• Insight into international trade

International trade students were given an insight into the industry at its highest level recently when former prime minister Mr Malcolm Fraser gave the keynote address at their awards night.

Speaking about his experiences negotiating trade agreements, Mr Fraser talked about the skills required for successful interactions, which included attention to the details, especially those in fine print, and persistence.

Mr Fraser congratulated the 1999 prize winners in international trade subjects, as well as the year's top graduating student, Ms Yupaporn Komannont.

• Honour for former professor

Former Monash professor of statistics Warren Ewens has recently been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

Professor Ewens said he felt the honour was recognition of the very high standing of the Monash Mathematics department, particularly of his research colleagues Dr Geoff Watterson and Dr Bob Griffiths and his mentor Professor Peter Finch.

Professor Ewens was part of the Mathematics and Statistics department from 1978 to 1996, including long stints as head (for eight months each year) between 1998 and 1993.

He is now professor of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in the US.