IQ inside
Queensland University of Technology Newspaper Issue 299 November 3, 2009 - February 8, 2010www.news.qut.edu.au George Street Brisbane 4000 Telephone (07) 3138 2361 Registered by Australia Post – Publication No. QBF 4778. CRICOS No 00213J
Energy
RESIDENTIAL solar systems in Queensland can pay for themselves within seven years if households are smart about their electricity usage, research by QUT has found.
As part of an economic study into residential grid-connected photovoltaic systems, engineering expert Dr Kame Khouzam said solar power had the potential to make money in the long- term.
“Government incentives have been enough to bring solar technology within the means of many households,” said Dr Khouzam, from QUT’s Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering.
“Economic analysis shows that under the right conditions solar systems provide signifi cant savings with payback time as quick as seven years.”
But he said the key to achieving a return was adopting smart energy-use practices.
“There are things that you can do that will give you the best fi nancial
benefi t from installing solar systems,”
Dr Khouzam said.
“The most important thing to remember when using a solar system is that if you are able to export electricity you are able to make money.”
Dr Khouzam said the best way to achieve this was to shift your load (or energy use) to non-daylight hours when the system was not generating electricity.
He said electricity companies paid a premium fee for power fed into the electricity grid which presented an opportunity for households to recover expenses at a fast rate making solar a more attractive investment.
“Utility companies charge about 18 cents per kilowatt-hour for energy used, however they purchase excess household energy generated at a rate of 44 cents in Queensland, with some electricity companies paying even higher,” he said.
“So reducing energy consumption during the day and shifting the load to after the generation time which
is between 6am and 6pm, means you will make the most from your system. All that is needed is a change in behaviour.
“For example during the day don’t iron, don’t cook unnecessarily, and don’t wash. All these things can be done at night, so this way you can export as much electricity as you can.”
Dr Khouzam said installing a minimum of a 1.5kW solar system was essential to making the most of securing the premium electricity rate.
“A 1.5kW system generates excess energy to sell electricity back into the grid. A 1kW system will save on your bill but it may not generate a reasonable return on your money.”
He said installing a solar hot water system would also go a long way to reducing energy use, which was crucial given household electricity consumption had nearly doubled in the last 14 years.
“Solar hot water will save about 25 to 30 per cent on your electricity bill.”
- Sandra Hutchinson
Solar savings
Ceremonies
About 7000 students will be jumping for joy when they graduate with their QUT degrees at the end of this year.
This year is the fi rst all student graduation ceremonies will be held in December, rather than in the year following their completion of studies, allowing more students to attend before they embark on their exciting careers and adventures.
Among those graduating are fi nal-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) students who will cap off their studies with the Dance 09 performances from November 3-7 at the Gardens Theatre, Gardens Point campus, 2 George Street, Brisbane.
Dance 09 will feature a program of challenging works choreographed by successful QUT dance alumni.
Another standout graduate event will be the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Fashion) show Collections, from November 18-20 at The Block, Creative Industries Precinct, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove. Tickets are $40.
For details and tickets, phone 07 3138 5495.
For Dance 09 details and tickets ($12-$20), phone 07 3138 4455.
- Rachael Wilson
Hats off for December graduates
>> Our teaching winners - Page 2 >> Spirit of giving - Page 5 >> Dream TV job - Page 7 >> Uni games - Page 8 >>
Dr Kame Khouzam
Make a real difference
as a social worker
CRICOS No. 00213J © QUT 2009 16320 HLT–09–881
Assist the distressed. Advocate for the disadvantaged. Motivate individuals to seek social justice. Empower communities to uphold human rights and dignity.
Make a real difference with QUT’s Master of Social Work.
Our new course offers an individualised learning program to equip you with the high-level knowledge and skills required to foster positive relationships and strengthen individuals. As a student you will have access to:
s Flexible on-campus and online delivery
s Professional placement in diverse practice settings s One-on-one mentoring partnership with an academic
This is a graduate entry program and is ideal for professionals from education, allied health, and community service industries. Graduates are internationally recognised and are eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.
Apply now for a challenging career with excellent job prospects and career pathways. Applications are being accepted for 2010 entry.
More information Phone 07 3138 4697
Email [email protected] visit www.hlth.qut.edu.au/swhs
Queensland University of Technology Victoria Park Road Kelvin Grove Q 4059 qut.com
Teaching quality
AFTER 15 years of service at QUT and almost 40 years spent in the fi eld of education, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching Quality) Professor Vianne McLean, AM, is retiring in December.
Professor McLean, a for mer kindergarten teacher, spent more than a decade work ing in early childhood education before beginning her academic career as a lecturer at Brisbane College of Advanced Education, one of QUT’s predecessor institutions, in 1986.
She then spent eight years working in various academic leadership positions at Arizona State University, where she had attained her Masters of Education and PhD in Elementary Education.
In 2000, Professor McLean returned to Brisbane to become executive dean of the Faculty of Education at QUT.
In 2006, Professor McLean became the Research
QUT researchers have secured another $5 million in grants in the latest round of Australian Research Council (ARC) funding announcements.
The university received $2 million for seven projects under the ARC’s Link age Projects scheme and $3 million for 12 projects under the Discovery Projects scheme, which are all scheduled to begin in 2010.
Highlights include a $320,553 L i n k a g e g r a n t s t u d y i n t o technology for sustainable food culture in the city which will see QUT researchers collaborate with Queensland Health, the James Street Cooking School, Cityfood Growers, Food Connect and Intel Australia. The study aims to strengthen Australia’s position to resolve the problems of obesity, malnutrition and ecological issues of mass food processing, and contribute to the sustainability of life in Australian cities.
