UoA Lumen Winter 2018 by The University of Adelaide

Alumni Magazine – Winter 2018

MEET SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S NEW RHODES SCHOLAR

The University of Adelaide Alumni Magazine – Winter 2018

Vice-Chancellor Welcome

SA’s newest Rhodes Scholar, Dr Claudia Paul, shines light on rural health

Could SA be the next Silicon Valley – the emergence of graphene

An adventurer’s guide to saving the planet – Tim Jarvis’s expeditions to highlight climate change

Caitlin’s quest to strengthen our future food supply – Dr Cailtin Byrt’s research to help farmers

Alyce soars in the world of fashion – the brains behind ‘The Daily Edited’, shares her journey

University program readies female students for careers in STEM

Defence industry momentum building in SA

Arts degree leads Dave to global career as an Australian diplomat

Dr Nigel Farrow’s research to offer hope to those affected by Cystic Fibrosis

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Machine Learning Institute – the University’s lead role in advancing machine learning

How personal experience of post-natal depression inspired Tiffany to improve support for parents

REGULAR FEATURES

Then and now – lumen compares notes on playing cricket now versus in the 80 and 90s

Alumni achievements – our alumni recognised

Alumni events – photos of alumni from campus and networking events

CONTRIBUTORS:

Kelly Brown, Nick Carne, Kimberley Hoile, Hannah Kilmore, Bikki Gray, Russell Millard, Louisa Rose, Chris Owen and Bonny Miller DESIGN:

Chris Tonkin EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES:

External Relations, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005 Email: alumni@adelaide.edu.au adelaide.edu.au/alumni adelaide.edu.au/lumen Telephone: +61 8 8313 5800 Facsimile: +61 8 8313 5808 CIRCULATION:

31,251 in print and 26,518 online subscriptions The University of Adelaide, SA 5005 Australia CRICOS Provider Number 00123M Copyright © 2018 The University of Adelaide ISSN 1320 0747 Registered by Australia Post No 56500/00097 Views expressed by contributors in lumen are not necessarily endorsed by the University of Adelaide. No responsibility is accepted by the University, editor or printer for the accuracy of information contained in either the text or advertisements. Material may be reproduced without permission from lumen with acknowledgment of its origin. FRONT COVER IMAGE:

Dr Claudia Paul Photo by Jo-anna Robinson CORRECTION

In the story A good 12 months for law reform in South Australia (lumen, Spring 2017), we used the wrong name for law graduate Sarah Brown, who was featured in the main photograph and in the breakout comments piece on the following page. We apologise to Sarah Brown, as well as to Sarah Moulds and our readers, for the mistake. It has been corrected in our online version of the magazine.

facebook.com/uaalumni @EngagewithUoA University of Adelaide

Alumni Council update

Alumni networks – connect with fellow alumni all over the world through our alumni networks

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VICECHANCELLOR’S WELCOME The University of Adelaide has more than 140,000 alumni, a remarkable statistic. They play an important role in contributing to our institution’s future – they are our best ambassadors. Welcome to the Winter edition of lumen. On the one hand, the University is both proud of and indebted to its alumni. On the other hand, our alumni benefit from ongoing connectivity with the University. As an alumnus of the University, and as the new Vice-Chancellor and President, this has certainly been my experience. I return to this institution with a personal connection. For me this runs deep. My mother and father met here. Some of my earliest memories are of the Waite campus, where my father worked from 1965 to 2015. I came here as a Science undergraduate; this is where I learnt the piano, played soccer and met my wife. I’m one of five children, all University of Adelaide graduates and married to graduates of the University. This is the place at which my academic career was forged.

One of the best things about my role is getting to hear the wealth of stories about our alumni’s achievements. In this edition of lumen, we highlight some of the many success stories of our alumni acting as ambassadors not only for this University, but for their industry and South Australia. We also bring you a series of articles that highlight how we are partnering with industry and government. These initiatives will stimulate our economy, create new jobs in new industries and further the State’s reputation as a leader in innovation. It is a privilege and honour to be back at the University of Adelaide. I look forward to working with you and members of our community to ensure the University continues to make an essential and lasting contribution to South Australia’s economic, cultural and social prosperity. I hope you enjoy reading this issue of lumen.

It is a privilege to return to an institution which, I now realise, has profoundly shaped me. I expect the same is true of many of you.

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

SA’S NEWEST RHODES SCHOLAR SHINES LIGHT ON RURAL HEALTH Dr Claudia Paul has achieved a lot in her 24 years but her goals are even more impressive. STORY BY NICK CARNE

The University of Adelaide graduate hopes to be one of the first (if not the first) female Indigenous surgeons in Australia and eventually establish a surgical outreach service to rural and remote areas. “My plan is to change the life of one patient at a time, one community at a time, and eventually reduce the morbidity and mortality of those suffering in outback Australia,” she said. First, however, there is a Master of Traumatology to complete, followed almost immediately by a PhD at Oxford University in the UK. Last year, Dr Paul, a Wiradjuri woman, became only the third Australian Indigenous person to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, following proudly in the footsteps of the first – 2010 University of Adelaide graduate Rebecca Richards. “To have started university just after Rebecca was announced as a Rhodes Scholar felt very special to me,” Dr Paul said. “To walk that

The University of Adelaide

path, knowing that others have already walked it – it somehow feels a little easier now, more obtainable. “And hopefully, by being an Indigenous Rhodes Scholar, I will help to make it feel a little easier again for the next person.” In fact, Richards helped get the ball rolling for Dr Paul, who read in a University magazine about her decision to be part of a study tour of Oxford at the end of her final year. Subsequently, Dr Paul decided to do the same. At the end of 2016, she met with a few research supervisors, went through the colleges and generally got a feel for Oxford University and the city. “I wanted to try to ensure that if I was ‘accepted’, the only likely shock would be the weather,” she said. Accepted she was, initially to do a Master of Science in International Health and Tropical Medicine – but things changed over Christmas. She realised that if all went well, in a bit over three years from now she would hold three Masters degrees but not a PhD.

Left: Dr Claudia Paul Photo by Jo-anna Robinson

“TO HAVE STARTED UNIVERSITY JUST AFTER REBECCA WAS ANNOUNCED AS A RHODES SCHOLAR FELT VERY SPECIAL TO ME. TO WALK THAT PATH, KNOWING THAT OTHERS HAVE ALREADY WALKED IT – IT SOMEHOW FEELS A LITTLE EASIER NOW, MORE OBTAINABLE.”

“I thought I might as well bite the bullet and do the full research degree now rather than having to come back to it.” Oxford was receptive, and at the start of October Dr Paul will begin a three-year research program looking at synthetic bone scaffolding. It’s a fascinating topic, and one that fits nicely with her desire to develop knowledge and skills that will be of great use when working in rural areas. Raised in Broken Hill, she is only too aware of how regional services compare with those in the city. “I worked in a pharmacy for four years and spent time with the district nurses and medical students. You get a pretty good feel for what’s available, especially when family members get sick. You can wait for the one specialist who comes once every two months or make the effort to travel to Adelaide, Mildura or Sydney.” Despite this, it was not until late in Year 12 that Dr Paul contemplated a career in Medicine; in fact she only sat the Undergraduate Medicine and Health

Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) because it was a prerequisite for one of the physiotherapy programs for which she applied. The University of Adelaide offered her a place in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and she hasn’t looked back since. During her time at University, she was a student representative with the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association, was active in a mentoring group that fostered links between Indigenous medical students and medical practitioners, and completed overseas placements in the UK and Vietnam (where the ward rounds and case notes were in Vietnamese only).

