The ARCH Magazine | Issue 11 | 2014 Winter

WINTER | 2014

Reaching out

Alumni Board revealed

Social scourge

Bond's research into stalkers

Team effort

Students join probe into MS

Sporting boost

First rugby scholarships

VICE-CHANCELLOR’S LETTER

SPECIAL EDITION

contents

08

25 Years of Bond Faith and vision create a lasting legacy

22

Just for Laughs James Smith's move from law to comedy

26

Pact for Glory Fiona de Jong living her Olympic dream

39

Proud Tradition New Rugby Board lays a lasting foundation

Production

Editor: Camilla Jansen Journalists: Nick Nichols, Karen Rickert,

Laura Daquino, Rebecca Masters Design: Martha Clegg

THIS year was always going to be a big one for students and staff at Bond University, both past and present, and it certainly has not disappointed.

Alumni 25 Dust and snow make a perfect blend 28

Bond remembers MBA trailblazers

52 Class notes from around

the world

Campus & Careers 36 Terry Jackman forges a new rugby tradition 40 Students connect with our Indigenous heart 46 School built on a dedication to design 50 Momentum grows for gender equality

Editorial enquiries Alumni and Development Office Bond University Gold Coast Queensland 4229, Australia Ph: +61 7 5595 4403 To join The ARCH mailing list please email: development@bond.edu.au To subscribe go to: www.arch.bond.edu.au/subscribe

Contributors: Felicity Simpson Photography: Fotoforce

Publisher: Connect Custom Publishing a division of Business News Australia. PO Box 2154, Surfers Paradise. QLD. 4217

2

www.arch.bond.edu.au

Year to celebrate Bond’s 25th anniversary celebrations culminated in the Homecoming Weekend in May and it was an event that brought into focus just how deep the connections within the ever growing Bond community run.

Students, academics and staff from around the world converged on the campus, with many discovering their University all over again.

Much has changed over the past 25 years, but much also remains the same. The pioneering spirit of the first cohort of students back in 1989 is one of those constants. From that very first intake to the latest graduates, they all carry with them the proud tradition that comes with being Bondies.

The recognition being achieved by these studies is a testament to the talent, among both academics and students alike, that Bond attracts year after year.

As a result, Bond has become one of the most diverse universities in the country.

More than 30 percent of our students are from overseas, and around the same come from Australian states other than Queensland. These figures are well above the industry average, and this diversity has created a culture that brings the campus to life like no other in Australia.

Engagement with Indigenous students is also one of the University’s strengths, highlighted by the recent graduation of Dennis Braun, a respected Elder of the Arrentre Nation around Alice Springs.

This issue of the ARCH highlights the work done by Bond students with Indigenous communities through the Bond Indigenous Awareness Society.

This edition of the ARCH celebrates those early years of hope when many who came to Bond did so as a leap of faith in the power of education and that of a private university.

Bond’s international links also continue to strengthen, more recently in Canada where more than 200 Law graduates, their family and friends came together with members of the Canadian Bond community for graduate celebrations in Toronto and Vancouver. The event, hosted

by Bond University’s Dean of Law Professor Geraldine Mackenzie, was a huge success and paves the way for closer ties between Bond and Canada.

Bond University was a bold and adventurous concept, brash in many ways. It is a badge that is worn with pride by our alumni to this day.

In this anniversary year, the University has extended its hand to students far and wide through the granting of 100 special anniversary scholarships.

Our cover story explores those traditions and how Bond came of age through the establishment of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine a decade ago.

The scholarship students were welcomed this year and add to the many distinguished scholarships granted annually by Bond to candidates who display excellence in academic performance, community engagement and leadership.

Many of them have reached heights that could never have been imagined when the University was little more than a bold idea in the 1980s.

The culture of research at the University has evolved strongly since then, highlighted by the work done in exploring the mysteries of multiple sclerosis and the efficacy of drugs such as Relenza and Tamiflu.

Exciting new research into the links between DNA and facial recognition has seen Bond University research fellow Mark Barash take out third place at the Golden Helix Research Competition in February, an inaugural event that attracted entries from DNA researchers from around the globe.

While sporting excellence has always been part of the Bond tradition, this year also brings to fruition a new sports strategy that marks the University’s status as the official Education Partner of the Australian Rugby Union.

The new John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarships were awarded for the first time to two outstanding candidates, covering full tuition and the opportunity to be mentored

by Wallaby legend John Eales AO.

The scholarships have been generously backed by long-time Bond benefactor Terry Jackman AM whose support is a testament to his passion for the sport and his belief in the University’s pursuit of excellence both on the field and off it.

Bond’s engagement with alumni has also been given a significant boost through the formation of the new Bond Alumni Advisory Board. This follows recent steps over the past two years to recognise some of our alumni achievements through the annual Alumni Awards.

Bond’s ties with alumni have been nurtured from the early years with many of the Class of 1989 remaining active in University life and contributing to the Bond experience for those that have followed them. After 25 years, the new Alumni Advisory Board puts the culture of giving back into the hands of alumni and allows for the growing network of Bondies to come together in a meaningful way to benefit both past and present students.

The past year has highlighted much of what is great about Bond University. It is time to celebrate our evolution from a fledgling tertiary institution to the best place in the world to study abroad.

These all have been great achievements for Bond in the first 25 years and we can only look forward with excitement as to what is possible over the next quarter century.

PROFESSOR TIM BRAILSFORD Vice-Chancellor and President

www.arch.bond.edu.au

3

CAMPUS NEWS

NEWS

SPECIAL EDITION

JOURNALISM STUDENTS WIN PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

>

A GROUP of 24 students has

taken out the prestigious Sally A White Prize for Investigative Journalism at the 2013 Ossie Awards.

WHAT'S HAPPENING + WHAT'S NEWS + WHAT'S COMING

BOND

Boost for Faculty Professor Helen Chenery

THE BEST PLACE TO STUDY ABROAD

THE BOND University Student Association (BUSA) hosted its first International Week in Semester One this year, celebrating diversity alongside an array of student-run cultural clubs.

IF IT wasn’t already official, it

is now; Bond has been dubbed the best place in the world to study abroad.

Bond’s student body is represented by more than 70 nationalities, and International Week was a chance to recognise that diversity through both food and cultural festivities with a variety of events organised by student clubs.

Internationally popular social news and entertainment website BuzzFeed awarded the title, commending Bond’s beautiful landscape, friendly and knowledgeable staff and its contribution to the picturesque Gold Coast scene.

While this is a positive rap for Bond, BuzzFeed did make sure to include this warning for all prospective students: "Avoid the water on campus, there are bullsharks in there."

Bond has been praised as a part of the Gold Coast collective by Study Abroad 101 as one of the ‘highly reviewed yet commonly overlooked’ world destinations for study.

Other institutions to make the list include the University of Cape Town in South Africa, Keio University in Tokyo and Fudan University situated in the heart of Shanghai.

4

www.arch.bond.edu.au

Cultural collective hosts international week

BUSA’s Vice-President of Recreation Ben Thangkam was instrumental in organising the week and he praises the effort of campus societies in making the event a success.

FOLLOWING an extensive executive search, the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford is delighted to announce that Professor Helen Chenery has been appointed to the position of Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine.

Professor Chenery has extensive strategic and operational experience in executive leadership roles within the higher education sector. She is currently Professor and Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Neuromodulation (APCN) at the University of Queensland (UQ) and prior to this, she was the Deputy Executive Dean (Academic) for the Faculty of Health Sciences at UQ (which included the medical school) for a period of four years.

Professor Chenery brings with her numerous strengths and attributes; she is a strong scholar and researcher in her own right and she has a substantial track record of publications and grant income.

More importantly, she understands the significance of striving for teaching and learning excellence which is vital to the Bond offering.

This is a significant appointment within the Faculty and University as it will be accountable for the growth and performance of the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery program and the suite of health degrees on offer. The role will also be pivotal in driving external engagement with key stakeholders in the health professions. Professor Chenery will start at Bond University in September.

“International Week was a collective idea between the clubs; instead of just having one club host a massive event we thought, why not unite?” says Thangkam.

“The week celebrated the culture, tradition and people from various places and was also a great opportunity for our domestic students to get engaged and learn about these different cultures.”

Some event highlights included the International Ball featuring Muay Thai champion fighter John Wayne Parr and the spectacular traditional Indian colour fest involving hundreds of students being covered in more than 50kg of coloured powder.

NEW FACE FOR RURAL HEALTHCARE PROFESSOR Janie Smith has been elected as President of CRANAplus, an institute providing services and support for rural healthcare.

CRANAplus has been operating for more than 30 years, and today is the sole member-based national health organisation representing all remote health workers within Australia.

Professor Smith specialises in the areas of Indigenous health, population health and remote and rural health at Bond, and she says this experience will be an opportunity

The entry was comprised of eight articles collectively entitled Order in the House, which examined the activities of elected MP’s in the House of Representatives ahead of the most recent electoral campaign.

Senior Teaching Fellow Caroline Graham says that the project was an opportunity for journalism students to hold Australia’s elected representatives to account in a way that avoided distractions posed by political spin and PR. “In the lead-up to the election campaign, I think people were generally very jaded and tired of political rhetoric. This was a chance to go to a more objective source for an insight into Canberra’s strongest and weakest players,” says Graham.

The award was presented by the Journalism Education Association of Australia at its national conference, held on the Sunshine Coast.

to further develop the national body’s practices.

“It is a humbling experience being elected by membership, and I feel I am in a very privileged role in taking this dynamic organisation forward,” says Professor Smith.

“My vision for CRANAplus includes expanding the education, support and advocacy needs of remote health practitioners, as well as looking at how we can assist in the professional development needs of our remote Pacific neighbours.” www.arch.bond.edu.au

5

NEWS

SPECIAL EDITION

Incubating Bond entrepreneurs TEAMS of past and present Bondies have cultivated their innovative ideas at the University’s first start-up accelerator program INCUBATE. Bond is one of three campuses in Australia to offer the program developed by the University of Sydney, along with Curtin University and University of Adelaide.

More than 40 teams applied to join the 12week program to receive mentoring from some of the best in the business world, as well as office facilities and product funding.

Gregor's ties with Bond extended

world record for the longest continual row by a 19-and-under mixed group.

Representatives of the Bond University Rowing Club camped out in the ADCO Amphitheatre for a gruelling 48-hour stint on the Erg Rowing machine.

Following her presentation, Gemma Berriman of Moon Mama made a splash with the Take-Off Tote – an all-in-one diaper bag with feeding pillow and play mat.

Sponsorship Director of the rowing club Tom Jenkins says the team battled sleep deprivation while rowing for one hour each with shifts changing every four hours.

Holly Chippindale showcased her range of handcrafted wooden accessories under the brand Where’s Woody, made using recycled and sustainable materials.

Azhar Khan developed online recruitment portal WOTTEVA, which matches a company’s culture with like-minded applicants using imagery and social media.

“It’s great to see how quickly the teams have developed and really taken advantage of the connections they’ve made with our mentors.

West received a great response from the teams, saying they valued the opportunity to meet high-calibre mentors and business professionals.

“We deliberately chose from a wide variety of business types, from social enterprise to financial products,” he says.

"Some of our teams are talking to Silicon Valley, while others are speaking to angel investors,” he says.

Four teams travelled to Google Australia in Sydney to pitch their ideas at the National Demo Day, held in April.

West is considering changes to the business model for the next round later this year, using ideas from Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship Baden U’Ren after his meeting with serial entrepreneur Steve Blank in the United States.

DR DARRYL Gregor OAM

was appointed to the Bond University Council at the Annual General Meeting held on May 2, 2014.

Lachlan Hopwood meeting up with Titans CEO Graham Annesley at Blackboard Cafe

His five children attended Bond; he is a member of the Board of Trustees; and, together with Dr Peter Heiner, was instrumental in the development of the School of Medicine, including a significant gift to create the Gregor Heiner Theatre.

Bond mentors show the way FROM THE CEO of the Gold Coast Titans to a renowned film producer, the careers of 10 Bond students have been given a massive boost after being matched with a leading mentor in their field of study.

Launched to mark the University’s 25th anniversary, the inaugural Vice-Chancellor Scholars Mentorship Program has paired the 2014 Vice-Chancellor scholars with a leader in an industry related to their study.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Brailsford says the scheme, launched on March 10, was created as part of Bond’s commitment to enhance the quality of experience for students.

Milaana Founder, Hollie Gordon

“We’re committed to equipping and preparing our graduates with a diverse range of skills and industry knowledge,” Professor Brailsford says. “This offers our scholars a unique chance to gain insights and ideas from their mentors that will no doubt boost them in their future careers.”

One such successful pairing is that

6

www.arch.bond.edu.au

“The toughest thing about it was just staying awake,” says Jenkins.

“Everyone wanted to support one another; I only had about eight hours sleep in the whole 48.”

Each student was picked on the basis of exceptional academic achievement, proven leadership ability and personal character before being matched with a mentor of exceptional quality.

Dr Gregor is an ophthalmologist based in Southport and has a strong affiliation with Bond.

His significant medical expertise and broad experience is a valuable addition to the Bond University Council.

TEN DETERMINED students have set a new

to engage with the community using a number of cause-driven projects.

Program Manager Tres West says INCUBATE provided access to leaders from Google Ventures and venture-capital firms.

Milaana Founder, Hollie Gordon unveiled her social business, encouraging people

Bondies break rowing world record

between Gold Coast Titans CEO Graham Annesley and Law and Arts student Lachlan Hopwood, who harbours diplomatic and political aspirations.

“Graham is fantastic; he’s made himself very available to me and even attended the launch of the program while the Titans were playing,” Hopwood says.

The team took on the challenge in an effort to raise funds and interest for the sport of rowing on campus.

“Doing this really proved to everyone that rowing is a viable sport and it was really encouraging to see all the support we received,” says Jenkins.

Since the world record was broken, the Bond University Rowing Club has seen a 40 per cent increase in new student involvement.

Accreditation lifts Bond into top 5pc of business programs BOND’S Faculty of Business has cemented its

“I’m incredibly grateful to be given this opportunity.

place amongst the world’s leading business programs after earning accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

"The calibre of people, not only Graham but also the other mentors, is a real testament to the University and this program.”

Described as a hallmark of excellence in the collegiate business sphere, no more than 5 per cent of business programs around the world are AACSB accredited.

Annesley, a former NSW Sports Minister who left politics to head the Titans last year, was equally pleased with the program.

Executive Vice-President and Chief Accreditation Officer of AACSB Robert D. Reid says being eligible to receive the accolade is no small task.

“Lachlan has a great future ahead of him and his studies are critical to his future success," Annesley says.

“Deans, faculty and professional staff must make a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver the highest quality of education to students,” says Reid.

“This program has made me reflect on what’s worked and what hasn’t worked during the course of my career.

