B. Eng (Carleton '81), M.E. (UNSW '02) Phone : 938 55311 Email : s.yussof@unsw.edu.au
I started in 1989 at the then Centre for Safety Science, as a research assistant examining the spectral content of the electromagnetic fields generated by household appliances. While I was doing this, I decided that I might as well get a Master's degree out of it. However, while doing the original work, I also made myself useful and got involved in setting up the Centre's computer network, and doing other technical stuff. This proved to be sooo invaluable to the Centre that they hired me, after my RA contract ran out, as Professional Officer. This is basically the name for people with all-round technical skills who do jobs that need doing that are either too trivial or too expensive to farm out, or that no one else can or wants to do. (There's a lot of the latter going around!). The thing is, you probably won't find any two POs on campus who do the same job!
The description under which I was originally hired as PO included 50% research, of a type to be determined by myself, more or less (I still had my Master's to do, and I even ambitiously upgraded it to a PhD for a while....). The (supposedly) remaining 50% should be taken up helping other people (staff and students) with their research, maintaining the hard- and software of the School network, any miscellaneous, and simple, electronics anyone might need doing, within the constraints of my time and abilities.
In fact, the research I did for myself actually worked out to be around 5% of my time, which is why my Masters took so long! Still, the end result was a Masters research thesis titled Spectral Characterisation of electromagnetic fields generated by household mains-frequency appliances and devices
My primary responsibilities now are the complete maintenance of the School network and its hard and software, all the associated admin, desktop support, maintenance of the School's website (the one you're looking at now) and databases. In addition, I am also trained in Electrical Testing and Tagging, and First Aid.
Jumping spider found in Malaysian gardens.
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KYOKUSHIN KARATE — I'm
currently a third degree black belt in Kyokushin Karate, and run
my own karate club in Newtown.
I also run the oldest, and one of the largest, Kyokushin
websites in the world.
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CAVING AND CAVE ECOLOGY —
I was one of the founder members of the Selangor Branch Cave Group
in the Malayan Nature Society, and have written and published a
number of caving articles in Malaysia and Australia, as well as
contributed to a couple of academic papers.
KAWAKATSU (M.), MITCHELL (R. W.), OKI (I.), TAMURA (S.) &
YUSSOF (S.), 1989. Taxonomic and karyological studies of
Dugesia batuensis Ball, 1970 (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Paludicola)
from the Batu Caves, Malaysia.J. Speleol. Soc. Japan
14: 1-14, 9 fig.
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WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY —
Before coming to Australia, I spent a almost a year supporting myself
largely through natural history photojournalism. One of the results
of this was a book called the The Natural and Other
Histories of Batu Caves" (ISBN 983 9681 04 4).
I have copies available for sale if you're interested
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TROPICAL RAINFOREST —
I participated in the year long Endau-Rompin
Scientific Expedition in southern peninsular Malaysia. This was
a project that successfully convinced the relevant state governments
to set aside a hitherto relatively unexplored and pristine area
in perpetuity as the last mainland refuge of the highly endangered
Sumatran Rhino. My contributions were two sections and several
photographs in the ensuing coffee table book Endau
Rompin - A Malaysian Heritage (ISBN 96799906
1 3)
I was also instrumental in the the establishment of Kubah
National Park, just east of Kuching, the capital of Sarawak,
being involved in two surveys of the area. The first was to establish
the ecological diversity of the area, and the second was to draft
a development framework for the proposed development of tourist
facilities for the park.
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ORCHID SPECIES — While
still living in Malaysia I a spent a lot of time photographing wild
orchid species, and continued to do so in Australia. I've also written
a couple of papers (albeit unrefereed) on Malaysian orchids in the
Malayan Nature Journal and the 50th Anniversary publication of the
Malaysian National Parks.
•
WOODWORKING — I have built
a lot of the furniture in my house, but mostly I enjoy making boxes
of various sorts from old pieces of wood, such as fences and
floorboards. Boxes allow one to show off the beauty of the wood
in a small and useful package.
•
COOKING — Indeed, I do
enjoy cooking. That's one good reason why I have to keep training
in karate.
