QUT Central Administration 2 George Street Brisbane 4000 Telephone (07) 3864 2111 Registered by Australia Post – Publication No. QBF 4778
Men in blue take a material interest
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Sexuality study points to
genetics
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Hundreds sweat it out in fun run
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Q u e e n s l a n d U n i v e r s i t y o f T e c h n o l o g y N e w s p a p e r ■ I s s u e 169 ■ October 7-20, 1 9 9 7
Dr Greg Terrill, above, became the School of Humanities’ first PhD graduate at the QUT Arts graduation ceremony on September 23.
Dr Terrill recently returned from Oxford University where he helped edit a book about open government in Britain, a topic closely related to his thesis. He has taken up a full-time position as a policy advisor with the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat.
QUT wins healthy interest in State’s indigenous centre
By Andrea Hammond
QUT will be a partner in a $2million centre that will train indigenous people as health professionals and researchers equipped to tackle chronic health problems in indigenous communities.
The Queensland Indigenous Higher Education Centre will be jointly managed by QUT, which is the State’s largest provider of higher education in health, and the University of Queensland.
The joint Federal Government and university initiative follows close on the heels of an April report into the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people which sent shockwaves across the nation.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics report revealed indigenous people suffered more of every type of disease or condition for which (statistical) information was available and had a life expectancy 15-20 years shorter than non-indigenous people.
Indigenous people were more likely to be exposed to poor nutrition and obesity, while their children were four times more likely to die at birth.
The ABS report also highlighted that access to health services was blocked by distance and low numbers of indigenous health workers.
Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs
First Humanities PhD reflects on bright future
Senator Amanda Vanstone announced the Federal Government would contribute $1.5million towards the new health centre.
The remaining $550,000 will come from QUT and the University of Queensland.
QUT Oodgeroo Unit manager Penny Tripcony said the QUT arm of the project had the potential to train indigenous nurses, podiatrists, optometrists, health administrators and experts in oral health nutrition, dietetics and environmental health.
It was hoped the numbers of graduating health professionals going out to work with indigenous communities would be matched by indigenous postgraduate students keen to go on to careers as academics and researchers, she said.
The centre aims to eventually become self-funding with a revenue base generated by research consultancies and other funding initiatives.
“This is a project that will give indigenous people the opportunity to take control of their own health issues and the health of their communities,”
Ms Tripcony said.
“It will allow indigenous communities to share and combine indigenous knowledge and scientific expertise – to develop their knowledge
and their skills in the interests of self- determination and self-management.
“I firmly believe if people are empowered to solve their own problems they will do so. It’s just that indigenous communities don’t have those professionals (among their own people) as yet. This is an opportunity for that to occur.”
QUT School of Public Health lecturer Dr Elizabeth Parker said QUT had world-class expertise in nursing, podiatry, optometry, health information
and administration, health promotion, oral health, nutrition, dietetics, occupational and environmental health, and human movement studies.
“Because QUT is a provider of a broad base of health sciences in Queensland I think our school and the faculty can provide a sound academic base for indigenous health professionals,” she said.
“This centre will strengthen our recruitment drive for indigenous students, provide the potential for cross-credit arrangements with the University of Queensland and prepare indigenous academics – and with them opportunities for collaboration with indigenous communities in applied and community-driven research.”
Dr Parker said the need for a co- ordinated approach to research in indigenous health was among key recommendations included in the 1989 National Aboriginal Health Strategy.
Senator Vanstone said that because more than one-quarter of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in Queensland it was “highly appropriate” to have an Indigenous Higher Education Centre focusing on health in the State.
“We need to fill the widening gap between the health levels of indigenous peoples and other Australians,” she said.
Penny Tripcony
Page 2 INSIDE QUT October 7–20, 1997
From the Inside… by David Hawke
A word from the Vice-Chancellor
School of
Management ad
Comments wanted on draft code
Comments from the university community are sought on a Draft Code of Conduct for the university which has been prepared by a QUT working group.
The working group, chaired by Professor Peter Coaldrake, was established in February by the Executive to develop QUT’s code.
The code is a requirement of the Public Sector Ethics Act.
The draft is located on the DVC’s web page and can be accessed at the following Internet address:http://
www.qut.edu.au/chan/odvc/
Comments on the draft should be forwarded to Patricia Cussens, Executive Officer, Registrar, Gardens Point or e-mail [email protected] by October 10. The working party will meet on October 24 to consider comments and prepare and circulate a further draft.
It’s not so easy being green, clean and profitable: Kibert
By Andrea Hammond
The winners in the 21st century will be those countries and companies that can produce goods and services without polluting or degrading the natural environment, a sustainable development expert said recently.
University of Florida Professor Charles Kibert said humans treated natural resources as if they were free and inexhaustible. In reality nature’s abundant resources were limited and rapidly running out, he said.
Professor Kibert was visiting Australia for five days and was guest speaker at a public lecture Clean, Green and Profitable, hosted by QUT, on October 1.
Business, organisations and the community at large had to change course and stop destroying their life support systems, Professor Kibert said.
“Tropical rainforests, which contain more than 50 per cent of the world’s biological species, are being cut down at a rate of an acre per second,” he said.
“At the current rate of consumption, we will lose 20 per cent of the estimated number of biological species by the year 2030.
“Fully 25 per cent of all pharmaceuticals are derived from just 90 species of plants, leaving the potential medicinal use of plant species largely untapped.
“What potential drug for cancer, heart disease or arthritis might we be losing if this extinction continues? It is clear that the maintenance of biological diversity will be crucial to future human survival.
“Much of the depletion of natural resources is irreversible: each year the world loses 24 billion tons of topsoil and millions of acres of grassland because of deforestation, plowing of marginal land, and overgrazing.
“We are also over-pumping water tables, causing salinisation of irrigated land and contaminating aquifers with pesticides and fertiliser.
“We are spending ecological capital as income and are running up a far greater natural debt than the financial national debts about which many countries are concerned. Society is living off its natural capital, not its income.”
Professor Kibert said population levels needed to be stabilised and governments should impose green taxes on waste, pollution and inefficiency.
“In his book The Ecology of Commerce Paul Hawken says tax reform can gradually replace taxes on income and investment with ‘green taxes’ which would promote resource conservation and job creation,” Professor Kibert said.
“A sustainable economy would employ the concept of design through which all waste would be the ‘food’ for another activity. This idea is illustrated in the concept of industrial ecology.
“Metal extraction and conversion would be replaced by strategies to continuously cycle existing metal through the economy. For example, making aluminium products out of recycled aluminium versus bauxite ore reduces energy consumption by 95 per cent and air and water pollution by 99 per cent.
