A new podcast from Griffith Business School, made in association with the Blackmore Family Foundation, goes behind the scenes with some of Australia and New Zealand’s most influential CEOs to unpack what leadership really looks like today.
Griffith Business School has launched a new podcast series, Leadership Matters, featuring in-depth conversations with CEOs and senior leaders from across Australia and New Zealand about how leadership is practised in an ANZ context.
Professor Ruth McPhail, Dean (Engagement)
Hosted by Professor Ruth McPhail, Dean (Engagement) at Griffith Business School, the series is produced in association with the Blackmore Family Foundation and grew out of the Foundation’s annual Impact Leadership Retreat, which brings together senior leaders from Australia and New Zealand to reflect on purpose-driven leadership.
“We wanted to create a space where leaders could talk honestly about what it actually takes to lead— not the polished version, but the real one,” Professor McPhail said.
“Every guest in this first season has been generous enough to reflect on the moments that shaped them, the mistakes they’ve learned from, and the advice they’d give the next generation of leaders.”
The first three episodes feature:
Steve Chapman — Founder of Baron Partners and Chairman of the Blackmore Family Foundation, on more than 40 years in corporate advisory and why leadership isn’t about title or being the loudest voice in the room.
Steve Jurkovich — Chief Executive of Kiwibank, on the mentors who shaped his career and why great leadership starts with caring about people.
Lynn Kraus AM — CEO of Australian Payments Plus, on stepping into her power, building capable teams, and why great leaders don’t need to have all the answers.
Episodes are available on Spotify and YouTube, with new conversations to be released regularly.
“Leadership has never been more complex, or more human,” Professor McPhail said.
“Our hope is that current and emerging leaders listening in will walk away with something practical they can use straight away.”
A new initiative supporting Queensland women recovering from homelessness and domestic violence is rebuilding lives through music-making and songwriting.
Over 12 months, Griffith University’s Creative Transitions supported women transitioning out of homelessness following experiences of domestic and family violence (DFV) with 32 women and 20 children across four sites taking part in group songwriting, singing, drumming, guitar and ukelele-playing and listening as part of a series of co-designed music sessions.
Tangible creative outputs were generated, including three original songs released on streaming platforms.
Creative Transitions team (L to R) Karen, Sarah Dunston, Ali Crane, Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet and Dr Libby Myers at Peggy’s Place
Project Leader, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University’s Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, a member of the Creative Arts Research Institute, said the program responded to a critical gap in services and demonstrated how strengths-based, trauma-informed music-making could play a vital role in supporting recovery, reconnection, and long-term social and emotional wellbeing.
“Women transitioning out of homelessness are often navigating trauma, isolation, financial insecurity, and immense pressure to rebuild their lives all at once,” Professor Bartleet said.
“What they need most is not only housing, but the support, community, and opportunities that help them reconnect with who they are, raise their voice, and imagine a future beyond crisis.
“That’s where lasting change begins.”
Lead music facilitator, Sarah Dunston, a trauma-informed registered music therapist who delivered the sessions across all four Brisbane locations, said creative expression was a powerful pathway to wellbeing, resilience, and agency.
“Research shows music-making can bring huge benefits to mental health, particularly for people who are suffering from the effects of trauma,” said Ms Dunston.
“We would start sessions with a rhythmic exercise, humming or drumming, which regulates the brain stem and calms the body.
“Once a sense of safety and trust has been established, it’s possible to work on other creative activities to help the women express themselves and reclaim autonomy.”
Kateryna escaped war-torn Ukraine and joined her partner in Australia, however, the relationship became unsafe and she found herself at Peggy’s Place, a Brisbane-based refuge and transitional accommodation service for women and children escaping DFV.
“Creative Transitions became the first safe space I had experienced in a long time,” Kateryna said.
“Outside the sessions, any emotional tension immediately brought me back into pain, but in the creative space of the group my body responded differently — softer, calmer, with the ability to return to balance.
“The program helped me stabilise my emotions, reconnect with myself, and feel supported.”
The findings provided compelling evidence that creative, trauma-informed approaches were not an optional extra, but a vital part of recovery, helping women reconnect with themselves and others, rebuild confidence, and create pathways towards long-term stability and wellbeing.
