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Issue 1 - 10 July 2008

Welcome to The Connector 

 

Welcome to the winter edition of The Connector! Since you last heard from us, we welcomed Ms Julia Vannucchi as International Alumni Officer to the team. This issue includes more information about our international alumni activities including UQ’s involvement in the Australian Universities International Alumni Convention in Singapore in June.

UQ alumni are making their mark globally. Our winners of the 2008 Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Equity and Diversity Awards are making a difference through their work in development. We also invite you to nominate a friend, or yourself, for this year’s Young Alumnus or International Alumnus of the Year Awards. Entries close on August 1.

We welcome guest contributors in this edition of The Connector from the Library, University of Queensland Press and CareersHub. Our last eNews generated hundreds of enquiries from readers about Library benefits to alumni and Tanya Ziebell responds to your queries.

You are all invited back to UQ to relive the 80s at the neo-Goth exhibition which opens at the Art Museum on July 25. Read on for more information about this exhibition and other UQ events in Brisbane and overseas.

We hope you enjoy this edition of The Connector and as always, welcome your feedback.

With best wishes,


Lea Sublett
Deputy Director Alumni & Community Relations
Advancement Office

In this issue:

Awards open

The University of Queensland’s 2008 annual International Alumnus of the Year and Young Alumnus of the Year Awards

Are you someone who could be nominated for one of these awards, or do you or your colleagues know of someone who could be considered? If so, please submit your nominations.

These annual awards recognise the outstanding achievements of UQ graduates. Visit the UQ Alumni and Community website to find out more about these awards.

Nominations close August  1 2008. This year’s winners will be invited and announced at the Courting the Greats lunch at Customs House in Brisbane on September 25. 

UQ Gatton Gold Medal Award – nominations open now 

The UQ Gatton Gold Medal recognises a Gatton alumnus who has achieved outstanding success and made a significant contribution to their vocation. Nominations close July 11 2008.

 Award and Competition Winners

Winner of the Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Equity and Diversity Award

Congratulations to UQ graduate Dr Ben Mullen (AppSc 84, MAgrST 95, PhdAgrSc 01), winner of the first Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Equity and Diversity Award. Dr Mullen received the award for his twenty year commitment in helping disadvantaged farmers boost production in Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Burma (Myanmar).

Dr Mullen is Deputy General Manager of the International Projects Division of UniQuest, where he manages the agricultural and rural development program.

UQ Engineering alumnus Ms Lizzie Brown (BEng 02) received a highly commended for her work as Education, Training & Research Director of Engineers Without Borders - Australia.

Lea Sublett, UQ's Deputy Director Alumni and Community Relations, said all alumni nominations were of a high standard. “The UQ alumni community is making a significant contribution world-wide, and the University is pleased to recognise Ben and Lizzie for their work in international development. We look forward to launching the 2009 awards later this year,”  Ms Sublett said.

eNews naming competition winner

eNews has a new name!

Congratulations to Ms Danielle Simpson of Manly (BSc 2004) for her winning entry, The Connector. Danielle wins a dinner for two at Customs House.  

UQ students and alumni prepare for the 2008 Olympics

UQ has a long tradition of sporting excellence and this year there are a number of UQ alumni and students who will join this tradition when they represent Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Athletics

- Alana Boyd (BBusM 04)– pole vault. Both parents were Olympians and also went to UQ

- Mitchel Kealey  B.Sc(Hons.)(H.M.S) 07 - 1500m Men

Diving
- Robert Newbury (currently studying a MBBS)

Swimming
- Mel Schlanger - currently a BSc student

Alumni benefits highlighted 

UQ Library: services for alumni - Tanya Ziebel reports

The last edition of the Alumni eNews generated a lot of interest in UQ Library services for alumni.

The Library invites you to continue your membership after you graduate from UQ. Membership entitles you to access on-site borrowing and the online resources listed on the Library’s Services for UQ Alumni website. You must apply for UQ Alumni Library membership to take advantage of these services. Membership forms are available on the website. The first year of membership for new graduates is free. The cost for other alumni is $150 per year or $135 per year for members of the Alumni Association of The University of Queensland Inc . Details are available on the website or contact the Library for more information.

Free recruitment service for employers

UQ's Careers and Graduate Employment is now offering a free service for employers. The UQ CareerHub is a free online employment service for employers to advertise degree-related jobs and events to local and international students and alumni of the University.

CareerHub allows employers to target more than 26,000 UQ graduates providing your organisation with the flexibility to list positions at any time. New employers must register first to set up a login account. You can register at: http://www.careerhub.uq.edu.au/employer.  Once you have entered your details, the application will be approved and you will be able to enter the site to add your employment opportunity.

A weekly email newsletter is sent to students alerting them to new employment opportunities available on Careerhub. Students are aware of this job portal and access it via their student accounts.

In 2009, UQ Alumni and the Careers and Graduate Services will host a series of career breakfasts for students and young alumni. Further information will be available in the summer edition of The Connector later this year.

