Faculty of Science and Technology
Deakin University
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27/8/2008
Science student shaves head for charity
13/8/2008
Maggots, crabs and crazy ants
4/8/2008
25th International SAHANZ Conference
25/7/2008
Technology Showcase Project 729
16/7/2008
ExcITing Careers
19/5/2008
Sumo Robots Competition
9/5/2008
Civil Engineering – new in 2009!
2/5/2008
Student’s Engineering Career IGNITED
4/4/2008
Science and engineering challenge
28/3/2008
Wired Up Today - What About Tomorrow?
22/1/2008
Student helps save lives in East Timor
News archive: 2006 (sem 2) | 2007 (sem 1) | 2007 (sem 2)
Maths and Statistics lecturer wins teaching award
It is an ongoing challenge to make the work seem interesting and relevant to students. Previous experience and practical knowledge help Michelle recognise and anticipate topics that provide the most trouble to students. “I always endeavour to explain the relevance of each topic to the course aims, students’ expectations and real life.” Having worked in the areas that she is teaching, Michelle includes practical examples in her teaching. “I give relevant personal accounts from my own research, maths teaching and previous work as a statistician. Students respond to these stories and can see applications of their studies.” Michelle adapts her teaching methods to best suit the subject and group she is teaching. “Assessment tasks and class activities are designed to be stimulating, engaging and promote deep and independent learning. I always try to make maths and statistics as enjoyable as possible.”
Science student shaves head for charityBiomedical Science student Erin Naismith is getting her head shaved this Sunday as part of her efforts to raise $10,000 for the Cancer Council. What started out as a small fundraising idea has turned into organising an afternoon of family focused activities at the Glen Waverly Community Centre to raise funds for the charity. Erin, who has always had long hair, said the decision to shave her hair off for charity was the culmination of a variety of reasons rather than being triggered by a single event. “I decided to do the head shave because you hear so many stories about people losing someone they love to cancer. I didn’t want to wait until I lost someone close to me before I did something about it, so I decided to do this now.” Since the decision to go ahead with the head shave, Erin has learnt her grandfather has been diagnosed with a form of cancer, which has made her more proud and determined in her fundraising endeavour. Erin said they have received widespread support from the council who have donated the venue, through to organisations donating prizes and activities throughout the day. A mini market will house and a trash and treasure stall; a giant slide and jumping castle are onsite, along with a DJ and Picco the Clown. BBQs will be running throughout the afternoon and a gourmet cake stall will keep the munchies at bay. A raffle will be drawn with an assortment of prizes also donated for the cause. The big event – Erin’s head shave – will be held towards the end of the day. Everyone is welcome to join the fun from 2pm onwards Sunday 31st August at the Glen Waverley Community Centre (Cnr Waverley Road and Springvale Road, Glen Waverley).
Robots that dance, rescue and play soccer
Students got to choose which challenge they wanted to compete in based on different levels of skill and interest. Their robots could dance, rescue or play soccer. Competing throughout the day were 58 teams from 17 schools. School of Engineering and Information Technology Associate Professor Abbas Kouzani said building robots provided a fun and exciting introduction to engineering for the students: “The competition is a project-oriented entertaining way for students to learn about robotics. They have learnt not only how to build a robot but more importantly explored what engineering is. This is a way for them to see how the subjects they have learnt like maths and science come together in engineering.” The robots that students have produced for the RoboCup Junior competitions are programmed to move autonomously and interact with other robots using sensors. All of the robots have been designed by the students themselves. Participants have programmed their robots to dance to music. The Rescue competition mirrors the real life use of robots that rescue people from life-threatening situations. Soccer-playing robots sense the ball and other robots nearby, as they attempt to score goals. “Through these activities students see that engineering is not too difficult, and it can be very enjoyable and rewarding.” Abbas said the program was particularly important, given Australia’s skills shortage in the engineering industry, improving awareness and attractiveness of engineering. RoboCup is now played in 30 countries around the world.
Volunteering to tackle environmental issues
“You have to be very committed and have a passion for the type of volunteer work you are doing. It’s amazing how much time it takes up trying to do something good, you can’t view it as just a few hours a week. But if you can keep your interest in it alive it won’t feel like a burden.” Lucie has worked with her local Alexandra Roots & Shoots, a youth program of Jane Goodall Institute aimed at positive change for communities, animals and environment and the Oaktree Foundation on their ‘End Child Slavery’ campaign. Her current project involves raising US$5,000 for the Nepalese Wildlife Centre for the construction of the first wildlife rehabilitation centre in Nepal. The project aims to raise funds to build a holding facility for a recently rescued leopard cub. This is the first project by the Global Youth Council for Wildlife Conservation (GYCWC), of which Lucie is a founding member. The GYCWC was formed at Jane Goodall’s Global Youth Summit earlier this year. Of the 100 participants from around the world, 29 formed this global network to continue to protect and conserve wildlife. “The hands on practical experience opens up opportunities for employment and you build up a bit of a network of contacts in your chosen field. It also adds to your experiences in life that you need to have to understand what you want to do in the future as a career.” There is a wealth of opportunities available to volunteer in environmental organisations. Lucie suggests joining a group or club for those unsure of volunteering alone, Deakin has an environment club. Participating in one day activities gives a good indication of time commitments required for voluntary work. Internships are available and various organisations offer environmental volunteer work. Earth Watch Institute’s environmental research and volunteering program gives tertiary students the chance to experience genuine field research. Fully funded places are sometimes available but students can cover costs as well. The Environmental Jobs Network website provides links to a wide range of environmental organisations looking for volunteers. Deakin’s Jobshop lists volunteer opportunities for students. Jobsites usually have a volunteer section as well. Lucie is studying a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. More information:
Environmental student attends Australia/India sustainable youth forum
A cruise around Sydney harbour marked the start of two weeks of interactive workshops, events and activities all focused around environmental sustainability. A three day leadership course equipped participants with the tools to become sustainability leaders in their own communities. During this workshop the AIUYF Protocol was born, the group’s sustainability action plan which was presented at the Australian Association for Environmental Education conference in Darwin. One of the highlights of the trip for Tom was visiting the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. “The ANU has undertaken numerous community projects to create awareness of environmental issues and promote student involvement in green programs. They have a well maintained organic vegetable garden tended by students, giving them an opportunity to have hands on experience in sustainability,” says Tom. Attendees also got to experience some great sites, including a tour of the Blue Mountains and a three day eco tour of outback Australia. “As well as visiting Uluru, Kings Canyon and cattle stations, we explored fossil sites and even managed to fit in a game of outback cricket! Sleeping in swags under the stars was a unique experience for many of the Indian and Australian students.” One of the aims of the forum was to create national and international networks between students from a variety of academic and cultural backgrounds. “Many long lasting friendships and networks were formed between students and universities both around Australia and internationally. It will be interesting to see how this network we have formed will enable the AIUYF participants to instigate change and awareness in our own communities and universities,” says Tom. Tom is a third year Environmental Science (Environment Management) student.
