UQNEWS, FEBRUARY 2009 ➔ 10IN BRIEFRURAL SCOOPA UQ journalism studenthas won a $10,000 scholarshipfor her reporting <strong>of</strong> rural news.Brooke Hargraves, who is in herthird year <strong>of</strong> a Bachelor <strong>of</strong> Journalism,won the inaugural J.B. Fairfax Awardfor Rural Journalism for a story onsustainable farming techniques.“As a journalism student whocomes from a small town in ruralQueensl<strong>and</strong>, just to meet guys likeJohn Fairfax <strong>and</strong> Vernan Graham fromRural Press <strong>and</strong> have had them readmy work is incredible,” Ms Hargravessaid.Ms Hargraves won the prize witha story about the ability <strong>of</strong> farmers tostore carbon emissions in soil <strong>and</strong> willuse the money to help cover studycosts, fees <strong>and</strong> living expenses.A LITERARY HISTORYAcclaimed author David Malouf hasrecalled his time as a student at TheUniversity <strong>of</strong> Queensl<strong>and</strong> to celebrate80 years <strong>of</strong> the Fryer Library <strong>and</strong>to launch the final volume <strong>of</strong> TheBibliography <strong>of</strong> Australian Literature.In a memorable speech atCustoms House on November 12,Dr Malouf paid tribute to the FryerLibrary, which holds one <strong>of</strong> thenation's most important collections <strong>of</strong>Australian literature <strong>and</strong> was crucialfor the creation <strong>of</strong> the four-volumebibliography, which records 40,000works <strong>and</strong> 12,000 authors.WATERPROOF WIRELESSIn a world-first, UQconnect, UQ's ownnot-for-pr<strong>of</strong>it Internet Service Provider,is bringing wireless Internet to theBrisbane City Council's CityCats.All CityCat passengers withwireless-enabled laptops will be ableto access the Brisbane City Council<strong>and</strong> Translink websites for free.UQ Information TechnologyServices director Nick Tate saidthe new service was great news forCityCat passengers.“UQconnect is pleased to beable to <strong>of</strong>fer this world-first service tostudents, staff <strong>and</strong> other passengers,”he said.“A wireless network on the CityCatmeans passengers can truly beconnected everywhere.”STEWART GOULDSTOCK.XCHNGTradition maintained$2.3 MILLION FORLANGUAGE LEARNINGAn Australian-first alliance betweenQueensl<strong>and</strong>’s three largest universitieswill exp<strong>and</strong> higher learning in a range <strong>of</strong>Asian <strong>and</strong> European languages.With $2.27 million in Australian Governmentfunding, UQ, Griffith University <strong>and</strong> Queensl<strong>and</strong>University <strong>of</strong> Technology (QUT) will pool teaching<strong>of</strong> at least nine languages so that their studentsmay learn them as part <strong>of</strong> formal studies.Students at all three institutions – whichtogether have about 110,000 enrolments – willbe able to major in Chinese, French, German,Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian<strong>and</strong> Spanish. None <strong>of</strong> the universities currently<strong>of</strong>fers this range <strong>of</strong> languages.Success is in 2009 Queensl<strong>and</strong> RhodesScholar Caitlin Goss’s genes.The UQ graduate was announced the winner<strong>of</strong> the prestigious scholarship to Oxford Universityat Queensl<strong>and</strong> Government House in November,edging out a field <strong>of</strong> highly-qualified c<strong>and</strong>idatesfrom across the state.While Ms Goss is the daughter <strong>of</strong> formerQueensl<strong>and</strong> Premier Wayne Goss <strong>and</strong> UQPhD c<strong>and</strong>idate Roisin Goss, sister <strong>of</strong> 2007Queensl<strong>and</strong> Rhodes Scholar Ryan Goss<strong>and</strong> gr<strong>and</strong>daughter <strong>of</strong> 1927 scholar KonradHirschfeld, it is her strong academic achievement<strong>and</strong> personal qualities that made her st<strong>and</strong> outfrom the other 21 applicants.Ms Goss graduated from UQ with a Bachelor<strong>of</strong> Arts (first-class honours)/ Bachelor <strong>of</strong> Laws,<strong>and</strong> was awarded a University Medal in 2006.In September she will travel to OxfordUniversity to study a Bachelor <strong>of</strong> Civil Laws,allowing her to exp<strong>and</strong> her knowledge <strong>of</strong> postconflictlaw reform.Ms Goss hoped her studies would allow herto help set up new legal systems in countriesrecovering from war.