Flinders’ IDS chief in top 50, more screen success for talented students, dune expert heads to exotic sands, and more in a bumper week of achievements.
IDS chief in the nation’s top 50
Flinders University CIO Kerrie Campbell has scored a place in the list of Australia’s Top 50 Chief Information Officers for 2019.
CIO Australia’s Top 50 list names the nation’s leading technology and digital chiefs each year, recognising inspirational c-level executives who have driven technology-led innovations and are changing the way their organisations operate.
Ms Campbell was among those lauded for exceptional leadership and innovation, with CIO Australia noting:
“In 2017, Adelaide’s Flinders University was in the middle of a significant organisational change when chief information officer, Kerrie Campbell, was hired to help improve operational efficiencies and replace legacy systems as the university modernised its processes and workforce.”
The list is judged by some of Australia’s top executives in entrepreneurship and information technology across the private and public sector.
A profile on Kerrie Campbell including her unique childhood and how it helped shape career success featured in Flinders in Touch last week.
Student films take out advertising awards
Front (L-R): Brooke Bowering and Laura Kennedy
Two video advertisements produced by Flinders University students as part of the Community Voices Program have won awards in the student category of the 42nd Adelaide Advertising and Design Club (AADC) Awards last week.
The awards event, held at the National Wine Centre on 14 November, were attended by 10 Flinders students, all in the third year of their Bachelor of Arts (Screen) degree.
Dr Tom Young, filmmaker and lecturer in screen production who coordinates the Community Voices Program, says Flinders students are producing ground-breaking work as part of the Community Voices Program.
“They write, direct, produce, shoot and edit videos promoting volunteering in South Australia,” Dr Young says.
“I am so proud of them. Last week the advertising industry recognised their amazing videos showcasing the work of both Lutheran Community Care and Headspace.”
Prizes went to:
Lutheran Community Care, for this advertisement produced by Flinders’ filmmaking team: Brooke Bowering, Roya Zamani, Kieran Davidson and William Helm.
Headspace, Port Adelaide, for this advertisement produced by student team: Ellen Baldock, Phoebe Lynch, Jasmine Scuteri-Young and Caitlyn Weber.
The Community Voices Program is an innovative collaboration between the SA Government Department of Human Services and Flinders University Screen Production.
Flinders expert enlisted for key UN report review
Associate Professor Udoy Saikia is one of three Australians among the international review committee for the recently released UN Global Report on Sustainable Development, 2019. This report – which is available at the United Nations website – has been prepared following the decision of the United Nations Member States at the 2016 high-level political forum for sustainable development.
Associate Professor Saikia was nominated by the International Geographical Union and approved as a reviewer by the International Science Council. Another of the Australian reviewers is former Flinders University Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Barber who is currently in the Australian Academy of Science.
Community donation gives cancer research the green light
Dr Noralyn Manucat-Tan and Dr Amy Wyatt have achieved their funding goal to kick off cancer research that will investigate the ability of drug-like compounds to inhibit the growth of a common and aggressive brain cancer.
The milestone was achieved with the support of $8,000 raised by the Adult Brain Cancer Support Association (ABCSA) in Adelaide.
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common and aggressive type of brain tumor. Current therapies include brain surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapies, all of which carry serious effects that lower patients’ quality of life.
Despite treatment, most patients die within two years of diagnosis.
This early stage research will examine whether drug-like compounds can be used to enhance the ability of alpha-2-macroglobulin to inhibit the growth of GBM cells.
Together with raising funds to make a difference, the ABCSA also provides support to people affected by brain cancer at a monthly morning tea held on the last Saturday of every month.
Tibet and China lures dune expert
A new international fellowship for Professor Patrick Hesp will see him off to (further) exotic sands, just months after winning a grant to study dune formations in Poland and Morocco.
Professor Hesp has just received his second China Academy of Science (CAS) Presidents International Fellowship Initiative Visiting Scholarship, following a previous 2017 win.
The award will see him continue research that commenced in 2017 on mega-blowout evolution and dynamics on the Tibet plateau, the largest desert or coastal blowouts in the world. Formed by wind erosion, these sandy depressions are abundant in the region but little is known of their development.
He will also start new research through the fellowship on the evolution and dynamics of parabolic dunes in the Gurban Tungutt desert in northern China (below).
Trim launches at Sydney event
Dr Gillian’s book Trim The Cartographer’s Cat was launched at Gleebooks in Sydney over the weekend, at an event on 17 November.
The launch was hosted by Liz Bray, head of Bloomsbury Australia, who told the audience how she ‘discovered’ Matthew Flinders and his famous cat Trim at the young age of 10.
Around 45 guests attended the celebration, with 30 books sold.
Dr Dooley was interviewed by ABC Radio National Drive to discuss the book – listen to the podcast (starts at about 12:50).
Longstanding reviewer kicks off inaugural ABC feature
Alongside his regular radio slot on the ABC Adelaide 891 as weekly film reviewer, Dr Nick Prescott (Bachelor of Creative Arts Coordinator and Lecturer for the College of HASS) was recently the inaugural guest for a new ABC radio feature, ‘Shelfies’, where guests brought books to the studio that have been important in their lives and discussed their significance with host Peter Goers.
Dr Prescott’s choices included tomes by Alan Garner, Thomas Pynchon, Susanna Clarke, and Audrey Niffenegger, and the discussion Nick had with Peter was extremely well received by ABC listeners.
The podcast for the evening’s show can be found at this link (approximately 2 hours 14 minutes in).