November 17 , 2005

Message from the Rector 20 Year Revels Last Friday afternoon an event was held at the Officer's Mess to celebrate ADFA's 20 years of operation. Over 250 military, academic, general staff and students attended the informal function. It was a great atmosphere  aided and abetted  by the dulcet tones of Annie and the Armadillos. Many staff have commented that they thoroughly enjoyed the  evening and suggested that we should have more of these functions. I would like to join with the Commandant and thank all the staff who joined us for the festivities, the Mess, the organisers and in particular Tess Blakers for her role. Well done. Professor John Baird Rector Professor John Baird, Rector and Commodore James Goldrick, Commandant ADFA

RESEARCH & RESEARCH TRAINING OFFICE REPORT

… and even more ARC successes for UNSW@ADFA researchers

Last week the tremendous success of UNSW@ADFA researchers in winning prestigeous ARC grants with this Faculty as the administering institution was widely advertised. Researchers from this faculty have also been successful in the following large Linkage – Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) grants through their collaborations with other organisations:

Nano-positioning facility for nano-scale measurement and manipulation

A/Prof SO Moheimani; Prof IR Petersen ; Prof GC Goodwin; Prof RH Middleton; Prof M Fu; Dr VA Ougrinovski; A/Prof HR Pota ; Dr AJ Fleming; Dr SR Schofield

$530,000

Partner Organisation(s) - The University of Newcastle & The University of New South Wales

Administering Institution - The University of Newcastle

Project Summary

Nanotechnology is the science of understanding and control of matter at dimensions of 100 nanometers or less.

Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulation of matter at this level of precision. An important aspect of research in nanotechnology involves precision control and manipulation of devices and materials at a nanoscale, i.e. nanopositioning. The primary goal of this proposal is the establishment of an experimental nanopositioning research facility to enable the development of a new generation of nanopositioners. Establishment of the facility will give Australia 's nanotechnology researchers a unique enabling facility in this high-tech field.

Access for Australian Researchers to Advanced Neutron Beam Techniques

Dr D Mather; Prof JW White; A/Prof EM Gray; Dr BJ Kennedy; A/Prof CE Buckley; Prof SJ Campbell ; A/Prof LR Gahan; Dr R Robinson; Dr TJ Hicks; A/Prof EH Kisi

$240,000

Partner Organisation(s) - Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE)

The Australian National University, Griffith University, The University of Sydney, Curtin University of Technology, The University of New South Wales, The University of Queensland, ANSTO, Monash University and The University of Newcastle.

Administering Institution - Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE)

Project Summary

The access to ISIS is of strategic benefit to Australia . In the 'run up' to the Replacement Research Reactor that benefit will be increased because of the current upgrade to ISIS and the imminent construction of a second target station to provide the world's best 'cold neutron' facilities.

AustLit - humanities research infrastructure development through knowledge-based dataset building, augmentation of key research elements and ICT developments.

Prof JA Hay; A/Prof RA Fotheringham; A/Prof DJ Carter; Ms KM Kilner; Ms AH Horn; Prof BH Bennett; Prof PR Eggert ; Mr JF Arnold; Prof EA Webby; Mr RH Coleman; Prof GR Worby; A/Prof W Ommundsen; Ms DM Bird; Prof DJ Haskell; Dr CM Taylor; Dr P Mead

$544,000

Partner Organisation(s) - The University of Queensland, The University of New South Wales, Monash University, The University of Sydney, The Flinders University of South Australia, The University of Western Australia, Deakin University, James Cook University and The University of Tasmania

Administering Institution The University of Queensland

Project Summary

The AustLit development and augmentation program 2006-2008 will enable researchers to gain a greater understanding of the breadth and scope of Australia 's conversation with the world through its literature by providing new datasets and enhanced access to the pre-eminent resource to our literary culture. AustLit aims to deliver authoritative information and analysable data about all Australian writers and their writing and in 2006 will develop specialist datasets relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers; multicultural writers; and regional and colonial writing from Tasmania and Qld. ICT developments will provide other collaborative groups with an opportunity to use a highly successful middleware platform for new KM projects.

 

Latest News from a wandering student…(about whom we often wonder…)

Those of us who have dealt with Chris Roberts (one of our UNSW@ADFA postgraduate research students from Humanities and Social Sciences) have always been impressed with both his abilities and his humanity.

Last year Chris won an Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Award. This award is jointly funded by the Australian Federal Government and Cheung Kong Enterprises in Hong Kong and provides $25,000 towards Chris' research over a six month period. The award provides a monthly stipend as well as a travel allowance of $5,000 and an establishment allowance of $5,000. In order to get the award, and aside from having to demonstrate his academic ability, Chris had to present a proposal for research that related to the social and economic development of Asia . Further, he also had to provide evidence of an affiliation with no less than three higher education institutions within Asia . The institute he settled on was the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS) at Nanyang University Singapore . A further objective of the award is to facilitate the development of closer relations between institutions such as ADFA and IDSS.