QU T ’s av i a t i o n re s e a rc h expertise will be furthered with a
$555,000 Linkage grant study into automated vision-based aircraft collision warning technologies.
The research will investigate novel warning systems that can improve safety for piloted aircraft and also help achieve integration of UASs (Uninhabited Aerial Systems) into national airspace. Boeing Defence Australia will partner with QUT for the project.
In Discovery grants, Dr Paula McDonald from the School of Management will lead a research team examining sexual harassment in Australia. The
$396,000 project will examine how to most eff ectively prevent sexual harassment and how to reduce the impact for individuals and organisations where it occurs.
Dr Luke Nothdurft will use his $120,000 Discovery grant to help coral reefs that are critical to Australia’s tourism and fi sheries industries, cultur al heritage and international conservation responsibilities. The proposed research will test and document two newly identif ied stress indicators in corals. The project will improve understanding of reef dynamics through intervals of climate change and may help detect “early warning signs” of poor health in living reef corals.
- Mechelle McMahon
Farewell Vi McLean
$5 million
in ARC grants
Teaching excellence
QUT academics dominated the Australian Learning and Teaching Council 2009 awards, winning three individual prizes and one for programs that enhance learning.
The ALTC’s Australian Awards for University Teaching, worth $25,000, recognise the nation’s top university teachers and most outstanding programs and services aimed at improving the quality of student learning.
QUT’s success shows the university is leading the way in teaching quality and innovation.
Winning Awards for Teaching Excellence were Professor Robyn Nash, Dr Martin Murray and Dr Margaret Lloyd.
Dr Murray, pictured above, from QUT’s Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, has worked hard t o i m p r ove s t u d e n t s ’ l e a r n i n g experiences.
“I’ve led the development of peer mentoring programs nationally for over 10 years and more recently I’ve been helping fi rst-year students enjoy university life more,” he said.
Dr Murray also established the world’s only online Masters degree for railway civil engineers.
“I believe good teaching should support students from when they’re fi rst- year novices right through to becoming leading edge PhD researchers,” he said.
Dr Lloyd, from QUT’s Faculty of Education, prepares student teachers for work as educators within the secondary school environment.
“I am responsible for teaching education students secondary computer
Our teaching stars
Prof Robyn Nash Dr Margaret Lyoyd
Deputy Vice-Chancellor for International and Development and in early 2008, became the fi rst Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching Quality at QUT.
She was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2008 for her services to education and has held leadership roles in many educational organisations.
Dr Paula McDonald, left, and Dr Luke Northdurtf, above, have both won Discovery grants in the latest round of Australian Research Council (ARC) funding announcements.
Professor Vi McLean curriculum units at QUT,” she said.
“I think one of the crucial things is professional entry for students. For example I recently took QUT students to the QSITE Association Conference to be part of the environment.
“It’s about being part of the real teaching world whether that is attending conferences or being part of an online community with professional teachers.”
Professor Nash, from the Faculty of Health, started work here when the original Diploma of Nursing was being off ered at QIT.
She is now Assistant Dean (Teaching and Learning) and continues to teach students.
“Teaching gives me a wonderful perspective and allows me to really hear what students are saying and to respond to their concerns, which I can apply in my position as assistant dean,”
she said.
“A constant challenge is to ensure the work and its delivery is current and
relevant, allowing students to carry what they learn through to a practical application.”
QUT also won an award for services supporting student learning through its equity scholarships scheme.
Equity scholarships are designed to support current and commencing low-income students. More than 3000 students benefi t from the scheme which is worth about $2 million in scholarships and bursaries.
QUT’s Equity Director Mary Kelly said scholarships were designed to allow students to spend more time and energy on study without being distracted by fi nancial hardships.
“It is a system that works,” she said.
“It has been shown that scholarship holders here have higher retention rates than other students, and they consistently tell us they feel connected to the university and are more determined to succeed.”
- Sandra Hutchinson Equity scholarships scheme team members, left to right,
Melanie Syron, Mary Kelly, Anna King and Beth Standring.
ADVANCES in medical image processing may hold the key to helping scientists from QUT improve the diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis.
Professor Geoff Dougherty from California State University Channel Islands has been awarded a Fulbright Senior Scholarship to visit QUT for six months to collaborate with Professor Jim Pope on a project aimed at better understanding the structure of cartilage and the changes that occur in early stages of osteoarthritis.
As an exper t in medical imaging, Professor Dougherty brings with him vast experience in digital image processing.
“It is possible to extract rich information from medical images obtained from MRI, CT and ultrasound for example, to help us in the diagnosis and treatment of such pervasive diseases as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis,”
Professor Dougherty said.
“What we are trying to do is develop techniques that give us more quantitative information about the state of health of cartilage before it starts to degrade irreversibly.”
- Sandra Hutchinson
Daylight saving stimulus
Economics
A REVIEW of economic research suggests that daylight is good for the economy in more ways than saving money on lighting, Professor Uwe Dulleck of QUT says.
Professor Dulleck, from QUT’s School of Economics and Finance, says daylight saving should be re-examined in the cold light of economics.
“We all know about the arguments for the economic costs of being out of sync with the southern states by having diff erent time zones along the eastern side of Australia during summer,”
Professor Dulleck said.
“But a review of studies from around the world suggest we should reconsider daylight saving.
One of the most compelling studies is a US Department of Transport one which found that there are 0.7 per cent fewer accidents during daylight saving time in summer. “
A further benefit could be to keep the economic stimulus going in retail industries.
