The ARCH Magazine | Issue 6 | 2011 Summer by Bond University

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Vice-Chancellor’s Letter

but not goodbye

Thank you,

AFTER EIGHT truly wonderful years at Bond, I ‘retire’ as Vice-Chancellor and President in December this year. But this is not really goodbye, because I will always be a part of the Bond family. As the alumni, students, staff and supporters often say, “once a Bondy, always a Bondy.” I am very grateful for the friendships that I have been fortunate to have with many members of the Bond community. I am also enormously grateful for the inspiration and support of the many people with whom I have worked during my time at Bond. Indeed, there are too many to name. I feel greatly honoured that the University Council has decided to name our alumni medal the Robert Stable Alumni Medal, creating just another link that will ensure I always feel part of this unique community. Likewise, I am immensely proud as I look back over my time here of what we have built on and created together. If you haven’t visited Bond in a while, I strongly encourage you to do so. The photographs on pages 6 through to 11 will give you just a glimpse of the recent developments on our campus.

In fact, you’ll notice that The Arch is big on photography throughout this issue. We’ve taken to heart the old communications adage “show, don’t tell,” because we want to open our beautiful, iconic campus to you, showcase some of our recent community events, and show off the creativity of the current Bond students. For example in our story “Come on back & visit,” we give you a visual taste of Bond’s dynamic community engagement program. From fun runs to business forums, international art exhibitions, musical soirees and our own arts festival “Bond by the Lake,” this program ensures that our students, our faculty members, our alumni and even our campus itself can play a profound role in the community. And I am thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase the creative talents of our students on pages 37 to 43, where you will read the Alumni Student Excellence Award winning creative piece “East or West, Home’s Best” by student Yin Lin, and see our students’ creative photography to the theme “destination.”

Career Development Centre; and insights into what some of our Bondies are doing and achieving, across the globe. Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank Bond alumni and students. Bond University is indeed a wonderful place. It is a place of learning, of discovery, personal growth and a place where dreams are created and nurtured. But all of that is meaningless without the enthusiastic students who go forth to succeed in their chosen fields as alumni and, in so doing, bring great honour to their University. So to the entire and vast Bond community, this is a sincere thank you from me to you. But not a goodbye.

Professor Robert Stable Vice-Chancellor and President

This issue of The Arch is also rich with research insights from two of our leading academics; professional insights from our Summer 2011

Campus news “I am greatly impressed by the quality of experience that Bond provides to its students, as well as by the calibre of its staff and its outstanding facilities,” he said. “I welcome the opportunity to enhance Bond’s strong position and reputation.”

WELCOME NEW VICE-CHANCELLOR TIM BRAILSFORD

The Chancellor, Dr Helen Nugent, AO, says she is confident that Professor Brailsford will provide the leadership that will secure Bond’s place as an acknowledged leading provider of quality university education.

BONDy BESTS 10,000+ FINANCE COMPETITORS Bondy Bjoern Krollner is the winner of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) sharemarket game, surpassing more than 10,000 competitors to take out the prize. Players were allocated an initial capital of $50,000. Only 20 percent of all players achieved a profit, and the average player portfolio finished with $48,153. During this time, the All Ordinaries Index also lost 4.70 percent in value. By contrast, Krollner increased his capital by more than 23 percent to a final value of $61,864. Krollner is in the final stages of his PhD in computational finance, focusing his research on the prediction of stock market downturns and the development of risk management strategies using artificial intelligence and artificial neural networks.

Bond University is pleased to announce that Professor Tim Brailsford has been appointed as the University’s next Vice-Chancellor and President, to take up the appointment at the beginning of the academic year in 2012. He succeeds Professor Robert Stable, who has held the role for the past eight years with great distinction. Professor Brailsford is the Frank Finn Professor of Finance, and Executive Dean for the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Queensland. He previously held roles as Professor, Foundation Head and Dean of the University of Queensland Business School; and deanship and other senior academic leadership roles at the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne. He is President of the Australian Business Deans’ Council, President of the Association of Asia-Pacific Business Schools, a Director of the Association to Advance the Collegiate Schools of Business International, and a Board member of the European Foundation for Management Development. At the announcement of his appointment, Professor Brailsford said he was a great supporter of the independent university model and private not-for-profit education.

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SCHOOL of information technology builds INDUSTRY TIES Bond University has established an Industry Advisory Board for the School of Information Technology (IT), to ensure the School remains at the forefront of educational excellence. The new Advisory Board is made up of a range of industry experts who will volunteer their time, share their knowledge, and provide insights into the sector. This Board will play a significant role in the training of tomorrow’s leaders, while also strengthening the ties between Bond and the local community, across business, educational and government sectors.

FAMILY GRADUATION FOR FAMILY BUSINESS LEADER We are proud to announce that Bond University Professor and Founding Director of the Australian Centre for Family Business (ACFB), Ken Moores, AM, was awarded a Doctor of Business earlier this year. Professor Moores was awarded the Doctorate in recognition of his research that showcased the opportunities, challenges and future of the family business sector. The application for this honour was submitted by Professor Moores’ colleagues, without his knowledge, so he only learned of it a week before the ceremony. This was a wonderful surprise, but “the personal highlight of the day was the fact that I shared the ceremony with my son, Christopher, who received his MBA with high distinction,” he said.

Campus BOND SPONSORS SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB The Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine is now the official education sponsor of the Gold Coast’s BMD Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club, one of the nation’s most prominent and successful surf life saving clubs.

“MOBILE APPLICATIONS” A NEW BOND MAJOR Both undergraduate and postgraduate students in the School of Information Technology can now major in Mobile Applications. The new area of study was developed in response to changes in the IT industry. Graduates from this major will be ready for an anticipated surge in the mobile applications job market. Students completing this specialisation will gain experience designing, building and testing mobile applications, both in simulation and on real devices. In addition, they will learn about operating systems, wireless networking technologies, and integration with enterprise systems.

PROFESSOR Glasziou WINS PRESTIGIOUS MEDICAL AWARD Dr Paul Glasziou, Director of the Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice at Bond’s Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, received the prestigious Bridges-Webb medal in Brisbane earlier this year. The Bridges-Webb medal is awarded by the Australian Association for Primary Care Inc in recognition of members who have made and will continue to make international standard teaching or research contributions to academic activities in the general practice environment. Dr Glasziou recently worked in the United Kingdom as Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at Oxford University, and has been published in 180 peer-reviewed journals.

POWERFUL NEW GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS for Bond Bond University has signed new partnership agreements with three leading international universities: the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India; the Gould School of Law at the University of Southern California, USA; and the Fudan University School of Law, China. All three universities rank in the top 100 global institutions in either the Times Higher Education rankings or the US Financial Times Global MBA rankings. Bond’s General Manager of Strategic Partnerships, Brett Walker, says each partnership provides access to a network that will enhance the opportunities for students and staff alike to collaborate and network in both the world’s largest economy, the US, and two of its fastest growing economies, India and China.

This is an exciting association for Bond. It will enable the University to connect not only with elite athletes but also, importantly, with community life saving education programs at the grassroots community level. It will also provide long-term educational connections for the Faculty and the surf life saving community by engaging them in its programs, the classroom and its research projects.

STUDENTS COMPETE IN INAUGURAL RESTAURANT COMPETITION Hungry? Students in the School of Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management are a step closer to opening their own restaurants, after competing in the University’s inaugural Next Great Restaurant competition, set to become an annual event at Bond.

BOND WINS NORTHERN UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIP Bond University was named Overall Champion in the 2011 Northern University Games, at which more than 130 students participated in a range of events. The championship is awarded for results across all sports, irrespective of the size of the university. Rival competitors included the University of Queensland, Griffith University, and the Queensland University of Technology.

Six student teams created a restaurant concept including name, design, décor, uniform and menu, which was then brought to life in the Princeton Room on campus. They served a sample of the restaurant’s signature dish, prepared by Bond University chefs, to a panel of judges and guests made up of business professionals, academics, students and industry representatives. Congratulations to the team behind Down Under Bar & Grill, winner of the People’s Choice Award, and the students who produced El Toro, which was named Restaurant of the Year.

Bond students walked away with gold medals for mixed netball, golf, women’s tennis and men’s squash, as well as several silver and bronze medals.

Summer 2011

the Stable Years Bond University farewells one of its most successful and best-loved Vice-Chancellors at the end of this year, Professor Robert Stable.

