Compiled by Judy Mackinolty
Congratulations to WISENET member Lesley Head on her part in the discovery of evidence for very early human life in the north of Australia.
Lesley, who is a senior lecturer in Geosciences at Wollongong University, worked with Richard Fullagar of the Australian Museum to unearth deposits containing artifacts indicating prehistoric human habitation at Jinmium in the Northern Territory which is very much older than any previous findings.
This discovery, which was announced in collaboration with thermoluminescence dating expert David Price and aboriginal art expert Paul Tacon, has excited speculation on the origins of mankind.
A 12-minute video with accompanying discussion notes has been designed by Open Acess College for junior secondary students. Entitled Adding to Options: maths and physics, the material illustrates career options as young women discuss their experiences and female students express their views on maths and physics. It is available for $6 plus packaging and postage. Enquiries to Rosa Best, Phone (08) 366 0359. (Source: The Gen, June 1996)
The Chancellor's Industry Scholarships in Engineering (CISE) at the University of Sydney has attracted a number of sponsors and almost $10 million in funds. It was set up 8 years ago to attract talented students to engineering. The scholarships, of $11,000 per year, involve summer work in industry with three different employers. Just over a quarter of the scholarships have been awarded to women. (Source: The University of Sydney News, 13 June 1996)
Next year Rachel Behn will become the first female NRMA Road Service patrol officer. She is at present an apprentice motor mechanic at Evans Head Country Service Centre, quite a change from her earlier work with a Sydney stockbroker. She also gives talks to women learning basic car maintenance at the local TAFE. (Source: The Open Road, July/August 1996)
Diane Nash, a Physiotherapy student at the University of Sydney, has been awarded the 1996 Cancer Council Scholarship. She ranks No 2 in the world for Modern Pentathlon. (Source: Newsletter, Sydney University Women's Sports Association, June 1996)
American zoologist Dr Pamela Parker, associate director of conservation and research at Melbourne Zoo is one of the driving forces behind the Bookmark Biosphere Reserve in South Australia. The project aims to regenerate 605,000 hectares of mallee and Riverland wetlands which has deteriorated through farming and use as a stock route. Along with recovery of the area, a major water bird breeding centre, Parker hopes to assist in the creation of business opportunities compatible with conservation. (Source: Business Review Weekly, June 3, 1996)
Ms Hong Yuan Liu, studying for her PhD at Sydney University in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering has won her second Zonta International Amelia Earhart award. Her work is designed to assist in the safe use of composite materials in the aerospace industry. (Source: The University of Sydney News, 1 August 1996)
Former Melbourne pharmacist, Suzanne Arnall, is managing director of a manufacturing and pharmaceutical group, Pharmaction Ltd, which began trading on the stock exchange in mid August. Her company was initially involved in advising on manufacturing guidelines and project management. From a small start it has grown to a multi-million dollar business developing and manufacturing drugs and has taken over another pharmacy group. (Source: The Sunday Telegraph, 11 August 1996)
Environmental geochemist, Nicole Pickup, who graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Technology (Honours) degree in May, has been awarded the Macquarie Foundation Science Prize of $1000. Her work centred on the removal and analysis of toxic metals from waste waters. (Source: Sirius, Macquarie University Convocation Magazine, Winter 1996)
Three of the four medallists at a recent Agricultural Science Graduation at Sydney University were Josephine Trott, Nerida Donovan and Louise Rossiter. Josephine Trott, with high distinctions in all subjects, scored the highest grade average in the faculty's history. All three have accepted scholarships to complete doctorates. The Dean of Agriculture remarked on the way in which women are gaining prominence in a formerly male-dominated discipline. (Source: The University of Sydney News, 6 June 1996)
Central Queensland University's Women in Engineering program has won the 1996 Engineering 2000 award. Project officer Gillian Swarbrick and co-ordinator Prue Howard accepted the award in Darwin at the IEAust Engineering Conference in April this year. (Source: Uni News, Central Queensland University, 26 April 1996)
Therese Doyle, new Affirmative Action Officer at UNSW, plans open days, seminars and workshops for high school students to illustrate the appeal and the challenge of science, technology and engineering for young women. As well as hands-on workshops, seminars will be presented by female academics and women in industry. For information phone: 93 85 53 16. (Source: Uniken, 26 April 1996)
Dr Susan Wijffels, from CSIRO's Division of Oceanography, is part of an international project to assess links between ocean temperatures, climate and the greenhouse effect. The project will extend over ten years. Instruments which had been measuring the warm Leeuwin current off Exmouth in Western Australia for two years were retrieved recently. (Source: The Weekend Australian, 17-18 August 1996)
The friendly grrrls guide to getting on the internet is a useful but light hearted booklet produced in conjunction with the1996 Youth Week in New South Wales. Author Ms Rosie Cross who also publishes the cyberfeminist electronic zine geekgirl, is committed to encouraging young women to access the internet. Though some of the information relates solely to NSW most of the publication is of general interest. For information, send snail mail to PO Box 759, Newtown, NSW 2042 - or try http://www.geekgirl.com.au/
Chameleon Theatre Pty Ltd, a new all female managed theatre company, aims to present top class comedy at affordable prices over a meal and drink. Their first venture is a female version of the famous TV series The Odd Couple with Olive and Florence battling it out in their shared apartment. The show will be performed at The Dispensary Cafe, Enmore Road, Enmore in November and December. Group and individual bookings can be made and organisations may book the entire theatre seating 80 at $25 per head at tables, with pre-show complimentary drinks with the cast, or 100 at $20 per head without tables. More information from Chameleon at PO Box 235, Enmore NSW 2042 or Phone: (02) 95 19 36 73.