In 2015, she was named Young Citizen of the Year for Broken Hill. Dr Paul is the University of Adelaide’s 110th Rhodes Scholar since 1904. The Scholarship perpetuates the commitment to learning, research and humanity of businessperson and philanthropist Cecil Rhodes, who died in 1902, leaving his estate to fund the Scholarship. Candidates are selected on the basis of outstanding intellect, character, leadership and commitment to service. The Scholarships support students who demonstrate strong propensity to emerge as ‘leaders for the world’s future.’

She also took rural medical placements in Port Augusta, Whyalla, Broken Hill and Bourke, and after graduating decided to complete her intern year in Newcastle because of the strong trauma capability in the Hunter New England Local Health District. She will complete her Master of Traumatology at the University of Newcastle in June.

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

MACHINE LEARNING INSTITUTE When the University of Adelaide announced plans for the new, multi-million dollar Australian Institute for Machine Learning in December, it was seen as a great opportunity for the University to lead further development of this exciting, emerging technology. STORY BY NICK CARNE

The University of Adelaide

Machine learning gives computers the ability to learn without having to be specifically programmed, allowing for everything from driverless cars to speech recognition and more effective web searching. It includes the still rather futuristic sounding concept of artificial intelligence, but is broader in scope – and is a reality right now. According to alumnus, Professor van den Hengel, the announcement of the new, multi-million dollar Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) was a “perfect result” – for the University and for this exciting but still emerging area of technology. “We’ve been widely recognised for our expertise for quite a while and it is a natural extension of that to set up a dedicated and very focused research centre,” Professor Anton van den Hengel said. “We know there are a number of key areas, such as visual questioning answering, where we are the best in the world.” “Machine learning has already changed how we shop, Facebook has changed how we communicate and Google has changed how we search for information – and they are just the easy things. It’s starting to have a big impact in agriculture and in mining and is about to change transportation,” Professor van den Hengel said. “Machine learning will have a transformational impact on just about anything you can think of. The core technology gets applied all over the place and that’s the opportunity. It’s exciting. People are calling it the fourth industrial revolution.” At last year’s announcement, the University’s then Interim Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mike Brooks said the AIML would help provide solutions to improve productivity, efficiency and service delivery for South Australians and attract globally dominant companies to the state. “Through the institute, South Australia has the opportunity to lead the nation in the development and implementation of a strategy to create a vibrant ecosystem of high-tech businesses and highly productive workers,” he said. The South Australian Government shares that sentiment. It has made a $7.1 million investment in the AIML, including $1.5 million prioritised for defence capability research.

Professor Anton van den Hengel is the Director of the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), former Director of the Australian Centre for Visual Technologies, a Chief Investigator of the ARC Centre Excellence on Robotic Vision and a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Adelaide. Professor van den Hengel leads a group of over 60 researchers working in computer vision and machine learning, and has had more than 250 publications, nine commercialised patents and more than $50 million in research funding. He has received a number of awards, including the Pearcey Award for Innovation and the CVPR Best Paper Award.

The new institute will be one of the first tenants in the innovation precinct being established on the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site, occupying what was previously the Women’s Health Centre building on the corner of North Terrace and Frome Road. Machine learning overlaps or complements fields such as computational statistics, mathematical optimisation, data mining and data analysis. The University has had strengths in these areas for many years bringing them together in 2007 with the creation of the Australian Centre for Visual Technologies. In a decade, the centre grew from six people to more than 60, developing some important commercial relationships, not the least of which were in the defence sector. “That was largely a computer vision group. Our transition to the AIML has seen us expand into other types of data and take on bigger projects and bigger challenges,” Professor van den Hengel said. “Our skill sets are quite focused; we do machine learning technology. To use a motor vehicle analogy, we are experts at spanners and hydraulic jacks and we can apply them to all sorts of areas.

“We are working with agricultural companies to apply them to grow better crops and avoid common problems, we are working with defence companies on questions surrounding meaningful cooperation with robots, and we are working with medical companies making devices that will allow people to operate a powerful medical device on their own without medical training. “Our main driver is that we want to do fantastic research. Some of that is theoretical research, but we also want to do high-impact research where much of that impact will be in other fields.” And that means a number of collaborations are happening across the University, or with other research institutions such as the SA Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). About half of the AIML team is research students and its Director hopes to expand those numbers. He also sees the potential to develop a specific machine learning curriculum at undergraduate level to encourage undergraduates to pursue postgraduate work in the field. It is very much the way of the future.

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

CHALLENGING CULTURAL NORMS Personal experience of post-natal depression inspired Tiffany De Sousa Machado to use her Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship to look at how bringing new mothers and older women together can be of mutual benefit. STORY BY BIKKI GRAY

The University of Adelaide

Tiffany De Sousa Machado says she recalls feeling isolated and alone at a time in her life that should have been happy. “I felt there was no structure in society to support me, and my dream of becoming a mum was just being shattered every day. We live in a society that is not set up to support parenting in a very useful way and it does not hold parenting in esteem.

“I WENT TO SWEDEN TO LOOK AT HOW TO IMPROVE WOMEN’S LIVES AND UNEXPECTEDLY I SAW HOW MUCH MEN GET OUT OF SHARED PARENTING.”

“Being a parent is something you do as well as your career, which is held in esteem. Parenthood is not revered in our culture compared to other cultures.” Post-natal depression affects around 16% of women and can have a long-lasting impact on a woman and her family. As part of her combined PhD/Masters in Psychology at the University of Adelaide, Tiffany is looking at how older women may struggle to find purpose following menopause, retirement or when their children are grown. Bringing the two groups of women together can be empowering and create a community that is beneficial for emotional, mental and physical health. “Ideally, in the future, retired people would be able to assist new parents,” she said. “This has benefits for both groups. This can really cultivate a community feel and have people connect with other people: not through the medical industry or a structured program, but just through being there for each other.” Tiffany (centre) holding baby Rumi, her partner James (left), his ex-partner Dhyanna (right) and Tiffany’s ex-husband Craig, along with the children they collectively raise: Winter, Cruz, Kaea and Faith Photo by Russell Millard

Addressing inequalities is something that motivates Tiffany. “We think we are equal in our culture, but we’re actually not if you look at how life pans out,” she said. She also recognises the pressure on women to be successful academically, professionally and in motherhood. She believes that fathers have an integral role to play and this is an inequality that needs to be addressed by challenging cultural norms about the roles of mother and father.

“We’re doing everyone an injustice here (in Australia) and one of my main aims is to be an advocate for women and men in terms of equal parenting and policy change. A focus of my work now is about trying to change policy to allow parents to share the care of their infants. “I went to Sweden to look at how to improve women’s lives and unexpectedly saw how much men get out of shared parenting. I also realised how much men are missing out here. When I asked the men in Sweden what would happen if they didn’t get to have that year with their child they would often well-up at the thought of not having that time.” Tiffany said her own family is structured to provide a caring and nurturing environment for all. “The way we have structured my current family is completely against the norm. I’m really good friends with my ex-husband and my current partner’s ex. We often hang out together, do Christmas together and plan holidays away together. In a society lacking ‘the village’ we make the most of our network to support each other and provide a caring environment for the children. They are our priority.”

Tiffany’s scholarship allowed her to travel and look at parenting in other cultures. She reflects on her research in Sweden where parents share care for their children, which is good for the wellbeing of the mother, father and child.

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

COULD SA BE THE NEXT SILICON VALLEY? Graphene is emerging as the super material of the 21st century, with the potential to change lives and kick-start new industries in the same way that silicon did 60 years ago. STORY BY KELLY BROWN

The University of Adelaide

With the world beginning to understand just what is possible with graphene, the University of Adelaide is taking a lead to develop exciting commercial applications through the new Graphene Research Hub.

through the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Industrial Transformation Research hubs scheme with a $2.6 million grant and industry partners contributing more than $3 million.

