FOR ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY WINTER 2014 The legacy lives on – UQ and World War I The art of giving Customs House – a Brisbane icon Do we control our own media? CONTACT CONTACT is produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications and UQ Advancement, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia Telephone: +61 (0)7 3346 7886 Email: [email protected] uq.edu.au/uqcontact Advertising: Tina Cupitt Email: [email protected] Editorial Board: Shane Rodgers (Chair) – Director, Marketing and Communications, Brisbane Marketing Graham Bethune – Director, Office of Marketing and Communications Colleen Clur – Director, Compass Communications Group Doctor John Desmarchelier AM ED – Former General Manager, Sugar Terminals Limited WAR STORIES Clare Pullar – Pro-Vice-Chancellor With the centenary of the outbreak of World (Advancement) War I in 2014, Contact takes a closer look at Editors: Prue McMillan and the impact of war on University staff, students, Heather Watson alumni and their families then and now. Project coordinators: Shirley Glaister and Ingrid Rubie 10 Design: James North, Craig Oddy and Paul Thomas Contributors: Elizabeth Alvey, Anthea Barry, Dr Nicholas Carah, Mikaeli Costello, Matthew Custance, Michael Duthie, Rhys Dwyer, Katie Francis, Dr Jessica Gallagher, Elizabeth Georgiades, Bruce Ibsen, Melissa Jeffreys, Fiona Kennedy, Stacey King, Hayley Lees, Jessica Marshallsay, Lucy Moore, Brian Roberts, Mark Schroder, John Story, Dr Jason Tangen, Matthew Taylor, Gina Above: Supports going up at nightfall after the Wheatcroft, Lesley Whitteker and Battle to relieve the front trenches, The papers of Jacinda Wilson. Alfred A Mills (Oct 1917). Photo courtesy of Fryer Library, The University of Queensland Library. Material in this publication does not necessarily reflect the policies of The University of Queensland. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please telephone: +61 (0)7 3346 3900 Facsimile: +61 (0)7 3346 3901 + REGULARS + CONTACT APP Email: [email protected] Printing: DAI Rubicon UPDATE This product is printed on PEFC paper from sustainably managed 06 Gina Wheatcroft discusses the forests and controlled sources “brand” value of your UQ degree. © Copyright The University of Queensland 2014 IMPACT 30 UQ Art Museum receives the most valuable gift of Australian art ever COVER IMAGE: donated to the University. Portrait of John Denis Fryer, Papers of JD Fryer, UQFL 23, Fryer Library, The University of Queensland Library. BOOKS Fryer won a scholarship to the Reviews include Kristina Olsson’s University in 1915, but by the end 46 of his first term he volunteered for book Boy, Lost, a moving exploration military service in the first Australian of her mother’s struggles. Imperial Force. In 1920, he returned Free iPad and to complete his English Honours. He died in 1923 of tuberculosis, probably REMEMBER WHEN Android apps exacerbated by the effects of his war injuries. In 1927, in memory of their 47 Looking back at the first Great Court avaiLABLE NOw – former Vice-President, the University Race, almost 20 years ago. Dramatic Society donated five SEE PAGE 4 FOR DETAILS pounds and five shillings to establish a collection of works in Australian literature in his honour. + FEATURES 20 22 41 45 NEW LEASE OF LIFE DIY LEARNING FROM THE SOURCE FAMILY FOOTSTEPS 20 years on, UQ’s multi- Dr Jason Tangen explores Network Ten Australia’s Generations of the award-winning an exciting new world of US Bureau Chief and UQ Hirschfeld–Mahoney Customs House is an learning – Massive Open alumna Emma Dallimore family have made an example of the lasting Online Courses (MOOCs) – discusses her career in a impact on the University. impact of philanthropy. including what’s on offer hectic modern media world. at UQ. UQ CONTACT WINTER 2014 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ongratulations on the feature on sport and the passion Professor Hugh Possingham apparent leap forward it engenders on and off the field. on our declining biodiversity. Cin the quality and layout Then I turned to another theme Scientists and former students of the photos in the Summer of loss and (restrained) urgency of this University have developed 2013 edition of Contact. The in the article by the key knowledge and tools to inclusion of many photos from help conserve many threatened the Fryer Library was species. Queensland scientists, a timely reminder of educators and passionate chives. r the debt we owe to JD community volunteers A Fryer and other brilliant have nurtured successful former students who partnerships in this great Courtesy of Brisbane Girls Grammar School Jessie Elizabeth Dakin died as a result of war. endeavour. The servicemen Their loss echoes still in who carried the Australian n page 43 of the the family and intellectual bush into war would Summer 2013 edition life of Australia and I look appreciate such protection of Contact, you mention forward to reading your of the unique natural estate O Jessie Elizabeth Dakin as being 2014 editions on this for which they