Benalla scores three PhDs as Barber brothers and Georgina graduate
Media Release, Monday 15 August 2005
A veterinary scientist, a scientist and a biochemical engineer from Benalla received PhDs from the University of Melbourne on Saturday.
Brothers Stuart and Andrew Barber, who regularly return to Benalla to help their father work the family’s sheep farm, were conferred with PhDs – Stuart in veterinary science and Andrew in chemical and biomolecular engineering.
While friend Georgina Sanders – also originally from Benalla – also received her PhD in veterinary science.
The trio are among 53 students who received a PhD on Saturday, which is particularly strong representation for a rural city with a regional population a little over 14, 000.
Stuart, 35, did his PhD on parasite control on sheep, cattle and dogs.
He now works part time as a veterinary consultant at the University of Melbourne’s Mackinnon Project and as a project officer for Australian Wool Innovation.
Stuart says he never started his studies with the intention of gaining a PhD but “just fell into it”.
He started out with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and a Diploma in Agriculture before working in Benalla as a veterinarian for five years. He began working on a Masters part-time and says this was when he decided to do the PhD.
Stuart says that while few farming families could boast two siblings with PhDs, his late mother, Margaret, a school teacher and University of Melbourne graduate, placed a strong emphasis on education.
Andrew Barber’s PhD research investigated techniques for stressing yeast cells for the possible production of ethanol for transport.
Andrew, 37, is technical services manager at Burra Foods in Korumburra.
He started at the University of Melbourne in 1987 and “didn’t leave”, getting involved in a gamut of activities from course advice to counseling, to promoting the university to industry.
He says he really enjoys his association with the university which continues as he oversees an Australian Research Council project between Burra Foods and the university’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
Georgina Sanders received her PhD in veterinary science for research which used allergic responses in sheep as a model for further research into human asthma.
Georgina undertook a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne and completed her Honors year in the microbiology department studying rotavirus infection.
After working as a research assistant for a year she started her PhD in the veterinary science department at the university.
Georgina now works at biotechnology research and development company Amrad conducting research into new drugs for arthritis and asthma.
Contact details: Stuart Barber 0417 538 297, Andrew Barber 0407 803 626, Georgina Sanders 0438 623 265.
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