Executive Overview
Emerging Innovations
Healthy People
Arts and Society
Sustainability
Technology DISCOVERY and Translation Research Leaders at UQ 2014
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Emerging Innovations
Healthy People
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW 4 ARTS AND SOCIETY 25 TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSLATION 42 Current leaders: Arts and Research at UQ 6 Virtual venue 26 Surveillance for safer roads 43 Fellowships, awards and memberships 56 Society Research support 8 Triple P in Africa 27 Nanoscale, mega-impact 44 2014 UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards 58 UQ Supporters 9 Learn about burnout 28 Fossil findings 45 2014 UQ Awards for Excellence in RHD Supervision 60 Happy haus 29 Beefing up 46 2014 Partners in Research Excellence Awards 61 EMERGING INNOVATIONS 11 Stop the death spiral 30 China calling 47 Sustainability A fairer Australia 12 Express or suppress? 31 Pure nerve 48 INDEX 63 Forging ahead 13 Language on the line 32 Easy grow nano-bio 49 Quantum learning 14 Partly in the genes 33 CONTRIBUTORS 64
Keeping emotions in check 15 RESEARCH LEADERS 50 Technology SUSTAINABILITY 34 Future leaders: and Translation HEALTHY PEOPLE 16 Sustainable Solomons 35 Collaborative communicator 51 No more “own goals” 17 Waste not, want not 36 Strategic links 52 Super strength vision 18 Secret life of spinifex 37 Bridging the gap 53 Research Superbug fightback 19 Micro world: macro methane 38 Researching the industry 54 Leaders Birthing in our community 20 Sustainable prosperity 39 Ocker or oriental? 55 Text zombies 21 Novel natives 40 Sunscreen = young skin 22 Underwater climate change 41 Supporting success 23 Zoom zoom, zoonoses 24 Share Executive connected Overview
Emerging IMPACT Innovations from the Vice-Chancellor and President, and Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
Healthy ABUNDANT EXCELLENCE, BRILLIANT OUTCOMES – THAT IS THE NUB OF CONNECTED People IMPACT, AS DEMONSTRATED BY UQ RESEARCHERS AND THEIR PARTNERS IN 2013-14.
Arts and Society The researchers are themselves connected, within and role of genetics in education, cognition and cognitive across disciplines, and with people and organisations ageing may add to the impact of UQ’s social science in the private, government and not-for-profit sectors research on education, health and disadvantage. who in turn connect to the end users of research. This Children are front-line beneficiaries of many initiatives connectivity speeds the translation of excellent discovery featured in this report. For the first time, the Triple into outstanding outcomes for society, the environment Sustainability P – Positive Parenting Program has extended into and economies. Africa where, with essential philanthropic support, it is Conspicuous in our 2013 ledger is connectivity with partnering with communities in Kenya as part of a move industry. Research funding from non-government to be more active in developing and newly industrialised sources surged by 18 per cent, in an indication of regions. increasing diversity in our resource base and improving Children and families with secure access to basics such corporate confidence in UQ’s research impact. We Technology as food, clean water and energy are better able to reap anticipate this is not a one-off occurrence, but rather and Translation the benefits of such programs. Initiatives on the scale an indication of greater willingness to coinvest in great of the Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering have research of broad benefit. potential to deliver rippling societal benefits, and so do After years of strategic investments in integrated community-level programs such as partnerships with strengths and emerging issues, the power of UQ beef cattle farmers in South-East Asia. researchers from across the disciplines to build on each Research That will in turn improve society’s prospects of taking other’s excellence is crystallising, and will continue to Leaders advantage of other innovations seeded by high-quality do so over years, decades and generations. The maxim research married with next-generation technology. “greater than the sum of its parts” is apposite. An exemplar of this is genomics, which is already For example, improvements resulting from the ARC steering the way towards personalised medicine and Science of Learning Research Centre’s classroom- has prospects of spurring other significant changes based work on social and emotional learning may boost in human and animal health, food security, species the many benefits of the Life Course Centre’s fight-back conservation and energy security. Share against disadvantage. At the same time, the Queensland Brain Institute’s contributions to global insights into the Professor Anton Middelberg, Acting continued on page 5 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), and Professor Peter Høj, Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of Queensland page 4 Executive Overview
Emerging Innovations
Healthy People
Arts and Society
Sustainability
As well, UQ is tracking as the lead Australian institution The University congratulates these young researchers, from the Vice-Chancellor and President, and Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) continued for publications in Nature Publishing Index, and fifth and thanks all staff, students, alumni and collaborators or sixth in Asia-Pacific. The “excellence-plus” bond who have made indelible additions to the global fund of between excellent research and excellent outcomes is knowledge and to products, services and policies that Technology increasingly visible. benefit local, national and global communities. and Translation Crucially, children in many parts of the world, developed These and other researcher-earned credentials will help We thank our many partners in industry, government, and less so, can hold realistic hopes of enjoying a UQ to further diversify and stabilise our funding base not-for-profits and philanthropic circles for enabling healthier environment thanks to intensive sustainability- Our 2013 funding headlines include: and fortify our responses to future variations in funding results that are enhancing lives worldwide, or are on related work, which includes turning agricultural waste and policy priorities and economic circumstances. Like track to deliver future gains. into fertiliser and creating knowledge to improve fisheries • UQ #1 nationally for total research income governments and businesses that invest in our research, Research management in the face of climate change. We urge you all to continue your teamwork, because • UQ non-government funding for research philanthropists will have ever-stronger grounds for Leaders your connected impact is showing proven results. Such optimism is buttressed by funders who have increased 18 per cent (on 2012) confidence in the prospects of results. faith in the delivery-power of UQ researchers, based A maintained – even sharpened – orientation towards • UQ #1 nationally for research income/ The 2014 UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards on a track record that includes the cervical cancer tangible impacts contributes to a global legacy of long- academic (lecturer or above) (on 2012) are emblematic of the University’s confidence in, and vaccine with the potential to save a quarter of a million term sustainable prosperity, and extends opportunities continued commitment to, the pipeline of exceptional, lives each year, the parenting program that has helped • UQ #1 nationally for Cooperative Research for people of all backgrounds to benefit from excellent outcomes-focused scholars from many countries who approximately seven million families in more than 20 Centre funding. research. choose to study and work here. We reward them across Share countries, and technology used in most of the world’s the disciplines, because much of the progress of this magnetic resonance imaging machines. century will stem from interdisciplinary projects.
page 5 research at Executive Overview UQ FELLOWSHIP HONOURS 2013
THE UNIVERSITY Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate 9 Fellows National Health and Medical Research Council 4 Emerging (NHMRC) Australia Fellows Innovations NHMRC John Cade Fellowship 1 OF QUEENSLAND Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences in 40 Australia Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science 29 Healthy Fellows of the Australian Academy of 31 People Technological Sciences and Engineering Fellows of the Australian Academy of the 33 THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S LEADING RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, Humanities RECEIVING $381.8 MILLION IN RESEARCH GRANTS IN 2013.
Arts and ■ Commonwealth COMMONWEALTH RESEARCH BLOCK Society A WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH RESEARCH FUNDING 2013 5% Government Research GRANTS 2013 5% Funding INSTITUTION $381.8 million total sponsored grants and contracts ■ Commonwealth $million including: 13% UQ is ranked in the top 100 universities worldwide, as Government Research Joint Research Engagement 27.9 measured through a combination of four key global Block Grants $million 40% JRE Engineering Cadetships (24 new places) 0.2 university rankings: the Academic Ranking of World ■ State/Local Australian competitive grants 208.8 Sustainability Universities, Times Higher Education World University 8% Government Research Infrastructure Block Grant 25 Rankings, QS World University Rankings, and the Other public sector research funding 50.1 ■ Australian Industry and Sustainable Research Excellence 19.8 Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Other Contract/Grants Industry and other funding 108.2 Research Training Scheme 60.1 Universities. ■ All Australian Cooperative Research Centres 14.7 29% Donations, Bequests, Australian Postgraduate Awards (300 new places) 22.9 Trusts, Foundations International Postgraduate Research Scholarships 1.9 ■ All International Technology RESEARCH QUALITY (28 new places) Funding and Translation The Australian Government’s ERA 2012 National Report 4% confirmed that research at UQ is above world standard SOURCES OF UQ RESEARCH in more specialised fields of research than any other ■ Australian competitive UQ REVENUE 2013 Australian university with: grants SUPPORT 2013 $million 28% Total Operating Revenue $1.67 billion • 100 per cent of UQ research is at world standard or ■ Other public sector Commonwealth Government Research 213.7 Research above research funding Total Research Support $539.5 million Funding Leaders 55% ■ Industry and other • 35 specialised fields of research at UQ received the funding Commonwealth Government Research Block 157.8 highest possible score of five Grants ■ Cooperative Research EDUCATION IMPACT AND TRAINING 2013 • UQ was the only Australian university to achieve 13% Centres State/Local Government 42.7 Research Higher Degree students enrolled 4361 the maximum rating of five in education, statistics, Australian Industry and Other Contract/Grants 70.7 numerical and computation mathematics, PhDs awarded Domestic 416 All Australian Donations, Bequests, Trusts, 25.5 environmental engineering, environmental 673 Foundations International 257 Share biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, and specialist studies in education. All International Funding 29.1 MPhils Domestic 55 80 awarded International 25
continued on page 7 page 6 RESEARCH STRENGTHS • Immunology and Infectious Diseases • $2.5 million from the National Health and Medical Research Council to fund the UQ Centre of • Agriculture and Food Sciences • Information Systems and Data Management Research Excellence in Telehealth, to accelerate • Applied and Theoretical Economics • Law telehealth research into healthcare delivery and increase the cohort of telehealth researchers and • Biological Sciences • Literary Studies practitioners. Executive • Business, Management and Finance • Mathematics and Statistics Overview • Cancer Studies • Mechanical Engineering FACULTIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTES • Chemical Engineering • Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences AND CENTRES • Chemical Sciences and Materials Engineering • Mining and Minerals Processing In partnership with government, industry and donors, • Clinical Sciences and Experimental Medicine • Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Emerging UQ has developed globally recognised research Innovations • Communication, Media and Cultural Studies • Nanotechnology and Bioengineering institutes to complement the teaching and research activity in its faculties. The University also has more • Neurosciences • Ecology and Environmental Science than 100 research centres and major University-wide • Education • Performing Arts and Creative Writing research initiatives that support the critical mass that enables UQ to tackle significant global challenges. • Environmental Engineering and Water Management • Physics Centres and Institutes work in a range of disciplines Healthy • Genetics and Genomics • Psychology and Cognitive Science from the biosciences and nanotechnology to sustainable People development and social science. • Human Movement and Sports Science • Public Health and Health Services • Social and Political Science. Faculties • Business, Economics and Law (BEL) RESEARCH FUNDING HIGHLIGHTS Arts and • Engineering, Architecture and Information Society • $92 million from the Australian Research Council: Technology (EAIT) UQ attracted more ARC funding in 2013 than any other Australian university or research body, with • Health and Behavioural Sciences (HABS) successful proposals that included: • Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) – $30.3 million for 77 ARC Discovery Projects, • Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (M+BS) Sustainability including three prestigious Discovery Outstanding Researcher Awards • Science. – $17.5 million for 22 ARC Future Fellowships: in 2013, UQ had the highest cumulative number Institutes of Future Fellows since the scheme’s inception • Australian Institute for Bioengineering and – $11.3 million for 30 successful ARC Discovery Nanotechnology (AIBN) Technology Early Career Research Awards (DECRAs): • Global Change Institute (GCI) and Translation UQ received more funding and had more successful proposals in the DECRA round than • Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) any other institution • Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR) – $2.7 million for five ARC Linkage Infrastructure • Mater Research Institute–UQ Research Equipment and Facilities grants • Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Leaders – a $530,000 grant under the ARC Discovery Innovation (QAAFI) Indigenous scheme, one of only 10 awarded • Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) nationally • Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) • $2 million from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation for a new cancer treatment centre in • UQ Diamantina Institute (UQDI). Brisbane, the Diamantina Individualised Oncology Care Centre, for improved research opportunities Share Please note all funding represented in AU$. and better outcomes for cancer patients Data/figures current as at 30 June 2014.
page 7 research
Executive SUPPORT Overview
Emerging UQ LIBRARY Innovations
THE LIBRARY PROVIDES SUPPORT TO RESEARCHERS THROUGH ALL STAGES OF THE RESEARCH LIFECYCLE – FROM FINDING AND APPLYING FOR FUNDING, ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING A Healthy People PROJECT, TO DEMONSTRATING OUTPUT AND IMPACT.
RAISING THE VISIBILITY AND and other digitised materials created by staff of the ACCESSIBILITY OF UQ RESEARCH University. Arts and UQ has implemented an Open Access for UQ Research The Library developed and manages UQ eSpace, the Society single authoritative source for UQ staff and student Outputs policy that requires UQ researchers to make research output, and the archival home of UQ Research publications arising from their research openly available Higher Degree Theses in digital-only form. via UQ eSpace. UQ eSpace aims to make UQ’s research visible and The University has also implemented a Research Data Management policy that sets out what UQ researchers accessible through a global network of services such Sustainability as OAIster, Trove and Google Scholar. It provides data must do to ensure their research data are managed for mandatory Government reporting requirements such according to legal, statutory, ethical and funding body as the Higher Education Research Data Collection requirements. The Library has developed DMP Online, (HERDC) and Excellence in Research for Australia a tool based on the UK Digital Curation Centre model to (ERA), as well as for internal UQ systems such as the help researchers write a data management plan. Q-Index. It also operates as an institutional repository for open access publications, research datasets Technology and Translation
UQ LIBRARY Web: www.library.uq.edu.au/research-support UNIQUEST UQ Multimedia: Research UniQuest Pty Ltd is the main commercialisation Leaders Going for gold and greener pastures: Open Access company of The University of Queensland (UQ), RESEARCHERS explained specialising in global technology transfer and providing Scholarly publishing series: Where to publish? - access to world-class expertise, intellectual property FIND AN EXPERT Professor Tom O’Regan specialists and research facilities. UniQuest delivers commercialisation outcomes that create impact for UQ Whether you are from industry or business, the Open Access gold vs green - Professor Matt and provide solutions for commercial, environmental and academic or general community, or are a current or Brown social benefit. prospective research student, you can find an expert through UQ Researchers: Share Multimedia: Scholarly publishing series: Good research - Dr Tamara Davis www.uniquest.com.au researchers.uq.edu.au
page 8 BrAshA-T Department of Industry (Federal) Andrew Brice AM and Jennifer Brice Department of Natural Resources and Mines (QLD) The Bryan Foundation Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation UQ and the Arts (QLD) Bupa Health Foundation Cynthia F Burnett Department of Social Services (Federal) Joseph and Veronika Butta Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Executive Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Commonwealth Games (QLD) Overview Cancer Australia Department of Transport and Main Roads (QLD) SUPPORTERS Cancer Council Queensland Diabetes Australia Research Trust Cancer and Metabolomics Fund Direct Energy Holdings Catlin Group District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Centennial Coal Diversionary Therapy Technologies Emerging CH2M HILL DMTC Innovations Christopher Y Chen The Dow Chemical Company THANK YOU TO ALL ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR Children’s Health Foundation Queensland DSM RESEARCH AT UQ. SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE LISTED HERE WHO CONTRIBUTED MORE Childrens Hospital Foundation Earthwatch Institute THAN $100,000 IN 2013. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Ecobiotics CODELCO Eli Lilly Australia Healthy Colgate-Palmolive Paul Eliadis People Comcare The Eliadis Foundation Envirovolve 3ie Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Epiderm AbbVie Australian Meat Processor Corporation Cotton CRC Epilepsy Foundation Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation Australian National Fabrication Facility Cotton Research and Development Corporation The Estate of William Trezise Allen Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation Australian National Low Emissions Coal Research & CRC for Advanced Composite Structures Arts and The Estate of Olive Jean Donaldson Ambre Energy Development CRC for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Society The Estate of Walter Alexander Easterling Amgen Australian Pacific LNG Environment The Estate of Reginald Ferguson AMIRA International Australian Power Institute CRC for Greenhouse Gas Technologies The Estate of Kelvin David Garland Anglican Church Grammar School Australian Red Cross Blood Service CRC for Optimising Resource Extraction The Estate of Peter Goodenough Anglo American Australian Renewable Energy Agency CRC for Rail Innovation The Estate of Irene P Hunt ANZ Trustees Australian Research Council CRC for Water Sensitive Cities Sustainability The Estate of Dr Clem Jones AO Aroma New Zealand Australian Sports Commission CRCMining The Estate of Lisa Denise Palmer Arrow Energy Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network Dairy Innovation Australia The Estate of Philippa Ruth Reilly The Arterial Compliance Project Trust Australian Wagyu Association Danisco The Estate of Eunice Shirley Wendorff Arthritis Queensland Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence Robert Day Fonterra Asian Office of Aerospace Research & Development Autism Queensland De Beers Group Services Ford Foundation Association for International Cancer Research Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute Dementia Collaborative Research Centre Technology Ian H Frazer FRS AC and Caroline Frazer Atlas Copco Australia Baosteel Group Corporation Dendright and Translation Frazer Family Foundation AuScope Bayer CropScience Department of Agriculture (Federal) Freemasons Queensland Austin Health beyondblue Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (QLD) Gallipoli Research Foundation Australian Agricultural Company BHP Billiton Department of Agriculture and Food (WA) Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation Australian Cancer Research Foundation Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Department of Defence (Federal) Garvan Institute of Medical Research Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Bioenergy Plantations Australia Department of Education and Early Childhood Research Development (VIC) General Electric Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics Bioplatforms Australia Leaders The Geriatric Medical Foundation of Queensland Australian Coal Association Low Emissions Technology Bioproton Department of Education, Training and Employment (QLD) GHD Australian Coal Research Limited Board of Benevolence of Aged Masons, Widows and Department of Energy (US) Glencore Australian Council for Educational Research Orphans’ Fund Department of Energy and Water Supply (QLD) Golder Australian Egg Corporation Limited Boehringer Ingelheim International Department of the Environment (Federal) Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Australian Food and Grocery Council Boeing Australia Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (QLD) Grains Research and Development Corporation Australian Genetics Testing Bill Bowness Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Federal) Great Barrier Reef Foundation Share Australian Grape and Wine Authority The Bowness Family Foundation Department of Health (Federal) Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute BP Department of Housing and Public Works (QLD) continued on page 10
page 9 Green Cauldron Monsanto Queensland Emergency Medicine Research Foundation TenasiTech Group of Eight Motor Accident Insurance Commission Queensland Health Therapeutic Innovation Australia Health Workforce Australia Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Queensland Institute of Medical Research Alan Thiess HEARing CRC MS Queensland Queensland Mental Health Commission The Tiffany & Co Foundation The Helpful Foundation Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia Queensland Skin and Cancer Foundation Toowong Private Hospital Executive Robyn Hilton Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Queensland Treasury and Trade Twin Towns Services Community Foundation Overview Kin-Man Ho National Breast Cancer Foundation Ramaciotti Foundation Umicore Horticulture Australia Limited National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund RATCH-Australia Underwater Earth John and Gay Hull National Health and Medical Research Council Reef & Rainforest Research Centre UnitingCare Health Independent Hospital Pricing Authority National Heart Foundation of Australia REMONDIS Australia University of Queensland Endowment Fund International Association of Oil and Gas Producers National Institutes of Health Reserve Bank of Australia US Air Force Emerging International Council on Mining and Metals National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Rio Tinto Vale Innovations International Human Frontier Science Program Organization Nature Conservancy Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Vaxxas International Livestock Research Institute Neuprotect Roche Organ Transplantation Research Foundation Veolia Water International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center Newcrest Rohil Vestas Australian Wind Technology International Mining for Development Centre Newmont Royal Adelaide Hospital Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute International Paralympic Committee Nexgen Plants Royal Australasian College of Physicians WateReuse Research Foundation Healthy James S McDonnell Foundation Nihon Superior Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Wellcome Trust People JDRF Northparkes Mines Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital District Innovation Fund Wesfarmers Curragh JEM Research Foundation Trust NuNerve Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation Wesley Research Institute The Clem Jones Foundation Nuseed Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation West Moreton Hospital and Health Service Gil Kerr Office of Economic and Statistical Research (QLD) Santos The JO & JR Wicking Trust KBR Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW) Science and Industry Endowment Fund Wildlife Conservation Society Arts and Kidney Health Australia Office for Learning and Teaching (Federal) Sentinext Therapeutics Dr Graeme Wood AM Society Kids’ Cancer Project Warwick and Nancy Olsen Seqwater World Bank Kingsford Environmental (HK) Oregon Research Institute Shandong Fangyuan Nonferrous Metals Group Wound Management Innovation CRC Hugh E Kunze Orica Shell X Radiology Australia Leling Shengli New Energy Company Origin Shire Xstrata LEO Foundation Oticon Foundation Sibelco Sustainability LEO Pharma P&H Mining Equipment Rosamond M Siemon Leukaemia Foundation of Queensland PA Research Foundation Simon Axelsen Memorial Fund For more information or to advise of an error or omission, Lions Medical Research Foundation Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Foundation please contact +61 7 3365 7594 or email Lowitja Institute Pearl Oyster Propagators Snowy Hydro [email protected]. Magnetica PepsiCo South East Water Mater Foundation Perpetual Trustees Queensland SpinalCure Australia Technology Mater Health Services Petrobras Spinifex Pharmaceuticals and Translation Mater Medical Research Institute Pfizer Australia St Andrews War Memorial Hospital Maurice Blackburn Lawyers Plant Biosecurity CRC St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research Mayne Bequest Fund Polymers CRC Trevor and Judith St Baker Matthew and Monika McLennan Pork CRC Stanwell Meat and Livestock Australia Poultry CRC Stem Cells SUPPORTING UQ Research Medigen Prince Charles Hospital Foundation Trust Nicholas and Alison Stump Leaders Medtronic Australasia Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia Sugar Research Australia Please consider a gift to UQ to an area that is Melbourne Water Corporation Protagonist Sugar Research and Development Corporation meaningful to you. Alternatively, you can give to our greatest need which will benefit students requiring Merchant Charitable Foundation Q-Sera Sullivan Nicolaides financial aid to complete programs aimed at developing Metro South Health QGC Sumitomo Chemical Company the next generation of leaders, and provide vital funds Sydney Water Corporation Metso Minerals (Australia) Limited QMI Solutions for groundbreaking and lifesaving research. To make Minera San Cristóbal Queensland Alumina Limited Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Architecture a gift visit www.uq.edu.au/giving or contact UQ Share Minerals Council of Australia Queensland Catholic Education Commission Technological Resources Pty Ltd Advancement on +61 7 3346 3900, Monday to Friday MMG Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation Templeton World Charity Foundation 9am–5pm (AEST), or email [email protected].
