News and events

Malaysian Alumni Event

A combined alumni event is being held on Saturday 30 August 2008 at the Menanti Palace/Royal Museum in Negeri Sembilan followed by lunch at a resort farm in Dangi. Menanti Palace is a classic piece of Minangkabau architecture dating from around 1900 and no screws or nails were used in its construction. The palace is now a museum containing the regalia and memorabilia of the Negeri Sembilan royal family. Alumni need to be at the palace by 10.30am - it is about 1.5 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur. Please indicate your interest by Friday 22 August - car pooling can be arranged. Please call Nithi on 017 307 9313 with specific queries. RSVP to Jessica on 03 2692 7605 or Robert on 019 233 0277 

SA Great Events - Perth and Brisbane

SA Great is hosting events in August for expatriate South Australians in Brisbane and Perth. These events coincide with Adelaide Crows games in Adelaide against the Bombers and the Bulldogs on Saturday 16 August and Saturday 30 August respectively. Full details of each event including venue and booking details are available at the SA Great website.  

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.

Australia Day Honours for Alumni

Congratulations to Flinders alumni recognised in the 2008 Australia Day Honours list were: Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley AC (MSocAdmin '87), Dr Adam Jamrozik AM (MA SocSc '76), Mr Mark Lloyd OAM (BSocAdmin '76), Dr David Filby PSM (BA Hons '72), and Ms Joslene Mazel PSM (GradCertPubSecMgt '97). Also recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia, was Ms Kerry Lovering, partner of former Flinders Vice-Chancellor, Emeritus Professor John Lovering AO.

Postgraduate Study in 2008 - Information Session

Flinders holds postgraduate Course Information Sessions regularly - information about the next session in June will be available shortly.

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.

Abelard and Heloise - Flinders graduate directs Fringe production

Creative Arts graduate, Emily Sutherland is directing Abelard and Heloise: The Lost Letters and the Music they Inspired during the 2008 Adelaide Fringe. Another Flinders graduate, Antje Guenther, plays Heloise in the production. The love letters of Abelard and Heloise were discovered recently in a French Abbey, and reveal lovers who wrote with passion, finesse and brilliance. This is the first time they have been presented in Australia. The love story of Heloise and Abelard ended in tragedy - their romatic and passionate love letters keep that love alive in our memories. The performance also features medieval music performed by Emma Horwood, Thomas Flint, Simone Slattery and Graham Strahle, and original compositions by Carl Crossin. 

Two performances will take place at St John's Church, Halifax Street, Adelaide on Friday 29 February at 7.30pm, and Sunday March 2 at 5.00pm. Tickets are available from the Adelaide Fringe

The Sunday performance will be preceded by a seminar at 3.00pm given by Professor Constant Mews, Director, Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology at Monash University. The seminar is free for performance ticket holders or $5.00 for others at the door.

2007 ABR and Investigator Lectures now on-line

The Australian Book Review and Flinders University Annual Public Lecture Body, brain and the new science of communication: turns of phrase, figues of speech presented by Professor Ian Gibbins, Neuroscientist and Professor of Anatomy and Histology at Flinders University is now available for viewing.

Insurmountable Opportunities: success in a resource-limited world, the 2007 Investigator Lecture by Dr James Bradfield Moody, General Manager, International Development, CSIRO can also be viewed.

DAA winner's TV series a hit: East West 101

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 channel's number one program. The six part series screens at 8.30pm on 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. 

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

Distinguished Alumni Awards 2008 

Do you know a Flinders graduate who has made or is making significant contributions to Flinders University and/or the Alumni Association, to the community, the State, the nation or internationally in their chosen field? Contributions can be in one or more of the following areas: contributions which have benefited the community, the State or nation, humanitarian services, and contributions to society, the professions, the professional achievements of a nominee or services to the University. For more information about the Awards and the nomination process, please contact Geoff Sauer, Alumni Relations Coordinator, on +61 8 or (08) 8201 2511, email geoffrey.sauer@flinders.edu.au

Malaysian alumni experience BMW

Fast cars, fun company and fine food proved to be a winning combination for the alumni of Flinders University and University of South Australia in Kuala Lumpur on 3 November. 42 alumni including 17 from Flinders, attended a combined alumni event at Auto Bavaria, the BMW distributor in Malaysia. The main attraction was the opportunity to drive the latest BMWs.

Organised by newly appointed Education Adelaide Malaysian Coordinator, Mr Nithi Nesadurai, alumni experienced service compatible with the quality of the cars, and ambience of the chic showroom. Alumni had a valet parking service on arrival, a welcome drink on registration, and a meeting area specially set up to facilitate socialising. Auto Bavaria Manager, Hariharan Appukutten welcomed the group and said he was delighted to work with an alumni group for the first time. Nithi introduced Flinders University Malaysian Alumni Chapter President, Mr Kris Wong, and his UniSA counterpart, Lee Wan Ling. After a talk on safe driving, the alumni were led to a showroom where they were introduced to the features and innovations of the BMW vehicle range.

The highlight of the event was the experience of driving the BMWs. Those waiting their turn enjoyed a delicious meal. Those returning from their drives were literally on cloud nine with superlative comments about the cars and the event. The bonds of attachment to Adelaide were strongly reinforced during the event - the next combined alumni event in Kuala Lumpur is in January 2008 and features jewellery.

Photo

DAA winner's new TV series: East West 101

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.

AUIAC 2008 Singapore

The sixth Australian Universities International Alumni Convention (AUIAC) will be held in Singapore in June 2008. The Convention theme is Futuropolis: The Way Ahead thru Alumni Connections covering a wide range of topics including health, family, community, education, science, innovation, and information technology.

Further information is available at the AUIAC website.

Distinguished Alumni Awards 2007

Alumni Association President, Stephen Hains, has announced the ten recipients of Distinguished Alumni Awards for 2007. Refer to the Distinguished Alumni Awards web page for details.

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.