Griffith University is doubling down on its commitment to those who served and stepping up its support for current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families through the establishment of the Griffith Veterans College.

Launched in early May, the College builds on the success of the Griffith University Veterans Program, which has supported more than 1,400 participants since its establishment in October 2023. These students have consistently achieved academic results above the broader student population

Led by Director and former Air Force Commodore Dave Paddison AM, the College brings together admissions, academic success, wellbeing, and career development into a single coordinated home for veteran students and is a first-of-its-kind model in the Australian higher education sector.

Griffith Veterans College Director Dave Paddison AM

“Veterans bring extraordinary skills, discipline and life experience to our campuses, and they deserve a higher education experience that recognises that from day one,” Mr Paddison said.

“The opening of the Veterans College is the natural next step in Griffith’s commitment to this community. It gives our veterans and their families a clear front door to the University, staffed by people who understand military service, who can translate that service into academic and career pathways, and who walk with them during their studies.”

At the heart of the College is support available to the students, including the Griffith’s Veteran Direct Application pathway, allowing current and former ADF members to apply fee-free whilst converting military service into an academic selection rank and credit toward their degree.

 The College also expands opportunities in research and partnerships, strengthening the University’s contribution to improving outcomes for veterans and their families. Through multidisciplinary research and collaboration with external stakeholders across government, industry, and ex-services organisations, the College helps translate evidence into practice and foster coordinated, evidence-informed support.

Students enrolled rough the Veterans College have access to:

“What makes this model work is that it is integrated and continuous,” Mr Paddison said.

“A veteran transitioning out of service is often navigating a career change, a health journey, a family adjustment and a return to study all at once. We don’t hand them off between disconnected services. The Veterans College is one team, supporting one veteran, across the whole journey.”

The opening of the Veterans College responds directly to Recommendation 83 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, which calls for Defence training and experience to be translated into recognised academic and employment pathways.

Griffith University Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans said the veteran cohort has notably higher representation across equity groups than the general student population yet consistently outperforms academically when given the right support.

“Around three per cent of Australians have served in the military, and they are significantly under-represented in higher education.

“Behind every statistic is someone who served their country and now wants to build the next chapter of their life. The Veterans College is here to help them achieve that goal,” Professor Evans said.

The impact of Griffith’s veteran support is reflected in the experiences of those who’ve come through it.

Bachelor of Design student and former ADF member Tim B said the program had reshaped his trajectory after leaving the military with injuries.

“Landing upon the Griffith Veterans Program has been a life changer. Now I can pursue a career with linear fundamentals and world-class teachers, and network and build a portfolio.

This is the biggest opportunity I’ve received since leaving the Military nine years ago.”

About Griffith Veterans College

The Griffith Veterans College is an institution-wide initiative supporting current and former ADF members and their families across the full student lifecycle from admission through to graduation and career transition. It is led by Director AIRCDRE (Retd) Dave Paddison AM and aligns with Griffith University’s broader equity and access strategy under Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans.

A Griffith University research project aimed at developing future therapies for people living with traumatic brain injury (TBI) will receive $5.5 million in funding from the Queensland Government.

The Cure TBI project team will use the funding to create a range of cell-based therapeutic products for treating TBI by using current, proven successful therapies that have been developed for spinal cord injury.

Professor James St John

Professor James St John, Head of the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research within Griffith’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, said cells were like living drugs with many different roles depending on what was happening around them, and could act to treat injuries at different stages.

“The research team will identify cell products that act at different stages to target these various needs,” Professor St John said.

A TBI could occur from a fall, vehicle or bike accident, assault, or a sport collision and could affect the human body in two stages: the primary injury could result in direct damage to the brain cells, and secondary degeneration which is caused by physiological responses to the primary injury.

During the secondary degeneration stage of TBI, the injury could worsen as the dead or injured cells released molecules which could cause further damage, and while healthy cells responded to try and repair the injury they could over-react and cause inflammation and ongoing damage.

