Past ceremonies

Friday 5 October at 11am

Geelong - Costa Hall

Faculty of Arts Faculty of Health, Nursing, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences

Geelong Costa Hall

Stage Party

The Deputy Chancellor Mr Adrian Kloeden presided, assisted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor David Stokes.

MC was the Chief Operating Officer, Mr Graeme Dennehy.

Mace-bearer was Ms Tina Katopodis, Student Support Leader, Faculty of Arts.

Presenters were:
Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Gary Smith.
Deputy Dean Faculty of Health Medicine Nursing and Behavioural Sciences, Associate Professor Hilde Lovegrove.
Chair of the Academic Board, Professor Frank Stagnitti.
Student Response was delivered by Dr Lesley Hardcastle - PhD.

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Health Science

Dr Rosemary McGinnes
whose thesis was entitled:
"Physical Activity Advice and Obesity."

Summary
Current physical activity guidelines need to be modified to incorporate specific recommendations for obese people and consideration needs to be given to greater collaboration among health care providers to provide a multi disciplinary team approach that may be a more effective method of managing obesity and promoting physical activity.

Doctor of Psychology

Dr Sophie Simone Banfield
Whose thesis was entitled:
"A Peer-Focused Depression Prevention Program for Preadolescent Children."

Summary
This thesis was designed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a peer-focused cognitive-behavioural depression prevention program (Kool Kids Program [KKP]) for preadolescent children. It was demonstrated that the KKP was partially effective at reducing depressive symptoms and improving the psychosocial functioning of preadolescent children up to 6-months following intervention.

Dr Seaton Kingsley Charlesworth
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for Depressed Elderly in Hostels."

Summary
Depression among older adults is a significant health concern. Research involved development and implementation of psychological intervention among older adults living in residential care. Poor participation was encountered amongst residential care facilities and older adults. This research identified barriers impeding provision of care for older adults with mental health concerns.

Dr Shauna Jane McGreevy
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Socio-Cultural Messages, Body Image, and Body Change Strategies with Men."

Summary
Men received information about the ideal male body from perceived media messages and peers through encouragement, teasing, or modelled behaviours. BMI also influenced participant's perceptions of their body-image and the strategies they used to change their shape. Sexual partners generally held positive views of men's body shape and weight.

Dr Emily Louise Price
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Internet-Based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction."

Summary
This thesis involved the development and evaluation of Rekindle, an internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) program for erectile dysfunction (ED). For highly motivated couples, Rekindle was more effective than no treatment for improving sexual function and relationships. Most men who completed Rekindle had maintained treatment gains at 3 month follow-up.

Dr Rachel Edith Same
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Parental Influences Upon Their Children's Body Image Concerns and Behaviours."

Summary
An examination of the influence of parents revealed that sons' and daughters' perceptions of the direct and indirect pressures exerted by both mothers and fathers were more predictive of their body image concerns and body change strategies than the messages reported by parents.

Dr Klaire Marion Wallace
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Societal Constructions of The Psycho-Legal Notion of Mental Impairment in Victoria."

Summary
The study explored the factors relevant to decision-making when the defence of mental impairment is raised in Victoria. Findings indicate that disorder type, crime outcome, and the relationship between victim and offender were significantly associated with verdict decisions, while offender gender did not play a significant role in responsibility decisions.

Doctor of Psychology (Health)

Dr Justin McNamara
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Exercise Dependence and Elite Australian Athletes."

Summary
This thesis provided an examination of exercise dependence (EXD) among elite Australian athletes. The research identified the main symptoms of EXD among elite athletes as excessive training, withdrawal, and continuance behaviours. EXD was found to be associated with irrational beliefs relating to training, low self-esteem, and limited social support.

Dr Caroline Ann Schwerkolt
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Understanding Why Cancer Survivors Help Others: Quality of Life Implications."

Summary
This research examined cancer survivors' reasons for providing peer support to cancer patients, and the impact this type of helping behaviour has on cancer survivors' quality of life. Results revealed six prominent reasons for providing peer support, and that helping others did not increase survivors' already high quality of life.
Doctor of Philosophy

Dr Susan Blackwood
Whose thesis was entitled:
Jungle, Desert, Ice: Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, Victorian Branch.

Summary
Between 1884 and 1920 the Society was part of an intense period of international geographical interest, imperialism and nationalism. This empirical history shows that the Society sought to explore New Guinea, Northern and Central Australia, and Antarctica, pursuing issues of land use, labour and commercial development of these regions.

Dr Craig Cormick
Whose thesis was entitled:
"The Last Supper: The Creation And Recreation of Alexander Pearce."

Summary
A creative reimagining of the life of Alexander Pearce (1790?-1824), the 'cannibal convict' of Van Diemen's Land, seeking a more historically accurate portrayal than the narrow stereotypes seen in literature, such as the brutish character Gabbett in Marcus Clarke's 1874 novel "For the Term of His Natural Life".

Dr Steven Nicholas Grivas
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Apprehending Vision: Perception, Knowledge And Identity in Violent Reflexive Cinema."

Summary
Apprehending Vision: Perception, Knowledge and Identity in Violent Reflexive Cinema explores the contexts, conditions and implications of post-modern 'visuality' through a body of films that display a critical preoccupation with vision, visual technologies and violence, and which promote the demystification of visual cultures and the expansion of perception and subjectivity.

Dr Lesley Ann Hardcastle
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Attitudes Towards the Employability of Ex-Offenders: An Ecological Approach."