“Contrast this to the present industrial system. Every year 10 tons of material are extracted from the earth for every person in the US.
“Only 6 per cent of that amount is converted into durable goods; the other 94 per cent is converted into waste residuals as fast as it is extracted.
“A sustainable society would utilise a solar-based economy. Over 85 per cent of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels. This form of energy use causes major environmental and health problems such as black lung disease, air pollution, acid rain, oil spills and global climate change, to name a few.
“This fossil fuel dependence is economically unsustainable for more than a few decades – it took 10,000 days for nature to create the fossil fuels that society consumes in one day.
“A sustainable society would only use renewable resources at the rate at which they can regenerate themselves. This means living off the income, not the capital – for example, through sustainable forestry, sustainable fishing and sustainable agriculture.”
Professor Kibert said a sustainable society would produce durable, repairable goods, eliminate disposable goods as much as possible, and detoxify the production process by minimising the use and discharge of toxic substances.
“The winners of the economic battles of the next century will be those companies and countries who invest in clean, resource efficient, zero-waste processes and technologies,” he said.
Trevor Grigg bids farewell to faculty
Faculty of Business Dean Professor Trevor Grigg will leave this month to take up a new position as Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Queensland.
Looking back at his three years at QUT, Professor Grigg said his greatest challenge had been that before his appointment there had not been a dean in QUT’s Faculty of Business for a year and a half.
Also, at that time, QUT Council had adopted a number of wide- ranging recommendations from a five-year review.
“It has been a challenging time here (at QUT),” Professor Grigg said.
“From the review there were a number of important matters for this faculty, including the recognition of the growing importance of graduate-level education in business and management.
“One of the things I enjoyed most at QUT was working with the staff, particularly the senior staff, many of whom have played active roles within the faculty.
“It is hard to leave such a group of
people . . . I think they are a great team.” Professor Trevor Grigg
Combining forces
The successful joint bid by QUT and the University of Queensland to establish the Queensland Indigenous Higher Education Centre specialising in health is a great example of universities joining forces to simultaneously pursue the aims of teaching, research and community service.
The University of Queensland has the State’s only medical school.
It also has vast experience in dealing with indigenous health issues through its Indigenous Health Program and the Cairns- based Department of Social and Preventive Medicine.
QUT has established a pre- eminent position in the State in p a r a m e d i c a l a r e a s s u c h a s o p t o m e t r y , p o d i a t r y , a n d nutrition and dietetics.
The new centre will harness the resources of these two universities and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to deliver problem-oriented research, to increase the number of university- trained indigenous health professionals, and to build links between universities and service delivery agencies.
These objectives are in keeping with the Commonwealth Government’s aims in funding the indigenous higher education centres – to increase the participation of indigenous people in higher education and to deliver research, teaching and service outcomes
relevant to the needs of indigenous communities.
One urgent aim of the centre w i l l b e t r a i n i n g i n d i g e n o u s nurses, paramedical professionals and health administrators to tend to the health needs of their communities.
In the past, very few indigenous people have completed university training in the health professions and some of these graduates have n e v e r w o r k e d i n i n d i g e n o u s health services.
I w i s h t h e Q u e e n s l a n d Indigenous Higher Education Centre well in its endeavours to direct the energies of people from d i v e r s e u n i t s w i t h i n t w o universities to the needs of one o u r m o s t d i s a d v a n t a g e d community groups.
— Professor Dennis Gibson
UniSuper ad 11x2
New-look ergonomic laboratory stresses safe work procedures
A new laboratory which is the first in Queensland to specialise in assessing the risk of back injury, muscle capability and job fatigue, has been officially opened at QUT.
The Ergonomics/Human Factors Laboratory will explore
“real-world” occupational ergonomic problems and work on developing practical solutions.
Training and Industrial Relations Minister Santo Santoro officially opened the education and research laboratory – the result of collaboration between QUT’s School of Public Health, the State Government’s Division of Workplace Health and Safety and private enterprise.
Mr Santoro personally trialled leading-edge equipment including a Lumbar Motion Monitor for assessing the risk of back injury, a Jackson Strength Evaluation System for assessing muscle capability and a portable Electro Myographic Unit for determining job fatigue.
The state-of-the-art equipment and evaluation tools will support research into postural analysis, risk assessment, workstation design, human performance, capability and capacity assessment, and analysis of environmental stresses and work physiology.
Mr Santoro said QUT students, industry and government would benefit from the advanced ergonomic expertise and technology incorporated in the laboratory.
“The wide range of specialised ergonomic equipment makes the laboratory a unique education and research facility with enormous potential,” Mr Santoro said.
“The facility will be an invaluable resource for existing and aspiring occupational health and safety professionals under pressure to keep in step with advancements in ergonomics.”
QUT lecturer in occupational health and safety ergonomics Dr Syed Naqvi said the laboratory would focus on developing solutions relevant to industry and backed by research.
“Considering back injury is the most commonly compensated injury in Queensland, ergonomic research has a particularly important role to play in improving safety at work,” Dr Naqvi said.
– Noel Gentner
Homosexuality result of nature and nurture: study
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by Carmen Myler
Homosexuality is as much determined by society and environment as it is by genetics, researchers at QUT and the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) have found.
QUT senior lecturer Dr Michael Dunne and Dr Michael Bailey, a visiting researcher from Northwestern University in the USA, said preliminary findings from their six-year research project had shown that sexual orientation in men was primarily determined by genetics, but expressing that sexuality depended on environment.
The researchers said evidence about the determination of sexuality in women was much more equivocal, but for both sexes the complementary roles of nature and nurture came into play.
“It’s pretty clear that the expression of something like sexuality really depends upon the time in which you live,” Dr Dunne said.
“It’s much easier in the 1990s to express s o m e g e n e t i c p r e d i s p o s i t i o n t o b e i n g homosexual, to being sexually adventurous, than it was in the 1950s or 1930s.”
Dr Dunne and Dr Bailey conducted interviews with 4,900 twins in Australia and discussed their research in a seminar — Social and Ethical Implications of Recent Research into the Genetic Basis of Psychological Diversity
— with QIMR’s Dr Margie Wright at QUT on September 26.
Dr Bailey — also a visiting researcher at the Queensland Centre for Public Health — said it was important to consider social and ethical dimensions of this research.
“Within our culture, the question does remain ‘Do people become homosexual because they are born that way or because of what happens to them after they are born?’,” he said.
