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Almost $3.5 million in new funds were secured for research at Monash in the latest Australian Research Council (ARC) schemes.
Of the 216 applications for ARC large grants submitted by Monash, 46 were successful - two grants better than in 1997. This represents a success rate for Monash of 21.3 per cent compared to the national average of 20.7 per cent.
The Faculty of Science was again extremely successful, laying claim to 21 grants. Arts and Medicine each received five new grants and Engineering received four.
Deputy vice-chancellor (Research and Development) Professor Peter Darvall said he was delighted that Monash's Science faculty had once again been recognised as an area of research strength.
"The Faculty of Science should rightly be proud of its result this year in such a highly competitive round of research grants," he said. "Clearly, several other faculties will be disappointed with the results and we will have to work hard on new strategies for seeking grants over the coming year."
In addition to the large grants, five researchers will be given the opportunity to undertake fellowships at Monash in the Arts, Pharmacy and Science faculties. Two of the award winners are external to Monash - one from interstate and one from overseas. The three Monash recipients are Dr Alex Drljaca and Dr David Humphrey from Chemistry and Dr Jenny Hocking from the National Centre for Australian Studies.
Dr Drljaca was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship while Dr Hocking and Dr Humphrey were awarded Australian Research Fellowships.
More than half the applications submitted for the Strategic Partnership with Industry - Research and Training (SPIRT) scheme were successful, resulting in 22 new grants.
This funding includes grants for 12 projects on topics such as human rights, violence against children, the teaching of mathematics and theatre. It also includes 13 Australian Postgraduate Awards (Industry) - two of which are specially designated awards for IT research.
Two Monash researchers, Dr Yi Bing Cheng from Engineering and Dr Andrew Prentice from Science, will receive funding under the International Researcher Exchange (IREX) Program.
Early
support for scienceMonash's new Bachelor of Science degree was launched last week but prospective students did not wait for the formalities to show their endorsement.
The new degree, which begins next year, has attracted a 53 per cent increase in first preferences compared to last year's applications for the previous Bachelor of Science degree.
Dean of the Faculty of Science Professor Ron Davies said the new degree catered for a broader range of students.
"Our previous Bachelor of Science was an excellent degree but it was designed to suit a particular type of student. This degree targets the current high demand for graduates with a broad-based science training," Professor Davies said.
Under the new Bachelor of Science, students will be given an understanding of the origins of science and the nature of scientific method. It aims to equip graduates for employment in a broad range of fields or prepare them for further specialised training in a specific field, with the potential for honours and postgraduate study.
Toasting their success: Professor Ron Davies, dean of Science, and Dr Kristina Macrae, associate dean (teaching), launch the new science degree.
Presiding
over his final graduation last week,
Monash chancellor Mr Bill Rogers (left) presented an
honorary Doctor of Laws to Dr John Birrell,
who was Victoria Police Surgeon from 1957 to 1977.
Water
Studies Centre moves to ClaytonResearch into the chemistry and ecology of Australian aquatic systems has been given a boost with the opening of a new Water Studies Centre at the Clayton campus last week.
A partner in the CRC for Freshwater Ecology, the centre has been relocated from the Caulfield campus and is now operating in building 19 (under building 23).
Centre director Professor Barry Hart said the $2 million facility featured eight state-of-the-art chemical and biological laboratories and had accumulated a national and international reputation for its work in developing instruments for measuring nutrients in real time.
"These portable instruments have enabled researchers and management agencies to rapidly pinpoint the nutrients that might be causing problems in our waterways," he said.
"Coupled with the new software, these instruments will improve nutrient removal from sewage treatment plants. This new process control package will be tested at two Sydney Water treatment plants during 1999 and 2000."
At the opening of the Water Studies Centre's new Clayton premises were, from left, CRCFE director Professor Peter Cullen, Monash vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson, director of the Monash Water Studies Centre Professor Barry Hart, dean of Science Professor Ron Davies, and chair of the CRCFE board Dr John Langford.
Monash students were given some helpful tips about tackling the job market at the Career Start Program 1998, held recently at Caulfield campus.
The three-day program was organised by the Monash Student Employment and Careers Service and opened by head of the Management department Dr Gerry Griffin.
