Graduation - past ceremonies
Thursday, 2 October at 5pm
Costa Hall, Waterfront Campus, Deakin University, Geelong.
Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences
Faculty of Science and Technology
Stage Party
The Chancellor, Mr David Morgan presided, assisted by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sally Walker.
The MC was th Acting Vice-President and Council Secretary, Ms Fofi Hronopoulos.
The Mace-bearer was Mr Dale Warren.
The Faculty Representative was Mr Darren Taylor.
Presenters were:
The Dean, Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences, Professor John Catford.
The Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology, Professor Brian McGaw.
Chair, Academic Board, Professor Philomena Leung.
Honorary Doctorate
An honorary Doctor of Laws was conferred on Professor Judith Ramaley in recognition of her distinguished contribution to the community as a leader in the higher education sector and as a researcher in the areas of neurophysiology and immunochemistry and in recognition of her contribution to science, technology and mathematics education.
The Student Response was delivered by Dr Adrian Tomyn.
Doctoral Degree Recipients
Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)
Dr Victoria Carr - Thesis Title: "The Role of Alcohol Consumption in Recovering Drug Users."
Summary
Alcohol consumption by illicit drug users has not been well researched. The findings of this study indicated that recovering drug users sometimes use alcohol as a substitute for illicit drugs and that it may play a role in relapse. Further studies are required to understand the underlying processes.
Dr Rebecca Michelle Diehm - Thesis Title: "Factors Influencing the Impact of Secondary Exposure to Trauma."
Summary
The research found significant relationships between secondary exposure to client trauma and symptoms associated with secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma in a sample of community mental health clinicians. The research supports developmental conceptualisations of the relationships between these constructs and burnout, and identifies potential individual vulnerability and protective factors.
Dr Anita Govindan - Thesis Title: "Suicidal Intent within an Acute Australian Self-Harming Cohort."
Summary
The relationship between predisposing risk factors and precipitating life events of individuals presenting to an emergency department with Deliberate Self-Harm was investigated. Poor mental health and childhood abuse were related to suicide intent, only individuals¿ perceptions regarding their current life events were directly associated with lethality of the self-harm act.
Dr Yoko Hayashi - Thesis Title: "Meaning in Life during Midlife Development."
Summary
Findings revealed midlife adults see meaning in life as comprising life philosophy/value, and purpose/reason, which guide and direct, and help to make sense of and cope with life. These aspects of life meaning are relevant but add unique contributions to a more global sense of meaning in life.
Dr Yvonne MacKay - Thesis Title: "The Processes through which Affect Infuses Judgments of Subjective Well-Being."
Summary
This thesis has succeeded in clarifying the processing routes through which affect can influence global subjective well-being, and revealed that the strength of these processing routes is moderated by dispositional factors. Overall, this thesis has important implications that further understanding in the field of subjective well-being.
Dr Michelle Nicole Rowland - Thesis Title: "Sociocultural Influences on Body Image: Comparisons between Australian and Fijian Adolescents."
Summary
Despite an emphasis on large body sizes in Fiji, Fijian and Australian adolescents' personal body ideals were very similar. Both groups were inaccurate in their body size estimations. Perceived body image ideals of sociocultural agents, rather than their specific messages, were more strongly associated with adolescents' body size estimations and ideals.
Doctor of Psychology (Forensic)
Dr Cristina Cavezza - Thesis Title: "An Examination of the Consistency of Investigative Interviewers' Performance."
Summary
Three original studies were conducted to examine the consistency of investigative-interviewer performance across similar and distinct interview tasks. Overall, the degree of consistency depended on numerous factors, including the nature of the event and interview paradigm, the precision of the assessment measure and whether group versus individual stability was measured.
Dr Elizabeth Walter - Thesis Title: "Viewer Characteristics, Film Context and Habituation/Desensitisation to Filmed Violence."
Summary
This thesis comprises three studies aimed at examining viewer's responses to filmed violence. The first study focused on habituation, the second desensitisation and the third compared the paradigms. Results indicated that several factors influence how an individual responds to filmed violence and provide some insight into the impact of repetitive exposure to media violence.
Dr Sarah Kate Wheatley - Thesis Title: "Readiness to Change a Problem Behaviour: A Conceptual Framework."
Summary
This study aimed to develop a model of readiness to enter treatment to change problem behaviour by addressing the limitations of previous models. The research showed that a model consisting of personal and social factors, mediated by problem recognition and desire for help accurately assessed readiness to enter treatment.