“Through the hub, university and industry teams work together on defined research projects focused on products or technology development that industry partners would like to bring to the market,” said hub Director Professor Dusan Losic.

Launched last year, the hub has four University partners – University of Adelaide, Monash University, University of Melbourne and University of South Australia – and brings together senior and early-career researchers, PhD students and undergraduate students.

Based in the University of Adelaide’s School of Chemical Engineering, the hub is funded by the Australian Government

Graphene comes from graphite, which is mined from the ground. It is made up of a hexagonal lattice of carbons in a honeycomb like structure one-atom thick. South Australia has one of the world’s largest and finest deposits of graphite with >200 million tonnes, which puts our state in a strong position as a producer of graphene.

Left: Graphene Research Hub, the University of Adelaide

Graphene, which comes from graphite, has some amazing properties. It is incredibly light and flexible, yet 200 times stronger than steel. It is the thinnest material on earth (a million times thinner than a human hair), yet it is impermeable. It is also a superb conductor and can act as a perfect barrier; even helium cannot pass through it. This makes graphene one of the most exciting new materials in decades, leading to product innovation across a wide number of industries. Although scientists have known about graphene’s existence for years, it was not until 2004 that two researchers at The University of Manchester, Professor Sir Andre Geim and Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov, were able to isolate it for the first time.

“The results were outstanding. We were able to extract high-quality graphene from these dirty black rocks. “It wasn’t very hard to convince these two SA companies to invest in graphene research and the development of graphene production processes from SA graphite.” To date, the Hub has made a strong contribution in the creation of new protective coatings, in pioneering the development of a new generation of fire-resistant coatings and fire retardants, in addition to new fertilisers, sound absorbers and electromagnetic and radiation shielding coatings. Its highest commercial achievement is the development of scalable graphene production from graphite using an electrochemical process for its industry partner First Graphene. “This industrial production of graphene with capacity of 20 tonnes/y is now in commissioning phase. Once commissioned, it will be one of world largest production plants,” said Professor Losic. “This is significant because it means that graphene can become more readily available to local industries, which will create more opportunities for new graphene businesses and products, providing a real boost for our economy.”

Some graphene enhanced products are already to market, including flexible touchscreens, protective clothing and antibacterial materials, super-fast and long lasting capacitors and batteries, anticorrosive paints and sports equipment, such as tennis rackets. However, Professor Losic says we are “really just at the beginning in our thinking about applications for graphene.” He said the University of Adelaide was chosen to lead the new Hub because of its success in extracting high-quality graphene from samples of graphite, and its proven ability to attract industry investment. “After reading an article in the local paper about South Australia [SA] having the largest deposit of graphene in Australia, it clicked in my mind that graphene could be the new gold rush in SA. I immediately contacted two local graphite exploration companies, Valence and Archer, for raw graphite samples and gave them to my team to attempt to extract graphene.

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

AN ADVENTURERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE TO SAVING THE PLANET

The University of Adelaide

Tim Jarvis AM is living proof that you can successfully combine work and play. His passions have seen him undertake some extraordinary adventures, both for the thrill of it and to highlight the catastrophic effects of climate change. STORY BY KELLY BROWN

An environmental scientist, author, adventurer and public speaker who holds a Master of Laws (Environmental Law) from the University of Adelaide, Tim has completed unsupported expeditions to some of the world’s most remote regions, including the South Pole, the High Arctic and Australia’s vast Great Victoria desert. He has even retraced the polar journeys of the likes of Sir Douglas Mawson and Sir Ernest Shackleton using the same rudimentary equipment and rations. So what calls Tim to adventure? He says it’s a combination of the challenge, and a love of the outdoors that started in his childhood. “I think it is the thrill of it, delving into the unknown and the feeling of being in the company of a more resourceful version of you that emerges when you set big challenges for yourself. “At the end of the day, society relies upon adventurous souls taking a few risks to progress, whatever the discipline. This human spirit of adventure lies at the heart of artistic expression, advances in science, medicine or politics, or any other sphere you care to mention.” Tim has worked as an environmental scientist for more than 20 years, including as a sustainability advisor on multilateral aid projects in developing countries for organisations like the World Bank and AusAID. “My current project 25Zero uses spectacular images, human interest stories and footage of melting tropical glaciers to raise awareness about climate change among policy makers, the media and the public,” he said. “You need to use whatever sticks and carrots you feel will work with the audience whose behaviour you are trying to influence or change.”

Tim believes that using his adventures as a vehicle to reach a wider audience works on a number of levels. “Firstly, showcasing some of the most pristine and remote places on the planet can instil a sense of desire and urgency to want to protect them. “Secondly, expeditions are a major exercise in organisation, leadership and endurance. So the expedition provides some great take-homes for the corporate world. “Thirdly, the adventures I embark on are such big logistical challenges, people are interested in knowing how you take a vague concept and project manage it into reality.” In addition to his public speaking engagements, films, books and expeditions, Tim is an environmental advocate and ambassador for Worldwide Fund For Nature and a patron of Nature Play SA – an organisation established to increase the time children spend in unstructured play in nature. He is also a board member of Zoos SA. For his services to the environment, community and exploration, Tim was conferred a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2010. For those of us who may feel a bit helpless when it comes to climate change, Tim says that every contribution makes an impact. “Start small and build up. Make it tangible and reward yourself for the change you’ve made,” he said. “After all, if not you, who, if not now, when?”

Left: Tim Jarvis during his retracing of Sir Douglas Mawson’s expedition Photo by John Stoukalo.

Here are Tim’s top tips to take action at home, at work and in the community to make an impact on climate change. ENERGY Switch off standby on your appliances, replace your globes with LEDs, replace your appliances with energy efficient products when they reach end of life, adjust your heating or cooling, and put better insulation in your roof. TRANSPORT Cycle to work, take public transport, fly less for work and holidays (and get carbon offsets for all your flying). FOOD Eat less meat and buy your produce from a local farmer’s market where the carbon footprint of the produce you buy is lower, because it has been grown locally. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY Install solar panels and rainwater tanks on your home if finances allow. The return on investment for solar panels is surprisingly quick. COMMUNITY Pick a local project that you can get involved in. GIFTS Buy experiences not things!

Right: Tim Jarvis during one of his presentations Photo by: Russell Millard

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

CAITLIN’S QUEST TO STRENGTHEN OUR FUTURE FOOD SUPPLY STORY BY KELLY BROWN

As our climate changes, Dr Caitlin Byrt’s research will help secure Australia’s future food supply by improving the productivity of vital crops. As a child, Caitlin Byrt dreamed of living as a hermit in the middle of nowhere, so she could be entirely in touch with nature. These days she uses her knowledge of nature to play a part in ensuring current and future generations have access to good quality fresh food. An alumna and senior researcher in plant biology at the University of Adelaide, Caitlin studies processes in a plant’s biology to help determine how to boost crop productivity. This began during her PhD studies, when she was part of a project team that identified a gene in wild varieties of wheat that contributes to the plant’s tolerance to salt. “Water limitation and soil salinity are two of the major problems limiting crops’ yields,” she said. “For us to feed our growing population, we must develop crop varieties that remain productive in stressful conditions where water is relatively limited, and in areas where soils are affected by salinity.

