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Latest episodes from UNSW Alumni

Meet the CEO | Matt Comyn

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020 58:20


Matt Comyn, CEO and Managing DIrector of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia In an interview with Mark Scott AO, Matt discusses his 20+ years’ experience in banking including his appointment to CEO two years ago after intense scrutiny of Australian banks during the Royal Commission into Financial Services Misconduct, how CBA is regaining customer and community confidence, and more recently, what the true cost of the Coronavirus pandemic for CBA and its customers. Hosted by UNSW Business School, the flagship Meet the CEO series offers key insights from our country’s greatest business minds as well as political and government leaders. Previous speakers include Harvey Norman’s Katie Page, Premier of NSW The Hon. Gladys Berejiklian MP and Duncan Lewis AO, Director-General of Security, ASIO.

Legal Hour - Modern Slavery

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2020 56:01


What do you think about when you hear the word slavery? Ancient Greece or Egypt, or the more than 12 million Africans who were traded across the Atlantic? Slavery existed then, and it still exists now. The clothes we wear, the coffee we drink, the food we eat – all of these are the end products of long supply chains tainted by modern slavery. Legal Hour will explore whether Australia’s legal framework, which is premised on mandated corporate disclosures, is likely to be effective in combating modern slavery. Is more needed? And how should businesses be responding? **Conversation commences at 4:17**

Business Of Recovery

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2020 57:49


Accelerating the recovery from COVID-19 is one of the key challenges we are all grappling with around the globe. Addressing the pandemic’s immediate impacts on the economy is critical, but how can we embrace and capitalise on the new opportunities that COVID-19 has forced into fruition? Business of Recovery explores the important and enduring ways the economic environment post-COVID is likely to differ from pre-COVID. A panel of distinguished alumni join us for Business of Recovery, representing vast experience and knowledge, working across a range of sectors with effect on large sections of society, in both global and Australian contexts. Moderator: Glenda Korporaal OAM, Associate Editor (Business), The Australian Panellists: Guy Templeton, President & CEO, WSP Australia & NZ Joanne Spillane, Executive Director & Global Head of Private Capital Markets, Macquarie CapitaL Peeyush Gupta AM, Chair of Charter Hall Long Wale REIT

Human-centred design for greater health outcomes with Dr Kate Dunn

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2020 33:43


erforming surgery that requires drilling or manipulation of bones presents many challenges. While surgeons are highly skilled at working with the human body, every body is different, and surgery may be the result of a unique physical condition that requires incredible skill and precision to treat. For paediatric surgery, the challenge is greater still, taking into account the much smaller scale of a child’s skeletal system. These are challenges that design approaches to 3D printing are here to solve. During this Learn@Lunch podcast, Dr Kate Dunn shares how an exciting new wave of 3D printing technologies and materials is spearheading a more accurate and human-centred design approach to healthcare. She unpacks how her work with Westmead Children’s Hospital in Sydney sees her 3D print models of infant bones that can mimic the exact size, shape and properties of the child they are about to operate on to advance accuracy and ultimately, results.

Expediting e-government: How our data is being managed with Professor Lemuria Carter

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2020 52:53


At our first Learn@Lunch presentation for 2020, Professor Lemuria Carter explores the issue of data management within the public sector. As Head of the School of Information Systems and Technology Management, Professor Carter unpacks her research into select US government agencies to assess benchmarking techniques around data management maturity. From these findings, she explores why data maturity is critical for multi-faceted government agencies, and how this can be best assessed going forward.

Learn@Lunch with Professor Mari Velonaki | Designing social robots

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2019 61:30


When people think of robots, chances are they don’t picture a cute fluffy seal pup, but this is because they’ve never heard of Paro. Sweet little Paro is a therapeutic robot designed to help dementia patients to feel calm and communicate better. Then there is Kaspar, a doll-like robot boy, who is used to help autistic children to feel more comfortable with social interaction. This is Social Robotics in action. While some are anxious about the growing prevalence of AI, experts at the UNSW Creative Robotics Lab (CRL) are pioneering a future where unique robots like Paro and Kaspar are enhancing humanity, rather than replacing it. At our final Learn@Lunch talk for 2019, CRL Founder and Director Professor Mari Velonaki shared insights into the fascinating new field of Social Robotics. As the leader of a multidisciplinary team of artists, computer scientists, engineers and psychologists, Mari explored the concept of ‘experiential design’ as a key driver to an engaging human-robot interaction, and unpacked the many ways that humans can interact with robots to benefit society.