Doctor of Psychology (Health)
Dr Natasha Ann Davidson - Thesis Title: "A Hypothesised Model of Disordered Eating in Overweight Women."
Summary
Predicted risk factors for disordered eating were found to be similar for overweight and non-overweight women. However, overweight women reported more stigmatisation and body shame, had a higher risk for developing an eating disorder, and were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a subclinical/clinical eating disorder than non-overweight women.
Dr Jessica Anne Lillis - Thesis Title: "Effects of Physical Activity on Depression and Anxiety in Children."
Summary
This study examined the role of physical activity, self-efficacy and peer relations on depression and anxiety in children. There was no relationship between physical activity and symptoms of depression or anxiety for either girls or boys. However, there was support for a combined effect between physical activity and self-efficacy in predicting depression for both girls and boys. Results also showed that children with higher levels of self-efficacy and peer relations displayed lower levels of depression and anxiety.
Doctor of Technology
Dr Ryszare Raban - Thesis Title: "Cognitive Aspects of Knowledge Management."
Summary
The thesis addresses the issue of a limited success of knowledge management systems in spite of substantial investments in their development and implementation. Through the research, core reasons for this situation were identified and an innovative user-centered solution that focuses knowledge management on supporting professional activities has been presented.
Doctor of Philosophy
Dr Heather Joy Anderson - Thesis Title: "Isolation and Characterisation of Arabidopsis RAD30 and ERCC1."
Summary
This thesis describes the isolation and characterisation of two plant genes, AtERCC1 and AtRAD30. Evidence from protein homology comparisons, and functional complementation, in vitro mutagenesis, or interaction assays suggests the involvement of these genes in the repair or tolerance, respectively, of UV-induced DNA damage.
Dr Kylie Michelle Annett - Thesis Title: "Effects of Phytophthora cinnamomi on Heathland Fauna and Ecosystem Function."
Summary
Progression of disease caused by the plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi was correlated to rainfall events and resulted in a loss of plant species diversity in heathland vegetation at Anglesea, Victoria. Lower captures of small mammals were recorded in diseased areas. Management of disease using the chemical phosphite was also evaluated.
Dr Jed Daniel Blore - Thesis Title: "Subjective Wellbeing: An Assessment of Competing Theories."
Summary
This thesis challenges the orthodox view in the quality of life field by demonstrating, using different methodologies across multiple samples, that subjective judgments of life satisfaction are determined by an individual¿s affective style, rather than cognition or personality. This suggests that subjective wellbeing is a function of our core affect.
Dr Nicole Jane Carvill - Thesis Title: "Caring for Carers: A Theoretical Model and Assessment Tool."
Summary
The Carer Analytic Tool was developed to identify the psychological, social and physical support needs of unpaid carers. The Tool was shown to be valid and reliable. It proactively identifies the unmet support needs of carers in the areas of aged care, disability and mental health.
Dr John Allan Casey - Thesis Title: "Cache and Replica Lookup, Indexing and Synchronization in P2P Environments."
Summary
The major outcomes of this research project were the development of a set of decentralized algorithms to index, locate and synchronize replicated information in a networked environment. This study exploits the application specific design constraints of networked systems to improve performance, instead of relying on data structures and algorithms best suited to centralized systems.
Dr Kit Yee Chan - Thesis Title: "Disentangling the Layering of HIV/AIDS-Related Stigma: A Methodological Investigation."
Summary
This thesis highlights the complexity of the inter-relationships between the disease stigma of HIV/AIDS and common modes of HIV transmission, such as injecting drug use, among health professionals in Asia. New ways of deconstructing disease-related stigma were explored. The findings pose challenges for the conventional approaches to HIV/AIDS stigma intervention.
Dr Beth Maree Costa - Thesis Title: "Supporting Bereaved Individuals: The Impact of Bereavement Beliefs and Attachment."
Summary
This research found that grief-related beliefs contained elements of a traditional stereotypic view. Further, a bereaved individual¿s general way of coping influenced how others expected them to grieve. Finally, aspects of both a bereaved individual and support provider were found to impact the willingness of individuals to offer bereavement-related support.
Dr Geoffrey Eberle - Thesis Title: "Auditory Localisation Reversals and the Role of Torso-Related Cues."
Summary
Human auditory localisation reversals are explored using mixture distribution analysis techniques. This is validated for front/back reversals and subsequently shown to provide evidence for up/down reversals as distinct classes of mis-localisation. Torso-related localisation cues are identified and also shown to provide a source for resolving these reversals in some listeners.
