Page 16 - Luce 2016

S enior C o mmon Ro om

From the there is an interaction between the
Vice-Principal genetics and environment of an animal
in determining its working memory
The theme of this year’s ‘O week’ capacity; essentially, what determines
was Frodo Week, encompassing all how many things an animal can keep in
things ‘Lord of the Rings’. I was initially mind at once? In addition to his studies,
excited about this theme for I had read Ariel was also recently elected president
The Hobbit as a child but as O week of the student group at the Florey, a
approached, it dawned on me that I role which he will use to expand the
wasn’t that au fait with the trilogy, that I educational, leadership and social
hadn’t actually watched any of the films opportunities for its talented group of
and that I had very little time to swat up Fiona, Xavier, Ella and Nina Cadorel young researchers.
before everyone arrived. As I reflect on the year, I am proud of
all of our students for the way they have Dr Richard Liu recently passed his
My husband Xavier and I embarked on approached their studies and their own confirmation for his PhD in the
the daunting task of watching the trilogy personal growth as independent adults. Department of Paediatrics. He has also
before O week… little did I know it was They have immersed themselves in been awarded the MCRI Postgraduate
12 hours long! For a time poor mother College life, seized opportunities with Health Research Scholarship and has
of twins, this was an epic undertaking. vigour and have represented the College spent a significant amount of his time
Needless to say I was determined to see with pride. travelling around Australia as part of
it and so I began my own journey with the Child Health CheckPoint, a flagship
Frodo and his motley crew and watched Throughout the year, our tutor team has research project within Australia’s only
as they navigated their way to Mordor. enthusiastically engaged in the life of the ongoing longitudinal study of children.
College, participating in intercollegiate Richard has recently been elected
As I immersed myself in the world sporting events, College dinners and onto the inaugural governing board of
of Hobbits, Orcs, Dwarfs and Elves, special events. It was a wonderful year Community Health Advancement and
it morphed with my JCH world and for the professional achievement of our Student Engagement (CHASE) as Deputy
it dawned on me that a great deal of residential tutor team. Julia Hastings Chairperson. CHASE, a health literacy
parallels existed between ‘The Lord of wrote, produced and performed her mentorship program in disadvantaged
the Rings’ and JCH and that there were one-woman show, ‘Fame, Fortune and schools, was successfully delivered in
life lessons from which our students Lies: The Life and Music of Eileen Joyce’. three schools and reached over 100
would benefit. Julia’s show was such a success she was students in 2015, with plans to expand
asked to offer repeat performances. to five schools in 2016. Richard was
Frodo had inherited the daunting task Congratulations, Julia. awarded the College’s 2015 Enid Joske
to journey to Mordor to destroy ‘The Scholarship in acknowledgement of his
Ring’… and so too, our new students Xavier Cadorel was awarded the 2015 professional success and his contribution
were beginning the daunting task Architecture Faculty Teaching Excellence as a residential tutor. Congratulations,
of navigating their way through the award. Xavier and his teaching team Richard, on this fine achievement.
unknown lands of Janet Clarke Hall and also received the faculty’s award for
the greater kingdom that is Melbourne innovative curriculum design for their I would like to acknowledge the
University. subject, Environmental Building Systems. contribution that Catherine and Jamie
Congratulations to Alice Pung and Nick Hart have made to the College over
In my Commencement Dinner Toast Cadel on the birth of their son, Leo. It the past three years. Jamie fulfilled
to the Junior Common Room I shared has been delightful watching Leo grow the role of Sport Mentor and assisted
some advice learnt from the trilogy, and develop throughout the year. He JCH students in developing their own
encouraging them ‘like Frodo, to find is loved by all of the JCH community, personal fitness programs. Catherine
inner moral courage and resilience, to including the other JCH children in
pursue your dreams and to work hard to residence, Ella and Nina Cadorel and
achieve your goals’. Theo Hart.

Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston
commenced his doctoral
studies at the Florey
Institute of Neuroscience
and Mental Health in
July 2015, investigating
how environmental
manipulations can rescue Hamish Brown in Tokyo
deficits of spatial learning has been an exceptional residential
and memory in a mouse Psychology tutor. Her passion for
model of impaired education and student wellbeing has
cognition. With his first been greatly appreciated. During her
set of experiments he time in residence, Catherine supported
Tutors go mad! hopes to uncover whether numerous Psychology students. She

16 LUCE Number 14 2015