Faculty of Business Dean, Professor Mark Hirst says the accomplishment is testament to the faculty’s dedication to offering students a first-class practical education.

"Life is an ongoing learning process – our daily experiences, successes and failures all shape the person we ultimately become and the contribution we make to society.”

“This accreditation provides our current students, future students and stakeholders with the assurance that the quality of our teaching and curricula is of the highest calibre internationally,” says Professor Hirst.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

7

SPECIAL EDITION

Bond University students and staff 1991

FEATURE

An act OF FAITH When Bond University was little more than a swamp surrounded by pine forests in the late 1980s, it took a special breed of academics and students to create a legacy that survives to this day.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

9

FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

AS ALAN Finch flew to the Gold Coast

of the Bond Alumni Advisory Board.

sought in a university graduate.

from Melbourne to interview for a posting at Bond University, he may have been excused for harbouring some feelings of trepidation.

“Bond’s vision was to become a game changer in tertiary education, and it has been,” Fielding says.

“As a consequence of that, we were able to produce people who could hit the ground running and I think that was a significant difference in our graduates,” says Finch.

It was February 1987 and Finch recalls that just after stepping off the plane from Melbourne, John Ford, the founding Registrar, diverted the taxi cab for a quick tour of the new “campus”.

“We pulled into University Drive which was tarred for about 100 metres and then there was a sandy road,” Finch says. “There was a pine forest and a couple of sand dredges in the swamp, and John said quite proudly: ‘This is the campus’.”

At the time, Finch was Assistant Registrar of the Faculty of Arts at Monash University and that brief visit to the Gold Coast forced him to reconcile both the raw landscape before him and the bold vision for Australia’s first private university with his future career in tertiary education.

In the end, Finch says his acceptance of the Assistant Registrar’s role at Bond was “an act of faith”.

“I think you could probably tag everyone who came here in the early days as a risk-taker; it was exciting and we believed in it,” says Finch, who is Bond’s ProVice-Chancellor (Students and Academic Support).

Finch, one of the longest-serving staff members at Bond University, says earlyintake students had much the same traits as the academic staff they followed.

“They, too, were taking an enormous risk in the sense that they were buying an unknown product.”

Peta Fielding was among them. Fielding, who in today’s terms was an OP1 student, could have had her pick of universities, but she was drawn to Bond because she says she “likes a challenge”.

Fielding even changed her preference from veterinary science to law just to be a part of the Bond community.

Twenty-five years later, Fielding, who coowns and operates Burleigh Brewing Co with her husband Brennan, is still taking in the Bond experience as both member of the University Council and founding Chair

10

www.arch.bond.edu.au

“The whole story of Bond, where it started and the fact that it had to fight to exist, has created a history and a feeling that you can’t make from a plan. There is a real spirit of never taking no for an answer.”

Finch, who has been through the worst and best of times at Bond, points to the fragility of the timing that gave birth to this spirit.

This hit home when construction finally began and University developer Bond Corporation was “travelling rough”, says Finch.

“In many ways this place was an accident of history. Bond was conceived and started at a time when things were booming and there were no constraints on borrowings and people could actually dream of doing something like this. If it had started six or 12 months later, it may not have happened at all."

Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Brailsford says Bond University was “a pretty bold statement” for its time and attracted scepticism, initially over whether the University would survive and then over the quality of its graduates.

“That was probably the first 10 years of the University’s life where we had to fight tooth and nail to be taken seriously,” Professor Brailsford says.

I think you could probably tag everyone who came here in the early days as a risk-taker; it was exciting and we believed in it.

Finch is probably the best judge of how Bond has changed over the past 25 years.

He says the University could be said to have finally come of age when the medical program was established in 2004-05.

When Finch began his Bond journey in 1987, he was one of six staff holed up in a small office in Surfers Paradise laying the foundations and establishing the academic framework for Australia’s first private university.

From the outset, Bond University strove to set itself apart from the public university system.

It started in 1986-87 when accountancy group KPMG was commissioned to undertake a study into what employers

ANNIVERSARY SCHOLARSHIPS

“We produced some wonderful graduates in the early years. The difficulty we’ve had, however, is our public university colleagues actually accepting that we’ve been as tough in assessment of our students as they expect us to be. There has always been, over time, some questioning of our standards, which is not merited at all.”

“I think the University since then has proved itself over and over in terms of the quality of its staff and the quality of its students and the research that it does.”

Finch says medicine brought with it a strong research culture, which until then had been lacking at Bond.

100

It was a tight team driven by the enthusiasm of founding Vice-Chancellor Don Watts.

Although the University has grown its student population to about 4000, Finch says Bondies retain a “very strong” sense of belonging, and that has changed little

BOND this year welcomed

an extra 100 scholarship students thanks to a oneoff program to celebrate the University’s 25th anniversary.

The scholarships were granted across all of Bond’s degree courses, giving students greater recognition for their talents and capabilities.

Ian Proctor, the longest continuous serving staff member Alan Finch

over the past 25 years.

This is despite Bond becoming one of the most diverse universities in Australia with more than 30 per cent of students from overseas, which is at the upper end of the industry average.

“There’s a standing joke that being a Bondy means you can get a bed anywhere in the world and many of them do just that,” Finch says. “There is a very strong relationship network that has developed as well. The experience is still a unique experience, although not as unique as it was for the 322 that came in the first semester.

“But there is a very strong emphasis on campus life and on students creating a lot of that themselves through student associations. That in itself is almost an aberration in university terms. It’s apolitical.

It works with management and it works hard to help create the experience for Bond students.

“The small class sizes have always made a huge difference because it means academic staff are more accessible; they’re more likely to know you and they’re encouraged to take an interest in the individuals. That really hasn’t changed. I think graduates still find the experience special."

Fielding says flexibility in courses was a hallmark of Bond in the early years, and this is now being adopted by other universities in a changing market.

The anniversary scholarships come on top of the existing scholarships Bond grants annually to students who display excellence in academic performance, community engagement and leadership.

They were granted last year and the students, from across Australia and overseas, were officially welcomed to the University

by Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Brailsford in January this year.

Michelle Black, Bond’s General Manager of Domestic Marketing and Recruitment, says the scholarships have delivered a “beautiful mix of students”, many of whom had aspirations to attend Bond.

“This program is a great recognition for them and for the opportunities to come,” she says.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

11

FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

Forging the way

Bond University students and staff 2014

Jennifer Cronin Jennifer Cronin enrolled in Bond University’s inaugural Master of Business Administration cohort, building on a 10-year career in the hotel industry.

Her MBA put her on the fast track to a stellar career in the hotel industry, attaining senior management roles with international chains such as Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton and Dusit.

An aerial view November 1988

She is currently Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Marco Polo Hotels Group.

Since 2011, Cronin has been undertaking her PhD research in the field of Crisis Management Leadership at Bond.

“The MBA program gave me a new outlook on the business world which enhanced my fast career track in the hotel industry," she says.

Aerial views 1989

“The world has changed in 25 years,” she says. “Bond has had to adapt and deal with that change. It’s exciting that its size enables it to adapt more quickly than larger institutions. But it’s not small in an insignificant sense because there really is opportunity to engage beyond your class and across faculties.”

Fielding says the biggest change she has seen over the past 25 years has been the quality of students.

“They are just getting better and better.

Bond University is a purpose-driven place; you have to think quickly and that brings out something you never thought you had.

“A lot of Bond students may have the same attributes as people who are entrepreneurial, but not everybody at Bond is about making money and running a business.

“A number of people who have graduated from Bond have gone on to do amazing

12

www.arch.bond.edu.au

not-for-profit work, including some who are in all kinds of third world communities doing incredible stuff.”

Professor Brailsford says Bond University has always seen itself as an “attractor”.

“We bring international students here, we bring staff from around the world here, we bring culture here and we bring students from the southern states here.

“That rubs off with a diversity of student life. They’re of their own nature quite risk-seeking individuals - they’re pretty independent, they’re fairly mature and they’re ambitious.

“Because the place is small enough and hasn’t lost its intimacy it’s a place where there’s an opportunity to shine.

“Everyone who comes here and everyone who touches us realises that this is a place that exists through its sheer independence and its will to survive.

“It was built on the fact that we were going to do things differently here. There was no roadmap for us, so it forced the place to be very innovative and entrepreneurial and it forced everyone to pull in the same direction.”

Growth is seen as inevitable for Bond University as it adapts to the changing needs of the employment market. This year it introduces Queensland’s first degree of actuarial science and one of only five such degrees in Australia.

Finch says growth is likely to be the source of the next challenge for the University.

Professor Brailsford says it’s hard to forecast how the next 25 years will unfold.

“With the current infrastructure and buildings we could go out easily to 5000 students without having to think about significant capital investment,” he says.

“The world has changed a lot,” he says.

“We are just starting to get to that age where our early graduates are parents and who have successful careers. Where this is helping us is around job placements through the Bond network and global opportunities through travel, internships and volunteering.”

“My own view is that small is good in the Bond context. I think what Bond will have to watch is that it doesn’t prejudice the positioning that it has managed to establish, which is essentially based on being an intimate environment where the student is king.”

Matthew Wiseman holds the honour of being the first undergraduate student to be offered a place at Bond University.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1991, took on a job at Telstra in a graduate program and took on a national management role five years later. Wiseman was looking for a change when he moved into the building materials market in 1998 and since then has taken on roles with James Hardie, Ausco Modular and Boral. He joined Stratco in 2005 and became Queensland General Manager in 2012.

Wiseman says going to Bond in 1989 was "unconventional", and "a bit risky compared to other choices", but it has paid off by helping him to challenge the accepted way of doing things.

Laura Chown Laura Chown is a trailblazer who has spent most of her career in the not-for-profit space. Chown is Executive Manager of FoundationH, an organisation that builds homes in South-East Queensland for people with disabilities, and one of her key tasks in the role is capital raising.

While she was among the 1989 Bond cohort, Chown completed her Bachelor of Business at Griffith University in 1995.

There are other benefits as well, he says.

“That second generation doesn’t generally ask the question: ‘Why Bond?’”

Matthew Wiseman

Andrew Baildon Dual Olympian Andrew Baildon was granted the inaugural sporting scholarship at Bond where he studied a Bachelor of Communication (Business) in 1989.

Baildon had just competed at the Seoul Olympics and was preparing for a shot at Barcelona in 1992. His commitments to the Olympic team and his role as Australian Team Captain in 1993-94 pushed out his graduation to 1995. However, the Olympian took a dive straight into business, establishing his highly successful Andrew Baildon’s Superfish Swim Schools.

Baildon and wife Karen run five businesses, including two Jetts 24-hour gyms.

Not long after that she was back at Bond, this time to study for a Bachelor of Jurisprudence which she says is the degree that finally opened her future to new possibilities.

“It was the best thing I ever did,” says Chown, whose career has been in marketing and business development.

While at Bond, Chown undertook subjects in venturecapital raising which she says have been “invaluable” through her career.

"Venture capital raising inspires entrepreneurship. Sometimes you have to take calculated risks and take new approaches to get a result," Chown says.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

13

FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

The big weekend A CAST of thousands celebrated the Homecoming Weekend at Bond University in May with four days of events bringing together students, alumni, academics and staff.

For some, who have forged careers across the world, it was the first time they had seen each other in more than two decades.

Foundation DAY

namesake, Alan Bond, whose vision set the University on course for a quarter century of success in both the academic and business world.

FOUNDATION Day set the mood for four days of celebrations at Bond by drawing the biggest turnout of the Homecoming Weekend events.

Events began on Monday, May 12 with the launch of the Bond University: The First 25 Years history book.

The University put together a full calendar of events to celebrate the milestone as it brought together the broad Bond community.

The Homecoming Weekend wrapped up with the Farewell Brunch on Sunday, May 18, and the Live at Bond music concert, which attracted a combined 1000 revellers.

Also making an appearance during the Homecoming Weekend was the University’s

It was a massive extended weekend for Bondies and many say they can’t wait for the next 25 years.

ANNIVERSARY

About 1200 students, alumni, academics, staff and guests gathered for the festivities which featured an international food festival and culminated in a spectacular fireworks display over Lake Orr. Activities included a landlocked America’s Cup boat race on the Ornamental Lawns, and a volleyball tournament where students tried their skills against staff.

Luncheon LONG-SERVING

BOOK

Launch

BOND'S colourful past has been captured by the Bond University: The First 25 Years history book which was launched ahead of the Homecoming Weekend.

The invitation-only event, held on Monday, May 12, was the first of the official celebrations that marked Bond University’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

The book was written by Kay Saunders and Antoinette Cass and reveals the full story of Bond’s survival against all odds.

14

www.arch.bond.edu.au

staff members were honoured at the 25 Year Staff Service Luncheon held on May 14. Eleven staff members started at Bond by May 15, 1989, and their contribution was recognised at the private lunch by executives, both past and present.

Community DAY

CELEBRATIONS took on a formal tone at the Business Leaders’ Breakfast.

Alex Malley, the CEO of CPA Australia, gave his perspective on Australia’s economic competitiveness.

Malley, who has extensive experience in the field, was special guest at the Homecoming Weekend event, held on May 16 at the University’s Princeton Room.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

15

FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

Medical marvels THE quality of research at Bond was on show at the Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine on May 16.

Tours of the Faculty’s laboratories and clinical rooms revealed the depth of research in areas such as stem cell technology, facial profiling, urology, immunisation and the performance of athletes.

Day to

NETWORK NETWORKING was

on the menu at a barbecue on May 16 as alumni, students, staff and community members enjoyed a casual lunch. Earlier, the transformation of the John and Alison Kearney Main Library was featured in a pictorial display of new and old library media.

Homecoming

RUGBY

BOND’S proud rugby tradition took centre stage at the Rugby Club Home Game and Past Players Reunion on Saturday, May 17.

Alan Bond was among the spectators who saw Bond and Norths battling it out on the field.

The sporting event attracted a crowd of more than 800, including many alumni from the inaugural Bond Rugby Club.

Design

COUP

ONE OF the Gold Coast’s most awarded buildings in 2014, the Abedian School of Architecture, was on show on May 16.

It was a chance for academic staff and students to share their views of the new building and how it has enhanced the Faculty’s learning environment.

The building has captured a number of awards for innovation and design.

25th

Anniversary BALL

Moot face-off BOND'S Law Faculty took to the

stage as the University’s moot teams, both past and present, shared stories of their victories around the world.

The Celebration of Mooting at Bond saw students and alumni go head to head in an entertaining “moot off”.

16

www.arch.bond.edu.au

THE SPARKLES were out at the 25th Anniversary Gala Ball on May 17 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with a last-minute rush on tickets by alumni.

The ball enlisted alumnus James Smith as master of ceremonies.

The US-based stand-up comedian said it was a great honour to host this milestone event.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

17

CAMPUS

SPECIAL EDITION

WOMEN'S HIGH TEA FOREVER flourishing at Bond is a strong community of women exemplifying innovation, leadership and success.

