DNA disease test breakthrough

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Queensland University of Technology Newspaper • Issue 222 • March 26 - April 22, 2002

DNA disease test breakthrough

by Margaret Lawson

R

ecognising and treating outbreaks of meningococcal disease and other infections will soon be quicker and more efficient, thanks to a unique method of testing being developed by scientists based at QUT.

The world-first technique devised in the QUT-based Cooperative Research Centre for Diagnostics, works by performing "DNA fingerprinting" of bacteria taken from two or more victims and determining if the same bug is present in each case.

This information - which is currently

only available through time-consuming and expensive methods - is essential to identify early whether disease cases are coincidental, or whether an epidemic is occurring.

Senior research fellow Dr Philip Giffard said in situations like the recent Queensland school outbreak or P&O case, the technology would help public health officials decide quickly whether wide-ranging preventative measures were necessary.

He said the technique, which was similar to human DNA testing, had never before been applied to disease diagnostics.

"Essentially, this is a bug version of the process used to do forensic testing to identify criminals," Dr Giffard said.

"We target specific sites on the bacteria's DNA and compare them to determine if we're dealing with one bug which has spread, or unrelated bacteria.

"This process has the potential to be performed very simply using DNA chips, making it quicker and cheaper than any current methods."

Dr Giffard said he and fellow researcher Gail Robenson had developed prototype tests in the CRC's laboratory at QUT, and hoped the technique could be made available to public health departments within six to 12 months.

"What makes this approach really exciting is that it can be applied to a whole range of bugs, including E. coli,

Studying at QUT ... Aspley State High School's Jessica Lane and Brendan Lindsay.

golden staph and salmonella," he said.

"This also makes the technology highly marketable, and we will be working to commercialise the research."

Dr Giffard said Queensland's Minister for Innovation and the Information Economy Paul Lucas had pledged $300,000 to help extend the research over the next three years.

The CRC for Diagnostics is a national collaboration among academic and industry partners and is based at QUT.

The partners are QUT, CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, LaTrobe University Department of Biochemistry, PANBIO Limited, Child Health Research Institute and Queensland Medical Laboratory.

QUT researcher Dr Philip Giffard {left) and Innovation Minister Paul Lucas.

Year 12s off to a good start at QUT

More than 180 Year 12s from schools around Brisbane began studying at QUT this semester through the university's new Start QUTprogram.

The program allows capable, Year 12 students to receive automatic enrry into a range of QUT courses after successfully completing two subjects over one year.

QUT admissions manager Bruce McCallum said more than 43 Brisbane schools nominated students for the program, with every faculty and QUT Carseldine providing scholarships to cover the students' HECS costs.

"The real benefit of this program is that it allows students to get a taste of university life and of their discipline of interest before they make their decision about applying for a particular course," he said.

Mr McCallum said the university had been inundated with applications and enquiries about the program, with the most sought- after areas being business, information technology and psychology.

Many Start QUT students, such as Aspley State High School's Jessica Lane and Brendan Lindsay, have been allowed to substitute one subject at school for their university unit.

Ms Lane, 16, who is studying a faculty core unit "Writing for Creative Industries", said her Start QUT experience so far had been "invaluable".

Both students said they would be applying to study QUT's Bachelor of Creative Industries (Interdisciplinary) in 2003.

- Margaret Lawson

Diversity Policy launched

QUT officially launched its Cultural Diversity Policy last week at a function which also marked Harmony Day 2002.

Spine research goes 3-D

Equity co-ordinator Mary Kelly said the policy affirmed QUT's commitment to supporting the cultural and social diversity represented in its staff and student bodies, and the Australian and international communities.

For more information about QUT's Cultural Diversity Policy, go to: www.qut.edu.au/admin/

mopp/A/A_08_10.html

QUT researchers are using a giant robot to conduct pioneering 3-D research into the misery of back pain which affiicts eight in ten Australians.

The two-metre high, 900 kg robot, used on car manufacturing assembly lines, has been imported from Sweden.

Minor adjustments have been made to the robot which will be the first in Australia to help researchers investigate

Caboolture campus tour

the mechanics of the spine m three dimensions.

Principal investigator and Professor in Biomedical Engineering Mark Pearcy said previous tests had been limited to one dimension.

'This has led to a poor understanding of a condition which affecrs just about everyone at some stage in their lives," he said.

Continued Page 3

Braving the shave

Research assistant Catherine Rowe with the robot.

Sharp student entrepreneur

http://www.corpcomm.qut.edu.au/insidequt 2 George Street Brisbane 4000 Telephone (07) 3864 2361 Registered by Australia Post - Publication No. QBF 4778

First-year support essential for students

Research carried out in recent years reflects the need for universities to improve their communication and support for first-year students.

The general consensus is that first-year students feel inundated by new information, people and processes, resulting in information being lost on

students, and indeed, students dropping out of courses.

Our recent brochure for first-time university students, First-Year Freak- Out, encourages first-year students to seek help with academic performance, personal problems and career direction, and aims to cut drop-out rates among first-year students.

