Jorg Imberger named Scientist of the Year
UWA's internationally renowned water researcher, Professor Jorg Imberger, has been named Western Australian 'Scientist of the Year' at the Premier's Science Awards held in Perth on 4 December.
UWA researchers, teachers and students dominated the prestigious awards, by taking out the other major categories of Young Scientist of the Year, Excellence in Science Communication Outside the Classroom; and university Science Student of the Year.
Ted Snell heads new Cultural Precinct
Professor Ted Snell - the well-known artist, arts academic, curator and reviewer (pictured) - now has a new role: he's been appointed director of UWA's new Cultural Precinct.
The Precinct will showcase UWA's major collections and exhibitions and coordinate other arts-based activities such as the Perth International Arts Festival, UWA Press, University Extension, and the University's concert and theatre seasons.
Ken's quest is to feed the world
UWA graduate Ken Street is an agriculture scientist devoted to finding seeds for the crops that might help save the world from its greatest crisis - food shortages brought about by climate change.
Dr Street (pictured) is fast becoming the 'Indiana Jones' of the global agricultural community, and his work was recently featured in national media and the Seed Hunter television documentary.
Engineering students get a home of their own
First year engineering students at UWA will have their own base on campus, thanks to the generosity of Clough Limited and the family that founded the firm.
The new Clough First Year Centre for engineering students will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing a friendly meeting place as well as a professional workspace for group and individual work.
Sweet news for Alzheimer's research
'Tricking' the brain into thinking it has installed sugars onto proteins at risk of degenerating might be a key to helping prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
That's one of the areas of research being looked at by Dr Keith Stubbs (pictured), a chemistry researcher and Australian Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellow at UWA.
Dr Stubbs one of the authors of a paper recently published in Nature Chemical Biology that describes the synthesis of an enzyme inhibitor that has the potential to prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Justin's win inspires a new generation
Having won gold in Beijing, Paralympian Justin Eveson is passing on his passion and skills to what he hopes will be a new generation of superstars.
A jubilant Justin (pictured) won gold as part of Australia's victorious wheelchair basketball team. Justin is a Sport Science, Exercise and Health graduate with a postgraduate degree in Exercise Rehabilitation Science.
Read the full story in the UWA News 17 November 2008 edition
UWA forges UK business links
The alumni group UWA Business in the UK held its inaugural function recently with UWA Chancellor and National Australia Bank chairman Michael Chaney the guest speaker.
Dr Chaney (pictured) provided an exceptional insight into the causes of the current global financial crisis and the implications for the Australian economy.
More UWA Business in the UK events are planned for 2009. For details, contact Roland Nattrass at business@uwa.org.uk
Dr Chaney and Vice-Chancellor Alan Robson also hosted a UWA Alumni London Reception at Australia House. More than a hundred alumni and friends turned out to hear Nobel Laureate Professor Barry Marshall's entertaining account of how he came to win the Nobel Prize for Medicine.
Meanwhile in New York ...
Across the Atlantic, the historic Harvard Club in New York was the venue for a recent UWA in America Inc alumni dinner hosted by Gaye McMath (pictured), UWA's Executive Director of Finance and Resources.
Photo trees featuring a selection of familiar scenes from the UWA campus sparked many fond memories among the guests.
PIAF's world-class performances
The Perth International Arts Festival officially starts on 13 February, and has a reputation for showcasing the worlds best artists. But there's no reason why you have to wait until then to find out who'll be performing.
For instance, the Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre will stage the dance classic Giselle (pictured), in a version hailed as bold, brazen and savagely funny. Another production, Fragments, features four plays by Samuel Beckett, directed by the renowned Peter Brook.
Clive Hamilton tackles climate change
Are humans and their political institutions capable of responding to the crisis of climate change? Are we willing to face up to the possibility we may fail this greatest test?
Answers to those question and more will be in the spotlight when well known author and public intellectual Clive Hamilton (pictured) is a guest speaker for UWA Extension on 26 February.
Cast your vote for Convocation
Nominations are open for several positions in the annual elections of Convocation, the UWA Graduates Association.
The positions of Warden and Deputy Warden, as well as seven Council Members will be decided.
Nomination forms are available from Daniela Giovannetti (phone 6488 3006 or email convocation@uwa.edu.au). The closing date for nominations is 16 January 2009.
Book of the month
Geraldine Wooller's novel The Seamstress - published last year by UWA Press - has been nominated for a prestigious literary prize, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
The Seamstress is tale of friendship and love between a woman and her mother, who is slipping into dementia, told with warmth and humour.
The IMPAC is the largest prize of its kind. It involves nominations of books from libraries across the globe, with prize money of 100,000 euros.
Save the Date
UWA is to host a major regional conference highlighting Western Australia’s proximity to the emerging global powers of the twenty-first century.
The In the Zone conference on the 26th & 27th October 2009 will showcase Western Australia as the economic powerhouse of Australia and its relationships with key trading partners in the same time zone, including China, Japan, South Korea, India, Russia and South East Asia.
An editorial committee of outstanding graduates of UWA includes: Dr Michael Chaney, Prof Alan Robson, Prof Margaret Seares, Hon Colin Barnett, Hon Kim Beazley, Hon Stephen Smith, Sir Rod Eddington, Mr John Langoulant, Prof Barry Marshall, Dr Richard Smith, Dr Sue Boyd.
Alumni are welcome to attend the event, with registrations opening in April 2009.
Office of Development and Alumni Relations
University information
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