[AUUG-Talk]: John Lions appeal @ UNSW still happening...

[steve jenkin]

<http://unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2007/jan/Linux_donation_2007.html>
<http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/JohnLions/>
<http://www.usenix.org/about/lionsfund/>
<http://www.linuxworld.com.au/pp.php?id=88823458&fp=16&fpid=0>

Recruitment Ad:
<http://www.hr.unsw.edu.au/services/recruitment/jobs/19010701.html>

Global IT Community Supports UNSW
29 January 2007


[photo] Pia Waugh from Linux, Gernot Heiser  from UNSW and Ted T'so
from USENIX

The IT community has acted to support technical teaching of computer
engineering at UNSW by donating more then $100,000 to the John Lions
Chair in Operating Systems.

The chair, which was established late last year, aims to enable an
eminent academic to continue the John Lions tradition of insightful
and inspirational teaching in operating systems.

Speaking about the donation, Professor Gernot Heiser, from the School
of Computer Science and Engineering, said: “In computer science there
is currently a trend of moving away from hardcore technical teaching
to soft skills. UNSW has always recognised that there is a need for
soft skills but not at the cost of the technical training. That
commitment from the University is the reason behind the strong IT
community support for this chair.”

The donation was presented to the University at an international
conference hosted by Linux Australia and held at UNSW. It was raised
through the efforts of UNSW engineering alumni, Linux Australia and
USENIX, which is a global association for advanced computer systems.

“The industry likes the idea of a Chair being created in the name of
John Lions and providing support for in-depth teaching of operating
systems, such as is taught at UNSW. This is about teaching students to
create, not just use, technology,” Professor Heiser explains.

In 2005 global wireless communications giant Qualcomm donated
US$500,000, which allowed the chair to be established. The current
donation is a significant step towards raising the $2 million
necessary to make the chair ongoing.

John Lions was an Associate Professor at UNSW. Renowned as an
outstanding teacher, he wrote a commentary on the UNIX code which
became a technical bible for students, hackers and qualified
professionals and was a key factor in developing the Open Source movement.

For more information on the Chair and appeal please go to
<http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/JohnLions/>

-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://www.canb.auug.org.au/~sjenkin