fought. one of the first five graduates theme. of the University. I thought you The Professor Hugh Sergeant Greg Ivey Like most students, I Possingham opinion piece, as featured might be interested to know related to your well-illustrated in the Summer 2013 edition of Contact. Master of Educational Studies – '83 that Mrs Dakin started her career teaching at Maryborough Grammar School and joined the ’ve been reading Contact I found it very easy to navigate, the staff of Brisbane Girls Grammar magazine for many years quality of the images is excellent School (BGGS) in 1900 as the and I’ve always found it and I particularly enjoy the added Classics Mistress. Dakin taught I at BGGS until 1911 when she a great way to keep in touch features that you don’t get on with what’s happening at UQ. paper – the option to tap and read left to complete her Bachelor Occasionally I recognise a name an extract from a book referred to of Arts. Afterwards, she and or a face, apart from learning in an article, rotating the tablet to her husband, also a teacher, about the good things happening see a video relevant to the article opened a Coaching College in the academic world. you are reading, or even swiping where she tutored students until When it first came to my to see a number of pictures in the her retirement in 1929. attention that there is now an same frame. Jenny Davis app for the magazine I didn’t take The app is not just a much notice of it, because you collection of PDF files, it is an get that from many publications improvement on that and I’d and, when you download it, you like to congratulate you for it. We appreciate your feedback – if you have a letter for find that all you have is a PDF I think what you are producing the editor, please email the Contact editorial team at version of the same thing you is probably a glimpse into what would normally get on paper. many magazines will be in the not- [email protected] or write to us at: Now, if I am only going to see too-distant future, because it is a Office of Marketing and Communications, pictures and read, give me paper nicer experience for the user than Level 7 JD Story Building, St Lucia Campus, any day. I am that old fashioned. just reading a magazine. Well The University of Queensland, QLD 4072 That said, I also care about not done, keep up the good work. wasting paper, so I decided to For Privacy Policy details, please visit: ppl.app. check out the app. Admittedly to Pablo Silber (pictured right) uq.edu.au/content/1.60.02-privacy-management my surprise this app was different. Master of Business Administration – '02 Want to Visit the iTunes™ App Store do your bit to or GooglePlay™ store and search for SAVE THE UQ Contact ENVIRONMENT? Subscribe to UQ Contact’s free iPad or Android apps, then email us at [email protected] to stop receiving printed copies of the magazine. 4 UQ CONTACT WINTER 2014 MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLERY A TIME TO REFLECT “Yet in 1914 Europe did walk over the cliff into a catastrophic conflict which was going to kill millions of its men, bleed its economies dry, shake empires and societies to pieces, and fatally undermine Europe’s dominance of the world.” – Margaret MacMillan n her masterful book The of the valedictorians, I cannot help but be leaders to inspire the next generation. I am War That Ended Peace (2013), hugely optimistic for the future. confident that our graduates of today, as Margaret MacMillan explores the Claire Maizonnier (Bachelor of Arts/ they emerge to become the leaders and circumstances leading to what was Bachelor of Social Science ’13) graduated opinion makers of tomorrow, will be far first known as the Great War. As she in December last year. Inspired by her father, better equipped to confront the inevitable Ipoints out, the copious literature on the who had fought in the French Resistance challenges that so overwhelmed their events of 1914 understandably asks why during World War II, she chose peace and predecessors one hundred years ago. the war broke out. Her approach is to pose conflict studies, and this year is fulfilling a This edition of Contact focuses on another question: why did the long peace Rotary Peace Fellowship at Uppsala. In her World War I, recognising the impact that that had substantially endured in Europe valedictorian speech, this was her advice to the war had on the University, and on our for a century, bringing with it increasing her fellow graduates: staff, students, alumni and their families. progress and prosperity, not prevail? “Though this might be purely a But it also contains stories of exceptional One conclusion that may be drawn from reflection of a cosmopolitan ideal, and work that is being undertaken within the her analysis is that war was not inevitable, not an ethical standpoint familiar to University today, and of the outstanding and that if the leaders and opinion makers everyone, I wholeheartedly believe that it contributions being made in the wider world of the day had been wiser and more is our responsibility to take the privilege by our alumni.