page 10 ✚ A fairer Australia
✚ Forging ahead
✚ Quantum learning
✚ Keeping emotions in check Executive Overview
Emerging Innovations
Healthy emerging People
Arts and INNOVATIONS Society
Sustainability
Technology and Translation
Research Leaders
AS WELL AS ITS ESTABLISHED CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE, UQ IS PROUD OF ITS CAPACITY Share TO EXPAND INTO NEW AND EXCITING RESEARCH FIELDS OF BENEFIT TO HUMANITY
page 11 Executive a fairer Overview
Emerging AUSTRALIA Innovations
Healthy People “BREAKING THE CYCLE OF DISADVANTAGE, REALISING LIFE’S POTENTIAL”
This is the vision of the soon-to-be-launched ARC belong to a stigmatised ethnic and social collective,” While many people move in and out of disadvantage at Arts and Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Professor Baxter says. various stages in their lives, some groups are particularly Society Life Course, or more simply, the Life Course Centre, at risk of remaining disadvantaged for long periods The Life Course Centre’s research will focus on deep CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE according to its Director, Professor Janeen Baxter. – including sole-parent families, people with long- and persistent disadvantage. Deep disadvantage FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES term health conditions or disabilities, and Indigenous The importance of maintaining strong economic growth refers to the correlation between multiple forms of OVER THE LIFE COURSE Australians. has received a great deal of attention in academic, disadvantage. Experiencing disadvantage in one UQ researcher: Professor Janeen Baxter (Institute for political and media circles, but few people talk about the domain, such as material and economic circumstances, Moreover, there is strong evidence that children born Social Science Research) many Australians who have been “left behind”, living on is often associated with disadvantage in other domains, into disadvantaged families are more likely to experience Sustainability the margins of society. such as education, health, social connectedness disadvantage as adults, compared to children who do Funding source: Australian Research Council, UQ, and physical security. Persistent disadvantage is not experience disadvantage while growing up. collaborating universities and partner organisations “Vulnerable Australians are people with complex needs disadvantage that recurs across the life course or across who, more often than not, fall into disadvantage through To break the cycle of disadvantage in contemporary Collaborators: University of Melbourne, University of generations. no fault of their own: they suffer from chronic illnesses or Australia, the Life Course Centre will: Sydney, University of Western Australia disabilities, experience childhood family and economic The human, social and economic costs associated Partner organisations: Australian Federal • devise “real-world” solutions with an emphasis on Technology adversities, were never given a fair chance to develop with this sort of disadvantage are large and, despite Departments of Social Services, Education, and early intervention and community resilience and Translation their potential through education and training, or simply burdening disadvantaged individuals the most, they Employment; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; extend to the whole of Australian society. • raise awareness of deep and persistent Boston College; Brotherhood of St Laurence; Hebrew disadvantage as a major threat to the Australian “The Life Course Centre has formed strong partnerships University of Jerusalem; Institute of Education, University economy and society across many sectors to give a voice to the deeply and of London; National University of Singapore; Queensland persistently disadvantaged, and to restate social justice • build capacity for researchers, policy-makers and Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability as a national imperative,” says Professor Baxter. community leaders to determine what works in Services; Royal Holloway, University of London; Research reducing and preventing disadvantage University College Dublin; University of California Irvine; Leaders With $20 million in funding from the Australian Research University of Essex; University of Ottawa; University of Council over seven years, plus around $8 million support • facilitate the development of evidence-based social Pennsylvania; Victorian Department of Education and from partner universities and organisations, the Life interventions Early Childhood Development; Wesley Mission Brisbane Course Centre is due to be launched in late 2014 and • build deep, successful and lasting collaborations will concentrate on answering one key question: how Email: [email protected] between academics, government and NGOs. can we best intervene to prevent the transmission of Telephone: +61 7 3346 7471 disadvantage across generations and within families Fair value, indeed... Share over the life course? Multimedia: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage
page 12 With a close, 40-year association with Chilean industry, By extending UQ’s SMI business model from Australia, it Ninety-eight new mining projects have been identified for UQ’s Sustainable Minerals Institute’s (SMI) research will be self-sustaining and will have grown significantly at 2007-2015 in Chile, and CORFO (Chilean Government centres have forged innovative strategies to increase the end of the eight-year ICE period. Production Development Corporation) has committed the productivity, sustainability and safety of the mining to improve water resources, increase efficiency of Through the involvement of JKTech, SMI’s technology industry in Chile. energy resources, and train operating and professional forging transfer partner operating in Chile since 2012, personnel in the mining industry. SMI-ICE-Chile will In partnership with the Universidad de Concepción, the it will develop a new and dynamic approach to provide the research, training and knowledge transfer Executive opportunity for UQ to establish an International Centre commercialisation and technology transfer. model that encourages a culture of innovation and adds Overview of Excellence (ICE) funded by the Chilean government The Centre will be established as a world-class platform to capacity in the Chilean mining sector. signifies substantial progress in institution-wide efforts for the commercialisation of SMI-ICE-Chile research to collaborate more closely with Latin American SMI-ICE-Chile will bring new skills, experience, expertise through implementation of a proven commercialisation AHEAD communities, businesses and governments. and networks into the Chilean innovation system. model. This model will lead to significant financial and This is a priority area for industry where Chile has an The aim for SMI-ICE-Chile is to establish an International environmental benefits including: opportunity to establish an international profile and world Emerging Centre of Excellence in Chile that delivers demonstrable • a collaborative framework that serves as a model leadership position in the area of sustainable mining. Innovations benefit to the Chilean people and its economy. The for good governance and deepens the productive Centre will be at the forefront of innovative research SMI-ICE-Chile will build upon extensive expertise that relationship between university centres and private and technology transfer to address several of the major already exists in Chile in many areas of mining research industry stakeholders UQ’S LONG AND RICH HISTORY OF MINING challenges and competitive pressures faced by the and this collaboration and investment in industry-driven RESEARCH AND TEACHING IS BEING Chilean minerals sector. It will make significant and • significant, demonstrable outcomes from the research has a very high potential for significant gains EXPORTED TO SOUTH AMERICA WITH THE auditable improvements for its industry in the areas of research lines to the benefit of Chilean industry for the industry and therefore the economy. Its research Healthy productivity and environmental management, and will sponsors will be at the forefront of developments within the ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL People build local capacity in both research and technology mining sector and will lead to national and international • a research, training and knowledge transfer model CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN CHILE. transfer. recognition. that encourages innovation within the Chilean mining sector It will also progressively attract an increasing number of highly skilled Chilean professionals, ensuring intellectual • a particular focus on supplier networks and capital will not be lost overseas. clusters within Chile, in addition to engagement Arts and with the mining companies. Society
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (SMI-ICE-CHILE) UQ researchers: Professor Ben Adair, (Sustainable Sustainability Minerals Institute), Dr Dan Alexander (JKTech) Funding source: Attraction of International R&D Centres of Excellence for Competitiveness 2.0 (Chilean Government), JKTech Collaborators: CORFO (Chilean Government Production Development Corporation), Universidad de Technology Concepción and Translation Email: [email protected]
Research Leaders
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page 13 quantumLEARNING Executive Overview
Emerging THINK EINSTEIN-PODOLSKY-ROSEN AND JOHN BELL’S IMPACT ON PHYSICS AND PHILOSOPHY, Innovations THEN THINK TEMPLETON WORLD CHARITY FOUNDATION-MILBURN FOR SIMILAR BEARING IN THE FIELD OF CAUSAL POWER OF INFORMATION IN A QUANTUM WORLD.
Healthy People
What role does information play in the explanation of physical theories to be formulated. It will have major cause and effect? If we have more information, can implications for the quantum theories of spacetime we better control the physical world? Will a deeper and may lead to a completely new direction for CAUSAL POWER OF INFORMATION IN THE understanding of cause and effect lead to new understanding the physical nature of time.” QUANTUM WORLD Arts and mechanisms for controlling the physical world? Society Despite the relative youth of their specific research UQ researchers: Professor Gerard Milburn, By bringing philosophers and physicists together, it is fields – the study of quantum causal relations and Dr Alessandro Fedrizzi, Professor Andrew White (EQuS), questions like these that Professor Gerard Milburn from quantum artificial intelligent agents is barely four years Professor Phil Dowe (School of History, Philosophy, the School of Mathematics and Physics seeks to answer old – Professor Milburn and his team believe the Religion and Classics) – and his results could mean a whole new way of data- whole concept of causal information has received little Funding source: Templeton World Charity Foundation mining and robotic learning for information processing, attention to date and is due to be explored in detail. Sustainability (TWCF) the launch of new communication technologies, and “Our Viennese collaborators have recently shown that even a better understanding of how time works. Collaborators: CNRS, Grenoble; University of quantum causal relations can be interpreted as a form Innsbruck; University of Vienna “The scientific method is grounded on the concept of two-way signalling, which is very surprising from a of causation (the action of causing or producing) and physical point of view. We are now trying to make this Email: [email protected] intelligent agency (autonomous bodies that observe interpretation consistent with known physics. through sensors to achieve goals),” says Professor Technology “They have also shown how classical artificial intelligence Milburn. and Translation agents can extract more information from a quantum CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR ENGINEERED “In this project we will give a philosophically coherent, error correction circuit than was previously thought: we QUANTUM SYSTEMS (EQuS) theoretically justified, and experimentally validated hope to cast a new light on old philosophical questions Director: Professor Gerard Milburn defence of the thesis that i] to be a cause, information about causation and demonstrate that information does (School of Mathematics and Physics) must be embodied, and ii] information acquires causal indeed have causal power in a quantum world that power when intelligent agents use embodied information would be impossible in a classical world.” Funding source: Australian Research Council Research to enhance their performance in a physical setting. Leaders Professor Milburn’s work on this project complements Collaborators: University of Sydney, Macquarie “We expect to discover – and experimentally implement well with his other role as Director of the ARC Centre of University, University of Western Australia, University – a set of statistical inequalities for testing quantum Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQuS). of New South Wales, Imperial College of London, causality (as well as a new class of quantum control A multi-institutional collaborative Australian Research Perimeter Institute, University of Copenhagen, protocols incorporating quantum computation) that we Council Centre of Excellence, its work involves the study University of Innsbruck, University of Ulm, will present at a major workshop next winter. and exploitation of the strangest features of quantum University of Vienna physics. “This research could change the way we think of Email: [email protected] Share causation and may suggest more general ways for Web: equs.org
page 14 Executive keeping emotions Overview
Emerging IN CHECK Innovations
Healthy THE CLASSROOM SETTING IS LIKE AN ONION, WITH MANY LAYERS AND SOMETIMES PLENTY People OF TEARS. BUT WHAT IF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS KNEW HOW TO REGULATE THEIR EMOTIONS? ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANNEMAREE CARROLL DISCUSSES HOW.
Arts and Society
Associate Professor Annemaree Carroll has dedicated “The badge captures face-to-face interaction with 18 years of research to understanding the underlying students, conversational time between other wearers motivations for why some young people disengage of the device, physical proximity to others, and physical SCIENCE OF LEARNING RESEARCH CENTRE from school. A key area of her study focuses on activity based on body motion and vocal modulation,” Sustainability understanding how these individuals can improve their Professor Carroll says. UQ researchers: Associate Professor Annemaree emotional and attentional self-awareness. Carroll, Professor Robyn Gillies (School of Education) The researchers have engaged teachers in this study as Professor Carroll says that very little research currently “co-researchers” to ensure the findings are relevant to Funding source: Science of Learning Research Centre exists on whether a greater emphasis on social and what is happening in schools. (Australian Research Council) emotional learning (SEL) in educational contexts would Professor Carroll and her team in the ARC Science Collaborators: The SLRC comprises 25 chief enhance the learning, behavioural, and social outcomes of Learning Research Centre (SLRC) have chosen investigators from across eight research organisations Technology for young people. to conduct this research in the classroom because and is supported by nine partner organisations, and Translation “The aim of this study is to inspire students to continue “schools are a key context for building these holistic including three state education departments on at school and inspire life-long learning. In turn, this approaches that promote life-long social and emotional (Queensland, Victoria and South Australia) will eliminate the number of poorer educational, social health”. Email: [email protected] and health outcomes for students,” she says. “Staying at school has many benefits for student health Web: researchers.uq.edu.au/research- Research However, it is not just students who reap the rewards and wellbeing including higher life satisfaction, better project/15848 from this research – but teachers too. academic performance, and greater contributions in the Leaders service of others than young people of the same age “Teacher-student relationships are an important aspect who drop out of school.” of emotionally safe learning environments. The research team is also investigating the use of a wearable electronic device known as a 'sociometric badge' to measure social interactions of student-student and teacher-student. Share
page 15 ✚ No more “own goals”
✚ Super strength vision
✚ Superbug fightback
✚ Birthing in our community Executive Overview ✚ Text zombies
✚ Sunscreen = young skin
✚ Supporting success Emerging ✚ Zoom zoom, zoonoses Innovations
Healthy healthy People
Arts and PEOPLE Society
Sustainability
Technology and Translation
Research Leaders
ERADICATING DISEASE AND HELPING BUILD A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY ARE KEY MOTIVATORS FOR UQ’S SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: UQ’S REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION Share IS REFLECTED IN EVERY FACET OF OUR HEALTH, MEDICAL, BEHAVIOURAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH
page 16 no more Executive “OWN GOALS” Overview Emerging Innovations
DESIGNED TO ATTACK INFECTION AND DISEASE, THE HUMAN IMMUNE SYSTEM CAN SOMETIMES BECOME OVER EFFICIENT, TARGETING HEALTHY CELLS INSTEAD OF DISEASED ONES. Healthy People
This faulty “goal-shooting” is known as autoimmune On her return to Australia, Professor Thomas continued “I am now researching how the immune system brings disease and, as yet, there is no known cure for the many her research at UQ’s Centre for Immunology and Cancer about disease and how a person’s genetic make-up Arts and conditions – such as rheumatoid arthritis and Type-1 Research to discover – in a world first – that in people leads to disease development,” she said. IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Society diabetes – that it comprises. with rheumatoid arthritis predisposing genes, helper “My team and I are using what we already know about T-cells are not sufficiently regulated by a suppressive UQ researcher: Professor Ranjeny Thomas (UQ Professor Ranjeny Thomas from the UQ Diamantina the immune system to create new treatments that, T-cell population. This means the T-cells attacking Diamantina Institute) Institute hopes to change all that. if successful, will have a really major impact on the healthy cells expand, causing pain and suffering for the prevention and cure of rheumatoid arthritis.” Funding source: National Health and Medical Research She is now working on the development of the first person concerned. Council Program Grant, Arthritis Queensland, Australian Sustainability antigen-specific immunotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis, Current therapies, while somewhat effective, do not cure She reasoned that if DCs could be harnessed to re- Research Council Future Fellowship, Dendright Pty Ltd, as well as identifying a patient population suitable for nor prevent the disease and often have unwanted side educate these T-cells specifically to rheumatoid arthritis Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd, Janssen Biotech immunotherapy for Type-1 diabetes. effects. antigens, a new therapy could be designed. And so Email: [email protected] Professor Thomas first became fascinated with she and her team began experimenting with different “Over the next 10 years, I want to develop a specific the mystery of rheumatoid arthritis as a medical substances to try and find the switch that regulates therapy that will prevent this disease and that may also Web: www.di.uq.edu.au/professor-ranjeny-thomas undergraduate at the University of Western Australia antigen-specific T-cells. be extended to other conditions,” Professor Thomas Multimedia: Potential cure for debilitating disease Technology (UWA) in the 1990s. She then went on to complete a said. “We found that when we target DCs with curcumin (the and Translation PhD in rheumatology at UWA, followed by postdoctoral active element of the spice, turmeric) and antigen, we “I am the scientific founder of Dendright Pty Limited, studies at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical can promote antigen-specific regulation,” Professor a UniQuest start-up company, and we are currently Center. Thomas said. developing this immune therapy towards clinical trials It was in the USA that pre-eminent immunologist Peter in collaboration with Janssen Biotech Inc, the US “We designed a nanoparticle (an extremely small Lipsky suggested she look at how healthy humans work pharmaceutical subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. particle) that can deliver both curcumin and antigen and to focus on the biology and clinical use of human Research simultaneously, so that we have an injectable immune “Immunology research has reached a very exciting dendritic cells (the professional antigen-presenting cells Leaders therapy that doesn’t require purification and injection of stage, where the development of new ‘designer of the immune system). cells.” therapies’ for prevention and treatment of inflammatory “Dendritic cells (DCs) are the educators of the immune diseases that affect the life of millions of people across Professor Thomas’s breakthrough discovery has system,” Professor Thomas said. “They engulf intruders the world is becoming a real possibility. It is both a advanced our understanding of the immune system – like bacteria and viruses – and then break them down privilege and an enormous challenge to be part of that.” and how we can treat other “own goal” autoimmune into small parts, called antigens. DCs then present these diseases such as juvenile diabetes. antigens on their surfaces and use them to activate helper Share Multimedia: Professor Ranjeny Thomas - T-cells, which in turn alert the rest of the immune system.” research leader
page 17 Executive super strength Overview
VISION Emerging Innovations
Healthy IMAGINE BEING A SUPERHERO WITH X-RAY VISION THAT CAN CLEARLY SEE WHETHER People SKIN BLEMISHES ARE CANCEROUS OR NOT...