Feature

Summer 2011

Bond University’s

Chancellor Dr Helen Nugent, AO, said recently that outgoing Vice-Chancellor Professor Stable had made an enormous contribution to securing Bond’s future. Thanks to Professor Stable, she said, “we have a vibrant institution. Financially, we are in a very sound position; enrolments are strong and the campus is the envy of everyone in the sector.” Certainly, Professor Stable will be missed by staff and students alike. The Arch spoke with Professor Stable as he wound up his time at Bond. What achievements make you most proud from your time at Bond? I am immensely proud of the exceptional quality of the student experience at Bond and how this significantly differentiates Bond not only from the other Australian universities, but also the vast majority of universities around the world. The student experience involves many things, including excellent academic and support staff, with the best staff-to-student ratio in Australia, as well as state-of-the-art facilities, a beautiful campus, and great student leadership. During my tenure, Bond has commenced new programs such as Medicine, Physiotherapy, Architecture and Sustainable Development. Not only have new buildings been built, we have also now refurbished all the other buildings and beautified the campus. This has been achieved with only a small increase in the University debt. Of note is that the Endowment Fund has grown from almost nothing to $35 million, with a number of further commitments already having been made. How has Bond changed from the first day you set foot on campus? Even more so than when I started, Bond is receiving recognition both nationally and internationally. Our student numbers have more than doubled. And we have seen new programs, new buildings and facilities, and refurbished buildings. Tell us about some of the people you’ve worked with at Bond. My working relationships with Chancellors Dr Trevor Rowe, AO, and latterly Dr Helen Nugent, AO, and the other University Council Members, have been excellent. Their commitment to the University

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

has been incredible, especially bearing in mind that none of them receive any remuneration. The members of Senior Management have all been fantastic and some of the very best people I have ever been fortunate enough to work with. There are so many staff and students that I could mention. They contributed to the many successes that we have enjoyed, and meant that I looked forward to going to work every day. The office staff, especially Hayley McDermott and subsequently Laura Harvey, have been a pleasure to work with. The support that I have received, reflecting the commitment to the concept of and the success of Bond, has been enormous.

How has the alumni community changed during your time here? The alumni network is a lot larger, obviously, and following a deliberate strategy, alumni are becoming far more engaged in their University, which is a wonderful thing. Hearing of the successes of our alumni is fantastic. At the end of the day, the students and alumni ‘own’ the University. Their success with a Bond degree is Bond’s success, and vice versa. What is your vision of Bond’s potential for the future? I have no doubt that Bond is well positioned to be the most sought-after university by students across the Asia-Pacific region, due to the exceptional quality of its programs, staff and graduates.

WHILE PROFESSOR STABLE WAS VICE-CHANCELLOR Bond received more five-star ratings in the Good Universities Guide than any other institution in Australian University surveys during the past several years. Bond University’s research capacity increased significantly, and funding for research increased 20-fold. A number of important new faculties and schools were introduced to the University, including: • • • • •

The Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine The Institute of Sustainable Development & Architecture The Mirvac School of Sustainable Development The Soheil Abedian School of Architecture The School of Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management

Our beautiful campus continued to grow and flourish. During Professor Stable’s time at the helm, we gained: •

•

The technology-rich Balnaves Foundation Multimedia Learning Centre World class extensions to the iconic John and Alison Kearney Library State-of-the-art refurbishments to the Faculty of Law facilities The stunning ADCO Amphitheatre and Alumni Court, overlooking the lake The award winning Mirvac School of Sustainable Development building The Soheil Abedian School of Architecture building, of which construction is underway

Feature

L-R: Dr Helen Nugent, Dr Soheil Abedian, Professor Ken Moores, Professor Robert Stable

The Balnaves Foundation Multimedia Learning Centre

Professor Stable has a profound ability to make things happen, should change be required. When the student body voiced a need for further study space, the request was met with an ‘I agree, let’s make things better’ James Graham - Bond University Student Association

Professor Stable with Sir Richard Branson

First and foremost, Rob’s contribution to Bond University has been his unwavering commitment to the quality of the student experience DR HELEN NUGENT, AO - Chancellor

The Macquarie Trading Room

Summer 2011

Strong faculties are the bedrock of a flourishing academic institution. Under Robâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership, we have seen the introduction of the Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine and the graduation of our first physiotherapy and medical students; the Institute of Sustainable Development & Architecture has been established and the Soheil Abedian School of Architecture is becoming a reality DR HELEN NUGENT, AO - Chancellor

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Feature

Professor Stable with Prime Minister Julia Gillard

Leading by example, Professor Stable has always made Bond students his first priority JAMES GRAHAM - Bond University Students Association

Robâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy will forever be acknowledged as securing the future of this great institution

The Bond University Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup race

DR HELEN NUGENT, AO - Chancellor

Professor Stable with former Prime Minister John Howard

The John & Alison Kearney Library

Summer 2011

Saturday morning brunch. After a good sleep-in, you head to your favourite café and sit down to a latte and a lovely serve of bacon and eggs on toast. This all sounds very relaxing, but in fact the meal you so enjoy is steeped in controversy. Everything in front of you, from the food on your plate to the way it was transported to the café, how it was kept fresh and the stove on which it was cooked, is the subject of enormous conflict. The issue? The mining of coal seam gas in agricultural areas. It cuts to the very core of our modern-day existence: the security and sustainability of our nation’s food and energy supplies.

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Both of these forms of security are paramount to the survival and growth of Australia. Food security ensures that we can feed ourselves and a hungry world. Energy security ensures that we have adequate transport, heating, lighting and all the other contemporary conveniences on which we have come to rely. But what happens when one of these vital forms of security is perceived to jeopardise the other? How do we choose between the two? Should we have to? Must one give way to the other, or can they happily co-exist? And is it the role of the law to create a framework to protect the interests of both?

State governments in Australia, particularly those in Queensland and New South Wales (NSW), are facing exactly these difficult questions right now. The development of unconventional sources of gas (such as coal seam and shale gas) provides Australia with energy security, and generates a huge export industry for us in the form of LNG. But this comes at a price to the farmers and, through them, to our own food security. Many coal seam deposits occur in areas of high agricultural fertility. Consider this: the Liverpool Plains area in NSW comprises only six percent of our total agricultural area, but is so fertile that it produces more than 22 percent of our food. It is Australia’s breadbasket. But it is also a coal seam deposit area.

Research Jeopardising our groundwater resources Fracking also seriously jeopardises our groundwater resources. Queensland and NSW are parts of a huge, underground water resource, known as the Great Artesian Basin. In some areas, whole towns rely on the Basin for their drinking water as well as for agricultural and other domestic uses. There is a very real concern that if the chemicals used The Liverpool Plains area in NSW in fracking enter the is... Australia’s breadbasket. But it is groundwater, it could become contaminated. also a coal seam deposit area

Farmers are understandably reluctant to allow their prime agricultural land to be used for coal seam gas extraction. However, as the law stands at present, even if a farmer owns the land, the government has the right to grant a licence to an energy company to extract the coal seam gas from the ground. They do this by drilling wells to extract the gas.

But surely a few wells won’t get in the way of food production? At the heart of this conflict is the method used to extract coal seam gas. Energy companies extract the gas via hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as fracking. Vast amounts of water, chemicals and sand are pumped at high pressure down a well to fracture the coal or shale, and release the gas. The water is then returned to the surface, sometimes along with the naturally-occurring salty water if it is in the coal seams, and the gas is collected in a pipe and sent off for processing and use. Water use in Australia has always been an issue, particularly in agricultural areas. The major concern for farmers, and quite rightly so, is governments’ inconsistent attitude to water conservation and management. For example, if the Federal Government is attempting to restrict water use in the Murray Darling Basin, then why are energy companies still able to extract vast amounts of water (which the farmers see as important for agriculture) to undertake commercial enterprises that only profit the companies?

In the past, contamination of groundwater has been linked to poor fracking-well construction and design. This can lead to the well leaking the fracking fluids into the surrounding groundwater. Many farmers are concerned that the groundwater movement in the Great Artesian Basin is little understood, and have called for hydrological studies to map the water so that the potential effects of fracking compounds in the water can be monitored. Likewise, it is necessary that the State Government regulating the gas extraction in each area ensures that the well design and construction includes multiple barriers to reduce the likelihood of such a contamination. Contaminating surface water However, that is not the only danger. Contamination can also come from the produced water that is returned to the surface. A major challenge for governments is how this water, which now contains chemicals and compounds, will be treated and disposed of. This must be done in a manner that ensures it does not escape to enter and contaminate surrounding water sources, such as streams, rivers

and bores. In addition, land access and conflict of land use is of major concern to farmers. This issue has been recognised by the Queensland Government, which declared a two-kilometre exclusion zone around mining activities near towns with more than 1000 people. Many farmers are now calling for a similar embargo over prime agricultural areas. Yet despite these concerns, coal seam gas development will forge ahead, especially since it is providing so many important jobs in the declining Australian economy. A lawyer in hot water Recently I worked with the Western Australian (WA) Government to assess whether its laws relating to the extraction of shale gas (similar to coal seam gas) were adequate to ensure that the problems associated with fracking did not occur. What I found was a dedicated bunch of people who worked hard to ensure that the wells they drilled were of the best standard possible. I also found that environmental management was executed by smart, passionate people who knew how to take care of the land. Yet the law was lacking. Now it is my job to assist the WA Government to write laws that will provide sound legal support for those people who are making sure the wells don’t leak, and produced water doesn’t end up places it should not. Then I’ll spend a few years monitoring those laws, to see whether or not they really do provide protection against the detrimental effects of fracking. Ultimately, I believe the best way that any government can try to enable these two important industries to co-exist is to develop laws that enable the farmers to be comfortable with how their farmlands are managed, while still allowing for the extraction of coal seam gas.

