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UQ NEWSUQ NEWSwww.uq.edu.au/news
DECEMBER 2004 NO. 540
TEACHERSSHOW CLASSat national awards
2 UQ NE WS, september 2004
St Lucia Ipswich Gatton
Whether you want to boost your qualifications or make a career
change, the innovative and career-tailored postgraduate coursework
programs at UQ will help you truly succeed.
Find out how at www.uq.edu.au/study
What triggersthe passion totruly succeed?
3UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
RemembranceDay service
Mary Poppinsimmortalised
Secrets of thedeep captured
Campus Kindycarer retires
Genetics expert Dr Craig Venter on board
Success at national teaching awards
Queensland Rhodes Scholar announced
Teaching and Learning Week 2004
Stamping out concrete cancer
Smart State success for three researchers
Moreton Bay Research Station celebrates
UQ says goodbye to long-serving librarian
Program builds strong links with China
Antiquities addedto UQ collection
December 14, 2004 Issue 540
Cover photo: UQ’s national teaching award winners ProfessorAlan Lawson and Dr Merrilyn Goos at Parliament House, Canberra.PHOTO: Andrew Campbell
UQ NEWS is produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications, TheUniversity of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia Telephone: (07) 3365 3367Facsimile: (07) 3365 1488 Editor: Brad Turner (07) 3365 2659, [email protected]: Chris Saxby (07) 3365 2479, [email protected]; Miguel Holland (07)3365 2619, [email protected] Art: Wendy Oakley Photography: Chris Stacey(07) 3365 1735, [email protected]; Diana Lilley (photo librarian) (07) 3365 2753,[email protected] Printing: Print Works, GeebungCirculation: 14,000Advertising (external): John Treacy and Associates (07) 3349 6788 (internal): TinaHannan (07) 5460 1739Registered by Australia Post Publication No. QBH 0104The University of Queensland’s Web address is www.uq.edu.au
UQ newsUQ top in ARCLinkage grants
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UQ researchers will collaboratewith Dr Craig Venter, the US
scientist who helped crack the humangenetic code, during his six-monthvisit to Queensland as part of a questto define the origins and diversity oflife.
Dr Venter and a research teamfrom the Venter Institute are circlingthe globe in his yacht and floatinglaboratory, Sorcerer II, collectingmarine samples and analysing theirgenetic data.
Australia is the 14th country theteam has visited.
Dr Venter will be working withleading bioinformatic and geneticresearchers.
He will navigate around Queens-land waters, in particular those of theGreat Barrier Reef.
He will also analyse samples usingtechniques known as high-throughputDNA sequencing and whole-genomeshotgun assembly.
These techniques have beendeveloped to decode the humangenome.
The University’s Institute forMolecular Bioscience (IMB) will hostDr Venter and his team during theirtime in Queensland.
Gene expert docks at UQDr Venter said little was known
about microbial life.“The f ield of environmental
genomics has the potential torevolutionise the way our oceans, soiland whole ecosystems andenvironments are studied,” he said.
“By taking relatively smallsamples of water or soil and using thetools and techniques of shotgunsequence analysis, we are able toidentify and characterise the vastlegions of unseen organisms living inthe environment.
“It is estimated that over 99percent of species remain to bediscovered.”
Dr Venter said he appreciated theopportunity to collaborate with UQ,which offered world-class scientificexpertise, first-rate facilities and agreat location.
IMB Director Professor JohnMattick said the megadiversity ofAustralia, and particularlyQueensland, was a vital part of DrVenter’s expedition.
“We have warm tropical waters innorthern Queensland, temperateoceans around Tasmania and ourcontinent is a launching pad to theAntarctic waters,” Professor Matticksaid.
UQ Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfieldsaid the University was lookingforward to hosting Dr Venter and histeam.
“Dr Venter is basing himself inBrisbane because he believesQueensland is attracting internationalattention as an emerging regionalcentre for biomolecular research andbiotechnology industries, not unlike
Singapore and Seattle,” ProfessorGreenfield said.
“Queensland is gaining thisreputation and attracting scientists ofthe calibre of Dr Venter because ofthe work done by research institutessuch as the IMB at UQ and becauseof support from the StateGovernment, whose backing hasenabled UQ to develop cutting-edgefacilities and gather a critical mass ofleading scientists.”
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie,who met Dr Venter in November, saidQueensland, as the Smart State, wasdelighted to be hosting the eminentscientist.
“Dr Venter has been sailing theoceans of the world since Augustlast year collecting microbes fromsea water as part of his quest tosequence the genome of MotherEarth and will be basing himself atthe University for six monthsbecause of its reputation formolecular research,” Mr Beattiesaid.
“Dr Venter is not only one of theworld’s most eminent genomicresearchers, he is also a successfulentrepreneur who is reported to haveused $100 million of his own moneyto create a not-for-profit researchorganisation employing 200scientists.
“I invite Dr Venter to not only studyour microbes, but to examine ourworld-class research organisations andconsider partnering us in research orsetting up a branch of his organisationin Queensland.”
For information on the Sorcerer IIexpedition, visitwww.venterinstitute.org
A world-renowned
genetics expert sailing
around the globe on a
mission of exploration
will be based at UQ for
six months.
in briefB
4 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
Air traffic work studySafety in the skies and air
traffic control will be examined
as part of UQ’s Air Traffic
Control Workload Study
Project.
The project is being
undertaken in conjunction with
Airservices Australia, the
nation’s air traffic control
organisation.
It will develop a model
simulating how air traffic
controllers respond under
different levels of workload.
Funded by the Australian
Research Council, UQ and
Airservices Australia, the
three-year project is being
carried out by the Key Centre
for Human Factors and
Applied Cognitive Psychology.
HECS tax deadlinePeople thinking of making
voluntary repayments on
existing Higher Education
Contribution Scheme (HECS)
debts are being encouraged to
do so before December 31.
The Australian Tax Office
has reminded people with a
HECS debt that to take
advantage of the existing 15
percent bonus on voluntary
repayments of $500 or more,
they need to make a payment
on or before December 31.
Information: www.ato.gov.au or13 28 61.
University rankingsThe University was among only
six Australian tertiary institutions
ranked in the top 50 worldwide
by the UK’s prestigious Times
Higher Education Supplement,
in November.
UQ was placed 49th out of
200 universities internationally.
The rankings resulted from
a survey of 1300 academics in
88 countries.
Measures considered in
formulating the rankings
included strength in teaching,
research and international
reputation.From left: Mr Beattie, Dr Venter and Professor Greenfield
From left: UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Margaret Gardner, Dr Manathunga, Mr Johnson, Dr Botella,Professor Lawson and Dr Goos. PHOTO: Andrew Campbell
5UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
The University has won two majorawards at the Australian Awards
for University Teaching announced atParliament House in Canberra.
Dr Merrilyn Goos won the SocialSciences category of the awards,presented by Federal Minister forEducation, Training and YouthAffairs, Dr Brendan Nelson, onNovember 30.
The UQ Graduate School’sHarnessing Support for ResearchStudents’ Learning program won inthe Institutional section in thecategory Provision of support services
(on and off campus) that assist thelearning of students.
The winners of the individualcategories each received $40,000while the institutional award winnersreceived $50,000.
UQ’s Dr Jose (Jimmy) Botella, asenior lecturer in UQ’s School of LifeSciences, in the Faculty of Biologicaland Chemical Sciences, was a finalistin the Biological Sciences, Health andRelated Studies category.
· Dr Goos is a senior lecturer in UQ’sSchool of Education, in the Facultyof Social and Behavioural Sciences.
She is responsible for the pre-service and continuing professionaleducation of mathematics teachers atundergraduate and postgraduatelevels.
Dr Goos graduated with aBachelor of Science in 1978 and thenworked for several years as a foodtechnologist.
“Abandoning this career to tutorschool students and adults returningto study gave me tantalising glimpsesof how minds can be shaped andnurtured in learning interactions andmade me realise that I was meant tobe a teacher,” she said.
Dr Goos graduated with aDiploma of Education in 1986 andbegan a new career as a teacher ofsecondary school mathematics andchemistry.
She then went on to complete aMaster of Educational Studies degreeand a PhD.
