Getting to know… Jonathan Brown

April 2, 2012 – 2:35 pm

Name: Jonathan Brown
Title: Residential Support Team Coordinator for Monash Residential Services and College Head at Richardson Hall
Division: Monash Residential Services
Dept: VP Admin
Campus: Clayton (but I work across all campuses)

How long have you worked at Monash?
I have been at Monash since I began my undergraduate studies in 1997! I think I have been on the payroll in some form since about 1999.

Where did you work prior to starting at the University?
Until the end of 2010 I was lecturing in the School of Geography and Environmental Science (SGES)  (teaching soil science and physical geography) in addition to my College Head role.

Read the full article here…

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History Academic Wins Major Prize

March 28, 2012 – 5:33 pm

Prize winner Ernest Koh.

Monash history academic Ernest Koh has been awarded a major book prize for his first book. Singapore Stores: Language, Class, and the Chinese of Singapore 1945 – 2000 was based on his PhD thesis, and looks at the relationship between language and economic stratification in post-war Singapore. The book was published by Cambria Press.

The National Library Board of Singapore’s E.W. Barker Prize is in its inaugural year, and is meant to acknowledge innovative contributions to the study of Singapore in the humanities. There were forty titles that were submitted by publishers for consideration by the prize panel (made up of academics from the National University of Singapore and the National Library Board of Singapore)

Koh also a very accomplished teacher, having received Faculty recognition in the Faculty’s last round of awards and citations.

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Sarah Spottiswood: Law and Social Justice

March 26, 2012 – 3:01 pm


Sarah is completing a Bachelor of Law /Bachelor of Arts degree at Monash University. She was an exchange student at the University of California Berkeley and a Prime Ministers Australia Asia Endeavour Scholar at the University of Hong Kong (2011). This has provided her with a valuable understanding of international difference and cross cultural issues.

Sarah has applied these intercultural skills through her work at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in 2011. In 2010, she represented Australia at the Japanese Government’s Ship for World Youth Program which brought together young people from different countries to discuss and implement solutions to international issues. Sarah is also an Asia Literacy Ambassador for the Asia Education Foundation.

Sarah has also employed her legal and cultural skills in a number of volunteer positions. Last year she volunteered at the Women’s Aid Organisation in Malaysia. In 2010, Sarah worked as a volunteer with Victorian Women’s Lawyers on an initiative seeking to inform Victorian migrant women from diverse backgrounds of their legal rights. Sarah’s performance has been recognised through various awards including the Australian Olympic Committee’s Pierre De Coubertin Award and the Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Award. Sarah is currently completing her degrees and an Honours thesis in international law. She aims to use her skills to assist disadvantaged groups in society both directly and by contributing to the development of public policy solutions. 

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National maritime archaeology project launches new Website

March 21, 2012 – 12:15 pm

Adjunct Senior Research Fellow Dr Mark Staniforth (School of Geography and Environmental Science) is one of three Chief Investigators for the Australian Historic Shipwreck Protection Project (AHSPP). The project has a large ARC Linkage grant from the Australian Research Council (ARC) to investigate and conduct excavation, reburial and in-situ preservation of Clarence (1850), a historically significant colonial wooden trading vessel located near St Leonards in Port Phillip. This Project is the first to have been endorsed by the Cooperative National Heritage Agenda (CNHA), the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) and the Heritage Chairs and Officials of Australia and New Zealand (HCOANZ). AHSPP will run for three years and involve fieldwork with investigators from the University of Western Australia (UWA), the Australian National University (ANU), Monash University and the Western Australian Museum (WAM), supported by research asso ciates and practitioners from the ten partner organisations, two collaborating universities, students and volunteers. This project brings together, for the first time, 10 partner organisations in Australia representing government heritage agencies, museums and the peak avocational body – the Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology (AIMA).