DR TINA HUNTER Dr Hunter is an Assistant Professor at Bond University and researches and teaches at the University of Bergen, Norway, where she is a member of the Legal Culture Research Group and the Research Group for Natural Resources, Environment and Development Law. She consults to governments regarding the regulation of petroleum, unconventional gas and other natural resources.

Summer 2011

packing

Send them Last year Bond University launched the Student Opportunity Fund to help students make the most of the opportunities available to them during their time studying with us. Thanks to generous donations from our alumni, staff and parents, we disbursed grants to more than 60 students and groups.

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Campus

Tessa Dignam: Paris

These grants are used for

everything from buying study resources to helping with living expenses, and bringing important speakers to campus.

The Arch caught up with three students who used their Student Opportunity Fund grants for international travel. Tessa Dignam: Paris “From January to April this year, I completed an internship with the Australian Trade Commission in their office in Paris, France. I worked in the Australian Embassy building in the 15e arrondissement, where I had an absolutely incredible view of the Eiffel Tower. “Having never worked full-time prior to starting with Austrade, I was nervous about how I would cope with the ‘real life’ working environment. However, after just a few short weeks with the Austrade team, I felt right at home and actually loved coming to work. “My first job was to complete a thorough analysis and report on the financial services industry in Belgium. As a Law/Arts student, I was pretty freaked out about the idea of completing a report on a subject I knew nothing about. But with the guidance of the Business Development Manager at Austrade, I was able to get through some dense French financial reports, and finally present a 41-page report on something I initially knew nothing about. “While the cramped metro ride to work every morning left you feeling slightly

Henry Norris: Boston

physically assaulted, living in Paris was absolutely incredible. “My everyday life in Paris seemed to have another dimension when compared to my life in Australia. Speaking French every day, going home to a centrally heated Parisian apartment, and having spur of the moment soirees with French Bondies and other new friends. These were all things that made my internship experience extraordinary. “On top of this, being overseas meant I was able to travel a little bit, and cross some destinations off my bucket list. My time at Austrade gave me a deeper understanding of the absolute interconnectedness of the world. I found myself having strong opinions on international exchange rates and the value of education as an export to Australia, and that was after just three months. “When you’re a student travelling overseas, any kind of funding is really important. While I did have the support of my parents and a bit of savings behind me, every little bit counts. The grant from the Student Opportunity Fund allowed me to enjoy the experience for exactly what it was – something incredible! “I left my internship with a renewed sense of independence and confidence. “Having been back in Australia for a few months now, I can see how much this experience has helped me mature as a graduate and an individual. I’ve learned

Alexander Johansson: Singapore

not to sweat the small stuff and, instead, remember the things and people you hold close to your heart, and focus your energy on this instead.” Henry Norris: Boston “I study Arts/Law at Bond, majoring in International Relations and Arts. I’m fascinated by international relations, in terms of both the politics of international relations and also the diversity of cultures and ideologies that make up the international system. “In February this year, I had the incredible opportunity of travelling to the United States to attend an international student conference at Harvard University. Together with about 100 other students from across the globe, I was a delegate at the Harvard 2011 Conference, convened by the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR). “Without a grant from the Student Opportunity Fund, I wouldn’t have been able to take up this opportunity. I was extremely fortunate to receive a grant that covered my return airfare to the US. “The main topics for discussion revolved around the economic and political challenges that Asia will face in the 21st Century. We were addressed by notable speakers including ambassadors, Harvard professors, and a number of politicians, economists and journalists. “In addition to hearing these speakers, we also broke up into small groups to

Summer 2011

Without getting the information about this Fund, we wouldn’t have even started looking into the opportunity of going to Singapore ALEXANDER JOHANSSON

engage in conversation on particular points. I especially enjoyed these small group discussions as they allowed the different delegates to offer their own insights into the issues, based on their unique backgrounds and studies. “To sit at a table with students from all across the world, with a Chinese student on your left and an American student on your right, and discuss a topic like the projection of a country’s international image, really goes to the heart of what international relations is. “Academically, the conference was stimulating and allowed me to draw upon a lot of what I had learned at Bond, and apply it in a practical context. “Like all degrees, international relations can’t be studied in a vacuum, and it’s experiences like the Harvard Conference

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that allow you to see first-hand how your studies fit into the real world. To practice international relations requires a sensitivity to cultural differences and a broad perspective on global issues. “The conference was an invaluable opportunity to work closely with an international delegation of students, and hone in on these skills. “Personally, the conference broadened my perspective on a lot of issues, and allowed me to exchange ideas with students from all over the world, from India to Austria. “It was an amazing experience being able to spend a week on campus at Harvard. As delegates, we were buddied up with Harvard undergraduates, and I was lucky to share a room with a student in the Harvard Yard, just steps from the famous statue of John Harvard.”

Alexander Johansson: Signapore “Together with three of my fellow Bondies, I had the opportunity to travel to Singapore on a study tour earlier this year. My colleagues Adam Peleg, Ryan Mattila, Louise Persson and I wanted to learn more about the Singapore and Asian markets, get insights into the work climate, and do some networking. “Directly after we received an email about this opportunity, we started to do research and pull a lot of threads together to build this trip, get the meetings we wanted, and ensure we had the ultimate experience. That was easier said than done, and there were a lot of changes to the program. It turned out that we were able to get the best meetings booked when we were on the ground in Singapore. “We met with two international banks, RBS and Standard Chartered, we met with

Campus

Without a grant from the Student Opportunity Fund, I wouldn’t have been able to take up this opportunity Henry Norris

a representative from a Singaporean law firm, and visited the KKY School of Public Policy to hear Oliver Stone talk about the impact politics has on film. “In addition, we met the representative for think-tank company Interesting.org. We discussed everything from networking to innovations, and through him we were able to get in contact with the newly launched social network, MyCube. This gave us insights into how a young, vibrant social network company operated in the heart of Singapore, and what they were thinking

and doing to differentiate themselves from other social networks, like Facebook.

“It was an intense trip with a lot of meetings with different firms, but we also made time to network with different professionals outside the office environment, and see the culture of the vibrant city and country of Singapore. “The Student Opportunity Fund was essential to this experience. “First of all, without getting the information about this Fund, we wouldn’t have even started looking into the opportunity of going to Singapore, which turned out to be a great experience for me personally as well as for the others in the group.

“And without the funding, there wouldn’t have been any trip! “I guess what affected me most about this experience was the openness of the Singapore work climate, the large networks everyone had, and the positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship and new ventures. “It was a great opportunity for me, from which I gained a lot of personal and professional experience. I was able to implement the knowledge I had gained from Bond, get to know different cultures and companies, and extend my network. “This will absolutely be something on which I will leverage in the future.”

Summer 2011

COME ON BACK

visit

When was the last time you set foot on Bondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stunning Gold Coast campus? For the first time in its history, Bond University is inviting the community onto its grounds to enjoy a diverse program of free events. And this spring, we hosted the inaugural Bond by the Lake creative arts festival, with an added sprinkling of magic and whimsy.

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Community

Summer 2011

Universities inspire vibrant exchange, discussion and thought, all of which are integral to a healthy community. At Bond, we want our students to be part of that community, to actively participate in the events and issues that matter to our local community and to our world. Enter, our new community program. Using Bondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stunning campus as the backdrop for artistic and cultural events, this program enables students, staff, alumni and members of the Gold Coast community to embrace their cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diversity. The photographs that follow are just a small taste of our community program. They include the inaugural Bond by the Lake arts festival, and the monthly Live at Bond musical series held in the ADCO Amphitheatre. To learn more about Bondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community program, email us at: development@bond.edu.au.

I attended with my family and they had a great time. It had a nice air of whimsy, which lifted it beyond a standard community sort of event DR JANE E. HUNT - Bond academic

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Community

A big vote of thanks for giving the community the chance to come together at these events and enjoy such high quality performances ROBYN RAFTERY - community member

Thank you so much for a wonderful day and a fantastic community event. I kept saying how exciting it was to be part of something so lovely in my own backyard NADIA SUNDE - singer / songwriter

Summer 2011

Community Congratulations for the wonderful day by the lake yesterday - a perfect day in every sense and in an absolutely amazing setting. The quality and range of the musicians chosen for this inaugural cultural event was inspirational and the fact that we were able to see and enjoy such incredible talent for no entry fee was very much appreciated JAN AND PETER SULLIVAN - community members

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Research

Bond academic Heng Chih

HOW TO LIVE IN the moment Set your intentions. Savour your experiences.

THE BUDDHA taught his

followers to establish ‘mindfulness’ in their day-to-day lives. Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention to the present. When you’re mindful, you can observe your own thoughts, feelings and sensations with a sense of calm and distance. Mindfulness means living fully in the present and awakening yourself to your experiences. No part of life will pass you by.

Academic and Buddhist nun Heng Chih (born Lois Larrick) lectures and tutors students on mindfulness at Bond University. The Arch asked for her advice on how we can apply mindfulness to our everyday lives.

