Gen Y - Spatial revolution Science for the new generation - Curtin News
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THE MAGAZINE OF CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY ISSUE 13 SUMMER 2008/09
Gen Y
Shaping the future
workplace?
Spatial revolution
Science for the new
generation
Elite athletes
Balancing their sporting
and scholarly ambitions
summer 2008/09 cite 1
Cite (s∂ it)v. To put forward Editor in chief Contributors
Val Raubenheimer
thought-provoking arguments; David Black is a political commentator and Curtin’s
Editor
to offer insightful discussion and Margaret McNally
Emeritus Professor of History and Politics. A historical
new perspectives on topics of consultant to the John Curtin Prime Ministerial
Editorial team Library and a Parliamentary Fellow (History) at the
social, political, economic or Laraine McClelland, Ann Paterson Parliament of Western Australia, he taught history
environmental relevance; to report Creative direction and politics at WAIT and Curtin from 1968 to 2001.
on new thinking. Sight (s∂ it) n. Sonia Rheinlander Claire Bradshaw is a freelance writer and editor.
A feature or object in a particular Design She has worked for many years in communications,
place considered especially Manifesto Design including eight years in Curtin’s corporate
communications area.
worth seeing.v.To frame or Contributing writers
Sue Emmett is a freelance writer and photo-
scrutinise community, research David Black, Claire Bradshaw, Sue Emmett,
journalist, with special interests in science,
Andrea Lewis, Tony Malkovic, Isobelle McKay,
and business initiatives; to present Max Noakes technology, WA business, education and the
points of view on current issues. Contributing photographers
marine environment.
Site (s∂ it) n. The location of a Adrian Lambert, Sam Proctor, James Rogers Andrea Lewis is a freelance writer and editor.
building or an organisation, esp. Cover photography
She was formerly publications manager in Curtin’s
as to its environment. v.To place corporate communications area.
James Rogers
or position in a physical and Tony Malkovic is a freelance writer, with a special
Print
interest in writing about science, technology and
social context. Scott Print
the environment.
Editorial Enquiries
Isobelle McKay is a freelance journalist, who has
Margaret McNally
written broadly for newspapers and magazines.
Corporate Communications
She is a Curtin graduate, with a degree in journalism
Curtin University of Technology
and professional writing.
GPO Box U1987, Perth WA 6845
Max Noakes is a freelance arts and music journalist.
Tel: +61 8 9266 2200
He graduated from Curtin with a Bachelor of Art in
Email: m.mcnally@curtin.edu.au
creative and professional writing.
Cite is available in PDF at curtin.edu.au/news
and in alternative formats on request.
For more information, contact
Margaret McNally on +61 8 9266 2200 or
m.mcnally@curtin.edu.au
curtin.edu.au
Vashti Innes-Brown
JAMES ROGERS
JAMES ROGERS
COVER STORY 17 Scene at the gallery 13 The rise of the
4 Gen Y: it pays to Cite goes behind the scenes at the graphic novel
John Curtin Gallery to show just Graphic novels are coming into
understand them what it takes to put together their own, earning a place on
Generation Y is sometimes derided a major exhibition, like WA fashion shelves in mainstream book
as the ‘spoilt’ generation. Yet this designer Ruth Tarvydas’ 40th shops, and sometimes even
group of 18 to 30 year-olds is the anniversary retrospective of on the silver screen.
youngest segment of our workforce. her work.
New research sheds light on 16 Breathing easy
Gen Yers and explains why it pays 24 Sport and study: A new drug treatment for
to understand them. a winning combination respiratory diseases aims to help
FEATURES Where to for elite athletes when sufferers better manage their
their competition days are over? condition, thanks to the work
10 Mapping the future Collaboration between universities of researchers in Curtin’s School
Spatial science plays an important and sporting institutes provides of Biomedical Sciences.
role in our everyday lives, without assistance to athletes who wish
many of us realising what it is and to achieve academic excellence REGULARS
what it does. Western Australia while pursuing their sport. 2 VC’s View
is leading the nation in spatial
technology, and its applications SNAPSHOTS 3 News in Brief
reach far and wide in this rapidly 8 A much-needed boost 7 Alumni
emerging science. Keith Rowe talks about how
Medical microbiologist and
immunologist Dr Trilochan Mukkur, he became involved in finding
14 Driving the price of oil
from Curtin’s School of Biomedical the HMAS Sydney II.
Oil and petrol prices go up and
Sciences, has developed a new 9 Campus Life
down – mostly up. But does the
vaccine to help eliminate a highly
high cost of petrol at the pump 28 Perspective
contagious and potentially fatal
affect our driving habits? Professor
disease – whooping cough. Emeritus Professor David Black
of Energy Economics Tony Owen,
is a name synonymous with
from Curtin Business School,
Australian history and politics –
suggests it doesn’t.
and he is vocal about Australia
becoming a republic.
summer 2008/09 cite 1
VC’S VIEW
THE best measure of Curtin’s vision of being a leading university in education and
research is its students. While the University continues to tailor courses and target
research to improve the educational and research outcomes for students and the
community, it is the students, by their commitment to scholarship, who embody
the University’s vision.
Curtin strives to prepare its students for a future beyond tertiary studies
because it is these students who will one day shape the future in business,
industry, government and the wider community. A significant portion of our
student cohort lies in the 18 to 30 demographic – otherwise known as
Generation Y – and I’m pleased to see that this group weaves a common thread
through this vibrant issue of Cite.
Learn more about the often-misunderstood Gen Y, particularly their workplace
aspirations, in ‘Gen Y: it pays to understand them’. Gen Yers are highly educated
and ambitious, with great expectations – characteristics they are sometimes
derided for. But these are precisely the qualities Curtin encourages in its students.
The spatial sciences are revolutionising the technology that maps place, space
and location, with applications ranging from the everyday GPS navigation systems
in our cars to geographic information systems which help us better understand
global warming and climate change. Generation Y, having grown up with
technology and the internet, is at the forefront of this rapidly emerging science
which you can learn more about in ‘Mapping the Future’.
