THE GRADUATE UNIONÂ
NEWSLETTER APRIL 2019
Contents / GU Newsletter
CONTENTS GU COLLEGIATE
MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS
5
April Monthly Luncheon Associate Professor Kate MacNeill
24
Mindfulness by Member, Ms Shabnam Daliri
6
Insights into Meditation Venerable Dr Vimokkha Mendhino
25
Man in the Moon by Life Member, Mr Louis A Coutts
7
April College Table Adjunct Professor Harry Blutstein
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS
8
GU Annual Influenza Vaccination Day
22
9
AGM Dinner Deborah Glass, Victorian Ombudsman
OTHER
FEATURES 10
ANZ Intensive Care Unit Society Dr Stephen Warrillow
REVIEWS 12
March Monthly Luncheon Edward Tudor
GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS 14
International Women's Day (IWD) Luncheon Lesley Bawden and Margaret Sawyer
16
IWD Reflection 2019 by Helen Robinett
17
Probus Club’s 10th anniversary by Member, Mr Graham Skewes
18
Welcome back to Graduate House Prakhar Bhargava Library of Aged Care Things
19
Outcome.Life Gerard Holland and Domenic Saporito
20
The Royal Society of Victoria
22
Resident Members’ Meet and Greet
February 2019 Listings
4
Rotary Club of Carlton Monday Evening Professor Tony Jorm
21
Innovation Little free libraries
21
Extracurricular Reef RangerBot
26
Feedback
27
Diamond Jubilee Campaign Contribution Form
GU Merchandise Diamond Jubilee Cufflinks Designed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the purchase of the Gladstone Terrace by The Graduate Union. These elegant 82.5 sterling silver cufflinks contain a three-wing motif, inspired by The Graduate Union’s logo. $104.00 — sterling cufflinks $195.00 — sterling cufflinks with diamond inset. Available for purchase at reception or online at www.graduatehouse.com.au/merchandise
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GU COLLEGIATE Italian Conversation Dinner
Monthly Luncheon
Bridge Nights
Dine while learning to speak Italian with an experienced teacher.
Associate Professor Kate MacNeill Collecting and Exhibiting the Works of Women Artists.
Join in a game or learn to play the card game Bridge. Enjoy biscuits, tea and coffee.
Resident Members $10 non-resident Members $30 general public $40, concession $35
Members $2 non-members $6
6:00pm Tue, 2nd, 16th April
12:00pm for 12:30pm start Wed, 3rd April
6:50pm for 7:00pm start Wed, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th April
Special Morning Breakfast
College Table
Women's Forum
Non-resident Members are welcome to join Resident Members for a hearty breakfast at Graduate House.
Adjunct Professor Dr Harry Blutstein on Social Studies.
Come along to discuss 'Privacy'.
Members $17 non-members $25
Free for Resident Members non-resident Members $20
Members $12 non-members $20 Loyalty Card holders $12
7:30am to 8:30am Tue, 9th April
12:00pm for 12:30pm start Fri, 12th April
Influenza Vaccination Day Free flu vaccinations are available for all Members. Non-members, university students and staff are welcome (subject to availability). Vaccination is FREE. 10:00am to 4:00pm Tue, 30th April
The Forum is free. All are welcome. Lunch is at Member and non-member prices.
10:00am for 10:30am start Wed, 17th April
BOOK NOW via our website: www.graduatehouse.com.au by phone: (03) 9347 3428 by email: admingh@graduatehouse.com.au or at Reception.
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The Rotary Club of Carlton Monday Night Monthly Meeting
Guest Speaker — Professor Tony Jorm on the topic of Wikipedia
Professor Tony Jorm is an Emeritus Professor at The University of Melbourne. His research focuses on building the community’s capacity for prevention and early intervention with mental disorders. Professor Jorm is the author of 34 books or monographs, over 600 journal articles and over 30 chapters in edited volumes. He was awarded a Doctor of Science for his research and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. He is Editor-in-Chief of Mental Health & Prevention and an Associate Editor of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Previous positions he has held include NHMRC Australia Fellow, Chair of the Research Committee of Australian Rotary Health and President of the Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research. He has been listed in ISI HighlyCited.com as one of the most cited researchers in Psychology/Psychiatry. Wikipedia is a multilingual, web-based, free encyclopaedia based on a model of openly editable and viewable content, a wiki. It is the largest and most popular general reference work on the World Wide Web and is one of the most popular websites.
Monday, 1st April, 6:00PM
Graduate House, 220 Leicester Street, Carlton Bookings
Cost
Tel: (03) 9347 3428
$22 for Rotary members and non-members (all are welcome, including non-members of Rotary).
Email: admingh@graduatehouse.com.au RSVP by Thursday, 28th March
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Monthly Luncheon ‘Collecting and Exhibiting the work of Women Artists’
With guest speaker
Kate MacNeill is an Associate Professor in the Arts and Cultural Management Program and Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) in the Faculty of Arts at The University of Melbourne.
Associate Professor Kate MacNeill
With a background in law and economics Associate Professor MacNeill gained extensive experience in policy work in government and non-government sectors prior to returning to study art history and gain a PhD in Art History (Identity and Contemporary Australian Art).
Wednesday, 3rd April 2019 12:00NOON arrival for a 12:30PM start
Graduate House 220 Leicester Street, Carlton
Bookings Tel: (03) 9347 3428 Email: admingh@graduatehouse.com.au Website: graduatehouse.com.au/ coming-events
Cost 10 Resident Members 30 non-resident Members $ 35 concession $ 40 general public $ $
Associate Professor MacNeill has supervised PhD students in the areas of global creative industries, contemporary art, leadership in the arts, and memorialisation and public art. She was a co-researcher on the project: iDARE — Developing new approaches to ethics and research integrity training through challenges posed by Creative Practice Research, funded by the Office of Learning and Teaching (Australian Government). Her current research interests include creative practice research and ethics, intellectual property and creative practices, and the circulation of art in the public sphere. Associate Professor MacNeill has published on identity and Australian contemporary art and recently co-authored two industry reports on gender equity in the creative industries: one for the Ontario Arts Council and the other for VicHealth. Come along and hear an insightful discussion about the works of women artists at our next Monthly Luncheon. ABN: 55 610 664 963 | IARN: A0023234B
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Thai Information and Welfare Association Inc.
Turning Inwards to the Nature of Mind Insights into Meditation by Venerable Dr Vimokkha Mendhino Doctorate (PhD) in Buddhist Studies, Mahachulalongkorn University.
A pragmatic approach to the nature of the mind will be demonstrated by Venerable Dr Vimokkha Mendhino. With a journey inwards into the practice of meditation, the aim is to experience calmness, clarity, awareness and the learning of the art of letting go - a path to inner peace.
Friday, 5th April 2019, 7:30pm – 9:30pm Graduate House 220 Leicester Street Carlton, Victoria, 3053 For more information or to conďŹ rm your attendance, phone 03 9347 3428 or email admingh@graduatehouse.com.au ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B
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GU Collegiate / GU Newsletter
College Table Dr Harry Blutstein will lead the discussion on Social Studies.