“What our research makes clear is that during this fragile period of transition, feeling seen, valued, connected, and hopeful can make all the difference in helping women and their children rebuild their lives,” Professor Bartleet said.
Creative Transitions was led by the team at Griffith University in partnership with Queensland Women and Girls’ Health Promotion Program and delivery partners Peggy’s Place, The Lady Musgrave Trust, and YFS.
A potential treatment for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) will continue in a world-first multi-arm, multi-stage adaptive trial after showing encouraging early signs, with recruitment set to expand across Australia.
Interim results from the UK-based Octopus trial, funded by the UK MS Society, found that alpha lipoic acid showed enough promise to continue testing, while a second treatment, metformin, will not continue.
MS Australia CEO Rohan Greenland said the results were positive news for people living with progressive MS.
“These are positive early results for people living with progressive MS and an important milestone in an international research effort that Australia is helping advance.”
The results are the first from Octopus and provide an early demonstration of how this adaptive trial model is accelerating the search for effective treatments.
Rather than testing one treatment at a time and potentially waiting years to discover that it doesn’t work, Octopus can test several treatments simultaneously and use early measures to determine which are worth pursuing.
Treatments showing sufficient promise can continue to be studied, while others can be stopped and new treatment arms introduced.
PLATYPUS is the extension of the Octopus trial in Australia, joining Octopus at Stage 2.
Mr Greenland says that through PLATYPUS, Australians are contributing directly to a world-first trial and to the international search for better treatments for progressive MS.
“As the trial expands across Australia, our goal is clear – to accelerate the search for better treatments and address one of the most significant unmet needs in MS,” Mr Greenland said.
Professor Simon Broadley
PLATYPUS is led in Australia by Griffith University neurologist Professor Simon Broadley and internationally as part of Octopus by Professor Jeremy Chataway of University College London.
Professor Broadley explains that people with progressive MS face an inevitable downhill slope with their disease, so having treatments that can slow that progression can be life-changing for them.
As such, he believes the Stage 1 findings are encouraging and very exciting in the search for treatments that can slow the progression of MS.
“The Octopus trial has shown that alpha lipoic acid was of benefit in Stage 1,” he said.
“Stage 1 of the Octopus trial assessed clinical and brain atrophy measures over time.
“While this is not proof that it works, it’s a positive sign that it may be a benefit, which we’re now going to test in Stage 2 over the next three years.”
A second treatment, metformin, did not show the early signs of effectiveness required for further exploration.
Its discontinuation demonstrates the adaptive trial design in action, allowing researchers to stop treatments earlier when they are not showing sufficient promise, and focus resources elsewhere.
MSWA CEO Melanie Kiely said the first interim results demonstrated the value of the adaptive trial approach in action.
“MSWA has been the leading funder of PLATYPUS in Australia since its establishment. It’s exciting to see the trial advance and expand across Australia, meaning we can move faster, use research resources more effectively and keep homing in on treatments that could improve the lives of people living with progressive MS.”
For Janine Watson, who lives with progressive MS, getting answers faster is especially important.
The Paralympian and member of MS Australia’s Lived Experience Expert Panel (LEEP) says an effective treatment for people living with progressive MS would provide a sense of hope.
“It’s about giving back time to people with progressive MS and unfortunately with progressive MS, time is not our friend at all,” Ms Watson said.
PLATYPUS recruitment is set to expand across Australia, with participants already enrolled through the lead site at Gold Coast University Hospital, which opened in October 2025, with the next sites expected to open in Perth and Hobart.
Trial participants receiving alpha lipoic acid together with the participants receiving their usual treatment will remain enrolled in Stage 2, where researchers will examine whether alpha lipoic acid can slow the progression of disability.
New treatment arms will also be added as other promising therapies are identified.
About Octopus and PLATYPUS
Octopus is the world’s first multi-arm, multi-stage trial for progressive MS. Its adaptive design allows multiple treatments to be tested at the same time, with treatments able to continue, stop or be added as evidence emerges.
