Staff trio receive award for 35 years service

Faculty of Science and Technology

Three members of the Faculty of Science and Technology have been awarded a
35 Year Service Award at a ceremony held at the Geelong Waterfront Campus. Sue Frances, Gary Franklin and Howard Greenhill are three of the five staff across the University who qualified for this milestone.

Sue Frances is the longest reigning staff member at the Warrnambool Campus. Her first role was as a typist in the computer centre at the then Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education. Shortly after, she moved to the Faculty of Science and Technology to cover a typist on maternity leave and has remained within the Faculty ever since. She is now Student and Staff Support Coordinator. Originally from Footscray, Ms Frances remembers discovering an old abandoned house while on a holiday at Warrnambool when she was 16. Little did she know that years later she would be working at that very spot. The old house was on the land that was to become the Deakin’s Warrnambool Campus.

Ms Frances cherishes the involvement she has had with literally hundreds of students and their families over the years. ‘I have made a lot of friends while I have been here. The students are all fantastic. I get on well with them all – I’m like a second mother to them,’ she said.

‘I have fun with them and like to have a bit of a laugh too. I still get a buzz when I get a phone call or an old student pops in out of the blue and they remember me.’

Gary Franklin’s career at Deakin started as a Laboratory Technician in the School of Chemistry at the then Gordon Institute of Technology. He is now Technical Services Manager in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences. Gary says that over time he has seen rapid changes in technology, especially in chemical analysis and instrumentation and computer-based learning.

Although the University has grown considerably, Gary said he has always had a rapport with staff. ‘In the early days everyone used to know everyone. I have always got on well with the staff around me and have also enjoyed their support over the latter years,’ he said.

Howard Greenhill’s first job was as a Laboratory Assistant for the Department of Physics, at the Gordon Institute of Technology, which later became Deakin’s Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds. He remembers being asked at his job interview if he intended on staying for at least the next three years. Thirty five years later Mr Greenhill is Senior Technical Officer IT for the School of Life and Environmental Sciences.

In those early days, Mr Greenhill built all sorts of equipment for electro chemistry, kindling an interest in technology and career in the field. Although he has seen many changes during his time at Deakin, some things have remained constant. ‘It has never been the same; I have never been bored because things never stay the same. The people have been great. It has always been the people that have made my time here so interesting,’ he said.