The Difference Winter 2011 1 The Difference A newsletter for donors and supporters of UniSA Winter Edition 2011 2 4 7 8 10 Scholarships Australia Day honour Annual Foundation Luncheon UniSA Foundation Report Events The Norton Jackson Material Science and Engineering Medal Dr Jackson’s distinguished career includes many highlights. After serving in the Second World War and working as a Plant Research Chemist in Fiji, he returned to Adelaide in 1948 as Chief Metallurgist at the SA Department of Mines. He was recruited by the American Cyanamid Company (now Cytec) in 1958, spending the next 20 years looking after the company’s operations in Asia, Europe and Africa while mostly based in the United States. Dr Jackson returned to Adelaide in 1978 as Managing Director of the Australian Mineral Development Laboratories, tripling the company’s productivity during his five years at the helm. Following his ‘retirement’ in 1983, Dr Jackson took on several directorships at mining companies including Poseidon Ltd (later Normandy Mining), Adelaide Wallaroo Fertilizers, Norminco Ltd, Centrex Metals Ltd and Energy Exploration. He also served as a Member of Council of UniSA UniSA Vice Chancellor, Peter Høj with Dr Norton Jackson. from 1995 to 1998 and was a Member of UniSA’s Development Board for several years. Dr Norton Jackson AM graduated almost “I was extremely fortunate to achieve Now 91, Dr Jackson remains a Director of 70 years ago from the School of Mines and a scholarship to the School of Mines Energy Exploration. Industry, one of UniSA’s founding institutions, and Industry, an antecedent of UniSA,” but to this day remains a valued supporter of he says. “I later went on to complete a >>continued on page 2>> the University. Bachelor of Engineering in Metallurgy Dr Jackson recently established the prestigious and was awarded the prestigious Klug Norton Jackson Material Science and Medal for the ‘top metallurgist of Engineering Medal, to be awarded annually to the year’. This award had a powerful the PhD graduate or graduand from UniSA’s Ian influence on my career and is Wark Research Institute who has demonstrated something I would like to replicate for the most potential or real application of other graduates to aspire to.” research in industry. The medallist will also receive $5000. 2 The Difference Winter 2011 >>continued from page 1>> Cowan Scholarships – His numerous awards include Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences Providing rich experiences and Engineering (1981); Member of the Order of Australia for mining industry services (1987); for tomorrow’s leaders Fellow of UniSA (1999); Centenary Medal (2001); UniSA Honorary Doctorate (2006); and the prestigious RK Murphy Medal from The The initiatives that donors help establish at Jacqui’s experiences have solidified her views Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2010) in UniSA are enabling students to fulfill their of what is required to achieve meaningful recognition of his outstanding contributions to dreams; a classic example of which is Jacqui developmental outcomes in impoverished industrial chemistry, mining and metallurgy, as Ewens, a recent recipient of the Cowan countries. well as his inspirational mentorship of younger International Placement Grant for Hawke “I no longer believe in financial aid to the chemical engineers. Ambassador. extent that I did previously. People need to be With the support of this award, PhD graduates Jacqui is a UniSA Bachelor of International able to provide for and sustain themselves. In from the Ian Wark Research Institute have a Studies and Social Work student who spent 13 Ghana, they desperately need skilled labourers solid foundation from which to pursue their weeks in Ghana from July to September 2010 – plumbers, builders, farmers and nurses,” she own rewarding careers; careers that will as part of the Hawke Ambassador Program. says. “For aid to be truly effective, I believe hopefully reflect the same hard working and Despite having travelled extensively overseas on it needs to be skills-based. Development passionate approach of Dr Jackson. a personal level, the international placement hinges on a desire to change and hard work. exposed her to the realities of life in the If underdeveloped nations do not want Dr Jackson is held in such high esteem in the developing world and the enormous challenges assistance, then they aren’t going to maintain mining industry that many of his colleagues that must be overcome to raise living standards. changes once foreigners leave.” have made significant donations to the Norton Jacqui’s association with Ghana has only Jackson Medal Fund, ensuring that this award “The most significant thing I learned just begun, and she has a desire to return honouring his name will live on in perpetuity. revolved around development and frequently. Further donations are always welcome; please international aid. When talking to contact Yvonne Clark in the Development Ghanaians about development I was “My future aspirations involve returning to Office on (08) 8302 0972 if you would like to constantly told, ‘we have spirituality, Ghana to work on skill development projects. make a gift or leave a bequest in your Will to you have science’,” says Jacqui. “There Ghana is a patriarchal society yet women run support the Fund. was a pervading view that change was the home and are the bread winners,” Jacqui not achievable in their lifetime. Hence, says. “My goal is to encourage pooling of skills they were content with the standard and resources to expand their businesses and of living they were experiencing. I assist in the setting up of websites to sell goods got the impression that the ways of internationally.” the western world seemed far too The Hawke Ambassador International Volunteer complex, fast-paced and isolating Experience Program is an international compared to their family orientated, volunteering placement and internship program spiritual and relaxed lives.” for students at the University of South Australia. It has been running since 2007. Jacqui experienced the good, the bad and the ugly of life in a developing nation. One of her Jacqui was successful in receiving one of four worst experiences occurred when the great Cowan International Placement Grants for the aunt, of a six-year-old orphaned boy, removed Hawke Ambassador Program. These are made him from the orphanage kicking and screaming possible through the Cowan Grant Program to send him to the Ivory Coast. Despite the and the generosity of Bob and Gayle Cowan. objections of staff, they could not prevent In addition to the grant, Jacqui undertook her the child from being taken as no laws exist to own fundraising efforts to meet the costs of protect children in these circumstances. Child travel and her stay in Ghana. trafficking and child labour is highly prevalent In 2011, four Cowan International Placement in Ghana. Grants, valued at $2500 each, are available While work at the orphanage consumed most to UniSA students. Applications are sought of Jacqui’s time, she decided to volunteer from full-time students enrolled in the third, with the local newspaper as a journalist fourth or fifth years of any of Bachelor of Arts and photographer, drawing on her previous (International Studies), Bachelor of Applied experience as a professional photographer. Language and Intercultural Communication, or She was involved in several stories for the paper associated double degrees with International including pieces on corruption, child labour, a Studies. UniSA also provides an additional United Nations development conference and $1800 towards airfares. local festivals. This exposure to politics in rural For more information on the Hawke villages through to federal government added Ambassador International Volunteer Experience to her experience and appreciation of Ghanaian Program visit www.unisa.edu.au/hawkecentre/ society. NewGeneration/HawkeAmbassadors. Jacqui Ewens with Kojo, one of the many Ghanaian orphans she cared for. The Difference Winter 2011 3 Full confidence in UniSA’s Cowan Scholarships – Southcott scholar completes PhD charitable code of practice Providing rich experiences with flying colours In November 2010, the SA Government for tomorrow’s leaders published its final report into improving The second William T Southcott Scholar, regulation of collection of charitable Dr Behnam Fahimnia, has completed his PhD donations, along with a draft code of practice in Supply Chain Management and graduated for charitable collection. These publications in March this year. are now available for public consultation and feedback at the government’s website at The 32-year-old was born in Tehran and www.charities.sa.gov.au. graduated with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in solids designing from Tehran Under the proposed changes, charities will Azad University in 2001. Behnam was be required to make a breakdown of their ranked second in his year for which he was financial records publically available so that granted the Azad University National Award potential donors can look up the details of (AUNA). He chose to move to South Australia a charity and see how much of their money and undertake a Master's in Advanced goes towards wages and administration, and how much is used for charitable Manufacturing Technology at UniSA because Dr Behnam Fahimnia. the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing purposes. Other proposed changes include a 10-day cooling-off period for a contract to Research is well known for its high academic Systems and Intelligent Manufacturing standards and research excellence. collect donations on an ongoing basis, and Systems. His current research interests include restricting the collection times to between Behnam received his first scholarship in 2009, Sustainable Supply Chain Management and 9 am and 8 pm on weekdays, 9 am and 5 following completion of a Master's degree in Planning for Disruptions in Supply Chains. pm on Saturdays, and midday and 5 pm on Advanced Manufacturing at UniSA in 2006. The third Southcott Scholarship has been Sundays.