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STRICTLY STRICTLY SPEAKING SPEAKING | OFF-GRIDDER | FATBERG
The suffix berg( a Germanic word for‘ mountain’) has long been used in English to describe natural phenomena that resemble mountains, from cloudberg to rockberg to the very familiar iceberg. It has also been applied to man-made objects for a different reason. Oilbergs can be either supertankers or oil slicks floating on the sea – both of which have most of their mass below the water, like icebergs. The most recent addition to the berg family in the Oxford English Dictionary is another unnatural phenomenon – the fatberg. This monstrous creation lurks in city sewers, formed from congealed fat and other compacted waste that has been carelessly disposed of. One fatberg recently discovered creating a blockage in the sewers of London has been measured at 250 metres long and weighing 130 tonnes. They don’ t grow as big in Australia, but are still a common problem, with an ABC report claiming that 4000 fatbergs are cleaned up each year in Brisbane alone. With the threat of global warming, we can imagine a nightmarish scenario unfolding. Icebergs will disappear, to be replaced by fatbergs, roaming the swollen oceans, bringing all who encounter them to a sticky( or greasy) end.
Written by Dr Adam Smith, convenor of the Editing and Electronic Publishing Program at Macquarie University.
UTAS NAMES NEW VC
Ethicist, educator and strategic consultant Professor Rufus Black has been appointed vice-chancellor and president at the University of Tasmania. Black is currently master of the University of Melbourne’ s Ormond College and deputy chancellor of Victoria University, and will begin his new role in March. UTAS chancellor Michael Field said Black stood out among strong competition for the position.“ Within that group, Professor Black demonstrated a rare mix of high intellect, academic standing and commercial experience that we feel will be necessary to lead a period of cultural transformation here,” he said.
FIRST FEMALE CEO FOR POLYTECHNIC
Melbourne Polytechnic has welcomed Frances Coppolillo as its new chief executive officer. Coppolillo has been deputy chief executive since 2014 and was previously deputy director of programs, teaching and learning, and joined the VET sector as a teacher in 1986. She was also a founding director on the board of the TAFE Development Centre( now the VET Development Centre) and has led projects in resource development, best practice, student engagement and retention. Coppolillo is the first female to be appointed to the chief executive spot.
UniSA DEFENCE DIRECTOR ROLE
Former Australian Army officer and Saab Australia’ s head of industry engagement Matt Opie will take on a new position of defence director at the University of South Australia.
With experience in strategic management and business development, Opie has worked around the world and looks forward to his new role.
“ I’ ll be dedicated to improving the way university research and industry collaboration can develop and deliver what the Australian Defence Force needs,” he said.“ That involves a clear understanding of what end-users need – from the kinds of graduates industry requires to complete and improve defence industry projects, to the types of research projects that will truly inform advancement in defence capability and deliver solutions.”
NEWCASTLE VC CALLS IT A DAY
University of Newcastle vice-chancellor and president Professor Caroline McMillen will retire next year following seven years of service. Chancellor Paul Jeans said McMillen would leave the institution at a high point:“ Under Caroline’ s watch, UON has continued to forge a path as a leader in equity, Indigenous education, research and innovation, and has risen strongly in key university rankings.”
McMillen said some of her proudest moments had been seeing the university take its place among the top 1 per cent in the world and securing a $ 26 million contribution for the Ma and Morley Scholarship Program.
NOTED AUTHOR HEADS FOR WSU
Award-winning author and Australian studies expert Professor Labao Wang has been named director of the Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture at Western Sydney University. With a PhD in Australian literature, Wang was previously dean of the School of Foreign Languages at Soochow University.
WSU vice-chancellor Barney Glover said Wang would help the university partner with those in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. He will replace Professor Jocelyn Chey, who will continue to be involved with WSU in an advisory role.
ROBOTICS GURU PROMOTED
The University of Sydney’ s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies has promoted robotics professor Salah Sukkarieh to the role of associate dean( industry and innovation).
Faculty dean Professor Archie Johnston congratulated Sukkarieh on his appointment, and said he would now lead three faculties in industry engagement.“ The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies has a long tradition of innovation and engagement with external partners,” he said.
“ In this new role, Sukkarieh will build on our faculty’ s existing and emergent strengths to form exciting new partnerships and foster greater connectivity between our researchers and industry, government and other global partners.” ■
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