Impact PHIL A NTHROPY AT THE UNIV ERSIT Y OF TA SMA NI A
Contents From the Vice-Chancellor
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Thank you for your support
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Course brings fresh eyes to State’s architectural heritage
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Frances Tyler’s legacy continues
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Law scholarship recipient becomes part of the family
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Scholarships springboard aspiring teachers into higher education
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Extending the reach of Children’s University Tasmania
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Supporting world-leading brain research
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Medical research scholarship pays it forward
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Solving plastics in seabirds through philanthropy
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Unlocking opportunity
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Learning is the fabric of life
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How improving access to education changes lives
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The impact of your generosity
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University Foundation Committee
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Cover Image: Children’s University Tasmania, inspiring a new generation Image: Richard Jupe
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WELCOME
From the Vice-Chancellor While COVID-19 made 2021 a challenging year for many, it was also one that reminded us perhaps more than ever what a difference philanthropy makes. It impacts both the lives of individual students and the work the University does to make a difference here in Tasmania and around the world. We know that providing access to the life-transforming power of education lies at the heart of our mission. So when we discovered at the start of 2021 that there were around 1000 Tasmanians who couldn’t come to the University because of their financial circumstances, we set out to totally transform our scholarship approach. We wanted to make it easier and more targeted, offering assistance with finance, relocation and accommodation. Since launching a little over three months ago, the Support to Study Scholarship Package has attracted more than 2000 applications.
We are very grateful to everyone who supports scholarship efforts and it is a pleasure in this magazine to have alumna Professor Emily Hilder explain her reasons for establishing a scholarship, and the impact she hopes it will have for recipients. We also share the story of how the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Springboard to Higher Education Bursary is changing the lives of young scholars in Hobart. The donor-funded Green Family Architectural Design Studio Award for Tasmanian History is helping preserve the State’s rich built heritage, allowing a School of Architecture and Design class to undertake an immersive study tour of historic properties in Richmond, Oatlands and Longford, accompanied by architects involved in current restoration projects. Our research is making a positive contribution right here at home, where Grace Russell is investigating ways the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) is able to evade detection by the animal’s immune system. Grace’s work – which involves training a machine learning algorithm on a computer – is offering hope for a much-loved native species. The impact of our work reaches beyond our shores and important international projects couldn’t occur without the philanthropic support they receive. Examples include Dr Jennifer Lavers’ vital research into the global problem of plastics in seabirds which is strongly assisted by Penny Clive who is also a great supporter of the Tasmanian arts community. Thank you for your support of the University, our students and our work. Professor Rufus Black Vice-Chancellor
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WELCOME
The University philanthropy team
Image: Peter Allen
Thank you for your support Recognising the impact of your giving. It is with great pleasure that I bring you our rebranded magazine, Impact (formerly The Year in Review), a rich reflection of the significant contribution philanthropy makes at the University of Tasmania. I am inspired by the continued generosity of our donor community. Last year saw the University receive the largest ever number of gifts, each donation a reflection of your support for students and the transformational research undertaken across the University. I am particularly pleased that donations to the Menzies Institute for Medical Research and philanthropy across all our diverse Institutes and Colleges are now appropriately celebrated in one publication. This year’s cover was chosen to shine a light on aspiration. Embedding and celebrating education are central to creating a culture of participation and access, and I thank all those donors who have chosen to support scholarships. Our team ensures your donations are prudently managed, a commitment further strengthened in 2021 by a review of the policies governing our work under the guidance of the University Foundation Committee.
We believe that in working closely with our donors to understand your values and respectfully manage your gifts, philanthropy can help eliminate barriers to education and support life-changing research. In sad news, many of you would be aware former Advancement Executive Director Kate Robertson had been addressing serious health issues, and in September left her University role to focus on her health and her family. In late April 2022, Kate lost her battle with cancer, however I personally continue to be inspired by Kate’s deep passion, strength and courage. It was particularly heartwarming when Frances Tyler chose to make a gift in Kate’s name. Frances’s rich legacy of support at the University is well known and this gift further demonstrates that her ties with the University remain unwavering. Creating impact is the legacy donors to the University contribute. I remain humbled by this support and trust that, as you read the stories enclosed, you too are inspired by the impact of your choice to make a difference. Thank you. Rebecca Cuthill Director, Advancement on behalf of the University philanthropy team
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SUPPORTING ART S , L AW AND ARCHITEC TURE
Course brings fresh eyes to State’s architectural heritage With the passing of Joan Green OAM in March, it is timely to reflect on a lifetime of service to the community and generous giving to areas such as the arts and, as this article outlines, architecture. When the Green family children were growing up in northern Tasmania in the 1960s and ’70s, they were already immersed in caring for heritage buildings. Through their parents, Dick and Joan, they were exposed to building conservation and to discussions with architects and builders. Together they pored over plans that would see some of Tasmania’s most cherished heritage buildings protected and revitalised. Dick and Joan Green were deeply involved in the National Trust. Initially, it was the vision of Dick Green AM, a solicitor who would go on to become Mayor of Launceston, to co-found a Tasmanian branch of the Trust to preserve and restore Franklin House, built in 1838. “We helped at working bees at Franklin House and Clarendon House over many years with other passionate volunteers,” Caroline Johnston, one of Dick and Joan’s children, said. “We were there on the ground.” Members of the Green family
In the years that followed, Dick was instrumental in achieving the incorporation of the Australian Council of National Trusts and served as the longest continuous member of its Board from 1965 to 1983. Joan Green OAM was also heavily involved in heritage projects and managed the Clarendon House volunteer group for over 50 years. But the family’s interest in, and passion for, the State’s heritage buildings does not stop there. The formative experience the Green children had visiting historic buildings and being exposed to the important roles of architects and builders is now being extended to students at the University of Tasmania’s School of Architecture and Design. In 2019, the Dick and Joan Green Family Architectural Design Studio Award was established, a donor-funded university unit which runs every two years, alternating with The Green Family Award for Tasmanian History. “We wanted to do something quite tangible and we decided that something that embraces the majority of the students in a class would be best as it would provide a broader impact,” Caroline said. “After talking with the Dean at the time, we decided we’d prefer to connect up students and experts in the field, either architects or builders or materials specialists.” In 2021, the innovative teaching and learning unit enabled a three-day field trip to visit historic buildings in Hobart, Richmond, Oatlands and Longford. Significantly, the class of 40 students were accompanied by architects involved in the buildings’ restoration and renovations. “There was a heritage flavour but with what (course coordinator) Dr Andrew Steen calls ‘New Heritage’ – actually relooking at what you can do with a building. It seemed a really good way of helping the students with their learning,” Caroline said. Dr Steen said the field trips and the opportunity to interact with architects involved in the various projects couldn’t have happened without the donation.
