Issue 581 (March 2009) - Office of Marketing and Communications

More documents

Recommendations

Info

UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 10IN BRIEFTEACHING WINUQ Business School’s JulieWalker beat 2500 lecturersacross Australia to take out theUniJobs 2008 Lecturer of the Yearaward last month.The Associate Professor, whohas taught company accounting atThe University of Queensland for 20years, said she was surprised anddelighted by the win.Deputy Vice-Chancellor(Academic) Professor Debbie Terryopened the event with a shortspeech congratulating Dr Walkerand acknowledging her contributionto the lives of UQ students andgraduates.UniJobs Executive DirectorJarrod Kanizay said more than60,000 votes were cast nationwide.THAI HOSPITALITYUQ’s School of Tourism has playeda pivotal role in brokering thedevelopment of the Thai-AustralianTourism and Hospitality Centre.The establishment of the centrelast year has been essential tocapacity building of the vocationalhospitality and tourism workforcein Thailand – an area the Thaigovernment has identified as criticalto the country’s economic growth.A delegation of 20 Thairepresentatives travelled to Australiain August where they participatedin an intensive two-week executiveeducation training and developmentprogram hosted by the School ofTourism.WatercentresecuredUQ researchers will participate ina new $60 million National Centrefor Groundwater Research andTraining announced by the RuddGovernment.Minister for Climate Change and Water,Senator Penny Wong, and Minister for Innovationand Research, Senator Kim Carr, said thenew centre, led by Flinders University, was animportant investment in helping secure Australia’sfuture water supplies.The UQ component of the research will be ledby Chair in Hydrology, Professor David Lockington,whose team will focus on the groundwaterdynamics and biogeochemistry of key coastalenvironments from local to regional scales.Other key UQ investigators will be ProfessorLing Li, Associate Professor Catherine Lovelock,and Associate Professor Massimo Gasparon.“Australia’s extensive coastline has anincredibly diverse range of terrestrial andshallow water conditions and habitats, whichare home to complex and sensitive ecosystemsof rich biodiversity, and are subject to majordevelopment pressure as well as climate changeimpacts,” Professor Lockington said.The $60 million centre has $30 million jointfunding from the Australian Research Council andthe National Water Commission, with $30 million inadditional contributions from the 20 organisationsinvolved. Partners include the University ofNew South Wales, the Australian NationalUniversity, CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, and thegovernments of NSW and South Australia.UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)Professor David Siddle welcomed the AustralianGovernment’s recognition of the importance ofgroundwater research, and said UQ’s inclusionreflected on its high quality research into thecoastal and marine interface.STOCK.XCHNGMARSUPIAL RESEARCHA UQ PhD student has beenawarded a Community Coastcaregrant to research squirrel gliders andthe effects of “island syndrome”.Sarah Bell from the School ofBiomedical Sciences will studythe marsupial on island locationswhich have fewer predators, butalso display lower levels of geneticdiversity and adaptation.The study will be the first toprovide information on populationsof the animal in this context, andmay be applied to other speciesto reduce any further loss inbiodiversity within Australia.
UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 11THE UNIVERSITY GAVE A SPECIAL WELCOME TO THOUSANDS OFSTUDENTS DURING ORIENTATION WEEK ACTIVITIES LAST MONTH.Purple and green coloured donuts, UQfrisbees flying their way around campusand the chatter of new friendshipssummed up Orientation Week 2009.From St Lucia to Ipswich and Gatton, theweek again proved an important part of theacademic calendar with thousands of studentsattending.Student Centre Manager (OrientationCoordinator) Kenneth Aberdeen said MarketDay was one of the highlights of OWeek 2009,LYLE RADFORDespecially the Physics Student Society “walkingon water” demonstration.“The sporting and social clubs proved to befavourites again this year and there were lots of‘freebies’ for students as well as fun activities,”Mr Aberdeen said.“From the University’s perspective, thesuccess of OWeek is best judged by how wellstudents transition to University life and accessthe information and services we are trying tohighlight.”These include workshops on study skills,understanding the academic timetable,discovering the UQ Library, computer help andtraining, faculty welcomes and course advisingsessions.The week culminated in the Big 0 on tourat UQ, with acts including The Music, TheFratellis, Ben Lee, Bluejuice, Yves Klein Blueand Cassette Kids, held at The University ofQueensland Amphitheatre, St Lucia.Mr Aberdeen said Orientation Week gavestudents a chance to be informed about whatsupport was available to them before the hecticacademic year started.“Building social and study networks is alsoa very important focus of orientation and manyfaculties have devoted considerable effort tothat outcome again this year,” he said.“Universities worldwide are putting a greatdeal of effort into their orientation and transitionprograms. This period can be a key differentiatorin students’ success and it is great to seestudents having fun in the process.”– ELIZA PLANTThousands of UQ students took part in this year’s OrientationWeek festivities at St Lucia (main picture and top), Ipswich (left)and Gatton (above)PHOTOS JEREMY PATTEN
Page 1: NEWSNEW HONOUR FORGOVERNOR-GENERALS
Page 4 and 5: UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 4SHORTCUTSPO
Page 6 and 7: UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 6$22 MILLION
Page 8 and 9: AUSSIE COLOURSJEREMY PATTENUQNEWS,
Page 12 and 13: UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 12Reefrenewa
Page 14 and 15: UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 14US ENDORSE
Page 16 and 17: UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 16All smiles
Page 18 and 19: UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 18STOCK.XCHN
Page 20 and 21: INPRINTBook offers aGOODLAUGHHumour
Page 22: UQNEWS, MARCH 2009 ➔ 22SPORTFitne

Issue 581 (March 2009) - Office of Marketing and Communications

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?