The new Start QUT program, with its many benefits for senior high school students, is another measure that will do much to improve communication

with first-year students, and encourage continued study at QUT. The Start QUT program allows senior students to complete two university subjects over the course of their school year.

While receiving support from their community students can sample their chosen discipline, and university life with its many people, places and procedures.

Start QUT allows for a gradual adjustment to a new environment, enabling students to deal positively with the culture shock experienced by most first-year students as a result of the unstructured freedom of university life.

Based on their university experience, students can assess their ability to cope with university life, and make informed decisions about their future study.

- Professor Dennis Gibson

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dennis Gibson (left) welcomed

Employment Services Minister Mal Brough to the new Caboolture Community Campus.

Minister takes tour of Caboolture campus

The Caboolture and District Pastoral, Agricultural and Industrial Association has announced the establishment of rwo

$500 bursaries for QUT students at rhe new Caboolrure Community Campus.

The bursaries are intended for Bachelor of Business Information Management students. The recipient will be able to rake up positions on rhe association's committee and undertake special projects as part of their course.

Federal Member for Longman Mal Brough, QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Dennis Gibson and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Coaldrake visited the new campus earlier this month.

Mr Brough said he was very impressed by the new campus.

"This is a real boost for local people who are entering university as mature- age students, and it will also help reinvigorate rhe Caboolture CBD," Mr Brough said.

"More and more the tertiary education sector will become part of the community and offer new opportunities to people looking to make a career change or pursue life-long learning."

North Point Institute ofT AFE, QUT and rhe Caboolture Shire Council are partners in the State's newest community campus which has attracted more than 200 students to four courses.

Page? -·1nsjqe· QUT Marcti· 26-'-April-22, 2002:.

• • \ • • • ~ , •. • , ~ , . \ , • ., • I ' • • \ I - "' • ._' ) •' • '

New Registrar possesses wealth of QUT experience

W

hen Dr Carol Dickenson takes up her appointment as university Registrar on April 2, she will be building on two decades of contribution to QUT.

For the past five years, Dr Dickenson has had a major influence on employment reform at QUT in her role as Human Resources director.

As Registrar, she said, she will have rhe opportunity to contribute in her dual capacity as head of the Division of Administrative Services and as a member of the university's executive.

'Tm looking forward to contributing to QUT's future in a broad sense and to the changes which our division will face over the next few years," she said.

"We are entering an environment where there will be a lot of reform in our sector.

"Our division is going to be anticipating what those reforll}S will be, responding to chem and developing strategies to deal with chem."

Dr Dickenson has played an active role in the change management of the university and said she hoped her previous role and academic background would stand her in good stead.

Dr Carol Dickenson ... incoming Registrar.

"I am a reasonably non-traditional appointment to Registrar," she said.

"My background gives me a broad view of the issues confronting QUT and I'm nor locked into traditional ways of dealing with problems."

Prior to becoming HR director in 1997, Dr Dickenson was a senior lecturer in QUT's then Graduate School of Business.

While in the Faculty of Business, she worked as an academic advisor to the dean and as a lecturer in management.

Before becoming a full-rime academic (Dr Dickenson lectured pare-rime from 1982 to 1988), she was a consultant and was seconded to a managerial position with the Public Sector Management Commission in 1991-1992.

- Carmen Myler

Ken Baumber looks back on a rewarding five -year term

Retiring Registrar Ken Baumber came to QUT five years ago prepared to cackle the challenge of improving the university's administrative services while former Federal Education Minister Amanda Vanstone was implementing major funding curs across rhe sector.

While the funding situation has not improved, Mr Baumber is proud to reflect on the improvements the Division of Administrative Services has made to the functioning of QUT.

"I am most proud of the progress we have made on two fronts - a much greater focus on client service ... and our continuous improvement program to systematically address and improve the way we do things," he said.

"The funding constraints have put a lot of pressure on the division's ability to provide increased levels of service to more and more clients.

"We have had to improve processes and introduce better computer systems, such as Callista, just to keep pace with growth."

As these issues become the province of new Registrar Dr Carol Dickenson, Mr Baumber will be enjoying a less stressful lifestyle.

'Tm moving to Coffs Harbour where I'll dabble in a bit of fishing and a bit further down the line perhaps do some work in the higher education sector on a project basis."

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dennis Gibson said that Mr Baumber would be

"greatly missed by those of us who have had rhe good fortune to work with and for him".

"QUT has benefited enormously from Ken's leadership," Professor Gibson said.

- Carmen Myler Ken Baumber

~~---

- - - - -

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$2.5m donation a boost for QUT health projects

New robot helps research go 3-D

I

by Margaret Lawson

A

ⁿ anonymous donation of

$2.5million to QUT's Faculty of Health will see staff undertaking two major projects to enhance public health in developing countries.

More than half of the money will go towards assisting the Hanoi School of Public Health (HSPH) in Vietnam develop the country's first undergraduate public health degree.

Senior public health lecturer Dr Michael Dunne is currently in Vietnam helping prepare course material for the first intake of students in September this year.

He said the funding would allow staff- in public health and psychology and counselling to work with the HSPH for five years on the project, which would provide long-term benefits for Vietnam.