Maggots, crabs and crazy ants
Few though have the undeniable excuse to take that mental holiday available to Deakin University’s Dr Stuart Linton. A lecturer and researcher in the School of Life and Environmental Science, Dr Linton has been working to help ensure a better understanding - even the survival - of Christmas Island’s fabled terrestrial red crab, a.k.a. Gecarcoidea natalis. Famous for its annual breeding migration and unique for the way it digests its food, in recent times the crab has fallen prey to an introduced species from Africa, the Yellow crazy ant. The newcomer is believed to have already killed 20 million of the island’s estimated population of 120 million red crabs. “I have been working with Australia Parks, testing something that we hoped would kill the crazy ant, but not do any harm to the crab,” Dr Linton said. “Unfortunately, my research so far reveals that the proposed substance would harm both, so the search goes on.” Finding a way to curb the Yellow crazy ant is not the only research Dr Linton is doing involving the red crab whose breeding migration ritual annually turns parts of Christmas Island into a vast, moving red carpet. He is keen to learn more about the unique digestive system that allows the crabs to extract nutrition from fallen leaf matter.
The Neil Archbold Memorial Travel Award and Medal His death in 2005 was a tremendous loss for Deakin and for his many, many friends around the world. This travel award and medal will keep his name alive. It will also do something that Neil himself would have applauded, providing support to young researchers. Neil was actively involved in all facets of research and research training at Deakin. He was Professor and Personal Chair in Palaeontology at the School of Ecology and Environment and the coordinator of Earth Sciences at Deakin University. He was the author of 160 scholarly publications, was awarded Australian Research Council grants of over $1m and was a long-standing member of the Royal Society of Victoria and that body’s president from 2001 to 2004. From 2003 until his death in 2005, he was the Chair of the University’s Higher Degrees by Research Committee.
25th International SAHANZ Conference
Co-convenors Ursula de Jong and David Beynon, School of Architecture and Building, said it was a privilege for Deakin to host this year’s conference, History in Practice, which explored the connections between architectural history and architectural practice. Ursula de Jong, also one of the founding members of SAHANZ, says the speakers considered the relationship between critique and intervention, and the links between analysis and creation that lie at the complex intersections of architecture and the writing about architecture. “They critiqued the practices of architectural history and theory, analysing the gaps, connections and contentions between them and the ongoing history of architectural practice. These relationships were further framed in terms of exchanges between: old and new; local and global; history and technology; conceptual and visual; centre and periphery; memory and evidence.” SAHANZ provides a forum for the open discussion of architectural history and historiography of the region and setting from which to reflect on the status of the architecture, landscape and cities of Australia and New Zealand in the wider world. Throughout the last quarter century there has been an evolution of the discipline reflected within the society: “When we started our work was ‘simple’. We focused on gathering information, documenting our architectural history, establishing an archive of architectural knowledge. Over time that has evolved, as we reflect on and interpret that information, as we begin to explore who we are and how we connect to place; how we understand our place, and consider it within the wider regional context of the Pacific and South East Asia,” says Dr de Jong.
Technology Showcase Project 729
Although the focus is originally on manufacturing, students are shown skills that can be easily transferred to other industries, such as transport and logistics. By getting students involved in a range of activities they get a feel for the range of skills involved and the diverse career options available to them in engineering. Students were taken on a tour of the GTP and activity stations were set up showcasing electron microscopy, haptics, wine science, carbon fibre mechanical testing and other facilities housed there. Jamie McKinnon and Margaret Walker, Project Officers at SGRLLEN, said year 7 to 9 students were deliberately targeted to raise the awareness of opportunities available in industry and to get students thinking about careers in this sector earlier. “Perceptions about the industry need to be changed not only by students but parents and teachers as well. Students need to make sure they are equipped with the right skills before they make their career choices and make these choices earlier. For example, a student would need to have taken the appropriate maths stream throughout school to ensure they could get into their chosen university engineering course, it would be too late by Year 10 to make this decision” Jamie said. Dr Bronwyn Fox says she was thrilled to be involved in this event, particularly as she was a late convert to engineering. “If someone had explained to me The showcase was held over three days between three different venues, depending on the particular interest of the students. The GTP was host to students who had expressed an interest in going on to complete tertiary study, those with an interest in trade engineering attended Gordon Institute of TAFE and the Ford Discovery Centre displayed a range of new technologies. Over 430 students attended. It was the first time the event has been held and there are plans to make it an annual event, with the potential to increase the frequency in the future.
ExcITing Careers
Industry presentations will provide snap shots of some ExcITing careers. Delloite Consulting will be presenting ‘The life of an IT Consultant’. ‘Working in an in-house IT service provider’ will be the topic of discussion by Telstra and ‘The business of IT project management’ will be explained by Terra-firma. Students will be able to ask IT professionals about the range of ExcITIng careers available to IT graduates and graduate recruitment in IT. Lunch will be provided, following the presentations. Date: Wednesday 30 July For further information and to RSVP please contact:
IBL event prepares high achieving students for workforce
The two days of workshops were run by external consultants. The first day focused on skills integral for fitting into the workplace, where students learnt about how different people approach work, time management, team work and business communication. The focus of the second day was preparing students for graduate recruitment and career planning. Bachelor of IT student Aaron Spence will take the skills he has learnt from the workshops into the IBL placement he starts next week. “I have learnt skills that will last for my lifetime, like time management and workplace practices. I have learnt a lot about how to conduct myself in the workplace and in business.” Showcasing the talented students and giving them an opportunity to put their newly acquired skills into practice, an industry partnerships lunch was held on the second day. This provided a great informal platform for students to interact and network with nearly fifty industry representatives from the Faculty’s industry partners. Joe Adamski, Executive Manager Strategy and Technology Barwon Water, said the students came across as being very confident and well aware of the benefits of fitting an industry placement into their course. “Students get to see opportunities that do exist for them. Companies get to meet students as well. Students have shown that they all have great prospects and are very talented.”
