A LAUNCH OF LIFE CELEBRATIONS: An opportunity to celebrate notable colleagues

Compiled and edited by Chair of the ANU Emeritus Faculty Professor James Fox, 'Life Celebrations' is the faculty's unique contribution to the University's 75th anniversary. Containing 192 obituaries spanning twenty years, it pays tribute to many of the University's most memorable scholars across all areas of research.

The book provides a rich archive of interwoven personal and professional histories, which self-consciously evoke the often humane, collegiate nature of a world devoted to academic endeavour. The obituaries are warm-hearted, generous, respectful, sometimes moving accounts of a long list of exceptional lives. They also reveal a very detailed history of achievements at ANU as a result of the multitude of research collaborations and networks, both within Australian and internationally.

Introduced by Professor James Fox, the launch will include talks by four of the University's notable figures, all of whom have fascinating memories of life at ANU across the decades.

These include:

Dr Jill Waterhouse, who will discuss the 'Mind-Bending Challenges' faced by two of the University's Vice-Chancellors, economist Leslie Melville and historian Anthony Low.

Emeritus Professor Kurt Lambeck, AO who will be talking about five former members who cemented the international reputation of ANU Research School of Earth Sciences.

Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Minchin, who will give a brief account of the contribution of four classics scholars, Dick Johnson, Beryl Rawson, Doug Kelly and Colin Mayrhofer, to the life of the campus

Emeritus Fellow Colin Steele will be remembering the lives of two renowned humanities scholars, Ian Donaldson and Ralph Elliott and their contribution to ANU and the wider world.

The launch will begin at 5.30pm in the Lecture Theatre (Room 2.02) in the Sir Roland Wilson Building, 120 McCoy Circuit, ANU. Ample parking should be available in the carpark off Liversidge St

'LIFE CELEBRATIONS' can be downloaded at no cost from the ANU Repository at Open Research: Life Celebrations: ANU Obituaries 2000 - 2021.

Limited print copies of the book will be for sale at the launch for $50.

Please note: This is an in-person indoor event and ACT Health mandates that masks are worn during the event. To help keep everyone safe, please ensure that you are familiar with, and follow, the advice from ACT Health regarding COVID-19 exposures. If you do not feel well, please refrain from attending the event.

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