From science to sport, Curtin’s Elite Athletes program supports the sporting and
academic pursuits of athletes, in preparation for a life with and beyond sport.
Curtin is proud of the more than 30 elite athletes – again,
mainly Gen Yers – who study at the Bentley Campus, among
them Olympians past and present, including several who
attended the Beijing Games.
‘Sport and Study: a winning combination’ provides an insight into the flexible
program that brings balance to the lives of these gifted students, and offers a
glimpse of the commitment required by them to achieve their dual goals.
Curtin’s scholarly offerings and cutting-edge research initiatives are made
possible only by the dynamic academics and researchers who are at the vanguard
of their discipline. Political commentator and historical consultant at the
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library Emeritus Professor David Black engages in
the Australian republic debate with an impassioned perspective on page 28.
And I invite you to read about the important developments by health science
researchers in the treatment of whooping cough and asthma.
Finally, you will notice the pages in this issue of Cite have switched from gloss
to satin stock. The reason is twofold: non-reflective paper aids readability because
it reduces light reflecting off the page and, in turn, complies with the University’s
Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP). Curtin’s DAIP outlines the strategies
we will undertake to provide an accessible and inclusive environment for our
students, staff and visitors with disabilities, including vision impairment, and
non-reflective paper is recommended in the Disability Services Commission’s
guidelines for accessible printed information. So happy reading.
It’s been an exciting year at Curtin. As 2008 draws to a close, I wish you all
a peaceful and prosperous holiday season, ahead of another year of opportunities
and challenges in 2009.
SAM PROCTOR
Professor Jeanette Hacket
VICE-CHANCELLOR
CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
2 summer 2008/09 cite
ALAN SEE
NEWS IN BRIEF
Artist’s impression of Curtin Singapore
JAMES ROGERS
ROBERT FRITH
From Left: Moses Tadé; Michael Alpers; Zheng-Xiang Li; and James Semmens The John Curtin Gallery - BEAP 2002 Immersion exhibition
Academics at the top Curtin Singapore Gallery on Show
Several of Curtin’s researchers from Geoscientist Professor Zheng-Xiang Li Curtin has ratified a 20-year relationship In celebration of the John Curtin Gallery’s
spatial sciences, engineering, health sits in the top one per cent of scientists in with Singapore by establishing a (JCG) 10th anniversary, Gallery Director
and geoscience have received prestigious his field for receiving one of the highest comprehensive teaching facility which and Dean of Art Professor Ted Snell has
recognition as leaders in their field. average citation rates of a published paper will receive its first intake of students in compiled Gallery – a tribute to the JCG
Curtin has received its first Australian over a 10-year period to 2007. December 2008. and those connected with it since its
Research Council (ARC) Federation His outstanding record in the geosciences Professor John Neilson has been establishment in February 1998.
Fellowship, awarded to spatial scientist includes 66 published papers cited 1,231 appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor of Curtin “Not only does it showcase our major
Professor Peter Teunissen. Teunissen’s times over that period. Li’s achievement Singapore to provide academic leadership exhibitions, the artists, and those
application to examine the future potential was recognised with a Thomson Scientific and ensure the quality of the programs on exhibitions of our campus partners across
of Global Navigation Satellite Systems Research Citation Award, naming him one offer. Education services company Navitas the University, but also gallery staff who
(GNSS) in providing geospatial information of the 10 most pre-eminent researchers Singapore, with whom Curtin has a have been involved in the installations,”
earned him one of 14 ARC Federation in Australia. His work focuses on long-standing relationship through its Snell says.
Fellowships, which commenced in 2008. understanding the Earth’s evolution operations of Curtin Sydney and the “I am confident Gallery will demonstrate
Dean of Engineering Professor Moses over the last 1,000 million years, and Curtin International College, will manage that our exhibitions are internationally
Tadé has earned a place in the Top 100 the tectonic processes responsible for the facility. relevant and that the John Curtin Gallery
Most Influential Engineers in 2008 for his this evolution. Currently, Curtin has between 750 is regarded as an international best
outstanding leadership and advocacy for The Royal Australasian College of and 800 students enrolled through the practice gallery.”
Curtin’s outreach scheme. The only Surgeons Medal has been awarded to Marketing Institute of Singapore, the Snell describes the book as a “bit like
Western Australian academic awarded Professor James Semmens, Director of Singapore Human Resources Institute a corporate end-of-year report, with lots
such a place by Engineers Australia the Safety and Quality of Surgical Care and the Singapore Institute of Materials of images of installations accompanied
magazine, Tadé has secured a number Project. Semmens was recognised for his Management. by succinct text and comments from the
of industry-sponsored scholarships for project’s peer-review processes, designed Curtin Business School courses will artists themselves”.
engineering students and says he is to independently review deaths in surgical continue to be offered through Curtin “For instance, Tracey Moffat
focused on attracting more high school patients in Western Australia (the Western Singapore, while programs from other commented that her work has never
students to engineering. Australian Audit of Surgical Mortality) and faculties will be developed according looked better than when shown at the
From Curtin’s Centre for International New South Wales (the Collaborating to student demand. JCG – and this is an artist who has shown
Health, Professor Michael Alpers has been Hospitals Audit of Surgical Mortality). It is anticipated the new facility will at every major art gallery in the world and
elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, the increase the attractiveness of Curtin’s at every major Biennale,” he says.
world’s oldest scientific academy which programs in Singapore and deliver Gallery includes stunning images from
has been in continuous existence since long-term benefits for students. Curtin House of Tarvydas, the retrospective of
1660. The rare honour recognises Singapore will be the University’s second Western Australian fashion designer
researchers who have made an teaching facility in Asia, following the Ruth Tarvydas’ work. The book will be
outstanding contribution to science. establishment in Miri, Malaysia, of Curtin launched in early 2009.