Stalin Plays Football with the Olympics Games Harry Blutstein has been a freelance journalist since 1972. He has published for the Nation Review, The Australian, The Age, The West Australian, The Canberra Times and the Australian Financial Review. He writes on a wide range of topics from sport to politics, the environment and social issues, and has also worked for 27 years with the Environment Protection Authority on sustainable development. Harry holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a PhD. Now Adjunct Professor at RMIT University in the School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning, he has written books that include ‘The Ascent of Globalisation’ (Manchester University Press, 2015) and ‘Insider’s Guide to Australia’ (Insider’s Guides). The focus for this April College Table will be on the social sciences and on his book ‘Cold War Games’ (Echo Publications, 2017) which Steven Carroll described in The Age as containing ‘twists and turns worthy of John le Carré’.
Friday, 12th April 2019 12:00NOON arrival for 12:30PM start
Bookings Telephone: (03) 9347 3428 Email: admingh@graduatehouse.com.au Venue: Graduate House 220 Leicester Street, Carlton Cost: $12 Members, $20 non-members, $ 15 loyalty card holders
ABN: 55 610 664 963 | IARN: A0023234B
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Graduate Union
Annual Inuenza Vaccination Day
In collaboration with Immunisation Coalition, The Graduate Union presents its eighth annual Influenza Vaccination Day. This is a free community service — all Members (Resident and non-resident) are welcome to come and receive a free flu shot at Graduate House.
Graduate House, 220 Leicester Street, Carlton
Tuesday, 30th April 2019
Graduate House again extends a warm welcome to the organisations that provide this service and the vaccination free of charge.
For more information, phone 03 9347 3428 or email admingh@graduatehouse.com.au
A registration link will be available at the beginning of April. To secure a booking before this, please contact Graduate House. ABN 55 610 664 963 | IAR No. A0023234B
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Annual General Meeting and Dinner Thursday, 30th May 2019
Ms Deborah Glass OBE is the Victorian Ombudsman, appointed for a 10 year term Ms Glass was raised in Melbourne and studied Law at Monash University.
AGM: 5:30PM to 6:30PM Members only Dinner: 7:00PM for 7:30PM Members, guests and non-members.
After practicing law briefly in the city she joined a US investment bank in Switzerland in 1985. She was appointed to the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission at its inception in 1989, where she became Senior Director, instrumental in raising standards in the investment management industry. Deborah moved to London in 1998 where she became the Chief Executive of the Investment Management Regulatory Organisation. In 2001, she joined the UK Police Complaints Authority, and in 2004 became a Commissioner with the new Independent Police Complaints Commission of England and Wales (IPCC). She was the Commissioner responsible for London, and for many high profile criminal and misconduct investigations into police conduct. Deborah was appointed IPCC Deputy Chair in 2008, carrying operational responsibility for the IPCC’s regional Commissioners, and was awarded an OBE for her service in the New Year Honours List in 2012. As the Ombudsman, Ms Glass OBE is committed to ensuring fair and reasonable decision making in the Victorian public sector and to improving public administration. She holds a firm belief in public sector integrity and the protection of human rights.
Bookings RSVP by Monday, 27th May 2019 Telephone: (03) 9347 3428 Email: admingh@graduatehouse.com.au Venue: Graduate House, 220 Leicester Street, Carlton, Victoria
Prices $10 Resident Members $30 Non-resident Members $35 Concessions $40 non-members ABN 55 610 664 963 | IARN A0023234B
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Feature / GU Newsletter
When life hangs in the balance: ANZICS President talks of supporting ICUs in Australasia Aware of the difficulties ICUs have and the success of medical interventions, Dr Warrillow says these teams have many factors to consider when treating patients.
Intensive Care Units (ICU) see the best and worst health problems in society, and no one knows this better than President of The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) and Director of Intensive Care, Austin Health Clinical Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow, Dr Stephen Warrillow.
“Intensive care continues to become increasingly complex and nearly all patients admitted to ICU now have severe compromise in several vital organ systems. As interventions become more effective, there is more that modern medicine can do to keep people alive under circumstances that would once have been uniformly fatal.”
An ANZICS member for 16 years, he first became a member when he was a trainee in an intensive care unit. Since then he has worked at state and bi-national levels to further best practice and advocate for intensive care practice in Australia. Dr Warrillow says the organisation tries to work just as hard as the ICU teams they support. “As ANZICS President, I am privileged to serve a vibrant and engaged group of high performing specialists who dedicate their professional lives to caring for the sickest and most vulnerable of patients. This is challenging work that requires high levels of commitment, resilience, expertise and compassion.” Dr Warrillow is acutely aware of the traumatic environment that ICU can be for patients and their families. He knows first-hand how it “can be a frightening and confronting experience, where life can literally hang in the balance”. ANZICS is the leading advocate organisation on intensive care
Dr Stephen Warrillow at the Epworth Eastern Hospital. matters. It maintains focus on supporting ICU staff in their efforts to do their best for patients. He finds this purpose incredibly motivating. “The society [ANZICS] exists to serve the needs of the intensive care community and assist them achieve their very best. We are constantly reminded in our day-to-day clinical practice of the profound impact that our efforts can have. Always striving to improve practice through research and enhancements in clinical care is fundamental to our approach.” ANZICS also works to advance education, governance, clinical research, guidelines development, professional support and advocacy.
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“These are remarkable advances, however we need to always maintain a focus on the humanity of each and every patient, especially for those we cannot save. Managing the increasing expectations and fragility of patients is essential so that we avoid the risks of inadvertently providing nonbeneficial treatments that might prolong suffering.” ANZICS is committed as an organisation to improve the knowledge and information available on best practice in ICU, with the organisation taking an active role in furthering research in the field, as seen in the ANZICS Clinical Trial Group (CTG). “Through the ANZICS CTG, we undertake more investigator-initiated critical care research than any other organisation in the world. This involves large, high quality studies
Feature / GU Newsletter
that are many years in the planning. The findings of these studies impact on the care of millions of patients within Australasia and around the world.” The ANZICS CTG was established in 1994, when a group of ‘intensivists’ established a group of investigators capable of designing and conducting multi-centre, investigator-initiated research in Australasian Intensive Care Units. The resulting CTG is essentially a highly collegial, multidisciplinary community of Intensive Care Clinicians and Researchers who have received over $110m in total research funding, during its existence. The ANZICS CTG has 41 active studies currently underway. Another aspect of ANZICS is its work with the Women in Intensive Care Medicine Network (WIN) group. Formed in 2015, this committee’s aim was to address the gender balance in Australasian Intensive Care units through advocacy, research and networking opportunities for female intensive care doctors. The WIN committee’s aim is to improve the representation of women in all facets of intensive care medicine, particularly clinical, academic and leadership roles. The committee recognises the importance of diversity to achieve success in gender balance initiatives. This diversity includes differences in gender, age, sexual identity or orientation, nationality, cultural background, ethnicity, religious beliefs, disability, rural or metropolitan representation, social
The ICU department at the Epworth Eastern Hospital. identity, or commitment to family responsibilities. In 2018, WIN officially joined ANZICS to form the WIN-ANZICS committee, with their focus specifically on research and advocacy at a bi-national level and working with other local WIN networks. ANZICS has also committed to specific targets for female representation on the ANZICS Board, committees and speakers at ANZICS events. Stating their goal to have 30 per cent female participation by 2020, 40 per cent by 2023, and 50 per cent by 2026, the organisation will undergo significant change, with the current ANZICS board holding two female members (at 13 per cent of the board) and an average of 16 per cent of female representation across all ANZICS committees.
