Love and death. Romance and rivalry. Welcome toWest Side Story, the Queensland Conservatorium’s main stage musical for 2017.
The show, which turns 60 this year, headlines the Queensland Conservatorium’s 60thanniversary line-up.
Hailed as ‘the greatest musical of all time’, the show features a Grammy-winning score by legendary composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, including hits likeMaria,America,SomewhereandTonight.
Inspired by Shakespeare’sRomeo and Juliet,West Side Storyis set in New York’s Upper West Side in the mid-1950s where racial and social tensions have reached boiling point.
The blockbuster production will feature a triple cast, comprising the entire musical theatre cohort, accompanied by the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra.
Final year Bachelor of Musical Theatre student Courtney Monsma is one of three students playing the lead role of Maria.
“It is a dream role,” she says.
“It is amazing to be on stage in the Conservatorium Theatre with a huge set, an orchestra, costumes… it’s what I’ve been working towards for years.”
The talented singer has just won a place in the ensemble cast ofMamma Mia!,which will tour nationally later this year.
“I wouldn’t have had the confidence to audition forMamma Mia!if not for this course,” she said.
“You have so much support and are so well prepared, andWest Side Storyis a great stepping stone to a professional production.
“I will do the first run ofMamma Mia!in Canberra, and then make it back to Brisbane just in time for graduation!”
Musical theatre student Grady Swithenbank is one of thestudents taking on the male lead, Tony.
“I grew up in a small country town near Perth, and one of the first big musicals I saw was a student production ofWest Side Story,” he says.
“It’s such a classic story and I already knew all of the songs – I was thrilled when I scored this role.
“It’s vocally demanding and such a complex role, but I think Tony is strugglingwith the kind of things that all guys my age deal with – becoming a man, the pressures of staying loyal to your friends, falling in love for the first time.”
Grady relocated halfway across the country to study musical theatre at the Queensland Conservatorium.
The move has paid off – with the opportunity to work with industry professionals, tour interstate and honehis craft at a host of iconic venues around town.
Fellow final-year musical theatre student Maddison McDonald is playing Anita – a part she describes as “the sassy best friend role”.
Maddison admits thatWest Side Storyis the most demanding show she has ever tackled.
“It is the kind of show that really stretches you as a performer,” she says.
“Anita has crazy dance numbers, big songs and a huge character arc – you really have to be at the top of your game.”
Maddison says that students have benefitted from having a “dream creative team”.
The production will be directed by musical theatre impresario and Brisbane Powerhouse Artistic Director Kris Stewart and choreographed by Christopher Horsey – a founding member ofTap Dogs.
“It is incredible working with both of them – they are both awesome teachers, but also have decades of industry experience to draw on.”
Mr Stewart said he was excited to work with the Queensland Conservatorium musical theatre students.
“This production will give the students a chance to tackle one of the biggest shows in the musical theatre canon,” he said.
“It will be an extraordinary challenge, but if you want to test yourself as an artist and hone your skills, you have to shoot for the stars.”
Mr Stewart said that audiences were in for a treat, with the production featuring a full dance ensemble and symphony.
“It’s a rare chance to see the show as it was intended,” he said.
“It is difficult to do in a standard commercial production.”
“We have an incredibly talented group of young performers who are tackling some of musical theatre’s most iconic roles, show-stopping songs and dazzling dance numbers,” he said.
It’s the type of opportunity given to students throughout their degree at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University that ensures they become well-rounded performers.
“It’s vital they leave us with the skill set that will enable them to tackle any role, on any stage,” says Associate Professor Sabey.
“A show likeWest Side Storygives them the chance to work with industry professionals and perform on the main stage in front of a wider audience.”
Show details
WHAT:West Side Story WHEN: 27 Jul to 5 August 2017WHERE: Queensland Conservatorium Theatre, 140 Grey Street, South Bank
WHEN: 1pm Wed / 2:30pm Sat / 7:30pm, Thu, Fri, Sat
TICKETS: $15-$45 fromQtix
Economics, environmental sustainability, global security threats, media communication and social change, politics in Asia, and social justice are not only some of the biggest issues facing the world today–they’re also the majors offered in Griffith’s new Bachelor of Social Science.
According to a recent article in ScienceNordic, social scientists are key to tackling global challenges, as, for the first time in history, our world is being shaped more by humans than by nature.
Dr Ben Fenton-Smith, convenor of the new social science degree, to be introduced in 2018 at Griffith’s Nathan and Gold Coast campuses, agrees.
“There is no question that social scientists are going to be in huge demand in the next 20—30 years. As our use of data, technology and information increases, we are going to need social scientists to make sense of it,” he said.
“Climate change is a good example of an issue that social scientists are uniquely equipped to address. We know it’s a problem, but it’s not realistic to believe that science alone can solve it. We need a variety of change agents: communicators, advocates, activists, policy developers, community and corporate innovators. Social scientists can play these roles because they understand the issues, are conversant in the data, can formulate a path forward, and can communicate a plan of action.”
That breadth of understanding is what sets social science apart from ‘hard’ science.
“We aren’t talking about ‘lab coat’ science in this degree, but rather the application of analytical processes to the social and global context,” says Ben.
