Jump to Content

2008 EAS Research Awards

On Tuesday, 11 November 2008 the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences held the 3rd Annual Research Awards Ceremony at the Bradley Forum, City West.  Over 100 staff, family and friends attended the ceremony to celebrate the research efforts being made by staff within the division with 14 awards being presented.

Distinguished Scholar
Professor Barbara Comber, Hawke Research Institute

This award recognises an EAS researcher who has consistently demonstrated:

Professor Barbara Comber is the Acting Director of the Hawke Research Institute and a key researcher in the Centre for Studies in Literacy, Policy and Learning Cultures. She is an outstanding academic who has supported the development of research at UniSA and is a successful research leader, researcher, author, supervisor and contributor to the professions.

Professor Comber teaches in literacy education and educational research programs for practising educators at all levels of schooling. In 2007, Professor Comber was awarded Life Membership of the Primary English Teaching Association (PETA). She has been named as Chief Investigator on thirteen National Competitive Grants and coordinated research projects to the value of approximately $1.4 million since 2000. She has edited seven books and published numerous articles and book chapters for teachers and teacher educators in critical literacy, teacher development and social justice. To date, she has successfully supervised 13 PhD and EdD students to completion and is currently supervising eight PhD and five Doctor of Education candidates. In 2008, Professor Comber was appointed to the ARC College of Experts, the National Curriculum Board English Framework Expert Advisory Group, and has been nominated for the 2008 South Australian Women’s Honour Roll.

Nominees:

  **********************************

Mid Career Researcher

This award recognises EAS Researchers with 5 to 15 years post-doctoral experience who have demonstrated a consistent commitment to high quality research achievement.

 

Humanities & Social Sciences - Dr Sue Nichols, School of Education

Dr Sue Nichols is a member of the School of Education and is a key researcher in the Centre for Studies in Literacy, Policy & Learning Cultures in the Hawke Research Institute. Her work in family literacy is highly regarded both nationally and internationally for the depth of its micro-analysis, its socially critical perspective and its inclusion of fathers – enabling a re-thinking of gender relations in family literacy. She has been Chief Investigator on five research grants, including an ARC Discovery Grant (2007-2009) and has supervised 3 doctoral students to completion. Since 2003, she has published numerous book chapters and journal articles, including a chapter in a peak international publication, The Handbook of Research in Early Childhood Education. Dr Nichols was an inaugural participant in UniSA’s Research Leadership Program and is a member of the EAS Human Research Ethics Committee.

 

Nominees:

Art, Architecture & Design - Dr John Barbour, South Australian School of Art

Dr John Barbour has taken a leadership role within the South Australian School of Art as Research Portfolio Leader and is currently the School’s Research Degree Coordinator. His research interests include practice-led creative research in visual art; contemporary experimental art practice; contemporary interior architecture; and Interiority and spatial practice. Since commencing at UniSA in 1990, Dr Barbour has held 32 solo public exhibitions at leading exhibition venues in Australia and internationally, including museums, contemporary art spaces and commercial galleries. In 1997, he initiated the Visual Art & Design Research Group to facilitate creative research in the visual arts which has since expanded to encompass and promote cross-disciplinary research in visual art, architecture and design. In 2004, he was awarded a Distinguished Research Award, Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools. In 2006 and 2007, Dr Barbour was awarded Masters by Research Supervisor, having supervised 11 HDR students to completion since 2004. He is currently Principal/Co Supervisor for seven HDR candidates and Associate Supervisor for another two.

Nominees:

  **********************************

Early Career Researcher

This award recognises Early Career Researchers who have demonstrated excellence in research achievement in the 5 years after their doctorate was awarded.

 

Humanities - Dr Joylene Chia, School of Communication & Dr Laura Dales, School of International Studies

Dr Joylene Chia and Dr Laura Dales are the joint winners of the Early Career Researcher (Humanities) award.

Dr Joylene Chia is currently Program Director of the Bachelor of Public Relations degree and the Graduate Diploma of Communication (Public Relations) in the School of Communication. She was the first to graduate with a PhD in Public Relations from UniSA and the fourth in Australia. Dr Chia was awarded the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) National President’s Award for Distinguished Service in 2005-2006. She is a Fellow of PRIA, inducted in 2004 for outstanding contribution to Australian PR education and is a PRIA National Education member. Dr Chia is currently co-supervising three HDR candidates, two of whom are Public Relations Dyer Scholars. She has been invited to be a member of the Expert Working Group, Hunter Institute of Mental Health, Response Ability for Public Relations in 2008.  She has had a number of publications in 2008 and a co-authored book chapter. She is the co-recipient of a prestigious 2008 Canada-Asia Pacific Grant researching corporate social responsibility initiatives in Australian and Canadian Credit Unions and is a co-editor of a forthcoming text on public relations for Oxford University Press.