The first season of excavation on the Clarence will take place from 16 April to 12 May 2012 from a jack-up barge located over the site. The project is seeking a small number of volunteers with archaeological object recording and handling experience. For more information you can contact Mark at:

Mark.Staniforth@monash.edu

The project will study colonial shipbuilding by conducting a detailed excavation program with GIS-enhanced logging of wreck structures, fittings and objects, recording the degree to which domestic versus traditional (namely British) ship building techniques were used, study how shipbuilding methods were designed to suit new environments and the use of different timbers, document the presence and nature of durable organic materials like wooden pulleys, leather and rope, and analyse other materials, such as metal fastenings and fittings, to inform on innovation in building practice. AHSPP also aims to make significant advances on current international reburial and in-situ conservation approaches in near coastal zones where impacts are highest and develop intervention protocols in order to successfully stabilise and conserve shipwreck sites. The project will develop a reburial methodology that will subject all excavated artefacts and objects to a sophisticated, forensic document ation prior to their reburial which has not previously been done in maritime archaeology.

The project website provides educational information about the excavation, and daily updates will be made via blogs during the excavation. The project website is available at:

http://www.ahspp.org.au

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Call for Papers: Border Breach: Australia & the Global Circulation of Ideas, InASA 2012 Conference

March 19, 2012 – 12:25 pm

Call for Papers Open from 01 March 2012 to 01 July 2012
InASA 2012 Conference, Melbourne 5 to 7 December 2012
Keynote speakers: Adrian Franklin, Susan Ryan & Kim Scott

Borders obstruct through a variety of guises – geopolitically, between disciplines, across publics and counter publics. The 2012 InASA Conference will explore the conditions under which borders are breached and enforced. Attention to the transnational circuits of information, technologies, bodies and ideas is increasingly seen against the discontinuities, lapses and blockages that characterize the growing political preoccupation with border security, internet restriction and the trafficking of people and animals. Mobility itself is racialised and subject to the countervailing forces of disparate regimes of gender, class and sexuality. Security, sovereignty and secrets are pitted against protest, asylum and leaks.

The 2012 InASA Conference, jointly hosted by Monash University’s History Department and the National Centre for Australian Studies, will provide a forum for much needed complex analysis and discussion around these issues through its theme: Border Breach. The conference is designed to encourage reflection on both Australian effects in transnational circuits of meaning and ideas, but also the inherently interdisciplinary and global nature of Australian studies. The movement of ideas and people across Australian borders is mirrored in the academy, compelling an immensely productive, constantly shifting context for thought and contention that this Biennial InASA conference will showcase.

Panels and papers are invited which address the following themes, in terms of contemporary debates and historical/cultural perspectives:
• Debate: climate change, corporate accountability and democracy
• Mobility: migration, diasporas, refugees and trafficking
• Difference: citizenship and multiculturalism
• Economy: trade, ethics and counter publics
• Finance: crisis, trade barriers and sovereignty
• Security: resistance, protest and hacking
• Communication: cyber activism, media empires, citizen journalism
• Land: resource, territory and place
• Indigeneity: interventions, global and local connections

For further information & submission information
Conference Website http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/history/conferences/inasa-2012/
Email: InASA2012@gmail.com

For more information, please the attached PDF

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Monash Triumphs At World Debating Championships

March 13, 2012 – 12:31 pm

The Dynamic Duo Kiran Iyer and Amit Golder

The dynamic duo of Amit Golder (Law/Arts) and Kiran lyer (Law/ Arts) recently took out top honours at the 2012 World University Debating Championships, hosted by De La Salle University in Manila. The Monash pair defeated teams from all over the world on the road to the Grand Final. Ultimately, they out-argued and our-performed teams from Stanford, Oxford and arch rivals Sydney in a stellar final showdown on the topic that “This House supports nationalism.” In another feat of international proportions, Law/Arts Student Chris Bisset was ranked as the ninth best speaker in the world for his individual performance. He and teammate Madeline Schultz. (Law/Science) reached the Semi-Finals after ranking impressively as the third highest-scoring team in the preliminary rounds.

The annual tournament is held in the format of British Parliamentary debating, which sees four teams line up against each other in every round – two on the side of the government (proposing the motion), and two on the side of the opposition (negating the motion). The format is technically and strategically unique because it requires debaters to compete against an opposition and another team which actually supports their side of the topic. In the final, Amit and Kiran were allocated the role of Opening Government — the side which speaks first in favour of the motion. Although it is widely regarded as the most difficult position from which to win a British Parliamentary debate, they rose spectacularly to the challenge.