“My goal is to prepare excellentmathematics teachers. This makes itimportant for me not only to teach mystudents about teaching, but also tomodel excellent teaching practice,”she said.
· The Graduate School’s teammembers included Professor AlanLawson (Director, UQ GraduateSchool and Dean of PostgraduateStudies), Dr Catherine Manathunga(lecturer in higher education, post-graduate supervision and teaching),Professor Christa Critchley (DeputyDirector, UQ Graduate School) andRay Johnson (principal adminis-trative officer).
The Graduate School, in assoc-iation with UQ Schools and severalorganisational units, provides anextensive range of training, servicesand support for all of the University’sresearch students, their advisors and
administrators through a fullyintegrated framework.
This takes effect from prior to thestudents’ enrolment through to thecompletion of their studies.
The framework involvesproviding training and support to theadvisors, coordinators and admin-istrators involved with researchstudents, as well as to the studentsthemselves.
The success in this year’s awardscontinues a strong tradition amongUQ staff.
UQ academics have won awardsin each of the seven years since theywere introduced, including the PrimeMinister’s Australian Award forIndividual University Teacher of theYear for the past two years, and threetimes overall.
Associate Professor Ian Cameron,a Reader in chemical engineering atUQ, won the 2003 Prime Minister’sAustralian Award for IndividualUniversity Teacher of the Year.
This year’s winner was ProfessorMark Israel, a Professor of Law andCriminology and Associate Dean(Research), from Flinders Universityof South Australia.
Teachers pass with honoursby Brad Turner
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
UQ confirmed itsstatus as a premierteaching institutionwith two wins at theannual Australianuniversity awards.
The University has again toppedthe nation’s universities in
funding from the first round of theAustralian Research Council’s (ARC)2005 Linkage Projects announced inNovember.
UQ won around $7.2 million inLinkage grants, ahead of theUniversity of New South Wales with$4.9 million and the University ofMelbourne with $4.3 million.
UQ’s ARC Linkage Projects for theround totalled $18.1 million, made upof approximately $7.2 million in ARCfunding and $10.9 million in industrypartner contributions.
The grants encourage the formationof long-term strategic alliances betweenuniversity researchers and theircollaborating partner organisations.
This follows the University’ssuccess as the national leader in ARCLinkage Projects in 2004 and affirmsUQ as the leading University in termsof industry interactions.
“I am delighted with the outstand-ing success of our researchers inattracting 26 projects in this latestround,” Deputy Vice-Chancellor(Research) Professor David Siddle said.
The University also performedstrongly in the ARC DiscoveryProjects grants, securing 88 grantsworth in excess of $25 million andranking fifth in the nation.
UQ researchers have beenawarded more than $15 millionas part of the latest round ofNational Health and MedicalResearch Council (NHMRC)Project Grant fundingannounced in November.
UQ’s $15,230,573 share of thefunding was the largest in Queenslandand fourth largest in the country.
Of the 54 projects funded inQueensland, UQ was successful in 35,confirming its place as one of the topresearch institutions in the State andaround the nation.
UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor(Research) Professor David Siddlesaid the funding allocated to theUniversity had increased by morethan $1 million from 2003.
“I congratulate all those researcherswhose talent and dedication has resultedin NHMRC funding,” he said.
“The results mean there will be anexciting array of research beingconducted across all areas of healthand biomedical science.”
UQ was also only one of threeinstitutions in the country to receivefunding under the new NHMRCHealth Services Research Grants,which aim to strengthen Australia’scapacity in health services research.
Associate Professor Theo Vos,from the School of Population Health,received $3.2 million for a wide-reaching project looking at ways toreduce health costs, health inequalitiesand improve the health of Australians.
The quality of UQ researchers wasalso recognised with almost $3 millionawarded in Research Fellowships.
The Institute for Molecular Bio-science’s (IMB) Associate ProfessorAlpha Yap and Dr Brian Gabrielli,from the Centre for Immunology andCancer Research, were awardedSenior Research Fellowships whileProfessor David Vaney from theVision Touch and Hearing ResearchCentre, and Professor Robert Partonfrom the IMB had their PrincipalResearch Fellowships renewed.
Associate Professor Melissa Little,also from the IMB, was promoted toPrincipal Research Fellow.
Dr Komla Tsey, from the School ofPopulation Health’s North QueenslandHealth Equalities Promotion Unit, wasgranted a NHMRC Population HealthCareer Development award.
Linkage grants included:• Professor Graeme Hammer, fromthe School of Land and Food Sciences,and colleagues were awarded$600,000 for a project focusing onunderstanding and modelling thegenetics and physiology of keyadaptive traits in sorghum and maize.
The project will use computersimulation to employ resultant gene-to-phenotype models in ways thatwill underpin a major shift in the wayplant-breeding programs operate.
It is expected the new integratingtechnology will lead to more rapidadvances in breeding better adaptedand higher yielding crops.
• Kathi Holt-Damant, from theSchool of Geography, Planning andArchitecture, and colleagues havebeen awarded $297,000 for a projectfocusing on transit-oriented develop-ment (TOD) as a strategy for dealingwith urban sprawl and congestion inSouth East Queensland.
The study will examine the widerissues of TOD in relation to fourinterdisciplinary areas: architectureand urban design; urban planning,security, counter-terrorism and threatmanagement; transport strategy; andinstitutional management.
• Dr Michelle Sterling, from theSchool of Health and RehabilitationSciences, and colleagues have been
Industry link grant leaderDealing with urban sprawl, creating new medical diagnostic techniques
and developing a novel air pollution monitoring strategy will be some of the
UQ research projects to benefit from the latest round of ARC grants.
Healthyoutlook formedicalresearch
awarded $522,011 for a project aimedat validating a set of biological andpsychological indicators of outcomefollowing whiplash injury.
The project will allow stake-holders involved in whiplash, such ashealth care and insurance providers,to predict with conf idence bothpeople at risk of developing chronicsymptoms, as well as those with agood chance of full recovery.
• Dr Jochen Mueller, from the Nat-ional Research Centre for Environ-mental Toxicology, heads a researchteam that will look at the develop-ment of a novel air pollution monitor-ing strategy.
This research aims to develop andevaluate a novel approach combiningextraction of pollutants using time-integrated passive samplers andtoxicological evaluation using rapidin-vitro and in-vivo assays.
Discovery grants included:• Associate Professor JustinCooper-White, from the School ofEngineering, and colleagues wereawarded $965,000 in DiscoveryProjects funding to investigate newsystematic design standards formicrodevice manufacture for thebiotechnology, environmental,communications and informationtechnology industries.
The research could lead to thecreation of new ways of tailoringbiotechnology and point-of-careproducts for Australia.
• Associate Professor JustinMarshall, from the University’s VisionTouch and Hearing Research Centre,and colleagues have been awardedmore than $1.1 million to study colourvision and photoreceptors in reef fish.
These fish will help researchersunderstand some of the mysteries ofthe function of photoreceptors andteach them more about the fund-amental principles of vision.
• Dr Timo Nieminen, from theSchool of Physical Sciences, andcolleagues secured funding of$675,000 for a project on optically-driven micromachines andmicrotools.
The research will focus on the dev-elopment and production of micro-machines of unprecedented small size,and the development of new medicaldiagnostic techniques, together withindustrial and research tools.
Dr Sterling working on her whiplash research
6 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
For three months, the masterof a bronze statue of MaryPoppins has been takingshape in Dr Rhyl Hinwood’sstudio.
And it looks nothing like JulieAndrews – the actor who made themagical nanny famous in the 1964 film.
Dr Hinwood, who usually carvessandstone as the University’s sculp-tor, is creating Mary for the city ofMaryborough, north of Brisbane.
Maryborough is the birthplace ofthe author who created Mary Poppins,Pamela Travers.
After breaking her wrist recently,the sculptor welcomed a softer optionto carving stone.
“The figure is almost modelled. Ihave yet to do the carpet bag that hadall her magic tricks in it and also theumbrella,” Dr Hinwood said.
The clay modeling on the 1.5 metresteel armature skeleton has been basedon UQ Arts student Imogen Marnane.
“I’ve known her virtually all herlife and she just seemed to have theright personality and characteristics,”she said.
Forming the clay master had been
a challenge in hot and windy condit-ions in Brisbane but when completeMary will stand on the footpath nearher creator’s birthplace.
