I was a Student Adviser for Mathematics both before the scheme was formally introduced to the Faculty of Science and afterwards: that position required me to not only advise students during enrolment periods on their selection of future courses, but also to assist students whenever necessary with their participation in current courses. In my teaching, I have attempted to be accessible but fair-minded, conscious of general student ability as well as reasonable standards of education: in other words, to maintain a sense of balance. My attitude as an Adviser was similar: that is, to foster interesting and useful combinations of units while adhering to the regulations prescribed by each Faculty.
4. I have briefly been a member of the Faculty Board of the Faculty of Arts (in 1976-77, before going on study leave) and the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Science (in 1986-87, just before it was reconstituted as the Faculty Board).
5. In the mid 1990s, the UWA library system underwent considerable change: not only were book and journal purchases severely curtailed but funding was devolved to Faculties rather than departments, and advanced technology was introduced to handle on-line databases and document delivery. As Convenor of the department's Library Committee between January 1995 - June 1996, I was expected to
6. As one of the key players in UWA's twinning programme with Sunway College in Kuala Lumpur from its inception, and as the Convenor between 1991-1994 of informal meetings of all UWA staff involved with it, I had to ensure that staff reviewed the progress of Sunway students and discussed any issues related to coursework at the College. In 1995, these meetings were reconstituted as a formal Twinning Programme Advisory Group and, as Convenor in 1995-96, I needed to ensure that a high-quality service was provided to the College by way of on-going interest and support, and to encourage colleagues to do the same. In addition, one of my tasks was to advise and support the Academic Director of UWA's International Centre. For example, in early 1996 he sought my opinion on the charges being levied in an existing twinning programme as well as the contract for a proposed programme with another college.
In the early years of my department's involvement with Sunway College, many colleagues felt it occupied too much of their time and provided little benefit to the department. However, through my efforts over the years, they began to realise that such programmes can have major flow-on effects through minimal effort on their part, and hence are worthwhile pursuing for the good of all.
7. Almost single-handedly, I organised two Annual Conferences of the Australian Mathematics Society at UWA, and assisted with others for more specialised groups: this involved liaison with speakers, restaurants, travel agents, consulates, publishers and Colleges. It also required considerable initiative to select and supervise the various academic and social components of each conference, and to arrange media coverage for invited speakers and public lectures.
In particular, I was responsible for handling financial support from the Australian Mathematics Society and the British Council, registration fees and accommodation deposits, plus all costs associated with mounting such conferences. By necessity, these were normally run on a very tight budget, and yet each time I made a small profit for the Society or my department.
In connection with the 1986 conference, I arranged UWA News Releases advertising the conference, as well as articles in the local press during the conference and an interview with a conference speaker on ABC national radio. In addition, at my request, a consulate brought important material from overseas to promote a major exhibit on the life and work of a famous Italian mathematician.
8. In the distant past, I have directed the Summer Mathematics Enrichment Course for talented high-school students in WA, co-ordinated the mathematics exhibit in Uniway (UWA's open day for the public), contributed to a short course on the history of mathematics for UWA's Extension Service, and attended information evenings for prospective students at UWA.
9. Although I am an Arts graduate, I have strong personal interests in the behavioural and biological sciences, and so I was persuaded to write the Science chapter in the book Campus in the Community, UWA Press, 1988. The latter was an edited and abridged version of a much longer document based on Faculty Minutes and Research Reports for the UWA Faculty of Science during the period 1963-1987.