University News

New scientific research has found another compelling reason for women to breastfeed their babies – the discovery of stem cells in human breast milk.

The Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences has been celebrating since the last issue of Science Matters with the opening of two new research centres.

On the 23rd of May Faculty staff gathered in the foyer of the MCS Building in May to celebrate the achievements of our undergraduate students in the annual Faculty Prize Giving Ceremony.

Four bright young students are being nurtured as research scientists under the guiding eye of Professor George Stewart.

The pattern of floor tiles, an intriguing street sculpture, contributions to general relativity theory and cosmology may seem unrelated but all come from the brilliant mind of Sir Roger Penrose.

Susan Hayes, a doctoral student with the School of Anatomy and Human Biology, ran a two day public workshop in April at the WA Museum called Art, Anatomy and the Skull.

One of the most exciting public events of the year was the Beyond Fibres exhibition hosted by the Faculty in March.

Good communicators make good teachers. So it makes good sense for UWA’s Science Communication program to be tailored for prospective students.

Western Australia is enjoying an unprecedented economic boom built on huge Chinese demand for iron ore and gas.

Members of the Faculty and the wider University community gathered in May for a special ceremony in Singapore to celebrate the launch of PSB Academy’s new branding identity and the formal opening

The Faculty will be hosting offshore alumni events in Malaysia and Singapore in August this year. On 12th August an alumni cocktail party will be held in Kuala Lumpur.

The School of Anatomy and Human Biology celebrated its 50th anniversary in November. The celebrations included tours of the building and its facilities and afternoon tea followed by a cocktail party in the Memorial Garden.

The School of Psychology issued its first edition of Psychology Alumni News in October 2007, a newsletter for psychology alumni and friends. To receive a copy, contact Elliot Wood at elliot@psy.uwa.edu.au.

The Human Movement and Exercise Science Alumni Committee have had a busy 12 months – hosting a well attended reunion for all graduates, a wine tasting, an industry dinner for those in the occupational health and safety workforce and a reunion for the 87ers - those who commenced undergraduate studies in 1985 and concluded in 1987 - or near to.

September 10 heralded the graduation of the first 28 students from the Master of Pharmacy course.

The fragile, translucent beauty of Chinese and Japanese porcelain has for centuries made it the target of professional forgers. With today’s rapid advances in technology, the marketing of fake antiquities is hugely profitable, and Chinese Ming and Japanese Imari porcelain forgeries change hands for vast sums.

“There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else.” (George Matthew Adams)

Take a moment to recall someone whose words of wisdom, inspiration or support have made all the difference to your career. Would you like to make that sort of difference to a UWA student?

The Office of Industry and Innovation (OII) at UWA has established a good relationship with the Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences, working with early stage investors, venture capitalists and other commercial interests who are keen to commercialise UWA's research outcomes.

Kate Leeming
Deputy Head Professional, Royal Melbourne Tennis Club
Adventure cyclist
Author of Out There and Back; the story of the 25,000km Great Australian Cycle Expedition; BPE (1987); Dip Ed (1988)

Studying physical education at UWA seemed a natural progression after school, given my abilities as a sporting ”all-rounder”. After completing my degree in 1987, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do so I added a Dip Ed to my qualifications and taught for a year before heading to the UK on a UWA Hockey Club tour. I then spent a couple of years pedalling 15,000km from Spain to Turkey and up to the Nord Kapp in Norway. This was my personal discovery of Europe.

Black holes remain one of the great enigmas of the universe.

But thanks to research by UWA physicist Professor David Blair, within the next decade we may be able to detect gravitational waves on earth and "listen" to the sounds of these and other astronomical phenomena.

Almost a quarter of Australian children and adolescents are now classed as either overweight or obese. That poses a serious public health concern, especially since childhood weight problems often continue into adulthood, increasing the risk of heart disease, Type II diabetes, asthma and orthopaedic problems. Research conducted at UWA estimates that up to 80 per cent of children with weight problems have mothers who are either overweight or obese. UWA researchers are now trying to tackle the obesity epidemic from a new angle – by targeting treatment at overweight mothers of overweight children.

On Wednesday 22nd November 2006, the Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences was delighted to host a dinner in honour of a generous contribution made to the Faculty by Mrs Marjorie Le Souef. Her gift will enable the endowment in perpetuity of an Academic Chair in Tropical Microbiology.

Dr Michelle Elenore Grassi
Senior Environmental Scientist, Environmental Resources
Management Australia Pty Ltd (ERM)

Newly appointed Professor of Science Education, Grady Venville, is facing a tough challenge in her new role at UWA.

On 17th December 2006 a happy, interactive and moderately noisy crowd of nearly 400 graduates gathered to celebrate the School of Human Movement and Exercise Science's homecoming reunion.

Ever thought of studying science in another country? Well, you can!

Mentoring: Connect, Share, Encourage

What is AIESEC?

Spicing-up science was the flavour of the day for science teachers, who visited The University of Western Australia on Monday 16 October, 2006.

A number of pharmaceutical companies are interested in a blood vessel growth inhibitor discovered by UWA Professor Arun Dharmarajan and collaborator Suvro Chatterjee. Their find has implications for the treatment of a range of diseases including cancer, arthritis and diabetic blindness.

Biological scientist Dr Ryan Lister is nurturing his scientific career in California after becoming the only West Australian to receive a 2006 Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) fellowship.

The UWA graduate was one of four Australians and 80 young scientists worldwide to win one of the awards, which allows them to broaden their training in a laboratory in another country.

Trapping mice at the Abrolhos Islands, time for reflection and interacting with researchers are among the highlights for the four recent Teachers-in-Residence (TiRS) at UWA.