Dr Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz - Thesis Title: "On the Relationship between Dissociation and Disordered Eating."
Summary
This thesis investigated the psychological processes that underlie the relationship between dissociation and disordered eating. Although previous theories have emphasized that dissociation undermines behavioural self-control and, in turn, contributes to disordered eating, present findings indicate that dissociation may also influence disordered eating via disturbances to one's sense of identity.
Dr Louise Margaret Goldie Divko - Thesis Title: "Sub-surface Geology of the Kerang District, Murray Basin, Southeast Australia."
Summary
The subsurface geology of the Murray Basin underlying Kerang was examined in detail. The stratigraphic relationships between the Cenozoic western marine and eastern non-marine provinces of the Riverine Plain are now far better understood. A new three-fold subdivision of the Renmark Group, including the new Mystic Park Formation, is proposed.
Dr Angie Haslem - Thesis Title: "Landscape Pattern, Countryside Heterogeneity and Bird Conservation in Agricultural Environments."
Summary
This study confirms the valuable contribution that agricultural landscapes make to bird conservation in Australia. While native vegetation is critical to conservation efforts, careful management of production land-use types may provide additional benefits. Results show that productive farm enterprises can make real contributions to the success of broader conservation goals.
Dr Fiona Elizabeth Hogan - Thesis Title: "DNA Fingerprinting the Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua)."
Summary
Fiona Hogan developed genetic markers to DNA fingerprint the Powerful Owl. These markers enabled individual owls to be identified through the collection of shed feathers. Individual identification allowed for crucial aspects of the Powerful Owl's ecology and biology to be investigated.
Dr Gregory John Holland - Thesis Title: "Small Mammals in a Fragmented Landscape: Pattern and Process."
Summary
Small mammals displayed contrasting patterns of occurrence in forest fragments. Population studies revealed that key processes responsible for survival in habitat patches include demographic flexibility and the movement of individuals between patches. Combining pattern- and process-based approaches provides a more complete understanding of fauna in modified landscapes.
Dr Md Rafiqul Islam - Thesis Title: "Spam Filtering Using Classification Algorithms."
Summary
This thesis proposes an innovative adaptive multi-classifier spam filtering model, with a grey-list analyser and a dynamic feature selection method, to overcome the false-positive problems in email classification. It also presents additional techniques to minimize the added complexity. Empirical evidence indicates the success of this model over existing approaches.
Dr Shona Leitch - Thesis Title: "A Systems Analysis Method for Online Teaching and Learning Systems."
Summary
A Method for Educational Analysis and Design (MEAD) was developed to analyse and design online teaching and learning systems. The method is based upon a participational design approach focused on the requirements of the users (students).
Dr Carolyn Jane Maxwell - Thesis Title: "Nutrient Cycling in Lagoon of Islands, Tasmania: Management and Control."
Summary
This research identified the causes of poor water quality and algal blooms in Lagoon of Islands, a small shallow lake in Tasmania. The findings of this research resulted in a multi-million dollar commitment from the lake¿s managers to rehabilitate the unique ecosystem that was destroyed when the lake was dammed.
Dr Michael Messig - Thesis Title: "An Autonomic Management System for Service Oriented Enterprise Grid Computing."
Summary
Grid computing and service oriented architectures improve the way computational tasks are performed. Through this research a management system, utilising the autonomic characteristics of self discovery and negotiation, self configuration and self healing, was designed and implemented, ultimately removing the need for users to know the intricacies of these systems.
Dr Megan Jane Osmond - Thesis Title: "Influence of Age and Damage on Expression of Damage Processing Genes."
Summary
The effect of DNA damaging agents and age on expression of damage processing genes was examined in plants and mice. Treatment with these agents increased expression of some genes. This effect and gene expression in the absence of treatment decreased with age, suggesting links between ageing and genetic instability.
Dr Luke Darren Shelley - Thesis Title: "Water Regime and Salinity Changes in Wetland Macroinvertebrate Communities.
Summary
The research successfully showed how biological communities change in wetlands that are affected by salinity and altered water regimes as a result of irrigation and river regulation. As an outcome of the study, recommendations have been made for the future management of wetlands in the Kerang region in northern Victoria.
Dr Adrian John Tomyn - Thesis Title: "Subjective Wellbeing as an Affective Construct: Theory Development with Adolescents."