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SUPPORTING ART S , L AW AND ARCHITEC TURE
University of Tasmania School of Architecture and Design students at Brickendon in Longford
Image: Andrew Steen
The students used their new insights and skills to reimagine the disused upper floors of Launceston’s historic building at 111 Wellington Street, once hotel accommodation known as the Elephant & Castle and now known as the Pizza Pub.
Saki said she was particularly inspired on the field trip by architects working in Hobart on a small renovation to a heritage residence at Arthur Circus in Battery Point, and by the hotel renovation at the Henry Jones Hotel.
“The mid floor and attic have not been used for some time,” Dr Steen said. “Some records suggest the owners used to live there in the mid 1800s.”
Due to COVID restrictions, not all of the Green family members were able to attend the New Castles exhibition, but students produced a thank you video and other materials that showed the family what they had produced and how the donation had benefited them.
Twelve of the student designs were chosen for a public exhibition, ‘New Castles’, held in September 2021 at Launceston’s Brickworks, and a book was also published as a result. Design solutions to reinvigorate the space ranged from the introduction of interior cabinetry and pods to more dramatic interventions like those of student Saki White-Sugito who peeled back walls to expose the historic brick, removed the attic ceiling, and introduced white polycarbonate materials.
“As young people in Tasmania you become fixated on moving to a bigger place to escape the intimacy. However, this experience allowed us to gain an appreciation for studying at UTAS and really demonstrated the power of supporting each other in a small community and the opportunities that come as a result,” Saki said. “As such, the Green family must be thanked.”
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SUPPORTING ART S , L AW AND ARCHITEC TURE
Frances Tyler’s legacy continues From Romania with love and a scholarship in honour. In a red-walled room deep within the University of Tasmania’s historic School of Arts building on Hunter Street lies precious art from Romania, generously donated by Geoffrey and Frances Tyler. Opened in August by Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black, and attended by the Romanian Ambassador, H.E. Mr Radu-Gabriel Safta, the Tyler Gallery showcases the Tyler Collection. Featured are artworks and books from Romania and beyond, as well as the exhibition Lyric and Light: the Art of Corneliu Petrescu. Prominent in the Tyler Collection is Romanian artist Corneliu Petrescu, who became a close friend and introduced Geoffrey Tyler to his circle of artist peers. Corneliu guided Geoffrey in choosing quality and representative works for his growing collection. At the opening of the Tyler Gallery, Frances spoke by Zoom from the United States about how Geoffrey and Corneliu, who she described as heroes, met. She recounted a personal story regarding the foundations of the Collection, a painting of what Frances describes as “a little brown door”. Frances’s late husband was in Bucharest in 1973 representing the International Monetary Fund in negotiations with Romania’s Ministry of Finance. Geoffrey wanted some fresh air between meetings and was walking with a colleague when he spotted a painting in the window of a state-run art gallery in downtown Bucharest. Launch of the Tyler Collection
Image: Li Lai
Frances said Geoffrey and his colleague, Alison, saw that there was one more work by the same artist in the gallery that they liked more. “Geoffrey, being a gentleman, let Alison have it and he came away with this little brown door,” Frances said. From that day, he became a collector and arranged to meet the artist. These were dark times in Romania, but it was Geoffrey’s friendship with Corneliu and his wife that would become the mainstay of all of their lives. University Registrar and Curator of Fine Art Collections Rachael Rose said, “The Collection is an extraordinary testament to the vision of a collector who captured the tension of immense cultural and political change in communist Romania. “It represents a fascinating time capsule which has taken a serendipitous journey from Bucharest to Hobart via the collector’s home in Washington DC,” she said. In his speech at the Tyler Gallery opening, Professor Rufus Black said, “That someone with the international pedigree of Geoffrey – a Melburnian working for the International Monetary Fund, travelling the world, especially Eastern Europe, and living in Washington – thought that Tasmania is the place where his collection should be, demonstrates Geoffrey’s singular connection to this island, and what an island place like this makes possible.” It was a connection forged during Geoffrey’s time at school, and then during his Bachelor of Science at the University of Tasmania. He graduated from the University in 1949. The Tyler Collection includes paintings, works on paper, sculptures, icons, and ceramics. Most were created in the 20th century by artists from Europe, Australia and the US. However, the main focus is on Romanian artworks, collected from 1973 – 1987. Professor Black paid heartfelt thanks to Geoffrey and Frances Tyler in his speech at the opening, emphasising the value of the connections that such a distinguished collection makes.