"At the moment, many non-medical health professions Australians take for granted are just starting to emerge in Vietnam," Dr Dunne said.

"QUT's input into curriculum at the HSPH will help them eventually establish a wide range of public health professions which can tackle some of

Dr Michael Dunne

the most serious threats to health in Vietnam."

The funding will allow six staff from the HSPH to undertake postgraduate study at QUT.

The donation would also fund a regional office for the Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health (APACPH) at Kelvin Grove, according to School of Public Health head Professor Brian Oldenburg.

The consortium was formed in 1984 by five universities to address regional health problems and raise the quality of public health education.

Professor Oldenburg said this initiative would allow QUT to play a leading role in developing the public health workforce, policy, programs and research in the Asia Pacific region.

"APACPH currently has a membership of over 45 academic institutions and schools of public health throughout Asia and the Pacific," he said.

"Through its activities, programs and its journal, APACPH is dedicated to improving all aspects of public health training and education in this region of the world."

Professor of Biomedical Engineering Professor Mark Pearcy is 11sing a robot traditionally used in car manufacturing to analyse the mechanics of the human spine in 3-D.

Continued from Page 1

"The idea of using a robot also enables us to apply to biological joints and spinal joints the true physiological movements and normal loads they experience.

"The muscles in the body act on very short lever arms so that when you're using your muscles to move joints, you' re actually applying some quite large compressive forces across the joints too.

"Producing as close to physiological conditions as possible is important to understand how the spine works and how degeneration and injury affect the load-carrying capacity of the spine."

Tears in the intervertebral disc will be generated by experiment.

Three-dimensional simulation of spinal movements would then be performed and the results compared to a normal disc, Professor Pearcy said.

"This will give us basic knowledge of how the degeneration of the disc affects the movement of the spine.

"We can then look at improving therapeutic devices, such as replacement artificial discs.

"The idea behind all of this research is to improve the quality oflife for people who have back problems by helping design new devices through this mechanical testing."

Spinal surgeon at the Holy Spirit Hospital Dr Paul Licina said the applications of the robot were very exciting.

"Back pain is a big mystery. We don't know why some people respond to surgery and some don't," he said.

"Having this robot in Brisbane means we can simulate conditions in the spine and test devices more safely and quickly

whereas before the patient would have to be the guinea pig in many cases.

"Also, because we can test over and over, we can be reassured chat what we are doing is going to be safer."

Dr Licina said alterations to surgical devices had previously been made overseas with changes to a fusion disc caking seven years.

The locally-based robot could reduce the cum-around time to two years, he said.

Patient Michael Rose suffered from back pain for three years and has just undergone an operation to insert the new fusion disc into his spine.

''I'm very lucky I came across the hospital and Dr Licina when I did-...

anything which can reduce the time it cakes to overcome back pain is a positive seep forward," he said.

- Toni Chambers

Ombudsman

takes up reins Catholic teachers

anxious about sexuality education - research

r..g. ., Hiring Now

Dr Neville Bofinger ... new ombudsman.

QUT has appointed Dr Neville Bofinger as its new student ombudsman.

Announcing the appointment, Registrar Ken Baumber said the position was a part-time one and that Dr Bofinger would continue to work half the time as a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Science.

Dr Bofinger has been a course co-ordinator in the Science Faculty and researches modelling atmospheric processes. He also has an ongoing role advising the Queensland and NSW State Governments.

Students can e-mail Dr Bofinger at ombudsman@qut.edu.au or call him on- 07 3864 2244.

by Toni Chambers

Teachers in Catholic schools are so anxious about teaching sexuality education chat they fear for their jobs if they don't teach strictly according to traditional views, new QUT research has found.

PhD student Tony Willmett held focus groups with Year 6 and 7 teachers at schools in the Archdiocese of Brisbane.

He found teachers became very uncomfortable when faced with teaching sexuality education over concerns of potential differences between their own beliefs and those of the Church and parents.

Mr Willmert said in discussions the teachers expressed chat sexuality education placed chem in a difficult situation.

"Most teachers feel as though they are caught between a rock ana a hard place as a result of the hierarchical nature of the Catholic Church and its current teachings on particular aspects of sexuality," he said.

"At a professional level as educators they feel that if there's a sense that you will teach only one view, there's a professional tension.

"Their belief is they would feel educationally that they should teach a range of views but then they fear losing their jobs."

He said teachers were particularly anxious about answering students' questions about sexuality and relationships.

They also found it difficult to use teaching materials prefaced by set beliefs rather than chose drawing on a range of resources.

"As a result, some teachers ignore the issue.

Ochers decide to cake a risk to address it but are stressed about doing so," he said.

There have been ongoing debates within the Catholic Church about its attitudes to sexuality.

Mr Willmett said chat teachers were aware of changing attitudes and of the competing views.

"People are more educated now and make their own decisions, they're not relying on institutions to make their decisions for them.

While they don't disregard what institutions like the Church say, they wish to include them in a range of views," he said:

"My sense is chat teachers are part of this change - they feel the institutional Church has a fixed view of the world and it hasn't moved with society; however, they can see that the world is changing."

