Message from the Vice-Chancellor

University of Adelaide graduates make an impact in many fields of endeavour. Politics is one such field, and the University congratulates law graduate Julie Bishop on her elevation earlier this year to the Federal Cabinet and the Ministry of Education, Science and Training. She describes her time at Adelaide in this issue of Lumen.

In recent years, the University has attracted some outstanding, world-renowned scholars as it invests heavily in international talent. Among them is Federation Fellow Professor Alan Cooper, recruited from Oxford University, who has specialised expertise in molecular biology, especially ancient DNA. The building of a new facility in collaboration with the Department for Environment and Heritage will make Adelaide an international centre for large-scale research into the effects of climate change, bio-security and animal and human evolution, and Professor Cooper's work is the subject of the feature story in this issue.

The new ancient DNA facility is an example of the numerous partnerships in which the University is engaged. Others highlighted in this issue include: our partnership with The Smith Family to give students from disadvantaged backgrounds better opportunities to pursue tertiary education; our partnership with Qantas to give early career researchers the chance to benefit from international travel and collaboration; and the Proteomics Centre, a partnership between the School of Molecular and Biomedical Science and the Hanson Institute in the fight against cancer.

Partnership in a different sense underlies the new Heritage Appeal. The University of Adelaide is the custodian of a significant built heritage and the Heritage Appeal aims to help us preserve and transmit this heritage to coming generations. It is being made possible by the men and women who have so generously given of their time to lead the Heritage Foundation Working Party, and this issue recognises their commitment.

We also acknowledge those who give to the University through volunteering in a story about the work of the Volunteer Committee, established in 2004 to coordinate the diverse volunteer activities that take place across the University.

These are some of the Adelaide graduates and Adelaide research featured in this issue of Lumen. They reaffirm the inspiring impact that our University continues to make, and of which we can truly be proud.

PROFESSOR JAMES A. McWHA
Vice-Chancellor and President