colleagues in developing countries to share our expertise in helping them to meet local needs, Dr Warrillow says. Thrilled to work within such a dynamic area of health, Dr Warrillow can see the endless potential of ANZICS. “The work is never done and we will never cease trying to improve it. In this sense there is no final goal or ultimate achievement but rather the satisfaction in knowing that we are constantly advancing care… ANZICS is committed to relentlessly pursuing the possibility of doing better.” Find out more about ANZICS at: https://www.anzics.com.au/ vvv
ANZICS also holds one of the largest registries of its type in the world, and provides quality assurance and benchmarking support to nearly every ICU across Australia and New Zealand. The organisation is committed to working with
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Review / GU Newsletter
March Monthly Luncheon Review Wednesday, 6th March 2019
Mr Edward Tudor talks about his work with MITS Few schools can claim they were especially developed with their students in mind but Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS) is an exception. The School assists Indigenous students from remote Indigenous communities in their transition to big cities and to Melbourne schools, thus bridging a pathway that can lead to better educational opportunities which the students might otherwise never be able to access. Talking passionately about its one-of-a-kind education model, the Executive Director of MITS, Edward Tudor, introduced the School at the Graduate House March Monthly Luncheon. Mr Tudor began his talk by reflecting on how the original concept for the School was devised around his parents’ kitchen table in 2008. From there, the idea grew and materialised to become fully operational in 2015 thanks to the dedication of Mr Tudor, his parents and the whole team all working towards the successful transition of Australian Indigenous students to schools in Melbourne. Mr Tudor’s presentation described all the highs and lows of establishing the School, and the rationale for its development. Recognising the traditional owners of the Kulin nations, Edward emphasised the importance of future emerging elders for MITS and the many Indigenous words that are used in naming different parts of Melbourne, and how these have given a stronger Indigenous presence in the community. Mr Tudor also described how MITS has been transformed into a “story of how,
through the collective will of many people, it has come to be a place of opportunity, of cultural strength, of belonging, and of success for young Aboriginal people in Melbourne.” The school has since remained true to its goals of improving the educational achievement of Indigenous students — an incredible mission, of which the School is very proud. Each year, MITS takes in 22 young Indigenous to undertake Year Seven with a classroom ratio of one teacher to every five students. At the end of this year, students are assisted to apply for scholarships in thirteen partner schools (Catholic and independent schools). Should they be accepted, MITS then works to support the student, and the families they live with, through their following secondary schooling years. The need for MITS is all the more powerfully illustrated when considering the disparity in educational achievement between non-indigenous and Indigenous Australians. Using just one example, Mr Tudor presented a graph in which was illustrated the percentage of students from Years 3 to 9 who were able to meet the 2014 national minimum standards for reading. Only about 30% of Indigenous students in very remote communities were achieving this minimum standard for reading at Year 9. Mr Tudor’s parents had been regular visitors to the Northern Territory’s central plateau, had met with other parents and had identified the gap and the human cost of underachieving youth in the area. The disparity was particularly stark
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Mr Edward Tudor for Edward's parents, his father, Rick, having been Headmaster of Trinity Grammar (a prestigious secondary school in Melbourne) and his mother, Liz, being a Veterinarian and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences at The University of Melbourne Aware of the significant disadvantage Indigenous students experience compared to those in metropolitan areas, they began to question if there was a way to solve this problem. “How do you bring together the ambitions of Indigenous students and their families, while taking advantage of the opportunities in Melbourne schools?” This would be a foundational question for MITS, and one that would lead to the family creating
Review / GU Newsletter
a Steering Committee in 2008 and having MITS incorporated by 2010.
Mr Tudor suggests, is an aspirational goal for Australia.
Describing the progressive growth of the organisation, Mr Tudor explained how their attempt to find a suitable boarding house created networking opportunities with similar organisations, the representatives from which provided much needed pro bono contributions. Eventually they settled on the historic Richmond Hill manor Lockington for the student's residence and the Richmond Football Club's Gamadji Institute for the classrooms.
MITS has enjoyed very high educational achievement rates and an almost 96 per cent attendance rate, compared to the Australian average of 91 per cent and the Indigenous average of 81 per cent. The school also has an amazing 96 per cent completion rate. With MITS teachers who are also from Indigenous backgrounds, important strong and trusted bonds are built between the students and their teachers.
Edward Tudor had started in his role as Executive Director 15 months earlier and had worked furiously to raise the necessary $3 million from government and a number of other organisations. The School was registered as a Special School and they were able to complete renovations in five and a half months, rather than the estimated 11 months The Boarding House and School opened for its first group of students in 2015. In 2016, Mr Tudor was awarded the Jack Brockhoff Foundation Churchill Fellowship, which enabled him to study organisations in New Zealand, Canada, the US and Finland that support the transition of young Indigenous people into mainstream educational opportunities. Mr Tudor says this study trip showed the progress that is possible when a state gets behind closing the gap between mainstream students and those in their Indigenous population. Today, Finland’s Sámi people, for example, show no difference in their educational achievement rates. This,
In finishing his presentation, Mr Tudor put out his greatest call to action to the audience: "How can we re-define what success is and what other measures can we use to have a more accurate understanding of our students’ talents?"
As Mr Tudor mentioned in response, “The power of education is determined not by what you get in it but what we achieve as a result of it. Success will look like a great many things to our students … but they all want to be successful.” Aware of the incredible sense of community and belonging that the MITS students experience, and their subsequent success, Mr Tudor knows they will contribute to an empowered Indigenous community, greater cross-cultural understanding and greater shared understanding of the cultural riches we all enjoy in Australia. This will, over time, lead to a more united and reconciled Australia. Find out more about the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School at: https://www.mits.vic.edu.au/ vvv
Students are from the top end of the Northern Territory.