Only a handful of Australians have Sarawak, in 1999.
received the award.
summer 2008/09 cite 3
COVER STORY
STORY Andrea Lewis
PHOTOGRAPHY James Rogers
GeN
It pays to
understand
them
Known to many as the ‘spoilt’ generation,
Gen Y is the youngest segment of our workforce.
They’re highly educated, optimistic and vital
to the labour market. But do we really
understand them?
4 summer 2008/09 cite
IF you’ve heard anything about Gen Y by way of exists in mapping their working-life expectations. McCabe points out that Gen Y is remarkably
the mainstream media, it’s probably been largely She will do just that, using data from a 2003 survey relationship-focused and they want mutual
negative. Characteristics such as disloyalty, of first-year students from all Western Australian and constructive communication. And it is on
over-confidence and short attention spans are universities – public and private, metropolitan and relationships that they will build commitment
well documented in standard portrayals of the regional – with a sample size of about 1,000. to teams, managers and networks – rather than
18 to 30 year-olds who make up this demographic. Her analysis will consider how this group sees to corporations.
In sharp contrast to baby boomers, known themselves as graduates as well as how they “They want to have meaningful work and
for their lifelong commitment to a place of see themselves in the workforce over the longer are very open to being mentored,” she says.
employment, Gen Y is often seen to be fickle term. The study will also identify differences in “If conditions aren’t right, they’ll move on
and flighty, moving from job to job in search expectations between young women and men, and because, particularly in periods of economic
of instant gratification. differences between Gen Yers based on their areas prosperity, they can.”
Well-known demographer Bernard Salt has of occupational interest.
pointed to the immature and self-indulgent Results will help create a clearer picture of Gen Y, ORGANISATIONS have no choice but to deal with
tendencies of Gen Y, who are blissfully ignorant in terms of their working-life expectations and the changes that Gen Y employees bring with
of economic recession and happy to access the behaviours, which can then be used by employers. them. They’re obviously indispensable in a tight
‘boomer bank’ well into their 20s. labour market, and have desirable traits that
“What we do know,” says McCabe, suggest huge leadership potential.
But is this a fair representation? And what are “is that they are the most highly
the implications of not adequately understanding While McCabe’s work will help organisations
this group?
educated generation that Australia to better understand Gen Y so they can change to
The demographic is such a powerful presence has seen. They’re optimistic and integrate them effectively into their organisational
in the workplace and so vital to the labour market they’re confident about their ability culture, the process may not be easy.
that working with them rather than against them, and their future. “This can be confronting because companies
researchers say, is the key to effective management “They have been parented differently from may have to adapt their management philosophies
strategies, positive organisational development and previous generations and have high levels of and practices,” she says.
a strong labour force. self-esteem.” “They will have to develop flexible systems
Researchers with the Women in Social and However, much of their savvy is portrayed to accommodate the requirements of different
Economic Research (WiSER) unit at Curtin’s in the media as disloyalty and disrespect. employees. I think companies can benefit
Graduate School of Business (GSB) are helping “But you have to remember that they have significantly from recent graduates.
facilitate this process through a number of research witnessed the impact on their families of “In a sense, Gen Y is forcing the issue of change
projects aimed at building a more accurate profile destabilising trends, like severe corporate in corporate culture to an extent that Gen X
of Gen Y, which may help organisations adapt to downsizing, which they’ve factored into their couldn’t. Gen X didn’t have the numbers,
the change they are being compelled to face. workplace expectations,” McCabe says. economic circumstances and confidence that
Postgraduate student Rebecca McCabe is “Trust for long-term security in an organisation we see with Gen Y.”
helping to build this profile in what will be her just isn’t there like it was for the veteran generation Given the current skills shortage, most
master’s thesis, entitled Career and Working Life and baby boomers. From what my research tells sectors cannot afford not to embrace this
Expectations of Generation Y Graduates. me, they are loyal and they are very hardworking generation, especially because the future
While much work has been done on marketing – many of them working while studying full-time – of many companies lies with its younger,
to Gen Y, McCabe says that little scholarly research but they are dedicated in a different way.” well-groomed talent.
summer 2008/09 cite 5
WiSER researchers argue that with regard to economy most affected by skills shortage –
Gen Y, a particularly under-utilised subset is young the resources sector. For obvious reasons, the sector
professional women. A staggering 50 per cent of has a lot to gain by capturing segments of the
working women are employed on a part-time basis, population not historically drawn to it.
with these jobs tending to be in low-paid, less Funded by the Minerals Council of Australia and
secure positions. the Australian Office for Women, the research
It’s not that Gen Y women aren’t educated. resulted in the report Unearthing New Resources:
They are – as much as or more than their male Attracting and Retaining Women in the Australian
counterparts. But the issue of raising a family and Minerals Industry which shows clearly that young
the limiting prospects of returning to stable, women represent a much-needed cohort in the
professional work means that many shy away from Australian minerals sector.
attempting to continue their professional careers. But the research also found that women in their
Besides the deflation of personal career goals and 20s wanted meaningful work, the desire for an
potential, in a tight labour market this is bad news. integrated work-life balance, the need for flexibility
Nursing is one area that’s had a particularly to sustain relationships and a context free from
difficult time getting young women to choose to stay sexism and harassment.
in the profession. In 2005, the WA Department of “While prepared to consider careers in the
Health funded research at Curtin’s GSB to resources sector, they were well aware of its
understand the relationship between changing drawbacks,” Preston says.
gender roles and women’s participation in the
profession.
“Gen Y women are, therefore,
The research – led by Professors Margaret Nowak less likely to choose a career path
and Alison Preston, also Director of WiSER – found if, once they’ve had a family, they
that many young women avoid nursing because of are faced with returning to a system
its low status and its economic devaluation; that doesn’t accommodate their
perceptions that would not have existed even for personal aspirations.”