“I’m interested in law reform in general <strong>and</strong>in the immediate term see myself practicing thisoverseas in post-conflict situations,” she said.“In the longer term I’d love to come back toAustralia <strong>and</strong> apply what I’ve learned.”Ms Goss is UQ’s eighth Queensl<strong>and</strong> RhodesScholar in a row.The system will begin to roll out thisyear following the government’s fundingannouncement in December.The alliance is the first <strong>of</strong> its kind involvingmultiple languages <strong>and</strong> three Australianuniversities. It arises from a determination by thethree Vice-Chancellors that major world languagesmust continue to be <strong>of</strong>fered at university level inBrisbane, despite difficulties with enrolments.“If we applied accounting principles alonesome <strong>of</strong> these languages would disappearfrom university curricula,” UQ Vice-ChancellorPr<strong>of</strong>essor Paul Greenfield said.“However the three universities’ bottom line isthat we can’t afford to see language scholarshipatrophy in Australia’s third biggest capital city.”2009 will also see another l<strong>and</strong>mark languageevent when the Institute <strong>of</strong> Modern Languages(IML) celebrates its 75th anniversary later this year.Established in 1934 at UQ, IML has grownto become one <strong>of</strong> the country’s largest providers<strong>of</strong> comprehensive language instruction <strong>and</strong>translation <strong>and</strong> interpreting services.In 2009, 83 courses will be <strong>of</strong>feredin 26 different languages, withapproximately 3000 enrolments drawnfrom UQ staff, students <strong>and</strong> the generalpublic.IML director Georgiana Poulterwelcomed all past <strong>and</strong> presentstudents to contribute toanniversary celebrations,which will culminate in a galaevent in June.INFO ➔ www.iml.uq.edu.au
COVERSTORYOWEEKEXCITEMENTStudent numbers are growingat UQ’s campuses as the 2009academic year beckons.New students are encouraged to take part inOrientation Week (OWeek), February 23-27, toattend important information sessions, familiarisethemselves with their campuses <strong>and</strong> participatein social activities.A big attraction <strong>of</strong> the annual event is the freeMarket Day at the St Lucia Campus on February25, where students can enjoy live entertainment,giveaways, numerous stalls <strong>and</strong> other funfestivities, as well as have the opportunity to joinone <strong>of</strong> the many UQ Union affiliated clubs orsocieties.Students can receive their free UQ Union2009 Student Diary from the UQ Union SideShow Alley <strong>of</strong> Fun, while UQconnect will haveinformation on available IT services, <strong>and</strong> studentscan visit UQ SPORT for information on theUniversity’s many recreational clubs <strong>and</strong> sportsprograms.Centrelink, RACQ, BCC Active Transport <strong>and</strong>Translink will also be on-site.The week culminates in the Big O on tour atUQ, with acts including The Music, The Fratellis,Ben Lee, Bluejuice, Yves Klein Blue <strong>and</strong> CassetteKids, held at the The University <strong>of</strong> Queensl<strong>and</strong>STEWART GOULDAmphitheatre, St Lucia, on Saturday, February28.UQ Student Services learning hub seniormanager Janey Saunders said orientation wasnot just about OWeek but was part <strong>of</strong> the overalltransition into university, from enrolment <strong>and</strong>beyond.“Workshops presented by Student Servicesthroughout OWeek address writing, reading,studying, exam prep, time management <strong>and</strong> manyother areas,” Ms Saunders said.“Whilst these workshops take place throughoutOWeek they are also continued into the semester,where they are integrated into academic courses.”Market Days at Ipswich <strong>and</strong> Gatton willtake place on February 24 from 10am-2pm <strong>and</strong>February 26 from 12pm-3pm respectively.INFO ➔ Download the 2009 orientationplanner at www.uq.edu.au/orientation/JEREMY PATTENAbove: UQ students Emma Plant (left) <strong>and</strong> sisterJosephine <strong>and</strong> below, 2008 OWeek action at St LuciaUQNEWS, FEBRUARY 2009 ➔ 11
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