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Graduate House News / GU Newsletter
International Women's Day Luncheon Friday, 8th March 2019 Defining leadership: Dr Anita Goh talks at the IWD lunch Graduate House was proud to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) with a luncheon event on 8th March 2019. Organised by Members Ms Lesley Bawden and Mrs Margaret Sawyer, the lunch was attended by 60 women, with the guest presenter Dr Anita Goh, speaking on ‘Stories from Antarctica about leadership in Dementia Research and Care’. A diverse topic, Dr Anita Goh’s presentation was divided into two parts. First, she outlined her own work as a Clinical Researcher at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and her knowledge and research into dementia. She then spoke about women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and the Homeward Bound project to Antarctica. Beginning her presentation with a summary of her multiple roles as mother, Clinical Researcher, Specialist Doctor and communicator of research, Dr Goh noted the central questions that concern her research, namely: what can delay or prevent dementia and how can the lived experience of dementia improve over time? Examining what is known today about dementia, she stated that prevention is better than cure and the condition is the biggest cognitive and mental crisis of the 21st century. Dr Goh explained how cognitive function gradually decreases over time, resulting in ‘mild cognitive impairment’ which is normal. Dementia, as a result, is an umbrella term for many different conditions that result in the progressive decline in cognitive and functional ability. In reality, there are over 100 different types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s and alcohol-related dementia. Dr Goh summarised
Margaret Sawyer, Speaker Dr Anita Goh and Lesley Bawden at the lunch. some of the main symptoms of dementia, including memory loss, disorientation and mental confusion. Dr Goh noted that there are “very few life moderating changes” which ease or alleviate the progression of dementia, and that in the case of Alzheimer’s, one of the most common conditions of dementia, there is no cure— we currently have only two drugs that have an effect on it, but nothing that slows it down in a meaningful way. However, Dr Goh was optimistic about the ability to prevent dementia, particularly with new statistics published in The Lancet research journal which suggests that “35% of dementia cases could be prevented by targeting nine modifiable risk factors”. To learn more about avoiding these risks, Dr Goh recommended doing the ‘Healthy Ageing quiz’ and looking at the Alzheimer Disease Risk Index’ on the Australian National University website. In the second half of her talk, Dr Goh spoke about the drop-off and loss of women working in STEM and how this loss or ‘leaky-pipe syndrome’ was leading to a lack of representation of women in these areas. The increasing
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lack of women in vital scientific and technological roles is being combated through the Homeward Bound program, which is a groundbreaking global leadership and science initiative which aims to send 1,000 women, who work or study in STEM areas, to take a life-changing trip to Antarctica. It involves a yearlong, state-of-the-art program and a voyage to Antarctica. “Every year," Dr Goh noted, "Homeward Bound takes 80 women to Antarctica — the fastest warming place on the planet — to find out who we are, what is important in our lives and how to build teams and find leadership in science.” Homeward Bound’s goal is to equip 1,000 women to change the policy around climate change – particularly in a natural environment which is so directly seeing the rapid effects of climate change. Describing her own participation in the third Homeward Bound expedition, which brought together women from 26 countries, Dr Goh said the isolation and cold of the Antarctica continent challenges and changes the women who attend. She thus encouraged the audience to invite anyone with a STEM
Graduate House News / GU Newsletter
background to participate in the Program. A trip such as this, Dr Goh says, makes anyone assess what they can do regarding climate change. We need to adopt ‘blue-sky’ thinking and actively ask ourselves: what will I do next? A question Dr Goh asked the room as well. Leaving the room with such inspiring thoughts, the lunch organisers, Ms Lesley Bawden and Margaret Sawyer, said a few closing words at the end of the presentation, and thanked the audience for their attendance. Delighted with the popularity of IWD, Ms Bawden says this year’s event is one of many that she has been involved with.
women, and gain more knowledge. “We don’t make money for anybody. The secret, I believe, is for people to have something affordable to come to and be able to learn something,” Ms Bawden noted. The Graduate Union CEO/Head of College, Dr Kerry Bennett said the organisation was honoured to support such a positive event, as well as sponsor two Resident Members to attend the function. “We are pleased to sponsor two of our own residents to attend the International Women’s Day Lunch. It was also wonderful to see the organisers as well as our Members sponsor another four residents to attend as well, ensuring
Graduate House Members are well represented.” The lunch itself consisted of a menu of eye fillet beef with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes (a vegetarian option was also available) and a healthy fruit salad with passion fruit coulis for dessert. Graduate House would like to thank Lesley Bawden and Margaret Sawyer for all their work in supporting our residents and organising this wonderful and worthwhile event. Find out more about Homeward Bound at: https:// homewardboundprojects.com.au/ vvv
“I’ve been organising International Women’s Day functions for over 40 years. I’ve worked in a variety of different venues. We even have an attendee who is 98 and ¾ and she has been to most IWD events.” Ms Bawden is proud of her long association with IWD and says that the event has gone through all the highs and lows in attendance but that the value of the day is in the unique opportunity it creates to reunite
(L-R) Margaret Sawyer, Merium Kazmi, Nadishka Weerasuriya, Attiya Malik, Alice Widdowson and Lesley Bawden.
International Women’s Day at Graduate House Graduate House celebrated 2019 International Women's Day with a group photo in front of this sketch portrait by artist Deirdre Walsh of Dr Georgina Sweet. Dr Sweet was a Founding Member of The Graduate Union and a foundation member of Graduate Women Victoria. Together with Dr Helen Sexton and Mrs Cherry, Dr Georgina Sweet was at the first 1911 meeting of our Association. vvv
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Graduate House News / GU Newsletter
International Women’s Day Reflection 2019 by Helen Robinett
As I reflect on the status of women in Australia, it’s a bit of a mixed bag for me on an emotional level. I’m a 53-year-old woman with a 27 year old daughter. My wish is that the world is a safer, more accepting place for my daughter as she makes her way in the world. I have marked some highlights since her birth: 1990 — The year before my daughter was born, Joan Kirner AC becomes Victoria’s first and only female Premier, serving from 1990 to 1992. 1991 — My daughter is born. I am a new, inexperienced mother. 1995 — The Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic) is passed, making it illegal to sexually harass or treat someone unfairly because of their sex, age, career status, disability, industrial activity, lawful sexual activity, marital status, parental status, physical features, pregnancy, race, religious belief/activity, and personal association with someone else perceived to have one or more of the listed attributes. 2005 — The Crimes Act was amended to remove the defence of provocation which had been used to have murder reduced to the lesser charge of manslaughter. From this point on, situations in which a person kills as a response to long-term abuse and family violence would be taken into account. 2008 — On 5th September, Dame Quentin Bryce assumes the office of Governor-General of Australia, the 25th person to hold the office, and the first and only woman. 2010 — On 24th June, Julia Gillard becomes Australia’s 27th Prime Minister and the first woman to hold the office.