- Niki Widdowson
Games and interactive entertainment
QUEENSLAND games developers play a big part in the Australian industry. They earn about 40 per cent of the country’s $500 million video game earnings and employ half the industry’s workforce.
And so it is no surprise that Queensland’s next generation of developers is raring to go, if the response to the QUT stand at a recent video games expo is anything to go by.
Students from QUT’s Bachelor o f G a m e s a n d I n t e r a c t i ve Entertainment showed games, such as the soon-to-be-released Raskulls, developed with games company Half brick, to an eager audience at the Gen Con Australia Games and Entertainment Expo in Brisbane.
QUT Faculty of Science and Technology executive dean Simon Kaplan said there was no shortage of young people keen to f ind out about making a career in games development through QUT’s Games and Interactive Entertainment degree.
“Events such as Gen Con at the Brisbane Convention Centre and
Supanova earlier this year showed prospective students just what QUT students and graduates can do,” Professor Kaplan said.
“Brisbane and Gold Coast games companies are at the epicentre of the industry, producing some of the world’s top titles and so at QUT we are committed to producing Australia’s future stars in the industry.
“QUT’s close relationships with the industry and integrated work experience opportunities within our courses means Games and other IT students get to work with dynamic companies such as Half brick and THQ while they’re studying.”
Tyson Zastrow, pictured left, is one such student, now in his tenth month of paid work experience at Brisbane-based games company THQ Studio Australia.
“The work experience I’m receiving integrates well with my uni studies and has been a great help in choosing a career path. I get to work at a great company in one of the coolest industries, not to mention boost my CV in the process,” Tyson said.
- Niki Widdowson
Students play a big role in games
Security
A QUT cyber-law expert has warned of greater obstacles for police trying to prosecute child pornography and other computer crimes with the release of Microsoft’s new Windows 7.
QUT Adjunct Professor Dr Adrian McCullagh, pictured right, has agreed with the assessment of Queensland police who fear criminals will use high- tech encryption software on Microsoft’s Windows 7 to bury pornographic images and fi les deep within computer networks.
Dr McCullagh urged law enforcement authorities in Australia to follow the example of their counterparts in the United Kingdom where new specifi c laws have been passed that made it a crime to refuse to decrypt data that was requested as part of a police investigation.
Under the new laws, individuals who refuse to comply with orders to hand over either cryptographic keys or data in encrypted form face up to fi ve years in jail.
D r M c C u l l a g h , f r o m QU T ’s Information Security Institute – a research facility on all issues related to information security – said the new Windows 7 computers contained sophisticated encryption functions.
He said these f unctions made it harder, if not impossible, for police to access computer data for evidence in prosecutions.
He said the problem was potentially significant around the globe with Microsoft holding about 87 per cent of the computer market.
“If police have prior knowledge of a suspected off ence, there exists certain powers available for law enforcement authorities to use Trojan horse technology as a key logger that can secretly capture the decryption key or access pass phrase to decode any
Computer crime time
Unlocking osteo
secrets
encrypted information including child pornography,” Dr McCullagh said.
“It’s when they don’t discover a suspected criminal off ence until after the event that they run into diffi culties and that’s when it would be helpful for them to have additional legal powers to force suspected criminals to surrender the decryption data or face a possible jail term.”
Dr McCullagh said the laws could help law enforcement authorities to police everything from child
pornography through to suspected terrorism and fraud.
He said while civil libertarians might raise objections, it could be argued that the laws are important to protect the most vulnerable people in the community and placed the onus of proof back onto the person under investigation.
“It might even be that there are occasions where this power actually helps people under suspicion,” Dr McCullagh said.
“Police may suspect, for example, that a certain crime involves child pornography of the worst kind, so it might be in the interests of the person to prove that it isn’t as bad as police think it is. It might even sometimes help to prove their innocence.”
Dr McCullagh is one of the world’s leading experts on cyber-law and is a member of the prestigious American Bar Association information Security Group.
- Ian Eckersley Prof James Pope, left, and
Prof Geoff Dougherty.
Staff
LINDY Osborne was probably destined for life as an academic ... even though it wasn’t originally part of her plan.
The QUT lecturer had built a name for herself with one of the state’s top architectural fi rms, but switched to teaching two years ago.
“My father was an academic and my brother and sister work in universities and they all wanted me to as well ... but I was on a diff erent path,” she said.
Those paths merged, however, as her architecture work started focusing on designing education spaces.
Ms Osborne, pictured right, worked on buildings at Griffi th University and the University of Queensland and was the senior architect on the $550 million South Bank Education and Training Precinct in Brisbane.
“Becoming an academic wasn’t something I planned on - it just seemed to happen,” Ms Osborne said.
“I started off doing hospital design and worked on a teaching hospital, which led to designing teaching spaces.
“I specialised in designing university and teaching spaces, and then started teaching part-time at QUT. When I was off ered a full-time position for 2008, I decided it was my chance to be surrounded by students and really get excited about architecture again.”
Ms Osborne was employed under QUT’s Early Career Academic Recr uitment and Development program (ECARD) - which includes a one-year development program that fast-tracks university careers and is particularly benefi cial for people making the transition from industry to academic life.
“I knew about teaching but I didn’t fully understand the research and service part of life for an academic - ECARD was excellent because it fi lled the gaps,” Ms Osborne said.
“It was a very supportive environment and it equipped me for that transitional period from working in industry to academia. That really served to build my skills and confi dence, and validate that I’d made the right decision.”
Ms Osborne said receiving a QUT Vice-Chancellor’s Performance Award
had been one of the highlights of her fi rst year of teaching.