“In the United States, there is a belief by a group of fundamentalist religious people that homosexuality is like a contagious disease.
“If that were true then people would have m u c h m o r e n e g a t i v e a t t i t u d e s a b o u t homosexuality than if it is something that you are born with.
“To that extent, I think our research (proving homosexuality is influenced by genes) is relevant, even ethical,” he said.
Dr Dunne said one long-term implication of research in this field was that people would have a more sophisticated understanding of genetic influences, and would see that fears of genetic manipulation (such as selecting against gay babies “in-utero”) were unfounded.
“It looks like, for most human traits, it’s very unlikely that there is any single gene influence, so it might be the case that you’re going to need a number of genes, and also particular types of environment, for that trait to express itself,” he said.
“The good thing about that is for a long time it will probably be virtually impossible to do manipulation of human psychological traits in embryos,” Dr Dunne said.
Dr Margie Wright with Dr Michael Bailey, centre, and Dr Michael Dunne . . . sexual orientation in
men is primarily determined by genetics, but whether men express that sexuality depends on
their environment
Vested interest . . . Training and Industrial Relations Minister Santo Santoro tests a Lumbar Motion Monitor with a little help from
National Safety Council of Australia senior consultant Simon Phillips, left, and QUT lecturer Dr Syed Naqvi
Wizard of lateral thinking teams up with QUT
Lateral thinking luminary Dr Edward de Bono has teamed up with QUT’s Faculty of Education to promote quality in Australian education and teaching.
Dr de Bono, a leading authority on teaching thinking as a skill, will launch the de Bono Education Network, based in QUT’s School of Professional Studies on October 8.
Faculty of Education Dean Professor Alan Cumming said the network would work at a
“grassroots level” with teachers to research and develop resources for their professional development.
“The core activities of the network will be to establish a collaborative research program and to develop high-quality professional development resources which celebrate innovation and promote quality and best practice in teaching,” Professor Cumming said.
“We’ll do this by establishing strategic links with international universities, schools and educational associations, and identifying teachers’ professional development needs here and overseas.
“The network will also recognise leading thinkers, and show examples of innovations in schools.”
The first venture for the de Bono Education Network has been the production of videos for teachers and other educational professionals.
The videos include case studies from around Australia of schools which have developed and implemented new, high-quality programs in teaching.
Professor Cumming said it was essential for the university to work in close partnership with teachers, principals, educational leaders and the community.
He said QUT had an obvious link with Dr de Bono because it shared his vision for innovative thought in education.
Dr de Bono has a background in medicine and psychology. He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and has held appointments at the Universities of Oxford, London, Cambridge and Harvard.
His work spans from teaching seven-year-old children in primary school to working with senior executives in the world’s
largest corporations. Dr Edward de Bono
Page 4 INSIDE QUT October 7–20, 1997
NORTH QUAY HOTEL 25x2
QUT honours rights campaigner
By Carmen Myler
Aborigines owed an enormous debt of gratitude to Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen because he made the Mabo case successful, Jesuit priest and lawyer Father Frank Brennan told graduating students and their families at a QUT graduation ceremony on September 23.
Father Brennan attended the ceremony to accept an honorary doctorate from QUT f o r h i s d i s t i n g u i s h e d s e r v i c e t o t h e community, in particular for his dedication to human rights and the advancement of Aboriginal Australians.
Sir Joh’s 1985 Queensland Coastal Islands Declaration Bill, which attempted to extinguish native title, enabled Eddie Mabo’s lawyers to appeal to the High Court and eventually win their case, Father Brennan told arts, education and science students.
“Prior to this legislation, Eddie Mabo’s case was progressing slowly because of the complexities about the evidence of native title last century and to the present,” he said.
“Once the Queensland Parliament had passed the Coastal Islands Declaratory Act 1985, Eddie’s lawyers were able to remove the case immediately to the full bench of the High Court to test the validity of the Queensland legislation.
“There was no longer an immediate need to produce evidence of native title. It was just a legal question of the conflict between a State law and a federal law.
“But for Sir Joh’s distinctive style of politics, it is unlikely that the Mabo case would ever have reached the High Court.”
Father Brennan’s untiring commitment to advancing human rights dates back to the early 1980s.
He is author of a number of books including One Land One Nation, Sharing the Country
Former Member for Lilley Elaine Darling and Father Frank Brennan . . . Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s distinctive style of politics ensured the success of Mabo
By Noel Gentner
A world first is being claimed at QUT in the use of a new method to more accurately detect, measure and identify micro-organisms present in the air we breathe everyday.
The new method is the result of an honours project undertaken by Greg Beitz and supervised by School of Life Sciences associate lecturer Megan Hargreaves, pictured right.
Co-supervisors on the project are School of Life Sciences lecturer Dr Louise Hafner and Natural Resource Sciences senior lecturer Dr Lidia Morawska.
Ms Hargreaves said initial trials using the new method had revealed a more accurate picture of the prevalence of micro-organisms, or bio- aerosols, in the air.
“We are receiving a much more accurate assessment of what is really present in the air and are finding that counts are up to 20 times higher than those recorded by current methods,” she said.
“Most methods for testing air for micro-organisms collect the air onto a solid growth medium.
“This gives you a much lower
count, because the micro-organisms are stressed after being collected on a solid surface so that some don’t grow and the result is a false low count.”
Ms Hargreaves said the new method incorporated the use of two proven technologies which had not previously been combined in this field and resulted in a much more accurate assessment of sub-micron sized bio-aerosols.
She said the new method raised some interesting issues on air standards because there were no Australian standards for micro-organisms in the air.
“People have been pushing authorities to bring standards in, but they will now have to take our
New technique makes better air quality count
new method into account, otherwise standards are going to be set at a false level,” Ms Hargreaves said.
“This doesn’t mean people are at risk, but it does means the air has had a lot more micro- organisms in it than we thought.”
Mr Beitz, assisted by Stephen Thomas, a senior research assistant in the Centre for Medical and Health Physics, has used the new method to complete a trial assessment of air content in about 50 offices at QUT’s Gardens Point campus.
“We will now have to work out the significance of the results because at the moment most of them appear to be dissimilar to the readings from the other method,” Ms Hargreaves said.
and Land Rights Queensland Style, and co- author of Finding Common Ground and Reconciling our Differences.
In 1989 he won the United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Award for articles written in support of Aboriginal rights, and in 1994 he was the National Australia Day Council’s Achiever of the Year for his contribution to the Aboriginal community.