The University of Adelaide

“The project achieved a 25 per cent increase in durum wheat grain yield in saline soils, and the traits and genes were distributed to more than 18 countries.” Caitlin has received several accolades for her work, including the University of Adelaide Edith Dornwell Medal for EarlyCareer Research Excellence (2014) and the Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2015). She also received an Australian Institute of Policy and Science SA Young Tall Poppy Award in 2015 and, most recently, an Australian Society of Plant Scientists Goldacre Award for 2018.

and traits we need to borrow from these stress-tolerant plants and introduce into our favourite crop plants, like barley, so that they too can remain productive in these conditions,” she said. As part of the project, Caitlin recently travelled to Scotland to work with a team at the James Hutton Institute. Together with this team and local Grains Research and Development Corporation funded researchers, they have identified a gene in barley that influences the amount of salt that accumulates in the seed and leaves in saline conditions.

Last year she won a category of the Australian Government’s Science and Innovation Award for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, which is helping to support a current project examining the wild relatives of barley crops to establish what makes them tolerant to stress.

Caitlin was drawn to studying the productivity of crop varieties under stressful conditions during her honours year when she met Professor Mark Tester, who now leads a world-renowned program of research focused on improving plant tolerance at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.

“In this project we have identified strategies to figure out how we can resolve what genes

“Mark told me about his friend and colleague at the CSIRO, Dr Rana Munns,

who had identified novel salt tolerance traits in wild relatives of wheat and was planning to figure out what genes were linked to those traits,” she said. “He mentioned there was a PhD opportunity in this area, which sounded exciting to me. “I grew up hearing in the news about the increasing salinity problems in the Murray River, so the chance to figure out how to protect crop plant yields against rising salinity was an opportunity not to be missed.” After completing her PhD, Caitlin found there were lots of opportunities for work, but she chose one that would allow her to stay in the field she was most interested in advancing – plant science. “I definitely wanted to continue to contribute to plant science because plant science holds the keys to solving major global challenges. Our food, raw material, medicinal and fresh water needs are all either directly derived from or intricately linked with plant industries,” she said.

Surprisingly, given her success to date, there was a time when Caitlin seriously considered a career outside research. “Near the end of my undergraduate degree, I had a wonderful work experience opportunity. It involved learning about managing an almond orchard, such as watering regimes and plant health management. While doing this I had great fun flying around in a light aircraft, practicing shooting clay targets, swimming in the orchard swimming pool, and careening about on a quad bike. “At the end of it, the company sent me a $1000 thank you cheque and offered me a position. “I had to decide between this opportunity and continuing to study; in the end the thirst for new knowledge tipped me over to pursuing a higher research degree. “That thirst is still there, I made the right decision.”

“I DEFINITELY WANTED TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO PLANT SCIENCE BECAUSE IT HOLDS THE KEY TO SOLVING MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES.” Above: Dr Caitlin Byrt conducting a recent experiment at the Waite campus, in conjunction with researchers from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), supported by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology and the Grains Research and Development Corporation Photo by Russell Millard

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

ALYCE SOARS IN THE WORLD OF FASHION

The University of Adelaide

Alyce Tran was settling in well to life as a commercial lawyer when all of a sudden she took the fashion world by storm. STORY BY KIMBERLEY HOILE

Alyce is the brains behind ‘The Daily Edited’ (TDE) which in 2014, started a global revolution in customisable bags and accessories. TDE has eight stores across the globe, employs more than 180 staff and has an annual turnover of $30 million. Some would see law and fashion as poles apart, but she said the transition was not difficult. “Most businesses at their core have the same principles. If you’re a lawyer, you have a client you have to service really well. If you’re in retail, you have customers that you have to do an amazing job for,” she said. “Work hard and stay focused. I would take anyone in my business who is switched on, smart and motivated. Never feel like you are stuck in your chosen field. The saying that this generation will have up to seven career changes in their lifetime is true.” Born and raised in Adelaide, Alyce was an exemplary Year 12 student at Wilderness School. Alyce was seen as a ‘humanities girl’ from early on and encouraged to pursue a career in law. She was subsequently offered a full scholarship to Bond University. However, she was attracted by the University of Adelaide’s reputation and opted to stay in her home city and study a double degree in Law and Commerce. With her enviable work ethic, she excelled at university and won several prizes. She recalls her time on the North Terrace campus fondly, indulging in hot chips with gravy at Mayo Café and enjoying regular catch ups with mates at the Uni Bar. The annual Law Ball also was a highlight.

“MOST BUSINESSES AT THEIR CORE HAVE THE SAME PRINCIPLES. IF YOU’RE A LAWYER, YOU HAVE A CLIENT YOU HAVE TO SERVICE REALLY WELL. IF YOU’RE IN RETAIL, YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO AN AMAZING JOB FOR.” After graduating in 2009, Alyce was employed as an Associate for a Court of Appeal Judge before starting to work her way up the corporate ladder. During this time, she and a colleague started TDE as a hobby that became a side business. By 2014, she was able to resign from her job as a lawyer to run the business full-time. “I love my job. The nature of the work is really easy because I invented it. The most stressful feeling I had as a lawyer was that I didn’t know what I was doing half the time. There was so much to learn. And when I was a lawyer, I didn’t want to get anything wrong for fear of negative feedback. Now there is basically no wrong I can do,” she said.

FEELING INSPIRED? Alyce works seven days a week. But she makes it work for her lifestyle, family and friends. Here is an average ‘day in the life’ of Alyce Tran in her own words.

7am: Wake up to emails from the Northern Hemisphere team. There may be critical things that have developed overnight. I find it really helps to clear out my emails before getting out of bed. 8am: Personal training every day. 8:45am: Read the Australian Financial Review and eat breakfast out every day (that’s my me time). 9:45am: Walk to work through our Bondi flagship store. I often also walk through David Jones to visit our staff and check on the visual displays. 10am: Go into the office and continue to keep my emails under control. With 180 staff and customers all over the world, this can be a challenge! Then go out to a city store to check on an installation for an upcoming promotion. 12pm: Instagram posts (with in-house photographer/videographer) Andrew Christopher, Head of Operations (also an University of Adelaide alumnus).

“The biggest learning curve for me has been educating myself on how to manage a global organisation. I basically just google everything!”

2pm: Meetings all afternoon. I’m actively involved in every single design and creative output for TDE.

Refreshingly, despite her global fashion empire and incredible success, Alyce maintains her humility. “People say it’s so nice you’re still friends with your uni mates or you’re so down to earth. I find that amusing. My job has changed but my personality hasn’t.”

6pm: Go home, have dinner with my sister who I live with. She’s a fashion editor for Harper’s BAZAAR, so she’s a fashion consultant for us at TDE. I love bouncing ideas around with her. 10pm: Wind down and watch Netflix.

Left: Alyce Tran Photo supplied by Alyce

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

The University of Adelaide

PROGRAM READIES FEMALE STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN STEM Around the world, many women are graduating from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses but not staying long in a STEM career. The University of Adelaide, with support from industry, is working to do something about that. STORY BY NICK CARNE

Late last year, 68 female science and engineering students were invited to an early “graduation” ceremony. All still had work to do to finish their undergraduate or postgraduate degrees, but had successfully completed an innovative new program created to help them prepare for the transition to working life. The Women in STEM Careers Program was a direct response to the reality that many female graduates, no matter how talented, struggle to settle into what are traditionally male-dominated industries. It is a serious issue. In 2016, Australia’s Chief Scientist reported that females account for only 27% of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) graduate workforce. In Engineering, females make up around 20% of all graduates but only 10% of the workforce. Many don’t stay beyond five years. And this is despite the fact most women who enter a STEM discipline are motivated to succeed. As Dr Claudia Szabo puts it: “They’ve self-selected to be in fields that aren’t necessarily perceived as being welcoming to women. They want to be here, they study hard, they pass well but many don’t stay in the industries they join.” Dr Szabo, the Associate Dean – Diversity and Inclusion in the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, said most of the reasons link back to workplace culture and that “in recent years there has been a lot of effort in industry, particularly in the major companies, to address that.” However, part of the answer also lies in equipping young engineers and scientists with career management tools. Dr Szabo was keen to do just that and found an enthusiastic ally in Louise O’Reilly, the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences Marketing, Engagement and Recruitment Manager.

