| Issue 62 (WAIS 2) Contents
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University Welcome Address
Dean's Opening Remarks
Prof Beryl Hesketh,
Dean of Science
Pro-Vice Chancellor (Science & Technology)
University of Sydney.
The Hon Peter McGauran, Ms Sylvia Scott, Elder representing the Wirdjadurie People, Carolyn Allport, Pauline Gallagher, and colleagues. Welcome.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Gavin Brown expressly asked me to pass on his warm welcome and good wishes for a fruitful conference. In his writ-ten welcome in the proceedings, Professor Brown notes many of the achievements of women in Science and Technology at the University of Sydney, and highlights the commitment of the University to increasing representation of women in non-tradition-al areas.
In the College of Sciences and Technology at the University of Sydney, we are making some progress. Professor Judy Raper is the Dean of Engineering, and I am the Dean of Science. I must confess it is terrific having another senior female dean as a major colleague.
When I was appointed Dean of Science nearly 4 years ago, I was the only female professor in the Faculty of Science, although several female professors had appointments in fields related to science in the Faculties of Medicine and Veterinary Science.
Now, it is with considerable delight that I can point to several improvements over that situation. Marcela Bilek is the University of Sydney Professor of Applied Physics and winner of the McIntosh Prize for the Physical Sciences in 2002. Nalini Joshi is Professor of Applied Mathematics, Sally Andrews is Professor of Cognitive Psychology, and Jenny Brand-Miller has been promoted to Professor in Human Nutrition.
I anticipate that these appointments and promotions are among the first of many more over the next years. I have confidence in assuming this because of the wonderful group of young female academic staff, as well as female students enrolling in our top science degree programs. Judging from the prizes, Rhodes Scholarships and other acknowledgements that they have been receiving, their future is bright. Fortunately, I believe that this growth in the involvement of young women in science is being mirrored in other institutions.
Seminars such as this are important as they help to maintain the momentum, and provide an opportunity for networking and sharing of experiences and strategies among women to ensure that we can take our place in the sun.