T he
G r a duate U nion N e wsle tter — July 2016 —
W elcome
3 4
to the
J uly 2016 N ewsletter
Graduate House Winter Ball
40 42
Puzzles
Twilight Lecture with Sue Zalbad Features Graduate Pathway Story: Mike Worsman
Stories at Graduate House HeForShe. by Parisa Shiran, Resident
Professor Profiles: Anne Steinemann
#HeForShe at Graduate House
Discovering Melbourne
The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Reviews
Future Planning
May Women’s Forum
The First Annual Dinner of The Graduate of THe University of Melbourne
June Monthly Luncheon 2016 Annual General Meeting Annual General Meeting Dinner with Leigh Clifford AO
31
Innovation Is Digital Nativity Really a Curse?
August Monthly Luncheon with Professor John Roberts
Christmas in July
19
38
Academic and Professional Development Meetings Listings for May 2016
GU Collegiate
Coming Monthly Luncheon Speakers
12
36
University Sector News
47
Feedback
Resident and Member News: The Curious World of Letterboxes, by Mac Nicoll Graduation, by Paul Oon, Resident Resident Research: Soumya Mukherjee
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Graduate Hous e Winte r Ball To be held in partnership with The Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation. 50% of all ticket sales will go directly to the foundation.
July 22nd2016, 6:30pm until late Resident Members* Graduate Students Non-Resident Members** Concession General Public
$45 $55 $65 $110 $120
6:30pm - Assorted CanapĂŠs Mushroom arancini balls with spicy tomato salsa Meat balls in spicy BBQ sauce Smoked salmon with dill sour cream on a cucumber disc 7:30pm - Mains
*
Book before June 15th for a 10% discount.
**
The same price applies for up to three guests.
*** RSVP by July 20th 2016.
Beef eye fillet with peppercorn sauce and creamy mash Grilled chicken breast with goat cheese sauce 8:15pm - Dessert Apple strudel with ice cream Grilled poached pear with ice cream & chocolate sauce
For booking information, contact Graduate House by phone on (03) 9347 3428, by email at admingh@graduatehouse.com.au, or visit us in person at 220 Leicester Street, Calrton 3053.
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GU Collegiate
We invite you, Members and non-members, to attend the coming events.
JULY I TA L I A N C O N V E R S AT I O N D I N N E R
6:00pm
Tu e s d a y, 5 t h , 1 9 t h Come along to dine while learning to speak Italian with an experienced teacher. Me mb e r s $ 1 5 , n o n - m e mb e r s $ 2 0 .
BRIDGE NIGHTS
7:20pm for 7.30pm
We d n e s d a y, 6 t h , 1 3 t h , 2 0 t h , 2 7 t h Join a game or learn to play the card game Bridge. Enjoy a shared platter for supper, as well as tea and coffee. Me mb e r s $ 2 , n o n - m e mb e r s $ 5 .
S P E C I A L M O R N I N G B R E A K FA S T
7:30am to 8.30am
Tu e s d a y, 1 2 t h Non-resident members are welcome to join Resident Members for a hearty breakfast . Fr e e f o r R e s i d e nt m e mb e r s , n o n - r e s i d e nt Me mb e r s $ 1 5 .
WOMEN’S FORUM
10:00am for 10:30am
We d n e s d a y, 1 3 t h The topic for July is “The value of conversation.” Join the ladies for the discussion and stay for lunch if desired. Fo r u m i s f r e e . Lu n c h i s at Me mb e r a n d n o n - m e mb e r p r i c e s .
GU WINTER BALL Graduate Hous e Winte r Ball To be held in partnership with The Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation. 50% of all ticket sales will go directly to the foundation.
July 22nd2016, 6:30pm until late Resident Members* Graduate Students Non-Resident Members** Concession General Public
$45 $55 $65 $110 $120
6:30pm - Assorted Canapés Mushroom arancini balls with spicy tomato salsa Meat balls in spicy BBQ sauce Smoked salmon with dill sour cream on a cucumber disc
6:30pm till late
Fr i d a y, 2 2 n d Experience a winter palace at the Graduate House annual ball. A night of whimsy for Members and non-members alike. R e s i d e nt Me mb e r s $ 4 5 , G r a d u at e S t u d e nt s $ 5 5 , Non - R e si d e nt Me mb e r s $ 6 5 , Concession $110, General Public $120.
7:30pm - Mains *
Book before June 15th for a 10% discount.
**
The same price applies for up to three guests.
*** RSVP by July 20th 2016.
Beef eye fillet with peppercorn sauce and creamy mash Grilled chicken breast with goat cheese sauce 8:15pm - Dessert Apple strudel with ice cream Grilled poached pear with ice cream & chocolate sauce
For booking information, contact Graduate House by phone on (03) 9347 3428, by email at admingh@graduatehouse.com.au, or visit us in person at 220 Leicester Street, Calrton 3053.
www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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AUGUST highlight M O N T H LY LU N C H E O N
12:00 midday for 12:30pm
We d n e s d a y, 3 r d Join Professor John Roberts for our August Monthly Luncheon with his topic: “How is digital dexterity changing marketing?� R e s i d e nt Me mb e r s $ 1 0 , n o n - r e s i d e nt Me mb e r s $ 3 0 , g e n e r a l p u b l i c $ 4 0 , (concession $35).
TWILIGHT LECTURE
Ta s t i n g s f r o m 5:30pm onwards, presentation 6:30pm
T h u r s d a y, 1 1 t h Join Sue Zablud, and our regional food and wine providers for the last Twilight Lecture of the year! R e s i d e nt Me mb e r s F R E E , n o n - r e s i d e nt Me mb e r s $ 2 0 , g e n e r a l p u b l i c $ 2 5 , (concession $22.50).
Book Now via our website, by phone 03 9347 3428, by email to admingh@graduatehouse.com.au or at the venue, 220 Leicester Street, Carlton.
www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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The Monthly Luncheon with
Professor John Roberts How is digital dexterity changing marketing?
Wednesday August 3rd Resident Members $10 Non-Resident Members $30 General Public $40 Concession $35 RSVP by Monday, May 30th ABN 55610664963
12:00 noon for 12.30pm 220 Leicester Street, Carlton, 3053 (03) 9347 3428 admingh@graduatehouse.com.au www.graduatehouse.com.au
IAR No. A0023234B
www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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Professor John Roberts How is digital dexterity changing marketing? John Roberts is a Professor of Marketing at the University of New South Wales and a Fellow at Fudan University, the Australian National University and the London Business School. John has won the American Marketing Association’s John A. Howard Award for the top Doctorate in the U.S., its William O’Dell Award for the most influential piece of research published in the Journal of Marketing Research five years previously, and its Advanced Research Techniques Forum Best Paper Award. His research interests include branding and marketing strategy. John has thirteen years senior management experience as a market research manager, marketing operations manager and marketing director. The company that he founded, Marketing Insights, became an international leader in marketing strategy. It is now a part of Nielsen Research. John is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, Australian Institute of Management, and Australian Marketing Institute. In 2011, he was awarded the Australian Marketing Institute’s Sir Charles McGrath Award for lifetime contributions to marketing. He sits on the Australian Research Council’s College of Experts. ABN 55610664963
IAR No. A0023234B
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To help you plan ahead, our coming Monthly Luncheon speakers are:
7th September
Mr Arthur Bolkas Melbourne University (MA Criminology) and Winston Churchill Memorial Fellow 2000
5th October
Ms Kay Dunkley Program Coordinator of the Pharmacists’ Support Service.
9th November
Dr Ross McMullin Senior History fellow at the University of Melbourne and the author (most recently) of Farewell, Dear People: Biographies of Australia’s lost generation. ABN 5561066496
IAR No. A0023234B
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Christmas Lunch is back again for every Wednesday in July!
The Graduate Union celebrates
Christmas In July Join us every Wednesday in July for a Christmas themed lunch Book via our website, telephone 03 9347 3428, email admingh@graduatehouse.com.au or in person at the venue, 220 Leicester Street, Carlton. Members: $12 non-Members: $18 Loyalty card: $15
Yes, we are open to the general public ABN: 55610 664 963
IAR No. A0023234B
www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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Successful Graduate Pathways Lecture Series and GU Tastings are proudly brought to you by the Rotary Club of Carlton and The Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne Inc
from 5:30pm
GRADUATE UNION TASTINGS The
T WILIGHT Lectures PRESENTS
SUE ZABLUD Director, Human Asset Development Group Coaching - Simply Successful, Mentoring - Simply Effective, Networking - Simply Valuable
T h u r s d a y , A u g u s t 1 1 th from 6:30pm
Resident Members Non-Resident Members Adults Concession
FREE $20 $25 $22.50
ABN: 55610 664 963
Book by Wednesday, 11th May via our website, telephone (03 9347 3428), email admingh@graduatehouse.com.au or in person at the venue, 220 Leicester Street, Carlton
IAR No. A0023234B
www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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INTRODUCING OUR SPEAKER:
MS SUE ZABLUD Sue Zablud is an experienced non-executive director, human resources professional, internationally accredited executive coach, mentor and facilitator. Sue is responsible for growing Human Asset Development Group (HADG) into a highly respected international consultancy and has grown her own portfolio of appointments to include board positions in the public and private sector. Sue has recently commenced serving a second term on the board of the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne and is a director for a number of private entities.
OUR TASTINGS ARE PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY The finest olive oils in Australia, sourced locally from The Grampians.
other wineries and regional providers to be confirmed soon ...
ABN: 55610 664 963
IAR No. A0023234B
www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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FEATURES
(Supplied: Mike Worsman)
A Million Smiles
From war torn wreckages to bustling metropolises, Mike Worsman searches for a smile The Mills Longitudinal Study at UC Berkeley was a 50 year investigation of the wellbeing and social development of a group of women since graduating from the college. The initial study examined the smiles from photos of 20-something year old women in their college yearbook in order to measure any favourable outcomes in their lives many years later. Only the Duchenne Smile was considered as it sees the corners of the mouth and cheeks raised, and crow’s feet formed at our brow. Essentially the Duchenne Smile is our physiological expression of true happiness. What the study posited was that emotional tendencies are believed to shape personality and the life course of their influence on cognitive, behavioral and social processes. 30 years later, the study found that positive emotional expression in their college yearbook photos related to stable aspects of personality change in certain traits over time, observers’ judgement of the women’s personalities and their
responses to those women, and life outcomes measured up to 30 years later. In fact, over time, those who expressed more positive emotion in their yearbook pictures became more organized, mentally focused and achievement oriented. In conclusion, smile more for a better life. Such was the guiding logic behind A Million Smiles, a self-started project by journalist Mike Worsman, who thought it was time to share stories of happiness worldwide. Upon graduating from journalism, with a specialisation in filmmaking, Worsman began working at a TV station. It was his dream job, but something didn’t quite fit the way that he had expected. He began to face a moral dilemma and couldn’t be involved in the fear mongering negative side of the media. He took a step back, left his job, and went to work at a supermarket while also doing some work for Channel 9 as he
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investigated what he wanted to do in his life, and how exactly he wanted his story-telling to look. He then started working in PR and Media at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, motivated to disseminate positive stories – from research breakthroughs to surgeries, and everything that could go right in the world of medicine. After a chance meeting with someone that he had gone to university with, he started a news organisation called Our World Today. “I guess that really sparked this want and desire to share stories that could really affect people’s lives and the way that they see the world, inspiring them to see a different reality,” he says. “Instead of fighting against this beast of a thing that is the media – why not actually work with it through another storytelling medium?”
inspire people to find and pursue what makes them smile. Worsman sources these stories as he travels from ravished war torn nations to the bustling metropolises to find extraordinary individuals who have equally extraordinary stories to tell. While commencing the project Worsman experienced a few setbacks: a commission that would be put towards his wedding fell through, his online work and a series of photos and videos that he gathered in Afghanistan didn’t achieve the reach that he had anticipated. “A lot of things just seemed really difficult all at once, then suddenly everything turned around. My father-in-law says that there is no such thing as luck, and I tend to agree with him. It’s about timing and being prepared and working hard enough that when those opportunities come in front of you, you are able to take them,” he says.