The statue will show her in a suitand lace blouse, wearing a hat, withflowers and gloves and about to openher umbrella with a carpet bag at herfeet.
Maryborough residents and itsProud Marys Association have raisedmore than $40,000, with $5500 eachfrom its city council and the StateGovernment for the statue.
“The Proud Marys wanted to have
a depiction of Mary Poppins based onthe illustrations by Mary Shepherd inthe original book, and not the Disneyversion, which portrayed her as toosugary sweet,” she said.
“Walt Disney made a verysuccessful movie but he changed quitea lot of the images and the characterof Mary Poppins, much to the chagrinof the author.
“In no way was she to look likeJulie Andrews.”
Mary’s bronze statue will be castin a Brisbane foundry and installedin Maryborough by August 2005.
Internet trafficspeeds up
Ms Marnane (left)with Dr Hinwood
A substantial upgrade to UQ’s Internetcapacity will change Internet accessrules for all staff and students fromJanuary 5, 2005.
The upgrade will provide the University witha ten-fold increase in Internet capacity and connectUQ to a global network of research institutions.
Information Technology Services Director
Mary pops up in bronzeMary pops up in bronze
Nick Tate said the upgrade would connect UQ tothe Internet at speeds comparable to Europeanand North American universities.
“This will deliver substantial improvements incapacity to the Internet, in both the speed andcapacity of our connections to other universities andresearch institutions in Australia, the USA, Canada,Europe and some parts of Asia,” Mr Tate said.
He said this would allow UQ researchers toaccess networks of the world’s leading universitieswithout incurring excessive traffic charges.
“A subscription based approach to the recoveryof Internet costs will mean there will be unlimitedaccess to research and education networks thatconnect to other universities,” he said.
The Internet Access and Traffic ManagementSystem will be implemented along with the up-grade to Internet capacity.
Mr Tate said students and most staff wouldlog in using their UQ sign-in username andpassword to access the Internet.
“This will allow them to review and managetheir own use and will allow organisational unitsto provide a higher level of management,” he said.
As part of the upgrade, all staff and studentswill be provided with a national dial-up number.
“The existing dial-up facility will be extendedto allow Internet connections from across Australiafor the price of a local call,” Mr Tate said.
Information: www.uqconnect.net/trafficmgt
7UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
8 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
A large contingent of UQmedical graduates made apilgrimage to the School ofMedicine recently to see theirold seat of learning reborn.
The ES Meyers Lecture Theatre,situated beneath the distinctive domeof the Mayne Medical Schoolbuilding in the suburb of Herston, hasundergone a $900,000 refurbishment.
The project received significantfinancial contributions from morethan 400 former students.
More than 150 donors andguests, including UQ Chancellor SirLlew Edwards, AC, and Dr DerekMeyers, the son of the late ESMeyers, attended a reopening andunveiling of the project onNovember 18.
AUQ graduate who was inspiredto further his interest in
economic development after workingwith a humanitarian group has beenchosen as the 2005 QueenslandRhodes Scholar.
In October, Simon Quinn willhead to the University of Oxford inthe United Kingdom to take up thescholarship, studying for a Master ofPhilosophy (MPhil) in Economics.
He will follow in the footsteps of
The highlight of the evening wasthe revealing of the theatre’s giantwooden dome ceiling, hidden fromview for 75 years.
The underside of the domefeatures rich, hardwood panellingcurved in a geometric synchronicitythat had been hidden behind aceiling.
Executive Dean of the Faculty ofHealth Sciences Professor PeterBrooks said medical students wouldsit in lectures beneath the dome.
“This magnificent architecturalcreation will now remain uncoveredand be celebrated as the centralfeature of the restoration,” he said.
New technology installed in thelecture theatre brings it in line withthe needs and future plans of amedical school of the 21st Century.
economics and the law – possibly totry and get an understanding of theway legal reforms affect the processof economic development.”
Mr Quinn said he was lookingforward to studying at one of theworld’s most prestigious universities.
“I think the actual standard of theeconomics course itself will be veryhigh and there are specialities indevelopment economics at Oxford thatI am particularly interested in,” he said.
“I’m also really looking forward tothe college life and the extra-curricularactivities that Oxford has to offer.”
The Governor of Queensland, HerExcellency Ms Quentin Bryce, ACmade the announcement on November5 at UQ’s St Lucia campus.
The selection committeeinterviewed six short-listed candidatesbefore choosing Mr Quinn, whoseinterests include debating and cricket.
The former St Joseph’s College,Gregory Terrace school student hasbeen involved in debating for a num-ber of years.
He was a member of the Austra-lian Schools Debating Team andcoached the Queensland SchoolsDebating Team in 2002.
Mr Quinn will join f ive 2005Rhodes Scholars from the other statesand five from Australia-at-Large.
The Rhodes toOxford are clearhigh-prof ile Rhodes Scholarsincluding former US President BillClinton and former Australian PrimeMinister Bob Hawke.
“It is very humbling to be selectedamong their number, particularly asRhodes Scholars in so many walks oflife have made such large contri-butions,” Mr Quinn said.
“I think that in itself is both a greatprivilege and a great challenge.”
Mr Quinn graduated with aBachelor of Economics with first-class honours in 2003 and received aprestigious University Medal thesame year.
The 23-year-old is currentlystudying for a Bachelor of Laws, fromwhich he intends to graduate in 2005.
In early 2004, Mr Quinn workedfor the South Asia Human RightsDocumentation Centre in New Delhi,India, where he conducted legalresearch on human rights issues.
Mr Quinn said this encouragedhim to further his interest in issues ofeconomic development, an area heeventually hopes to work in.
“I would like to research develop-ment economics, in particular lookingat poor countries and problems ofpoverty and lack of growth,” he said.
“I’m really fascinated to learnmore about the relationship between
Medical graduateshelp to raise the roof
UQ’s 2005 Rhodes
Scholar will follow in the
footsteps of presidents
and prime ministers on
his way to Oxford
University.
Mr Quinn. PHOTO:Brian Condron
Sir Llew and Dr Derek Meyersat the reopening of theES Meyers lecture theatre
in briefBAthlete friendlyUQ has been endorsed as an
elite athlete friendly
university.
The University was one of
26 Australian universities
endorsed by the Australian
Institute of Sport at a
ceremony in Canberra on
November 3.
The program recognises
universities that have a range
of flexible policies and
practices to meet the
academic needs of elite
student athletes.
UQ SPORT Director Kim
Guerin represented UQ at the
launch
Ms Guerin said UQ had
more than 50 elite athletes on
scholarships for a range of
sports.
“Elite student athletes
invest a considerable amount
of their lives in the pursuit of
sporting and academic
success,” Ms Guerin said.
“The challenge
confronting them is how to
maintain a balance without
compromising performance in
either area.”
8 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
9UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
The University has recognisedsome of its best teachers at the
2004 Awards for Excellence inTeaching, Research Higher DegreeSupervision and Enhancement ofStudent Learning.
Ten individual winners and twogroup winners were honoured at a
Top teachers take a bowceremony on November 15 atBrisbane’s Customs House, as partof UQ’s third annual Teaching andLearning Week.
Teaching and learning in all forms,from the physical space of aclassroom to innovative teachingmethods, was celebrated during theweek under the theme BuildingLearning Communities.
A range of seminars anddiscussions on teaching and learningwere also held with day-longshowcases at the St Lucia and Gattoncampuses.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Acad-emic) Professor Margaret Gardnersaid learning communities werenetworks inside and outside formalclassrooms that allowed studentdiscussion via chatrooms, studygroups or other informal meetings.
“A huge amount of what you learnhappens outside the classroom,”Professor Gardner said.
“In a research intensive Univers-ity, a lot of the real excitement inteaching and learning comes fromthat engagement, not just what theteacher is talking about in first year,but the real research they are engagedin.”
Professor Gardner said theawards were designed to recognise,encourage and reward sustained ex-cellence in teaching, higher degreeresearch supervision and excellencein the learning environment.The winners were:
Awards for Excellence inTeaching ($10,000 each)– Dr Venero Armanno (senior lec-turer, School of English, MediaStudies and Art History)– Dr Kim Bryceson (senior lecturer,School of Natural and Rural SystemsManagement)– Dr Glen Coleman (lecturer,School of Veterinary Science)– Dr Julie Duck (senior lecturer,School of Psychology)– Dr Nickolas James (lecturer,School of Law).