Laura Easton (left) with Anne Toomath (right) and Lewis Maxwell at Santos Photo by Russell Millard

“We knew what we wanted to do because we had been on a leadership development program and thought ‘this is awesome I wish I’d had this when I was much younger’. Most of the time, in most organisations, leadership development programs are available for senior members of staff, but it’s really the juniors that need it.”

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

The pair sought and received a two-year grant from the Federal Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, and joined forces with Professor Eileen Scott in the Faculty of Sciences, to create a yearlong program that would be practical, interesting and effective. “The list of things we wanted to do was very long but we were conscious that this would run on top of a student’s normal load and their other commitments. It was a balancing act – we had to have enough weight to be valuable without actually weighing the students down, which would be counterproductive.” Feedback suggests they got that balance right. Sessions run across the year ranged from career coaching to entrepreneurship, networking with industry partners, and how to build an effective online profile. An industry panel, during which female scientists and engineers talked about their career challenges, was a highlight for many. Importantly, industry was just as enthusiastic to be involved, with representatives from 35 different companies contributing in some way. “At one networking session, around 70 industry people were there to work with 75 students,” Dr Szabo said. “It was incredibly stimulating and really loud.”

enthusiastically to her about the networking events and the benefits of talking not only to industry representatives, but also to their peers in other degrees and sharing experiences and career ambitions. “The graduation event was really special and program coordinator Alexis McKay did a great job throughout.” The 2018 program kicked off in March, following much the same model but with some modifications based on the first year’s experience. And Dr Szabo and her colleagues already are looking further into the future. “We received Government funding for two years but we are keen to expand the program and make it a permanent part of what we offer our female students,” she said. “We hope industry will become even more involved so we can create something which is genuinely of mutual benefit.” Footnote: Dr Szabo was last year named STEM Educator of the Year for Tertiary Teaching in the South Australian Science Excellence Awards. Professor Scott received the Workplace Champion of Change Award in the annual Australian Women in Wine Awards.

Professor Scott says students have spoken

STUDENTS LAURA EASTON Geology student Laura Easton initially was attracted to the program by the chance to learn resume, letter writing and interview skills but quickly found there was “a lot more to it than I expected.” “All the women were so passionate and that got me really excited about it. It definitely snowballed; there were so many different components and that’s what I liked about it.”

Dr Szabo (left) with Louise O’Reilly Photo by Russell Millard

Laura found particular value in the networking sessions and the “strength finders.” “It pulled out a lot of things about myself that I’d not thought of as strengths, and once you learn what your strengths are you can focus on them. “All those bits and pieces – strength workshops, how you present yourself, overcoming fear. You just grow in confidence.” That confidence, and her new skills, helped Laura win a very competitive summer internship with Santos.

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The Women in STEM Careers Program has two main focus areas. The personal development component focuses on building confidence and resilience, breaking down barriers to success and inspiring female students to pursue careers in STEM. The professional development component helps them build leadership skills, manage expectations and develop the attributes that will prepare them for their careers. For more information about the program and how you can get involved, visit www.ua.edu.au/womenin-stem

Hannah Jury (centre) with Phil Engler and Professor Eileen Scott Photo by Russell Millard

INDUSTRY HANNAH JURY

LAUREN MANSER

PHIL ENGLER

Engineering student Hannah Jury said the program gave her “a sense of confidence in my abilities and what I have to offer as a woman embarking on a career in the STEM field.”

Lauren Manser, a graduate engineer with AECOM, says the most common questions she is asked at Women in STEM events relate to her current role and the process she went through during the interview and selection process.

Phil Engler understands first-hand the gender disparity in STEM careers. Several of the female friends he graduated with in 2005 no longer work as engineers. His own employer, Aurecon, is now addressing this as a priority. That’s why he is keen to stay involved.

She found the networking workshops particularly useful. “I had always been a little unsure about how to go about making professional connections; learning about good ways to go about it and then practising with professionals in a relaxed environment was great for improving my confidence. “I was surprised by how personal and interactive the sessions were. Almost every session had some kind of preparatory work which really helped to make the most of each workshop.” Hannah completed the course just in time to help her apply successfully for an internship with a consultancy in New Zealand.

“The students are often looking for advice to get through interviews and ways they can make their application stand out. They also look for advice about accepting roles and the best steps to progress their careers in a certain direction. “The most important advice I am able to offer is to welcome every new opportunity, have confidence in your own judgement and continue challenging yourself by moving out of your comfort zone.” Lauren said she felt the inaugural program had been “incredibly well structured” and “it was great to watch the development of the students across the year as they grew in confidence.”

“From an industry perspective we really welcome this program. Addressing this issue needs to be a partnership between companies and universities.” A Senior Water Engineer, Phil met the inaugural class for the first time at the mock interviews and said he was “blown away” by how good they were at talking to professionals. “When I think of myself when I went through uni I was like a nervous kid. They were very high-calibre students. I’d hire them!”

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

DEFENCE INDUSTRY MOMENTUM BUILDING IN SA Australia’s upgrade to the over-the-horizon radar will add to the amazing defence industry momentum building in South Australia.

The recent announcement from the Australian Government of the $1.2 billion contract to upgrade one of Australia’s major defence facilities is wonderful news for more than just successful bidders BAE Systems Australia and partners. Having this major project centred in our state is great news for South Australia and its thriving defence sector, as well as for the future job prospects of young engineers, technologists and support professionals. The contract is to upgrade the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), an over-the-horizon radar network critical to safeguarding Australia. JORN protects Australia’s coastal approaches through a network of three remote radars in northern Australia. This remarkable system can see around the curvature of the earth – “over the horizon” – by bouncing radar transmissions (and their returns) off the ionosphere. The upgrade will require more than 500 highly skilled technicians and engineers working for BAE Systems and their supply chain, with most based in South Australia. The announcement is also good news for the University of Adelaide which has a

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distinguished history of research in defence over many decades and is Australia’s leading university in defence engagement with government and industry. The University will play a key role in the future of JORN, working with BAE Systems and the defence sector on a variety of technological challenges. We’re proud to support this critical project for Australia through our research and provision of skilled graduates. A highlight of the University’s support for JORN is the incredible “Sapphire Clock”. In a $4M project, funded by both DST Group and the Australian Defence Forces, the University of Adelaide is transitioning the world’s most accurate clock from a laboratory instrument to one that can be used as a key component of the nextgeneration JORN. A member of the original team that developed Australia’s over-the-horizon radar capability and retired DST Chief of Division, Bruce Ward, has recently been appointed Adjunct Professor at the University of Adelaide. He will continue to undertake ionospheric physics research that helps us maintain world leadership.

A little over a year ago we joined with BAE Systems, and the state’s other universities, in forming the Joint Open Innovation Network (JOIN). It was established to generate new technologies enabling the Australian Defence Force to maintain superior capability. Through JOIN, BAE Systems committed to contribute up to $10 million for the creation of new defence-focused courses and targeted research and development, as well as scholarships and industry placements. JOIN will support 60 graduate positions and establish an Innovation Laboratory at the University of Adelaide to advance defence technologies. The JOIN Innovation Laboratory will house over-the-horizon radar equipment, including digital receivers and operator consoles, and host PhD students working together with BAE Systems and University researchers. The sapphire clock and JOIN are just two of many University of Adelaide-industry collaborations in defence – a deliberate move to align our activities with state needs. Our new, state government supported Australian Institute for Machine Learning is already attracting global partners to Adelaide.

