00:00Ukrainian Australian physicist Ivan Maximov makes discoveries everywhere.
00:09An experiment involving earthworms, alcohol and a speaker in his backyard led to mapping
00:13sound waves in the brain and global recognition.
00:17It's just one of many awards, but it hasn't spared the Charles Sturt University researcher
00:22from the axe.
00:23It's second redundant in less than three years.
00:28He now faces a job search in the toughest university environment in years, and he's worried
00:33about the toll it'll take on his family.
00:35I'm the only breadwinner, so it's the only source of income, and we have two kids to feed.
00:44Dr Alison Barnes from the National Tertiary Education Union estimates almost 3,600 university workers
00:51across five states and territories have lost their jobs over the past year.
00:55It's like a dark cloud hanging over our workplaces, and people are not coping with the uncertainty
01:01and the stress, and that's impacting on their wellbeing, it impacts on our students.
01:05A long-running Senate inquiry into university governance has heard allegations management
01:10decisions about staff cuts are leaving staff mentally distressed.
01:14Unions say there is plenty of other fat for universities to cut.
01:17It's the executive remuneration with over 306 people employed at universities earning more
01:25than their state premiers.
01:27University leaders say they don't like the job cuts either, but are facing a perfect storm
01:32of funding challenges.
01:34Weak domestic and international student growth, as well as a funding system that doesn't pay
01:38for the full cost of teaching.
01:39I think this is the most seriously economically challenged time for universities in living memory.
01:47With hundreds more job cuts expected next week, Harmony on Campus is unlikely any time soon.
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