This often results in an imbalance of damage versus repair and the outcome could lead to a permanent loss of function.

Professor St John’s previous work on the Spinal Injury Project trial was the inspiration for the Cure TBI project.

“We are pivoting our spinal cord therapy research to apply it to TBI where we will use our current cell therapy plus modifications designed specifically for brain injuries,” he said.

“We hope our translational and clinical trial experience with the Spinal Injury Project will create a therapy for treating brain injuries and ultimately advance to a clinical trial.”

Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said: “This investment by the National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland in the Cure TBI project aims to change lives, improve recovery, and deliver better long-term prospects for people who have suffered a brain injury.”

“To have such a vital project being spearheaded by Queenslanders speaks volumes and builds on our State’s reputation as a leader in the scientific and medical research community.”

Riskier anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use has been linked to poorer mental health symptoms, new Griffith University research has found.

PhD Candidate Ben Bonenti from Griffith’s School of Applied Psychology examined the mental health and psychological factors associated with higher AAS-related risk amongst people attending alcohol and other drug treatment services.

“The research is important because AAS use, which is increasing globally, is often secondary to other substances and may go unrecognised within standard treatment models,” Mr Bonenti said.

“The study examined how depression, anxiety, and impulsivity were associated with different levels of AAS-related risk.”

The results showed that individuals in the moderate- and high-risk groups reported significantly higher depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as stronger impulsivity traits.

The research analysed service data from nearly 19,000 adults collected between 2022 and 2025.

Of those, 521 individuals reported AAS use.

Most participants did not present primarily for steroid use, with methamphetamine and alcohol more commonly identified as the main drugs of concern.

Mr Bonenti said the findings suggest AAS-related risk in treatment settings is closely linked to poorer mental health and impulsivity.

“Many individuals who use AAS may not realise that higher-risk patterns of use can co-occur with depression, anxiety, and impulsive tendencies, which means important support needs may be overlooked,” he said.

“Routine screening for steroid use, alongside mental health assessment, may help services identify risk earlier and provide more tailored care.”

The paper ‘Mental health correlates of risky anabolic-androgenic steroid use in Australian alcohol and other drug treatment services’ has been published in Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy

Griffith University and Swimming Australia have entered a bold new partnership to ensure the Gold Coast’s Para athletes have access to the world’s best training environment in the lead up to Brisbane 2032 and beyond.

The tailored three-year program supports and elevates para athletes and aims to reduce barriers for participation and talent identification and enhance performance pathways for para athletes.

Griffith University’s inaugural squad includes Paralympic medallist and Commonwealth Games hopeful Maddie McTernan, and Paralympian Holly Warn.

Head Coach Rick Pendleton.

Head coach Rick Pendleton thanked the bold vision and support of Griffith University and Swimming Australia to help ensure para athletes reached their full potential.

“Griffith University has established itself as a leader in elite sport and inclusiveness. And in partnership with Swimming Australia, I am proud to stand on pool deck as head coach of the Gold Coast’s first Para specific program,” Mr Pendleton said.

“This squad – Griffith’s first – have access to a world-class training environment. We are well on the green and gold runway to 2032 Games but this high-performance hub is also about dual-career support for our swimmers who are students.

“So while I am proud to say this partnership will contribute directly to Australia’s para medal success, I am equally proud to say it will also contribute to an inclusive, values-led culture.”

Griffith Sports College Director Naomi McCarthy

General Manager Paralympic ProgramAnna Johnson added: “Our ambitious vision is to become the world’s leading Paralympic swimming nation in the world, uniting communities, and inspiring Australia to swim.”

“I am grateful to Griffith University for their commitment to supporting our talented athletes – and coaches – in High Performance Para-swimming.”

Griffith Sports College Director Naomi McCarthy OAM said: “Griffith is thrilled to be supporting the Para Performance Program at the High Performance Hub on our Gold Coast campus, where we now host both Paralympic and Olympic HP squads within the Griffith Swim Club.”

