<strong>UQ</strong>NEWS, FEBRUARY 2010 ➔ 4shortcutsinsect pilots l<strong>and</strong> safelyHoney bees undergo a sudden transition fromspeeding aircraft to hovering helicopter as theyperform the delicate art <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong>ing on a flower, <strong>UQ</strong>research has found.Scientists have devoted decades to studyingSam fraser-Smithhow honeybees navigate but now a teamfrom the Queensl<strong>and</strong> Brain Institute <strong>and</strong> Lund<strong>University</strong> has revealed for the first time how theyperform the tricky art <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong>ing.“As any trainee pilot knows, l<strong>and</strong>ing isone <strong>of</strong> the hardest things to do, as everythingaround you is changing so quickly,” Pr<strong>of</strong>essorM<strong>and</strong>yam Srinivasan said.“It requires excellent co-ordination to get thespeed, angle, distance <strong>and</strong> touchdown pointexactly right – especially if the l<strong>and</strong>ing surface issloping or even upside down.”The team used a special tiltable platform<strong>and</strong> a high-speed camera to film the bees in thefinal moments <strong>of</strong> touchdown, <strong>and</strong> identify each<strong>of</strong> their separate actions.On approach to their target the bees use“optic flow” – the stream <strong>of</strong> visual signalsprovided by their eyes as the l<strong>and</strong>scapespeeds past – to slow down <strong>and</strong> move fromforward-flight to stable hover mode about16mm from the platform, where they came to adead stop.They hovered for a few thous<strong>and</strong>ths <strong>of</strong> asecond until their hind legs contacted the l<strong>and</strong>ingground, <strong>and</strong> then lowered themselves gently ontoit – regardless <strong>of</strong> the angle at which it was tilted.However, when the bees l<strong>and</strong>ed on surfacesranging from vertical to upside down, theirantennae came closest to the surface during thehover phase.“We hadn’t expected the antennae to playa role <strong>and</strong> it adds a further dimension to theinstrumentation the bee is using in order toachieve the perfect l<strong>and</strong>ing,” said Pr<strong>of</strong>essorSrinivasan, who has been studying honey beesfor more than 20 years.More subtly still, the bee appears to use itsvisual system to position its antennae in order to“read” the actual slope <strong>of</strong> the l<strong>and</strong>ing surface.The research appears in the latest issue <strong>of</strong>The Journal <strong>of</strong> Experimental Biology.bi<strong>of</strong>uels in bloomMaking their markA <strong>UQ</strong> researcher has won a top internationalfellowship that saw him meet with political <strong>and</strong>business leaders in an effort to fast-track algalbi<strong>of</strong>uel development.Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Ben Hankamer from theInstitute for Molecular Bioscience was awarded a2009 Eisenhower Fellowship, one <strong>of</strong> 25 worldwide.These prestigious fellowships have beenawarded to people identified as internationalleaders in areas <strong>of</strong> energy, technology <strong>and</strong> supply,with only two fellowships assigned to Australia.Dr Hankamer (pictured) is a founding Director<strong>of</strong> the Solar Bi<strong>of</strong>uels Consortium, a group workingto maximise the speed <strong>of</strong> development <strong>of</strong> highefficiencymicroalgal bi<strong>of</strong>uel production systems.“The development <strong>of</strong> clean fuels for thefuture is one <strong>of</strong> the most urgent challenges facingsociety,” Dr Hankamer said.“Using microalgae has several advantagesover traditional bi<strong>of</strong>uel sources, as the productionsystems can be located on non-arable l<strong>and</strong>,eliminating competition with food production.They also have the potential to store carbon,which would help in reducing CO2 levels.”The Eisenhower Fellowship allowed DrHankamer to tailor a six-week program <strong>of</strong>meetings with up to 80 researchers, Senators<strong>and</strong> Members <strong>of</strong> Congress from both sides <strong>of</strong>the bi<strong>of</strong>uel debate, <strong>and</strong> top CEOs from industryorganisations including microalgae producers,bi<strong>of</strong>uel producers <strong>and</strong> the transport industry.courtesy IMBQueensl<strong>and</strong> women are playing a growingrole in the mining engineering sector with arecord number graduating from <strong>UQ</strong> last year.Almost a quarter <strong>of</strong> the 37 studentswho graduated from mining engineering inDecember were women.