Gen X. The WiSER research was followed by a series of
Research fellow Dr Angela Barns, in related workshops, facilitated by Lord, with resources
research, conducted a qualitative study of Year 12 companies, which focused on strategies by which
TEE female students intending to pursue a they could adjust culture and develop tactics that
professional career. A major finding was that while might entice Gen Y graduates to the sector.
Gen Y women were experiencing unprecedented The general message underpinning the WiSER
access to educational and career opportunities, they workshops and the GSB research in general is that
were still caught in the bind of wanting both a in dealing with Gen Y, you’re dealing with a diverse
family and a career. set of needs that require a reorientation of traditional
“Aspiration is huge among this group,” says
workplace culture.
Barns. “But this is severely limited by the lack of
Says McCabe: “It’s not about indulging a spoilt
flexible working arrangements in many sectors.
generation; it’s about listening to the needs of a new
“For systemic change to happen, social policy
generation who have a different set of experiences
must confront the gendered nature of our
and who simply think differently about the world.
employment culture.”
“And if we can capture and work with that, Gen Y
WITH colleague Dr Linley Lord, Preston has also has an enormous contribution to make, both socially
undertaken research for that part of the Australian and economically.”
6 summer 2008/09 cite
ALUMNI
Finding
STORY Andrea Lewis
PHOTOGRAPHY James Rogers
Sydney
A Curtin graduate played an
instrumental role in locating the
HMAS Sydney II in early 2008
and, in doing so, helped the
nation understand its biggest
naval disaster.
PHYSIOTHERAPY graduate Keith Rowe may have “My mother had given me a book current helped indicate more precisely where the
started his career in a predictable way, but his about the HMAS Sydney ll and I ships might have finally settled. It was decided to
ongoing interest in maritime history led him, remember being fascinated by the search the shallower half of the identified search box.
unpredictably, to some very different discoveries. story,” he says. “And that’s where we found both vessels,
Rowe was born in Margaret River and spent time 207 kilometres west of Steep Point, in 2,500 metres
“The German raider Kormoran and the Sydney
as a child in the Wheatbelt before attending Scotch of water,” Rowe says.
had met off the coast between Geraldton and
College in Perth as a teenager. After high school, he Using remotely-operated-vehicle equipment,
Carnarvon in November 1941. After an intense battle,
attended Curtin’s School of Physiotherapy, and in his with cameras flown in from Norway, the FSF took
both ships sank and the Sydney was lost, with all
final year of undergraduate study opted to participate 60 hours of video footage and 1,400 photographs.
645 men on board.
in a six-week medical study tour of China. Intrigued A documentary on the search was aired on ABC TV,
“To think that this happened just off the coast
by the experience, he began to study Mandarin in June 2008.
of Carnarvon was what struck me. I had fished off
when he returned to Perth, while also working at
that coastline so many times. I just wanted to know
Royal Perth Hospital. FOR Rowe, one of the highlights of his journey to
what happened.”
Rowe returned to Curtin to complete postgraduate In 2000, a casual conversation with his neighbour, locate the Sydney was being invited on board HMAS
studies in Manipulative Therapy, and then moved Ted Graham, provided the opportunity to find out. Anzac for three days to conduct commemorative
to Kalgoorlie in search of new frontiers. He set up Graham, with a couple of friends, had a great interest ceremonies over each vessel. He was accompanied
a successful physiotherapy practice which, after in locating the Sydney. by his four fellow volunteer directors, Ted Graham,
26 years, continues to be the biggest of its kind The small group of neighbourhood acquaintances Bob Trotter, Don Pridmore and Glenys MacDonald.
between Perth and Adelaide. met at a local restaurant early in 2001 and began The Chief of Navy, Minister for Defence Services
With his wife, Lesley – also a Curtin physiotherapy to formulate a business plan to spearhead a search and the German Ambassador also attended, as did
graduate – he raised their three sons in Kalgoorlie, for the ship. The not-for-profit Finding Sydney five family representatives, including Rory Burnett,
eventually returning to Perth to manage a practice Foundation (FSF) was established and weekly son of the Sydney’s captain.
they had bought in East Fremantle. meetings began. “We could see how important this was to all the
At this point in his life, Rowe returned to some In 2003, 2004 and 2005, the group got serious family members we met,” Rowe says. “The time with
of his other long-held interests. He reacquainted about lobbying and fundraising to conduct the Rory Burnett was especially moving, as I could see
himself with China, and now travels there three or search, but soon realised they couldn’t realise their his relief in finally having more answers about what
four times a year as the director of a Chinese-based quest without the Federal Government’s financial happened to his father and the men on board.
exploration company. support. And so began the task of convincing the “A great silence had existed during the war about
But it was in 1998, when Rowe visited Steep government – in particular, the then Prime Minister what happened to the Sydney. The Official Secrets
Point – Western Australia’s most western point John Howard, his key cabinet ministers and the Act continued after the war ended, and various
– to look for Dutch shipwrecks that his life took a Royal Australian Navy – that they were competent
different course. conspiracy theories fuelled confusion.”
and were searching an area that had a good chance
The group he travelled with was undertaking All of the FSF’s archives have gone to the Federal
of success.
aerial surveys along the Zuytdorp Cliffs and had Government and the WA Maritime Museum, with full
By 2007, the FSF had raised $5.3 million from the
picked up some ‘hot spots’. They had allowed Federal and State Governments and from private public access available. The Federal Government’s
themselves a month to dive and investigate them. donors. The funding was sufficient to mount a 42-day Commission of Inquiry into the Loss of the Sydney
“We didn’t find any Dutch wrecks,” says Rowe, search using side scan sonar equipment in depths is now investigating what happened.
