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NUPSA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Issue 2
NUPSA
Newcastle
University
Postgraduate
Students’
Association
March 2015
YOUR STUDENT ASSOCIATION
IN THIS ISSUE
NUPSA Executive
Find out about the 214 NUPSA Vice President & Equity
Officer
NUPSA AGM
Page 2
International Women’s Day
Notice is hereby given that the 2015 NUPSA
Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held
on Wednesday April 8, 2015, commencing at
12.00pm, at the Birabahn Building The
Wollotuka Institute – near the Design bus
stop.
The AGM will precede the Semester 1 Free
Lunch. An invitation is extended for
Postgraduate and Honours students to
attend.
You will have a chance to catch up with the
NUPSA Executive, make new friends and
establish contact with students in your area
of study, and also have an opportunity to find
out about NUPSA – YOUR
STUDENT
ASSOCIATION at Newcastle University
You are asked to confirm by Thursday April 3
with
the
NUPSA
office
(email
nupsa@newcastle.edu.au) if you will be
attending.
FOR THOSE WHO FORGET TO RESPOND,
ARE NOT CERTAIN BEFOREHAND IF THEY
CAN ATTEND, OR FIND OUT ABOUT THE
LUNCH AFTER APRIL 3– YOU WILL STILL BE
ABLE TO ATTEND ON THE DAY, BUT THE
GUESTS WHO HAVE RESPONDED BY THE
RD
3 WILL BE SERVED FIRST.
Attendees on the day will also receive a
NUPSA bag and pen.
Want to know what International Women’s Day is? Want
to be involved with Women’s Issues
Page 2-3
From the President’s Desk
Hear from Lorna Katusiime
Page 3
Harmony Week
Harmony Week is March 16 to 20. Find out what’s
happening here on campus
NUPSA Events in March
Page 4
Want to know what your association is up to in March?
So You’re Starting a PhD?
Page 4
Article from the Thesis Whisperer
PhD Comics
Page 5
Page 6
NUPSA Workshops
Looking for workshops We’ve got you covered
Page 7
International Student Programs
Are you an International Student looking for friendship
and support? Well we have several programs just for you
Page 8
NUPSA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION | Issue 2
know more about people and I find social
working as one of the best ways.
NUPSA Executive
2015
Last month we held elections for two new
Executive members. This month we would
like to introduce to you our 2015 Vice
President Samira Azadi and Equity Officer
Dakshina Chandra
Vice President Samira Azadi
I am sure that NUPSA will give all of us a
worthwhile opportunity to communicate
with each other and to increase our
knowledge about ourselves. Since University
of Newcastle has a good mixture of students
from all over the world we will find a good
chance become familiar with different
culture and tradition from different
countries.
At the end I suggest all of you to participate
in this social group and let’s try to achieve
this goal “HAVING A WORLD FULL OF
PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP” in near future.
Wish all the best for each of you
Samira Azadi
Samira.Azadi@uon.edu.au
Equity Representative
Dakshina Chandra
Hello everyone, my name is Samira Azadi 30
years old and from Iran. I am doing my Ph.D.
in water and Environmental Engineering as a
major of Civil Engineering.
I am really interested in communicating with
other people and strongly believe that if we
want to have more peaceful place to live (and
in our case university) we have to try to know
more about each other. Because lack of
knowledge
leads
to
lots
of
misunderstanding, sadness and arguments.
Based on this belief, during my life I tried to
#MakeItHappen
by Dakshina Chandra
Dear NUPSA Women,
On behalf of Team NUPSA, I would like to
wish all you women a Happy Women’s Day!
March 8 every year is celebrated as
International Women’s day and this year’s
United Nations theme is “Empowering
Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture
th
it!” This year is also the 20 anniversary of
the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action, a declaration signed by 189 countries
for enabling women empowerment globally.
One of the twelve critical areas of concern
that this declaration seeks to address is
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graduation from NALSAR University of law,
India and my masters in corporations law
from New York University School of law. I
have prior work experience in the area of
project finance with one of India’s leading
corporate law firms. During my term at NYU,
I also worked as a pro bono intern with Sidley
Austin, a multinational law firm, on their
Africa-Asia Agricultural Enterprise Program
where my duties included undertaking legal
research work to support the firm’s
development related activities in India and
Ghana. At the University of Newcastle, my
research focuses on liberalization of legal
services in the UK and its impact on law firms
globally and on legal education worldwide.
