Student profiles - Diploma in Sustainability
FELICITY KOTSIARIS
What made you decide to undertake this course?
I was near completion of the Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (AGSE at Swinburne University), and
was planning to complement that qualification with one in sustainability to help me fulfill my objective of
providing sustainable innovation strategies to business. The structure, outcomes and convenience of the
Diploma of Sustainability fulfilled my needs at that time.
Why did you choose Swinburne?
At the time I was student at Swinburne so I qualified for the scheme where existing students can do the
Diploma of Sustainability concurrent with or at the end of their program, for a heavily a discounted rate.
What have you gained from the course?
Aside from achieving another qualification, I have benefited greatly from learning about behaviour change,
trends in corporate social responsibility and ‘demystifying’ various forms of environmental accounting. The
greatest gain however is hearing about my classmates’ experiences in taking up the sustainability challenge
in their own professional and personal lives. It is this part especially that shows the scope of initiatives
and activities that are happening at all levels of the community, which gives one hope for a carbon-clean,
equitable future!
What has your favourite aspect of the course been?
Aside from meeting new people, the course has given me practical skills and has been a marvelous ‘teaser’; I
now plan to further my studies in sustainability and have applied for the Master of Corporate Environmental
and Sustainability Management at Monash University.
What are you doing now?
I am developing a business idea that provides business fora that showcase to members the latest
socio-environmental science, innovation and experiential learning.
How do you foresee your qualification helping you in the
future? What are your plans for the future?
Having the Diploma of Sustainability will give me confidence and credibility when presenting to business
people about the opportunities and challenges presented by being competitive in a fully sustainable way.
SAYA LORBACK
What made you decide to undertake this course?
Having worked in the oil & gas industry and also in resources, I made a decision to switch to a
career based in more sustainable outcomes. This was a personal choice, having had trouble reconciling
my own ethics and what my work was contributing to. In order to make this switch, I thought that the best
approach was to show commitment and gain skills through further qualifications. I really loved the
classes, and was really inspired and motivated throughout the course. It has had a big impact on my
career possibilities and also my personal life - I've learnt to make a number of lasting changes for the
better.
Why did you choose Swinburne?
I studied a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering/Bachelor of Arts (Japanese) at Swinburne, and still live
locally to the Hawthorn campus. I had really enjoyed my time there and heard good industry feedback about
Swinburne's reputation. The diploma course suited me perfectly, and was a fantastic opportunity. I heard
about it while working through a course in Renewable Energy Technology at Swinburne TAFE and enrolled.
What have you gained from the course?
I have gained a broad perspective to many of the issues surrounding sustainability, and as it can be an
overwhelming topic, it was fantastic to have a structured guide through the topics, and an expert to
navigate through the various discussions. There are also many resources that were introduces, to allow
further study and learning for specific areas.
What has your favourite aspect of the course been?
I was in a really inspiring class, and our teacher encouraged open discussion, which allowed learning and
perspectives from a range of backgrounds and settings. This discussion opened up many topics, and made it
real, while the teacher was able to provide current and topical examples and resources to aid discussion
and for people to research further. The best part was the networking opportunities, hearing everyone's
experiences and opinions and the opportunity to stay in touch. I also liked the range of topics that we
covered and the guests that came to speak on specific topics.
What are you doing now?
I am currently working at a consulting company, which has a Sustainability & Environment team - although
I am currently in a Marketing role for a short period, am looking to move into project work in the
sustainability field. I have also been working part-time with a backpackers, to 'green' their business,
which has been an amazing experience and quite a successful project. This is an ongoing project, and was
an opportunity that was presented through Swinburne's NCS.
How do you foresee your qualification helping you in the
future? What are your plans for the future?
I believe that the qualification gives credence to my passion for working in the field of sustainability,
and also introduces a range of topics that lead to practical application. As it is a relatively new field,
the qualification definitely adds weight to experience, and the networking has proven to be really valuable
and inspiring. I am looking to work with a firm that holds sustainability principles and is achieving real,
practical change, and also the possibility of being a freelance sustainability consultant to small to medium
businesses. This is an achievable goal with the backing of the course and the experience from the project work.
FIONA MCDONALD
The Swinburne Diploma of Sustainability provided me with a thorough, well-rounded qualification in Sustainability, that I can apply immediately to my workplace and my community. I was able to study the Diploma in the evening and apply the practical behaviour change project to my work. The balance of science, design, theory, media and practise ensured that the course was always topical and relevant to any community or workplace. The class size made it possible to get to know and learn from the diverse experiences of the other students. The Diploma of Sustainability has helped me to apply my professional facilitation and training experience to developing sustainability change programmes in the community.
DANTE TAGLE
What made you decide to undertake this course?
Many scientists, such as Dr. James Hansen of NASA, now believe that
we have got less than ten years to decarbonise the economy before
we passed a major tipping point on climate change. Adequately reducing
our carbon emissions require massive transformation in the way we
produce and consume things. Studying sustainability provided me with
some of the knowledge necessary to be part of the solution on one
of the biggest challenge facing mankind. The course also provided
me a qualification that is increasingly getting more and more in demand.
Why did you choose Swinburne?
I can not imagine doing the course somewhere else. The units are practical,
the quality of teaching is superb and all the teachers are passionate
about the course. The best part is Swinburne’s National Centre for
Sustainability is highly recognized by many organisations in Australia
and other countries.