“but we did find a yacht missing since the ‘80s, from 2,500 to 5,000 metres, in an area totalling Rowe says he will leave the interpretation to
a trawler with an unexplained history and a large 1,800 square nautical miles. Tenders were accepted the historians.
cray pot. This gave me a real taste for maritime for a Singapore-based vessel and sonar equipment “Our job was to locate and to commemorate,”
exploration.” from Seattle, in the US. he says. “We weren’t in it for the glory or for financial
His first taste, however, was back in the Information from the Bureau of Meteorology and gain. It was just a good thing to do.”
mid-1980s. the CSIRO on the eddying fields within the Leeuwin For more information: findingsydney.com
summer 2008/09 cite 7
SNAPSHOT
A much-needed boost by some families with the recommended vaccination
schedule. And without these vital boosters,
opportunities emerge for the bacterial pathogen
to cause whooping cough again not only in
infants, but also in adults vaccinated during
their childhood because of waning immunity
against the disease.
However, a biomedical breakthrough at Curtin
will now help to eliminate the disease worldwide,
with the development of an intranasal vaccine that
is destined to offer longer-lasting immunity, fewer
boosters and potentially fewer side effects.
DEVELOPED by medical microbiologist and
immunologist Dr Trilochan Mukkur, from the School
of Biomedical Sciences, the intranasal vaccine will
be cheaper to produce than the existing vaccine,
and provide significant benefits to developed as well
as developing countries.
“Whooping cough has persisted as a serious
health threat to world populations because long-term
immunity requires numerous booster injections over
a person’s lifetime,” Mukkur says.
“My intranasal vaccine produces
a more effective stimulation of the
immune system that will provide
long-lasting immunity and fewer,
Whooping cough is highly WHOOPING cough is high on the list of the
if any, booster shots.”
world’s most contagious diseases. The toxic
contagious and has potentially bacteria (Bordetella pertussis) has plagued global
The difference between Mukkur’s intranasal
fatal consequences. But a new communities for centuries, and large numbers of vaccine and the existing one is significant.
The current vaccine given by injection only partially
vaccine will help to eliminate humans – from infants to the elderly – have been
stimulates the immune response because the
the disease worldwide, with infected with the debilitating respiratory illness.
Children are more likely to develop serious injection confines immune responses to the blood.
fewer boosters and potentially complications from the disease, with nearly Lung secretions may have some antibodies, but
fewer side effects. 40 million infants worldwide catching whooping they are not necessarily of the most desired type.
cough each year, and 300,000 dying from it. Also, the current vaccine does not stimulate the
STORY Sue Emmett Anyone who has been with a child affected by cell-mediated immunity necessary for long-term
PHOTOGRAPHY James Rogers whooping cough finds it hard to erase from their protection against whooping cough.
memory the distress of a young patient who gasps Adults wanting to remain immune to the disease
for breath and ‘whoops’ between violent and need up to six boosters over their lifetime. Most fail
prolonged coughing fits. to follow up the boosters after primary school.
In adolescents and adults the ‘whoop’ is less The Federal Government provides the vaccine free
identifiable, but the continuous coughing that can to all Australian children from two months old to age
lead to pneumonia and other complications is equally six. However, the high cost of vaccine production
serious. Infected adults lose about 10 working excludes it from two-thirds of the world’s population,
days a year, and those who recover from it are not who miss out on any protection at all.
necessarily immune to a second attack. On top The method of dispensing the vaccine is also
of it all, they are responsible for infecting about significant. Administered intranasally, either as
55 per cent of infants. a spray or nasal drop, Mukkur’s vaccine has been
One vaccine called killed pertussis vaccine, found to stimulate immune response in the lung
which contains whole killed cells, was introduced secretions and in the blood. The vaccine also arms
40 years ago to help build up immunity to the the cells of the immune system to perform better,
bacteria that causes whooping cough. and it will be cheaper to make.
The vaccine quite effectively stopped whooping The potential benefits of Mukkur’s vaccine have
cough epidemics, but it had a few shortcomings. attracted interest worldwide, and the medical
These included serious side effects such as high scientist recently received Curtin’s prestigious
fever, persistent crying at a high pitch in children, 2008 New Inventor Award for his effort.
febrile seizures and, occasionally, brain damage. Curtin is currently approaching pharmaceutical
A subsequent vaccine consisting of select companies for investment in further development
fractions of the disease-causing bacterium mixed and human trials of the vaccine.
with an immune response-enhancing chemical In the meantime, Mukkur stresses the importance
(adjuvant) was introduced in the developed world, of vaccination against the disease.
including Australia. However, although it provides “This particular pathogen only affects humans and
medium-term protection at best, adverse side it creates very damaging toxic symptoms that can be
effects, including a large swelling at the injection deadly for children who are not vaccinated,” he says.
site, can occur in a significant percentage of “Vaccination of young children with one of the
vaccinated children who are allergic. currently marketed vaccines is very important.”
Because of the side effects particularly following For more information:
the third booster, there has been a lack of compliance healthsciences.curtin.edu.au
8 summer 2008/09 citeGone are the queues
at Curtin Library’s
Information Desk –
replaced instead by a
band of ever-helpful,
ever-smiling student
Rovers, who are at the
beck and call of students,
staff and the broader
community. Easy to find
in their colourful t-shirts,
they can be called on
for help with finding
material in the catalogue
or a book on the shelves.
They are especially adept
at handling IT queries,
including where best
to access the wireless
network and how to use
OASIS – the student and
staff portal to information
about Curtin. Armed with
walkie-talkies, the Rovers
also answer calls received
through Help phones on
every floor of the library.
It’s all in a day’s work
for these trained and
motivated young students,
who go a long way to
help meet the needs of
Curtin Library’s 1.5 million
visitors a year.
JAMES ROGERS
summer 2008/09 cite 9FEATURE
mapping
the future
Spatial sciences play THE core of spatial sciences is the mapping of
information and development of programs that allow
an ever-increasing range of information, from
population movement to crop pasture growth,
an important role in our us to understand and use the information it presents. bushfire outbreaks, endangered species habitats
Spatial refers to a place, space or location, and and incidence of pests and diseases within
lives, so it is surprising since everything is somewhere on the surface of the the community.
that most of us use Earth, spatial information and technology has a very
broad range of uses.
