UNSWISSUE 1 2019 magazine Young Woman of the Year How Angelica Merlot is shaping the new frontier of cancer research Inside Opal Tower Liquid gold Surviving our roads Engineering Dean Mark Hoffman The breakthrough that offers Simple steps to keep more describes what went wrong clean water to the world pedestrians and cyclists alive 02 / CONTENTS UPFRONT / 03 IN THIS ISSUE ISSUE 1 2019 UPFRONT From the Vice-Chancellor LEADING RECYCLING INNOVATION • UNSW will lead Welcome to the the new NSW Circular Economy first edition of 25 Innovation Network, UNSW Magazine a state government initiative to drive for 2019. The Australia Ensemble, waste management n delivering the Gandhi the renowned and recycling. It will link industry with Oration earlier this year, chamber music group resident government, local The Reverend Tim Costello at UNSW Sydney, councils and researchers to stimulate new O is performing Ocean impacts and diverse biology: A mother and child at one of the cancer screening ways of tackling the challenges of the reminded us of the power of ordinary Dr Daniel Falster and Dr Laurie Menviel. clinics in Northern Uganda. people to do good, drawing on Bapu’s much-loved circular economy. Founding Director of classics and UNSW’s Centre for Sustainable Materials timeless advice that “in a gentle way invigorating new Research & Technology (SMaRT), Professor you can shake the world”. works for its Top honours from the Cancer screening expands Veena Sahajwalla (pictured), has been Alongside an edited transcript 40th season. It Australian Academy of Science Uganda health program appointed Executive Director of the new promises to be a of Costello’s Oration, this issue of network. “We need to rethink attitudes to all worthy birthday of the materials we discard and start to see UNSW Magazine is overflowing with celebration. cientia Fellow Dr Laurie Menviel of ore than 1500 women from northern them as renewable resources if we want to stories of the many ways UNSW UNSW’s Climate Change Research Centre Uganda have been screened for cervical live more sustainably,” she said. students and staff make a positive Inside and Dr Daniel Falster of the Evolution and breast cancer as part of a community impact – both gently and quite S& Ecology Research Centre are among 20 Mhealth program set up in part by UNSW. KELLEHER LEADS KIRBY INSTITUTE 03–07 / Upfront 22 / Lighting up Malawi powerfully – on the world. University news, research and achievements A very personal mission to change Australian scientists recognised with honorific Launched in 2016, the Transforming • Leading lives in southern Africa international HIV I found it heartwarming to read 08–09 / Cover story: Dancing with the enemy awards by the Australian Academy of Science. Community Health Program is a partnership researcher and about the spirited display of inclusion Angelica Merlot takes on some of 23 / The Bulldog bites Dr Menviel, an early career researcher between UNSW, Gulu University and clinician Professor the deadliest cancers Dean Towers takes the field and community that was our third and ARC Future Fellow who received the the Ugandan Health Ministry to improve Anthony Kelleher is for the UNSW-ES Bulldogs appearance at the Sydney Gay and 10 / Marching with pride Dorothy Hill Medal, aims to help improve women’s and children’s health, reduce non- the new Director of Lesbian Mardi Gras, and to learn that Students and staff take to the streets at Mardi Gras 24 / Building for better living projections of climate and sea-level rise communicable diseases and mental illness, and the Kirby Institute. How to design a built environment The Dean of UNSW the Australia Ensemble, which has 11 / High dramas using research focusing on the role of ocean introduce online learning in the Gulu University that works for everyone Medicine, Professor been resident at UNSW since 1980, has Inside the investigation into the Opal Tower circulation in climate change. She has made Master of Public Health program. Rodney Phillips, said Professor Kelleher exciting plans for the future, after four 25 / Hitting the right notes major contributions to understanding oceanic Before the program, Ugandan women had (pictured) was “an accomplished and highly 12–13 / Exposing the defects The Australia Ensemble celebrates turning 40 respected academic and clinician in the decades delighting classical music fans UNSW’s project to protect unit buyers circulation, its variability and its impact some of the poorest prospects in the world when field of immunology and HIV research, with across Australia and the world. 