As the nation’s defence state, South Australia will benefit enormously from federal investment in submarines, ships and defence infrastructure. It’s essential that this also generates new hi-tech companies and jobs pursuing “dual-use” technologies in areas such as advanced manufacturing, mining, big data and artificial intelligence. This is not only about building our defence sector, it’s about creating high-value futurefacing jobs that will keep our brilliant young people in South Australia. The rapidly increasing defence momentum underway promises a very bright future for jobs in South Australia’s economy, and especially if we can truly leverage our opportunities. Professor Mike Brooks is Provost & Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Adelaide

“JOIN WILL SUPPORT 60 GRADUATE POSITIONS AND ESTABLISH AN INNOVATION LABORATORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE TO ADVANCE DEFENCE TECHNOLOGIES.”

Above: The Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) is a strategic asset used in the Defence of Australia. JORN is a network of three over-the-horizon radars that can detect aircraft and ships between 1000 and 3000km from the northern coastline of mainland Australia. © Commonwealth of Australia Department of Defence

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

ARTS DEGREE LEADS DAVE TO GLOBAL CAREER Dave Gordge has had a varied and at times demanding career as a diplomat, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still early days. STORY BY NICK CARNE

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Arts was an obvious choice. Dave majored in Politics and added as many subjects as possible with an international flavour. He kept up with his German and added Spanish, which was to prove a good career move.

“UNI WAS GREAT. I ENJOYED MYSELF SOCIALLY AND HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS. ARTS GIVES YOU A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF SCOPE TO EXPLORE AND GET ENGAGED IN EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SO I WAS PART OF THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CLUB ON CAMPUS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.”

“Uni was great. I enjoyed myself socially and had a lot of friends. Arts gives you a reasonable amount of scope to explore and get engaged in extra-curricular activities, so I was part of the Amnesty International Club on campus for a couple of years.”

It was here that Dave learnt Tok Pisin, which is the New Guinea version of a pidgin English that has similar versions in places such as Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.

This wasn’t always the direction Dave’s career was going to take. He thought about Medicine and went as far as sitting the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) and having an interview. In the end, however, years of exposure to world affairs on the nightly news and memories of a brief but stimulating school exchange to Germany held sway. “Science and maths were more my strengths in high school but doing that exchange made me think maybe I wanted to do something more related to international affairs and engagement between people.”

Dave pays tribute to lecturer and tutor Dr Bob Catley, a former federal MP, for really capturing his imagination. “He was quite brilliant at providing an overview of world politics – from the Treaty of Westphalia on – and the history of interaction between countries. Things that I had never been exposed to.” Catley also first turned Dave’s thoughts towards a career in foreign affairs when he invited a former student to talk with the class about interning in an Australian Embassy.

In the 16 years since Dave graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, he has completed postings in Chile and Cambodia, worked as a civilian peace monitor in Bougainville, contributed to two major regional conferences of world leaders and even coordinated the refuelling stop for a Prime Ministerial plane on Easter Island. And he speaks three languages, including the exotic sounding Tok Pisin. Now, at 37, he is back in Adelaide as Director of the South Australia State Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). For a while at least. “I’ve been very fortunate,” he said. “I would never have predicted when I was at university that this would be the path my professional life would take but I’ve loved it so far and had some great experiences.”

Dave didn’t follow that route, instead taking a year off to travel and work as a volunteer in Bolivia. That improved his Spanish, consolidated his interest in international relations in general and Latin America in particular, and no doubt helped him win a position as a graduate trainee with DFAT in Canberra. Not surprisingly he was soon appointed to the Latin America section and when he became eligible to apply for an international posting, Chile was available. First, however, his Spanish indirectly helped him get to New Guinea. “Because I had the requisite level of Spanish and didn’t need the usual intensive language training, I was able to do other things, including a stint as a civilian peace monitor in Bougainville. I was very fortunate to have that experience as a very junior public servant. “It was an unarmed group with military personnel from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, police from Vanuatu, and a few civilians. My role was to talk to people in the villages about the peace process, whether they felt safe, and how rehabilitation was going for ex-combatants.”

However, Spanish was significantly more useful in Santiago, where in 2004 he began a three-year appointment as Third Secretary, and later Second Secretary, in the Australian Embassy. And he was thrown in at the deep end. Chile was hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) at the time and the Embassy hosted visits by Australia’s Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Trade Minister (twice) in quick succession. “It was very intense and a bit of a shock to my system but it was a good grounding in how these sorts of large international meetings work behind the scenes.” Dave vowed he wouldn’t take another posting where he would have “an APEC type year” but ended up in Cambodia (after four years post Chile back in Canberra) when it was chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and host of the East Asia Summit. This time around he “was far more prepared.” He is delighted to be back with family and friends in Adelaide but rather fancies another overseas posting. “Ideally I would; that’s the normal career progression. Family makes things different though. When I went to Chile I was unmarried and it was a straightforward decision. When I went to Cambodia I was married. Now there are four of us. We’ll see what happens.”

Left: Dave Gordge Photo by Russell Millard

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

A PASSION FOR AIRWAY STEM CELLS A 2018 nominee for South Australian of the Year, Dr Nigel Farrow was a professional musician until his infant daughter, Ella, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. After some soul searching, he decided to give up his career to study science and work to find a cure for this life-limiting disease. STORY BY HANNAH KILMORE

Now doing post-doctoral work with the Robinson Institute’s Cystic Fibrosis Airway Research Group, Nigel initially was adamant that he wanted to study viral vectors – ways to deliver a cure to the lungs. However, as he progressed, he discovered his real passion was in the airway stem cells themselves. His research focuses on correcting the genetic cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) at a cellular level in the airways. To achieve this, a modified virus is first used as a transport mechanism to introduce the healthy version of the cystic fibrosis gene into the airway cells. The problem is that cells only have a given lifespan, as they are eventually lost as part of the normal cell turnover process. This means that any procedure to correct the diseased cells would need to be repeated. So how do we combat this? “I am developing a way to target the adult stem cells,” Nigel said. “These live in the airway and sit there ready to continually replace the cells that

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are lost as they die off naturally. By targeting these stem cells and inserting our healthy copy of cystic fibrosis gene there, the stem cells should pass this healthy gene on to their ‘daughter’ cells.” In a study published early this year in the journal Human Gene Therapy, Nigel reveals that he can demonstrate – by using a marker gene – that it is possible to target these airway stem cells directly. “By using a marker gene, we have shown that these stem cells (in an animal) replenished the airway and we can see these lovely little colonies of daughter cells expressing the marker gene – it was so exciting!” he said. In the last couple of years, Nigel has also been investigating an alternative way of treating the same cells. “Coming at it from a different angle, instead of leaving the stem cells where they are, we can take out those cells, apply the vector virus to deliver the healthy genes outside the body, grow up a colony, and put them back in. Essentially,

we want to take airway stem cells out of a CF patient, fix them and put them back in to that same patient.” Even though Nigel’s research is still in the animal model phase, in late 2017 he and his team successfully saw the change in human airway cells they had taken out of the body to fix. A photo of these transformed human cells was in the recent Human Gene Therapy and has since been seen around the world, creating ripples of excitement. Does Nigel still play music? For a many years after Ella’s diagnosis, he refused to do so and sold all but one of his guitars, but things are changing. “Now that I’ve achieved something of what I set out to do, I’ve allowed myself to revisit music, and I’ve been twiddling with the guitar a bit, enjoying it a bit more … I think it’s important to have other interests—it helps us do what we do here, which can be so intense, so an interest outside work is great.”