Learn@Lunch with Professor S. Travis Waller | Transport Data Paradox

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2019 50:47


Transport Data Paradox: Should commuters exit the driver's seat? Advances in transport technologies mean accessing real-time traffic data around congestion, cost and safety is easier than ever before. With this wealth of information at your fingertips, you know to avoid that blocked road, to get the cheaper and faster ferry, or to jump in a cab instead of facing track delays. The only problem is - now millions of others know that too. Will this really save us? Future mobility has captured the imaginations of academics and commuters alike for exciting concepts like autonomous vehicles and transport innovation. However, not enough attention is given to the equally disruptive yet growing availability of information, and its effects on commuter behaviour. In this Learn@Lunch session, Advisian Chair of Transport Innovation, Professor S. Travis Waller explored how real-time travel data has become a paradox of modern mobility, potentially exacerbating issues rather than allowing us to bypass them.

UNSW Law Legal Hour | September 2019

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2019 71:34


Legal Hour is an expert panel series for UNSW Law Alumni which offers networking with fellow alumni and colleagues, and provides key learnings from leaders in their field. This Legal Hour’s highly topical focus is: What have we learnt from the Opal and Mascot Towers? Are our laws fit for purpose? Despite NSW planning and development laws experiencing years of successive reform, there has been a failure to deliver community confidence.

UNSW Engineering the Future | September 2019

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2019 72:15


Engineering the Future is a flagship thought leadership series presented by UNSW Engineering with the aim of fostering creative and focused discussion around issues of global and social relevance. In September we tackled one of the most pressing questions of society today: is NSW's water system ready for a warmer and drier future? Moderator Associate Professor Lucy Marshall - Deputy Director, Water Research Centre & Associate Dean (Equity and Diversity) UNSW Engineering Panellists Professor Greg Leslie - Director, UNSW Global Water Institute Dr Jane Doolan - Commissioner, Productivity Commission Mr Rod Naylor - Australian Market Leader for Water, GHD Australia

Learn@Lunch with Professor Carole Comerton-Forde | Modern securities markets: myths and realities

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2019 61:41


Whether investing in a professional capacity, or looking to grow your nest egg, navigating modern securities markets can seem daunting – and no wonder. With a myriad of constantly evolving concepts and processes, and sometimes sensationalist reporting from the media, there are a number of market-related fictions masquerading as fact. With a core focus on institutional investment (with retail/individual investment insights peppered in) Professor Comerton-Forde unpacks how markets in both Australia and overseas have evolved over the last decade, and how this has impacted investors. This includes an exploration into the purpose and integrity of the ominously-named ‘dark pools’, the true impact of short selling and high-frequency trading, and how competition from relative newcomer Chi-X has altered the Australian equity market landscape.

UNSW Malaysia | In Conversation with Justice David Wong

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2019 66:33


UNSW Sydney, in partnership with the Australian High Commission, hosted UNSW alumnus, Justice David Wong Dak Wah – Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak for an in conversation event. In an interview led by Professor George Williams AO, Dean of UNSW Law, Justice David Wong BCom'76 LLB'77 shared valuable leadership insights from his 40+ year rise to the apex court of the nation, including strategies for achieving career goals, the importance of a good education, and how thinking like a lawyer can be an advantage, no matter what your field.

UNSW Scientia Circle | Estate Planning Seminar with Andrew Frankland

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2019 85:43


UNSW Scientia Circle Estate Planning Seminar with Andrew Frankland - 23 July 2019.

Learn@Lunch with Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla | Our secret weapon in the War on Waste

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2019 59:57


As images of rising landfills and environmental devastation dominate our news feeds, society is officially awake to the impact that waste is having on our planet. While keep cups and reusable grocery bags have become common totems of progress, Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla is leading her own quiet revolution against waste, with incredible results. Under her leadership, the dynamic team at the UNSW Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) aims to eliminate the concept of ‘waste’ through bold new Microfactory TM recycling capabilities. At this Learn@Lunch session, ‘waste trailblazer’ and materials scientist, Professor Sahajwalla, explained how an unwanted shirt, coffee grounds and other common waste items can be transformed into sustainable building materials. Meanwhile, her process for developing ‘green steel’ has diverted millions of old tyres from landfills. Through exploring this ground-breaking work, Professor Sahajwalla unpacked how such initiatives are crucial to help create a circular economy where materials are kept in use for as long as possible, to create a more sustainable society.

