Sir Eric Neal visits Tonsley
Sir Eric Neal, former Flinders University Chancellor and former Governor of South Australia, was welcomed for his first visit to Flinders’ Tonsley facilities on Thursday 16 May. It was a most informative tour for the man who is namesake of the Sir Eric Neal Engineering Building at Flinders’ Bedford Park Campus and was instrumental in the development and growth of the Engineering programs at Flinders.
Sir Eric, who will celebrate his 100th birthday on 3 June, was shown around the Tonsley facilities by Professors Alistair Rendell, John Roddick, Karen Reynolds and Rocco Zito. They introduced Sir Eric to Line Zero and explained plans for the Factory of the Future, with Tim and Kosta demonstrating some of the centre’s capabilities. They then walked through the Tonsley pod laboratories and main building, while sharing some of our exciting research in medical devices and cyber security along the way. Sir Eric was especially thrilled to hear about the impact Flinders is making and that we are working so closely with industry – and it was a true honour for the Flinders staff at Tonsley to share the afternoon with Sir Eric.
FAST developments for Flinders’ solar car
Flinders University’s FAST solar car is being promoted as part of the STEM adventures showcase presented at secondary schools across Adelaide. So far, almost 600 school children have been given tours of the FAST car at the Torrens Valley Christian School in Hope Valley, St Mary’s College in the city and Seymour College. Now, preparations are in full swing for the next vehicle. Robert Chadwick, Electrification Hub Supervisor in the College of Science and Engineering at Tonsley Campus, reports that the design concept for the Flinders Electric Car Mark IV was completed last week and the team now into the detail design phase.
Research Impact Grant for ageing well
Professor Anna Ziersch (pictured left), from the College of Nursing and Public Health, was successful in obtaining an SA Health, Impact Research Grant for Ageing Well. Her project addresses the overlooked positive ageing experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse migrants and refugees aged more than 50 years. Partners in the project include the Australian Refugee Association, Community Centres SA, and the Council on the Ageing. The study generates evidence and recommendations supporting older migrants and refugees, aligning with social inclusion and human rights priorities. The project aligns with the Office for Ageing Well’s social inclusion priority through its focus on identifying resources and strengths in many CALD communities and countering negative narratives of ageing by highlighting the importance of intergenerational connections in many collectivist communities and how older people are highly valued. It is also relevant to the human rights priority area through its consideration of older migrants and refugees where ageism can intersect with other forms of discrimination.
Sleep experts make their mark in the States
Professor Danny Eckert recently presented a paper at the American Thoracic Society Conference in San Diego. The paper, which found that a third of patients with obstructive sleep apnea had an apnea-hypopnea index less than 10 events per hour after oral appliance therapy, was presented on behalf the FHMRI Sleep team. Read more about the paper here.