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Friday, 24 September 2010

The recent launch of our Energy and Minerals Institute was a reminder of our University's central position in the life of the community and beyond.

The Institute is not a physical building on campus, but a virtual ‘gateway' connecting two different worlds - the world of academia to that of government, industry and business. Many of our staff were joined by business and community leaders at the launch by Dr Ken Michael, Governor of Western Australia and former Chancellor of UWA.

Linking the business community to our University, the Institute's Board will be chaired by Greig Gailey, who has more than 40 years' experience in the resources sector. Other members include Rio Tinto's executive director and chief executive Iron Ore Sam Walsh; Shell in Australia Country Chair Ann Pickard; former diplomat Dr Rick Smith; Executive Director Development at CSIRO Dr James Bradfield Moody; and Glenn Kellow, President of Stainless Steel Materials for BHP Billiton. Supporting the Board from the University will be the Institute's Director Tim Shanahan and Professor Robyn Owens.

The multi-disciplinary Institute advances the University's commitment to supporting and developing the industries which continue to drive the State's economy.

Almost a century ago, our University was partly funded by the riches of the 1890s gold rush that provided such a strong impetus to our fledgling State's growth and prosperity. Since then, it has helped to drive the energy and minerals industries.

In 1912, Engineering and Mining was one of our eight founding disciplines. And our first Chair in Engineering and Mining - at a time when the Chairs were filled by scholars from overseas and interstate - was in fact the only Western Australian appointed to such a position.

Before joining the University, Hubert Edwin Whitfeld was managing a gold mine at Sandstone in the Murchison. He would have approved of our new Institute, where we aim to solve complex industry problems by a multi-disciplinary approach. As Vice-Chancellor of our University in the 1930s, Whitfeld made plans for coordinating and cross-fertilising studies in different faculties. He himself was a scientist with a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil and Mining Metallurgy, as well as a humanist, with Firsts in Latin and Greek.

In the decades since his time, our University has always been strongly aligned to the key economic activities that contribute to the well-being of our community and we have been successful in this by harnessing researchers who have a strong spirit of inquiry.

* * *

The University was pleased to be able to pay tribute to former Chancellor Dr Donald Aitken with a memorial service to celebrate his life.

As a member of the University Senate, then as Pro Chancellor and finally as Chancellor, Dr Aitken set our University firmly on its path of becoming the internationally recognised institution it now is.

His leadership, wisdom and generosity also made a positive impact on the State in government, business and the community.

UWA News 20 September 2010

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