At its height, the content of Our World Today was reaching thousands of page views per day. But after some administrative difficulties a few years later, Our World Today came to a halt, and Worsman’s project A Million Smiles started to come to life. Mike quit his job at the hospital, sold his house and pursued his idea. The idea came one Christmas while he was with his friend at a busy city intersection. He had just written an article about loneliness becoming the number one cause of depression in the Western World, and as he observed passers by, he couldn’t help but feel that these people just didn’t seem all that happy. “A Million Smiles was born of the idea that we needed to imagine a happier world, before we could create one,” says Worsman. “You can smile at a stranger on the street, and it can change their day, so it can begin with just the smallest gesture and in this world where loneliness is the number one cause of depression, and if we can just acknowledge that we’re in the world with other people, I think a huge change is possible just from those simple acts,” he says. This is why Worsman felt it was important to communicate this to a larger, more global audience, and so A Million Smiles was born as an online platform for sharing astonishing stories about people, places and ideas that could
Opportunities don’t seem to fall short for Worsman, and neither does his motivation and interest in sharing stories that we would otherwise be very unlikely to find anywhere else. Only a few months ago he returned from a visit to Afghanistan, where he describes children as young as four or five, sitting in the streets, greasing car parts and making 50 cents or a dollar per day at the most. Although bombings occurred almost daily in Afghanistan, he says that it was a hard country to leave. “I felt so sad
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leaving that country because it’s like leaving thousands of good people to suffer, and suffer a lot. One of the boys that I had become good friends with opened my eyes to the real problem there, as I was leaving he said, ‘no it’s OK Mike, we’re used to it.’” Perspective can be hard to come by, but when one has it and more importantly when one shares it, it has the ability to change our understanding of the world drastically. In a Middle Eastern territory that must remain unnamed, Worsman had been trying to hail a taxi for hours in 50-degree heat (having spent all day by himself looking for desert tribes) when suddenly a car stopped. He got in and started talking with his driver, who quickly exclaimed, “I am a member of the Taliban”. Natural instinct dictated that Mike begins to panic, but as soon as he did, the driver started explaining himself. He warned Mike not to worry – not all Taliban members are murderers, the driver said. From the village that the driver was from, people were conscripted to become a member of the Taliban if you are 16 years or older, otherwise your family would be killed. A change of perspective also came through his visit to China where he discovered the severe competitiveness among its youth was contributing to a great unhappiness nationwide. The best example, recalls Worsman, is a conversation that he had with a young couple, one was a student, and the other was working. He asked them if people in China are generally considered happy, to which they replied no. “There are just too many people they said to me. It’s so competitive. Everything in life over there comes back to competition because there
are just so many people,” he says. “They told me that kindness was seen as weakness, which is always going to be a massive problem for any society.” As he travels the world searching for stories, he admits that A Million Smiles aims to be the spark that makes someone smile – the Duchenne smile. “We’re just trying to be that catalyst that just brings up the happiness that exists within all of us. People will think ‘wow, why did that make me happy? Maybe I should think about life in a different way, and hopefully that leads to a bigger change in life,” he says. For the next few years this is Mike Worsman’s mission: to find inspiring stories, and share them on a global scale in the hopes of inspiring someone. A Million Smiles has shared more than 10,000 photos, videos and stories with more than 25 million people, and it’s growing. Armed with achievements, the next steps include a book, and the largest and happiest art exhibition on earth, as well as working with schools, government and policy makers to start educating people about the values of happiness. “We’re not saying that everyone needs to quit their job, or sell their house, it’s just to stop and ask yourself could you be doing more to truly make yourself happy? If you’re not working towards happiness in your life, why else are you here?” Mike is also on the lookout for volunteers. Those in marketing, photography, storytelling, videography etc, email publications@graduatehouse.com.au
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FEATURES
Professor Profiles
Anne Steinemann
Professor of Civil Engineering and Chair of Sustainable Cities In a world where consumers are increasingly warned about the consequences of poor air quality, and that we should be making more informed decisions about what could be healthier for us, it seems like we are still not making the best decisions. But it is not necessarily our fault. Upon analysing a range of common consumer products and comparing them with ‘non-toxic’, ‘green’, or ‘organic’ products, Professor Anne Steinemann found that there was no significant difference in the types of hazardous chemicals emitted between regular products and the green products – if they had a fragrance. For the products that have a fragrance – common items such as air fresheners, cleaning products, laundry supplies, and personal care products– her research found that they all emit hazardous chemicals like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, which are carcinogens. Limonene is another common ingredient found in these products. When limonene reacts with ozone in the air, it generates formaldehyde and other hazardous pollutants. These findings are from Steinemann’s study, Volatile emissions from common consumer products, 2015. The study rapidly gained momentum as news outlets reported on her findings. Its outcomes had clearly resonated with a lot of people as she found herself inundated with emails from people all over the world expressing their frustration with the products, and their gratitude for her research. “A lot of people would tell me that they felt sick around these common consumer products, and they couldn’t figure out why, but my study really confirmed it for them,” said Steinemann. “The problem is that the products are fragranced. Fragrance-free options can be better, because they don't have the fragrance chemicals, but even fragrance-free doesn't guarantee nontoxic."
“One of my concerns about these so-called ‘natural’, ‘green’, ‘essential oils’, ‘plant-based’ products is that their claims may be misleading. People are trying to do the right thing and make good choices, so they buy these ecological products thinking that they’re somehow better or healthier, but not necessarily,” she said. "Even if the labels say that they have ‘organic’ elements and so on, they may also have hazardous chemicals." Non-disclosure of ingredients is a problem. Professor Steinemann refers to two women who were having chronic breathing difficulties and migraine headaches at work and they couldn’t figure out why. Conducting some research, they came across Professor Steinemann’s work and realised it was the air fresheners in the office that were making them sick. Upon looking at the ingredient list on the bottle, as well as the safety data sheet, and the website, the product only listed organic perfume. How could that be they wondered. What they found was relatively distressing: consumer products, Professor Steinemann told them, are not legally required to disclose all the ingredients that compose a certain fragrance. When we see ‘fragrance’ (or ‘perfume’) listed on an ingredient list, what we may not realise is that this ‘fragrance’ is typically made from several dozen to several hundred chemicals. “It’s that way around the world,” said Professor Steinemann. “It’s not unique in Australia. Regulatory protection exists on ingredient disclosure for regular consumer products, for fragrance formulations, and even for flavour formulations.” “That’s something that I want for public awareness and education, is that when people
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"We shouldn’t be made to feel that we need all these multi-coloured chemical products. We think we need them to be clean and to disinfect, but we don’t. The best smell is no smell." look at a label, and they think they are seeing all ingredients, actually they’re not. My studies found that typically fewer than three percent of all ingredients are disclosed on a label, or the safety data sheet, or the website,” she said. Concerning air fresheners, Professor Steinemann explained that they just mask an existing air quality problem, they don't necessarily clean or freshen, or disinfect the air, and they generate hazardous air pollutants. “People think that air-fresheners are used for hygiene, but actually it’s the other way around – the air fresheners can be primary cause of indoor air pollutants, and they're associated with asthma attacks, migraines headaches, and other health problems." In fact, explained Professor Steinemann, there is quite the menu of symptoms that arise from fragrance based products. When we begin to experience symptoms from fragranced products (like dizziness, or breathing difficulties – even general unease), our body is telling us that there is something wrong. “If we look at the pollutants indoors, and the studies that we have of indoor air quality, one of the dominant air pollutants are fragrance chemicals, and one of the dominant sources of these fragrance chemicals are the fragranced consumer products,” said Professor Steinemann. “The real questions then is why are these fragrance products associated with such a range of adverse health effects? This is what my research is investigating.” Professor Steinemann has conducted two national studies in the United States, and has just completed a national study in Australia, to learn about the prevalence of health effects associated with fragrance products. The results from her US based studies found that 20 percent of the general population and 40 percent of asthmatics suffered from adverse health effects such as headaches and breathing difficulties when exposed to fragranced products. On top of this, indoor air quality has significant economic consequences. A study by the CSIRO showed that poor indoor air quality costs Australia an estimated $12 billion per year in lost worker
health and productivity. And this is just about productivity, not all the other types of expenses associated with poor indoor air quality, like medical expenses. Additionally, the toxicity of products changes according to what it reacts with. It all depends on reactive chemistry, explained Professor Steinemann. “Everything depends on your exposure setting, so you could have a chemical that can have toxic effects but if it’s mixed with other chemicals, it can have a whole other set of toxic effects. And children, the elderly, asthmatics, and vulnerable individuals can be more affected by the chemicals. So it all depends on individual susceptibility as well,” she said. It’s troubling when you think that indoor air quality is not regulated, especially when there is an abundance of research and cases indicating the harm that it does not only to people, but also the economic consequences. Professor Steinemann finds it to be an incredible paradox that more than 90 percent of our exposure to pollutants occurs indoors, yet the indoors is not regulated and monitored, and that one of the primary sources of our exposures indoors are consumer products, yet those products are also not regulated and monitored for their emissions, nor required to disclose all ingredients. “Oftentimes when people start to feel unwell, they often think that’s just life, when instead they could be asking whether there's something they're being exposed to that's causing the effects,” said Professor Steinemann. She has now received now over 3,500 emails (and counting) from people around the world, on the basis of her research detailing the kinds of health effects they were having from common products. "But they also told me – and this is the good news – that when they stopped using certain products, the ill health effects went away,” she said. "Or people in the workplaces tell me – when their employer stopped using air fresheners and scented cleaning products, their health problems went away."
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We also need to learn to question the products that we use. “We’re exposed to things in consumer products just like we are in foods. Whether we ingest or inhale them, or put them on our skin, they still get into our bodies. And so my motto is that if you can’t eat it or drink it, don’t clean with it because it’s eventually going to get into your body,” she explained. Concerning cleaning products, she says, “I’m really concerned about the marketing. We shouldn’t be made to feel that we need all these multi-coloured chemical products. We think we need them to be clean and to disinfect, but we don’t. The best smell is no smell.” “What I want to do is be optimistic,” said Professor Steinemann. “My message is one of hope, and solutions, because you can’t go through life thinking everything is toxic, because it’s not. Nor can we go through life thinking that living with the symptoms is part of life. What my real message is that the major sources of pollutants are ones that we can substitute with safer, healthier, and less expensive alternatives.”
to be here, I just feel very fortunate.” She loves being a civil and environmental engineer. All of her degrees are in civil and environmental engineering and she has always loved science and math, and wanted to find a way to make science and math to help society, to have a public focus. Engineering was perfect, she found, because engineering is a link between science and society, giving her the ability to work on analytic and mathematical problems but with a societal solution. “A lot of my work involves talking with people, talking with industries, talking with public agencies, talking with people to find out how can research help, because I’m really interested in how as an engineer and a scientist I can do research that can help society,” she said.
For instance, for cleaning you can clean perfectly well with vinegar and bicarb – vinegar disinfects very well and bicarb is good to scrub with. These are things that are inexpensive, effective and they are not necessarily associated with the types of health effects that other cleaning products are. There is a simple alternative for air fresheners: just open a window, turn on a fan, rather than spraying a product around that only worsens air quality and poses health risks. For every letter of the thousands that Professor Steinemann receives, she always responds, and posts some letters on her website (with the writers' permission) because it can give hope to other people. “Other people can read their stories and see that they’re not alone, and see that things can get better,” she said. (Her website is www.drsteinemann.com, and stories are under "Testimonials”.) “I’m just happy if I can help one person in one way. I would feel that my life and my research are worthwhile. I’m very blessed, I’m very lucky
“That’s what’s so rewarding, what makes me feel very happy about the work that I do: if I can help just one person, if one person just tells me that their kids don’t have asthma attacks any more, or that their migraine headaches went away, or that they can keep working at their job, or that they feel so much healthier just because of a simple change, it makes my work worthwhile.”
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FEATURES
Discovering Melbourne We are very proud to have such a disparate and varied membership. Graduate Union Members are all over Australia and the world. This month we present to you the latest Melbourne gems that should be explored, whether you are temporarily passing though the world’s most livable city, or you reside here.