On a global scale, the science is also being used to
better understand ocean salinity, sea level variations,
technologies from this Google has given the community a taste of the melting of the polar ice caps, global warming and
rapidly emerging science exploring the world virtually with Google Earth,
Google Maps and even Google Street View. Some of
climate change.
“Everyone is exposed in some way to GIS and
in one form or another us have extended our spatial curiosity a step further spatial technology, particularly young people, but
by installing a GPS navigation system in our car. they don’t realise it. That is the irony,” says Curtin’s
each day, without But this user-friendly software is really just a teaser Head of Spatial Sciences Associate Professor
recognising it by name. to the dynamic spatial revolution that has been
quietly building up over the last two decades.
Bert Veenendaal.
“As a relatively new technology it offers a huge
Spatial technology came into its own right with variety of well–paid, interesting jobs for qualified
STORY Sue Emmett
the merger of land and hydrographic surveying, young people. Yet we have difficulty convincing
IMAGES Supplied geographic information systems (GIS), cartography many high school graduates to consider the spatial
and mapping, engineering and mining surveying, sciences as a career.
remote sensing and photogrammetry. “Curtin has the only tertiary degrees in the spatial
Twenty-five years ago, these four complementary sciences in WA, and when we visit schools and say
disciplines were separate entities. Advancing GIS, we get a puzzled look. When we say Google
computer technology, the development of GIS and Earth everyone has a complete understanding of
the emerging spatial industry brought them together what we are talking about.
to better understand our world and help solve issues “It’s puzzling to us that students don’t link the
affecting us on local and global scales. two when they are so exposed to spatial information
Spatial technology is now assisting Western and data. They can actually read, understand and
Australian scientists and researchers, and those navigate their way through spatial information
working in government departments, business in a way that older generations find impossible
and the resources and agriculture sectors to map to understand.”
10 summer 2008/09 citeright on track
A group of spatial sciences enthusiasts have The team arrived safely at Wiluna on 18 July,
retraced the steps of Alfred Canning, who after travelling more than 1,500 kilometres from
surveyed the Canning Stock Route by camel Newman over some of the most rugged and
almost 100 years ago. punishing 4WD driving tracks in Australia.
The team comprising four surveying students, The expedition was an outstanding success for
one cartography student, two Curtin lecturers, all participants and the geodetic upgrade work
four surveying professionals and two documentary carried out through the region. For two weeks,
makers made the 3,596-kilometre journey by the team’s GPS navigation system traversed 600
4WD between 3 and 17July 2008, accompanied kilometres, and accurately located and adjusted
by two local Martu people and one member of the more than 70 markers from various surveys
Birriliburu tribe. completed over the last century, including a
Spatial Sciences Senior Lecturer Tony Snow The Canning Stock Route runs from Wiluna number of original Canning survey marks.
agrees. He is equally perplexed because he sees in Western Australia to Halls Creek in the “Some of the survey pegs were hard to find
the science developing rapidly to meet a huge Northern Territory. and those we did come across were repaired and
variety of needs. The group focused on finding and upgrading replaced for surveyors who would need them in
“As people in the front line of the technology, the survey pegs along the southern section of the future,” Snow says.
we feel we are really riding a wave that is advancing the track from Georgia Bore south to Wiluna, “We were very well equipped with satellite
at an extraordinary rate,” he says.
a distance of more than 600 kilometres. phones, a GPS tracker and an emergency
“The driving force of this revolution is that the
Mining companies often use the original beacon. The journey brought home the necessity
technology, hardware and data come together at
survey markers to put in mining leases, and the of good planning and emergency procedures
the right time. You can just press a button and
Aboriginals have native title on either side of the for carrying out surveys in these types of
download it. It’s a real breakthrough for government
track route. isolated areas.”
departments, commerce and industry, where good
planning is crucial.” Spatial Sciences Senior Lecturer Tony Snow, Students on the trip used the experience as
who was part of the team, says in addition to their a final-year project component that involved
Snow believes Gen Y students are high-tech surveying equipment, they used copies comparing the accuracy of GPS systems.
born for spatial technology because of old survey maps drawn by Canning, to see how
they are the first generation to do accurately the markers had been placed.
most of their social networking
in cyberspace.
WITH these new-generation students in mind, Curtin
recently launched a state-of-the-art Spatial Sciences
Studio. The facility is a focal point for geographic
information science, surveying and cartography in
WA, and serves as an industry resource to support
education and research initiatives.
Landgate has committed $430,000 over the next
five years to develop the studio which combines
high-tech computer systems with the latest
teaching resources, specifically targeted at today’s
generation of technology-savvy students.
Veenendaal says GIS and the spatial sciences
are tailored to government and industry needs,
and the department has a range of bursaries,
sponsorships and cadetships available that are
industry-supported.
“Industry and government are struggling to get
good people now, so the future for young people
and jobs in the spatial sciences is only going to get
better,” he says.
WESTERN Australia is leading the nation in spatial
technology. For many years the State has been a
centre of spatial innovation excellence. Our State’s
spatial technology has much to offer developing
nations in the Asia-Pacific region, from mapping
rising sea levels to tsunami and earthquake
modelling, disaster recovery and satellite monitoring
for illegal forest burn-offs in Indonesia’s
remnant jungle.
On the Indonesian island of Banda Aceh, for
example, NGIS, a WA consulting firm which employs
Curtin spatial sciences graduates, has been working
for the past few years to help the community to map
the recovery of their town.
Landgate recently pushed the WA spatial
KIRBY GAMBLE
technology platform a whole lot further, with the
official launch of its Shared Land Information
Platform (SLIP).
summer 2008/09 cite 11In Western Australia, more than 1,900 people information. The difficulties they had to access the
a month now log on to SLIP to access more than required information were enormous.
