Committee 2014
The committee for AUScA is elected every year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). These hard-working volunteers donate hours of their time to organise everything you see AUScA organising throughout the year. Our Goal is to make sure you enjoy and attend as many events as you can!
Your committee is made up of:
In addition, we also have a number of past committee members who have helped us out over the years. Their effort has allowed us to grow into the thriving club we are today.
To join the committee, submit a nomination for election at our next AGM.
Your committee is made up of:
- President: Ben Geytenbeek
- Vice-President: Jason Oliver
- Treasurer: Irene Willcocks
- Secretary: Brittany Howell
- First Year Representative: Angelica Barrientos
- Second Year Representative: Jasmine Kelly
- Third Year Representative: Tuong Cao
- Honours/Postgraduate Representative: Gemma Gransbury
- General Committee Members: Bryan Banks, Matthew Bowie, Tim Aldridge and Luke Day
In addition, we also have a number of past committee members who have helped us out over the years. Their effort has allowed us to grow into the thriving club we are today.
To join the committee, submit a nomination for election at our next AGM.
President
Current President: Ben Geytenbeek
President Since: 2013
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2012-2014, Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2015 - present
Other study: University of Exeter Study Abroad (2013)
Major: Experimental and Theoretical Physics
Honours Project: Undecided
Favourite Course: Quantum Mechanics III/Advanced Dynamics and Relativity (Yes, I am crazy).
Hobbies: I spend most of my waking hours studying, or preparing things for AUScA
Fact about me: In wintertime, I am easily recognisable around uni due to my knee length scarf.
My Role in AUScA: As the president, it is my role to plan and coordinate many of the events run throughout the year. At meetings, I take the chair and ensure that they run to schedule in an orderly manner. I also represent AUScA in meetings with the Faculty of Sciences.
I started with AUScA from it's revival in 2013. I was elected at the inaugural general meeting and was involved with setting up the events for later in the semester, including the meet-and-greet and Beeronium Pub Crawl. However, after a few weeks I was jetting off to complete a semester-long exchange at the University of Exeter in England, with my role as president filled dutifully by the then-vice president Jason Oliver. I returned at the beginning of 2014 to help with the O'week sign-ups and subsequently the Drop the Base Pub Crawl. I was re-elected unopposed at the 2014 AGM, and spent much of the mid-year break preparing for the Cell-Fie Pub Crawl, Quiz Night and extensively planned the Christmas Dinner. For each of these events, I oversee that the different components come together correctly to ensure the event runs smoothly.
Contact Me: I will usually be in my office, Physics 119, else contact me via email [email protected]
President Since: 2013
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2012-2014, Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2015 - present
Other study: University of Exeter Study Abroad (2013)
Major: Experimental and Theoretical Physics
Honours Project: Undecided
Favourite Course: Quantum Mechanics III/Advanced Dynamics and Relativity (Yes, I am crazy).
Hobbies: I spend most of my waking hours studying, or preparing things for AUScA
Fact about me: In wintertime, I am easily recognisable around uni due to my knee length scarf.
My Role in AUScA: As the president, it is my role to plan and coordinate many of the events run throughout the year. At meetings, I take the chair and ensure that they run to schedule in an orderly manner. I also represent AUScA in meetings with the Faculty of Sciences.
I started with AUScA from it's revival in 2013. I was elected at the inaugural general meeting and was involved with setting up the events for later in the semester, including the meet-and-greet and Beeronium Pub Crawl. However, after a few weeks I was jetting off to complete a semester-long exchange at the University of Exeter in England, with my role as president filled dutifully by the then-vice president Jason Oliver. I returned at the beginning of 2014 to help with the O'week sign-ups and subsequently the Drop the Base Pub Crawl. I was re-elected unopposed at the 2014 AGM, and spent much of the mid-year break preparing for the Cell-Fie Pub Crawl, Quiz Night and extensively planned the Christmas Dinner. For each of these events, I oversee that the different components come together correctly to ensure the event runs smoothly.
Contact Me: I will usually be in my office, Physics 119, else contact me via email [email protected]
Vice-President
Current Vice-President: Jason Oliver
Vice-President Since: 2013
Previous Roles: none, yet!
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2011-2014, Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2015 - present
Other study: I went on Exchange to the University of Copenahgen in the first semester of 2014. Anyone who wants to know about exchanges, what to do, how to do them, just let me know :)
Major: Theoretical Physics :D
Honours Project: Undecided
Favourite Course: Courses that change how you think - learning new approaches to problems makes subjects interesting.
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni: The Chemistry and Physics Building Room 119 - In my Undergrad, I hung out in the Hub - like literally all the time.
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
My Role in AUScA:
Contact Me: If you need to contact me, either come to my office in The Chemistry & Physics Building Room 119 or email me at email: [email protected]
Vice-President Since: 2013
Previous Roles: none, yet!
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2011-2014, Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2015 - present
Other study: I went on Exchange to the University of Copenahgen in the first semester of 2014. Anyone who wants to know about exchanges, what to do, how to do them, just let me know :)
Major: Theoretical Physics :D
Honours Project: Undecided
Favourite Course: Courses that change how you think - learning new approaches to problems makes subjects interesting.
