It’s a wrap
Next month we hope to formally introduce you to Lisa Bolton and David Carroll, but for this month, I think that’s a wrap!
Kathie Rabel
Acting AAIR President
Happy New Year
…and here’s to a great start to 2019!
Many of you may still be on holiday, but I hope you can spare some kind thoughts for those of us who have started back at work already this year. And why is it that the weather always gets better when you are back at work? Rhetorical question that is not based on any data – just a gut feeling! Sometimes you just have to go with that gut feeling though.
We have a busy year ahead of us on the AAIR Executive with four new Committee members and a couple of vacancies. I hope that some of you will seriously consider becoming more involved with AAIR and join those of us who are giving back to the association.
Now, a little bit about those who have chosen to give some of their time to AAIR. I gave each of the new Committee members an option of writing something themselves or answering four questions that I put to them. This month we introduce two of our new Committee members to you Leone Nurbasari and Andrew Bradshaw.
Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
Leone Nurbasari
First up is Leone Nurbasari, Associate Director, Reporting and Analytics at The Australian National University.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I love exploring problems and generating new knowledge and understanding. Last year I particularly enjoyed building models from a variety of data sources to inform a new undergraduate admissions model at ANU.
Tell us something about yourself outside your working life.
I have always been pretty average at sports, and quite hopeless at running. Having recently completed the couch to 5kms, I am now a regular runner and have plans to increase my distance and complete a 10km run this year.
What got you involved in AAIR?
I have worked in the planning division at The Australian National University (ANU) since 2000. When I started at ANU all those years ago, I learned about AAIR from my division colleagues who had a great network of peers and always brought back valuable ideas from the Annual Forums. I have since been to many different AAIR and SIG fora across the country, and now I look forward to serving on the committee for the next two years.
If you could trade places with someone for a week who might that be and why?
The activity I have enjoyed the most in my life is snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. So, I would trade places with a marine biologist (having magically obtained all their knowledge as part of trading places) and run snorkelling tours on the outer reef to share that joy with other people.
Andrew Bradshaw
Next up we have Andrew Bradshaw, Manager Statutory Reporting at Macquarie University.
What do you enjoy about your job?
2019 is my thirtieth year at Macquarie University in an office responsible for the reporting of our government student and staff data. I have enjoyed the job over this period, as I find the government reporting requirements are continually changing depending upon the political party in office at the time (e.g. I saw the introduction of HECS in 1989 and am now working on the implementation of TCSI for 2020). I also thoroughly enjoyed working with colleagues from other universities, and with Department of Education and Training officials in Canberra.
Tell us something about yourself outside your working life.
I am currently involved in the Sport and Recreation Committee on Blacktown City Council, where I contribute to improving the sporting facilities within the Council to increase the number of participants in sport and recreation within the area. I have managed to build a good relationship with the Mayor and some council members that currently sit on this particular committee.
What got you involved in AAIR?
As a pre-2000 AAIR member, I can’t recall exactly how I first got involved with AAIR. I believe I attended my first annual forum in Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast in 2012 and met many AAIR colleagues at the time with whom I am still friends today. I also recall presenting at one of the early AAIR forums in Adelaide in 1997, where the forum theme was, ‘Equity and tertiary education: The role of institutional research’. I have attended many more AAIR forums since then, and through AAIR have managed to build friendships both professionally within and outside of the university environment. I find attending AAIR SIG forums and annual forums highlights the progress many providers have undertaken, and provides a motivation to take back some of these learnings to our own institutions.
If you could trade places with someone for a week who might that be and why?
When I was 18 years old, I recall playing indoor cricket with Mark and Steve Waugh, where both represented their country and Steve even managed to be captain of the side for many years. Little did I wonder at the time, playing with such talented cricketers, that I would look back on and wonder what it would be like to be Steve Waugh. I am sure there would be times, when facing world class West Indies quick bowlers l would want to trade places and just be that spectator watching from the crowd. But Steve was able to lead Australian cricket through difficult times to be World Cup champions and the best test playing nation of the time.