Challenge Cup winner starts at Melbourne

[ UniNews Vol. 15, No. 4  20 March – 3 April 2006 ]

A Chinese student who won a prestigious science and technology award for her work on public toilet access has started her studies at the University of Melbourne.

Ms Rui Zhang, 24, who studied at Jinan University in Shandong Province before coming to Melbourne, is beginning a Masters in Urban Planning in the University’s Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning.

After winning the Challenge Cup in Shanghai last year, Ms Zhang was applauded for her paper, which looked at the trouble taxi drivers have accessing parking at public toilet sites.

She says the contrasts between Australia and China mean she will be looking at issues in her work at Melbourne that are very different to those China faces.

“In Australia there are so many open spaces and only 20 million people, in China there is a population of 1.4 billion so there are many different things influencing urban planning and sustainability,” says Ms Zhang.

Although she has not been in Melbourne for long, Ms Zhang said that she was already amazed by the city and the friendly people who are willing to help out.

Then there is the architecture: “There are such beautiful buildings and trees, and I am very interested in the heritage sites here.

“One area I am thinking about researching is how to best protect heritage sites, as I think conserving heritage is very important to both China and Australia,” she says.