Last week, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor S Bruce Dowton and the Vice-President, Human Resources, Nicole Gower hosted a cocktail function in celebration of academic advancement at Macquarie (main photo).

The University’s Executive Group took the opportunity to recognise the hard work and dedication to continuing academic excellence.

“This event recognises the achievements of academic staff and gives us an opportunity to celebrate the progress of our many talented colleagues,” Professor Dowton said.

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Happy 25^th birthday Mia Mia Child and Family Study Centre! A party was held to mark the occasion, and also as a farewell for founding staff members Wendy Shepherd and Janet Robertson, who retired at the beginning of this year after 25 years’ service at Mia Mia.

It was Wendy and Janet’s combined vision of what an early childhood program can be that underpins what Mia Mia is today, and has led to its national and international recognition as a centre of excellence in early childhood education.

The 400 attendees were a mix of past and present children and families as well as University staff and representatives of the early childhood sector. They even had appearances from children and their families from Mia Mia’s very first year in 1994 – now fully grown adults in their mid to late 20s.

It was a great celebration of what Mia Mia has been and continues to be, a chance to recognise the outstanding contributions of Wendy and Janet, and a reminder of the important place that Mia Mia holds in the memories of those who have been associated with it over the last 25 years.

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The second Annual Macquarie Spine Cadaveric Workshop was held at the Macquarie University Clinical Skills Lab, overseen by the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The event was organised collaboratively between the Macquarie Spine group and Spineart AU, comprising eight delegates – seven Spine Fellows and a Consultant Neurosurgeon. Dr Brian Hsu co-chaired the workshop, which focused on complex cervical and lumbar techniques, with Dr Davor Saravanja, Associate Professor Kevin Seex and Dr Bhisham Singh.

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Outstanding student contributions, and the impacts their work has on partners and the wider community, were recognised during the 2018 Professor Judyth Sachs PACE Prizes.

This year, a record number of applications were received, and the selection committees were challenged with nominating winners from the large, talented pool of candidates.

“PACE activities give our students the opportunity to apply their classroom learning in practice and, in doing so, develop as active citizens capable of addressing the complex social, civic and business issues our global community confronts today,” says Lindie Clark, Academic and Program Director, Professional and Community Engagement (PACE).

“When students engage in PACE, they do so by undertaking a workplace project that not only supports their own development, but also meets the needs of the industry or community partner with whom they are working.”

The evening included an inspiring presentation from Mridula Amin, a Macquarie University and Media Mentorship alumna, (BA Media/LLB), who spoke of the connection between her PACE experiences and the professional opportunities these have provided. Mridula is a photojournalist and reporter who currently works for the ABC. She has recently been nominated for the prestigious 2019 Walkley Awards for Australian Journalist of the Year.