Graduation - past ceremonies
Thursday, 3 April 2008 at 5pm
Costa Hall, Waterfront Campus, Deakin University, Geelong.
Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences Faculty of Science and Technology (Geelong Campus - Waurn Ponds Courses)
Stage Party
The Deputy Chancellor, Mr James Nicol presided, assisted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor David Stokes.
The MC was the Chief Operating Officer, Mr Graham Dennehy.
The Mace-bearer was Mr Dale Warren.
The Faculty representative was Mr Darren Taylor.
Presenters were:
Head of School ( Psychology), Professor Joe Graffam.
Interim Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology, Professor Chris Gray.
Chair, Academic Board, Professor Philomena Leung.
The Student Response was delivered by Dr Jullian Healy.
Doctoral Degree Recipients
Dr Jacqui Adcock - Thesis Title: "Applications and Fundamental Understanding of Selected Analytically Important Chemiluminescence Reactions."
Summary
This thesis encompasses a series of investigations into the fundamental chemistry and spectroscopy of chemiluminescence (chemical reactions that produce light). This new knowledge enabled the development of innovative analytical methodologies for rapid chemical measurements in forensic science, industrial process monitoring and clinical diagnostics.
Dr Carrie Hayward - Thesis Title: "The neuroanatomical correlates of subjective wellbeing following head injury."
Summary
This thesis found results supporting the involvement of the Right Frontal area of the brain in the subjective wellbeing (SWB) of individuals. Additional results suggested SWB is dependent upon Core Affect, itself dependent upon the Right Parietal area of the brain. These results provide evidence that SWB and Core Affect are based upon a neurological substrate.
Dr Trevor Thornton - Thesis Title: "Clinical Waste Management in Victorian Hospitals."
Summary
This project for the Doctor of Technology provides a significant contribution to the understanding of healthcare waste management in Victoria and worldwide. The thesis describes approaches to enable healthcare facilities to identify factors that contribute to waste generation and resulting impacts on the environment in order to reduce them.
Dr Shona Clark - Thesis Title: "Innovative analytical chemistry for monitoring wine production."
Summary
This study monitored concentration changes in the major constituents of wine during its production, through the development of new and innovative methodologies for a range of analytical instrumentation. Chemometrics, (statistical analysis) was employed to enhance data interpretation, which provided insight into the reactions occurring between the key chemical species present.
Dr Chuan Deng - Thesis Title: "A Study on Within-Fibre Diameter Variation of Wool."
Summary
This work established and experimentally validated several models for accurately predicting wool fibre and yarn properties. The results of this work will be useful in fibre selection, and will help predict fibre processing performance and end-product quality. The Australian wool industry is likely to benefit from this work.
Dr Sneza Dojkovski - Thesis Title: "Establishing Information Security Culture in Australian Small and Medium Enterprises."
Summary
The thesis develops a framework of key influences that must be considered in order to enable development of an information security culture in Australian small and medium enterprises. The study argues that, by ensuring that key influences are in place, an effective information security culture will evolve.
Dr Jillian Healy - Thesis Title: "Some osmoregulatory parameters in fishes of the Australasian region."
Summary
Fish must maintain their internal ionic concentration. This occurs through co-ordination of cellular ion channels and transporters, and hormones acting on and within the cells of the gill, kidney, intestine and in some species, unique organs. This study measured some of these transporters & hormones in unusual species of the Australasian region.
Dr Zohreh Keshavarz - Thesis Title: "EBSD Analysis of Deformation Modes in Mg-3Al-1Zn."
Summary
The work resides the use of EBSD technique in investigation of deformation modes in AZ31. The results showed the importance of non-basal slip, compression and double twinning during deformation of rolled AZ31. In as-cast material, twinning behaviour was more varied and complicated and could even occur upon unloading.
Dr Naomi Lewcenko - Thesis Title: "The Design and Evaluation of Two Types of Chemical Sensor."
Summary
During the course of this investigation it was discovered that functionalised Ruthenium tris(bipyridyl) complexes exhibit different chemical, spectroscopic and electrochemical properties to those of the parent compound.Furthermore, it was possible to develop 1,8-naphthalimide-based compounds that furnished strong 1:1 host:guest complexes with larger anions such as hydrogen pyrophosphate.