ADULT STEM CELLS Adult stem cells are often tissue specific and can differentiate, as needed, into the various cells that make up that tissue. How do we obtain adult airway stem cells?

By inserting a fine brush through a tube inserted into the airway and brushing the epithelium to dislodge it. The cells are then purified and can be grown in special liquid that allows them to divide into more stem cells. What can we do with the airway stem cells?

In the case of Nigelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s research, once the cells are obtained from a patient they can be treated with geneaddition therapy, to insert a healthy copy and replace the faulty one. The goal is to transplant the fixed cells back into the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airways to correct the disease. By using the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own cells, we can prevent the immune system from being a barrier to the treatment. This has been successful with bone marrow diseases, and the team Nigel is working with is now attempting to apply these successes to the airways. How do adult stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells? Top: Dr Nigel Farrow Photo by Russell Millard Above: Dr Farrow with daughter, Ella.

Embryonic stem cells have the ability to form all the cells, tissue and organs of the human body. Adult stem cells form the cells and tissue of a given organ, and are present throughout life. Adult stem cells can be obtained from a patient or donor, and are therefore not subject to the same ethical dilemma often found with using embryonic stem cells.

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

THEN AND NOW Cricket remains one of the great traditions at the University, but things do change with time. Lumen compared notes with Chris Owen, who played for the Blacks in the 1980s and returned in the ‘90s to lead them to a premiership, and Bonny Miller, current co-captain of the University of Adelaide women’s team. STORY BY CHRIS OWEN AND BONNY MILLER

How did you first become involved? Chris: I started in the 1981/82 season. I was studying engineering and in those days the by-laws of District Cricket dictated that if you were a student of the University then it was mandatory to play for the University of Adelaide Cricket Club. Initially I was a reluctant recruit. I grew up in the western suburbs and played junior cricket for Woodville, so why would I want to go and play for the ‘silver spooners’ as we called them? After approaching the first training session with great trepidation, I soon discovered what a great club it was.

Above: Chris Owen (front centre) and the A-grade team he led for a premiership in 1992/93 at the University cricket ground. Photo by Bryan Charlton Right: Bonny Miller (front, second right) with the University’s B-grade women’s cricket team. Photo by Adam Butler

Bonny: I was still in school when I decided that I wanted to play a new sport, and being a fan of cricket I thought it would be good to give it a go. I looked online at women’s cricket teams near me, emailed the secretary of the University of Adelaide women’s team and she got back to me straight away despite the fact that I had zero experience. I started playing in October that year, aged 17.

Can you take us through a typical game day? Chris: We arrived at the ground at 10 am, an hour before the game started. Compared to today, our preparation was pretty laid back and ad hoc. Before the game the captain talked tactics and gave a “rah rah speech.” I kept it pretty brief, there’s nothing worse than a captain who talks too much! The first session went from 11 am to 1 pm, then we had a 40-minute lunch break. I used

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to just eat a few bananas, muesli bars and the like, but some blokes would dash off to the nearest deli. Afternoon tea was a more lavish affair, particularly when we played at home. The players had to bring something and as the undergrads generally lived at home, their mums usually sent along something nice. In fact, the quality of their afternoon tea contribution was sometimes used to make a lineball team selection decision. Sometimes the captain gave a wrap-up at the end of the day’s play. We then hit the showers and got changed. If you were playing away, you generally went into the other team’s clubrooms for one or two beers. In the 80s and even early 90s, the club/ pub was where a lot of the social stuff got organised. There was no Facebook or even texting so things just got organised by word of mouth, very archaic but it generally worked. Bonny: Before the game I print off the team sheet at home and will often write down some notes about strategies that Alex (our coach), Leanne (co-captain) and I have discussed during the week. After arriving at the ground, the team often has a chat/kick of the footy for about 15 minutes. We do a general warm-up with everyone, which usually involves a fielding drill, and then Leanne and I will go to the toss at 12.30 pm for a 1 pm game. Then we do a specific warm-up based on whether we’re batting or bowling first. Just before we

go on field we have a huddle where the coach and captains give some last minute tips. There’s usually a few jokes to get everyone alert and involved. At the innings break we usually have something to eat and drink and then warmup for bowling or batting. After the game we often hang around for a drink, although we tend to change up what we do week to week. There have been weeks where we go out to the pub after the game – our team is really close so we love to hang out.

How did/do you celebrate a win? Chris: Wins are a big deal in cricket. The game goes for a long time, so when you come out on top it’s a buzz and puts everyone in a great frame of mind and ready for a good night. We probably wouldn’t do anything special though, just the usual routine of the pub and then go from there. Bonny: We don’t make a big deal about winning, especially this season it has become a bit of a luxury that we take for granted, having not lost a match. We always celebrate with a congratulatory post on our Facebook group, usually from our coach. She’ll relay some of the highlights from the game and congratulate players who played the biggest part. After winning a final we always go back to a designated house for a barbecue and a swim in the pool. All sorts of things can happen at one of these parties, from water polo to Bollywood dancing.

How did/do you commiserate a match loss? Chris: Cricketers are a very resilient bunch, you need to be given the nature of the game. The usual post-match routine would follow a loss as it would a win. Bonny: We do similar things after a loss as after a win. We congratulate those who played well and our coach will usually have a chat to the team about what went wrong and we work out how we can fix it for the next game. We still get together after a losing a final to celebrate the season we’ve had and that we made it as far as we did.

What was/is the best thing about playing cricket for the club? Chris: The best thing was the lifelong friendships I made. I still go to most of the club dinners, lunches, reunions, past players days etc. and watch the A-grade games whenever I can. On these occasions I get the chance to catch up with my ex-team mates. It’s amazing that the relationships and rapport are still there and we pick up without missing a beat, and still carry on like 20-year-olds! Bonny: The best thing is simply being part of a club. Since the women’s teams have gained more attention, I have really felt part of a strong community. I could go out and get exercise anywhere but the thing that I really value is having a close team that has come together and grown so much in both our cricket and in our relationships.

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI HONOURED WITH RECENT AWARDS Standing L-R: Mr John Crosby, Ms Annabel Crabb (The James McWha Award of Excellence), Dr John Beard, Ms Moya Dodd. Sitting L-R: The Honourable Margaret Nyland AM, Dr Kali Hayward (Tirkapena Indigenous Alumni Award), Dr Anthony Lake AM, Ms LÃ¨onie Ebert.

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UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS Dr John Beard Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (1979) In recognition of his dedication to the field of healthy ageing, including guiding many countries on their policy responses to population ageing.

Ms Moya Dodd Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (1988) In recognition of her service to women’s football, as a player and a fierce advocate for change to benefit the sport.

COMPANION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AC) • Professor Rhys Jones AC • Mr Trevor McDougall AC

OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AO) • Professor David Coventry AO • Ms Christine Ronalds AO SC • Prof Cert Arbitration • Professor John Turnidge AO

Mr Simon Hackett Bachelor of Science (Mathematical Science) (1987) In recognition of his contribution to advancing the IT industry, including involvement in bringing the internet to Australia in the late ’80s, and through his company Internode, launching Australia’s first ADSL2+ broadband service.

The Hon. Margaret Nyland AM Bachelor of Laws (1964) In recognition of her service to law, as a lawyer, judge, justice and commissioner, including leading the Royal Commission into child protection in South Australia (2014-2016).

