AEL Update PVC Message – May 2016

Professor Paul Mazerolle, Pro Vice Chancellor of Arts Education and Law Group

The first quarter of 2016 has proven to be a busy and successful time for the students, staff and alumni of the Arts, Education and Law Group (AEL) community.

A number of significant events have occurred across the group. An exciting development has been the recent establishment of the newSchool of Humanities, Languages and Social Science (HLSS). Formally the School of Humanities and School of Languages and Linguistics, the new School brings together one of the largest groups of scholars in the humanities, languages and a range of social sciences of any University in Australia. I look forward to reporting on many of the exciting achievements emerging from this new School.

A very extraordinary achievement occurred recently for Professor Paul Taçon from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research and the School of Humanities, Languages, and Social Science. ProfessorTaçonwas awardeda highly prestigious 2016 ARC Australian Laureate Fellowships, receiving $2,553,690 for his projectAustralian rock art history, conservation and Indigenous well-being. Heis both an archaeologist and an anthropologist whose research spans facets of human evolution, rock art and relationships to landscape and place.

In April theVice Chancellor’s Research Awards which acknowledge the outstanding work of academic staff and their contributions to Griffith’s research profile were announced. Congratulations to all our AEL award winners and finalists for your well-deserved recognition. Particular mention and congratulations for Professor Donna Pendergast, the Head of the School of Education and Professional Studies who received the Vice Chancellor’s Research Supervision Award.

The congratulations continue for ProfessorSusanne Karstedt from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, who received the prestigious International Scholar Award from the Law and Society Association.

Final congratulations go to one of our amazing alumni–Dami Im, a 2011 Masters of Music Studies (Jazz) graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University who recently had an extraordinary week in Europe. As you know, Dami was recently named as runner-up in the 2016 Eurovision Song Context where she performed to a global audience of 200 million people, which is an extraordinary achievement. Dami also previously studied at the Young Conservatorium.

Finally, I am happy to conclude this short report with an invitation to join me on Tuesday 7 June, when Associate Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, 2014 Australian University Teacher of the Year, will present the 2016 AEL Professorial Lecture. Associate Professor Bartleet will focus on how music can change the world, discussing ideologies and evidence from her research and music’s unexpected impact on the biggest social issues of our time.Please take a look at our preview video and RSVP to attend.

Best wishes
Paul Mazerolle

Pro Vice Chancellor (Arts, Education and Law Group)

Read more stories about the recent successes of the AEL community.