Awards for the Enhancement ofStudent Learning ($20,000 each)– Michael Docherty, Dr MargotBrereton, Dr Ian MacColl, DrStephen Viller and MatthewSimpson, The Studio Scenario:experiential learning in theinformation environments program(School of Information Technologyand Electrical Engineering).
– Dr Paul Mills, Dr Peter Woodall,Dr Michael Noad, Dr PearlSymonds and Dr Liisa Ahlstrom,Group and peer learning in first-yearveterinary science (School ofVeterinary Science).
Awards for Excellence inResearch Higher DegreeSupervision ($10,000 each)– Professor Tian Oei (School ofPsychology)– Associate Professor GimmeWalter (School of Life Sciences).
Associate Professor MikeBennett (School of BiomedicalSciences) was awarded a Certificateof Meritorious Supervision forExcellence in Research HigherDegree Supervision.
Commendations for Excellence inTeaching were also awarded to DrPeter Sutton from the School ofInformation Technology and Elec-trical Engineering and Dr JudithSeaboyer, from the School ofEnglish, Media Studies and ArtHistory.
Winners must spend their moneybefore 2006 on items that enhanceteaching or learning, such as conferencecosts, books or teaching aids.
by Miguel Holland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The outstandingcontribution of staffto education wasrecognised at arecent UQ teachingawards ceremony.
The Teaching andLearning showase atthe St Lucia campus
9UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
Concrete cancer often blows outthe budgets of coastal renovators
but a new method of testing thelongevity of concrete coatings couldprovide them with advance warning.
UQ civil engineering PhD studentFarshid Homayouni has devised thetest that measures the resistance ofconcrete coatings against carbondioxide.
Concrete is often coated to shieldit from concrete cancer, which occurswhen carbon dioxide or wind-bornesalts penetrate its pores.
This eats away at the protectivelayer and corrodes the steelreinforcement inside, which causescracking of the concrete known asconcrete cancer.
It’s a problem that costs more than$200 million a year to fix, accordingto a 1997 report on concrete infra-structure along the Australian coast.
To prove his test, Mr Homayouniused more than 300 concrete samples,some of which he drilled out ofBrisbane buildings and bridges suchas the Story Bridge.
The samples were exposed to a yearof weathering before they were tested
A group of UQ students tookthe opportunity to gather dataat an overseas mining site thathas been used for more than500 years.
Eight students from the MineralsProcess Engineering program in theSchool of Engineering chose to mixwork and play by completing partof their plant design course inMexico.
During the 16-day trip, theyvisited four mine sites and process-ing plants, including Unidad Charcas,which has been used since the timeof the Aztecs.
As part of their visit, the studentsassessed the plant by collecting dataand making recommendations thatwere designed to improve eff ic-iency.
Julius Kruttschnitt MineralResearch Centre lecturer Suzy Starkhelped organise the trip.
Ms Stark said they made a numberof recommendations that wereadopted at Grupo Mexico’s UnidadCharcas plant.
“The plant had a problem withthe control of one of the feed pumpsin the grinding circuit,” Ms Starksaid.
“They implemented some controlsbased on our recommendations andthese proved successful.”
Ms Stark said other recommend-ations made by the students were alsobeing investigated to properly assesstheir benefits.
During their visit, the groupwere joined by four PhD studentsfrom the Instituto de Metalurgia inSan Luis Potosi, who helped them
Mexicanminingmission
overcome some of the culturalbarriers.
The students were also given thechance to immerse themselves inMexican culture.
“We had time to visit Teotihuacan,
Testing times forconcrete cancerA new test to grade concrete coatings should
provide homeowners with more protection.
site of the ancient pyramids outsideMexico City, Guanajuato, which wasthe birthplace of the MexicanRevolution and also Mexico Citywhere we tried our hand at bartering,”Ms Stark said.
in a gas diffusion test rig, whichshowed the degradation of the coating.
There are many different types ofconcrete coatings, such as water-based, polymers and acrylics, butthere are no industry standards.
“Standard testing methods do notprovide any dependable guidelines asto the expected life of coatings indifferent environments and as suchmaintenance routines cannot beoptimised,” Mr Homayouni said.
“Claims of superiority are almosta universal sales pitch.
“They are unsubstantiated, however,as there is no proper industry-widestandard that provides a reliable andconsistent testing method.”
Mr Homayouni, who is completinghis PhD under the supervision of DrHamid Ronagh from the School ofEngineering, said he wanted to test allconcrete coatings to find the best one.
He hopes to pitch the test rig forcommercial use by councils, engineers,homeowners and developers.
In the five years to 2001, the GoldCoast alone spent $80 million patch-ing up concrete cancer, according toa survey of concrete repairers.
Mr Homayouni
Minerals Process Engineering students at the Instituto de Metalurgia. PHOTO:courtesy Ms Stark
10 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
State of research smarter
Groundbreaking UQ research intoobesity reduction, computer
chip manufacture and the control ofcrop-damaging pests will be signif-icantly advanced through Smart StateFellowships awarded in November.
UQ researchers Dr Louise Hutleyfrom the School of Medicine, Dr IdrissBlakey from the Centre for MagneticResonance and Dr Horst Schirra fromthe Institute for Molecular Biosciencereceived the three-year fellowships,worth $120,000 per annum.
Queensland Minister for State
Development and Innovation, TonyMcGrady, presented the awards at aceremony held at the QueenslandUniversity of Technology.
The Queensland Governmentprovides $150,000 in funding for eachfellowship as part of its Smart Stateinitiative, which is matchedcollectively by research organisationsand industry co-sponsors.
UQ Vice-Chancellor ProfessorJohn Hay, AC, welcomed thefellowships and praised the StateGovernment for its support of fundinginitiatives resulting in Queenslandbecoming a hub of major scientificresearch and innovation.
“Premier Peter Beattie and hisgovernment have shown an ongoingcommitment to assisting researchers ininstitutions such as ours to prove thatthe Smart State is much more than justa slogan,” Professor Hay said.
Professor David Siddle, UQ’sDeputy Vice-Chancellor (Research),said the fellowships scheme was amanifestation of the government’scommitment to research anddevelopment, and to the developmentof a knowledge economy.
“UQ is delighted that three of its
innovative staff have been recognisedin this way and look forward to furthercollaboration with the government forthe benefit of Queensland,” he said.
• Dr Hutley is developing a drug toblock the growth of fat cells.
Obesity is a major contributor tomedical conditions including Type 2diabetes, cardiovascular disease,cancer and depression.
“Despite the fact that obesity is soprevalent in our society, we still don’treally know what makes fat tissuegrow,” Dr Hutley said.
Using human fat tissue, Dr Hutleyhas identified a growth factor crucialto the development of fat cells.
“These findings form the basis ofnovel therapies that will target andblock the development of new fatcells, thus limiting growth of fattissue,” Dr Hutley said.
• Dr Blakey is investigating whysome materials fail during the com-puter chip manufacturing process.
“I am hoping to design newmaterial and processes for what is amulti-billion dollar industry,” he said.
“The fellowship will provide extrafunding for my research program andwill enable me to further developnational and international collab-orations with industry and academia.”
• Dr Schirra is developing newforms of pest control by determininghow plant proteins block the digestiveenzymes of insect pests.
“The aim is to structurally charac-terise the interactions between thedigestive enzymes of insects withplant proteinase inhibitors,” he said.
“The outcomes include novelapproaches to protect economicallyimportant crops such as cotton frominsect pests, potentially savingmillions of dollars in chemicalpesticides and enhancing Australia’scrop production.”
Three academicshave been rewardedby the QueenslandGovernment withfellowships to helpdevelop theirinnovative research.
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UQ is delighted
that three of its
innovative staff have
been recognised
in this way ’’
From left: Dr Blakey, Dr Hutley,Professor Siddle and Dr Schirra
by Brad Turner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
Marine life will be put furtherunder the microscope in newteaching and laboratory spaceat UQ’s Moreton Bay ResearchStation.
A new teaching laboratory and fourspecialty laboratories, including onewith climate-controlled technology,were unveiled on November 28 at thestation’s annual Open Day and 55thbirthday celebrations.