Mr Willmett said developing an educational approach, and collaborating with all members of school communities on issues of sexuality education could assist teachers.

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Inside OUT fnside OUT 11Aarch"26-A'pril 22, ·2002 Page 3

Kelvin Grove Student Guild director Dave Porter shed his locks to

raise funds for the Leukaemia Foundation.

Staff, students brave the shave to fight leukaemia

From left: Human movement studies student Tasy Nicholas, HMS administration officer Connie Ng, hairdresser Pauline Lenarduzzi, Kelvin Grove Student Guild director Dave Porter and HMS student affairs officer Clark Taylor joined in this year's "Shave for a Cure".

Two dozen staff and students raised more than $2,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation in this year's "Shave for a Cure".

Pauline Lenarduzzi of Feva Hairdressing was responsible for the

brave new looks sported by staff and students.

Human movement studies administration officer Connie Ng said the activity was organised by the Student Guild in parmership with QUT's School

of Human Movement Studies, and was sponsored by people across QUT.

Education student Melanie Lange will take the plunge on April 10. E-mail m.lange@student.qut.edu.au if you would like ro sponsor her.

Academic to serve on review for gifted children

by Margaret Lawson

A

n independent review committee has been established by the State Government to investigate the effectiveness of gifted education policy in schools across Queensland.

The committee of experienced educators, including QUT senior lecturer Dr Jim Watters, will hold public meetings at schools across the State starting this month to gather opinions and information from the community.

Dr Watters, from the School of Maths, Science and Technology Education, said the committee was seeking written submissions from teachers, parents, academics, employers and other members of the community to analyse whether the existing system was working for gifted children.

He said the current policy had been in place for a decade, and new policy had to take account of changes that had taken place since then.

"Our aim is to find out whether the existing policy is being recognised and used in schools to identify gifted children and develop curricula to suinheir special needs," Dr Watters said.

"There have been major changes in Education Queensland's thinking in the decade since the policy was developed,

possible" and would use the information collected to make recommendations to Education Minister Anna Bligh.

"There are multiple ways of guiding education practice and we need to establish what is best for Queensland, what meets the needs of our kids and what things teachers can do," Dr Watters said.

He said one challenge the committee found itself up against was a cultural perception that gifted children did not need any extra support from the system.

"We want to be able to say that children in Queensland - all children - have had the best possible education opportunities to develop their individual talents," Dr Watters said.

"This is especially important for those students who will become future leaders in the knowledge economy, and they need to be appropriately stimulated and prepared.

Challenging our children ... the State Government is reviewing gifted education policy.

"We need to find out if we are being successful at fostering their interest in learning."

Dr Watters said people who wanted to find out more about making a submission should contact Sandra Lummis at Education Queensland on email sandra.lummis@qed.qld.gov.au or by calling 07 3237 0406.

and we need to find out how the new initiatives are impacting on how teachers provide for gifted children."

The review will be launched next week at the annual conference of the

Queensland Association of Gifted and Talented Children in Brisbane.

From there, the committee will hold meetings and take submissions at (he Sunshine Coast before travelling to

Mount Isa, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, Roma and visiting schools rn metropolitan Brisbane.

Dr Watters said the committee was seeking "the broadest range of opinions

Women's Day focuses on Indigenous advancement

QUT celebrated International Women's Day on March 8 with a lunch and a presentation by new Indigenous Employment Strategy officer Glenis Charlton (pictured, centre).

Ms Charlton was appointed last year to draft and implement an Indigenous Employment and Career Development Strategy to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, in line with QUT's Reconciliation Statement and Cultural Diversity Policy which applies to both academic and general staff.

Ms Charlton is based in Human Resources and works closely with a working party representing Indigenous staff, the Oodgeroo Unit and Equity as well as faculties and unions.

In her previous role, Ms Charlton worked at Griffith University where she implemented an Indigenous employment and career development strategy.

Also at the International Women's Day function were Equity co-ordinator Mary Kelly and project officer Kate Flynn (pictured, left and right).

Mark has the edge in business stakes

by Carmen Myler·

D

ouble-degree student Mark Henry is not coy about confessing chat he's been working to finish his course for the past nine years, and chis year is his final chance to comple'ce ic.

After all, it's not like he's been lazing on che beach all chat time.

Over the past six years engineering/

business student Mark has founded and become managing director of a company chat's caking the chefa of the world by storm.

The business/engineering student is the brains behind Fiiri (pronounced fooree) knives, regularly touted by chose in the know as being "revolutionary" in their design.

Celebrity chefs such as Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver are among chose chat stock Fiiri produces in their kitchens.

However, Mark cakes even .greater pleasure in the face chat Fiiri has become the choice of cop chefs such as Philip Johnson from e' cco Restaurant in Brisbane,., Cheong Liew from South Australia and che(/;ood writer Maggie Beer.

As the scars on his hands testify, Mark started making knives when he was young because he was fascinated with how things were made, and knives were a simple produce co scare w1ch.

