1989 School Magazine

W,,

MONBUSHO SCHOLARSH IP WINNER Jill Margerison entered B.C.C.S. in Year Eight in 1982. Japanese was one of the subjects chosen for study. Her first encounters with the language were strongly influenced by her Yorkshire accent; however, this accent gradually disappeared. On leaving B.C.C.S. in '1986, Jill studied for her Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Japanese at the University of Queensland. Jill has had a number of interesting part-time jobs utilizing her linguistics studies. Such jobs included devising a conversational Japanese training program for Myers Staff in the City, a circuit judge in English speaking competitions in Japan, meeting Japanese visitors at Brisbane Airport and teaching visiting students from our Sister Schools. During Expo, Jill worked full-time in the Japan Technoplaza, often escofting Japanese dignitaries on tours. ln August, 19B9,Jill was awarded the Monbusho Scholarship by the Japanese Covernment, which will enable her to study at Keio University in Tokyo for one year from October. To win this prestigious National Scholarship, Jill had to face selection panels first from Queensland University and then from Keio University. lt is awarded on the basis of academic performance, reference reports and student study plans. On her return to Australia, Jill plans to resume studies at the University of Queensland to obtain her Masters Degree. By specialising in the lnterpreters Course, she is looking towards a career orientated around Japan and Australian relations in the Asian-Pacific region.

lane MacGibbon

fANE MACGIBBON Jane MacCibbon has achieved the rare honour of being awarded a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Cambridge Universi- ty, England. Her thesis The Quark and Gluon Evaporation from Primor- dial Black Holes explores 'theoretic astronomy, how the universe came to be the way it is, how galaxies grew and the effects of the Big Bang'. Jane is grateful for the encouragement given her while a student at Brisbane Cirls' Crammar School. 'The attitude at school was good,' she said. 'We weren't held back academically at all. lf you were good at mathematics then you were allowed to be good. Australia has produced a lot of good female mathematicians.' (Another former B.C.C.S. student, Cheryl Praeger, is at present, the first Professor of Mathematics at the University of Western Australia.) Jane MacCibbon entered B.C.C.S. in 1974 and quickly showed she was a conscientious and very able student. She left in 1978, excellently equipped to further her studies in Science at the University of Queensland. As Debating Rep- resentative, Secretary of the Beanland Library Committee and a member of the Apex Debating Team, Jane contrib- uted to school life. She was also actively involved in choral and instrumental activities. With an Honours Degree in Mathematics and Physics, Jane worked as a researcher and tutor at the University of Queensland until she left for Cambridge University where she worked on her Ph.D. for five years, as the recipient of a Com monwealth Scholarship. Her mother and father, Liberal ParW Senator David MacCibbon, were present to see Jane receive her high degree. At present Jane is working at Harvard University, Boston U.S.A. and has just published another paper. Depending on funds she is confident of being accepted full-time by N.A.S.A. at their Maryland Research Base, where she can continue her astrophysics research.

lill Margerison

33