The Farm Cafe, Collingwood Children’s Farm 18 St Heliers St, Abbotsford
Nestled among the lush greenery of Collingwood Children’s Farm sits a humble cafe run by Pip and Tom Hay. Serving hearty rustic meals, from full breakfasts to anti-oxidant rich salads, you can enjoy your food, with a view that is just as satisfying.
Bolobek 370 Mount Macedon Rd, Macedon Bolobek is a private garden in Macedon. Not just an ordinary garden, Bolobek has been inspiring avid gardeners and those appreciative of nature that has been pruned and plucked. The property, which in 1911 was bought by Oswald Syme of the Syme family that founded The Age newspaper, looks onto the verdant surroundings certain to inspire almost anyone. As it is a private garden, Bolobek is open on special occasions.
Royal Park Nature Playground Gatehouse Street, Parkville An adventure for the whole family, the Royal Park Nature Playground has fun new playground additions including high rope traverses, rock climbing structures, water pumps, picnic tables and more.
Coffee Tours of Melbourne Melbourne
If Melburnians are known for one thing, it’s their affinity with the sumptuous aroma of a perfect cup of coffee. You can now go on your own coffee tour of Melbourne and find all the gems. Book online at walkmelbourne.rezdy.com/48341/coffee-lovers-walk If you have any recommendations for places or events of interest for our Members and Residents, email publications@graduatehouse.com.au
www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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REVIEWS
Women’s Forum Review Wednesday, 20 th May, 2016 “Suicide is catching” The following are salient points discussed at this forum. 1
There has been a trend over recent years to replace the words “death” and “died” with softer words such as “passed away” or simply “passed”. While these latter expressions have connotations of hope and, for some, offer comfort, they do not adequately convey the reality or the finality of death. When death finally occurs in the lives of most of us through the end of life for someone close, previous avoidance of the term “death” may prolong acceptance of the reality and adjustment to the changed state of our own life.
that “this too will pass” and dealing with it may provide the confidence necessary to overcome the next problem.
2
The very obvious fact about choosing suicide as a way of ending life is that it is not linked with socio-economic status. It may however be linked with the competitive pressures of modern society to be “perfect” - beautiful, successful, avoiding responsibility for poor life choices or perhaps even seeing oneself as a victim of circumstances without the education, positive role models, or other resources to confront and deal with the unpleasant realities of life. Apart from organisations such as Beyond Blue and Lifeline perhaps people aspiring to guide others through Times of Trial (e.g. counsellors, social workers, clergy, teachers etc,) require in their training ways of identifying potential troubles and means of supporting those who may not realise that skilled support is needed or where to turn if they do.
Until fairly recently, the media has, not infrequently, reported circumstances of a case of suicide in detail and this potentially giving rise to “copy-cat” incidences by vulnerable people. 3
Young people who have grown up with access video and computer games may come to think that the screen people who are “killed” in one round of the game but are magically “alive” next time reflect as reality what is, in fact, technological manipulation. 4
Why does suicide as an exit from a seemingly unending or insoluble situation occur? Unless the person who has committed suicide leaves an explicit and clearly understandable suicide note, most of us can only conjecture as to the reason. Some possible speculations may include revenge, a cry for help (frequently the reasons behind unsuccessful attempts) or extreme distress where the person who seeks to end life is not thinking rationally or logically or who does not have the life experience to realise
5
The reasons discussed above do not account for the ideological actions of “suicide bombers” who believe that their death (even though it will certainly involve the death of many others) will bring rewards to which they aspire in the “afterlife” promised by their religious beliefs. 6
7
In conclusion, perhaps those of us who have managed to successfully navigate the “sea of troubles” life will inevitably present and must learn when and how to intervene when others are floundering. A kind word or silent, attentive listening can go a long way towards promoting a more hopeful, more positive outlook.
The next forum is on 13th July, with the topic “The Value of Conversation”. The forum is free. Lunch is at Member and non-member prices. www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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June Monthly Luncheon Wednesday, 1st April 2016
Dr Judith Paphazy, Psychologist Resilience, an essential ingredient in 21st century living the International Resilience Project in The Netherlands who posited that children draw their resilience from three sources: “I Have,” “I Am,” and “I Can.” Grotberg has since passed away.
The June Monthly Luncheon saw psychologist Judith Paphazy talk to us about one of the most important qualities that we can have for the 21st century: resilience. Why is resilience so important, questioned Dr Paphazy, particularly in this century which is so fleeting and which has had, in its very few years, more change than in any other time in the world. “The last time we might have had this much violence and change must have been the industrial revolution,” said Dr Paphazy. "We are now constantly in flux with technology. Socially we’re not able to keep up with it, and so it causes much disturbance, much confusion and many problems," she said. This, she explained, is applicable to both young and old, and there are many mental health issues that are the result of difficulties we experience in problem solving and having the resilience in knowing how to deal with the adversities in life, which, as we all know, are inevitable. "No human being is ever going to manage to get through life without some sort of adversity." The work of Dr Paphazy focuses on resilience and whether it is inborn or learnt. She continues the research of Edith Grotberg her mentor and dear friend, who was a researcher with
Dr Paphazy met Grotberg at one of the International Council of Psychology conferences in the early 90s in Europe. She was struck by her work, having researched 32 countries with over 1200 families in Africa, Asia, Europe, both the Americas and Australia to look at what were the factors in resilience and how we become resilient. What she learnt is that nobody is born resilient, rather, resilience is learnt, it is a set of skills that anybody at any stage can learn. She sees Grotberg's model as a very effective way to help young people grow into competent, compassionate and community-minded people. "This is what we need: we need a society that has a sense of community and that has compassion for each other. First and foremost, I would like young people to be competent because then they can use these other two characteristics," she said. We then turned our attention to the screen which displayed Grotberg's model. Each category mentioned earlier (I Have, I Am and I Can), comprises a set of features from which a child can build resilience. 'I Have' are the external supports that allow one’s ‘I Ams’ – one’s internal personal strengths – to develop so that their 'I Cans', social, interpersonal and problem solving skills, can become active. Starting with 'I Have', Dr Paphazy said that typically, children need an ‘I Have’ person, who is someone within their family who they can trust, and who loves them without reservation, until they’re in double figures, after which they can then start being ‘I haves’ for each other. An 'I Have' person is imperative. "We all know that every relationship that we’ve ever had or will ever have is predicated on trust. Trust is
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Factors for developing resilience in adolescents.
the underlying factor for resilience. If you don’t trust, you’ll never become resilient. It is the bedrock upon which every relationship is based," said Dr Paphazy. So what does the child initially need, and what do young people need, if this hasn’t happened to them at home before? Grotberg found that you only need one person whom you can trust and who remains trustworthy to help you and to enable you to develop resilience. Just one. When Judith taught, and when she was in schools, she would say to teachers that if you choose to teach, then you have to see every one person of inestimable value, irrespective of how they behave. You have to be an ‘I Have’ person for the child. Parents aren’t always guaranteed, but teachers must be a source of trust for the children. If an individual doesn’t want to do that, says Paphazy, then don’t teach because teaching is not a job, teaching is a vocation - it is the desire to help the other grow in a great variety of ways. In reference to External Support three, 'limits to my behaviour (rules, limits and consequences) Dr Paphazy explained that when you are trustworthy with young people, placing limits around them ensures that they learn that you have to live in a community and society that must have limits so that there is order, so that people can live together, so that people have opportunities to share and care. "We live in a world where young people believe they are full of rights and that they have no responsibilities, so because of this, young people learn to live within the confines of society, the rules and limits that allows that to happen," said Dr Paphazy. Equally important, and in reference to support four, is to encourage young people to become independent. One thing that parents
are at odds with, explained Dr Paphazy, is that as young people today tend to be overprotected and dependent – the ‘freedom’ that previous generations had, seems to have been forgone by current ones. When it comes to support five, ‘good role models’, Dr Paphazy explained that trustworthy adults must be role models, not only for our children and grandchildren but for people we know and mix with so that they see us as people of worth who behave well, and who are tolerant. It’s important that we are not bystanders when people around us are implicitly or explicitly inflammatory. A young person who has such parents or such teachers, will be able to see themselves as a reasonable person – this will assist with the development of their internal strengths, she explained. Another aspect to consider is to teach children to plan for the future, and to have the ability to dream about what it could be like. "If we can’t dream or fantasize about the future where you’re successful or contributing something, it’s a very bleak thing," she said. This is also an internal strength. Moving to Internal Strengths, being a person that is liked, generally calm and good natured are important factors for building resilience. As discussed earlier, someone who plans for the future is equally important, as is the fourth factor, a person who respect themselves and others. This where one's self concept comes from, explained Dr Paphazy. This is also where a positive self-concept comes from – that you are a person of worth, and therefore see the worth in the other. Another internal strength to build resilience is empathy and caring of others. Empathy is something that we can lose. Dr Paphazy refers to the loss of empathy in boy soldiers. Learning and acknowledging that a
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young person is responsible for their behaviour and that all behaviour is a choice and carries a consequence, while integral to the development of resilience, young people find this a difficult concept to comprehend that one chooses how one behaves, invoking one’s own conscience. This flows to strength seven: optimism. One of the ways that we can help young people to become optimistic, of which we all have a major role in helping young people to grow into good people can come down to teachers who correct children. It should never be the damnation, ‘I’m always telling you to be quiet’, ‘you’re always interrupting me’. Dr Paphazy explained that every kind of behaviour should be treated as an isolated incident so that the young person learns and children learn that yes, there is a consequence, and yes this consequence will happen but when it’s over, don’t refer to it. A young person that has had all these external supports that my internal self is beginning to develop is now to apply all this into the world in which they live so that they can think of ways to problem solve. "It’s good to be able to think of new ways of problem solving, and it’s good to think of other ways of solving problems," said Dr Paphazy. "And that can become more and more important as the world becomes more and more complex. Young people will be required, for instance, to move jobs, and to move interests, countries and so on because of the way things change. Being open and being interested in that can improve young people’s lives, and their resilience." These matters fall into the ‘I Can’ category which regards social and interpersonal and problem solving skills. Staying with a task or persistence is integral to quality resilience. Using humour is another tactic to assist with breaking up difficult situations. “I’ve never actually taken any young person very seriously because without sounding terribly rude, in comparison with me, that young person is an idiot … the amount of knowledge and experience that we have are times thousands what this young person has. Although that young person may be clever, they’re still a long way away,” she said. When young people misbehave and do silly things, if you take it with a touch of humour and with a certain amount of mild cynicism, you will be much more helpful to them and much less likely to get annoyed or irritated by them. Career resilience, which is factor five, is going to become very important. Being able to work out how to resolve a problem is going to become quite difficult in today's competitive settings, explained Dr Paphazy, and also of course to
learn to manage feelings and impulses – not to give way to instant irritation, to hold that in. “I tell children that they’ve got 10 seconds to say ‘stop’ and then when they’ve said ‘stop’ to say ‘think’ and then to ask themselves what do I want to do. Do I want to let this feeling fly, or do I want to control it,” she revealed. She tells children that their bellybutton is magic. “I said if you press your belly button and you say stop, it’ll stop – of course is does because you’ve distracted yourself, but I’m not going to tell them that little gem. And so there are kids now all over Melbourne pulling up their shirts and pushing their belly buttons. And what does the child learn? I can control myself. The final factor within the 'I Can' category is reaching out for help when it is needed. These are the people who we reach out to, who we trust, who can help if we feel that we can't problem solve ourselves. This resilience model is cyclical. We’re good at some things sometimes, and not good at other things other times, and we improve. This model has even helped Dr Paphazy in her ability to relate with anybody and everybody. “I have to say that in the 25 years that I’ve been involved with this, I have improved greatly as a human being because I’ve looked much more deeply at myself and my behaviour, and my responses, and I’ve asked myself is this really in the best interest, not only of me, but in my relationships with others?” This is a model, explained Dr Paphazy, that works, is proven and evidence-based, wherever it is, and it is well worth considering. The schools that have seen Dr Paphazy introduce this into their school policy have flourished. But teacher and parental involvement is integral – when working together, interesting young people will be produced. It is important to understand, she explained that, we choose to feel one way or another, our feelings are not necessarily the result of other people’s behaviour per se. “No one’s got a gun to your head. You still have choice. When we say to children that their behaviour is a choice and carries a consequence, you mustn’t forget that our behaviour is a choice and carries a consequence. We need to make sure that as trustworthy resilient, competent adults we model competent behaviour.” Thank you Dr Paphazy for your insightful talk on resilience!