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SUPP OR TING A R T S , L AW A ND A RCHITEC T URE
The Tyler Gallery showcases the Tyler Collection
“It is an extraordinary and transformative gift, we treasure it ... I am confident it will continue to make more of those connections, transform more lives and bring more stories into our world,” he said. Frances Tyler’s significant connection with the University continues with her support through an access scholarship named after former Executive Director Advancement Kate Robertson.
Image: Li Lai
The endowed scholarship will assist a first year fine arts student for the full term of their degree, removing barriers to a world-class education, in this case in the arts, a fitting scholarship supported by Frances and matched with University funding. “Art stands alone among the giants of academe. It speaks its own language. I am honoured to endow this scholarship in Kate’s name,” Frances said.
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Law scholarship recipient becomes part of the family The story of first year law student Samuel Adams and the connection he has made to his benefactors – the wife and children of RJ Hand – is special. Samuel has become a part of the family and joins them, when he can, for Sunday lunches. Samuel was awarded the RJ Hand Memorial Scholarship in honour of esteemed general commercial lawyer Robert Hand, a University of Tasmania alumnus. The pair share some parallels in their early lives. Both came from large families and farming backgrounds. Robert was one of nine children, and Samuel is one of eight.
Robert spent three years working on the family farm in Campania, Tasmania, before deciding he wanted to study law, which he achieved after matriculating from school by correspondence and earning a Commonwealth Scholarship. Samuel hails from central Queensland, where he spent summer holidays on his grandparents’ property. “It’s where I learnt to ride horses and did fencing. Mr Hand did all of that sort of thing as a kid,” Samuel said. For Samuel, it was an early career in the army – where he joined the military police – that set him on his legal course, first in the legal/law enforcement space working in minor investigations.
Caroline and Melita Hand with RJ Hand Memorial Scholarship recipient Samuel Adams
Image: Peter Allen
SUPPORTING ART S , L AW AND ARCHITEC TURE
“But I found I’d rather prosecute the cases than just investigate them,” Samuel said. However, juggling army with full-time study in Queensland proved difficult. And there were other challenges. Samuel’s parents’ divorce and move to the coast created financial and other stresses for the family. But things took a turn for the better. Having served his four years in the military, Samuel was accepted into the University of Tasmania to study law and was awarded the RJ Hand Memorial Scholarship. Samuel said the scholarship’s impact has been twofold. “Firstly, I’ve been able to actively engage in my studies and with my family; secondly, there is the personal relationship with the Hands – they’re like a second family. I really enjoy going to visit and having brunches and lunches with them,” he said.
Samuel Adams
Image: Li Lai
“Bob put everything into understanding each business,” Caroline said. “When he was consulting for the Hydro, he had written so many equations in his notebooks that one of the employees asked if he had done a physics degree.” And Robert’s belief in education was something he passed on to his children. “If the children showed an interest in something, he’d insist we buy a book on it,” she said.
“It was unexpected that I’d form such a close bond with the scholarship benefactor. I think I’ve been very blessed. I consider her (Caroline) my Tassie mum … We have really good chats.
It’s an interest in learning that continues through Samuel, who was offered a prestigious summer clerkship at Sydney-based international commercial law firm Allens. Samuel hopes to one day work as an Australian Government solicitor in the Attorney-General’s Department in Canberra.
“If I hadn’t had the scholarship, I would have been juggling more work. Instead, I’ve been able to knuckle down on my studies. It’s definitely a change of direction in my life.”
“That’s my goal,” he said. “My passion is public law. I’d love to get to a point where I can influence some positive law reform.”
And then there is the inspiration that Robert Hand’s career in law has provided.
Samuel says after his degree he plans to do legal training in Tasmania, where the University’s Law School is uniquely integrated with the legal profession.
“It has been very interesting to see what a career in law can do,” Samuel said. “Robert was very successful, and I’ve personally been very inspired by him.”
“There’s a special relationship here with the Supreme Court,” he said.
Caroline Hand attributed her late husband’s success to his determination to educate himself about whatever he was working on, whether it was for industries as varied as meat export, pharmaceuticals and energy, or projects such as the development of Hobart’s Hotel International, which became the Grand Chancellor. This determination also led to Robert’s appointment to several boards, often as chairperson or managing director.
Robert and Caroline’s daughter, Melita, agrees. “This benefits us, too. We are able to pass on Dad’s legacy to someone deserving,” she said.
“I couldn’t have expected a better recipient than Samuel,” Caroline said. “The University understood what we wanted to do, and the process has been easy and enjoyable.”
“To us it’s more than a financial contribution. We hope, also, that Samuel is lifted and encouraged by having his potential recognised.”