2011 — The Paid Parental Leave scheme allows eligible working parents to receive parental leave for 18 weeks while taking time off to care for newborns or newly adopted children. 2012 — The Hon. Julia Gillard’s famous misogyny speech: “I say to the Leader of the Opposition I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. I will not. And the Government will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. Not now, not ever.” 2015 — Victorian Government commits to 50% of women on public boards and in the judiciary. Originally implemented in 2009, this renewed commitment makes ministers liable for ensuring appointments meet the requirements. 2015 — The Victorian Commission into Family Violence in 2015 reported that while both men and women can be perpetrators or victims of family violence, overwhelmingly the majority of perpetrators are men and the victims are women and children.
controversy, a Women's AFL League is launched on 3rd February at Ikon Park in Melbourne. 2017 — Larrisa Waters feeds threemonth-old Alia Joy while passing a motion in the Senate. Waters had previously made headlines as the first parent to breastfeed in the Senate Chamber. 2018 — In an historic first, female appointments to the boards of Australia's top 200 publicly listed companies exceed male appointments from January to March. In 2017, during the same period, only 33 per cent of appointments were women. 2018 — Same sex couples can legally marry. 2018 — For the last 18 years, Australian women have been paying a GST on their sanitary items. After almost two decades of protesting, Federal and state governments finally showed their support for scrapping the tampon tax.
2016 — Linda Burney is the first Indigenous woman to be elected into the House of Representatives in July. Burney is aiming to solve some of the indigenous issues in parliament and possibly make a treaty with the Indigenous people. 2017 — After much deliberation and
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Helen Robinett
Graduate House News / GU Newsletter
2019 — Julie Bishop departs the House of Representatives after quitting politics. Wearing white, the colour of new beginnings, she left before the Prime Minister or anyone else could say a word. Bold statement. A lot has happened in the past 29 years. I see progress and it’s been a battle. Many quality women have left politics over the past 12 months. Some of them have become independents. Some have retired. When I look at this I feel a deep sadness. We have so much to contribute to society in leadership roles, politics and on boards.
I have had first-hand experience of men on boards playing ego games that make good women walk away. Shame on the pale stale males who play these games. The greatest tragedy is the lack of progress on mental health and addiction. The women and families affected are in desperate need. This year on International Women’s Day 2019, I salute strong women who have pioneered: my mother, women who are carers, volunteers who mentor women in the prison, women who work with our elders in nursing homes, women in sport, women in
the charity sector, grandmothers, women who serve in the funeral industry, young women emerging as leaders and most importantly, my incredible daughter, my greatest teacher. Thank you for your service. You make a difference. Let’s keep the faith. We are not there yet. Share the sentiment with the strong women in your life; let's celebrate our achievements together! Helen Robinett is a Stylist, Connector, Coach, Influencer, mentor and travel addict — view her website: http://www.helenrobinett.com vvv
The Probus Club’s 10th anniversary celebrated at Graduate House by Member, Mr Graham Skewes The Probus Club of Carlton-Parkville has been meeting at Graduate House monthly since 2009. On Tuesday, 12th March 2019, the Club celebrated its 10th anniversary with a dinner. A large group of members enjoyed a typically high standard Graduate House meal in a convivial atmosphere. The Club was formed in 2008 when some local residents, together with the Rotary Club of Carlton, held a meeting to gauge interest. The idea was quickly adopted, and the Club was formed under the auspices of Probus South Pacific. From then, the Club began organising the varied programs which characterises its activity. At the dinner, inaugural President, Ian Jungwirth reminded members of the beginnings, acknowledged past Presidents and the many enjoyable events held during the past 10 years. The Club enjoys a stimulating guest speaker each month, but also boasts
a wide range of group activities, including walking, cycling, bridge, book group, classical music, blues music, gardening, creative arts and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Current membership is at its maximum of 120 members. On account of its current success and popularity, the Club will be celebrating its 20th anniversary at Graduate House in another 10 years.
Inaugural Probus President, Mr Ian Jungwirth
Probus Members at the 10th anniversary celebration at Graduate House www.graduatehouse.com.au / ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B / 17
Graduate House News / GU Newsletter
Welcome back Prakhar Former Resident Member, Mr Prakhar Bhargava visited Graduate House recently. Prakhar lived at Graduate House from April 2016 until December 2017 and was enrolled in the Mechatronics course, Master of Engineering at The University of Melbourne. Prakhar was an active committee member of the Graduate House Student Group (GHSG) and assisted with the coordination of the movie nights. vvv
Prakhar Bhargava, left, with current Resident Member, Mr Shubham Rawal.
Library of Aged Care Things The Library of Aged Care Things (LACT) is Australia’s first free library of aged care equipment. LACT is an online platform and physical space that shares equipment free-of-charge (e.g., walking frames, scooters, occupational therapy equipment) with those who need them. Once the equipment has been cleaned, serviced and tested, it is matched to an older person who needs it. Volunteers deliver and provide training for the equipment. In addition to the obvious benefit of reducing landfill, LACT also supports older residents, carers and family members who are looking after their parents by providing them with the equipments free of charge. This reduces the cost of care for families when supporting their parents, allowing the parents to remain at home, regain independence and stay in the communities where they have lived for a long time. LACT, therefore, allows pensioners, and those on Home Care Packages, to spend their scarce resources on care rather than equipment. It also creates opportunities for
Nigel Hart and Bolton Clarke Nurse, Swee Ang. local residents to make a positive difference in the lives of their senior neighbours by donating equipment. The first donated item to LACT was an electric scooter which, with the help of Bolton Clarke Nurse, Swee Ang, was matched with client Nigel Hart. Nigel has impaired mobility and had been unable to obtain funding for a scooter notwithstanding being in need for three years. The donor of the scooter was thrilled to learn that someone was able to use it as it had been in storage for several years after her
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husband had passed away. A collaboration with Bolton Clarke Nurses enables direct referral of clients to LACT. If you, or somebody you know, requires, but is not able to afford, equipment, LACT is there to help. You can contact them at onegoodstreet@gmail.com or call 0411 619 047. vvv
Graduate House News / GU Newsletter
Outcome.Life helping international students Outcome.Life is an international student community focused on employment outcomes through intern placements, seminars and networking events. “International students aren’t widgets. They’re not cars. They’re human beings and every single one of them has their own story. Every single one of them has their own hardships,” says Gerard Holland, Co-founder of Outcome.Life. “Some of the stories are about an entire village from Nepal saving up to send one child to Australia to get a better education and a better life, and to then improve the lives of all people back home. These are individual stories that come with every single international student. Yet as a sector, we treat them like they’re a process. I thought that was wrong, and that I could do something about it.” The biggest challenge for international graduates after completing their studies, according to Gerard, is their lack of employability. Outcome.Life helps increase international students' employability by placing them in internships which prepare them for work in Australia. This gives them direct experience of the Australian workforce which, together with Outcome.Life’s hosted seminars and events, creates the foundations for securing an ideal employment. Internships, Gerard notes, are the best way to expose international students to Australian workplace culture. While the universities give them skills and knowledge, it does not give them much opportunity to use those skills in real life. Internships provides them with practical experiences which will assist their future careers. Outcome.Life’s co-working space Outcome-Hub in Melbourne, further empowers international students and
The co-founders of Outcome.Life, Gerard Holland (left) and Domenic Saporito graduates to achieve their aspirations through access to a collaborative and positive co-working space. Led by co-founders, Gerard Holland and Domenic Saporito, Outcome. Life are a team of professionals, with decades of experience and extensive business networks in Australia. They partner with education providers to place students into their broad network of host companies and offer a support system for international students before their placement and during their internship. Outcome.Life offers international students the following additional services: • coaching on the best type of internship; • preparation for interviews; • support to make sure objectives are being met; • connecting international students with Outcome.Life’s community of professionals, employers, businesses and alumni;
