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The importance of innovation to Australia's future was the major message from the Australian Research Council (ARC) during its visit to Monash last week.
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Pictured at a demonstration of the ARC-funded confocal imaging facility are, from left, lecturer Dr Rosemary White, head of Biological Sciences, Professor Margaret Clayton, ARC visitors Professor Michael Barber, Professor Vicki Sara and Ms Helen Fullgrabe, facility manager Dr Ian Harper and research assistant Ms Jenny Leenders. |
Addressing an open forum attended by about 150 staff, ARC chair Professor Vicki Sara emphasised that the ARC wanted to fund new ideas. She said that like many countries, Australia was changing from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, which made this a critical time for research and research development.
"In a knowledge-based economy, we rely on our ability to generate, distribute and use new knowledge," she said. She described what she saw as the critical role government should play in supporting the fundamental base of knowledge and expertise.
While not pre-empting the government Green Paper on research to be released shortly, Professor Sara stressed that the government had a real responsibility to provide a creative environment in which academics could generate knowledge.
"Basic research drives the motor of the new economy. Our role is not only to fund excellence but also to nurture the future generation of researchers," she said.
According to Professor Sara, the two major goals for the ARC are to maintain the foundation of basic research and to ensure the flow of knowledge, skills and people between universities, industry and research agencies, both nationally and internationally.
She emphasised the need for the ARC to have strong partnerships with universities, and saw the visit to Monash as an important way of gaining feedback from the academic community.
Joined by three of the four chairs of the ARC committees, Professor Michael Barber, Professor Jim Piper and Professor Ross Milbourne, Professor Sara and her colleagues provided further information about ARC grants in the open forum and then held informal discussions with interested staff in four separate sessions.
Later in the afternoon, they saw first-hand a number of ARC-funded projects in the faculties of Law, Medicine, Arts, Science and Engineering.
Applications for the various ARC programs close between March and June each year. Further information and assistance is available from the Monash University Research Grants and Ethics Branch. See www.monash.edu.au/resgrant/ or contact extn 53012 for further details.
SIF applicationsThe Strategic Innovations Fund (SIF) has been established to emphasise Monash's commitment to the further pursuit of innovation, quality, efficiency and effectiveness in course delivery. For the 1999 round, projects are particularly sought that develop teaching and learning approaches that will utilise the university intranet and associated educational technologies such as the world wide web, tele-teaching and videoconferencing. The application process is currently underway. Intending SIF applicants with faculty in-principle support for a project were strongly encouraged to attend one of the seminars held at the Centre for Higher Education Development during April and May. In addition, advice for applicants is available from a number of areas of the university. Applications ranked by the faculties must be received by the Academic Planning Support Unit by 4 June. Funding allocations will be made on the basis of the recommendations of an advisory committee chaired by the deputy vice-chancellor (academic and planning). For further details on SIF, see www.adm. monash.edu.au/apsu/sif/guide99.htm, or contact Ms Natalie Mitchell on extn 55060 or email natalie.mitchell@adm.monash.edu.au |
With student swipe cards providing 24-hour access to hundreds of high-tech PCs in a climate-controlled facility, the Faculty of Information Technology's new state-of-the-art learning environment is well placed to propel students into the new millennium.
Launching the new facilities at the Caulfield campus, deputy vice-chancellor Professor Peter Darvall said they provided students with unprecedented access to PCs.
He said more than 450 HP Vectra VE 350 MHz computers, all with 17-inch monitors, had been supplied by Hewlett Packard's largest dealer in Australia, Leading Solutions, and financed by Macquarie IT.
"The way in which these facilities were made available shows exactly the kind of innovative approach and engagement with industry that Monash needs," Professor Darvall said.
According to Information Technology dean Professor John Rosenberg, the financing of these computers was a major departure from the previous practice of purchasing equipment outright.
"The leasing deal is a first for the faculty as well as for the university. We consider this project to be a terrific win for students," Professor Rosenberg said.
Dr Graham McLaren, a recently retired member of the Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics, passed away on Friday, 16 April 1999.
With a thirst for knowledge and the desire to help others, Dr McLaren made a large contribution to the academic, arts and general communities.
Appointed initially as a lecturer in 1962, Dr McLaren spent his entire academic career at Monash. Under the guidance of the foundation dean of the Faculty of Economics and Politics, Professor Donald Cochrane, he played a vital role in the growth and development of the new university. Dr McLaren taught in the areas of economics, economic statistics and applied econometrics.
His retirement from the university in late 1997 was marked by many tributes recognising his years of service to teaching, his real concern for students, and his mentoring of young academics.
Keenly involved in the community, Dr McLaren was over the years a church elder, a competitive tennis player, secretary of the Hartwell Eisteddfod and, in his retirement, chairman of the board of Carnsworth Nursing Home.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret, and their children, Fergus and Louise. The university community shares their sentiments: "We feel honoured, richly blessed and proud to have shared a life so abundant."
Centre for Higher Education DevelopmentTeaching and Learning Program for Academic StaffDuring June and July, the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED) will run programs for academic staff that focus on improving teaching and learning. The sessions, which are designed for the Monash context, are practical and informative but have a sound theoretical basis. A range of teaching methods is used and the presenters include some staff from faculties. All academic staff are welcome to attend the programs, which are free of charge. Except where indicated, programs will be held on the Clayton campus. Further details and registration are available on the web at www.adm.monash.edu/ched Supervising research students'Research supervision for new supervisors', Wednesday 2 June, 2 pm to 5 pm. 'Professional doctorates - the Monash experience', Friday 11 June, 10 am to 2 pm. Flexible learning and educational technology'Becoming flexible', Wednesday 9 June, 10 am to 12.30 pm. 'Approaches to educational technology', Wednesday 9 June, 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm. 'Online teaching and learning environments', Thursday 10 June, 10 am to 1 pm. Teaching and assessing'Curriculum design - concept mapping', Wednesday 16 June, 1 am to 5 pm. 'What do good lecturers do? A panel session', Tuesday 22 June, 10 am to 12.30 pm. 'Writing and judging multiple choice questions', Friday 25 June, 9.30 am to 12.30 pm. 'Making the most of your MonQueST results', Wednesday 30 June, 2 pm to 5 pm. Introduction to university teaching'Introduction to university teaching', Tuesday 13 to Friday 16 July, 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. 'Introduction to university teaching' (Gippsland), Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 July, 9 am to 4.30 pm. |
Dean of Art and Design Professor John Redmond with Ms Marian Hoskin, studio coordinator Metals/Jewellery, in the foyer of the new building.The Faculty of Art and Design is on the move.
Around mid-March, students and staff began using the new state-of-the-art facilities in the new building at Caulfield campus. It will be a couple of months before the building is fully operational.
The official opening of the building is expected to take place in the second half of this year.
The new address for the Faculty Office, Department of Design, Department of Theory of Art & Design, Jewellery and Metal Studio (Department of Applied Arts), Digital Imaging Studios and Faculty Gallery is the Art & Design Building, Caulfield campus.
Telephone and fax numbers and email addresses remain unchanged.
Dean of Art and Design Professor John Redmond with Ms Marian Hoskin, studio coordinator Metals/Jewellery, in the foyer of the new building.
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