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Arts Research Bulletin - Edition I

Wednesday 19th November 2008
The Menzies Building

Welcome to the first edition of the Arts Research Bulletin. Arts Research is diverse and vibrant and this bulletin aims to support the work of our researchers by providing regular information on research opportunities and celebrating successes. The Bulletin will also provide information on key policy and procedural changes, internal Faculty and University grant schemes, and recent awardees. In each edition, the Bulletin will profile an Arts researcher to highlight research areas currently being explored by staff and postgraduates in our Faculty and to open up the possibilities for collaboration. The bulletin will also communicate details on relevant forthcoming research events.

Note from the Associate Dean Research

The launch of this Bulletin comes at the end of a year that has been both busy and and productive for Arts Research. Our ARC results, while not quite matching last year's 'best ever' outcome, maintained an equivalent success rate (and exceeded the University-wide rate). As well, there have been exciting and substantial developments in the areas of cross-Faculty collaboration and Linkage applications, both of which bode well for future grant success. I congratulate all involved and thank them for their efforts. This Bulletin represents another step in the efforts to promote continuing success and improvement - providing information, acknowledging achievement and encouraging cooperation.
- Associate Professor Pauline Nestor

External Research Grants

Congratulations to the following ARC grant recipients:

Discovery (for funding commencing in 2009):

DIRD

Linkage (Round 1, 2008):

The Faculty runs an Incentive Scheme and has extensive resources available to assist researchers to prepare for ARC applications.

Faculty Research Grants

Grant Success (Faculty of Arts Visiting Scholars: 2008 Application Round):

Dr Alison Anderson, School of Law & Social Sciences, University of Plymouth

Dr Anderson's visit is scheduled for April 2009 and her principal host will be Prof Alan Petersen in Political & Social Inquiry. Both researchers will be collaborating on a project called 'Nanotechnologies in the press and online: A study of UK and Australian coverage'.

Professor Joanna Burke, School of History, Classics & Archaeology, University of London

Prof Burke's visit is scheduled for March/April 2009 and her principal hosts will be Prof Mark Baker and Dr Deborah Staines in the Australia Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Historical Studies. They will be collaborating on a project entitled 'Rape, sexual slavery and gendered violence in the Holocaust: Testimonies from the Shoah Foundation Visual History Archive'.

Professor Kathleen Canning, Department of History, University of Michigan

Prof Canning's visit is scheduled for May 2009 and her principal hosts will be Prof Mark Peel and Dr Michael Hau in Historical Studies. Prof Canning's research covers the areas of European gender, labour and social history. She will be collaborating on projects such as: 'Merit, mobility and modernity', 'Narratives of work', and 'Practising history: Gender, class and citizenship'.

Professor Claudia Riehl, German Department, University of Cologne

Prof Riehl's visit is scheduled for October 2008 to March 2009 and her principal host will be Prof Kate Burridge, Launguages, Cultures & Linguistics. They will be collaborating on a project called 'Multilingualism in urban contexts - a comparison between Australia and Europe'.

Updates

Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA):

All 2002-2007 research outputs which are likely to be included in the ERA must be loaded into the University's RM4 database before the end of 2008.

Research outputs published between 1st January 2002 and 31st December 2007 are relevant. Unlike the RQF, the ERA collects all eligible publications for all staff employed at Monash on the 31st March census date (not just the four best from selected staff). It is expected that the ERA will gather not only DEEWR publications, but also some non-DEEWR outputs.

For further information, please contact either Fiona.Neilson@arts.monash.edu.au or Jeanette.Wrench@arts.monash.edu.au or visit our ERA page

Research Grants in 2009

Due to budgetary constraints, Research Dividend Grants will not be offered in 2009. The following schemes will be retained in 2009: Visiting Scholars, New Appointees, Matching Initiatives, OSP, ECR Award, Cross-Faculty Initiatives, ARC Incentive, Research Project Development and fellowship contributions. See Internal Funding Schemes for further information.

DP Incentive Scheme

Based on the Faculty's desire to increase its share of the ARC Discovery Projects pool, the ARO will be running an ARC DP incentive scheme. This scheme will be administered through the Arts Research Office and is supported by the Faculty Research Committee and Faculty Executive. Under this scheme, the Faculty will pay $1000 in research funds for each application that meets conditions specified in the guidelines. If you are planning to apply in March 2009 (for funding commencing in January 2010) please take advantage of this incentive scheme.

Applications must be submitted to the Arts Research Office by 5:00pm on Monday 1st December 2008.

Further information, inculding guidelines and application form, can be found here.

Successful Grants Library

There is an extensive library of successful ARC submissions located in the Arts Research Office which are available for prospective ARC applicants to obtain copies

For further information, please contact Katherine.DeZilwa@arts.monash.edu.au

David Templeman

Arts Researcher - David Templeman

What are you currently researching?

At present I am putting the final touches on my PhD thesis which deals with a 16 -17th century Tibetan Lama and his recreation of his intellectual and literary world, in which he envisaged himself as a 'virtual' Indian. Also in the pipeline is a 5 month research period in Berlin next year reading through 7 - 11th century Tibetan documents to form a portrait of the Central Asian city of Kashgar when it was under Tibetan control. This forms part of the Monash Asia Institute 'Kashgar Projects' which draws together scholars from a variety of disciplines to help in preserving its history and its monuments.

Where has your research taken you?

I have pillaged most of the good libraries of Europe to get my materials and have met some really interesting (and sometimes quirky!) people, so deeply into their world of study that they forget crucial things such as eating, sleeping and wearing clothes that don't have huge holes in them! I have spent a lot of time in India doing background research - the richest place for the wonderful and the odd.

What facet of Monash University contributes most to your research?

The supervision I have experienced here (and through my co-supervisor in Berlin) has been first class. Although recognised as an expert in my field before the thesis I have learned to smarten up my ideas, to question presuppositions and to write with far more focus. Having an office shared with a congenial colleague has been a blessing too! The Monash Asia Institute 'family' of scholars means that seminars are varied, interesting and frequent. In terms of people studying in other areas of the Arts Faculty, meeting them and sharing ideas has been part of Monash's overall 'collegiate' feeling.

What have you enjoyed the most about completing your postgraduate study?

The sense that 'I can do it' is a big feeling...no matter how obscure the field is (and I have taken on many new areas of thinking during this process) you can master it.

What has been the greatest challenge?

Avoiding 4 cups of coffee a day and keeping it down to 2! Trying to remain focussed at all times, but only for 5-6 days a week and learning to drop the thesis and all related thoughts one or two days a week. Obsessed PhD minds make that a hard thing to do!

David is currently completing his PhD in his retirement after 30 years working as a teacher.

Contact Us Newsletter Coordinator:

Katherine De Zilwa
Arts Research Office
Level 2 West
Building 11
Monash University Clayton Campus

Phone: 990 58547
Email: Katherine.DeZilwa@arts.monash.edu.au

Upcoming Events

Arts Research Summer Intensive

Wednesday 10 & Thursday 11 December Monash University - Caulfield Campus

An inter-school intensive designed for the Arts research community, with special sessions for commencing Honours candidates (2009), commencing HDR candidates (2009), currently enrolled HDR candidates, and staff, including sessions designed specifically for ECRs.

For further information (including program details and registration) please contact Helen.Edwards@arts.monash.edu.au or phone 990 32676

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