Leaders in Conversation | UNSW Business School

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2019 68:56


Leaders in Conversation is an evening for Business School Alumni Leaders and the Business School Advisory Council with a focus on cutting-edge research that is influencing and impacting business and society. On the 1st August UNSW Business School presented Toby Walsh, Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW Sydney. The esteemed Professor Walsh is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and Fellow of the European Association for Artificial Intelligence. Joining Professor Walsh in conversation was Aurelie Jacquet, Chair of Standards Committee IT-043, the new national committee that mirrors the international standards on Artificial Intelligence.

Engineering the Future | UNSW Engineering Thought Leadership Series | 25 July 2019

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2019 59:53


Engineering the Future is a flagship thought leadership series presented by UNSW Engineering with the aim of fostering creative and focused discussion around issues of global and social relevance. In the July 2019 session we tackled one of the most pressing questions of society today "Is it too soon to end fossil fuels?" Panellists: Justine Jarvinen (Moderator) | CEO, UNSW Energy Institute Rosemary Sinclair AM | CEO, Energy Consumers Australia Trevor St Baker | Chair, Sunset Power Scientia Professor Martin A Green | Scientia Professor UNSW & Director, Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaic

Business of Risk | UNSW Business School | 25 July 2019

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2019 77:49


Business of Risk is the latest in our popular alumni lifelong learning and networking ‘Business of’ series which features a panel discussion on topical issues by subject matter experts. Risk is often thought of as a negative but the existence of risk also creates opportunities. In Business of Risk our panellists explored how different organisations conceive, manage and use risk it to create value for their organisations and customers. The panel also considered new and emerging risks and how professionals from across a range of sectors are thinking about the challenges and opportunities these risks might bring. Moderator - Professor Nick Wailes | Director AGSM, Deputy Dean UNSW Business School Panellists - Angela Donohoe, Chief Information Officer, BPAY Group (UNSW BCom 1984) - Prue Willsford, CEO, ANZIIF (Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance) - Elaine Collins, Non Executive Director, Actuary, UNSW Business School Professor of Practice Risk & Actuarial Studies - Phil Goulstone, Partner, Strategic & Reputation Risk, Deloitte Risk Advisory Pty Ltd (UNSW MBA 2007)

Learn@Lunch with Scientia Professor Louise Chappell | Gender justice at work

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2019 61:02


For well over a decade, organisations across a range of sectors have put significant effort into improving gender diversity in the workplace. With this has come a wave of catchphrases, with concepts like "leaning in," "exposing unconscious bias," and "repairing the leaky pipeline" commonly employed by businesses to address this issue. However, progress on women's employment equality remains slow and in some cases, intractable. So what makes it so difficult? In this Learn@Lunch presentation, Scientia Professor Louise Chappell explored why gender justice in the workplace remains such an elusive goal. With a renewed focus on 'power politics', she highlighted the importance of understanding our approaches to power, and the privilege that stems from it. Using the political and construction sectors as examples, Professor Chappell presented a fresh approach to this longstanding issue, unpacking why tackling the advantage of men over the perceived deficits of women could be the key to driving transformative workplace change.

Shanghai Alumni Summit 2019 | Keeping the lights on: The future of energy, water and climate

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2019 69:27


UNSW’s global alumni community gathered at The Langham Shanghai Xintiandi on June 15 for a one-day Summit to embrace world-wide collaboration. More than 300 alumni attended the 2019 Shanghai Alumni Summit: Our Global Future, a dynamic one-day conference revealing how experts in the UNSW community are embracing international collaboration to tackle burgeoning global issues. As well as those based in our host city of Shanghai, delegates joined us from across the globe including Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, the UK, the US and Australia to grow their networks and insights. Read more about the event here: https://alumni.unsw.edu.au/shanghai-alumni-summit-2019/celebrating-our-friends-in-shanghai-places

Shanghai Alumni Summit 2019 | Entrepreneurship for global impact

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2019 64:20


UNSW’s global alumni community gathered at The Langham Shanghai Xintiandi on June 15 for a one-day Summit to embrace world-wide collaboration. More than 300 alumni attended the 2019 Shanghai Alumni Summit: Our Global Future, a dynamic one-day conference revealing how experts in the UNSW community are embracing international collaboration to tackle burgeoning global issues. As well as those based in our host city of Shanghai, delegates joined us from across the globe including Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, the UK, the US and Australia to grow their networks and insights. Read more about the event here: https://alumni.unsw.edu.au/shanghai-alumni-summit-2019/celebrating-our-friends-in-shanghai-places

L@L with Professor Pasi Sahlberg | Is play okay?

