Alumni
Mathematics PhD student awarded Vice-Chancellor's Commendation
Former mathematics PhD student, Dr Roger Patterson, was awarded a Vice Chencellor's Commendation in May 2004. This commendation was awarderd in recognition of Roger's Doctoral thesis work "Creepers Real Quadratic Fields with Large Class Number" being of an exceptionally high standard. Emeritus Professor Alf van der Poorten was the students supervisor.
ICS congratulates Dr Patterson on his achievement and thanks him for the credit he has brought to the Division.
2004 Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence
in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools
Dr Mark Butler
From Star Wars Lasers to Science Teaching
Mark Butler realised he had a passion for teaching while researching high power lasers and lecturing at Macquarie University. But he didn't want to preach to the converted, such as physics undergraduates. So, he turned his back on the possibility of working at Bell Laboratories on ultraviolet lasers and instead pursued a career in secondary school science teaching.
Today, for his excellence in the practice and leadership of secondary science education, Dr Mark Butler receives the 2004 Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools.
For the past seven years he has been head teacher of science at Gosford High School, teaching physics, chemistry and science.
Mark has a knack for switching students on to science. The results speak for themselves. The number of students studying senior physics has doubled since Mark joined the school. Two of his students were in the top 10 in Year 12 Physics in NSW in 2002, and seven are currently studying advanced science at the University of Sydney. And students queue up to participate in extracurricular science events and contests such as the Rio Tinto Australian Science Olympiads and the University of Newcastle's Science and Engineering Challenge.
Mark is spreading his ideas by writing textbooks for NSW and Victoria, working on curriculum development and speaking at science teacher conferences.
Mark has been principal author on two educational books, contributing author on a study guide for HSC physics and assisted with several other physics study guides. In the back of his cupboard he also has a few published papers on lasers, quantum electronics and applied physics. Read more
Macquarie students share in commercialisation benefits
27th February, 2004 Macquarie PR and Marketing Three young inventors were last night presented with sizable cheques by Macquarie University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Di Yerbury, as a result of the commercialisation of a medical technique they helped develop while postgraduate students at the University. |
Professor Jim Piper (second from left) with former students |
The three former students, Rodney Trickett, Antonio Lauto and Peter Dekker, worked with laser researchers Professor Jim Piper (who is now Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research) and Associate Professor Judith Dawes in the 1990s on a laser-based technique for repairing soft tissue using a protein solder. The project was underwritten jointly with Microsearch Foundation of Australia, led by Professor Earl Owen. The technique was later patented by Macquarie's commercial arm, Macquarie Research Ltd, who then sought commercial partners and ultimately sold the patent to medical technology company Avastra Ltd in 2002 for around $1 million. Last night's presentation represented final payment to the research team through the University's commercialisation policy. |
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