Ac 15, chis fascination saw him leave school to cake up a ficcer and turner's apprenticeship which gave him the opportunity to travel while practising his trade in fields such as mining and hydraulics.

After completing his sen10r qualification, Mark knew he wanted co become an engineer and so, in 1992, he enrolled at QUT.

Business/engineering student Mark Henry's company is revolutionising the design of kitchen knives.

His inreresc in knives continued ind, dissatisfied with the performance of his own kitchen knives, Mark decided co have a go at designing something becter.

"I had a few friends who were chefs and they all seemed to have similar problems co the ones I was having at home," he says.

"I thought: 'How come with all the knives on the market, we're still having trouble keeping the knives sharp, keeping chem clean, and a lot of chefs end up suffering arthritis and hand damage?'."

Mark discovered the answer co his problem was threefold: the metal being

used by knife makers wasn't cough enough; existing handle shapes were not suitable for repetitive heavy use; and the traditional rivetted handle constructions weren't as durable or hygienic as they could be.

Drawing on his trade experience, he designed a knife using a high-carbon stainless steel, such as is used in some mining equipment.

As for the' handle, Mark went for function over form, tapering the design co prevent the hand from creeping coward the blade.

"I didn't really care about the t.radicions or the fashions of knife- making," he said.

"My designs are really functional ...

not very exciting in terms of decoration, but very clean and plain."

While he might have had the design all sewn up, Mark is the first to admit that he could not have set up the manufacturing and distribution side of his company without his business studies.

"The amount of money we had meant we had co run the ship pretty lean,"

he says.

"I really believe chis couldn't have been done without my business degree because we just would have made too many mistakes."

Late last year, Fiiritechnics received a financial boost from substantial new investors.

"They' re now taking us to the next stage. I've been holding back on a lot of new designs for years, because we didn't have the money to produce them," Mark says.

"We'.ll triple ot quadruple our range by thi~,r~me next year."

The' new range will be the only production knives manufactured in Australia, and some new technologies that Mark promises have "never been seen before".

The current range is manufactured in China - for his own interest Mark

Graduate negotiates law of the sea ;

by Toni Chambers

QUT Master of Laws graduate Constance Johnson admits keeping her office desk tidy is not one of her strong points.

So as she embarks on her new job as an international lawyer with th~ Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra it's no surprise that complying with the "clean desk policy" as part of strict security is on her list of challenges.

Bue as part of a team charged with the responsibility of negotiating Australia's sea boundaries and protecting its resources, there'll be many more tests ahead.

Constance Johnson

"The masters has opened up a whole new world to me and one that I'm very passionate about. That's a unique opportunity," she said.

During her time at QUT Constance published three journal articles and one book chapter, and also won a scholarship co work at the University of Milano-Bicocca in Milan.

During this time she helped write Italy's submission to the third meeting of governmental experts sponsored by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Culcural Organisation (UNESCO) to consider the drafr convention on the protection of underwater cultural heritage.

She also sat in on the International Maritime Organisation in London.

has studied Chinese history, culture and language for seven years and says chis interest has led to great success in his business relationships there.

"We're the best in the world at manufacturing German-standard quality products in China."

Within the next five years, he says, the company has a mission to become the world's leading and largest supplier of kitchen tools - certainly the most innovative - and to turn over 10 times what they do now.

However, Mark's personal mission this year is to complete the lase four units of his degree.

"It's going to be a big year," he laughs.

Specialist digital printers of:

Among her duties will be helping negotiate the Timor Gap Treaty, drafting Australia's application co the United Nations to extend its continental shelf boundary from 200 to 350 nautical miles and determining the extent to which the resources in the deep sea bed should be exploited.

"I see it as a really tangible vehicle for the peaceful setclement of things that would otherwise resulc in conflict. For example, people have wars over territory and resources like fishing rights and minerals," she said.

"I now have an understanding of the

international negotiation process which can be slow and frustrating but ultimately very rewarding," Constance said.

"It's a unique law-making situation because you've got so many nations coming from so many different points of interest with the potential co literally change the world.

• biographies • autobiographies • family, school and church histories • special-interest books

Bue the challenge of devising amicable solutions is all part of the actraction for the 35- year-old former government policy advisor.

Constance is driven by a desire to make the world a more peaceful place.

"I see that diplomatic solutions could actually avert conflict and make the world more peaceful and sustainable."

Constance embarked on her masters degree interested in humanitarian law, hue quickly discovered a passion for international law' arid particularly law of the sea.

"It's also about more than just the law because the law only takes you so far. It's about politics and people and morals, equity and justice, so I'm also expecting this role to present personal challenges as well."

• conference proceedings • other low-run books

Ii

aueens!and University Free advice and resource kit • . • • of Technology Design and editing available

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT OUT Publications, phone 3864 3141,

email publications@qut.com, web www.selfpublish.qut.com

Inside OUT Inside OUT March 26-AP-ril 22, 2002 Page 5

Top scientist to head CRC for Diagnostics

..

New tef Executive Officer o e Cooperative Research Centre for Diagnostics Professor Ian Gardner looks over a laboratory at Gardens Point campus.

by Margaret Lawson stimulate the economy and keep jobs here within our own biotech industry."

