Graduation - past ceremonies

Thursday, 29 April 2010 at 5pm

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

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

Stage Party
The Chancellor, Mr David Morgan presided, assisted by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sally Walker.
The MC was Executive Director, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Mr David Morgan.
The Mace-bearer was Mr Dale Warren.
The Faculty Representative was Mr Ian Seet.

Presenters were:
Dean, Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences, Professor John Catford.
Head of the School of Education, Professor Diane Mayer.
Deputy Chair of the Academic Board, Professor Julie Wolfram Cox.

The student response was delivered by Miss Stephanie Drakford.

Doctoral Degree Recipients

Dr Lynette Gay Bird - Thesis title: "Developing Self-Regulated Learning Skills in Young Students."

Summary
This study generated multiple voices and multiple perspectives on how to develop self-regulated learning skills in young students. It provides schools with an effective professional development model, built around action research and a community of learners, that has a meaningful effect on teacher learning and fosters improvements in classroom practice.

Dr Shu-Mei Chen - Thesis title: "Low Back Pain and Activity: From Epidemiology to Clinical Practice."

Summary
Low back pain (LBP) may decrease physical activity. This thesis investigated the relationship between LBP and activity, interventions to alter LBP and the mechanisms for pain reduction. This thesis showed no association between LBP and activity, and although the intervention reduced LBP, the mechanism for its effect was not identified.

Dr James Edmund Gaida - Thesis title: "Adiposity and its Metabolic Consequences Contribute to Achilles Tendinopathy."

Summary
Pain in the Achilles tendon commonly affects active individuals but is also seen in sedentary people. This thesis showed that the accumulation of excess body fat, abnormal blood lipids and glucose metabolism were associated with Achilles tendinopathy. Targeting these lifestyle factors may improve treatment outcomes for tendon injury.

Dr Jessica Ellen McCormick - Thesis title: "Exploring the Application of Health Impact Assessment in Neighbourhood Renewal."

Summary
This thesis explores the role that Health Impact Assessment can play in social exclusion policy contexts focusing specifically on Victoria's Neighbourhood Renewal Scheme. The findings demonstrate that it can play an important role if due attention is given to contextual and procedural factors both within community settings and within government.

Dr Marissa Kate Trenerry - Thesis title: "Investigation of JAK/STAT Signaling in Human Skeletal Muscle."

Summary
Understanding muscle adaptation and repair is vital for preserving muscle loss with aging. Analysis of the inflammatory-responsive signaling pathway, JAK/STAT was performed. After intense exercise, the STAT3 pathway is highly activated, potentially by the pro-inflammatory regulator IL-6. This pathway is suppressed in older individuals, possibly leading to altered inflammatory regulation.

Alfred Deakin Medal Recipient

Bianca Jane Tumino

These Medals are awarded annually to candidates with a record of outstanding scholarship as well as service to the community and the University.
The awards are named in honour of Alfred Deakin after whom this University is named and were an initiative introduced by the University to commemorate the life of Alfred Deakin.

Honorary Degree Recipient

Emeritus Professor Adrian Lee

The degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) Was conferred upon Emeritus Professor Adrian Lee in recognition for his world leading research in microbiology and his significant role in the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning.

Occasional Address

The occasional address was delivered by Emeritus Professor Adrian Lee.
Professor Adrian Lee holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Melbourne. Following the awarding of these degrees, Professor Lee travelled to New York where he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Rockefeller University with Professor Rene Dubos, one of the world's great microbiologists. He became interested in the microbial ecology of the intestinal tract, a research interest that continued for the next thirty-five years. Professor Lee joined the University of New South Wales ( UNSW ) in Sydney in 1968 as a Lecturer, progressing to the position of Professor of Medical Microbiology. He was Head of the School of Microbiology and Immunology from 1990-1999.

Professor Lee was the leader of a large research team investigating H. pylori and the diseases peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. He has published more than 250 articles and was continuously funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council ( NHMRC ) from 1972-2003. He was the first to develop a small-animal model of helicobacter infection and to show the potential of immunisation against the gastric pathogen. A major commercial partnership in the development of this vaccine was established between Unisearch, CSL Ltd Melbourne and Astra/Zeneca. Professor Lee was awarded the Kincaid Smith Medal from the Royal Australasian College of Medicine in 1995, was the President's Lecturer of the Australian Society for Infectious Diseases in 1999 and was made an Honorary Member of the European Helicobacter Study Group being one of only three members outside Europe. In 2002, he was the Rubbo Orator at the Annual meeting of the Australian Society for Microbiology.

Professor Lee was one of the first to receive the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence at UNSW and he was the inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award of the Australian Society for Microbiology. He was one of the first Associate Members of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Regional Teacher Training Centre based at UNSW and has been a WHO Consultant in Medical Education. It was his commitment to improving the quality of teaching at UNSW that saw him take up the position of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Quality Improvement) in 2000.

Professor Lee retired in 2006 and has since worked with many universities, including Deakin University, to help improve the student learning experience. In 2008, he was awarded a Career Achievement Award from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. This award is given to individuals whose career achievements in learning and teaching in higher education have had a major influence and left an enduring legacy.