Lakes are considered the lifeblood of numerous ecosystems worldwide and are facing a health crisis that could potentially impact the millions of people dependent on their services.
Now a study co-authored by Griffith University has underscored the urgent need for coordinated action to address the issues jeopardising lake ecosystems globally.
“Lakes, in their varied sizes, shapes, and hues, are vital storytellers of geological evolution and environmental significance,” Professor Hamilton said.
“However, the health of these bodies of water is under siege from a plethora of ailments, including thermal, circulatory, respiratory, nutritional, and metabolic challenges, as well as infections and pollution.
“The ramifications of neglecting lake health are profound. Without timely intervention and preventative measures, these issues could escalate into chronic conditions, imperilling essential ecosystem services that millions of people rely upon.”
Australia has around 11,400 lakes with the majority being salty due to high rates of evaporation, alongside other areas such as parts of Africa and Central Asia, which evaporate much more water than they receive.
Of concern among the findings was the widespread phenomenon of lake drying, exacerbated by human stressors and climate change. This is also impacting the availability of water stored in artificial reservoirs and dams.
About 115,000 lakes globally are evaporating at an alarming rate, posing risks to the more than 153 million people who reside nearby.
To avert an ecological catastrophe, the study advocated for a comprehensive approach encompassing improved sewage treatment, climate mitigation, prevention of non-native species introductions and curbing chemical pollution.
Professor Hamilton stressed the necessity of applying strategies akin to human healthcare to lake management.
“Early identification, regular screening, and remediation efforts are crucial to preserving the health of our lakes,” he said.
“Lakes need to be recognised as living systems that can suffer from a large variety of health issues which are similar in many ways to human health issues.
“Despite increasing preventative and treatment efforts in many countries, evidence for substantial improvement in the overall global lake health status remains elusive. Thus, there is a high risk that more and more lake health issues will become chronic and difficult to treat.”
Rising costs of living and airfares point to long-haul travel being affordable for fewer people. It also might re-shape the way we think about tourism.
Australians need to brace for a reality check. When it comes to international travel, we’ve had it too good for too long.
After years of cheap flights to all corners of the globe, market reality has hit and we’re in for a bone-shaking landing.
That will mean a fundamental shift for the visitor economy. And the good news is, Australia stands to cash in.
Global pilot shortages have resulted in substantial pay increases, further inflating expenses. Additionally, logistical disruptions from the pandemic have hindered aircraft manufacturing, reducing supply. Airlines are also willing to cash-in after significant losses during the pandemic years.
Consequently, we’re witnessing an inflationary trend, with flying becoming increasingly costly amid reduced aircraft availability.
Airlines are prioritising newer and more sustainable aircraft models, exacerbating supply-demand imbalances. These interconnected factors contribute to the escalating costs of air travel.
It appears that flying is transitioning into a luxury experience, particularly for long-haul journeys.
Australia could strategically position itself in response. Rather than pursuing continuous growth in international visitor numbers, the focus may shift towards attracting longer-staying, higher-spending tourists who are willing to travel beyond the usual and iconic destinations. This strategy can maximise economic benefits.
“The era of “fast tourism”, characterised by rushed itineraries and superficial encounters, is losing its appeal. There’s a growing movement towards “slow travel”, where travellers seek genuine connections and immersive experiences.”
Tourism often evokes a glamorous image of cultural exchange and exploration. However, this vision can only materialise through authentic experiences that allow for meaningful engagement.
The era of “fast tourism”, characterised by rushed itineraries and superficial encounters, is losing its appeal. There’s a growing movement towards “slow travel”, where travellers seek genuine connections and immersive experiences.
In essence, our approach shifts from relentless growth to sustainability. By embracing a mindset of responsible tourism, we can create a more enriching and mutually beneficial travel experience for all.
There are policy interventions that can help push that cultural shift along. Pulling levers like a cap on international flights out of main state capital cities, unless airlines fly via regional hubs like Cairns, Darwin and Broome could open up opportunities for regional tourism and development.
