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Hundreds of Melbourne families were recently invited to a special movie night at Village Knox 10 Cinemas to thank them for their part in a world-first scientific study on water quality.
Organised by the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, the movie night celebrated the completion of the first stage of the $3 million study.
According to the director of the study, Associate Professor Christopher Fairley, the generosity of Village cinemas and the sponsorship of South East Water, Yarra Valley Water and Melbourne Water made it possible to show appreciation to the families in this small way.
He said that more than 93 per cent of the 600 families from the eastern and south-eastern suburbs involved in the project completed the entire study. This was a much higher rate than overseas, he said, and demonstrated the commitment of the families involved.
"We are grateful for their help in this important research that will ultimately benefit the community," Dr Fairley said. "The study represents an unprecedented shift from a reliance on measuring bacteria to test water quality, to measuring health effects on people."
The families taking part in the study were divided into two groups, with each household being fitted with specifically designed water filtration equipment. One group had working units, while the other had non-working units of identical appearance.
"Over an 18-month period, all families used the water from the 'filtered' tap for normal drinking purposes and kept a record of family health," Dr Fairley said. "During the study, neither the families nor the research workers knew which type of filter was fitted in each household."
According to Dr Fairley, the study is of major importance to the water supply industry both in Australia and overseas.
The research has been funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment, the Water Services Association of Australia, the Victorian Department of Human Services, Melbourne Water, City West Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water.
Final outcomes will be known at the end of the year after the health records of the families have been analysed. Further information on the project is available at www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/crc
New flag for reconciliation
Chair of the federal government's Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Ms Evelyn Scott has been presented with a flag designed by Monash academic Mr Russell Kennedy. Art and Design dean Professor John Redmond and Mr Kennedy met with Ms Scott on the eve of Reconciliation Week to hand over the flag, which is being offered to the council as its official reconciliation flag. Mr Kennedy, who first presented a flag design to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in 1992, has worked with various indigenous groups both in Australia and overseas to come up with the final design, which he hopes will be adopted as the official reconciliation flag by the council. Also designed by Mr Kennedy and presented to Ms Scott was a partnership logo. "Organisations wanting to support reconciliation would be able to use the partnership logo alongside their own logo," Mr Kennedy explained. "The partnership logo incorporates an aspect of the reconciliation flag as well as a black and white handshake." Mr Kennedy said many companies supported reconciliation issues and wanted to show their ongoing support and commitment in a public, visible manner. Both designs will be presented for endorsement by the Reconciliation Council at its next meeting. - Julie Ryan |
The disastrous and
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New editor for MemoMs Sandra Stubbings has joined Staff Development and Communications to work on Monash Memo and contribute to the university-wide internal communications strategy. Ms Stubbings, who is on the staff of the University of Melbourne, has been seconded to Monash for 12 months under the Melbourne-Monash protocol. She said the secondment was a great opportunity to use her experience in a different environment. "There are many similarities between the two universities, but some fundamental differences as well. Monash is larger and more diverse, with a really dynamic international focus." Ms Stubbings is looking forward to meeting staff in all areas of the university. She can be contacted on extn 56800. |
Five nursing students from Boston College in the US are currently on exchange at Monash's Gippsland campus.
The students are making the most of the opportunity and have entered into the experience wholeheartedly.
They recently completed their clinical rounds, with the first week spent with a local district nurse in the home heath care service. The second week saw them involved in a broad range of health-related tasks with the Koori Centre in Morwell.
One of the students, Ms Lisa Gallagher, said her rounds had been valuable in helping her apply in a practical way what she had learned at university.
Another Boston student, Ms Elyssa Vasas, said the visiting students commended the Gippsland nursing staff for their dedication and assistance.
"The staff at Monash have gone out of their way to make us welcome. They provided assistance on all issues that could affect us as students from another country."
The students will head home to Boston at the end of June.
Boston College
students on exchange at Gippsland are, from left, Ms Jennifer Maloney, Ms
Lisa Gallagher, Ms Melissa Bellizzi and Ms Elyssa Vasas. Ms Mary-Ellen Frydenlund
is the fifth member of the group.
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