Summer 2011

NUTTING OUT 1 MINDFULNESS Disclaimer: this short piece is written by a has-been American who’s a wannabe Aussie. Apologies for any unintended gaffe. Hang on first to see if what I say isn’t dinky-di2. Don’t be a knocker3 before I’ve even begun! Trust me, earbashing4 isn’t my bowl of rice5, nor is being a spruiker6 for Buddhism. Now, to the point. Take a shark biscuit,7 for instance. How does he handle a boogie board8 with blokes calling to him, “Ave a go, ya mug!9 ”He’s got to use his head10 or he’ll come a gutser.11 Creamed12 by an acid drop13 he’ll go wobbly14 in the white wash15, wipe out, and end up with a bung16 board. Or take a wannabe bushy,17 like me for one. Suppose I start a campfire in the bush,

straight talking 1.

Hammering it out; working it out

And he’ll reply, “No drama.30 Piece of piss. 31” Am I making any progress in persuading you that mindfulness is good oil?32 Take a student who aims to be conch.33 She wants to be dux34 to please her oldies.35 But peer pressure mounts and soon she pops a porky36 and chucks a sickie37 so she can

17. A person who spends a lot of time in the bush 18. An idiot; someone who forgot something 19. Dumb, slow witted

The real thing, genuine (pronounced dingy-dye)

20. Intellectually inadequate

Someone who criticizes

22. Lucky

Nagging, non-stop chatter

23. Accepting bad news as inevitable

Cup of tea

Someone who tries to persuade people to enter a place of business

24. Someone who knows the bush well

Someone new at surfing

A hybrid, half-sized surf board

Fool

10. Be mindful 11. Make a bad mistake, have an accident 12. Defeated 13. Having the bottom fall out of a wave you’ve taken off on, so you end up flat on your face

but I’m a wally,18 one who isn’t the full quid.19 If I’ve got kangaroos loose in the top paddock20 then this dill,21 who is me, would have to be tin arsed22 not to start a raging bush fire, that’d be right.23 But if I’m with a bushwhacker24 who’s got his wits about him,25 he’ll tend the fire and turn out to be someone whose blood is worth bottling.26 His mates will say, “Grouse!27 Good on you!28 You’re fair dinkum!29”

21. Idiot

Ah, if only she’d kept her mind on her studies! She should have at least given it a burl.49 She could have become as tenacious in getting good marks as a minder50 is in shadowing his opponent. She could have been a ridgy-didge51 corker.52 Don’t you reckon?53 Anyway, now that you’ve taken a squizz54 at this piece, I hope you’ll try out mindfulness and become a tall poppy.55

36. Tells a lie 37. Takes a sick leave when she’s perfectly healthy 38. Cans of beer 39. Food 40. Someone who doesn’t fit in socially 41. Straight-laced person, prude, puritan, spoilsport 42. Drunk 43. Boasts

25. Is mindful

44. Dubious, underhanded

26. An excellent, helpful bloke

45. Stuff that you can’t remember what it’s called or that you don’t want to give a name to

27. Terrific! 28. Good for you, well done 29. Someone true and real 30. Expression of reassurance; no worries 31. Easy task 32. Useful information; a good idea; the truth

14. Excitable behavior

33. A conscientious person. Someone who would rather study than go out and enjoy him/herself.

15. Agitated, foamy surf

34. Top of the class

16. Broken, ruined

35. Parents

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

join them for some tinny38 and tucker39 so they won’t think she’s a piker40 or worse, a wowser.41 After getting rotten42 most every night, she skites43 that she can still pass her uni exams. But to do so, she gets shonky44 and ends up doing doovalacky45 that’s dodgy.46 She rorts47 the system until she gets sprung.48

46. Not safe, not proper 47. Cheats 48. Caught doing something wrong 49. Had a go at it; tried 50. A defensive player in rugby who sticks like glue to his opponent 51. Genuine 52. Excellent student 53. Absolutely agree 54. A look 55. Successful person

Research

Summer 2011

WHY BONDIES

stay in touch

In past issues of The Arch, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve followed Bond alumni to restaurants in London, comedy clubs in New York, and glamorous events all over the world. Today we bring you something a little closer to your original Bond home.

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Alumni THIS YEAR, alumni chapters in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne launched annual functions for each city. More than 250 Bondies turned up to eat, drink, dance and, of course, reconnect with one another. In Melbourne, Bondies gathered at the Melbourne Museum, before together exploring the King Tutankhamun exhibition. In Sydney, they met at The Pavilion in the Botanic Gardens, and danced the night away. In Brisbane, our Bondies were entertained by a live band at The Tivoli. Amid the festivities, we caught up with Tristan Blom from the Sydney alumni chapter and Sam Warriner from the Brisbane alumni chapter to find out why Bondies choose to stay in touch. WHAT IS IT ABOUT BOND THAT MAKES YOU SO PASSIONATE? Tristan: How can one not be passionate? My five years at Bond instilled upon me that our only limits are those that we impose on ourselves. To see this message being lived by our alumni around the globe is not something that you forget easily. Sam: Everyone has heard why Bond students fall in love with the institution, so I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t harp on about the class sizes, sporting and social club options or quality staff and syllabus. The reason I continue to be passionate about the university is the fact that each student (and alumnus for that matter) has the Bond experience they build for themselves. Tristan: I made some of my greatest friends through Bond University, while some of my greatest professional opportunities have also come about through the alumni community. Sam: The staggering extracurricular choice offered by this university and frequently by the student bodies, means any student from any background and with any interest is limited in their participation only by their personal input. You could say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more of a selfish passion, because the more you put in, the more you get out. The same goes for any postgraduation involvement.

L-R: George Raptis, Laura Brown & Tristan Blom

Summer 2011

WHY DID YOU JOIN YOUR LOCAL ALUMNI CHAPTER? Tristan: Quite simply, I feel I owe Bond University a great debt for providing me with such an education. In Laura Brown and George Raptis, my fellow Sydney alumni chapter co-chairs, I have met two people with a similar desire to not merely hold terrific social events bringing together friends from all graduating years, but also to offer genuine support to our alumni. This ranges from networking opportunities for more seasoned professionals, to assisting our recent graduates with the transition into their first job. Sam: I put my hand up for the Brisbane Alumni Chapter council for the same reasons I put my hand up for anything and everything while at university: you’ll only pick the pearls if you sift through the sand. Bond seems devoted to increasing both the volume of alumni engagement and the organisational and monetary support for each chapter, as demonstrated by the University’s involvement in the recent events nationwide. Why do you think your inaugural annual event was so successful? Tristan: The Sydney annual event was envisioned from the outset to be the pinnacle of the Sydney alumni chapter’s portfolio of events. We wanted this not-to-be-missed event to eventually form a key part of the Sydney business and social calendar. Sam: The Brisbane event was successful mostly because, in recent years at least, there has been nothing like it. The Brisbane chapter has historically hosted after-work drinks to give old classmates an opportunity to catch up, but this event took things to the next level.

What are your plans for 2012? Sam: For us it is mostly about securing a point of contact with as many Brisbane and Queensland Bondies as we can. So many of the alumni I have touched base with during the past 18 months didn’t even know the chapter existed, let alone hosted events. The more members, the bigger influence the alumni office can play in helping younger Bondies with opportunities, or older Bondies link up with lost mates. Tristan: Sydney’s emphasis in 2012 will be across several areas. We will continue to build upon our key social events, including what we hope will be the biggest Sydney annual event yet in an even more prestigious Sydney location. We also hope to increase our service provision to Bondies by providing more intimate networking opportunities and facilitating personal introductions. The chapter also has an evolving focus on philanthropy, and aims to personally support the graduates of 2011 transition into Sydney life. How can your fellow Bondies stay involved with Bond? Sam: Each alumni chapter has its own database for the relevant cities and states, but we also send our correspondence through the alumni office, which is more proactive in recording details and updating databases. The best way to stay in touch is register with them online, just Google “Bond Alumni.” If you are chasing a particular chapter or person, they should be able to help you out, or the website will point you in the right direction. Tristan: Getting involved with your local alumni chapter is the best start. We now have coverage across a great range of cities. If there isn’t one already, consider forming a chapter yourself. It’s also a great way to keep up-to-date during this exciting time in Bond’s history.

Tristan: Our emphasis for Sydney’s inaugural event was on complete quality, from the Veuve Clicquot on arrival down to the red carpet, to the venue overlooking the Botanical Gardens and Sydney’s famous skyline. With more than 110 graduates from all years turning out, this was one of our best social gatherings since the 2009 Ball.

Why is it so important to stay in touch? Tristan: This question is not one we have to answer often, given the tight-knit nature of Bondies. However you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, both socially and professionally, by staying in touch.

Sam: Everyone loves to get dressed up, and if you mix in live music, great food and an open bar, it’s a recipe for a fantastic night.

