Message from the Dean
Professor Arthur Christopoulos, FAA FAHMS
Welcome to Issue 37 of Alchemy, our Faculty’s annual alumni magazine.
As we move into the second half of this decade, it has never been more important to highlight the value of what we do as pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, researchers and educators. After all, the world faces many challenges right now: worsening climate change, increased divisions and widening inequality within our community, growing global tensions, and unprecedented levels of major health burdens in the face of healthcare workforce shortages.
While some have responded to these challenges by questioning the role of science, we know that science is not the problem – it is an essential part of the solution. The innovative and impactful discovery research happening in our labs and informing our education offerings every day is precisely what will help us address these global challenges.
That’s why I'm proud to have been reappointed as Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences for another five-year term. I am also proud to be working with our new Vice Chancellor, Professor Sharon Pickering; someone who recognises the important role that both research and education will play in overcoming current societal obstacles and bringing our community together, nationally and internationally.
This edition of Alchemy is dedicated to showing how the Faculty is rising to the challenges of our age. It showcases some of the extraordinary work that we continue to do, including our world-leading research into areas such as mRNA and “green” medicines. It also discusses the importance of microcredentials as a way to help upskill and reskill pharmacists in a rapidly changing world, and discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to improve both educational and research outcomes.
More than anything, however, this issue of Alchemy is dedicated to highlighting the work of people who go above and beyond when it comes to serving the community and making a difference in addressing the challenges of our age.
Monash University and our Faculty have always promoted an ethic of service, and this year we profile several students who embody that philosophy. We also meet three Vietnamese Monash graduates who have used their Australian education to improve the pharmacy profession in their homeland. Furthermore, we learn about the great work that our alumni are doing when it comes to improving health outcomes in developing countries.
We also profile three of the genuine giants of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences: former Deans, Emeritus Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor Bill Charman AO and Emeritus Professor Colin Chapman, and our most recent Monash Fellowship recipient, John Coppock OAM. All three men have changed the course of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences in Australia and globally. And yet, all remain humble, generous and committed to serving the community.
I hope that, as you read this issue of Alchemy, you are both inspired and proud of your Faculty. As alumni, you have helped define our long and storied past, remain a vital part of what we do today, and are an important part of how we chart our future.
Finally, I send my very best wishes to you and your loved ones during this festive season.
Professor Arthur Christopoulos, BPharm, PhD, FAA, FAHMS