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Scholarships springboard aspiring teachers into higher education Meet Maddisson Griffin. The 20-year-old loves to read fantasy and romance novels. Yet, her favourite story to tell is the one about how her high school teacher believed in her abilities so much that she secretly applied for a special bursary on her behalf. It was a wonderful way to ensure that the promising young student had every reason to continue her education. “I have always been an avid reader and loved humanities, and my teacher applied for the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Springboard to Higher Education bursary and surprised me with it on our awards night,” Maddisson said. Maddisson said the financial assistance she received relieved an enormous amount of stress on her and her family. “Thanks to the bursary, I have been able to choose not to work during my degree and focus purely on my studies. “It has been a safety net, easing the weight on my studies,” she said. “I’m so grateful to my teacher, who has been my inspiration for everything I have done since high school, and to everyone who supports the bursary.” By partnering with schools and our dedicated donors, the University of Tasmania has found a way to springboard students at risk of missing out on reaching their academic potential from high school straight into higher education. In the past two decades, more than 1000 bright students facing barriers to tertiary education have received regular financial support from Year 11 until the completion of their degree. Students are given the autonomy to allocate the money to any aspect of their life that is important. For many, it bridges the financial barrier their family faces when determining whether higher education is attainable. The Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation believed in and backed the bursary from the beginning.
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The Chair of the Foundation, Justice Debra Mullins AO, said that since 2002 the Foundation had contributed to the education of more than 500 young Tasmanians. Justice Mullins said Mr Viertel was a proud and parochial Queenslander, so the majority of grant funds awarded by the Foundation support organisations and people in Queensland. “Nonetheless, the opportunity to contribute a modest sum to potentially make a significant difference in the life of a young person by helping them overcome financial and other barriers to completing high school and further education was a very compelling prospect for the Viertel Foundation,” Justice Mullins said. “The Trustees also very much appreciate being able from time to time to read correspondence from the bursary recipients and hear firsthand what a difference it makes to them to know that others see their potential and care about their future.” For Maddisson, the future is full of possibilities ripe for the picking. Now she has a taste of tertiary studies, she is considering an Honours year, or enrolling in an education degree. Another aspiring teacher, Kayla Palmer, also received the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Springboard to Higher Education Bursary. “The bursary changed my life,” the final year Bachelor of Arts student said. “It allowed me to save for my future study and buy all my required readings for my courses, several of which transformed my understanding of the topics I studied. “Most of my bursary went towards saving for my move from Penguin to Hobart, a dream that is now a reality.” After being given her springboard to success, Kayla is determined not to let her feet touch the ground. She is set to start her second degree, a Master of Education, in 2023.
S U PP O R T I N G ED U C AT I O N A L A S PI R AT I O N
Kayla Palmer (left) and Maddisson Griffin (right)
Image: Peter Allen
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Extending the reach of Children’s University Tasmania Smiling children dressed in graduation robes, their eyes lit up with aspiration, is a heartwarming and uplifting sight. For the students and their families involved in the Children’s University Tasmania, it is also potentially life-changing. For Laura Johns, mother of student Sophia who graduated last year, the experience was about showing students that academic achievement is possible. “By doing this, they feel connected with the University from early childhood and don’t feel like university is out of reach,” Laura said. The initiative, which began five years ago, was extended to 10 schools in north-west Tasmania from 2017 to 2020 thanks to a philanthropic grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF). The positive impact of the extension has been a tipping point for interest in the program across Tasmania’s north as well as the West Coast, where five schools joined the program in 2019. TCF Chair Sally Darke said the program has shown that a deeper connection to education can inspire our children to take their education opportunities further. “The schools involved have done a fantastic job to provide a platform for our young people to extend their learning and broaden their academic experience,” Ms Darke said. “We congratulate the University of Tasmania and the many community partners involved for believing in the Children’s University and playing such a crucial role in its success.” Burnie’s Montello Primary School principal Dion McCall said the program had been a great success at his school. “It’s all about aspiring to achieve the best you can and using education as a springboard for that,” Mr McCall said. Enabled through the Peter Underwood Centre at the University of Tasmania, Children’s University Tasmania helps develop children and young people into adaptable, lifelong learners by providing and celebrating quality learning activities outside the classroom. In so doing, it builds bridges to higher education.
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Members are given a ‘passport to learning’ in which they record their hours, and when they reach major milestones they graduate, receiving higher awards as their hours build. Peter Underwood Centre Deputy Director Dr Becky Shelley said the TCF’s investment continues to have a very positive impact on the lives of children and their families. “As of 2021, 547 students from the TCF expansion schools in the North-West have participated in Children’s University Tasmania, and they have engaged in 22,172 hours of extracurricular learning,” Dr Shelley said. “These students and their families have been empowered to access a wide range of quality learning experiences, such as visiting local learning destinations, school holiday programs, University Open Days, National Science Week events and other activities provided by our team.” The Tasmanian Department of Education has been a key partner in the success of the program, providing in-kind support, and school coordinators have carried out the program on the ground, forming direct relationships with the children. The program has enjoyed wide community support with tourism operators, regional art galleries in Burnie and Devonport, museums and local history sites all becoming involved. “We have nice networks forming through these learning destinations with the whole community getting behind learning outcomes for young people,” Dr Shelley said. “Research demonstrates that Children’s University has a positive impact on self-concept as a learner, a student’s sense of achievement, and has the potential to influence educational outcomes and address educational disadvantage.” She said without the TCF, this boost to early learning outcomes throughout the North-West wouldn’t have happened. “We recently celebrated the learning achievements of 189 graduates in 2021 at three ceremonies in Burnie and Devonport,” Dr Shelley said.