NUPSA, to me represents a perfect
opportunity to contribute actively to the
University life of post graduate students at
Newcastle. I understand that life as a higher
research degree student can be stressful and
isolated. Added to that, there could be other
issues of concern unique to each student. As
equity officer at NUPSA, I will endeavour to
find solutions to create an environment free
of discrimination, bullying, bias and
harassment at your workplace. I encourage
you
all
to
write
to
me
at
NUPSA@newcastle.edu.au with any ideas
for support groups, community based
activities or other suggestions/ concerns that
you may have. I look forward to hearing from
you. Let’s work together, towards a brighter
future!
Dakshina.Chandra@uon.edu.au
Hi everyone, my name is Dakshina Chandra. I
am a candidate for PhD in law and attached
to the Faculty of Business and Law. I did my
education and training of women, calling for
equal access and financial resources for
women and girl’s education. While there has
been considerable advance in the global
primary education sector and women
enrolment rates in universities, the rate of
women in higher level degrees is still a
smaller number as compared to their male
counterparts. The disparity is worse in
particular fields of study such as the sciences
where only 30% of the world’s researchers
constitute women.
As our contribution towards this year’s
theme, we are looking forward to setting up
a sub-committee at NUPSA dedicated solely
to NUPSA Women! Life for a woman as a
higher degree student can be hard- the daily
act of balancing our traditional roles with our
careers; the inherent human need to find our
true calling with our children and family; and
the endless sacrifices that we make. At
NUPSA, in recognition of this special role
that many of us fulfil each day, we are glad to
announce that you are not alone! You are
not invisible! We see you and we will help
you reach your true calling against all odds.
NUPSA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION | Issue 2
This special group, like many other equity
groups, will work under the supervision of
the equity officer at NUPSA. The subcommittee will aim to improve women’s
participation at all spheres of University life,
work towards establishing the principle of
shared power and responsibility between
women and men at the workplace, and work
on other gender related issues of concern to
members of NUPSA such as work-place
discrimination,
equality,
harassment,
violence etc. The sub-committee would also
encourage the formation of and work closely
with special classes of support groups for
NUPSA women such as working mothers. If
you are a NUPSA member (not necessarily a
woman!) who wants to make a difference in
the lives of NUPSA women, show us your
support by emailing us your expression of
interest for active involvement in this gallant
sub-committee. Expression of interest may
be emailed to NUPSA@newcastle.edu.au by
March 20, 2015. The top two statements
from candidates will be selected to head this
sub-committee. We look forward to
welcoming and working closely with two
spirited individuals committed to the cause
of women’s rights. Additionally, e-mail us if
you have ideas for a support group which
aims to resolve NUPSA women’s special
needs and challenges. Your ideas and
suggestions are welcomed.
Last but not the least, let’s take a minute and
thank all the working women in our lives:
friends, supervisors, professors, moms,
colleagues’ et al, and all the men who make
University life safe, friendly and easy for us.
Yours sincerely,
Dakshina Chandra
Equity Officer, NUPSA
P.S.- Don’t forget to wear your purple ribbon
on March 8!
3
From the
President’s Desk
by Lorna Katusiime
Lorna Katusiime on her recent trip to Africa
your
journey
including
workshops,
consultations and social events.
Hello everyone,
Thank you for coming out in such big
numbers at our recent events. Orientation
week 2015 was a big hit and we enjoyed
meeting some of you at our NUPSA o-week
booth and the pancake breakfast. It was
great to see how much fun both new and
more experienced students had connecting
with people and stacking up on the freebies
on offer. We had a fantastic time at the
pancake breakfast where the 2015 NUPSA
executive had a chance to interact with you
and another opportunity to meet and talk
with you at faculty postgraduate orientation
sessions.
We value your support and involvement. This
year NUPSA is focused on making itself more
visible, more accessible, and more
approachable to you our members. We want
to hear about your experiences both within
and outside of the university and what you
would like from your student association. I
truly believe getting involved is the best way
to see the change you desire implemented
and there are so many ways to get involved
in NUPSA.
As you embark on the (sometimes difficult)
task of navigating course work and
assignments, churning out chapters and
getting the obstacles (and excuses), please
remember there is a fantastic range of
services both within NUPSA and other
university departments to support you on
The NBS International Network is running
again at the city campus this year. It is an
excellent opportunity to connect with fellow
postgraduate
students
and
learn/do
something fun and new. The program runs
every Wednesday at 3 pm on the Level 3
common. We look forward to meeting many
of you there. Harmony Week is coming up on
March 16 to 20, with a host of activities
organised throughout the university
including the favourite taste of harmony
which offers free food and entertainment.