About 1000 people toured therevamped $2.6 million station onNorth Stradbroke Island.
There were guided tours of thebuilding and foreshore, environmentaltalks and a host of marine displaysranging from starfish in touch tanksto glow-in-the-dark coral and rays,jellyfish and sharks.
Dr Kathy Townsend, who managesthe station with husband Kevin, saidthe shark and ray exhibit had been oneof the most popular displays.
“One of the amazing things thisyear was the fantastic support we gotfrom volunteers, the community andsponsors,” Dr Townsend said.
She said the new laboratories, builtwith a $350,000 grant from theDepartment of Education, Scienceand Training, would help attractmolecular biologists and allow formore research to be conducted intoall aspects of Moreton Bay.
The new teaching laboratory willallow two groups of students to betaught simultaneously.
The station, which was rebuilt in2000, also features teaching labor-atories, a lecture theatre, a UQ-linked
Stationopensdoors
computer room and library andaccommodation for more than 70people.
It replaced the previous researchstation that had been run by CSIROand UQ on North Stradbroke Islandsince 1949.
The site was originally chosen forthe availability of the buildings, therichness of local fauna and habitats,the relatively safe anchorage andisolation from human impact.
Mr Townsend said the Open Dayhad given members of the communityan opportunity to find out more aboutthe marine life that lived in the areaand had informed people about theresearch being conducted.
He said the four new specialtylaboratories would aid research staffand students.
“This means we will be attractingeven more cutting-edge researchteams into the Moreton Bay region,”Mr Townsend said.
During the Open Day welcomeaddress, Station Director Dr IanTibbetts said Mr and Mrs Townsendhad helped transform the station intoa vibrant research base.
Dr Tibbetts also thanked long-timesupporters, the Port of BrisbaneCorporation, Consolidated RutileLimited and the MinjerribahMoorgumpin Elders in Council.
Station volunteer Janani Mohanakrishman. PHOTOS: Sonia Sutcliffe
Professor Marshall (right) with technician Mark Sullivan
The submersible
Hugo the Healthy Waterways Turtleentertains visitors
A deep-sea jellyfish,Peraphilla
12 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
An international research missionis studying and recording deep-
sea creatures with the help of uniquecamera technology.
In August, Professor JustinMarshall from UQ’s Vision, Touchand Hearing Research Centretravelled to the Northern Gulf ofMexico, one of the most geologicallycomplex regions on the planet, as partof Operation Deep Scope.
The significance of the area is itsgeography, with this section of theworld containing massive underwaterlakes comprised of brine.
The lakes are home to some ofthe world’s most fascinatingunderwater creatures, of which littleis known.
The team used a camera known asthe Eye-In-The-Sea, which allowedthe researchers to study deep-seacreatures under extremely dim lightwithout disturbing them.
“The whole capability of beingable to go to the bottom of the oceanand put a camera there, a veryexpensive and high-tech camera,was significant,” Professor Marshallsaid.
“Things could not have beenrecorded and retrieved without the useof this camera.”
Submersibles can also be used fordeep-sea study but they are often
Trawling the ocean depthsA UQ academic has travelled to the bottom of the ocean on the other side of the world tofollow his passion for marine biology and explore an environment rarely seen by humans.
noisy and disturb the animals, whichmeans researchers are unable to studytheir normal behaviour.
“The problem with submersiblesis that they are very much like a speedboat on the surface,” ProfessorMarshall said.
“They actually aren’t going too fast,but for the deep-sea animals it wouldbe equivalent to that of a speed boat.
“The idea is to get some naturalbehaviour from the animals.”
The team gathered footage ofdeep-sea creatures including jellyfish,dragonfish and anglerfish.
The deep-sea jellyfish, Peraphilla,
which was caught at 700 metres belowthe surface, wards off predators byshooting packages from its body thatexplode in a firework-like display.
Much of Professor Marshall’sprevious research has focused on lightand colour and he has conducted agreat deal of research on the GreatBarrier Reef.
He said he hoped the research in theGulf of Mexico would contribute toconservation efforts.
The plight of the Gulf of Mexicocan be an important conservationlesson.
“I learned about the dead zone in
the Gulf of Mexico on my way overand the degradation as a result ofdumping waste and chemical run-off… and it has killed off vast areas,”Professor Marshall said.
“And we are doing it all overagain here.
“The oceans have been exploredbut there is much more to bediscovered.
“By learning about the wonders ofnature, by sharing this beauty withothers, and by using animal vision tobetter visualise and monitor ourplanet, I hope we can help preservewhat we have for the future.”
A deep-sea dragonfish,Chauliodus sloani
A deep-sea anglerfish,Phrynichthys wedli.PHOTOS: courtesyProfessor Marshall
13UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
by Elizabeth Kerr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The University has extendedits education to the rugby fieldwith the launch of a newacademy at UQ St Lucia.
The UQ Rugby Academy willprovide intensive player developmentand coach education programs fordomestic and international participants.
Former Wallaby Fullback andAcademy Ambassador Roger Gouldsaid it would deliver a pre-eminentpackage combining sports science,athlete analysis and rugby tuition.
“Course participants will haveaccess to world-class coaching andplaying expertise to enhance theirrugby development,” Mr Gould said.
“The active involvement of UQ’sSchool of Human Movement Studieswill provide cutting-edge athletetesting and analysis methods tocomplement on-field coaching.”
Former ACT Brumbies AcademyHead Coach Nick Leah will guide the
UQ Rugby Academy in his new roleas Director.
“Players and teams will receivetop training and coaching immersionwhile aspiring coaches will be givena high-level experience to further theirrugby education,” Mr Leah said.
He said the Academy’s St Luciabase provided an ideal setting.
“It offers f irst-class sportingfacilities and a world-renowned sportsscience department,” he said.
The UQ Rugby Academy waslaunched at The James and MaryEmelia Mayne Centre on November22 as a joint initiative of the UQ RugbyClub, UQ SPORT and the University.
The launch was attended by UQVice-Chancellor Professor John Hay,AC, Foundation Chair of the UQRugby Academy Eric Anning,Honorary Secretary of UQ SPORTFrank McLoughlin and Head of theSchool of Human Movement StudiesProfessor Doune Macdonald.
Tackling fieldwork atnew rugby academy
From left: Professor Macdonald, Professor Hay, Mr Anning and Mr McLoughlin
Origin ofcancerresearch
The loss of their daughter Mardito melanoma continues to drive
Don and Lyn Jackson’s efforts to raisefunds for research into the treatmentand cure of one of the most pre-ventable yet most common cancers.
In November, Mr and MrsJackson, who established the MardiJackson Foundation in theirdaughter’s memory, made a $49,000donation to the Princess AlexandraHospital.
The money will go to UQ’s Centrefor Immunology and Cancer Research(CICR), located at the hospital.
Funds were raised through avariety of events involving membersof the Former Origin Greats (FOGS).
Those FOGS present at theceremony included Allan Langer,
suspicious-looking mole on the then20-year-old’s neck led to a near life-threatening diagnosis.
Fortunately, rapid and radicalsurgery was successful and Mr Sankernow heads the business side of theCICR, working with the dermatologistwho initially diagnosed his melanoma.
Queensland has the world’s high-est rates of malignant melanoma,which is also the most commoninvasive cancer in Queensland.
The CICR’s Dr Gabrielli isidentifying genes that make peoplemore susceptible to melanoma.
Dr Gabrielli said in terms ofresults the CICR ranked among theexcellent research nodes in theworld.
“While there are no guarantees inmedical research, if you invest in thiscampus you have a good chance asany of success,” he said.
Cancer research has
been given a kick along
thanks to a donation
raised with the help of
former State of Origin
rugby league stars. Patient RickSutton with
Mr Langerand Mr Allen
Trevor Gillmeister, Gene Miles andGavin Allen.
CICR Business Manager AntonSanker, himself a survivor ofmelanoma, said the donation wouldbe used to buy laboratory equipmentand fund research.
“The Mardi Jackson Foundation’sgrants to the Princess AlexandraHospital Foundation now exceed$112,000,” he said.
“These generous donations havegone to assist funding the vitalresearch work of Senior ResearchFellow Dr Brian Gabrielli and theUniversity’s Centre for Immunologyand Cancer Research.”