In praising these admirable people and their dedication to social change, more than 200 guests attended a Women’s High Tea held on the lawns as a part of the 25th anniversary celebrations.

LIVE AT BOND BIGGER THAN EVER THE acclaimed Live at Bond series

continued this autumn, presenting a star-studded bill of musicians, performers and poets at the ADCO Amphitheatre.

Coinciding with the Bleach* Festival and Poetry Gallery in March, Nicky Bomba led his reggae six-piece band Bustamento in the toe-tapping Carribbean set which amounted to the biggest Live at Bond session to date.

Having performed at some of the biggest festivals with some of Australia’s most celebrated musicians including the John Butler Trio, the group brought more than 1000 people in the amphitheatre to their feet.

Melbourne nine-piece soul sensation Saskwatch took up the mantle in May, rounding out Bond's Homecoming Weekend and performing for an appreciative local crowd.

Presenters and attendees shared experiences within the realms of entrepreneurship, leadership and the constant challenges faced by females in both social and business contexts.

Peta Fielding, Catherine O’Sullivan and Dr Helen Nugent AO

Chaired by Pro Vice-Chancellor of Pathways and Partnerships Catherine O’Sullivan a panel of ladies integral to the Bond community; Bond University’s Chancellor Dr Helen Nugent AO, Chair of the Alumni Advisory Board Peta Fielding and Bond University Student Association President Melanie Hayden discussed their challenges as women in the professional world.

POETRY GALLERY BRINGING life back to literature,

Bond hosted the Poetry Gallery as a part of this year’s Gold Coast Bleach* Festival.

Supported by a grant from the Regional Arts Development Fund, the Poetry Gallery featured a visual exhibition of 79 poetic works by 27 local writers aged 16-70 years.

The Women’s High Tea event also supported global organisation Same Sky, a trade-not-aid initiative aimed at empowering women and creating sustainable employment opportunities.

Bustamento and David 'Ghostboy' Stavanger perform at the ADCO Amphitheatre

Spoken-word sensation David ‘Ghostboy’ Stavanger performed an inspiring poetry slam performance in support of the Bustamento Live at Bond gig.

Overall the event was a sell-out success and a reflection of Bond’s dedication to the empowerment of women.

Melanie Hayden

A select group of gallery entrants were also invited to participate in a master class with awardwinning avant-garde poetry guru Pascalle Burton.

Bond's Community Engagement Manager Sharon Solyma says the event was an incredible artistic development opportunity for the community, and fit perfectly with 25th anniversary celebrations and musical performances.

Saskwatch has made an international name for itself throughout the European and Australian festival circuits, having performed alongside bands including the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Maceo Jones and the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire.

“Incorporating the Poetry Gallery with our Live at Bond Music Series launch for 2014 was a perfect cross-over for creative writing, spoken word and musical performance which encouraged community appreciation for emerging poets and songwriters,” says Solyma.

They were ably supported by Onyx Reign from Brisbane’s Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts who fitted in perfectly with the afternoon’s soul vibe.

Vanessa Hogan, Emily Tate, Anysha Rankin, Cassie Jacobs and Chelsea Brady

18

www.arch.bond.edu.au

www.arch.bond.edu.au

19

FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

The inaugural board

Reaching out to

ALUMNI After 25 years, it's no surprise to see the Bond spirit extending to the far reaches of the globe.

Now, the new Alumni Advisory Board is working towards a plan to keep that spirit alive both at home and abroad.

BONDIES ARE growing in number which has led to renewed efforts this year to reach out to more of them through the newly formed Alumni Advisory Board.

“After 25 years, there’s something like 22,000 full-degree alumni of the University and there is a lot more as well who have done a semester and studied abroad,” says Peta Fielding, the inaugural Chair of the Alumni Advisory Board.

The board is the University’s peak alumni body and it is designed to play a central role in developing life-long ties between the University and its alumni.

Fielding says the board will offer an opportunity for alumni to have a greater voice at the University and allow them to identify areas where they can engage and assist in University life and education.

“It’s about maintaining communication links,” she says.

“The University’s approach has never been that once you have graduated their job is done.

“They really want to stay involved in the journey and help graduates by having an engaged alumni community that can come back and mentor students or put them in touch with opportunities.

20

www.arch.bond.edu.au

It keeps that circle going.

“The University has always had a small alumni office that has done its best to maintain links.”

Fielding says the existing Alumni and Development Office will support the news structure while the board’s role is to broaden ties with alumni.

It also allows alumni to have independent views on issues as they arise.

“It’s early days and we are really just getting to create the strategy,” says Fielding.

“There’s also a structure that’s been set up to formalise the groups around the world to be able to have more interesting get-togethers rather than just, say, meeting at a pub. We may look at organising more formal events with guest speakers.

“It really is part of the ongoing journey of being a Bond student.”

The Alumni Advisory Board reports directly to the Vice-Chancellor and works closely with the Alumni and Development Office.

The Alumni Advisory Board’s key roles are to support institutional excellence at the University and provide it with an alumni community perspective.

The role also is to develop outreach activities that support Bond students and encourage a culture of giving to the University.

Fielding, who runs the highly successful Burleigh Brewing Co on the Gold Coast, says the rewards of giving are a constant at Bond where she also sits on the University Council.

“Even though it can be time consuming, (being a part of Bond) gives me an opportunity to look at things from a different perspective,” she says.

“This can be particularly helpful when you are leading a small business, where you can tend to be very internal in your focus.

“Bond did such great things for me, I feel like I need to repay the debt. But it has created a bit of a dilemma for me in that the more I become involved the more I get out of it - and I think this debt is getting bigger and bigger.”

Fielding says with Bond University celebrating its 25th year, and growth of the alumni community, it makes sense to formalise the structure of the University’s commitment to its alumni.

PETA FIELDING, CHAIR Peta Fielding co-owns and operates boutique beer producer Burleigh Brewing Co, an award-wining Gold Coast business that she started with her husband Brennan in 2007.

Burleigh Brewing has experienced significant growth this past year through improvements in distribution channels. Last year it won the Queensland Telstra Business of the Year Award. Fielding balances the needs of her business with a long association with Bond University. This began in 1989 when she studied a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Japanese. Since then Fielding has been heavily involved in alumni activity at Bond, including as a member of the University Council Board and now as founding Chair of the Bond Alumni Advisory Board.

ALEX SCEALES Alex Sceales is a partner with Perth tax law firm Sceales & Company, a firm he joined as senior associate in 2003. In his role, Sceales provides legal advice mainly to high-net-worth clients as well as private and public companies. He previously worked for Corrs Chambers Westgarth in Sydney where he gained extensive experience in trade practices and competition law. Sceales studied a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Laws at the University of Western Australia and completed a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours at Bond University in 1997. Sceales is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of WA, the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of NSW. He has had continued ties with Bond on behalf of the Hohnen family for which he oversees the annual selection process and awarding of the Vynka Hohnen Scholarship.

DAVID BAXBY David Baxby has had a long career in the aviation industry, most recently as coCEO of Virgin Group where he helped grow Virgin’s portfolio of services. After 10 years with Virgin, Baxby left the coCEO role in July last year although he remains on the Virgin Australia board as a non-executive director. Baxby is currently CEO of Global Blue and Annecy Capital Partners, global advisory firms.

The Singapore-based Baxby forged his career in investment banking, working with Goldman Sachs. He graduated from Bond with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws in 1994.

DEREK CRONIN Derek Cronin was admitted as a solicitor in 1994 and has practised in commercial litigation, debt recovery, insolvency and dispute resolution over his 20-year career in law. Prior to establishing his own practice on the Gold Coast in 2006, Cronin was a partner in commercial litigation firm Tucker & Cowen in Brisbane. He graduated from Bond University with a Bachelor of Laws in 1991.

He is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.

FIONA DE JONG

six Summer and Winter Olympic Games campaigns, as well as two Youth Olympic Games. De Jong has been with the AOC for almost 10 years, but prior to that worked with Colonial First State. De Jong, who made the Australian triathlon team three years in a row from 1994 to 1996, studied a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Information Technology at Bond.

GEORGE RAPTIS George Raptis has had a diverse career since graduating with a Bachelor of Laws from Bond in 2007. He is based in New York working as Operations Director of Credible Labs Inc. The avid skier is also Founder and Editor of OneAspenWinter. com. He holds a non-executive board position with A Raptis & Sons, one of Australia’s top 500 private companies. After graduating from Bond, Raptis took a position in law with Herbert Smith Freehills until 2011.

HENRY NORRIS Henry Norris is a law graduate at Ashurst, a global commercial legal firm. Norris, who is based in Sydney, studied a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts at Bond and graduated in 2012. He clerked with Australian law firms Clayton Utz and Minter Ellison during his undergraduate studies. While at Bond, Norris was President of the Student Association.

Fiona de Jong is the Director of Sport at the Australian Olympic Committee, a role that has seen her work on

www.arch.bond.edu.au

21

FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

The fear of “bombing” quickly kicked in.

JUST FOR

LAUGHS

What do lawyers and comedians have in common? A lot more than meets the eye, says New York-based stand-up James Smith.

JAMES SMITH has taken a well-worn path to celebrity status as a lawyer forging a career in stand-up comedy.

The Bond alumnus joins the likes of Australian stars Shaun Micallef, Steve Vizard and Ahn Do, as well as US comedians Paul Mercurio and the late Greg Giraldo, who have traded life under the gavel for an open-mike.

The New York-based Smith acknowledges the curious trend, but he says there are sound reasons why comedy and law go hand in hand.

“It’s exactly the same analytical process,” he says. “With law you have a set of material facts, and the issues within those facts to which you apply a rule of law to get a tentative conclusion.

“It’s very similar with joke writing. You analyse a scenario, you spot the big issues and then, instead of applying the rule of law, you more or less apply a philosophy or an alternate view – or a comedic twist if you like – to get a tentative conclusion with a joke.”

This deconstruction of the craft is obviously

22

www.arch.bond.edu.au

working for Smith who bases himself in New York’s famed Comedy Cellar where comedians such as Louis CK and Chris Rock regularly perform.

and public speaking, highlighted by his selection for a team to represent Bond at the World Universities Debating Championships at Princeton University.

The Comedy Cellar is the most soughtafter venue for comedians in the world and Smith has been working there since 2007.

During his studies, Smith says he often used Bond as his stage, drawing a crowd and hosting events such as the Law Ball.

But he was uncertain if these impromptu performances could translate into a fulltime career facing a broader audience.

A decade earlier, though, Smith concedes he didn’t have too much to laugh about when he graduated from Bond and began forging a career in law.

Smith stuck to the legal eagle’s script for a few years by practising litigation, and then moving into banking and finance before finally taking an interest in intellectual property law. However, Smith knew he wanted something more.

“I was just a few years into law and I realised that if you have to do something every day for the rest of your life, you had better enjoy it,” he says. “It can’t be something that you’re reluctant to do.”

Smith turned his thoughts to Bond University for inspiration. It was during those formative years when the perennial joker discovered his love of debating

However, whether it was the theatre of the court, where a lawyer pleads his case before a stony-faced judge, Smith says he realised quickly that he wanted to perform.

“When you have a desire to do something like that you can’t ignore it, you have to explore it,” he says.

The transition was relatively swift and it began with Smith heading to see stand-up comedian James O’Loghlin in his one-man show, titled Lawyer Lawyer, in Sydney.

Smith says he sneaked backstage to seek O’Loghlin’s perspective. His advice to Smith was to jump into the deep end and head for an open-mike night – a full-frontal assault on any budding comedian’s talents.

“My assumption was that I could make people at Bond laugh, but that was a very small community. I didn’t know if I could relate to the general public,” Smith says.

“I started going Mondays to Thursdays and analysed it for three months. Then it was a long weekend in June and an opportunity came up. It was now or never.

“I think there were six people in the audience, including my then girlfriend.

I remember thinking before I went on stage just how critical this moment was. I had not really loved any jobs I’d ever had before – I was never passionate about them. I thought that if this doesn’t work I am really stuck. I just remember how pivotal that was.”

Smith’s debut was buoyed by words of encouragement from Ahn Do who followed him that night. He resigned from law almost immediately, taking on a transition job as a production assistant, and it was during this transition job that Smith’s career change was complete.

He was at an open-mike night at the Comedy Cellar in Sydney later that year when Arj Barker was performing.

Barker liked what he saw and put in a good word for Smith to open for the rest of the week during the comedy festival.

“At the time it was like Frank Sinatra saying: ‘Do you want to work this whole week?’

People at the pub in the suburbs don't care what you've done - it's just if you are funny or not.

“I still remember the euphoria of it as I was only three months into my career and I was opening for Arj Barker who was my favourite comic.”

Smith took time out of his hectic work schedule in May to attend Bond’s Homecoming Weekend celebrations, highlighted by his hosting of the 25th Anniversary Gala Ball.

A week later, Smith was opening for Julian Clearey. Soon he was appearing on Rove, The Footy Show and The Comedy Channel.

Smith says it has taken a great deal of resilience to transform his career.

Smith describes his style of comedy as social commentary, with a philosophical and observational tone – and, yes, he says he has bombed many times.

“Even with my meteoric introduction to comedy there is a point where I had to go to pubs and talk to nobody and be dismissed,” Smith says.

“You can always see where it happened,” Smith says. “There are some crowds that you just can’t persuade, even with the exact same jokes you were walking on water with the previous evening, or 10 minutes earlier at another show.

“You’ve just got to be absolutely determined. There has to be no Plan B, it has to be all Plan A. You can’t get disgruntled. Bombing is just one part of it."

“The majority of bombing is timing, or the wrong word or the wrong attitude or reading the crowd wrongly. The fragility involved in comedy is astonishing.

“Every good comic has bombed, but you just get stronger and more precise and become a better comic.”

Smith also says comedy is the consummate leveller.

“Tertiary education or seniority, or any of that stuff, is just out the window, because now you are in a different league.

"People at the pub in the suburbs don’t care what you’ve done - it’s just if you are funny or not.”

“That was a phenomenal night,” he says.

“It was a full-circle moment because I got to demonstrate everything that I had learned while I was at the University and since then.

"I was extremely honoured to be invited back all these years later to be included in that.”

Smith is currently working on a number of projects in the US, including an upcoming appearance on Conan and the writing of a television special for production next year.

While he has forged a successful career in comedy, Smith knows well enough that the industry does not afford him any time to rest on his laurels.

“The goalposts are always changing,” he says. “You are always aspiring.” www.arch.bond.edu.au

23

ALUMNI

SPECIAL EDITION

TOP AWARD VICE-Chancellor’s

Scholar Bridget Healy was awarded another prestigious scholarship earlier this year as one of 15 recipients from a record 312 applications.

