New life in a New Environment
An interview with
Professor Liz Deane
Head of the Division of Environmental and Life Science
Macquarie University
Bruce Williams
The shortest distance between two
points might be a straight line, but that doesn't mean it's the best way to
go. In one of those verbal career-summaries so common at the early stages of
an interview, Professor Liz Deane formerly Head of the School of Science at
the University of Western Sydney explains how she landed her first science job
at Macquarie University.
"I had finished my PhD at Sydney in marine algae and found work at Macquarie with Des Cooper on his marsupial immunology research, an area in which I continue to work."
BW: Wasn't that a rather sharp change of tack?
"Not for a woman, it isn't," Deane replies. "I think you'll find the straightforward path of PhD, lecturing in the area, grants and promotion is comparatively rare for women in the sciences. We tend to have to piece our lives together from lots of different elements. But I don't mind that, I don't think it's something to be afraid of."
With three young children (twins Jonathan and Timothy, now 23, and Rachel, now 20), Deane moved from sea to land and microbe to macropod, to take up work at Macquarie.
"I helped bring up my children at the same time as developing my career, sometimes working part-time, sometimes full-time. I think it's important to understand that a career doesn't preclude other achievements and commitments in life."
Her work at Macquarie depended on 'soft money' funds reliant on project funding. In search of something more reliable, Deane took up a position with the then Nepean College of Advanced Education (now a campus of the University of Western Sydney) to set up a biological sciences department.
"That was sort of frightening, but it was also extremely liberating. Starting something from scratch, in a new institution too, meant there was no-one telling me 'we don't do things like that here'. I pretty much designed the courses and the department the way I wanted," says Deane.
These courses included a Diploma in Applied Science in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a Master of Clinical Science. In this environment, her interest in teaching and course development thrived. Deane began to work on teaching models that revolved around problem solving and group work. These were developed with the help of funding from the Committee for the Advancement of University Teaching and its successor, the Committee for University Teaching and Staff Development. It is a field of expertise she hopes will contribute to the Macquarie division she now heads
At UWS, heading a department, and then the School of Science, impressed on her the importance of good technical and support staff.
"I think in many ways the split between academic and technical staff is artificial. Especially in the sciences, good teaching and research relies heavily on the expertise of technical and other staff. At Macquarie, I mean to continue my habit of maintaining good communication links-many of them informal and social-with technical and general staff." She laughs: "That's how you find out what's going on!"
During the past two months Deane has met with the department heads in her new division. The Division of Environmental and Life Sciences is highly diverse, with an impressive research portfolio across Geology, Geography, Ecology, Chemistry, Biological Sciences and Chiropractic Science. It has five National and three University research centres.
BW: Is this a daunting proposition?
"It is, certainly. I'll be working with people with great track-records in their fields, some of whom were here when I first started out at Macquarie.
"I hope to contribute, though, in developing some new areas of emphasis in the division. Developing industry links, for instance. Many people in higher education try to do this at the level of management or mid-management. I take a different approach.
"I think our biggest assets here are our students, and some of our most important partners will be small to medium-sized enterprises. At UWS, I developed work placements where students are paid to take on projects, or to solve problems in the industry. Last year, there were 80 of these projects and we had more than 300 student applications."
Deane replaces Professor Peter Curson, who oversaw the creation of the division out of several schools and departments.
"I think, through Peter's work, most have become used to the new structure. What I'd like to develop is ways to add value to what we all do, to make the new structure work for us to improve teaching, research and the facilities we rely on. I also want to continue working in the area of teaching and course development. I have a Science Lectureship Grant to develop a postgraduate science teaching program in partnership with Murdoch University, the Universities of New England, Central Queensland, Western Sydney and, now, Macquarie University. Then there is the wildlife management course that I'm working on with the Marsupial CRC, of which Macquarie is a partner, and UWS."
Perhaps no longer having to drive for two hours or more to and from work each day will help her work through her ambitious task list. While she'll miss UWS, she certainly won't mind leaving the M4 to others.
Between leaving Macquarie and returning about 20 years have gone by. Deane has had another two children in the meantime: Matthew, 11, and Katie, seven.
Asked about outside interests to round off her day, Deane declares: "Sleep!"
This article first appeared in Macquarie University News - August 2000 and is reproduced with permission.