Judy Mackinolty
Yes, your help is required. Get out your scissors - or photocopier - or email and send Judy any articles or snippets of information about women in the sciences so that the notes section of your journal can be more balanced and of more interest to readers. Send items to Wisenet Inc, GPO Box 106, CANBERRA, ACT 2601 or email: anna.robinson@bigpond.com
Women teachers in Science faculties at Sydney University featured in the 1998 Excellence in Teaching Awards. They included Erica Sainsbury (Pharmacy), Dr Louise Baur (Paediatrics and Child Health), Sharynne McLeod (Communication Sciences and Disorders). Source: University of Sydney News, 22 October 1998.
The Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Resources is Senator Nick Minchin. His portfolio includes science policy. He is a graduate of the ANU with Economics and Law degrees. Source: FACETS, December 1998.
The oldest veterinary faculty in Australia, at Sydney University, has unveiled its new website, designed by Sydney alumna, Raina Plowright. The website, http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/vetfac/ has been designed for prospective, current and post-grad students and the profession at large, at home and abroad. The gathering to launch the website also paid tribute to various researchers including post-doctoral fellow Dr Wendy Muir who received the World Poultry Science Association Syd Wilkins Memorial Prize for her review of the avian intestinal immune system. Source: University of Sydney News, 5 November, 1998.
Dominique Collaros, of Girraween High School, was chosen as Young Scientist of the year 1998 from over 4000 entrants for her illustrated children's story explaining Newton's laws of motion. Four students were selected to represent Australia at the 50th International Science and Engineering Fair in Philadelphia in 1999. They are Natalie Peterson, Alice Cottee, Stuart Gardoll and Gabrielle Gough. Source: FACETS, December 1998.
Dr Anne Rich of the School of Chemistry has been awarded the 1998 Cornforth medal for the best PhD thesis in Australia in the last year. The thesis, 'Determination of Iron-Ligand Bond Lengths and Angles in Hemeproteins Using X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy' deals with the binding of nitric oxide to heme-containing proteins in blood, muscle and various enzymes. Source: University of Sydney News, 5 November, 1998.
Ms Elena Bagley and Ms Ann Mitrovic were awarded Pharmacology/Medical Foundation awards for the best presentations in the department's lecture series for the year. The research topics were related to drug addiction and regulation of neurotransmitters. Source: University of Sydney News, 5 November, 1998.
Katherine Chan, final year Chemical Engineering student at Sydney University, whose poster was displayed during the Engineering Leadership program, has explored a solution to the problem of arsenic contamination in water - precipitate flotation. Co-student, Michelle Lo, has used her detective skills to solve the problem of the broken Arnott's biscuit. Source: University of Sydney News, 12 November 1998.
Dr Akram Omeri of Sydney University's Nursing Faculty is the first Australian to win the prestigious Leininger award for excellence in transcultural nursing. Dr Omeri acknowledged the support of her colleagues in her goal 'to harness the resources of nursing education, research and practice in order to overcome prejudice, discrimination and racism'. Source: University of Sydney News, 12 November, 1998.
Ms Lyn Glass, a second year student in the Graduate Medical Program at Sydney University, assisted by her superviser Professor Ann Sefton, has introduced an optional course in Auslan - the Australian sign language for the deaf into the program. Ms Glass stresses the importance of catering medically for the two million deaf and hearing impaired people in Australia. So far, forty medical students have completed the eight week course which included a medical component to assist in consultations. The course was supported financially by the NSW Minister of Health, Dr Andrew Refshauge, and a signing psychiatrist at RPAH, Dr Brendan O'Sullivan. Source: University of Sydney News, 19 November, 1998.
Third year Science student Rebecca Gilmore, who represented Australia in diving at the Commonwealth Games and only narrowly missed a bronze medal was named as 1998 Blue of the Year at Sydney University's annual Blues Dinner. Source: University of Sydney News, 19 November, 1998.
Sydney University's faculty of Health Sciences has launched a program to assist experienced, innovative teachers in conducting research. The program developed by Dr Kristie Daniel DiGregorio aims to create an interdisciplinary group of academics to act as a sounding board to new researchers and to provide support and encouragement for them. Seminars, workshops, discussions and conferences feature in the program along with special programs devoted to such aspects as research skills, and research ethics. Source: University of Sydney News, 22 October, 1998.
Melanie Sykes, a student of Environmental Engineering at Wollongong University, was first attracted to the discipline when she attended a Girls in Engineering summer school as a teenager. Her career choice has resulted in her winning the NSW State Engineering Award and being offered two attractive jobs even before sitting her final exams. Source: University of Wollongong, Campus News, December 1998.
Wisenet member, Professor Ann Sefton, a key person in the development of the Graduate Medical Program at Sydney University, has won an Australian Teaching Award for her work in developing internet-based diagnostic tools which assist learning through problem-based tutorials. Professor Sefton is hopeful that her award will assist in development of assessment procedures and better information technology for fourth year students in clinical work in hospitals and elsewhere. Source: University of Sydney News, 3 December, 1998.
