Adelaidean Volume 11 Number 4 News from the University of Adelaide May 2002 INSIDE Zen’s Overseas Patrick wins holy war graduations youth award page 5 pages 6-7 page 10 Search for dark matter now in stereo New $3.75m telescope provides unique view of universe from Woomera WOOMERA in South Australia’s far north has been the centre of attention for national and international media in recent years. But while the focus has been on Woomera’s refugee detention centre, a few kilometres away a major new telescope that will help in the study of gamma ray bursts, supernovas, pulsars, black holes and other phenomena is being constructed on the desert landscape. The new Cangaroo III gamma ray telescope, costing around A$3.75 million, is a joint project of several Australian universities— Adelaide, ANU and Sydney—as well as the University of Tokyo. It is part of an ongoing project known as CANGAROO (Collaboration of Australia and Nippon for a Gamma Ray Observatory in the Outback). Construction of the second of four telescopes began earlier this year and is nearing completion, much of the material being shipped to Australia from Japan. The new telescope is a twin of the existing gamma ray telescope unveiled two years ago. The addition of the second 10-metre telescope will enable researchers to gain results from the heavens in "stereo", greatly improving the accuracy of their data. Two more telescopes are due to be built at the same location over the next two years, creating a complete array for even greater accuracy of results. The total project is costing the University of Tokyo around $10 million, including a recent contribution from a Linkage Infrastructure A composite image showing the array of four gamma ray telescopes at Woomera as they would look in the coming years. The first telescope is already grant from the Australian Research Council. built, with the second almost complete. The current stage of the project will greatly enhance research efforts at Woomera, installed in 2001, as a result of "These are extreme examples of what ideal location for the CANGAROO according to Visiting Research Fellow with representations by the Vice-Chancellor, scientists believe exist at the centre of all telescopes, which complement other the University of Adelaide’s Department of initially was a major improvement. galaxies—huge black holes pumping out observatories in the United States and Physics and Mathematical Physics Dr John "However, since then an expansion and massive amounts of energy in jet-like Namibia. Patterson. structures." increased surveillance at the centre has been The Dean of Science at the University of (Dr Patterson has been the Australian a major set back for the astronomy program," The telescopes would also allow scientists to Tokyo, Professor Katsuhiko Sato, recently spokesman for CANGAROO for the past Dr Patterson said. "see further" in the universe. visited the University of Adelaide for a 10 years and is now handing over that The CANGAROO telescopes at Woomera "We may eventually be able to ‘see’ huge seminar and discussions with senior responsibility to the head of the Physics detect the faint light flashes generated in the Department, Dr Roger Clay.) distances,” Dr Patterson said. “At the managers, following the resigning of the atmosphere by cosmic gamma rays. Gamma moment, we can only get to relatively Memorandum of Understanding between "CANGAROO III will address some of the rays are the highest form of detectable ‘nearby’ galaxies, say within 60 million light the universities, and also visited the site at most exciting problems in high-energy radiation, higher on the spectrum than ultra years. Woomera during construction. astrophysics. The addition of extra ‘stereo’ violet or X-rays. “That means the gamma rays we’re looking During his visit he reinforced his information will increase the sensitivity and By looking at emissions of gamma rays from at would have set out when the dinosaurs commitment to the CANGAROO project, precision of the observations. space, researchers can study a range of "In particular it will help to reduce the phenomena, including Active Galactic were here!" saying it was a unique collaboration between background light interference from the Nuclei and "hypernovae", which are of Woomera’s location in the southern Australia and Japan. nearby detention centre. The new lighting interest to Adelaide and ANU physicists. hemisphere, and its isolation, makes it an —David Ellis Advertisement PAGE 2 MAY 2002 ADELAIDEAN COMMENT PROFESSOR RORY HUME THIS year’s Graham Mount Oration in our prof- and are of value seen as competition, but rather as was given by one of the University of ession, because in improving cooperation between elements that have Adelaide’s most distinguished and highly the rate of patient care at similar goals. successful graduates, Professor Wyatt R. change of reasonable cost What is of much more concern to me than (Rory) Hume. scientific and to the user, then the question of voluntary versus mandatory technical know- the situation is Professor Hume is Executive Vice CE is the risk of lack of quality control ledge continues likely to be both where courses are presented for commercial Chancellor of the University of California, to accelerate, stable and Los Angeles, and was this year appointed to reasons. Hence the part of the title of this and the patterns productive. As I oration that refers to hucksters and the position of Vice-Chancellor at the of disease that understand it, University of New South Wales. charlatans. In either a voluntary or afflict popu- this is basically mandatory system, commercial enterprises A graduate of the University of Adelaide’s lations are also what exists in can, under the guise of continuing Dental School—B.Sc.Dent (Hons), BDS, changing Adelaide with education, present what is, quite simply, PhD, DDSc (Adel)—Professor Hume rapidly. the Postgraduate marketing. One of the problems with addressed the issue of Continuing Graham argued Committee in marketing is that it is, by its very nature, not Education in dentistry, based on his eloquently in Dentistry. objective—the marketer is employed to be experience in Australia and the United 1985 for volun- I have also now biased, to sell their employer’s product. States. tary continuing had significant Some audiences can recognise marketing education, for The Oration is held every two years to experience in a for what it is, but it can be very artfully making the situation where disguised. The manufacturers of composite recognise the contribution of Dr Graham offerings so Mount to Dentistry and Continuing Dental continuing edu- resin materials have financially supported attractive to the cation is man- Education in South Australia. many of the courses that have been profession that datory for cont- presented over the last 30 years espousing Professor Hume’s topic was Charlatans, without the inued licensure the positive properties of those materials. Cosmetics and Commerce: or the Mount(ain) threat of any in dentistry. Sometimes this has been done directly and road. Which path should CE follow? sanction they Professor Rory Hume. Although there openly, but very often it has been through will attend. He are some The following is an extract from Professor financial support of the lecturers, which is talked in very problems with usually undisclosed. Hume’s speech: positive terms about experiential CE— such a system, I do believe that it can work hands on, wherever possible, and small well if there is an appropriate relationship In some notable cases, the lecturers have group interactions, as exemplified by between the profession, the licensing body started their own dental material here is great wisdom in having and universities. In some courses operating distribution companies and have used their Tresearch universities as the central locus for Adelaide's Certificate in Clinical Dentistry program. The voluntary approach has, I in the mandatory environment a small courses to tout the materials of those education in the health sciences. We want percentage of the audience is obviously only companies, again without disclosure. our health sciences practitioners to be able believe, worked well in Australia and will probably continue to work well. present to satisfy legal requirements, but if to adapt to change, evaluating new the courses are of good quality most in the Some such lecturers even market their own technologies and accepting those that will For voluntary CE to work well, quality must audience can be well engaged. courses, going it alone, for profit. In some be helpful. To do this, it is very helpful for be good, and the user must see the cases, those individuals have induced either If we have this governance partnership it other commercial enterprises or even each practitioner to have a full educational product as having high value. doesn’t much matter who is seen as the understanding of the evaluative processes of Governance and financial structures should professional organisations to support their immediate provider. There are benefits in material marketing activities, all under the research and to use these mental processes be designed with these things as their the organised profession being active as a guise of continuing education. CE for both in the care of patients and in the primary goal. The logical governance provider of some continuing education, but evaluation of new ideas. profit seems often to be linked with CE for structure, as I see it, involves a three party it shouldn’t be seen as being competitive marketing. Once the first ethical decision is I recently had the pleasure of re-reading the partnership between the organised with that provided in the name of the made, the second seems easy. text of the original Graham Mount profession, the professional Boards and the university CE body.