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REVIEWS
The 2016 Annual General Meeting Thursday, 26th May 2016 The 2016 AGM, our 104th, followed in the tradition of past meetings: an open forum for all to learn of the Association's intentions, work and key outcomes. The future was a great focus of discussions. This year's AGM also marked the very first for President Loughnan. The evening commenced with awards for this year’s Resident Member winners of Graduate House Scholarship, Bursary and Acknowledgement awards. The winner of the Scholarship receives $3,000 to use for research academic pursuits. This year’s award was to PhD student Yuliia Velichenko for her research entitled ‘The Development of Novel Dual-Action Antihypertensive Medicines’. Yuliia has been a Resident Member
Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne), Thomas Nantz (Master of Public Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne), Doan Vu Hong Hoang (Master of Public Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne) and Fatema Yasmin (Master of Public Policy, School of Global, Urban and Social Sciences, RMIT). The Graduate House Research Acknowledgement awards were then awarded to Hui Ping Yaw (Platelets Physiology and Function in Neonates and Children on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), Damon Luo (A Study on the Conflict of Laws in Commercial Contracts between Australia and China: Status Quo, Challenges and Possibilities) and Milena Nadgorny (Three Dimensional Printing of Functional Materials). The President presented Graduate House Coursework Acknowledgement Awards to Riyan Stephan, Yicheng Zhou, Imogen She, Rofan Teo and Francis Yang. At 5:43pm The President took the Chair of the Meeting and declared the 104th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association open.
Scholarship Winner: Yuliia Velichenko
at Graduate House since 2015 and is currently undertaking a Doctor of Philosophy (Science) at The University of Melbourne. Yuliia also holds a Bachelor of Science, from Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University (Ukraine) and a Master of Science. Yuliia delivered an overview of her research via a pre-recorded video explaining that she was currently in Japan having used the Graduate House Scholarship funds to attend the 13th International Conference on the Chemistry of Selenium and Tellurium in Gifu, Japan. Graduate House Bursaries that support coursework studies were then awarded to Members David Allinson (Juris Doctor,
The first item on the agenda was the President’s address. This was the first General Meeting of The Graduate Union for Dr Ken V Loughnan AO, who became President in August 2015. Dr Loughnan announced that it was indeed his honour in having been appointed to this position, and to follow in the footsteps of an eminent Australian in Major General Professor J V Rosenfeld AM OBE KStJ. Dr Loughnan expressed that Professor Rosenfeld is a dynamic and well regarded person in the community and wished him well in his future career. Although only having been President of the Association for 10 months, Dr Loughnan has already commenced great work to enhance the reputation of the Association, but more importantly, its offerings, benefits and dedication (through action) to facilitating
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social good. He discussed the positive responses he has received to his invitation to eminent high office bearers to join the Association as Honorary Members. Since the commencement of this initiative, Justices of The High Court of Australia, including the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, had now joined, as had many Ambassadors of and to Australia.
Bursary Winners: Fatema Samina Yasmin, David Allinson, Thomas Nantz and President Loughnan
Dr Loughnan has also been instrumental in facilitating opportunities to the Association’s Graduates by assisting them with gaining positions on the boards of ‘Tents’ of Variety the Children’s Charity in Jakarta, Singapore and, potentially, Taiwan. The President expressed his hope over time for more programs to facilitate similar opportunities for Graduate House residents. He expressed his commitment to an active and productive time during his tenure, and expressed hope that Members would continue to support the Association through attending and participating in the Association’s many activities and by donating to the Annual Appeal.
Research Acknowledgement: Hui Ping Yaw and President Loughnan
The Chair of Council Mr Rhys Watson was then invited to the podium. Cr Watson, expressed his privilege in reporting on the last twelve months of The Graduate Union, explaining that 2015 marked the successful attainment of the key priorities of the 2013-2015 Strategic Plan, and that having now adopted the 2016-2018 Strategic Plan, the Association was ready to enter a period of opportunity. This new period is distinguished by a focus on the development of ‘intellectual capital’ of the college and the Association while a buildings and facilities component was of the physical development of the college to meet the challenges and demands of the future. Noting that The Graduate Union is an inclusive Association with a foundation built on the leadership and benefaction of its supporters and Members, the Chair of Council encouraged Members to donate to the 2016 Annual Appeal to help continue the legacy and endurance of the Association.
Coursework Acknowledgement: Riyan Stephen, Yicheng Zhou and President Loughnan
In his closing remarks, the Chair of Council thanked the President, Council and committee members, the CEO/Head of College and all staff. He expressed his excitement in continuing
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to work with Members in the year ahead to build a happy and friendly Association. It was then time for the report from the CEO and Head of College, Dr Kerry Bennett. Dr Bennett thanked the President and the Chair of Council, and informed Members that 2015 had been another year of significant change and major activity. She reported continuing support from the membership for GU Collegiate functions which included the Monthly Luncheons, the Twilight Lectures, Bridge nights, Italian conversation dinners, as well as the increasingly popular Women’s Forum and College Tables. All main business units of the Association, she explained, had flourished in the previous year. Meeting services, for example, saw over 23,000 attending the 1,080 academic and professional development meeting and function service events organised by 270 not for profit organisations. 2015 also saw an occupancy rate of over 90% with several months of 100% occupancy and over 730 people having resided at Graduate House in 2015. Moving away from figures, and looking towards the culture of the college, Dr Bennett noted that the residential college has a great cultural diversity, as well as housing individuals who are concerned citizens, interested in contributing something greater to the world. She expressed her gratitude to the residents who are engaged proactively with collegial and social good activities, as well as in ensuring an inclusive environment in Graduate House. Dr Bennett continued to mention the exciting developments such as the Annual Ball and the newfound partnership with the Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation, which will see 50% of all ticket proceeds to the Foundation. Another exciting (continuing) development is the Association’s commitment to the 17 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr Bennett explained her vision of leveraging of international connections and that the provision of opportunities and linkages for graduates would position the Association well to not only address these goals, but also to foster relationships with influential leaders, introducing them to graduates who could help build a strong, intelligent and proactive network of increasingly in-tune and influential
groups doing social good around the world. Cr Leo Santalucia then made his way to the podium to deliver the key results for the financial year ending 31st December. It was a positive year of financial developments, he expressed. 2015 saw a healthy increase in net operating surplus, as well as marginally lower expenses. Accommodation and catering continued to be the most profitable operating units. Along with the land and building assets having been re-valued at a higher figure from four years ago, it was with great pleasure that Cr Santalucia reported on the reinstatement of the Association’s Payroll Tax and Land Tax exemptions by the State Revenue Office (SRO). A long four year proceeding, this reinstatement removed a significant and increasing contingent liability and confirmed the Association’s continued charitable status and deductible gift recipient status. Cr Sanatalucia expressed his deep gratitude to those who had worked tirelessly to achieve this successful SRO outcome over the last four years, including Mr David Lilja and Yu Lee Li of the thennamed accounting firm WHK, Ms Kay Gulenc (external accountant), Mr Gerry Bean of DLA Piper, a legal firm that provided pro-bono support, and to Graduate Union Members and former members of Council, Ms Jennifer Batrouney QC and Mr Daniel McInerney. More information about key financial results are in The Financial Report of The Graduate Union, as published in the April 2016 edition of The Annual Report of the Graduate Union. Mr Ron Ritchie, the Returning Officer then reported that, in relation to the 2016 Election of Members to Council, three valid nominations had been received for three vacancies on Council and a ballot had not therefore been required. The Chair of the Meeting thanked the Returning Officer for his report and for his services during the elections, and declared Mr Vincent Mirabelli, Mr Keith Ryall and Mr Leonardo Santalucia elected until the 2019 annual General Meeting. The appointment of new councillors of course meant that there were those who were outgoing. It was with great sadness that we farewelled Councillor David Sparks. Mr Sparks had been a member of Council since May 2007
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having joined as a Member of the Association in 2005. Mr Sparks is an electrical engineer having graduated from the University of New South Wales - a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, and a Member of CIGRE, an international electrical engineering society. Since 2007, Mr Sparks had been Chair of the (then named) House Board and, later, of the now-named Buildings and Facilities committee, a member of all of the committees and vice Chair of Council before being elected as Chair of Council, remaining in that position until 2013. The President acknowledged that Mr Sparks had worked tirelessly and selflessly for the good of the Association. An award for outstanding contribution to the governance of The Graduate Union is to be given to Mr Sparks upon return from his travels of Europe and the United States. We eagerly await his return to hear of his wonderful travels abroad! It was then time to announce the appointment of the new auditor, Mr Sam Claringbold of JTP Assurance. This appointment signifies that Mr Anthony Law has now completed his voluntary work with the Association. The President extended his personal thanks for his service to the Union, which began in 1985. This 31 year tenure saw Mr Law working closely with staff on internal financial controls, and with Council and the Finance and Audit Committee to develop a sound and comprehensive portfolio of finance and audit related policies. It was with great honour and pleasure that Mr Law was presented with an Outstanding Service Award. The next item on the agenda that was passed related to an amendment to Rule 38.1 Use of Technology. The provision for the use of technology to attend and participate in General Meetings had been introduced in 2014, but the recent proposal from Council was to replace ‘…may be permitted’ (in the current rules) with ‘…may, if permitted by Council to do so, elect’. The consequences of this allow Council to decide in advance of a General Meeting, whether it would be appropriate for Members to participate through the use of technology. Such a decision would be based on an assessment of whether the technology to be used would be affordable, reliable and allow for simultaneous communication.
to minor editorial changes to the circulated proposed amendments, which were also set out in the Explanatory Memorandum sent to Members with the Notice of this year’s AGM. In summary, this set out that the proposed amendments provided for postal voting by Members should they not be able to attend General Meetings of the Association. By this point, the AGM had progressed very efficiently. It was then discussion and question time. Only two questions were asked. One Member expressed his concern regarding ‘unequalisation [sic] of society.’ He explained that as we live in a world that is technologically driven, those in engineering and science ought to take responsibility to move towards a more modern way of handling business. He expressed his interest in seeing a charter developed by the Association for cross-disciplinary activity in a meaningful sense to utilise technology to protect small business from bigger business. The Association, he explained could be the catalyst to improve society for the better. The President acknowledged this comment, adding that it will be taken to Council for discussion. He commented that there is great opportunity for many Members to mentor residents as well as to implement crossdisciplinary action. Another Member expressed their concern with the lack of competition to fill vacancies on Council. The three people who were nominated were elected, and she questioned what that had to say about the interest in the Association. The President agreed that it was disappointing, and that it would be good to see more interest not only in positions for Council, but also for Members to engage more with the Association’s events and urged Members to energise interest in the Association through their own networks to build a greater Membership base. Thank you to all who attended the AGM and for making it a successful meeting! We hope to see you next year.
The following item that was carried was Resolution 4: Amendments to Provide for Postal Voting. The President alerted Members www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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REVIEWS
Annual General Meeting Dinner Leigh Clifford AO My Graduate Pathway, from graduate to Chairperson of QANTAS of a banker, matriculated in Queensland and subsequently attended The University of Melbourne, where he met Cr Ryall during his studies in Engineering. He later went to an Institute in Geneva which he found interesting as it was during the time of the second oil crisis, and Geneva was close to where OPEC met. The start of his journey, however, began when he went to Broken Hill in 1970. As he was progressing his studies, he found that apart from the fact that mining paid more than an engineer, it also gave him tremendous experience. “I think that you’ve got to understand the challenges that the average miner or the average engineer feels, and also the safety issues,” he said. Leigh Clifford AO.