Science student chosen Jane Goodall Summit
Lucie was hand-picked by Dr Goodall, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and partner organisations to take part in the all-expenses-paid, first-of-its-kind event. All attendees shared a strong history of community service and demonstrated leadership qualities. Lucie had worked with her local Alexandra Roots & Shoots (youth program of JGI aimed at positive change for communities, animals and environment) group in helping to organise part of Dr Goodall’s visit to Australia in 2006 and is currently working with the Oaktree Foundation on their ‘End Child Slavery’ campaign. Attendees shared cross-cultural ideas, strengthened their leadership skills and created messages through digital media. They identified key issues and developed self-led workshops and discussions to tackle the topics that concerned them. They decided what they wanted to focus on whether it be species conservation, conflict resolution or some other pressing issue. Each of these young leaders left the Summit equipped with a “toolbox for changing the world” and individual action plans for protecting the future. Over the next year, they will work to implement their plans within their communities. Lucie’s action plan entails raising urgently needed funds for projects which support wildlife and the conservation of their habitats through the foundation of a Global Youth Council for Wildlife Conservation with 29 of her fellow participants from over a dozen countries. Projects chosen for fundraising have to demonstrate a high level of commitment and involvement to the local community in which they are located. Dr Goodall found the Summit stimulating and moving. “I know I speak for everyone involved when I say we left the Summit energized, inspired and filled with a new hope for the future and new ideas for encouraging others to bring about a more peaceful world,” said Dr Goodall. Lucie is studying a double degree, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. For more information:
Linux challenge to capture cyber-crime suspects
Lecturer Lei Pan says the competition was designed to stimulate students’ interest in developing Linux-based forensic platforms. “Students who participate in this competition will gain hands-on skills on Linux platforms and great experience in digital forensics.” He explains that Linux is used more widely for digital forensics because there are many free open-sourced packages (freely available on the web) and the flexibility of combining many developed ICT research projects. “With the steady growth of Linux systems, digital forensic investigators have developed many self-bootable Linux systems for forensic purposes. These Linux systems are hardware-friendly and packed in a single CD so that they are used to boot up PCs used by a cyber-crime suspect,” says Dr Pan. The challenge for students was to learn Linux system in a limited time. They were given 5-6 weeks to complete the project and had to continue with their normal coursework at the same time. Lei Pan was impressed with the energy and enthusiasm shown by students undertaking this project, even though it was not compulsory for them to participate. The winners of the competition are Michael Bond, Fabian Schmidt, Matthias Trojahn (first prize) and Burak Hoban (second prize).
Undersea treasures discovered off Victoria’s Surf Coast
The findings were captivating and would redefine the way the Victorian’s see their marine environment, according to Dr Daniel Ierodiaconou, Deakin researcher and the principal scientist overseeing the project. "For the first time we have an accurate and comprehensive picture of life and the diversity of marine habitats along the Surf Coast, including hotspots for marine plants and animal communities,” Dr Ierodiaconou said. “The findings also present a picture of what our region looked like prior to sea-level rise that occurred 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. “These results will redefine conservation planning, improve fisheries management, and improve infrastructure planning to limit impacts on the environment. More than ever before we will be better informed about ways to conserve these areas and the life they contain for future generations to enjoy.” The research project, which received $700,000 funding from the Australian Government, mapped seafloor habitats from Anglesea to the 12 Apostles - a massive 600,000 hectares of the State’s coastal waters. Research was done by sonar technology, towed video cameras and remotely operated vehicles. A joint initiative of Deakin University, Fugro Survey P/L, the Australian Maritime College and the Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing, the work forms part of an ambitious undertaking to eventually map all of Victoria’s marine environment. Victoria's marine environment is home to an estimated 12,000 plants and animals, the vast majority of which are unique to the waters of southern Australia. “The significance of this work is immense,” Dr Ierodiaconou said. “For some areas, this is the first information that has been obtained since Matthews Flinders took depth readings from his boat, the Investigator, in 1803.”
Ford challenges Deakin to design car of the future The Challenge is to design a simple, practical, light-weight, innovatively sustainable vehicle for the non-traditional consumer that would revolutionise the automotive industry and society in a similar way to the original Model T Ford. Deakin’s concept proposal will be delivered to Ford in early September. The two concepts that best meet the Challenge criteria will be announced at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Model T on 1 October. The winning teams will each receive a US$25,000 scholarship from Ford Global Technologies. The Head of Deakin’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, Professor Kate Smith-Miles, said that Deakin’s involvement in the Challenge was a fantastic opportunity for the University. ‘It is a great honour that Ford has selected Deakin to be the only Australian university to be involved in the Model T Challenge,’ Professor Smith-Miles said. ‘Taking part in the Challenge will allow Deakin to showcase the innovation and skills of our Engineering and IT researchers and students to an international audience. ‘Our invitation is recognition of the long standing partnership between Deakin University and Ford, both locally and in the USA via collaborative research and development programs, and also through the provision of undergraduate and postgraduate programs to the employees of Ford Australia.’ The Challenge will be pursued by staff and students from Deakin’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, School of Architecture and Building, and Centre for Materials and Fibre Innovation. The Deakin team will have four months and US$75,000 in funding from Ford Global Technologies to design a revolutionary vehicle that redefines the modern day car through innovation and sustainability. Dr Bernard Rolfe, the team leader and senior lecturer with Deakin’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, said the vehicle must be simple, lightweight, compelling and practical and be able to be sold for under US$7,000. ‘Rather than being just an engineering challenge, this task will require innovative ideas drawn from a variety of sources throughout the University,’ Dr Rolfe said. ‘Using our cutting edge research at the Centre for Materials and Fibre Innovation (CMFI), as well as drawing on the diverse skill sets throughout the University, we aim to deliver a concept portfolio including a virtual vehicle model and detailed design/proof of concept for the key innovative features of the vehicle. ‘We expect to use the very best that Deakin can show, from the state-of-the-art manufacturing at the CMFI, and the fabulous design spaces at Architecture, to the advanced multi-media lab within Arts.’