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2019 60:09


Is play okay? Loosening our grip on structured learning All loving parents want to give their child the best chance to succeed, but what does this really mean? The building blocks to success largely remain a mystery due to the ever-evolving requirements for people to thrive. In a world that is being rapidly reshaped by ubiquitous computing and artificial intelligence, there are many essential new skills and knowledges that traditional school systems are failing to cultivate. In this Learn@Lunch session, global education expert Professor Pasi Sahlberg explores the true impact of ‘play’ in learning environments. Though often considered a non-essential indulgence prioritised beneath scripted teaching and standardised testing, new research by The Gonski Institute of Education suggests unstructured play should be an essential part of the curriculum. By unpacking his award-wining work in shaping Education Policy, Professor Sahlberg identifies how open access to playful design, creativity and collaborative problem-solving could be just the thing to ensure the next generation have the best chance for success throughout their lives and careers.

L@L with Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty | Maintain your brain

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2019 57:19


Maintain your brain: the secret to healthy brain ageing Our population is ageing more rapidly than ever before, with the number of people aged 60+ expected to rise to 2 billion by 2050 (22% of the total global population). As this older demographic grows, so too does the number of people at risk of living with dementia. Despite billions of dollars invested by big pharma there is still no drug to cure, reverse or even halt Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. However, there is evidence to show that – much like with heart disease or stroke – our lifestyle holds the key to preventing age-related cognitive decline. Dementia expert Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty AO discusses his work leading the world’s largest web-based trial to prevent cognitive decline at UNSW’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA). Professor Brodaty reveals which key factors influence brain health, and the different activities we can adopt to maximise our chances of living longer with a healthy brain.

Business Of Data April 2019

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2019 63:26


The growing proliferation of data has had a significant impact on how organisations complete business processes and interact with stakeholders. The Business of Data panel features industry experts and thought-leaders from diverse backgrounds. Together they explored emerging issues around data privacy, literacy and monetisation from a global perspective. The panel also examined the possibilities and limitations of data in an organisation. Moderator: Professor Lemuria Carter, Head of School, Information Systems & Technology Management, UNSW Business School Panellists: Anastasia Cammaroto, MEngSc 1998 UNSW, BE 1995 UNSW, General Manager, Business Integration and Chief Information Officer, Consumer Bank Westpac Group Nicolas Chu, MBA (Exec) 2012 UNSW, CEO & Founder of Sinorbis and Professor of Practice, School of Marketing, School of Information Systems & Technology Management and the AGSM, UNSW Business School Hilda Clune, Technology and Transformation Leader, PwC Global Peter Leonard, Principal at Data Synergies, Professor of Practice, School of Information Systems & Technology Management, School of Taxation & Business Law at UNSW Business School

Learn@Lunch with Associate Professor M Hank Haeusler

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2019 58:28


Architecture in the age of Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are currently dominating discussions around the future of work in Australia, with many professions now embracing these technologies. While the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry sees value in the efficiencies that AI promises, innovation in this space is still in its infancy. In this Learn@Lunch lecture, Associate Professor M Hank Haeusler discusses how his work in Computational Design with UNSW Built Environment is helping to propel Architecture and Urban Design into a new era of progress by driving new knowledge and software for living (and building) with 21st century technologies. Associate Professor Haeusler will also unpack key industry challenges, and offer a glimpse at UNSW platforms that will change the way Architecture and Urban Design is produced and documented. This includes the ‘Centaur Pod’ - the world’s largest soft robotics kinetic structure - and ‘Giraffe’, a two-sided network platform for the AEC industry that gives non-computational designers access to computational tools.

Engineering The Future: Q&AI

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2019 79:28


At this launch event we heard from experts zero in on the compelling world of AI, shedding light on what engineering practitioners really need to know about this technology. Q&AI panellists included: Robyn Denholm Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategy, Telstra Corporation Ltd Scientia Professor Toby Walsh Artificial intelligence expert at UNSW and Data61; author of 2062: The World that AI Made and It’s Alive! Mr Edward Santow Human Rights Commissioner Engineering the Future is a flagship thought leadership series presented by UNSW Engineering with the aim of fostering creative and focused discussion around issues of global and social relevance.