“Athletes will train at the aquatic centre and new HP gym, while we work with Swimming Australia on research into the para daily performance environment with Griffith students gaining valuable hands-on experience supporting these athletes.”

Two Griffith Business School students have been named recipients of the Student Investment Fund Scholarship, an award unlike any other, funded not by a corporate donor or government grant, but by the investment returns generated by students themselves. 

Julia Chambers and Aditya Singh are the latest recipients of the Griffith Business School Student Investment Fund (SIF) Scholarship, each receiving $5,000 to support their studies and help them realise their ambitions in finance. 

The scholarship, open to undergraduate Griffith Business School students, is funded entirely through the SIF, Australia’s largest ESG-focused, student-managed investment fund. Launched in 2018 with $250,000 in seed capital from Griffith Business School and bolstered by more than $100,000 in donor contributions, the fund has now exceeded $600,000 in value and has delivered an average return of 7% per cent per annum. All profits flow directly back into student scholarships. 

It is a model that Associate Professor John Fan, from the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics and Director of the SIF program, describes as genuinely circular. 

“The SIF Scholarship sits at the heart of what we’re trying to build with the fund,” he said. “It is a model where strong investment performance is directly reinvested into creating opportunity. It goes beyond financial support by recognising talent, backing potential and hard work, and giving students who may not otherwise have the same access a genuine pathway to excel.” 

“What makes this particularly meaningful is that the scholarships are student-powered, generated through the work of our SIF students themselves. It brings the whole model full circle, where student effort translates directly into opportunity for others.” 

Associate Professor John Fan

For Julia Chambers, the scholarship carries a significance that goes well beyond the financial. 

Julia Chambers

A regional student balancing study, work and the challenges of life outside a major city, Julia has navigated her university journey against a backdrop that includes the disruption of flooding in her community. 

“The Griffith Business School Student Investment Fund Scholarship means more than just financial support to me,” Julia said. “It is also a recognition of the resilience and commitment that have shaped my university journey as a regional student.” 

“Balancing study, life, and casual work while navigating challenges like the recent flooding in my community has not always been easy, however, this award gives me the stability and confidence to keep moving forward.” 

For Aditya Singh, the scholarship arrives at a pivotal point in his professional development. Alongside his studies, Aditya has been actively building his profile in finance through leadership roles, case competitions and industry engagement. 

Aditya Singh

“I’m very grateful to have been awarded the Scholarship,” Aditya said. “To me, it is both meaningful recognition and practical support at an important stage of my development.” 

“Receiving this scholarship is encouraging and gives me greater capacity to keep pushing forward. It will help me continue making the most of the opportunities available at Griffith while building the skills and experience needed to contribute meaningfully to in the industry.” 

The Student Investment Fund is far more than a source of scholarship revenue. Students analyse, evaluate and invest real capital in socially responsible ASX-listed companies, using live market data in Griffith’s Trading Room. The fund’s investment decisions are guided by a committee of industry professionals and expert staff who mentor students throughout the program. 

Since its launch, the SIF has trained more than 300 student analysts and awarded more than $30,000 in scholarships. 

Find out more about the Student Investment Fund, or visit the course descriptions for 3217AFE (undergraduate) or 7261AFE (postgraduate). 

Domestic and family violence (DFV) has been declared a national emergency in Australia, with impacts that extend beyond individual harm to broader patterns of structural violence. Yet, despite growing awareness, the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people are often overlooked in mainstream conversations and service responses.

On 28 May, LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Day will bring renewed attention to these gaps, highlighting the unique and systemic barriers faced by queer victim-survivors when seeking support.

In support of this cause and the diverse community at Griffith, the Griffith Pride Committee and the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW) will co-host a morning tea aimed at fostering awareness, allyship, and community support.

The event, to be held at the Sir Samuel Griffith function space from 11:00am to 12:00pm, is open to the Griffith community and will provide a space to acknowledge a form of harm that remains significantly under-recognised.