Arts and Society
This may be the reality for doctors in future What this means is that previously “invisible” skin This is one “superhero” device that may help mere if researchers from the School of Information tissue structures and contrast can now be seen. mortals combat the deadly peril of skin cancer... Technology and Electrical Engineering (ITEE) and their “We hope our new system will be the precursor to Sustainability partners from the University of Leeds have their way. a device capable of discriminating malignant from “At present, doctors assess skin cancer simply by healthy skin tissue for use in clinics without having to looking,” says School of ITEE’s Professor Stephen rely on laboratory-based instruments,” says Associate Wilson. Professor Aleksandar Rakic, also from the School of ITEE. “They may use a hand-held magnifier – the dermatoscope – to help, but essentially their visual Eerily reminiscent of certain superheroes, except with NEW TERAHERTZ LASER SKIN IMAGING Technology inspection is what determines whether or not further glasses on... TECHNIQUE FOR CANCER DETECTION and Translation treatment is required. However, unlike superheroes, the work of the ITEE UQ researchers: Professor Stephen Wilson, “We know that other parts of the electromagnetic team is firmly grounded in reality, and has involved Dr Karl Bertling, Dr Yah Leng Lim, Associate Professor spectrum can tell us much more about the nature of much collaboration with colleagues – particularly Aleksandar Rakic (School of Information Technology and the tissues and structures underlying the top layer those from the University of Leeds. Electrical Engineering), Dr Peter Sawyer (Translational of skin (epidermis), particularly through the use of Research Institute), Dr Thomas Taimre (School of Research “Breakthroughs in these areas require a true cross- Terahertz (THz) radiation. However, applying THz Mathematics and Physics) Leaders disciplinary approach,” Professor Rakic says. imaging to clinical medicine has been held back to Funding source: Australian Research Council date mainly because of the lack of compact and “We hope that our initial results can help us support Discovery Project grant, European Cooperation in robust imaging systems. an ongoing technical program to enhance the Science and Technology (COST) Action, Smart Futures performance of the THz imaging system. We want “Our research has overcome these difficulties and Fellowship Program to produce sharper images faster and with a smaller demonstrates the potential of using self-mixing device and, through the study of animal and human Collaborators: QIMR Berghofer Institute for Medical (or laser-feedback) interferometry (analysis of models, better understand the role of this technology Research, University of Leeds Share electromagnetic waves) in a new THz microscope in cancer diagnosis.” Email: [email protected], [email protected] design.”
page 18 INFECTION AND INFLAMMATION: BETTER DIAGNOSTICS AND NEW THERAPIES Executive UQ researcher: Professor Matt Cooper (Institute for Overview Molecular Bioscience) Funding source: Aus-India Fund, Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, National Institutes of Health, Therapeutic Innovation Australia, Wellcome Trust Emerging Email: [email protected] Innovations Web: cooper.imb.uq.edu.au, www.wadi.org.au superbug Multimedia: Fighting superbugs Superbug health challenge (Channel 7 news) Healthy FIGHTBACK Rise of the superbugs (ABC Four Corners) People EVOLVING SUPERBUG THREATENS TO CREATE AN INFECTION TSUNAMI UQ researchers: Dr Scott Beatson, Dr Nouri Ben Arts and Society EVERY TIME WE USE A DRUG, WE GIVE A BUG A CHANCE TO BECOME A SUPERBUG... Zakour, Professor Mark Schembri (Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre*, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences) Funding source: National Health and Medical Research Council Sustainability Before becoming a Laboratory Head at the Institute for “At present, bacterial sepsis kills more than 170 Another UQ researcher actively involved in the fight Email: [email protected], [email protected]. Molecular Bioscience, Professor Matt Cooper spent many Australians a week – more deaths than breast cancer, against superbugs is Dr Nouri Ben Zakour from the au, [email protected] years working and travelling in the Australian outback, prostate cancer and car accidents combined – and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences who Web: www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2014/04/ Asia and the Middle East. It was during this time of seeing costs our economy more than $1 billion a year in direct has tracked a potentially devastating multi-drug resistant evolving-superbug-threatens-create-infection- people suffer and die from simple, preventable infections healthcare costs,” says Professor Cooper. E.coli strain that is only one gene away from being tsunami that he became inspired to become a “soldier for health” resistant to almost all antibiotics. “We want to do something about this. in the war against bacteria. “With more than 150 million cases of urinary tract * A partnership between UQ and QIMR Berghofer that includes over 100 Technology “We encourage people to treat antibiotics as a precious research groups undertaking cutting-edge research to fight infectious diseases and Translation He has certainly since risen up the ranks. infection reported globally each year, this bug – which gift and not to take them unnecessarily. But if they are was not viewed as problematic only five years ago – has “Our aim is to try to save lives and help those most taken, please don’t abandon treatment mid-way, as this is huge potential for harm,” she says. desperately in need,” he says. how superbugs flourish. By studying the evolution of this bacterial pathogen YOUNG ‘SUPERBUGS’ INNOVATOR RECEIVES “Our team works to develop drugs and diagnostics “At the moment we still have the upper hand, but bacteria from obscurity to notoriety, and comparing its genetic PRESTIGIOUS ROLEX LAUREATE for superbugs, viruses and cancer: we don’t get many are very good at adapting and evolving, and we don’t differences across six different regions around the world, Research UQ researchers: Mr Hosam Zowawi under supervision second chances with these diseases.” want to return to the pre-penicillin days when a simple she can now work on developing tests to rapidly detect Leaders scratch or minor cold could lead to pneumonia, skin of Professor David Paterson (UQ Centre for Clinical Besides developing treatments and diagnostics for and help combat its spread. infections and death.” Research) tuberculosis and dengue, the team’s main focus is As can PhD student Mr Hosam Zowawi from the UQ Funding source: Rolex on fighting “superbugs”, those bacteria becoming The team is working hard to translate research into Centre for Clinical Research who recently won a Rolex increasingly resistant to current antibiotics. The alarming better diagnostics and new drugs to help people in the Laureate for his work in creating a diagnostic tool that can Email: [email protected] growth of these superbugs, coupled with the lack of developing world and in Australia. rapidly identify superbugs. Web: http://bit.ly/youngsuperbugsinventor pharmaceutical companies working in this area, provides “We want to be able to give the right drug the first time, in Share much impetus for their research. time.”
page 19 Executive birthing in our Overview
Emerging COMMUNITY Innovations
WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THE BEST SUPPORT FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER FAMILIES DURING PREGNANCY, BIRTH AND EARLY PARENTING. Healthy People
Imagine being an elite athlete preparing for a major event, providing care and assistance from early pregnancy professional with whom to share their concerns. As well, with your own personal support team providing advice on through to around six weeks post-birth. the Midwifery Group Practice model of care has shown Arts and exercise, nutrition, mental coping skills and care for your a reduction in premature births – one of the greatest Society Every woman has her own midwife on-call 24 hours body. You would feel more confident and as well prepared challenges of our time. a day, and a support team that includes Aboriginal as you could be, right? maternity health workers, Aboriginal student midwives, “We are hoping to achieve the same in our setting,” says Now imagine that you are a pregnant woman preparing doctors, and other health professionals. Professor Kildea. for the major event of your life: the creation of new life. With help from the partner organisations, all care Wouldn’t you like that same kind of support? Sustainability provision and governance structures are culturally This is exactly what researchers at the Mater Research sensitive and provide “add-on” services that significantly BIRTHING IN OUR COMMUNITY: IMPROVING Institute-UQ and partner organisations had in mind when enhance the program. MATERNAL INFANT HEALTH CARE FOR they devised a plan to help improve the health outcomes ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER So what inspired this research? of urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and WOMEN AND INFANTS their babies. “In 2010, we conducted a survey of women attending UQ researchers: Professor Sue Kildea (Mater the Mater Mothers’ Hospital specialist antenatal clinic Technology “We are offering a fully integrated service for expectant Research Institute-UQ/UQ School of Nursing and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women which and Translation mothers and their families to help them enjoy the best Midwifery/ Mater Health Services), Dr Anton Clifford revealed that, although the service had an excellent experience possible, as well as support their health and (School of Population Health), Professor Sue Kruske reputation and women were very satisfied with the welfare during this exciting time,” says Professor Sue (UQ School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mater Health service received, they were not happy about having no Kildea from the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Services) continuous access to a known carer during labour, birth “It may be just a little thing – such as advice to stop and the early weeks of life,” says Professor Kildea. Funding source: National Health and Medical Research smoking – that will make a big difference, if the Research Council Partnership Grant “Coupled with an increase in the number of premature Leaders recommendation is coming from a trusted source such babies born to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partner organisations: Aboriginal and Torres Strait as our support team and is backed by an innovative mothers, we felt that more work needed to be done in Islander Community Health Service Brisbane Ltd, program being tested.” this area.” Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, Mater Mothers’ The researchers have established a Midwifery Group Hospital International research has shown that women appreciate Practice, or continuity-of-care model, for all Aboriginal the opportunity to get to know their care providers during Collaborators: Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and Torres Strait Islander mothers planning to birth at pregnancy: they become more confident in childbirth and University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, West the Mater so they will have the same team of people Share with looking after their baby after having had a trusted Griffith University Email: [email protected]
page 20 Executive text Overview
Emerging ZOMBIES Innovations
Healthy People EVERYBODY RECOGNISES THE POSTURE OF SOMEBODY TEXTING AND WALKING AT THE SAME TIME. BUT HOW MUCH DOES POSTURE ACTUALLY CHANGE AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT OUR BALANCE?
Arts and Society
“‘Text zombies’ – people checking their phones while The study found that “text zombies” were sacrificing walking – are being blamed for a rise in the incidence of their speed, balance, posture and ability to walk in a collisions, trips and falls,” said Professor Paul Hodges straight line. Sustainability from the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences “While texting on a phone, study participants’ arms, (SHRS). torso and head were rigidly connected, i.e. zombie-like “While the dangers of texting and driving have been coordination, to reduce phone movement in the visual well-documented, attention has only recently shifted to field to ease reading,” Mr van den Hoorn said. the safety risks associated with texting while walking,” “Normally the head is kept mostly steady in space, he said. which is good for your balance system. But the rigid Technology His team’s research paper entitled ‘Texting and Walking: connections cause the head to move more. This, in and Translation Strategies for Postural Control and Implications for combination with no arm swing, upsets the balance and Safety’ was published in the journal PLOS One in therefore the ability to walk in a straight line. January 2014. “They are essentially prioritising the phone task at the TEXTING AND WALKING Students Alison Moorcroft and Cameron Greenland expense of their own walking balance. UQ researchers: Professor Paul Hodges, Wolbert collected the data and co-authored the paper through Research “One third of participants admitted they had previously van den Hoorn (School of Health and Rehabilitation the SHRS Research Incubator Program, which provides Leaders fallen, tripped or walked into obstacles while texting,” Mr Sciences) undergraduate and graduate-entry Masters students van den Hoorn said. with a taste of research being conducted at the school. Funding source: National Health and Medical The team used a three-dimensional movement analysis Research Council “The number of pedestrian accidents is rising and system to measure the gait patterns of 26 healthy texting is a key culprit,” said Mr Wolbert van den Hoorn, Email: [email protected] people as they walked an 8.5-metre course. also from the School of Health and Rehabilitation Web: www.shrs.uq.edu.au Sciences. The first time they walked it without using a phone, the Share second and third time while reading or typing a text. http://bit.ly/textingandwalking Multimedia: Texting and walking
page 21 sunscreen = Executive YOUNG SKIN Overview Emerging Innovations
IF HEALTH DOESN’T SWAY YOU, PERHAPS VANITY WILL: UQ RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED THAT SUNSCREEN NOT ONLY HELPS PREVENT SKIN CANCER, IT ALSO KEEPS SKIN LOOKING YOUTHFUL. Healthy People
Applying sunscreen and taking vitamin pills have long The same could not be said for those who took Arts and been advocated for keeping skin looking young, but betacarotene, which had no overall effect on skin ageing Society until recently there was no evidence that either of these (although a beneficial effect could not be ruled out in recommendations was actually correct. those with only a moderate – as opposed to severe – degree of premature skin ageing at baseline). Working with colleagues at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, researchers in the School of So, the message is clear: if you are under 55, live in Population Health decided to check this advice, Queensland, and want younger looking skin, you should Sustainability assessing close to 1000 people (aged less than 55 aim to wear sunscreen EVERY day. Those few minutes living in the Queensland town of Nambour) over a four- in the sun each day all add up, and damage to the and-a-half-year period to see whether sunscreen or elastic fibres underneath the skin can occur without you betacarotene made any difference. even being aware. “After taking casts of the backs of our volunteers’ hands “Of course, wearing a hat, sunglasses and protective to measure fine lines and deep wrinkles, we randomly clothing, as well as avoiding the sun between 10am and assigned them to one of four groups,” says Professor 2pm will also help,” says Professor Green. Technology Adèle Green, Adjunct Professor in the School of and Translation Population Health. “They were randomised to either i] take 30mg of SUNSCREEN AND PREVENTION OF SKIN AGEING betacarotene and apply sunscreen daily, ii] take a UQ researchers: Dr Peter Baker, Adjunct Professor placebo and apply sunscreen daily, iii] take 30mg Adèle Green, Professor Gail Williams (School of betacarotene and apply sunscreen whenever they saw Research Population Health) fit, or iv] take a placebo and apply sunscreen whenever Leaders they felt the need. Funding source: National Health and Medical Research Council “Our results were fairly conclusive with sunscreen use: after four-and-a-half-years, those who were randomised Collaborators: Queensland Institute of Medical to apply sunscreen daily showed no detectable increase Research, University of Manchester in skin ageing.” Email: [email protected] Share And – up to the age of 55 – it did not matter how old the Web: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/ participants were. UQ:305902
page 22 Executive Overview
Emerging Innovations Affecting around one in a hundred people and with The diverse partners of Autism CRC ensure that a 25-fold increase in the number of diagnoses over research can be undertaken across the lifespan and the past 30 years, there are now more children with outcomes implemented. Evidence-based research will ASD than the combined number with cerebral palsy, be provided on appropriate educational environments diabetes, deafness, blindness and leukaemia. and programs for students with autism to achieve greater social, behavioural and academic success. Healthy The Cooperative Research Centre for Living with People Autism Spectrum Disorders (Autism CRC) is the The CRC also fills a critical need for research aimed world’s first national, cooperative research effort at improving opportunities for people with autism to focused on autism across the lifespan, bringing successfully transition to post-school life. together the combined talents and resources of 49 “Autism CRC has facilitated the crucial research universities (including UQ), research institutes and partnerships required to improve outcomes for people other service providers. Arts and with autism, particularly adults,” says Program 3 Society “Never before has there been a collaboration of Theme Leader Professor Nick Lennox. researchers and end-users tackling autism research “A key goal is to ensure this collaboration will continue in Australia in such a coordinated effort and in key beyond the CRC program timeline and so improve the areas that people with autism and their families have health outcomes for all diagnosed with this disorder.” identified as most critical,” says Program 2 Theme Leader Associate Professor Kate Sofronoff. Sustainability “A national research collaboration was essential in order to get the breakthroughs needed to change the life outcomes of people with autism.” COOPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE FOR LIVING supporting Autism CRC has three core research programs, each WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS connecting across the lifespan, including diagnosis, (AUTISM CRC) Technology education and adulthood. All research projects are set UQ Program Leaders: Associate Professor Kate and Translation in a real-life context and rigorously conducted in order Sofronoff (School of Psychology), Associate Professor to provide practical, evidence-based insights and Charles Claudianos (Queensland Brain Institute), meaningful data that can be used in daily life. SUCCESS Professor Nick Lennox (School of Medicine) Scientists from the Queensland Brain Institute Funding source: AusIndustry and participants have already taken the first step in developing an Research understanding of the variety of genetic pathways that Participants: AEIOU Foundation, Autism Queensland Leaders can lead to autism. Inc, Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), Curtin University, Griffith University, La Trobe University, “Using genetic discoveries made possible through Mater Medical Research Institute Ltd, Queensland AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IS A LIFELONG DEVELOPMENTAL the CRC, combined with the behavioural information Department of Education and Training, Queensland DISABILITY THAT AFFECTS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE WAY A PERSON already used to diagnose autism, Autism CRC will University of Technology, University of New South – for the first time – provide a comprehensive road RELATES TO HIS OR HER ENVIRONMENT AND HOW THEY INTERACT Wales, University of Western Australia, plus 37 others map to accurately diagnose autism in children under WITH OTHERS. two years of age,” says Program 1 Theme Leader Email: [email protected] Share Associate Professor Charles Claudianos. Web: www.autismcrc.com.au
page 23 zoom zoom, Executive ZOONOSES Overview Emerging Innovations
DISEASE-CAUSING VIRUSES AND BACTERIA ARE NOT ALWAYS PASSED ON THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE: SOMETIMES, SIMPLE CONTACT WITH ANIMALS IS THE CULPRIT. Healthy People
Think of the scourge of Black Death, passed on through Professor Reid and his team are focusing specifically on the fleas on rats; or avian flu, spread by diseased birds; Fiji, where the spread (mainly by rats) of leptospirosis or, closer to home, the Hendra virus, which arose from kills tens of people per year and incapacitates many Arts and human contact with horses that had been infected by hundreds more. Working with the Ministry of Health, Society flying foxes. they are trying to understand the disease’s very real social and economic impacts. These diseases transmitted from animals to humans are known as “zoonoses” and, thanks to a Grand “We intend to use multi-criterion decision analysis Challenges Exploration grant from the Bill & Melinda (MCDA) to provide a framework for steering the diverse Gates Foundation, a UQ research team hopes to limit sectors involved in order to address factors such as Sustainability their proliferation. Disability-adjusted life years lost (a measure of the burden of the disease), cost-effectiveness of animal and “We will be creating a metrics-based tool that will enable human interventions, livelihood impacts, social equity, better measurement and communication of the impact animal welfare, and feasibility of control. of animal infections on humans, so that policy-makers can intervene in the best way possible in terms of “We are interviewing a wide range of people in different health, agriculture, environment and veterinary services,” institutions in Fiji to achieve this goal,” says Professor Technology says Associate Professor Simon Reid from the School of Reid. and Translation Population Health. The team plans to publish an information package And intervening on multiple levels is certainly what’s and management strategy by 2015 that will be DEVELOPING COMBINED METRIC TO MEASURE required. easily accessible to all sectors involved – whether an IMPACT OF LEPTOSPIROSIS IN FIJI individual farmer focused on personal costs/benefits or “Unlike more ‘common’ diseases, we cannot immunise UQ researchers: Associate Professor Simon Reid, a government Minister concerned about the impact on Research ourselves against zoonoses,” continues Professor Reid, Associate Professor Peter Hill, Dr Maxine Whittaker human development and gross national product. Leaders “we have to rely on other means to make changes. (School of Population Health) “Animals are part of human life, so we need to work “Zoonotic diseases have different impacts in different Funding source: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation together and ensure our health policy practices are as sectors, and also require input from sectors not directly Grand Challenges Explorations safe as possible: zoom zoom diseases!” impacted: they are a complex problem with a complex Collaborators: Fiji Centre for Communicable Disease solution. We call it the ‘one health’ paradigm because Control, Fiji Ministry of Health so many different sectors and organisations are Email: [email protected] involved, and they all need guidance to work towards a Share common goal.” Web: http://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/2707
page 24 ✚ Virtual venue
✚ Triple P in Africa
✚ Learn about burnout
✚ Happy haus Executive Overview ✚ Stop the death spiral
✚ Express or suppress?
✚ Language on the line Emerging ✚ Partly in the genes Innovations
Healthy arts and People
Arts and SOCIETY Society
Sustainability
Technology and Translation
Research Leaders
UQ RESEARCHERS CRISS-CROSS THE HORIZONS OF TIME, GEOGRAPHY AND CULTURE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A Share GLOBAL CITIZEN IN THE 21ST CENTURY, LEARNING HOW AND WHY PEOPLE INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER AND THE UNIVERSE
page 25 Executive virtual VENUE Overview
Multimedia: Ortelia Virtual Set Designer
Emerging BRINGING HISTORY TO LIFE...LITERALLY Innovations
A Shakespearean theatre pulled down 400 years ago originally from the remote New Ireland province of Papua and carvings from a remote part of Papua New Guinea New Guinea. Healthy may not seem to have much in common, but both This allows cultural custodians in the region to examine People are being brought to life with pioneering virtual reality the artefacts on a mobile phone app or CD-ROM, and technology. work out exactly how they were made. “The research began with my interest in exploring “Normally museum digitisation projects just place digital space in contemporary theatres but not having access content on the internet,” says Dr Graeme Were, who is to them,” says Professor Joanne Tompkins from the leading the Mobile Museum project. School of English, Media Studies and Art History. Arts and “This project is significant because communities of origin Society “Since then, we have moved to recreating historical have worked in partnership to develop the imaging theatres, where the exploration of space is even more software, and helped direct the development of the important, and about which there is very little tangible project.” information.” Dr Were hopes that in the future, not only will other Professor Tompkins used the virtual reality technology to museums be able to use the software to digitise their Sustainability recreate The Rose theatre, one of the oldest purpose- collections, but communities will be able to photograph built theatres in London. The Rose played an important and create 3D images of their own cultural artefacts, role in the development of theatre in Shakespeare’s time, allowing them to create digital records of their heritage. before being pulled down in 1606. “It provides a much deeper sense of what performance in such a venue might have meant, and affects how we Technology ORTELIA: USING VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY TO might think about performing such plays today,” says and Translation Professor Tompkins, who hopes to create further virtual MANAGE CULTURAL VENUES models of both modern and historical theatres. UQ researchers: Professor Joanne Tompkins (School The technology used for the research was developed of English, Media Studies and Art History), Dr Graeme through the commercial venture, Ortelia. One of Ortelia’s Were (School of Social Science) products is Virtual Set Designer, which allows theatre Funding source: Australian Research Council, Ortelia, Research practitioners, students and educators to create digital UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund Leaders sets and lighting. Collaborators: Mobile Museum: Queensland Museum, The technology has also moved beyond the theatre and Ortelia, Rose Theatre Trust, University of Tasmania into other cultural spaces, such as museums and art galleries. Email: [email protected] The Mobile Museum project, led by Dr Graeme Were, Web: www.hass.uq.edu.au/project/arts-and- technology-converge-ortelia-interactive-spaces has drawn on the Queensland Museum’s collection Share to create detailed 3D renderings of cultural artefacts Multimedia: Ortelia Curator
page 26 Executive Overview triple p Emerging IN AFRICA Innovations Healthy People
PARTNERSHIPS AND PHILANTHROPY HELP FIND A FIT FOR FAMILIES IN KENYA.