A chance early warning from MrSanker’s late grandfather about a
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The Mardi Jackson
Foundation’s grants to
the Princess Alexandra
Hospital Foundation
now exceed
$112,000 ’’
14 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
Never one to do things quietly,University Librarian Janine
Schmidt will no doubt exit with aflourish when she leaves UQ at theend of January 2005.
Hundreds of staff are expected toattend a farewell to say goodbye toUQ’s Librarian of 11 years, but thegroup which has most benefited fromher work will probably be under-represented: UQ students.
Because of the size of UQ, fewstudents would have come to knowMrs Schmidt personally, but herinfluence on students at UQ has beenconsiderable.
Mrs Schmidt will take up theposition as Trenholme Director ofLibraries at McGill University,Montreal, Canada in February 2005.Her move overseas comes after adistinguished career as a librarian atUQ, the State Library of New SouthWales, and earlier in her working life,as a senior lecturer in informationstudies.
She has reshaped the UQ Libraryso that it is now recognised as one ofthe best in Australia, providing userswith outstanding collections, anintegrated website and IT systemswhich validate the Library’s name,“UQ Cybrary”.
UQ Vice-Chancellor ProfessorJohn Hay, AC, said Mrs Schmidt’sdeparture was a great loss to theUniversity.
“Janine is, quite simply, the mostoutstanding university librarian that Ihave met or worked with. And she is
also the only cybrarian,” saidProfessor Hay.
“She has provided great service tostudents, academic and general staff,alumni and the wider community.Janine has always concentrated onproviding the best possible facilities,materials and services to library users.”
He said Mrs Schmidt had showntremendous energy and passion indeveloping key collections, and inrepresenting the Library on numerousdecision-making bodies, such as theUniversity’s Academic Board, and arange of domestic and internationalforums.
“Her commitment to the widercommunity has been demonstrated ina range of projects she initiated,including the UQ Library Cyber-school, which provides extensivedatabase access to Queensland highschools,” Professor Hay said.
Senior Deputy Vice-ChancellorProfessor Paul Greenf ield saidstudents, staff and especially researchstaff, owed Mrs Schmidt a great deal.
“She has driven a customer andstudent-oriented focus in the Library,which permeates right across theorganisation.
“There are many other individualsat UQ who demonstrate this customerfocus, but Janine has been particularlysuccessful in ensuring this approachin an organisational sense,” he said.
“During the recent external reviewof the Library, submission aftersubmission attested to the quality andhelpfulness of Library staff. That
Janine and her senior staff havefostered such a culture is a greatachievement.”
Mrs Schmidt said that theCyberschool initiative, like manyother successful projects, had startedin a small way.
“Our whole approach has been totrial things. You start with little things.
“UQL Cyberschool started as athree-month trial – we now have 170schools participating with access to28 databases from the Cyberschoolwebsite,” she said.
Mrs Schmidt said the Library hadalso made great strides in onlineservice delivery.
“We started with three PCs. Weused to buy five at a time, now webuy hundreds,” she said. “Sometimespeople say all these changes havebeen fast and I say its taken 30 years.Libraries were early adopters of IT.But it all started in a small way.”
Mrs Schmidt, a graduate of UQ, saidshe would especially miss her Librarystaff and, of course, the students.
“I will miss the people in theLibrary. We do have outstanding staff:committed, capable people. Theydeliver on everything.
“I think it’s important to encouragea bit of risk-taking. You have to createan atmosphere that encourages peopleto try new things, even if it sometimesgoes awry. We have tired to encouragepeople to do things.”
Mrs Schmidt said she jokinglyreferred to current students asbelonging to the “coffee and
fingernail” generation – they buyespresso coffee on a daily basis, havetheir nails professionally manicuredand come across as ultra-savvy.
“We have to keep caring and givestudents the reassurance that theUniversity does care. Despite theiroutward sophistication, university isstill a life-remodeling experience forstudents.
“I see students every day and oneis constantly aware of their needs. TheLibrary is very close to the studentexperience and I’ve tried never toforget that.”
Mrs Schmidt said that she andhusband Barry were looking forwardto the move to Montreal buteventually would retire to Australiawhere both her adult daughters live.
“I have been here 11 years and Ithink it’s important to let someoneelse have a go and perhaps it will takea different sort of style in the future.”
She said university librarymanagement was about recognisingthe need for change.
“It’s about ensuring that we havethe people and the collections in placethat support ongoing research, andteaching and learning. You don’t growa library collection overnight,” shesaid.
“Nothing would have beenpossible without a committed team.It’s not like we sell coffee, we sellknowledge. We are committed to addto people’s life experiences – andthat’s what I will remember mostabout my time at UQ.”
Janine Schmidt hastransformed the UQLibrary into a nationalleader during her 11years in charge. Sheleaves the Universitywith few regrets andmany achievements.
Janine’schaptercloses
Mrs Schmidt
by Colleen Clur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
A special Remembrance Dayservice was held at UQ Gatton
on November 11, 60 years after thedeparture from the campus of the firstUS Army Hospital established inAustralia.
Current and past servicemen fromboth countries – including members ofthe RAAF, Army Reserve, RSL, Legacyand American Legion – joined currentand former UQ staff and students,school children, American expatriatesand members of the public to rememberthose who lost their lives in war.
The gathering also recognised oneof the most significant periods in theregion’s history, two years during WorldWar II when UQ Gatton was home tonearly 20,000 convalescing US soldiersand medical staff.
Executive Dean of the Faculty ofNatural Resources, Agriculture andVeterinary Science Professor RogerSwift said the occasion would beremembered in perpetuity with theplanting of a descendent of theoriginal Lone Pine tree near theFoundation Building, which served asthe hospital’s headquarters.
“On March 15, 1942, the US
Army requisitioned the GattonCampus and established the 153rdStation Hospital, the first operationalUnited States Army Hospital inAustralia,” Professor Swift said.
“When this unit departed for PortMoresby on July 10, 1942, the facilitywas transferred to the US Army 105thGeneral Hospital, which operateduntil July 1944 as the primary hospitalin the South West Pacif ic duringGeneral Macarthur’s campaign.”
The two years when the US Armywas located at UQ Gatton is a signif-icant period in the history of the campusand equally significant for HarvardUniversity, from which the 105th drewalmost its entire medical staff.
“UQ is very proud of the historicallinks we share with the US andHarvard University and the importantrole the Gatton campus played,”Professor Swift said.
“The contribution made by bothhospitals’ medical staff to the wareffort and the medical professionduring the US Army’s time at Gattonwas immense.
“As well as treating nearly 19,000patients, the hospitals provided
US hospitalremembered
medical staff to support the military’sforward deployments and developedparticular expertise in the treatmentof injuries and illness in the tropics.
“The Americans also made anenormous contribution to the localcommunity during those wartimeyears and to the development of theGatton campus, installing the sewage
system, landscaping, roads and otherinfrastructure still used today.
“As we paused to remember thesacrifice of those who served and diedin war, we also remembered thosecasualties who recuperated or died atthe Gatton Campus and thosededicated medical staff and others whotreated, supported and cared for them.”
A moving ceremony has marked a significantperiod in the history of the Gatton campus.
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On March 15,
1942, the US Army
requisitioned the
Gatton Campus’
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17UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Margaret Gardner planting the LonePine tree with (from left) John O’Neill from the American Legion, Group CaptainDave Emonson and Professor Swift
Past servicemenAllan Jones (left)and Rip Kirby
18 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
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The University has extended itslinks with Asia by hosting the
Vice-Presidents of two Chineseuniversities.
Vice-President of ShanghaiUniversity Professor Ye Zhiming andVice-President of ChongqingUniversity Professor Zhang Sipingvisited UQ from November 6 to 12,as part of the Australian Vice-
Chancellors’ Committee (AVCC)Chinese University Administrators’Shadowing (CHUAS) Program.
During the visit, the Vice-Presidents met with senior Universitystaff including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International andDevelopment) Professor TrevorGrigg, Academic Director ofInternational Programs Professor Ray
Volker and Director of the University’sInternational Education DirectorateAndrew Everett.
Professor Grigg said the visit hadensured the establishment of firmfriendships and cross-institutionallinks.