Dr Laura Dales in a Lecturer in the School of International Studies and is also a member of the Research Centre for Gender Studies. Her research interests include Japanese and Asian feminisms, women's groups and issues of gender and sexuality in contemporary Japan.  This year, Dr Dales was invited to give a keynote in the Early Career Researcher Emerging Talent Showcase, Women in Asia Conference held in Brisbane. She has a number of publications, including a single-authored research book currently in press, Feminist Movements in Contemporary Japan, published by Routledge. In 2006 she was named Chief Investigator, Australian Competitive Grant Development Scheme, Gender Equality and the limits of inclusion and exclusion with Dr D Chapman and Prof V Mackie. She has supervised three Honours students to completion.

Nominees:

Social Sciences - Dr David Chapman, School of International Studies & Associate Professor Phil Cormack, School of Education

Dr David Chapman and Associate Professor Phil Cormack are the joint winners of the Early Career Researcher (Social Sciences) award.

Dr David Chapman is a Senior Lecturer and coordinator of the Japanese studies program in the School of International Studies and a core researcher within the Hawke Research Institute.  Since completing his PhD he has been Chief Investigator in two funded research projects: UniSA Australian Competitive Grant Development Scheme, Gender Equality and the limits of inclusion and exclusion with Dr L Dales and Prof V Mackie; and a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) postdoctoral fellowship worth $150,000 over two years.  He has had numerous publications, including a sole-authored book, Zainichi Korean Identity and Ethnicity, published by Routledge. He is currently an advisor to the Carrick Institute and regional editor for the Electronic Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies.

Associate Professor Phil Cormack is the Director, Centre for Studies in Literacy, Policy and Learning Cultures; a key researcher in the Hawke Research Institute; Research Degree Coordinator and Program Director, Eastern Canada Doctoral Programs, in the School of Education.  His research interests and history have involved supporting teachers, administrators, school leaders and policy developers to research current and historical educational practices with a focus on promoting equitable learning outcomes. Since the conferral of his PhD in 2004, he has been Chief Investigator on seven National Competitive Research grants and researcher in a further two. Recently, he was awarded two ARC Discovery Grants to commence in 2009.  Associate Professor Cormack has successfully supervised 4 PhD students to completion with another one due to submit shortly.  He is currently Principal/Co Supervisor for four HDR students and Associate Principal for another two.

Nominees:

  **********************************

Early Career Researcher - Art, Architecture & Design

Ms Mary Knights, South Australian School of Art

Ms Mary Knights is the Director of the South Australian School of Art Gallery. Her two primary areas of research are contemporary Australian art and French symbolist art. Ms Knight submitted her PhD thesis for examination in December 2007. Since commencing at UniSA, Ms Knights has actively encouraged and supported the collaboration and participation of curators, writers, artists and designers in the Exhibition, Publication and External Scholars Program. She has been invited to curate a number of exhibitions at galleries throughout Australia and has published a number of invited catalogue essays.

Nominees:

  **********************************

Best Community Engagement - Dr Fiona Arney, Australian Centre for Child Protection

Dr Fiona Arney was recently appointed the Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection, following a highly productive three year position as Senior Research Fellow. As one of the first employees of the Centre, Dr Arney (in collaboration with Professor Dorothy Scott) was instrumental in its development through establishing partnerships with key stakeholders, providing direct and indirect support for targeted research initiatives, facilitating good practice in professional education and advocacy to improve practice and contribute to policy in relation to child protection. Dr Arney has demonstrated her profound ability to network and collaborate with researchers, practitioners and policy makers from key organisations in the child protection field through many initiatives, both national and international. Some of these projects include:

·         Parents Plus Playgroup Evaluation (Good Beginnings Australia & Families SA)

·         Mental Health Liaison Project (Families SA)

·         Working with Refugee Families Project (Families SA & refugee communities across Adelaide)

·         Evaluation of Counting the Kids Brokerage Fund (Odyssey House, Victoria)

·         Resilience Project (Benevolent Society, NSW and Barnardos, UK)

Nominees:

Best Collaborative/Interdisciplinary Research Project

Associate Professor Angela Scarino, Professor Tony Liddicoat, Dr Jo Carr, Dr Jonathan Crichton, Dr Chantal Crozet, Mr Jim Dellit, Ms Michelle Kohler, Ms Kate Loechel, Mrs Nives Mercurio, Dr Anne-Marie Morgan, Dr Leo Papademetre, Mr Andrew Scrimgeour

 The Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning (in Practice) Project, 2006-2008

The Intercultural Language and Teaching and Learning in Practice (ILTLP) project was commissioned and funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Science and Training under the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme. The $2.3 million project, involved all 24 educational jurisdictions and school sectors across all Australian states and territories. The objectives of the ILTLP were to provide teachers and school leaders with opportunities to:

·         Participate in a nationally coordinated research and professional learning program underpinned by the latest research in languages teaching and learning and grounded in classroom practice

·         Increase the knowledge and understanding of the principles and pedagogies of intercultural teaching and learning

·         Integrate this knowledge and understanding into classroom teaching and learning, long-term planning, assessment and reporting practices to enhance student learning outcomes.