According to a recent study into how children aged 5-12 years view scientists, researcher Evelyn Bowtell found evidence of strong stereotypes. Scientists are seen as 'clever, different, a little crazy, probably don't like sport but they may like art and music. Only a few girls depict scientists as being female'. TV images of scientists, Dr Who and Dr Blight and the ubiquitous white coated laboratory worker, need to be balanced if children are to be encouraged to think about a career in science. (Source: Facets 23, Vol 6 No 3)
Dr Barbara Hardy, Chairperson of the Investigator S & T Centre, has been named South Australian Citizen of the year.
Women's Redress Press announces publication of Gisela Kaplan's Spectrum. This is a bibliography of women in Australia since 1945. It provides an insight into the range and richness of writing on women in Australia and should prove a useful research tool especially in the social sciences. Available through bookshops or from Women's Redress Press, PO Box 655, Broadway NSW 2007 ($22.95 plus $3.00 p&p).
The US Women's Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 and is located in Seneca Falls, New York. It recognises the enduring value of contributions to society and to women through a range of activities. To date 124 women have been honoured by inclusion, including Maria Mitchell who discovered a comet in 1847. She became the first woman hired by the US Nautical Almanac Office, and was appointed professor of astronomy and director of the observatory at Vassar College in 1865 where she taught for 20 years. Another is Sally Ride, a physicist who was the first American woman to fly in space on the Challenger's seventh flight. The first African-American woman astronaut is Mae Jemison who studied chemical engineering and medicine and who was on NASA's 50th shuttle flight in September 1992. The medical and nursing professions are represented by a number of women. (Source: SWE March/April 1996)
Ruth Lane from the National Museum in Canberra reports: 'We now have a nice little demonstration program for our women in science project. It has 10 biographical profiles on women in science with a degree of interactivity, nice graphics & photos and some sound. Are you in a position to help us out in evaluating it with target audiences? (i.e. years 10-12 and their teachers in history and science curricula). The program is available on CD-ROM for a Mac platform but works best if loaded onto the hard disk of a Mac.' Contact: r.lane@nma.gov.au
Professor Vicki Sara, former head of QUT's School of Life Science and Director of the Co-operative Research Centre for Diagnostic Technologies has been appointed Dean of Science at QUT. She hopes to encourage multidisciplinary approaches to science and to forge strong links between teaching and research. According to a report in The Australian (24.7.96) 'the faculty can expect more collaborative research projects, industry-funded scholarships and input from industry into undergraduate programs.'
A Sydney Morning Herald article (3.6.96) notes that 'the university system continues to be dominated by middle-aged men, with women holding just 17.6 per cent of academic jobs at the level of senior lecturer or above.... women are overwhelmingly employed in part-time or casual positions, which normally pay less and carry no tenure or job security.' In New South Wales, the University of Western Sydney has the highest proportion of women at senior lecturer level or above at 29.2% and University of New South Wales the lowest at 13.4%.
Cathy Shelton, a PhD student at the University of Sydney gained the $1000 first prize in the 1995 Young Chemist Competition which is administered by Chemistry in Australia, the magazine of The Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Second prize went to Rachel Hobson of the University of Melbourne. Queensland civil engineer Angela McDonnell has been awarded a travelling scholarship to gain professional experience overseas as has Karel Nolles an electrical engineer from NSW. (Source: Facets 23, Vol 6 Number 3)
A Griffith University academic, Dr Susan Dan, has found that women are still paid less than men for the same work but that this is not revealed in EEO reports which focus on the growing numbers of women being appointed to senior positions. In a survey of Queensland Government employees she found that women considered themselves to be quite successful in spite of the disparity in salaries and conditions (on average being paid $6000 less than male counterparts). Dr Dan attributed the inequality to the tendency of women to be appointed at the lowest salary range for the position, men at the top of the range. 'Women are not negotiating for the higher salaries, they are just grateful for the position.'
Professor Beverley Roberts is foundation director of the Centre for Oil and Gas Engineering, a co-operative project between industry and several tertiary institutions. A graduate in Civil Engineering from Melbourne University, she has had wide experience in design fabrication and installation of major structures from the North Sea to the North-West Shelf. (Source: Uniview 15, Feb 1996)
The second issue (Winter 1996) of the newsletter of the NSW Department for Women, Womenspace, features the building, metal, electrical, vehicle, printing and food trades which have traditionally been seen as 'men's' work. 'In 1994 only 3.5 per cent of all employed women worked in these trades, compared to 21.4 per cent of men ... despite programs such as the Apprenticeship Program for Girls .. and the Way Ahead Program.' It outlines the Tradeswomen on the Move program designed to encourage women into non-traditional work, the Register of Women in Non-Traditional Trades and a new program, Expanding Girls Options with its message 'Jobs don't have a gender.' For information, phone the Project Co-ordinator on (02) 92 66 80 94. The issue also profiles Heather Walker, a Master Builder with a full Builders License, who comments: 'Working in the building industry is great fun and you learn a lot. But most of all, careers are not about gender. They are about doing what you want with your life. And after all, if a person is good at what they do, who cares whether they are female or male!'