For more information about recruiting students and alumni, please contact the UQ Careers and Graduate Employment service on +61 7 3365 1704. Let us know how you feel about the revamped site by clicking on the yellow "What do you think of our new website?" button on the homepage. We'd love to hear your thoughts.  

Upcoming events

Throughout the year there are a number of alumni events open to our community of alumni hosted by many different areas of the University. Updated event details are available on the Alumni & Community website

Brisbane

The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to Gay-Affirmative Practice - July 21

This seminar, brought to you by the School of Social Work and Human Sciences Alumni Network, addresses issues that surround social work and human services practice with gay, lesbian and bisexual people presented by Tim Klein. Tim Klein is a psychologist and therapist with experience in counselling and therapy, child and youth development, mental health, education and training, community development, staff supervision and development, and the creative arts. Throughout his career, Tim has been passionate about working with gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals, issues and communities.

4th IBERO American Film Festival at UQ - July 21-25

The School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies is happy to be sponsoring the 4th IBERO American Film Festival.

The festival will be opened by the Honorary Consul of Spain in Queensland, Ana Lopez. The Ambassador of Mexico in Australia, Martha Ortiz de Rosas, will close the Festival on Friday.

Back in black for 80s, neo-Goth exhibition - July 25

The UQ Art Museum is proud to launch the neo-Goth Exhibition, Back in Black. For those of you who were there in the beginning — in Brisbane in the 1980s, wearing black in 34 degrees, you are invited to the launch of this exhibition. You will be able to reminisce about those times at Morticia’s and the Tube when you danced to the Vampire Lovers and Lime Spiders. You will also get to see in this new millennium how Goth culture is no longer underground or fringe but mainstream.

The Back in Black exhibition highlights how neo-Goth dips beneath the surface and takes a peek at the noir underbelly of Australian culture as it is manifested across art, fashion, film and literature in contemporary culture.

You are warmly invited to come along to the launch of this exhibition which will feature Goth and neo-Goth bands and DJs and refreshments on Friday, July 25, starting at 6.30pm until late at The University of Queensland Art Museum, University Drive, UQ, St Lucia, 4072.

Please RSVP by July 21, by emailing or phoning Ms Tara Young, Marketing and Advancement Manager, Faculty of Arts, The University of Queensland. Ph: (07) 33653072 or tara.young@uq.edu.au

UQ Alumni 50+ Reunion Lunch — August 23

The annual 50+ reunion lunch is for our valued alumni who graduated from UQ 50 or more years ago. If you would like to register your interest in attending the lunch, please email uqalumni@uq.edu.au with your full details or call 61 7 3346 3900.

Courting the Greats (Alumnus of the Year) — September 25

Each year UQ recognises the outstanding achievements of its graduates by awarding the Alumnus of the Year, Young Alumnus of the Year, and International Alumnus of the Year. The winners of this year’s awards will be announced at the Courting the Greats lunch, hosted by the Alumni Association of The University of Queensland Inc and The University of Queensland. To register your interest in attending this awards lunch, please email uqalumni@uq.edu.au with your details.

International

New York alumni dinner. UQ Advancement Office Director Carla Boeckman will host a dinner for alumni and supporters in New York on July 17. If you are in New York and would like to attend please click here to register.

China and Hong Kong. A senior delegation of UQ will visit China and Hong Kong in October to host receptions for alumni and supporters in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. More information will be available on the UQ Alumni and Community website soon.

Other events 

Recently held events

International

UQ alumni association Presidents and UQ staff at AUIAC 08 convention

Australian Universities International Alumni Convention - Singapore 2008 

UQ was one of a number of Australian universities to participate in the sixth Australian Universities International Alumni Convention in Singapore. Representatives from UQ were joined by our international alumni presidents from Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China and Singapore, who had the opportunity to participate in discussions relating to the theme ‘Futuropolis: The Way Ahead thru Alumni Connections.

The Faculty of Business, Economics and Law hosted a cocktail reception during the conference, where guests had the opportunity to try wines from Queensland. The Wine Symphony, a Singapore company selling Queensland Wine from the Granite Belt, showcased their wine and donated five double wine gift packs for the event. Many thanks to Ms Vivian Lee (B.BusMgmt 04), the company’s director, for her support on this night. The event also gave the Faculty a chance to thank their alumnus, outgoing Singapore Alumni Association President Mr Frankie Tan (LLM 03) for his contribution to the University.

Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand

In April, a senior delegation from UQ, including the Chancellor Sir Llew Edwards AC, Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield AO, and Secretary and Registrar Mr Douglas Porter, met with alumni in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

In Singapore, the University hosted a successful alumni employment seminar entitled: Gen Y vs. Gen X: Fighting to become the next boomers, organised by the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law. Guest speakers included representatives from IBM, Merrill Lynch, Wong Partnerships and Jobs Factory, who gave the audience useful tips about generational differences in the workplace.