26 / In conversation with Margaret Atwood on global climate, the carbon cycle and the it came to surviving cervical cancer. Now cancer 14-15 / In search of hope a long career in various leadership roles The award-winning author of There is ample inspiration to be The annual Gandhi Oration: Tim Costello cryosphere. clinics for women are being launched in health across the Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney and The Handmaid’s Tale visits UNSW found in the story on Dr Angelica “Given increased atmospheric greenhouse centres across northern Uganda. St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney”. The Kirby 16 / Let the water flow Merlot’s pioneering work on drug- 27 / Speaking to the planet gases, this knowledge is crucial to improving “By the time the five-year plan for the Institute’s inaugural Director, Professor A breakthrough offers the hope of clean water resistant pancreatic and brain The art project taking Indigenous climate and sea-level projections,” says Dr Transforming Community Health Program David Cooper, passed away last year. The Kirby Institute has been at the forefront of cancers, as well as in news of our 17 / 100 Indigenous graduates voices around the world Menviel. “This year my research will focus on finishes, we should have really well-trained UNSW Law celebrates an important milestone infectious disease research, in Australia and University’s new global outreach 28 / Out of this world understanding some of the warmest periods of nurses and midwives in cervical cancer globally, for more than 30 years. efforts to improve eye care services 18 / Vision for the future Sarah Brough is answering questions the recent past and attempting to pinpoint the screening in all the major health centres in Uganda and access to electricity How UNSW is helping to change eye care in Uganda of galactic proportions feedbacks that led to high latitude warming, loss across northern Uganda, as well as trained JOHNSTON WINS CLARKE MEDAL in Malawi. 19 / Walking in two worlds 29 / Vale Sir Rupert Myers of continental glaciers and higher sea-levels.” health educators, researchers and clinicians,” • Professor Emma Johnston, Dean of As always, UNSW pushes the Graduate Dylan Booth has big plans Remembering UNSW’s second Vice-Chancellor Ecologist and early career researcher says Professor Robyn Richmond, of UNSW Science, is the winner of the Royal Society for Indigenous people boundaries of what it means for a 30-31 / New reading Dr Falster received the Fenner Medal for his Medicine. of NSW 2018 Clarke Medal, for her research on the impact of human activities in 20–21 / Keep your lid on Books on thinking women, gun control, university to serve society. But what contribution to predicting and understanding The UNSW team also surveyed women about complex marine ecosystems. “A deeper How helmets, speed limits, preserve life on our roads the value of junk, and more is most clear reading these stories is the distribution of plant types. domestic violence to better understand the understanding of our coastal ecosystems the depth and breadth of the impact “I use maths and modelling to understand underlying social issues affecting efforts to is critical to human survival in a rapidly UNSW people make. Cover image: Angelica Merlot, Managing editor: Peter Harrison why evolution favours diversity of plant types, provide better health services for women. changing world,” Professor Johnston said. She is now leading the development of I hope that you enjoy exploring this cancer researcher and the NSW Designer: Bill Farr/MediaXpress and why the mix of plant types varies from place The group is screening children for aural, Young Woman of the Year. Contributors: Lucy Carroll, Selina Day, Isabelle Dubach, molecular approaches to monitoring the edition of UNSW Magazine as much to place,” said Dr Falster, who is also an ARC ocular and oral health this year, and will survey biodiversity and functioning of estuarine Photo: Anna Kucera Lachlan Gilbert, Belinda Henwood, Quentin Jones, as I did. Our people can and do “shake Future Fellow. “Computer models and large non-communicable diseases among those ecosystems. The Royal Society of NSW UNSW Magazine is published by Ibrar Khan, Ben Knight, Anna Kucera, Jacquie Manning, the world” in the most diverse and data sets have enabled us to test fundamental seeking information on nutrition, tobacco use Clarke Medal is one of the most highly the UNSW Media and Content team. Neil Martin, Megan Maurice, Stefanie Menezes, prized awards for natural sciences, with the inspiring ways. Email: [email protected] Diane Nazaroff, Nyasha Nyakuengama, Louise Reily, ideas about the processes shaping biological and alcohol consumption, with emphasis on disciplines of botany, zoology and geology Professor Ian Jacobs Issue 89 ISSN 2209-282X Ivy Shih, Lori Youmshajekian communities.” cardiovascular problems and mental health. considered in rotation every three years. UNSW Magazine UNSW Magazine 04 / UPFRONT UPFRONT / 05 COVETED ROME RESIDENCY PM’S FOND VIEW OF UNSW • Award-winning • UNSW Sydney President and sculptor and Vice‑Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs UNSW Art & Design offered congratulations to Prime graduate Alex Seton Minister Scott Morrison on his re‑election has been awarded in May. “As many of you will know, Mr the coveted Morrison is a UNSW alumnus and the first Mordant Family/ of our alumni to hold the role of PM,” Australian Council Professor Jacobs said.