Alumni on the move

2000s

Dr Mansour Afshar-Mohammadian [PhD (Biosc) 2005] After returning to the University of Guilan in the north of Iran, Mansour continued teaching in the department of Biology. He has been elected as a member of the Board of Iranian Biology. Mansour was also recently appointed Director of the International Office at the University of Guilan.

Dr Nguyen Kieu Lien [B E (Chem) 2003, PhD 2007 (University of Cambridge] After graduating from the University of Adelaide in 2003, Lien was awarded a Bill Gates Special Scholarship that allowed her to pursue her PhD at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She has since become the youngest Vietnamese person to achieve a doctorate, at the age of 25. She is now working as an engineer at TWI Ltd in the UK, specialising in applying high power lasers in the manufacturing industry.

Dr Wendy Wright [B A, Sophia University, Tokyo, M A (Creat Writ) 2003, Ph D (H&SS) 2007] Wendy has now graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy at the April 2007 Singapore Ceremony in absentia. The title of her thesis written in the Department of English School of Creative Writing is "The novel `Intangible Gifts' and its accompanying exegesis `Japan, the Love Story and Myself'." During the time of writing her thesis, Wendy was invited to the Iowa International Writer's Program. Wendy is now a Fellow of Writing at the University of Iowa and continues to translate ancient and contemporary Japanese poetry.

Dennis Wong [B Eng (Civil), 2003] is currently working as an engineer for a construction company in Melbourne. His work involves responsibility over three subdivisions.

1990s

Merydith Willoughby [B Lab St 1999, Grad Dip Ed 2003 (UniSA)] Since graduating from the University of Adelaide, Merydith has completed a postgraduate degree in Education with the University of South Australia. Merydith has gone on to build a successful global Organization Development Consultancy and is Director of IB Coaching in Australia, USA and Ireland. Merydith was nominated for Australian of the Year in 2007, included in SA's inaugural Who's Who edition, presented with a Corporate Business Champion award by DRUG ARM in 2006 and was part of the Board at ISBEC when they were awarded best Business Enterprise Centre in Australia. Merydith has also just written a book titled IF IT'S TO BE: It's up to me, recorded a CD audio book and is now writing a book about powerful leadership.

Dr Janice Pavils [B A 1998, Grad Cert Hist St 1999, B A (Hons) 2000, PhD (H&SS) 2005] In November 2005, Janice won a grant from the History Trust of South Australia to publish a manuscript that was based on her PhD thesis. The thesis was completed in the School of History and Politics, Discipline of History at the University of Adelaide. In April 2007 Lythrum Press published the manuscript under the title Anzac Day: The Undying Debt. The book records the history of Anzac Day in South Australia as a part of Australian culture.

Peter Young [B Ed (Sec Mus) 1993] began his teaching career at Sacred Heart College in Broken Hill and as music co-ordinator at Temple Christian College at Mile End. Between the years of 1997 to 2002, Peter moved to Victor Harbor, married Karin and had three children. Peter taught brass instruments at Tatachilla Lutheran College and also worked as a temporary relief teacher in many schools south of Adelaide. Peter is currently employed with DECS Instrumental Music Service as a music teacher on Kangaroo Island, servicing three campuses.

Gareth Winter [B Com 1993] was admitted as a partner in the assurance and business advisory practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers on 1 July, 2007. Having spent 13 years with PwC following his graduation from the University of Adelaide, Gareth has worked in the Adelaide and Melbourne offices before his appointment as partner. He has relocated to Sydney with his wife Samantha Winter (nee Halford) [B Ec 1992] for the first three years of his partnership.

1980s

Paul Crispin [B Sc 1984, B Sc (Hons) 1985, Grad Dip Comp Sc 1990] was married to Myra on 4 February, 2006 and they now have a son named Daniel, born on 20 January, 2007.

Michael Oudshoorn [B Sc 1983, B Sc (Hons) 1984, PhD (Ma & Comp Sc) 1992] is relocating from Montana State University where he is Professor and Head of the Computer Science Department to the University of Texas at Brownsville where he will be the Dean of the College of Science, Mathematics and Technology.

