Posts Tagged ‘School of Science and Mathematics’

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Power of one

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Avondale a top contributor to worldwide computing network

Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

An Avondale College of Higher Education team has earned more credits in less than a year than almost all teams in a worldwide grid computing system.

A worldwide computing network is using spare processing power at Avondale to support humanitarian research.

Staff members in the School of Science and Mathematics, supported by those in Information Technology Services and by several alumni, have joined a loosely coupled computer network as part of the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing (BOINC).

BOINC is an open source middleware system for grid computing. It enables researchers to use the spare processing power of personal computers for scientific projects. This simultaneous processing reduces research time and saves money. BOINC allocates credit to users for the processor time they volunteer. “This makes it a bit like a game where volunteers compete for most credit,” says Lachlan Rogers, an associate lecturer in the school.

The Science@Avondale team seems as if its playing to win, earning more credit in less than a year than 96 per cent of all BOINC teams worldwide. It is placed 53rd of the 1378 teams in Australia.

Of more importance: to what projects the credit is supporting. Science@Avondale contributes primarily to two projects.

The first, the focus of the school’s mathematics and physics computer lab, is Einstein@Home. This World Year of Physics 2005 and International Year of Astronomy 2009 project seeks to make the first direct detections of gravitational waves from spinning neutron stars.

The second is World Community Grid, which supports public and not-for-profit organisations engaged in humanitarian research—Computing for Clean Water and Help Fight Childhood Cancer are two of the projects. “World Community Grid is literally changing the world,” says Lachlan, “and its mission meshes with Avondale’s motto, ‘For a greater vision of world needs.’”

The altruistic nature of these BOINC projects appeals to Lachlan. “The projects we contribute to remind us science and mathematics are alive and dynamic—they demonstrate Avondale’s commitment to the value of service in such a powerful way.”

Contact Lachlan Rogers to join the Science@Avondale BOINC team.
lachlan.rogers@avondale.edu.au
(02) 4980 2204

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Outstanding all-rounder

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Biology lecturer wins community environmental award

Josh Dye
Public relations intern
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Dr Jason Morton is officially an “outstanding all-rounder.”

Dr Jason Morton has won an award recognising his contribution to protecting biological diversity along Sandy Creek Walk. Credit: Aaron Bellette.

The senior lecturer in the School of Science and Mathematics at Avondale College of Higher Education is recognised as such by the Community Environment Network (CEN), which has named him as its 2011 BAT Award winner.

CEN, which operates in Lake Macquarie, Gosford and Wyong, named Jason as its winner for his outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability.

The award is particularly for helping protect biological diversity along Sandy Creek Walk, which had been exposed to decades of damage from cattle grazing.

The walk begins at the swing bridge on the north bank of Dora Creek and ends behind women’s residence Ella Boyd Hall on the west bank of Jigadee Creek. Jason applied successfully for a $20,000 grant from the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority to protect and regenerate native riparian and wetland vegetation, to project the banks of the creeks and to control weeds. He and brother Darren, a senior lecturer in the School of Education, have used the money to build six kilometres of fencing, and to clear lantana.

The project is significant “because it borders Dora Creek, which discharges the largest amount of fresh water into Lake Macquarie,” says CEN’s deputy chair Avril Lockton.

The Mortons have also improved two other walks—Boys Walk and Girls Walk—that has created a new seven-kilometre loop of the Avondale Estate.

Since opening and improving the walks, Jason has led a team of staff members, students and community members in a NSW Waterwatch program to monitor the improvement in water quality.

He has also established a Landcare 4 Youth project on the estate in collaboration with Trees In Newcastle. The not-for-profit community organisation donated 400 trees as part of the project. Jason led a team of staff members and students in planting the trees during Avondale’s Green Week this past year. More trees are coming—Jason has established a plant propagation nursery of 1000 seedlings, which he plans to plant following the weed eradication this year.

“Before we were contributing to the problem, now we are part of the solution,” he says.

Avril is impressed with Jason’s contribution. “He has the uncanny ability to make significant changes to a large institution.” Jason sees his contribution as an opportunity to practice stewardship. “As a Seventh-day Adventist institution, I believe Avondale should have a stronger stance on looking after the environment.”