The UK trial is funded by the MS Society and sponsored by University College London’s Innovative Clinical Trials Unit, with Professor Jeremy Chataway as Chief Investigator.
PLATYPUS – PLatform Adaptive Trial for remYelination and neuroProtection in mUltiple Sclerosis – is the Australian extension of Octopus, and Professor Simon Broadley of Griffith University is the Country Lead Investigator.
Sexual wellbeing can often be overlooked during a woman’s recovery from breast cancer with many continuing to experience significant sexual and intimacy challenges long after treatment ends.
Griffith University researchers interviewed 31 breast cancer survivors aged between 32-72 years and developed a three-layer model of post-treatment sexual adjustment.
Mina Esmkhani
Lead author, Mina Esmkhani from Griffith’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, said sexual recovery was shaped by embodied disruptions, relational dynamics, and cultural and healthcare influences.
“Embodied disruptions are where a woman can feel pain, vaginal dryness, reduced desire, scarring and altered body image,” Ms Esmkhani said.
“Relational dynamics focuses on partner support, communication, and emotional connection.
“Cultural and healthcare influences look at social expectations, stigma, and whether healthcare professionals discuss sexual health.
“Sexual recovery is not purely a medical issue, but is also physical, emotional, relational and social.”
Importantly though, women with similar treatment experiences could experience different sexual recovery outcomes and may follow one of three trajectories.
Women may feel a sense of disruption including ongoing shame, isolation, and intimacy difficulties.
Breast cancer survivors may experience a gradual adjustment through communication and support, or they may reclaim their sexuality through a renewed sense of self.
Co-author and associate supervisor Dr Charrlotte Seib from Griffith’s School of Nursing and Midwifery said a partner’s response emerged as one of the strongest influences.
“Women who reported empathy, reassurance and emotional support were more likely to adapt positively,” she said.
“This shows that partners are not passive observers and can act either as a buffer against distress or can intensify it through avoidance, silence or discomfort.
“A supportive partner helped women to feel desired, rebuild their confidence, develop new forms of intimacy, and maintain emotional connection.”
Associate Professor Armin Ariana
Healthcare silence was a consistent response and could contribute towards feelings of shame.
Senior author and project lead, Associate Professor Armin Ariana, said sexual health remained a major gap in breast cancer care.
“Participants consistently reported that clinicians focused on treatment and survival but rarely discussed sexuality, intimacy or sexual side effects,” Associate Professor Ariana said.
“Many women felt they had nowhere to seek advice about painful sex, loss of desire, body image concerns or relationship challenges.
“The findings point to a clear need for change in how clinicians are trained.
“Sexual health needs to be built into standard cancer care conversations, not treated as an optional extra raised only if the patient brings it up first.
“This is exactly what we need to be teaching the next generation of doctors, to ask the question before the patient has to.”
Ms Esmkhani was supervised by senior author and project lead Associate Professor Armin Ariana, an Accredited Clinical Sexologist at Griffith’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, alongside Dr Charrlotte Seib from Griffith’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.
The paper ‘The Explanatory three-layer model of post-treatment sexual adjustment: A qualitative study of breast cancer survivors’ has been published in The Journal of Sex Research.
Humpback whale mothers may experience grief when their calves die, a rare research observation led by Griffith University and Sea World Foundation has found.
Dr Olaf Meynecke.
In 2025, a female humpback whale – along with an escort whale – was observed off the southern Gold Coast who had given birth to a presumed deceased calf and remained with it for several hours and possibly even days.
Dr Olaf Meynecke, from Griffith University’s Whales and Climate Research Program, said post-mortem attentive behaviour in cetaceans had been documented predominantly amongst toothed whales and delphinids (known as odontocetes), but remained largely absent from research published on baleen whales, such as humpback whales.
“Unlike reports of toothed whales where mothers have been observed lifting their dead calves to the surface, this humpback whale mother showed prolonged post-mortem behaviour and attention towards her deceased calf under the surface,” Dr Meynecke said.
“She remained close to the calf, maintaining eye contact and positioning herself next to her calf over several hours and maybe even days.
“These observed behaviours were consistent with care-giving or nurturing actions and post-mortem attentive responses documented in socially complex mammals, and indicated an inherent, strong maternal attachment to the calf.”
