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Last week staff, students and alumni marked the end of an era, as Professor Jim Piper closed his office door for the final time and bade farewell to colleagues, after 38 years of service to the University.Joining Macquarie in 1975, Jim’s enormous contribution to the development of the University was recognised at a number of events across campus, attended by colleagues, friends and fellow researchers.

So great is his legacy that we have dedicated this edition to the festivities. In the following pages you will find photos and commentary that we hope captures the spirit of the events, and reflects the feelings of the University community upon the retirement of one of its most remarkable leaders.

3 July 2013

Photo: Paul Wright Photograpy

Farewell, Professor Piper!

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A valued friendWe look around Macquarie and see much to thank Jim Piper for. A man who has served, faithfully and with great talent, every one of Macquarie’s Vice-Chancellors during his 38-year career.

Jim Piper, we salute you – researcher and teacher, mentor and leader, colleague and friend.

As Macquarie University nears its 50th Jubilee celebrations, it stands poised to achieve great things.

Professor Jim Piper’s legacy is reflected in many facets of Macquarie’s emergence - its outstanding research rankings; its unique Australian Hearing Hub partnership; its pioneering Master of Research degree.

It’s a bold statement, but such has been his influence on the University over a sustained period, that it is accurate to say Macquarie would not be Macquarie as we know it today were it not for Jim Piper.

A world-class researcherWhat did the young laser physicist think of Macquarie University in 1975, fresh from Oxford’s dreaming spires?

Jim is quoted as saying that on his arrival he could not ‘believe how bad the research situation was’.

But as was typical of Jim, he put his head down and started to do something about it.

The result was hard-won funding for the ARC Special Research Centre for Lasers and Applications, which Jim – by now a full Professor and Chair in Physics - led from 1988.

One of Jim’s proudest achievements was Chairing the International Quantum Electronics Conference held in Sydney in 1996, the first time the prestigious conference had been held in Australia. It attracted around 1000 delegates and is now widely hailed as being responsible for huge leaps in optics and photonics research in Australia.

Jim’s own research contribution is sometimes overlooked given his recent executive and strategic leadership, but it too is very significant. He has:

• authored or co-authored over 200 international refereed journal articles and 100 full-length published conference proceedings.

• over 150 individual co-authors from more than 30 countries.

• received nearly 3000 citations.

• supervised 40 higher degree research students to completion, many of whom have established highly successful careers in their own right in research, industry, entrepreneurship and education.

• invented or co-invented 14 patents.

Numerous professional awards and an honorary doctorate have followed these research achievements, as well as appointments to various national and international boards, panels and councils. He served on the Australian Research Council for 10 years, and was instrumental in the introduction of the Linkage funding scheme that we take for granted today.

If the first half of Jim Piper’s career at Macquarie was largely about growing his research team’s international profile, the second was about helping to guide the rest of the University to do the same.

An inspiring leaderJim started with a stint as Head of School in 1997, but quickly moved on to a four-year appointment as Dean of the then Division of Information and Communication Sciences. In 2003 he took on the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, for which he is now best known.

During this last decade, under Jim’s stewardship, Macquarie’s PhD program has doubled. More than 100 outstanding researchers from all over the world joined Macquarie as part of the CoRE program.

Jim has been an innovator. He introduced the BTech degree in 1992, which established Macquarie’s early engineering credentials, and the Master of Research 20 years later. The ‘Macquarie Model’ is now to be emulated by other Australian universities.

Jim has fostered partnerships. To commercialise research with industry; to bring international research students to Australia; and to bring Australia’s leading hearing organisations together under one roof.

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Fabulous Festschrift to farewell friendWhen one of its luminaries retires, academia has a unique way of sending them off in style. A traditional Festschrift celebrates the retirement of a significant contributor to a field of study by holding an academic conference in their honour. It may not sound like the traditional retirement party, but what better way to reflect on the work of a leading thinker and researcher?

Jim Piper’s Festschrift was held on 20 June 2013, and among the speakers were colleagues, contemporaries, and former PhD students of his who have gone on to become leaders in their field.

Following the conference, presenters and guests joined Jim for a farewell dinner, where he was presented with a specially commissioned artwork as a retirement gift.

Photos courtesy of Effy AlexakisS Bruce Dowton, Elizabeth Crouch, Jim and Anita Piper Friends and colleagues reflect on the work of a leading thinker and researcher

Ewa Goldys and Jim

Michael Withford, Jim, Olivia Samardzic and Mark ButlerNick Mansfield, Tori Hocking, Jim, Louise Fleck, Warren Bailey

and Ren Yi

Larry Marshall and Jim Subra Vemulpad, Jim and Ernest Jordan

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On 19 June 2013, Professor Jim Piper shared his life and career experiences with former University Librarian Maxine Brodie and an attentive audience in the Macquarie Theatre at an event hosted by Macquarie University Library.From the dreaming spires of Oxford University through the slightly muddy green fields of a then unknown Macquarie University to the Macquarie of today, Jim shared his triumphs and trials in an engaging and entertaining dialogue.

Though now retired, his passion for his discipline and for research and teaching continues. He will continue to be a mentor for higher degree researchers and his influence will continue to guide them.

Another of his enduring legacies is the success of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, which trailed the rankings when he arrived as a young academic and now is amongst the top ranking in the country.