Sam: The fact is, Bond’s alumni services are free and useful. I have been contacted by several old friends looking for changes in work, had a couple of large (albeit unexpected) nights with kids I hadn’t seen

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

in years, met a bunch of older alumni who will be fantastic contacts in the coming years and had a chance to focus on something that wasn’t a desk job. Tristan: Not only are you able to easily keep in touch with friends from uni, the events are excellent sources of cross-industry knowledge and potential client bases. It’s interesting to note that Bondy employment referrals are only continuing to increase. Sam: You’d be crazy to turn down the chance to join a network of well-educated, undoubtedly successful classmates in a variety of industries who, quite often, are happy to lend any sort of hand to a fellow alumnus. If Bond achieves its vision and potential, how do you view the alumni community in 50 years? Sam: The alumni office and each chapter, worldwide, continue to play active roles in keeping the lines of communication open. In Brisbane at least, this is having a fantastic effect. I also have a good mate in London who sent back glowing reports of the recent chapter event, and know the New York chapter is going strong as well. For the time being, the community is as strong as ever. Keep up the support! Tristan: I envision a rich, vibrant and dedicated community of alumni around the world, committed to leading and supporting the globe’s major institutions and causes. I envision a network in which all alumni provide a forum bringing together our finest leaders, architects of change and current students alike. I envision a network that is committed to unquestioningly assisting a fellow Bondy, simply by nature of our shared education. Sam: Bond’s tight-knit community is due to its size: the students really know each other on a (relatively) large scale. I have no mates who have graduated from any other university who are even in touch with their old institution, let alone involved in the alumni community, mostly because they attended as a number and were churned out with piece of paper and nothing else. Tristan: There is no doubt in my mind that the Bond alumni movement will rival the greatest educational institutions internationally.

Alumni

Joanna Wheaton & Kelly Hawkins

My five years at Bond instilled upon me that our only limits are those that we impose on ourselves TRISTAN BLOM

Brett Walker, Tessa Caton, Sam Warriner, Kimberley Douglas

Everyone loves to get dressed up, and if you mix in live music, great food and an open bar, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a recipe for a fantastic night SAM WARRINER

Amy Snowsill & Josh Bell

Jonathan Canavan, Candace Diamond & Nick Huebner

Summer 2011

The business of luxury,

undressed Bondy Naomi McGill was awarded a scholarship for highest academic achievement and started university when she was just 16. She graduated from Bond with a Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) and an MBA.

TODAY, McGILL is the founder

of Harlette Luxury Lingerie, a lingerie design, luxury concierge and couture company that is making waves all over the world. Harlette was announced as a finalist in the New South Wales Premier’s Export Awards Program for 2011 in September. Earlier this year, actress Billie Piper and award-winning costume director Edward K Gibbon chose to use Harlette lingerie in the fourth series of Secret Diary of a Call Girl; and McGill appeared in an episode of Britain’s Next Big Thing, which aired in Australia and the UK. Last year the company was listed in The Economic Times as the fifth most unique company to provide services globally. How did it all start? From a joke made by fellow Bondies on campus. The early days “When I was starting my MBA at Bond University, a couple of my friends were joking around, saying they were going to start a lingerie company. “Interestingly, I had been researching the idea of a lingerie company for a few years, and the major project for my BIT degree at Bond for ecommerce was an online lingerie store. So really, I had been working on this idea since 1999.

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Billie Piper in Harlette lingerie

Alumni “The early days of the company were all about hard work. I worked night shifts for Merrill Lynch & Morgan Stanley in London to fund trips to Paris and Milan for fabric shows, mentoring at the London Fashion Forum, and meetings at the Portobello Business Centre. I attended meetings with corset makers, worked at Selfridges to do market analysis, then came home from the night shift and worked on my business plan. In the meantime, I was busy ordering materials, working on where there were gaps, and perfecting the art of selling lingerie in a department store.” GO FOR IT “The biggest challenge I faced when establishing Harlette was believing in myself to go for it. I had no formal training in this industry. I started the company while located on the other side of the world, and nobody had trod the path before me. In the early days, I couldn’t ask my family and friends for advice, only look to them for encouragement. “Funding is always thought to be a major hurdle for a startup, but for me it was the second hurdle. The first was finding people who would work for me. “Lingerie is a very secret society, and you don’t just find out how to get a bra made by looking up the local phone book. With more than 30 components to a bra, how do you start to source all of this? How do you know who to work with? It takes a lot of gusto, self will and blind faith that each meeting is bringing you a step closer to the person you need to make your dream come true. “I was fortunate to get picked for one of the 20 mentoring places offered by the London Fashion Forum, and I was interviewed by the BBC during London Fashion Week as a lingerie expert. Doors opened after that. Once people recognise you, half the challenge is over. After the interview, at trade shows, people would say “Oh, we saw you on the BBC,” and that enabled conversations to happen that would not previously have occurred.” A privileged start “I launched the business in 2005, but it was in 2009 that things really took off. I had the opportunity to travel to Saudi Arabia to run a 10-day master-class on the art of selling lingerie for 26 Saudi women. I was the first woman in the world to do this. Up until 2009, only men were allowed to work in lingerie stores, and no formal lingerie sales or fitting training was available to measure

LINGERIE IS POWER McGill believes lingerie is now used around the world as a symbol of economic power. She says Harlette’s vision of what lingerie is about, and its impact on society, is what helps make the company unique. This, and the decadent fabric choices, alongside three distinct areas of product and service: •

•

A first-of-its-kind luxury lingerie concierge service that travels to 12 cities around the world, and others on request, including a patented Platinum and Diamond lingerie service A ready-to-wear luxury lingerie line, with stockists in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and private sales channels in Saudi Arabia Couture luxury floor-length wraps, worn by actress Billie Piper and seen in the New York Post

women for bras. There were no fitting rooms. Doing the master-class in Saudi Arabia definitely increased my profile and interest in the company. I used this story to build the company, and the collection went around the world with our first photo shoot. “After that, things began to snowball. News broke of our patent, which was awarded for the world’s first Diamond and Platinum suspender garters, in July 2009. The lingerie collection debuted on the catwalk in Paris at Salon International de la Lingerie, and we were invited to showcase the collection at the Oscars Style Lounge. “Harlette has had a privileged start, and having the lingerie selected for Secret Diary with international superstar Billie Piper was a dream come true.” Memories of Bond “Bond taught me so many things, and there are so many aspects of my degrees that have influenced my business. “Like lecturers with real-world experience, who really made the level of education meaningful. Studying Cultural and Ethical Values was an amazingly enriching experience, especially at 16 years of age. And there was so much more. Defence in the Media with TV and war correspondent Peter R Young. Learning mathematical equations and fascinating computational concepts like Turing Machines: think enigma code, think WWII. Studying

Mergers & Acquisitions, and getting to see and understand a share price agreement from one of Asia’s top 100 lawyers, Steven Goodman. “Winning a scholarship for academic achievement at 16 was something that instantly expanded my view of the world, and opened doors for me. The interaction that Bond students have with the ViceChancellors and Chancellors is unique. Bond has all this, alongside a beautiful sandstone campus, and small class sizes.” A global family “But seriously, what is amazing is the international student body. The alumni community is like a family around the world. I am always surprised when I consider that there is an alumni chapter for almost every major capital in the world, despite the relatively small size of our student body. I run into Bondies everywhere: in airport lounges, in restaurants, at Fashion Night Out functions. “When I think back to my time at Bond, what stands out most is pub-crawl and the fact that we still had to come to class on public holidays. It was work hard, play even harder. The pace was set for “no excuses” from day one. “At Bond, the friendships you make are life-long, the education is world standard, and the fact that the beach is only a step away is amazing. What a place to study, if you have the opportunity. Summer 2011

Alumni

Left, right, below-left and bottom-right: the Harlette collection Below-right and bottom-left: actress Billie Piper wears Harlette

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Career

Heading home?

How to land that job Close to half of all Bondies travel from overseas to study on our campus. But with global job markets tightening, it has become harder than ever for our international students to land that plumb role after their degrees are done. The Arch helps you plan ahead.

Summer 2011

Kirsty Mitchell is the General Manager of Bond’s Career Development Centre. We sought her advice on how graduating students can best find work after they return home. Her top tips? It’s all about planning early, using the resources at your disposal, and tapping into networks you may not even know you have. What are the five steps that an international student needs to take to find work back in their own country? Internationally, there are some significant challenges in regards to graduate employment. So we recommend that international students start this process before they leave Bond. 1. Start early Meet with the Career Development Centre team at least six months before you finish your degree. You’ll be working with employment services specialists to develop a resume, develop application tools, and develop an employment strategy.

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

2. Use the resources Make good use of the resources at the Career Development Centre. The Centre will help you in both the planning and implementation stages of your employment strategy. For example the CareerHub portal contains two very valuable sources of international information: Vault and Going Global (with information, jobs and employer information on more than 20 countries, including US city guides). 3. Plan your networking Work with the Career Development Centre to create a networking strategy for returning home. Ideally, you should start this at least three months before you leave. That will allow you to reconnect with family and friends who have valuable contacts in their field. In addition, you can use your assignments as tools to reach out to industry experts in your chosen field, to establish a future relationship.