Cetaceans were some of the most charismatic marine species receiving regular widespread public attention.
Rescue Boat Captain Andrew Mulville from Sea World Foundation, who witnessed the event, said: “When I actually worked out what was happening, I was totally surprised.”
These images show the stillborn calf and mother, and amniotic membrane just after the birth. Credit: Andrew Mulville
“At first sight, I thought it was just two whales resting on the surface, but their behaviour was unusual.
“It was definitely not what I was expecting to see out at sea that day.”
Dr Meynecke said while this observation in 2025 and others with deceased calves were incredibly sad, they were rare and added to the limited current understanding of the cognitive and emotional dimensions of death-related responses in baleen (filter-feeding) cetaceans.
“This case study highlights the need for continued systematic documentation of rare neonatal mortality events to better understand the cognitive, emotional, and evolutionary significance of post-mortem behaviour in large whales,” he said.
“Understanding how non-human animals responded to death provides insight into their emotional lives, social bonds, and cognitive capacities.”
This four-day program (running from Tuesday 3 to Friday 6 November across Brisbane South (Nathan) and the Gold Coast) brings colleagues together to explore what quality learning and teaching looks like at Griffith, share effective practice, strengthen partnerships, and celebrate the people and initiatives that enrich student learning.
The week provides an opportunity to engage with Griffith’s new Learning & Teaching Quality Framework and contribute to a shared culture of quality, consistency, innovation and continuous improvement.
Highlights across the week include:
Tuesday 3 November
Design Challenge Workshops—Uplifting your Teaching Practice: interactive workshops designed to spark fresh ideas and practical solutions for contemporary learning and teaching.
Celebrating New Higher Education Academy (HEA) Scholars: a special event recognising HEA Fellowships@Griffith recipients and the mentors and assessors who support the scheme.
Wednesday 4 November
Teaching Matters Symposium
The main event of the week, featuring a keynote presentation and the launch of Griffith’s new Learning & Teaching Quality framework.
Thursday 5 November
Celebrating Innovation in Teaching: a showcase of projects and emerging outcomes from Griffith Teaching Impact Grant recipients.
Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoLT) networking event: an opportunity to connect with colleagues, learn about SoLT and explore collaboration and career development opportunities
Friday 6 November
Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoLT) community retreat: a dedicated retreat offering pathways for academics to progress manuscripts, grant applications, scholarly projects and practice-to-publication opportunities.
Whether you are looking to strengthen student belonging and connection, create more inclusive learning environments, enhance assessment and feedback practices, build future-focused learning experiences, or contribute to a culture of partnership and continuous improvement, Teaching Matters@Griffith 2026 offers opportunities to connect, learn and lead positive change in learning and teaching.
Mark 3–6 November in your calendar. Full program and registration details will be released soon.
Turning our teaching ideas into real impact with Griffith’s Teaching Impact Grants
Information Sessions are in progress to provide an overview of the new Griffith Teaching Impact Grants Intiative. Sessions will outline the purpose and aims, eligibility, application requirements, timeline and expectations. We’ll discuss guiding principles and how to apply them to your applications.
The Griffith Teaching Impact Grants offer up to $10,000 plus expert guidance to encourage staff who are doing great work, developing promising ideas or seeking to extend the impact of their learning and teaching practice.
Projects aim to uplift learning and teaching at Griffith by strengthening student learning, supporting sustainable improvement, and contributing to the scholarship of learning and teaching with a focus on ideas that can generate insights, outputs or practices that others can learn from, adapt, publish, present or build on.
Examples include:
innovations in assessment or feedback
new pedagogical approaches
initiatives that strengthen belonging, engagement or student success
cross-disciplinary or multicampus teaching collaborations
AI-supported learning and skill development initiatives.
Today, Griffith University Chancellor the Hon. Andrew Fraser announced the appointment of Professor Jessica Vanderlelie as its next Vice Chancellor and President.
Mr Fraser said the appointment marked the first time a graduate of the University would serve as Vice Chancellor.
“Professor Vanderlelie is an outstanding educational leader and is passionate about the opportunity for education to make a difference.