20 gigabytes of spatial information maintained by “Landgate looked for a new way to share this
many government departments. The result is that information and came up with a concept that
users have access to the most up-to-date information was probably not technically feasible at the time,”
from the authoritative source by going to a single Bradford says.
point of access. Nineteen government agencies and “Landgate is also looking into the future for more
two private organisations are currently connected innovative applications serving information out to
to the SLIP network, bringing together and making mobile devices. Crowd sourcing, which gives people
available some 200 vector spatial datasets and more in the community the ability to submit information
than 1,000 imagery datasets that in the past resided to the site, is also under consideration.”
in isolated systems. So what does the future hold for the spatial
SLIP’s objective is to simplify access to land sciences and technology?
and geographic data for the general community One of the major areas of spatial growth in the
and business. Four lead agencies – Fire and US is location-specific advertising, and there is a big
Emergency Services, the Department of Agriculture demand for people who are working in advertising
and Food, the Department for Planning and and marketing with some spatial expertise to apply
Infrastructure, and Landgate – share responsibility it to their industry.
for SLIP’s implementation. Each of the government Spatially enabled mobile phone technology
departments is responsible for updating its own is already the next move forward, according to
data each night. Veenendaal. Built-in GPS systems and links to
“Spatial technology allows people sites like Google’s Maps, Streets and Search and
to share information in a way that Facebook will enable businesses to tailor individual
marketing strategies for consumers.
has not been possible before,” says
So don’t be surprised when the local café owner
Landgate Acting Chief Executive ‘sees’ you approaching and targets you virtually
Mike Bradford. through your phone, suggesting it’s time for a
“At the end of the day, everything happens at coffee break.
a place, so location is so important, whether it
is around health information, demographics or
incidence of disease.
“To be able to view and analyse information
spatially can provide really powerful answers
that can lead to better decision-making and
infrastructure planning.”
Bradford says Landgate took the lead in SLIP
when in 2003 it identified there were 5,000 State
Government employees from about 26 different
government agencies making use of land
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The rise of
BEN TEMPLESMITH
BEN TEMPLESMITH
waldo.indd 34 3/3/08 8:03:37 AM
the graphic
novel
STORY Max Noakes
ILLUSTRATIONS Justin Randall and Chris Bones
Ben Templesmith
IF we’ve learnt anything from prehistoric cave “There is very little external control to the books
paintings or ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, it’s that compared to most other mediums. It’s the one
graphics are just as legitimate a narrative device as industry you can really do anything crazy and daring,
prose. In a society propelled by images, theatre, the and still put it out in the marketplace to see what
internet, film and television make up a substantial people think. That’s the freedom the big movie
part of our cultural diet. studios don’t have, and why they’re hovering like
Many think of graphic novels as fast food. vultures over the industry right now.”
Yet, despite the publishing industry’s fastidious “Graphic novels have been the only
IRONICALLY, 30 Days of Night, arguably
standards, they’ve made their way into the real growth area in the book market for
mainstream market. Whereas traditional comic books years now, and seem to have gained Templesmith’s most popular work, joined a list of
graphic novels such as History of Violence, The Crow
comprise graphic strips which narrate short stories some popularity or at least awareness.
over a series of books, graphic novels employ a and Sin City to have been translated onto the big
“Graphic novel and comic book publishers have
narrative structure similar to that of a traditional screen. During 30 Days of Night‘s opening credits,
gradually been able to convince book stores to carry
novel but with the emphasis on images rather than special mention is made about the film being based
more and more graphic novels. My publisher, IDW
words. For this reason they’re at home on on a graphic novel rather than a comic book.
Publishing, now makes more than 50 per cent of its
bookshelves alongside their wordier counterparts, Justin Randall, commercial illustrator, graphic
sales outside of traditional comic stores.”
with their own sections in public libraries and A graduate of Curtin’s Bachelor of Design degree, novelist and digital illustration lecturer at Curtin,
commercial book stores. And they are, of course, Templesmith now lives in San Diego, in the US. He is says it’s “actually a big step in attempting to
regular tenants of the faithful comic book shop. best known for his work in the American comic book separate some ‘comics’ as more than just fodder
For some people, graphic novels are a regression to industry and has received multiple nominations for for 13-year-old boys”.
the childish nature of the picture book – the culprit the industry’s top prize, The Eisner Award. “It’s only a slight change in the wording but just
being their association with spandex-clad The award is named after Will Eisner, creator of the the very word ‘comic’ in Western culture brings forth
superheroes. After all, there’s not much more first graphic novel A Contract with God and Other images of antisocial, freckle-faced nerds, and I think
between those pages than muscle-bound men in Tenement Stories (1978) which explored working- some people are just tired of that generalisation.”
tights – or is there? class Jewish life in New York during the Great The success of a graphic novel is not dependent
For graphic novel artist and writer Ben Templesmith Depression. The novel found comic book writers on its transition to the big screen, nor does the
this question would be deserving of a slow, sarcastic reassessing the potential of their art form, as Eisner’s transition spell instant success. And, Randall
handclap. Like many graphic novelists, he walks a readership suddenly expanded to a new adult says, both graphic novelist and filmmaker need
gauntlet of cultural ignorance, rooted for the most audience. It also paved the way for Art Spiegelman’s to adhere to guidelines similar to those deployed
part in the idea that the graphic novel is a literary Maus: A Survivor’s Tale which won a Pulitzer Prize in blockbusters to avoid a flop. He has taken his own
genre, when it is, he argues, an individual medium, Special Award in 1992. The work was based on the advice, having worked on the critically acclaimed
with a vast array of its own genres. survival of the author’s father, a Polish Jew during Silent Hill, Waldo’s Hawaiian Holiday and new
“I remember in my early days looking for gigs,” the Holocaust. additions to the 30 Days of Night series.