What are you doing now?
I am currently involved with several organisations here in Australia
and overseas in promoting sustainability as well as climate change
adaptation and mitigation measures. In addition, I decided to do a
marketing course which will also be useful in promoting sustainability.
What have you gained from the course?
There is so much to be gained. Just from the first session, I understood
how significant my carbon footprint is and the complexities involved
if everyone in the planet try to aim for western standard of living.
Most of the knowledge we learned is difficult to acquire outside the
experience provided by the course. Some of the topics that I really
enjoyed in the sessions are the following: concepts of sustainability;
eco design; sustainable production and consumption; triple bottom
line.
What has your favourite aspect of the course been?
The interaction with the teachers and other students was a life changing
experience. My favourite aspect is in learning how to develop a program
for behavioural change and sustainable practices.
How do you foresee your qualification helping you in the
future? What are your plans for the future?
Environmental issues are increasingly becoming the most pressing concern
of our time. Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation (CSIRO) predicts a dramatic growth on ‘green-collar jobs’
within the next ten years. I am certain my sustainability qualification,
together with my other qualifications, would assist me in managing
climate change related opportunities and threats. My plan for the
future is to play a leading role on the massive transformation needed
to bring us and the future generations back to having a safe climate.
Climate change is a global problem and there needs to be an international
response. There is plenty of work that needs to be done.
REG KERNKE
Anglican Schools Commission (Brisbane)
What made you decide to undertake this course?
While the professional development opportunity arose through my employment
contract, I had three goals with a sustainability related course.
At a personal level I wished to broaden my knowledge - to explore
sustainability without the “green-wash” of commercial, government
and media interests. At a future career level my interest is in general
consulting and a formal sustainability edge would be a competitive
advantage, especially in the not for profit and public sectors. The
final goal relates to my current role and the identified need to change
behaviours and revisit existing policy directions to address sustainability
in matters such as new school developments.
Why did you choose Swinburne?
When researching the sustainability concept in late 2007 Swinburne
and NCS were near the top of any search results. Network contacts
in Melbourne confirmed the high regard held for Swinburne especially
in the sustainability area. I was impressed with feedback that Swinburne
were considered cutting edge in the teaching, learning and practice
of sustainability, not simply waiting for government or policy direction
in how to approach sustainability teaching and learning strategies.
What are you doing now?
I am firmly in the not for profit sector as the Manager School Compliance
and Risk Services with the Anglican Schools Commission in the Diocese
of Brisbane. The role is very much focussed on policy and research.
I also represent our non-government school sector on a government
sponsored authority that annually distributes in excess of $40million
in capital assistance grants for school building projects – both new
and refurbishment projects. This level of public investment presently
has no real sustainability context and I have a short term objective
to address that gap with an initial paper to the authority.
What have you gained from the course?
I positively addressed the three distinct goals mentioned above and
have certainly changed personal behaviours and habits to reduce my
ecological footprint. More importantly the course has enabled me to
confidently raise the context of sustainability in the strategic issues
being addressed by our school sector. For my current role those issues
include reporting, monitoring and modelling of investment scenarios.
This course has provided the theory, the tools and the practical application
of sustainability (TBL) reporting, life-cycle cost analysis and behaviour
change models overlayed across the more traditional business planning
tools.
What has your favourite aspect of the course been?
Without a doubt the exposure to various tools and resources has helped
me to “spread the word” about sustainability within my various networks.
Every participant in this course will experience the wonders of designing
and implementing a behaviour change project and in the end this was
my favourite aspect of the course. While sustainability remains a
contextual component of our many varied lifestyles, it is successful
behaviour change that is the real challenge for our world.
How do you foresee your qualification helping you in the
future? What are your plans for the future?
The Diploma of Sustainability promotes an up-to-date edge to my existing
business and governance qualifications. It positively assists my longer
term career plans around consultancy work. For the shorter term it
has triggered that life-long learning instinct and further research
and study beckons. I am currently investigating a Professional Doctorate
opportunity around policy alternatives for the $40million in capital
assistance grants from the government mentioned above.
LOCHLAN VON MOGER
For the second time in three years, a Swinburne Product Design Engineering student has won the student category of the Reece Bathroom Innovation Awards.
Lochlan von Moger, a final year student, designed the ‘Ishi’ shower that includes several water saving features, winning $10,000 for himself and $5000 for Swinburne’s Product Design Engineering (PDE) program.
He set out to design a shower that could allow the user to have a number of water saving options yet stood out as a feature piece within a bathroom.
“The main aim of this design was to create a sense of styling not seen in the current market place,” Lochlan said.
By adjusting a slider in the shower head, two water flow states can be selected. A unique water saving option of a pause button allows the user to wet themselves and pause the flow of water to lather up before rinsing.
Lochlan’s design was commended by the judging panel for "the innovative application of materials with groundbreaking functionality and outstanding design".
The Reece Bathroom Innovation competition is one of the highest standard design competitions in the country. It was established by Reece Australia to encourage and recognise original and outstanding bathroom product design.
This year 115 student entries were received with three of the 10 shortlisted designs being submitted by Swinburne students.
The two other Swinburne finalists were PDE students Edward Taylor and Sebastian Bradilovic.
The competition finalists and winners designs can be viewed at: http://www.bathroominnovation.com.au/2008winners