“Her commitment to students — particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds — has defined her career,” he said.
Professor Vanderlelie grew up on the Gold Coast, completed undergraduate and postgraduate study at Griffith, and began her academic career teaching biochemistry at the Gold Coast campus.
Professor Vanderlelie was the inaugural recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Teacher of the Year Award and, in 2016, the inaugural Innovative Research Universities Vice Chancellors’ Fellow. She has since held senior leadership roles at La Trobe University and Deakin University, including Deputy Vice Chancellor appointments at both Victorian institutions.
She is an Australian Learning and Teaching Fellow and a recipient of the Australian Award for University Teaching.
She is a former Deputy Chair of the Universities Australia Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) Committee and was the Universities Australia nominee to the Board of Education Services Australia.
Her work has spanned gender-based violence prevention, Indigenous participation, equity and inclusion, student success and digital transformation. She has also contributed to national discussion on the social licence of universities and the future of education in the age of artificial intelligence.
Mr Fraser said Griffith University’s Council had sought a leader with the vision and energy to accelerate the University’s existing strategy.
“Professor Vanderlelie is fully committed to our Strategic Plan and the vision launched earlier this year,” Mr Fraser said.
“This appointment does not signal a change in direction. It signals the energy required to deliver on our strategy in a way that focuses on students.”
Professor Vanderlelie said her connection to the University began three decades ago.
“From the first day I stepped onto the Gold Coast campus 30 years ago, it felt like home. You could feel being part of a genuine community.
“That sense of belonging built my confidence as a first-in-family student and sparked a passion for the student experience that has shaped my career.”
Professor Jessica Vanderlelie
Professor Vanderlelie said she was looking forward to listening to students and stakeholders and working with the University’s many communities.
“I’m energised by the Griffith we are today and excited for a future where people belong, where they are trusted to be ambitious, where diverse voices help us see problems differently, and where ideas create opportunity.”
Professor Vanderlelie will begin her role on 16 November 2026.
The pressure to be the perfect parent can be overwhelming, but social media and perceived world threats are causing some to be overprotective parents, and it is having a negative impact on our youth.
New Griffith University research, funded by the Australian Research Council, surveyed 909 Australian parents of a child aged between 16-19 years of age to investigate the pressures on parents and overprotective parenting.
The survey investigated world threats, and whether comparisons with other parents on social media could increase parents’ anxiety and overprotective parenting.
Overprotective parenting is a form of intrusive or controlling parenting that involved restricting adolescent decision-making and problem-solving opportunities, overinvolvement in children’s decisions and self-direction, and interfering with appropriate privacy and autonomy.
Lead author Dr Kathy Ryan from Griffith’s School of Applied Psychology said social media and fear about the future shaped parenting behaviours.
“Upward comparisons on social media were one of the strongest predictors of overprotective parenting and parental anxiety,” Dr Ryan said.
“World threats were also a concern as some parents can perceive the world to be increasingly unstable, risky or threatening, and are therefore more likely to become overprotective of their teenage children.
“Concerns about economic uncertainty, housing affordability, climate change, and broader global instability appear to influence how parents interact with their children.
“These factors can increase parents’ anxiety.
“When parents experience heightened anxiety, they may try to manage risk by becoming more involved in their children’s decisions and activities.”
Although these factors impacted mothers’ parenting, the study found they were especially important for understanding fathers’ anxiety and overprotection.
Co-author Professor Melanie Zimmer-Gembeck said parents wanted the best for their children, particularly during the current economic climate and turbulent world issues.
“They feel pressure that there is a right or best way to parent and this information comes from society via social media and other parents,” she said.
“This perfection can be linked to family management tasks as well as the child progressing in the way society expects.
“Parents compared themselves to others on social media and added more pressure to themselves.
“Our findings indicate even parents of adolescents feel pressure and judgement from society to be the ‘perfect’ parent and have their child succeed.
“However, this pressure can, in turn, make some parents become more anxious and overprotective.
“We need to find ways to help parents address the issue of social comparison and emphasise more realistic messaging for parents of adolescents so they can be more confident in their parenting practices and support their teenagers as they become young adults.”