• access to Outcome.Life’s network of start-ups; • discounts to events, seminars and lunches with inspirational guest speakers; • assistance in getting a job at the end of their internship; and • training on particular programming languages or accounting software. Through Outcome.Life, Australian businesses gain an international graduate as an intern for 12 weeks, for free, and the international graduate gains invaluable experience in the Australian workforce and an improved chance of securing a permanent job in Australia. Truly, a win-win situation for all. For more information: https://outcome.life/ vvv
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Graduate House News / GU Newsletter
The Royal Society of Victoria Promoting science in Victoria for more than 150 years Science is all around us. It’s exciting and it underpins the future Victorians choose for our state as a valuable basis for objective reasoning and decision making. The Royal Society of Victoria (RSV) convenes Victoria’s science community. It is a network of science practitioners, adherents and enthusiasts who share their passion for science, with the aim of promoting education, literacy and investment in the science disciplines for the betterment of the Victorian community. The RSV were involved with the planning of the museum; water supply, storm water and sewerage systems; and crematorium, particularly the science related to these. The RSV is the State’s oldest learned society and a part of Australia’s intellectual life since 1854. It was modelled on the Royal Society of London, which is 350 years old. Located in a heritage-listed building at 8 La Trobe Street, Melbourne (only a few blocks away from Graduate House), the Society provides a dynamic program of lectures, symposia and forums on hot topics in science, exploring the latest in scientific research in Victoria and worldwide. Free public lectures on compelling topics across the disciplines are held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. The Society's aims are to: • assist and encourage young scientists through community outreach; • foster, acknowledge and reward excellence in the sciences through a suite of distinguished fellowships, awards and prizes; • promote science education so that up-coming generations are engaged with and literate about science;
The Royal Society of Victoria on La Trobe St, Melbourne • promote science understanding in the wider community; and • advocate on issues related to science and the science community. The Society provides a forum for informed discussion and debate around scientific and technological issues relevant to the community. Its membership includes scientists from a wide range of disciplines, which helps promote knowledge and understanding across different scientific fields. Membership is open to anyone interested in science, its history and supporting its promotion for the benefit of the community. The Society recognises and encourages scientific research of the highest calibre by the award of its coveted Medal. It elects scientists of great distinction as Fellows and provides annual awards of research grants to young researchers. In addition, the Society publishes Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria as an open-access scientific journal and distributes copies internationally to like-minded
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institutions. The journal has been published continuously for over 150 years. The RSV Science Foundation supports community outreach and scientific research through an awards program which recognises lifetime achievements and encourages early career progression of Victorian scientists through a suite of special honours and prizes. The Society is currently inviting applications for the following awards and prizes: •
Young Scientist Research Prizes: https://rsv.org.au/awards-andprizes/young-scientist-researchprizes/
•
The RSV Medal for Excellence in Scientific Research: https:// rsv.org.au/awards-and-prizes/ research-medal/
•
The Phillip Law Postdoctoral Award for Physical Sciences: https://rsv.org.au/awards-andprizes/dr-phillip-law-ac-postdoctoral-award/. vvv
Innovation / Extracurricular / GU Newsletter
Innovation: Little free libraries Victoria has seen a spike in the numbers of ‘Little Free Libraries’, or ‘Street Libraries’ as they are known. This State now has more than 200 separate street libraries and NSW has a further 572. The libraries feature a range of books including fiction, non-fiction and children’s books, and several local councils are getting behind the movement. One of the most well-known ‘Little Free Libraries’ is in Melbourne Central. Located on the second floor of the complex, the library works on the premise that the public browse the books and swap one for one of their own. Another supporter of these libraries is the City of Port Phillip. Holding seven ‘Little Free Libraries’ in its locality, this number has increased significantly due to 10 Little Free
Libraries being made by the Port Phillip Men’s Shed, as part of a Vibrant Village Partnership project and Star Health in Port Melbourne. The ‘Little Free Library’ is a worldwide, non-profit (NFP) organisation that originated in the US in 2009. Devised as a way of increasing access to books for readers of all ages, particularly youngsters with limited book options, the NFP notes that children growing up in homes without books are on average ‘three years behind children in homes with lots of books, even when controlled for other key factors’. Today, ‘Little Free Library’ has more than 80,000 libraries in 90 countries.
Street library in Altona.
The Little Library, Melbourne Central. https://streetlibrary.org.au vvv
Find out more about ‘Little Free Library’ or ‘Street Library’ at: https://littlefreelibrary.org or
Extracurricular: New Reef RangerBot brings new life to coral New technology is helping the Great Barrier Reef survive through the development of an underwater drone or ‘Reef RangerBot’ that monitors the health of the Reef and acts as a protector in the face of predators.
affected by the two recent mass coral bleaching events that have occurred at the Great Barrier Reef.
Developed at Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Australian Centre for Robotic Vision, the robot reef protector is set to become ‘mother’ to hundreds of millions of baby corals in a special delivery coinciding with annual coral spawning on the Great Barrier Reef.
The ‘LarvalBot’ will help deliver the tiny baby coral larvae onto targeted reefs, and these ‘larval clouds’ will be able to work on a larger scale than previously possible, using a technique called ‘larval restoration’. The Bot is equipped with a hightech vision system which allows it to ‘see’ underwater, and operates using a smart tablet which is low-cost and autonomous.
The underwater ‘RangerBot’ has been transformed to become a ‘LarvalBot’ by QUT’s robotic team, and will distribute hundreds of millions of coral spawn from the coral in order to regenerate the coral reefs. The spawn has been reared by scientists, in mass quantities, to help coral
The project is a collaboration between QUT’s Professor Matthew Dunbabin and Southern Cross University’s Professor Peter Harrison, the latter of whom is a pioneer of the coral larval restoration technique (coral IVF), and Head of the overall research project which aims to
The LarvalBot restore damaged parts of the Great Barrier Reef and speed up the recovery of ecosystems affected by coral bleaching. The synchronised spawning of coral reproduction on the Great Barrier Reef is a highlight on the calendars of scientists worldwide and occurs annually in November. Read more at: https://www.roboticvision. org/reef-rangerbot-becomes-larvalbot-tospread-coral‑babies/ vvv
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Resident News/ Academic and Professional Development Meetings / GU Newsletter
Resident Members’ Meet and Greet Tuesday, 5th March 2019 The first Resident Members' Meet and Greet for 2019 was held on Tuesday, 5th March in the Dining Room of Graduate House. The CEO/Head of College, Dr Kerry Bennett, very much enjoyed meeting again with Resident Members and welcoming those who were new to College. She outlined the unique features of their: • ‘Graduate Union’ — a membership of graduates from all universities, ethnicities, disciplines and life stages; and
with Rotary and other not-for-profits, by applying for membership of a Council subcommittee or working parties to express the voice of the Resident Member, to apply for scholarships and bursaries, and to engage with and organise the College's social activities. Above all, she stressed the importance of each Resident Member welcoming and including new Resident Members. vvv
• ‘Graduate House’ — a gathering place, rich in opportunities to be explored and developed for their individual good (e.g., their career) and for that of our global society (using our collective genius to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals). Leading Senior Constable Nick Parissis from Victoria Police gave a presentation entitled 'Safety for you and the college: take responsibility', a timely reminder about personal safety and security in and around the College. Dr Bennett then gave a presentation about the privilege of education and the many opportunities afforded to our Resident Members while at Graduate House. She encouraged all to get involved by volunteering
The Resident Members’ Meet and Greet in Graduate House's Dining Room.
