Taking life head on

Youth Ambassador for Blacktown Council, NSW, Doris David talks to Tanu about her role, her inspiration and future plans

Doris David has a lot on her plate for the coming year. She, along with Jade Collins, has been appointed as the Youth Ambassadors by the Blacktown Council in New South Wales.
“I have a conference in July in Tamworth on Sister Cities and another one in late September. I will also have to speak at citizenship ceremonies every month,” she says from Melbourne where she is visiting family and friends. “I will also get to meet some high profile people as part of the Blacktown Council programmes. I basically will have to be the voice of the youth in Blacktown.”
Every year the council appoints two youth ambassadors after a very stringent selection process involving interviews, quizzes as well as presenatations. “Doris is a very good public speaker so she managed to do well at everything,” says her mother Susan David, who lives with her father David Kingsly in Prospect, New South Wales.
Doris was born in India in 1993 and she was 11 when she came to Australia. She has been in Blacktown ever since. She studied in the area and is proud of the suburb Blacktown. “I think I’ve really been shaped by Blacktown. When I walk around, everyone is so friendly and all have time for a smile and a chat. I’ve been to other suburbs but I feel really lucky to have been in Blacktown.”
It was at a multicultural forum a year back that a local councillor took notice of a very spirited young girl speaking publicly. Doris was in Year 10 at the time but the councillor asked her to apply for the youth ambassador ship anyway. The entry requirement was Year 11 education. Doris tried, but was unsuccessful. Seeing this as an opportunity is probably testament to her character. She tried again the next year and breezed through all the stages to be nominated the Youth Ambassador.
Doris has a number of other interests including netball which she not only plays but is qualified to umpire as well. She has also just completed her 6th grade in piano. Now, she says she wants to grow up to be a criminal lawyer. Her mother was not quite sure where the inspiration came from but Doris says that it probably has to do with her public speaking skills. “It was also watching Judge Judy. And then again, I just like to argue. I just argue about everything around the house. Now I’m taking legal studies and I have a love for the law,” says Doris.
Her mother says that her skills probably come from her attending Bible classes regularly. Here she has had to speak publicly from when she was very young. “Faith is obviously a big part of who I am. Without the gospel, it’s all impossible. I pray every day and I’m thankful that He shows me the way,” says Doris.
Her mother says that she has always been the responsible one in the family. “When she first got to Australia, she settled down in no time at all. She was soon taking her younger sister and cousins to school and back,” says her mother. Doris says that being the elder one probably has a lot to do with it but she adds, “I think the way Mum and Dad brought me up also has a lot to do with it. They taught me manners and watching them live their life has been the best example for me. They’ve always encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and to challenge myself.”
So there is much in store for this promising member of the new generation. We look forward to seeing her achieve much more.

Working smarter

Director of the Monash Institute for Nanosciences, Materials and Manufacture (MINMM) Dr Abid Khan is a busy man. This is to understate the importance of the work he does. He inhabits rarefied nether regions of cutting edge technology and scientific innovation. He works in that gap area where brilliant and innovative ideas can get converted into products that the general consumer can use. He spoke to Tanu about his work and about how he got to Australia.

Tell us a bit about the current position you hold and your new work with the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN)?
I am currently in two main roles. Firstly I am the Director of the Monash Institute for Nanosciences, Materials and Manufacture (MINMM) at Monash University to which I was appointed about three years ago. I worked with others from academia, CSIRO, industry and State Government to propose the creation of a new facility/organisation (the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, MCN) geared towards the prototyping of advanced technologies for the healthcare, energy and environmental areas (e.g. rapid low cost medical diagnostics, solar cells, environmental sensors). I was subsequently asked to take charge of its delivery as the skills base to do this was in short supply in Australia. Once the facility and its operations/organisation have been delivered (end of 2009) I will revert back to my primary role but will retain a relationship with the new facility.

In layman’s terms what work is done at this facility and how would it benefit the general public?
Benefits to the public are multiple. The facility will allow healthcare and environmental researchers to develop their ideas beyond lab-bench experiments into manufacturable prototypes using technology that isn't readily available here. Examples that are currently being worked on in our partner labs include devices for inhaleable insulin for diabetes, new types of solar and battery technology, etc. This may lead to new business creation in various areas. The facility will also help industry to access competitive new technologies. Furthermore, the facility will allow Australia to connect with those developing this technology overseas. The facility will allow us to actually make things at the nanoscale - i.e. by controlling small numbers of atoms.

