News and events

Flinders Graduates win Churchill Fellowships

Two Flinders graduates, Dr Lesley Shorne (BA 1982 BMBS 1984) and Mr Michael White (BA 1981 BSocAdmin 1990 MSocAdmin 1997) have been awarded Churchill Fellowships in the 2008 selection round.

Lesley Shorne, who is Senior Medical Officer at Yarrow Place Rape and Sexual Assault Service will visit the UK to study enhanced DNA detection and victim centred approaches to forensic and medical services. Michael White is Place Manager Urban Regeneration, City of Playford, and will investigate the delivery of urban renewal programs in the USA, UK, Netherlands and Sweden.

Churchill Fellowships are awarded annually, and provide the opportunity for Australians to travel overseas to conduct research in their chosen field that is not readily available in Australia. Further information.

Full Professorship for Indonesian graduate

Anak Agung Banyu Perwita received his PhD in Asian Studies in April 2003 and is now Vice Rector for Relations and Cooperation at Parahyangan Catholic University, Bandung, Indonesia. He has just received his full Professorship in International Relations from the Government of Republic of Indonesia, and is the second Professor of International Relations in Indonesia. Banyu is also the youngest professor of International Relations in Indonesia, and says that he is "so grateful to Flinders and hopes with his professorship that, I can contribute more to the development of International Relations here in Indonesia and especially contribute to the more fruitful relations between Indonesia and Australia." He would like to see future collaboration between Flinders University and Parahyangan Catholic University.

Flinders Graduate wins Fulbright Scholarship

The neurological condition known as cerebral palsy (CP) is to be tackled from a new research direction, thanks to a prestigious Australian-American Scholarship.

David Hobbs (BSc 1995, BEngBiomed/BSc Hons 2001) , a Senior Rehabilitation Engineer with Novita Children's Services, has been awarded a 2008 Fulbright Professional Scholarship to undertake research into the field of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) and CP. David will spend one month at the internationally renowned Cleveland FES Center and two months at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia from August 2008.

The Fulbright Scholarship will enable David to immerse himself in the activities of both US institutions, where he aims to research and investigate the mechanisms for using FES as part of a broader therapeutic program for children with CP to improve their functioning and quality of life.

"FES is a very promising and well-established treatment, and was first used almost 40 years ago to artificially stimulate human muscles", notes Hobbs. "It was used primarily with people with a spinal cord injury or post-stroke, to stimulate muscle that could no longer be stimulated naturally."

However, recent FES research efforts have turned to the neurological condition CP, which has the primary effect of impairing muscle function, meaning that movements can be unpredictable and muscles can be stiff or tight - which makes walking either very hard work (energy intensive) or near impossible.

"FES trials involving children with CP have demonstrated that the treatment can produce positive benefits, particularly for children who have difficulty walking. Small scale trials showed that the FES treatment improved walking patterns and coordination, leading to more energy efficient walking."

Worldwide, the incidence of CP is the same - approximately 1 in 400 births. There is no pre-birth test and no known cure for CP, and the cause is largely unknown. In Australia, on average, a child is born with CP every 18 hours, and it is estimated that CP costs the Australian Government $1 billion per year. Novita caters for more than 1,280 children across South Australia, and CP is the main condition affecting 60-65% of Novita's clientele.

David hopes to use his experience and the Scholarship to develop an FES program that will improve the way children with CP walk.

The prestigious Fulbright program is the largest educational scholarship of its kind, created by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright and the U.S. Government in 1946. Aimed at promoting mutual understanding through educational exchange, it operates between the U.S. and 150 countries. In Australia, the scholarships are funded by the Australian and U.S. Governments and corporate partners and administered by the Australian-American Fulbright Commission in Canberra.

David is one of 24 talented Australians to be recognised as a Fulbright Scholar in 2008. See the full list of Flinders Fulbright recipients.

Combined UK Alumni Chapter Update

Elsa D'Ercoli (BA 1977 DipEd 1978) is now Vice-Chairman of the Chapter, and Simon Fourmy (BA Hons 1997) is Secretary. Other Flinders alumni on the committee are Jane Chapman (DipAppSc Ng 1986, BNg 1992), Tamsin Jones (BSocPg 2000), Di Tofts (BNgEd 1989 MNg 1998), and Andrew Kaines (MPH 2003).

Chapter events for 2008 include the Premier's visit in May, the Second Alumni lecture in May/June, wine tasting on 25 September, Annual General Meeting on 12 November, and Christmas Drinks in November. Check the Chapter's website.

Flinders Alumni Receive Awards in Jakarta

Two Flinders alumni, Mr Abdul Mu'ti (MEd 1998) and Mr Samsul Bahri Usman (MEdMgt 2004) received Inspiration Awards at the inaugural Australian Alumni Awards in Jakarta on 16 February 2008. These Awards recognise outstanding Australian alumni whose work, professional or voluntary, is an inspiration for others.  

Mr Abdul Mu’ti's  significant achievements inspire young Indonesians. He completed his Masters degree in the School of Education at Flinders under the AusAID scholarship scheme from 1995-1997. Mr Mu’ti has been very active within the Muhammadiyah Organisation, the second largest Islamic organisation in Indonesia, since he was a young student in Central Java. Currently he is Chairman of the Muhammadiyah National Youth Organisation and is also Executive Director for the Centre for Dialogue and Cooperation Among Civilisations (CDCC). CDCC aims to promote better understanding and peaceful relations between religions, cultures, nations and civilisations at large.  He is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Education at the State Institute of Islamic Studies Walisongo (IAIN Walisongo) in Semarang.