Extract from Chris' Email : This year has been phenomenal. I have learnt so much and am now 25,000 words into my chapter on Myanmar . I will have to cut it back but my supervisor thinks that there might be the possibility of publishing it as a monograph. A German journal is also interested in a piece I did for the Sasakawa Peace Foundation on the dilemma between engagement and isolation. I have published a couple of commentaries at IDSS as well and one of these was also published in the Straits Times and the Korea Herald. I have travelled to Malaysia , Thailand , Myanmar , Cambodia , Vietnam , stepped on the border of Laos and leave for Manila this Saturday. By the time I finish my research next year I should have completed around 150 in-depth interviews, 1000 communal level surveys and 100 elite level surveys (not to mention my research diaries, photos for use in the dissertation and other cultural and empirical insights).

I was asked by IDSS to present to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation a few weeks back for the purpose of a human rights training program in Singapore and Japan with a combination of people from government and the military.

(Great work, Chris! The Research Office is glad to hear that you're not simply enjoying yourself while away from your desk….!!!)

THE SPITFIRE MEMORIAL DEFENCE FELLOWSHIP 2005

Applications are invited for the 2005 award of the Spitfire Memorial Defence Fellowship valued at up to $12,000 to support Australian defence-related studies or research at the University of New South Wales or other appropriate institution.

This annually awarded Fellowship has been established as a lasting and dynamic recognition of the significant contribution of the Spitfire and its Squadrons during World War II.

Applicants will be Australian citizens who are suitably qualified graduates or persons with significant relevant work experience.

Further information is available from the UNSW@ADFA Website (http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/units/research/index.html) or from the Office of The Rector, UNSW@ADFA, Australian Defence Force Academy by e-mail spitfire@adfa.edu.au or telephone (02) 6268 8201.

Applications close Monday 28 November 2005

 

Staff Bulletins If you have something you would like to contribute, please download and complete the submission form and email the information to newsletter@adfa.edu.au. Congratulations to Erin Varker Congratulations to Erin Varker from Business Services who gave birth to a bonnie baby girl Keira Joyce Farmer on 4th November 2005. Erin and Keira are doing really well and brother Jared and dad Mick are thrilled to pieces. Amendment to ADFA ISC Pool & Change Room Closure For your information, the dates for the project have changed. The ADFA ISC pool and changerooms will now close on Thurs, 1 Dec 05. The ADFA ISC pool and male/female changerooms will be closed for approximately 2 -3 weeks, due to the resurfacing of the floors. If you have a locker in the ISC, all equipment and locks are to be removed from the changeroom locker's. Any locks and equipment left in the lockers will be cut off and equipment bagged and sent to the Red Cross. Once the resurfacing has been completed, lockers are to be signed for from the ISC front desk. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ring me on the below number or alternately ring POPT Williams, on 6268 8458.   UNSW@ADFA presents An Exhibition of Recent Works by Robert Cowan at the Library, UNSW@ADFA 26th October-22nd November 2005 Exhibition times: Monday-Thursday 9.00am-9.00pm Friday 9.00am-5.00pm Saturday and Sunday 1.00pm-5.00pm For more information please call 6268 8111   What makes athletes decide to use drugs? Dr Jason Mazanov, a lecturer in the School of Business has received a grant of $77,461 from the Australian Government through the Anti-Doping Research Program (ADRP) of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. The money will fund a project called "Social Science and Drugs in Sport: Developing a Research Agenda for Australia " and underwrites the publication of a book drawing together wide ranging research from the social sciences. "Current research on drug taking in sports has made astounding progress on the medical and forensic aspects of the problem. We have the technology to catch the athletes after the event; we know about the damage to athlete's health; but there is very little research that explains their decision to take prohibited performance enhancers in the first place,” Jason said. “Social science has made such a huge contribution to understanding other drug use that it's time we got stuck into drugs in sport.” The project draws people together from economics, education, sociology, law, psychology and psychiatry. They will join forces with professional athletes and coaches to workshop how social science can extend knowledge about drug taking in sport. "The main challenge for the Project is developing a resource that can be used by everyone from policy makers to parents concerned about their kids – that's what this book is all about,” says Jason. “We really need to get people talking about drugs in sport using ideas from social science to leverage the work done by medical science and places like the Australian Sports Drugs Agency.” UNSW@ADFA is supporting social science research on drugs in sport with two PhD scholarships. The PhD students will at the key factors which make an athlete start taking prohibited substances. “We want to know how athletes trade off things like the chance of getting caught against improved performance. For example, if I could make you 10% better, but you had a 60% chance of going to gaol, would you use? How about 20% better but a 90% chance?”, asks Jason. "I am like most Australians”, says Jason. “I love playing and watching sport. We all love to see Australia at the top. Knowing we did it with talented hard working Aussies makes it that much sweeter.” Congratulations Jason.   EXTENDING, EXPANDING AND EVOLVING: INTRODUCING BLOGS AND E-PORTFOLIOS TO THE STUDENT-CENTRED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. An informal presentation by Professor Robin Mason (UK Open University), and an opportunity for you to meet, hear and discuss issues relating to online learning. Time: noon – 1330 Date: Friday 25th November, 2005 Venue: Lecture Theatre 2 (Lecture Theatre South) Building 30 RSVP: ets@adfa.edu.au (02) 6262 8503 for catering purposes by COB Wed, 23rd Nov. Professor Mason is a specialist in the research and practice of online teaching and learning. She was one of the early pioneers in developing the medium of computer conferencing for distance education, and completed her PhD - one of the very first on the subject - in 1989. Since then she has published prolifically on the web, in journal articles and in five books. She has worked with many course teams across the Open University in the design, tutoring and evaluation of online courses. She has worked extensively on the Open University's Masters Programme in Open and Distance Education, as course developer, tutor and as Director of the Program. In 2000, she conceived of the idea of a Virtual Graduation for the first cohort of Masters students and developed the concept with the Open University's Knowledge Media Institute. Her research interests centre around cultural issues in online courses, assessment methods using the web, and the globalisation of education through new technologies. The growth of e-Universities and partnerships amongst existing educational providers are the focus of her most recent research activities. More information about Professor Mason can be found at: http://iet.open.ac.uk/pp/r.d.mason/main.html