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Enrolment change for psych students

Thursday, November 17, 2011

A new trimester academic calendar at The University of New England means Avondale students studying psychology through the institution must apply by Christmas.

Avondale offers psychology as part of a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science. Students complete the psychology units of the degrees predominately by distance education through the university—and by intensives on the university’s Armidale campus.

Applications for the university’s first trimester next year close on December 24 this year. Late applications close on February 6, 2012.

Team leader Sharon Turner reminds new students studying psychology to apply through Avondale’s Admission Enquiry Centre and returning students to re-enrol online through The University of New England. All students need to complete the university’s Home Provider Endorsement Form, available online from the university.

Click here for more information at trimesters at The University of New England.

The 2012 academic calendar at Avondale remains unchanged.

Admission Enquiry Centre
Avondale College of Higher Education
1800 991 392
enquiries@avondale.edu.au

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Prizewinning potential

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Avondale honours its top students

Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Jared Benard, Kristen Hankins and 24 of their classmates are Avondale College of Higher Education’s top students after receiving academic prizes during Forum this past Wednesday (October 26).

Pr Pablo Lillo from Adventist Media Network presents the Journalism Prize to Sonja Larsen. Credit: Ben Turner.

Jared, president of the Avondale Students’ Association, and Kristen each received $1500 for winning Avondale’s most prestigious prize, the Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Prize for Excellence.

Jared is the third consecutive management major to win the prize—after Hannah Rowe this past year and Charles Muirhead in 2009. He also won a second prize—sharing the Bachelor of Business Excellence Prize with Faye Saville ($500 each). His advice for those in earlier stages of their study: seek leadership roles because they help you discover what you enjoy doing. Jared will coordinate a new business course and teach physical education at Noosa Christian College next year.

Kristen, a Bachelor of Education (Primary) student, did not know the Prize for Excellence existed until receiving it. The recognition for personal initiative, leadership qualities and academic, social and spiritual balance is an “honour,” she says. Kristen thanks her lecturers for “helping me reach my goals”—they helped her complete a four-year course in three. Her advice: what appears irrelevant in class is relevant in the workplace—Kristen will teach Year 1 at Northpine Christian College next year.

Communication and international development studies major Sonja Larsen joined Jared as a multiple prizewinner. She received the Adventist Media Network Journalism Prize ($1000) and the W A Townend Christian Journalism Prize ($500), recognising in part her work as an editorial assistant for Connections.

A piano solo at the beginning of Forum confirmed Ben Milis as a worthy recipient of the Alan and Yvonne Thrift Perpetual Shield for Musical Excellence Prize ($1000). The performance of “We Shall Behold Him” impressed not only staff members and students but also one of the presenters, who concurred with president Dr Ray Roennfeldt in thanking Ben.

Bachelor of Ministry and Theology (Honours) student Abel Iorgulescu added the Clifford Anderson Prize ($1000), which he shared with James London, to the Arthur Ferch Prize for Hebrew Studies he received this past year. The prize recognises ministerial potential.

The Edna Ferris Heise Prize for female theology students recognises excellence in communication. The winner: the new faith columnist for Connections, Bethany Turner.

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching (Honours) student Rebekah Bamford won the first Australian Indigenous Student Teaching Prize ($1000).

Avondale will announce other prize recipients, including the third recipient of the Prize for Excellence, during the consecration service on the Sydney campus.

Academic Prizes

Faculty of Arts and Theology
School of Humanities and Creative Arts

Adventist Media Network Digital Media Prize
Adventist Media Network
Josh Bolst ($1000)

Adventist Media Network Journalism Prize
Adventist Media Network
Sonja Larsen ($1000)

Alan and Yvonne Thrift Perpetual Shield for Musical Excellence Prize
School of Humanities and Creative Arts, Avondale College of Higher Education
Ben Milis ($1000)

Bachelor of Arts Excellence Prize
Willobee Floor Service
Rhianon Bougaardt ($1000)

Huguenot History Prize
Dr Allen and Andrea Steele
Hayley Blagden ($1000)

W A Townend Christian Journalism Prize
Townend family
Sonja Larsen ($500)

School of Ministry and Theology

Arthur Ferch Prize for Hebrew Studies
Ferch-Johnson family
Martin Thomson ($1000)