The following groups from The University of Melbourne have convened meetings, workshops and events at Graduate House during the month of February 2019. Chancellery Research and Enterprise Executive Planning Day
Department of Chemical Engineering Workshop
Department of Chemistry Workshop
Department of Finance
6th February 9 attendees
1st February 35 attendees
12th February 40 attendees
18th February 2 attendees
Ecosystems and Forest Sciences
Melbourne Law School Formal Dinner
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
14th February 15 attendees
14th February 34 attendees
8th, 18th, 19th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th February 250 attendees
Research, Innovation and Commercialisation
School of Social and Political Sciences
The Alumni Relations Office
The University of Melbourne
4th, 5th February 90 attendees
6th February 12 attendees
23rd February 24 attendees
7th, 8th, 21st, 22nd February 79 attendees
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Academic and Professional Development Meetings / GU Newsletter
The patronage of organisation Members in charitable, not-for-profit, government and professional development sectors is acknowledged, as is that of our many Members who hold their functions at Graduate House.
Association of Graduates in Early Childhood Studies (AGECS) Dinner
Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (ANZAPPL)
Australian Asian Association (AAA)
20th February 5 attendees
27th February 29 attendees
11th February 6 attendees
Australian School of Applied Management (ASAM)
Australian Society for Music Education (ASME)
Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM)
Catholic Education Melbourne AST, ATIP Forum
4th, 12th, 20th, 21st February 91 attendees
13th February 9 attendees
13th, 25th February 56 attendees
26th February 45 attendees
Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV)
Geography Teachers' Association of Victoria Inc (GTAV)
International Coach Federation (ICF)
John Cain Foundation Monthly Luncheon
13th February 32 attendees
15th, 22nd February 61 attendees
7th February 23 attendees
20th February 31 attendees
Order of St. John Northern Commandery
Parkville Conference of St Vincent de Paul
Probus Carlton-Parkville Club Inc
6th, 11th February 18 attendees
18th February 10 attendees
12th February 70 attendees
Rotary Club of Carlton Book Fair, Lunch, Board and Meetings
Royal Children's Hospital Alumni Association
Social Education Victoria (SEV)
5th, 12th, 19th, 26th February 148 attendees
8th February 7 attendees
13th February 12 attendees
Melba Group Lunch Meeting 22nd February 18 attendees
Social Work Department Writing Group
The Graduate Union Collegiate Events and Governance Meeting
Turkish Teachers Association of Victoria
5th February 8 attendees
5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 25th, 27th, 28th February 330 attendees
8th February 8 attendees
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Members Contribution / GU Newsletter
How Mindfulness may help in everyday life by Member, Ms Shabnam Daliri The ability to be in the present moment and focus on one thing at a time, for an extended period of time, is not an easy task and requires practice. As our minds wander, our thoughts can get easily distracted and lost in negativity regarding past and future events. Many people use different techniques to improve their positive thoughts, happiness and satisfaction, their productivity, concentration and their mental health. These techniques include connecting with nature, exercising, music, philosophy, spiritual practice, religion and mindfulness. In fact, the latter demonstrates how ancient wisdom combined with modern science can improve mental health and overall well-being in general. Mindfulness is the foundation for all other learning, and is defined as an ability to focus and to pay attention, as well as the skill to be able to feel emotions as they are, in a non-judgemental way. Through mindfulness, the brain is trained to have focused attention and have increased emotional regulation. More importantly, mindfulness derives significant benefits for health, well‐being and quality of life in general by transferring our mental habits to a positive way and living in the moment. By paying attention to our thoughts, feelings and emotions, we can become more aware of them which enables us to better manage them. Conversely, not paying attention to what we are doing can result in more mistakes, less efficiency, less enjoyment in our life and growing negative thoughts.
more stable self-esteem and are less dependent on external factors. The more you practise mindfulness, the greater the awareness, understanding and acceptance of your emotions you will have, and the less negative thoughts and defensive behaviours that will occur. In general, mindfulness practices and programs aim to help people cope with health problems. For example: 1. Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) may help people with recurrent depression by significantly improving relapse rates and reducing insomnia, anxiety and depression. 2. Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) may benefit mental health through reducing negative thinking, stress and mood disturbance symptoms. This practice supports mood regulation enabling people to concentrate more, become more energised and less anxious and distressed. 3. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may improve creativity and reduce depression and self-harming thoughts by improving emotional balance. 4. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) may improve behavioural
One of the important benefits of being mindful is that people who practise mindfulness have higher and
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self-management and ameliorates eating disorders and bulimia nervosa symptoms. Mindfulness may also: • improve executive functioning and working memory to reach academic and personal goals and to act more skilfully based on present need rather than past condition; • reduce addictive behaviour by decreasing the use of illegal drugs, prescribed medication, alcohol and caffeine; and • improve relationships and communication skills by helping us to be less wrapped up in our own thoughts and emotions, increasing the ability to cooperate and see other people’s perspective and to become more considerate, empathetic, compassionate and flexible in our relationships. Mindfulness is a simple skill and an easy-to-learn practice. Because of its nature, it requires the use of the mind, and once the techniques have been taught, they can be practised at any time and place. These resources and tools may help you to practise mindfulness regularly: Smiling Mind: https://www.smilingmind.com. au/smiling-mind-app ReachOut: https://au.reachout. com/tools-and-apps Black Dog Institute: https://www.blackdoginstitute. org.au/ Sources: Mental Health Foundation (London), Beyond Blue. vvv
Members Contribution / GU Newsletter
The Man in the Moon by Life Member, Mr Louis A Coutts When I was a child I was fascinated by the man in the moon. Sometimes it was a wonderful yellow ball in the sky; sometimes it was nowhere to be seen and sometimes it was just a sliver of light. Sometimes it bounced between the clouds and on other occasions it was full and bright, and I am sure I could see the face of the man in the moon. It was a fascinating mystery. One night a friend invited me to look through his telescope and all at once my romantic images of the man in the moon were dashed as all I could see were the textured contours of its surface. There was no man in the moon!
laws of physics suddenly assumed a new dimension as though they were notes in a majestic symphony. In one of the rare moments of learning in my disastrous schooling I had learnt that light travelled at 186,000 miles per second. It didn’t mean much to me at the time as nothing meant much to me in those dark days of schooling, but it struck me as being fast. Translated to today’s measurements it is the equivalent of about 300,000 kilometres per second. That amounts to three million kilometres in ten seconds and six times that in a minute.
