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Named foundations within the Endowment for Excellence continued to be very active in pursuit of their missions in 2016.

ANU Visual Arts Foundation

The ANU Visual Arts Foundation (VAF) provides continuing support for the ANU School of Art, scholarships for visual arts students, Drill Hall Gallery exhibitions and activities, and the ANU Art Collection.

The 2016 Visual Arts Foundation, School of Art Scholarship was awarded to first year student Jacqueline Wang to support her studies in the School of Art Painting Workshop.

The Foundation contributed funds for coordination and development of donor relations for the Schools Emerging Artist Support Scheme EASS.

The Scheme initiated in 1988 with three Patrons, and now includes over 50 Patrons offering acquisition, residency, travel scholarships, subscriptions, exhibition opportunities and awards for graduating students.  

VAF Funding for the 2016 School of Art visiting artist program was reallocated to the 2017 program to support visiting artists and events planned for the School's 40th anniversary.

At the ANU Drill Hall Gallery, the Visual Arts Foundation supported a major exhibition by WA artist, Brian Blanchflower. The exhibition Canopy series spanning thirty years of painting included work borrowed from national, state and private collections. Support of the Foundation enabled the inclusion of large canvases with costly transport problems. The exhibition held from 19 August to 22 September was accompanied by an excellent catalogue also assisted by the Visual Arts Foundation.

Tuckwell Scholarship Foundation

The Tuckwell Scholarship Foundation was created to steward the gift of Graham and Louise Tuckwell in its execution of the Tuckwell Scholarships.

There were several highlights in 2016, including the establishment of a new Tuckwell Scholarship Office with Tim Mansfield appointed as Program Director.  Also in 2016, five of the first Tuckwell scholars from 2014 were awarded their undergraduate degrees, but all of them are staying on to complete further study.

A new peer-mentoring program was established whereby older Scholars mentor incoming Scholars. This program proved a great learning experience for all participants, and is set to continue in 2017.

In May 2016, a new dedicated Scholars House was opened, occupying the building that was previously the Peppercorn Café. This newly renovated space provides the Program with a venue for Scholars House events, and has quickly become a popular place for Scholars to study and socialise.

In 2016, the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø announced that Bruce Hall would be redeveloped to build two new halls of residence at a cost of over $100 million. This will provide much-needed campus accommodation, the returns on which will provide funding for the Scholarship Program in perpetuity.

The Edith and Joy London Foundation

Kioloa Coastal Campus

The Edith and Joy London Foundation supports the most valuable ecological gift within the Endowment. The highlight for 2016 has been the construction of a new Master Plan for Kioloa Coastal Campus. This plan will enable the Campus to develop according to the needs of an increasingly diverse clientele in line with the ANU Strategic Plan. It will honour the conditions of Joy London's bequest and The Edith and Joy London Foundation for Kioloa Coastal Campus to consolidate its position as a world-class facility.

Local author Bruce Hamon left a generous bequest to the Edith and Joy London Foundation. The updated version of his book, They Came to Murramarang - the rights to which were given to the Foundation - was also launched at the Kioloa Coastal Campus.

Sir Roland Wilson Foundation

The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation plays an important role in policy debate and contributes to the national public policy dialogue. The Foundation will continue to foster the links between the Australian Public Service (APS) and the ANU through its current activities and alumni engagement.

As policy issues become increasingly complex it is vital to have a cadre of senior public servants who have academic credentials as well as extensive policy development experience. These leaders will reinforce the bridge between academia and the public service.

The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation was created to honour the remarkable contribution of Roland Wilson to public policy as the longest serving Secretary of the Commonwealth department of The Treasury.

The Foundation's purpose is to support excellence in public policy in Australia, its regions and the world by working collaboratively with the APS in offering PhD scholarships to high-potential early-career public servants to conduct research in areas of national priority.

The PhD scholarship program had its first intake of scholars in 2012. It currently has 16 PhD scholars and four graduates who have returned to the APS to resume their careers, well-equipped academically and with strong links back into the ANU.

In 2016, highlights included a new talent development program for scholars to build on their leadership qualities, three high-profile public events on important public policy topics, the selection of three new scholarship winners, and the graduation of another two scholars. We have also put in train two exciting new initiatives which will commence in 2017.

Sir Roland Wilson Foundation - Camille Report

In September 2016, Sir Roland Wilson Foundation Scholar Camille Goodman from the Attorney-General's Department co-hosted a workshop on 'Innovating for Change in Global Fisheries Governance' at the KG Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea in Tromso, Norway. Camille's PhD research, based in the ANU College of Law, concerns the nature and extent of the powers that states can exercise in fishery resources in the exclusive economic zone adjacent to their coastline.