How did you find yourself being involved in such cutting edge scientific work? And how did you reach Australia?
I’ve always wanted to do impactful things. I was good at sciences but I did not want to just be someone sitting in a lab measuring things over and over. I wanted to make an impact with my work and that is probably why I chose physics as it gives a very broad understanding.
I have always had an interest in all sciences and this has grown over time into an interest in innovation generally. I was a researcher in the early 90's at Oxford University and realised that good technology and, indeed, good ideas don't always make it into the real world. I therefore left research to work in the USA as a strategy consultant for the Fortune 500, emphasising innovative ideas and technologies. I was in the US for about 10 years. After this I was asked to contribute to the creation of a new research centre in London called the London Centre for Nanotechnology or the LCN (a 30 million UK pounds investment with almost 200 people) which we wanted to establish as much like a business as a research centre. During this I proposed the creation of a new business called the Bio-Nanotechnology Centre (BNC) to help link industry to research to provide new medical products for which I raised 5 million UK pounds. I was asked to be CEO of this during its early development and delivery also. At this point I decided to move to Australia as my wife is from here and was asked to oversee Monash's nanosciences. I also contribute to the State Governments innovation programmes and various boards where I can push an innovation theme.

I first came here about 15 years ago after my niece died in the UK at a young age and I wanted to 'get away' from things. While here I, by chance, met the lady I would later marry. When we finally got married about 5 years ago we made the decision to come at some stage to Australia. The opportunity came when Monash University offered me this position.
In London you were Deputy Director of the London Centre for Nanotechnology. Does the work with LCN shape your current vision for the centre?
The LCN is a research centre aimed at being amongst the best in the world, a very 'London' based model that is hard to duplicate elsewhere. It combines two of the world's best universities (Imperial College and University College London) and operates under a very novel organisational structure. We established an academic organisation that resembles a business and is very focussed on major impact. The MCN is different as it is more focussed on external users rather than lots of internal researchers. MCN's goal is to help people achieve what they need to and to fix gaps in Australia's development capabilities. Both share the theme that they house the latest technologies.

Do you find that Australia is technologically in step with the rest of the world?
I feel that Australia needs to become more outward facing. Technologically, Australia could really advance the areas of medical and environmental technology and create new businesses along the way but it has not yet emphasised such an innovative approach - it tends to be a follower of overseas trends. There are good researchers and some good infrastructure here but I would hope for more flexibility and risk taking (particularly by the publicly funded organisations) so that larger outcomes and opportunities can be achieved.
What would be the reason you’ve been so successful?
I would not say that this is the last job I’ll ever do. I have moved between industry and the academics for a while now. However, having said that, I’ve been able to do as much as I have because I’ve been in very good institutions. Imperial College London, UCL, Oxford and Cambridge (where I’ve studied and done research in) are among the top in the world. I wanted to learn the right kind of things, I wanted to lead myself rather than fall into things. That shows you can get far by ticking the right boxes at the right time.
Do you find that people are losing interest in it today?
There is actually statistical evidence to prove that. I suppose it may change with the recession as people try to recession proof themselves by going into the education sector for a couple of years. The past few years being boom years, people tend choose what they call the more “creative” option and go for the non-scientific fields. I feel that this is a misconception because science is incredibly creative. It is true we follow a logical process but it starts with a very creative assumption. Another thing they don’t tell you is how well a scientific background would help in a business or real world scenario. I find that I have been able to do much better than my counterparts who were in similar positions but were from an MBA background.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in the sciences in Australia? What would be the next best step for them?
Australians haven’t really bought into this whole idea of career planning. They don’t really work to build a skill set that will make them more attractive to the employers. They need to plan their short-term education goals keeping in mind a long-term strategy.
Tell us a bit about your cultural background?
I was born in the UK but I have brothers and sisters who were born in Pakistan. I grew up in and around the London suburbs so I’m used to being in a very dynamic environment.

Speaking her mind, living her dream

Komi Sellathurai loves writing and Australia. So it looks like she has it made because she is living her dream -- she is a writer living in Australia. Her work has appeared in many publications including ABC’s Unleashed. In a free-wheeling interview, she talks to Tanu about her life, work and opinions.

To start at the beginning, where were you born and brought up?
I was born and bred in Singapore.
Tell us how you chose Australia and how you got here. How long have you been here?
I had always wanted to further my studies in the field of journalism overseas. I had been to Australia before on a school trip many years ago and fell in love with Sydney, so it seemed like a natural choice especially since UTS has a fantastic journalism program. Like many Indians, I come from a strict Indian family and my parents promised that I could go overseas to do my Masters degree only if I made it to the National University of Singapore and graduated with a Bachelors degree first. What better motivation could I ask for?