It was with great honour and privilege with which we introduced our 2016 AGM Dinner 2016 speaker Mr Leigh Clifford AO. Mr Clifford, as many of you will know, is the former CEO of Rio Tinto (RTZ), and the current Chairperson of QANTAS. He began his career as a mining engineer, but, he said, really describes himself as a mining guy on the wingtips of aviation. After 37 years at Rio Tinto, mining is what he is more familiar with. The topic of his talk was to focus on his graduate pathway – what he has done, how he did it, and, perhaps, to reflect a little on it all. While he did discuss his pathway a little, he also talked about the business environment, QANTAS, and the world at large. Leigh was born in South Australia, the son
In 1976 he was moved to Wollongong to work in the underground coal industry. This, said Mr Clifford, was a real culture shock because the coal industry in many respects was quite backward compared to the mining industry – a lot of the regulations, and a lot of the history of coal mining in Wales. Nevertheless, he was running the maintenance engineering facility of 140 for many years, and one day he “got the tap” and was told that they wanted him to start selling coal. “I’d have to say at 29 selling coal to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, India, UK, Philippines and Romania (Chauchesku was still in power) was a pretty interesting experience,” he said. A couple of years later he found himself back at Broken Hill because he was involved in a restructuring of the organisation. The idea, explained Mr Clifford, was to flatten the organisation with fewer management levels. This was a popular role, said Mr Clifford with a hint of sarcasm. There was simply a traumatic amount of change. After having done this for a few years, he was then moved to run the coal in New South Wales. The coal industry was
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influenced dramatically by the joint coal board that was established after the Second World War. It was heavily regulated and the industry had a very powerful Union group that had national wage negotiations. Notwithstanding the fact that Utah Development Company, (which operated five coalmines in Queensland) which later became BHP’s coal operations was very competitive – we’re in the south with much tougher conditions, everybody’s wage went up 5%. We also used to say that if we couldn’t agree on this thing there would be a national coal strike. There was no enterprise focus, no enterprise bargaining and we had national coal strikes for up to 10 days. Consequently, the Japanese opened up some coal mines in Canada even though they were very heavily dependent on Australian coal, which was a financial disaster for them. This, however, really reflected that the customer does have some options. Mr Clifford was then sent to Melbourne where he had a grab bag of businesses including Biotechnology Australia. In the late 80s, early 90s, biotechnology was thought to be the new thing, but Rio Tinto would question why they, a coal mining group would invest in biotechnology. One idea, explained Mr Clifford, was to use microbes to eat finely disseminated copper ore. The problems of introducing biologists to mining was that the reports were not easily comprehended, apart from Gus Nossal AC CBE, a distinguished research biologist, who was on the Board at the time. Mr Clifford was thus presented with the challenge to sell this new technology. He sold half for $35 million. John Ralph set him the challenge: if he got above $35M he would give him a bonus.
America. “It was very interesting. I spent a lot of time in Latin America, Italy, Bolivia, Peru, Columbia, and we had one operation in Argentina, he recalled. Then in late 1995, a deal was made to merge Rio Tinto and CRA (RTZ’s Australian subsidiary Conzinc Riotinto of Australia, of which Rio Tinto owned more than 40%). What was the benefit that would flow from that, questioned Mr Clifford. The reality was, he explained, that RTZ was financially able, strategically savvy and good at negotiations. CRA on the other hand was good at construction, operation, geology and so on. Putting those two together, explained Mr Clifford, equaled five. In other words, they were certainly more successful together than separately. Clifford was then relocated to Australia to be Managing Director of Rio Tinto. After some changes, he took over Global Energy which encompassed the uranium coal around the world. It was an interesting time he said because Mr Clifford made up his mind that they were going to make the coal industry competitive so they embarked upon change in New South Wales and in Queensland.
In 1994, Mr Clifford received a call from John Ralph to tell him that Leigh was going to London as Mining Director of Rio Tinto. The first day he landed, Mr Clifford recalled, there was a reception, actually a Royal reception, to give Robert Mugabe an Honorary Knighthood. “You may find that surprising, but I was sitting there and in came Mugabe, and things were pretty cosy at that stage, and he got his honorary knighthood which has since been retracted,” he said.
The coal industry was characterized by what Mr Clifford calls ‘profitless prosperity’. The Japanese did well, they got a decent price, the employees did well they were paid, but the companies made nothing. “Basically we ended up with a different coal industry, more enterprise focused, and coal started to make a few dollars,” he said. It was then time again for “the tap” as he was once again relocated to London where he was still heading the energy business but a year later in 2000 he was asked to be the CEO of Rio Tinto. “Frankly it was something I wanted to do and I’d hung around in the hope that I’d have a shot at it. I had a few other opportunities, but that was what I was interested in doing,” he said. After a few months in the role he decided to take over north Broken Hill. “Now some of you might have been shareholders, and all I’d say to you is that you got a great deal because we were arguing when the stock was AU$1.80 and we paid AU$4.70. So you did pretty well. And I might add it really enabled Rio Tinto to expand their operations.
His role as Mining Director had responsibilities in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Madagascar later and North and South
In his time Mr Clifford admitted to having been the protégé of great mentors. Ron Carnegie and John Ralph for instance. They both gave
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Mr Clifford a tremendous run and showed great confidence in Mr Clifford. Tom Bartlett was another mentor, described by Mr Clifford as ‘tough as nails, smart and fair and the best boss he ever had. A fantastic guy to work for.’ He also worked for Sir Robert Wilson who was the Chairman of Rio Tinto, and also Fred Hilmer, at the time a Director of McKinsey (who moved to become CEO of John Fairfax Holdings Ltd., then became vice-chancellor of Australia's University of NSW) who Mr Clifford had known for many years. In 2007 he returned to Australia, after 7 years as CEO of Rio Tinto. A few months later, May 1st 2007, he completed his journey as CEO. “The next morning I said that a backpack had been lifted off my back that I didn’t know I had. “ But fate had more opportunities in store. While on a train in Finland, ready to attend a friend’s wedding, he received a call about QANTAS. Would he become the next Chairman of QANTAS, he was asked. “… I’d have to say I thought a lot about the role and I would describe it as this: mind in, fingers out. Publically supportive, privately challenged. And don’t compete for the microphone. You’re not the face of the company, the best chairmen have got to be comfortable in taking a public backseat. Now some people aren’t comfortable, especially one who is still trying to prove themselves. I think the chairman’s role is a focus on big capital, the key people appointments, governance, and a strategy of business,” he said. What did he find at QANTAS? Upon arrival at QANTAS Mr Clifford saw a few issues that he felt could be improved, and after major strategic change, the state of QANTAS improved greatly. “We have not lost one hour through industrial strike. People realise we’re fair dinkum. We are now much stronger. We are in a better cost position, and our employees are convinced that we are serious about the competitive environment that we work in,” he said. Some of the improvements to QANTAS include the arrangement with Emirates that allows one to fly on a QANTAS code to Dubai and you can fan out anywhere, or you can take QF9 to London, or up to 38 other cities in Europe. “We have a better customer focus, we’re getting better reports on our planes, we’ve renewed the fleet, we’ve improved our balance sheet, and we’ve got 5,000 fewer employees,” he said.
It was at this point in his talk that he shared his insights on business in general in Australia and around the world. As a director and a partner for a number of years of Bechtel Australia, one of the biggest engineering companies in the world, he is well versed in the world of business. Growth is much slower than we may have initially perceived, he said. Activity growth is slow, and the population is unhappy. Blue-collar jobs are diminishing, and unskilled jobs also. Business is not investing because despite being in a strong financial position, they are apprehensive to invest. Technology is disrupting many industries and there is more disruption to come. China is growing, but not quite like it was. Germany is strong and the UK is OK. The United States of America is slow, and Japan is slightly going sideways, and has been since 1992. We look at politics, he said. The UK, France and the US and each of them have their challenges. What about Australia in general? Mr Clifford started with resources. The construction boom is over he claimed, but the production boom is underway. “The prices mightn’t be what they were, and the iron ore production is still going, and I think we’re going to see some benefits,” he said. “When we talk about prices, prices are back to normal. There is a sort of perception that prices have fallen … the reality is that the boom was the anomaly.” “Really what we’re seeing is an adjustment of the demand and supply imbalance. We had a shortage of supply, but we’ve now got an oversupply and I’m yet to see what I’d call some of the third-tier players drop out, but that’s going to happen in iron ore,” he claimed. However for Australia it’s not all gloom, he suggested. Trade in general in China is opening new opportunities in agriculture, wine, education services, medical services, and tourism – which in essence is an export industry. Rates of Chinese tourists to Australia are increasingly high, sitting at 1.2 percent of 100,000,000 Chinese tourists worldwide, and Victoria and Tasmania are benefiting. Globally, however, despite the free-trade agreements, many feel they are not benefiting from globalisation. They see that they jobs they
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Attendees at the AGM Dinner
once had have been moved offshore. But, Mr Clifford asserted that there are other benefits, the auto industry being a prime example. In some respects politicians have lost respect. They haven’t convinced the population that the changes underway are ultimately for the benefit. People don’t like change. I think also that they haven’t convinced people that companies, not governments, create jobs. He acknowledges that there has been a lot of debate about taxes, but when you look at the Australian corporate tax rate – "if you’re setting up a high-tech corporate manufacturing business where are they going to go – to the place that has a 30% tax rate or the place that has 18%?" he questioned. "We have got to make sure that our tax rate is
in the ballpark. I think a competitive tax rate for Australia is vital and I think we’ve also got to do something about the slowing of what I call ‘recurrent government expenditure’. In some respects if money was borrowed for infrastructure I can understand it, but when it’s borrowed for recovering recurrent government expenditure, I think we’ve got a problem." With these closing remarks it was clear that Mr Clifford's pathway was a remarkable one marked with opportunity, hard work and business savviness. Thank you Mr Clifford for your insightful talk!
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RESIDENT AND MEMBER NEWS
Alistair Paterson, Arthurs Point Letterboxes/ FlickrCC
What diversity! What mysteries! Some families have decided to What struggles between conscience retain the old letter slot in the and idealism! wooden front door, where you need to open the front gate, Recently I spent several mornings (usually one that creaks loudly in and an occasional afternoon the early morning stillness) then delivering brochures to North creep up the path hoping that you Carlton letter boxes. This is not are not disturbing those asleep the first time I have undertaken in the front room, push open the this task and it has left me musing flap, slide in the brochure and about the extraordinary range of hear it land with a gentle thump local letter boxes and pondering on the polished wooden floor the question of how much a letter that you have glimpsed through box can tell you about the people the slot. who inhabit these North Carlton homes. There is a particular type of letter box, often at the most renovated Some houses seem to have no and attractive houses, that is my letter box at all. Is this because special bugbear. It is that box with a metal flap over the slit in the by Mac Nicoll, Member, the owners wish to avoid the box. It is one thing to push open inevitable junk mail that results The Graduate Union from having a letter box or do a flap but this modern trap has they perhaps expect the postman a spring attached and it requires to slide the mail under their front two strong hands to enable me to push open the flap, hold it open door? and then insert the brochure with the other hand, always with the Some letter boxes are elusive. fear that the spring will snap shut They may be hidden in a mass before my hand is withdrawn. of hedge, they may be sitting on A major problem these days the ground detached from their is deciding which families are original moorings or occasionally willing to receive your brochure. they can be found lurking in some It is from the local Church of narrow slot near the side wall. All Nations, passing on the
The Curious World of Letterboxes
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latest information about the work of its support agency and also giving people the opportunity to contribute to the Christmas appeal. One cannot assume that everyone wants to receive this particular brochure and whether we have a right to slip it into a letter box with a NO JUNK MAIL sign on it. I ask myself whether this is junk mail and decide that it is definitely not. Junk mail is the sort of mail that is simply advertising local shops and services. No, this is important local information I tell myself.
Here I have to struggle with my pedantic conscience. Is this brochure advertising anything. Well yes it is … and yet is it really advertising or rather communication of local information? Again I take a liberal view and open the letter box.