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“I feel really proud of myself.” Graduate, Children’s University Tasmania
Abigail (left), Izzy (centre) and Sophia (right), 2021 graduates of Children’s University Tasmania
Image: Richard Jupe
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WORLD-CL ASS MEDICAL RESEARCH
PhD student Thalia Perez Suarez
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Image: Peter Allen
WORLD-CL ASS MEDICAL RESEARCH
Supporting world-leading brain research The brain is the body’s most complex and mysterious organ. Billions of neurons talk to each other, sharing information and forming circuits. Connections and collaboration are key to its effective function. In this respect, it is not unlike medical research. It’s one of the reasons that supporting people, as well as projects, is paramount to finding improved ways to treat and care for people who are living with dementia. Professor Anna King from the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania said that’s what makes the support provided by the Yulgilbar Foundation of critical importance. “It has supported students and staff behind world-leading dementia research through scholarships, travel funds and awards,” Professor King said. The Foundation is a family-run private ancillary fund established in 2001 by Baillieu and Sarah Myer. The family is passionate about seeing rural and regional Australia prosper and the Foundation focuses on education, environment, capacity building and Alzheimer’s disease research. Wicking Centre Senior Lecturer Dr Adele Woodhouse received a Yulgilbar Foundation Postdoctoral Excellence Award, prompting her to seek further support for her two PhD students, Andrew Phipps and Thalia Perez Suarez. The scholarships they received meant that promising research into the epigenetics of Alzheimer’s disease progressed from investigations in mouse models into experiments in human brain tissue. “A large proportion of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease risk remains unexplained,” Dr Woodhouse said. Epigenetics is the study of the complex processes that turn genes on or off in response to the environment. “We aim to identify critical epigenetic changes in human nerve cells that drive brain dysfunction and degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.” The project will create the first epigenetic maps in vulnerable human nerve cells at different stages of the disease, predict new roles of genes and could even help identify drug targets.
“I am deeply grateful for the support I received from the Yulgilbar Foundation,” Thalia said. “The top-up scholarship gave me the opportunity to attend and participate in national and international conferences and workshops, to acquire new knowledge relevant to my research topic and to exchange scientific opinions about the progress of my PhD project. “Furthermore, it provided financial support that allowed me to focus exclusively on my PhD studies and alleviated me from financial stress, mainly during the uncertain period of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Professor King said that fostering national and international collaborations across disciplines was vital when it came to improving our understanding of dementia. One way this could be achieved is through scientists attending conferences and visiting labs where they exchange ideas and research. They can also create collaborations across borders, fast-tracking medical research. In some instances, this can be life-changing for individual students. This was certainly the case for one of Professor King’s students, Kelsey Hanson, who was a previous recipient of the Foundation’s scholarship. Kelsey was investigating microtubules, tiny hollow structures – part of the skeleton of cells – and how these are involved in the loss of communication between neurons in Alzheimer’s disease. Thanks to support from the Foundation, she presented her findings at the International Society for Neuroscience Conference in Cairns and was invited to have her work presented at a special symposium. Kelsey also had the chance to travel to the UK to meet neuroscientists in her field, including presenting her work at the University of Manchester. “The PhD top-up award has allowed Kelsey to reach an international audience, which otherwise would not have been possible,” Professor King said.
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Medical research scholarship pays it forward “Any mother that scours the planet for a top
“We feel she would be very satisfied with our choice.”
plastic surgeon should not have to pay.”
Catherine describes the delight of seeing her various philanthropic endeavours transform people’s lives.
These were the words relayed by Helene Matterson to her child that planted the first philanthropic seed in the mind of a young Tasmanian. Years earlier, Catherine Matterson (LLB Hons 1993) received cutting-edge medical treatment for a burn she suffered as a three-year-old and, thanks to her mother’s determination, she became a “guinea pig for childhood burns research”.
And she delights in meeting the recipients of the scholarship set up in her mother’s honour, students like Grace Russell. “I met Grace at a morning tea event in 2021 and she told me about her incredible research on Tasmanian devils and cancer markers.
“I was the first child in Australia to receive the skin suits created through medical research in the USA in cooperation with NASA,” Catherine said.
“My father passed away from cancer almost four years ago, so I was very happy her research involved trying to find a cure for this scourge.
As she grew, Catherine would fly to Sydney to get ‘fitted’ for a new suit and see her main surgeon, an elderly British gentleman, Mr Huston, who visited Australia for half the year.
“I am so impressed by Grace, her intelligence, confidence and tenacity, and feel grateful that she has chosen to study in Tasmania, a State with an aging population that appears to have a very high incidence of cancer and other debilitating diseases.”
“When I was older, my mother told me that Mr Huston had never sent her a bill for my surgeries. This act is partly what drives me to pay it forward.” Dinner table discussions about the importance and impact of giving also played a part in shaping her psyche.
Catherine’s late father, Ian Matterson (LLB 1966), Tasmania’s longest serving Magistrate, also supported Menzies by volunteering to be the fundraising Chair for Menzies.
“For all of my childhood I recall my mother supporting the Royal Hobart Hospital, Calvary Hospital, the Royal Society for the Blind and many other Tasmanian charities by volunteering on various committees and by donating funds.
Catherine is also a successful lawyer, despite her parents warning her against a law career.