Sumo Robots Competition
The student’s robots have been built during the semester to strict specifications; they must weigh-in at less than 1kg, be less than 20cm x 20cm x 30 cm (height) and cost less than $150 to build. During the event the robots are placed on a sumo wrestling-style platform from which they attempt to push each other off, without falling off themselves. Faculty of Science and Technology lecturer Ross De Rango says the success of the robots depends on a range of factors: “They need to be able to sense each other and follow each other’s movements, have the strength to push each other around, and be able to detect the edge of the arena,” he said. “They must also be completely autonomous.” The sumo challenge is a way for students to draw together all of the skills they have acquired during their course in a practical manner. “These skills range from engineering specific disciplines, such as mechanical design, electronic design and programming, through to broader industrially relevant skills such as project budgeting, time management, progress reporting and project commissioning,” says Mr De Rango. Spectators are welcome to come and support their favourite robot at the KD Stewart Centre, 10am – 1pm, Friday 30th May.
New Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology
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Two students from Deakin University are leading the state in IT after taking top honours at the 2008 iAwards - Australia’s information and communications technology (ICT) industry awards. Adam Hoddinott and Nathan Koris were jointly awarded first prize in the Tertiary Student Project category. Hosted by the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), the state awards honour the most outstanding ICT talent nationally. Adam Hoddinott is a second year student studying a Bachelor of IT (Computer Science and Software Development). His innovation ConnecTrade is a Business to Business relationship website, allowing businesses to sell or buy other trades. Using Google Maps, it displays businesses nearby and provides geographic directions to determine transport routes: “If a business needs stock this allows them to find the nearest trade route. Suppliers are displayed by varying distances and with associated prices.” This new business model has the potential to change the way goods are priced and delivered, opening up new possibilities to how businesses may be conducted in the future: “Shorter trade links means less petrol is used and therefore less carbon emissions, ultimately saving businesses money and global resources,” he said. Nathan Koris is studying a double degree Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of IT. He won his award for developing dbSphere, an innovative data visualization tool that renders 2-Dimensional geographical data from a database, into a multi-layered 3-D interface. “It promises to change the way data analysis is conducted, leading to improved business intelligence,” he said. This visualisation tool uses Google Earth to present data with a geographical context and with multiple dimensions at the same time. Rather than presenting data using lists, tables and graphs, dbSphere combines the use of colours, icons and geographical locations to present information in an innovative and interactive manner. Both projects started off as a first year assignment in 2007. The unit chair, Dr. Kok-Leong Ong, was then thinking of how to teach first year database in a fun and engaging manner. Google Earth became part of the curriculum and students were asked to be creative with their database assignment. “The assignment eventually ended up as a creativity journey with hundreds of ideas from students doing interesting things with databases and Google Earth. Adam and Nathan’s ideas were among those that demonstrated what our students can do when given the right guidance and the room to achieve. It also highlights how computer science can be fun and engaging,” said Dr. Ong who is also their supervisor and nominator for the 2008 iAwards. As recipients of the award, Adam and Nathan will now represent Victoria at the national awards held on Wednesday 28 May in Melbourne. National winners then go on to represent Australia at the Asia-Pacific ICT Awards in Indonesia later this year. The novelty of their work has also been combined into a research paper that will be presented at the 5th International Conference on Service Systems and Service Management supported by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) in Melbourne in July 2008. Their work will also be available on IEEE’s digital library. |
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Hard work and excellence was rewarded at the School of Architecture and Building Opening Night at Deakin University. The awards, held at the Waterfront Campus on Tuesday 1st April, provided a platform for students to showcase their work in front of their peers, industry experts and the community as a whole.
“In addition to recognising outstanding achievements, this evening is also an opportunity for everyone to see first hand the talent that graduating students will be bringing to the world of building,” said Professor Des Smith – Chair in Architecture.
There were numerous coveted awards up for grabs with monetary and practical industry prizes attached.
The outstanding graduate student that successfully achieved a balance between design excellence and construction and practice excellence was awarded the RAIA McGlashan Everist Graduation Prize in Architecture. This year the recipient of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) accolade was Eugenia Tan who received one year’s employment at McGlashan Everist in addition to $2,500 prize money.
For excellence in the final year design unit in the Architecture degree, the Peddle Thorpe (architects) Award, with $5,000 attached with it, went to Mat George, Hideto Chijiwa, Siang Choon Foo, Daniel Gibbs, Teuta Jerliu, Amanda Rippon and Eugenia Tan.
First year students were also acknowledged with the offering of the Peddle Thorpe Scholarship awarded to the student with the highest ENTER score, as well as $1,000 prize money. This year’s recipient of the award was Alice Turnbull.
Other award winners were:
AIB (Victoria Chapter) - Chris Falzon
ARBV Professional Practice - Nicole Loader
Association of Women in Architecture Award – Teuta Jerliu
Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors Donald Cant Prize - Jacqueline Lyon
CIOBA Excellent Building Undergraduate Award – Richard Austin
CIOBA Excellent Building Research Postgraduate Award – Zhen Qiang Luo
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Prize – Jonathon Stiberc
Arthur Collins Award – Mohamad Kamil Sharaidin
The Cavalier Prize – Hilary Ackroyd-Curtis
Dean’s Scholar Program – Aaron Cody
Richard Gibson Award – Susanne Arndt
Schiavello Prize – Brent McIntyre
Studio 101 Architects Award – Victoria Britt
Victorian Digital Solutions Prizes: Timothy Harris (1st year); Nicole Lyons (2nd year); Mark Trueman (3rd year); Sammy Curmi (4th year) and Michael Smith (5th year)
It’s not every day you get to build a giant catapult and not get in to trouble for firing it! Year 10 students from the Geelong region and Warrnambool are taking part in this year’s Engineering and Science challenge that will see them design, create and build a variety of projects. The challenge is to be held at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds Campus on Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd April.