Summary
Employment is important in the reintegration of people with a criminal record. This thesis investigated the attitudes of four stakeholder groups towards the employability of ex-offenders. While the study found negative and stereotypical perceptions of the employability of ex-offenders, it also found significant differences in people's attitudes. It proposed an ecological systems model to explain these differences.

Dr Claire Henderson-Wilson
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Living High but Healthy: High-Rise Housing, Nature, Health and Wellbeing."

Summary
This exploratory mixed methods study investigated the factors, including access to nature (i.e. parks and gardens), impacting on inner city high-rise residents, health and wellbeing. Analysis of the integrated findings revealed that a range of factors (including accessibility, choice and control and tenure) impact on residents, health and wellbeing.

Dr Merrilyn Hooley
Whose thesis was entitled:
"The Behaviour of Infants/Toddlers at 'Falling-Off' Places: An Ecological Analysis."

Summary
Toddlers were observed as they freely explored different `falling-off¿ places on a visual cliff. Toddlers played extensively with wet/non-rigid surfaces (e.g. water) and briefly explored dry/rigid surfaces. Edges were crossed intentionally and unintentionally, either as an extension or consequence of edge engagement, by a sub-group of toddlers. The findings have implications for drowning/injury prevention.

Dr Cecily Jane Maller
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Hands-on Contact with Nature and Children's Mental, Emotional, and Social Health."

Summary
This research investigated the benefits of children's contact with nature as perceived by adult educators. It was found that contact with nature is perceived to: increase self-confidence and self-esteem; provide opportunities to experience mystery, privacy, and sensory engagement; connect children with school; and accommodate different learning styles and abilities.

Dr Kathryn Mary McInally
Whose thesis was entitled:
"(Queer) Deleuzean Reading of Desire in Australian Young Adult Fiction."

Summary
This thesis analyses the representation of adolescent girls' friendships in Australian Young Adult fiction. Through Deleuzean philosophy, the relationships between girls are read as spaces of empowering and unbounded passions, which defy binarised distinctions and categorisations. The analysis of these fictional relationships disentangles desire from psychoanalytic lack and uncovers its productivity.

Dr Michael John Murray
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Prayers and Pastures: Moidart Emigrants in Victoria, 1852 - 1920."

Summary
In 1852 thirty-seven Households from working class Catholic backgrounds emigrated from Moidart, Scotland, to the Colony of Port Phillip in Australia. This study personalises and contextualises the experiences of three generations in Scotland, on board ship and in Victoria concluding that upward social mobility and economic security were achievable.

Dr Bernice Helen Redley
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Psychosocial Care of Family of Critically-Ill Patients."

Summary
Responding to families with a critically ill relative is difficult for emergency department clinicians. This innovative research program used best evidence, integrated with perspectives from families and clinicians, to develop context specific guidelines and sensitive tools to assist emergency department clinicians provide quality psychosocial care to meet multidimensional family needs.

Dr Joanne Scicluna
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Bye, Bye the Appler"

Summary
This thesis explores the importance and relevance of fiction in representing the anguish, its causes and the unknowability of a mother and her (possibly) autistic child. The problems of language discovered in this relationship were found to intersect with parallel issues in the realm of creative writing.

Dr Henk John van Leeuwen
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Becoming at Home in the Natural World"

Summary
This thesis links the environmental crisis with a contemporary sense of meaninglessness, which the philosopher Martin Heidegger interprets in terms of unrecognised ontological homelessness. Within his work it discerns a transitory and transformative pathway of thinking that reveals an enduring, thoughtful and holistic self-understanding and enables an authentically human response.

Dr Paul Richard Weldon
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Genre Theory and Language Change in a Community of Practice."

Summary
Business letters are complex sites of interaction. Discussions of genre theory from different disciplinary perspectives (psychology, applied linguistics, rhetoric) highlight tension between stability and change in writing as a social activity. The research extends the use of ethnographic methodology and Communities of Practice in examining writing and a writing community.

Dr Loes Westerbeek-Veld
Whose thesis was entitled:
"Dutch Indonesians in Australia: Second-Generation Identity in the Diaspora."

Summary
Exploring 'local' and 'transnational' relationships, this research shows that second-generation relationships with the homeland and with other members in the diaspora, are less important regarding (diasporic) identity formation than realities of sedentary diasporic life (in Australia) and that 'locality' and diaspora are not opposing concepts but theoretically and practically interconnected.

Occasional Address

The Occasional Address was delivered by Mr Andrew Brookes, CEO Colonial Foundation.

Andrew Brookes joined the Colonial Foundation as Executive Officer in January 2001.
Colonial Foundation Trust aims to make a positive contribution to society by supporting organisations that work to find solutions for those in need or to improve the quality of community life. The Trust distributes some $7 million to the community each year. Areas of support include youth mental health research, indigenous health and well-being, disadvantaged youth, medical research and more recently, reducing illicit drug use. Following the takeover of Colonial Limited by Commonwealth Bank in June 2000, Colonial Foundation became a private, independent trust concentrating solely on its charitable objectives.

Mr Brookes joined the Foundation after 22 years in a variety of roles with the Colonial Group of companies. These roles included Group Compliance Manager; Group Superannuation Manager; and leading the team responsible for negotiating the contract for the joint venture life insurance operation in the Peoples' Republic of China.

Mr Brookes is Chair of the Philanthropy Australia Early Intervention Affinity Group; a member of the Melbourne Health Human Research Ethics Committee and the Advisory Board of the Royal Agricultural Society Education Foundation. He also serves as a Director of LifeWorks Relationship Counselling and Education Services and the Victoria Police Youth Foundation.

Mr Brookes is the great-grandson of Alfred Deakin, Australia's second Prime Minister, after whom Deakin University is named.