Arts and Society
Sustainability UQ’s Triple P – Positive Parenting Program may be just Co-researcher and Triple P founder Professor Matt “Given the high prevalence of punitive parenting as effective in the developing world, outcomes of a trial Sanders said the studies revealed disadvantaged practices in Kenya, the provision of positive parenting among Kenyan families in 2013 have found. Kenyan parents viewed the program as “highly strategies has the potential to reduce violence in the TRIPLE P IN AFRICA culturally acceptable, useful and relevant to their own community.” Since its inception 35 years ago, the program has needs”. UQ researchers: Dr Divna Haslam, Professor Matt been exported to 25 countries in the developed world Parents who attended the Group Triple P Program Sanders (School of Psychology) but little is known about its effectiveness among more “Contrary to the perception that parents living in reported numerous benefits following the intervention Funding source: Open Society Institute East Africa Technology disadvantaged communities. poverty are too busy trying to provide to focus on that were still being maintained six months later. and Translation positive parenting, our research found that Kenyan In collaboration with the Parenting in Africa Network “Benefits included lower use of dysfunctional and Partner organisations: Parenting in Africa Network, parents living in informal settlements were highly (PAN) based in Kenya, the Parenting Organisation of coercive discipline; lower child emotional and behaviour Children’s Hope Foundation, Parenting Organisation of motivated to attend parenting classes and had a Kenya and the Children’s Hope Foundation, the program problems; lower parental depression, anxiety and stress; Africa strong desire to learn and use positive parenting was trialled for the first time in Africa in May 2013. and higher parenting efficacy,” Dr Haslam said. strategies and be better parents,” he said. Email: [email protected], [email protected] The research, conducted with parents from informal The African project is the first in a wider body of Research Head of International Research for Triple P Dr Divna Web: www.pfsc.uq.edu.au (slum) settlements in Nairobi, comprised two studies. In research currently being undertaken by the Parenting Leaders Haslam said the study-parents reported the strategies one, 51 parents viewed a range of Triple P strategies on and Family Support Centre (PFSC) that seeks to improve were very different to the traditional parenting styles video before participating in a focus group to discuss the lives of the world’s most disadvantaged families. they were currently using, which often included very the relevance and cultural acceptability of the strategies harsh physical punishment. Work is being conducted in a number of developing for use in Kenya. countries in Africa, South-East Asia and South America, “They reported feeling empowered by knowledge In the other, 29 parents participated in the Group including China, Indonesia, Panama, South Africa, of the Triple P strategies which they viewed as Triple P intervention. Parents completed measures Kenya and Namibia. acceptable alternatives to hitting and beating Share pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at six months children,” Dr Haslam said. follow-up.
page 27 Executive learn about Overview
Emerging BURNOUT Innovations
Healthy People BEING A TEACHER IS NOT QUITE THE SAME AS BEING A STUDENT, AND SOMETIMES THE REALITY CAN BE QUITE A SHOCK – ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE NEW TO THE PROFESSION.
Arts and Society
School of Music’s Dr Julie Ballantyne recognised the “Preliminary results indicate that (unfortunately!) praxis impact of “praxis shock” after seeing former students shock is not just a factor of early careerists but may making the transition from university to school-life... not occur repeatedly over the course of a person’s working always successfully. life. Sustainability “I wanted to address the issue that how a person’s “If we can pinpoint these crucial junctures, we hope professional identity and teaching approaches are to be able to prepare our teachers and so lessen the formed before, during and after pre-service teacher negative impact.” education is crucial to how that person will thrive (or not) in the music teaching profession,” she says. “I noticed that a person’s ongoing sense of wellbeing is Technology directly affected by their ability to cope.” and Translation
And her research may have impact in other fields too, IMPROVING MUSIC TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL with certain aspects of her study already being applied IDENTITY to early-career psychologists, doctors, engineers and lawyers. UQ researcher: Dr Julie Ballantyne (School of Music) Research Comprising two separate initiatives, Dr Ballantyne has Funding source: UQ Foundation Research Excellence Leaders established a Music Teachers’ Project website that Award functions as an online Community of Practice (CoP), and Email: [email protected] has complemented this with a series of questionnaires. Web: researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/2184 “To date, more than 1000 people have completed the questionnaires and the website has more than 500 users: a world-first for music teacher education research,” says Dr Ballantyne. Share
page 28 Executive Overview
Emerging Innovations
Healthy People
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Sustainability happy Taking lessons from car design and assembly, The project aims to integrate both architectural and UQ researchers are now combining architecture, engineering design and will examine alternative engineering, construction, and development skills to approaches to conventional construction techniques, Technology build low-cost housing with “high-cost” pizzazz. focusing on a range of techniques including pre-made and Translation modular and panelised building systems. “While transportable housing is generally understood to be at the bottom of the market in cost and “The research will shift focus from individual building KIT HOUSES HAUS quality, our partner organisations have confounded material properties to the holistic and integrated this expectation with products that deliver high performance of pre-assembled components,” Dr UQ researchers: Dr Mathew Aitchison, Professor architectural quality at well below the usual price Aitchison says. John Macarthur (School of Architecture), Dr José Torero Research points for architectural design,” says Dr Mathew (School of Engineering) Leaders In other words, methodology is the principal objective. Aitchison from the School of Architecture. Funding source: Australian Research Council Linkage However, the team will also be building and testing HIRE A DESIGNER, HIRE A FACTORY; “We plan to build on their work and develop smart Project grant and partner organisations housing prototypes to show the professions and industrial processes that consider the whole BUILD A CAR, BUILD A HOUSE; wider public how transportable homes can indeed be Partner organisations: Arup, BVN Donovan Hill, ensemble, not just the parts. We want to get away MOVE THE CAR, MOVE THE HOUSE; “individual, attractive, and well-made with outstanding Happy Haus, Hutchinson Builders from the traditional view that transportable homes ENJOY THE DRIVE, ENJOY THE LIFE... environmental performance”. are associated with serial ‘dongas’ or poor quality Email: [email protected] Share AND SAVE SOME MONEY AT THE SAME TIME! ‘demountables’ – Happy Haus is individual, high- Happy house, happy life; low-cost price, “high-cost” Web: researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/1238 quality and stylish.” smile...
page 29 stop the Executive Overview DEATH SPIRAL Emerging Innovations
“DEATH SPIRALS” – NO, NOT A FORM OF AERIAL ACROBATICS, BUT SIMPLY A FINANCIAL TERM TO DESCRIBE A TYPE OF DEBT SECURITY. SO HOW DID IT GET THIS NAME? Healthy People AND WHY SHOULD WE CARE?
Over the past decade there have been some legal cases “With any fall in the price of the issuing firm, investors in – and hence an increase in scrutiny by the Securities the convertible benefit, as they receive more shares in Arts and and Exchange Commission (SEC) – involving companies the conversion. However, existing stock holders lose, as Society that issued “death spiral securities”. their share in the company is diluted. Hence, the main risk is that the price spirals downwards.” The SEC has intervened to try to discourage the use of these debt instruments in an effort to reduce the dilution A number of legal cases have argued that the “death of stock holdings brought about by a short selling spiral. spiral” is due to market manipulation through short selling. However, as Professor Benson and her team STRUCTURED PIPES – DEATH SPIRAL However, UQ Business School’s Associate Professor Sustainability have identified, short selling is not illegal. SECURITIES Karen Benson and her team argue that death spiral security does not result in a higher incidence of “The performance of private investments in public equity UQ researchers: Associate Professor Karen Benson, company failure and, in fact, the SEC was premature in (PIPEs) firms is at least as good as those not issuing Professor Thomas Smith (UQ Business School), its regulations. PIPEs. Associate Professor David Morrison (School of Law) The death spiral, also known as the “floorless”, “toxic” or “We have therefore concluded that the death spiral has Funding source: Australian Research Council Technology “ratchet” convertible bond, earned its name because of little to do with market manipulation and more to do with Collaborators: London School of Economics and and Translation the potential negative effects brought about by this type the nature of the firms themselves.” Political Science, Vanderbilt University of bond or preferred stock. Professor Benson said firms can structure themselves to Email: [email protected] A key example of death spiral securities is “floating rate avoid regulations attracted by this type of security. convertible debt”. Web: www.business.uq.edu.au/staff/details/ “Our study shows that this SEC intervention was karen-benson “Floating rate convertible debt became popular in the not ideal and indeed, using appropriate statistical Research 1990s,” said Professor Benson. techniques, we show that the ‘death spiral’ security did Leaders not result in a higher incidence of company failure. “Firms issue the debt with a conversion price that is often variable and a reset mechanism such that if the “We argue that firms issuing these types of securities market price of the underlying stock falls, then the are likely to be troubled and the investors buying the conversion price will adjust downwards. Investors can securities will sensibly hedge their positions. cover their position by short selling the issuing firm’s “We make the case that analysis so far has not properly stock. compared issuing firms to their counterparts who are Share in the same financial situation, but have not issued structured PIPEs.”
page 30 Executive express or SUPPRESS? Overview Emerging Innovations
“WHEN YOU’RE SMILIN’ KEEP ON SMILIN’, THE WHOLE WORLD SMILES WITH YOU”, RIGHT?
Healthy People Wrong! Despite Louis Armstrong’s claims, grinners are emotions is dysfunctional and has negative personal and not always winners in the influence stakes and School social outcomes – so Dr Greenaway’s findings are quite of Psychology’s Dr Katharine Greenaway’s research surprising. confirms this. She hopes her research will focus people on the “While most people think it is always beneficial to display importance of considering positive emotions. Arts and positive emotions, sometimes they are better hidden,” “People typically think it is important to keep negative Society she says. emotions under control and to stop themselves from “For example, a tennis champion celebrating after showing negative emotions, but our research shows beating a weak competitor, a funeral attendee laughing it is equally important to be aware of keeping positive during a solemn ceremony, or a murder suspect emotions under control if the goal is to win friends and smiling during a trial: people intuitively recognise these influence people.” Sustainability behaviours as inappropriate – and our research explains Dr Greenaway and Dr Kalokerinos plan to further why.” their research on the psychology of positive emotions Dr Greenaway and colleague Dr Elise Kalokerinos have and explore factors such as whether suppressing discovered that, contrary to most emotion literature them makes a person appear more conscientious, findings, expressing positive emotions may sometimes or if expressing them gives a performance advantage be perceived as arrogant and non-empathetic. because of the perception of dominance. Technology “This is particularly the case in outperformance Maybe the whole world will smile with them then? and Translation situations, when one person triumphs over another in a competition,” says Dr Greenaway. “We found that winners who expressed their positive emotions were liked less and rated as less desirable friends than those who suppressed their emotions, IS IT BETTER TO SUPPRESS OR EXPRESS Research because they appeared less invested in protecting the POSITIVE EMOTIONS? Leaders losers’ feelings.” UQ researcher: Dr Katharine Greenaway, Dr Elise Most research on emotion regulation focuses on Kalokerinos (School of Psychology) controlling negative emotions, like anger, sadness, fear Funding source: Canadian Institute for Advanced and guilt, but very little has been considered about Research, Society for Australasian Social Psychologists, how and why people might want to regulate positive UQ Early Career Researcher grant emotions such as happiness, pride, amusement and Email: [email protected] Share gratitude. Where it has been studied, the general consensus is that inhibiting the outward expression of Web: researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/1814
page 31 language Executive ON THE LINED Overview Emerging Innovations “STORIES RECORDED ARE STORIES NOT FORGOTTEN.”
Healthy Like much of the rest of Australia, the 1860s was a from early settlers. The project is collaborating with People particularly brutal time in the history of the Gurindji Gurindji photographer Brenda L Croft (UNSW), former people from the Northern Territory’s Victoria River Indigenous curator at the National Gallery of Australia. District, approximately 900 kilometres south of Darwin. It’s a process Dr Meakins believes is well worthwhile: as Eyewitness accounts of massacres – including details of she says, stories recorded are stories not forgotten. the Gurindji resistance and names of the non-Indigenous Arts and “Gurindji elders have a desire for their knowledge of their perpetrators – have been passed down verbally through Society country’s colonisation to be passed down to current several generations. However, formally documenting Gurindji generations,” she says. these oral histories has not always reflected the detail of the stories, with most previous accounts depicted in “They also believe it is important for non-Indigenous either Kriol or pidgin English. people to know what happened in this area of the Northern Territory. “As neither of these are the Gurindji people’s first Sustainability language, this has meant that stories were often halting “We hope these little-known stories about white and fragmented, requiring intense interrogation to be colonisation will become more widely known so they understood,” says Dr Felicity Meakins from the School will never be repeated, and that our country’s diverse of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies. heritage will continue through the preservation of the Gurindji language. Having previously written a Gurindji dictionary with her colleague, Erika Charola from Monash University, “After all, it’s our history on the line – and it’s through Technology Dr Meakins is well prepared to redress the lack of language that we communicate it.” and Translation awareness of this vital aspect of Australia’s Indigenous history. “We are now publishing a book for the general public that will feature historical accounts in Gurindji and English, with maps and full-colour photos of the sites, INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE PRESERVATION Research plus artistic responses to the stories by Gurindji artists,” Leaders Dr Meakins says. UQ researcher: Dr Felicity Meakins (School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies) Her work is helping preserve the Gurindji language and perspective, even down to the Gurindji division Funding source: Aboriginal Benefits Account (ABA) of historical periods, and has required visits to the Partner organisations: Karungkarni Arts, Central Land massacre sites with local elders, recording stories Council, University of New South Wales Felicity Meakins assisting Gurindji ranger associated with these places, translating the stories into Helma Bernard to record interviews with Email: [email protected] Paddy Doolak and other local elders Share English, and conducting background research using old describing the early history of the area police day-books, newspaper archives and memoirs Web: researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/547 [Photos: Brenda L Croft]
page 32 GENETIC VARIANTS ASSOCIATED WITH EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT UQ researchers: Dr Jian Yang, Dr Konstantin Shakhbazov, Professor Peter Visscher (Queensland Brain Institute/UQ Diamantina Institute) Funding source: Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, National Institutes of Executive Health Overview Collaborators: Cornell University, Erasmus University, New York University Abu Dhabi Email: [email protected] Web: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/ Emerging UQ:305856 Innovations
Healthy partly in People
Arts and THE GENES Society
BLACK HAIR, BLUE EYES: WE KNOW THESE PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES ARE PART OF OUR GENETIC Sustainability MAKE-UP. BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR LEVEL OF EDUCATION – IS THIS IN OUR GENES TOO?
Well, research conducted on 120,000 people worldwide located at three independent genomic regions are family/twin studies have and published in Science in 2013 suggests that, yes, associated,” says Dr Yang. supported a heritable link; however, no educational attainment is indeed heritable. specific genes were pinpointed and the Technology “We have since replicated the results in another shared environmental factor has always and Translation According to Dr Jian Yang from the Queensland Brain independent sample, and used a portion of them to complicated results,” says Dr Yang. Institute and UQ Diamantina Institute, many genes are determine genetic predictors for educational attainment involved, each having a small effect on our educational and cognitive ability. “This study of more than one hundred attainment. They may also reflect our cognitive abilities. thousand unrelated people that identifies “We found that the genetic predictor for educational the specific genes involved in educational Dr Yang and his colleagues, Professor Peter Visscher attainment was significantly correlated with cognition in attainment is a major step forward in Research and Dr Konstantin Shakhbazov, were part of an the validation sample.” understanding the genetic basis of our Leaders international collaborative research team that studied To amass a range of people who not only have their cognitive ability.” the DNA of a sample group whose whole genome had genome-wide SNPs available, but have also completed been mapped to include around two million SNP (single The research team is now identifying a cognitive ability test, is very difficult. This study nucleotide polymorphism) markers. more genes that may be linked with suggests that educational attainment can be used as a other socioeconomic traits “We performed a statistical analysis to test whether or proxy for genetic studies of cognition. and ensuing cognitive ability. not there is an association between people’s educational “Social scientists have long debated whether or not attainment and some SNPs, and found that three SNPs Share socioeconomic outcomes are partly due to genes, and
page 33 ✚ Sustainable Solomons
✚ Waste not, want not
✚ Secret life of spinifex
✚ Micro world: macro methane Executive Overview ✚ Sustainable prosperity
✚ Novel natives
✚ Underwater climate change Emerging Innovations
Healthy People
Arts and SUSTAINABILITY Society
Sustainability
Technology and Translation
Research Leaders
THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND IS COMMITTED TO EMBEDDING SUSTAINABILITY ACROSS ALL ASPECTS Share OF LEARNING, DISCOVERY, ENGAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS: UQ RESEARCHERS HELP DEVELOP CLEAN ENERGY AND DISCOVER WAYS TO PROTECT AND CONSERVE OUR ENVIRONMENT
page 34 Executive Overview sustainable Emerging Innovations
SOLOMONS Healthy People
TRADITIONAL LAW OR STATE LAW: THAT IS THE QUESTION... Arts and Society
Sustainability
The US-based John D and Catherine T MacArthur Islanders can develop sustainable strategies that will local rangers in how to monitor local resources, and Foundation “supports creative people and effective satisfy both aspects.” produced a book Solomon Islands Marine Life for institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, distribution to schools and rural communities. Research The relevance of Professor Corrin’s work is not confined STRENGTHENING EMERGING FRAMEWORKS Technology and peaceful world” – particularly those interested in training at SINU is the next step. to just Marovo Lagoon. Throughout the world, many FOR CONSERVATION ACROSS MELANESIAN and Translation advancing global conservation and security. former colonies are struggling with an inheritance of “As a former legal practitioner in the Solomon Islands, ISLAND ARCHIPELAGOS So it was only fitting that School of Law’s Professor legal pluralism that recognises both customary law I regularly came up against issues arising from legal UQ researchers: Professor Jennifer Corrin (School Jennifer Corrin and colleagues, Dr Simon Albert (School and formal written law. In 2012, Professor Corrin was pluralism in a practical context – for example, are reefs of Law), Dr Simon Albert (School of Civil Engineering), of Civil Engineering) and Associate Professor Ian awarded an ARC Future Fellowship to further explore and foreshores owned by the State (common law) or by Associate Professor Ian Tibbetts (School of Biological Tibbetts (School of Biological Sciences), receive a three- approaches on how to reconcile these two very different the custodians of the adjacent land (customary law)?” Sciences) Research year grant from the Foundation to investigate the marine, concepts. says Professor Corrin. Leaders legal and anthropological aspects of conservation in Funding source: ARC Future Fellowship, MacArthur In the Solomon Islands, the MacArthur team is “It was often very challenging. Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands. Foundation combining environmental data with legal and socio- “I hope that our research will go some way towards “In the Solomon Islands, as in other South Pacific economic information to develop mechanisms for Collaborators: American Museum for Natural answering this vexing question that perplexes countries, land is a fundamental facet of traditional managing resources and biodiversity at the community History, Solomon Islands National University (SINU) academics and legal practitioners in both the South culture,” says Professor Corrin. level. Pacific and across the globe. Email: [email protected] “Our research is exploring the effects that the plural To date, the team has delivered resource-management Web: www.law.uq.edu.au/academic-staff/staff. “We will then be able to suggest strategies for managing Share nature of law (Indigenous and State) and society have workshops and public awareness sessions on bridging our natural resources in the most sustainable way php?nm=jennifercorrin on managing natural resources, and how Solomon the divide between State and traditional, trained possible.”
page 35 FERTILISERS MADE FROM WASTE: SUPPORTING A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY UQ researchers: Associate Professor Damien Batstone, Dr Chirag Mehta (Advanced Water Management Centre) Funding source: Australian Meat Processor Executive Corporation, CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, Grains Overview Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), Meat waste not, Livestock Australia, Pork CRC, Queensland Urban Utilities, Smart Water Fund (Melbourne Water), Water Environment Research Foundation Partner organisation: GRDC Emerging Innovations Collaborators: Brown and Caldwell; Feedlot Services WANT NOT Australia; GHD Engineering; Hazen and Sawyer; Kellogg, Brown and Root Email: [email protected] Web: www.awmc.uq.edu.au/aprofessor-damien- Healthy batstone People
THE SAYING “ONE PERSON’S TRASH IS ANOTHER ONE’S TREASURE” COULD ALSO APPLY TO THE FERTILISER INDUSTRY IF UQ’S ADVANCED WATER MANAGEMENT CENTRE HAS ITS WAY.