Classifieds

If you have something you would like to contribute, please download and complete the submission form and email the information to newsletter@adfa.edu.au

HOUSE SIT

House-sit available. Comfortable house in Lyneham requires a person to care for its garden, cat and rabbit mid-December to mid-January. Call David Blaazer on 88878 or 0410 492 183.

FREE

One Single bed - Contact Jenn on 6268 8207 or 0437 375 995

 

Upcoming Events

DATE	TITLE	VENUE
25 November	Introducing Blogs and E-Portfolios to the Student-Centred Learning Environment	12.00pm, LT2 Building 30
6 December	Prizes and Awards Ceremony	6.00pm, Adams Hall, ADFA
7 December	Degree Conferral Ceremony- Business, Humanities and Social Sciences	10.30am, Adams Hall, ADFA
7 December	Degree Conferral Ceremony - Engineering, Science and Technology	2.30pm, Adams Hall, ADFA
8 December	Graduation Parade	9.30am, ADFA Parade Ground

 

FREE COMMUNITY LECTURES

EXTENDING, EXPANDING AND EVOLVING:

INTRODUCING BLOGS AND E-PORTFOLIOS TO THE STUDENT-CENTRED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

An informal presentation by Professor Robin Mason (UK Open University), and an opportunity for you to meet, hear and discuss issues relating to online learning.

Time: noon – 1330

Date: Friday 25th November, 2005

Venue: Lecture Theatre 2 (Lecture Theatre South) Building 30

RSVP: ets@adfa.edu.au (02) 6262 8503 for catering purposes by COB Wed, 23rd Nov.

Professor Mason is a specialist in the research and practice of online teaching and learning. She was one of the early pioneers in developing the medium of computer conferencing for distance education, and completed her PhD - one of the very first on the subject - in 1989. Since then she has published prolifically on the web, in journal articles and in five books.

She has worked with many course teams across the Open University in the design, tutoring and evaluation of online courses. She has worked extensively on the Open University's Masters Programme in Open and Distance Education, as course developer, tutor and as Director of the Program. In 2000, she conceived of the idea of a Virtual Graduation for the first cohort of Masters students and developed the concept with the Open University's Knowledge Media Institute.

Her research interests centre around cultural issues in online courses, assessment methods using the web, and the globalisation of education through new technologies. The growth of e-Universities and partnerships amongst existing educational providers are the focus of her most recent research activities. More information about Professor Mason can be found at: http://iet.open.ac.uk/pp/r.d.mason/main.html

 

 

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If you have something you would like to contribute, please download and complete the submission form and email the information to: Email: newsletter@adfa.edu.au

 

Contact Us

Office of the Rector
Phone: 02 6268 8701
Email: newsletter@adfa.edu.au

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