Over the next few years she will expand her focus to include research and is about to enrol in a PhD at QUT.
“I want to focus on the shift from physical learning environments to virtual learning environments, and what that means for the design of space and buildings,” she said.
QUT’s director of Human Resources, Graham MacAulay, said QUT was the only university in Australia with a dedicated ECARD program for those new to academia.
“This program is opening the door to new opportunities for young academics who are keen to work their way up the university career ladder,” he said.
T h e o n e - ye a r d eve l o p m e n t
program provides academics with a comprehensive suite of sk ills, knowledge and abilities to ensure a successful academic career, as well as support and opportunities to develop strong networking and collaborative relationships.
- Mechelle McMahon
Journalism
FOR an enthusiastic mid-career journalist, covering the collapse of the Berlin Wall was like hitting the jackpot – and is an experience which has remained with Dr Lee Duffi eld ever since.
Now, with the 20-year anniversary of the momentous event taking place on November 9, he has found himself once again transported back to the chaotic, exhilarating and sometimes confusing time.
Dr Duffi eld, pictured right, has been asked to be guest speaker at a range of high-profi le events looking back on the time the Berlin Wall came down.
Now a senior journalism lecturer at QUT, Dr Duffield was European correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation at the time of the fall of the wall, and one of a group of journalists present when the opening of the frontier was announced.
In 2002, he completed his doctoral thesis on the collapse of the Eastern Bloc in Europe and earlier this year his book, Berlin Wall in the news: mass media and the fall of the Eastern Bloc in Europe, was published.
“I have found myself talking about that time a lot ever since it happened - this year particularly,” he said.
“There is certainly a lot of interest and I am often surprised at how clear the memories are still.
“It was an exhilarating and testing time. We had to stay awake constantly, forgo eating and carry everything we could possibly need in a bag, because we didn’t want to miss anything.
“We were trying to cover what was happening in the streets, with the demonstrations and the parties, as well as going into policy meetings and covering the more offi cial angle. It was a whirlwind.
“Then, of course, we had to put our minds on our job and fi le reports back home - it was extremely schizophrenic.
“For a long time after it all happened, I could just not leave it alone in my mind.”
Dr Duffield said the fall of the wall was still a matter of g reat public interest, and the looming 20th anniversary had re-ignited debate about the event.
“This time the concentration on the wall is enormous, probably because during 20 long years it has always been there as a powerful symbol, with every history documentary including images of the wall being broken down,” he said. “It was really a triumph of the human spirit.
- Sharon Thompson
Health
QUT’S Michelle Gibb has won a major industry honour for her innovative work in wound healing – the Emerging Nurse Leader Award.
Announced by the Association of Queensland Nurse Leaders, Miss Gibb said it was an “amazing honour” to be recognised with such a prestigious award.
“To be nominated for the work I’ve done in wound management was amazing but to actually win the award, I still don’t think it has sunk in,” she said.
The award recognised Miss Gibb’s work in wound management and her leadership in establishing a new model of care as a nurse practitioner at QUT’s Wound Healing Community Outreach Service.
“The Wound Healing Service is
about improving wound healing and quality of life for wound suff erers by providing support and making treatment accessible to the public,” she said.
Miss Gibb said with between one and three per cent of people over the age of 60 experiencing a chronic wound like a leg ulcer, it was essential to focus research and education on wound healing.
“I think this award is great because it shows that wound management is recognised as a health and research priority,” she said.
As part of the award, Miss Gibb also received a $1000 scholarship to be used to further professional development
QUT is the longest provider of tertiary nursing education in Queensland and has been educating nurses for over 30 years.
- Sandra Hutchinson
IHBI
QUT Associate Professor Nick Graves has been awarded a $500,000 Federal Government grant to reduce hospital infections through better hand hygiene.
Professor Graves, from QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, will work with a number of state and territory health departments and other health organisations to evaluate the impact of the National Hand Hygiene Initiative on reducing healthcare- associated infections in hospitals.
The Federal Government announced the fi rst ever nationwide Partnership for Better Health Grants worth $21 million.
The grants will help researchers to work directly with health organisations
so that research results can be better tailored to real-world situations.
These new types of grants will help ensure the outcomes of research can be applied immediately to health care practice and policy, helping governments and communities that are seeking to implement eff ective, innovative and proven strategies.
The $21 million of grants will be provided through the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia’s peak funding body for health and medical research.
A recent study by Professor Graves published in the Australian journal Healthcare Infection, found infections caught in hospital cost the Australian healthcare system more than 850,000 lost bed days a year.
He said there were 175,153 cases
where patients had acquired an infection during their hospital stay.
“If rates were reduced by just one per cent, then 150,158 bed days would be released for alternative uses, allowing an estimated 38,500 additional admissions annually,” he said.
Professor Graves said many infections were preventable and Australian infection control practitioners could reduce rates if they had additional resources.
He said a national program being undertaken to encourage healthcare workers to wash their hands before and after touching every patient, had the potential to be highly eff ective at reducing infection as well as cost- eff ective.
- Sandra Hutchinson
Lindy designs new career
Michelle is Queensland’s emerging nurse leader
Fall of Berlin Wall:
20th anniversary
Funding for hospital infections
Michelle Gibbs, right, with patient.
To know I gave a helping hand is thrilling.
From art to medical research funding, community donors are supporting QUT.
Spirit rit rit giving of of
T
HE community has taken QUT to heart this year with record donations and bequests pouring in from people keen to help foster education, research and the cultural life of the university, its staff and students.This year QUT will have received about $30 million in support, including cash and in-kind donations, bequests, corporate sponsorship and government grants.