Arts and Society
When we think of waste, we immediately think “yuck”. So far, Professor Batstone and his team have identified But what if that yuck had valuable minerals amidst all that approximately 30 per cent of the net Australian the sludge: perhaps we’d think twice about getting rid of fertiliser market can be recovered from Australian it straight away? wastes, but that globally, up to 100 per cent of Sustainability phosphorous and potassium and 50 per cent of nitrogen After being approached by the Grains Research and can be recovered from wastes, once environmental Development Corporation to investigate, this is exactly inputs are accounted for. what AWMC’s Associate Professor Damien Batstone had in mind when he and his team began recovering UQ is originator and a world leader in the development nutrients from domestic and agricultural waste for of an entirely new technology, partition-release-recover, conversion into fertiliser. which is applicable across a range of scales to replace Technology current wastewater technology, and has led to a number and Translation “The rising cost and shrinking availability of fertiliser of breakthroughs including the use of purple-bacteria has long been of concern to the agricultural industry,” and electrodialysis to mine nutrients from domestic and he says, “not to mention that current global use is industrial waste streams. unsustainable from a resource and environmental impact perspective. Their manufacturing of mineral fertilisers (from both domestic and agro-industrial waste streams) to use Research “We had recognised for many years that mining and on crops is currently in the trial phase and the team Leaders manufacturing nutrients is not sustainable long-term anticipates a fruitful outcome – particularly as they have – both phosphorous and potassium are finite mined consulted widely with partners from both agriculture resources, and manufacturing ammonia is extremely (meat and grain producers) and water technology energy intensive. (consultants and manufacturers). “We have been surprised to discover in our recent “We have certainly found the treasure in wastewater investigations that producing fertiliser from waste is trash,” says Professor Batstone, “and look forward to an indeed sustainable and can meet global fertiliser needs.” Share enriched future – both environmentally and sustainably.”
page 36 “When benchmarked against other leading academic and commercially available materials, spinifex nanofibrils have the highest aspect ratio (length-to-diameter) of any cellulose nanofibrils investigated to date, as well as high tensile strength which makes them eminently suitable for blending with other biomaterials (such as polymers) to create new bio-composites.” Executive Overview Once they determine which of the 69 species of spinifex will produce the best nanofibrils, in conjunction with their Aboriginal collaborators (led by Indjalandji leader Colin Saltmere who brings a wealth of traditional knowledge to the project), Professor Memmott’s team hopes to establish a new sustainable industry in Emerging western Queensland for its harvesting, farming and bio- Innovations processing. “We are currently investigating the feasibility of a pilot- scale fibre delignification/bleaching processing plant in Camooweal or Mt Isa,” Professor Memmott says. “Using the combined expertise of social scientists, Healthy botanists, and engineering and architectural researchers, People along with Aboriginal knowledge of ecology and sustainable harvesting, we see this as a win-win for all: cellulose nanofibrils currently represent the most sought after of all sustainable nanomaterials, and Australia is well placed to enter the high-growth nanocellulose Arts and market set to reach US$250 million by 2020.” Spinifex grass has long been a prime building material Society for shelters constructed in remote, arid-zone Aboriginal So it would seem that what’s good for the environment communities – available in abundance, it is strong and is also good for the economy... waterproof with good “sticking” qualities. In the meantime, the team is seeking industry or Applying biometric theory (using nature to find technical philanthropical funding to complete the research phase solutions to human problems), Western scientists have of the project. Sustainability only recently discovered the potential of spinifex as both biomaterial and new industry for desert communities. “Following our ARC-funded research on the evaluation of spinifex as a building material, the engineers in our USE OF SPINIFEX GRASS FOR MANUFACTURING team made the innovative discovery that Australian NANO-FIBRILLATED SPINIFEX CELLULOSE spinifex grasses are uniquely easy to break down into UQ researchers: Professor Paul Memmott (School Technology secret life of ultra-long, thin cellulose nanofibrils (very small needle- of Architecture/Institute for Social Science Research), and Translation shaped fibres),” says Professor Paul Memmott from Professor Darren Martin (Australian Institute for the School of Architecture/Institute of Social Science Bioengineering and Nanotechnology), Professor Research. Susanne Schmidt (School of Agriculture and Food “What this means is that the grasses can be repurposed Sciences) into hardy bio-materials that have the potential for many SPINIFEX Funding source: UniQuest Pathfinder grant, UQ Research different purposes including as medical textiles, carbon Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund (CIEF) Leaders fibres and building fabrics.” Collaborator: Dugalunji Aboriginal Corporation (Myuma Exciting news, indeed. Pty Ltd), led by Adjunct Associate Professor Colin Of equal importance is the possibility of a new Saltmere commercial venture for remote Aboriginal communities Email: [email protected] COMBINING TRADITIONAL ABORIGINAL KNOWLEDGE WITH WESTERN SCIENCE who would otherwise have few employment options. HAS RESULTED IN THE POTENTIAL LAUNCH OF A WHOLE NEW SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY: Web: www.aerc.uq.edu.au/towards-novel- “We are very pleased to be instigating this project,” says Share biomimetic-building-materials-evaluating- CELLULOSE BIOMATERIALS FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. Professor Memmott. aboriginal-and-western-scientific
page 37 MICRO WORLD HAS GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS UQ researchers: Associate Professor Gene Tyson (Australian Centre for Ecogenomics and Advanced micro world: Water Management Centre), Dr Ben Woodcroft (Australian Centre for Ecogenomics) Funding source: US Department of Energy Office of Executive Biological and Environmental Research grant, Australian Overview Research Council Discovery Project grant MACRO METHANE Collaborators: Florida State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Stockholm University, University of Arizona Emerging Email: [email protected] Innovations MICROORGANISMS ALREADY SHAPE CONDITIONS ON EARTH – BUT THEY MAY PLAY AN EVEN BIGGER ROLE FOR THE WORLD’S CLIMATE IN FUTURE. Web: researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/645
“Permafrost is frozen soil that sequesters large amounts “We have discovered a novel type of methane- “The warmer the temperature, the more the Having recovered the genome of one microbe, Professor Healthy of carbon in the form of undegraded plant matter,” says producing microorganism (a ‘methanogen’) thriving in methanogens flourish, the more they produce methane, Tyson and his team now aim to recover the genome of People Associate Professor Gene Tyson from the Australian northern Sweden in a thick subsurface layer of soil that the warmer the temperature becomes, and so on. all other dominant community members, and so answer Centre for Ecogenomics. had previously been frozen for thousands of years,” says questions about their activity. For example, some “By studying their DNA, our research is focused on Dr Ben Woodcroft, also from the Australian Centre for organisms consume methane rather than generate it, “This is not a problem for the environment – until the understanding these microbial communities responsible Ecogenomics. yet very little is known about how this happens. permafrost starts thawing, which it is now doing at an for methane generation in thawing permafrost, which accelerated pace.” “We believe this microorganism also lives in many parts will provide important biological information for future “We aim to develop novel techniques for observing Arts and When soil temperatures are very low, plant matter of the world’s other permafrost sites and may be one of climate change models. these microbes that allow us to directly see which Society the leading methane producers on Earth.” chemicals they take up into their cells: we can then cannot be broken down. However, as soon as “If we know which genes are present in each genome, integrate microbial data into climate models and improve temperatures rise, the microbes responsible for With around a fifth of the planet’s surface covered in we will be able to understand what processes the their accuracy and precision,” says Dr Woodcroft. degrading plant matter flourish, releasing much of permafrost that is susceptible to thaw resulting from microorganisms are able to carry out.” the carbon previously held underground into the global warming, this world-first discovery does not augur atmosphere. well for our future. Sustainability Unfortunately, they don’t just release carbon dioxide. “The methanogen generates methane (a potent greenhouse gas with about 30 times the warming capacity of carbon dioxide) as a waste product by using carbon dioxide and hydrogen from the bacteria it lives alongside,” says Professor Tyson. Technology and Translation
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page 38 sustainable Executive PROSPERITY Overview Emerging Innovations
THE DOW CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING INNOVATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN JANUARY 2014 WITH A GENEROUS ENDOWMENT FROM THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY. Healthy People
According to its Director, Professor Eric McFarland, By developing novel and profitable radiochemical the mission of the Dow Centre is to foster and processes, the Centre can promote the re-adoption of facilitate innovations in the identification, analysis, and nuclear science and engineering in developed, stable implementation of economically and environmentally democracies. These processes are safe and exploit the Arts and sustainable engineering processes associated with unique features of nuclear activation, such as allowing Society energy, water, food, and chemical production and use. process intensification by reducing the number of process steps and the operation at lower temperatures. “Instead of conducting extensive experimental research, our approach is to work through collaboration,” he says. On this front, the Dow Centre is developing basic process models and performing technoeconomic The Dow Centre works at identifying potentially game- analysis on various radiochemical processes. Sustainability changing processes related to sustainable production of large quantities of water, food, chemicals, and/or energy. “We have begun to sponsor experimental research on this area that will result in data that can in turn be “We analyse technologies developed at UQ and fed back to refine the models,” continues Professor beyond, and add value through conceptual engineering McFarland. UQ DOW CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE process models that allow us to perform detailed ENGINEERING INNOVATION techno-economic and life cycle analyses on the new “Thus, we aim at accelerating research by promoting the Technology processes,” says Professor McFarland. areas needed to deploy the technology commercially.” UQ Director: Professor Eric McFarland (DCSEI) and Translation “Based on those models, we identify the key scientific It is this union of technoeconomic analysis and directed Funding source: The Dow Chemical Company and engineering problems requiring solution to enable sponsored research that makes the Dow Centre’s Email: [email protected] the game-changing processes found to be both approach unique. economically and environmentally sustainable. Web: www.dowcsei.uq.edu.au Similar to the strategy outlined for radiochemical “We then work to pair specific research groups with processes, the team hopes to promote many more Research financial sponsors to conduct the work needed to initiatives that contribute to sustainable global prosperity. Leaders overcome the scientific and engineering barriers.” Other projects currently in the pipeline include the For example, the Dow Centre has started working on biological conversion of methane to chemicals, novel processes that employ nuclear energy to activate the use of natural gas pipelines for electrical energy chemical reactions. Nuclear energy is particularly storage, a project on the energy-poverty nexus, important to global prosperity both because of the sheer and research into Airport Mass and Energy Balance in power of nuclear forces, which renders it extremely collaboration with the Brisbane Airport Corporation (part Share useful, and because of the dangers associated with its of Sustainability initiative at BAC). Multimedia: Dow to fund world-class science misapplication.
page 39 Executive novel Overview
Emerging NATIVES Innovations
WITH GLOBAL CHANGE COMES ECOSYSTEM CHANGE – AND NOWHERE IS THIS MORE Healthy People NOTICEABLE THAN IN THE SPREAD (OR NOT) OF OUR NATIVE PLANTS.
Arts and Society
“My main research is on understanding how global ecosystems, landscapes and communities should change impacts native plant communities,” says (or should not) be restored in the future. I would also Dr Margaret Mayfield from the School of Biological like to know what impact drier conditions, fluctuating task can only be achieved by working with expert Sciences. temperatures, new weeds and fungal growth, and/or collaborators.” Sustainability fertiliser run-off have on these emerging ecosystems.” “Specifically, I examine how land use and climate Fortunately, Dr Mayfield has just such an extensive change combine to drive particular shifts in natural What Dr Mayfield and her team have discovered so support network and so can explore what drives our communities – for instance, when does changed far in the York Gum woodlands are several groups diverse and changing natural world in its quest for land use result in the collapse of native vegetation of functionally distinct exotic species: exploiters survival. into heavily invaded weedy vegetation, when does it (aggressive invader species that push out local native maintain a stable and healthy mix of natives and exotics, species) and coexisters (those living alongside natives). Technology and when does it recover to its near original state? Exploiters are positively linked to high soil phosphorous and Translation levels associated with agricultural run-off, but this link Dr Mayfield is researching two particular types of diminishes in drier locations – suggesting that regional vegetation: York Gum woodlands in south-west UNDERSTANDING HOW GLOBAL CHANGE drying and warming may actually help some native plant Western Australia that have been cleared for and IMPACTS OUR NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES communities resist certain invasions. degraded by wheat and canola production, and UQ researcher: Dr Margaret Mayfield (School of Australian rainforests that have been affected by In the rainforests, understory plants respond to Biological Sciences) Research logging, agricultural production or other types of disturbance and land-use change in very different ways Funding source: Australian Research Council Leaders degradation. to canopy trees. These changes also appear to be more Discovery Project grants consistent than for the forest canopies. “When ecosystems change due to human activities or Collaborators: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial global warming, they often become what we call ‘novel’ “Species do not directly respond to global change, Research Organisation (CSIRO), La Trobe University, or ‘no-analogue’ communities,” says Dr Mayfield. rather, individuals respond to their local environment,” University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, says Dr Mayfield. “Sometimes they develop into healthy novel ecosystems University of Washington, University of Western Australia with lots of natives and sometimes they don’t: I want “To understand changes in the natural world, we need Email: [email protected] Share to find out how and why this happens so that we can to link individual plants to populations of plants to whole improve our restoration practices and decide which communities to whole ecosystems. This monumental Web: researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/1818
page 40 underwater THE COLOURFUL FISH, CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS, SQUID, ZOOPLANKTON, SEAGRASS, SOARING SEABIRDS AND GRACEFUL TURTLES IN OUR OCEANS ARE ALREADY BEING AFFECTED Executive BY CLIMATE CHANGE, WITH RECENT RESEARCH PROVIDING CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE. Overview CLIMATE SO, HOW CAN WE PROTECT NEMO AND HIS FRIENDS AS WE SEEK A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE?
Emerging CHANGE Innovations Microscopic marine plants are now blooming an average “With fish providing almost 17 per cent of the intake of six days earlier in the season, compared to a few of protein by people worldwide, mangroves and decades ago. Although small, these marine plants, seagrass protecting vulnerable coastal landscapes, called phytoplankton, produce half the world’s oxygen and the fisheries and aquaculture industry supporting Healthy supply — providing a vital link between life under the sea the livelihoods of more than 10 per cent of people People and on land. They also provide the basic food for all life worldwide, the changes we are seeing can impact in our oceans. people’s livelihoods,” says Professor Richardson. The phytoplankton, like the majority of other marine “Knowing the changes that are happening will help species, have exhibited markers of climate change in policymakers and individuals to make informed choices research spanning polar, temperate, subtropical and that support sustainable ocean ecosystems.” Arts and tropical ocean regions. Society Dr Elvira Poloczanska from CSIRO and UQ’s Professor John Pandolfi, Associate Professor Anthony Richardson and Dr Christopher Brown were all involved in the research, which examined whether climate change is CLIMATE CHANGE AND MARINE LIFE affecting marine life in all the world’s oceans. UQ researchers: Professor John Pandolfi (School Sustainability The research team included scientists specialising in of Biological Sciences), Associate Professor Anthony marine phytoplankton and seaweed, barnacles, marine Richardson (School of Mathematics and Physics), Dr snails, fish, seabirds, corals and seagrass, among other Christopher Brown (Global Change Institute) types of marine life. The scientists collectively examined Funding source: Australian Research Council Centre more than 200 reports on more than 850 species and of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; National Center groups, assessing studies covering at least 20 years. for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis; University of Technology Evidence such as changes in the timing of breeding and California, Santa Barbara and Translation migration, shell formation, and shifts in the distribution and abundance of marine populations were considered Collaborators: Aberystwyth University, Commonwealth in assessing global impacts on marine life. Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Edith Cowan University, Farallon Institute for Advanced “We found a signature mark of climate change with Ecosystem Research, Instituto Mediterráneo de 85 per cent of all observations from polar to tropical Estudios Avanzados, National Center for Ecological Research regions,” shares Professor Richardson. Analysis and Synthesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Leaders “Diverse species were affected, from marine plants to University, NOAA Fisheries Service, Scottish Marine top predators such as seabirds.” Institute, Technical University of Denmark, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Universität Erlangen- The signals were consistent with anticipated effects. Nürnberg, University of British Columbia, University of Warmer oceans are leading to marine species moving Plymouth, University of Texas, University of the Sunshine towards the poles and breeding, feeding and migrating Coast, University of Western Australia earlier. Further, the magnitude of changes with ocean life Share was much greater than comparable changes observed Email: [email protected] with land animals. Web: www.biology.uq.edu.au/staff/john-pandolfi
page 41 ✚ Surveillance for safer roads
✚ Nanoscale, mega-impact
✚ Fossil findings
✚ Beefing up Executive Overview ✚ China calling
✚ Pure nerve
✚ Easy grow nano-bio Emerging Innovations
Healthy technology and People
Arts and TRANSLATION Society Sustainability
Technology and Translation
Research Leaders
UQ AIMS TO ACHIEVE INTERNATIONALLY ACKNOWLEDGED EXCELLENCE IN ALL FORMS OF RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING, Share PARTICULARLY TO APPLIED RESEARCH THAT RESULTS IN THE TRANSFER OF UNIVERSITY-GENERATED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IN BUSINESS, INDUSTRY AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY IN AUSTRALIA AND INTERNATIONALLY
page 42 surveillance for Executive SAFER ROADS Overview Emerging Innovations
MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGY AND ANTENNA DESIGN MAY BE INTEGRAL TO DEVELOPING A COHESIVE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS IMPROVED ROAD SAFETY, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND ROAD PLANNING. Healthy People
Improving safety and supporting effective law detecting the presence of a vehicle, determining its enforcement, traffic management and road planning are speed and performing a radar fingerprint. Radar finger the impetus for the RoadCurtain project, which is aiming printing is a technique that uses features of microwave to deliver a cost-effective method for identifying vehicles reflections from a target – in this instance, a car – to Arts and and enabling roadside intervention if vehicles fail an ID verify presumed identity based on smart plate details. Society check or drivers infringe road rules. A smart antenna sensor design that is built into the road Associate Professor Amin Abbosh from the School has been developed to minimise infrastructure costs. of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering “The desired antenna sensor design should lead to is leading a team collaborating with industry partners a cost reduction of about 80 per cent and capability LicenSys and Utsch Tönnjes International to pioneer improvements for electronic vehicle identification,” says Sustainability the research, with financial support from the Australian Professor Abbosh. Government Department of Industry. Importantly, the surveillance project is anticipated to “Road transport is a key economic enabler, and provide broad societal benefits, with a wider intelligent increases in the number of vehicles on our roads have traffic sensor network likely to support more detailed made classic traffic control and law enforcement less traffic demographics being available for strategic road effective,” says Professor Abbosh. planning. Technology “Australia is projected to lose more than $20 billion in and Translation traffic congestion by 2020 and currently loses $27 billion in road accidents each year, while Queensland loses as much as $230 million in toll evasion. ROADCURTAIN: MICROWAVE-BASED NUMBER “We believe that by using a convergence of PLATE SURVEILLANCE technologies, we may be able to develop an intelligent Research traffic sensor network that is integrated with other tools UQ researchers: Associate Professor Amin Abbosh, Leaders (such as traffic cameras), identifies vehicles and detects Dr Konstanty Bialkowski, Dr Yifan Wang (School of driver behavioural anomalies, then verifies any anomalies Information Technology and Electrical Engineering) and alerts law enforcement units for immediate Funding source: Australian Government Department of interventions.” Industry The proposed system consists of interlinked spotting Collaborators: LicenSys, Utsch Tönnjes International stations with a traffic camera and microwave readers Share capable of reading RFID-enabled license plates and Email: [email protected] encrypted barcodes on license plates; as well as Web: http://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/1576 UQ researchers Associate Professor Amin Abbosh, Dr Konstanty Bialkowski and Dr Yifan Wang participate in a field test using a car driven by Bertus Pretorius from LicenSys equipped with a smart plate that communicates with a ground sensor page 43 nanoscale,MEGA-IMPACT Executive Overview
“UNIVERSITY-BASED RESEARCHERS CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY BY PERFORMING CURIOSITY-DRIVEN RESEARCH THAT AIMS TO SOLVE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS FOR INDUSTRY TO THEN ADAPT AND ADOPT...” Emerging Innovations
This is what drives Associate Professor Warwick Their magnetometers, for example, could find use in Bowen’s research on quantum mechanics. geological surveys, aerospace navigation and medical devices, and allow MRI without the million dollar Healthy “My lab aims to answer longstanding fundamental magnets required for current hospital imaging systems. People questions in physics by tackling hard technical problems and developing new techniques and “Prior to our work, there was only one application of approaches,” he says. optical quantum metrology to a real world problem: the ability to see ripples in space-time due to collisions of “We are particularly interested in understanding huge objects in space such as black holes and neutron how the microscopic world we live in emerges from stars,” says Professor Bowen. Arts and the strange microscopic quantum world of atoms, Society electrons and photons (single quanta of light).” Clearly a very specialised application! In other words, the study of extremely small things that “Our experiments bring quantum metrology to a much have a very large impact: so much so that even NASA wider range of applications with potential for more is interested in his work. immediate impact on the lives of people. But what is quantum mechanics and why is it so “I believe that the techniques we are now developing Sustainability important? will someday contribute to technologies used in day-to-day life.” “Quantum” derives from the idea that any physical substance cannot be infinitely divided – consisting, at the nanoscale, of finite units of quantum. “Mechanics” relates to the motion of physical objects, and ultimately to machinery or mechanical appliances. So what QUANTUM MECHANICS USED TO Technology Professor Bowen’s laboratory is focusing on – literally – IMPROVE DEVICE TECHNOLOGIES and Translation is how to accurately measure mechanical motion at the UQ researcher: Associate Professor Warwick Bowen nanoscale. (ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum “Precise measurements are at the heart of state-of- Systems, School of Mathematics and Physics) the-art sensor technologies found in mobile phones, Funding source: Australian Research Council Discovery cars, computers and medical devices,” says Professor Project and Centre of Excellence grants, Lockheed Research Bowen. Martin, US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, US Leaders At present, Professor Bowen and his team are Asian Office of Research and Development, US Defense developing techniques to make precise measurements Advanced Research Projects Agency of mechanical motion using tightly focused laser Partner organisations: Australian National University, fields, quantum correlated photons, and optical Centre for Advanced Imaging, Lockheed Martin, National cavities fabricated on a silicon chip that trap light at Aeronautics and Space Administration the microscale. They have applied the technology into Share magnetometers, force sensors, and sensors to probe Email: [email protected] living biology. Web: www.physics.uq.edu.au/QOlab
page 44 Executive fossil Overview
Emerging FINDINGS Innovations
Healthy AUSTRALIA’S FOSSIL RECORD TELLS THE STORY OF OUR CLIMATE, FLORA AND FAUNA OVER People MILLIONS OF YEARS AND, WHILE VERY INFORMATIVE, IT IS ALSO FULL OF CAUTIONARY TALES.