There is however one notice, usually a yellow notice with red print, that requests AUSTRALIA POST ONLY. When I see this sign, no amount of linguistic gymnastics can soften the unequivocal nature of this demand. I pass on without leaving But what about the NO JUNK MAIL sign that a brochure ... with one exception: I have a local adds the startling warning: friend whose letter box carries this sign and I know he is a generous supporter of our welfare THE JUNK MAIL WATCHDOG IS work, so I take the risk here although not without a certain prick of conscience that I am ignoring WATCHING YOU his specific request. For some reason, when I see this sign I think of Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. Yes, I do slip a brochure in the box but I do so hurriedly and with bated breath lest some great mastiff should suddenly emerge from the nearby bushes and spring upon me. The next problem is the sign that requests: NO ADVERTISING MATERIAL.
Can I learn anything about the occupiers from the nature of their letter boxes and the signs attached? Probably not. But this twice annual early morning trek continues to entertain me as I face the baffling diversity of the location of the boxes and the nature of these warning signs. If only they knew what they were missing!
Graduation by Paul Oon, Resident Milestone, landmark, graduation.
But, the most surprising reaction of the lot was … I felt like I might feel some relief. Which, The goal of life is to live a life that we feel is most honestly, came as a shock to me. Relief? But why? Because I felt frustrated. But why? Because there worthwhile. Life is that simple, is it not? were so many things that I had tried, but it felt that they all ended in failure. And I was tired of Then why do we overthink it by trying to failing. At least, that was how it felt superficially. accommodate the expectations of everyone around us? But when I looked back at the things I felt disappointment in, I realised something was off. As graduation (from university) comes around the corner, I have been thinking a lot. A few weeks back, a question popped up in my head. Sure, I won’t say that everything I had done was an unqualified success. But there were few unqualified failures either. What if I were told that I had only two months to live? I felt panic. I felt fear. I felt frustration at And there were many so-called failures that were how little I seem to have achieved. things that I had attempted but given up way too www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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soon. But why? And then it dawned upon me plenty of things that I am good at like being a that the reason why I felt like everything was good listener (and getting even better over time). a failure was because I was seeking validation from those around me. And, maybe, once I lose my self-consciousness, I could finally engage in nice conversation. Yes, I had let my father, mother, relatives, friends, Instead, I often pick the worst possible option. bosses, colleagues – everyone but me defines what success and failure meant to me. I get awkward – and I am often so conscious about being awkward, I just could not speak up. I had put myself in a situation where I could never feel happy. With so many contradictory The more I felt unable to speak, the more selfdemands, satisfying everybody’s demands is conscious I became. And … I end up in a vicious impossible. And in the first place, they are not cycle. me. So why am I even being subservient? Rather than worrying about their demands and my inability to live up to it, why not instead focus on what I am competent in, the things that I am able to do? Think about it.
I think it is foolish to talk about reaching for the stars, if we don’t even have a firm platform to stand on. And understanding what you are good at, and appreciating it, and practicing it, and being very good at it: That is the very thing we need to develop that firm platform to stand on.
There are four options that I can take in response to the opinions of others. I could try to I think that doing this will help us to find the meet their goals, and make plans to meet them courage to become extraordinary. I think that accordingly as best I can. for the everyday person, obsessing about leaving the “comfort zone” is the sure-fire way to cause I could ignore the vast majority of their advice, failure. Imagine this: and only absorb the advice that meets the goals that I had already defined for myself. I could In our desire to become extraordinary, many of attempt to meet these needs. Or I could freeze us obsess about what we lack. This obsession up, and not move at all. with what we lack causes us to forget what we are actually good at. When we forget what we And what I found was that in trying to meet are good at, our minds are filled with destructive their desires for my life, I was constantly moving thoughts about how weak we are. between the final two choices. The worst choices of the lot. In the end, we act out our failures, because we cannot think about anything else. So, how about But it was only today that I realized just how this: deeply this attitude was rooted in me, and that everything, even my simple everyday How about forgetting about your weaknesses interactions are affected by this obsession with for now? What are your strengths? Hone them. what others think. Tune them. Strengthen your mastery of them. It The obsession on my weaknesses, rather than will give you confidence. the appreciation and use of my strengths. But on the other hand, I could just enjoy listening to the And confidence will help you find the courage conversation, and focus on what I could do. to overcome your weaknesses. Did you know that having a cause to live for is a strength? And remind myself of what I am good at, and what I am good for. Forgetting what I am bad at, and focus solely on doing what I am good at, Something so worthwhile that you are desperate to succeed in it. A cause so important, you would and what I am comfortable with. dedicate your life to it. A mission so important, you would willingly die to make sure it succeeds. I am not good at talking, sure, but there are www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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Do you have something like that in your heart? Are you living for it? Forget what others say about what you are good at, or bad at. Sure, they are good at feedback.
bring your confidence to the next level. Forget about trying to meet everyone’s expectations. It is an impossible task. I cannot meet everyone’s expectations by focusing on what they want from me. When I do that, I don’t meet expectations But focusing on them will not do you any good. adequately. Rather than worrying about them, I Focus on what you are good at. Do it well. Be should focus on something that I am capable of so good at it that you are proud of it. That will doing, and use them to accomplish something I desperately believe in.
Resident Research: Soumya Mukherjee, PhD Student in Inorganic Chemistry
Image: Lee Nachtigal,FlickrCC
Words, Soumya Mukherjee Dementia is commonly a chronic and progressive deterioration in cognitive functions (decision making, learning, memory, language skills) beyond what might be expected from normal ageing. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) 2015 survey there were approximately 48 million cases of dementia worldwide with 7.7 million new cases each year. In 2010, the total global societal cost of dementia was estimated to be US$ 604 billion and with number of dementia cases predicted to triple by 2050 to 135.6 million, the social and economic implications will be significantly overwhelming.
familial AD and early-onset AD, the disease sporadically affects people 65 years or older. AD was named after German psychiatrist and pathologist Alois Alzheimer who first described it in 1906. The most important pathological hallmarks of the postmortem AD brain are extracellular plaques rich in amyloid proteins (mishapen proteins that most often lose their normal function) and highly deformed dead neurons.
Recent research has identified genetic risk factors which primarily implicates a sticky peptide called amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide (amino acids that are crucially involved in AD) in the brain of There are currently more than 353,800 dementia person who is diagnosed with AD. cases in Australia. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) accounts for 60 to 70 percent of dementia cases. The amyloid hypothesis proposes that the AD is a chronic and fatal neurodegenerative disease progression is due, with time, to the disease, clinically characterised by loss of clumping of this sticky Aβ peptide in the brain. neurons in the brain leading to memory loss and Clumping of Aβ peptide, known as aggregation, cognitive dysfunctions. Although the particular follows a definite pattern, which is toxic to the reasons for AD are yet to be elucidated, the neurons and failure to clear these anomalies out major risk factors are genetics, environmental of the system in AD has been long believed as and cumulative effect of inability of the brain the major reason of neuronal death and tissue to perfectly detoxify the reactive oxygen species degeneration. (ROS) with ageing leading to increased oxidative stress. Other than 7 to 10 percent of cases of www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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The prime focus of current research is deciphering the exact reasons as to what initiates the deposition of Aβ peptides as the predominant constituent of the extracellular plaques with age in AD brain. Neuroscientists speculate that there is no single mechanism leading to this disease and therapeutic interventions can only be developed by better understanding these processes from the very beginning.
state-of-art mass spectrometry techniques and developed algorithms for automatic detection and identification of the proteins are that more prone to DT bond formation in AD. We are currently working to find more relevant DT cross-linked proteins in AD which are not observed in healthy brains, to provide deeper insight as to what happens in AD. This new technique and workflow can now be used to find biomarkers in AD which will not only help My doctoral research under the supervision of us better understand the etiology of the disease Dr. Somdatta Ghosh Dey, IACS at Kolkata, India but also in developing better therapeutics. is on investigating the role of transition metals in protein damage and oxidative stress (inability Oxidative stress is universal and this study to counter effects of free radicals) generation holds great potential. DT cross-linked proteins leading to neurodegeneration. can serve as biomarkers in diverse pathological conditions such as Parkinson Disease (PD), Our collaboration with Prof. Dr. Ashley I. Bush atherosclerotic plaques, cancer and ageing. group (Oxidation Biology Unit) in The Florey Once the primary cause of these catastrophic Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in damages are understood, and, most importantly, Melbourne aims to uncover the pathways that which cellular processes get affected first, we lead to AD, especially those pathways in which will be in a better position to fight AD from the metal ions (such as zinc, copper and iron) interact very beginning and possibly successfully alter with peptides like Aβ. His group has been at the its course. The results we have from small scale forefront of AD research by developing potential experiments with post mortem AD brains is therapeutic targets which are in preclinical overwhelming and aggregation of Aβ peptides development. For the past two years I have been may be just one small step of the cascade that working in The Florey under the guidance of leads to AD. Dr. Blaine Roberts of the Neuroproteomics and Metalloproteomics Laboratory to understand It will be interesting to learn the benefits from the relationship between ROS and their induced our research on a large scale cohort with people neuronal damages. diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) the early stage of AD. Alteration in every level of protein structure and function can occur when cells are exposed I would like to acknowledge The International to highly toxic ROS such as free radicals that Brain Research Organisation-Asia Pacific can cause irreversible damage. One of these Regional Committee (IBRO-APRC) Exchange irreversible changes due to oxidative stress is Fellowship and Professor Bush for encouraging the formation of the dityrosine (DT) bond of me and my research team to collaborate with an essential amino acid Tyrosine present in all his group in Melbourne and giving me an the proteins which permanently damages the opportunity and providing the fellowship to proteins. Changes such as DT are constantly cover my long stay in Melbourne. This interesting being formed in our body, but the failure of the and fascinating research would not have been body’s defense mechanism (immune system) possible without the help of Dr. Blaine Roberts, and improper removal of these damaged who I would like to thank for teaching me proteins are fatal for the neurons. Current mass spectrometry based proteomics and also research has identified them as the early signs increasing my acumen while doing independent of the onset AD and their accumulation with research. disease progression is detrimental. Despite these advancements and high-throughput in I am grateful to Graduate House where I quantitatively determining free DT, information have made innumerable friends and have regarding specific protein targets and DT cross- unforgettable memories associated with them. linking sites in the proteins is very limited. Research is effective and successful only when you have a supportive and cheerful community To overcome these limitations we have used to live in. www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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Innovation
Is Digital Nativity Really a Curse?
Image: Thomas van de Weer, FaceTime / FlickrCC
Can you imagine if while reading through this article you came across random blank spaces? Much like _____. Now imagine that these blank spaces represented notification alerts. Ok, now try to re____ this sent_____. It can get a little annoying. And transfer this scenario to a real life interaction, and this has described a common phenomenon that most of us are undoubtedly guilty of – especially when we are with someone. It has been coined as ‘phubbing’. This is the act of snubbing someone with your phone, causing this disruption (see blank space) in what is usually (or should be) a continuous flow of conversation. All of us have witnessed, a group of people in a café all flipping through their phones, or just that one person who keeps checking their emails, their partner (im)patiently looking on. Researchers from the University of Kent in their study How “phubbing” becomes the norm: The antecedents and consequences of snubbing via smartphone in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, have suggested that phubbing is caused by a smartphone addiction, where linked to this are also internet addiction, fear of missing out, and a lack of self-control. Astonishingly, however, the research found that this behavior is actually considered as ‘normal’. “Of course we feel that technology brings many benefits to people, including benefits to their social relationships. However, phubbing is one specific aspect of our interactions with technology that may detract from the quality of our relationships,” said Professor Karen Douglas. In this first study, explained Professor Douglas, they were mostly interested in people’s experiences of phubbing, what causes it, and how it has become an accepted norm of communication. Now in their follow-up work,
they are investigating how people feel when they are at the receiving end of phubbing and whether this mirrors the feeling of being left out or ostracised by individuals and groups. There is significant conversation relating to that last point. Often we are told that the end is nigh for human interactions, and that all our tweeting, texting, instagramming and so on will all just culminate in an inability to physically communicate with other people. Phubbing could be classified as anti-social or rude behavior, but the fact of the matter is that rudeness and antisocial behavior have always existed, and will continue to do so with or without social media. While we may think that we are becoming increasingly disconnected from our offline worlds, another way to look at it is that we now can exist in two worlds: offline and online. Yes, perhaps our time in the real world has been truncated, but it’s only because our time and attention is now divided into smaller pieces to facilitate our interactions within these two worlds. These worlds frequently intersect. For instance, in one 2007 study, Ellison et al wrote that they could “definitively state there is a positive relationship between certain kinds of Facebook use and the maintenance and creation of social capital.” Their study examined the use of Facebook among college students and found that students use Facebook to maintain existing offline relationships or to solidify what would otherwise be ephemeral, temporary acquaintances. Facebook implicated in students’ efforts to develop and maintain bridging social capital at college, and rather pertinently, students reporting low satisfaction and low self-esteem appeared to gain in bridging social capital if they used Facebook.