T

he QUT-based Cooperative Centre for Diagnostics has appointed outgoing Queensland Medical Laboratory's (QML) chief scientist and manager of immunology, Professor Ian Gardner, as its new CEO.

He said this would only happen by fostering partnerships with companies like PanBio - another local business which is a partner in, the CRC - to produce marketable products.

"The CRC is already working closely with PanBio, and I would like to see our intellectual property being commercialised through companies like that - a local leader in infectious disease diagnostics," Professor Gardner said.

Professor Gardner, an international researcher and senior manager, has worked closely with the centre in the past two years and was instrumental in securing QML's partnership in the CRC last year.

He said his priorities as head of the CRC would be on producing commercially focused research and keeping the proceeds within Australia.

"I think the centre has a key role to play in reducing the almost total reliance that laboratories in Australia have on imported tests and reagents," he said.

"The [shortage of Australian products]

results in supply problems, quality issues to do with transportation and high prices due to currency fluctuation.

"I would like to see us commercialise as much as possible within Australia, to

"In the overall equation, we have to make this CRC so successful that when the Commonwealth funding runs out we will be a self-sustaining organisation."

This could only be achieved by making novel, useful and commercial products.

Professor Gardner said he hoped his strength in his new position would come from having worked on both the research and commercial sides of scientific enterprise.

He started his academic career teaching immunology in the University of Hong Ko~g's medical school, and returned as a full-time research scientist working at various institutions around Australia.

Discount deal for students~

staff and almuni

QUT staff, students and alumni can now receive 15 per cent off when buying audio-visual (AV) equipment at selected shops, thanks to a new deal struck between suppliers and universities.

ThedealappliesatallBrisbaneand.eubmbm VideoPro stores, as

well

as at Video and Audio Australia at Southport and Advanced Video Integration (A VI) at Milton.

Teaching & Learning Support S1mrices (TALSS) associate director Geoff Roberts said the combined spending power of Brisbane's three largest universities was being put to good use.

"Each year QUT, UQ and Griffith together spend between $4mi!Hon and $7million on audio-visual equipment and services," Mr Roberts said.

"We use very similar equipment so it was felt that we might be able to cut administrative costs, achieve better prices and get a discount for our communities."

Mr Roberts said the 15 per cent discount was available to all staff and students upon presentation of ID cards, with alumni required to present photo ID and their address insert from QUT Links magazine.

He said the discount appUed to products including televisions, VCR.s, DVDs, HiFi audio, home theatte projection systems, portable videb cameras and accessories, as well as professional equipment like video editing systems, cameras and recorders.

Exceptions to the&rouncincludeconswnable products

like

audio and video tapes, as

well

u Sony Playstations, Vaio computers, Aibo Robotics and CUE

palm

pilots.

Pair to investigate knowledge creation

Senior lecturer in education Hitendra Pillay has won a prestigious Taiwan National Science Council research grant to investigate knowledge creation in manufacturing companies.

The grant is valued at more than A$225,000 (NT$4.lmillion) and was awarded to Dr Pillay and his colleague from the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Professor Jon-Chao Wong, who visited QUT last month.

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Dr Pillay said the project was important given that knowledge creation and management have become key indicators of successful companies.

He and Professor Wong will undertake a comparative analysis of Australian and Taiwanese manufacturing companies, using a knowledge creation instrument that the pair has been working on.

contact Translnfo on 13 12 JO or visit www.transinfo.qld.gov.au

Page 6 Inside OUT March 26-April 22; 2002

The instrument will then be developed as a CD-ROM for managers and supervisors to use in evaluating knowledge creation data and generating reports.

- Carmen Myler

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Ilana returns to QUT to share career ideas

Engineering/IT graduate Ilana Smith returned to QUT to talk to a group of 70 IT, engineering, maths and science students about work opportunities open to them at Microsoft. She works at Microsoft headquarters in Seattle as a program manager. Ilana has featured in QUT's award-winning graduate success TV advertising campaign, run by BCM Partnership.

Judicial performance should be monitored - researcher

A

^senior law lecturer at QUT has identified a need for Australia's judiciary to keep pace with other professions and engage in a new system of accountability.

Stephen Colbran has successfully completed his PhD on the topic of judicial performance evaluation.

He found the traditional evaluation methods - public scrutiny, media surveillance, and appellate and academic review - were flawed and left judges with almost no feedback on their performance.

"Whilst most judges are reluctant to explore performance evaluation, others see this as an important opportunity for pursuing self-development," he said.

"Gone are the days when social institutions were never questioned, when the work of the judiciary was not understood.

"Accountability is the catchcry of the new generation."

A survey of 127 judges and 270 barristers showed that while most were in favour of a system of judicial performance evaluation, the notions of reporting judicial performance to the public and being offered bonuses based on performance were rejected.

Mr Colbran said the judiciary's fear was over who would judge performance and the extent of disclosure of results.

"Judges have to be, and perceived to be, completely separate from government;

that's the whole idea behind the separation of powers," he said.

"As a result government cannot run evaluation programs."