says Templesmith, “asking someone who worked for While Templesmith’s work doesn’t deal with such “Like any film you need a great concept, narrative
HarperCollins if they’d be interested in doing some serious, historical subject matter, it steers noticeably and dialogue,” he says.
graphic novels – for example, historical-based novels, clear of superhero territory, instead operating in “Making it pretty helps, too. But the greatest
rather than the superhero subgenre. I could virtually horror, humour and sci-fi realms. illustrator in the world can’t keep a story afloat
see the sneer at the words ‘graphic novel’ and “Graphic novels are the last bastion if the language of a graphic novel is not treated
‘comic’ down the phone line. What a pity. of creativity,” he says. with respect.”
summer 2008/09 cite 13FEATURE
Pumping petrol into our cars is a costly
exercise these days, but evidently not high
Driving the
enough to dent our desire to drive.
price of oil
14 summer 2008/09 citeSTORY Tony Malkovic
PHOTOGRAPHY James Rogers
“It’s difficult to prove and there’s no data around,
and speculators don’t tell us what they’re doing,”
he says.
For Owen, the fluctuation in oil prices is due
to demand and supply and the market being
manipulated by the OPEC countries that control
the supply.
Supply is tight because demand has increased
over the years – in China, especially – while the
reserve capacity to pump oil has gone down. So
prices are high because there’s no excess production
capacity. As demands goes up, prices go up.
YOU’D think that with soaring petrol prices, you’d That part is simple demand and supply economics.
see people using their cars less. But there are some other, less obvious mechanisms
But think again. For many people, the convenience at play.
of cars is enough to keep them paying for petrol, “It’s not generally well known that most coast, in which the State lost access to a third of
whatever the price. developing countries in the region – China, Malaysia, its natural gas supplies, led to renewed calls for a
According to economist Tony Owen, many people Indonesia, Thailand – have been heavily subsidising Statewide energy policy to be developed.
are likely to choose to cut back on other expenses their fuel, so their oil prices are considerably lower Owen says such a move makes sense and
first, such as dining at a restaurant. than the market would dictate,” Owen says. WA could easily tap into available local expertise
Owen is Professor of Energy Economics at Curtin “With significant increases in oil prices, this to set up a centre for energy economics to help
Business School, the first position of its kind in has had a major impact on their central budgets do the sums.
Australia. He is also co-director of Oil and Gas because the subsidies have just exploded their “An energy economics centre in WA could use
Management, an area of research excellence for budget figures. the expertise of the two major universities in Perth
the school. “So they’ve been taking the subsidies away and – Curtin and The University of Western Australia –
In effect, he’s an expert at crunching the numbers this has had a negative impact on their industry, to assist the State Government in policy decisions
when it comes to assessing our energy options and there have been social impacts. There have for WA,” he says.
involving fuels such as oil, gas and coal, and their been riots in a few countries because of this.” “WA is heavily dependent on its mineral wealth,
effects on electricity prices. With rising petrol prices, The attendant geopolitical, technical and so it doesn’t really make sense to have a hand-to-
he says it’s a matter of choice and simply working environmental concerns are likely to dominate mouth energy policy. And that was quite clear with
out what we’d prefer not to do without. our region’s political and economic landscape the Apache Energy explosion on Varanus Island
“With something like increased interest rates, for decades, Owen says. – there wasn’t a Plan B.”
for instance, you can’t avoid paying more on your Back to the bowser, and with all this talk of Energy economics may seem a bit dry for some
mortgage,” he says. finite reserves and peak oil, will we eventually run people, but the Varanus explosion shows that getting
“With petrol, if you want to keep driving, you out of oil? the figures right on our present and future energy
can look at other areas to cut back on. And most “Well, no,” Owen says. requirements is crucial.
people have enough discretionary income to allow “There’s an enormous amount of oil in the world. And that applies whether we’re trying to draw up
them this choice. The cost of not driving can be And there’ll be plenty of oil in the world long after a State or national energy policy – or simply choosing
high, in terms of your lifestyle. people have stopped using it.” between a night out at a fancy restaurant and a tank
“The car is so convenient. So people will give Owen argues there’s no shortage of oil reserves – of pricey petrol at the local service station.
up other luxuries before they give up their car. there are huge deposits in the Middle East, central
For example, meals out are more likely to be given Asia, Canada and under the Arctic Ocean. However,
up first.” they’re not always in the right place. What’s more,
With cars, the two big economic three-quarters of reserves are not accessible to
drivers for most people are private companies but are controlled by state
convenience and time. companies that may not have profit maximisation as
an immediate objective and prefer to store reserves
“I think the fundamental message is that if you
for future generations.
buy a car, it offers so many lifestyle benefits you
Global petroleum giant BP also depicts a world
will be reluctant to do without it,” Owen says.
awash with oil.
“Driving a car saves time, and time is very
According to its recently released 2008 BP
valuable to most people. For many people, that’s
Statistical Review of World Energy, the world’s levels
quite a big issue; why spend two hours on the bus
of fossil fuels “remains sufficient to support growing
– an hour each way to and from work – when you
levels of production”. It adds that the key to high
can do it in 15 or 20 minutes?”
and volatile energy prices lies elsewhere – namely,
He says if oil and petrol prices stay high in the
political factors, barriers to entry, and high taxes.
long term, people are likely to get a smaller or more
Or as BP’s chief executive Tony Hayward pointed
fuel-efficient vehicle the next time they buy a car.
out in launching the review: “In other words, when
To understand why oil and petrol prices fluctuate, it comes to producing more oil, the problems are
we need to look at the bigger picture of energy above ground, not below it. They are not geological,
economics for an explanation. but political.”
Owen says speculation on the futures market is BP’s annual global review underscores the
an easy explanation for increasing oil prices and importance of energy economics at the international
their sudden sharp rises and falls, but there’s no hard scale. At the local level, the recent explosion on
evidence to back up the assertion. Varanus Island, off Western Australia’s north-west
summer 2008/09 cite 15You can also read