The gifts included money for vital health research, donations of signifi cant artworks and funds to help low income students.
One of the most recent gifts saw the university receive a generous bequest of almost $2 million from the estate of Ms Florence Wilson to support its research activities and initiatives.
Some of these funds will be used to immediately support the ongoing research of Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) member Associate Professor Clayton Adam and the QUT Paediatric Spine Research Group.
Florence Amelia Wilson (1917 – 2007) had a long association with QUT as a signifi cant donor to the work of the Paediatric Spine Research Group. Her yearly fi nancial donation supported the work of Professor Adam, who is an expert in the assessment and treatment of spinal deformities and other spine disorders.
A medical engineer with QUT’s Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, he developed his innovative research in close collaboration with leading orthopaedic surgeons and other clinicians located at the Mater Hospital in Brisbane. Key aspects of this research involve studying surgical treatments for spinal deformities, and investigating bone strength, fragility and
fracture risk in the ageing, osteoporotic spine.
“Funding from the Florence Wilson bequest will enable IHBI spinal researchers to continue developing advanced patient-specific computer models of spinal deformity surgery, with the aim of providing surgeons with a tool to assess proposed treatments before operating on the patient and plan the best procedure,” Professor Adam said.
Family ties with QUT inspired Shane and Sally Thompson to also remember QUT in their will.
Art is a passion for the Thompsons and one which they hope will last forever with the university’s help.
Their extensive collection – which includes works by Jon Molvig, Tony Tuckson and Robert Klippel – is destined for QUT where it will be enjoyed by future generations, following the Brisbane couple’s decision to bequeath 150 artworks worth an estimated $1 million.
“Sally and I are both graduates of institutions with historical links to QUT,” Mr Thompson said.
“We married not long after graduation and have collected contemporary art ever since.”
Mr Thompson, who is a principal of BVN Architecture, was involved in the university’s Cultural Precinct advisory committee and has a high regard for QUT Art Museum and the university collection.
“There’s a strong resonance between QUT’s contemporary collection and our collection so it’s a fi tting union,” he said.
The Thompsons were also motivated by a desire to have their works expertly cared for and publicly accessible.
Young women from rural and remote areas are being given the chance of a QUT education, thanks to the generosity of another philanthropist.
Laurie Cowled, once a successful businesswoman in Sydney and now a writer based on the Sunshine Coast, recently donated land to QUT which will be sold to fund scholarships for women who may not otherwise have access to a university education.
She said she and her late husband, Ron Macnamara, had always vowed they would leave their estate to charity, and after his death she decided that she wanted to donate the land straightaway.
“I could have just made a will saying where I wanted my estate to go upon my death,” she said.
“No – I wanted to be able to see who I could help before I turned 110: that’s my use by date!
“To see an enthusiastic young woman thrive in her chosen fi eld of study and to know I gave her a helping hand is thrilling.”
Ms Cowled was raised in rural New South Wales, and has expressed her strong belief that all women should have the opportunity to gain as much education as they want.
“I believe that education is a fundamental right for everyone, whether or not the family can aff ord it, or if the person is living in the country or the city,” she said.
Ms Cowled’s gift to QUT will allow six Cowled Learning Potential Fund Scholarships and one Laurie Cowled PhD Scholarship to be off ered every year to women who want to study education, architecture, science or creative arts.
It will also fund the Fostering Executive Women Award, which will enable a QUT graduate to complete a leadership course with the Harvard Business School Executive Education Program.
- Mechelle McMahon and Sharon Thompson Pictured clockwise from top left: Laurie Cowled with Learning
Potential Fund recipient Robyn Hunt; Shane and Sally Thompson at the QUT Art Museum and Associate Professor Clayton Adam.
in BRIEF...
New Year tune up All QUT staff will have access to the new QUT Health Audit from Wellness Matters from February.
The audit is a one-on- one, 45-minute session with a qualifi ed exercise physiologist who checks several risk factors for such common conditions as heart disease and diabetes. The tests also include strength, fl exibility and posture levels – great for people with sedentary jobs. The audit includes a follow-up session when results and suggestions are discussed.
For details, phone Mark Vosten, wellness manager, on 07 3138 4815.
Alumnus on NHRMC QUT PhD graduate Dr Mick Adams has been appointed a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Research Committee for 2009-2012.
Dr Adams has worked in the health industry for more than 30 years and over the past 13 years has been actively involved in addressing issues associated with the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
Business survey
QUT researchers are calling all enterprises that operate for a public or social benefi t to reply to an online survey which will help map the uncharted territory of
Australia’s newest emerging business form. Researchers from QUT’s Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofi t Studies said no one had yet surveyed this sector. For details, email [email protected] or phone 0402 598 773.
Fraud victims investigated Advance fee fraud,
which includes Nigerian, inheritance and lottery scams, has lasting effects on the families of victims, including depression and fi nancial hardship, said honours justice researcher Laura Cook. She is working with the Queensland Police Service (QPS) to understand the effects advance fee fraud has on the families of victims and help develop methods for informing and supporting them.
Kids’ books tackle taboos Children’s fi ction is as important for young people as ever, but changes in society means the tone and subject content have shifted, education researcher Professor Kerry Mallan has found. Professor Mallan has recently written a book, Gender Dilemmas in Children’s Fiction, which discusses books, novels and fi lms targeted at children and young adults. She found children’s fi ction provided an important platform for children to refl ect on the world around them.