In fact, Monash debaters arc quickly developing a reputation for their prowess at motion proposition – our team of Fiona Prowse and Victor Finkel won the tournament last year from the same position. Historically, only Monash and Oxford Universities have fielded teams which have won the world championships in consecutive years. Monash has now become the first university to accomplish this feat twice, following its back-to-back success in the 1999 and 2000 tournaments.

In the Grand Final, Monash’s case looked at the comparative advantage of nationalism to other forms of collective identity, such as race, class and sexuality. They argued that nationalism is inclusive and accessible, and inspires unifying altruism in individuals towards causes which don’t affect them personally. It was a testament to the pair’s argumentative clarity and sophistication that the premise of their case was the key point of clash for the entire debate. Although much easier said than done, this is the trick to winning a BP debate from an opening position – your arguments have to stay relevant and remain hotly-contested throughout the entire debate. Whilst closing arguments from both Oxford and Sydney were powerful extensions on the parameters of debate, the structure and substance of Monash’s early setup were too strong to overcome. The adjudication panel was unanimous in their verdict.

Kiran was ecstatic about the win. In an interview with the University, he said: “We feel proud and really grateful. It’s such a difficult tournament and many of the decisions were close. A sign of great humility, he added: “We had luck when we needed and had amazing support from the rest of the team.” He added that they were thrilled to have the experience of debating in the Grand Final, and were really happy that all of their hard work and preparation paid off. Monash’s record of recent success at the international level is tremendous, and a shining endorsement of the quality of training programmes provided to the club’s membership. After Kiran and Amit’s success in the Philippines, Monash has retained its ranking as the number two debating institution in the world. The Monash Association of Debaters is incredibly proud of Kiran and Amit and all of its tournament participants, who have been immeasurably integral as important role models for the club.

Monash debating has broken world records. But there’s one more for which one can easily fancy our prospects – the elusive hat-trick. We’ll have to wait another year to find out.

The Monash Association of Debaters holds training sessions every Monday at 5pm in the Law Basement. New members are always welcome.

– DUNCAN WALLACE

With thanks to the author and Lot’s Wife for granting their permission for this article’s reproduction. 

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Walking towards better opportunities for women

March 6, 2012 – 3:43 pm

Bridget Mattingley in the Banaue Rice Terraces, the Philippines

Just days after the world celebrates International Women’s Day, one Monash student will begin walking in the shoes of women less fortunate to show she cares.

Bridget Mattingley, a fourth year Bachelor of Arts (Global) and Bachelor of Science student at Monash University’s Clayton campus, will begin walking 10,000 steps, or approximately eight kilometres, each morning as part of CARE Australia’s ‘Walk in her Shoes’ Challenge.

Every day millions of women and girls around the globe walk over six kilometres in search of food, water and firewood, leaving them with little time for school, accessing health services or earning an income.

“CARE works in a range of countries, with the money raised from this particular challenge put towards empowering women and their communities through principles such as equal access to education,” Bridget said.

“One of my key motivations for participating has been my experience studying at Monash University’s Sunway campus in 2011, during which I also travelled extensively throughout Southeast Asia. This deepened my awareness of key issues and complexities prevalent through the region.

“It was a joy to see the smiling faces of locals and the strong sense of community shared and open hospitality, even in places where hardships and discrimination were widely evident.”

At Monash Bridget is focusing on international studies and conservation biology, two passions which she hopes to eventually combine.

“I am interested in issues of sustainability, environmental education and how to maximise livelihoods and development without compromising cultural diversity, access to and resilience of natural resources and the land,” Bridget said.

From 12-18 March Bridget will walk 10,000 steps a day in order to raise her target of $750. Just $250 can provide a girl with an education scholarship that includes uniforms, travel costs and food for one year. A simple rope water pump and maintenance training for a community can be bought with $500, drastically reducing the time taken to collect water.

“Such funding is important in providing economic opportunity, with the overall goal of strengthening the capacity of individuals and communities alike to be independent, dynamic and resilient while upholding values of dignity, respect and cultural diversity,” Bridget said.

For more information on CARE Australia, visit their website. To donate to Bridget’s cause, visit her Walk In Her Shoes fundraising page.