Keep an eye out for our events at Callaghan,
HMRI and NBS.
To see photos and updates from NUPSA
events please make sure you check out our
website or join our Facebook page!
I hope to see you around!
God bless,
Lorna
NUPSA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION | Issue 2
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Harmony Week 2015
Harmony Day, held on 21 March, is a day of
cultural respect for everyone who calls
Australia home – from the traditional owners
of this land to those who have come from
many countries around the world.
To recognise Harmony Day and celebrate the
cultural fabric of the University, the
University of Newcastle will host a week long
th
st
Harmony Week program, 16 – 20 March
2015.
The Harmony Day message is 'Everyone
Belongs' and to promote this the University
of Newcastle's Harmony Week schedule will
feature entertainment, multicultural cuisine
and activities to encourage all students and
staff to get involved.
There will be various activities on that week
at Callaghan, Ourimbah and Sydney Campus.
Callaghan
Monday March 16
Harmony Week Breakfast What better way
to start Harmony Week than with a free
breakfast of pancakes
U
Cinema
The
Intouchables
from
7.30pm
Derkenne
Courtyard
Tuesday March 17
Harmony Week Launch & Cultural Stalls
1.301am to 12.00pm Auchmuty Courtyard –
Guest Speaker, and entertainment
Free Lunch 12.00noon to 1.00pm Auchmuty
Courtyard come and share a free sausage
and share your story.
Harmony Trivia 1.00pm to 2.00pm Bar On
the Hill Test out your trivia skills at the
weekly Trivia comp themed especially for
Harmony Week. It is free to enter and there
are some great prizes to be won!
Multifaith Dinner Celebration 6.30pm to
8.30pm Jesmond Park Uniting Church. a
harmony week additional Cheep Chewsday
dinner hosted by the Jesmond Park Uniting
(JPU) Church for International Students. JPU
Church hosts the Cheap Chewsday dinner as
a way of extending a warm welcome to
International
Students
and
provide
opportunities for friendships amongst
students and the church community. Gold
coin donation to charity.
NUPSA Events in March
NUPSA NBS Harmony Week BBQ
Wednesday March 18
Postgraduate and honours students are
invited to join fellow students for dinner
Date – Wednesday March 18, 2015
Time – 3.00pm
Venue – Civic park
The BBQ will provide a chance to meet the
2014
NUPSA
Executive
members.
This
BBQ
coincides
with
Harmony
Week and to
mark
the
date there
will be as well as the traditional BBQ fare, a
variety of Indigenous bush tucker.
NUPSA HMRI Harmony Week BBQ Friday
March 20
Postgraduate and honours students are
invited to join fellow students for dinner
Date – Friday March 20, 2015
Time – 4.00pm
Venue – BBQ Area Level 4 HMRI
Vegetarians will be catered for.
The BBQ will provide a chance to meet the
2015 NUPSA Executive members.
This BBQ coincides with Harmony Week and
to mark the date there will be as well as the
traditional BBQ fare, native meats.
Wednesday March 18
NUPSA Free Dinner for NBS students,
3.00pm to Civic Park. Come and try native
meats and meet fellow students and the
NUPSA Executive
Thursday March 19
A Taste of Harmony 12 noon to 2.00pm The
Park. Come and enjoy a range of foods
prepared and served by student groups and
associations serving food from around the
world free of charge. Entertainment while
you enjoy the tastes of harmony.
Friday March 20
Holi Colour Festival It’s been a long time
coming but NUPSA & NUSA are proud to
announce the Inaugural Harmony Week Holi
Colour Festival. Come along with a team of
friends and prepare to be coloured.
Sex Week
Monday March 23 to Friday March 27 is the
Inaugural UoN Sex Week; there will be
activities (Trivia Night), workshops (Men’s
Health Women’s Health) and events (Free
Movie, Free BBQ & Expo,. So come along
Monday March 23
Men’s Health Talk - The Clubhouse 12 pm
Movies by Moonlight – Dallas Buyers Club
Tuesday March 24
Fee BBQ Car Park 14 - 12pm
Expo Car Park 14 - Stalls from NUPSA,
NUSA, Ally Network, Queer Collective,
ACON, Pacific Clinic and various others
Wednesday March 25
Women’s Assertiveness talk presented by
NUSA Women’s Collective The Clubhouse
12pm
Thursday March 26
Relationship Workshop NUSA Building 1pm
Trivia Night Godfrey Tanner Bar - 5pm.