Success Outside the Box with Jonathan Lui | Tuesday 27th November

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2018 69:42


Success Outside the Box with Jonathan Lui | Tuesday 27th November by UNSW Alumni

Learn@Lunch with Scientia Fellow Associate Professor Elise Payzan-Le Nestour | Neuroeconomics

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2018 56:48


It’s been 10 years since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, triggering a Global Financial Crisis that would destabilise even the most advanced economies. With the impacts of the GFC still felt today, understanding the root causes of economic behaviour, and excessive risk taking in particular, is critical. In the Final Learn@Lunch presentation for the year, UNSW Scientia Fellow and Associate Professor Elise Payzan-LeNestour explained how the latest research in neuroeconomics can help us to grasp these root causes. She also unpacked how these insights may ultimately be used by policymakers to protect financial agents against excessive risk-taking.

UNSW Alumni - Learn@Lunch with Professor Megan Davis | UNSW's Indigenous Strategy

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2018 55:08


As a global University, UNSW plays a leading national role in research, education and partnerships with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. This has culminated in the appointment of UNSW’s first Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous - Professor Megan Davis, a Cobble Cobble Aboriginal woman - and the launch of the University’s first ever Indigenous Strategy. The UNSW Indigenous Strategy was created in alignment with the roadmap for peace set down by the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which emerged from the First Nations of Australia. This historic consensus was underpinned by UNSW research, including 10 years of scholarship by Professor Davis. At this thought provoking event, brought to you by the Learn@Lunch series, Professor Davis discussed how this ground-breaking strategy and its three key pillars - Culture & Country, Give Back, and Grow Our Own - will provide an Indigenous voice to the UNSW 2025 strategy. As well as a leading UNSW academic, Professor Davis is a constitutional lawyer and committed human rights activist who was the first Indigenous Australian to be elected to a United Nations body. She is now in her seventh year serving as one of the world’s leading experts on Indigenous rights for the UN Human Rights Council.

Entrepreneurs Unplugged: Young Alumni Entrepreneurs Panel & Networking

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2018 66:17


Thank you to those who joined us on Wednesday 26 September 2018 for our Entrepreneurs Unplugged event. Our four amazing UNSW alumni panelists shared their startup journeys and provided the audience with helpful, practical insights from their entrepreneurial experiences. Meet the panel: Evan Wong, Co-Founder and CEO, Checkbox Evan is the co-founder and CEO of Checkbox (checkbox.ai), a multi-award-winning platform that transforms regulatory processes into software applications that automate expert decision-making and documentation, all without coding. Robert Kawalsky, Co-Founder and CEO, Zeetings Recently acquired by Canva, Zeetings was cofounded by Robert in 2014 to transform presentations into interactive experiences. Pasha Rayan, Co-Founder, InsideSherpa A UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator participant, Pasha is the co-founder of InsideSherpa; an online platform where students can try virtual internships with top companies online, then get hired. Katherine Kawecki, Co-Founder and CEO, Respia Respia started as Katherine’s university honours project, when she dedicated all of 2015 to researching and answering the challenge of creating solutions to problems asthmatics commonly face when trying to manage their asthma. Meet our facilitator: Jennifer Zanich, Head of Partnerships and Ecosystem, UNSW Entrepreneurship With a wealth of experience in the Entrepreneur and startup space, Jennifer will act as our facilitator during the panel.

Learn@Lunch with Associate Professor John McGhee | Take a VR trip inside your body

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2018 56:33


Imagine you’re walking inside a human artery. To your right is a sharp drop into sticky red substance, while to your left is a living, breathing wall. You dodge fast-moving blood cells as well as ominous black cancer cells twice your size, and wriggle your way through mucus-like tumours. Gross? Maybe. Fascinating? You bet. Today, this kind of cellular-level exploration has become a possibility – well, sort of. While science fiction writers have long theorised the exploration of the human body by use of a shrink ray, all we actually needed was virtual reality. At September's Learn@Lunch event, Associate Professor John McGhee discussed his fascinating work at UNSW’s 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, which has led him to be named one of UNSW’s 21 ‘Rising Stars’. Through visual examples, he demonstrated how he animates the body’s complex inner landscapes, and shared how his research into the artistic visualisation of scientific and biomedical data can help increase our understanding of human disease.

Learn@Lunch with Professor Susan Thompson | Welcome to Health City

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2018 58:56


Have you ever lamented your low daily step-count, your greasy lunch choices, or a lack of motivation to hit the gym? You’re far from alone. Our modern lifestyles are contributing to now in plague proportions across the globe, driving a renewed focus on the importance of human wellbeing. Mindfulness workshops, meditation apps and fitness trackers have made headway, but imagine the possibilities if the whole city we lived in was designed and built to support our health? Planning for ‘city wellbeing’ means utilising different aspects of urban environments to put concerns for health back into how we live our lives day-by-day. At our August Learn@Lunch session, Professor Susan Thompson from UNSW Built Environment discussed her work to design health-supportive ways of living in 21st Century cities that will ensure a renewed focus on the health of all residents, as well as surrounding environments. She unpacked how designing, planning and managing better cities can support people being more physically active, socially connected and gaining better access to fresh and nutritious foods. In doing so, cities will support a healthier population and planet for all.