As I grew up, all the lovely fairy tales of the sky which were part of my make-believe private world had to surrender to the discovery of the world of physics. For many years, the romance of the heavens was displaced by the laws of mathematics and physics. The heavens were just worlds of chemistry and physical equations. The explanation of the stars in the sky in terms of the laws of physics destroyed my romantic fantasies of spirits dancing through space and of fairies waving magic wands and lighting up the stars one by one as twilight surrendered to the night.
I attended a great talk the other day by an Australian scientist who worked in the recent landing of an exploratory robot on Mars. An amazing achievement. Mars is about 12.5 light minutes from earth! That is about 220 million kilometres from earth. In fact, it is quite incredible but only in the context of how we humans see ourselves. Our sun is a bit closer being only 8 light minutes from earth. Are there other stars in the heavens? There are and the closest star to earth is called Proxima Centauri and it is four and half light years away. That means that when we look through a telescope at this star, we are seeing it as it was four and a half years ago.
I am not sure what changed but one day I realised I had the astronomy bug. I was walking with friends one evening on a promontory off the Victorian Coast, far away from lights. The milky way could be seen in all its wondrous splendour. I started to explain to one of the ladies in the group about the distance of the stars and the speed of light. She turned to me and asked, “where does it end?”. It was then that I realised that ending was meaningless and suddenly the concept of infinite space overcame me with unimaginable beauty. The
Our earth is in what is called a galaxy which is a spiralling mass of celestial objects containing plus or minus 100 billion stars, some bigger and some smaller than our sun. The diameter of our galaxy is about 100 thousand light years. Recent estimates are that there are about two trillion galaxies in the known universe containing more stars than there are grains of sand on our earth. The furthest detectable star in our universe is about 13.8 billion light years away. That means that what we are seeing in our telescopes is something that
happened 13.8 billion years ago. Put another way, light travelling at 300,000 kilometres a second takes 13.8 billion years to reach us from that star. More recent research indicates that there may be more universes beyond our own. On occasions, I take myself away into remote places, far from city lights and gaze upon this incomprehensible vastness and seemingly innocent twinkling of an infinity of stars which are no longer the creature of fairies but the dutiful performers in the orchestra of physics. I have been told and, while it seems too fantastic for words, I believe it is true that matter can neither be created nor destroyed and so, when I look upon this celestial orchestra playing its physical symphony I am confronted with the stupendous idea that if it is true that matter can neither be created nor destroyed, then there never was a beginning and there can never be an end. As I sit and watch the silent heavens, I am a part of infinity but only for a few brief moments of universal existence. So, physics has taken me full circle from destroying my belief in the man in the moon to creating a new mystic of unendingness and I am as a child again as the impenetrable and incomprehensible universe becomes my new man in the moon. I then go back to the city and look around and see the mess. Perhaps if we believed more about the man in the moon than about commerce, politics and religion we would divest ourselves of the belief in our own importance and accommodate more to the tempo of the heavens. vvv
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Conference Bookings / Feedback / GU Newsletter
Feedback
We value your comments and suggestions!
Conference Feedback On behalf of the CECV Pathways and Transition Team, we would like to reiterate our very sincere and grateful thanks for your outstanding level of assistance in ensuring that the AST ATIP Forum held on Tuesday, 26th February ran so smoothly and so successfully. We are extremely grateful for the careful attention to detail and the comprehensive support. As always, the confidence that all our needs are taken care of so well and so professionally makes our job so much easier. It is always a pleasure to work with the exceptional staff at Graduate House, with an impeccable level of support, and outstanding service and assistance. Please convey our sincere thanks to all staff involved for the very warm welcome and the hospitality and support extended throughout the event to both the Team members and also the participants and the presenters, making the professional learning event such an enjoyable experience for everyone. In sincere appreciation.
It was a very smooth process when organising our function at Graduate House. Staff were very responsive with all my questions along the way, with prompt email responses. The space was excellent. Our organisation is very sensitive to the access needs for all participants, and we were pleased to find an additional quiet area and outdoor area on the day. Our need to have food served from a lower table height was also accommodated on the day. The food was very good, and catered to all dietary requirements as requested. Having the food labelled is very helpful in this situation. Staff were excellent – always courteous and patient, and ready with last-minute solutions, and clearly dedicated to helping us make the event a success. — Anne Maxwell Arts Access Victoria
— Jenny Wilson, Catholic Education Melbourne
Accommodation Feedback Personally, living in Graduate House has been a convenient, comfortable and convivial experience for several reasons. Being simply a stone’s throw away from Lygon Street, Brunswick and the culture and vibrancy of the CBD — as well as the provision of catered meals and weekly housekeeping — means that Graduate House has afforded me the opportunity to focus on my studies and enjoy the city in a way that I would not have been able to otherwise. Every day, the gracious smiles and the ‘good morning’ of the housekeeping and kitchen staff, as well the support of the duty residents and the administrative staff, make the atmosphere at Graduate House one of inclusion, encouragement and warmth. It very quickly starts to feel like home. Perhaps the most important aspect of this place, however, is its multicultural, multilingual cohort with its breadth of knowledge and expertise. It has been a profoundly rewarding experience getting to know the multitude of nationalities that pass through, exchanging our diverse histories and making friendships that will last a lifetime. It really is a community of minds. So often, academia can be a solitary and isolating experience, but the mealtime gatherings and social events provide the entertainment and interaction we so often crave and need.
I am thankful to the good friend that recommended I make the move to Graduate House and I would not hesitate to make the same recommendation to someone else. — Nadishka Weerasuriya, Resident member
Tell us how we did. Your feedback is important. The lucky feedback winner for February is Life Member Mrs Andrea Casey who won a bottle of De Bortoli Sacred Hill Brut Cuvée
All Dining Room Feedback Forms will be in the Monthly Draw and in the running for the Year‑End Prize of a $500 Coles Myer Gift Voucher, drawn at the Members Christmas Party on Friday, 13th December 2019.
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Diamond Jubilee Campaign Contribution Form Graduate House, as the only dedicated postgraduate residential college of The University of Melbourne, commemorated our 60th anniversary in 2017 by opening the next chapter in the life of our historic building. Our Diamond Jubilee Campaign will see us construct a new, 11-storey residential building to continue to provide quality accommodation and a vibrant collegiate environment for our Resident Members. Please help us realise this exciting plan by lending support now.
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Donation Form / GU Newsletter
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