Doctorate for renowned author

Dr Peter Carey and deputy chancellor Dr Geoffrey Knights at the graduation ceremony.

Distinguished writer Dr Peter Carey was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters at a Monash graduation ceremony last week.

The former Monash student's works include seven novels, a children's book and two volumes of short stories.

He has won the prestigious Miles Franklin Award for his novels Bliss, Oscar and Lucinda and Jack Maggs. The award is given annually for a novel or play of the highest literary merit written by an Australian about Australian life.

Oscar and Lucinda was also made into a film and won the internationally acclaimed Booker McConnell Prize in 1988, while Jack Maggs scooped the 1998 Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

His latest work, True History of the Kelly Gang, was published this month.

Dr Carey now teaches at Columbia University, New York, holds an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Queensland and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

He was among the first intake of students enrolled in Monash's Faculty of Science, before he abandoned chemistry to pursue a literary career.

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Dean presents agribusiness award

Faculty of Business and Economics dean Professor Gill Palmer presented the Monash University Export Award at the recent Rabobank Agribusiness Awards for Excellence 2000.

The export award went to dairy food manufacturer Burra Foods, which has doubled its turnover through a successful export strategy - its exports have grown to $40 million in the last five years.

The Rabobank Agribusiness Awards were founded in 1996 by Monash in conjunction with Rabobank, the world's largest agribusiness bank.

The awards cover eight categories including agribusiness leader of the year, technology and innovation, and environmental and energy management.

Monash's Food and Agribusiness Programs director Dr Lawrence Dooley said the awards benefited all parties involved.

"These awards allow for the interchange of ideas between industry and academia. They also provide an excellent opportunity for networking with people within the agribusiness industry," he said.

Next year's awards will form part of the World Congress of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association.

Burra Foods chairman Mr William Crothers (left) and general manager operations Mr Jon Hauser win the export award presented by Monash Business and Economics dean Professor Gill Palmer.