Mr Samsul Bahri Usman has made a significant contribution to the field of education. A recipient of the Australian Development Scholarship, Mr Usman also studied in the School of Education at Flinders. Since his return to Indonesia, he has worked tirelessly to overcome the devastating effects of the Aceh tsunami. Mr Usman is currently the Office Manager for the Education Rehabilitation Program for Aceh which his supported by AusAID. He has been engaged in the building of education infrastructure and educational management for schools in five Aceh districts. Following the tsunami, he has been a key contact person for many Australian agencies working in Aceh and has provided valuable assistance in the promotion of Australian Scholarships in his home region. Mr Usman is an active writer who has contributed numerous articles in newspapers in his home province of Aceh and more broadly. He is the current President of the Australian Alumni Association in Aceh Province (IKAMA-ACEH).

The Australian Alumni Awards is an initiative of Australian Education International (AEI) Indonesia and acknowledge the contributions to Indonesia of the many Indonesians who have studied at universities, schools, and technical colleges in Australia.

  

Flinders Graduate Appointed Consul-General in Hong Kong

Mr Les Luck (BA Hons 1971) is to be  Australia’s new Consul-General in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China from April 2008.

Australia has significant interests in Hong Kong as an export market, trading partner and source of investment in utilities and transport infrastructure. The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, with over 1000 members, is among the largest in Hong Kong and is the largest Australian chamber overseas.

Australia has strong people-to-people links with Hong Kong. There are around 60,000 Australians in Hong Kong and 90,000 Hong Kong expatriates in Australia. Hong Kong is Australia's third largest source of international students (24,600), there are over 300,000 Hong Kong alumni from Australian universities, and 153,000 Hong Kong tourists visited Australia in 2006-07,

Les Luck is currently First Assistant Secretary of the Americas Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, a position he has held since July 2006, and his previous postings have included Ambassador for Disarmament and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore, and Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism.

Ozmate for Indonesian Alumni

Ozmate is an interactive online networking community exclusive to Indonesians who have studied or are still studying in Australia. In Ozmate, alumni can find old friends, network and communicate with others, as well as engage in the online forum discussions, receive information about upcoming events and job opportunities. Ozmate membership is free and easily accessed at the website. 

Saturday 16 February sees the first ever Australian Alumni Awards Dinner to be held in Jakarta - tickets are on sale now, and you must be an Ozmate member to be able to buy tickets. Details of the Awards and the nomination process are available on the Ozmate website.

New Chinese alumni and alumni chapter

Record numbers of Chinese Flinders graduates received their degrees at presentation ceremonies in Tianjin and Lijiang in China recently - read the full story. Alumni Association President, Stephen Hains said after his recent visit to Tianjin where he met with a group of alumni that "there is considerable enthusiasm for the development of an alumni network across China, not just in one city." The University plans to assist by exploring opportunities to assist alumni through an an annual dinner, access tp professional networking in Australia, and visits to Australia. 

Photo LtoR: Wang Xuebai, Jill Hains, Stephen Hains, Jiang Han, Lang Dong, Belinda Li at the first Alumni Dinner, Nankai University, 3 November 2007

Steve Knapman, Flinders graduate and 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award winner's new tv mini series premiered on SBS on Thursday 6 December. The show has proved an instant winner, doubling SBS's ratings and becoming the channels' number one program. The six part series screens at 8.30pm Thursdays.

EAST WEST 101 is a 6-part series about the investigations of the Major Crime Squad in Metropolitan Sydney. It is the story of two detectives - one a Muslim, the other Anglo-Australian, and the battle between them for survival. In a post 9/11 world, it is also a metaphor for the fear that exists between East and West when two men search for love, approval and forgiveness, as their destinies collide. More details at Knapman Wyld.

Ambassador receives Distinguished Alumni Award

Chancellor Emeritus, Sr Deirdre Jordan AC MBE, visited Buenos Aries in December 2006, and took the opportunity to formally present Australia's Ambassador to Argentina, Mr Peter Hussin (BA 1971) with his Distinguished Alumni Award.

Peter previously held posts in the Netherlands, Tokyo and London as well as being permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

In addition to his position as Ambassador Mr Hussin has supported projects in Argentina organised by Australians, one of which is a project sponsored by Adelaide's St Aloysius College.

On 17 December, Ambassador Hussin and fellow Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Sr Judith Redden AO (MEdAdmin 1981, DLitt 1986), Principal of St Aloysius College, opened a building, funded by the College which will be a community centre for one of the barrios and eventually will house a very small centre for ophthalmology and gynaecology, for teaching, as well as providing a centre for a dining room and Mass. Water is being made available for 250 families in the area.

Photo: [left to right] Mrs Muriel Hussin, Mr Peter Hussin, Sr Deirdre Jordan. (Photograph courtesy: Sr Judith Redden)

Flinders Astronaut Receives Order of Australia

Dr Mamoru Mohri (PhD 1976, DUniv 1991) was appointed an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia in March 2006, and received his award from Australian Ambassador to Japan, HE Mr Murray McLean OAM in a ceremony at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo on 14 December 2006.

Dr Mohri is a veteran of two Shuttle space flights, having logged over 459 hours in space. He flew as a payload specialist on mission STS-47 in 1992, and was a mission specialist on STS-99 in 2000.