Around 400 students from schools around the region will have the chance to participate in a range of activities showing them that science is anything but dull. Over two days, they will be actively involved in a range of activities from building bridges, solving a virtual maze to constructing and firing a catapult. There is a combination of full day and half day activities. The action packed Challenge gives students an insight into the principles involved in science, engineering and technology.
School of Engineering and Information Technology Head of School Professor Kate Smith-Miles said the event aimed to generate enthusiasm for science and engineering to redress skills shortages in the industries.
“Without enough engineering graduates coming out of universities, our society will struggle to meet the demands we place on it - demands for solutions to our water crisis, to improved roads and transportation, to improved efficiency of manufacturing, to better design of products and technologies,” she said.
“With severe skills shortages growing in engineering, it is critical that we encourage school students to consider studying engineering at university.”
“Part of the problem in attracting students to study Engineering is that many students don't know what it is. There is no such subject as VCE Engineering. The Science and Engineering Challenge is a great forum for students to get exposed to the field of engineering and appreciate how important the problems that engineers solve are to our society,” she said.
The challenge is held across Australia and at the end of the year the top eight schools battle it out in the Grand Challenge Gold final.
The Science and Engineering Challenge was first held at the University of Newcastle eight years ago to introduce students to the possibilities of science and engineering. The Geelong event is held in partnership between Deakin University, Rotary club of Queenscliff and regional secondary schools. This year’s main sponsor is the Victorian Regional Channels Authority (VRCA). Based in Geelong, the VRCA oversees the operation of channels and port waters. Providing safe marine services to the regional commercial ports of Geelong, Hastings and Portland, which outside of Melbourne are the largest in Victoria and amongst the busiest in Australia.
Further information can be found on the Science and Engineering Challenge website
The action packed Science and Engineering Challenge gives students an insight into the principles involved in science, engineering and technology.
Two of the most popular activities are the War Machine for Austium (catapult) and Gold Rush Fever (bridge building). Both the bridge and the catapult projects get the students thinking about the engineering design process of: design, build, test and redesign. Students are allocated a task with design budget and time constraints, similar to what they would find in the real world. The difference is the students have to solve the problem with pieces of string, balsa wood, tape and rubber bands. They then spend several hours designing and building a catapult to fire a tennis ball at a target or build their bridge to withstand a series of weights.
Chris Hurren, Technical Services Manager for the Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation, has been involved in running the catapult since the start of Deakin’s involvement in this event:
“These activities teach students the principles of physics and design. They learn about good engineering structures, such as triangles, squares, forces and momentum. It also draws on student’s problem solving skills and creativity. They fire off the catapult once then take it back for a total redesign and rebuild. It is great to see the thought process and problem solving that has gone into the rework when they come back out and fire it off again,” says Mr Hurren.
“The challenges are about team building and getting students to work within a team. At the end of the day the winning team is one that works well together and has the best building skills.”
“It is important that all of the students also take some knowledge away with them at the end of the challenge. It is not just the act of having built something but rather that they have learnt how to build structures adhering to engineering principles.”
“The thought of firing a catapult or destructing a bridge seems to awaken the engineer and scientist within the most unsuspecting of subjects. I can’t help myself and generally build at least one catapult per year so that I can get involved in the thrill of the final firing,” he said.
The Science and Engineering Challenge will be held at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds Campus on Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd April.
New and young engineers are getting the highest pay rate rises. According to a survey released by Engineers Australia recently, starting salaries on average increased 13.3% for 2007. The highest increases were for graduates and for those starting out in the industry. Engineers with between 4 to 10 years experience saw a 10.7% increase in salaries.
Simon Cavenett, Director of Professional Practice (Engineering), says this is great news for students with starting salaries rising higher than inflation.
“Graduate starting salaries are increasing treble the rate of inflation. There is a shortage of between 20,000 to 28,000 professional engineers in Australia. This is creating a very strong demand for engineers and making it a very attractive market for graduates,” says Mr Cavenett.
“Only 8,000 students graduate nationally. There is such a backlog of demand for engineers across all streams, that even if there was a down turn in the economy demand for engineers wont evaporate because of all the concerns facing society. The demand for engineers is fuelled by multiple issues,” explains Mr Cavenett.
“The impact of engineering to society is significant. Engineers have a flow on effect to society in general. If resources are not available the implications are critical. A large amount of demand for engineers is driven by climate change and other large scale issues, such as water management, environmental sustainability and urban growth. Such issues are solved by engineers. It is engineers that implement major infrastructure projects, like building dams, water pipelining, creating housing and transportation solutions. If there are not enough engineers, the consequences are dire. Infrastructure delays due to a lack of professional engineers. Some areas, particularly water management, are going to hit crises point due to skills shortage,” says Mr Cavenett.
With underlying demand for professional engineers continuing to increase, it is a good time to be studying engineering and graduating. Engineering graduates can be selective about the type of employer and location they want to work for.
Mr Cavenett says with the current market, it is essential that students consider the implications when choosing a University and career.
“When students are selecting Universities to attend, they must consider what their career goal is. They need to be graduating with the right skills and abilities that employers want.
“It is very different today than twenty years ago. Then it was expected by employers that it would take two years to get a graduate up to the expected level of productivity. These days the expectation is that graduates will hit the ground running and be producing results within 6 months. These demands by industry are passed on to the University, as an institution we need to produce graduates that employers can get to reasonable productivity levels quickly. Our graduates need to be fully equipped and ready to go,” says Mr Cavenett.
Gen Y is tech savvy, wired up, proficient with interactive technology that looks after all their needs and is instantaneous. They know what they want and they want it right now – but what about tomorrow?
Guy Wood-Bradley (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student within the School of Engineering & Information Technology) has just completed his PhD on interactive technologies used by Gen Y and whilst it confirms the long held belief of just how wired up Generation Y is, their ability to predict the next wave of technologies is not so advanced.