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni: The Chemistry and Physics Building Room 119 - In my Undergrad, I hung out in the Hub - like literally all the time.
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
My Role in AUScA:
Contact Me: If you need to contact me, either come to my office in The Chemistry & Physics Building Room 119 or email me at email: [email protected]
Secretary
Current Secretary: Brittany Howell
Secretary Since: 2014
Previous Roles: First-Year Representative (2013-2014)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science) 2013 - present
Major: Microbiology and Immunology
Favourite Course: Immunology and Virology II
Office/Place of Habitation: The Braggs Level 3
Hobbies: Organising my study timetable/AUScA events. Also SNES Super Mario.
Fact about me: I like to walk to that point along the Torrens where you can see into the giraffe enclosure and watch them walk around.
My Role in AUScA: In brief: I do the organising. That is, if there are people on a stall, I probably wrote the schedule putting them there. I organise times for meetings that please the committee, then I take notes and later remind everybody of what they agreed to do in the meeting.
Contact Me: Facebook's the easiest. Or email ([email protected]). Carrier pigeon is also fine.
Secretary Since: 2014
Previous Roles: First-Year Representative (2013-2014)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science) 2013 - present
Major: Microbiology and Immunology
Favourite Course: Immunology and Virology II
Office/Place of Habitation: The Braggs Level 3
Hobbies: Organising my study timetable/AUScA events. Also SNES Super Mario.
Fact about me: I like to walk to that point along the Torrens where you can see into the giraffe enclosure and watch them walk around.
My Role in AUScA: In brief: I do the organising. That is, if there are people on a stall, I probably wrote the schedule putting them there. I organise times for meetings that please the committee, then I take notes and later remind everybody of what they agreed to do in the meeting.
Contact Me: Facebook's the easiest. Or email ([email protected]). Carrier pigeon is also fine.
Treasurer
Current Treasurer: Irene Willcocks
Treasurer Since: 2013
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Teaching 2012 - present
Major: Chemistry and Experimental Physics
Favourite Course:
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
My Role in AUScA:
Contact Me:
Treasurer Since: 2013
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Teaching 2012 - present
Major: Chemistry and Experimental Physics
Favourite Course:
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
My Role in AUScA:
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First Year Representative
Current First Year Representative: Angelica Barrientos
First Year Representative since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Evolutionary Biology) 2014 - present
Major:
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Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies:
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NOTE: Angelica Barrientos is ineligible to recontest the position of the First Year Representative at the 2015 AGM
First Year Representative since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Evolutionary Biology) 2014 - present
Major:
Favourite Course:
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
My Role in AUScA:
Contact Me:
NOTE: Angelica Barrientos is ineligible to recontest the position of the First Year Representative at the 2015 AGM
Second Year Representative
Current Second Year Representative: Jasmine Kelly
Second Year Representative since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2013 - present
Major:
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Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
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NOTE: Jasmine Kelly is ineligible to recontest the position of the Second Year Representative at the 2015 AGM
Second Year Representative since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2013 - present
Major:
Favourite Course:
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
My Role in AUScA:
Contact Me:
NOTE: Jasmine Kelly is ineligible to recontest the position of the Second Year Representative at the 2015 AGM
Third Year Representative
Current Third Year Representative: Tuong Cao
Third Year Representative since: 2014
Previous Roles: Secretary (2013 - 2014)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2012 - 2014
Major: Experimental and Theoretical Physics
Favourite Course:
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
My Role in AUScA:
Contact Me:
NOTE: Tuong Cao is ineligible to recontest the position of the Third Year Representative at the 2015 AGM
Third Year Representative since: 2014
Previous Roles: Secretary (2013 - 2014)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2012 - 2014
Major: Experimental and Theoretical Physics
Favourite Course:
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies:
Fact about me:
My Role in AUScA:
Contact Me:
NOTE: Tuong Cao is ineligible to recontest the position of the Third Year Representative at the 2015 AGM
Honours/ Postgraduate Representative
Current Honours/Postgraduate Representative: Gemma Gransbury
Honours/Postgraduate Representative since: 2014
Previous Roles: General Committee (2013-2014)
Major: Chemistry double major
Honours Project: Biochemistry of Ruthenium Anti-Cancer Drugs in Tumour Mimic Environments - completed under A/Prof Hugh Harris. My Honours project looked at the Ruthenium-based anticancer drugs KP1019 (which kills primary cancer cells) and NAMI-A (which prevents the spreading of cancer to other parts of the body). Metal-based drugs tend to have multi-faceted modes of action and one pathway has been theorised to be reduction of the Ru(III) centre to Ru(II) which is thought to enhance reactivity and DNA binding. My research used small clusters of cells called spheroids, which mimic tumours, to determine the effect of low oxygen environments on the Ru speciation, and therefore indicate whether the Ru drugs could be selectively reduced by tumour enviroments. To do this I used X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) of the Ru k-edge at the Australian Synchrotron.
Favourite Course: Chemistry III - Spectroscopy and Structure Determination, followed by Maths IA & IB.