Mr Colbran has suggested a system that would involve the judiciary surveying barristers, instructing solicitors, jurors and witnesses on their impressions of judges, who volunteer to participate.

The results would then be provided confidentially to the judge and a mentor

judge. The mentor would supplement the survey results with in-court observations.

Consistent with judicial performance Mr Colbran said it would be up to the judge to decide whether to undertake judicial education or alter their existing practice to try to eliminate any perceived deficiencies.

"What worries me is the situation where somebody doesn't know they have a weakness, but everybody else does,"

Mr Colbran said.

"The whole justice system is based on the community perception that justice is being done-if the community doesn't have any faith in the judiciary, the system falters.

"The community benefit of judicial performance evaluation is that people know that their judges are involved in professional development, that they are

consid·ering their strengths and weaknesses and are actively doing something about them," Mr Colbran said.

He is currently preparing an Australian Research Council grant application with the Assistance of the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration and the Queensland

Magistrates Court. ·

"This is a major change for the judiciary and there needs to be a change in culture and mindset before performance evaluation is universally accepted," he said.

"The judiciary is very conservative by nature and they say they are fearful that performance evaluation will influence their decisions in some way.

"The notion of judicial independence however, is to protect the litigant - some judges see it as a way of protecting themselves."

- Toni Chambers

Flooding, earthquakes cause drama on tour

Faculty of Business

restructures key schools

A restructure of the School of Communication and the School of Marketing and International Business will allow a new focus on two important areas, according to Dean of the Faculty of Business Professor Sandra Harding.

Professor Harding said the creation of the new School of International Business and School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations better integrated similar disciplines and offered a stronger concentration on international business. ,

She said the singular focus of the international business school would allow program development and a range of international study tours, exchanges and placements.

"The school is focused on enhancing the already strong undergraduate program and creating an exciting Master of International Business program, which will be unlike anything else on offer in Australia," Professor Harding said.

Acting head of international business Tom Cronk said the new school would be well-positioned to "develop programs and shape new curricula that will serve and drive the internationalisation of business education".

The old School of MIB's marketing staff have moved to the new School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, which is headed by Professor Charles Patti.

Professor Patti said the new school would benefit from integrating three disciplines that had very close theoretical foundations.

"This move reflects what is goirt'g on in industry - with a move towards integrated marketing communication (IMC) - and we think it will be good for our students, and eventually, for employers," he said.

"The school's new postgraduate curriculum will also be more flexible in allowing students to choose from a wider range of units that cut across the three disciplines."

Professor Patti said new specialisations in IMC were now being offered by the school to supplement students' majors, with each of the majors sharing units to give students a broader understanding across the three areas.

He said the restructure meant for the first time students in the school could be part of the Faculry of Business's Corporate Partners in Excellence Program, which allows them to complete their degree plus work experience in three years.

QUT journalism students studying at a Jakarta university were assured by their teacher that the building had begun shaking "because of the wind" - but the next day they realised the city had been struck by a strong earthquake.

During the flooding, students found themselves wading through streets in chest-high water.

Ms Cornford, who is completing a double degree in business communication and journalism, spent two weeks studying Indonesian, politics and culture at Atma Jaya Catholic University, and then four weeks working on an English-language magazine.

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Emma Cornford reflects on her time in Indonesia.

That was just one of many dramatic moments experienced by 13 Australian students, including six from QUT, who embarked on a six-week pilot study program in Indonesia in January.

QUT third-year student Emma Cornford said she had thoroughly enjoyed the Journalism Professional Practicum QPP), run by the Australian Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies.

"While we were in Jakarta there were two earthquakes and flooding which killed 68 people," Ms Cornford said.

The other QUT students involved were Rowena Fitzgerald, Bonnie Griffin, Blythe Seinor, Jacqueline Ralph, Nicky Haydon and Emma Rogers.

The Australia-Indonesia Institute sponsored the program which will be run on an annual basis.

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Inside OUT Inside QUT Marqh ~6-~p~il 22, 2002 · ·Page 7

• . • ,. • _.,_ , , • .. • f , • I ,. I._. -t_, '• '-. \ 1 ~ ·, ,• •

Students stage acclaimed musical

Creative Industries theatre studies student Colin Smith plays Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.

Musical lovers are in for a treat over the Easter long weekend with five performances of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Gardens Theatre.

The QUT Student Musical Society

production features 40 students from the three QUT campuses.

The performances will be held from Thursday, March 28 to Saturday, March 30. Special concessions apply to QUT

students and staff.

Tickets for the performances can be booked through GardensTix on 07 3864 4455.

- Toni Chambers

Free learning aid services prove popular with students

QUT's free student learning support services recently received a $40,000 funding boost to help meet increasing demand.

As first semester gets into full swing, many students are taking advantage of the service - run by T caching &

Learning Support Services (T ALSS) - which includes a range of free seminars on academic skills and an advisory service using student learning advisors (located in campus libraries).

T ALSS associate director Halima Goss said the funding, which was a special Deputy Vice-Chancellor's allocation, was welcome and much needed as almost 4,000 students had accessed the service in 2001.