Guy says he focused on Gen Y as the using group for his thesis due to the familiarity and relationship they have with technology. Also the importance Gen Y place on technology and the dominant role it plays in their day to day lives.
Gen Y has a lot of choice when it comes to technology. In this fast paced environment interactive technology has to be instantaneous and immediate:
“We want an answer right now, we don’t want to wait,” says Guy. This applies to sourcing information, entertainment and communication.
Interactive technologies have to follow the “3 E’s” to be adopted by Gen Y. It has to be Engaging, Enriching and Entertaining explains Guy:
“They have to be connecting with it and it needs to fulfil an individual goal. TV is a ‘laid back’ approach, you lean back and watch it, you don’t get too involved. When you add an interactive element it becomes ‘lean forward’, for instance a user actively interacting with a computer in completing tasks and achieving goals. So TV could traditionally be classed as a ‘leaning back’ technology, but the advent of iTV (interactive tele), means TV has become more of a ‘leaning forward’ experience and one which clashes with its traditional roots.”
“They are socially connected. They need to feel connected.” Which is evident in the popularity of social networking websites, such as Facebook and MySpace. SMS and instant messaging also allow for rapid communication and means of staying connected.
“It must fit in with their lifestyle and individual needs. It knows their preferences and interests, it knows who they are. There is a bit of AI (Artificial Intelligence) involved, it knows the elements that make up their lifestyle and focuses on that profile, not just a generic solution. It creates a unique user profile, for instance if you are interested in car racing you get information just on that and not on gardening or something unrelated. It has to plug in to all their interests and emotional needs.”
“Lastly, it has to be dynamic, they have to be entertained.”
“We need to be in control of our experience. We are control freaks. We want it on our terms.”
Guy said what he found surprising was although his Gen Y participants could readily recite the functionality of a multitude of devices, they were unable to think of possible future developments.
“They struggled early on to think what would come next, to think outside the square. Gen Y know exactly what they want, we just struggle to think about the future. When we get new technology then we can tell you what we think about it. Just not what we think will happen next, what the next wave will be.”
Guy says he thought Gen Y would be more influential in this area, however in later phases he did see an improvement in their awareness and opinions. One possibility for this is that Gen Y think they already have everything they need so don’t need to take the next step forward. They are tech savvy and tuned in already. There isn’t the need for anything else.
And what does interactive technology hold for the next generation? “Gen Z will be even worse than Gen Y growing up with so much technology – they won’t know life without technology.”
Five years of hard work will be rewarded at the School of Architecture and Building Opening Night at Deakin University. The awards, held at the Waterfront Campus on Tuesday 1st April, provide a platform for students to showcase their work in front of their peers, industry experts and the community as a whole.
“In addition to recognising outstanding achievements, this evening is also an opportunity for everyone to see first hand the talent that graduating students will be bringing to the world of building,” says Des Smith – Chair in Architecture.
There are several coveted awards up for grabs with monetary and practical industry prizes attached.
The outstanding graduate student that has successfully achieved a balance between design excellence and construction and practice excellence will be the recipient of the RAIA McGlashan Everist Graduation Prize in Architecture. This Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) accolade awards the graduate with one year’s employment at McGlashan Everest in addition to $2,500 prize money.
For the graduate that has achieved excellence in the design unit in their final year in Architecture, they receive the Peddle Thorpe (architects) Award which also has $5,000 attached with it.
First year students are also acknowledged with the offering of the Peddle Thorpe Scholarship. This is awarded to the student with the highest ENTER score and they receive $1,000.
Prior to the announcement of the awards, two industry specialists will be discussing ‘melding of construction and architecture’.
The presenters from the award winning companies are Tony Isaacson, Managing Director Kane Constructions, specialists in large community projects. He is joined by Glen Rodgers, Architect and Director of Third Ecology Architects, whose expertise is in sustainability and heritage architecture.
The presentation starts at 6:00pm, followed by the award presentation at 7:00pm. Students’ work will be on display for viewing throughout the evening.
With the strong demand for professional engineers, industry is looking to engineering students to fill the shortages. Employers are getting students on board earlier in their studies to meet industry and market demands, according to Simon Cavenett, Director of Professional Practice (Engineering).
“We listen to industry demands and the needs of industry are integrated across the whole degree. Deakin focuses on the range of disciplines, including the managerial and communication skills that engineers need five years or so in the workforce, required. Someone coming from Deakin has a range of skills and qualities making them ready for the market.”
Traditionally undergraduate students would not have given thought to finding employment until their fourth year of study. Similarly, employers would look for students in their final year. The widespread shortage has pushed this forward:
“Employers are now looking at students in their second year of study. If they wait until the students are in their final year it may be too late. They want the best of the best. Universities are a good introduction between student and employer. Work experience is a mandatory part of the degree and many students get job offers from the work experience they do. They get paid for it too so with increasing costs in education this is very beneficial too. It is easier now for first year students to get work experience. Industry is looking for a long term relationship with students. They can bring them on as cadets employed either part time or full time whilst completing their studies. They have a relationship with that company and an edge on their peers having had practical hands on work experience.”
Career fairs are another way of exposing students to industry. Recently Engineering and IT students took advantage of such an event at the GTP (Geelong Technology Precinct) as part of Careermonth. This was an interactive information session between students and over 30 participating companies from a range of industry.
Mr Cavenett says that these events are a good opportunity for students, not only graduating but also first years, to get hands on practical career advice direct from industry leaders.
“Going to one of these events students may get a cadetship or a job offer for part time or vacation employment. Students may discover scholarships or options they had never considered before, says Mr Cavenett.”
Male Starlings are singing more and their songs are more complex as a result of eating polluted worms. Rather than being deterred, female Starlings are being drawn to those birds with this diet.
Dr Katherine Buchanan, new School of Life and Environmental Sciences Senior Lecturer, has recently published results in PLoS ONE showing that male Starlings feeding on worms contaminated with environmental pollutants sing more complicated songs.