Office: Used to be Badger Lab 4 but I am moving to the Chemistry Building at the University of Melbourne (sorry guys!). There are lots of cool people in that lab if you want to visit them anyway!
Hobbies: Watching musical theatre, singing choral music, going to the beach, reading, playing soccer, playing board and card games, camping
Fact about me: I can eat a Coppa Bambino at Gelatissimo in under 4 minutes (with assistance from friends)
My Role in AUScA: Similar to being a general committee member - attend meetings (no excuses as there are no/very few lectures!), help organise, prepare and run events (examples include making playdough for National Science Week sculptoring competiton, bringing interesting science-related things for the O'Week stall, cooking sausages and serving people at BBQs, being a designated 'responsible person' at pub crawls, providing feedback on t-shirt designs). Honours and postgrad is a lot of work and you have to organise your own time so my advice to the person who takes up this position next is to make all the meetings, contribute as many ideas as you can and get as involved as possible but only take on things you will be able to do properly. On top of that, try to get as many Honours and Postgrad students envolved in AUScA's events and let them know what is happening.
Contact me: Facebook or [email protected]
NOTE: Gemma Gransbury is ineligible to recontest the position of Honours/Postgraduate Representative at the 2015 AGM
Honours/Postgraduate Representative since: 2014
Previous Roles: General Committee (2013-2014)
Major: Chemistry double major
Honours Project: Biochemistry of Ruthenium Anti-Cancer Drugs in Tumour Mimic Environments - completed under A/Prof Hugh Harris. My Honours project looked at the Ruthenium-based anticancer drugs KP1019 (which kills primary cancer cells) and NAMI-A (which prevents the spreading of cancer to other parts of the body). Metal-based drugs tend to have multi-faceted modes of action and one pathway has been theorised to be reduction of the Ru(III) centre to Ru(II) which is thought to enhance reactivity and DNA binding. My research used small clusters of cells called spheroids, which mimic tumours, to determine the effect of low oxygen environments on the Ru speciation, and therefore indicate whether the Ru drugs could be selectively reduced by tumour enviroments. To do this I used X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) of the Ru k-edge at the Australian Synchrotron.
Favourite Course: Chemistry III - Spectroscopy and Structure Determination, followed by Maths IA & IB.
Office: Used to be Badger Lab 4 but I am moving to the Chemistry Building at the University of Melbourne (sorry guys!). There are lots of cool people in that lab if you want to visit them anyway!
Hobbies: Watching musical theatre, singing choral music, going to the beach, reading, playing soccer, playing board and card games, camping
Fact about me: I can eat a Coppa Bambino at Gelatissimo in under 4 minutes (with assistance from friends)
My Role in AUScA: Similar to being a general committee member - attend meetings (no excuses as there are no/very few lectures!), help organise, prepare and run events (examples include making playdough for National Science Week sculptoring competiton, bringing interesting science-related things for the O'Week stall, cooking sausages and serving people at BBQs, being a designated 'responsible person' at pub crawls, providing feedback on t-shirt designs). Honours and postgrad is a lot of work and you have to organise your own time so my advice to the person who takes up this position next is to make all the meetings, contribute as many ideas as you can and get as involved as possible but only take on things you will be able to do properly. On top of that, try to get as many Honours and Postgrad students envolved in AUScA's events and let them know what is happening.
Contact me: Facebook or [email protected]
NOTE: Gemma Gransbury is ineligible to recontest the position of Honours/Postgraduate Representative at the 2015 AGM
General Committee Members
General Committee Member: Bryan Banks
General Committee Member since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Space Science and Astrophysics) 2012 - present
Major: Physics and Chemistry
Favourite Course: Space Science and Astrophysics I
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies: Thinking of a hobby I do
Fact about me: I've covered pretty much every science in at least a semester's worth
My Role in AUScA: My role in AUScA as general committee member, is to offer up new ideas and to voice opinions on ideas from other committee members to ensure that we have successful events and also are successful in other endeavors.
Contact Me:
General Committee Member since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Space Science and Astrophysics) 2012 - present
Major: Physics and Chemistry
Favourite Course: Space Science and Astrophysics I
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
Hobbies: Thinking of a hobby I do
Fact about me: I've covered pretty much every science in at least a semester's worth
My Role in AUScA: My role in AUScA as general committee member, is to offer up new ideas and to voice opinions on ideas from other committee members to ensure that we have successful events and also are successful in other endeavors.
Contact Me:
General Committee Member: Matthew Bowie
General Committee Member since: 2014
Previous Roles: CA Delegate (2013 - 2014)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2012 - 2014, Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2015 - present
Major:
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General Committee Member since: 2014
Previous Roles: CA Delegate (2013 - 2014)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Advanced) 2012 - 2014, Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2015 - present
Major:
Honours Project:
Favourite Course:
Office/Place of Habitation at Uni:
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General Committee Member: Tim Aldridge
General Committee Member since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
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General Committee Member since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
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General Committee Member: Luke Day
General Committee Member since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
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General Committee Member since: 2014
Previous Roles: None
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Fact about me:
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