“She and some of her friends were the first active fundraisers for motor neurone disease (MND) in Tasmania.”
When her father died in 2018, Catherine established the Ian Matterson Memorial Prize for perseverance in torts.
Helene (LLB 1967) studied law at the University of Tasmania, one of only two women in her year.
“I chose a perseverance prize because a) Dad failed torts the first time around! And b) we, as a society, typically already favour the achievements of top students.
In 2001, Catherine lost her mother and grandmother. “The family wanted to find ways to honour them and their passion for Tasmania,” Catherine said. Soon after her death, the family set up the Helene Matterson Medical Research Scholarship. “Over the past 20 years of supporting the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, we have seen the impact it has had in our State in terms of medical research.
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Catherine is currently the General Counsel, Head of Legal and Compliance, at a USA-based software corporation.
“Nonetheless, there are also some less gifted or challenged students who through hard work, effort and perseverance succeed, and while their final grade may not be an A, I wanted to recognise this. And I thought Dad would too.”
WORLD-CL ASS MEDICAL RESEARCH
Catherine Matterson (left) and Grace Russell (right)
Grace Russell always knew she wanted to pursue a higher education, but growing up in regional Victoria meant she needed to be able to afford to leave home to achieve her goals. She worked full-time in her gap year and, together with money from casual jobs, Grace supported herself throughout her undergraduate veterinary degree in Townsville. After time travelling the country and working as a veterinarian, Grace felt compelled to continue her studies. Thanks to the Helene Matterson Medical Research Scholarship, she moved to Tasmania to study at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research. The scholarship supported her studies in the Devil Research Group.
Image: Li Lai
She used antibodies produced by her supervisor, Dr Andy Flies, to label specific immune evasion molecules in tissue samples of infected and healthy Tasmanian devils. “I then used a computer program to train a machine learning algorithm to determine if there were any differences between the healthy and infected devils.” Grace is very thankful for the support she received, as it allowed her to fully focus on her project. “It gave me the freedom to reduce my hours working as a veterinarian and take periods of unpaid leave during my Honours year without worrying about my finances.” Grace is now embarking on a PhD at Menzies where she will continue to contribute to their world-leading research projects.
“My research primarily focused on investigating some of the ways the Devil Facial Tumour 1 and 2 (DFT1 and DFT2) evade detection by the immune system, and therefore contribute to death in infected Tasmanian devils,” Grace said.
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Solving plastics in seabirds through philanthropy Dr Jennifer Lavers is passionate about solving the problem of plastics in seabirds, a passion shared by Hobart-based philanthropist Penny Clive, who Jennifer describes as an ally. “The project wouldn’t be the same without knowing Penny is in our corner,” Dr Lavers said. “She is fundamental.” And this is a project that requires endurance. Dr Lavers, a research scientist at the University’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), has been visiting Lord Howe Island studying plastics in seabirds for 15 years. For the last decade, Penny has been at her side, supporting the research financially and in a very hands-on way. Penny accompanies Jennifer on her annual field trips to the UNESCO-listed island, recording the location of seabirds being studied, who handles them, and the results of the investigations being undertaken. The project, which builds on data collected since 2001, has produced the world’s second-longest dataset of plastic ingestion by seabirds. The long-term record enables scientists to detect trends, including the impacts of shifts in government policy regarding plastics. “For the first three years, I didn’t see anything of Lord Howe Island, the work was so intense,” Penny said. “Plastic ingestion in marine birds is a massive problem; I don’t think the implications are known.” Dr Lavers explains that the effects of plastics on seabirds are twofold: the physical burden of plastics in seabirds’ guts and the potential for toxicological effects. She works in a research team known as Adrift Lab, alongside researchers such as School of Medicine immunology researcher Dr Jack Rivers-Auty, who studies wildlife affected by microplastic exposure. “I follow Jennifer’s work quite closely, and Jenn updates me,” Penny said. Providing financial support and being so closely involved in the research has enabled Penny, whose father was a research scientist, to continue her interest in the environment.
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“I’m an observer of nature,” Penny said. “I always have been, since I was a child. “I’m interested in the consequences and impacts of human activity, how nature responds, and finding constructive ways forward.” The results from the research on Lord Howe Island, which leads the way in regional waste management, are stark. “About 80 per cent of birds tested contained plastics and, on average, each bird has between 10 and 20 pieces of plastic inside it,” Dr Lavers said, adding that the number of birds with plastics in their stomachs has not declined over the study period.
“Philanthropy has undeniably been the key to our success over the last decade. Without Penny, we would have folded.” Dr Jennifer Lavers, University of Tasmania
“Shearwaters are not picky,” she said, referring to what the seabirds scavenge at sea. “And that spells trouble. “Plastic is a rapidly emerging threat … With philanthropy, you can respond to the issue with the speed it warrants. I think this is so important.” What is also needed, she says, is a multidisciplinary approach, bringing in people from other disciplines, including the arts, to provide new insights and solutions, as well as creative approaches to awareness raising. This is another area where Penny Clive has provided much-needed assistance. University of Tasmania alumna and artist Dr Lucienne Rickard, for example, has been supported by Penny’s philanthropy, which has enabled her to collaborate with Dr Lavers through Adrift Lab. The resulting artwork, Ecology Studies, is a long-term daily performance at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, in which Lucienne draws a large tableau of flesh-footed shearwater as well as her family memories from Lord Howe Island, where she visited her grandmother on school holidays.