Father Brennan is the founding director of Uniya, a Christian centre for social research and action in Kings Cross, Sydney, and has served for many years as legal adviser t o A b o r i g i n a l c o m m u n i t i e s a n d a s a n Aboriginal affairs consultant to the Catholic bishops of Australia.
In 1995 Father Brennan was made an officer in the Order of Australia for services to
Aboriginal Australians, particularly as an advocate in law, social justice and reconciliation.
More recently his human rights calling has taken him to the Philippines, Cambodia, Uganda, and the USA where he was a Fulbright Scholar.
His current interests and commitments at Uniya include Aboriginal rights, refugee rights, the bill of rights and constitutional reform, and intercultural and inter-religious perspectives on human rights in East Asia.
Also, at the ceremony, former Federal MP Elaine Darling graduated with her Master of Arts by research for her thesis The Influence of Politics and Gender on the Development of the Brisbane Aboriginal Rights Movement 1958 to 1960.
Ms Darling was Labor Member for Lilley and, more recently, a member of the Queensland Reconciliation Committee.
Part-time certificate a
‘sure fire’
success
The School of Architecture, Interior and Industrial Design is offering Queensland’s first vocational education and training course in building fire safety.
The Graduate Certificate in Building Fire Safety Designs and Systems will provide building professionals and certifiers with knowledge and skills for the design, assessment and professional a p p l i c a t i o n o f p e r f o r m a n c e - b a s e d building fire safety systems.
It will also enable the State to achieve wider benefits through the use of the Performance Building Code of Australia.
With the introduction of the performance-based building code on July 1, 1997, designers can now use performance requirements to develop alternative cost-effective solutions in place of prescriptive requirements for all building systems, including fire-safety.
Building professionals need to be trained in this area for the benefits of performance-based building fire safety systems to be achieved in Queensland.
At present there is a severe shortage of such personnel in Queensland.
The QUT course will be open to building surveyors in local government and fire safety officers, as well as g r a d u a t e s f o r t h e a r c h i t e c t u r a l , e n g i n e e r i n g a n d c o n s t r u c t i o n management courses.
The Graduate Certificate in Building Fire Safety Designs and Systems will start first semester 1988 at QUT’s Gardens Point campus.
The duration of the course is two s e m e s t e r s p a r t - t i m e . F o r f u r t h e r information contact course co-ordinator Professor Bill Lim on (07) 3864 2537.
QUT’s art collection boasts new ceramics and indigenous prints, thanks to a $16,000 grant by the Visual Arts/Craft Fund of the Australia Council.
The university was one of only six organisations in Australia to receive one of the grants.
QUT curator Stephen Rainbird, pictured above with
assistant curator Gordon Craig, said12 non-functional ceramics and prints had been purchased so far from contemporary artists and crafts people.
The university was very “well placed” in terms of receiving support from the community, grants, gifts and donations towards art acquisition programs, he said.
Ceramics take
pride of place
IC Technologies 10x3
Seven Indonesion students are QUT’s first batch of postgraduates to don distinctive blue neck-to-ankle suits as they work on the latest high- tech composite materials.
The students are completing the new Graduate Certificate in Engineering (Materials Technology) offered by the School of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Medical Engineering.
The magnificent seven . . . Graduate Certificate in Engineering (Materials Technology) students prepare to work on high-tech composite materials in their space-age blue suits
Girls break stereotypes to engineer exciting careers
Forget backpacking: an overseas study exchange is the way to go
M o r e t h a n 1 0 0 f e m a l e s t u d e n t s took the opportunity to explore challenging careers that their mothers and grandmothers would never have considered, with the help of the 1997 QUT Spring Science/Engineering School.
The school, held from September 22 to 25, helped inform the Year 10 students about careers in fields such as medical engineering, aerospace engineering and science that – while still mostly dominated by men – also offer exciting and challenging career opportunities for women.
The school, held every year since 1990, aims to raise awareness of rewarding careers which are available to young
Looking into challenging careers in science and engineering . . . Corinda State High School students Christina Nipperess-Simms, left, Tina
Lazarevic, centre, and Linda Nguyen
Final-year arts student Charles Smith is one QUT student who has recently returned from an exchange in Japan.
Mr Smith, who is majoring in Asia-Pacific studies, has been to the Nagasaki Wesleyan Junior College in South Japan twice – once from January to June in 1996 and again from February to July in 1997.
He said the exchange experience was “a worthwhile investment”.
“ W h e n I w e n t t h e f i r s t t i m e , I d i d n ’ t know a single person in Japan,” he said.
“But there’s nothing better for developing maturity and personal growth than being away from your family and friends for a year, living by yourself and having to survive.
“On the practical side, the most valuable part of the exchanges was being immersed in the culture and language.
“It really helped me with my Japanese.
“On a personal note, it (the most valuable part) was learning more tolerance towards other people.”
Mr Smith, who received a UMAP scholarship on one exchange but paid his own way on the other, said money was not a big issue.
“I worked to get the money for my plane fare when I didn’t have the scholarship and I was lucky enough to get Austudy on the exchange, which helped me out a great deal,” he said.
“Once you’ve settled in, you know all the places to buy cheap t h i n g s a n d t h e f a c t t h a t supermarkets have certain days when they have student discounts.
“It’s a lesson in budgeting, but I really didn’t find it that difficult.”
Mr Smith will be delivering lessons of his own next year when he takes up a position as an English teacher in Japan where he has a one- year contract with NOVA.
By Carmen Myler
More students should include an international exchange in their study plans rather than taking overseas holidays at the end of their degree, QUT international marketing officer Felicity Barry said this month.
Despite the fact that about 2,000 international students from 59 different countries studied at QUT, Fewer than 100 QUT students went on international exchanges in 1997, Ms Barry said.
“It’s a very Australian thing:
to do your degree and then go backpacking to discover life overseas,” she said.
“A study exchange can be an excellent way to experience other cultures, enhance your education and make some valuable contacts for future study and career opportunities.”
Ms Barry said QUT’s Student Exchange Program allowed students to study in participating countries while gaining credit for degrees.
She said students could take advantage of a limited range of bursaries (including 20 QUT bursaries), scholarships and exchange schemes such as the Government’s recently announced $1.3million University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific program (UMAP).
The QUT Exchange Program has participating universities in Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand and the United States.
Arts student Charles Smith . . . a teaching job in Japan after two study exchanges to Nagasaki
women when mathematics and science subjects are continued to Year 12.
S t u d e n t s f r o m 3 8 g o v e r n m e n t a n d n o n - g o v e r n m e n t s c h o o l s in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and Toowoomba participated in the summer school.