The complete conversation will shortly be made available to everyone through the video recording. Stay tuned for more information!

Macquarie Reflectionsa conversation with Jim Piper

diaryfor your

InvItatIon to our early staff and students: welcome back to macquarIe

Sunday 14 July (from 10am) The Joan and John Lincoln Society is pleased to host this special event to welcome back students and staff of Macquarie University who commenced here in 1968.

Much has changed in the intervening period. We now have our own postcode, railway station, hospital, graduate school of management, art gallery, sculpture park and museums, aboretum and now The Australian Hearing Hub.

We welcome every one of our early staff and students back to renew old friendships and acquaintances.

rsvP: Please contact Bruce at bruce.davis@mq.edu.au or call ext. 1382 to be a guest and for more information.

Music on Winter sundays: Ku-ring-gai male choIr and sPIrIt of sydney chorus

Sunday 14 July (2.30pm - 5pm) The successful Ku-ring-gai Male Choir is one of the oldest performing male voice choirs in Australia. Founded by ex-servicemen following the Second World War, the choir has been in harmony since 1946 and today has over 45 performing members. The choir is currently under the musical direction of Dr Paul Whiting and accompanied by acclaimed pianist Grace Edwards-Barnetson. Their comprehensive repertoire features works by Mozart, John Rutter, Gabriel Faure, Lloyd Webber, Handel, Bach, G&S Verdi, Jerome Kern and many others.

The Spirit of Sydney Chorus is a community chorus made up of approximately 35 women who love to sing, under the direction of Karen Bruce. Their repertoire includes two and three part songs, accompanied and unaccompanied, and includes musicals and show songs, spirituals, sacred music, Australian and International songs.

tickets: Free, but first come first served

location: Macquarie Theatre

human scIences PersPectIves serIes: youth asPIratIons, PartIcIPatIon In higher education and career choice caPabIlIty: where to from here?

Wednesday 24 July (8.45am-5.30pm) The Australian Government believes that our education system must produce students with the skills and desire to succeed in a knowledge economy. Policy changes have attempted to improve academic outcomes; and to raise career aspirations

among our youth, in particular those from disadvantaged backgrounds. To date there have been few studies into the success of these policy directions. This symposium will provide a collaborative space to share research into government efforts in these areas, and their effects on Australian youth aspirations and unemployment.

tickets: Free, but registration is essential.

location: Level 3, Campus Hub (C10A)

Macquarie university thought leadershIP serIes

Wednesday 31 July (5.30pm - 7.30pm) The Thought Leadership series is an innovative initiative by the Faculty of Business and Economics to provide cutting edge thinking and ground-breaking ideas. The series was designed to address financial, economic and political problems and to create a community and collaboration platform of thought leaders that engage in intellectual debate around leadership. The first in the series features Chris Roberts, CEO of Cochlear, the leading global expert in implantable hearing solutions, who will address delegates on the topic of ‘Technologic Innovation and what it means to Cochlear Limited’.

location: Level 3, Campus Hub (C10A)

topic: Technologic Innovation and what it means to Cochlear Limited

tickets: Free, but registration is essential.

For details on how to submit a Diary notice, please visit the Staff News website.

July

bulletinb ardtutoring Positions availableThe Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) is a Commonwealth funded program specifically designed to help close the gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous university student completion rates. It provides supplementary tutorial assistance to eligible Indigenous students, enrolled in a formal course of study at Macquarie University. I am currently in need of tutors to work one on one with students in a variety of disciplines, especially Education, Media, Dance and History. Tutors are paid a rate of $49.37 per hour, or $57.82 to those with a PhD. To be eligible, tutors must have completed at least 3 years of tertiary education, have good verbal and written communication skills and sensitivity to the needs of Indigenous Australian students.

For more information or to apply, please contact Amelia Corr, Commonwealth Programs Support Officer at Warawara the Department of Indigenous Studies on ext. 8624 or at amelia.corr@mq.edu.au.

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for SaleW2006 toyota yariS

what: 1.3 litre, three-door, manual hatch. Travelled 87,778kms and registered utnil October 2013. Like new. Urgent sale.

Price: $8,000

contact: Sue at sue.mahr@mq.edu.au or call 0466 989 448.

for Salecuckoo clockS

what: 10 to choose from, Swiss and German made. Some cuckoo on the hour and half hour, others do the same as well as two musical tunes.Price: Range from $120 - $650

contact: Sue at sue.mahr@mq.edu.au or call 0466 989 448.

For all enquiries please contact the Communications team by calling ext. 6766. For more information about how to submit content, please visit staffnews.mq.edu.au.

contributorsPaul WildGreg Welsh editorPaul Wild designer / editorPeter McDonald

A Health Week is being offered to Staff as part of the Warriors@Work wellness program. From 15 – 19 July a range of activities are being delivered for you to get involved. As part of Health Week you are invited to book in for a comprehensive health check. Health checks are free and are being delivered from four locations on campus to make them as easily accessible as possible. The checks will only take 20 minutes with a short questionnaire required to register. This is a great opportunity to check your current level of health and wellbeing. For more information on Health Week activities and the health checks visit www.mq.edu.au/warriorsatwork.

Staff Health Week