Summary
As part of his thesis, Adrian quantified the normative characteristics of Subjective Wellbeing amongst Australian high-school age students using the Personal Wellbeing Index adapted for School Children. No previous study has undertaken this task. His results confirmed the homeostatic model and corroborate previous research suggesting that Subjective Wellbeing is a construct driven primarily by Core Affect.
Dr Susan Jane Torres - Thesis Title: "The Interaction of Diet, Obesity and Mood to Stress Response."
Summary
Acute stress did not alter sucrose and salt preference. A dietary pattern low in sodium and high in potassium and magnesium improved overall mood. Modest weight loss did not alter the daily secretion of cortisol, but did reduce the blood pressure response to stress which may improve cardiovascular risk.
Dr Jenny Dawn Veitch - Thesis Title: "An Investigation of the Influences on Children's Active Free-Play."
Summary
This research examined the influences on children's (6-12 years) active free-play. The findings suggest that there are a number of strategies that focus on individual, social and physical environmental factors that have the potential to be successful in creating opportunities for children to be physically active in their free-time.
Occasional address
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The Occasional Address (iLecture recording - requires broadband) was delivered by the President of Winona Universtiy and Honorary Degree Recipient, Dr Judith Ramaley.
Judith Ramaley began her service as the 14th president of Winona State University (WSU) in July 2005.
Prior to coming to Minnesota, Dr Ramaley held a presidential professorship in biomedical sciences at the University of Maine and was a Fellow of the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy. She also completed a residency as a Visiting Senior Scientist at the National Academy of Sciences from January to June 2005.
From 2001-2004, Dr Ramaley was Assistant Director, Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) at the National Science Foundation (NSF). During Dr Ramaley's tenure, the Directorate managed an annual budget of over $900 million. Prior to joining NSF, Dr Ramaley was president of yhe University of Vermont (UVM) and Professor of Biology 1997- 2001. Before coming to UVM, she was President and Professor of Biology at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon from 1990-1997.
Dr Ramaley has a special interest in higher-education reform and has played a significant role in designing regional alliances to promote educational cooperation. She also contributed to national discussions about the changing nature of work and the workforce. She has a national role in the exploration of civic responsibility: the role of higher education in promoting good citizenship: and has published extensively on educational reform, science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and the leadership of organisational change.
In Vermont, Dr Ramaley was a Director of the Vermont Business Roundtable, a member of the Human Resources Investment Council (HRIC), a member of the Vermont Commission on Higher Education Funding, a member of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors, a member of the Vermont Quality Council Board of Advisors and Co-Chair of the Vermont Campus Compact.
At the national level, Dr Ramaley serves as a member of the Girl Scouts on the USA Board of Directors, a member of the National Governor's Association Innovation Task Force, and a member of the National Science Resource Council (NSRC). She has also served as a member of the board of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), as a member of the National School-to-Work Advisory Board during the 1990's and as a member of the presidential advisory panel for the Association of Governing Boards (AGB). She also has held the position of Chair of the Board of Campus Compact, chair of the subcommittee on College Drinking, chair of the Advisory Council of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (National Institute of Health), and has served as a trustee and chair of the Trustees Academic Affairs Committee of Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio from 1998-2005. She was chair of the Greater Expectations Panel, a group developed by AAC&U as a multi-year initiative to define the aims of a 21st century undergraduate education and to identify strategies for accomplishing these aims. Dr Ramaley was also a member of the board of the American Association of Higher Education (AAHE). In Minnesota, she is a member of the Minnesota Campus Compact Board, a Director of the Merchants Bank Financial Group and serves on the boards of the Winona County Historical Society, the Great River Shakespeare Festival, and the Seven Rivers Alliance. She is the author of 35 papers and book chapters on issues in higher education, including civic responsibility, higher education and the public good, science and mathematics education and organisational change.
Dr Ramaley received her bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College in 1963 and conducted her graduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned a doctorate in 1966. She served for two years as a post-doctorate fellow at Indiana University. In 1978-1979, she was an American Council on Education Fellow at the University of Nebraska Medical Center at Omaha, where she then held the post of Associate Dean for Research and Development. The next year, she joined the University of Nebraska's central administration as Assistant Vice President for academic affairs. In 1982, Dr Ramaley became the Chief Academic Officer at the State University of New York at Albany. She also served as Executive Vice
President for academic affairs for two years and as acting president for one semester at SUNY-Albany. Dr Ramaley was the Executive Vice Chancellor at the University of Kansas-Lawrence from 1987 - 1990.