The purpose of the program, attended by 57 Monash students from all disciplines, was to ensure that senior students were adequately prepared to compete for jobs at the end of their studies.
Program coordinator Ms Mary Gordon said a number of employers had taken part in presenting workshops and the response was excellent.
Participating employers included ANZ Bank, Macquarie Bank, Andersen Consulting, PMP Communications, Schlumberger Oilfields Australia, Robert Bosch Australia, DMR Consulting, Coles Myer and Business Services Training Australia.
"These high-profile companies provided real-life situations and input from their experiences in the graduate recruitment process," Ms Gordon said.
Workshops looked at topics such as presentation and public speaking, teamwork, resume writing, interview skills and changing career paths.
Monash University will provide a program of Russian studies on the Parkville campus of Melbourne University from next year.
Monash will do the teaching but the subjects will be available to students from both universities.
The vice-chancellors of the two universities signed the Russian Teaching Services Agreement last week during a meeting of senior non-faculty staff from both universities.
The agreement is a key example of academic cooperation arising from the Melbourne-Monash Protocol - a broad alliance developed 12 months ago which promotes cooperation in areas of mutual benefit to both institutions, particularly where these enhance teaching and learning opportunities for students.
Monash vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson said such cooperative arrangements between institutions enabled subjects with low enrolments to be delivered more efficiently and more cost effectively.
As part of the agreement on Russian studies, both Monash and Melbourne have commited to offering Russian language and cultural studies subjects sufficient for a full undergraduate major. Students who are attracted to the study of Russian will have access to high-quality university teaching within the framework of their own university's degree.
Another development under way within the terms of the Protocol is the Melbourne/Monash Collaborative Teaching and Learning Courseware Development Grant Scheme, which aims to develop innovative teaching and learning materials in a way that avoids duplication.
Co-chairs of the grants committee, Professor Daine Alcorn from the University of Melbourne and Professor John Harris from Monash University, reported to last week's Protocol meeting that the committee had received a number of submissions for a variety of projects. Both institutions have provided $100,000, with up to seven projects expected to be funded in 1999.
Other key proposals being considered under the Monash-Melbourne Protocol include:
South Africa's trade relations with Australia will be the focus of a lecture by the visiting Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Alec Erwin, MP, at the Hotel Sofitel in Melbourne on Friday 11 December.
Hosted by Monash University, Mr Erwin's lecture will address the topic 'The Changing Face of the South African Market: From Isolation to Integration - The Australia-South Africa Bilateral Relationship'.
The South African minister, a member of the African National Congress National Executive Committee, is currently president of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
He is in Australia to attend a conference of the Australia-South Africa Joint Ministerial Commission and as head of a South African trade mission.
Australia's ambassador to Israel and former Latrobe Valley resident Mr Ian Wilcock paid a visit to Monash's Gippsland campus recently.
Mr Wilcock taught at the Yallourn Technical College in 1969 and was a foundation staff member of the Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education, which is now part Monash University.
Mr Wilcock said that when he left the Latrobe Valley in 1972, the first building on the Gippsland campus at Churchill was just emerging from a cow paddock.
"Together with several of the foundation staff of the Gippsland Institute, I was involved in contributing to the first educational specifications as well as to the campus master plan," he recalled.
"I was delighted to return to find a thriving and vibrant campus of Monash University which not only services the Gippsland region but has well-established links around the world through its distance education and research programs."
Mr Wilcock said Gippsland was well placed to respond to the economic changes brought about by a global society. Having a university and TAFE institutes which provided both knowledge and vocational skills had given the region an enormous advantage in responding to these key challenges, he added.
Accompanying Mr Wilcock was his wife Tamara, who taught at Newborough High School from 1968 to 1971. Mrs Wilcock has a professional interest in the joint Monash University/Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE English Language Program, which will be launched in Gippsland soon.
Applications are being sought for the Monash University Churchill Fellowship for the year 2000.
The fellowship, sponsored by Monash for the second year, funds the study of an aspect of university management.
The 1999 Monash University Churchill Fellowship was awarded to environmental engineer Ms Leith Sharp, who will investigate campus environmental management curricula in the UK, the US and Canada.
The closing date for applications is 28 February. For more information, contact the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust on (02) 6247 8333, or check the web site at http://sunsite.anu.edu.au/churchill_fellowships
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