The Law and International Relations graduate received a John Monash Scholarship, worth up to $150,000 to complete a Master or PhD at one of the world’s elite universities.

Named after one of Australia’s top military leaders and launched in 2003, the scholarships are selected on the basis of leadership qualities and academic achievement.

Healy started her MBA at INSEAD in Singapore in January, following a gala awards ceremony at the Sydney Opera House last year.

“The year has been fantastic – I am meeting some incredibly interesting people from very different backgrounds, while learning a variety of business subjects from great professors,” she says.

Healy says there were three main reasons behind her decision to undertake postgraduate study.

“Firstly, having studied Law and International Relations (Business) at Bond, I wanted to round out my theoretical business knowledge with a dedicated business master.

“Secondly, I wanted to have the experience of studying overseas in Asia and, finally after just under three years in the workforce, I wanted to accelerate my career progression.”

TAKING OVER THE WORLD After being awarded prestigious scholarships, these Bond alumni decided to broaden their horizons and study abroad at some of the world’s most reputable education institutions.

JULIETTE Tobias-Webb completed her Bachelor of Psychology with Honours at Bond University in 2009.

She tutored at several universities in the region and worked as a research officer at the University of Sydney, before being awarded the Cambridge Australia Scholarship to further her studies.

Tobias-Webb was one of eight graduates to receive the honour, opting to undertake a PhD in Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge in United Kingdom.

“I have been really enjoying my PhD so far; I have a great supervisor Dr Luke Clark from the Laboratory for Affect, Risk and Gambling Experiments,” Tobias-Webb says.

“I am investigating the influence of alcohol on gambling behaviour and have recently been involved in developing a novel gambling task – reconceptualising and measuring a common cognitive distortion in gambling called the illusion of control,” she says.

Tobias-Webb’s hard work is paying off, having submitted two abstracts on the experiment and being upgraded to discuss her findings at the British Association for Psychopharmacology summer meeting.

“I have also been offered the opportunity to complete a research placement at the Centre for Gambling Research at the University of British Columbia at the end of this year, so that is really exciting.”

She says the Cambridge lifestyle can be “overwhelming” at times, with a wide range of activities available on campus.

“While it sounds very glorified, and at times it can be, it is very exhausting.”

perfect mix for Earles

THE DUSTY wheat fields of Dalby are a

Tobias-Webb credits her academic success to where it all started, teaching her the value of one-on-one contact with teachers.

far cry from the icy slopes of Sochi, but physiotherapist Lauren Earles says the challenges are much the same whether she is tending to injured athletes or injured farmers.

“Even when applying to study abroad, many of the staff at Bond University were my referees and provided me with connections within the UK.

Earles is the senior physiotherapist and clinical manager of allied health company Vital Health, operating between Dalby and Kingaroy in south-western Queensland.

“I still feel strongly, and believe I will continue to feel strongly, connected to Bond and its extended community.”

But each year she is seconded by the Australian Institute of Sport to spend about two to three months travelling with the skeleton team on the World Cup circuit.

Earlier this year, the Bond alumna attended her first Winter Olympics as one of nine physios attached to the Australian team of 60 athletes. Earles oversaw 10 athletes in the sliding sports which include skeleton, bobsled and luge.

“Studying at Bond, with its focus on building an international student body, certainly helped me to prepare for INSEAD, where no one nationality comprises more than 20 per cent of students,” she says.

The journey to Sochi wasn’t such a stretch for Earles, a former Victorian who has an extensive competitive skiing background.

Juliette Tobias-Webb

www.arch.bond.edu.au

SNOW

“In addition to your PhD work, there are seminars to attend both inside the department and within various university societies, departmental and college dinners to attend and supervisions to teach – I am tutoring secondyear medical students and first-year psychology students.

She reflects on her time at Bond as good preparation for studying abroad, providing her with the skills to easily return to student life.

24

DUST&

The qualified ski instructor studied a Bachelor of Health Sciences at Bond University, majoring in Sports Science and Biomedical Science and went on to also complete a Doctor of Physiotherapy in 2009.

Earles says she always had an interest in becoming a physiotherapist, but the opportunity to merge her passions and join the elite winter sporting field came three years ago.

Earles, who is contracted through the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, is the head physiotherapist for the Australian skeleton program. Skeleton is one of the big adrenalin-rush sports of the Winter Olympics where competitors ride head-first down a bobsled course.

After three years, Earles has become accustomed to the World Cup circuit, but she says her first Olympics earlier this year gave her a taste of the ultimate in sporting intensity.

“There is just a bit more pressure on the athletes at the Olympics,” she says. “You pretty much have to bring your A-game because it’s what they work towards for four years.

“As physios we also have to put in the hard work as well. An Olympics has a different atmosphere as there’s more pressure and expectation on everyone.”

Earles has ambitions to make the next Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang in South

Korea, but that may depend on sports funding.

Earles says her Bond experience laid the groundwork for success in the elite world of winter sports.

“I think Bond sets you up to be a gogetter,” she says. “I also think I have an advantage having a Doctor of Physiotherapy over some of the other degrees from other universities.”

Despite reaching the heights of Sochi, Earles doesn’t consider Dalby to be a second prize.

“The reason I’m out here is that my husband is a farmer,” she says.

“I was previously on the Gold Coast working as a physio. It’s different to that, but in a good way. In terms of business I’m flat out. I’m a lot busier than I was on the Gold Coast. The range of clients I see here is quite varied and we do a lot of work with industry, such as coalseam gas.

“But the sporting interest is still at play here. We do a bit of work with local sporting teams, such as netball and football.”

www.arch.bond.edu.au

25

ALUMNI

SPECIAL EDITION

FIONA de Jong made a secret pact with herself while standing on the blocks at the Bond University swimming pool on the morning of September 23, 1993.

Little did she know that this pact would drive her chosen path in law and information technology to a career in the lofty world of the Australian Olympic Committee.

It was 5.30am and International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch's had just announced Sydney as host for the 2000 Olympic Games.

At the time, de Jong was training for triathlons, a sport into which she stumbled because it offered a sweet balance of extremes – the physical pain of training and the intellectual stimulation of studying.

“It was a heartbeat decision standing on the block at the end of the pool that I committed to myself to make the Australian team,” says de Jong.

“I didn’t tell anyone, but I secretly went about my training in an entirely different way because I was inspired by what was possible. At the time triathlon wasn’t even on the sports program for the Olympics in 2000.”

The decision paid off for de Jong who made the Australian team between 1994 and 1996. However, she does concede that the rigours of training and completing a double degree in law and IT on a scholarship were challenging.

Pact for OLYMPIC GLORY Fiona de Jong may have abandoned her dream for Olympic glory in favour of a career in law long ago, but the burning ambition ignited on the blocks of the Bond University pool in early spring 1993 led this new mum on a path that held true to her passion for sport.

“There were many days when I would train for six hours, study for six hours and sleep for six hours, so it was pretty full on,” she says.

De Jong continued her affair with sport even after graduating and starting work with a law firm practising IT and IP for several years.

She later took an in-house role with Colonial First State, where she developed further her IT experience by working on the early pitfalls of electronic transactions for the financial services industry.

“In that role I played translator between the lawyers and the tech-heads,” De Jong says. “They were skills I acquired at Bond when you walked through the Law School to the IT School; you had a different vocabulary and a different kind of person to deal with.”

But it wasn’t until a year out from the Sydney Olympics that she felt her sporting and legal career had reached a crossroad.

“Do I quit my job and be a full-time

26

www.arch.bond.edu.au

athlete or do I juggle the two and risk not doing either well?” she asked herself.

“That was really a defining moment for me to consider what I really wanted. To be honest I didn’t want it badly enough to be an athlete and I was not sure that I believed in my raw talent to be able to do it.”

While de Jong gave up her dream of Olympic glory, she says her passion for sport never waned.

“I had this underlying part of me that was an athlete and understood what it was to be an athlete, and I had this duality of corporate life,” she says.

“I never anticipated that the two would combine.”

There were many days when I would train for six hours, study for six hours and sleep for six hours, so it was pretty full on.

De Jong says that in law she was always committed to doing the best job possible.

“But I felt I would rather invest my time and effort into something I am interested in, and it took me a good year to figure out what that was.”

De Jong says she started volunteering with local sporting associations to pursue that philosophy.

To her surprise she found that professional skills, such as project management that she developed in her legal career, adapted well to the sporting world.

De Jong credits her time at Bond with mapping her career path from the very outset.

“I never would have pursued that sporting career perhaps had I not had access to such beautiful sporting facilities,” she says.

After meeting with John Coates, the AOC President at the time, a role became available within the Australian Olympic Committee.

“You are a product of all your experiences in life and at Bond I learned very early on the importance of striving for excellence in everything you do.

De Jong's understanding of e-commerce, her project management and legal drafting skills and her athletic background were integral to her role as AOC Director of Sport.

“I think that’s an ethos that’s reflected from the lecturers to the maintenance staff on campus.

“A large part of the role is drafting the selection criteria for athletes going to the Olympic Games,” says de Jong.

“That’s an attribute I’ve brought to any job I have undertaken and that is very much aligned with the Olympic values – by doing it in the spirit of friendship and mutual respect.

“I had been working, in effect, in project management within the financial services industry, and a large part of pulling an Olympic team together does fit into that space.

“I think Bond had that environment of mateship as well, not necessarily winning at all costs. It was small enough that you had that connection with other people that you were in it together.

“It was a nice fit for me and the organisation and, over time, that role has evolved.”

“A unity of purpose is very important to achieving what you wish in life.

De Jong is closing in on her 10th year with the AOC but is currently on six months’ maternity leave after having her first child, Alessandro.

“I remember when I was racing with the Australian team and travelling for world championships overseas, lecturers would give me flexibility around completing an assignments or sitting an exam.

In that time she has worked on six Summer and Winter Olympics, as well as two Youth Olympic Games.

“Their willingness to invest in the individual was formative in helping me to achieve what I was able to achieve.” www.arch.bond.edu.au

27

Jennifer Cronin, David Cotton and Shauna Tomkins

QA

ALUMNI

+

Joe Crowley is an alumnus and Senior Teaching Fellow at Bond University’s Faculty of Law and Barrister of the Bar Association of Queensland. Late last year he was selected to take part in the Commercial Law, Litigation and Advocacy (CLLA) Workshop held in Papua New Guinea for recent law graduates.

What inspired the CLLA workshop in Port Moresby?

TRAILBLAZERS The very first students to complete a Master of Business Administration at Bond reflect on the culture of ambition they helped create.

IN 1989 Bond University welcomed its first cohort of students.

Nine of those students would go on to finish an MBA in the same year.

The chance to complete an MBA in just one year presented as an incredible opportunity that could see them returning to the workforce much sooner than if they had studied at other institutions.

all had Mac computers. Back then that was really radical.”

She recalls scrutiny of the University by other institutions and the media, but says it only encouraged the students and teachers to band together.

“The mission is what set this University apart. Delivering on that mission is what created the intimacy that we had.”

Class of '89 alumna Shauna Tomkins had been considering completing an MBA in Melbourne when she heard about Bond University and its one-year program.

She says she immediately packed all her belongings into her blue Volkswagon soft top and arrived on campus the day classes started. Twenty-five years later she is working in financial regulation for the World Bank.

David Cotton agrees the risk and uncertainty over the University’s future brought the inaugural MBA students together.

“It just seemed a fun proposition,” she laughs.

“With Bond it seemed you could be in and out in one year,” says Cotton.

“We had 100 days of rain at the beginning of that year, and there were still tractors and backhoes bogged as we were walking around the campus.

He says his life post-MBA took on a new direction. Having an MBA opened up opportunities for him that wouldn’t have been available otherwise.

“But it was a very special time. It was very exciting. There was a focus and a vision.

Bond was so far ahead of the game. We

He says an “element of pioneerism” characterised the University’s first few years.

28

www.arch.bond.edu.au

Living in Tasmania, he says he had initially considered Deakin University in Victoria, but says it would have taken him four years to complete the course. The flexibility of Bond was its greatest attraction.

“Bond was built on the guts of some really dedicated people that believed in the autonomy we needed to not be absorbed by other universities.”

Jennifer Cronin agrees. Having sold the house she owned with her husband to pay for her study, she felt the risk firsthand.

“I had not had the opportunity of private education and I knew the standards would be very high,” she recalls.

“But there was an entrepreneurial spirit that attracted like-minded people.

“The leadership was really quite visionary, and committed to making a difference.

They really were revolutionaries.”

Now an industry leader in hotel management, Cronin credits the University with giving her a “new outlook on the business world.”

Returning to campus 25 years later, the alumni can agree that although the campus has transformed, the core philosophy of the University has remained the same.

“Small teaching, the quality of the resources and technology, and the dedication to the students,” says Cronin.

“That’s where Bond is shining.”

The Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea requested a one-week intensive course instructed by the Bar Association of Queensland for the students before they started practising. It’s a similar concept to the Practical Legal Training (PLT) program offered in Australia. The New South Wales and Victoria Bar Associations had previously conducted similar workshops which were successful. However, their criminal legislation is very different from Papua New Guinea’s. The Queensland criminal code forms the basis of the Papua New Guinea criminal code which made it easier to teach the students about their country’s criminal legislation.

Besides the relationship between the Papua New Guinea and Queensland criminal legislation, what else differentiated the workshop?

The workshop was markedly different in content covered and procedure followed.

The Bar Association of Victoria focused on advocacy, whereas we focused more on commercial law and practice. We also used the Legal Training Institute (LTI) as a campus, while interstate Bar Associations held workshops in hotels. The LTI is the size of a large primary school classroom in Australia but with 90 students packed in.

It was cramped, but we wanted to show we were on an equal playing field to the students and didn’t want to remove them from the learning environment they had become accustomed to.

What was the overall aim of the workshop?

We wanted the students to complete the workshop with solid theoretical knowledge

of commercial law and also a practical understanding of how these tie together in court. To help the students grasp this process, we did advocacy with them where they held mock procedural hearings. We also assigned written work where the students constructed pleadings which we then gave feedback on. Essentially, we wanted to prepare the students for their first commercial file.

What was your daily schedule?

We were there Saturday to Saturday and had very long days. We were leaving the hotel compound at 7am, finishing classes at 4.30pm and had a different function every night until about 10pm. One of the functions was a lecture for the broader legal community on ethics led by Justice Logan and Justice Douglas.

Is there a demand for this type of service in Papua New Guinea?

There is a very high demand for legal services over there because of the growing economy. There is also only one law school in Papua New Guinea, compared to Australia’s 36, which provides a strong market for lawyers. In Australia, there aren’t enough jobs for all the students who graduate from law. In Papua New Guinea, there are more jobs than they can produce lawyers for. Every single person in the course had a job lined up.

The Papua New Guinea legal system has been marked by controversy in recent years. How did you find the younger generation of lawyers?