The program, which students attend for one day, included activities such as demonstrations and hands-on experiments at QUT and the CSIRO Education Centre, Long Pocket Laboratories at Indooroopilly, as well as field trips.
Each year, the university contacts approximately 150 schools asking them to nominate five students, who want to study Year 12 mathematics and science, to attend the Spring School.
The course forms the second half of a masters program being taught jointly by QUT and the University of Indonesia and sponsored by BPPT, the Indonesian Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology.
The protective suits keep out resins and fine kevlar, carbon or glass fibres as the students work
t h r o u g h a t h r e e - w e e k b l o c k d e a l i n g w i t h e n g i n e e r i n g composite materials being taught by lecturer Dr Richard Clegg.
While completing their studies at QUT, the group will study three more blocks — on polymers, ceramics, and electrical and magnetic materials — and will carry out a research project.
Students don space-age suits
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Page 6 INSIDE QUT October 7–20, 1997
Uni Credit Union ad — 19x7 Qld chuffed with Science Train
By Glenys Haalebos
The QUT Science Train’s 10,000 km Queensland-wide odyssey came to an end on Friday, September 26 when the last visitor stepped off at Brisbane’s Roma Street Station.
Hailed as a huge success, the Science Train attracted 21,500 visitors from 23 regional centres in its five-week journey around the State, and a further 3,500 during a five-day stay at Brisbane’s Roma Street Station.
QUT Dean of Science Professor Vicki Sara, who initiated the project, said the Science Train had exceeded her most optimistic expectations.
“We in the Science Faculty believed in the project and committed ourselves to it wholeheartedly, but I don’t think anyone really expected the tremendous public response it has received,” she said.
“Not only did it capture the public’s imagination, but the media also got caught up in the excitement the train seemed to carry with it.
“From the perspective of raising the profile of QUT State-wide and of carrying the message of the relevance of science to everyday life, it has been an overwhelming success.
“At the final count, more than 80 newspaper articles have covered it, more than 50 radio interviews and general broadcasts have been aired and the train has flashed onto television screens in homes around the State more than a dozen times in as many metropolitan and regional centres.
“Magazine articles on the QUT Science Train are continuing to appear nationally and even internationally.
“Comments in the visitors’ book on board reflect the excitement and appreciation rural people felt when they viewed the display. They were so grateful
we had the ideas, but we didn’t have enough money. We decided to take a leap of faith and commit ourselves regardless,” Professor Sara said.
“In the end, just weeks before the train departed, sufficient funding became available and everything leapt into top gear.
“I’m thrilled with the way the project has gone. A hazy idea became concrete reality and I believe our objectives of raising rural and regional awareness of science and of QUT were well and truly met.
“I’d love to do it again — make it bigger and take it all around Australia,”
Professor Sara said.
The QUT Science Train was sponsored by the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail, The Queensland Performing Arts Trust, The Federal Department of Industry, Science and Tourism, the Arts Office – Queensland, Rotary and Sunstate Airlines.
International fiesta to showcase the world of culture in Australia
The QUT Student Guild is organising an “International Fiesta
’97” to promote cultural awareness and exchange among Brisbane’s diverse communities.
The fiesta — themed ‘The World is in Australia’ — will be staged at Festival Hall from 6pm to 12midnight on Saturday, October 11.
Billed as a ‘drug-free, smoke-free and alcohol-free family/community event’, the fiesta will feature both a cultural/ethnic exhibition and cultural performances.
Guild International Students Services director Rajkumar Ravindran said the event would be the first of its size to be hosted by a student body within Brisbane.
“We expect to attract an audience of 2,000 to 3,000 people,” Mr Ravindran said.
“Our target audience comprises international students from Brisbane’s three universities, various ethnic groups and the general public.”
Mr Ravindran said the exhibition would feature cultural and ethnic displays, demonstrations, sale of cultural items and ethnic food.
The cultural performances would include acts and performers from a variety of nations.
“We will have input from Australia, Africa, Brazil, China Fiji, India, Indigenous Australia, Indonesia, Italy, the Middle East, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Taiwan, Tonga and Vietnam,” he said.
“It will be a truly multicultural evening. Dances, short plays, songs, traditional weddings and a traditional dress fashion parade are just some of the attractions the performance part of the Fiesta offers.”
Mr Ravindran said profits from the event would be donated to non-profit organisations such as Community Aid Abroad.
– Glenys Haalebos The Queensland media went ‘totally wild’ over the QUT Science
Train . . . here Elisa Whiteside from the School of Life Sciences gives a guided tour to Channel 7’s Justin Groover, left,
Sam Harvey, centre, and Shane Dyson that a project of this magnitude was
aimed specifically at them.”
Professor Sara said the $500,000 project had been an enormous logistical task.
“From sitting down with Queensland Rail to nut out a route, to consulting with our scientists on the content, to working with QPAT and the Arts Office – Queensland on the design of the train’s interior, to working out staff schedules, sleeping and eating arrangements, the work load and the range of issues to be handled has been amazing.
“But in the end, the Science Train was only as good as its staff. Our postgraduate students and the various train managers on the three legs of the journey were the point on which success or failure pivoted,” Professor Sara said.
She said there had been a time when it appeared the project might not go ahead.
“Six weeks before our due departure date, we had the train, we had the route,
QUT law duo Caroline Hinds and Belinda Bradberry have won the national final of a Mooting Competition run by the Law Council of Australia — Family Law Division.
The final-year law students defeated a team from the University of Tasmania in the mock-trial competition which was held at Melbourne’s Family Court on Thursday, September 18.
The QUT and University of Tasmania teams were chosen for the national final from seven state and territory finalists.
The final was presided over by Justice Fogarty.
Still on a high from their success, the duo have now entered another mooting competition in Vanuatu, competing against teams from the South-Pacific Region and Papua New Guinea.
Mooters unstoppable in
national law competition
• Counselling & Health Department
Dec 2 Menopause. Health Services promotion on Menopause featuring Dr Ruth Cilento. Carseldine/C321, 9.30am-12Noon. $5. Christine Thomas at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 4539.
• Equity
Oct 7–17 Equity Basics. Seminars for staff with or without supervisory duties. FREE.
(managers) 9am-Noon, (non-managers) 9am-Noon & 1.30pm-4.30pm.
Gayle Hughes at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 2699.
Oct 21 Resolving Discrimination and Harrassment Grievances.
Informs managers & supervisors of their role & responsibilities in the grievance resolution process. KG/K108, 9am-12.30pm. Free.
Leanne Zimmermann at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 3653.