Arts and Society
The Integrated Palaeoenvironmental Research Group vertebrate species while studying the Riversleigh fossil (IPRG) within the School of Earth Sciences applies site of northwest Queensland,” Professor Webb said. geochemistry and geochronology to Australia’s rich The oldest known fossil bilby (Liyamayi dayi, meaning FOSSIL RECORD INFORMS CONSERVATION Sustainability terrestrial and marine fossil records to investigate past “Day’s round-toothed bilby”) is one of the most iconic of climate change and its impact on our fauna and flora. UQ researchers: Professor Gregory E Webb, Professor Travouillon’s discoveries, being named in honour of UQ Gordon Southam, Professor Jian-xin Zhao (School of Headed by Dorothy Hill Chair of Palaeontology and alumnus and significant donor to UQ palaeontology, Dr Earth Sciences) Stratigraphy Professor Gregory Webb, the research Robert Day. is providing striking new information about Australia’s Funding source: Australian Research Council Discovery The team’s marine research has also broken new unique past from the extinction of the Ice Age Early Career Researcher Award, Linkage Project, ground. Technology megafauna that roamed the continent up until 30,000– Discovery Project, and Linkage Infrastructure Equipment and Translation 50,000 years ago, to the history of the Great Barrier “High precision, Uranium-series dating of corals has and Facilities grants; National Environmental Research Reef. allowed us to correlate past coral die-off events in the Program Tropical Ecosystem Hub grant; Agouron Institute; Great Barrier Reef with historical bleaching episodes, Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering “Our newly developed dating approach has shown how floods and anthropogenic development,” says Professor award; Australian Synchrotron; Chinese National Science climate impacted upon many of the prehistoric giants in Multimedia: Caves and fossils - palaentology in Jian-xin Zhao. Foundation grant; Ian Potter Foundation; Marine National the time interval right before the first humans set foot in Australia Facility; Robert Day Palaeontological Research Fund Research Australia,” says Dr Gilbert Price from the School of Earth Yet questions remain. Leaders Sciences. Collaborators: Australian Institute of Marine Science, Coral dating in Moreton Bay shows that the once Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Queensland One of the team’s more dire findings has been the flourishing fringing reefs died off only 5800 years ago for Museum, University of New South Wales, University of high extinction risk of the modern-day koala. The once as yet unknown, but probably natural, causes. Sydney, University of Western Australia, University of diverse koala family is now down to a single species, “IPRG’s ability to link geochemistry with palaeontology Wollongong a biodiversity trajectory eerily shared by the recently allows us to identify and disentangle the complicated extinct Tasmanian tiger. Email: [email protected] natural and anthropogenic data required by modern Share “On a more positive note, Robert Day Fellow Dr Kenny conservation and predictive climate modelling,” Web: www.earth.uq.edu.au Travouillon has discovered many new important Professor Webb said.
page 45 UP Executive beefing Overview
HELPING FARMERS IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD “BEEF UP” THEIR LIVING IS WHAT Emerging MOTIVATES UQ ANIMAL PRODUCTION RESEARCHERS. Innovations
Healthy “Agriculture is the principal livelihood for the countries conception, boosts calf output and increases farming People we work in – Indonesia, Myanmar and Timor-Leste – but income. as these people are among the poorest in the world, “We would like to see cows produce one calf per year.” it would seem that it is not always as profitable as it could be,” says Professor Dennis Poppi from the School Working with local collaborators, Professor Poppi of Agriculture and Food Sciences and the School of and his team are pleased to be helping research and Veterinary Science. livestock-support workers help themselves. Arts and “We want to change that. “Our long-term Indonesian collaborators are now leading Society ACIAR-funded projects of their own in Timor-Leste, “With increasing international demand for meat, there is transferring the skills they have obtained working on definitely an opportunity to improve lives if farmers can projects with UQ to others in the region. overcome the constraints of limited land, inferior feed and endemic disease.” “Nevertheless, we expect our commitment to our nearest neighbours in the region to continue well into the Sustainability In these developing countries, smallholder and landless future. Although progress has been made, smallholders farmers make up a large proportion of the (generally remain one of the poorest groups of people in the world, poor) rural population. Low productivity of traditional and increasing incomes through agricultural research is farming methods, and poor access to markets and key to improving their living standards.” financial credit constrain smallholders in improving their livelihoods: these issues can certainly benefit from UQ research. Technology and Translation “After 10 years studying South-East Asian farming, we LIVESTOCK RESEARCH IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA have learned a lot about the strengths, constraints and UQ researchers: Professor Dennis Poppi, Professor opportunities within smallholder crop-livestock systems, Rob Cramb, Dr Simon Quigley (School of Agriculture and have instigated simple strategies for significant and Food Sciences), Dr Joerg Henning (School of improvements,” says Professor Poppi. Veterinary Science) Research “For example, to boost cattle production, growing tree Funding source: Australian Centre for International Leaders legumes in the existing landscape will supplement Agricultural Research (ACIAR) the mostly low-quality roughage (such as rice straw) collected by farmers for feed, as providing even small Collaborators: Commonwealth Scientific and amounts of green feed will enable cows to maintain Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO); University body weight. of Melbourne; various government agencies and universities in Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Myanmar “Encouraging early weaning and supplementing feed around calving time can prevent the loss of cow body Email: [email protected] Share condition – which then increases the likelihood of re- Web: www.uq.edu.au/agriculture
page 46 Executive china Overview
Emerging CALLING Innovations
Healthy IF YOU THINK IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE People AROUND THE WORLD SOUNDS IMPORTANT, YOU’RE NOT ALONE.
In fact, the People’s Republic of China was so to identify and understand the structural characteristics Arts and impressed with Professor Robert (Bob) Gilbert’s research of starches that influence beneficial digestibility. Society into the fundamental mechanisms that underpin starch The Wuhan lab is part of ongoing efforts to understand TACKLING TYPE-2 DIABETES structure, nutrition and diabetes, they built a laboratory how humans synthesise and process glycogen, which for him in Wuhan, China – and anointed him as one of UQ researchers: Professor Robert Gilbert, Professor is also known as the sister molecule to starch (because their treasured 1000-Talents, under the Foreign Experts Ian Godwin, Cheng Li, Mitchell Sullivan, Dr Mark Turner, they share the same chemical bonding). The labs program, along the way. Alex Wu (Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food are equipped with some of world’s best technology Innovation) Sustainability A Research Professor at UQ’s Queensland Alliance for for characterisation of starch and glycogen, and are Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Professor extensively used for this purpose by UQ researchers. Funding source: Australian Postgraduate Awards, Gilbert and his team at UQ and in Wuhan have already Australian Research Council, CSIRO Food Futures The research is considered crucial to the development of identified a link between diabetes and the structure Flagship, 1000-Talents program of the Chinese Foreign better treatments for diabetes and for control of obesity. of the glucose-storage molecule (known as glycogen) Experts Bureau in liver cells. Their first discovery was made at Wuhan Millions of people in China and in Australia are expected Previous collaborators: Monash University, Southern Technology University, with subsequent work being centred to develop diabetes over the coming decades. Cross University, University of Melbourne and Translation in Wuhan’s Huazhong University of Science and “Type-2 diabetes is growing at epidemic rates: it’s Technology. Email: [email protected] estimated that by 2025, three million Australians alone Liver glycogen is important in controlling blood-sugar will suffer from this disease,” Professor Gilbert says. Web: www.uq.edu.au/gilbertgroup levels, which is uncontrolled in diabetes. “In China, that figure is expected to number in the Professor Gilbert’s laboratories in Wuhan and UQ are hundreds of millions.” Research also working on better understanding how starch – The research partnership will extend their findings to Leaders which comprises 50 per cent of our food energy – is in-depth characterisation of the mechanisms involved in synthesised by plants and digested by humans. the link between liver-glycogen structure, later leading Food with certain digestibility characteristics (including to establishing improved testing and targeted diabetes a low-glycemic index and an appropriate amount of treatment drugs. resistant starch) has significant health benefits. “We’ve discovered mechanisms that open the way Professor Gilbert’s program at UQ and in Wuhan uses a to potential new means of diagnosis and clinical Share battery of new experimental and theoretical techniques intervention.” Professor Gilbert (front) with Wuhan group researchers Shiqing Zhou, Dr EnPeng Li, Dr Chengjun Zhu and Bin Deng in the lab
page 47 NERVE pure Executive Overview
FINDING A NICHE IN THE MARKET IS THE KEY TO MARKETING SUCCESS, AND ALSO APPLIES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PHARMACEUTICALS. Emerging Innovations
“Neuropathic pain – such as post-herpetic neuralgia, venture capital to commercialise this intellectual Healthy sciatica, and chemotherapy-induced peripheral property.” People neuropathy – is a type of pain that may develop as So, after many years’ experimentation and trials with a result of nerve injury and is notoriously difficult to collaborators both in Australia and the UK, EMA401 treat,” says Professor Maree Smith from the Centre results have shown high-efficacy in treating post- for Integrated Drug Development and the School of herpetic neuralgia pain. Pharmacy. “This is a significant achievement as most potential “Most current medications don’t work very well and/or Arts and novel analgesics progressing to Phase 2a ‘proof of have uncomfortable side-effects, which has resulted Society concept’ studies in patients with neuropathic pain in a large, unmet medical need for well-tolerated, have failed due to lack of efficacy,” says Professor highly efficacious new analgesics. I was inspired Smith. to find a solution that would help sufferers of both neuropathic and chronic inflammatory pain, such as The next step is to progress EMA401 to Phase 2b osteoarthritis.” and 3 clinical trials, and then for the tablet to be Sustainability approved by international regulatory agencies such And found one, she certainly has. as the US Food and Drug Administration, European Her discovery that the small molecule antagonists Medicines Agency and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) can help Administration. It can then be sold at market. ease chronic pain has now successfully reached the Certainly hitting a nerve... Phase 2a clinical trial stage for patients with post- herpetic neuralgia. Technology and Translation But it’s been many years in the making. “I began this research journey in 2003 after winning a prize in the UniQuest Trailblazer Awards for my SPINIFEX PHARMACEUTICALS hypothesis about AT2R analgesics,” says Professor UQ researchers: Professor Maree Smith (Centre for Smith, “and then waited another year for a batch of Integrated Preclinical Drug Development/School of Research the compound PD123,319 to be synthesised (this Pharmacy), Associate Professor Craig Williams (School Leaders had been used by others as a tool compound to test of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences) AT2R). Funding source: Spinifex Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, “Then followed several years of testing in the lab – UniQuest Trailblazer competition, UQ although we did patent the compound early on – and Collaborators: Imperial College London, University the development of an orally administered EMA401 College Cork tablet. Email: [email protected] Share “In mid-2005, we formed UQ spin-out company Spinifex Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd with $3.25 million Web: www.tetraq.com.au/Management.html
page 48 easy grow Executive Overview
NANO-BIO Emerging Innovations
WITH NEW TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS, THE FIELD Healthy OF STEM CELL SCIENCE IS EXPANDING RAPIDLY AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO People REVOLUTIONISE MEDICAL RESEARCH AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE.
Arts and So called “pluripotent” stem cells have the ability to be Professor Michael Monteiro from the Australian Institute Society grown into any cell type found in the body. This means for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) had they offer the opportunity for developing therapies already developed a series of thermo-responsive that can produce on-demand healthy cells to replace polymers that were effectively insoluble at 37 degrees diseased or damaged cells – in effect “regenerating” Celsius, the temperature at which stem cells grow – but their function in the body. Such cells also have a simple temperature decrease to below 32 degrees tremendous potential to provide models of disease so made the polymers come apart. Sustainability that research can be carried out in-vitro to discover and “In a discussion with Michael it became obvious that he test potential new therapies. had developed a system that would allow stem cells to Initially, pluripotent stem cells were obtained from cell be subcultured using a simple temperature shift as the lines derived from a small number of cells found in the switch, conditions which are very benign to the cells,” very early stages of the embryo (hES cells). says Professor Peter Gray, also from the AIBN. “We found that by repeating the process for three cycles Technology However, in 2006 a group of Japanese researchers led The method involves the use of long, flexible and over 18 days, cell numbers expanded more than 30- and Translation by Professor Shinya Yamanaka (who later received the thermo-responsive polymer “worms”, decorated with fold, yet still maintained pluripotency. Nobel Prize for Medicine) showed that it is possible to proteins that the stem cells like to attach to, and which produce Induced Pluripotent Stem cells (iPS cells) from allow the cells to come together into clumps called “This is a major breakthrough as current methods for mature cells isolated from the body. embryoid bodies. Once the embryoid bodies reach generating large quantities of pluripotent cells are largely a certain size and can no longer ingest nutrients, the inadequate.” Before either type of pluripotent cell (hES or iPS) can temperature is dropped from 37 to 25 degrees Celsius, NANOBRIDGES FOR EXPANSION AND RELEASE Research be used for regenerative medicine or medical research, And all from a few discussions within the AIBN about thereby enabling the controlled break-up of the clumps OF HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS Leaders larger numbers must be produced from the small key gaps in the application of stem cells! to smaller clumps that can continue growing once the “stocks” stored in liquid nitrogen. Because such cells UQ researchers: Professor Peter Gray, Professor temperature is raised again to 37 degrees. “We knew that nanomaterials could bridge the gap grow as clumps attached to other cells and closely Michael Monteiro (Australian Institute for Bioengineering and provide the next generation of technologies,” says and Nanotechnology) defined substrates, added enzymes currently must be “We have discovered a new and relatively speedy Professor Gray. used to break the clumps when the cells are subcultured method for producing human stem cells that does Funding source: Australian Research Council to expand numbers. However, these enzymes strip off not use cell membrane disrupting enzymes or other “With assistance from commercial partners we now Discovery Project grant, Stem Cells Australia hope to develop the processing speed and technology some of the proteins on the outer surface of the cells, inhibitors, and so is perfect for large-scale production of Share damaging and killing many of the cells: a problem just stem cells,” says Professor Monteiro. even further, and so stem the flow of debilitating and Email: [email protected] waiting for a novel nano-bio solution! damaging disease.” Web: www.aibn.uq.edu.au
page 49 FUTURE LEADERS
✚ Collaborative communicator ✚ Strategic links Executive ✚ Bridging the gap Overview ✚ Researching the industry ✚ Ocker or oriental? Emerging CURRENT LEADERS Innovations
✚ Fellowships, awards and memberships ✚ 2014 UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards Healthy People ✚ 2014 UQ Awards for Excellence in RHD Supervision research ✚ 2014 Partners in Research Excellence Awards Arts and LEADERS Society Sustainability
Technology and Translation
Research Leaders
UQ RESEARCHERS ARE RECOGNISED FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AT INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LEVELS – AND IT ALL STARTS AT THE UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL WHERE RESEARCH STUDENTS SATISFY Share THEIR INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD’S FUND OF KNOWLEDGE
page 50 Executive collaborative Overview
COMMUNICATOR Emerging Innovations
Healthy THE UQ ADVANTAGE OFFICE (UQAO) SUPPORTS UQ’S CULTURE OF DISCOVERY AND INNOVATION BY DEVELOPING A People RANGE OF RESEARCH PROGRAMS THAT ENCOURAGE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO RESEARCH DISCOVERIES, BUILD GLOBAL NETWORKS AND EXPLORE CAREERS IN RESEARCH.
