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Life long achievement

Associate Professor Peter Dorling from the Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences was officially honoured at the recent International Symposium on Poisonous Plants (ISOPP) in Glasgow.

Every four years, the ISOPP committee acknowledges a researcher who has had a long and valuable career in the field.

Famous for his animated enthusiasm and encyclopedic knowledge of plants, Professor Dorling has led the plant toxins research group at Murdoch since 1976. Under his guidance they have discovered a host of plant toxins with implications for the welfare of humans and animals.

He has held several appointments including the head of the Veterinary Biological Sciences School, Acting Dean of the Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Chair of Postgraduate Studies, and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research).

Walkley Winner

Murdoch PhD student and freelance investigative journalist Estelle Blackburn has won a Walkley Award for journalism - the profession’s highest accolade in Australia. She won a special category - Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism - for the work on her book Broken Lives.

She spent six years (and the proceeds of the sale of her house) researching and investigating the cases of two men convicted of killing Perth women nearly 40 years ago. As a result of the fresh evidence she uncovered, and her book, the two cases have been re-opened by the justice authorities.

The Walkley judges said: “Apart from the overwhelming public interest and public good served by her work, Estelle Blackburn also immeasurably raised the status of journalists and journalism in the eyes of the public.”

Academic to Guide Forest Plan

Murdoch University academic, John Bailey, has been appointed chairman of the State’s Conservation Commission to guide its development of a management plan for the State’s old-growth forests.

Dr Bailey, an associate professor of environmental assessment, has served on government authorities, including the Environmental Protection Authority and the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority.

Environment Minister, Judy Edwards, said the 10-year plan would provide a framework for management of the South-west forests, including all 346,000 hectares of old-growth forest which the Government had put in reserves.

Fisheries Prize

Mike Travers from the Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research based at Murdoch was recently awarded the Gilbert P. Whitley prize for his presentation at the Australian Society for Fish Biology conference.

This prize awarded the best junior student paper presented at the annual conference, judging both their content and delivery.

Mr Travers, now a first-year PhD student at Murdoch, based his presentation on the results of his Honours research into fish commu-nities in the vegetated and non-vegetated areas of Shark Bay.

His PhD research will focus on the fish commu-nities of rocky reefs around North-western Australia, as well as the recreational and ecological importance of fishing by-catch from prawn trawling.

Mr Travers is supervised by Professor Ian Potter.

Dr Una Morgan: Federal Life Science’s Prize Winner 2000

DR Una Morgan from the Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences recently attended the National Innovation Awareness Council in Melbourne as a member of the Youth Advisory Group (YAG).

YAG members helped develop a scenario for the global biotechnology industry for the next decade, analysed Australia’s current and potential areas of strength in biotechnology, discussed policies needed to maximise Australia’s position in the global biotechnology industry by 2012 and presented a model for the Biotechnology Centre of Excellence that is most likely to help maximise Australia’s relative position by 2012.