FROM THE ACADEMY
Oct 8 Percussion Duo. Contemporary works ranging from Xenakis to Chick Correa. KG/M Block Music Studio.
1-1.45pm. FREE. (07) 3864 5998.
Oct 15 Young-Ah Kim, Piano. Performing sonatas by Carl Vine and Ginastera. KG/M Block Music Studio. 1-1.45pm. FREE.
(07) 3864 5998.
Nov 29-30 Non-Linear Digital Recording. Learn to record sound & music in the non-linear digital domain. KG/M Block Music Studio. $330.
Andy Arthurs at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 3296.
STUDENT GUILD
Oct 16 Octoberfest GP
Oct 17 Free Movie Night GP
Oct 20 Band/Market Day C
Oct 23 Noon Hour Band GP
Oct 24 QUT Cup Soccer KG
Oct 28 Noon Hour Band KG
Oct 30 Athletic Awards TBA
Nov 28 QUT Ball Jubilee Hotel
Dec 15-19 Sport Camps Week #1 C
• Centre for Policy & Leadership Studies in Education
Nov 29 Pedagogy & the Body conference (1-day). Will address complex & changing interrelationships between pedagogical & corporeal practices in contemporary cultural
& educational settings. Waged participants $95, non- waged $60. KG. Anne Wilson at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 5959.
• Continuing Professional Education
Oct 20 Judicious Behaviour Management . Reviews current situation & demonstrates how legal & democratic processes can underpin a positive approach to all aspects of behaviour management in schools &
classrooms. $95. KG/B306, 4pm-9.30pm . Samantha Chaplin at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 3505.
Nov 8-9 How to Build a Personal Discipline Plan in Your Classroom. Workshop surveying the latest & enduring techniques for managing behaviour in classrooms. KG/B306, 8.45am-3.30pm. $95. Samantha Chaplin at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 3505.
Nov 15 Dealing with Difficult Students. Workshop aimed at helping experienced teachers deal with more difficult students. KG/
B306, 8.45am-4.30pm. $8 5. Samantha Chaplin at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 3505.
Nov 20 Conducting School Improvement by a School Behaviour Management Audit. Workshop surveying the latest &
enduring techniques for managing behaviour across whole schools & other educational environments. KG/B306, 4pm- 9.30pm. $85. Samantha Chaplin at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 3505.
Oct-Dec Brief: Family Therapy. Introductory course, Oct 18 & 25;
Intermediate course, Nov 8 & 15; Advanced course, Nov 29
& Dec 6. $235. Samantha Chaplin at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 3505.
Check out What’s On at http:// www.qut.edu.au/pubs/02stud/whatson.html.
Send your What’s On entry to [email protected] or via fax on (07) 3210 0474.
CONFERENCES, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS
• Academic Staff Development Unit
Oct 9 A: Assessing to Enhance the Quality of Student Learning AND B: A New Look at Teaching International Students. Prof John Biggs presents two sessions to help with teaching and assessment of students. GP/Z304, A: 9am-10.20am; B: 10.30am- 12Noon. Free. Jennifer Hunter at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 2697.
Dec 9-11 Respecting Ethnic & Cultural Heritage (REACH) Program. Dates tentative. Expressions of interest — REACH is a non-profit organisation involved in training
& professional development in the area of leadership for diversity. $500. Patricia Kelly at [email protected] OR (07) 3864 1651.
• Centre for Applied Studies in Early Childhood
Oct 10 Recognition of Caucasian & Chinese Facial Expressions by Young Children in Hong Kong. Presented by Grace Choy. KG/B304, 1pm-1.30pm. Free. Margaret Kays on (07) 3864 3660.
Oct 10 Siblings in Day Care & at Home. Presented by Rekha Sharma. KG/B304, 1.30pm-2pm. Free. Margaret Kays on (07) 3864 3660.
Oct 24 The Importance of Self Regulation in Young Children.
Presented by Dr Monica Cuskelly, Fred & Eleanor Schonell Research Centre, the University of Qld. KG/
B304, 1pm-2pm. Free. Margaret Kays on (07) 3864 3660.
Oct 31 Gene Therapy, Molecular Biology & Other Modes of Promoting Caregiver Infant Attachment. Presented by Dr Ken Armstrong, Director, Family CARE Project, Community Child Health. KG/B304, 1pm-2pm. Free.
Margaret Kays on (07) 3864 3660.
Council and Committee News
(ii) that staff whose recreation leave would otherwise have included Monday December 29, 1997 be granted this day as a day’s special leave on full pay;
(iii)that Tuesday December 30 and Wednesday December 31, 1997 be debited against accrued recreation leave, other leave entitlements such as time off in lieu of formally approved overtime, or be granted as leave without pay;
(iv)that a skeleton staff be maintained on days other than gazetted public holidays to maintain essential services;
(v) that staff who are required to maintain essential services be granted one day’s leave on full pay at some mutually convenient time.
The conditions will cover all permanent staff, as well as other staff (excluding casuals) who have at least a three-month appointment inclusive of the proposed closure.
Equity Plan 1998-2002
The Board noted the final draft of the Equity Plan 1998-2002 and requested the Equity Coordinator to report regularly on its implementation.
Quinquennial Reviews
Planning and Resources Committee discussed the Report of the Review of the Division of Academic Affairs and the comments on the Report made by University Academic Board.
It noted that the Implementation Plan would be forwarded to the next meeting of the Committee.
The Committee also noted reports on the implementation plans for the following;
• Division of Research and Advancement
• Division of Information Services
• Faculty of Education.
TEACHING AND RESEARCH Semester 1, 1997 Graduands
UAB approved the list of graduands for Semester 1, 1997 including honours degrees as recommended by relevant Faculty Academic Boards, and faculty cut-offs for awards with honours and awards with distinction as recommended by Academic Procedures and Rules Committee. Graduands included 34 research degrees including the first four candidates for QUT’s Doctor of Education.
Annual Review of Student Rules
On the recommendation of the UAB, Council approved some minor amendments to Student Rules, relating to appeals against the decision of the University Academic and Admission Appeals Committees; assessing credit for non- QUT students; and that the maximum credit available for QUT courses not be altered.
Course Development
Council approved a Stage 1 proposal for the Graduate Diploma in Social Science (Clinical Hypnosis) and associated graduate certificate courses subject to UAB ensuring that certain conditions are met. UAB considered Stage 2 proposals and approved for introduction in Semester 1, 1998 the following courses in the Faculty of Arts.
• Bachelor of Social Science - generic
• Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) (Human Services)
• Master of Social Science (Human Services)/Graduate Diploma in Social Science (Human Services)
UAB also approved a change in title of the Master of Education which sees the area of interest added as a descriptor in parentheses.