Camille explains: "The workshop was conceived during the course of my SRW overseas travel program... I met PhD students from the UK and Norway who shared my research interests. We began sharing ideas and resources, discussing complex issues arising in our field, reviewing each other's work, and providing feedback. All at once, we were able to easily discuss our work with other researchers who understood it, and access a broader range of ideas and influences from other parts of the world."

To broaden this network, Camille and her colleagues organised a workshop on international fisheries law, hosted by the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø of Tromso. The workshop focused on the thorny issue of how international law can contribute workable solutions for the complex and continually evolving challenges of international fisheries governance. It attracted participants from the UK, Iceland, Norway, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, and Canada, including both early-career scholars and eminent academics in the law of the sea.

Camille says: "It was an invaluable opportunity to broaden my international network and build links with other researchers working on law of the sea and international fisheries, so that I can ensure my research has a global perspective."

ANU School of Music Foundation Endowment

During 2016, the following competition performance prizes were awarded:

• Friends Ensemble Prizes, Jazz and Classical
• Margaret Smiles Accompaniment Prize
• Whitworth-Roach Classical Music Performance Prize

The Friends and Smiles prizes were combined in a highly successful event featuring School of Music students. The Whitworth-Roach prize, generously supported by Ms Christine Roach, attracted high calibre students from across the campus, with heats held to select four finalists. The competition also featured guest artists The Australian String Quartet, who performed to critical acclaim.

A comprehensive program of concerts, recitals, workshops, public lectures and seminars took place at the School, with visiting artists in both jazz and classical disciplines, culminating in the Gala Concert in October with Visiting Fellow Dave Eggar from the United States of America.

The School of Music was delighted to welcome Ensemble Offspring as the 2016 ensemble in residence. Their residency included four campus visits, providing invaluable educational and professional opportunities for School of Music students. The professionalism and expertise of these exceptional performers was warmly embraced by the students who were inspired, uplifted, guided and mentored by all players.

The guidance and influence of the Ensemble Offspring players was evident in the work of student composers and performers. Composers grew in their confidence as creative writers as the residency visits unfolded, and was reflected in improved grades for final projects in each semester.

Herbert and Valmae Freilich Foundation

The Foundation exists for the study of all kinds of bigotry and the promotion of diversity and inclusion. The 2016 recipients of the Early Career Researchers Small Grants Scheme were:

• Dr Jennifer E Cheng from the School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney 51³Ô¹ÏÍø for her project: Muslim Women's Participation in Auburn Giants AFL Team.
• Dr Bonnie McConnell from the School of Music, Australian National 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, for her project: Singing Sudan and Senegal: Music, Race, and Representation in Contemporary Australia.
• Dr Asmi Wood from the ANU College of Law, for his project: Halal and Kosher methods of protein supply, religious freedom and bigotry.

The 2016 Annual Lecture in Bigotry and Tolerance was the panel discussion: How do we Define Racism in Modern Australia? The speakers were Dr Tim Soutphommasane, Race Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission, Dr Maria Hynes, Sociology ANU, Dr Scott Sharpe, Geography UNSW Canberra, and Professor Michael Platow, Psychology ANU.

The 2016 Annual Alice Tay Lecture in law and Human Rights was hosted by 51³Ô¹ÏÍø of Canberra. The topic was Unpacking Justice Re-investment and the speakers were Dr Tom Calma, UC Chancellor, co-chair Reconciliation Australia and Dr Jill Guthrie, Senior Fellow, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, and Director of Research and Knowledge Translation, Lowitja Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research.

John Curtin Medical Research Foundation  

ANU is a leader in medical research. Our researchers have the knowledge, talent and passion to create a healthier world and have made medical history with landmark discoveries contributing to the worldwide elimination of small pox, the foundations for transplantation science, and neuroscientists' understanding of how the brain works.

The John Curtin Medical Research Foundation was established in March 2012 to support and advance human health through scientifically researched discoveries, medical education and practice at ANU.

In 2015, following a review of fundraising activity across medicine, science and health within the College of Medicine, Biology and the Environment, a number of recommendations were made, including the creation of a new structure to support fundraising for Health and Medical Research at ANU. These recommendations also included the disestablishment of the JCMRF in 2016.

The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø gratefully acknowledges the very significant achievements of the JCMRF, and the contribution of all past board members. The Foundation has raised substantial funds in its own right, as well as having played a critical role in the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø securing other funds to support its health and medical research efforts. The Foundation's close involvement in the appointment of Professor Ross Hannan as ACT Centenary Chair of Cancer Research is a particularly significant achievement.

ANU remains fully committed to continuing to raise funds for research and education in the health and medical area in an effort to continue lifesaving, landmark discoveries in this critical area.