Media Releases 2005 Archive
7 December 2005 - UNSW@ADFA Degree Conferral Ceremony
7 December 2005 - UNSW Professor awarded Doctor of Science
25 November 2005 - What makes athletes decide to use drugs?
17 November 2005 - UNSW Academic awarded grant to study Army Operations in Vietnam conflict
19 October 2005 - Staff awarded for management training
23 September 2005 - National Archives of Australia awards Fellowship to UNSW@ADFA Lecturer
5 September 2005 - “CEO of World Vision Australia gives 2005 University Lecture to ADFA Cadets”
7 December 2005 - UNSW@ADFA Degree Conferral Ceremony
The UNSW Chancellor, Mr David Gonski awarded 349 students with their degrees across two conferring ceremonies on Wednesday 7 December at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra.
A total of 237 undergraduate midshipmen and officer cadets and 112 postgraduate students received their degrees in Arts, Business, Science, Engineering and Technology from the University of New South Wales. In addition the Chancellor awarded a University Medal to a graduating student and a Doctor of Science to a senior staff member of the University College in Canberra.
The University Medallist, Air Force Officer Cadet Matthew Brown, a Graduating Engineering student of UNSW at the Australian Defence Force Academy was awarded with a First Class Honours Degree of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering and the UNSW University Medal during the Degree Conferring Ceremonies for Science and Engineering.
In addition to receiving the University Medal, Matthew Brown was also awarded the Arthur H Corbett Prize and Medal for the most outstanding graduate in Engineering; the Air Vice-Marshal Noble prize for distinguished performance in 4th Year Aeronautical Engineering; and the Aeronautical Engineering prize at a recent joint UNSW and ADFA Prizes and Awards Night.
Professor John Baird, Rector of UNSW@ADFA, said that students of this calibre are not found everyday. “I would say that Matthew has attained one of the highest scores for a number of years. You don’t often get such a consistent and highly talented student”, he said.
The Doctor of Science was presented to Professor Greg Jackson from the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences. The Doctor of Science was awarded on the basis of Professor Jackson’s outstanding contributions to the field of Coordination Chemistry. His research puts him at the leading edge of inorganic chemistry in Australia and internationally.
Professor Baird said that this award is not made lightly; candidates are put forward on the basis of having made major contributions in a specific field of science. This was achieved through considerable research effort, a significant history of publications and extensive professional contributions to a discipline in Science.
“Only a few inorganic chemists in Australia have accomplished comparable achievements in this particular field of chemistry,” said Professor Baird. “In his field of expertise, Professor Jackson has over 150 peer reviewed papers in international journals of high standing.”
The Occasional Address for the Business, Humanities and Social Science was delivered by Ms Carolyn Hardy, Chief Executive of UNICEF Australia. UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund. Ms Hardy spoke about the work of UNICEF and its links to the Australian Defence Force.
The Engineering, Science and Technology Occasional Address was delivered by Dr James Bradfield Moody, Director, Divisional Business Strategy at the CSIRO Division of Land and Water, and also a well known presenter on the ABC’s New Inventors show. Dr Moody spoke about enthusiastically about three specific points that had helped him over the last few years, Vision, Values and Passion.
7 December 2005 - UNSW Professor awarded Doctor of Science
UNSW Chancellor, Mr David Gonski, today awarded a Doctor of Science to Professor Greg Jackson from the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences at the University of New South Wales located at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
Professor Jackson, a long standing staff member of the University was awarded the prestigious Doctoral degree at the UNSW Science and Technology degree conferring ceremonies at ADFA.
The Doctor of Science was awarded on the basis of Professor Jackson’s outstanding contributions to the field of Coordination Chemistry. His research puts him at the leading edge of inorganic chemistry in Australia and internationally.
The Rector of UNSW@ADFA, Professor John Baird said that this award is not made lightly; candidates are put forward on the basis of having made major contributions in a specific field of science. This was achieved through considerable research effort, a significant history of publications and extensive professional contributions to a discipline in Science.
“Only a few inorganic chemists in Australia have accomplished comparable achievements in this particular field of chemistry,” said Professor Baird. “In his field of expertise, Professor Jackson has over 150 peer reviewed papers in international journals of high standing.”
Professor Jackson holds the degrees of Bachelor of Science and PhD from the University of Melbourne.