School of Optometry and Vision Sciences Alumni Evening | Tuesday 5 June 2018

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2018 108:16


On Tuesday 5 June 2018, UNSW alumni from the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences came together to discuss the latest developments and highlights from The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology's meeting in Honolulu.

Learn@Lunch with Professor Christopher Heeschen | Cancer & Embryos: The Yin and Yang of Stem Cells

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2018 55:55


What does the development of an embryo and cancer have in common? Quite a lot, according to Professor Christopher Heeschen, who describes them as the “yin and yang of stem cells”. Though our perception of each varies wildly, with one associated with the miracle of creation and the other a destructive menace, medical researchers have long found parallels between these two biological forces. This includes a recent discovery that cancer is driven by stem cells that are highly reminiscent of embryonic stem cells. Due to this similarity, cancer cells are able to grow by high-jacking the signalling pathways from embryonic development to gain the ability to self-propagate. At this next Learn@Lunch presentation, UNSW’s award-winning Professor Heeschen shared how he and his team of medical scientists are working to combat this high-jacking to prevent cancer from growing. He also explained how their work in stem cells will help develop new mechanisms to not only detect cancer at a much earlier stage, but also to re-activate the body’s ability to fight cancer cells. The results would be better treatment, faster recovery, and a much higher survival rate in cancer patients.

Meeting The Future - Fiduciary Obligations And Robo Advice

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2018 60:45


Robo financial advice is seen as a way of ‘democratising’ financial advice and of providing low cost financial advice to consumers. Financial institutions, regulators and consumers are increasingly aware, however, of the statutory obligations of advice providers. Could this statutory focus distract from other compliance obligations? In particular, equitable fiduciary obligations may bind those who provide robo financial advice. This Look Who’s Talking was hosted by Law Society of NSW President Doug Humphreys OAM and UNSW Law Dean Professor George Williams AO and featured a panel of experts including: Jessica Hudson, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Law Alistair McKeough, Managing Director, Whittens & McKeough Simun Soljo, Managing Associate, Allens Moderator: Simone Degeling, Professor and Co-Director, Private Law Research & Policy Group, UNSW Law

Learn@Lunch with Associate Professor Angela Nickerson | Understanding Pathways to Refugee Wellbeing

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2018 57:22


Each year, tens of millions of people around the world are forcibly displaced due to conflict and persecution, leading to a widespread public mental health crisis. With a significant number of refugees and asylum seekers settling in Australia, how can we help them to adapt and recover? A coordinated effort is needed to address the health of refugees and asylum seekers, as their heightened exposure to trauma has resulted in a rate of mental illness more than five times that of the general population. While the stress of displacement takes a great toll, researchers are heartened to learn that not all displaced persons go on to develop a psychological disorder. In fact, despite their hardship, many adapt well to their new realities, and thrive in their new country. At our June Learn@Lunch session, Associate Professor Angela Nickerson – Director of UNSW’s Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program – discussed her work in understanding and developing pathways to improved psychological wellbeing among displaced persons. She presented new findings of their investigations into this phenomenon, and proposed solutions in support of refugee wellbeing.

Learn@Lunch with Scientia Professor Toby Walsh | Our Artificially Intelligent Future

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2018 53:53


In the years ahead, will driverless cars prevent accidents or cause them? Will intelligent machines spell the death knell of the modern workforce, or present shiny new opportunities? Will Siri one day shed the friendly voice and reveal itself as the malevolent HAL 9000? Love it or fear it, artificial intelligence is becoming an indispensable part of our lives, and there’s no denying that technological advancement has a transformative effect on society and the economy. While many relish the streamlined existence that AI can create, for others the risk of a Terminator-esque Skynet takeover seems incredibly real. As AI developments continue, questions around risk, ethics and application arise. At our May Learn@Lunch presentation, leading researcher and UNSW Scientia Professor Toby Walsh discussed some of the common misconceptions around AI today, shared his predictions around what AI will achieve by 2050, and shed light on whether mankind should feel liberated or threatened by a world in which the intelligence of machines may one day surpass our own.

