Staff Notices: 25 - 29 August 2008

Table of Contents

• Uni in the News
• General Information for Staff
• Events
• Training and Development Opportunities
• Information for Researchers

Uni in the News

Rainwater tanks a drowning risk: expert

The danger for young children would increase as more water tanks are installed in homes due to the drought, an expert has warned. University of Adelaide paediatric forensic pathologist Professor Roger Byard said rainwater tanks pose a serious drowning risk for toddlers, with at least three deaths recorded in recent years. Each case, in SA and Qld, involved toddlers who fell through the access cover of the tank and drowned within minutes. Professor Byard said it was crucial parents maintained vigilance and ensured all tank access-points were child-proof. Tank drownings "are not all that common but they are completely preventable, so we need to make people aware," he said.
His paper, Rainwater Tank Drowning, was published in the Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine.

Sources: The Independent Weekly & Courier Mail (20 August 2008)
Uni full story: Rainwater tanks pose risk for toddlers

General Information for Staff

Applications for University Staff Awards

An evening workshop on How to Write Award Winning Applications will be held on Thursday 28 August at 5:00pm in Seminar Room 1, CLPD, Schulz Building. The workshop will provide you with a chance to find out how to polish your application before submitting it to the Committee for Learning and Teaching Awards. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be provided.

A reminder that applications for the Stephen Cole the Elder Awards, the Award for Excellence in Higher Degree by Research Supervision and the Award for Excellence in Support of the Student Experience (Professional Staff) close at 5:00pm on Friday 12 September. Email a pdf of your application to Barbara Brougham, Executive Officer: Committee for Learning and Teaching Awards. Any applicant seeking advice or information regarding their application should contact Barbara at: barbara.brougham@adelaide.edu.au or phone (mobile) 0437 649 976 or ext on 37421. Guidelines for the awards can be found on the CLPD website at: www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/lta/grantsprizes/.

Become a Host family

PCE are looking for host families to accommodate visiting international University students while on English and Cultural Study Tour programs. Home stay accommodation is crucial to a student's success because they are actively involved in a home environment and gain a realistic understanding of our Australian lifestyle and language. For host families, the rewards include a greater knowledge of another culture and language, new friendships and an opportunity to share Australian culture.

The programs are usually 4-8 weeks long and incorporate both formal classes and cultural visits. All families are encouraged to join the program. For further information please contact PCE's Home Stay Coordinator on 8303 4777 or visit our website at: www.adelaide.edu.au/elc/services/homestay.html.

Online Request system

ITS will be moving some of its forms into a new Online Request system to streamline internal processing over the next few weeks - starting with Shared Network Folders and Email List Creation on 25 August.

Staff completing these online forms will be able to see where their request is at any time by following the link they receive via email when they submit their request.

People who traditionally sign these forms will start to receive emails including a link to a web site which will allow them to electronically authorize (or optionally return) requests made by their staff members.

More information is available on the Online Request system webpage.

ITS Hot Tips

The most commonly used forms relating to online services managed by ITS are now available on the Forms webpage.

Vacant Positions

www.adelaide.edu.au/jobs/

Events

School of Chemical Engineering Seminar

A seminar will be delivered in the School of Chemical Engineering, Robert W F Tait Room (N123b) on Friday 12 September by Ian Powrie, 12:00noon-1:00pm. Ian is a PhD student who is researching issues for our wine producers in the increasingly competitive global wine industry. Ian's research approach is based on an Environmental Footprint Analysis which is reinforced by analytical methods such as Life Cycle Assessment. The seminar will include a review of existing practices extended by interviews and case studies. The research seminar will identify potential improvements for the industry. All welcome.

Law 125 Prestigious Speakers Series

To Commemorate its 125th Anniversary the Law School of the University of Adelaide is pleased to announce two Public Lectures:

What Comes After Sorry?
Speaker: Professor Larissa Behrendt, Professor of Law and Director of Research, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology, Sydney
Date/Time: Friday 5 September 2008, 1:00pm
Download: Behrendt flyer

Roma the First: A biography of Dame Roma Mitchell
Speakers: Adjunct Professor Susan Magarey AM and Dr Kerrie Round, Discipline of History, University of Adelaide
Date/Time: Monday 22 September 2008, 1:00pm
Download: Magarey & Round flyer

Venue: Moot Court Room, Law School (Ligertwood Building)
No RSVP is required.
Enquiries: Dr Paul Babie.

Research Tuesday with Professor Anton van den Hengel

"Some ideas about the next generation of image manipulation tools"
Date: Tuesday 9 September, 5:30pm
Venue: G04, Napier Building
FREE Public Seminar.

Associate Professor van den Hengel is Director of the Australian Centre for Visual Technologies (ACVT), an interdisciplinary research centre focusing on innovation and education in the production and analysis of visual digital media.