The paper (Markman et al 2008 PLoS ONE 3(2):e1674. doi 10.1371/journal.pone.0001674) shows that invertebrates on sewage treatment filter beds accumulate contaminants from agricultural and human waste, including estrogen and estrogen mimics.
The results also show that birds experimentally dosed with the chemicals in these invertebrates sang more and sang more complex songs. A male’s song is one of the key traits in attracting a female mate for reproduction.
“This is the first evidence that environmental pollutants not only affect, but paradoxically enhance a signal of male quality such as song,” says Dr Buchanan.
Although females are seeking out these males, there is a downside to their current diet. These male Starlings were also found to have immune deficiencies, making them less physiologically fit.
“Females are choosing them as they sing better songs, but those males are not as physiologically fit as mates, as they have immune deficiency.”
“These results may have consequences for the population dynamics of an already declining species,” says Dr Buchanan. The potential effect of pollutant exposure may be to decrease their fertility or the proing of their offspring.
Starling population numbers have already decreased dramatically in the UK, making them a listed species.
What is the next step in research? Studies along the same lines but this time looking at the females. Although females do sing occasionally, it is not really known what the function of the female’s song is. Those females that have been exposed to the same environmental pollutants have already been observed to be singing more.
Coverage of this work by the international media includes BBC Radio, New York Times, MSNBC and Fox News, Medical News Today, Environmental Science and Technology and Discover Magazine.
In November 2007 a team of staff and students from
the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and
Melbourne Zoo participated in a trip to North Sumatra,
Indonesia. With the recent focus on climate change
and carbon emissions (i.e. Bali 2007) this area will be
one of the environmental battlegrounds. This initial
trip was focussed on establishing long-term research
links in the area to examine wildlife conservation.
North Sumatra faces many problems, making conservation a very difficult prospect for the local people. Large-scale deforestation, encroachment from palm oil plantations and poverty are just a few of the challenges to overcome.
We were based in the Tangkahan region where Fauna and Flora International has been running conservation programs with Zoos Victoria. Until recently one of the primary sources of income for these local people was from illegal logging of the jungles. However, several years ago the community came together and decided to stop logging the National park and try to build an income based around ecotourism. The ecotourism is managed by the community with revenue returning to the community. Whilst the income from ecotourism will never replace the income from logging, it is hoped that the community will not need to return to logging in the future.
Very quickly we witnessed that conservation in developing areas like Sumatra is not as straight forward as in developed areas. The major issues surrounding conservation include limited knowledge of the need for conservation, and more concerning is the poverty faced by rural communities. For conservation to work we must acknowledge these limitations and plan conservation strategies accordingly.
First we need to develop alternative income streams that negate the need to overexploit the natural resources of the area, and at the same time enter into environmental education for the community. The Deakin and Zoos Victoria trip focused around both these areas. We were involved in developing VIP ecotourism strategies to bring in western tourists who want to visit remote natural locations in the world.
Another aspect of our trip was to run training for different community groups. Our two student volunteers under Zoos Victoria guidance focussed on training rangers in the use of GIS and GPS technologies in their day to day work. Using these technologies has several advantages, one is that the rangers can more safely guide ecotourists into the jungle, and they can also record sightings, tracks and traces of wildlife while in the jungles. The information on wildlife sightings etc will be important in future research in the area. The Deakin staff also worked with Zoos Victoria to deliver environmental education training courses to primary school teachers in the region. The courses were great fun for all involved but did highlight a lack of knowledge. Starting with the teachers will have some long term benefits, and hopefully the Zoo and Deakin will continue to further develop environmental programs for teachers in the future.
Currently we are examining long-term research strategies. We are hoping to establish research examining biodiversity throughout the area, looking specifically at mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. We also want to examine how jungle wildlife returns to areas after logging, and how ecotourism can be used to facilitate conservation in developing countries.
A DEAKIN University student has gained an extraordinary introduction to his medical degree by helping save lives in East Timor over the summer break.
Noble Park resident James Xavier, 20, provided much-needed medical care to city and rural East Timorese communities during for two weeks in November and December.
He used skills he gained in nine years of St John’s Ambulance training and the three-year Biomedical Science course at Deakin to treat illnesses including dehydration, malnutrition and road trauma. He was also in the country with his parents to mark the first anniversary of his East Timorese grandmother’s death.
“When I arrived at the house in the countryside where I was staying, there were heaps of people who had heard that I would be there waiting to ask me about their illnesses,” he said.
“They just kept coming and coming. Some were suffering from injuries from road trauma such as bruises, wounds and closed fractures as they didn’t wear seatbelts and hung outside their cars and others had flu-like symptoms that wouldn’t clear up.”
He also assisted his cousin, who is a doctor, in a hospital emergency department in Dili. There, Mr Xavier’s patients included refugees whose children were often acutely ill as a result of dehydration and malnutrition. He found the conditions in the hospital to a far cry from those in hospitals in Australia.
“It was back to basics as the hospital didn’t have much equipment and the medicines they were using were stored in bottles with no lids that looked like Pepsi bottles.
“It was really chaotic and so different from here; the surgeon turned up wearing an apron, a showercap and kitchen gloves and the doctors wore sandals because it was hot.”
Mr Xavier said that although he had enjoyed the opportunity to provide some medical help to people in East Timor, he was looking forward to contributing more after starting his medical degree.
Mr Xavier completed his Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Deakin University in 2007 and in December discovered he had achieved his dream of gaining a position in the new postgraduate medical degree at the Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds. He said that he was pleased to have the opportunity to become a doctor through the new Medical School.
As part of his involvement role as a Youth Development Coordinator, Mr Xavier has trained young people in CPR and first aid and competed in the St John’s Ambulance Competitions, in which he has enjoyed international success.
“It [medicine] is something that I’ve always wanted to do and that’s one of the reasons I have been involved with St John’s since I was 11.
“I think my experience in Timor has also given me a great start and I learnt a lot on my feet. Now, I’m looking forward to getting started on the course,” he said.
Mr Xavier is also grateful for the grounding he gained in Biomedical Science before entering the medical course.
“It’s a good way of moving from an undergraduate course into Medicine, and it means that I’ve got some life experience first,” he said.