Dr Andrew Maloney - Thesis Title: "The study into fault tolerance based on rollback-recovery for clusters."
Summary
The provision of fault tolerance is an important aspect to the success of distributed and cluster computing. Through this research, a transparent, autonomic and efficient fault tolerant facility was designed and implemented; thereby, relieving the burden of a user having to handle and react to the failure of an application.
Dr Subhadcha Poonsatha - Thesis Title: "Identification and Characterisation of Novel Compound(s) for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes."
Summary
The thesis showed that a plant extract favourably affected glucose utilisation and production in vitro, and identified genes/biological pathways involved in its actions. The extract underwent fractionation and screening for effects observed. Chemical studies of active fractions led to the isolation of a compound shown to have potential anti-diabetic properties.
Dr Arlene Walker - Thesis Title: "The application of the psychological contract to occupational safety."
Summary
Psychological contracts were applied to occupational safety. A psychological contract of safety measure was developed and validated, and a model of safety developed to investigate breach and fulfilment of the psychological contract of safety. Findings suggest that the psychological contract of safety impacts safety attitudes and safety behaviour.
Dr Junmin Zhang - Thesis Title: "Objective Evaluation of Fabric Pilling Propensity."
Summary
Fabric pilling is of critical importance to the textile industry. This study developed an objective pilling evaluation method using computer image techniques. The applicability and robustness of the proposed method were investigated based on actual knitted fabrics, the results are very accurate and repeatable.
Occasional Address
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The Occasional Address was delivered by Associate Professor Kate Birrell, Group Director of Nursing, St John of God Healthcare.
Associate Professor Kate Birrell has in excess of thirty-five years experience within the health industry. She was born and raised in Winchelsea, Victoria and educated at Sacred Heart College, Geelong.
She decided at an early age to become a nurse and subsequently did her General Nurse training at St Vincent's Public Hospital, Melbourne. During this period, she developed a love of acute surgical nursing and it was this aspect of nursing that she set out to pursue. Subsequently she spent time at Mena House Private Hospital and St Vincent's Private Hospital in Melbourne before relocating to Holy Cross Hospital, Geelong, which from 1988 has been known as St. John of God Hospital.
After the birth of her third son, Associate Professor Birrell took time out of the workforce for four years, then re-entered in 1980, subsequently progressing her career through the ranks of Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse and Hospital Coordinator. During this time she also pursued further studies, culminating in her Master's thesis which explored the relationship between a nurse manager's leadership style and Staff Nurse job satisfaction. Throughout all her study, Associate Professor Birrell has maintained a special interest in leadership and group dynamics.
In January 1990, Associate Professor Birrell became the Acting Director of Nursing at St John of God Hospital, Geelong and later that year was successfully appointed to the position. Associate Professor Birrell was the first layperson to hold such a senior position within the broader St John of God Health Care system across Australia.
In May 2003, Associate Professor Birrell was appointed as the inaugural national Group Director Nursing for St. John of God Health Care. This position provides professional strategic direction for the nursing services for the 14 hospitals and the 3,500 nurses employed by St. John of God Health Care across Australia and New Zealand. In 2006, she was appointed by Australian Catholic University to the position of Clinical Associate Professor.
Associate Professor Birrell has been heavily involved in the development of the St. John of God Hospital, Geelong from a 70 bed low acute facility to the highly sophisticated 163 bed hospital that it is today. This growth entailed the introduction of many new services such as Domiciliary Midwifery Service, Homecare, additional theatres and the Intensive Care Unit. Additionally, she has been instrumental in the establishment of the Raphael Centre for mothers suffering from post natal depression in Geelong, a service she is very passionate about. The fact that St John of God Healthcare is a national organisation has provided many opportunities to work professionally and gain experience across a broad range of projects and subjects.
Associate Professor Birrell is a member of The Royal College of Nursing Australia and of Catholic Health Care Victoria, she is also a member of the Department of Human Services Maternity and Newborn Clinical Network Leadership Group; Deakin University's Geelong Community Leaders' Group and is Trustee of St Mary of the Angels Foundation.
Associate Professor Birrell holds a Graduate Diploma of Administration from Australian Catholic University, a Bachelor of Business (Human Resources) from the University of South Australia and a Master of Health Science from Deakin University.