NUPSA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION | Issue 2
So You’re Starting a PhD
by Erika Harris
completing a PhD’, that may be so for the
reader, but maybe not for me. I would like to
know about more the pros for completing a
PhD, so if you have more please let me know.
I am a new PhD student, and have been
reading and conversing with current and past
PhD students and have come to the sad
conclusion that there are more cons to doing
a PhD than there are pros.
With that said, although I have only five
pros, and 13 cons, why on earth would I
complete one? That’s a very good question.
One that I needed to think about before I
wrote this post. For me, there are two very
personal reasons why:
1.
The cons include the fact that a PhD can:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
take over your life
stop you from having time with
your family
stop you from exercising
get you into a mental funk
mentally exhaust you
create obstacles in relationships
(both professional and personal)
suck up all of your waking
moments
make you feel guilty when you are
not working on you PhD
make you feel guilty when taking a
break
seep into your every waking and
sleeping moments of thought
question your intelligence
question your confidence
realizing that I have to learn to play
the PhD game
The pros of completing a PhD include the
fact that a PhD can:





help me gain confidence
open up career doors
provide a sense of accomplishment
show my children that life-long
learning is a part of their life too
first person in my entire family to
reach this level of education
And that’s all I have for the pros. I
understand that many readers of this post
will say ‘wait, there are so many more pros to
2.
I want my children to understand
that learning is life-long. That mom
is doing her ‘homework’ while they
are doing theirs. As they are in
primary school, we are all sitting
together in the evening and getting
our ‘homework’ done. Even if they
don’t attend university when they
are older, I am hoping to instil in
them a quest for learning that
doesn’t have to end, ever.
Being first in my family to reach
this level of education is important
to me. Simple as that.
It seems that in the beginning it’s like when I
was pregnant. I had so many other women
come up to me and tell me their horror
stories about being pregnant. Stories that I
didn’t want to hear about. It’s the same
with the PhD. I have had many
conversations with people who have only
told me about their horror stories of
completing a PhD. It’s like, I will do it
anyway, whether it’s going to be good – bad
– or otherwise, but most of the journey will
be up to me, and I will be in the driver’s seat
navigating this journey. Of course, there will
be obstacles placed in my way that I will have
no control over, but ultimately I am the
person who has chosen to go down the PhD
route, so I will do my best to maintain
control.
It’s possible that this control comes from
naiveté of not knowing the PhD journey.
It’s possible that my optimism comes from
excitement on being on this journey. Maybe
it’s just the newness of it all. I certainly do
know that I don’t want my PhD to take over
my life; I do know that I want to complete it. I
do know that I don’t want it to take years
5
(and I mean years) to complete it. I do know
that I want my children to come along this
journey with me.
I also know that I want to hear about the
great stories and great journeys and all the
pros of doing a PhD. So if any one has any
good stories, please share them. I think that
many new PhD candidates need to hear
about those great stories, and not just the
difficult/tough/hard/sad stories that are out
there.
This post is by Erika Harris, PhD Candidate.
Erika has a Master’s degree in Education,
General Education and has worked in
instructional design and development in both
corporate and higher education settings in the
U.S & Australia. Currently Erika is an
educational developer, elearning, for RMIT
designing online and hybrid courses working
with academics in the higher education and
vocational education sectors
This was originally posted on the Thesis
Whisperer website. NUPSA regularly prints
articles found here and would recommend
you check them out if you are looking for
inspiration or distraction from your studies.
The Thesis Whisperer
Just like the horse whisperer – but with more
pages
NUPSA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION | Issue 2
PhD Comics
By Jorge Cham
6
NUPSA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION | Issue 2
NUPSA Workshops in March
NUPSA will soon be starting our 2015
Workshop series starting with Ethics on
March 26 and RIMS on April 2. We will also
hopefully be starting Shut Up & Write for
2015 see below for details
March 26
Ethics Approval: why do I need
it?
If you are doing any type of research on
humans or animals, you will need ethics
approval before you start so come along and
find out the whys and wherefores of ethics
approval.
Presented by Alan Hale from the Research
Integrity Unit
Date: Thursday March 26
Time: 10.00am to 12.00 noon
Location HA 158
RIMS
The Research Information Management
System (RIMS) is an integrated online system
to manage grants and ethics administration
relating to research projects. If you need
Ethics Approval you will need to use RIMS.