Brisbane City Council, in partnership with the Queensland Writers Centre, is offering an invaluable opportunity for 20 new and emerging writers.
You could win: a place at a three day masterclass, the opportunity to develop your story with established industry mentors, a publishing opportunity in the One Book Many Brisbanes anthology and a cash prize of $1000.
For entry forms and to find out more, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au, your local library or phone Council on (07) 3403 8888.
COMPETITION CLOSES 5PM FRIDAY 8 JANUARY 2010 Don’t miss out – it could be you!
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Nutrician
A NEW teaching program at QUT will help future dietitians prepare for the real world by giving students the opportunity to teach healthy life skills to people with mental illness.
QUT researcher Kerryn Dowding said healthy life skills classes might be the key to teaching future dietitians about working with mental health consumers.
In a three year study funded by a Queensland Government Smart Futures Scholarship, Mrs Dowding from QUT’s Faculty of Health will trial a practical program to g ive QUT student dietitians experience in working with mental health clients.
“We have identified that in the dietetics profession there is a really large gap in addressing the nutritional health needs of clients with mental health issues,” she said.
Mrs Dowding said with almost half
of Australians experiencing some sort of mental health issue in their lifetime, it was essential that future dietitians be trained to work with this group.
“People with severe mental illness are three times more likely to be obese than the general population. By training our graduates to work with mental health clients, we hope we can improve the nutritional outcomes for these clients,” she said.
“The program will focus on teaching clients healthy life skills, such as healthy cooking and shopping.
“One of the things that happens, particularly when you experience a mental illness, is that self-care activities like healthy cooking and regular exercise tend to go down the priority list.
“Also some of the barriers people with mental illness may face include social isolation, being on the pension and living situations where they don’t have access to cooking equipment and that sort of thing. So it is quite a
challenge to access a cheap healthy diet when, for example, you only have $10 a week left to spend on food.
“The intention of the program is to fi rstly teach clients life skills but also provide an environment of support and social connection. Research shows that programs that include social support are more likely to be eff ective and sustainable over the long term.”
Mrs Dowding said the project was the fi rst study of its kind in nutrition and dietetics education.
“It is something that we believe if it works well with this group, then our students might also be able to make a difference with other vulnerable groups such as Indigenous groups or refugees,” she said.
Mrs Dowding said it was hoped that by the end of 2011, third-year students would be taking part in the healthy life skills classes with mental health consumers.
- Sandra Hutchinson
Healthy lifestyle recipe
Researcher Kerryn Dowding at a cooking class.
CREATIVE industries researcher and Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowship recipient Dr Ruth Bridgstock, pictured, is fi nding out what makes outstanding innovators tick to help prepare the next generation for the demands of an evolving economy.
She has travelled the world to interview internationally recognised innovators in science, technology and the creative industries.
Dr Bridgstock will publish her fi ndings in a book next year.
Tapping innovator secrets
THE humble coat hanger has been given an extreme makeover by a team of QUT design students who gathered them together and tur ned them into edg y, streamlined furniture. The designs won the team a gold award in the Queensland Design on Show
(QDOS) awards. The team, Void Furniture, pictured, transformed wire coat hangers from wardrobe cloggers and makeshift car aerials into beautiful, gleaming tables and stools, and transparent plastic ones into ethereal hanging and fl oor lamps.
Scholarships
BRIGITTE Yap feels very much at home in the construction industry. The 18-year-old QUT student already has some real-world experience through her parents’ building supplies business and is now studying engineering on a prestigious scholarship.
Brigitte, pictured right, is a fi rst-year Bachelor of Engineering student and gained her university place through the Dean’s Scholars Program – one of Australia’s most sought-after engineering scholarships.
A p p l i c a t i o n s fo r n ex t ye a r ’s scholarships close on November 27 and are aimed at high-achieving Year 12 students who have an excellent academic record and show leadership skills.
QUT currently has 100 Dean’s Scholars in engineering (ranging from first-year students to fourth-years) who have each received a scholarship worth almost $30,000 to cover their university fees.
The eng ineering scholarships also provide students with access to networking opportunities, such as meeting potential employers at the annual scholars’ dinner and sailing on the Young Endeavour. They also get the chance to have a positive impact on the community through groups such as Engineers Without Borders and gain international experience through student exchanges.
Brigitte has fi rsthand experience of the benefi ts of applying.
“I was encouraged by school and my parents to apply for everything I could, so I thought I would go for it,”
she said.
“It’s great because I don’t have to worry about paying for HECS. I’d probably have to work part-time and balance work and study if I didn’t have the scholarship.”
Brigitte commutes by train to QUT’s Gardens Point campus in the Brisbane CBD from her home on the Gold Coast, where she graduated from Saint Stephen’s College at Coomera.
“I was a college ambassador in Year 11 and a college prefect in Year 12 and I’ve also been touch football captain, so I was able to show leadership experience when I applied for the
scholarship,” she said.
“I really love the freedom of university – it’s very diff erent from school. It’s great fun and I like my subjects. There’s always heaps of help available if you don’t understand something so that’s helped me adjust to being a uni student.
“We do a common fi rst year and then choose which direction we want to go – at this stage I think I’ll go into civil engineering because I’d like to work in construction.”
QUT’s Executive Dean of Built Environment and Eng ineering, Professor Martin Betts said the Dean’s Scholars Program aimed to inspire students to be future leaders, work internationally and make a positive diff erence to the community.
“To be a successful Dean’s Scholar,
you need proven academic and leadership skills,” he said.
“The program is a gateway to developing contacts who can provide scholars with additional practical experience.