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Prisci Susan Thomas, Masters Student in Supply Chain and Logistics at RMIT, says that the use of Skype and WhatsApp helps with her homesickness. “Using something like Skype means that I can actually see my family, rather than just talking to them over the phone or sending them an email. Our conversations are enhanced so much so, that I feel like they could be sitting next to me,” she said.
Furthermore, they wrote that at an applied level, the popularity of social networking sites could make them a powerful cognitive tool if adapted for academic pursuits and career goals. It’s up to relevant institutions to take advantage of these opportunities.
Member Robert Heaton is largely of this opinion. He sees the tremendous value that these technolgies have given his business. “I’m in the Resident at Graduate House Betsy Yu is of the business of training and coaching professional same opinion. She says that these technologies sales teams across Australia and also globally and are essential to her every day. “The use of social I can tell you that Skype and Social Media have media has become an integral part of my daily been enormously beneficial to my business,” he life. It not only helps me maintain connections said. with family and friends, but also provides me with some interesting sources of information.” “Skype allows me to have Face 2 Face coaching conversations with sales people from all over the These kinds of sentiments are reflected in country, or anywhere in the world for that matter. research. In another 2009 study by Pempek et al Without such technologies I would not be able to they found that the use of social networking sites operate my business.” allows students to communicate with friends who are not necessarily on campus, and therefore On the social media front, platforms provide a facilitates social relationships. Social networking valuable opportunity to initiate discussions with sites also present students with the opportunity other like-minded professionals from around for students to display their identities. In fact, the globe and through that enhance his personal the study found that social networking sites brand image (reputation) among his professional actually act as a tool for identity development. community. Much like when talking to people who we know and trust, and have a sense of social safety, So while we may continue to be of the opinion that Facebook replicates this environment somewhat social networking technologies are detrimental to and therefore facilitates self-disclosure about social development, there are equal, if not more important personal issues. “Communication via opportunities and benefits presented by them. Facebook,” wrote the authors, “may help young It’s about being innovative and really taking adults resolve key developmental issues that may advantage of these benefits. Perhaps it’s time to be present during adulthood.” stop fearing and complaining about technology, and learn to deal with it.
2016 Graduate House Career Roundtables August 4 th. book online, call 9357 3428 or email admingh@graduatehouse.com.au
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Academic and Professional Development Meetings The following groups from The University of Melbourne have convened meetings, workshops and seminars at Graduate House in May 2016 Academic Services - Student Success Planning Day 4th May 22 attendees
Campus Services - Staff Environmental. Advocates Meeting 18th May 25 attendees
Centre for Health Policy - Short course 30th, 31st May 20 attendees
Department of Finance - Lunch Meeting 13th, 20 th, 27th May 5 attendees each day
Department of Infrastructure Engineering Staff Meeting 3rd May 35 attendees
Finance and Employee ServicesAcademic Women in Leadership 25th May 19 attendees
General Practice Melbourne Dental School 19th May 7 attendees
Indigenous Eye Health Unit Population & Global Health - IEH Planning Meeting 3rd May 15 attendees
Melbourne School of Engineering (DEAN’S OFFICE) Afternoon Tea 10th May 50 attendees
Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Full Day Workshop 12th, 13th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th May 167 attendees
UoM Commercial Ltd - Clinical Teaching & Graduate Certificate in Clinical Teaching 11th May 62 attendees
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 organise functions. Thank you for your patronage. Australian & New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (ANZAPPL) Vic 4th May 70 attendees
Australia Teachers of Media (ATOM) VCE Unit 4 16th, 31st May 70 attendees
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) 5th May 18 attendees
Australian Asian Association (AAA) 2nd May 6 attendees
Australian Centre for Heart Health CVD and LVD Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th May 145 attendees
Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation Victoria Branch (ACHPER) 3rd May 100 attendees -
Australian Film Base (AFB) 1 Month Film Course 10th May 15 attendees
Australian School of Applied Management (ASAM) 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 13th, 27th May 129 attendees each day
Carlton-Parkville Probus Club Inc 5th May 80 attendees
Carlton Rotary - District 9800, Heritage Cluster, Lunch and Board meetings 3rd, 10th, 14th, 17th, 18th, 24th, 25th, 31st May 204 attendees
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Academic and Professional Development Meetings Career Education Association of Victoria (CEAV) - Boot Camp 11th, 12th May 16 attendees David Morris Consulting - Seminar 9th, 30th May 48 attendees
Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV)Ltd - Dinner, Workshop and Seminar 5th, 6th May 108 attendees each day Dr Tom Beer - Celebratory Lunch
Celebration 1st May 58 attendees Lunch
Environment Protection Authority (EPA)Victoria 18th May 15 attendees
IMD Alumni Lunch 31st May 25 attendees
International Association of Facilitators (IAF) - CPF Assessment 23th, 24th May 34 attendees
International Student Advisers Network of Australia (ISANA) 10th May 90 attendees
John Cain - The JC Foundation Lunch 4th May 35 attendees
Lunch Meeting
Melba Group 27th May 11 attendees
Modern Greek Teachers Association of Victoria (MGTAV) 10th, 14th, 31st May 31 attendees
Order of St. John Evening Meeting 2nd May 8 attendees
Organisation Development Australia (ODA) - Ladders and Bananas 25th May 30 attendees
Parentshop Pty Ltd - 123 Magic & Emotion Coaching 9th May 16 attendees
Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre (PICCC) - Meeting 16th May 12 attendees
School Library Association of Victoria 11th May 35 attendees
Social Education Victoria (SEV) - AGM 18th May 20 attendees
Social Work Department - Writing Group 24th May 8 attendees
St Kilda Gatehouse 4th May 4 attendees
Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia (SCLAA) 19th May 6 attendees
The Graduate Union Collegiate Events and Governance Meetings 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 25th, 26th, 30th May 429 attendees TiE Melbourne 25th May 20 attendees
Turkish Teachers Association of Victoria (TTAV) 5th, 26th May 20 attendees
Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) 10th, 20th May 60 attendees
Circolo Culturale 6th, 26th April 34 attendees
VJM
Consulting
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Puzzles
Mind benders for our Members
Sudoku
Sudoku is an 81 square grid comprising of nine square blocks, each with nine cells. To complete this puzzle, all blank cells must be filled with a number between and including 1 and 9. Each number can only appear once in each nine celled block, row and column.
Last edition’s results
Kakuro Use the numbers 1 to 9 to fill the empty cells so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the clue on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on top. Each number can only be used once per row/column..
Last edition’s results
Please note that there might be more answer combinations possible.
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Cryptic Crossword Clues Across 1. Deep sort of truss developed in Lincoln (8) 5. Song of the proletariat? (4) 8. Name change for Dolly (5) 9. Tumbler and bottle-opener held by a European (7) 11. Boxer, perhaps, went up for flower (3,4) 12. Nimble soldier gets in drink (5) 13. Robber didn’t allow it, we hear (6) 15. Good landlords providing spirits (6) 18. Bones broken in Capri (5) 20. One candle put out in this country (7) 23. Snag at home somewhere in Hertfordshire (7) 24. Undergarments - little bloomers? (5) 25. Some of the president’s team (4) 26. Row about empty school in Yorkshire town (8)
Clues Down 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 10. 13. 14. 16. 17. 19. 21. 22.
Was sick girl set up? (5) Legions ordered to find liqueur (4,3) It shows what cowboys can do with a few bucks (5) Humiliated PM’s predecessor kept in outhouse (6) Religious leader not finishing talk (5) The man’s composing songs (7) Fish in Polperro, a chub? (5) God help us if we listen (7) Nationality of flag on top of hotel (5) Salesman’s talk about a new dog (7) Girl getting up after six in capital city (6) Highly regarded after a tedious part (5) Uncommon sense in a German city (5) Princess, bashful but very attractive (5)
Last edition’s results Across: 1. MapleSyrup 7. Advocate 8. Cute 9. Char 10. Adhered 12. Auctioneers 14. Garbage 16. Sped 19. Sham 20. OnTheAir 21. BingCrosby Down: 1. Medic 2. Prosaic 3. Edam 4. Yielding 5. Uncle 6. Athens 11. DingDong 12. Apathy 13. Express 15. Bambi 17. Daisy 18. Star
Brainteaser Riddle You have a cup of tea (A) and a cup of coffee (B) (equal amounts), and you take a spoonful of the coffee (B) and mix it thoroughly into the tea (A). Then you take a spoonful of tea (A) and mix it with the coffee (B). Does the cup that originally had tea in it (A) have more coffee or does the cup that originally had coffee in it (B) have more tea? Answer in the next issue. www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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STORIES AROUND GRADUATE HOUSE
Extracurricular HeForShe Words, Parisa Shiran
In 1959, the philosopher Bertrand Russell did an interview with the BBC, whereby he was asked, as one last question, what he would wish to send as a message to future generations that are yet to come. Russell had two simple, yet vital points for all the human beings who are to come on this planet: one “intellectual” and one “moral.” Russell’s intellectual point was simple: “when you are studying any matter, ask yourself only what are the facts and the truth that the facts bear out? Never let yourself be diverted by what you wish to believe…” Russell’s moral point also was simple, yet very deep: “Love is wise; hatred is foolish. In this world, which is getting more and more closely interconnected, we have to learn to tolerate each other, we have to learn to put up with the fact that some people say things that we don't like. We can only live together in that way. But if we are to live together, and not die together, we must learn a kind of charity and a kind of tolerance, which is absolutely vital to the continuation of human life on this planet.” For me, Russell’s points and observations— especially the second one—have always been my mantra and is my main reason why I am absolutely fascinated by being able to participate in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 2015 marked a major event in the history of human’s attempt to make progress on the planet, namely countries reached a global agreement with 17 agenda items to eliminate all forms of discrimination, violence, poverty, harmful and destructive practices all around the world. Bertrand Russell’s lesson, and hence his legacy, was simple: looking at the current state of the world, we recognize that there are unsettling facts—and the climate change and its subsequent destructive effects is only one of such facts—that can no longer be ignored or pushed aside just because we might wish they wouldn’t exist or because any attempt to restore things back to their healthy state might limit our access to resources or might not be to our best interests. On the other hand, the moral legacy also is simple but very profound: we are living in a world, which is connecting
people more and more closely together. Yet we must recognize that we are all different, which means we need to respect, love and care for each other even more because that is the wise thing to do. Now, to my understanding, there are global issues at the moment—such as poverty, homelessness, lack of food and clean water— that call for a moral approach to the problem. That is, the need for the love and care that can help ignite initiatives that end poverty should be highlighted. It is in keeping with the legacy of philosophers such as Bertrand Russell, that promote love and equality for all human beings regardless of their differences, that I wish to participate in the HeForShe campaign at Graduate House to promote love and equality to all human beings, and particularly women who have long been discriminated against in different forms. This has not escaped United Nations, which has allocated one agenda item to women. Sustainable Development Goal number five, therefore, asks countries “to end all forms of discrimination against women and empower all women and girls.” Violence, including most importantly domestic violence, unequal pay, equal access to education and social rights, harmful practices such as genital mutilation, “child, early and forced marriage”—all these are just some of the most important targets of Goal number five. Graduate House’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals has been highlighted by various attempts by residents to make contributions to these very worthy and timely goals. Most recently, together with two other female residents we decided to participate in the global HeForShe campaign. HeForShe is a campaign by United Nation’s women everywhere around the world. The HeForShe campaign seeks to end women’s discrimination through encouraging men to take action in women’s historical endeavour to gender equality! I am very happy to be part of a Graduate House team that seeks to make some contribution to this goal as I believe in equality among all human beings, and between the two sexes. I hope we will be successful to put our initial plans into action in order to have a share in the global and amazing effort for empowering all women and girls and everywhere around the world.
