In brief
Broadband coup for SA research
The sounds of flute and clarinet, played some 30km apart, were the first broadcast for the high-volume broadband network, SABRENet, launched by Federal Education, Science and Training Minister Julie Bishop last month. The sophisticated new network is providing virtually unlimited high-speed broadband capacity to the state’s research and education community. The optical fibre network links 27 sites in the Adelaide region including university campuses, teaching hospitals, technology parks and government research institutions. Chair of SABRENet, UniSA’s Paul Sherlock, says the SA research and education community will benefit enormously from this investment by the state’s three universities and the State and Federal Governments. "This network allows us to transport huge amounts of data at lightning speeds and will enable supercomputer real-time simulations, multi-screen high definition videoconferencing and local participation in global bandwidth-enabled experiments," he said.
Wings take flight
UniSA’s Aviation Academy took delivery of five new Cessna 172S aircraft shipped from Independence, USA, last month. The new fleet will play a key role in the UniSA Summer Shark Patrol service and will also lift the profile of the highly successful pilot training academy. With a record intake of 42 new students this year, the academy now offers its tertiary aviation program to about 80 students annually. All student pilots have the advantage of getting practical flight and occupational experience as part of the UniSA Summer Shark Patrol team working as pilots, on-board communications officers, and State Emergency Services trained shark spotters, to ensure the service is delivered during the summer season.
New UNAP manager
Marc
Shannon (pictured) was recently appointed manager of UniSA Northern
Adelaide Partnerships (UNAP). A UniSA marketing graduate, Shannon
returns to the University after five years as business development
manager of research at James Cook University in North Queensland. He
previously held various positions at UniSA including senior business
development project officer role in the Division of Health Sciences,
marketing manager of the Australian Electrical Testing Centre and
business analyst at Techsearch. In 2001 he received a Vice
Chancellor’s special commendation for innovation. As manager of
UNAP, Shannon is responsible for the implementation of UniSA’s
strategy to create community-university partnerships that can
promote social inclusion through education, training, research and
consultancy programs. The program is primarily focused on the cities
of Salisbury and Playford but also extends its activities into
Gawler and Port Adelaide/Enfield. Shannon has first-hand knowledge
of the north Adelaide region; he grew up in Elizabeth and attended
Craigmore High. "My main role at UNAP is to strengthen and
coordinate activity and to develop new innovative projects that will
make a meaningful difference to the education, health, wellbeing and
workforce participation of people in the north," he says.