4. Do the research Undertake as much research as possible in your chosen area of employment. Learn who the key employers are, who the key contacts are within their companies, what the existing trends are, and then use this information to undertake ‘information interviews’. Again, this should be done at least three months before you return home. Listen to the information you gain from these interviews, and build it back into your employment strategy. 5. Connect with fellow Bondies Connect with the Bond alumni network before you leave. Make sure your contact details are up to date with the University, and make contact with your local alumni chapter before returning home. What are some of the best resources available to international students? Bond has a broad range of resources available, and they are all located within the Careers and Employment Portal, CareerHub. In particular, the key resources

Career

KIRSTY MITCHELL Kirsty Mitchell is the General Manager of the Career Development Centre at Bond University. She has been with Bond for six years, and has worked in all aspects of employment, recruitment and training since 1998. In addition to her work at Bond, Kirsty maintains extensive industry networks. She was the Queensland President of the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS), and is a member of several employment associations in the Gold Coast and across Australia and the United States.

of value to international students are Vault and Going Global, as I mentioned earlier. We also have a dedicated staff member, Amy Ezzy, who is the Manager of International Career Development. Her role is to travel internationally to meet with employers and generate opportunities for students returning home, in addition to working with alumni during her travels. Amy runs clinics for international students each semester, so we encourage students to attend these as well. The job vacancies that Amy generates are emailed to students, and posted in CareerHub. The Career Development Centre offers lifelong services to alumni, too, so they will always have our full support if they need it. What other support and resources can the Career Development Centre at Bond provide to international students looking for work? We provide a comprehensive range of services to all students and alumni. These include application assistance, resume reviews, interview preparation, feedback and coaching, employment strategy, and engaging with employers on and off campus. We also have a calendar of events on campus that includes careers clinics, employer presentations, international student morning teas, volunteering Gold Coast days, and international student careers clinics.

I encourage Bond students to engage with us early and often throughout their degree, as this will maximise return on investment. What are some of the universal lessons that can be applied when searching for employment? First, develop an employment strategy that details the sort of work you’re looking for, the key skills and experience you have that will be of value to an employer, and an implementation plan that builds on and develops your networks. Then network extensively, within both your professional and personal circles. The more contacts you have, the more opportunities you may find will open up for you. I also want to remind graduates to aim to maintain a positive reputation throughout all of your networks and activities, especially online. Employers research sites like Facebook and Twitter to see what potential employees are saying and doing online. Finally, seek out opportunity. Proactively market yourself to firms you want to work for, rather than waiting for them to advertise a job online. On networking, how do graduates make the best use of their Bond contacts and networks? Connect and get involved with the alumni community. I believe this is one of the most valuable tools that you will develop throughout your Bond degree. The Bond University Alumni Online Community (www.alumni.bond.edu.au) is an excellent resource for alumni activities, events and networking.

It’s no secret the job market is slow in a lot of places. What advice can you give job-seekers about staying positive during the job hunt? It can be incredibly difficult to stay positive during a job search, but being positive is essential to the process. In an interview and even a job application, you need to sell yourself. Therefore, you need to believe in yourself and in your abilities. Make sure you have a good personal network. Maintain an engagement in the broader community, perhaps through volunteering or similar activities. Keep learning. It is important to remember that even in the worst of markets there are still always opportunities. Instead of waiting for things to be advertised, be proactive and identify who you want to work for, and aim to meet with them to discuss opportunities. This is a challenging process and rejection can be very difficult to manage, but don’t take it personally. The job search process is one that is very flawed at times, and dependent on external circumstances that can’t be controlled. So maintain and adapt your employment strategy to fit, and keep working at it. I find that if I could offer a student a career of predictability and certainty for the next 30 years, they don’t want it. What current graduates are seeking from a career is challenge, meaning and ongoing development. A job search is a perfect training ground for this process. If it’s really worth having, it does take some effort, commitment and hard work.

Summer 2011

Competition

a new Macbook

Get out of the office and into the sun. The Arch is giving you an opportunity to make your work or studies truly mobile, with this exclusive opportunity to win a Macbook. Winning has never been easier. Simply send us a Class Notes update to let us know what’s going on in your life and career, and you’re in the draw. We’ll publish your update in the next issue of The Arch. Email us at alumni@bond.edu.au with the subject heading ‘Class Notes’ and your update. And make sure we have your correct contact details so we can get in touch if you win. Competition closes March 31, 2012. *Apple is not a participant or sponsor of this promotion.

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Campus

Journey& destination The Arch is proud to bring you the winning entries in this semesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alumni Student Excellence Medals, awarded for creative writing and visual arts.

Once upon a time...

Each semester, the Alumni

shirt tucked neatly, his trousers straight – that ironed-in line peaking rigidly down the front – and his leather shoes shining.

Most recently, the awards celebrated the creativity of our students. Students were invited to write a creative piece on the theme “Journey,” and the winning piece by Yin Lin is reproduced below.

“Baba!” My Taiwanese is thick with a foreigner’s accent. I reach out, and his large warm hands close over my wrist. “How was the flight?” he asks in Taiwanese, and unlike other people since the accident, his gaze sweeps unflinchingly from my legs to my face. I scrutinise his eyes for the usual twist into surprise and pity. To my relief, there isn’t one. He is a doctor, after all.

Student Excellence Medals recognise outstanding students at Bond.

EAST OR WEST, HOME’S BEST Fine smog and dirt particles veil the air. My eyes sting, my ears burn, and the humidity sticks to me like a second skin I can’t peel off. My feet are swollen numb from the long flight and I don’t even bother trying to wriggle my toes. Yet there is something welcoming in the heat, like the overpowering perfume of a friend long unseen. It has been five years. Not long enough to forget, but not long enough to remember, either. Outside, Baba greets Mama and me. In an airport, other men might wear a shirt, put on formal trousers, but they’ll forget to tuck themselves in, or there would be creases in their clothes. Baba is flawless: his

“Good,” I whisper. But he’s turned to Mama and his arms are out in an awkward, half embrace. Mama tilts her head back, laughing. They both pull away. It alarms me, this indifference. “How are you?” Baba inspects Mama, and she shrugs. “Oh well,” he pauses, thinking for something appropriate to say, “Welcome to the Tropics.” He wheels the trolley, and leads us to the car.

“You ready?” Mama asks, and I nod. She gives me a push. We pass families reuniting, intrude on the intimacy of a wife and husband’s locked gaze and witness the gentle squeezing of hands and shoulders from a grandparent to a five-year-old. I understand then. I had seen through a foreigner’s eye. I think I saw no passion between Baba and Mama. But it is there. In the society of my roots, affection is shown minutely, in subtle secret glances, the passing of a cup with both hands, and the immaculate folding of clothes. Baba helps me into the car which is cool with air-conditioning. I think that he shouldn’t have, really – I could’ve levered myself out of the wheelchair and into the back seat, but I know whatever I say, he’ll just look steadily back at me and do it all the same. Baba turns the key, the engine whirls, and the vehicle dips into the flow of orderly disorder. “Look at that,” says Mama, and I see her nose crinkling up in the reflection of the window as if she’s tasted something stale. Though the English is familiar to my ears, it sounds wrong here. It is different from Dunedin. Different is an understatement. Dunedin, with its winding little streets twisting up, down, left and right. Here, the streets are chess sets, straight, large and smooth. In eight lanes, buses, cars, motorcycles weave in and out, with the occasional cyclist. And by cyclist, I don’t mean a silver thread of helmeted shiny Lycra-men. I see old men pedalling bikes, squeezed between two bulky BMWs, as wobbly as a loose button. Or aunts with nieces seated on bamboo stools wedged in the bike frame in front of the seat. Behind the driver, I have a clear view of Mama’s fingers clenching the edge of her seat. Her knuckles are white. It is as if my sister’s driving with her Learners’. But this is Baba, not my little sister. Perplexed, I look outside again. This time I notice the dogs. A couple survey the zebra crossing. Another few cock their heads to the lights. One patters across the street with the pedestrians. Strays, I think. They’re without leashes. Buses, cars, cyclists, dogs. From a foreigner’s eye, it is chaos. But this is a country with laws made by the people who walk the streets: they look at the traffic lights, but don’t obey blindly. They

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Campus hear the honking complaints, but don’t listen. Whoever is the fastest, wins. Or rather, whoever is the most oblivious. The logic is so simple it scares me. Mama tuts in disapproval as impatient drivers honk in the lane beside ours. The tutting, the wrinkling of the nose, the clenching of the fingers – she’d done the same things on our first supermarket trip in Dunedin. But she is not that Mama, not anymore. At the start she had not been able to give in to the bland precision of previously weighed and packaged food, the bloodless beef slabs in translucent wrappers, and the absence of carcasses and pigs’ heads. I remember my own horrification at the beheaded and skinned pineapples lying like body stumps. There were indoor markets where we lived in Taiwan, too, but Mama had preferred the familiarity of the outdoor ones.

