ON THE MOVE campusreview. com. au
STRICTLY SPEAKING | PETRICHOR
UNSW TAPS HUMANITIES PRO
Former headmaster of Sydney Grammar School and respected classical scholar Dr John Vallance will join UNSW as honorary professor for the public understanding of the humanities.
In his position, Vallance will work with the deputy vice-chancellor, education, professor Merlin Crossley and the School of Humanities and Languages in UNSW Arts and Social Sciences. Crossley said:“ John is a highly respected intellectual and a formidable champion for educational quality and access.
“ I am delighted that the university has given me the opportunity to support its work in this exciting new way,” Vallance said.
NEW INDIGENOUS LEAD AT CDU
Professor Adrian Miller has been appointed to head Charles Darwin University’ s Indigenous Leadership portfolio.
Miller was born, raised and educated in northern Australia, and is currently academic director of Indigenous education and research at Griffith University.
“ Since completing his undergraduate and postgraduate education at James Cook University, professor Miller has held research, teaching and senior leadership roles in four universities,” CDU vicechancellor Simon Maddocks said.
“ We are looking forward to professor Miller applying his extensive experience to our enterprise.”
Petrichor was coined by CSIRO scientists Isabel Bear and Richard Thomas in 1964, as the name for the oily liquid they had discovered to be released from the earth when moistened by humidity or rain. It’ s also the name for the distinctive smell that this substance emits. Like many scientific terms, it is derived from Ancient Greek – petros, meaning‘ stone’ or‘ rock’, and ichor, which was the name for the fluid that was supposed to run through the veins of the gods. So it could be translated as‘ stone-essence’, a descriptive term with richly allusive qualities. Smell is the most primeval of our senses, and is directly processed by the brain, unlike sight and hearing for example. It is deeply connected with memory – a stray aroma from a plant, person or place can plunge us instantly back into long-lost recollections. So it is appropriate that petrichor features in Dr
Who, that most nostalgic of sci-fi series – its main character a homeless, timewandering alien. In one episode petrichor is the telepathically transmitted password that allows access to the Doctor’ s hijacked Tardis. Like the Tardis, some words are bigger on the inside.
Written by Dr Adam Smith, convenor of the Editing and Electronic Publishing Program at Macquarie University.
UQ PHYSICIST ROYALLY ACKNOWLEDGED
University of Queensland School of Mathematics and Physics quantum physics researcher emeritus professor Gerard Milburn has been elected as a fellow of the Royal Society.
Head of school professor Joseph Grotowski said the honour recognised professor Milburn’ s“ sustained contribution to physics at the highest level”.
Milburn has worked in quantum optics, quantum stochastic processes, atom optics, quantum control and engineered quantum systems, including optomechanics and superconducting quantum circuits.
USC ELECTS NEW DEPUTY CHANCELLOR
The University of the Sunshine Coast has elected local small businessman and philanthropist Scott Williams as its new deputy chancellor.
Williams was first appointed to the USC council in 2012 and is currently the chairperson of its Planning and Resources Committee.
“ It’ s a privilege and an honour to be appointed deputy chancellor of USC,” Williams said.
“ I have a commitment to education for my philanthropy and I want to contribute to its governance.
“ Because the university is very fastgrowing and therefore exposed to disruptive technology changes, I think future planning will be a focus for me in this role.”
USQ NAMES VICE CHANCELLOR
Professor Geraldine
Mackenzie has been appointed the University of Southern Queensland’ s new vice-chancellor. She was formerly the DVC( research) at Southern Cross University.
“ USQ is highly regarded across the university sector for the aspirational opportunities it gives to students no matter their background or circumstance, and it will be my priority to foster those initiatives, to build on the collaborative research partnerships it has and to work closely with its extraordinary staff in building its future as one of Australia’ s leading regional universities,” Mackenzie said.
AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECT HEADS TO BOND
Bond University’ s Faculty of Society and Design has appointed award-winning Queensland architect and academic Michael Keniger to its Abedian School of Architecture.
Keniger, the former Queensland Government Architect who helped deliver public projects such as Brisbane’ s Gallery of Modern Art( GOMA) and State Library, was recognised in May with the 2017 National President’ s Prize at the Australian Institute of Architects’ annual convention for his commitment to education and the improvement of quality of life through architecture and urban design.
“ I look forward to assisting with strategic matters, and to increasing the profile of the school globally,” Keniger said.
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