“The program allowed bothparties to spend time studying first-hand the higher-level administration
and research leadership of theirrespective universities,” ProfessorGrigg said.
The CHUAS program is a com-ponent of the education and trainingdevelopment initiatives establishedunder a formal agreement between theAVCC and the Chinese EducationAssociation for InternationalExchange.
ShadowingprogramextendsAsian linksUQ has established firm
friendships with two
Chinese universities for
the benefit all three
institutions.From left: Professor Zhang, Professor Grigg, Mr Everett, Professor Ye and Professor Volker
19UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
UQ has boosted its collection ofChinese antiquities with 20 newpieces donated by Hong Kongmedical specialist and UQ graduateDr Nat Yuen.
Dr Yuen, who studied medicine withUQ Chancellor Sir Llew Edwards, AC,has been donating Chinese relics to theUniversity since 1994.
His latest donation includesvaluable blue and white porcelainfrom the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing(1644-1911) dynasties and twoscrolls of contemporary Chinesecalligraphy.
In total, there are 86 pieces in theNat Yuen Collection made up ofancient pottery, f ine ceramics,f igurines, bronze tripods, swordblades and daggers.
The collection, which spans mostperiods of the 5000 years of Chineseculture, has an estimated value ofmore than $1.5 million.
UQ owns 65 of the pieces and 21are on loan. One of the oldest is a4500-year-old jar from the Neolitihicperiod.
Dr Yuen has been a keen collectorof Chinese antiquities since the 1960swhen he inherited several pieces ofporcelain and paintings from his father.
He said he was fascinated by thecolour of the antiquities and how theywere made in that time.
“Even now, today, it may bedifficult to reproduce some of them,”Dr Yuen said.
The Nat Yuen Collection is ondisplay at the University ArtMuseum at The James and MaryEmelia Mayne Centre at UQ StLucia.
Ageless time capsule growsTwenty pieces havebeen added to acollection of Chineseantiquities spanning5000 years.
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Director of The University ArtMuseum Ross Searle and Dr
Yuen with some of therecently donated pieces
The UQ-based CooperativeResearch Centre (CRC) forTropical Plant Protection hasunveiled a test that uses DNAtechnology to dramatically cutdetection time for thedevastating plant pathogenPhytophthora.
The new test, called the Phytoph-thora – IDENTIKIT, uses DNAtechnology to detect Phytophthora insoil, plant and water samples.
In some cases, the test can detect thedisease in a matter of hours, comparedto a week using traditional methods.
The efficiency afforded by the testgives growers a head-start onmanaging the disease and preventingits further spread.
Phytophthora is a common fungaldisease of plants and soil that, whilelittle known to most home gardeners,was recently ranked as the mostimportant threat to Australia’sornamental nursery industry.
It is thought to cost the nurseryindustry about 10 percent in losseseach year and more than $200 million
in losses across all of Australia’sagricultural industries annually.
A recent study by New SouthWales Agriculture revealed 38 percentof nurseries were infected withPhytophthora.
“Phytophthora is soil and water-borne, so it is easily spread bymovements of humans, animals andwater and, of course, the plantsthemselves,” Dr Andre Drenth fromthe CRC said.
“This is why it’s so important forthe disease to be identified rightthrough the nursery industry supplychain because an infected plant froma wholesaler is going to be an infectedplant for a retailer and eventually adead plant for a fruit farmer orbackyard gardener.”
Phytophthora – IDENTIKIT waslaunched in October by the Minister forPrimary Industries and Fisheries HenryPalaszczuk at an event attended by thePresident of the Nursery and GardenIndustry Queensland Mirella Jakimoffand Chief Eexecutive Officer of theCRC for Tropical Plant ProtectionProfessor John Irwin.
The seeds of successSoftware prizeA UQ School of Information
Technology and Electrical
Engineering student has won
the Institute Prize in a
prestigious, international
software design competition.
The FEKO Student
Competition is run each year by
South-African-based software
company FEKO.
The second-year PhD
student Bing Keong (Joe) Li,
was awarded the prize for his
use of FEKO software to
analyse phased-array coils,
equipment used in advanced
Magnetic Resonance Imagers.
Humanities presidentProfessor Graeme Turner,
Director of the Centre for
Critical and Cultural Studies at
UQ, has been elected President
of the Australian Academy of
the Humanities.
It is the first time an
Academy Fellow from the cultural
and communications studies
field has been recognised in this
way.
“As a field of study, cultural
studies understands and
respects tradition while exploring
new forms of knowledge,” he
said.
Professor Turner’s research
interests are largely in Australian
media and popular culture.
Banking on plantsUQ scientists have received a
million-dollar grant to set up the
State’s first-ever seed bank for
arid zone native plants.
Called Seeds for Life UQ, the
program is part of the Millennium
Seed Bank Project initiated by
the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
in the UK, which aims to collect
the seeds of 24,000 native plant
Philosophy rankingThe graduate program in phil-
osophy at UQ has been ranked
in the top five in Australasia by
an international guide to
philosophy graduate programs.
The Philosophical Gourmet
Report is based on a
reputational survey of the
current academic philosophy
staff at each institution.
The report places UQ as
one of the major philosophical
players on the international
stage with the University listed
as one of the best places in the
world to study the philosophy
of biology.
Outstanding youthEarlier this year, PhD student Wai
Yie Leong participated in the
Fifth China Synergy Programme
for Outstanding Youth (CSP5).
The program allows
exceptional young Chinese
students studying at university
to explore their cultural roots.
“I was able to visit top
universities and enterprises in
Hong Kong and China and meet
with other outstanding students
to discuss the technology
economy and share ideas,” she
said.
The 228 CSP5 delegates,
including nine from Australia,
were selected from 1200
applications from 180
universities.
species worldwide over the next
six years.
Project leader, Associate
Professor Stephen Adkins from
the School of Land and Food
Sciences, said the seeds would
allow the conservation of plant
species, while research would
yield information to help rehab-
ilitate degraded landscapes.
From left: Mr Palaszczuk, Ms Jakimoff and Professor Irwin at the launch ofPhytophthora – IDENTIKIT
in briefB
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20 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
Before reality television,trashy magazines, computergames or Quentin Tarantinomovies, many Australians inthe 1940s and 1950sreceived their popularculture fix from a differenttype of pulp fiction.
Pulp f iction books wereoriginal fictions that blended thegraphics of comics with the layoutof magazines.
They had bold sexy covers, werecheap and took a few hours to read.
It is a genre that has largely beenignored by academics until now.
UQ contemporary studieslecturer Dr Toni Johnson-Woodshas written a 140-page book onAustralian pulp fiction entitled,Pulp: A Collector’s Book ofAustralian Pulp Fiction.
Pulp reveals the stories behindits authors, artists, and publishersand includes 80 colour-plates ofThey Paid in Blood, CelluloidSuicide and Texan Tornado.
Dr Johnson-Woods spent twoyears researching the book at theNational Library of Australia, alsothe publisher.
She said pulp f iction wasappealing because of its sensationalbut undeserved reputation.
“It was one of the richestperiods in Australian publishinghistory,” Dr Johnson-Woods said.
“Each month, thousands ofcopies of dozens of titles wereprinted.
“They were the armchairentertainment of pre-TV days.And all for sixpence.
“Preachers, politicians andteachers warned parents about thedangers lurking between thecovers.”
Pulp fiction star author CarterBrown, who sold 80 millioncopies of his 297 books, remainsAustralia’s most popular butpossibly least-known author.
The book was launched byAustralian crime fiction authorPeter Corris at the UQ IpswichLibrary in November.
Quantum Squeezing, a newbook by two UQ researcherspresents the first compreh-ensive overview of this hottopic in quantum physics.
Edited by Professor PeterDrummond and Dr Zbyszek Ficekfrom the Centre of Excellence forQuantum-Atom Optics, QuantumSqueezing explains the latestdevelopments in this f ield,emphasising the enormous progressmade over the past two decades incontrolling quantum fluctuations, theorigin of all quantum mysteries andparadoxes.
The relatively new area ofsqueezing in quantum f ieldsencompasses all types of systems inwhich quantum fluctuations arereduced below those in the normalvacuum state. This technique can beused in technologies that have very
precise measurements such assatellite navigation systems.