The project involved collaboration with 400 teachers, the Australian Federation of Modern Languages Teachers Associations, academics, researchers, facilitators and educational administrators in a coordinated national process focussed specifically on strengthening intercultural language teaching and learning.

The project was undertaken from July 2006 – January 2008 and included 4 phases:

In terms of outputs, the project has contributed significantly to research on an intercultural orientation to language teaching and learning, and to languages education in general. To date, ten journal articles and 19 conference presentations/workshops have resulted from the project. All the professional learning resources and processes of this project are available online (www.iltlp.unisa.edu.au) and have been used in diverse ways by individuals and groups in their local contexts both within and beyond the duration of the project. The external evaluation of the project, commissioned by DEEWR, found outstanding achievement of the intended outcomes.

Nominees:
Associate Professor Gerry Bloustien & Dr Margaret Peters

Playing for Life: The everyday music practices of marginalised youth as strategic pathways to agency, employment and social-economic inclusion (ARC Discovery Project: DP0345917)

Associate Professor Robert Hattam, Professor Barbara Comber, Associate Professor Phil Cormack, Professor Marie Brennan, Dr Lew Zipin, Associate Professor  Helen Nixon, Dr David Lloyd, Professor Alan Reid, Mr Bill Lucas

Reinvigorating  middle years pedagogy in ‘rustbelt’ secondary schools (ARC Linkage Project: LP0454859)

Associate Professor Angela Scarino, Professor Tony Liddicoat, Dr Jo Carr, Dr Jonathan Crichton, Dr Chantal Crozet, Mr Jim Dellit, Ms Michelle Kohler, Ms Kate Loechel, Mrs Nives Mercurio, Dr Anne-Marie Morgan, Dr Leo Papademetre, Mr Andrew Scrimgeour

The Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning (in Practice) Project, 2006-2008

  **********************************

Supported Researcher of the Year

Professor Barbara Pocock, Centre for Work and Life

Professor Barbara Pocock is Director of the Centre for Work and Life. She is this year’s winner of the Supported Researcher Award. Supported Researcher points are based on research income, publications and PhD completions.

  **********************************

10-Year Supported Researcher Award

The following EAS researchers have attained Supported Researcher Status for 10 consecutive years which is a tremendous achievement.

  **********************************

Supervisor of the Year - Doctorate by Research

Professor Tony Liddicoat, School of International Studies

Professor Tony Liddicoat has supervised three students to completion in the last two years, with an average completion time of 1.53 years and an average examiner score of 2(Pass with minor corrections).

Supervisor of the Year -  Masters by Research

Dr John Barbour, South Australian School of Art

For the third consecutive year, Dr John Barbour is awarded Masters by Research Supervisor of the year. In the last two years, Dr Barbour has supervised four students to completion, with an average completion time of 2.6 years and an average examiner score of between 1 (Pass forthwith) and 2 (Pass with minor corrections).

  **********************************

Research Support Staff Member of the Year

Ms Laura Fuss, Hawke Research Institute &  Ms Pamela Hart, Louis Laybourne Smith School of Architecture & Design

Ms Laura Fuss and Ms Pamela Hart are the joint winners of the Research Support Staff Member of the Year award.

Ms Laura Fuss was appointed Administration Officer to the Hawke Research Institute in May 2007. Since this time, she has developed an outstanding reputation for her diligence, dedication and efficiency. She has assumed responsibility for numerous important tasks, including providing the publicity and organisation for the Hawke Professorial Lecture Series, the Intersections, Directions, Invitational Seminars and writing workshops. Her role in coordinating Hawke’s numerous research events has contributed significantly to building a vibrant research culture in the Division.

Ms Pamela Hart was appointed Research Support Officer in the LLS School in 2008 but has been assisting aspects of the School’s research activities since 2006. Ms Hart’s role involves working across a wide range of tasks and responding to multiple demands, often under pressure. She has demonstrated considerable initiative in setting up a number of resources to assist and improve the LLS School’s research administration, including organising centralised storage of LLS School research degree candidate records, formatting and distributing research project correspondence, and working with the Collections Manager to organise the launch of the Architects of South Australia online database. She has embraced her role as Research Support Officer with great enthusiasm and good cheer.

Nominees:

  **********************************

2008 Leading Research School - School of International Studies

In 2008, the School of International Studies averaged 8.67 Supported Researcher points per academic staff member. This is the second consecutive year that this School has taken out the Leading Research School award. Last year the School averaged 3.95 Supported Researcher points, illustrating its continued growth in research. 

top^