WO R L D - C L A S S EN V I R O N M EN TA L R E S E A R C H
Penny Clive (left) and Dr Jennifer Lavers (right) Image: Peter Allen
Dr Lavers describes watching people being drawn into Lucienne’s work, which depicts the decline in the shearwaters’ population. “People gravitate to her, they want to look at it, linger over it, stare at it and show their friends,” she said.
“When you’re down in the trenches, it can be quite depressing …To work with people who have been trained in other ways broadens your horizons. It brings new opportunities and lifts your spirits. “For me, it’s really inspiring.”
“Philanthropy throws open the door … It brings together arts and science and social aspects that are often forgotten about. It’s transformational.
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S U PP O R T I N G ACC E S S TO H I G H ER ED U C AT I O N
Unlocking opportunity Scholarships designed for impact. The day Professor Emily Hilder walked across the road from high school to hand in her university enrolment is etched into her memory. She didn’t realise it at the time, but that decision was a turning point and opened the floodgates to the opportunities that would follow. Emily did her Bachelor of Science at the University of Tasmania, followed by Honours and a PhD in chemistry. “I did a BSc because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do and thought it would keep my options open,” Professor Hilder said. It was a decision that her award-winning and wide-ranging career has borne out. “It’s the things that you do after university and a commitment to lifelong learning that makes the difference.” Emily followed postdoctoral opportunities in Austria and the United States before returning to Tasmania in 2004, taking up two Australian Research Council Fellowships.
She lectured in chemistry at the University for 12 years, rising to the role of Head of Chemistry. Professor Hilder specialised in developing technologies, including portable technologies, for separating and identifying the components of complex substances, such as blood. In 2016, Professor Hilder took up the opportunity to lead the Future Industries Institute at the University of South Australia. Then, 15 months ago, she made the switch to a different type of leadership. “I spent this morning thinking about new pathways for submarines,” she said. Based in Adelaide, Professor Hilder is Chief Maritime Division with the Defence Science and Technology Group, leading a team of over 300 scientists and engineers across five states to deliver science and technology for Defence. It has been an interesting career and nothing like she had expected, but she traces the chances she was afforded back to that moment of handing in her university application. “Education for me is something that unlocks opportunity for people in a really powerful way,” she said. Recipients of this year’s scholarships are Lara Vincent and Bradley Hinds. Lara is studying a Bachelor of Arts: Art and Curatorial Practices at the University of Tasmania and Bradley hopes to enrol in a Bachelor of Psychological Science on completion of the University Preparation Program. Lara has always known she wanted to be an artist but is also interested in art conservatorship. “I like the idea of taking something broken and repairing it with my skills,” Lara said. “The scholarship has taken a lot of stress off my back – it’s been really helpful for buying supplies and has gone towards paying for some of my rent. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”
Professor Emily Hilder
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Image: Peter Allen
S U PP O R T I N G ACC E S S TO H I G H ER ED U C AT I O N
Lara Vincent (left), Professor Emily Hilder (middle) and Bradley Hinds (right)
Image: Peter Allen
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GIVING FOR LIFE
Learning is the fabric of life A curious child is capable of soaking up the smallest of details. Even a seemingly menial chore can become a chance to learn about the world. For Kay Britcliffe, sorting the family’s newly ironed handkerchiefs by their corner initials was her earliest learning experience. Her parents in Launceston had sent her to live with her maternal grandparents in Derby, a small mining town in north-eastern Tasmania, to keep her safe during a severe polio epidemic. Her grandparents, both teachers, recognised her early and insatiable appetite for education and decided she was ready to start formal learning. “They caught me teaching myself to read a much-loved book using the letters I’d already learned and thought they should teach me properly, instead of letting me make mistakes that might be hard to correct later,” Kay said. Kay returned to Launceston to complete her studies before receiving the gift of a lifetime in 1947 – a scholarship that would enable her to pursue her dream of obtaining a higher education. “I had always wanted to go to university and without the scholarship it would not have been possible. “I received £4 for books and £30 for accommodation each year. “I moved to Hobart and stayed at the Salvation Army Hostel with several friends from school and studied at the University of Tasmania which was then based on the Domain.” After graduating from the University with an Honours degree in French, Kay worked at the State Library of Tasmania before embarking on an antipodean rite of passage – moving to London. “I originally went for 18 months but ended up staying for about six years because I enjoyed it so much.” Kay worked briefly at the Bureau of Statistics in Canberra before moving to the Australian National University (ANU) and later landing her perfect job as Humanities Librarian which she held until her retirement.
