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Issue 18 - Wednesday 12 September

ACU Update is produced fortnightly for staff, students and friends of Australian Catholic University (ACU). To submit a news article or event, please email editor@acu.edu.au or call 02 9739 2514.

Launch of double degree to boost emergency services in Victoria

ACU’s new Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Paramedicine degree will be available at the Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) from 2008.

The course, the only undergraduate paramedicine degree offered in western Victoria, was jointly launched by Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV) General Manager Clinical Governance Mr Tony Walker and ACU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen on 5 September.

Upon completion of the double degree, graduates will be qualified as paramedics and eligible for registration with the Nurses Board of Victoria.

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Associate Professor Tony Walker with Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen

Brisbane Campus hosts law society forum

The Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) recently hosted a round table discussion on depression in the legal profession.

Chaired by ACU Professor of Law Father Frank Brennan SJ and led by visiting psychologist and depression expert Dr Michael Yapko, the event provided an opportunity for members of the Queensland Law Society to share their experiences.

The meeting was a culmination of Dr Yapko's visit to Australia as a guest of the University, which has included a number of free public lectures on depression as well as professional development workshops for psychologists and counsellors.

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Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Sheehan AO (left), Dr Michael Yapko, National School of Psychology Assistant Head Dr Anne Tolan and Queensland Law Society CEO Peter Carne

Printmakers’ exhibition opens tonight

Sink or Swim, a touring exhibition by prominent Sydney printmakers Geraldine Berkemeier and Gary Shinfield will open at the ACU Gallery at the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) this evening (Wednesday 12 September) from 6pm to 8pm. Entry is from Gate 3, 25A Barker Rd, Strathfield.

The artists will discuss their work from 5pm and Manly Art Gallery and Museum Director Therese Kenyon will open the exhibition at 6pm.

The exhibition of large scale prints evoking Australia’s maritime history will run until 29 September. The gallery will be open 11am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday.

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Partnership launches online science education

ACU, IBM, Sydney University’s Science Foundation for Physics and the NSW Department of Education and Training are collaborating in a ground-breaking science education program for Sydney primary schools.

The MyScience pilot project, recently showcased at two Sydney schools as part of National Science Week, aims to improve the delivery of science, engineering and technology education in schools and to ignite students’ interest.

About 180 Year 5 and 6 students at Beecroft Public School and Quakers Hill East Public School took part in MyScience activities during the week. At Beecroft, students presented their research findings on Communication to their peers and listened to Professor Peter Watterson from the University of Technology Sydney speak about his artificial heart valve project.

More information is at http://myscience.com.au

Update MyScience story (pics to be provided by Beecroft teacher tomorrow):

Views on values in modern Australian society

Deputy Vice-Chancellor(Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen recently addressed staff and students at the Eastmeadows Campus of Isik College, an independent non-denominational private multicampus Victiorian high school. She gave her personal views on values in modern Australian society.

“Four fundamental values guide my life,” Professor McMullen said. “They are truth, freedom, justice and love. If I put them into practice as a truthful person, a person who seeks freedom for others, one who is committed to justice and who loves her fellow humans, irrespective of their colour, race, religion or place in society, then I contribute to a more dignified and truly human life for the people around me in my sphere of Australian society.

“If large numbers of people believe in these same four values – truth, freedom, justice and love – then we will see in Australia those economic, political, cultural and social reforms necessary to bring about a more just, free, truthful and loving society, one that respects the essential dignity of every person, man, woman and the smallest child.”

Professor McMullen pointed out that these values coincide with the beliefs of Confucius, the Chinese sage who lived from 551-479 BCE, whose teachings call humans to fix one’s personal life; regulate one’s family; govern one’s state well; and strive for peace throughout the world.

She also praised the example set by Grand Mufti of Istanbul Mustafa Cagrici last November in the historic Blue Mosque when he invited Catholic Pope Benedict XVI “to pray with him there for peace and understanding that all of us from our different traditions would embrace these fundamental values of truth, freedom, justice and love”.

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Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen

Victorian Health Commissioner presents nursing seminar at Ballarat Campus

Victorian Health Commissioner Beth Wilson recently visited the Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) to present a seminar on the nursing complaint resolution process.

