In brief
New moves at the top
Dr Anna Ciccarelli has had her position as Executive Director of International and Development elevated to Pro Vice Chancellor. The new title acknowledges Dr Ciccarelli’s achievement, dedication and significant work in the international and development area, and her positive standing both nationally and internationally for her role in raising the international profile of UniSA. At the same time former Director of the Institute for Telecommunications Research Professor Andrew Parfitt has been appointed Pro Vice Chancellor for the Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment. Prof Parfitt joined UniSA in 2004 and has been an active member of Research Policy Committee and Academic Board. He chairs both the Cooperative Research Centres Engagement Group and the e-Research Implementation Group. In 2006 he acted as Head of the School of Electrical and Information Engineering, and led the strategic planning that resulted in the formation of the new Defence and Systems Institute and a closer cooperation between electrical and electronic engineering related disciplines. He will take up his new role in August 2007.
Successful links
UniSA won strong support for industry linked research that will contribute to domestic energy savings and more efficient wine production, as part of a package of Australian Research Council (ARC) funding announced in May. The total allocation of Linkage grant funding for the seven successful projects is almost $1.8 million from the ARC, matched by almost $2.5 million from industry. UniSA was successful in winning support for 58 per cent of its research applications under the Linkage grants scheme. Environmental projects include the development of more cost efficient airconditioning products and systems, and an investigation into the potential of high powered ultrasound technology in the disinfection and cleaning of wine barrels and improving and enhancing wine fermentation and the extraction of flavours and colours. Projects in the areas of nutritional physiology, work and life balance, industrial relations, forensic IT, and particles research were also successful. More information about the grants is available at the ARC website
West end education partners
The Minister for Education and Children’s Services, Dr Jane
Lomax-Smith and UniSA’s Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley AO signed
a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last month designed to build
cooperation and capacity in education in the west end of the city.
The MOU underpins the development of a university foundation program
for international high school students studying at Adelaide High in
2008 and will see the 100-year-old public school expand its teaching
spaces into the City West precinct. Dr Lomax-Smith said the
collaboration would expand the role of SA’s oldest high school and
the city’s reputation as a high quality, safe, education destination
for international students. Principal at Adelaide High, Stephen
Dowdy said working in partnership with UniSA to create a
collaborative learning community would support the State’s Strategic
Plan and provide a new opportunity to pilot a framework for students
to access university courses as part of their senior secondary
education.