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Kay’s thirst for knowledge led her to complete a second arts degree, this time in German. “For me, university is not about getting more money or a better job; it’s about learning how to think, how to research a topic, about meeting like-minded people, all of which will help you to find a fulfilling job. “I have been extraordinarily fortunate to have found jobs that I have thoroughly enjoyed throughout my life. “This was made possible through the scholarship I received when I was young and that is why I continue to support the University and why I have left a gift in my Will, so that other young people may have the same opportunity I was given.” Kay is a member of the Domain Society, which recognises donors who have supported the University for five consecutive years or more, and the Bequest Society, members of our community who have confirmed their intention to leave a gift in their Will to the University. Kay is just as committed to learning about the world now as she was as a child. The little girl who curiously studied the initials on the handkerchiefs is now 90 and has travelled the four corners of the earth with proficiency in several languages. Kay Britcliffe
Image: Supplied
GIVING FOR LIFE
How improving access to education changes lives My love for school started fairly early in my childhood. I was sucked into Shakespeare’s most iconic stories, such as Romeo and Juliet as well as Macbeth. The way words on a page can spark visual cues and imagination is something I was to see lighting a spark in people’s minds. That is why I dream of teaching. I reached my goal of being accepted into university. I was balancing a job and school work to pay for myself as well as starting a savings account for uni. This is why I applied for the scholarship; my mother’s health is a roller-coaster of good and bad days, which drives me to do the best I can. I know she may not be able to support me financially through school, but I strive to do my best in everything I do, to show her that my dreams will come true.” Declan Porter, Bachelor of Arts, English and writing student, University of Tasmania Recipient, Southern Lights Access Scholarship
The Give for Good scholarship has made a massive impact on my studies. It has assisted me to purchase computer equipment that has allowed me to complete my studies via distance. This has been a massive help especially through COVID lockdowns, but also the ability to study from home has helped me balance work with study. The scholarship has also gone towards financing my textbook purchases which have proven to be very expensive! Overall, without the Give for Good scholarship I would not have been able to study as comfortably and efficiently as I have.” Jordan Talbot, Bachelor of Business student, University of Tasmania Recipient, Domino’s Give for Good Scholarship
Southern Lights Access Scholarship recipient Declan Porter
Image: Li Lai
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MANAGING YOUR GIF TS
The impact of your generosity Your gifts have changed lives and benefited our community. Last year saw continued generosity from donors, delivering life-changing impacts to University of Tasmania students and world-class research for and from Tasmania. In 2021, a total of $9.6 million was donated to the University. These donations, coupled with our endowed funds, are helping students achieve their potential and will benefit fields as diverse as vital medical research and environmental science. Our island has many unique advantages in terms of the research that is possible and the educational experience that can be offered. Thank you for helping us to deliver on our commitments in line with your wishes.
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More than 600 new and continuing students benefited from philanthropic support, many receiving access scholarships which assist in removing barriers to tertiary education. The impact of this giving is evident in the many grateful letters we receive from scholarship students and the warmth of relationships evident between donors and recipients. In Tasmania, approximately 18 per cent of 2016 census respondents have a tertiary education, with many areas dramatically under-represented, worsening disadvantage. Improving access to education is a goal of our University, reflected in the range of scholarships funded, as well as our efforts to ensure educational facilities exist in areas of need. In 2021, the number of donors increased to 3303. With your valuable and continued support, more students will continue to gain access to an excellent education, and the University will continue to deliver world-class research of benefit to our community and beyond.
628
$111M
New and continuing students supported by philanthropic scholarships, prizes and fellowships
Philanthropic funds under management across the University
3303
$9.6M
Total donors whose generous contributions are transforming the lives of students and enriching research at the University
Total donations
849
$1.16M
Domain Society members – donors who have supported the University for five years or more
Received from bequests in 2021
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MANAGING YOUR GIF TS
University Foundation Committee We would like to thank the University Foundation Committee (UFC) for their continued prudent management and oversight of philanthropy at the University of Tasmania. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the efforts of departing Committee members Yvonne Rundle and Peter Worrall. Peter’s considerable experience and wisdom has seen him play a pivotal role on the Committee for the last three years. We thank Yvonne for the pivotal role she has played in establishing a framework of trust, championing the University’s cause, and steering the Committee in the right direction towards more detailed financial reporting. The mission of the UFC is to ensure that the University’s philanthropic practices and policies are consistent with its mission and goals. Exercising a high level of probity, the Committee verifies that trusts and funds comply with the wishes of donors, and are used for educational and research purposes of the University.
Over the past 12 months, the Committee has focused on the investment management model and on ensuring endowed funds have a two-year operating reserve. Philanthropic and financial performance reports, notice of change to gift status, trust fund reports and an annual review of national benchmarking are all items regularly considered by the Committee. Committee Chair, Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black, said the Committee’s work was vital to the future aims of the University to ensure all Tasmanians and others have access to a world-class education, and that the University delivers research that makes a difference for lutruwita/Tasmania, and from Tasmania to the world. To contact the UFC, or find out more, please email: UFC@utas.edu.au
Pictured from left to right: Dr Damian Bugg AM QC, Kate Robertson, Yvonne Rundle, Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black, Susan Gough, Dr David Warren, Peter Worrall, Associate Professor Ashley Townsend
Image: Peter Allen
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Thank you for your support of the University of Tasmania Your generosity is transforming the lives of students and making a positive impact at the University, here in Tasmania and around the world. We particularly wish to thank those donors within our recognition societies.
Named in honour of Domain House, the Domain Society recognises donors who have supported the University for five consecutive years or more.
The Bequest Society recognises donors who have confirmed their intention to leave a bequest to the University of Tasmania in their Will. Leaving a gift in your Will is a powerful and lasting statement of your life, passion and values. Your generosity can make a vital impact for future generations.
We recognise donors online in nine University of Tasmania Giving Membership categories, based on cumulative giving of $1000 or more. utas.edu.au/community-and-partners/giving/recognising-our-donors
For more information about philanthropy at the University of Tasmania, contact us: utas.edu.au/giving university.giving@utas.edu.au +61 6226 1920 University of Tasmania Private Bag 40 Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