Broome Airport, for instance, only sees Jetstar flights to Singapore twice a week, despite being the second-largest airport in Western Australia. If more business was funnelled through Broome, it would create the market to properly expand the airport’s services — introducing customs and immigration services — and would give Broome the chance to serve as a gateway to the region, fostering growth in its tourism and economy.
The most direct way to push this influence is through Qantas, Australia’s national carrier, over which the government holds regulatory power. Government bailouts during the pandemic underscored the role it can play in supporting airlines and demonstrating a gap that can be filled with a more nuanced approach to aviation policy.
An embrace of a locally minded travel culture also addresses another challenge facing the aviation industry — the climate crisis.
The pandemic already nudged along a cultural shift towards cutting down unnecessary air travel as businesses became comfortable using platforms like Zoom, instead of flying in for face-to-face meetings. As companies become more conscious of their carbon footprint, tying sustainability goals into their responsibilities, business travel seems like an easy sector to curb.
As far as tourism goes, Asian tourism especially holds immense potential for Australia and its economy. By targeting more “slow travellers” — visitors who will spend more time in various locations, seeking deeper engagement with their travel destinations — Australia can maximise the economic and social benefits derived from tourism.
This approach projects as a more sustainable way to do tourism, built around encouraging longer stays and more spending for people who have flown to visit a far away destination. For Australian tourism powerbrokers, it means changing the mindset from constant growth to making the most of limited resources and focusing on a regenerative tourism model.
Tourism is often heralded with the glamorous view that it creates a better world because it fosters a better understanding of each other’s cultures and ways of living. This can only be achieved if it’s done authentically — if travellers take the time to engage with a destination.
Fast tourism — the “drop in, drop out” model of passing through many locations rapidly — is losing its appeal. Australia can benefit.
The silver lining of the cost-of-living crunch and airfare rise is that it presents a fantastic opportunity to open up the rest of the country, which is full of destinations many in Australia and the region haven’t explored.
By promoting slower travel and encouraging visitors to venture beyond the typical tourist hotspots, Australia can showcase its diversity, beauty and rich cultural heritage to the world.
Gui Lohmann is a Professor in Air Transport and Tourism Management at Griffith University and the leader of the research cluster “The Future of Aviation” at the Griffith Institute for Tourism.
Cave diving is a recreation and emergency services skill that is not for the fainthearted, and without proper training the pastime can be potentially deadly.
While cave diving in Australia has experienced lows, there is much to celebrate and inspire new and experienced divers.
Prof Julien Louys at Tank cave examining a modern kangaroo fossil.
Professor Julien Louys, Deputy Director of Griffith University’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, is no stranger to the cave systems surrounding the Mount Gambier region in South Australia, having previously mounted several research trips to recover and study fossils collected from various cave sites from some of Australia’s most mysterious animals – extinct marsupial megafauna.
In 2022, Professor Louys was awarded $260,820 for his Australian Research Council Linkage project titled ‘Deep time extinctions and environments in Australian underwater caves’, which has helped him retrieve and study the deposits and environmental settings of fossils including the Diprotodon (popularly but incorrectly likened to a giant wombat), Thylacoleo (marsupial lion) and the Sthenurinae (short faced kangaroo).
Accompanied by members of the Cave Diving Association of Australia (CDAA) and his team of researchers, Associate Professor Louys will perform dives at Englebrechts, Gouldens and Tank caves to explore whether those cave systems contain fossils, from what species, and what they can tell us about why they may have become extinct.
“That’s one of the key things that we’re trying to address with this project is to really place these megafauna in a particular landscape, to reconstruct in its finer detail as possible what the environments would have been like and how that may have changed through time and how that compares to the environments today,” he said.
“Palaeontology is more than just studying dinosaur bones. Where the fossils come from, their context, age, and relationship to other fossils is critical information we use to understand past environments and how climate change impacted ecosystems in the past.
“That’s one of the most long-ranging debates in Australian palaeontology, and global palaeontology: what happened to these megafauna?
“They all became extinct towards the end of the Pleistocene and one of the key debates is whether it was humans that caused their extinctions or whether it was environmental change that caused their extinctions.