Fairfield Council and Sydney University have joined forces to revitalise the image of the western Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, which has long suffered adverse media comments due to drugs and crime in the area. An initiative by Associate Professor Anna Rubbo of the Faculty of Architecture and Fairfield Council's Urban Designer, Mr Alan Cheung, challenged students to design an accessible, inviting place for a range of cultural activities bearing in mind the environmental, geographic, and historical background to the area and its current image. The prize for the best community centre design was awarded to Ms Emily Deane. The prize for an urban vision of Cabramatta in 2030 went to a group of five students. Source: University of Sydney News, 3 December, 1998
Krista Maglen has been awarded the Wellcome Trust Prize Studentship - one of the top doctoral scholarships awarded in the UK. This will enable her to undertake a PhD in the history of medicine, her topic being 'the use made of medical relief services and institutions by European immigrants to Britain in the decades prior to the introduction of the Aliens Act of 1905'. Source: University of Melbourne Arts Alumni News, December 1998.
Arts/Science graduate Ms Lauren Ward has been awarded one of the three Australia-at-Large Rhodes Scholarships for 1999. She will study at Oxford for her Master of Science degree in environmental change and management, after which she hopes to undertake multidisciplinary research towards a DPhil. Source: University of Melbourne Arts Alumni News, December 1988.
Sister Alison Bush - first indigenous nurse and midwife to receive an honorary Fellowship from the Royal Australian College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Collette Dinnigan - appointed as Chair of NSW Government's Committee for Small Business Development.
Jennifer Kremmer - winner of 1998 Australian Vogel Book Award for Pegasus in the Suburbs.
Nova Peris-Kneebone - chosen as first Olympic torch runner on Australian soil in June 2000.
Megan Latham - appointed a judge of the District Court (bringing the number of woman judges in NSW to 43).
Rachael Perkins - whose feature film Radiance won the people's vote at Sydney Film Festival and was nominated for six AFI awards.
Anita Revska - winner of 1998 Portia Geach Award.
Alison Tremaine - youngest delegate to attend the second World Conference on Women in Agriculture Conference in Washington.
(Source: Womenspace, Issue 9, November 1998.)
Monique Heinke, a PhD student in the department of Anatomy and Histology at Sydney University took up rowing four years ago and is steadily moving through the ranks in the 2000 metre single, double and quad sculls events.
Tammy Acciari, a student in veterinary science and holding first ranking in Australia in Women's judo in the under 48kg division is also aiming for a place in our Olympic team for 2000. Source: University of Sydney Gazette, October 1998.
Dr Helen O'Connor, from Exercise and Sport Science, is the principal dietary adviser to the NSW Institute of Sport and is thus closely involved in preparation of athletes for the 2000 Olympics. Dr Connie Katelaris, an allergy specialist from the Department of Medicine, has conducted pollen surveys at major Olympic venues and will continue this work up to the Games. Source: University of Sydney Gazette, October 1998.
Dr Judith Walker, from the School of Physiology and Pharmacology at University of New South Wales, and Dr Piroska Rakoczy, of the Centre for Opthalmology and Visual Science at the Lions Eye Institute in Western Australia, are two of the four Bede Morris Fellows who will visit scientific institutions in France this year. Source: Australian Academy of Science Newsletter, October-December 1998.
Emma Wypych and Jessica Tait ,Year 9 students from St Mary's, Wollongong won the high school division in a competition which focused on the use of wind power. Entrants had to 'design and build a device that would convert wind energy (via a fan) to mechanical energy that would drive a device into the wind'. Source: University of Wollongong, Campus News, December 1998.
A number of Sydney members of Wisenet attended the Annual Dinner of this organisation. Theme for the evening was Women in the Cabinet. Guest speakers were Hon. Dame Margaret Guilfoyle, OBE and Hon. Susan Ryan, AO. N.B. Women in the Second Howard Ministry are Senator Jocelyn Newman (Family & Community Services), Bronwyn Bishop (Aged Care), Amanda Vanstone (Justice and Customs), Jackie Kelly (Sports and Training), Kathy Sullivan (Parliamentary Secretary - Foreign Affairs), Judith Troeth (Parliamentary Secretary - Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry), Senator Kay Patterson (Parliamentary Secretary - Immigration & Multicultural Affairs), Trish Worth (Parliamentary Secretary - Education, Training & Youth), Sharman Stone (Parliamentary Secretary - Environment & Heritage) Source: National Council of Women of Australia, Quarterly Bulletin, December 1998
Prof Sue Sergeantson, visiting fellow at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at Canberra, has been named as the next president of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies. She will take up the position in November 1999. Source: Labnews, December 22, 1998.
Prof Elspeth McLachlan, at the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute has been awarded the 1998 Ramaciotti Medal and $10,000 prize for excellence in bio-medical research. She is studying the chronic pain suffered by people with nerve damage. Source: The Weekend Australian, January 16-17, 1999.