Learn@Lunch with Professor Alison Bashford | The History of Australia's Population

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2018 58:36


As the number of global inhabitants pushes beyond 7.5 billion, and burgeoning population growth places strain on critical resources, many are left wondering – how does Australia maintain its relatively low density, low birth rates, low mortality, and high standards of living? Australia’s unique circumstances have long been a topic of interest for global economists. A ground-breaking new discovery reveals that Thomas Malthus actually began his famous 18th century Essay on the Principle of Population with observations on the young colony in NSW and the Indigenous population. In our April Learn@Lunch session, world-leading historian and UNSW Professor Alison Bashford will unpack how Malthus’s hidden chapter on colonial Australia adds critical new context to his theories on global population, and places our nation at a crucial historic point for economic thought. alumni.unsw.edu.au/learnatlunch Subscribe to the Learn@Lunch e-invite list here: eepurl.com/dieEMX

Learn@Lunch with Professor Tom Frame | Moral Injury and the Inner Wounds of our Time

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2018 57:42


Has your boss ever asked you to do something ethically ambiguous for ‘the greater good’? Have you experienced a pang of guilt or shame after performing duties which clash with your personal moral compass? You may be suffering from ‘moral injury’. Moral injury has long been a buzz word among war veterans who have faced moral transgressions in the line of duty, the profound impact of which creates an invisible wound that can impair moral reasoning and decision-making. At our next Learn@Lunch session, Professor Tom Frame examines the incidence and prevalence of moral injury in today’s morally complex society, why it deserves our closer attention, and how better addressing this issue can set us on a path to a better world. Tom Frame is a Professor of History with UNSW Canberra and, in 2017, became the inaugural Director of the UNSW Canberra Public Leadership Research Group. In addition to authoring 40 books, his career has included service as a naval officer and ministry as Bishop to the Australian Defence Force. https://alumni.unsw.edu.au/learnatlunch Subscribe to the Learn@Lunch e-invite list here: http://eepurl.com/dieEMX

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit Hong Kong | Opening Welcome Remarks

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 21:46


Ms Jane Miller Executive Director, Alumni & Engagement, UNSW Sydney Professor Ian Jacobs President and Vice-Chancellor, UNSW Sydney Dr Ronald Lu Chairman, UNSW Hong Kong Foundation Board Ms Michaela Browning Australian Consul-General Hong Kong and Macau

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit Hong Kong | Keynote | Belt And Road Initiative

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 59:09


SPEAKER Dr Vincent H. S. Lo Chairman, Shui On Group Q&A Mr Laurie Pearcey Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), UNSW Sydney

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit Hong Kong | Technology & Innovation

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 67:04


FACILITATOR Associate Professor Lyria Bennett Moses Director, Allens Hub for Technology, Law & Innovation PANELLISTS Scientia Professor Ross Buckley King & Wood Mallesons Professor of International Finance Law, UNSW Law Mr Herbert Chen Chief Operating Officer, Tus-Holdings Ms Florence Chu Data & Artificial Intelligence Lead, APAC & Japan, Microsoft It is trite to note that technology is changing rapidly, and that innovation is a fundamental requirement in a modern economy. But what do we need to do in the 21st century to ensure that education aligns with future needs, so that future workers will be able to design the future, both competently and ethically? How can government and universities support start-ups, and what role do incubators and innovation hubs play? How can regulators keep up with changes in markets and traditional categories such as “financial services”?

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit Hong Kong | Asia In The Ageing Century

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 68:07


FACILITATOR Adjunct Professor Marc de Cure Chair, Centre for Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR) Advisory Board PANELLISTS Professor Hazel Bateman Deputy Director, CEPAR Scientia Professor John Piggott Director, CEPAR Professor Albert Park Director, Institute for Emerging Market Studies, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The Asian region is confronting rapid population ageing. More people in their 60s and older live in Asia than in any other region in the world. To give just one statistic, the number of people in Asia aged 60 and over is expected to increase from 250 million today to about 1 billion in the next 30 years. Along with the regional move to lower fertility, this will transform the Asian landscape over the next 30 years. This session will explore the social challenges and the business opportunities that this ageing demographic will create.

