Research environment - facilities and services
Workspace
It is our aim that all postgrads and visitors have a suitable space within the School to work and to store books and documents. General allocation priorities for postgraduate students are:
Building access swipecards and keys
SSEE postgraduates and visitors should have access to the building at all times. This includes out-of-hours access to the building, your workspace, the computer lab and the mailroom. Once you have been allocated workspace by Steven Heath, a key and a building access swipe card can be organised through Tina at reception. You can pick up an access card from the reception office in the Centre for the Study of Higher Education located off Monash Road on the main campus. Once you have the card, you need to bring it to Tina to have it activated.
Cartographic services
SSEE has a full-time Cartographer, Chandra Jayasuriya, assisted by Fatima Basic on a part-time basis. Chandra is able to assist with cartographic work using Mirage, Illustrator, MapInfo, and GIS software. All postgraduate students can obtain free advice on their cartographic work. PhD and Masters by Research students are entitled to one 'free' day of Chandra's expertise over the period of their candidature, and one free day for work to be published in a refereed publication. Time in excess of this is to be charged at $50 per hour. Other postgrads and honours students MUST pay for any work completed at $50 per hour.
Certain cartographic tools such as stereoscopes, planimeters, opisometers can be borrowed from the cartography unit in room 151. Other equipment such as transcribing machines, tape recorders, slide scanners, slide projectors and carousels are also available. (Please note that other scanners are also available in the postgraduate room - B1.14.)
Computer facilities
SSEE has a range of computer resources located in the postgraduate lab in room B1.14 Postgraduate research students are allocated older PCs and MACs which they may have to share.
Email and internet
You need to go to https://webmail.student.unimelb.edu.au and select the accounts setup page option and then proceed from there to establish your email address and email account. This also establishes your login name to access the system.
Faxes
To send a fax, write the details in the notebook beside the fax machine in the SSEE reception area and, if you need assistance, consult the admin staff. As the fax machine has a direct external line, there is no need to prefix the number with '0'. Charges will be deducted from your Internal Research Grant (IRG).
Pigeonholes for receiving mail and distributing notes are in the mailroom on the ground level. Pigeonholes are allocated according to the first letter of your surname and you will be sharing with other postgrads. Internal University and SSEE mail operates using the yellow multi-address internal envelopes and the pigeonholes in the mailroom. External mail should be placed in the 'mail to be stamped' tray under the pigeon holes. You must include your return name and address on the back so that costs can be charged to your IRG. External mail is collected once a day. If you need to mail something in a hurry, the Melbourne University Post Office is on the main campus adjoined to the Architecture Building. For parcels and urgent documents ask at SSEE reception about the courier service.
The School maintains a map collection for teaching and research which includes, topographic maps of Australia at 1:50,000, 1:100,000, 1:250,000, 1:1,000,000 and Victoria 1:25,000, World aeronautical charts - 1:1,000,000, some geological maps of Victoria and Melbourne, a limited number of atlases for general reference and some aerial photographs. We also have digital topographic maps - Australia 1:250 000 scale, suitable for GPS and computer mapping. Staff and postgraduate students can borrow these for limited period.
PhotocopyingThe photocopiers - one on the ground level and one in room 208 on the second level - have all the high-tech options intended to minimise time spent standing in front breathing ozone and ruining your eyes. The copiers are efficient but heavily used during teaching periods, so you should aim to do any bulk copying on the weekends. Priority must be given to teaching and administration staff. To use the photocopiers you need to obtain a copier pin number from Tina at reception. Usage for your code is recorded by the copier and then deducted from your IRG. Out of courtesy for your colleagues, if you manage to use up all the paper in the copiers or cause a paper jam, let Tina in the reception area know.
Reimbursement and purchase orders
Sometimes you may have to purchase research-related items outside of the University. If so, keep your receipt and, to be reimbursed for the first time fill out an 'Application for Student Supplier' form available on the web site http://www.themis.unimelb.edu.au/. When submitting your claim to Steven Heath you must complete a 'Student Payment Request' form, also available on the Themis web site. Return the 'Student Payment Request' form together with your receipts (taped to an A4 sheet of paper with all edges taped down - this is now a requirement from Financial Operations). The payment will then be processed and forwarded to your requested payment method as advised on the 'Application for Student Supplier' form.
Stationery
For 'official' correspondence, SSEE letterhead and logo envelopes are available from Tina in reception.
Telephones
If you have an allocated space in a postgrad room then you can use the telephone provided. It is a good idea to get to know the other people using the same line or at least create a list so that mesSSEE can be taken.
The Tearoom
The SSEE tearoom is located on the second level. The kitchen has a microwave oven, a refrigerator, a dishwasher and facilities for making tea and coffee. SSEE provides tea, coffee, sugar and milk. In return, everyone who uses the facilities must clean up their own mess. The tearoom doubles as the SSEE staff room for official functions and some meetings. The tearoom is not a study area and should not be used by students as a meeting room. There are other facilities for such purposes. It is primarily a place to have you tea/coffee break and lunch and generally gives you an opportunity to get to know staff and students.
Vehicle and boat use
SSEE owns two 12-seater mini buses, two 4-wheel drive off-road vehicle, and one land cruiser ute. These are available for use in the field at a rate of 0.35c per km. SSEE also has one solid punt, one runabout (60hp outboard) and two framed inflatable dinghies. Other vehicles are available from other departments but often at different hiring rates. Cost of using the vehicles includes fuel.
Vehicle use policy
All drivers of any SSEE vehicle must carry a valid driving licence and have completed an 'Authority to Drive' form (available from the office when booking). SSEE four wheel drive vehicles are available only to staff and postgraduates who have completed a 4WD drive course. 4WD courses are organised by SSEE and, if you can prove a need to use a 4WD for your field work, then the School will subsidise the cost of the course.
All SSEE postgraduate students should have equitable access to these vehicles if they can justify a need and show an ability to drive such a vehicle. Bookings can be made through the SSEE office. Priority is given to teaching staff.