“How do I know if a rambutan is ripe when it’s wrapped in glad wrap?” she would grumble to me. Then later, at the checkout, she would jab her finger at it to the girl and snap in English, “This, good? Fresh? It had better.” And shuffle away, leaving me to smile and apologise. Mere weeks after her last call to the sky market, the dreadful truth crushed me: we were going through life in reverse, and my sister and I were the ones who would help my mother through the hard scrutiny of ordinary suburban life. We would have to forgo the luxury of adolescent experiments and temper tantrums. They were something we could no longer afford in this new

relationship between Mama and us. We had to scoop my mother out of harm’s way and give her sanctuary. When the three of us stepped into the exterior world, we two were the ones who told my mother what was acceptable or unacceptable behaviour. When the parent first reveals the behaviour of a child, it is a defining moment. Of course all children eventually watch their parents’ astonishing return to the vulnerability of childhood, but for us immigrants, the process begins much earlier than expected. Inside the car, the air-conditioning is turned on strongly. Outside, it is winter.

Sky markets, we called them, vast, prosperous expanses in the middle of the city where barrels of live crab and yellow carp and booths of ducks and geese were stacked side by side with cardboard stands of expensive silk fabric. It was always noisy there – a voluptuous mix of animal and human sounds. The sharp acrid smell of gutters choked by the monsoon rain. The stench of chickens, cages stacked one upon another and alongside the other, partially camouflaged by the scent of mangoes and bananas. Mama had known the vendors and the shoppers by name and took me from stall to stall to expose me to her skills. They were all addicted to each other’s oddities. Mama would feign indifference and they would inevitably call out to her. She would heed their call and they would retreat into sudden apathy. They knew my mother’s slick bargaining skills, and she, in turn, knew how to navigate with grace through their extravagant starting prices and rehearsed huffiness. A mating dance, a match of wills. But with a sense of neither drama nor calamity, Mama’s ability to navigate and decipher became undone in our new life. She preferred the improvisation and skill of haggling to the stock certainty of discount coupons; the primordial messiness and fishmongers’ stink of the open-air market to the sterile aroma-free order of individually wrapped fillets.

Summer 2011

Welcome to the tropics. It is always warm, here. Someone honks. I snap around. A truck turns a corner; a motorbike goes straight. A lying dog raises its head and watches. Brakes screech. In that instant, sweat slicks my back. The white, capital letters, “intersections can be deadly”, flash in my mind. God, how many of those ads have I changed the channel on? I’ve always assumed it wouldn’t be me. Never me. The truck and motorbike work their way gingerly around each other. I hadn’t been that lucky. “That was close,” breathes Mama in English. Baba says nothing, concentrating on the traffic. I glance outside and realise that no one has stopped. It is a part of their life. That apathy amazes me. Are they ignorant of the danger? Or are they merely ignoring it? No one talks for a while. A split second’s chance makes the difference between walking away from an accident, and never walking again. I observe the world out the window again, wondering if this place will be able to heal me. Western doctors have deemed it a could-be-possible feat, but way too expensive. Doctors Baba knows give us a lower price and higher hopes, and this is why we’ve returned. I wonder what it will be like to walk again. “A few weeks ago there was a car accident,” starts Baba, his Taiwanese soft and guttural at the same time. “There’s always car accidents here.” Mama throws a glance at him. A frown. Her Mandarin jars the atmosphere. “Don’t scare her.” Her. I am not supposed to understand that. I busy myself by staring outside at the immense crowd. There are people everywhere, like ants, diligently working for food, for shelter. One after another. One following the other. A person might call it crowded and uncomfortable. I find it strangely comforting. The more people, the more crime: that’s true, but with a growing population comes a growing sense of security. There is safety in numbers for all animals, even for the human species. Though the sun sets, there is the still-day safety on the level of us mortals, cocooned within neon lights.

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Baba ignores Mama and continues in Taiwanese. “Four in the morning. Raining. I think it was a uni kid: he’d plugged his ears up with those things.” His left hand flutters up to the side of his head. Mama lets out a stifled, sharp gasp. His palm clasps obediently back down on the driving wheel; his fingers drum against the rim. “The car’s brakes died; the driver had kept on honking. The kid didn’t notice. He died.” I shiver. It is the nonchalant way he said it. Are there so many accidents that people don’t care anymore? Mama shoots Baba a glare. He shrugs. “The kid was half-deaf from the earphones anyway.” They converse increasingly fast and loud, in unison with my hammering heart. Mama snaps in Mandarin whilst Baba deflects the words with Taiwanese. The phrases come to me awkwardly, but my brain knows what to do with these strange sounds that I’d learnt eons ago. In short, I played the role of a hidden observer. “Little sister’s won a scholarship,” she starts off, and I can hear the pride in her Mandarin. “I thought I told you not to let the children try for them,” Baba says, “We can afford the university; that money should be given to those who need it.”

“Come on, don’t be silly. Why stay here and be a target when you can go somewhere else? Come back with us when she’s fit to return.” He makes no noise until we drive through the zone. And when he does, it is at a red light. “There are some things,” he says in a strangled voice, “some things, that are more important than life.” And behind them, quiet and forgotten, I can’t pretend to be a child any more. Not after what I’ve heard. And as an adult, where do I want to live? * I wiggle my toes under the leather straps of my sandals. Then I walk. Dogs lie at the side of the streets, lazily bathing in the sun, large tongues lolling out in the heat. There are dogs everywhere, down every alley. Dogs waiting at the traffic lights, dogs crossing the roads. I pass more than I can count, my ankles almost brushing their wet noses. Most ignore me: I am nothing special. But to me, walking down the street again is a miracle. Their apathy makes me feel human again. Now I understand that the dogs are part of the landscape. Part of the Island. A few watch, and it’s like the Island watches. You are one of us, their liquid brown eyes say. None have leashes. Neither do I.

“She earned it – and what can you say, when you’re not living with us?” Baba does not reply. I pass the time studying the scenery. We drive through an oddly vacant area. Policemen with machine guns patrol the empty streets. I spy a couple of them lounging on a straw-woven bench, with a fan whirring at their sweaty faces. “Surely you’ve earned enough to come to live with us in New Zealand,” Mama presses on, sensing victory, “It’ll be safer, safer than this.” She nods towards a concrete building. I can’t recognise it at first; I’ve only seen them in movies or history books. Only closer, the name materialises to me: air raid shelters. Further away, outlined against the grey sky, something that looks sickeningly like missile launchers points north. Again, Baba is silent. I will Mama to stop, but it seems that she continues deliberately.

DESTINATION The second element to Bond’s most recent Alumni Student Excellence Medals was an invitation to students to enter their creative art works, under the theme “destination.” The images that follow are our students’ winning and shortlisted photographs.

Campus

Ansha Krishnan: “Through prayer God found me. I am here.“ First place winner

Summer 2011

Charles Ferry: “Sleepy, not Grumpy.” Second place winner

Cale Davis:“Destination”

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Campus

Julian Jantos: “Guatamalan Woman”

Summer 2011

Class notes

Catch up on all that’s new with your fellow Bondies. They’re organised according to Alumni Year, the year they started their first degree at Bond.

What’s going on in your life and career? Email alumni@bond.edu.au with the subject heading ‘Class Notes’ and let us know what’s happening in your life, so we can tell your fellow Bondies in the next issue of The Arch. Alumni year 1989

Jon Hui and Jan Hui (nee Corkery) met at Bond and have been married for 17 years. Jan recently returned to work after spending the past eight years raising their eldest daughter, Annaliese. Jan is a Grade 1 classroom teacher at Ormiston College. Jon is the owner of a Bank of Queensland franchise (branch) at Manly in Brisbane. The family spends weekends boating on Moreton Bay and visiting with Grandad (Bond’s Professor Jim Corkery).

Alumni year 1990

Mark Ellis recently left the Australian Federal Police after 17 years of working for the Commonwealth Government. He has accepted a position with Aspen Medical as General Manager, Nurse and Allied Health Rural Locum Scheme (NAHRLS). The Scheme was established to support nurses, midwives and eligible allied health professionals in rural and regional Australia to travel to receive vital professional development training.

Mark Ellis

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Alumni year 1991

Vicki Beyer lives and works in Tokyo, Japan. She has been involved in Tohoku disaster relief in a number of ways, including volunteering to help clean up a hospital in Ishinomaki that was inundated by the tsunami, working with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan on recovery projects, and writing articles on disaster relief (see www.accjjournal.com/ giving-back).

Vicki Beyer

Alumni year 1993

Mark Badham lectured at Bond part-time for 10 years. In addition, he worked in PR for government departments, politicians, political parties and charities; ran his own PR agency; published a women’s magazine; operated a tour company; and during the past eight years has been ghostwriting management/motivational books, with 15 under his belt so far. This year he decided to slow down and enjoy life more. In June he and the family moved to Helsinki, Finland, where Mark continues ghost-writing and copywriting, and is also working on his own book. Mark would love to hear from fellow Bondies, especially those in Europe and Scandinavia, via LinkedIn.

Adam Goodvach recently moved to Israel with his family. He is about to start work providing customer insights and strategy for a NASDAQ-listed social software and media company, Incredimail, based in Tel Aviv.