Although I can’t comment on the entire Papua New Guinea legal profession, I perceived a difference between the

Joe Crowley

students and older local lawyers, generally speaking. Australian lawyers haven’t really been welcome in Papua New Guinea for the past decade. They have wanted their local profession to be the only people practising criminal law and things were made difficult if Australian lawyers wanted to take work up there. That attitude seems to have completely reversed now. The students put on a variety of ceremonies for us and gave us all gifts. The Papua New Guineans are really interested in the input of Australian lawyers as a way of helping their legal profession develop.

The Attorney General from Papua New Guinea said he wanted our input because they had problems with corruption among local lawyers. There were two large-scale corruption cases involving local lawyers being discussed by the students during our visit.

It is a thriving economy and they really love the rule of law over there. The local people are quite litigious and prefer putting issues through the courts rather than taking matters into their own hands, which is fantastic in terms of governance of the society.

Were there any notable challenges during the visit?

Port Moresby has a very poor safety history – it’s been rated as the sixth most unsafe city in the world. We stayed in a five-star hotel but it was within a compound and we had to travel from there to a separate compound containing the LTI. We travelled in a bus with security windows and guards.

Although we didn’t see or hear of any trouble, it can be claustrophobic living in such a high-security environment. www.arch.bond.edu.au

29

ALUMNI

SPECIAL EDITION

Stalker

scourge IT’S A CRIME affecting one-

fifth of Australian women at some point in their lives, but its victims are struggling to manage the problem.

Bond University Teaching Fellow Matthew Raj is set on stamping out stalking through a comprehensive nationwide study into how victims respond and what they’ve found to be effective.

The study is a global first, with no previous research examining victim responses to stalking at this level of depth to develop conclusions on best-practice solutions.

Raj says there are a number of manuals and texts on how to combat stalking, but they often propose conflicting recommendations.

“Until now, there’s been no evidence-based research into when it is best to take action," he says.

"This survey will allow us to see what actually works and how quickly it stops the behaviour in different circumstances.

The option of taking legal action against a stalker by involving the police, taking out a restraining order or filing charges is often criticised as being ineffectual.

“The questionnaire takes around 40-60 minutes and looks at behaviours the victims were subjected to, what actions they took, when they took them, and how effective those actions were in stopping the stalker, as well as any physical, emotional, financial and social consequences they suffered.”

Raj has collected more than 200 responses from female victims aged 18 and over since launching the online survey in early 2013 for his PhD in Criminology under the supervision of Dr Terry Goldsworthy.

According to Raj, this is a

30

www.arch.bond.edu.au

high response rate to date considering the difficulty in gaining access to victims of stalking.

“We’ve had a split of both really good and bad responses – some participants have reported that the stalking stopped after a week, while others' experiences exceed the average stalking rate of two years.

“We are finding that victims try a number of different and specific things, from shutting down their social media pages, to moving house, and taking legal action.

“This sort of detailed information will not only help future victims but will assist the work undertaken by victim support groups and law enforcement agencies, as well as providing a solid basis for public education campaigns.”

The legal approach is of particular interest to Raj due to his experience working pro bono at the National Centre for Domestic Violence in the United Kingdom where he helped domestic violence victims with non-contact and prohibiting orders.

“The option of taking legal action against a stalker by involving the police, taking out a restraining order or filing charges is often criticised as being ineffectual or, in the worst cases, serving to escalate the behaviour,” says Raj. “Hopefully, our research will provide more evidence-based data as to whether legal action is the best approach or if there are more effective ways to put a stop to the stalking.”

The results of the ongoing survey are due to be published by the end of 2014.

LAW LINKS strengthen in Canada

CANADIAN students have long flocked to Bond’s Law School, but the roles were reversed when the Faculty headed to North America to commend its recent graduates.

More than 200 graduates, their families and friends, and members of the broader Canadian Bond community came together in November last year for graduate celebrations in Toronto and Vancouver, hosted by Bond University’s Dean of Law Professor Geraldine Mackenzie.

The events built on the Bond Law Faculty's existing relationship with its Canadian students, the University being a premier international destination and the Faculty recently ranking number one for student satisfaction in Australia.

“There is a special bond that exists between Australians and Canadians, and we are thrilled to be able to broaden our Canadian Bond community which has been growing for the past 15 years," says Professor Mackenzie.

“Graduating with a law degree is a momentous occasion for any young scholar, but often for international students, their families and loved ones are unable to attend the official graduation ceremony in Australia.”

Professor Mackenzie says the events also provided an opportunity for prospective Canadian students and recent graduates to meet with Canadian Bond Law alumni from previous years.

“These alumni often take on a mentor role to both students and recent graduates, so the celebrations offered the perfect opportunity to network, identify career opportunities, recruit new talent and swap stories with fellow Bondies,” says Professor Mackenzie.

Developing the Bond-Canada relationship a few steps further, Professor Mackenzie also travelled across the continent during the week-

long trip and visited law firms in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary.

“Visiting Canadian law firms is something we have done before and will continue to do to ensure graduate employment options,” say Professor Mackenzie.

"It’s a word-of-mouth market in Canada so it really is an important engagement activity for Bond.”

Bond is attractive to Canadian law students as it allows them to complete their Juris Doctor (JD) one full year earlier than at other universities, in addition to offering Canadian specific orientation and homeward bound sessions tailored to the students each semester.

It is also a viable prospect due to offering all four of the Canadian law elective subjects required by the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) for foreign-trained lawyers.

Professor Geraldine Mackenzie with graduate Michael Murphy

There is a special bond that exists between Australians and Canadians, and we are thrilled to be able to broaden our Canadian Bond community. www.arch.bond.edu.au

31

MS

FEATURE

Assistant Professor Christian Moro

Associate Professor Lotti Tajouri

team effort

Researchers at Bond are committed to probing the mystery of Multiple Sclerosis, and now they are engaging students to help them.

Medical Research Institute (HMRI) in Newcastle, where leading MS researchers of the Australian and New Zealand Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium are based.

“I joined the Consortium in 2008 so we are fortunate there was an existing relationship with the HMRI which has allowed Katherine to access incredible resources and facilities,” says Associate Professor Tajouri.

A BOND

University researcher is leading a new wave of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research where students are playing an unparalleled role.

Associate Professor Lotti Tajouri is heading up the Bond MS team and supervising Katherine Sanders, a Teaching Fellow and PhD candidate, and Kimberley Barker, an honours student from the School of Health Sciences.

With passion and persistence, Associate Professor Tajouri has helped secure grants of more than $110,000 to fund research into the degenerative disease which affects an estimated 23,000 Australians and accrues 1000 new diagnoses each year.

MS is now the leading central nervous system (CNS) disease in young adults, with most sufferers diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40.

While the exact cause of the disease is unknown, its symptoms stem from lesions in the brain and spinal cord where the neuronal insulating layer of myelin has been damaged or stripped away from the nerve fibres. Bond’s MS team is studying these degenerative lesions and the less understood aspect of regenerative neural processes and pathways occurring in MS. “There are particular areas in MS brains

where the tissue has seriously degenerated forming plaques – we are focused on finding out how exactly that tissue is able to degenerate and regenerate," says Associate Professor Tajouri.

“We are committed to unravelling the mystery of the genetic interactions which operate in this event.”

Associate Professor Tajouri began researching MS in 1999 before joining Bond University in 2007 in a split teaching and intensive research role.

While other researchers are also working towards understanding this process, Associate Professor Tajouri says there is novelty in Bond’s research based on the approach and technology being employed.

“We have two things on our side - the acquisition of rare CNS tissues that are difficult to obtain from post-mortem human brains of MS sufferers, and an outstanding collaboration network that grants us access to cutting-edge technology. The strong student component also makes the research particularly interesting. It aligns with my key goal of helping students blossom professionally by sharing my experience, collaboration network and knowledge.”

Earlier this year, Teaching Fellow and PhD candidate Katherine Sanders received two research grants to aid her investigations, one from MS Research Australia (MSRA) and the Trish MS Research Foundation

(TMRF) and another from the Bond University Office of Research.

Sanders’ MSRA and TMRF post-graduate scholarship totals $96,000 and will fund three years of research into examining microRNA in post-mortem MS brain tissue to investigate their role in MS pathology and potential use as biomarkers in the circulation of body fluids.

The grant is one of 11 distributed by MS Research Australia to researchers around the country as part of a $1.537 million package of new MS funding for 2014.

On top of this, the Bond University Office of Research awarded Sanders with an additional $5000 for visitation to international conferences.

Sanders undertook a prestigious two-week European Molecular Biology Laboratory course taught by leading researchers in Melbourne last year and will attend a course in MS genetics hosted by the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Estonia later this year. She will use part of her Bond grant to present data at a Boston conference in September held in conjunction with the ECTRIMS and Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS).

Sanders’ success involves a cross-over between Bond University and the Hunter

“The HMRI provides well-defined postmortem brain tissues of MS patients, which are extremely difficult to obtain, as well as world-class mentors who are cosupervising Katherine’s research.”

As well as recruiting students for Bond’s MS research, Associate Professor Tajouri has also brought on board another

Associate Professor Tajouri and Assistant Professor Moro both secured a $14,000 Bond University Vice-Chancellor Research Grant earlier this year of which a portion has been applied to the recruitment and training of a second student, Kimberley Barker.

Barker who only began her Honours program at the beginning of this year and is already undertaking laser capture microscopy of post-mortem MS brains at the HMRI and presented her research project at the Australian Scientific Medical Research satellite conference in March.

“We intend to carry on with that pipeline of engaging students in the research and continue giving them opportunities to work in domestic and international settings,” says Associate Professor Tajouri.

"We intend to carry on with that pipeline of engaging students in the research." academic. Assistant Professor Christian Moro joined the MS team last year, drawn across from a concentration on bladder dysfunction. It was the uniqueness of the MS process and its relationship to bladder dysfunction that drew him to the research.

“MS is interesting because, unlike when someone breaks their spine and the damaged nerves aren’t able to regenerate, it damages the brain and CNS but then the body goes through relapsing-remitting where the patient gets worse before all of a sudden getting better,” says Assistant Professor Moro.

“It’s a bonus for Bond as the knowledge and experience can all come back here.”

While developing a better understanding of MS is the team’s priority, the research being undertaken also holds the potential to shed light on spinal cord injuries and bladder dysfunction.

Associate Professor Tajouri says communications have opened with spinal research foundations and bladder dysfunction funding bodies and the Bond MS team is looking to present pilot studies in the near future. www.arch.bond.edu.au

33

FEATURE

FACE OF DNA IF EVERY face has a story to tell, Mark Barash's research has added a lot of description to that story.

Barash, a Bond University Teaching Fellow, has taken a close-up look into how DNA influences facial appearance and its potential in forensic investigation.

He took out third place for the research at the Golden Helix Research Competition in February, an inaugural event that attracted in excess of 50 entries from DNA researchers across more than 20 countries.

“The research is focused on the identification of genetic markers responsible for individual variations in facial appearance, particularly pertaining to the shape and size of facial features, skin, eye and hair pigmentation, and also ancestry,” says Barash.

“Genetics has a major influence on facial appearance, but we still don’t really understand the specific factors in DNA that are responsible for how we look – this was the basis of my research.”

Barash developed an interest in the subject during a seven-year stint as a Forensic DNA Officer with the Israeli Police Force in Jerusalem.

Mark Barash

“I performed forensic DNA analysis on hundreds of criminal cases, where the key aim was to identify a DNA profile from a crime scene sample and find a matching suspect’s profile.

“However, many cases would come to a halt because current DNA analysis methods only work for comparison purposes, so the perpetrator couldn’t always be identified unless they were a previous offender.

“I became very uncomfortable with the limitations this process presented and was ardent to find new tools to improve the method.”

Barash made the leap to Bond University in 2010 to undertake his PhD in the field at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine.

He based his work on a sample of 600 which was developed into threedimensional images and underwent stringent analysis over a three and a half year period.

Professor Chris Del Mar

“Each image was analysed for 32 craniofacial landmarks, which provided a basis for the calculation of more than 100 different measurements,” says Barash.

“Following this, each DNA sample was genotyped for approximately 6,500 DNA markers in more than 170 candidate genes potentially involved in craniofacial development.”

The research is the most comprehensive of its kind, resulting in the identification of more than 150 DNA markers strongly associated with specific craniofacial features, as well as pigmentation and ancestry.

The next step of Barash’s project will focus on predicting facial appearance from a DNA sample.

“No previous research in this area has strictly worked with three-dimensional images or considered so many markers and measurements, probably because of the expense and meticulous adherence to technicalities it required,” says Barash.

“The research can give forensic investigators an extraordinary advantage, enabling them to draw a ‘molecular portrait’ of the potential perpetrator from a small DNA sample left behind at a crime scene in the absence of suspect or witness evidence.

“It can also provide an investigative lead in mass disaster victim identification and missing person cases."

In addition to forensics, the data holds the potential to assist with prenatal medical diagnostics of craniofacial disorders and ancient DNA research.

“My current PhD supervisor Associate Professor Lotti Tajouri has a passion for ancient Egypt and sees the potential for the work to paint a clearer description of ancient mummies,” says Barash.

The data is currently being summarised and Barash anticipates publication by the end of the year.

He will also share his results with the scientific community in November at the World Gene Convention in China.

Tamiflu on review TAMIFLU and Relenza are drugs stockpiled by governments worldwide in anticipation of an influenza pandemic, but are they effective in preventing complications from influenza?

That was the question an international review team from The Cochrane Collaboration set out to answer six years ago. Professor Chris Del Mar, from Bond University’s Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, was part of that team.

Professor Del Mar, the Coordinating Editor for The Cochrane Collaboration’s Acute Respiratory Group, has assessed the effectiveness of the drugs through the analysis of more than 160,000 pages of pharmaceutical company trial clinical study reports with other researchers from Australia, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The review concluded there was no good evidence to support claims that Tamiflu and Relenza reduce admissions to hospital or the complications of influenza.

Collaboration from obtaining a complete collection of randomised trials.

“We realised, for Tamiflu alone, that less than half the trials had been published – a startling discovery since the drug’s global bill has been estimated at $10 billion,” says Professor Del Mar. “This led us to serving the US Food and Drug Administration with a Freedom of Information Act, which enabled us to obtain some data, and also led to the AllTrials.Net campaign that stipulates there should be an obligation to publish every trial.”

In April last year, Tamiflu and Relenza manufacturers Roche and GlaxoSmithKline made their full internal reports available to The Cochrane Collaboration. The 20 Tamiflu and 26 Relenza trials involving 24,000 volunteer patients delivered mixed summaries about the effectiveness of these drugs in treating influenza.

The report has sent shockwaves throughout the health sector considering the Australian Government spent $192 million on stockpiling Tamiflu and Relenza as insurance against the swine influenza threat in 2009.