1970s

Rod Reeve [B Ag Sc, 1979], former staff member (1986-87) has spent the last 25 years managing aid projects for the United Nations, AusAID, the World Bank and similar organisations. Managing international aid projects has taken him from the opium fields of the Hindu Kush, to Iraq in the time of Saddam Hussein, the jungles of Papua New Guinea, and Aceh following the 2004 tsunami. Rod has recently written a book titled Hot-Spotting, in which he reveals the dramas and complexities of working in the provision of international aid. Rod lives in the Adelaide Hills and is the head of Coffey International Development Pty Ltd, one of Australia's leading aid contractors.

Kaija Lyytikainen [B A (Hons) 1974] Since graduating from the University of Adelaide, Kaija has enjoyed a varied career working as a disability officer, an editor and a photographer among other things. She has enjoyed travelling to several countries and visiting family members around Australia. Kaija is kept busy with volunteering in numerous South Australian businesses and charities and gathering information about the Lyytikainen family who are located all around the world.

Andy Ross [B Sc 1971, B Sc Hons 1972] returned to Perth in May after a three-year secondment with Snowden Mining Industry Consultants in Vancouver where he was General Manager. He has taken up a new position in Snowden's Perth office as Technical Competency Manager and continues to consult in exploration and mining geology and resource evaluation projectsworldwide.

1960s

Graham Rawnsley [B E (Elec) 1969, Master of Infrastructure Management, ANU] After 37 years working in the water industry, Graham is retiring. He started his career with the E&WS Department, mostly in a design role. For the last 10 years Graham has worked with United Water as Design Manager of a very talented multidisciplinary engineering group. Graham has contributed to many significant water infrastructure projects for South Australia.

Sergio Sergi [BA 1968] has retired from his third career as a Latin and English teacher. His previous roles have included diplomat and founding director of the National Maritime Museum. Sergio's new endeavour is executive mentoring. Sergio believes Australia's future is in fine hands as all the young executives he works with are "people of remarkable quality".

1950s

Lois Grosse (nee Ottens) [AUA 1957, BA (Professional Writing) 1987 (University of Canberra)] After a varied career working in secondary teaching, then publishing, editing, and public relations, Lois has retired in Canberra with her husband John Grosse (BA 1958). Lois, who has three adult children, six grandchildren and two step-grandchildren, has lived in Dalby (Queensland), Wagga (NSW) and, since 1968, in the ACT. Lois and John spent many years as part of the first presenting team establishing Lutheran Marriage Encounter in Australia, and served on the International Board which involved attending meetings in the USA, Brazil and Canada. Lois enjoys writing poetry and short story memoirs which she hopes to compile into a book for her family to mark her 70th birthday in early 2008.

Associate Professor John Frederick Leditschke AM [MBBS, 1957] Fred Leditschke began his profession working with his father as a medical practitioner in Adelaide. Since then, Fred's outstanding career has taken him all over the world, specialising in paediatric surgery. Fred has been honoured with several awards including Member in the Order of Australia in 2002 for Services to Paediatric Surgery and St John Ambulance, Australia. Currently Fred is working as a consultant surgeon in the Burns Unit at the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane. Fred married Margaret Bennier [BA (Hons) 1955] in 1958 and they have three adult children and six grandchildren. In his spare time, Fred enjoys stamp collecting, tennis, gardening and grandparenting.

1940s

Ray Osborn [B Sc 1942] Now 89, Ray is kept busy tutoring in French to a large and enthusiastic class at the Holdfast College for Seniors in Adelaide every Friday. Since retiring from the Cancer Council in 1983 he has maintained his position on the Peter Nelson Leukaemia Research Fellowship Committee.

What's new with you? If you've recently changed jobs, been promoted, moved interstate or overseas, got married, etc, we want to hear about it! Share your good news with your fellow alumni by emailing us 50 words or less, including your name, degree and graduation year.

Send it to alumni@adelaide.edu.au or call +61 8 8303 5800. High quality photos are also welcome (300dpi)