Presented by a RIMS Expert
Date: Thursday April 2
Time: 10.00am to 12.00 noon
Location TBC
To attend either of these workshops – please
email nupsa@newcastle.edu.au
7
Other Workshops
Shut Up & Write
HEY! Are you a post-graduate student or
staff member looking to improve your ability
to concentrate on writing? Could you use
someone to keep you disciplined and
focused, even for just twenty-five minutes at
a time? If so, you're in luck: NUPSA is looking
at restarting Shut Up and Write for 2015.
The idea is simple: We will get together for a
regular writing session at a convenient
location possibly the library but somewhere
with power points and coffee if needed. After
introductions, each person sits quietly and
writes. It doesn’t matter what you write, just
as long as you write.
The system works because you have made a
private commitment to writing at this time,
acted on that commitment by turning up,
and used the mutual support of others to
help you stay the distance. It’s a one-step
program for the procrastinator in us all. This
will be the main activity of the Shut Up and
Write session and is aimed at helping NUPSA
members improve their skills, overcome
procrastination and develop self-discipline in
their writing. At each session you will choose
what you will work on and we provide a quite
environment for you to start writing.
If this idea excites you then contact us with
your email address and we will put you on
the attendance list. If we get enough
numbers then we will see about starting later
this month. Please send through to
nupsa@newcastle.edu.au an email with your
name, degree, location and preferred day/s
and times/s and we will get back to you with
a starting day/date/time/location.
NUPSA is still seeking Expressions of Interest
for Thesis bootcamp as advertised last
month.
Thesis Bootcamps a basically a weekend long
version of Shut Up and Write. Dedicated
solely to getting words down on paper (or a
computer screen), this program is designed
to help you get over that final hurdle or to
kick-start your writing progress if it has
stalled.
Sign up to join other postgraduate research
comrades in a no-excuses, no-time-forprocrastination, take-no-prisoners intensive
writing weekend. Not for the faint hearted,
Thesis Boot Camp recruits will battle through
PhD blues, writer’s block and thesis fatigue
to achieve significant progress on their
manuscript.
Ideas for workshops
Later in the year NUPSA will also run
workshops from Counselling, Careers, the
Office of Graduate Studies, Academic
Integratory Unit Library and many other
areas of the University. Keep an eye out in
the Newsletter, on our Facebook Page and
on our Website for details.
If you would like to suggest any possible
workshops please drop us an email at
nupsa@newcastle.edu.au
NUPSA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION | Issue 2
International Student Programs
Cultural Connections
Cultural Connections is an orientation and
support program for the partners of
international students, partners of visiting
academic members of staff and Research
Higher Degrees candidates.
By joining Cultural Connections, participants
have access to an array of information about
services in the local community, helping
them to better understand Australian
customs and culture develop friendships and
gain confidence in speaking English.
If you are interested in joining Cultural
Connections, please click here to complete
an application form.
NUPSA
Newcastle
University
Postgraduate
Students’
Association
It is not possible to bring children to the
program as there are no childcare facilities
available.
Cultural Connections meet every Thursday
from 12pm till 2pm in the 'Clubhouse Room'
under the Bar on the Hill, Callaghan Campus.
If you are interested in being involved with
this program, then contact Kikki Tagaroulias
international-community@newcastle.edu.au
to register for this.
The Network
Are you a NBS student looking to network
with other students and meet with business
leaders in the local area? Are you looking for
social as well as educational things to do
whilst you are studying at Newcastle
8
Business School? Then NUPSA and the
International office have the perfect program
for you.
The Network is a Weekly program designed
with a mix of educational and social activities
to enhance and add value to your degree. We
meet every Wednesday from 3:30 - 5:00
pm during the Trimester in the Level 3
Common Room (subject to change
dependant on the activity) share some
afternoon tea, socialise and learn something
new and educational. We also occasionally
have excursions to places of interest in the
local area and for these sessions transport if
required can be arranged.
If you are interested in being involved with
this program, then contact Jack Thieme
jack.thieme@newcastle.edu.au to register
for this.
How to contact us
The NUPSA office is located in Room HA150 (opposite Huxley Library)
Hunter Building, Callaghan Campus.
The office is open Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Telephone number is (02) 4921 8894
email - nupsa@newcastle.edu.au
Check out the NUPSA web site - nupsa.org.au
Follow us on twitter - @Your_NUPSA
Or join our Facebook page
HA 150 Hunter Building
Callaghan NSW 2308
https://www.facebook.com/NewcastleUniversityPostgraduateStudentsAssociation
Contact us
4921 8894
nupsa@newcastle.edu.au
nupsa.org.au
hi