Interview: James Xavier is available for interview on 9562 3043. Photographs are available
An improved technique for estimating a person’s age that will have implications for national security, law enforcement and restricting children’s access to inappropriate web sites has been developed by Deakin University researchers.
The Head of Deakin’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, Professor Kate Smith-Miles, and PhD student Xin Geng are working on the automatic age estimation project known as AGES (AGing pattErn Subspace). Using mathematical algorithms, the AGES technique has proven to be more accurate in estimating age based on photographs of people’s faces than other existing methods.
“While recognition of most facial variations, such as identity, expression and gender, has been extensively studied, automatic age estimation has rarely been explored,” Professor Smith-Miles said.
“In contrast to other facial variations, aging presents several unique characteristics which make age estimation a challenging task.”
Logging on to inappropriate websites by under-age computer users would be more difficult with the AGES technique able to determine whether the face of the person at the keyboard conforms with the age they say they are, Professor Smith-Miles said.
“That’s just one practical and obvious way in which the work we’re doing could be used,” she said.
Other applications include:
Professor Smith-Miles said that the AGES method had proven to be more accurate than other systems in estimating age—it even performed better than humans.
“In extensive experiments of over 2000 faces, our method outperformed the existing approaches, and even outperformed human perception of age estimates when the humans were given only the same tightly cropped face images to view as those fed into our algorithm,” she said.
“When humans are given wider shots of faces, including hair and clothing, their ability to estimate age is much improved, but without those extra cues our algorithm performs better than humans at age estimation.”
A paper co-authored by Professor Smith-Miles and Xin Geng with Professor Zhou Zhi-Hua from China’s Nanjing University has been published in the December edition of the prestigious American-based journal – IEEE Transaction on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence.
Mathematics and Statistics lecturer Michelle Cyganowski has been awarded a citation for her outstanding contribution to student learning by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC). This citation recognises Michelle's efforts in inspiring students in mathematics and statistics through engaging teaching approaches that enhance their learning experience and outcomes.
Around 150 primary and secondary students from all over Victoria got to show off their robot building skills at the Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds recently – home to the annual RoboCup Junior Victoria State Finals 2008. 
Volunteering is a great way of getting practical experience and an opportunity to ‘give something back’. Lucie Cutting has a strong history of community service and involvement with environmental volunteer work. Lucie says there are a range of volunteer opportunities for students wanting to get involved in the environmental field.
Tom Kelly has recently returned from this year’s Australia India Universities Youth Forum (AIUYF). Tom was one of 54 students from Australia and India brought together for this year’s forum. Sustainability was the theme for the two week program, designed to give attendees an increased knowledge of the key issues of sustainability, including sustainability leadership training.
On cold, damp winter’s days in Victoria, there would be plenty of people all over the state whose minds would wander to warm, tropical paradises.
Deakin University is to honour one its finest researchers, Professor Neil Archbold, with the establishment of a new travel award and medal. “Professor Archbold was not just a wonderful researcher, he was universally loved,” said the Executive Officer Higher Degrees by Research, Grant Michie. 
The School of Architecture and Building recently hosted the 25th international SAHANZ (Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand) conference at the Waterfront Campus. Delegates from Australia, New Zealand and the globe attended this milestone conference in the history of the Society. 
The Geelong Technology Precinct (GTP) was recently host to over 150 students as part of the Technology Showcase Project 729. Project 729 is an initiative created by the Smart Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN) to prepare young people for work in the manufacturing industry, to readdress the skills shortage in this sector.
As part of ICT careers week, students are invited to ExcITing Careers which will be held on Wednesday 30 July between 12-2pm at the Melbourne Campus at Burwood. This event will showcase some of the ExcITing careers available to IT professionals. Students will have the opportunity to get first hand advice about careers in IT from industry experts and find out about graduate recruitment opportunities available.
The Faculty of Science and Technology held the Industry Based Learning (IBL) Professional Development Program in Geelong recently. This program aims to prepare high achieving students for industry placements and graduate roles. Over forty students representing a diverse range of degrees across the Faculty participated in the workshops. 
Lucie Cutting recently returned from a life-changing five-day trip to Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA. Lucie was one of 100 youth from six continents and 28 countries brought together to attend world-renowned primatologist, Jane Goodall’s Global Youth Summit. The first annual event, which took place at Walt Disney World Resort®, mobilised the young leaders to address the critical issues facing the planet. At the Summit’s end, the attendees headed home with a commitment to make positive change happen and the hope that – together – they can make the world a better place.
Students from the Computer Crime and Digital Forensics course have recently completed a Linux competition to get practical experience in digital forensics. The competition was open to all 150 students in the class, across Melbourne, Geelong and off campus. 
A breathtaking array of marine life on Victoria’s seafloor has been discovered off Victoria’s Surf Coast by Deakin University scientists. The discovery includes previously unknown ‘gardens’ of magnificently coloured sponges, seaweed forests and seagrass meadows, and submerged river systems and lagoons that would have supported Aboriginal communities over 10,000 years ago.
Deakin University has been selected by Ford Motor Company to design a revolutionary concept vehicle to drive the future of the automotive industry. Deakin is one of five universities worldwide, and the only Australian university, selected to take part in the ‘Creating a Ford Model T for this Century University Challenge’.
Weighing in at less than 1kg and spanning just 20cm, these machines may not be the size of your average sumo but they are serious players in robot sumo. Deakin’s fourth year Mechatronics and Robotics students will set their creations against one another at the annual sumo robotics competition on 30th May.
The Faculty of Science and Technology welcomed Professor Brian McGaw to his new role as Dean of the Faculty early this month. 
Civil Engineering will be offered from 2009 at the Geelong campus at Waurn Ponds and in off-campus mode. Engineering students at Deakin undertake common subjects in the first year of their four year course, before they choose to specialise in Civil, Electronics, Mechatronics and Robotics or Mechanical Engineering. 
Nevenka Ilicic has been awarded the IGNITED – Initiative for a Girls’ Network in Information Technology & Engineering @ Deakin – scholarship at the annual Faculty of Science and Technology Student Excellence Awards at Deakin University’s Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds on Thursday 1st May.