Connections Archive

The Faculty of Science and Mathematics has acknowledged the contribution of two lecturers retiring after a combined 63 years of service to Avondale College.

Senior chemistry lecturer Dr Bob Drewer has served 42 of these years. He began lecturing long before any of his current students were born. He even taught the current dean of the faculty, Dr Lynden Rogers.

"Chemistry students soon learned it didn't matter what went wrong, classes would proceed regardless and they had better be there," says Lynden. He remembers Bob injuring his back and lecturing from a hospital bed, which the students wheeled around the lab. "The gesticulations and chemical excitement continued unabated."

Nursing students will also remember Bob's enthusiastic presentations of the essential rudiments of chemistry. "The rest of us can be glad of this if we ever get sick," says Lynden.

Bob has twice been the subject of a dedication in Jacaranda. Perhaps it had something to do with the number of birthday cards dispensed with clockwork regularity and reliability to students, graduates and friends.

Senior applied biology lecturer Dr Terry Annable, who retires after 21 years of service, began his career as a nurse working in the United Kingdom. However, qualifications in radiotherapy, physiology and technical education soon pointed toward a career in tertiary education. He taught at Harrow College of Technology in London and later, after immigrating to Australia, at what is now Charles Sturt University.

Terry joined the Faculty of Science and Mathematics at Avondale in 1986, caring particularly for subjects in human physiology. A master's and a PhD, the latter studying the reproductive physiology of geckos, reflected a keen interest in herpetology (the study of reptiles).

Terry plans to conduct further research in natural history during his retirement. He and Bob will continue to share their knowledge with students as sessional lecturers.

Visit www.avondale.edu.au/connections for more news about Avondale College staff members.