PhD candidate Meg Walker at Englebrechts cave.
“There’s been a lot of conjecture or a lot of hypotheses that humans may have caused the extinctions because climate changes weren’t severe enough or weren’t impactful enough.
The dive and research team at Gouldens sinkhole, from top Damian Bishop, Steve Trewavas, Julien Louys and Joseph Monks.
“But one of the gaps in our knowledge of that time, and of these species, is what sort of environments they actually lived in and what sort of ecologies these megafauna species had.”
He and the CDAA would like to see further protections on cave sites in the region, not only to protect the sites’ fossil deposits and future research, but also to stem some of the increase in amateur cave divers who pose risks to the sites and themselves without adequate training.
“Some of these sites are at risk of being lost forever,” Professor Louys said.
“They provide not only a window into Australia’s past, but their fossils can help educate and inspire Australians about our environments and are instrumental in understanding how past climate and environmental change affected ecosystems, fauna, and flora.
“The laws and legislation concerning fossil protection in Australia are not very clear, not consistent across states and territories and rarely if ever enforced.
“If these are lost or destroyed, they’re gone for good, and whatever we might be able to learn about Australia and our future wasted.”
In an evolving journey towards understanding and supporting those living with Parkinson’s disease, a new report offers fresh insights into the burden it places on those affected.
The study by Professor George Mellick for Parkinson’s Australia aimed to shed light on the complexities surrounding its prevalence, as well as the need for better understanding and support.
The second most common neurological condition in the world, Parkinson’s remains one of the least understood, with up to 150,000 Australians having it, and more than a million impacted.
While up to 50 Australians are diagnosed with Parkinson’s every day, Professor Mellick said it’s far from simple to determine the full extent and prevalence of it across the population.
“There have been very few studies looking at prevalence and incidence of the condition,” he said.
Professor George Mellick
“Statistics are usually reported per 100,000 people, but with a condition like Parkinson’s those figures can really depend on the age and makeup of that 100,000 people, so we’ve been working on gathering more accurate figures on the number of people living with Parkinson’s in different regions, which has never been done in Australia.”
While age is the greatest risk factor and Parkinson’s is commonly viewed as an older person’s condition, around 10 per cent of those living with the ailment are of working age, and some even in their thirties or forties.
“A lot of people don’t even know they’ve got it,” Professor Mellick said.
“They know something’s wrong, but it takes them five years to find out they’ve got Parkinson’s because no one is considering it as an option.
“In fact, studies have shown up to 25 per cent of people with Parkinson’s don’t even know they’ve got it.
“Symptoms come on gradually – often over several years, and given there is no test for Parkinson’s and it needs to be diagnosed by a physician who is very familiar with it, it can be very difficult to diagnose.”
While Parkinson’s is most commonly associated with an involuntary movement or shaking of limbs, around 30 per cent of sufferers will not experience this symptom at all.
Other impacts on the body can include feelings of rigidity or ongoing muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, difficulty with fine motor skills, quieter speech and even a loss of smell.
Additionally, non-motor-symptoms can include anxiety and depression, constipation and even acting out dreams.
“Usually when you sleep or dream your motor skills shut down, but Parkinson’s can sometimes stop this from happening, which can be quite impactful on partners particularly.
“Ultimately, we’re an ageing population which means we’ll be seeing more of this condition, so the more we can learn about it, the better we can prepare for that.
“We can’t cure it yet, but we can treat it quite well.
“We want to work with individuals as early as possible to ensure their journey with Parkinson’s is the best and most productive it can be, and avoid the need for them to enter into nursing homes as much as possible.”
A new partnership between Blackmore Family Foundation and Griffith University has mobilised the Blackmore Leadership Summit series and a worldwide search for the Blackmore Chair in Business Leadership.
Professor Caitlin Byrne and Professor Robert Bianchi with Blackmore Family Foundation members and Griffith Business School Student Leaders.