In Malaysia the Vice-Chancellor awarded the 2007 International Alumnus of the Year to Engineering alumnus (1974) Datuk Dr Rosti bin Saruwono. Many people from the business community and Malaysian alumni attended the ceremony to honour Datuk Dr Rosti, currently the Vice-President, Education Division, of PETRONAS, Malaysia’s largest oil and gas corporation.

Datuk Dr Rosti was honoured as an Alumnus of the Year for his outstanding contributions to education and human resources development in Malaysia.

Canada

UQ's faculties of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Business, Economics & Law, Health Sciences, and Social and Behavioural Sciences hosted its first alumni event in Canada in May at the University Club of Toronto. Professor Geoff Cleghorn, Deputy Head of UQ's School of Medicine hosted the evge

Those who attended are already looking forward to getting together again. UQ has staff regularly in the region so please stay tuned for future events.

If you would like to join a regional alumni association or network of UQ, please advise us by updating your details at: www.alumni.uq.edu.au

UQ Press publications

University of Queensland Press has a range of interesting publications written by UQ alumni, staff and researchers. Featured titles in this edition of The Connector include: Bitter Chocolate; The Balcony and Ryhming Boy. For a catalogue please visit: www.uqp.com.au

BITTER CHOCOLATE

Award-winning international journalist Carol Off traces the fascinating origins of the cocoa craze and investigates the current situation in Africa’s Ivory Coast, which produces nearly half of the world’s cocoa beans.

Ground-breaking and eye-opening, Bitter Chocolate is a social history, a passionate, investigative account and a brave exposé of a multi-billion-dollar industry.

THE BALCONY

Miles Franklin short-listed novelist David Brooks is also a leading Australian poet. His stunning new volume, The Balcony, is a collection of evocative and sensual love poems in the tradition of Pablo Neruda. It is the sixth title in UQP’s new-look poetry series.

RHYMING BOY

From award-winning poet and author Steven Herrick comes a charming and sympathetic novel with lively characters, a touch of footy, and an obsession with the Guinness Book of World Records. This is a fun and engaging story for younger readers.

Alumni Network news

Are you a UQ Law Graduate? Help us improve the UQ Law Graduates Association

Events are held throughout the year to provide The University of Queensland’s Law Graduates’ Association (UQLGA), members with opportunities to network with industry professionals and maintain contact with the TC Beirne School of Law and other graduates.

A short survey is available on the UQLGA website to help us determine the events you as members would like. Please take a few minutes to complete the online survey . All information collected is anonymous and will remain confidential.

Singapore

Founding President Mr Frankie Tan (LLM 03) was thanked for his contributions over the last four years.

The UQ Singapore Alumni Association held its annual meeting in June, and welcomed Dr Angelo Venardos (MBA 83) as the new President of the UQ Alumni Association Singapore.

Hong Kong

UQ Hong Kong Alumni Association (HKAA) President Ms Linda Lee (BSc 82 and BCom 85) has once again been very active organising and promoting events including a welcome dinner for the new Australian Consul General to Hong Kong, His Excellency Les Luck. We regularly send information to all our Hong Kong alumni on behalf of the HKAA, however if you have not received information recently and would like to be on our distribution list, please contact the International Alumni Relations Officer.

Beijing

UQ Beijing Alumni Association President Ms Daisy Xu (MBA 03)is the founding member of the Association, and has worked tirelessly to organise meetings and events for our alumni in the Olympic city. We invite other UQ alumni in China to join Daisy as a member of the executive of the Association. Vacant positions include Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. If you would like to be on the executive committee and have a few hours to spare a month, please contact the UQ International Alumni Relations Officer for more information.

Indonesia

UQ is a member of the Australian Government’s OZmate online community, for Indonesian alumni of Australian universities. OzMate is an Australian Government initiative that has been established to assist Australian alumni living in Indonesia connect with each other online. By joining OzMate, you will be able to get in touch with friends from your days at UQ, build new networks with alumni of other Australian universities, receive news on upcoming events and learn of employment opportunities in Indonesia.

For more information please visit: http://www.ozmate.org/ozmate/index.jsp

Do you have a story to share?

We welcome your suggestions for The Connector, and would like to hear about your achievements. Your contributions form the basis for the University’s engagement between our alumni, students and community of supporters. Please email your contributions, news and ideas to uqalumni@uq.edu.au

Did you know?

- UQ has 166,532 alumni
- 16,973 are members of a network or association
- 41% of our alumni live in Brisbane
- 7% of our alumni live overseas

WIN a UQ Press publication just by sharing your views!

Spend three minutes to answer the Feedback survey and go in the draw to win a copy of the three UQ Press featured publications in this edition of The Connector. There are 15 books to be won.

Update your details

Make sure you update your details or join a network so you can be part of UQ’s network of alumni from around the world - www.alumni.uq.edu.au

 
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