Prolific output by creative writing academic 

Associate Professor Steve Evans, who was previously both the Head of English, Creative Writing and Australian Studies and the Program Director of Creative Writing at Flinders, has remained very active as a writer since leaving his full-time position to be a carer for his late wife and former Flinders staff member Dr Kate Deller-Evans through her cancer journey.

Associate Professor Evans won the 2019 Satura Prize for Poetry (commemorating poet and former Chief Justice the late John Bray) and was short-listed for the 2019 Penguin Novel Manuscript prize. He published a short story collection, Easy Money, and Other Stories in 2019 (his 13th published book), wrote three novels that are currently with prospective publishers, is writing another collection of short stories and a further poetry collection, edited and acted as production editor for two books of poetry released in 2019, and served on a 2019 state government panel advising consultants regarding the new South Australian Arts Plan.

Next year will also be busy, with the release of a collection of poetry, Animal Instincts, along with a volume of selected editorials for a top-ranked accounting journal.

Offering perspective on Costa Rica’s ‘sustainable’ coffee industry

Flinders alumna Dr Melissa Vogt has a new book being published by open access publisher Ubiquity Press, titled Variance in Approach toward A ‘Sustainable’ Coffee Industry In Costa Rica: Perspectives From Within; Lessons And Insights.

The book sheds light on how complicated it can be to create improved sustainability outcomes in source countries through trade, and how various sustainability labels might differ. Within the sphere of coffee production, Dr Vogt examines areas that overlap with public interest topics of sustainability, consumption, trade and poverty reduction, whilst providing suggestions for improvement.

Scholarship to foster ocular excellence

Flinders student Dylan Bentley is one of only four Australian students to have received US philanthropic funding for their ocular studies. His Australian Practice Excellence Scholarship has been awarded by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation (the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of Optometry) and VSP Global, as a new initiative to mark the 3rd World Congress of Optometry held in conjunction with the Academy meeting in Orlando, Florida. The four Australian scholarships represent part of $200,000 awarded to a group top-performing fourth-year optometry students in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.