The role will oversee The Blackmore Leadership Summit series, an annual flagship and destination event that will bring together a cohort of up to 50 business founders, executives, and leaders to amalgamate experiences and provide structured and expert learning.
The partnership represents a shared commitment towards innovative, authentic, people-centred leadership.
Pro Vice Chancellor (Business) Professor Caitlin Byrne said the chair would play a critical role in harnessing new knowledge and thinking about innovative business leadership in Australia and the Asia Pacific.
“Leadership is hard and in today’s complex and contested world the demand for effective leaders has never been greater,” Professor Byrne said.
“I’m truly proud that Griffith Business School, together with the Blackmore Family Foundation, is elevating business education and research in ways that will transform leadership practice in Australia and the Asia-Pacific for the better.
“We’re grateful to Marcus Blackmore for reminding us about the importance of investing in people for the long term, and we look forward to working with the Blackmore Family Foundation board to bring our shared ambitions for better business leadership to life.”
Griffith celebrated with the Blackmore Family Foundation at an event hosted by Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans on the Gold Coast campus last week, with members of the Blackmore Family Foundation including Marcus Blackmore and Caroline Furlong.
See details about the Chair of Business Leadership position here.
If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian peninsula. On the ground, you can find a bounty of stone tools and ancient fireplaces scattered along the edges of ancient lakes, as well as rock art depicting hunting and herding scenes in the surrounding mountains.
Despite the visibility of these sites, only in the past decade or so have archaeologists taken a dedicated interest in them. Some of the structures have now been dated at up to 10,000 years old.
However, the arid climate, baking days and freezing nights, and intense wind erosion are not kind to some of the other relics archaeologists prize. To date, there has been little found in the way of fossils or the kind of deeply buried, layered deposits that can open a window onto the history of a place.
Until recently, no archaeologists had surveyed any of the hundreds of caves and lava tubes recorded across northern Arabia. In 2019, our team began to look in these subterranean locations – and in a new study published today in PLoS ONE, we report on the first documented occupation of a lava tube in the Arabian Peninsula.
The Umm Jirsan lava tube
The Umm Jirsan lava tube lies some 125 kilometres north of the city of Madinah, in the Harrat Khaybar lava field. The tube formed long ago by cooling lava. It winds an impressive 1.5 kilometres, and reaches 12 metres in height and 45 metres in width in some sections.
The first thing you notice when venturing into the tube’s dark and meandering tunnels is the sheer number of animal remains. The floor is strewn with piles of bones containing thousands – if not hundreds of thousands – of exceptionally preserved fossils.
At the mouth of the eastern passage of Umm Jirsan
These bone-piles are the work of striped hyenas, which drag bones underground to eat, stash away for times of food scarcity, or process and feed to cubs. This process, repeated over millennia, has produced some of the most incredible accumulations of fossils seen anywhere in the world.
But it’s not all just bones. When we surveyed the entrances of Umm Jirsan – essentially areas where the roof has collapsed, providing access to the lava tube – we uncovered hundreds of stone artefacts made from obsidian, chert and basalt.
Although exciting, these artefacts were all surface finds, making them extremely difficult to date. We needed to look deeper.
Digging in
We excavated in the mouth of the eastern passage, near a series of semi-circular stone structures of an unknown age or function. The excavation uncovered more stone artefacts – all made from fine-grained green obsidian – as well as animal bones and charcoal.
Most of the stone artefacts came from a discrete sediment layer roughly 75 centimetres beneath the surface. Radiocarbon dating of the charcoal, and dating of the sediments using a method known as optically stimulated luminescence dating, revealed this main occupation phase likely occurred between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago.
Saudi archaeologist Badr Zahrani working on the excavation
We also found some interesting objects in the surrounding landscape. These included more stone artefacts and circular structures, as well as a so-called “I-type” structure. These constructions are believed to date to around 7,000 years ago, based on their association with large rectangular structures known as mustatils, which we believe were used for ritual animal sacrifices.