Research consistently shows that LGBTQIA+ people (an umbrella term encompassing diverse sexualities, gender identities and sex characteristics) experience DFV at rates equal to or higher than the general population. However, they are less likely to seek help or receive appropriate support. Contributing factors include fear of discrimination, limited access to inclusive and affirming services, and persistent misconceptions that DFV only occurs within heterosexual relationships.

CEVAW’s work continues to address these challenges through an intersectional approach, aiming to better understand and ultimately eliminate gender-based violence in all its forms.

Light refreshments will be provided. Registrations are required – please register here.

A significant number of senior executives believe young people should be involved in organisational governance to improve decision making with long-term consequences, new research from Griffith University has found.

Professor Nick Barter from the Department of Management.

Despite this broad support, the research found young people remained largely excluded from formal governance in most organisations.

The findings were based on a survey of 3,000 business leaders, board members and C-suite executives across Australia, the United Kingdom and Japan.

Professor Nick Barter from the Department of Management said the study highlighted generational governance as a key mechanism for improving long-term organisational outcomes.

“Continuing to exclude younger voices may limit organisations’ ability to future-proof their organisation, ensuring it delivers value for decades ahead and more,” Professor Barter said.

“There was a notable increase in the number of respondents who believed the inclusion of young people in organisational governance would be more compatible with achieving net-zero, socially just outcomes, enhanced long-term prosperity and attracting new talent.”

The research also identified several perceived challenges to enacting generational governance, including:

Despite these challenges, respondents agreed generational governance had the potential to strengthen long-term decisionmaking, enhance organisational reputation, and build greater resilience in the face of social, economic and environmental change.

The report Generational Governance: Future Proofing Organisations was published in collaboration with Griffith University, Meiji University and Lancaster University, with funding from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

A portable swimming pool can often be found in an Australian backyard, but new Griffith University research, conducted in partnership with UNSW Sydney, has discovered many parents and caregivers are unaware of safety requirements when it comes to portable pools, in particular legal obligations around fencing.

Professor Kyra Hamilton

Professor Kyra Hamilton from Griffith’s School of Applied Psychology surveyed 214 Australian parents and caregivers who owned a portable swimming pool and had children under the age of five years, to better understand how they think about safety, risk perceptions, and general pool knowledge.

“We found that while many parents recognised the importance of supervising children and emptying the pool after use, there were significant gaps in understanding the legal and safety requirements around pool fencing,” Professor Hamilton said.

“Importantly, parents also perceived portable pools as less risky than permanent pools.

“This lower perception of risk was reflected in safety behaviours particularly the low rate of compliant fencing around portable pools.”

Portable swimming pools presented a serious drowning risk to young children as they were often perceived as harmless due to their smaller size or shallow depth of water.

However, children could drown in just a few centimetres of water with incidents occurring quickly and silently.

The survey examined three key safety behaviours which were widely recognised as important for preventing a child from drowning:

The survey found 76 per cent of parents recognised the importance of supervision, and 89 per cent understood the importance of emptying a pool after use, however knowledge and compliance with fencing requirements was significantly lower as only 26 per cent identified fencing requirements, and just 19 per cent reported their portable pool was fenced.

“Portable pools are frequently installed temporarily and may not be surrounded by compliant safety barriers as some families may not associate them with the same safety requirements as permanent pools,” Professor Hamilton said.

“The combination of easy access, inadequate barriers, and an underestimation of the associated risks can create a dangerous environment for young children, particularly those aged under five years.

“The findings highlight an important opportunity to strengthen drowning prevention efforts by improving parental awareness and addressing the perception that portable pools are low risk.

“Public health campaigns, product safety messaging, and regulatory enforcement all play a role in improving compliance with fencing requirements and other safety behaviours.”

The paper ‘Drowning Prevention in Portable Swimming Pools: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Parental Knowledge, Risk Perceptions, and Safety Practices’ has been published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health.

A new initiative is supporting 100 Balinese women weavers and weaving entrepreneurs to strengthen their livelihoods while safeguarding centuries-old cultural traditions, through digital skills training, delivered in partnership with Griffith University.