“This result is all the more impressive asit is above the current female participationrate <strong>of</strong> 16.4 percent across all engineeringdisciplines at <strong>UQ</strong>,” Queensl<strong>and</strong> ResourcesCouncil (QRC) Chief Executive MichaelRoche said.“This milestone comes in the year when<strong>UQ</strong>’s first ever female mining engineeringgraduate S<strong>and</strong>ra Collins won the QRCResources Award for Women.”stock.xchngParenting made simpleParents can now access an “online instructionmanual” when the task <strong>of</strong> raising <strong>and</strong> caring forchildren seems overwhelming.Researchers from The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong>Queensl<strong>and</strong>’s Parenting <strong>and</strong> Family SupportCentre have developed an online version <strong>of</strong> theaward-winning Triple P – Positive ParentingProgram, a proven success around theworld.They are now seekingparents concerned aboutthe behaviour <strong>of</strong> theirthree to eight-year-oldchildren for an evaluation<strong>of</strong> the program’s effectivenesswith access for the first 100 parentsto enrol free <strong>of</strong> charge.“We believe that if parents have aclearer sense <strong>of</strong> what it is they could bedoing differently, it makes the world <strong>of</strong> difference,”Triple P founder Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Matt S<strong>and</strong>ers said.But inconvenience <strong>and</strong> a lack <strong>of</strong> time are<strong>of</strong>ten obstacles to completing a group programor seeking advice from a practitioner.Triple P Online contains proven positiveparenting principles <strong>and</strong> easy-to-use strategiesderived from almost 30 years <strong>of</strong> internationalresearch.“Parents are looking for practicalsolutions to parenting problems thatwork,” Pr<strong>of</strong>essor S<strong>and</strong>ers said.“The simplest way to reduceparental distress <strong>and</strong> behavioralproblems in children isto give parents betterinformation <strong>and</strong> support.“Triple P Onlineteaches parents howto prevent <strong>and</strong> managecommon problems such as tantrums <strong>and</strong>whining <strong>and</strong> how to give children new skills <strong>and</strong>become more independent.”INFO ➔ www.triplep.net/stock.xchngMs Collins was the only female to havegraduated from <strong>UQ</strong> with a Bachelor <strong>of</strong>Engineering (Mining) in 1979 <strong>and</strong> has pavedthe way for other women.“S<strong>and</strong>ra is certainly a great ambassadorfor the industry <strong>and</strong> a great role model toyoung women,” Mr Roche said.“It’s also pleasing to see that all thegraduates have been snapped up by theresources sector.”In 2006 QRC launched its Womenin Resources Action Plan, which aims toincrease the proportion <strong>of</strong> women in nontraditionalroles in the resources sector to atleast 12 percent by 2020.“The record number <strong>of</strong> femalegraduates from the <strong>UQ</strong> mining engineeringdegree adds to our confidence that thisgoal will be surpassed,” Mr Roche said.
Freeloading fishAn international research team has looked tocleaner fish to appreciate how humans may haveevolved to punish freeloaders.Published recently in leading journalScience, the research shows that underst<strong>and</strong>ingthe behaviour <strong>of</strong> self-interested cleaner fishmay be a key step toward underst<strong>and</strong>ing whyhumans find it necessary to punish a third partywhen they receive no direct benefit.Small fish known as cleaners are found oncoral reefs in the Indian <strong>and</strong> Pacific oceanswhere they maintain cleaning stations.Larger fish pause at these stations<strong>and</strong> perform specific behaviourswhich attract the cleaner fish toremove parasites from them.The research group,comprised <strong>of</strong> experts from<strong>UQ</strong>, the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Neuchâteltennis figures smashedThe <strong>UQ</strong> Tennis Centre is fielding recordnumbers <strong>of</strong> inquiries in the wake <strong>of</strong> thesuccessful Brisbane International tournament.The Brisbane International, which wasplayed at the <strong>UQ</strong> Sport-operated Queensl<strong>and</strong>Tennis Centre at Tennyson, has helped theQueensl<strong>and</strong> Tennis Centre <strong>and</strong> the <strong>UQ</strong> TennisCentre at St Lucia enjoy an influx <strong>of</strong> newcustomers keen to give tennis a go.