Arts and Society
UQAO Director Dr Annabelle Willox says, “UQ is Program and undertook a project analysing the Veterinary School summer research program in July committed to providing access to experiences outside Identification of Putative Stem Cell Markers in the Canine 2014, and was supported by a UQ Advantage Grant. the lecture theatre – such as vacation research Model of Benign and Malignant Prostate. “It was a great chance to travel overseas and experience Sustainability programs, conferences and summer schools – that will While Mr Lean said he learnt valuable laboratory the culture in an Ivy League university,” Mr Lean said. extend students’ academic studies and enhance their protocols, data collection methods and analysis skills, employability. “I have met like-minded students who will be my future he most values the professional connections he made colleagues – this international professional circle will be “The programs are certainly popular, with more than 650 and additional opportunities that have come about as a essential for my career in the future.” summer and winter research projects, 91 undergraduate result of participating. research conference presenters, and 69 UQ Advantage Mr Lean said that these experiences have changed “After finishing my summer research project, I undertook Technology Grants awarded to research activities in 2013 alone.” the way he views research, and have taught him that voluntary research on canine prostate cancer, helped to and Translation “perseverance is indispensable”. One student taking advantage of UQ’s research prepare poster presentations, and published a research strengths is Mr Fabian Lean Zhi Xiang, currently in his paper with my supervisor,” he said. “I used to think that research was self-directed, but fourth year of a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. after partaking in various research programs I realise “I also presented my findings at the multidisciplinary collaboration and communication are the keys to drive “Growing up in South-East Asia where animal and 2013 UQ Undergraduate Research Conference, forward studies,” Mr Lean said. zoonotic diseases are prevalent, I have always dreamt of which encouraged me to explain my research project Research being a veterinarian not just to treat companion animals, using analogies to capture the audience’s interest. Leaders but to understand animal diseases,” Mr Lean said. “This is an important skill for my future career as a “Half way through vet school I realised that research veterinarian or veterinary researcher, where I will need to might be the tool that could enable me to learn how to explain conditions or exchange ideas that can be easily UQ ADVANTAGE OFFICE prevent and improve animal health on a broader scale.” comprehended by everyone.” Email: [email protected] To fulfil his goal of experiencing research, Fabian Mr Lean, who was also keen to develop global participated in the 2012 UQ Summer Research research networks, participated in the Cornell University Web: www.uq.edu.au/uqadvantage Share
page 51 strategic Executive LINKS Overview
Emerging Innovations
BUILDING PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WHILE AT UNIVERSITY IS AN IMPORTANT FOUNDATION IN STARTING A SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
Healthy People UQ PhD graduate Dr Wasim Sadiq is Vice-President job to work as a research scientist at SAP Research in of Strategic Customer Engagement at SAP (one of the Australia.” largest software companies in the world), where he Dr Sadiq says the rigorous research training and leads a global team of transformation architects who problem-solving skills that he learned at UQ have been solve complex business problems for customers. a great advantage in his various leadership roles at Arts and “One of the reasons I chose UQ for my PhD was SAP, and cautions research students not to focus on Society because of its very high global ranking in the area of my the end goal so much that they forget to appreciate the PhD research,” he says. experiences along the way. As a UQ student, Dr Sadiq says he was able to take “Doing a PhD is one opportunity in your life where you advantage of various industry engagement and career get to work on a complex problem for a few years on development opportunities that ultimately led to a job your own with some advice from your supervisor and offer, including work as a researcher at the Cooperative peers. Sustainability Research Centre for Distributed Systems (DSTC). “Sometimes, submitting the final PhD dissertation to get He says that for him, industry jobs came about because the degree becomes the key objective. of the networks and professional relationships he built “My advice is not to make this the only goal. That will while still a student. happen in any case if you do the right things. “I engaged with industry while studying – working as an “The experiences and lessons you will learn during your Technology intern or on industry-sponsored research projects – and PhD are going to be the key asset in your professional and Translation it helped me greatly in finding a job, even before I had life afterwards. finished my degree. “Completing a PhD helps you gain valuable problem- “During the last year of my PhD, I worked with my solving skills by looking at problems in a multi-faceted supervisor on a collaborative research project sponsored way. by SAP and had the opportunity to present the workflow Research technology I developed to SAP product teams in “It also helps you learn how to handle constructive Leaders Germany. criticism and most importantly, to not give up.” “Completing my PhD dissertation at UQ while working as a full-time research scientist at the DSTC has been the highlight of my career. UQ GRADUATE SCHOOL “I learned how to manage complex and sometimes Email: [email protected] conflicting goals of PhD research and job commitments. Web: www.uq.edu.au/grad-school Share “Right after completing my PhD at UQ I was offered a www.sap.com/australia
page 52 bridging Executive THE GAP Overview Emerging Innovations
WORK PLACEMENTS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE DIRECTED, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING HELP CONNECT RESEARCH STUDENTS WITH INDUSTRY. THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE ENSURING UQ PRODUCES WELL-ROUNDED GRADUATES WITH THE NECESSARY LEADERSHIP, PROFESSIONAL AND RESEARCH SKILLS FOR ENHANCED EMPLOYABILITY. Healthy People
In April, UQ partnered with the Queensland Government “My PhD research focuses on Pulitzer prize-winning through the Department of Science, Information author Marilynne Robinson and draws upon highly topical Technology, Innovation and the Arts to provide a PhD debates on the nature of secularism. work experience pilot program. “Through my studies I have acquired analytical, Arts and UQ student Joanna Luke was selected to participate and research and problem-solving skills, which I was able to Society was placed in the Department of Tourism, Major Events, demonstrate through this work experience program.” Small Business and the Commonwealth Games. She As well as participating in the work experience program, was tasked with finding inventive solutions that would Ms Luke says that at UQ she has been able to take part give effective and targeted support to rapidly growing in a number of professional development activities and businesses across Queensland. attend international conferences. Sustainability “The PhD Employment Experience Program was an “My advisors and colleagues at UQ have always exciting opportunity that has undoubtedly helped prepare encouraged me to move beyond the physical bounds me for a career post PhD,” she says. of the university campus and to see research as a Ms Luke says that having work experience opportunities fundamentally collaborative exercise. like this provide her with a competitive edge and a real “It’s this kind of collaborative spirit that I value most about sense of what it will be like working in industry after Technology UQ.” graduation. and Translation UQ Graduate School Acting Dean Professor Stephan “One of the great things about the program was simply the Riek says that in addition to world-class experts, facilities chance to experience a professional work environment. and resources, UQ is dedicated to helping research “It was wonderful to be surrounded by colleagues on a students develop the necessary leadership, professional day-to-day basis, work as part of a team, attend and and research skills that are attractive to employers. UQ GRADUATE SCHOOL Research participate in staff meetings, and build friendships and “The importance of industry experience for research Leaders PhD candidate: Joanna Luke (School of English, Media professional relationships outside of academia. students is a growing topic of discussion in the Australian Studies and Art History) “The program allowed me to get a feel for how the and international research community,” he says. Topic: Rethinking the religious and the secular in the department and its various divisions operate and, more “Participation in programs like this ensures that UQ work of Marilynne Robinson broadly, to get a genuine picture of work life outside the research students are provided with professional University.” Email: [email protected] development training throughout their degree so that Ms Luke says that it is not only the specialist knowledge graduates are well-rounded and have the transferable Web: www.uq.edu.au/grad-school Share gained as part of a PhD that is important, but the process skills that employers are looking for.” www.qld.gov.au/jobs/education/volunteering/ of learning that reinforces that knowledge as well. pages/phd-program.html
page 53 researching Executive THE INDUSTRY Overview Emerging Innovations
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING INDUSTRY CULTURE ARE MAJOR FACTORS IN SELECTING JOB APPLICANTS. THAT IS WHY AT UQ STUDENTS GET OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL NOT ONLY ENHANCE THEIR CAREER PROSPECTS BUT ALSO HELP Healthy People SHAPE THEM INTO FUTURE KNOWLEDGE LEADERS.
Arts and Society For Luigi Vandi, industry experience has always been “I have had the opportunity to be employed part-time (International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences), a priority, and at UQ he has been gaining practical by CRC-ACS to work on commercial projects that present his work to international audiences, and experience every step of the way. could benefit from my expertise. network with industry representatives. Mr Vandi is working on a breakthrough technique for “This has been a very valuable experience as it has At the MISE (Materials Innovation in Surface welding composite materials that could change the allowed me to apply my knowledge to other industry Engineering) 2013 conference, he was awarded the Sustainability future of aerospace engineering by cutting the cost applications with strict requirements.” prize for best student presentation. and time it takes to construct aircraft. Throughout his PhD Mr Vandi has been exposed Due to his cutting-edge work on the new composites The new welding technique, patented by the to numerous engagement and career development welding process, Mr Vandi then won the annual Early Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced opportunities and has benefited from the strong Career Researchers showcase prize at the CRC Composite Structures (CRC-ACS) has the potential collaborations his research has with industry. Association Annual Conference Innovating with to save billions of dollars in coming decades for airline Asia 2014 in Perth. “The CRC-ACS partner that has been leading the Technology manufacturers, making new aircraft cheaper to buy, main project encompassing my PhD is Airbus, a “Being recognised for all my hard work was another and Translation and reducing air travel costs for passengers. leading aircraft manufacturer. highlight of my PhD and helped expand my network of Prior to commencing his PhD at UQ, Mr Vandi worked professional researchers around Australia.” “This has led to some exciting experiences throughout as a “Product Manager” in the Ferrari Formula 1 my PhD, including regular teleconference meetings Team, where he was responsible for the manufacture with Airbus to discuss the progress of the project and of carbon fibre parts for the F1 race car. future directions for my research. Research He then came to Australia where he worked with Leaders “I also travelled to Europe and presented my latest UQ partner CRC-ACS on research projects related results at Airbus in Toulouse (France). to composite materials, which involved Eurocopter (a global helicopter manufacturing and support “Visiting a major European manufacturer and being company) as a participant. able to exchange my scientific findings with experts in the field was a privilege and undoubtedly a highlight “I was lucky enough to continue working on a CRC- UQ GRADUATE SCHOOL of my PhD.” ACS project and commence a PhD funded by them,” Email: [email protected] Share he says. Mr Vandi says that throughout his research studies he has been able to attend conferences such as ICAS Web: www.uq.edu.au/grad-school
page 54 ocker or Executive ORIENTAL? Overview Emerging Innovations
THREE MINUTES MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH TIME TO EXPLAIN AN 80,000 WORD PHD THESIS THAT HAS TAKEN YEARS TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP, BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT’S REQUIRED OF PHD Healthy CANDIDATES COMPETING IN THE THREE MINUTE THESIS (3MT®) COMPETITION. People
For researchers applying for funding from government heritage, and self-identifying as someone who is white-on- and industry, the ability to present a concise argument the-inside. justifying the cost and demonstrating the impact that “Australia is a proud multicultural country, and rightfully so. Arts and the research will have, to an audience who do not have My research suggests, however, that we should continue Society specialist knowledge, is invaluable. working to foster a more accepting and inclusive national Developed by UQ, 3MT® is a research communication identity, to ensure the best psychological outcomes for a competition that challenges PhD students to substantial portion of Australians – a portion of Australians communicate the significance of their projects, without who also happen to be Asian.” the use of props or industry jargon, in just three minutes. Mr Thai says that it’s easy to get lost in the intricate details Sustainability Michael Thai is a PhD candidate and winner of the UQ of research and experiments while progressing through a 3MT® 2013 competition. His research focuses on the PhD, losing sight of the bigger picture. national identity of Asian-Australians. “When you have been doing a PhD for a while, you start to “I am Asian-Australian, and one of the things that wonder about its impact. plagues the Asian-Australian social experience is not “Participating in the 3MT® gave me not only the opportunity having your Australian identity recognised because you Technology to consolidate my ideas and showcase my research, but are of Asian descent. and Translation also to gain external feedback and support,” Mr Thai says. “In my 3MT® talk I used the example of people asking “The knowledge that so many people resonate with my me ‘Where are you from?’, and when I tell them I am research has really motivated me and I continue with a from Australia, they sort of follow that up with a ‘No, newly acquired confidence that my work is addressing an where are you really from?’” important issue.” 3MT® will be held again in 2014, with the UQ Final taking Research Mr Thai says that although this experience may be place in September. The winner will go on to represent Leaders foreign to many Australians, it is all too familiar to the University at the 3MT® Trans-Tasman Final, bringing Australians of Asian origin. together competitors from more than 45 institutions in “For me, and other Australians who look like me, this Australia and New Zealand, as well as guest presenters confusion around national identity is something we THREE MINUTE THESIS from the South Pacific and Hong Kong. experience almost every day. Email: [email protected] UQ would like to thank its sponsors and donors: Rio Tinto, “My research shows that Asian Australians may engage Data#3, Alumni Friends of The University of Queensland, Web: http://threeminutethesis.org Share in harmful strategies to deal with this denial of Australian Unity Water, Campus Travel, ICTE-UQ, Co-op Bookshop, identity, including distancing themselves from their Asian Multimedia: Three minute thesis winners Multimedia: 3MT® 2013 UQ Winner - Michael Thai 99Scholars and Bluestar GO.
page 55 fellowships, awards
Executive and memberships Overview
Emerging Innovations FELLOWSHIPS QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT SMART FUTURES/ DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, NHMRC EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2013 STATE PREMIER’S FELLOWS AUSTRALIAN NEUROSCIENCE SOCIETY AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL AUSTRALIAN Project Grant: Top ranked applicants Professor Matthew Brown (UQ Diamantina Institute) Professor Perry Bartlett (Queensland Brain Institute) LAUREATE FELLOWS Professor Rob Parton and team (Institute for Molecular Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg (Global Change Bioscience) Professor Bernard Degnan (School of Biological 2013 JANSSEN INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS Institute) Sciences) Development Grant: Top ranked team Healthy Industry Leadership Award Professor Anton Middelberg (Australian Institute for People Professor Alex Haslam (School of Psychology) Professor Matthew Cooper and team (Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology) Professor Ian Frazer (Translational Research Institute) Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg (School of Biological Molecular Bioscience) Sciences) QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT SENIOR CLINICAL 2013 JOAN MCCORD AWARD, ACADEMY OF 2012 ROSS HOHNEN AWARD FOR RESEARCH RESEARCH FELLOWS EXPERIMENTAL CRIMINOLOGY Professor Jenny Martin (Institute for Molecular EXCELLENCE, HEART FOUNDATION Bioscience) Professor David Paterson (UQ Centre for Clinical Professor Lorraine Mazerolle (Institute for Social Science Arts and Honorary Associate Professor Thiruma Arumugam Research) Research) Society Professor Jason Mattingley (Queensland Brain Institute/ (School of Biomedical Sciences) School of Psychology) Professor Peter Sly (Queensland Children’s Medical PREMIER’S SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS 2013, Professor Lorraine Mazerolle (Institute for Social Science Research Institute) PRESIDENT’S MEDAL, AUSTRALIA AND QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT Research) NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY FOR CELL AND SYLVIA AND CHARLES VIERTEL CHARITABLE Premier’s Award DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY Professor Peter Mumby (School of Biological Sciences) FOUNDATION SENIOR MEDICAL RESEARCH Sustainability Professor Paul Meredith (School of Mathematics and Professor Alpha Yap (Institute for Molecular Bioscience) Professor Hugh Possingham (School of Biological FELLOW Physics) Sciences) Dr Jian Yang (Queensland Brain Institute) 2013 BECKMAN COULTER DISCOVERY Professor John Quiggin (School of Economics) SCIENCE AND INNOVATION CHAMPIONS 2014, SCIENCE AWARD, AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY FOR AWARDS AND HONOURS QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY NATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH Science Champions Professor Glenn King (Institute for Molecular Bioscience) COUNCIL AUSTRALIA FELLOWS 2014 QUEENSLAND GREATS, QUEENSLAND Technology Professor Mark Kendall (Australian Institute for and Translation Professor Matthew Cooper (Institute for Molecular GOVERNMENT AUSTRALIAN MEDAL OF AGRICULTURAL Bioengineering and Nanotechnology) Bioscience) Dr Sallyanne Atkinson AO (UQ Alumnus) SCIENCE 2013, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF Professor Mandayam Srinivasan (Queensland Brain AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Professor Wayne Hall (UQ Centre for Clinical Research) Professor Adèle Green AC (UQ Alumnus) Institute) Professor Graeme Hammer (Queensland Alliance for Professor Wendy Hoy (School of Medicine) Agriculture and Food Innovation) 2013 QUEENSLAND GREATS, QUEENSLAND HUMBOLDT FOUNDATION RESEARCH AWARD Professor Robert Parton (Institute for Molecular Research GOVERNMENT Leaders Bioscience) Professor Tim Mehigan (School of Languages and 2014 HONORARY OF THE YEAR AWARD, HEART Professor Max Lu (Provost and Senior Vice-President) Comparative Cultural Studies) FOUNDATION NATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH Dr Dimity Dornan (UQ Alumnus) Professor Wendy Brown (School of Human Movement COUNCIL JOHN CADE FELLOW IN MENTAL DAVID CRAIG MEDAL, AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY Studies) HEALTH RESEARCH DISTINGUISHED WOMAN IN CHEMISTRY OF SCIENCE Professor John McGrath (Queensland Brain Institute) OR CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AWARD, Emeritus Professor Curt Wentrup (School of Chemistry Share INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PURE AND APPLIED and Molecular Biosciences) CHEMISTS
Professor Mary Garson (School of Chemistry and continued on page 57 Molecular Biosciences) page 56 fellowships, awards
Executive and memberships Overview
Emerging Innovations 2013 PATENT AWARD, TEC EDMONTON Asics Best Paper - Physical Activity and Public Research Innovation Award Honorary Professor Daniel Nolan (School of History, Health Philosophy, Religion and Classics) Professor Stephen Moore (Queensland Alliance for Associate Professor Damien Batstone’s Advanced Agriculture and Food Innovation) Professor Wendy Brown (School of Human Movement Biosolids Technology Program (Advanced Water FELLOWS, ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGICAL Studies) Management Centre) SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH AUSTRALIA DISCOVERY AWARD 2013 Healthy Dr Franziska Bieri (School of Population Health) 2013 QUEENSLAND TALL POPPY OF THE YEAR 2013 SENIOR RESEARCHER AWARD, Professor Chris Greig (UQ Energy Initiative) AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH People Dr Gilbert Price (School of Earth Sciences) Professor Robert Henry (Queensland Alliance for 2013 AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM EUREKA PRIZE QUEENSLAND Agriculture and Food Innovation) Outstanding Young Researcher 2013 QUEENSLAND TALL POPPY SCIENCE Dr Trent Woodruff (School of Biomedical Sciences) Professor Ross McAree (School of Mechanical and AWARD Dr Kerrie Wilson (School of Biological Sciences) 2014 MILLENNIUM SCIENCE AWARD, LORNE Mining Engineering) Dr Simon Corrie (Australian Institute for Bioengineering GENOME CONFERENCE Adjunct Professor John McGagh (Sustainable Minerals Arts and FRESH SCIENCE 2013 AWARDS and Nanotechnology) Society Associate Professor Geoff Faulkner (Mater Research Institute) Dr Lee Hickey (Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Dr Bradley Partridge (UQ Centre for Clinical Research) Institute-UQ/School of Biomedical Sciences) Ms Kathryn Fagg (UQ Alumnus) Food Innovation) Dr Kate Schroder (Institute for Molecular Bioscience) Dr Bronwyn Harch (UQ Alumnus) Dr Evan Stephens (Institute for Molecular Bioscience) HEALTH PROMOTION SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP Dr Irina Vetter (Institute for Molecular Bioscience) EARLY CAREER AWARD 2013, PUBLIC HEALTH Dr John Ness (UQ Alumnus) 2013 WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY AWARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA Sustainability 2013 EMERALD/EUROPEAN FOUNDATION FOR Ms Catherine Tanna (UQ Alumnus) Infotech Research Award MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT OUTSTANDING Dr Paul Gardiner (School of Population Health) DOCTORAL RESEARCH AWARD MEMBERS, AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL Dr Marta Indulska (School of Business) 2013 EARLY CAREER AWARD, AUSTRALASIAN COLLEGE Hospitality management PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF ALCOHOL AND SCOPUS YOUNG RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR Professor David Carter (School of English, Media Dr Char-lee McLennan (School of Tourism) OTHER DRUGS Studies and Art History) Engineering and Technology Education category Technology QUEENSLAND HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH Professor John Macarthur (School of Architecture) Dr Da-Wei Wang (School of Chemistry and Molecular and Translation AWARDS 2014 Dr Matthew Gullo (Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Biosciences) Research) Professor John Zhu (School of Chemical Engineering) Senior Researcher Award SCIENCE PRIZE FOR INNOVATION, RESEARCH FELLOW, INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY FOR THE Dr Stephen Mattarollo (UQ Diamantina Institute) 2014 QUEENSLAND STATE iAWARDS AND EDUCATION, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC STUDY OF TOURISM COOPERATION Postdoctoral Researcher Award Education category Professor Sara Dolnicar (School of Tourism) Research Dr Carissa Klein (School of Biological Sciences) Dr Kyle Upton (Mater Research Institute-UQ) Triple P Online Community Leaders FELLOW, INTERNATIONAL YOUNG AUSTRALIAN SPORTS MEDICINE FEDERATION 2013 QUEENSLAND WATER AWARDS, PSYCHIATRISTS, INDIAN PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY FELLOWS AWARDS 2013 AUSTRALIAN WATER ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS (NEW IN 2013/14) Dr Dan Siskind (School of Medicine) Asics Medal - Best Paper Overall Water Professional of the Year FELLOWS, AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF HUMANITIES Professor Wendy Brown (School of Human Movement Ms Fiona Chandler (Adjunct of School of Chemical Studies) Engineering) Professor Peter Holbrook (School of English, Media Share Studies and Art History) List is a selection of active honours held during period 1 June 2013 to 31 May 2014.
page 57 UQ foundation
Executive RESEARCH EXCELLENCE Overview
Emerging 2014 awards Innovations
NOW IN ITS 16TH YEAR, THE UQ FOUNDATION Healthy RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARDS ARE People DESIGNED TO NURTURE EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS.
Arts and 2014 saw $624,112 bestowed on seven researchers Society from a range of faculties, centres, schools and institutes across the University.