“We were able to support previous findings that Tamiflu and Relenza do reduce symptoms, but we found they only shorten the illness by about half a day compared to a placebo,” says Professor Del Mar. “We also couldn’t find any evidence that the drugs protect people from the complications of influenza which cause hospitalisation, such as pneumonia, which contradicts previous claims.”

“It’s certainly incited debate about whether it’s reckless or prudent to stockpile drugs for a pandemic that may happen at an unknown time,” says Professor Del Mar.

The review team showed the drugs cause nausea and vomiting, as well as headaches, psychiatric disturbances and renal events when Tamiflu was used in prevention trials.

Questions also have been raised about methods used to determine the effectiveness of drug treatments.

Professor Del Mar says the benefits and drawbacks of these drugs should be more carefully considered before prescription.

Pharmaceutical companies put up a four-year fight to prevent The Cochrane

“These drugs really aren’t magic in treating milder illnesses,” he says.

HSM Professor to lead cancer study group THE Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) has welcomed Professor Liz Isenring of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine as Chair of one of its key study groups.

The Nutrition and Cachexia Study Group, specialising in supportive care for cancer patients, will be overseen by Professor Isenring for the next three years.

This appointment marks a significant achievement as it will be the first time an Australian dietician holds the post of Chair.

Diligent research and communication are the cornerstones of Professor Isenring’s philosophy on patient care and services, which she brings to her new role.

“I believe the greatest impact one can have in terms of improving the nutritional care for patients and their families is via research and helping to translate this evidence into improved patient services and outcomes,” says Professor Isenring.

The work undertaken by the study group is now more important than ever, with cancer the primary cause for death in the country.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

35

FEATURE

SPECIAL EDITION

Terry Jackman AM and John Eales AO

Terry Jackman AM has been a long-time supporter of Bond, but now - with the help of sporting legend John Eales AO - he is taking that to another level as he lays foundations for a new field of excellence.

WHEN IT comes to rugby, Gold Coast

rugby scholarship

JACKMAN BACKS rugby scholarship

businessman Terry Jackman AM isn’t about to let an opportunity pass by.

That’s why he enlisted the support of former Wallabies captain John Eales AO last year to lend his support to Bond University’s new rugby program through the John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship.

Jackman says the scholarship is the next logical step to develop rugby talent following the strategic relocation of the Gold Coast Breakers to Bond University last year.

Jackman says he called on Eales after discussing the scholarship proposal with Bond University Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Brailsford.

“This is great for rugby on the Gold Coast and it’s great for rugby generally,” says Jackman, a Bond University Trustee Member.

“The problem we have in rugby is keeping the boys on the Gold Coast, particularly with UQ being a good university and a very strong rugby team.”

Bond has two John Eales scholarships available a year.

Jackman says he is confident that as the program matures it will bring into focus the commitment of Bond to the rugby community.

“We’ve been very encouraged this year with a lot more applications and a lot more interest for the 2015 scholarships,” he says.

However, Jackman is keen to point out that while rugby is at the heart of the initiative, it’s not all about sport.

“The Bond scholarship is not just for rugby – it’s important to stress that its

36

www.arch.bond.edu.au

an academic scholarship first and rugby second,” he says.

Jackman, a philanthropist with diverse business interests including cinemas and property investments, has been a long-time supporter of Bond University.

He was among the first in the business community to put his hand up to back the University during the difficult years following the collapse of Alan Bond’s business empire.

“I’ve always been a great fan of the fact that it’s a private university, and I believe in private enterprise,” Jackman says.

“It was the first major university campus on the Gold Coast, and I’m a great fan of the current management.”

Jackman played an integral part in bringing together the Gold Coast Breakers and Bond University last year.

This is great for rugby on the Gold Coast and it's great for rugby generally.

“The Bond set up is terrific,” Jackman says.

“It’s got all the facilities of any good rugby club in Australia and we’ve already had a big jump in the number of kids who want to play.

“That’s all we want to see – we want to see the game grow on the Gold Coast.

Now we have more chance of being seen by the Queensland selectors.

“We’ve had a number of Wallabies out of the Breakers and the Breakers name will continue under the auspices of the Bond University Rugby Club. Bond has done a very good job in honouring the fact that the Breakers started all this off. It is a proud tradition.”

www.arch.bond.edu.au

37

CAMPUS

SPECIAL EDITION

WALLABY HERITAGE

“As we know, pathways and the opportunity to play in more senior competitions was very much the vision of Terry Jackman, Greg Cornelsen and a few others when they got together and formed the Gold Coast Breakers 18 years ago.

Tom Ray

“The Breakers recognised that if you were a talented kid coming out of school, there was no real pathway beyond schoolboy rugby on the Gold Coast to progress those talents,” he says.

runs deep at Bond JOHN EALES AO isn’t the only Wallaby Douglas ‘Digger’ MacMillan and Ben Hunt have in common.

awarding two outstanding candidates scholarship and the opportunity to be mentored by Wallaby legend John Eales.

Shortly after meeting, the two inaugural Bond University John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship recipients realised their grandfathers also played rugby together – for the Wallabies back in 1950.

Hunt, 19, who last year captained the 1st XV at Sydney’s prestigious St Ignatius College, Riverview, credits his maternal grandfather, Keith Gordon, with his love of rugby.

“It is such a coincidence that our pops both played together with the Wallabies,’’ says Hunt.

“My grandfather passed away when I was young but he has been a big influence in my drive to play rugby,” says Hunt, who is studying Sports and Exercise Science at Bond.

“I'm very much looking forward to playing with Digger, not only because our game styles complement each other but also because of the deep connection we share through our family heritage playing for the Wallabies, which we both hope to repeat in the near future.”

To mark Bond’s status as the official Education Partner of the Australian Rugby Union, the University introduced the John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship in 2013, Douglas ‘Digger’ MacMillan and Ben Hunt

38

www.arch.bond.edu.au

“He played as a prop for the Wallabies in 1949 and 1950 and also represented NSW and Randwick RUFC in Sydney.”

His grandfather was also a champion swimmer and sprinter, a gift passed down to Hunt through his mother Diana Gordon, a champion sprinter, while on his father’s side his great-grandfather donned a jumper for the Springboks.

“Most of those kids were heading off to Brisbane or Sydney to play club rugby at a better level than what the Gold Coast competition offered.”

Described by a former coach as one of the most damaging ball runners ever seen, a fractured ankle has kept Hunt sidelined for much of this season but he’s hoping to return to the field soon.

Under the new structure, the former Breakers players and coaching staff, including General Manager Tim Rowlands, have been retained as the nucleus of the new club with its operations overseen by the new board.

“The scholarship is fantastic, I couldn’t ask for anything more; it is everyone’s dream to be mentored by John Eales,” he says.

A memorandum of understanding between Bond and the Breakers also acknowledges the legacy of the Breakers club and secures Bond’s commitment to the success of the collaboration.

“His biggest advice to me is just to be patient – not to push for things too early, especially with an injury.”

Rugby runs in the DNA of the MacMillan family too.

Captaining the 1st XV Rugby side at Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie), MacMillan, 18, was selected to join the Australian Rugby Schoolboys tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland at the end of 2013.

Like his father and grandfather before him, his preferred position is openside flanker, proudly wearing the same No.7 jersey current Wallaby David Pocock made his own years earlier at Churchie.

BUILDING ON a rich tradition RUGBY has been embedded in the

“We’re all flankers in the family, it’s in the blood,” MacMillan says.

tradition of Bond University since its formative years, but now that tradition is headed for a new era.

While his father Andrew represented Queensland as an U19 player, his grandfather, Ian, played for the Wallabies in the 1950s and was the youngest Queensland player of the era with a memorial trophy for the best Queensland schoolboy player still in his name.

Tom Ray, Bond University alumnus, Council Member and recently appointed inaugural Chair of the Bond University Rugby Club, says a ground-breaking agreement with the Gold Coast Breakers Rugby Club is delivering on Bond’s ambition to marry sporting greatness with its record for academic excellence.

“The connection between Ben’s grandfather and mine really has fasttracked our friendship,” says MacMillan, who is studying law and commerce at Bond. “To share in that same common ground with both our grandfathers donning the ‘green and gold’ jersey is incredible and a huge driving force to strive for the same lofty heights in the game.”

The move sees Bond become the third university in Australia, alongside Sydney University and the University of Queensland, to have a rugby team in a premier competition.

Applications for next year’s John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship close on September 30, 2014.

Ray says that when he started playing back then it was very much a social affair, but this has now changed.

“Rugby at Bond has been part of the history of the University dating right back 25 years to the University’s first student intake,” says Ray.

The Breakers made Bond their home ground last year following a bold vision by Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Brailsford, described by Ray as a “rugby tragic” with a genuine love of the game.

Professor Brailsford, who formerly held board roles with the Queensland Rugby Union and the Queensland Reds, saw an opportunity for the club, which until then didn’t have its own home ground, to utilise Bond’s state-of-the art sporting facilities.

“The new Bond University Rugby Club is an evolution of the partnership initiated last year when the Breakers came to call Bond their home ground,” says Ray. The move was part of Bond’s new sporting strategy designed to elevate its participation in rugby and swimming, in particular, in a bid to provide gifted athletes with the opportunity to marry their sporting talents with their academic pursuits.

Ray says that, in many ways, the Breakers and Bond have a shared philosophy.

Ray says the Bond University Rugby Club (BURC) board has been put in place to ensure the new entity operates independently from Bond.

Apart from Ray, the board also includes former Wallabies Captain Nathan Sharpe, former Queensland Red Alex Evans, Bond Pro Vice-Chancellor of Pathways and Partnerships Catherine O’Sullivan, Bond University Rugby Club General Manager Tim Rowlands, TSS Director of Sports Bryan Hain and the President of BURC Community Commitee, Bruce Wright.

There are also two invitations, namely the Chief Operating Officer of the QRU, David Hanham, and the Gold Coast and District Rugby Union Chairman, Michael Summers.

“The idea of the board was to make sure there is a proper structure of governance independent to the University,” says Ray. “It’s a good balance of experience and a good representation of different rugby stakeholders from Queensland and the Gold Coast district.

“The rugby club is designed to be financially independent from the University, but at the same time it is there with the University’s financial backing if it needs it.”

Ray says through this process Bond is seeking to make rugby one of the great traditions of Bond.

“The vision is to round out the University’s offering so it is not just a place of great academics and campus life, but so that it is also a university of sporting excellence,” he says. www.arch.bond.edu.au

39

CAMPUS

SPECIAL EDITION

GOING back to country and discovering Queensland’s Indigenous culture strikes right at the heart of Bond University student Kimberly Brookes.

St Teresa’s Business Manager Christian Gordon, a Bondy, praised the initiative.

“It was a sensational week,” Gordon says.

Brookes, who is studying International Hotel & Tourism Management majoring in Events at Bond, travelled to Abergowrie in Far North Queensland in late April as part of a field trip organised by the Bond Indigenous Awareness Society (BIAS).

“The Bond students were again really well received by both our students and staff.

They got involved in a whole range of activities in and outside the classroom – quite a few of the Bondies even ran with the boys in the cross-country.

Now in its fifth year, the student-led project saw 12 Bondies visit St Teresa’s Catholic College for a week, performing a variety of tasks from assisting in the classroom to competing in cross-country.

“One of the highlights was a little comedy skit they put on for the school - it’s something the boys are still laughing about.

“Bond is the only university we open ourselves up to in this capacity. We are really proud of the relationship we have with Bond and are looking forward to continuing to grow it into the future.

“It is a really valuable experience for the boys and good for them to meet university students both from Indigenous and nonIndigenous backgrounds. It really inspires the boys.”

Bond reciprocated the hospitality when it hosted St Teresa’s 1st XV Rugby League team during the Confraternity Rugby League Carnival held on the Gold Coast from June 29 – July 4.

Boasting around 180 pupils, St Teresa’s is the largest all-boys Catholic secondary school for Indigenous students in Australia, with all of the boys residing at the College as boarders.

“Going to Abergowrie was a real eyeopener,” Brookes says.

BACK TO COUNTRY What starts out as a mentoring role in regional communities ends up creating lasting friendships for Bond students who are spreading the message to Indigenous youth that they can follow their dreams through a university education.

40

www.arch.bond.edu.au

“It can be a struggle for some of the boys to leave their communities but our job is to be a positive role model, to share our journey and how we got to university.

We are really proud of the relationship we have with Bond and are looking forward to continuing to grow it into the future.

“At the beginning of the week the boys see us more as a teacher, but by the end we’re more like a personal friend. We’re able to give them advice on how to apply to university and follow their dreams.”

Kimberly, who grew up in Sydney but whose people come from the Bangrang Family of the Yorta Yorta Nation on the Victoria/New South Wales border, loved learning more about Queensland’s cultural heritage.

“The boys come from over 40 different communities and collectively speak more than 70 different languages and dialects,” she says.

“I didn’t grow up in community so I can’t relate to their lifestyle, but these boys have so much to teach us about history and culture.”

Initiated by Bond students five years ago, the Abergowrie trip is another example of the philanthropic drive and commitment to global citizenship that has become such a significant part of life at Bond.

Kimberly Brookes, centre front, with the team of Bond University students who visited Abergowrie.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

41

CAMPUS

SPECIAL EDITION

SAVE THE DATE

BOND INDIGENOUS GALA NOVEMBER 7 PREPARATIONS for this year’s

Indigenous Gala are well under way with confirmed special guest Lois Peeler, original member of Aboriginal band The Sapphires and now Principal of Victorian-based all-girls school Worawa Aboriginal College.

The annual Gala, to be held on Friday, November 7, celebrates Bond’s commitment to Indigenous education with funds raised going directly towards scholarships for Indigenous students. Funds will be raised through corporate sponsorship, a hotly contested auction of contemporary Indigenous art and raffle prizes.

I wanted to compare Navajo Indians with the Australia Aboriginal people; their approach to rehabilitation is totally different.

PROUD INDIGENOUS CULTURE shines through at Bond

After graduating, Braun is determined to use his Diploma to fight spiralling levels of youth suicide and addiction in the communities around his home town of Katherine.

Bond University Nyombile Indigenous Support Centre Manager Jason Murray says Braun will be missed around campus.

Dr Pat Corrigan AM, ‘Queensland Great’ award recipient, is the patron of the event.

Pro Vice-Chancellor Pathways and Partnerships Catherine O’Sullivan says the University aimed to better last year’s achievement of $175,000 raised through corporate sponsorships.

“Every dollar raised by the University through this initiative goes directly towards supporting an Indigenous student in their studies,” O’Sullivan says.

“We need everyone to dig deep for this worthy cause; education is so vitally important to improving outcomes for our Indigenous Australians.”

For more information, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Laura Harvey on lharvey@ bond.edu.au or 07 5595 1430.

42

www.arch.bond.edu.au

Dennis Braun

“We are really proud of Dennis, he should be really proud of himself,” Murray says.