25 November 2005 - What makes athletes decide to use drugs? This is the question a Canberra academic will be asking with the help of a $77,000 government grant.
SOCIAL SCIENTISTS WAGE WAR ON DRUGS IN SPORT
Dr Jason Mazanov, a UNSW lecturer located at the Australian Defence Force Academy, 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 athletes health; but there is very little research that explains their decision to take prohibited performance enhancers in the first place,” Dr Mazanov 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 Dr Mazanov. “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 Dr Mazanov.
“I am like most Australians”, says Dr Mazanov. “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.”
17 November 2005 - UNSW ACADEMIC AWARDED GRANT TO STUDY ARMY OPERATIONS IN VIETNAM CONFLICT
Dr Bob Hall, a Visiting Fellow from the UNSW’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Australian Defence Force Academy received a grant of $700,000 over five years from the Australian Research Council last week.
Dr Hall, a recipient of a QEII Fellowship, notes that wars can be categorised in terms of High, Medium and Low Intensity Conflict. Since 1945, Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) has become the dominant form of warfare around the world. Conventionally organised western armies have a poor record of success in fighting LIC. His research project uses the Australian Army’s operations in Vietnam as a means of better understanding the nature of LIC in Australia’s region. Data for the project is drawn from the vast store of records held by the Australian War Memorial.
Hall adds that, “the project has the potential to reduce casualties, both military and civilian, and assist the Army in selecting new war-fighting technologies, designing training and developing doctrine for future LIC.”
The project will raise Australia's profile in theorising about this troubling but increasingly common form of warfare.
Dr Hall is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and served as an infantry platoon commander in Vietnam. He left the Army in 1991 and was the manager of the former Australian Defence Studies Centre at UNSW@ADFA till 2002. Also working on the project will be Dr Andrew Ross, a visiting fellow at UNSW@ADFA and a former Department of Defence operations analyst. Both have published on aspects of Australian military history.
This ARC grant was one of a number received by UNSW located at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Researchers at the Canberra campus of UNSW received in total $2,841,092 in ARC funding over the next five years.
The ARC funds will be used by researchers for a range of diverse projects that include projects from the fields of defence and security risk assessment and management modelling; quantum technology research; the exciting fields of space research and hypersonics; through to a historical analysis of Britain in the 1940s and contemporary issues facing Australia today.
19 October 2005 - Staff awarded for management training
Thirteen staff from the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy recently received awards for completing an eight month Management Development Program (MDP).
The staff, who had been selected from across all levels of the campus community were awarded their certificates at a ceremony at the Canberra campus of UNSW.
The Rector, Professor John Baird said that, “this program has been very valuable for developing the skill base of our new and future managers on campus. The skills and knowledge which they have gained from the presenters and also from the group’s collective experience will not only be of benefit in their present work placements but also any that they take up in the future.”
The course is spread over several months and includes an introductory residential component, seven half day workshops and a presentation of a researched group project at the conclusion of the program.
“So far we have had fifty-three general staff and four academics undertake the program. One academic is now a Head of School whilst another has spent time in an acting capacity at that level,” said the Manger of Human Resources at UNSW@ADFA, Ms Rosemaree Laurie.
Initially set up in 2001 to provide training for existing managers, the MDP now gives new and potential managers training in a range of areas including: leadership, management, strategic planning, effective communication, presentation skills, meetings and time management, managing performance, motivation, recruiting and selecting staff and managing information/knowledge.
“The program also offers one on one coaching and provides participants with a wide range of reading materials on the topics presented. Participants also work together on a topic which they develop based on management issues which impact on the operations of UNSW@ADFA. The final report is then presented at the conclusion of the program to senior managers/supervisors,” said Ms Laurie.
“The projects presented today make a major contribution to operational aspects of our campus and the campus community,” said Professor Baird, “I would like to congratulate all those who participated and contributed to this valuable program.”
This year’s group projects included: ‘Perceptions of efficiency: How much compliance is waste?’, ‘Wellness for staff at UNSW@ADFA’, ‘Attracting and retaining staff at UNSW@ADFA’. Previous year’s projects have included topics ranging from emergency evacuation awareness, ‘Aging workforce - Implications for UNSW@ADFA’ and a range of topics on communication, quality and branding.