<strong>UQ</strong> Tennis Centre Operations ManagerAdrianne Gay said Australia’s annual summerseason <strong>of</strong> tennis had helped reignite people’sinterest in the sport.“Tennis has always enjoyed increasedpopularity at this time <strong>of</strong> year but having aninternational tournament played in Brisbane thepast two years has really taken that interest to anew level,” Ms Gay said.“We’ve had so many inquiries from peoplewho have never played tennis before but arekeen to give it a go, so our beginner coachingLazing about a lost artcourtesy peter mantelloin Switzerl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> The Zoological Society <strong>of</strong>London, found that the punishment meted outby male cleaner fish toward female cleaner fishpromoted cooperation, <strong>and</strong> as a result rewardedthe male with more food. The study wasconducted at Lizard Isl<strong>and</strong> Research Station onthe Great Barrier Reef, 270km north <strong>of</strong> Cairns.“Cleaner fish in male-female pairs cooperateto clean client fish by removing the parasites onthe skins <strong>of</strong> the larger fish,” <strong>UQ</strong> researcher DrLexa Grutter said.Cleaner fish receive all their nutrition throughthese cleaning services <strong>and</strong> rarely survive long inhome aquariums becausethey cannot obtainenough food.classes for both adults <strong>and</strong> children are provingvery popular at the moment.”The <strong>UQ</strong> Tennis Centre is open daily <strong>and</strong><strong>of</strong>fers court hire, coaching <strong>and</strong> fixtures for bothadults <strong>and</strong> children <strong>of</strong> any skill level.<strong>UQ</strong> Sport also <strong>of</strong>fers a huge range <strong>of</strong> othersports <strong>and</strong> activities to try including swimming,athletics, pilates, rowing, netball, soccer <strong>and</strong> arange <strong>of</strong> group fitness classes.INFO ➔ www.uqsport.com.aucourtesy justin marshallstock.xchngFACTS +FIGURES1100– entries on a new <strong>UQ</strong> website whichtracks all Queensl<strong>and</strong> towns, cities <strong>and</strong>suburbs with populations exceeding50079AD– date <strong>of</strong> the volcanic eruptions inPompeii, the subject <strong>of</strong> a new projectby archaeologist Dr Andy Fairbairn3000 °C– temperature reached at Mach 8,the projected speed for hypersonic“Scramjets” being co-developed at the<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Queensl<strong>and</strong>100– number <strong>of</strong> Wotif Young Scholarswelcomed by the <strong>University</strong> thismonth. The scholarship program aimsto promote higher education amongdisadvantaged <strong>and</strong> under-representedgroups$1 million– cost <strong>of</strong> an Australian-first baby MRIscanner held at the Royal Brisbane& Women’s Hospital used by <strong>UQ</strong>researchers24,000– items heldwithin the <strong>UQ</strong>AnthropologyMuseumcollection<strong>UQ</strong>NEWS, February 2010 ➔ 5Leisure is becoming a forgotten word <strong>and</strong>academics from The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Queensl<strong>and</strong>want to put it back into people’s lives.School <strong>of</strong> Tourism Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor IanPatterson wants people to put leisure alongsidefamily, work <strong>and</strong> sleep as important parts <strong>of</strong>their lives.Dr Patterson made his case when he spokeat the 9th ANZALS Biennial Conference earlierthis month.He said many universities were reducingthe content <strong>of</strong> leisure studies in favour <strong>of</strong> event,sport <strong>and</strong> hotel management.But this sent out the wrong message, he said.“A lot <strong>of</strong> people don’t know how to effectivelyuse their leisure time,’’ Dr Patterson said.“We want people to be aware <strong>of</strong> theimportance <strong>of</strong> leisure, look at the healthbenefits <strong>and</strong> integrate leisure into theirlifestyles.“When executives doing 80 to 100 hours aweek are dropping dead in their 30s <strong>and</strong> 40s,it is an indication they need a better balancebetween work <strong>and</strong> leisure.”Leisure was important to help peoplerecuperate from busy work lives, reducingstress <strong>and</strong> allowing them to rejuvenate, he said.stock.xchng“It is more than just relaxing at home,watching the TV. People should participate inmore activities <strong>and</strong> experiences.“Leisure experiences provide people withfeelings <strong>of</strong> satisfaction <strong>and</strong> enjoyment that theycannot achieve through work.’’<strong>UQ</strong> anthropology museum