Topics covered in the weekly seminars which run on all campuses include: time and study management;

getting the most from lectures; writing academic assignments; effective reading; concept mapping; writing a literature review; academic referencing; critical thinking; oral presentations; and preparing for exams.

Students can find out more at www. talss. q u t. ed u. au/ cal ss/

studlearning

The seminar program is just one component of QUT's free learning support services.

Other services include:

The Maths Access Centre - Based in the Faculty of Science, the centre offers weekly enabling tutorials, exam preparation workshops and drop-in help for first-year students.

Visitwww.maths.qut.edu.au/mad index.html for more information.

Accounting Connexions - This new program offers peer support and guidance for first-year accounting students and has attracted 150 members. For more information, contact Ros Kent at r.kent@qut.edu.au or phone 07 3864 2403.

International Student Services - Part of this group's service is language and learning support for international srudents, as well as domestic students from non- English speaking backgrounds. Group and individual sessions are available.

Phone 07 3864 2019 (Gardens Point) or 07 3864 3846 (Kelvin Grove).

Oodgeroo Unit-For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, staff are available on all campuses to offer learning support. Phone 07 3864 1548 ( Gardens Point), 07 3864 3610 (Kelvin Grove) or 07 3864 4599 (Carseldine).

Experts give global view on philanthopy

Two overseas experts were "virtual"

special guests in the first tutorial of QUT's new Graduate Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies last month.

The first class, which examined the difference between philanthropy in Australia and Asia, was conducted as a real-time discussion through QUT's On-Line Teaching (OLT) system.

Renowned authorities on Asian philanthropy, Dr Mark Side! and Tom Silk, left their beds in Iowa and San F;ancisco at 3.30am and 2am

respectively to talk with students in a special chatroom set up for the class.

"I think the discussion flowed pretty freely until the guests were so exhausted their fingers could no longer manage to strike the keyboard," program co- ordinator Associate Professor Myles McGregor Lowndes said.

"It worked very well as a way ro give students access to international experts, and we definitely intend to repeat the exercise with other authors and commentators throughout the semester."

About Inside QUT

Inside QUT is published by QUT's Corporate Communication Department.

Our readership includes staff, students and members of the QUT community.

This paper is also circulated to business, industry, government and the media.

Letters to the editor are welcome.

Email c.clur@qut.edu.au or mail Colleen Clur, Inside QUT, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4001). Corporate Communication is located at Room 501, Level 5, M Block, at Gardens Point.

Opinions expressed in Inside QUT do not necessarily represent those of the university or the editorial team.

Colleen Clur (editor) 07 3864 2361 Toni Chambers 07 3864 4494 Margaret Lawson 07 3864 2130 Carmen Myler 07 3864 1841

Fax 07 3210 0474

Advertising: Rachel Murray 07 3864 4408

Photography: Tony Phillips 07 3864 5003

Page 8 Inside QUT March 26-April 22, 2002

The new course in philanthropy and nonprofit studies is the first of its kind in Australia. Although in its infancy, it has proven popular both with students and corporate supporters.

National firm KPMG's Queensland branch last month established a $4,000 Tertiary Education Bursary for Nonprofit Managers, which will go each year to support a student in the program.

This year's bursary went ro development executive Christine Ryan from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR).

Want to know what's on at QUT?

Visitwww.

whatson.qut.edu.au ··

Blake art prize winner presents new Easter twist

by Toni Chambers

E

^aster fare conjures up images of bunnies, bilbies, chickens and chocolate eggs. But Buddhas?

The winning work in the prestigious Blake prize for Religious Art for 2001 is an installation comprising 52 sitting, standing and reclining Buddhas made of colourful Easter egg foil.

In his work the artist Lachlan Warner, a Buddhist himself, is reflecting on the folly of consumerism - his Buddhas are presented inside, and on top of, a glass shop cabinet.

"I am interested in the idea ofWestern consumerism, buying something bright and gaudy," he said.

The project was an unusual challenge for the artist.

One of the tenets of Buddhism is to do no harm to oneself, so Buddhists traditionally do not indulge in substances such as caffeine and

chocolate, but in this case Mr Warner found the temptation too great.

"Along the way, I got to eat a lot of

chocolate," he said.

The judging panel found that his work, Vitrine of lightweight (Sunyata), disposable (Anicca) Buddhas, in a range of festive colours, postures and mudras, demonstrated a "spiritual potency" that united the Western and Eastern religious traditions.

The works of the 20 finalists in the 2001 Blake Prize for Religious Art are on display at the QUT Art Museum until April 28.

Other works in the exhibition feature subject matter not normally perceived as part of the pious tradition, including themes of nudity and violence.

Opening hours are Tuesday-Friday 1 0am-4pm, Saturday and Sunday 12noon-4pm. The museum will be open on Easter Saturday and Sunday (closed Mondays).

Tackling try out day

QUT students were invited to try something new at the Student Guild's "Sport Come and Try Day" at Kelvin Grove campus on February 28. Business student Tanya Stuckey got a taste of rugby in a session supervised by players from the Reds Rugby College.