We also found the first rock art discovered in the area. This includes depictions of herding scenes of cattle, sheep and goat, and even hunting scenes involving dogs. This art has similarities with other rock art in Arabia from the Neolithic and the later Bronze Age. It includes overlapping engravings, suggesting people visited the area repeatedly over thousands of years
Rock art found near Umm Jirsan shows animals and people. Stewart et al. 2024 / PLoS ONE, CC BY
We also found human remains at Umm Jirsan, which we dated to the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. By analysing the carbon and nitrogen in these remains, we found these people’s diets were consistently high in protein – though they ate more fruit and cereals over time.
Interestingly, this change in diet appears to coincide with the arrival of oasis agriculture in the region. This saw the emergence of sophisticated farming and water management techniques that enabled people to settle in the deserts more permanently and cultivate plants such as dates and figs.
We made another interesting finding after coming home from the dig. Studying maps of archaeological structures in the wider area, we noticed Umm Jirsan sits along a “funerary avenue” connecting two major oases.
These funerary avenues, which consist of chains of tombs stretching hundreds of kilometres, are believed to have been routes used by Bronze Age pastoralists as they transported their herds between water sources.
We think Umm Jirsan may have been a stopping-off point for pastoralists, a place that offered shelter and water in an otherwise dry and harsh environment.
Archaeologists have made remarkable finds in Arabia in recent years, in settings such as ancient lakebeds. Our finds at Umm Jirsan add another important element to the story of Arabian societies over time, and how they interacted with this dramatic landscape.
Authors
Dr Mathew Stewart is a Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution at Griffith University and the lead researcher on this project.
Dr Huw Groucutt is an archaeological scientist, specialising in understanding long human-environment interactions and is a Lecturer at the University of Malta.
Professor Michael Petraglia is Director, Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. He is well known for leading and implementing large-scale interdisciplinary archaeological projects in Eastern Africa, the Middle East, the US, and in several regions of Asia, including India and China.
Michael is passionate about archaeology and human evolutionary studies. From 2001-2016, he taught at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, UK, and from 2016 to 2022, he was based at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Germany. He is currently a Research Associate in the Human Origins Program of the Smithsonian Institution, USA, and an Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland, Australia.
Griffith Business School has again proved itself to be among the best in the world. With the release of the 2024 QS World University Rankings, the School’s Hospitality and Leisure Management subjects have claimed the #1 spot among Australian universities and are ranked 24th globally.
Drawing on the analysis of 17.5 million academic papers and the expert opinions of over 240,000 academic faculty and employers, the Rankings evaluate over 1,500 institutions worldwide. This year, they introduced three new metrics: Sustainability, Employment Outcomes and International Research Network.
Professor Sarah Gardiner, Director of GIFT, highlights the Institute’s impactful research, stating, “Our research is not merely academic; it drives tangible outcomes.”
A prime example of GIFT’s innovative research is the Greening Hotels Australian Research Council Project, addressing the urgent need for enhanced environmental performance within tourism accommodation businesses. This project aims to build collaborations with various accommodation providers to streamline resource usage and promote sustainable practices throughout the tourism sector.
Griffith Business School students benefit from the expertise of academic staff engaged in cutting-edge research like the Greening Hotels Project. Additionally, they reap the rewards of the Department of Tourism, Sport, and Hotel Management’s strong industry connections and exceptional student learning experiences.
Professor Kevin Filo.
Among the student learning experiences available to students is the Industry Cruise Study Tour, a transformative 10-day expedition to the South Pacific. Led by industry professionals, students gain insights into the cruise industry’s dynamics, operations, marketing strategies, and sustainability practices through lectures, workshops, and interactions with industry experts.
Deputy Head of the Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management, Professor Kevin Filo declared, “Our emphasis on experiential learning is an important and defining characteristic of our programs. This also exemplifies the applied, industry-relevant nature of our course design.”
“We are incredibly fortunate to have a team of academics who not only have their own experience to drawn upon, but also work closely with our wonderful industry partners to prepare our students to tackle contemporary, real-world challenges.”
This latest ranking success highlights Griffith’s commitment to research excellence, quality education and industry relevance, which prepares students to thrive in the ever-changing hospitality and leisure landscape.