What were your first impressions? Have they changed over time?
I came to Sydney on my own. I didn’t have any relatives or friends here. From day one, I had to depend on many kind Australians for directions and recommendations when I was house hunting. The Australian people in general are extremely friendly and they have a great attitude to life. I know this personally because my best friend from high school is Australian.
Now that I’ve been here for almost three years, I’ve spent three Christmases with Australian families in the southern coast of NSW and the country, and three birthdays with Australian and Kiwi friends, and I was made to feel like I was one of them. So my first impressions have not changed. I have a deeper respect for them now more than before.

You’ve written a very thought-provoking article for ABC’s Unleashed about how you had sit for the English test to prove that you could speak the language although you work as a journalist for English publications here. You must have some funny stories from your job search in this particular industry.
Yes, my article was really a commentary on bureaucracy and the stereotypes it perpetuated but some people mistook it as an attack on the country which was unfortunate and not at all my intention. But I can respect the instinctive in all of us to defend what we care about and express it freely.
Not many funny stories in the job search really. I think even if people doubt your English language capabilities, once you open your mouth to speak, the doubts disappear. I think Australian people genuinely want to connect with you but once they see that you look somewhat different, they hold back only because they are not used to it not because they don’t want to.
It is funny when people try to pronounce my name though. You know how they greet you before you board an aircraft; they tend to say “Hi Ms so and so. We hope you enjoy your flight”. I’ve been in queues where everyone before me is addressed by their first names until they see my boarding pass with Komathi Sellathurai on it. They just freeze, say hi and wave me in. And I was given the nickname Komi since I was little and I introduce myself as such. Even then people ask if I’m Amy, Tomi or even Kobe like the basketball player.

Do you feel there are enough writers who are from other backgrounds in the media?
If we are talking about Asian writers per se, I would have to say they are represented, adequately I’m not sure. I don’t know what the statistics are. I think the fiction writing world here is more open to diversity but it may not be the case in journalism, but I’m sure this will change in the future. We must also take into consideration that a lot writing is done “behind the scenes” in the form of copywriting or ghost-writing for various industries whereby you don’t necessarily see a by-line or picture attached to the words.

When you get “What nationality are you?” what is your response?
I say I’m Singaporean, which is my nationality, but this tends to be confusing for many people who associate Singapore with the Chinese. I usually end up adding, “My ethinicity is Indian”.

What do you call home?
I’ve actually interviewed someone and asked the very same question and she said home is where the heart is. It is clichéd but there’s no denying it.

What is family for you?
There’s the family you are born into and the family you build when you move away. I’m fortunate to have two families home and away. Family for me is people with whom you feel safe and loved unconditionally and for whom you feel a basal instinct to defend and protect.

What are you hobbies and interests apart from writing?
I love film - watching, reviewing, writing (oops!) and talking about them. To give you a Facebook answer: comedy, plays, live music, art museums, dinners with friends, the beach, excellent coffee, second hand book shopping – pretty much the best Sydney has to offer.

You have one published short story online. Is this something you would like to follow up? How are you going with that?
I had another very short one published quite recently as well. Fiction writing is something I would definitely like to pursue. It allows me to express my romantic side. Unfortunately, I feel I’m still lacking the patience and discipline that’s required for the field but I’m sure that will come with time. I dabbled in copywriting for an advertising agency in Singapore and I especially loved coming up with ideas. And I think fiction writing allows me to do that as well, combine my two favourite things – ideas and words.

What is your idea of assimilation?
Taken from the context of my article where I mention the assimilation of migrants, it would be respect and understanding.

What is your idea of multiculturalism?
My memories of growing up in Singapore. This is not an ad for Singapore which is far from perfect, but as kids we were always celebrating different festivals with different families, eating different kinds of food, sharing secrets with best friends who didn’t look anything like you. And of course learning curse words in different languages!

If you were Prime Minister for a day, what is the first change you would make?
A career change. The biggest changes are made by ordinary people on a grassroots level. They are a part of the community and the changes they make are with the people first and foremost in mind. The bureaucracy of politics has the power to transform even the most committed to disenchanted fools who inevitably reduce individuals to a statistic. But then again, there are some very level-headed and charismatic leaders running the world today. We’ll just have to wait and see.