23 September 2005 - National Archives of Australia awards Fellowship to UNSW@ADFA Lecturer
The National Archives of Australia has awarded the prestigious Frederick Watson Fellowship to Dr. Frances Miley, a senior lecturer in the School of Business, at the University of New South Wales located at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
The Frederick Watson Fellowship is awarded annually by the National Archives of Australia to individuals interested in conducting research substantially utilising its collection. Dr Miley will use the fellowship to help her produce a book provisionally entitled "Sins of the Fathers", on the history of Army financial management.
“I realise that some may see this as a dull topic but it is a fascinating tale of political machination and scandals. It is critical that the problems of the past are known so they are not repeated in the future,” says Dr Miley.
Professor Peter Hall, Head of the School of Business at UNSW@ADFA said, “This is excellent news. We are absolutely delighted that Frances Miley has won this highly prestigious fellowship.”
“It gives Dr Miley an allocated room in the National Archives, special access to the Archives themselves and the assistance of an archivist to provide research support plus a sum of cash to cover consumables and copy costs,” said Professor Hall.
It is a condition of the award that the book be produced within two years of the end of the fellowship. In addition, Dr Miley will also be required to present a number of public lectures on her work.
Dr Frances Miley lectures in law accounting and finance and has a doctorate from the University of Wollongong, a Master of Economics from the University of New England, Bachelors degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of New South Wales and French language qualifications from the Government of France. Dr Miley is a qualified accountant, being a Fellow of CPA Australia and a Senior Associate of the Australasian Institute of Banking and Finance.
Previous fellowship holders have been the novelist and essayist Frank Moorhouse, Professor Geoffrey Bolton (2004), Mr Garry Woodard (2002), Dr Klaus Neumann (2001) and Dr Michael McKernan (1999).
The fellowship is named after Dr Frederick James William Watson (1878 – 1945). In his early working life, Watson worked as a medical practitioner before entering into the field of archives and library management. He became a firm advocate of the development and use of government archives, both at the State and National level.
In the latter part of his life, Watson completed a number of historical works including A Brief History of Canberra completed in 1927 and becoming one of Australia’s early historians.
5 September 2005 - “CEO of World Vision Australia gives 2005 University Lecture to ADFA Cadets”
CEO of World Vision Australia, the Reverend Tim Costello (AO) delivered this year’s University Lecture at the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy (UNSW@ADFA) on September 1.
The fourteenth annual lecture was attended by about 1000 midshipmen, officer cadets, and invited guests, which included the Chief of Defence, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, Deputy Vice Chancellor of The University of New South Wales, Professor Robert King and Dr Alec Cameron.
Reverend Tim Costello spoke with enthusiasm and passion, and shared his views with Academy cadets on moral leadership, and the role that education plays in responsibility, citizenship and leadership.
Professor John Baird, Rector of UNSW@ADFA said that, “As officers and future leaders of the Australian Defence Force, the cadets exposure to the issues raised by Reverend Costello will help to develop their intellectual capabilities, their character development and assist in their development as leaders”.
“In today’s climate of world unrest, Reverend Costello’s explanation of how context determines an individual’s behaviour and ethics was extremely thought provoking”, said Professor Baird.
A recent recipient of the award, Officer of the Order of Australia, Reverend Tim Costello also has a Bachelors degree from Monash University and a Masters degree in Theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity.
A Baptist Minister since 1986, Reverend Costello took on the huge challenge of running Australia’s largest overseas aid organisation, World Vision in February 2004. After the Asian Tsunami of Boxing Day 2004, Reverend Tim Costello travelled immediately to the disaster area, and his presence and media profile added significant weight to the World Vision appeal, which ultimately raised more than 100 million dollars
Reverend Tim Costello has long been the public face of social conscience for Australians having led many debates on tough domestic issues, including gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and substance abuse. He has witnessed the worst of humanitarian disasters and seen the most inspiring human responses to suffering.
Reverend Costello joins a list of distinguished Australians who have delivered the University Lecture. The 2004 lecture was presented by The Governor of New South Wales Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir. Other speakers have included the Leader of the Opposition Hon Kim Beazley, Professor Geoffrey Blainey, The Rt Hon. Malcolm Fraser and Ms Janine Hayes former leader of the Democrats.