scheme – Sydney 15 Opinion in professional and scientific fields, Morning Herald Australia has precious little “middle-class welfare” focusing on contemporary and and gives Scandinavia a run for its money in terms social issues, and our research is “In times of uncertainty the demand of equity in social welfare, Peter Whiteford from the underpinned by fundamental and for forecasting takes off... People tend Social Policy Research Centre argues. enabling knowledge in science and to make more predictions but they’re 18 The legal battle facing Palestine the humanities. also more likely to be wrong.” Emeritus Professor Hal Wootten, who was the Our progressive and engaged Vic Edwards, Australian School of Foundation Dean of Law at UNSW, spent three nature is evident in our international Business, on the vagaries of predicting months in Palestine last year. As a result, links research excellence in areas which corporate failure – Sydney Morning have been made between UNSW and a law include Water, Environment and Herald. school in the troubled area. Sustainability, Next Generation REGULARS Materials and Technologies, Social “We construct the sex offender as ‘the Policy, Government and Health Policy, other’ but they’re not, they’re living 16 Learning and Teaching ICT, Informatics and Robotics, and amongst us, with us, between us.” 17 Community Engagement Business, Law and Economics. Our Criminologist, Philip Birch from 19 On the couch research strengths inform the shape the School of Social Sciences and of our innovative degree programs, International Studies on his research that challenges the notion that sex Cover: Design by Linda Li based on the traditional platforms of rigour and relevance. offenders are psychologically damaged, We are the first truly international lonely, insecure or dysfunctional Uniken is produced by the UNSW Office of Media – Canberra Times and Communications university in Australia – with long- T 02 9385 1583 standing and deep links and many “This isn’t just about misuse, it’s death. E [email protected] thousands of alumni throughout www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/uniken.html Overdosing on opioids can be fatal.” the Asia–Pacific region, and a high Managing editor: Mary O’Malley Associate Professor Alison Ritter from proportion of Australian students from Editor: Susi Hamilton the National Drug and Alcohol Research international backgrounds. Editorial team: Judy Brookman, Denise Knight, Centre on emerging evidence that Steve Offner, Fran Strachan and Peter Trute I take this opportunity to pay tribute the number of Australians addicted to Sub-editing: Bob Pickering to all those who have worked so hard, prescription painkillers is on the rise Design and production: Gadfly Media over six decades – students, staff and – SMH online Proofreading: Pam Dunne members of our communities - to Special thanks to Linda Li, Adele Symonds make UNSW the great university it is “Every year with every influenza and Katie Bird. today. I am confident our next 60 years there are deaths in Australia. So, we Australia Post print approved will be just as extraordinary, and that PP224709/00021 would certainly expect to see deaths UNSW, Sydney NSW 2052 we will continue to be a peer in good from swine flu.” CRICOS Provider No 00098G standing with the best globally. Professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, on swine flu after the Frederick G Hilmer Government upgraded its pandemic Vice-Chancellor and President alert – ABC Radio’s AM Program UNIKEN ief BR in Creativity wins in funding boost Flying the flag for UNSW A dynamic canvas of light, projections and street theatre will be staged as part of Lots in Space – a joint celebration of the University’s 60th anniversary and NIDA’s 50th. This is the first collaborative effort of its kind between the two institutions. The production, directed by NIDA’s inaugural artist-in-residence Peter King, will use the unique architecture of the University Mall as the stage for a montage of performers, projected images, textures, colour and light on Tuesday 21 July. Staff and students are very welcome to attend a special “Open Dress” preview of the production on the Monday night, from 7:30 to 8:30pm. Uniken marks the anniversary with a special feature (beginning page 9). Anniversary dates for the diary: 5 Sept – open day and alumni homecoming at UNSW; 16-18 Oct – 60th anniversary events in Beijing China – global lecture series, graduation celebration, gala The College of Fine Arts (COFA) has won a $48 million grant to transform alumni dinner and cultural events; 7 Nov – Back to Bacchus Ball at its campus at Paddington. The successful bid, under the Education the Roundhouse. Investment Fund and announced in the Federal Budget has allowed the commencement of work on the Gateway@COFA redevelopment. The project will build state-of-the art teaching, learning and studio/ laboratory facilities, and a large installation gallery with an unprecedented technical capacity to present world-class digital art and design works. A key part of the project is to re-orient the COFA campus onto Oxford Street, one of Sydney’s most significant traffic arteries and a key cultural and commercial corridor. This aligns with the City of Sydney Creative Precincts 2030 Plan. In other funding successes for the University, $20 million has been earmarked for the new virology institute, to be located at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, which will support UNSW’s world-leading National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR). The Commonwealth funding matches the amount provided by the NSW Government for the state-of-the-art facility, which will bring together 300 of the nation’s top scientists working on viral hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. At the forefront of health UNSW will train the next generation of the state’s frontline public health officers, under a partnership with NSW Health. It is the first time in 20 years that NSW Health has partnered with an academic institution to provide the training program, which provides education and support to the public health leaders of the future. Fourteen public health officer trainees this month completed their first formal workshop through the School of Public Health and Community Medicine. Photo: Grant Turner, Mediakoo Turner, Grant Photo: The Wisdom of Confucius The new Confucius Institute at UNSW will be opened on Thursday 30 July 2009. The influential Shanghai Jiao Tong University has been selected as the Chinese partner for the new Institute. The Institute will provide a focal point for showcasing China research and fostering collaborations across UNSW and with our partner university. UNSW already hosts Australia’s largest Chinese language program, which will be enhanced by offering Chinese language training for business and the wider Training the frontline: Professors Lisa Jackson Pulver and Raina MacIntyre with Australian community. NSW Health employees UNIKEN 3 IN BRIEF A fragile victory Building great links UNSW did well in the latest round of ARC Linkage Grants, Tough fight:25-year-old with the highest total funding for a NSW university and the Liam Paterson with Professor Dedee Murrell equal second highest nationally. A total of 238 projects, worth $71.3 million, were funded across Australia in this round, the second to be announced for 2009. UNSW was awarded $19 million for 20 projects, with some $7 million of this coming from ARC and just on $13 million from partner organisations.