“Dennis always had a view of the bigger picture where he could go back and help his community.

After studying a Diploma of Criminology at Bond, respected Indigenous Elder Dennis Braun has set his sights on tackling the spiralling rate of youth suicide and addiction in the communities around his home town, Katherine.

FROM THE dusty outback to the vast plains of the Arizona desert, Bond University graduate Dennis Braun’s interest in Indigenous culture and criminology has taken him a long way.

A respected Elder of the Arrentre Nation around Alice Springs, Braun is one of four Indigenous students to graduate from Bond in June 2014 after completing their studies.

The first Indigenous student to complete a Diploma of Criminology at Bond, Braun enrolled two years ago after working on the Bush Court circuit in the NT providing paralegal support for Aboriginal people.

His desire to support troubled Aboriginal youth saw him research youth rehabilitation undertaken by the Native American people of Arizona, the Navajo

people, visiting their reservation in August 2013 with the support of Bond University.

“I wanted to compare Navajo Indians with the Australia Aboriginal people,” Braun says.

“Their approach to rehabilitation is totally different – the way they treat their youth in detention centres is they don’t lock them up.

“Instead they take the kids out bush and do things like canoeing, hunting, swimming, abseiling and talking with the Navajo Elders around the campfire at night about Navajo history, with the Elders telling them by undertaking criminal activity they’re disgracing Navajo culture.

“I’d really like to see us take a similar approach over here. It’s better than just locking the kids up like we do.”

“He is an Elder and for us that was a really good learning experience as well – he had all this wisdom to share.”

The Nyombile Centre, which opened two years ago, provides academic, cultural and social support for Indigenous students on campus. There are currently 46 Indigenous students enrolled at Bond, including 16 students on scholarships.

“The success rate of our students has been fantastic,” Murray says.

“Academically, our Indigenous students are performing as well as any other cohort in the University and I think that is something that Bond should be really proud of.”

Other Indigenous students who graduated in June included Hanna Ross (Bachelor of Business), Meryl Alley (Bachelor of Counselling), Karen Corden (Graduate Certificate in TESOL). www.arch.bond.edu.au

43

CAMPUS

SPECIAL EDITION

From left: Chancellor Dr Helen Nugent AO, Bond Alumni Advisory Board Chair Peta Fielding, BUSA President Melanie Hayden and Pro Vice-Chancellor Pathways and Partnerships Catherine O’Sullivan supporting Same Sky.

Let’s hear it for the girls "IF YOU want something done ask a

woman."

Nowhere do the words of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ring truer than at Business Chicks, Australia’s leading female business networking organisation.

As a supporting partner of the organisation since late last year, Bond University has been traversing the eastern seaboard assisting the organisation in a range of networking events featuring respected speakers from Australian entrepreneur Mark Bouris to Net-A-Porter co-founder Megan Quinn.

Bond joins global move to empower women around the world AS THE world marks the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, Bond University has partnered with global charity Same Sky to support survivors of the war-ravaged nation.

Established in 2008 as a trade-not-aid project by distinguished New York philanthropist Francine LeFrak, Same Sky provides help to Rwandan women struggling to support their families in the aftermath of the war.

Launching its partnership with Same Sky on March 8 – International Women’s Day – Bond became a Global Ambassador of the trade initiative which has been endorsed by a powerful collective of women from Hillary Clinton to Cherie Blair.

The non-profit organisation operates on the premise of providing a hand-up, not a handout, offering training and employment to artisans in Kigali whose beautifully-crafted jewellery is then sold around the world.

Pro Vice-Chancellor Pathways and Partnerships Catherine O’Sullivan says Bond shared the same ideals as Same

44

www.arch.bond.edu.au

Sky in a deep commitment to gender equality and empowerment of women.

“When you economically empower women, you empower entire communities as they reinvest their income back into their families,” O’Sullivan says.

“Many of these women were used as weapons of war, left as widows, single mothers and orphans. They’ve had to pick up the pieces and survive.

“As Same Sky Ambassadors, our mission is to help educate and raise awareness of their plight. We share the Same Sky vision that education and employment are necessary for women to live empowered and self-sustaining lives.”

O’Sullivan says Bond is proud of its community spirit and deep commitment to philanthropy and social justice through initiatives such as Bond in Africa.

Same Sky artisans earn up to 20 times the average sub-Saharan wage with proceeds from the sale of their jewellery reinvested in the community.

Hands on at Experience Days BOND opened its doors to the public and presented a series of interactive sessions to potential students in May. Four faculties - Health Sciences and Medicine (HSM), Business, Law, and Society and Design offered an insight into the inner workings of Bond during their Student Experience Days.

It was the first such event for HSM and External Engagement and Marketing Manager Nikki Kay says it was a great success that was well received by attendees.

“Other faculty experience days have been around for quite a while, and the feedback has always been so positive, particularly as parents are able to come along also to see what their kids are becoming involved with,” says Kay. “The HSM Experience Day gave students a chance to experiment and interact in a very exclusive way where they were able to have one-on-one access to the academics and equipment they

would potentially be interacting with during their degree.”

Experience Days are unique events run throughout the year designed to give school leavers a taste of what’s in store should they choose to undertake a degree at Bond, and to assist in helping potential students realise their career path.

Pro Vice-Chancellor Pathways and Partnerships Catherine O’Sullivan says Bond was proud to be associated with such an inspiring group as Business Chicks.

“The motivational power of a group of professional women is truly inspirational,” O’Sullivan says.

“The confidence and revelation gained from sharing our collective stories is invaluable and allows us to stay in tune with the movers and shakers of our economy.

“Such knowledge is critical for an educational facility such as Bond where we aim to develop and nurture the leaders of tomorrow.”

Some activities of the HSM instalment included a biomedical science stream, forensics sessions, tissue and anatomy lessons and a live doctor-patient scenario simulation performed at the Robina Hospital by students.

“We are lucky in the fact that a lot of our programs are very practical, so we are able to do very engaging and handson activities with prospective students because that’s what we do with our current students,” says Kay. The HSM Faculty continued to practically involve more potential students with a variety of simulations and forensic activities at Open Day.

Bond University Career Development Centre General Manager and Business Chicks premium member Kirsty Mitchell at Unleash! hosted by Bond in April.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

45

CAMPUS

SPECIAL EDITION

DEDICATED to design

Dr Soheil Abedian

A generous donation from a long-time supporter of Bond University will foster the future generation of architects and potentially alter the city’s landscape in years to come.

As the Founder and Chairman of Sunland Group, Dr Abedian has been instrumental in some of the most iconic developments on the Gold Coast.

YEARS in the making, Bond University

“Griffith University started one year earlier and Bond a year later with the Architecture School and I was lucky to give Bond a hand to establish it,” Dr Abedian says.

officially opened the doors to its world-class facility devoted to the art of architecture in February.

The Abedian School of Architecture (ASA) began welcoming students into the program late last year, before a special ceremony to unveil the new facility in February.

The ASA is named after its benefactor Dr Soheil Abedian, who has supported the University since the beginning – with his daughter part of the inaugural cohort in Nick Pearce 1989 and his son, nephew and niece also past Bondies.

46

www.arch.bond.edu.au

He says he has been lobbying universities for a long time to establish a dedicated architecture faculty in the region.

“A city that has major development in construction needs to have a voice within the city that is totally independent from the development industry, and the voice can only come from an area that understands the prerequisite of city planning and architecture.

An internal streetscape runs the length of the building with individual work stations and environmental science laboratories.

Dr Abedian says the open space encourages a collaborative environment between the seasoned students and new intake, developing a community feel.

“Our building is a testimony to great design, a testimony to our time and it is the embodiment of the level of design our students should look forward to reaching

and staying true to the fundamentals of what architecture as an art is.”

An international competition was launched to select the final design, with the commission granted to Sir Peter Cook and Gavin Robotham from CRAB Studios in London. Dr Abedian says he “fell in love with the work” straight away.

“I had a little bit of work convincing my fellow jurors and the council to accept the Peter Cook design, because it was so different to any other competition entry that we have ever had. Anybody in the building industry will understand that our architecture is very complex and therefore very expensive to create, but thanks to the vision of the Bond administration and the University Council they saw the long-term benefits the design will bring.”

Dr Abedian's perseverance has paid off, with the Abedian School of Architecture winning Public Building of the Year and People’s Choice at the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers Regional Architecture Awards in March.

It is now in the running for National Building of the Year after winning a state award in the public building category at the Australian Institute of Architects Queensland Awards in June.

Project builder ADCO Construction also was awarded the Ron McMaster Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship by Master Builders in July for its skills in bringing the bold vision to reality.

“It truly, without any feeling of ego about it, very much deserved to win," he says.

“They chose the right building and that is really encouraging to see that the people do see the good work and, of course, I was very proud, especially for Peter and Gavin.”

The Abedian School of Architecture forms part of the University’s Faculty of Society and Design.

A Master of Architecture was introduced in January 2013, corresponding with the initial cohort of students completing a Bachelor of Architectural Studies.

Bond University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Brailsford says the support from alumni and their families was invaluable.

“It is through our relationship with our alumni and the generous financial support from our benefactors that Bond University continues to grow as a leader in education, offering students state-of-the-art facilities and global learning experiences," he says.

“The Abedian School of Architecture puts Australia and Bond University on the world stage and enables Bond to offer a unique architecture program at a time when internationally sustainable design is critically important.”

Dr Abedian agrees, saying it is important to nurture the next generation of architects as the Gold Coast matures as a city.

“The emergence of the Architecture School is one of the foundations, one of the pillars of sustainable development for the future of urban design,” he says.

“It is my strong belief that every human being is endowed with faculties and talents but they don’t belong to the person, they belong for the betterment of the community and people that cross paths with them. I hope in one way I have made my commitment to the next generation with something that is very close to my heart, which is architecture.

"And that I create a space for them to learn and be proud of and hopefully the architects coming from this building will do the same for the next generation.” www.arch.bond.edu.au

47

CAMPUS

SPECIAL EDITION

Rewarding experience for students 1

Generous students spread Christmas cheer to the community, with a fun-filled holiday camp for children with disabilities.

ROGUE diamond

After balancing a loaded study-work-charity-life schedule, Bond University's Nicole Gibson’s efforts have been recognised with a prestigious award nomination.

NO stranger to hard work, Nicole Gibson

A GROUP of dedicated Bond students organises a cost-free camp for 25 children with disabilities on campus each December.

The students take on full-time responsibility for the kids, aged between six and 13, for four days to forge friendships and provide families with respite.

The Bond Children’s Sony Foundation Holiday Camp relies on generous donations and sponsorship from the community to create a jampacked itinerary.

2

Camp Convenor Courtney Olden says it’s rewarding to see the altruism in the students, using their valuable time off to become a carer.

“We get a lot of feedback from students that it’s the best thing they’ve done since they’ve been at Bond. I think that word has travelled a little bit and people see it as a privilege rather than a service,” she says.

3 1. Kimberley Hutchinson & Katelin Whitehead 2. Jay McGrath and Paul Fitzgerald 3. Jack Blackburn, Thomas Robins Photography by Jenaya Keats

48

www.arch.bond.edu.au

Olden volunteered at similar camps in high school before taking on the convenor role and attends an annual Sony Foundation conference to collaborate with other organisers.

“It’s been a real privilege to have contact with the Sony Foundation because they do some incredible work that I don’t think I would have been so closely connected with had I not joined the committee.

“I also really appreciate the opportunity to look at the students' growth and development from a distance – to see how initially they are quite timid and a little overwhelmed by this child that has been effectively dropped into their laps.

“They become so protective of their child and to watch that bond form is really special and something I wouldn’t have been able to witness if I hadn’t taken that step back.”

The children and their companions enjoy a number of activities on campus, as well as a trip to Sea World and aboard the Aquaduck.

Last year, Santa arrived on campus for a Christmas dinner sponsored by the Gold Coast Titans.

“It takes an entire year to plan.

We’re very fortunate that a lot of people are generous with their time and resources with a community project like ours.

established her own charity while working part-time and completing her Bachelor of Communication at Bond University.

After overcoming anorexia as a teenager, she was inspired to empower young people to face mental health and body image issues head on.

With the help of a Sunsuper grant, Gibson started the Rogue and Rouge Foundation in 2011 and has continued to grow the charity since her time at Bond.

The foundation aims to help others see beauty differently, by offering financial assistance for recovery and youth engagement programs.

“When I first started at Bond I had just started the foundation and was also working to support myself, so it was 18-hour days most of the time – that was pretty intense," Gibson says.

“I just wanted to create a fund for the financial hardships that so many families undergo while trying to get treatment for young people, especially with eating disorders such an expensive thing to treat.”

“I got more from my degree by starting my foundation and being able to apply what I was learning straight away, instead of having to wait until I graduate and entered the workforce.

As part of the grant, Gibson was given the opportunity to visit 250 schools around Australia to speak to students and research youth mental health.

“I was able to learn through my practical side rather than just theoretically through university, so that definitely helped.”

She says the experience was humbling after travelling to rural areas, with the experience topped off with a nomination in Queensland’s Young Australian of the Year Awards.

Gibson hopes to take Rogue and Rouge to the next level in the future, by looking interstate and securing government support.

“To find out that I was a Young Australian of the Year finalist as we were about to end the tour was the icing on the cake.

“It was so unexpected, I had just lived in a van for 12 months and to come home and find that out was pretty amazing.”

"But the whole process of growing the foundation was really organic.

Gibson says her degree benefitted from the charity work and “there’s no going back” after seeing the profound difference made to children’s lives.

"When I first started it I never thought it would lead me down the track of becoming a motivational speaker," Gibson says.

“Why would I get a job for something that I didn’t necessarily agree with ethically, when I can continue to be doing this and genuinely helping people?

“I really want to get the programs that we wrote, based on last year’s research, to the point where we can prove to the government that peer support and work with an education in a positive way can be just as effective in curing mental health problems as therapy.”

“By the time we wrap up last year’s camp, take the time to thank our sponsors and lock in sponsorship for the coming year, we have to start planning the next one.”

The camp has grown from strength to strength since it was founded by students in 2008, with the legacy being passed on annually to a new batch of volunteers.

Nicole Gibson

www.arch.bond.edu.au

49

CAMPUS

SPECIAL EDITION

Real-world ready

Melanie Hayden

If we can start supporting each other, sharing our goals and ambitions ... we will be able to see the benefits in the long term.

STUDENTS LEAN IN

FOR GENDER EQUALITY THE MOVEMENT for fairness in the workforce is not without its pioneers.

President of the Bond University Student Association (BUSA) Melanie Hayden has brought the fight for gender equality to attention by establishing the first Australian university Lean In Circle.

The global Lean In initiative encourages women to be proactive in their lives, grasp career opportunities and support their peers’ professional choices.