The paper ‘Overprotective parenting: Examining pressures to be perfect, social media comparisons, world instability and parent anxiety’ has been published in Family Relations.
As Vietnam marks 40 years of Đổi Mới reforms, Griffith Asia Institute (GAI) Higher Degree by Research (HDR) member Raghuvir Kelkar has joined leading international scholars to examine the country’s remarkable economic transformation and the challenges ahead.
Mr Kelkar presented his research on Vietnam’s export performance at Vietnam Update 2026, held at The Australian National University’s (ANU) Crawford School of Public Policy on 4 September.
Raghuvir Kelkar presenting his research at Vietnam Update 2026
His paper, The Export Efficiency of Vietnam After 40 Years of Doi Moi Reforms, co-authored with his external PhD supervisor, Emeritus Professor Kaliappa Kalirajan from ANU, was recently published in Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, ANU’s flagship policy journal.
The paper was selected for presentation at Vietnam Update 2026, which brought together scholars from ANU, Vietnam’s National Economics University (NEU), Southern Cross University, Waseda University and Griffith University.
Mr Kelkar was invited to attend on a fully funded basis to present his research and act as a discussant for a paper by a scholar from NEU. His research also attracted conference media attention, with Vietnam’s Voice of Vietnam news agency featuring the study.
Mr Kelkar said Vietnam’s economic transformation over the past four decades provided an important case study for understanding the relationship between economic reform, trade and development.
“Vietnam has undergone a remarkable transformation since the introduction of Đổi Mới, moving from an aid-reliant economy towards an increasingly export-oriented and globally integrated economy.”
“Our research examines how efficiently Vietnam has been able to convert its export potential into actual export performance, providing insights into both its achievements and the challenges that remain.”
Themed Vietnam – 40th Anniversary of ‘Đổi Mới’ and the Era of National Rise, the conference explored the policies and reforms that have shaped Vietnam’s development and the priorities that will influence its future.
The event was opened by Carol Holmes, Assistant Secretary, Vietnam and Mekong Strategy Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Hoa (Xuan) Nghiem, Deputy Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Australia.
Keynote speakers included Professor Van Tho Tran from Waseda University in Japan, a former economic adviser to the Vietnamese Prime Minister; Professor Martin Hayden from Southern Cross University, a higher education specialist; and Dr Hong Giang Le from Fulbright University Vietnam, a policy analyst and consultant.
Raghuvir Kelkar and Professor Van Tho Tran (Waseda University)
Professor Tran examined Vietnam’s transition from an aid-reliant economy to an export-oriented one, while Professor Hayden highlighted the contribution of higher education to the country’s development. Dr Le provided an overview of the policy and legislative foundations of the Đổi Mới reforms.
The conference featured thematic sessions on sustainable development and green transition; governance, institutions and international relations; economic transformation, innovation and markets; and finance, foreign investment and economic development.
Researchers explored a broad range of issues, including trade and investment, bamboo diplomacy, education, digital consumption, carbon neutrality and Vietnam’s ambition to become a high-income economy.
A key focus was the next stage of Vietnam’s industrial development, including the transition from labour-intensive, assembly-based manufacturing towards higher-value, technology-based production. Speakers also considered the role of stronger international partnerships, regional trade agreements, the US-Vietnam strategic partnership and greater autonomy for the private sector.
For Mr Kelkar, the opportunity to present his research alongside scholars working across Vietnam’s policy and economic landscape provided valuable insight as he continues his PhD research.
“I’m grateful for the strong support from the Griffith Asia Institute team and from ANU, which enabled me to participate in the conference and contribute to these important discussions,” he said.
“Presenting this research at Vietnam Update provided an excellent opportunity to engage with scholars from Australia and Vietnam and to receive valuable feedback,”
The conference concluded with remarks from Professor Long Chu, Director of the Hub for Vietnam Policy Studies at ANU’s Crawford School of Public Policy.
As Vietnam enters its fifth decade of Đổi Mới, the conference highlighted both the scale of the country’s economic achievements and the policy choices that will shape its ambition to become a high-income, technologically advanced and sustainable economy.