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Congratulations Kay Steel

February 27, 2012 – 3:54 pm

Congratulations to Kay Steel (and her supervisor Erik Eklund) – word just came through that all requirements have been met for her PhD.  Just the graduation ceremony to go and she’ll be Doctor Kay! Thesis title and summary below…

To the bitter end: the 1977 State Electricity Commission of Victoria maintenance workers’ dispute

This thesis describes and analyses the 1977 State Electricity Commission of Victoria maintenance workers’ dispute. The dispute is examined within its complex local, state and federal context, including relevant economic, political and industrial factors. While the dispute over the log of claims was expected to be a minor event, the actions of the SECV over a more emotive issue, that of contract labour, provided the trigger for a strike which was ill-advised in its broader context.

The narrative of the dispute is enhanced by the inclusion of material from interviews of participants bringing subjectivity to an account otherwise derived from documentary sources. These interviews also indicated three themes which come out in the narrative: the control over the dispute by the rank and file, the extensive support for the dispute from the community, and the effect of the Melbourne-LV divide.  The latter operated across the unions and their members, between the local and the state peak councils, and within the SECV.

In order to add to our understanding of lengthy disputes, the events of 1977 are analysed using Kelly’s Mobilisation Theory. This provides a greater focus on social relationships and interactions than traditional methods of industrial relations analysis. In particular, it provides a means of incorporating the local industrial identity when considering those factors which impact on the origin and continuation of disputes.

An analysis of the origins and development of this significant regional industrial dispute adds much to our understanding of regional labour history in the Latrobe Valley, as well as making a contribution to the literature on the causes of lengthy Australian disputes.

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Monash Launches New Writing Prize

February 24, 2012 – 12:29 pm

In conjunction with the Emerging Writers’ Festival, Monash has recently launched a new Undergraduate Prize for Creative Writing. With a first prize of four-thousand dollars and a highest-placed Monash University student award of one thousand dollars, the prestigious new award is intended to encourage and foster emerging literary voices.

Dean of Arts, Professor Rae Frances, said that she is proud that Monash is able to sponsor this exciting initiative. “Monash is committed to developing the next generation of Australia’s creative writers, and this prize is an indication of this commitment,” she said.

It is a major aim of the Undergraduate Prize for Creative Writing to recognise, discover and celebrate the diversity within Australia’s writing and educational communities.

The Prize’s 2012 theme of ‘Revolution’ provides the inspiration for emerging creative writers of all forms to submit their work for consideration by Prize judges Fiona McGregor and Ali Alizadeh.

The winners of the Monash University Undergraduate Prize for Creative Writing will be announced at the 2012 Emerging Writers’ Festival. In addition to cash prizes, the winners will receive festival tickets and a paid publication opportunity in The Emerging Writer.

Lisa Dempster, Director of the Emerging Writers’ Festival, said, “This is an exciting opportunity for writers and student-writers. The Emerging Writers’ Festival exists to promote the interests of emerging writers, and the development of this significant Undergraduate Prize for Creative Writing is the outcome of a shared commitment with Monash University to developing the careers of tomorrow’s literary voices, today.”

For more information see The Emerging Writer’s Festival Site.

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Monash Musician and World Champion Debater wins Rhodes Scholarship.

February 17, 2012 – 5:10 pm

Rhodes Scholar Victor Finkel

Victor Finkel has been awarded the prestigious Victorian Rhodes Scholarship which will take him to Oxford University to study a Master of Public Policy. Finkel has dual degrees in Music and Aerospace Engineering from Monash and is currently working as a management consultant.  He hopes to use his experience in management, engineering and music to deepen his understanding of how best to have an impact on world issues such as poverty and stunted economic development while studying at Oxford.

Finkel has achieved an extraordinary amount in his life and often in divergent fields. Apart from being a Rhodes Scholar he is an accomplished jazz musician, the current World University Debating champion and a qualified ski instructor.  His philosophy of embracing opportunity and taking on a challenge is reflected throughout his university life.  He travelled with fellow students to study in Prato, Italy, went on exchange to the University of Miami music school, toured Australia with multi-platinum artist Pete Murray, was a key member of the Monash Association of Debaters and worked as a volunteer with Bridges Across Borders in Cambodia.

There is no doubt that Finkel’s involvement in so many facets of university life will be an advantage in living up to the aspirations of what it means to be a Rhodes Scholar and there will be many following his future progress with interest.

 

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