“One of the reasons our Dean’s Scholars are sought by industry is because they can perform academically, as well as lead and inspire others by practising what they learn, and sharing their global experiences with each other.”
Q U T h a s m o r e t h a n 2 0 0 0 engineering students, including about 250 women.
Applications for next year’s QUT Dean’s Scholarships in Engineering close on November 27. For details and application forms, visit www.bee.qut.
edu.au/deansscholars.
- Mechelle McMahon
Podiatry
A TODDLER who refused to wear certain shoes, kids who trip and fall regularly and teenage boys with ingrown toenails are among the people who are visiting the new QUT Podiatry Clinic at Kelvin Grove.
Podiatrists like QUT’s Dr Lloyd Reed are urging people – young and old – to take more care of their feet.
“A baby’s fi rst steps are the start of a 128,000km journey through childhood and adulthood,” Dr Reed said.
“That’s the average distance we all walk in our lives, so it’s no wonder that our feet often feel tired. But they can be a forgotten part of our body. People are more likely to get their car serviced than to have their feet checked. That’s where the QUT Podiatry Clinic can help.”
The QUT Podiatry Clinic opened in August as part of the new QUT Health Clinics in the Kelvin Grove Urban Village and has already proved popular with families because of its level of care and inexpensive consultation costs ($20 for adults or $15 for children and concession card holders).
“We regularly see children from as young as 18 months for a range of foot issues – it’s not just senior citizens who have problems with their feet,” Dr Reed said.
“It’s important for people to remember that any sort of regular pain in your feet is abnormal, whether you are an adult or a child,and it should be checked out.
“The things parents can notice with children include walking with feet turned in, kids who keep tripping and falling or if they don’t want to wear certain types of shoes.
“Ing rown toenails can be a concern with children too. We see young children and teenagers with this problem and it can really aff ect them – they sometimes have to have time off school. It can have genetic causes but other times it’s the result of poor footwear or incorrectly cutting nails.”
The QUT Podiatry Clinic’s top tips for healthy feet are:
1 . We a r t h e r i g h t s h o e s 2. Maintain a healthy weight range 3. Beware of hard skin and callouses 4. Wash and dry feet thoroughly each day, particularly between the toes 5. Stretch before exercising 6. Remember that regular pain is abnormal and should be checked
The QUT Podiatry Clinic is staff ed by the university’s podiatry students and fully-qualifi ed podiatrists. It is open Monday to Friday, including late nights until 8pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. Patients do not need a doctor’s referral to make an appointment. Call 07 3138 9777.
- Mechelle McMahon
Television
A QUT graduate is working his way towards his dream job as a cameraman with some hard work and the help of his university.
Stephen Ribeiro completed his Bachelor of Creative Industries (TV) last year and during his fi nal year was selected to be part of a group of top students to undertake 80 hours of work placement at Network Ten.
During this time, Mr Ribeiro, pictured right, tried several diff erent roles in TV production and decided that he would love to be a TV cameraman.
“I kept in contact with the camera and editing unit and when I had the odd day off , I would come up (to Network Ten’s Mt Coot-tha studio) and work unpaid,” he said.
While Mr Ribeiro claims it was luck, his hard work paid off in April when he was off ered a position sound recording for Network Ten shows such as Totally Wild and Toasted TV.
The position takes him one step closer to his goal.
Top engineering
scholar builds career
Kids - put your
best foot forward!
Dream job in shot
“I’m enjoying the work as a whole,”
he said. “I get to go out into the fi eld and record sound with equipment like radio mics and boom mics.
“Ever yone is really nice and supportive and helpful. I’m not afraid to ask a question.
“I’m very lucky – it must have been right place at the right time. (But) without getting the work experience through QUT, I would not have got the job, so that was a massive bonus.”
- Rachael Wilson
Design students light the way
Events
NOVEMBER 12 Sneak a peek at the Gardens Theatre performances for 2010 at an exclusive preview, 6pm at Gardens Theatre, 2 George Street, Brisbane. For details, phone 07 3138 4455.
DECEMBER 22 Keen to study at QUT in 2010? Come along to Real Decisions and fi nd out about courses, careers and gaining entry to QUT, 10am-2pm, Gardens Point campus, 2 George Street, Brisbane. For details, phone 07 3138 8501.
Exhibitions
NOVEMBER 3 - 6 See emerging artists at the 2009 BFA Visual Arts (Honours) graduate exhibition Pashing Seatbelts, 1pm-6pm at The Block, Creative Industries Precinct, Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove. For details, phone 07 3138 5495.
NOVEMBER 19 - 21 QUT’s fi rst graduates of the Bachelor of Interior Design degree will be revealing their talents at an exhibition at Living Edge Showroom, 324 Wickham Street, Fortitude.
UNTIL JANUARY 31 Local sculptural artist Sebastian Di Mauro is featured in his fi rst survey exhibition Footnotes of a verdurous tale, which includes recreations of installations from the late 1990s and debuts of new works, at QUT Art Museum, 2 George Street, Brisbane. For details, phone 07 3138 5370 or visit www.
artmuseum.qut.com.
Visit www.
whatson.qut.edu.au for more event listings and to submit your upcoming event.
WHAT’S on...
Sport
QUT’s sports stars brought home a bag of gold from the recent Australian University Games, held at the Gold Coast.
About 260 students, including 15 who were studying through QUT’s elite athlete program, made up the QUT Australia University Games (AUG) team, which won a total of 19 gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze medals
Q U T S t u d e n t G u i l d s p o r t s c o - o r d i n a t o r a n d AU G t e a m manager Patrick Brady said QUT performed exceptionally well at the competition.
