News Archive

As we near the end of another academic year, we are pleased to acknowledge the success of three UWA researchers who have been named as 2011 Scientist of the Year finalists in the Western Australian Science of the Year Awards.

They are Winthrop Professor Sarah Dunlop of the School of Animal Biology; Australian Laureate Fellow Professor Richard Hobbs of the School of Plant Biology; and ARC Federation Fellow Winthrop Professor Mark Randolph of the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems.

We also have two finalists in the Early Career Scientist of the Year - A/Professor Meri Tulic from the School of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Professor David White from the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems.

At the same time we also received the very pleasing news that final-year law student and reconciliation campaigner Krista McMeeken, was named as the Western Australian finalist in the Young Australian of the Year Award 2012.

The vital work of our researchers and students in different fields exemplifies the breadth of the contribution the University makes to the community and the nation through its outstanding staff and students.

This contribution was further recognised during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting hosted by our city last month. The University's iconic Winthrop Hall was the setting for an historic Commonwealth Heads of State dinner hosted by the Australian Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard was joined by about 100 Commonwealth leaders at the dinner after the second day of CHOGM discussions. It was surely one of the most important events in the University's 100 year history.

The decision to make our campus the focus of the Prime Minister's dinner is a reflection of the University's position as an intellectual and creative resource not only for the Western Australian and Australian community but the global community. And it demonstrated the extent to which ours is now an international University in both outlook and action.

In fact, UWA was recently ranked 13th in the world in a Times Higher Education ranking of international outlook. This ranking takes into account the percentage of international students within overall student numbers, the percentage of international staff within total staff numbers, and the number of research papers written with an international co-author.

Our University has a strong history of international engagement which brings benefits to the University and to all West Australians, and we are pleased that this continues to be the case.

Vice-Chancellor Alan Robson

UWA News 14 November 2011