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.
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.
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:
Existing leaders would need to cede some power
Organisations would need to invest time and resources to ensure younger leaders could contribute effectively at a governance level
Formalising generational governance would require significant cultural and structural change.
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 Organisationswas 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:
Active adult supervision
Pool fencing
Emptying and storing pools after use
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:
Pairs of metal atoms anchored on the edges of carbon materials (called dual‑atom catalysts)
How these metal pairs interacted with CO and NO at the same time
Why some metals encouraged urea formation while others did not
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.
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.”
A study investigating microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in agricultural settings has found they reduced plant growth and entered plant tissues through the soil, raising new concerns about food safety and human exposure.
The study, led by Griffith University, tested how micro- and nanoplastics behaved in soil using realistic conditions using particle types, surface properties, sizes and concentrations representative of those found in agricultural systems.
Using wheat and tomato plants, the team, led by Dr Shima Ziajahromi from Griffith’s Australian Rivers Institute, found MPs reduced plant growth and chlorophyll content, with fibre-shaped plastics (originating from synthetic textile) having the most effects.
Microscopy images of PET fibres on the external surface of the plant roots.
This suggested potentially serious implications for food production.
“We also found that plants can trap MPs in the soil, reducing their movement in the environment, but this may also lead to accumulation around roots,” Dr Ziajahromi said.
“Critically, we found NPs were taken up into plant tissues and transported within the plant, including its leaves.
“These findings demonstrate that agricultural soil is not just a sink for plastics, but a pathway into the food systems – meaning they could end up on our plates.
“This highlights the need for improved environmental management practices, targeted mitigation strategies, and evidence-based regulations to control plastic inputs and reduce risks to food systems and human health.”
Unlike previous laboratory studies that often used unrealistically high concentrations or pristine plastics, the research led by the Griffith team used aged plastics, realistic particle sizes, actual polymer types, and concentrations typically found in biosolids and agricultural soils.
The key findings showed:
Plants reduced the mobility of microplastics in soil by trapping larger particles in their root systems
Fibrous microplastics (PET fibres) caused the most harmful effects, especially in tomato plants
Mixtures of micro- and nanoplastics were more toxic than single particles, suggesting possible additive or synergistic effects
Aged nanoplastics could be taken up by both wheat and tomato, moving into the root and stem tissue – and even the leaf tissue in tomatoes.
“These results present potential risks to food safety, emphasising the need for new regulatory approaches informed by real-world plastic exposure scenarios.”
On 21 April, Griffith University and Thermo Fisher Scientific signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership focused on advancing innovation across health, biotechnology and translational research, anchored within the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP).
From left: Tony Acciarito, Jo Broughton, Bronwyn Harch and Craig Rowsell.
The partnership brings together Griffith’s strengths in biomanufacturing, glycoproteomics and next-generation therapeutics with Thermo Fisher’s global capability in analytical instruments, diagnostics, laboratory technologies and biotechnology services. Together, the organisations will explore opportunities to accelerate research translation, strengthen commercialisation pathways and build capability across the Precinct’s innovation ecosystem.
The GCHKP will provide a strategic environment for this collaboration, supporting closer connection between research, industry, infrastructure and clinical capability. Through the MoU, Griffith and Thermo Fisher will explore a shared innovation and co-lab space within the Precinct to support co-location, access to specialist laboratories and equipment, and future Thermo Fisher presence within the ecosystem.
The organisations will also collaborate on research in glycoproteomics, spatial-omics, mass spectrometry, robotic sample processing and other enabling technologies, while pursuing joint grants and exploring the potential for a future Centre of Excellence. The MoU also creates opportunities to support a deep technology incubator, expand workforce capability, and develop student placements, internships and broader training initiatives.
Griffith University Vice President (Industry and External Engagement), Professor Bronwyn Harch, said the partnership reflected strong alignment between the two organisations and a shared ambition to translate research into meaningful outcomes.
“This partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific brings together complementary strengths across research, technology and innovation,” Professor Harch said.
“Anchored within the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct, it creates a strong platform to accelerate clinical, commercial and industry outcomes in biotechnology and next-generation therapeutics.
“It also creates new opportunities for our researchers, students and partners to work at the intersection of discovery, translation and impact.”
Thermo Fisher Scientific Vice President and General Manager, Australia and New Zealand, Jo Broughton said the partnership reflected a shared commitment to innovation and long-term collaboration within the Gold Coast innovation ecosystem.
“Our partnership with Griffith University reflects a shared ambition to connect research capability, technology and industry to accelerate innovation,” Broughton said.
“The Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct provides a strong environment to support that collaboration and help unlock future opportunities in health and biotechnology.”
Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct Director Craig Rowsell said the collaboration demonstrated the value of the Precinct as a place where leading organisations can come together to drive innovation and growth.
“This partnership highlights the role of the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct in bringing together world-class research, clinical capability and industry,” Mr Rowsell said.
“It is an important example of how the Precinct can help enable collaboration, attract investment and support the growth of high-value innovation.”
The MoU will be supported by a joint steering committee with equal representation from Griffith University and Thermo Fisher Scientific, helping to provide strategic oversight and identify future opportunities for collaboration.
Over time, the partnership is expected to support industry-led growth, strengthen workforce capability and create new high-value jobs, while reinforcing the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct as a destination where global organisations can partner, innovate and scale their impact locally and internationally.
Griffith University Council has congratulated Professor Carolyn Evans on her appointment as Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne and has now commenced a recruitment process for the sixth Griffith University Vice Chancellor.
Griffith University Chancellor Andrew Fraser.
Chancellor Andrew Fraser said: “Carolyn has been an outstanding Vice Chancellor for Griffith, and I know she will excel at the University of Melbourne—her alma mater.
“On behalf of Griffith, I place firmly on the record our appreciation for her dedication to Griffith and the meaningful impact of her leadership.”
“Carolyn has led Griffith at a time of enormous change and challenge, through a pandemic and numerous external shocks. She will leave the university well positioned for the future: a stronger research record, outstanding philanthropic performance, deeper engagement with our alumni, improved rankings and the game-changing acquisition of the iconic Treasury Building set to open as Griffith’s Brisbane CBD campus in early 2027 are some highlights.
Professor Evans said: “Griffith is a remarkable university and being Vice Chancellor has been one of the great honours of my life. I have no doubt at all that with the wealth of talent and the upward momentum of the university, it will continue to thrive.”
Outgoing Vice Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans.
“My sincere thanks to the Council for entrusting me with the role at Griffith, to all of my talented colleagues who have been a joy to work with, and also to our partners with whom we have achieved so much.
“Our students are at the heart of everything we do, and I wish them every success during and after their study.”
Mr Fraser affirmed the Griffith Council had commenced the process to appoint Professors Evans’ successor as Vice Chancellor of Griffith.
“Carolyn joined Griffith after a recruitment process in 2018, and we have a planned succession process underway with global recruitment firm Odgers mandated to perform the search with the process being led by Jenny Sutton.
“Professor Evans will continue to lead the University through to the conclusion of her term at the end of August 2026, ensuring continuity of leadership and momentum as Griffith progresses its strategic priorities,” said Mr Fraser.