Involving Women in Decision Making has been developed by the Public Sector Industry Training Advisory Board from a proposal by Women Into Politics Inc. It aims to provide the skills and knowledge necessary to improve the representation of women in public and private sector organisations through practical training sessions of about 40 hours face to face. Contact: The Clearinghouse Officer, Business and Public Administration, Education Services Division, TAFE NSW, Level 2, Building C, Harris Street, Ultimo, NSW 2007. Phone (02) 9217 4436.
Kalliope Vassilopoulos is the first woman to teach at the University of New South Wales School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and is the winner of the 1998 Young Professional Engineer award. Along with her full time teaching load she is studying part time for her PhD, researching aerofoil dynamics with the aim of making helicopters more efficient. In order to ease the way for other women students in male dominated fields, Kalliope has set up a Women in Engineering Support Group at the University. Source: The Weekend Australian, May 2-3, 1998.
It is a shock to pick up the Cambridge Alumni Magazine, Easter Term 1998 and find it dedicated to just fifty years of women's degrees! After 80 years of campaigning and slow gains it was in 1948 that women finally won full membership of the University. Now, women comprise over 45 per cent of undergraduates though they are still under-represented at every level on the academic staff. An article by Sarah Woodward blames this on the lack of confidence of women, who don't bother to apply. Women are also under-represented in post graduate studies and feature much less than men in gaining Firsts. A Brief History of Women at Cambridge, by Carol Barker and Felicity Hunt, has been published by Cambridge University Press, 1998.
From Jocelyn Newman, recently appointed Minister assisting the PM for the status of women, comes a booklet published by her predecessor Judi Moylan listing and giving an overview of a number of Women's Non-Government Organisations in Australia in 1998. Also enclosed were minutes of the August 1998 Women's Round Table.
Further to our item, Prize Vet, in the last edition, Sarah Gill has since been chosen to go to Cornell to take part in a ten week leadership program. She joins 23 other students chosen from around the world, twelve being from US or Canada.
No, it just seems like it. A Federal Government report, Selected Higher Education Staff Statistics, 'found women were concentrated in lower-paid and non-permanent positions'. In New South Wales, the percentage of women above senior lecturer is highest at University of Western Sydney (24.1), lowest at University of NSW (10.6). Although 54% of academics at the Australian Catholic University are women, they are still in the minority in the higher ranks. Not surprisingly, the report made the point that most students at this university were studying in the female-dominated courses of teaching and nursing while UNSW, where male staff dominate, has many science and technology courses. One wonders what explanation can be given for University of New England's low proportion of women above senior lecturer (10.8) and University of Technology's better rate (19.0). Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 30 Jan 1999.
At the recent launching of the new book Australian Feminism: a Companion (OUP and Spinifex Press, 1998) at Sydney's Feminist Bookshop, one of the contributors, Catherine Lumby, quoted from her research an early assessment of Australian women: A major advertising agency recommended in 1972 that women be targetted by advertisements which illustrated their roles as mothers and family shoppers, these being the chief interests of women. (Groans from the audience.) A 1999 newspaper article describes a new advertising campaign directed at women under 35, featuring Paula Yates, rock-star 'widow' and mother of four, as 'exploiting Yates's appeal to the new independent woman'. (Groans from Wisenet.)
The higher school certificate results have been dominated by the successes of girls. Young women are now entering universities in high proportions to study the subjects of their choice, and graduating with great success in the sciences, medicine, veterinary science, engineering, law, economics, as well as the more traditional arts and humanities areas. But - a recent report Selected Higher Education Staff Statistics found, as many of us know, that women academics are still concentrated in junior, non-permanent positions. Though the total percentage of female staff has slightly increased, at the present rate it will take more than 20 years to achieve numerical equality. Still women comprise less than 15% of the two senior grades, Professor and Associate Professor. There is a great variation in women's representation on staff at different universities.
The Colonial Science Club is interested in the history of Australian science in the pre-1900 period. They meet at the Australian Museum in Sydney every couple of months. They meet at 6pm and part of their meeting includes a speaker for 40min. They are interested to hear more about the role of women in Australian science and not just in the pre-1900 period. They are also keen to hear more about the biological, environmental and medical sciences.
Anyone interested in speaking or attending should contact Ted Cole, Hon. Assoc. Prof at Macquarie University, home phone 02 9868 5025.
First Australian Consensus Conference on Gene Technology in the Food
Chain will be held on 10, 11 and 12 march 1999 at Old Parliament House, Canberra, Senate Chamber. A consensus conference is a special process never before attempted in Australia, although it has been successfully done in Europe, the USA and New Zealand. It is a method of assisting citizens to participate in an informed way in the debate and forming of public policy about complex and challenging issues, like gene technology in the food chain. For information: Ms Dana Jones, Conference Coordinator The Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney NSW 2000, (02) 9320 6000.
Former WISENET link in Wollongong, Toni O'Neill, is seriously ill in hospital. Our best wishes go to Toni for a good recovery.