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STORIES AROUND GRADUATE HOUSE
#HeForShe at Graduate House
willing to support the cause. They will then pose for a photo with a #HeForShe sign, and their thoughts will be captured either by video, or quoted for a series of articles.
With a tiny initiative, they intend to achieve a much bigger outcome around the world through the diverse cultural Parisa Shiran, Chanchal women’s advancement as a environment of Graduate Chandramouli and Fatema responsibility of women only," House and its Residents. Samina Yasmin want to talk to said Fatema. you about gender equality. As future instruments of "It encourages men to come change, whether they find The three Residents at forward as agents of change themselves in public or Graduate House are currently for the achievement of gender private institutions, involving seeking to launch a campaign in equality and women rights. themselves in such a campaign support of equality. Following I believe that changes begin will give the Residents the in the footsteps of the highly when the attitudes begin to awareness and understanding respected and extremely change; how we begin to see of the importance of achieving successful HeForShe, launched women through the lens of gender equality. last year by Emma Watson and inequality and decide to rectify UN Women, the Residents' it," she said. Parisa, Chanchal and Fatema campaign is looking to increase awareness of the male's role Fatema, like the others, are very excited to launch in equalisation of society. believes that women’s equal and execute this worthwhile campaign. They are currently Feminism, or the support of representation in socio- seeking volunteers to help with an equal standing for women, economic and political is not only up to women to decision making processes can the planning stages, and also progress. Men have an equally contribute to a prosperous and looking for potential flower suppliers who could donate important and instrumental sustainable world. goods or funds. role to play to ensure gender equality. While the campaign is currently If you'd like to get involved, in the early developmental "I became involved in the stages, the idea is to sell a or know of someone who please contact “HeforShe” campaign as it single flower to people who are would, publications@graduatehouse.com.au. does not put the emphasis of
Future Planning
Graduate House is very excited to see Residents Ron Danziger, Chrissy Tan and Thanh Pham now part of the Intellectual Capital Working Party.
work focuses on the intersection between humanitarian and scientific work I hope I can bring a multidisciplinary approach to the party," said Mr Danziger .
This committee is designed to faciliate conversations pertaining to the development of the Graduate House intellectual component of the Master Plan. "As a medical student whose
Thanh Pham is also excited to be part of the group. "It is good to be able to contribute to the community and make positive impact on the lifelong learning experience of graduates," said Mr
Pham. Christina Tan is also excited, saying, “This is an amazing opportunity to be part of this visionary committee. I am passionate about the medical sciences and research, and look forward to sharing and creating new experiences with the graduate student community.”
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The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation In the month of May, the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER), held its Annual General Meeting at Graduate House.
the importance of regular physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices, including mental health and wellbeing,"explained Shelton.
ACHPER Victoria is a not-for-profit membership association, promoting the value of Health and Physical Education within teaching.
"Social connectedness helps to reduce stress and lift optimism. Our team interacts socially most lunchtimes and we find that this is a great way of building relationships."
"Our core business is to build the capacity of teachers to delivery high quality Health and Physical Education (HPE), as well as advocating for the values and purposes of HPE as an essential component for enabling children to fulfil their potential," said Hilary Shelton, CEO at ACHPER Victoria.
HPE is not just about sport. Shelton pointed out that a common misconception in the broader community that PE is predominately about sport. While sport is an important aspect of Australian culture and lifestyle, it is one context in which the skills gained from high quality HPE can be used. Sport and physical activity are not the same as physical education.
During a time when we are more concerned with making healthier decisions, for the betterment of ourselves and our families, ACHPER is setting a sublime example as they strive to provide a workplace that encourages healthy choices. To demonstrate this they have installed two communal stand-up workstations and team members are encouraged to take breaks away from their desk and to get outside and enjoy the banks of the Yarra river, explained Shelton, adding that ACHPER's vision is for active and healthy Victorians, this being achieved through enhancing, supporting and advocating for highest quality health and physical education in Victoria through effective engagement with teachers, schools and the community. Their vision is often materialised, like at their AGM where they encouraged movement by having the audience stand during the welcome, and at the 2015 Primary Conference, which saw 150 teachers starting the day with 90 seconds of high intensity interval training. The values of the organisation are also imbued at an individual level. "As individuals, we all understand
"This concept is more easily understood with an analogy to another learning area," explained Shelton. "Learning to read, for example, does not equip us to just be able to read a book. Reading is a fundamental life skill that we use daily in varied situations," she said. "Our life and life prospects are improved with good reading skills. In the same way skills, competencies and knowledge across mental and physical health and wellbeing, also improves the ability for every individual to fulfil their potential in life." The most important message that ACHPER aims to communicate then is that high quality Health and Physical Education (HPE) is fundamental to providing young people with the skills, competencies and knowledge to make healthy, active lifestyle decisions now and in the future. It starts with a good education, and effective teaching. Effective teaching, explains Shelton, occurs when the needs of all students are met ensuring all students have the maximum opportunity to learn. Some of ACHPER's initiatives include engaging high quality presenters to deliver professional
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learning around aspects of effective teaching and learning.
environments supports a focus on active and healthy lifestyles."
"We link teachers to teachers to facilitate networking and sharing of ideas and we support HPE teachers to advocate within their school opportunities for HPE," she said.
Shelton said that she has always had a passion for health and wellbeing, but was initially unsure how to turn that passion into a career.
The current landscape in Victoria for health, PE, and recreation facilitiates greater involvement with healthy activities and education. The implementation of the new Victorian Curriculum is a great opportunity for all educators to take stock of their current programs, reflect on their effectiveness and take the opportunities for growth and development, explained Shelton. "There is a focus on societal health and wellbeing which provides an opportunity to advocate the importance of HPE and the positive outcomes it can have on the individual and community," she said. Shelton explained that national research also indicates that there is an increasing shift towards non-competitive recreational activities, which in turn adds weight to the need for an increased focus on recreation and outdoor education as opposed to a focus on traditional sporting or “competitive” opportunities for children.
She ventured to complete an undergraduate degree in Human Biology and Sport Coaching, then found herself in marketing role at a London-based company that published newsletters in the sports science and education sector. There she gained invaluable experience within the small operational team, and this led her to her first CEO role in a small NFP organisation in Canberra called Pedal Power - a membership organisation focusing on advocacy and educational programs for bike riders. A yearning to undertake a degree in teaching kicked in when she found herself at home with four young children so she then completed a Graduate Diploma in Primary teaching. "With my passion for health and wellbeing I gravitated towards the HPE curriculum space as an area of interest," she said. "I have learnt an enormous amount about health and physical education. I am constantly inspired and energised by the amazing work being undertaken in Victoria by the teaching profession."
"With a renewed focus on school infrastructure it will be increasingly important that ACHPER advocates for “active and healthy” schools where space and opportunity are provided for outdoor and indoor activity and that the design of school www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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The First Annual Dinner of The Graduates of The University of Melbourne Friday 2nd May 1862, the first annual dinner of the graduates of The University of Melbourne was held to celebrate the end of the previous academic year. The celebration was held at the Menzie’s Family Hotel on La Trobe Street. The grand structure was built in 1853 by Archibald and Catherine Menzies. Among the attendees were His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, then Vice-Chancellor of the university, as well Sir Redmond Barry, prime founder and first Chancellor of the university. Upon embarking on some research, President Loughnan discovered this article in the Trove archives. It was written that His Excellency, Sir Henry Barkly said,
“…it gave him great pleasure to have contributed, in however small a degree, to the interests of the institution, especially so far as he has been useful in assisting to get the graduates of the Melbourne University placed on the same footing, in Great Britain, as the graduates of universities of the mother country.” “At considerable length he eulogized Sir Redmond Barry and Dr Brownies for the part taken by them in the establishment of the University, and recounted the difficulties which Sir Redmond Barry had overcome in first getting a suitable grant of land, then a library of books, and finally the present creditable building, with all its appointments.” Coincidentally, within this same paper, there was also an article regarding President Loughnan's Great Great Grandfather's company, a tobacco company that supplied tobacco fit for consumption. "A novel branch of industry has within the past few weeks been initiated by Messrs Loughnan tobacco manufacturers, at their premises in Little Lonsdale street west, a short distance from the intersection of tint [sic] thoroughfare with Spencer street. The process has only been in actual operation since the 19th of March last, but the enterprising proprietors have, for no lest [sic], than three years, been exerting themselves in various ways to bring about the state of things which they have at length succeeded in realising. Their object, we shall state by way of introduction, is to supply tobacco in a condition fit for consumption, which, shall be in all respects the exclusive produce of the soil and industry of Victoria." To view these articles, and get lost in the Trove archives visit trove.nla.gov.au
Image: clipping from The Age 1854 - 1954) Fri 2 May 1862 Page 7 www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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Some APDM Feedback Organising a function at Graduate House was easy, the documentation was very clear and Rosie was very friendly and helpful. Excellent quality of food - the lunch sitting at the tables ended up being a highlight. William Belcher, University Services, The University of Melbourne. Organising our event was excellent as always. Rosie’s organisation and communication is first rate and I enjoy dealing with her. On the night, as with other events, Bill served our group and was courteous, efficient and helpful. Many thanks for another event which was well received by my members and left me feeling that it was a successful evening. Lovely environment - handy tech set up - good food service and timing. While I didn’t get to eat (due to presenting all the time!) my group enjoyed the food and it seemed to meet people’s needs. The dips were particularly enjoyed and the GF options were important for me to cater to individual needs. James Fiford, Social Education Victoria. It was easy organising our event at Graduate House. Everyone I dealt with were courteous and efficient. The food was delivered very quickly and the mains were hot. Well done to the kitchen and to table waiting staff who still found time for a quick chat. The function went without any problem at all. We planned for one hundred and 97 were booked into the room, which made the atmosphere ‘cosy’. I was amazed how the well the staff delivered the food without an incident. They breezed in and out of the tables where people were sitting and standing. To my knowledge not a glass was broken. Delicious food and the wine was OK. We were very pleased with the two choices we made from a vast selection. Thanks Rosie for fitting the food within our budget. Everyone was most helpful, particularly Rosie who ensured all went well. Every time I telephoned and missed whoever I was seeking, I got a return call shortly afterwards which helps with planning. I just hope most of us are still around for the 60th reunion which we hope to hold at Graduate House again. Peter Power, MTC 50th reunion. It is always a pleasure working with Rosie and the team who make my life easy when organising functions. I am always given great support. The function room was perfect, thanks. The food, both in terms of quality and quantity, was very good. Veronica Shingler , AURIN
Some Dining Room Feedback I can rely on Graduate House to provide a consistent good service to me and my guests. - George Markou The red meat (lamb chops) were beautifully tender. The chicken pie was tasty and appetising - all enhanced by coleslaw. What a great way to start the week! (and that was written BEFORE that delicious pie was devoured!) - Mac and Marg Nicoll The soup was good. The main course better. The very best was that the meal was a birthday gift by the house for membership! - John Johnson This is not a suggestion but an affirmation - How encouraging it was, after a week of medical appointments, to be greeted so warmly and sensitively by Basma and Bill ! - Member (no name provided) The lucky feedback-giver for April is Heather Kudeviita who won a bottle of Emeri De Botoli Chardonnay Pinot Noir
Your feedback is important Submit a Dining Room Feedback Form to be in the monthly draw and in the running for the year-end prize of a $500 Coles Myers Gift Voucher www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Incorporated Association Registration No. A0023234B
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