Dearing Report
UAB considered the executive summary of the report by Sir Ron Dearing on the future of higher education in the United Kingdom.
Relevant board sub-committees have been asked to prepare papers on aspects of the Dearing report which will be compiled into a broader paper addressing all relevant sections of the Dearing and (when published) West reports for discussion at UAB
Proposed Assessment policy for Non English Speaking Background (NESB) students The Academic Procedures and Rules Committee is currently considering a proposed assessment policy for NESB students. The policy needs further development following comments from the Equity Coordinator, after which it will be recommended to a future meeting of UAB.
Research funding
Research Management Committee considered several issues related to distribution of funds for research including:
• the 1998 Research Budget Paper;
• a formula for the allocation of ARC small grants;
• proposed arrangements for distributing and monitoring selected QUT;
• postgraduate research awards at faculty level; and
• a submission on ways of recognising the contribution of cooperative research centres to the university’s research quantum, which has been forwarded to faculties for consideration.
1997 Non-DEETYA Publications Collection Research Management Committee considered a proposal relating to the continued collection of non-DEETYA publications which has been circulated to all faculties and centres. Further information can be obtained from Research Office.
FINANCE AND FABRIC Second budget review for 1997
VCAC and Planning and Resources Committee considered the report of the second budget review which outlines the university’s financial position at 30 June. The report puts QUT in a sound financial position with increases in international and domestic student fee income above estimates. Most faculties and divisions are on course to meet carryover targets for 1997/98.
Physical Facilities
Work on upgrading the sound and lighting in the renamed QUT Theatre in X block (the former Basil Jones theatre) at Gardens Point
has been undertaken. On recommendation of Building and Grounds Committee, the Vice- Chancellor approved the awarding of the contract for stage II of the built environment precinct at Gardens Point, blocks D and F, to Barclay Mowlem. Work has started on the site.
Tenders for refurbishment of the W block science precinct at Gardens Point have closed and a contractor was expected to start on September 1.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) verbally briefed Planning and Resource Committee on the Capital Management Plan, and indicated that a revised plan will be forwarded to the next meeting.
Report in accordance with Public Finance Standards for quarter ending June 30, 1997 Planning and Resources Committee noted the above report and specifically that this would be the last quarterly report in this format, as the Public Finance Standards were replaced by the Financial Management Standard as from July 1, 1997.
The nature of future reports to the Committee is currently under discussion.
STAFF
Professional Development Program for General Staff
PDP (General Staff) Committee reviewed six applications submitted under the scheme in July 1997, five of which were subsequently approved.
The committee will undertake a comprehensive review of the program in October.
Outstanding Contribution Award for General Staff
The Outstanding Contribution Award for General Staff Committee reviewed the policy and procedures of the award scheme and recommended to the Vice-Chancellor that substantial amendments be made to the scheme.
It is anticipated that the revised scheme will be in operation on time for the 1998 round of the award.
Review of grievance procedures
Equity Board noted a brief for an external consultant to review the University’s grievance procedures.
Senior Staff recruitment
• Professor Gail Hart accepted appointment to the position of Director of the Department of Teaching and Learning Support Services and commenced on August 4, 1997.
• Dr Robert Waldersee, Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow, Centre for Corporate Change, Australian Graduate School of Management, has accepted appointment as Professor of Management and Director, AGSM.
• Associate Professor Brigid Limerick has accepted an offer of appointment as Head of School of Cultural and Policy Studies
• The Vice-Chancellor appointed Mr Richard Allom from Allom Lovell Marquis-Kyle Architects as Adjunct Professor in the School of Architecture, Interior and Industrial Design from July 21 to November 21, 1997.
This is a summary of the activity taken by the Vice-Chancellor, Council and the following committees since July 16, 1997 and including the September 3, 1997 Council meeting.
• Vice Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, VCAC (July 24, August 7 and 21)
• Planning and Resources Committee (August 27)
• University Academic Board, UAB (August 15)
• Research Management Committee (August 1)
• Academic Procedures and Rules Committee (July 30)
• Buildings and Grounds Committee (August 6)
• Professional Development Program (General Staff) Committee (July 23)
• Convocation Standing Committee (August 14)
• Equity Board (August 19)
• Health and Safety Committee (August 19) MANAGEMENT
Risk Management
Council approved the policy on Risk Management as recommended by Planning and Resources Committee. Operational guidelines for the policy were also endorsed by the committee, and the material will be included in a future MOPP update.
Mobile Telephone Policy
VCAC endorsed recommendations relating to the use of mobile telephones which were then approved by the Vice-Chancellor. This material will be included in the MOPP and details of the policy and procedures will be circulated.
‘Word’ as the new word processing standard VCAC endorsed the adoption of ‘Word’ as the new word processing standard and acknowledged that there would be costs associated with re-training staff.
Japanese encephalitis virus and claims of scientific misconduct
The Vice-Chancellor provided Council with briefings on the two issues on August 18 and September 3, 1997.
Access for students with disabilities at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex Following the move of the Faculty of Arts graduation ceremony in April to another venue, the Registrar undertook to investigate ways of catering for students with disabilities at graduation ceremonies at QPAC concert hall. The Registrar reported to Council that a number of new configurations in the concert hall had been developed which will make it possible to continue to use QPAC for graduation ceremonies without disadvantaging graduands with disabilities.
Closure of University over Christmas/New Year 1997/98
Council approved the recommendation that the University close over the Christmas/New Year period 1997/98 under the following conditions:
(i) that Monday December 29, 1997 be granted as a day’s special leave on full pay;
International students scoop
dean’s seminar competition
Final-year civil engineering student Poh Hwa Yeo has won the 1997 Dean’s Seminar Award sponsored by the Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering and BHP Engineering.
Mr Yeo, an international student from Singapore, competed against students from each of the faculty’s schools who presented seminars to industry representatives.
The title of Mr Yeo’s presentation was Earthquake Subsidence Insurance by Vibro-Compaction.
The award’s poster competition was won by Leonard Lee, a final year student in the Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace/
Avionics) from the School of Electrical and Electronic Systems Engineering.
Mr Lee is also an international student on a scholarship from Fiji. Natasha Higham from the School of Architecture, Interior and Industrial Design was highly commended for her poster.
Student makes waves hacking
the Internet
A communication design student from QUT’s Academy of the Arts has won
$17,000 in an international computer hacking competition.
