News Archive

Welcome to the latest edition of Science Matters. 2009 is the Chinese Year of the Ox. The Ox, sign symbolises prosperity through fortitude and hard work, and given the financial woes of the world, these characteristics may be in high demand.

The Faculty’s ox-like characteristics will see it take on the challenge of 2009 with the expectation of another successful year for our research and teaching.  I am writing this editorial not long after the inauguration of Barack Obama. His presidency is a cause for celebration and there is sense of expectation of great things to come. Here in Australia, we are still awaiting the ‘educational revolution’ promised by our (relatively) new Prime Minister. Nationally, we have had the Bradley review of higher education which offers a comprehensive package of reforms for Australia's tertiary education sector, but there is little new for science education.

At the State level, we have a new government but so far there is little evidence of positive changes for science or higher education. Hopefully, innovation and change in the USA will provide a model for bringing about long-needed change to the Australian education system.

The Faculty goes into 2009 with a strong focus on the challenges that lie ahead, particularly in planning for the introduction of UWA’s new course structure. For science, the changes to our degrees and degree structure provide a great opportunity to enhance our teaching activities.

That said, 2008 was a good year for teaching in the Faculty. Several staff were recognised for the outstanding quality of their work: Peter Whipp (School of Sports Science, Exercise and Health) for Coursework Teaching; Stephan Lewandowsky (School of Psychology) for Honours Research Supervision; Mike Tobar (School of Physics) for Postgraduate Research Supervision and Shane Rogers (School of Psychology) for Excellence in Student Support. Peter Whipp also won an early career award for Teaching Excellence from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.

UWA teaching commendations were give to the following staff for coursework teaching: Ian McArthur (School of Physics); Peter Arthur (School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences); Werner Stritzke (School of Psychology); Kym Guelfi (School of Sports Science, Exercise and Health). And in the area of student support, commendations were awarded to Sam Saunders and also Rhonda Clifford (School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences).

Overseas in 2008, the first cohort of students took the new International Science Experience-China unit and spent three weeks at Zhejiang University on a research project. Last year also saw our first graduates from the offshore program in Singapore. We now have more than 700 students enrolled in Singapore, with most in the Life Sciences programs. This year will see the introduction of a new program in Chemistry. Sports Science and Psychology are also beginning to attract students and we look forward to substantial growth in these programs

Staff in the Schools of Physics, Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences and the Centre of Excellence for Plant Energy Biology were successful in winning major grants from the ARC and staff in Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences and in Anatomy and Human Biology had success in obtaining major NHMRC funding.

And of course, there have been other notable successes. Ben Corry (School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences) won the 2008 WA Premier’s Young Scientist of the Year award; honours student Jacinta Delhaize won the 2008 WA Premier’s Science Student of the Year (University), and SymbioticA (in the School of Anatomy and Human Biology) received the award for Excellence in Science Communication Outside the Classroom.

Paul Stanwix (School of Physics) supervised by Mike Tobar , was the inaugural recipient of the National Measurement Institute prize for outstanding achievement in measurement research/excellence in practical measurements by a young individual.
Robert Patuzzi (School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences) won the Harry Blackmore Award, in recognition of his audiological services to deaf and hearing-impaired people and raising awareness of hearing impairment.