The traditional Balinese craft of Endek and Songket, is a labour-intensive profession which is increasingly abandoned because market prices rarely reflect the true value of the time, skill and cultural knowledge embedded in the craft.

Associate Professor Elaine Yang from the Department of Tourism and Marketing.

The Digital Empowerment Training for Women-led Weaving Businesses program was developed in response to priorities identified by women-led weaving enterprises, and focused on digital marketing, social media storytelling and emerging technologies.

Associate Professor Elaine Yang from the Department of Tourism and Marketing said the initiative recognised both the economic and cultural dimensions of traditional weaving.

Participant in the Digital Empowerment Training for Women-led Weaving Businesses program.

“Balinese weaving carries deep cultural meaning, but it also needs to provide a viable livelihood,” Associate Professor Yang said.

“The training supported weavers to share the stories behind their work, connect with contemporary markets and build long-term sustainability while maintaining cultural identity.

“The program worked alongside women weavers as they explored how digital tools, including artificial intelligence, can amplify the visibility and understanding of their textiles, while reinforcing their role as custodians of intergenerational knowledge.

“Balinese weaving is predominantly driven by women, and strengthening digital confidence supports individual enterprises and the wider communities and traditions they sustain.”

The Digital Empowerment Training for Women-led Weaving Businesses initiative was supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and delivered by Bali Tourism Polytechnic in partnership with Griffith University.

Urea is an extremely important chemical, especially for fertilisers. But, making urea is energy intensive and relies heavily on fossil fuels.  

However, new findings from Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology have highlighted new ways to produce urea electrochemically, using electricity and waste gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO) instead. 

“The challenge is that when CO and NO react on a catalyst, they usually don’t form urea,” said co-lead author Professor Qin Li from Griffith University. 

“Instead, they tend to make unwanted by‑products such as ammonia or hydrocarbon compounds.  

“This makes selective urea production very difficult.” 

What did the researchers do? 

The research team combined quantum chemistry simulations and machine learning to reveal better catalyst designs that encouraged CO and NO to combine and form a carbon–nitrogen bond, instead of producing unwanted side reactions. 

They studied: 

This resulted in the examination of 90 catalyst designs using high‑accuracy computer simulations, then using machine learning to rapidly screen more than 1,400 additional candidates. 

What was the key outcome? 

The most important discovery was how strongly CO and NO stuck to the catalyst together, not how each gas stuck on its own. 

The team identified a single number, called the “co‑adsorption energy”, that reliably predicted whether a catalyst would make urea, or instead make ammonia or hydrocarbons.  

“We found a very narrow ‘sweet spot’ for this energy,” co-lead author Dr Yun Han said. 

“If CO and NO bound too weakly, they fell off the surface.  

“If they bound too strongly, the gases got over‑reduced and formed the unwanted side products. 

“Only moderate binding strength favoured urea formation.”  

Why was machine learning important here? 

The research team said testing thousands of catalyst designs with physics‑based simulations would take years. 

To shorten that timeframe, the team developed a machine-learning model using simple atomic properties (from the periodic table) and structural information about the carbon edges. 

The model accurately predicted the key co‑adsorption energy and allowed the researchers to narrow 1,458 possible catalysts down to 259 promising ones, then validate only the best few with simulations. 

“This approach dramatically accelerates catalyst discovery,” said co-lead author, computational chemist Professor Aijun Du from Queensland University of Technology. 

“This study provides a clear design rule for making urea catalysts, and shows how machine learning and chemistry can solve complex reaction problems. This moves urea production closer to a low‑carbon, sustainable process, and offers a reusable blueprint for designing catalysts for other green chemical reactions. 

Professor Aijun Du

“We can systematically design catalysts that turn waste gases into fertiliser efficiently, rather than relying on lengthy and costly trial and error.” 

The paper ‘Machine Learning-Assisted Design Framework of Carbon Edge-Dominated Dual-Atom Catalysts for Urea Electrosynthesis’ has been published in ASC Nano.