The student, who wishes to be known by the e-mail address [email protected] took on the challenge by a website known as “Crack a Mac” (http://hacke.infinit.se) to compromise the technical integrity of the software set-up for supplying Internet services.
The specific task was to alter the content of the index page of the World Wide Web server running on the machine set-up by the initiators and sponsors of the contest.
Unofficial claims by contest organisers indicate that “Starfire” was the only contestant from 220,000 to compromise the system.
Apparently, “Starfire” recently compromised the system for a second time and is trying to collect an additional $17,000.
Page 8 INSIDE QUT October 7–20, 1997
The deadline for next issue of Inside QUT (October 21-February) is October 10 Letters to the Editor are also welcome via mail or email (maximum of 250 words).
Media may reproduce stories from Inside QUT. Each story has been checked with the source prior to publication.
This newspaper is published by the Public Affairs Department, QUT (Level 5, M Block, Gardens Point), GPO Box 2434 Brisbane 4001.
Photography: Suzanne Prestwidge
& Sharyn Rosewarne.
Advertising: Joanne Garnett 3864 1840.
The opinions expressed in Inside QUT do not necessarily represent those of the university.
Inside QUT has a circulation of 15,000 and is delivered to the university’s Gardens Point, Kelvin Grove and Carseldine campuses.
This newspaper is also circulated to business, industry, government and the media.
If you know of a story which should be told in Inside QUT contact one of the journalists in the Public Affairs Department:
Trina McLellan (ed) 3864 2361 Andrea Hammond 3864 1150
Carmen Myler 3864 2130
Noel Gentner (p/t) 3864 1841
Fax 3210 0474
E-mail [email protected]
Publication details
Ingwest Travel ad
10x2
Postgrad Health ad
8x2
Skynet World Express
5x2
Young and old join in run fun
Sporty seniors show age no barrier
Excitement rules in QUT
Cup climax
Move over Super League and forget about Aussie rules, the QUT Cup is coming to another exciting climax.
The QUT Cup, which carries a prize purse of $200, is the annual inter-faculty sport competition w h i c h i n v o l v e s e i g h t d i f f e r e n t teams and individual sports, and spans the entire academic year.
Points in the cup are awarded to faculties for both the number of p a r t i c i p a n t s , a s w e l l a s t h e i r achievements in the events.
QUT Student Guild recreation manager Dr Don Gordon said that there was only one event remaining for the year – seven-a-side soccer matches – scheduled for Friday, October 24, from 12noon to 4pm at the Kelvin Grove oval.
D r G o r d o n s a i d t h e H e a l t h Faculty currently held the pre-final p o i n t s l e a d w i t h l a s t y e a r ’ s champions, the Education Faculty, in second place.
He said the Arts and Engineering Faculties were also locked in battle for third place while Information Technology looked certain to take out the wooden spoon.
Event winners during the year included: beach volleyball – Education;
swimming – Engineering; 3-on-3 basketball – Health; 5-a-side-touch – Health; snow skiing – Business; 8-ball – Engineering, and athletics – Arts.
For more information, or to enter a team in the final, contact Student Guild Recreation Officer Karen Bucholz on (07) 3864 3708.
— Noel Gentner About 300 people put on their running
shoes for the 1997 QUT Fun Run to help raise $600 for terminally ill children.
The run, held on Sunday September 14, attracted record participation and has been declared a resounding success.
Open to the public as well as QUT students, staff and graduates, it was held over a 10km course which went from Main Drive at the Gardens Point campus, looped around the City Botanic Gardens and West End, to finish back at Gardens Point.
Fun run organiser, Sandy Larsen of QUT’s Student Guild Fitness Centre, said 283 people took part this year – an increase of more than 100 on last year.
“I think public awareness was higher this year, and the success of the run overall resulted in a donation of $600 to the terminally ill children in the Make-a-Wish Foundation,” she said.
The best time for the 1997 run was recorded by Bill Hunter in the open division (male) with a time of 31 minutes and 30 seconds.
The open division (female) was taken out by Lyn Stern in just under 41 minutes.
In the student division (male) Matt Cross finished in 33 minutes and 25 seconds while in the student division (female) Olivia Nelms crossed the finish line in just under 49 minutes.
Other division fastest times were:
over 45 (male) Tony McCall 36 m i n u t e s , 5 4 s e c o n d s ; o p e n 4 5 (female) Gwen Vines 46 minutes, 5 2 s e c o n d s ; j u n i o r ( m a l e ) C a r l Gustafson 35 minutes, 9 seconds, and junior (female) Verity Grant, 51 minutes.
– Noel Gentner
Don’t forget the next edition of Inside QUT will be the last
for 1997. Published on October 21, the deadline is
October 10.
Bill Hunter, open division (male) winner . . . crossed the line in 31
minutes and 30 seconds Lyn Stern, open division (female) winner . . . completed
the fun run circuit in just under 41 minutes
Runners sweat it out in the 1997 QUT Fun Run . . . record participation raised $600 for terminally-ill children
Quoits anyone?
Virginia Darby, of
Coolum, has a turn More than 500 sporty senior citizens competed in
the third annual Seniors’ Games last month for a day of good fun that reinforced a theme that
“People don’t have a use-by date”.
Despite dismal weather, 20 teams from respite centres in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Beenleigh enjoyed spirited competition on QUT’s Kelvin Grove oval on September 19.
The games, part of Home and Community Care Awareness Week, were opened by B r i s b a n e L o r d M a y o r C o u n c i l l o r J i m S o o r l e y , c l o s e d b y Q u e e n s l a n d H e a l t h D i r e c t o r - G e n e r a l D r R o b S t a b l e , a n d compered by 4BC’s Danny Hoyland.
More than 100 QUT nursing students and 30 human movement students were volunteers on the day and participated in a giant tug-of-war with respite centre staff – which they lost for the third year running. A brass ensemble from QUT’s
Academy of the Arts added musical entertainment and an air of pomp and ceremony to the day.
Competitors, many in their nineties, demonstrated their mettle in sponge skittles, quoits, lawn bowls, frisbee, precision ball, bean basketball, steeplechase and wheelchair rally events.
Prizes were awarded to St Andrew’s Respite Centre, Windsor for the winning team and best war cry, and to 96-year-old Frank Boorman from Paddington Respite Centre for oldest participant – a prize sponsored by QUT’s School of Nursing.
The Seniors’ Games were sponsored by the Home and Community Care Program, St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, QUT and Brisbane City Council.
Councillor Soorley, who has opened all Seniors’
Games since the fun-filled event began in 1995, reaffirmed the Council’s financial commitment to the games for 1998.