In a thought-provoking and insightful panel discussion hosted by the Griffith Asia Institute, the launch of a new book titled Climate Politics in Oceania: Renewing Australia-Pacific Relations in a Warming World sparked a crucial conversation on the urgent need for renewed climate leadership in the Oceania region. Held on the 11th of April in collaboration with the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), the event brought together prominent figures in academia and advocacy to address pressing issues surrounding climate change and diplomatic relations.
The panel, comprising Professor Susan Harris Rimmer and Dr. Wesley Morgan as co-editors, alongside Assoc. Professor Tess Newton Cain as author, and Mary Maselina Harm as respondent, delivered compelling insights into the complex dynamics shaping Australia-Pacific relations amidst the escalating climate crisis.
Australia’s Leadership in Question
Australia’s historical aspirations for global climate policy leadership have faced significant challenges in recent years, with a decline in reputation attributed to political inertia and policy blind spots. The nation’s diplomatic isolation on the international stage has further undermined its credibility, particularly within the Pacific family. Leaders of Pacific Island nations have increasingly voiced their concerns over Australia’s inadequate response to the climate crisis, emphasizing the need for a fundamental reordering of strategic priorities and regional cooperation.
A Call to Action
Climate Politics in Oceania serves as a rallying cry for change, urging Australia to reassess its approach to climate diplomacy and engage constructively with regional partners to secure Oceania’s interests. The book highlights the pivotal role of collective action and underscores the imperative for Australia to demonstrate genuine commitment to tackling the climate crisis.
Shifting Perspectives
During the panel discussion, each speaker offered unique perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the region:
Professor Susan Harris Rimmer emphasised the urgent need for action and positioned the book as a potential guide for future relations, calling for a proactive approach to addressing climate change. Dr. Wesley Morgan challenged conventional thinking by reframing Pacific Island nations as “large ocean states” at the forefront of climate change action since the late 1980s, emphasizing the significance of their voices in shaping international discourse. Assoc. Professor Tess Newton Cain explored the role of China in the region and highlighted the respectful nature of its interactions with Pacific Islanders, drawing attention to the contrasts with Australia’s approach. Ms Mary Maselina Harm underscored the importance of storytelling in driving change, urging attendees to “flip” their perspectives akin to the Crown of Thorns starfish, symbolizing the need for self-reflection and healing in the face of environmental damage.
A Call for Self-Reflection
The panel discussion concluded with a poignant reminder of the imperative for individuals and nations alike to engage in introspection and adopt transformative approaches to climate action. Attendees left the event challenged and inspired, contemplating their roles in effecting positive change in the face of the climate crisis.
As Oceania stands at a critical juncture in its collective response to climate change, the insights shared during the panel discussion underscore the pressing need for renewed climate leadership and regional cooperation. The launch of Climate Politics in Oceania marks a significant milestone in this journey, offering a compelling vision for a sustainable and resilient future for the region and beyond.
Recent strides in interdisciplinary archaeological research in Arabia have unveiled new insights into the evolution and historical development of regional human populations, as well as the dynamic patterns of cultural change, migration, and adaptation to environmental fluctuations.
Despite the challenges posed by limited preservation of archaeological assemblages and organic remains in arid environments, these discoveries are reshaping our understanding of the region’s rich cultural heritage.
The excavation at Umm Jirsan. Credit: Green Arabia Project
One such breakthrough led by Griffith University’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE), in collaboration with international partners, comes from the exploration of underground settings, including caves and lava tubes, which have remained largely untapped reservoirs of archaeological abundance in Arabia.
Through meticulous excavation and analysis, researchers have uncovered a wealth of evidence at Umm Jirsan, spanning from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age periods (~10,000-3,500 years ago).
“Our findings at Umm Jirsan provide a rare glimpse into the lives of ancient peoples in Arabia, revealing repeated phases of human occupation and shedding light on the pastoralist activities that once thrived in this landscape,” said Dr Mathew Stewart, the lead researcher and a Research Fellow at ARCHE.