The massive uptake of digital cameras and advances in the science of image analysis are delivering new tools for digital content creation into the hands of the average user. This development is fueled by the growth of image and video content on the Internet and the ability of the technology to process very large volumes of image-based information. Digital content creation technologies are becoming more powerful and more accessible than ever.

Bookings: research.tuesdays@adelaide.edu.au or phone 8303 3692.
Further details at: www.adelaide.edu.au/researchtuesdays/.

School of Mathematical Sciences Colloquium Series

Probabilistic models of human cognition
Speaker: Dr Daniel Navarro
Date/Time: Friday 29 August, 3:10pm

Free surface Stokes flows with surface tension
Speaker: Professor Darren Crowdy
Date/Time: Friday 5 September, 3:10pm

Mathematical modelling of blood flow in curved arteries
Speaker: Dr Jennifer Siggers
Date/Time: Friday 12 September, 3:10pm

Venue: G03, Napier Building, University of Adelaide
All welcome.

Visit: www.maths.adelaide.edu.au/news/
Enquiries: Jonathan Tuke.

Training & Development Opportunities

Professional Management Program - Executive Education Unit

For middle to senior managers or professionals. This interactive program will help you to broaden and strengthen your management skills. It is presented over 12 months in 6 x 2 day modules.

The Professional Management Program is a non award program, suitable for graduates and non-graduates and carries status of two courses in the Adelaide MBA.

5% discount for University of Adelaide staff.
For further information, please contact: Rosemary Tanner (phone 8303 4579).

Mentor Writing Program

During Semester 2, the Centre for Learning and Professional Development (CLPD) in collaboration with English, Law and Psychology is trialling a new service, the Mentor Writing Program.

The program involves senior students from those Disciplines providing one-to-one assistance to undergraduate students in those areas. The role of the mentor is to assist undergraduates to develop their discipline-specific academic skills i.e. approaches to writing, research and critical analysis. Staff in those areas are encouraged to promote this service to undergraduates.

To access the Mentor Writing Program, it is preferable that students book a 30-minute appointment. However, drop-in consultations are possible. The scheduled times are:

English
Wednesday 2:00pm-5:00pm & Thursday 10:00am-1:00pm

Law
Tuesday 10:00am-1:00pm & Thursday 10:00am-1:00pm

Psychology
Monday 10:00am-1:00pm & Tuesday 2:00pm-5:00pm

The Mentor Writing Program is being co-ordinated by the CLPD and is an extension of its Writing Centre, which will continue to operate as normal between the hours of 2:00pm-4:00pm, Tuesday-Thursday.

For further information please contact Catherine Irving or Deb Coleman-George.

Do You Need Turnitin Access?

Turnitin is a totally web-based tool which provides an online plagiarism prevention service for both educators and learners. For further information visit: www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/plagiarism/staff/turnitin/

All University of Adelaide staff (instructors) and students can use Turnitin. Instructors can submit student papers to check for plagiarism. Alternatively students can submit their own papers, either as a course requirement or for personal checking.

Accounts have been created for each School in the University. Instructors may request access to their School account by submitting the online Turnitin Access Request form (staff only).

Staff Development Workshops

The following staff development workshops are available:

University of Adelaide Governance
Tuesday 2 September, 10:00am-12:00noon

Building Personal Resilience
Wednesday 3 & 17 September (2 day program), 9:00am-1:00pm

Managing Inappropriate and Difficult Behaviour in the Workplace
Thursday 11 September, 9:00am-1:00pm

Understanding the Media
Tuesday 16 September, 9:00am-12:00noon

University Policy Management
Tuesday 7 October, 10:00am-12:00noon

Further information and bookings: Development Workshops and Seminars and University Management Practices.

Professional & Continuing Education

Upcoming Professional Development Courses

Contract Management (2 days)
Wednesday 27 & Thursday 28 August

Professional Communication in the Workplace
Thursday 28 August

Managing Change in the Frontline
Friday 29 August

Manage You and Manage Up!
Tuesday 2 September

5% discount for University of Adelaide staff.

For further information or to enrol please email Jo Carrick or phone 8303 4777, or visit our website at: www.adelaide.edu.au/pce to view our extensive program offering.

Information for Researchers

From Research : 2 : Business - FREE Commercial Awareness Seminars

Dates: Wednesday 17 September, 24 September, 8 October 2008, 1:00pm-2:00pm
Venue: Art Gallery Auditorium

Adelaide Research and Innovation Pty Ltd are holding a FREE Lunchtime seminar series for University researchers and students on Commercial funding opportunities, Intellectual Property protection and Tips in research-2-business engagement including pricing and negotiation. Further information and online registration: www.adelaide.edu.au/aripl/research/seminars/.

Download flyer

Adelaide Research & Innovation

The latest commUNIcate RESEARCH news is available online.

Research Branch

See the Research Branch newsletter for the latest information on major grant rounds and information sessions, a selection of competitive grants and prizes now open for application and other research-related news.