Ms Léonie Ebert Bachelor of Science (1968) In recognition of Ms Ebert’s dedication to education, advocacy for women and Aboriginal education, and support of social justice.

MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM) • Mr George Allingame AM • Adjunct Professor Christopher Eckermann AM • Professor Charlotte de Crespigny AM • Professor Sharad Kumar AM • Dr John O’Donnell AM • Dr Jennifer Rosevear AM

• Mr Kelvin Trimper AM • Professor Robert Vink AM

MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (OAM) • Mr Colin Campbell OAM • Dr Richard Cockington OAM • Ms Barbara Deed OAM

John Crosby

• Mr Ian Fraser OAM

Roseworthy Diploma in Agriculture (1971)

• Dr Andrew Luck OAM • Dr Julie Monis-Ivett OAM • Mr Victor Patrick OAM

2017 JAMES MCWHA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENT Ms Annabel Crabb

• Mr Rhys Roberts OAM • Ms Beth Serle OAM

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (1997) In recognition of excellence in her career as a political journalist, author and media personality, and being an outstanding role model for other graduates.

2017 TIRKAPENA INDIGENOUS ALUMNI AWARD Dr Kali Hayward, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (2005) In recognition of her achievements in Indigenous medicine through which she has become a leader in the community.

Marilyn and husband, Ron, have been volunteers with the University for over 10 years across programs including the Dental Patient and Talking with Aussies Programs, which support student learning endeavours at University.

• Professor Grant Townsend AM

Bachelor of Dental Surgery (1970)

In recognition of his advocacy for farmers and the Australian farming industry.

Marilyn Seidel was awarded Volunteer on the Year 2017 for her contribution to the Hughes Bequest Program and Committee, which has resulted in more scholarships to disadvantaged students.

• Mr Brian Spencer AM

Dr Anthony Lake AM In recognition of Dr Lake’s service to the dental industry, including his involvement in Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) for state, national and international incidents.

UNIVERSITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

2018 ADELAIDE FESTIVAL AWARDS FOR LITERATURE Eva Hornung (Master of Arts, 1991, PhD, 1997) has won two 2018 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature. Eva has received both the Premier’s Award ($25,000) and the Fiction Award ($15,000) for her novel, The Last Garden.

AUSTRALIAN POLICE MEDAL (APM) • Dr Keryl Howie APM To find out more about our recipients and their stories, visit: adelaide.edu.au/alumni/recognised/ distinguished-awards/

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

ALUMNI EVENTS It has been great to see so many of our alumni at events held by the University and its networks over the past months. We are looking forward to seeing many more alumni returning to campus this year for their Class Reunions or catching up with each other at events organised by our many University alumni networks here and overseas.

Above and right: Back to Campus reunion for alumni from China mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau (Apr 2018)

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UPCOMING 2018 CLASS REUNIONS 1994 – 1998 Agriculture Reunion – Saturday 2 June 1984 – 1988 Economics Reunion – Friday 8 June 1987 – 1991 Engineering Reunion – Saturday 4 August 1979 – 1983 Economics Reunion – Saturday 18 August

China alumni reunion (Dec 2017)

Adelaide University Alumni Association Singapore’s Chinese New Year dinner at Ngee Ann campus (Feb 2018)

1984 – 1988 Bachelor of Dental Surgery Reunion – Saturday 8 September 1980 – 1984 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Reunion – Saturday 22 September 1992 – 1996 Engineering Reunion – Saturday 13 October 1987 – 1989 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Reunion – Saturday 20 October 1968 Golden Jubilee – Wednesday 24 October 2018 See ua.edu.au/alumni/reunions for more information and to get involved.

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences ‘back to campus’ event for recent graduates (Feb 2018)

Volunteer Achievement Awards (Dec 2017)

Reunion of first women’s graduating class of 1977 from Roseworthy (Oct 2017)

To find out about Class Reunions planned for 2018, visit: ua.edu.au/alumni/reunions

Launch of the Adelaide Orthodontic Alumni Network (Mar 2018)

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

ALUMNI COUNCIL UPDATE

Louisa Rose

In recent months the Alumni Council and the Alumni Relations team have been hard at work developing an updated Alumni Relations strategy and implementation plan. We have also reviewed the Alumni Council’s Terms of Reference, finalising a number of recommendations that will go to the University Council for approval later in the year.

We are also looking forward to the many reunion and back to campus programs that will see many alumni return to the University to reunite with their former classmates, professors and friends.

Expanding the University’s reach to alumni of all ages, living in all parts of the world, has been the primary focus of our discussions and strategy development.

To conclude, on behalf of the Alumni Council I would like to congratulate all those alumni who were honoured with awards over the past months, please see page 28 for details.

We now have 14 formal alumni networks in Australia and overseas, including our newest – the Young Alumni Network. We are keen to identify as many ways as possible to support and enhance their activities and to strengthen their links with each other and with the greater University community. One exciting initiative is a workshop for networks that we will host later in the year. We also have been considering ways to engage with what we call our ‘alumni in waiting’ – the students who will become alumni. One idea involves looking at networks that could be formed by keeping student social groups together after graduation.

The University of Adelaide

If you would like to provide feedback or you simply want more information about the Council’s activities, please contact us via the University website: adelaide.edu.au/alumni/council

Louisa Rose Chair, Alumni Council

NOMINATE FOR UNIVERSITY COUNCIL Be part of the exciting future of the University of Adelaide by becoming a member of the University Council.

Nominations will open on 2 July for the election of a graduate to the Council of the University of Adelaide for a term of two years from 6 September 2018 to 5 September 2020. The retiring graduate members are Mr Robin Day and Dr Ian Watson AM RFD; both are eligible for re-election. Nomination forms may be downloaded from the University’s website at adelaide.edu.au/governance/elections/ council/graduates

or obtained from the office of the Council Secretariat (council.elections@adelaide.edu.au). Completed forms must reach the Returning Officer, Council Secretariat, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005 before noon on 16 July 2018.

ALUMNI NETWORK LISTING ARE YOU MISSING OUT?

UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE ALUMNI NETWORKS

As part of our 140,000 strong alumni, you are eligible for professional development opportunities, class reunions and exclusive events and offers.

The University of Adelaide has established 14 alumni networks across the world, so no matter where you are, you can stay connected with graduates across the globe.

We will send you an email to alert you to these opportunities as they arise. We can’t reach you if we don’t have your email. Update your email today at: adelaide.edu.au/alumni

For a full list of networks, go to the ‘networks and associations’ tab online at: adelaide.edu.au/alumni/get-involved/

• Adelaide Orthodontic Alumni Network • Adelaide University Sports Association • Art History and Curatorship Network • ECIC Alumni • Friends of the University of Adelaide Library

• Adelaide University Alumni Association Singapore (AUAAS) • Adelaide University China Alumni Network • North East USA Alumni Network • South Australian Universities Alumni Europe

• MBA Alumni

• University of Adelaide Alumni Association Hong Kong Chapter (UAAA-HK)

• Roseworthy Old Collegians Association (ROCA)

• University of Adelaide Alumni Malaysia

• Wine Alumni

• University of Adelaide Alumni Thailand

• John Bray Law

• Young Alumni Network

Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018

Young Alumni

STAY CLOSE. GO FAR. A community of peers committed to supporting each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s careers. Exclusive access to events and initiatives focused on professional and personal development of our alumni aged under 35 years.

alumni@adelaide.edu.au adelaide.edu.au/alumni facebook.com/uayoungalumni twitter.com/uniofadelaide linkedin.com/groups/13591988

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