AnnRpt2000. book

 
Review of 2000
 
11
The direct e-mail to all ANU staff, introduced in 1999,
has become the major mechanism for formal communica-
tion.
The coordinated efforts during 1999 to update the Uni-
versity’s computing systems to ensure there were no prob-
lems as a result of the year-end date changes were
successful.
The Governor General, Sir William Deane, presented the
ANU library with its two millionth ‘book’ in August: Rob-
ert Sweet’s rare book Flora Australasica. The Library also
introduced a web interface to the complete works of W B
Yeats and the Web of Science global database that provides
online links and citations to over 8000 journals.
 
The physical environment
 
The $2.8 million Jaeger 7 Building, an extension to the
Research School of Earth Sciences, was officially opened
by the Minister for Environment, Senator Robert Hill in
March. The new building contains facilities for studying
earth movement, fluid dynamics, climate change and
earth and bone sample dating. Specially designed labora-
tories in the building will allow for the simulation of the
effects of the earth’s rotation on ocean circulation.
ANU House in Collins Street in Melbourne was officially
named and opened in March by Melbourne’s Lord May-
or, Councillor Peter Costigan. Ten floors of the building
have been fully let on commercial leases to a range of com-
panies, including a major telecommunications company,
an architectural firm, several financial planners and hu-
man resource consultants. The University has retained the
11th floor (190 square metres) as a resource for advanced
seminars and postgraduate teaching in information tech-
nology, business administration and public policy and to
support core research commercialisation activities. While
use of this floor by University areas during the first nine
months has been limited, those areas that have used it for
seminars, business meetings, alumni functions and out-
reach activity have commented favourably on it. Greater
efforts will be made in 2001 to encourage areas to use this
resource.
Stage 2 of the School of Music extension to Llewellyn Hall
commenced. The new building will house the Jazz Pro-
gram as well as the Australian Centre for Art and Technol-
ogy (ACAT) and new spaces for the Percussion and Brass
Departments. A state-of-the-art audio recording studio is
also planned. The facility will have world-class acoustics.
ANU has adopted a ‘clean and green’ environmental poli-
cy for the campus. The policy, ANU Green, includes en-
ergy and water audits, replacement of inefficient plant
systems, better environmental design in buildings and a
biodiversity plan. The Minister for Environment and Her-
itage Senator Robert Hill launched the policy in March.
At the same ceremony the Vice-Chancellor and Senator
Hill signed a Greenhouse Challenge Agreement which will
have ANU reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per
cent.
The first laser technology production laboratory of its
kind in Australia was officially opened in April by the
Minister for Industry, Science and Resources, Senator
Nick Minchin. Senator Minchin also launched Acton La-
sers, a company formed at the Research School of Physical
Sciences and Engineering to develop high power semicon-
ductor lasers. The research team at the School has pro-
duced a semiconductor 980 nanometre laser which has
world-leading performance and is expected to attract in-
vestment to take it to the next stage of production.
A $850,000 purpose-built optics laboratory was opened in
April. The ANU Gravitational Wave Research Facility has
been designed to mask a multitude of environmental in-
fluences such as seismic vibrations, dust and temperature
changes that can interfere with optical experiments re-
quired for gravitational wave detection. The Australian
Gravitational Wave consortium, comprising the ANU,
the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Aus-
tralia and Monash University, will use the new facility to
develop technology for the multi million dollar US gravi-
tational wave project.
ACT Chief Minister, Mrs Kate Carnell, officially opened
the BlueLAB at the Research School of Physical Sciences
and Engineering in July. Developed with the Yuh Chen
Group, BlueLAB will focus on developing new lighting
options using white light-emitting-diodes and blue lasers
for commercial application including data storage and sig-
nage.
The Ian Ross Building, which houses the Engineering and
Computer Science Sections of the Faculty of Engineering
and Information Technology, was officially opened by
ACT Senator Kate Lundy in November. The building is
named after Emeritus Professor Ian Ross AO credited with
developing engineering as a discipline at ANU.
In November, the ANU Council approved plans for the
construction of a 500-car parking station at Baldessin
Square.
 
Outreach to the community
 
ANU reached out to the Australian and international
communities in 2000 through a series of events and coop-
erative ventures. A wide range of government, community
and business organisations utilised academic staff as advi-
sors on policy, scientific, environmental and other issues
throughout the year. Academic staff also visited schools
and community groups as guest lecturers.
The Schools of Music and Art maintained extensive and
successful concert and exhibition programs, including in-
ternationally. They have established and enhanced vibrant
local outreach and teaching programs in a range of subject
areas that involve schools and the broader ACT commu-
nity.
More than 16,000 people attended the 11 exhibitions
staged at the University’s Drill Hall Gallery. The exhibi-
tions involved major collaborations with other national in-
stitutions, especially with the National Gallery of
Australia, and attracted a $40,000 grant from the Depart-

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