Over 40 members and friends of SUGUNA participated in the annual meeting August 7-10,1997 at the University of Ottawa to hear interesting, informative, provocative, stimulating (pick the appropriate adjective) lectures by fellow alumni and enjoy a varied social program.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof. Derek Anderson spoke of the state of the University in 1997 describing recent changes in the organizational and physical structure and the challenges of surviving on a restricted budget while maintaining academic programmes and staff salaries. Prof. Anderson also outlined some future developments such as a pilot summer school and planning for the University sesquicentennial.
Mr. Greg Wood, Australian High Commissioner to Canada, addressed the problem of dual Australian/USA or Canadian citizenship.
Prof. Neville Clouten discussed how to teach the "artistry" of intuitive practice with specific reference to graduate architectural education.
Prof. John Furedy used his Andersonian education at Sydney University to defend against the "barbarism" of North American political correctness in academia.
Dr. Michael Kleerkoper explained that although osteoporosis is a universal consequence of aging we don't have to get all broken up about it.
Mr. Ian Bund discussed renewed interest in venture capital in Australia.
There was a serendipitous spin off from a talk given by Dr. Jenny Green at the 1995 SUGUNA meeting in Whistler on the cryoprotectant properties of the sugar trehalose.
Gillian Beattie gave a talk on how she was able to use trehalose to successfully cryopreserve pancreatic islets for transplantation.
Truly this was "nature favoring the prepared mind" (with the help of SUGUNA).
Further details of these lectures will be provided in the SUGUNA NewsLetter.
Each year SUGUNA recognizes members on the basis of excellence in their academic and/or their professional careers and their contributions to humanity.
At the SUGUNA meeting in Ottawa, Dr. Clifford Kwann-Gett was made the 1997 awardee. Clifford Kwann-Gett obtained a B.Sc. ('54) and B.E. ('56) as well as M.B., B.S.('63) from the University of Sydney. He served as Associate Research Professor of Surgery and Associate Director of Engineering-Division of Artificial Organs at the University of Utah where he designed and developed an artificial kidney machine for home use, a total artificial heart and driving system for implantation and an intra-aortic balloon pump. From 1977 until his retirement in 1995 he worked in private practice as a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon. He continues to work as a consultant on the design of a nuclear powered artificial heart and teaches refresher courses to surgeons on artificial heart implantation.
Ernest Newbrun, Executive Director