“This site likely served as a crucial waypoint along pastoral routes, linking key oases and facilitating cultural exchange and trade.”
Rock art and faunal records attest to the pastoralist use of the lava tube and surrounding areas, painting a vivid picture of ancient lifeways.
Depictions of cattle, sheep, goat and dogs corroborate the prehistoric livestock practices and herd composition of the region.
Isotopic analysis of animal remains indicates that livestock primarily grazed on wild grasses and shrubs, while humans maintained a diet rich in protein, with a notable increase in the consumption of C3 plants over time, suggesting the emergence of oasis agriculture.
The striking entrance to Umm Jirsan Cave. Credit: Green Arabia Project
“While underground localities are globally significant in archaeology and Quaternary science, our research represents the first comprehensive study of its kind in Saudi Arabia,” added Professor Michael Petraglia, Director of ARCHE.
“These findings underscore the immense potential for interdisciplinary investigations in caves and lava tubes, offering a unique window into Arabia’s ancient past.”
The research at Umm Jirsan underscores the importance of collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches to archaeological inquiry and highlights the significance of Arabia’s archaeological heritage on the global stage.
Researchers involved in this study work in close partnership with the Heritage Commission, Saudi Ministry of Culture, and the Saudi Geological Survey. Additional partners include King Saud University and key institutions in the UK, the USA, and Germany.
An international typography conference will be hosted in Australia for the first time in 67 years, with the Queensland College of Art and Design (QCAD) featuring heavily in the line-up.
ATypI (Association Typographique Internationale) was founded in 1957 to celebrate typography and typeface design, facilitate dialogue with related professional bodies, improve understanding of global typography, and promote typography education.
Connected to the conference will be an exhibition featuring the typography work of 36 artists, displayed as posters viewable in the Grey Street Galley from 10-20 April 2024.
The works have been selected from 1710 pieces of the world’s best lettering, calligraphy and type design featured across nine years of Typism books, curated by QCAD’s Associate Professor Dominique Falla.
Associate Professor Dominique Falla
Starting as an online type and lettering community, the annual Typism book project has given many first-time published artists a chance to have their work showcased to a global audience, with contributions coming from Ukraine, the Netherlands, Poland, Bolivia, Germany, Brazil and many more countries.
“I created Typism for my students after realising of lot of them were interested in type and lettering, but didn’t realise it could actually be a career path,” Dr Falla said.
“I started enlisting professional lettering artists to share their career journeys and experiences which led to the idea of curating some of the best type and lettering in the world in a book.
“The poster show is the ‘creme de la crème’ of the thousands of pieces of work published in the book over the last decade.”
Dr David Sargent
With the official opening night of ATypI being hosted at QCAD’s Grey Street Gallery and day one of workshops hosted at Griffith University’s South Bank campus, participants will hear from Dr Falla about her 10-year journey creating the Typism books and community, as well as several other QCAD academics in talks and workshops.
Dr Libbi Reed
Senior lecturer Dr David Sargent teaches visual communication courses related to publication layout, the history of type, typeface design, and expressive lettering, and will speak about a typeface he has revived.
Graphic design teaching fellow Dr Libbi Reed will lead a workshop introducing participants to the concept of visual sense-making through sketch-noting and expressive lettering, providing participants with a comprehensive toolkit for creative expression and effective communication.
Pascale Schmid
Doctoral candidate and sessional tutor Pascale Schmid used to be a flight attendant, and will be sharing her research and journey to designing a typeface for pilots to use in the cockpit.
Finally, QCAD graduate and sessional lecturer Aurelie Maron will close the conference with a keynote speech on how a lifelong love for drawing and a dedication to mastering the art of typography helped her build a thriving community and fulfilling career.
Aurelie Maron
With QCAD recently renamed to reflect its strong design contingent, Dr Falla said the university boasts more type-focused PhD and Masters students than any other Australian Institutions.
“We have a full contingent of type and lettering courses and some of the best type teachers in the world as part of our Bachelor of Design,” she said.
“We’re very proud to be a part of the ATypI conference and can’t wait to see what our students and other artists design next.”