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit Hong Kong | The Zero Carbon Challenge

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 69:38


FACILITATOR Dr Zhengrong Shi Founder, Suntech Power PANELLISTS Mr Cathen Ho Acting Senior Director – Power Systems, China Light and Power Mr CK Lau General Manager (Projects), Hong Kong Electric Associate Professor Jin Zhong Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hong Kong University Ms Justine Jarvinen Chief Operating Officer, UNSW Energy Institute With the trend towards zero carbon emissions, electricity generation is undertaking a major shift from fossil fuel based technologies towards renewables. Technological advances require better monitoring and control of the energy system to cope with this shift. Smart grid technologies, more efficient renewable generation technologies, energy storage, HVDC/HVAC technologies and industrial IoT based energy systems involving both primary and secondary energy systems are among the key factors to enable a zero carbon economy. However, the challenges to achieve the zero carbon target are significant and will be the focus of this panel session.

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit | Doing Business In China In The Context Of Deglobalisation

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 66:23


FACILITATOR Scientia Professor George Williams Dean, UNSW Law PANELLISTS Associate Professor Heng Wang CIBEL Co-director, UNSW Law Professor Guohua Yang School of Law, Tsinghua University Professor Deborah Healey CIBEL Co-director, UNSW Law Ms Minny Siu Partner (Hong Kong), King & Wood Mallesons This panel discusses the major legal issues in doing business in China, particularly in finance, trade and competition law. These issues become increasingly important in the context of globalisation (e.g. the revival of the TPP) and the sentiment of deglobalisation (e.g. Brexit, and the America First Policy of President Trump that affects China). Against this background, these issues include the challenges and rewards of doing business in China, the role of China’s expanding access programmes and the Belt & Road initiative on the internationalisation of RMB and China’s capital market, and the future direction of China’s approach to trade.

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit Hong Kong | Food And Health In Asia

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 66:41


FACILITATOR Professor Bruce Neal Deputy Executive Director, The George Institute for Global Health, Australia PANELLISTS Assistant Professor Jimmy Louie The University of Hong Kong Ms Sharon Chan Training & Development Officer, Hong Kong Dietitians Association Mr Greg Morris Head of Product & Actuary, AIA Vitality Dr YY Ho Controller, Centre for Food Safety Poor dietary choices underpin more ill health than anything else in Asia. This used to be because people received an inadequate supply of food and nutrients. But now the problem is over-consumption of processed and restaurant foods high in salt, sugar, harmful fat and excess calories. Asia can learn much from the mistakes the West has made in trying to address this problem, but will it? How will the legitimate business interests of the food industry trade off against public health? And how should Asia approach the tsunami of chronic disease that comes with a tasty, low cost and ubiquitous supply of convenience food?

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit Hong Kong | Accessing Contemporary Art In/From China

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 69:51


FACILITATOR Professor Paul Gladston Judith Neilson Professor of Contemporary Art, UNSW Sydney PANELLISTS Professor Frank Vigneron Chinese University of Hong Kong Ms Enid Tsui Senior Culture Writer, South China Morning Post Dr Zheng Bo City University Hong Kong In recent years, contemporary art in/from China and neighbouring east and south-east Asian countries has become increasingly prominent on the international stage — not least, through engagement of artists from the region with a now globalised art world. In spite of its increasing international prominence, that art may however often seem inaccessible even to those with first-hand experience of the immediate localities of its making and diverse, though historically interrelated, cultural heritages. This expert panel will seek to shed light on contemporary Chinese and neighbouring east and south-east Asian art by discussing some of its varied significances from international and localised perspectives.

The Future of Asia Alumni Summit Hong Kong | Wrap Up Panel

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 70:02


On Saturday March 3rd, 150 UNSW alumni and friends gathered at the Conrad Hotel in Hong Kong to attend The Future of Asia – an alumni summit hosted by UNSW Sydney. The one-day conference gave alumni the opportunity to mingle with peers and leaders, and provided exclusive access to high impact research delivered by some of world’s foremost experts and thought leaders. An exciting program of panel sessions included representatives of UNSW Sydney, the community, local industry and government. Attendees were treated to speakers from Microsoft, Shui On Group, The Financial Times, Tus-Holdings, China Light and Power, Tsinghua University and many more who discussed some of the most topical issues for the Asia region.

Learn@Lunch with Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill | Effective Action in the Age of Displacement

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2018 57:23


In 2018's first Learn@Lunch session, UNSW’s Acting Director of the Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill, explored the factors driving displacement today. He guided us through the legal and economic consequences, both for displaced people and for the countries which receive them. Most importantly, he showed how today’s leaders can cut through the negative to achieve effective action on this global concern. Professor Goodwin-Gill joined UNSW in 2017 from the UK, where he was an Emeritus Professor of International Refugee Law at the University of Oxford. He has played an influential role in shaping European refugee policy, publishing widely in this field as well as serving in leadership and legal advisory roles with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), among many others.

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