Alumni year 1995

Harsh Hada started a company called WDC Ltd in India soon after graduation, with fellow Bondies Rahul Sharma and Rahul Todi. After 12 years of work, they sold the majority of their stake in the company to Manpower Inc, an NYSElisted Fortune 100 company, in April this year. The company started with an initial investment of less than $US100,000, and was valued at more than $US30 million this year. Koon-Liang Ang is in-house counsel for Intel Malaysia. Koon-Liang joined Intel in 2003, after practicing law in Kuala Lumpur for three years. He is married with two daughters, aged two and four.

Alumni year 1996

Claire Mula is co-founder of SPROOKI, Singapore’s first location-based mobile commerce service for shopping malls. After graduating at Bond, she worked in brand management at Proctor & Gamble in The Netherlands, then returned to Australia to work in the Internet and digital media industry. She moved once again seven years ago, to Asia, and now lives in Singapore with husband Bram and two children, Aida and Lily. They frequently return to Australia to visit Claire’s mother and father (ex Bond Associate Professor Joe Mula). Contact Claire at claire@sprooki.com.

Alumni Alumni year 1997

Evan Jones is listing two mineral explorations on the TSX Venture exchange, Altanrio for copper gold exploration in Mongolia (www.altanrio.com), and Altnev for gold exploration in Nevada (www. altnev.com). Subject to exchange approval, they are likely to be trading soon. Joanne Rahn graduated from Bond with a Bachelor of Communications. When she contacted The Arch, Joanne and her husband were sailing to Australia on a cruise ship they boarded in Los Angeles (LA), after spending three weeks in New York, Las Vegas and LA. They are investigating export opportunities for Joanne’s new high-end designer swimwear label, Glamorous Life by Joanne Rahn (www.glamorouslifeswimwear.com). The label launched in Australia in September this year, and will launch in the US in March next year. Joanne is also actively involved in the Bond University PR Internship program, and has had six interns (currently Danielle Daquino). Joanne Rahn

Sameer Kaul is now Vice President, Marketing, at Dr Lal PathLabs. In August, Sameer received the prestigious Paul Writer ‘Futurist Marketing Hall of Fame’ award for business growth of 45 percent in increasing walk-in sales.

Sameer Kaul

Amber Johns (nee Harris) and husband Scott are very proud to share the news of the safe arrival of their baby boy Raife, who arrived in June this year. Raife is a little brother for Amber and Scott’s two-year-old daughter Vienna. Amber has taken some time away from her practice as a Barrister at the Victorian Bar to be with the family at this time.

2007 the company had a staff of 100 and was bringing in approximately R45 million a year. At that point, while his partners continued to run the business, Ivor returned to the financial services sector to help build and develop a debit card issuing and support company, which launched in August last year. Ivor Von Nielen

Alumni year 1998

Zoe Hermans travelled extensively after graduating from Bond, then completed a postgraduate qualification in Education. She is now settled back on the Gold Coast with her husband, two children and “a rather large collection of animals.” Zoe is Education Director at the Animal Welfare League of Queensland, a not-for-profit organisation, where she writes and delivers education programs for school-aged children, new dog-owners and the wider community. She says Bondies have been great supporters of the League, getting involved in bake sales and other fundraising activities on a regular basis. Zoe Hermans

Ivor Von Nielen has been very active since graduating in 1999. During his MBA, he worked for one of the Big Four banks in South Africa, then joined an IT company to set up and build its remote ICT management centre. After about a year, Ivor and a friend developed a business plan and venture on a unique eco tourism concept for an international investment consortium. When after 18 months the funding was refused, he and one of the venture’s team-members started a small, specialist joinery and shop-fitting company. He says “I can confirm with confidence that starting a company from scratch puts everything to the test: your family relationships, financial security, endurance, and mental and physical strength.” By

Bronwyn Nosse recently attended the Netball World Championships in Singapore, where Australia won gold in an overtime cliffhanger against New Zealand. Steven Asnicar’s firm Urban Global has five major arms: Urban Executive, Urban Healthcare, Urban Telehealth, Urban E learning, and Future Medical LLC (a US-based firm). The firm has two apps, My Diabetes (www.mydiabetes.com.au), which was on the iTunes What’s Hot Medical list worldwide for more than 10 weeks, and AMAFindADoctor (www.amafindadoctor. com.au), which was number 1 in Australia in the sector for more than 30 weeks. The company also received a number of major awards, in particular for the Xstrata Graduates program (www.xstratagraduates. com), by the AAGE for Best Online Marketing Program in Australia.

Steven Asnicar

Alumni year 1999

Jwan Heah recently returned from a visit back to Bond, and was impressed with the amount of development in and around the University. Jwan established Three Sixty Sdn Bhd in 2007, specialising in brand activation, and worked on campaigns for large brands including Mercedes-Benz, Honda and British American Tobacco. In 2010 the company launched a subsidiary, TRIAD, focusing on advertising and creative photography, recently opened an East Malaysia branch, and is in negotiations to establish a presence in Singapore.

Summer 2011

Diego Riveros Angel lives in Padang, Mentawai, Indonesia, and owns and operates Mentawai Surf Camp (www. mentawai-surfcamp.com). In addition, he also exports fertiliser from Malaysia to Colombia, soon to all of South America.

Juckchai Boonyawat is the Head of Channel Development at Manulife Asset Management (Thailand) Co. Ltd, managing relationships with distribution channels and coordinating with the regional teams across the Asia-Pacific region.

Scott Andrews and his wife Breanna are elated to announce the expected arrival of their first child in December this year. The couple married in 2008. Since graduating from Bond in 2000, Scott has worked for two international technology companies, including spending the past nine years with IBM on the Gold Coast. He wrote to The Arch from international assignment in Austin, Texas, authoring an IBM RedBook for IBM Security.

Alumni year 2001

Alumni year 2000

Tsengiwe (Tabby) Lusu got married shortly after graduating from Bond 10 years ago, and is now the mother of two boys, aged eight and six. She is Divisional Executive: Group Communications at Nedbank, and loves it. Paramjeet Singh recently changed jobs. After seven years working with Optus, Paramjeet is now Development Lead at Origin Energy, and will work on websites and web apps, while enhancing the company’s presence in the social media. Carly Snodgrass worked in a Gold Coast advertising agency after graduating, then moved to London to work for the city’s biggest advertising agency, Abbot Mead Vickers (AMV) BBDO. After gaining fantastic experience, Carly returned to Australia three and a half years later to work for IBM in Melbourne. Missing the sunny weather, she eventually returned to the Gold Coast last year to take up the role of Managing Editor at Infomaps.

Carly Snodgrass Daniel Wardana started his own business after graduating from Bond 10 years ago, and now lectures at a university in Jakarta, Indonesia, specialising in communications.

www.alumni.bond.edu.au

Vicky Lalwani left his role at Fairfax Digital in March 2010 and moved into a web development agency called Adrenalin Media. In September this year he was promoted to become the company’s Operations Manager. He is also considering opportunities to undertake a part-time MBA degree in Sydney.

Alumni year 2004

Della Whearty (nee Muscat) lives in her hometown of Mackay, working as the Contracts Manager for a large mining and engineering company in the Bowen Basin. She says she loves her job, and credits Bond for such a platform. In August this year, Della married Chris, who is Irish so the couple travels regularly to Ireland to visit his family.

Dalton Date Chong got married in March 2011 and the couple is looking at emigration in the next few years. Dalton now works in the telecommunications industry, managing IT procurement requirements, and is also considering studying for a DBA qualification.

Alumni year 2002

Susanne Taylor works at SMEC, a local engineering consultancy, in community engagement and social development. She is always keen to mentor and encourage young students from Bond, and regularly takes on interns from humanities to work on engagement projects. The company recently employed two Bondies who had come for work placement. Susanne’s daughter is studying law at Bond, so she makes frequent visits back to campus. She says, “My experience as an Adjunct Lecturer and postgraduate student was a wonderful time for me, and I will always retain fond memories of being a Bondy.”

Alumni year 2003

Riqiang Fei returned to China after Bond, and works in a real estate business as the Administration Manager. Riqiang is now married with a little boy, and the family intends to visit Australia in the summer. Sally Grover and her writing partner Emma Jensen recently sold their original screenplay, Sex on the First Date, to Gold Circle Films. They now live in Los Angeles, USA, and maintain a blog (www.thelateamonline.com), and have a forthcoming novel, The L.A. Team, that Working Title optioned for a TV series late last year.

Della Whearty (nee Muscat) Jason Rofe’s firm Jefferson Rofe Investment Parnters has now opened in Miami, Florida (USA). Masao Fujimoto is living in Tokyo, Japan. Masao recently changed jobs, and now works for consulting firm Active and Company, as a senior consultant of human resource and organisation management.

Alumni year 2005

Jan Mehlhose enjoyed a successful summer, with a lot of Gold and Platinum awards for artists marketed in EMI Germany, Switzerland and Austria, including clients 30 Seconds to Mars, Snoop Dog, and David Guetta. Jan says life in Germany is great with wife Patricia and two year old daughter Tarah, but the family still dreams of coming back to Australia. Jan Mehlhose

Summer 2011

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Summer 2011