The free seminar focused on how complaints by patients are used to improve the quality of health services in Victoria. Among those in attendance were local health professionals, media representatives and members of the campus community.

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Victorian Health Commissioner Beth Wilson (left) with Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) Rector Associate Professor Anne Hunt

Jeff McMullen to speak on Indigenous health and education

Journalist Jeff McMullen, presenter of ABC TV’s Difference Of Opinion and former 60 Minutes reporter will give a free public lecture at the Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) this Friday 14 September at 7.30pm.

Presenting the annual Aquinas Lecture, Mr McMullen will explore ways in which ordinary Australians can contribute to easing the crises in Indigenous health and education, and will explain how these two issues are connected.

Mr McMullen has spent the past six years as honorary CEO of Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe’s Foundation for Youth, helping build an alliance of people determined to achieve improvements in the health and education of Indigenous children. The annual Aquinas Lecture explores contemporary social justice issues.

Closing the space between us: easing the crisis in Aboriginal health and education, will be presented in the Mulkearns Lecture Theatre at 1200 Mair St, Ballarat.

For more information, contact Ann Card on (03) 5336 5383 or at ann.card@acu.edu.au

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Jeff McMullen

Indigenous week celebrations

A number of staff, students and friends of ACU recently celebrated Indigenous week at the University. At the Ballarat Campus (Aquinas), the Wautharong people were acknowledged as the traditional Indigenous owners and custodians of the land, and message sticks were discussed at weekly Mass, where a symbolic one was blessed and installed in the Chapel.

“Message sticks have been used for thousands of years by Aboriginal people as a way of communicating across the country,” said Jim-baa-yer Indigenous Unit Co-ordinator Naomi Wolfe. “Today Aboriginal Catholics carry the Message Stick with the bible, symbolising the respect for cultural differences when spreading the Good News. The one blessed and installed in the Chapel will have a permanent place.”

“Our Message Stick is symbolic of the Pass It On Message Stick Relay of 2005 and 2006 in which the following words of Pope John Paul II at the gathering in Alice Springs in 1986 were remembered. ‘… the Church herself in Australia will not be fully the Church that Jesus wants her to be until you have made your contribution to her life and until that contribution has been joyfully received by others’."

At the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) there was a flag-raising ceremony, and third-year education student Jennifer Hodges and first-year education student Matthew Shiels spoke on the theme Looking forward, looking back, reflecting on the development of the campus’s Yalbalinga Indigenous Support Unit.

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Celebrating Indigenous week at the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary)

Sister Cecily Dunne Scholarship awarded at Ballarat Campus

Trish Libbis is the latest recipient of the Sister Cecily Dunne Scholarship, awarded each year to a second year Bachelor of Nursing student at the Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) who has demonstrated excellence in nursing practice and academic study.

Trish was presented with $1,000 by St John of God Hospital Ballarat Director of Nursing Therese Johnstone in a special ceremony. With the scholarship comes the guarantee of an interview for the graduate program at St John of God Health Services Ballarat.

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St John of God Hospital Ballarat Director of Nursing Therese Johnstone (left) presents the Sister Cecily Dunne Scholarship to Trish Libbis

Exploring the spiritual lives of people with intellectual disabilities

The findings of recent research into how people with intellectual disabilities understand and value spirituality and purpose in life, and how their families, social services and religious communities can enhance their spiritual experiences, will be discussed by an international expert and author in the field.

King’s College Aberdeen University Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability Founder and Professor of Practical Theology and Pastoral Care Professor John Swinton will share his insight in the Christ Lecture Theatre at the Melbourne Campus (St Patrick’s) on Wednesday 17 October from 5pm to 6pm. Refreshments will be provided at 4.30pm.

The presentation is sponsored by the University’s Quality of Life and Social Justice Flagship and National Disability Services.

ACU hosts Humboldt huddle on scientific research

The Melbourne Campus (St Patrick's) recently hosted the 12th Biennial Meeting of the Australian Association of von Humboldt Fellows (AAvHF), considering such questions as Combatting terrorism using fluorescence spectroscopy to identify bacteria, and HIV and malaria: Implications for co-infection.