Sustainability DR STEFANIE BECKER DR JACK CLEGG DR ALESSANDRO FEDRIZZI School of Psychology School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences School of Mathematics and Physics
$99,565: Do feature relationships play a role for $99,483: Metal-organic materials for enantiomeric $84,339: Is the moon there when nobody looks? conscious visual perception and awareness? discrimination and chiral separation Experimentally probing the reality of the quantum Technology wave function How do we select relevant information from complex “Separating complex mixtures of molecules is one of and Translation visual environments? the most enduring challenges in the chemical sciences,” Since the birth of quantum science, researchers have says Dr Jack Clegg from the School of Chemistry and been trying to answer a vexing question: is the quantum Current visual search theories claim that attention is tuned Molecular Biosciences. wave function a real object, or just a state of knowledge to specific feature values (e.g. red, green) but Dr Stefanie of some underlying reality? Becker from the School of Psychology has developed a “The separation and purification of industrial chemicals new relational theory. currently uses 15 per cent of global energy production Dr Alessandro Fedrizzi from the School of Mathematics Research and I’d like to help improve this.” and Physics hopes to answer this century-old question Leaders “My research shows that our attention is guided by how empirically. features differ from one another (e.g. greener, redder), Dr Clegg’s project will cover the design and preparation which means that context is more important than of new chiral self-assembled materials that contain “We aim to experimentally refute a major interpretation of previously thought,” she says. cavities of predictable sizes and shapes. These materials the wave function using quantum states of photons – light will act to selectively bind different chemical substrates particles – encoded in arbitrarily high dimensions,” he says. “I will be examining whether feature relationships also within their encapsulated spaces and thus separate modulate conscious perception of objects, including The outcomes will sharpen our understanding of nature them from complex mixtures. unexpected objects. The results will shed new light on the and have a lasting impact on modern science and Share effects of top-down tuning of attention and the factors philosophy. that mediate Inattentional Blindness.” continued on page 59
page 58 UQ foundation
Executive RESEARCH EXCELLENCE Overview
Emerging 2014 awards Innovations
Healthy People
Arts and Society
Sustainability
DR QIAO LIU DR ENZO PORRELLO DR IRINA VETTER DR LIANG ZHOU TC Beirne School of Law School of Biomedical Sciences Institute for Molecular Bioscience Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology $50,816: Comparative studies of Australian and $90,431: Uncovering the role of genomic “dark $99,717: Identifying new pain targets in peripheral Chinese private law: finding solutions to common matter” in heart development and regeneration sensory neurons $99,761: An integrated solution to transition metal Technology commercial problems oxide based high-capacity anode materials for and Translation The adult mammalian heart has an extremely limited Pain is Australia’s third most costly health problem, with lithium-ion batteries “Private law provides the essential legal framework for capacity for regeneration following a heart attack, which the total economic cost in 2007 exceeding $34 billion. business transactions,” says Dr Qiao Liu from the Law is in stark contrast to the robust regenerative capacity of “The development of high-energy lithium ion batteries is IMB’s Dr Irina Vetter is working on a project that builds School. the newborn. an ongoing challenge,” says AIBN’s Dr Liang Zhou. on her recent discovery that Nav1.6 – a sodium channel “My research will conduct a series of comparative studies Dr Enzo Porrello from the School of Biomedical isoform that has never previously been implicated in the Transition metal oxides represent an important family of Research into four key areas of Australian and Chinese private law: Sciences is researching how and why mammals lose pathophysiology of pain – is crucial for the development high-capacity anode materials for lithium ion batteries, Leaders contract, torts, personal property and unjust enrichment.” their ability to regenerate heart tissue after birth. of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. holding great promise for replacing conventional graphite based anode materials. However, their practical The research will be distinctive for its focus on the legal “Our recent studies have focused on unravelling “I plan to assess the functional role of Nav1.6 in sensory application has been significantly hampered by the large solutions provided by Australian and Chinese courts the complex genetic circuitries that govern cardiac neuron physiology and peripheral pain pathways and so volume change during charge/discharge. towards legal issues arising from shared real-life problems regeneration, which has provided important insights provide significant insight into the neuropharmacology of in commercial transactions. into the potential functions of genomic ‘dark matter’ – pain,” she says. “Validating Nav1.6 as a new molecular “My project aims to address this issue and advance the termed non-coding RNA.” target for pain will provide new treatment approaches implementation of transition metal oxide based high- By facilitating mutual understanding, Dr Liu hopes to help for pain and allow us to develop new analgesics for pain capacity anode materials in next-generation lithium ion Share Australian businesses engage better with the rising power He hopes his work will pave the way to new therapeutic types that are currently very difficult to manage.” batteries.” and emerging market of China. opportunities for regenerating the diseased heart.
page 59 UQ awards for
Executive EXCELLENCE IN RHD Overview
Emerging 2014 supervision Innovations
THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PRIDES Healthy ITSELF ON ITS CULTURE OF RESEARCH People EXCELLENCE DEVELOPED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF WORLD-CLASS ACADEMICS AND THE PROVISION OF FIRST-CLASS FACILITIES.
Arts and More than 4000 students are currently enrolled in Society research higher degrees (RHDs) at UQ, and their success is underpinned by advisors who guide them through their candidature. Since 2000, UQ has acknowledged and rewarded outstanding advisors through the Awards for Excellence in RHD Supervision. Sustainability DR SIMON PERRY PROFESSOR TAPAN SAHA HIGHLY COMMENDED School of Music School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR A flexible and supportive leader, Dr Simon Perry has JENNIFER FLEMING supervised 26 research higher degree (RHD) candidates Since joining UQ in 1996, Professor Tapan Saha has to completion, with most achieving positions as seen 32 research higher degree (RHD) students to School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Technology composers, performers, researchers and/or academics, completion. (Occupational Therapy) and Translation either in Australia or overseas. With a significant research output (around 120 articles) Associate Professor Jennifer Fleming finds supervising Balancing open-mindedness with a critical eye, Dr and several awards (including IEEE Queensland Power postgraduate students to be the most rewarding part of Perry relishes the opportunity to develop intellectually and Energy Society Chapter Outstanding Engineer her job and has seen 14 RHD candidates to completion alongside his RHD candidates, and always provides Award), he leads by example and considers his RHD since 2001. detailed feedback on their projects. supervision an integral part of his academic success. She believes that each student requires an individualised Research To support their progress, he also holds regular face- Professor Saha provides one-on-one weekly approach and has trialled many strategies over the years Leaders to-face meetings tailored to their needs. He endeavours consultation and mentoring to his students, as well as a to promote the development of research skills and to to offer teaching opportunities where possible and collaborative and challenging research environment from ensure timely completion. encourages all students to gain seminar and event where they can learn from the group, advisory team, and Professor Fleming also invests much time and energy experience. best practice. He specialises in delivering an industry getting to know students, building strong, respectful environment for his multinational cohort. A dedicated musician, Dr Perry leads by example, and positive working relationships with them for the best encouraging critical self-reflection and independence of Professor Saha sees his key strength as the ability to possible learning outcomes. Share Multimedia: UQ Graduate School thought. listen and then provide his students with the necessary resources to achieve their goals.
page 60 partners in
Executive RESEARCH EXCELLENCE Overview
Emerging 2014 awards Innovations
Healthy People
Category: Category: ENGINEERING, MATERIALS AND ICT SCIENCE Arts and Awarded to: Awarded to: Society ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR JASON STOKES, PROFESSOR PAULO VASCONCELOS, School Of Chemical Engineering School of Earth Sciences
DR GREG YEP, Senior Vice President of DR ISABELA CARMO, Geologist, Long Term Research, Pepsico, USA Petrobras, Brazil Sustainability
PepsiCo is the largest food and beverage business Established in 1953, Petrobras operates as an in the US, Russia, India and the Middle East, and its integrated energy company in exploration and products are consumed more than one billion times production, refining, marketing, transportation, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR JASON STOKES each day the world over. PepsiCo has acknowledged PROFESSOR PAULO VASCONCELOS petrochemicals, oil product distribution, natural gas, School of Chemical Engineering School of Earth Sciences that Associate Professor Jason Stokes is an electricity, chemical gas, and biofuels. Petrobras’s Technology international leader in rheology and tribology techniques Research Centre is the biggest in Latin America. and Translation and methodologies relating to the mouth-feel attributes Through UniQuest, Professor Vasconcelos has of products. Facilitated by UniQuest, over the past two collaborated with Petrobras for more than nine years. years PepsiCo and Professor Stokes have collaborated The partnership involves investigating the origin and in a significant research partnership, and are working evolution of the pre-salt reservoirs along the east coast together to provide enabling technologies with the aim of South America, the largest oil discovery of the past of giving consumers healthy variations of the world’s 30 years. Research most popular snack foods and drinks, without sacrificing Leaders taste and “mouth-feel”. The strong relationship that Professor Stokes has developed between UQ and PepsiCo is making possible new opportunities for research collaborations throughout UQ as well as potential license opportunities for UQ technologies.
Share DR GREG YEP DR ISABELA CARMO Pepsico Petrobras, Brazil continued on page 62
page 61 partners in
Executive RESEARCH EXCELLENCE Overview
Emerging 2014 awards Innovations
Healthy People
Category: Category: HEALTH SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Arts and Awarded to: Awarded to: Society PROFESSOR RANJENY THOMAS, UQ ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR KAREN MONI AND Diamantina Institute DR ANNE JOBLING, School of Education
MS KATHY CONNELL, Director, New MR DAVID BARBAGALLO, CEO, Endeavour Ventures ANZ, Johnson & Johnson; Asia Foundation Sustainability Pacific Innovation Centre Latch-On® is a post-school literacy program for adults with Research collaboration between Professor Ranjeny intellectual disabilities that promotes literacy development, Thomas and Janssen, a pharmaceutical company of greater independence and greater engagement in the world. PROFESSOR RANJENY THOMAS Johnson & Johnson – a global company with more ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR KAREN MONI AND Initiated and designed by Dr Anne Jobling and Associate UQ Diamantina Institute than 275 operating companies in 60 countries – began DR ANNE JOBLING Professor Karen Moni from the School of Education in Technology in 2012 with small seed funding of the Dendright School of Education 1998, the program provides opportunities for people with and Translation technology. Since then, a significant research intellectual disabilities to continue their literacy development ® collaboration has developed with the research focus beyond school. Latch-On has a strong foundation in being on the rheumatoid arthritis immunotherapy educational research and practice: with the right teaching, developed by Professor Ranjeny Thomas. The young people with intellectual disabilities not only continue relationship between UniQuest and Johnson & Johnson to increase their literacy skills but also use these skills in new has broadened over time and is now a platform for and varied situations. Through the involvement of UniQuest, Research ® new research collaboration opportunities for other UQ Latch-On has expanded and established a 10-year Leaders researchers and potential license opportunities for UQ collaborative partnership with Endeavour Foundation, with technologies. four sites in Queensland and one in NSW, and more than 200 Latch-On® students since 2004. A collaborative partnership with Down Syndrome Ireland began in 2012 and already has 150+ students participating at multiple Latch-On® sites across Ireland. Future growth of Latch-On® is expected to continue, with further expansion of the program in Australia, Share as well as possible opportunities in UK, USA, Canada, New MS KATHY CONNELL MR DAVID BARBAGALLO Zealand and other English-speaking countries. Johnson & Johnson Endeavour Foundation
page 62 index Executive Overview
Abbosh, Associate Professor Amin 43 Fedrizzi, Dr Alessandro 58 Pepsico 61 School of Veterinary Science 46 Emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders 20, 32 Fleming, Associate Professor Jennifer 60 Perry, Dr Simon 60 SMI-ICE-Chile 13 Innovations Advanced Water Management Centre 36, 38 Fellowships 6, 56 Petrobras 61 Smith, Professor Maree 48 Agriculture 46 Fertilisers 36 PhD 52-55 Sofronoff, Associate Professor Kate 23 Aitchison, Dr Mathew 29 Fossils 45 PhD Employment Experience Program 53 Solomon Islands 35 ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems 14, 44 Genes 33 Poppi, Professor Dennis 46 Spinifex 37, 48 ARC Science of Learning Research Centre 15 Gilbert, Professor Robert 47 Porrello, Dr Enzo 59 Stem cells 49 Arts and Society 25 Gray, Professor Peter 49 Quantum mechanics 44 Stokes, Associate Professor Jason 61 Asian-Australians 55 Green, Adjunct Professor Adèle 22 Quantum physics 14 Sunscreen 22 Healthy Australian Centre for Ecogenomics 38 Greenaway, Dr Katharine 31 Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation 47 Superbugs 19 People Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology 49, 59 Gurindji 32 Queensland Brain Institute 23, 33, 57 Sustainability 34 Autism CRC 23 Happy haus 29 Rakic, Associate Professor Aleksandar 18 Sustainable Minerals Institute 13 Awards and honours 56-57 Haslam, Dr Divna 27 Ranking 6 Technology and translation 42 Ballantyne, Dr Julie 28 Healthy people 16 Reid, Associate Professor Simon 24 Templeton World Charity Foundation 14 Barbagallo, David 62 Hodges, Professor Paul 21 Research funding 6, 7 Texting while walking 21 Batstone, Associate Professor Damien 36 Høj, Professor Peter 4 Research leaders 50 Thai, Michael 55 Baxter, Professor Janeen 12 Indigenous language 32 Research quality 6 Thomas, Professor Ranjeny 17, 62 Arts and Becker, Dr Stefanie 58 Institute for Molecular Bioscience 19, 59 Research strengths 7 Three Minute Thesis 55 Society Beef 46 Institute for Social Science Research 12, 37 Revenue 6 Tompkins, Professor Joanne 26 Ben Zakour, Dr Nouri 19 International Centre of Excellence (SMI-ICE-Chile) 13 RHD Supervision awards 60 Triple P 27 Benson, Associate Professor Karen 30 Jobling, Dr Anne 62 Rheumatoid arthritis 17 Tyson, Dr Gene 38 Biomaterials 37 Johnson & Johnson 62 Riek, Professor Stephan 53 Undergraduate research 51 Bowen, Associate Professor Warwick 44 Kalokerinos, Dr Elise 31 Richardson, Associate Professor Anthony 41 Underwater climate 41 Brain research 23, 33 Kildea, Professor Sue 20 RoadCurtain 43 UniQuest 8 Cancer 18 Laser imaging 18 Sadiq, Dr Wasim 52 UQ Advantage Office 51 Sustainability Carmo, Dr Isabela 61 Latch-On 62 Saha, Professor Tapan 60 UQ Business School 30 Carroll, Associate Professor Annemaree 15 Lean Zhi Xiang, Fabian 51 Sanders, Professor Matt 27 UQ Centre for Clinical Research 19 Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development 48 Lennox, Professor Nick 23 SAP 52 UQ Diamantina Institute 17, 33, 62 Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course 12 Library 8 School of Agriculture and Food Sciences 46 UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards 58-59 China 47 Liu, Dr Qiao 59 School of Architecture 29, 37 UQ Graduate School 52-55 Claudianos, Professor Charles 23 Luke, Joanna 53 School of Biomedical Sciences 59 UQ Researchers 8 Clegg, Dr Jack 58 MacArthur Foundation 35 School of Biological Sciences 40, 41 UQ Supporters 9 Technology Climate change 38, 41 Mater Research Institute-UQ 20 School of Chemical Engineering 61 van den Hoorn, Mr Wolbert 21 Commonwealth Research Block grants 6 Maternal care 20 School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences 19, 58 Vandi, Luigi 54 and Translation Connell, Kathy 62 Mayfield, Dr Margaret 40 School of Earth Sciences 45, 61 Vasconcelos, Professor Paulo 61 Cooper, Professor Matt 19 McFarland, Professor Eric 39 School of Education 15, 62 Vetter, Dr Irina 59 Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures 54 Meakins, Dr Felicity 32 School of English, Media Studies and Art History 26, 53 Virtual technology 26 Contributors 64 Memberships 57 School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences 21, 60 Webb, Professor Gregory 45 Corrin, Professor Jennifer 35 Memmott, Professor Paul 37 School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering 18, 43, 60 Were, Dr Graeme 26 Death spirals 30 Microorganisms 38 School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies 32 Willox, Dr Annabelle 51 Research Diabetes 17, 47 Middelberg, Professor Anton 4 School of Law 35, 59 Wilson, Professor Stephen 18 Leaders Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering 39 Milburn, Professor Gerard 14 School of Medicine 23 Woodcroft, Dr Ben 38 Education impact and training 6 Moni, Associate Professor Karen 62 School of Mathematics and Physics 14, 41, 58 Yang, Dr Jian 33 Educational attainment 33 Monteiro, Professor Michael 49 School of Music 28, 60 Yep, Greg 61 Emerging innovations 11 Music teachers 28 School of Nursing and Midwifery 20 Zhao, Professor Jian-xin 45 Emotions 15, 31 Native plants 40 School of Pharmacy 48 Zhou, Dr Liang 59 Endeavour Foundation 62 Nerve pain 48 School of Population Health 22, 24 Zoonoses 24 Engineering 39 Ortelia 26 School of Psychology 23, 27, 31, 58 Zowawi, Hosam 19 Faculties, Institutes and Centres 7 Partners in Research Excellence Awards 61 School of Social Science 26 Pandolfi, Professor John 41 Share
page 63 contributors Executive Overview
THE ACTING DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR Contributors Shirley Glaister Ingrid Rubie Office of Marketing and Communications Office of Marketing and Communications (RESEARCH) THANKS ALL EXECUTIVE DEANS, Associate Professor Amin Abbosh Emerging INSTITUTE DIRECTORS, RESEARCHERS School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Dr Katharine Greenaway Professor Mark Schembri Innovations School of Psychology Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF FOR THEIR Dr Julie Ballantyne School of Music Pam Harpur Professor Maree Smith CONTRIBUTIONS IN PRODUCING UniQuest Pty Ltd School of Pharmacy DISCOVERY AT UQ 2014. Associate Professor Damien Batstone Advanced Water Management Centre Ron Hohenhaus Associate Professor Andrew Sneddon Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation School of Social Science Professor Janeen Baxter Healthy Editorial Committee Institute for Social Science Research Fiona Kennedy Dr Helen Stapleton People Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President School of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Anton Middelberg Jacqui Belesky Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Office of Marketing and Communications Janardan Kewin Kate Swanson UQ Graduate School UQ Graduate School Carla Boeckman Associate Professor Karen Benson Director, International Foundations and Development UQ Business School Dr Richard Kim Professor Ranjeny Thomas Research Management Office UQ Diamantina Institute Ian Harris Jared Bird Arts and Director, Research Partnerships School of Architecture Hayley Lees Professor Joanne Tompkins Society UQ Advancement School of English, Media Studies and Art History Marni Jacoby Lisa Bolton Director, UQ Graduate School Research Management Office Jessica Marshallsay Associate Professor Gene Tyson Office of Marketing and Communications Australian Centre for Ecogenomics Professor Alastair McEwan Associate Professor Warwick Bowen Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and International) School of Mathematics and Physics Dr Margaret Mayfield Wolbert Van den Hoorn School of Biological Sciences School of Health and Rehabilitation Services Sustainability Janine Richards Fiona Cameron Director, Research Analysis and Operations Office of Marketing and Communications Dr Felicity Meakins Celestien Warnaar-Notschaele School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies UQ Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Nicole Thompson Associate Professor Annemaree Carroll Director, Research Strategy and Management School of Education Professor Paul Memmott Professor Gregory Webb Institute of Social Science Research School of Earth Sciences Stephen Colhoun Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Gerard Milburn Claire White Publication Coordinators Technology Centre of Excellence in Engineered Quantum Systems Research Management Office Professor Matt Cooper and Translation Suzanne Parker Institute for Molecular Bioscience Georgia Mitchell Professor Stephen Wilson Office of Marketing and Communications UQ Advantage Office School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Professor Jennifer Corrin Prue McMillan School of Law Professor Michael Monteiro Dr Jian Yang Office of Marketing and Communications Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Queensland Brain Institute/ UQ DIamantina Institute Tess Cosgrove Lynn Nielsen Autism CRC Professor John Pandolfi Tanya Ziebell Research Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) School of Biological Sciences UQ Library Leaders Nicole Cowan UniQuest Pty Ltd Professor David Paterson Photographs/Videos Designer UQ Centre for Clinical Research Frances Cowley Brenda L Croft (p 32) Felicia Gibson School of Agriculture and Food Sciences John Pickering Caitlin Singleton (p 38) Office of Marketing and Communications Triple P Program, School of Psychology Andrew Dunne Joe Vittorio Photography Sustainable Minerals Institute Associate Professor Simon Reid Contributors School of Population Health Share Professor Robert Gilbert iStockphoto.com Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation Katie Rowney stock.xchng Office of Marketing and Communications UQ Images
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