“We came tenth out of 41 universities, which was quite an achievement for the size of the sports program we have at QUT,” Mr Brady said.
“This year a number of elite athletes also joined the team. This is unusual because at this time of year they are often preparing for international competitions, like the Olympics or Commonwealth Games.
“But it wasn’t just about the elite athletes. The general students performed extremely well, contributing signifi cantly to the team’s success.”
Mr Brady said one of his proudest moments was watching the QUT men’s volley ball team win gold in the Division 1 fi nal.
“About 60 QUT team members came down to cheer on the volley ball team,” he said.
“It was g reat to see the team spirit out there in force, seeing the team come together to support their teammates.”
Three members of the QUT AUG team were recognised with awards at the elite athlete program end of year function, hosted by Vice- Chancellor Professor Peter Coaldrake in October.
Swimmer and Bachelor of Design student Christian Sprenger was named the QUT Student Guild Sportsman of the Year at the function, which recognised 52 of QUT’s elite athletes for their Australian representation.
At AUG, Christian won gold medals and broke records in the 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke and the men’s 4x100m medley events, and also won gold in the 50m breaststroke event. Earlier this year, he broke the world record for the Men’s 200m breaststroke at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Rome.
Sporting success
Ready, set, Mo!
Events
A GROUP of energetic QUT staff will take the university’s involvement in prostate cancer research to a new level when they slip on their running shoes for the inaugural Mousdash up Mount
Coot-tha on November 15.
The 10.5km fun run is supporting
“Movember”, the national month that raises funds and awareness for men’s health issues like prostate cancer.
Fifteen people are part of the team entered by QUT’s Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland
Around campus
BBQ fundraiser
QUT staff and students raised
$1200 for the victims of recent natural disasters during
fundraising barbecues at Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove, pictured right, last month.
The barbecues were organised by QUT International Student Service’s East West Program.
Money raised was donated to the Red Cross to help the people of Indonesia, The Philippines,
Spring Fling
The QUT Learning Potential Fund Spring Picnic attracted a healthy crowd last month who packed their lunches and picnic blankets and enjoyed sunshine on the lawns at Kelvin Grove campus, pictured left.
The event raised awareness for the Learning Potential Fund, which supports low-income students.
Donations to the fund are matched dollar for dollar by the university.
For details, visit www.giving.qut.
edu.au.
Water polo player and Bachelor of Urban Development student Sophie Smith was named the QUT Student Guild Sportswoman of the Year.
Sophie was a member of the QUT water polo team, which took out bronze at AUG. She competed with the Australian Women’s Water Polo Team at the FINA Water Polo World Championships this year, finishing sixth in the world results.
Netballer and Bachelor of Laws student Sophie Croft was named Young Elite Athlete of the Year, and swimmer
and Bachelor of Behavioural Science in Psychology student Melissa Gorman was named Elite Athlete of the Year.
Melissa won AUG gold medals and broke game records in 400m freestyle and 800m freestyle, and was named World Champion in the Women’s 5km Open Water Swim at this year’s FINA Swimming World Championships.
QUT has been recognised as an “elite athlete friendly” university, by the Australian Institute of Sport and the Australian Sports Commission.
- Rachael Wilson
Kelvin Grove music festival
Beat a path to Kelvin Grove campus on November 15 for a free music festival featuring more than 20 bands and singers, including many talented QUT students. The SNEACS Beats Festival will run from noon to 10pm at the F Block amphitheatre and has been organised by QUT music student Kimberly Hall, pictured above, and her Social Networking Events and Creative Events (SNEACS) organisation. Visit www.qutsneacs.com for the band line-up.
Christian Sprenger
Ian Eckersley (Editor) 07 3138 2361 Sharon Thompson 07 3138 4494 Niki Widdowson 07 3138 1841 Rachael Wilson 07 3138 1150 Mechelle McMahon (Mo-Tu) 07 3138 2130 Sandra Hutchinson (Tu-We) 07 3138 2999 Erika Fish (Photography) 07 3138 5003 Marissa Hills (Advertising) 07 3138 9521 Richard de Waal (Design)
about IQ
Inside QUT is published by QUT’s Marketing and Communication Department.
Our readership includes staff, students and members of the QUT community. The paper is also circulated to business, industry, government and media. Opinions expressed in Inside QUT do not necessarily represent those of the university or the editorial team.
(APCRC-Q) and donned special
“moustaches” during some recent training... but they’re not promising any extra facial hair on race day.
“We think it will impede our running too much – the moustaches will have to stay on the desk at work!” team spokesperson Ally Tutkaluk said.
The APCRC-Q is a joint research centre run by the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at QUT and is based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.
“Participating in the Mousdash is a way to show QUT and the APCRC-Q’s support for creating awareness about men’s health issues like prostate cancer and depression,” Ms Tutkaluk said.
“The race is a fun way to get that message across and a bit of a physical challenge for us at the same time!”
Funds raised from the Mousdash will go to the Movember Foundation.
The APCRC-Q will also hold a separate fundraiser for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia on November 25 – a breakfast at the university’s Gardens Point campus.
Visit www.ihbi.qut.edu.au to read about QUT’s health research into prostate cancer and other areas.
- Mechelle McMahon Vietnam, Samoa and Tonga who
were affected by a tsunami and typhoon in September.
The university has about 1000 students from those countries.
QUT’s Michelle Curtis, Catherine Grey, Tom Col-Hunter, Dawn Cameron and Ally Tutkaluk are taking part in the “Mousdash” during November.
QUT university games medalists