Clifford Anderson Prize
Clifford Anderson bequest
Abel Iorgulescu and James London ($1000 each)

Edna Ferris Heise Prize for Excellence in Communication
Heise family
Bethany Turner ($1000)

Elwin Currow Prize for New Testament Apocalyptic
Dr Elwin Currow
Brendan Hayes ($100)

Graham Miller Memorial Prize for Excellence in Youth Ministry
Graham Miller Memorial Fund
Alina Coccetti ($1000)

Faculty of Business

Bachelor of Business Excellence Prize
Williams Premium Wholesale
Jared Benard and Faye Saville ($500 each)

Bachelor of Business (Accounting) Excellence Prize
Williamson and Chaseling
Carl Thompson ($500)

Faculty of Education and Science
School of Education

Australian Indigenous Student Teaching Prize
AusCoaching
Rebekah Bamford ($1000)

Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) Prize for Excellence
Adventist Education Department, Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific
Theresa Yeates ($1000)

Bachelor of Education (Primary) Prize for Excellence
Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Zealand and the Pacific islands
Kate Mahony ($1000)

Bachelor of Education (Secondary) Prize for Excellence
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia
Amy-Lyn Marks ($1000)

Diploma of Outdoor Recreation Leadership Prize
Adventure 195
Luke Metz ($500 Adventure 195 gift voucher)

Health and Physical Education Prize
Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Alese Bottrill (Certificate plus 12-month membership to Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation)

Primary Teacher’s Literacy Prize
School of Education, Avondale College of Higher Education
Michelle Pratt (Certificate plus 12-month membership to e:lit)

School of Science and Mathematics

Bachelor of Science Excellence Prize
School of Science and Mathematics, Avondale College of Higher Education
Keaton Humphries ($600)

Faculty of Nursing and Health

Academic Excellence Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Ingrid Kruger ($250 plus gold medallion)

Clinical Excellence Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Erin McDonald ($250 plus gold medallion)

Medical Nursing Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Hartono Sutanto ($100)

Mental Health Nursing Excellence Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Lucy Galeano ($100)

Prize for Consistent Effort and Accomplishment*
Faculty of Nursing and Health
David Wrennall ($100)

Surgical Nursing Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Emily Walsh ($100)

Other

Avondale Alumni Association Community Service Prize
Avondale Alumni Association
Ketannah Hope (Lake Macquarie campus) and Shirley Fatnowna (Sydney campus*) ($500 each)

Overseas Volunteer Service Prize*
Anonymous
Matt Barbosa ($500)

Prize for Excellence

Prize for Excellence, Lake Macquarie campus
Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing
Jared Benard ($1500)

Prize for Excellence, Lake Macquarie campus
Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing
Kristen Hankins ($1500)

Prize for Excellence, Sydney campus*
Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing
Lisa Mason ($1500)

* Awarded during the consecration service on the Sydney campus over the graduation weekend

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Carmen a friend of the Coast

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Her research is helping conserve a vulnerable plant

Sonja Larsen
Editorial assistant, Connections
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

The University of Newcastle has honored an Avondale College of Higher Education lecturer whose research is helping conserve a vulnerable species of shrub.

Award winner: The quality of Carmen Booyens’s study of a plant found in and around Gosford earned her the Central Coast Campus Friends Research Award. Credit: Sonja Larsen.

The quality of Carmen Booyens’s study of the effect of fire and slashing on populations of Darwinia glaucophylla in and around Gosford earned her the Central Coast Campus Friends Research Award.

Carmen completed the study as part of her master’s degree, which she began after the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Biodiversity Unit in Gosford contacted the university to learn more about the plant.

With Darwinia glaucophylla’s listing as a vulnerable species, Carmen’s study aimed to identify factors influencing extinction and to recommend revised fire and slashing practices to conserve the species.

Carmen, an associate lecturer in the School of Science and Mathematics at Avondale, received the academic merit-based award on May 17. The university presents it to students—including those at TAFE NSW—Hunter Institute and at Central Coast Community College—on its Ourimbah campus who are conducting research of benefit to the Central Coast.

Colleague Dr Ewan Ward, a senior lecturer in the school, says he is proud of Carmen’s achievement. He also notes how the contacts Carmen is making will benefit students who plan to complete a higher degree by research.

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