Members of the AAvHF, all of whom are previous holders of the prestigious Humboldt Research Fellowships awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Bonn, Germany, met to share research findings and discuss ways of promoting cooperation between Australian researchers and their international counterparts.

“Alexander von Humboldt, a 19th Century Prussian naturalist, explorer and author of the influential scientific tome Kosmos, is a model and inspiration for the international fellows who are funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to undertake research in Germany,” said Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen, a AAvHF regional representative in Victoria.

A reception was hosted by the German Embassy in Melbourne in recognition of the strong ongoing links between the former Humboldt Research Fellowships and the Federal Republic of Germany.

ACU represented at snow sports competition

ACU was represented with distinction at the Australian University Snow Sport Championships this month by Natalie Maclarn of the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary), who competed in three events.

Natalie, a second year Bachelor of Exercise Science student, participated in the border cross, the giant parallel slalom and the half-pipe events at the championships, held recently at the Perisher snowfields.

Natalie, encouraged to take up winter sports by her parents, has been skiing since she was four years old and took up snowboarding about seven years ago.

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Natalie Maclarn

ACU staff shirts available to order

University Relations has received a number of expressions of interest in obtaining a corporate shirt for use when representing the University.

Quotes have been sourced for a ladies’ 3/4 sleeve fitted shirt and a mens’ long sleeve shirt. These shirts, available in red, white and charcoal grey, will cost approximately $29.95 each, or less if a large number are ordered.

The shirts will be embroidered with the ACU logo in full colour on the front left of the shirt and Australian Catholic University embroidered across the back at the shoulder line.

The ladies’ shirt is a fitted blouse made from 60% cotton, 35% polyester and 5% elastine with standard sizes available in 8 to 26. The mens’ shirt is a business shirt made from 65% cotton and 35% polyester with sizes ranging from small to 5XL.

As this is a special order, these shirts may only be purchased by contacting Amanda Forsyth at amanda.forsyth@acu.edu.au by Friday 21 September with colour, size and quantity.

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This is an example of the style of business shirts that will be available.

Social justice forum

A social justice forum at the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) on Wednesday 19 September from noon to 1pm will explore Who are our neighours? Australia as a global citizen.

The question, raised by the Catholic Bishops of Australia in their statement on social justice, will be addressed by the statement’s author, ACU Professor of Law Father Frank Brennan SJ AO, and visiting professor Duncan MacLaren.

The forum will be hosted by the University’s Institute for Advancing Community Engagement, Institute of Legal Studies, Mission Engagement Team, Institute of Theology, Philosophy and Religious Education, the Edmund Rice Centre, St Columbans Mission Society Australia and New Zealand region (CMI) and Caritas Australia.

RSVP by Monday 17 September to iace@acu.edu.au or telephone Helen McLucas on (02) 9701 4176 for more information.

Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) Open Day this Saturday!

Open day at the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) will provide an opportunity for future students and their families to see some of the exciting aspects of programs in arts, education, exercise science, social work, theology, visual arts and design.

It is also a chance to attend a mature age student or parent information session, check out the visual arts, textiles, food technology, metal/wood and exercise science displays and meet with staff and students to find out about courses and the diversity of careers.

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Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary)

ACU and Rotary collaboration for East Timor

Members of the University’s Institute for the Advancement of Community Engagement, the Flagship for Creative and Authentic Leadership, the School of Education (NSW), the Mission Engagement Team and Rotary of Glenhaven met recently at the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) and agreed to explore ways of working together with the people of East Timor to further advance teacher capacity building through the Catholic Teachers’ College in Baucau.

A major focus was on how to support newly-appointed graduating teachers in their significant roles within schools and the wider community across the country. The meeting provided a good opportunity to reflect upon East Timor’s educational priorities, with key insights being presented by the East Timorese visiting Fellows Avelino Correira and Jose Mendes from East Timor, and Nelson Martins who is studying in Indonesia. Further meetings are planned.

Upcoming Events

Details on these and other upcoming events can be found at www.acu.edu.au/events

Promote your event by listing it on the myACU events section and by emailing details to editor@acu.edu.au.