Hayden plans to join others within the Bond community, championing these ideals in an effort to eliminate the gender divide that exists in many modern professional environments.

“My aim working with Lean In is to build upon the cross-gender and cross-age relationships that people so frequently form here at Bond, whether through classes or different campus societies,” says Hayden.

The concept of Lean In was created by the

50

www.arch.bond.edu.au

Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, a successful Harvard graduate who became the first woman to serve on Facebook’s board of executives.

During her time at Facebook, Sandberg found that many women struggled to achieve their bigger goals in work environments due primarily to limitations they had placed on themselves.

Sandberg wrote the acclaimed Lean In book, digging deep into issues surrounding the gender complex that many women deal with in a professional context, and describing how women often have a tendency to hold themselves back from the full potential of their career.

The work of Sandberg resonates with Hayden as she continues to form ideas for the Bond University Lean In Circle, inclusive of all genders and age groups.

“When I mentioned the Lean In idea late last year, there was a little push-back from some of the male student body.

“Behind the criticism was the idea that restricting things by gender is never going to be advantageous in the long run; it’s not beneficial now that there’s only 12 per cent of female CEOs in Australian Fortune 500 companies, but it would not be beneficial if it was the other way around either,” says Hayden.

In response, the vision for the new Lean In Circle has expanded to include involvement opportunities for both genders supporting the notion of true gender equality.

“We need to do something to encourage both genders and, since we’ve now taken that angle, discussions with our peers have really started to gain momentum and Lean In is now being more respected as a movement,” says Hayden.

“If we can start supporting each other, sharing our goals and ambitions, take the time to sit down and talk and encourage all students, staff, alumni and community to become involved then we will be able to see the benefits in the long term.”

Bond University graduates are taught how to step off campus and into employment following an extensive review of the Core Curriculum.

THE CORE Curriculum is a highly valued set of development skills delivered to Bond students since the University’s inception, aimed at setting them apart from other graduates.

Head of Management in the Faculty Business Professor Cynthia Fisher and Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching, Dr Linda Crane spearheaded a review of the Bond Core in 2013, to modernise the offering and ensure students made the most of their degree – no matter what discipline.

Core Curriculum Implementation Working Group Chair, Dr Brenda Marshall says there were no specific issues with the previous Core subjects, but it’s important to stay up to date.

“There were concerns about content drift over time, changing and diverse student needs and backgrounds, the addition of choices in 1999 and the 2007 decision to link each existing Core subject to a single graduate attribute had all detracted from the coherence and impact of the set Core subjects,” she says.

well – because we’re very small, it’s that community feel,” she says.

include choices within – while Bond has developed a model relevant to all students.

Mitchell says the focus is on developing real-world experience to answer recruiters’ calls for transferrable skills amid reduced training budgets.

“It’s the whole package with all of the Core subjects, with the set of skills developed in the first three subjects, but most importantly how it is all wrapped up in Beyond Bond," she says.

“Students need a framework to help integrate their employability development, how that relates to their degree and what they’ve learned, as well as the extracurricular activities they’ve done and how they’ve honed those skills.

“That’s how I really feel that Beyond Bond, in particular, is addressing some of these gaps that employers say students have while linking back to Cores 1, 2 and 3. This gives a very strong support structure to the Cores for the duration of their degree and then graduation and beyond.”

Pro Vice-Chancellor of Learning and Teaching and Chair of the Academic Senate Professor Keitha Dunstan assists the teaching staff behind the new Core Curriculum.

Professor Dunstan says although other universities offer a version of the Core, they

“It helps students to synthesise everything they’ve learned, not only in the Core, but in their whole program throughout their degree.”

Professor Dunstan says as part of the program, students collate a personal development plan reflecting on activities completed and career aspirations.

“They develop that plan throughout the Core and their degree and work on themselves for ultimately what they achieve in Beyond Bond, sort of an actualisation of their own personal action plan.”

The introduction of the new Core also relied upon student input, with Bond University Student Association President Melanie Hayden and Vice-President Luke Lovegrove organising subject panels and providing feedback.

Dr Marshall says the main objectives behind the revision included academic credibility, contribution to career success and providing a shared foundation of useful skills.

The new Core Curriculum consists of three for-credit subjects based on the previous clusters, as well as the addition of a zerocredit component that binds the values together.

General Manager of the Career Development Centre Kirsty Mitchell was instrumental in developing the fourth addition, Beyond Bond.

Mitchell says the new core is a real “differentiator” for students, with more employers noticing the distinction between graduates.

“It gives them skills that we really want them to have that will enable high performance for the rest of their degree, in addition to cementing that student experience and cross-disciplinary nature of relationships that Bond develops incredibly www.arch.bond.edu.au

51

CLASS NOTES

ALUMNI

SPECIAL EDITION

Sometimes it’s hard to stay in touch, particularly when 1993 friends are scattered around the world. Here’s what some fellow Bondies have been up to since they Drew Chapman now lives in New York graduated. Stories are grouped according to class year. and works as a partner at the law firm King

Beverley Kirk completed her Honours at Bond, and has continued on to complete her psych registration and a PhD in emotional intelligence and workplace incivility. She currently works at the Tambourine Mountain Medical Practice, and is in the process of writing a book featuring criminology and neuroscience.

Florence Gaven-Rossavik and Tom Rossavik

1997 Reynier Van Der Westhuizen has worked as a lawyer in South Africa since 1981. He recently immigrated to Sydney where he is in the process of completing his academic and practical compliance to be admitted as an Australian practitioner. Reynier is also qualified as a trade marks attorney, and was registered with Intellectual Property Practitioners at the beginning of the year.

and Spalding. He specialises in the area of Financial Institutions Practice.

1989

1990 Wayne and Jeremiah Scott

Kimball Thurlow owns and has operated the Johnny Appleseed GPS Business for more than 15 years. The company represents major GPS brands from the USA. David Gould is the Director of David Gould Studios, a computer animation and live-action film production company based on the Gold Coast. Earlier this year he released the full-length movie, The Cure, about the lengths a pharmaceutical company will take to prevent a cure for cancer being released.

1991 Antony Szeto has completed directing his latest feature film, Fist of the Dragon.

He headed the project for Oscar-winning producer Roger Corman. Antony’s showreel includes Wushu, produced by Jackie Chan, and the animated hit DragonBlade, which earned him critical acclaim by the Australian Directors’ Guild.

Wayne Scott, original MBA graduate from California, United States returns to campus after 25 years to see his son Jeremiah graduate with an MBA also.

Andrea Harris remains on the Gold Coast and is the Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Qualifications Institute (AQI).

52

www.arch.bond.edu.au

1992 Alfred Bham has been travelling the world since completing his Bachelor of Laws and is now General Counsel and Head of Legal at EFG International’s Dubai office.

David Neophyton works as a practicing psychologist. He maintains practices on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane.

2000

Carly Snodgrass

Florence Gaven-Rossavik and Tom Rossavik were University sweethearts; they married in the south of France in July last year. The Film and TV graduates live in Toronto Canada, where Florence owns a successful business and Tom works in the film industry.

1995 Christopher Goldsworthy works as the Assistant Executive Director at the Business and Higher Education Round Table, in addition to working as director of both the National Theatre and The Australian Ballet.

2002

Carlie Holt has been appointed as a board member of Sparke Helmore Lawyers, following graduation with a Bachelor of Laws and a successful career with Sparke Helmore since 2002.

Antony Simmons graduated with a Bachelor in Commerce and Laws, and become the founder of the Full Circle Group. The independent cloud telecoms company, operating since 2004, has recently been acquired by ASX-listed company JCurve Solutions.

1996 John Cross moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career, and recently landed a supporting role beside Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in the new Hollywood feature film Hercules: The Thracean Wars.

John will be on Australian screens this July.

David Bongiorno now runs his own legal and migration practice. Based in Melbourne, David Bongiorno and Associates has been operating since 2008.

Sweethearts tie the knot

2005

Mark Power graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree and has recently been appointed as Director of Data and Strategy by News Corp Queensland.

Carly Snodgrass returned to Australia after having worked at London’s biggest advertising agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. She now works as Licensee for Gold Coast Tickets, and is the Managing Editor at Infomaps, the Coast’s largest tourism publisher.

Zhenting Tan of the millennium class has recently been appointed the Dean of the School of International Education at Guizhou Minzu University.

Emma Howard studied psychology at Bond University and started her own practice called Equilibrium Health in Southport. The psychology centre specialises in couples counselling, depression, anxiety and neo-natal and post-natal depression. Emma developed an app called Facade Feedback, allowing users to develop a personality profile.

Sandra Rwese now lives in China after making the move to become involved with the country’s tourism research and development of customer loyalty programs. She is currently based in the Fujian Province on Xiamen Island.

2003 Fay Haisley currently volunteers in the Alumni and Development office at Bond.

She assisted the Faculty of Business in achieving the prestigious AACSB Accreditation and has set up a planned giving fund for Bond student scholarships.

2005 Tim Mioduszewski moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Communications and Marketing. After a year working in online marketing, Tim showed true entrepreneurial flair and started up the successful entertainment blog OCEANUP. com.

Brandon Archbell enjoys his position as Manager in KPMG’s Management Consulting Group, overseeing major projects for Australian and Papua New Guinean public and private companies.

As proud parents of their 15-month-old daughter Shiloh Grace, Brandon and his wife Hayley have fallen in love with family life.

2006 Sam Warriner has switched industries and hemispheres after practicing corporate law in Brisbane for the past three years.

He now works as an investment banker in Toronto, Canada. www.arch.bond.edu.au

53

ALUMNI

SPECIAL EDITION

2007

2009 Fumiaki Kobayashi graduated with the class of 2009 and works as Assistant Manager at Toyota in Nagoya, Japan.

2010 Paul Rossouw moved to Canberra after graduation and is loving his work in finance at the Department of The Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Chloe Love (nee Watts) married her partner Cameron at Mount Tambourine on the same day they celebrated their 10year anniversary together. The Bachelor of Business graduate now works at Bond in the Alumni and Development Office.

Courtney Ryals has been admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland, and has been employed with Universal Legal Recoveries Lawyers since April 2013. She lives and works in Brisbane.

Tackling an emergency Jess McDonald has recently been accepted into the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine to commence dual specialty training in emergency medicine and paediatrics. She is based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.

Hardy Awadjie pursues a career in the film industry and currently lives in Los Angeles. He recently filmed a TV-Pilot for American network TLC and wrapped up stunt work on The Purge 2: Anarchyin which will be in cinemas this July.

Ashleigh Peplow Ball has been selected for a competitive fellowship program

with US-based not-for-profit organisation Mama Hope. Ashleigh travels to Uganda in September to manage a sustainable development program and will undertake a major $20,000 fundraising project for the community empowerment program. To support Ashleigh visit www.stayclassy.org/ ashleighbic.

2011

Maximilian Waid has moved back to Germany for the summer following the launch of his clothing company the HAVAIII Co in Canada. He hopes to further grow his company on a global scale.

54

www.arch.bond.edu.au

What's going on in your life and career? Email alumni@bond.edu.au with Class Notes in the subject line.

Daniel Boon completed his studies in Urban Design and Planning in 2011 and his Masters in Project Management in 2012.

Daniel has travelled to Thailand three times since graduation, with the inclusion of his wedding in April this year. His wife hails from the province of Surin, with the village prone to extreme heat. Using the skills he learned at Bond, Daniel redeveloped the property to make it more energy efficient.

Lauren Nicole Willcocks is currently studying for her Bar exams and soon hopes to find an articling position in the realms of corporate or commercial law. She returned from work experience in an international trade and investment law firm in Toronto Canada, and is enjoying life.

James Crewe continues to work as a Graduate Environment and Sustainability Advisor after finishing a stint with the Gold Coast Light Rail. He has relocated to Melbourne to work with McConnell Dowell on a Port of Melbourne project.

A life of adventure saving whales in the Antarctic Jessica Guertin recently returned from Antarctica as a Crew Member of Sea Shepherd's ship the M/Y Sam Simon. In addition to defending the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary from illegal whaling activities, Jessica also currently works on campaigns to protect the Great Barrier Reef and the shark populations within Australian waters.

2008 Bronte Jones was welcomed as Communications Coordinator of the Broadbeach Alliance following her graduation. She handles the marketing, public relations and advertising for Broadbeach events including the Broadbeach Blues Festival.

2008 Sophia Seve is living the dream, working as a child and family practitioner for Centacare Family and Relationship services alongside a friend and fellow Bondy. The Bachelor of Counselling graduate hopes to become a student again in the next few months by undertaking a Masters in Social Work.

2010

Michael Cheung works as a provisional psychologist in employment services. He provides psychological and vocational assessments and counselling for clients experiencing mental health issues.

Baby business inspiration Gemma Beriman has successfully launched her own business called Moon Mama. While on maternity leave with her son Hudson in 2013, Gemma came up with the idea for an all-in-one diaper bag, feeding pillow and play mat which has become the cornerstone of the Moon Mama business. Gemma has since patented the invention.

2012 Anh Diep graduated with a Master of International Relations degree and works for the International Collaboration and Project Promotion Office in Tra Vinh University, Vietnam.

Richard Nicholls

2012

German connection Christian Boss Heinrichsen currently works as Business Development Manager in the global operations team at Westwing Home and Living GmbH in Germany.

Richard Nicholls went to Zimbabwe for six months after graduating with a Master of Business Administration. He works as a Senior Business Analyst and Project Manager for Chevron in Kazakhstan.

of the company’s Agent Accreditation Scheme.

Daniel Tyshynski has recently moved from his home in Vancouver to work for fellow Bond alumni Matt Burgess at Burgess Sport and Entertainment law on the Gold Coast. He is the General Manager

Mads Lambertz-Nilssen Hjort works as a sports consultant to swimming and water activities within the Danish Gymnastics and Sports Association. His primary focus for the organisation is sales.

Sasha Hanton currently works for Territory Life Magazine, after finishing her work as a tutor at Darwin High School this year.

www.arch.bond.edu.au

55

COFFEE TABLE BOOK

ANNIVERSARY WINE

Bond University: The First 25 Years is a comprehensive trip down memory lane, from the institution’s inspired beginning, special occasions and success over the years. The book is a culmination of a two-year project by Bond University Press and authors Professor Kay Saunders and Antoinette Cass. The beautiful coffee table book features many colour photographs across 285 pages, showcasing the rich history of Bond.

To commemorate the 25th Anniversary, Sirromet has developed special edition red and white wine gift packs sure to please every palate.

Renowned for high quality, Sirromet attributes the flavour to the exceptional fruit grown in its Granite Belt vineyards.

The chardonnay has a creamy texture with hints of lime and exotic nashi fruit, while the elegant cabernet sauvignon combines raspberries and blackcurrants with traces of chocolate.

To purchase your copy, visit: www.bond.edu.au/25years

Email alumni@bond.edu.au to request a gift pack order form.