“The secret of these developmentsis good old horse-trading,” ProfessorDrummond said.
“Quantum mechanics allowsprecise measurement of one quantity,provided the fluctuations increase inanother.”
Quantum Squeezing was launchedat UQ in November.
The book covers the f ield ofquantum squeezing from the early ideasto the most recent developments, fromgenerating squeezing to applying it.
It provides a unique contributionto the field by the foremost inter-national experts responsible for someof the chief developments in quantumsqueezing.
“All physical measurements aresubject to fluctuations,” ProfessorDrummond said.
“Even if the known sources ofnoise are eliminated, as in a perfectvacuum for example, there arefluctuations according to quantumtheory.
“These are called quantum fluc-tuations and impose a fundamentallimit on any scientif ic measure-ments.
“Over the past two decades,theoretical studies, followed closelyby experimental measurements, haveshown how quantum fluctuations canbe reduced and even completelysuppressed.
“This has become a new subject,known as quantum squeezing.”
Both theory and experiments arecovered in the book, together withapplications to communications andmeasurement.
Dr Johnson-Woods
From left: Mr O’Neill, Professor Hay, Mr Arnold and Ms Kilner
Dr Ficek and Professor Drummond
in print
Director General of the NationalLibrary of Australia Jan Fullerton haspresided over the launch of a bookrecording the details of all separatelypublished creative literature byAustralians over the past two centuries.
The 800-page The Bibliography ofAustralian Literature: F-J, edited by UQVice-Chancellor Professor John Hay,AC, and former Head of the NationalCentre for Australian Studies at MonashUniversity, John Arnold, was launchedat the Fryer Library in November.
The Bibliography of AustralianLiterature: F-J is an outcome ofAustLit, a Web-based collaboration
The Bibliography of AustralianLiterature: F-J. Edited byProfessor John Hay and JohnArnold
Quantum Squeezing. Edited byProfessor Peter Drummondand Dr Zbyszek Ficek
Pulp: A collector’s book ofAustralian pulp fiction. DrToni Johnson-Woods
between eight universities and theNational Library, developing a widevariety of resources for the study andteaching of Australian literature.
AustLit Executive Manager KerryKilner from the School of English,Media Studies and Art History andformer Assistant Registrar at the Uni-versity of Melbourne, Terence O’Neill,are associate editors of the book.
The volume continues a longtradition of bibliographical scholar-ship in Australia and is regarded asan essential reference work for thereading, study and collection ofAustralian literature.
Australianliteratureon record
21UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
XML Workshop: January 14, Level2, Leighton House, 143 Coronat-ion Drive, Milton, Brisbane
This will be the first time such a largegroup of XML experts have gatheredin Australia and a rare opportunity forIT professionals to hear the latestfrom industry leaders. Speakersinclude Paul Cotton, who joinedMicrosoft in 2000, and is currentlyProgram Manager of XML Standards.
Information: 07 3365 4310, [email protected]
TO RENT/HOUSE SITVisiting librarian needs furnishedaccommodation from Jan to July.Pam: 07 3365 3247 [email protected]
West End: 2bd Queenslandercottage, 5 mins to ferry, garden torear, parking, available January(or earlier by arrangement), $250/wk. Larry: [email protected]
Indooroopilly: 3bd unit, 2bth,office, small secure block. Aircon,d/washer, balcony, pool, closetransport, on river. Available now,$400/wk. Melissa: 0438 240 973or [email protected]
Indooroopilly: 3bd hse, quietstreet study, fireplace, veranda,garden, lock-up garage. Optionaltake-over of furniture. Cls. UQ,shopping centre, $300/wk.Simone: [email protected]
Kelvin Grove: 3bd hse, can comefurnished, avail. Aug. 2005. Clstransport, universities, schools,hospitals. Home exchange inVancouver, Canada available.Haida: [email protected] [email protected]
Point Lookout, North StradbrokeIsland: 3bd hse (1 Queen/4single); incl stereo, CD player, TV,BBQ, dishwasher, w/machine,dryer; no pets. Malcolm: 07 33655764 or [email protected]
WANTED TO RENT/HOUSE SIT
Family of academic needsaccommodation for 1 week inearly Jan. Harshini: 07 3878 5203or [email protected]
Visiting academic needs 3bd hseJan-June, prefer St Lucia,Indooroopilly, will considernearby suburbs, local referencesavail, interviews possible. Roger:07 3346 9005 [email protected]
Academic needs 3bd + hse withair con, access to pool, nearIronside School, public transport,from Jan for 6 months. Coral: 073362 0275 or [email protected] Naomi: [email protected]
FOR SALESpacious 4 bd, 2bth, 2 lounge hse,large workshop, room for grannyflat, on quiet Anstead acreage, 20mins from St Lucia, 40 mins fromGatton. Sue: 07 3365 2110 [email protected]
Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD LWB1993, good condition, ONO,$10,000. Simone:[email protected]
Queensland Freemasons Schol-arships 2005: for at least fourth-year, full time undergraduatestudents who are Freemasons orchildren of Freemasons of fiveyears good standing. Worth: $1000 each. Closing: March 2.Information: 07 3365 1984.
Clem Jones Sporting Scholar-ships 2005: for academically ablestudents who can demonstratepotential to perform at a highlevel in their chosen sports.Worth: $5000. Closing: March 4.Information: 07 3365 1984.
UQ’s Campus Kindergarten issaying goodbye to one of itslongest serving staff members.
Beverley Spiers will retire thismonth after 16 years of dedicatedservice.
Ms Spiers joined the CampusKindergarten team in 1988 and hastaught about 500 children, a numberof whom have gone on to become UQstudents.
The kindergarten is part of the UQcommunity and has provided care andeducation for children of staff,students and the wider communitysince 1971.
Campus Kindergarten DirectorMegan Gibson said it was the senseof community within the Universityand the kindergarten that suited MsSpiers so well.
Ms Gibson said Ms Spiers’ warmand relaxed nature was evident from themoment you met her. She was knownfor her ready smile.
She said Ms Spiers would bemissed.
“Over the past 16 years,Beverley has forged long-lasting
and treasured relationships withmany families and staff within thekindergar ten and UQ comm-unities,” Ms Gibson said.
“Children’s eyes light up whenthey hear about Beverley.”
Ms Spiers said getting to knowparents and families was as much ahighlight of her job as spending timewith the children.
But it was the appreciation of the
children and the gratif ication ofgaining their trust that had reallymade the job special.
“You see children that come at thebeginning of semester and they are alittle shy,” she said.
“Then, by the end of the semesterand term, they gain confidence withtheir peers.
“It’s nice to see them grow anddevelop.”
Kindy kids say fond farewells CLASSIFIEDS
* Classifieds are free, but areavailable only to staff, studentsand visiting academics.
conference call
PRIZES
Ms Spiers (right) with former Campus Kindergarten pupil and current UQ student Tom Longworthand his niece Imogen Doerfer
Professor John Quiggin hastopped an Australian Hall ofFame for economists.
The UQ academic from theSchool of Economics and School ofPolitical Science outranked nine stareconomists for quantity and qualityof journal publications in the latestedition of the Economics Bulletin.
Two Macquarie Universityresearchers sifted through 375journals between 1988 and 2000 torate 600 economists.
They used eight differentmeasures of research output usingrankings based on the numbers ofcitations and journal reputations.
Professor Quiggin was in the topthree on all eight measures.
Earlier this year, he won theAustralian Citation Laureate foreconomics, which recognisesprolific researchers as measuredby US publishers Thomson-ISI,which tallies an author’s publishedand quoted works.
In 2003, Professor Quiggin’sMurray-Darling project won aFederation Fellowship from theAustralian Research Council – aprogram designed to keep topresearchers in Australia.
He is continuing this workapplying economics of uncertaintyto the sustainable management ofthe Murray-Darling Basin.
Other UQ economists whoranked highly in the EconomicsBulletin were Professor ClemTisdell, Associate ProfessorAnthony Makin, Dr NeilKarunaratne and Dr Phil Bodman.
Professor Quiggin said he hadan advantage because he had a full-time research position.
Asked what drove him to be sucha prolific contributor, ProfessorQuiggin said: “This is just what I likedoing.”
Economistadds upto No.1
Professor Quiggin
22 UQ NE WS, DECember 2004
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