Dr Ben Fenton-Smith explains how we can use rhetoric toanalyse political language–just one of the many areas of study offered in the new Bachelor of Social Science at Griffith.
The new degree, which offers hands-on learning opportunities such as community internships and overseas study tours, is designed for students who want to use both their ‘left brain’ (the bit used for analytics, data, and logical thinking) and their ‘right brain’ (the bit used for creative, critical and holistic thinking).
“It will appeal to students who are really interested in what makes the world tick (whether that be economically, politically, socially, or environmentally) but also want to graduate with the skills for analysing that world and–perhaps even more importantly–doing something about it.”
And it’s an ideal fit for Griffith, which ranks highly in a range of social science disciplines, including 42nd worldwide for development studies in the 2017QSWorld University Subject Rankings.
“Social science is part of Griffith’s DNA, but we didn’t actually have a dedicated social science undergraduate degree,” says Ben.
“We saw an opportunity to create something completely new that was tailored to the world’s current needs, and those of the next 25 years.”
Training opportunities and clear career paths are essential to improving productivity in the tourism sector.
Dr Andreas Chai, from Griffith Business School, contributed to the June 2017 CEDA report into the economic consequences of Australia’s productivity performance in the service sector.
He suggests that more can be done to boost labour productivity in tourism by improving the quality of training opportunities and the management of casual workforces.
“In the short term, a casual workforce is fine as it keeps costs down and helps business owners survive,” Dr Chai said.
“But in the longer run, it will create a skill shortage due to the digital revolution.
“There will be an increase in demand for works who have IT skills or programming skills, with companies like AirBnB and hotels already marketing themselves on big digital platforms.
“The industry will have to compete with this and it will drive up costs.”
Adaption is key
But Dr Chai said there was still time for businesses to adapt.
“We need to think about career paths, about managing someone who starts in an entry-level job and giving them the opportunity to develop skills to move up into jobs with better wages and conditions.
“If businesses play the long game, they will benefit as their employees will stick around.”
Dr Chai said empowering workers in the tourism sector is particularly important as 60 per cent are female, and a large proportion are young.
The ability to transfer skills between jobs is also crucial.This does exist in Australia though standard qualifications and apprenticeships, but there’s still a low degree of buy-in from small businesses as they simply don’t have the time.
“More needs to be done,” Dr Chai said.
Now that companies like AirBnB and Uber are shaking up the sector, it’s clear theworkforce composition of tourism is changing.
“Some people will criticise their arrival and say it’s creating more of those casual jobs, but it’s more complicated.
“People are looking for part-time work or short-term opportunities outside their regular business.
“So we need to make sure their contracts are handled correctly, that they’ve got enough superannuation – and the government hasn’t quite worked this out yet.”
My name is Brittany Bell and I am currently in my second year of a Bachelor of Public Relations and Communications/Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing.
I’m really excited to be joining the Spectator Experience and Customer Service Integration team, which works on providing the best experience possible to spectators of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018).
There is a lot of uncertainty going into an internship, but I know I will definitely gain valuable skills and knowledge from working at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC), especially from colleagues that have worked on Games all around the world. I’m excited to step out of the “Uni Life” and into a working environment and taking in everything that comes with it, from networking with people internally and externally and seeing my work come to life to being able to learn the basic skills needed in any workplace.
I really am looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and pushing myself to work on projects that will leave me part of the legacy of GC2018.
Although I haven’t commenced yet, I know that my experiences at GOLDOC are going to be so valuable and vital any career path I look to follow after my studies end.
I’ll be sharing my experiences along the way once the internship commences, to show all of the different types of projects I work on and alongside during my time at GOLDOC.
Halfway mark
While I am now halfway through my internship, I feel as if I have been at GOLDOC much longer. The staff are more than welcoming and great to work with and it’s such as positive work environment.
Now that I have been here for several weeks, I have been immersed in so many different, exciting and rewarding experiences. From researching, working on and budgeting for major enhancements for spectators to press releases, sitting in venue meetings and Brisbane City Council and Office of Commonwealth Games seminars.
I have been leading on and aiding several different mass scale projects that will directly impact the experience a spectator will have during Games time. Knowing that everything I work on will be a legacy forGC2018 makes coming to work every day so exciting but diverse. My experiences have been invaluable and will no doubt set me up for success in my career. I have been able to meet and network with such knowledgeable people, internally whilst working with most of the Functional Areas within GOLDOC and externally.
Besides the obvious professional development I have gained from my internship, I have definitely enhanced my time management skills. Being able to juggle an internship, some study and the balance of my “normal” life has been eye-opening and will certainly help balancing my future studies.
I knew that I would gain such a valuable and worthwhile experience but this internship exceeds my expectations everyday. It would be one of the best experiences I have had to date and I would recommend it to anyone who is considering undertaking an internship at GOLDOC.
Where to next?
Now I have completed my internship, I am working at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) full time as a Spectator Experience Officer.
I have gained so much experience, through everything I have done I have learnt or gained something valuable from it that will benefit me for the rest of my career and life. I have made so many connections that has taken my networking to another level.
It’s a really exciting time as GOLDOC moves closer and closer to Games time. There are key elements of the spectator experience journey that my team and I are delivering which is becoming really exciting as things start to become real.
I have also finished this semester High Distinctions for my 40CP load, which has boosted my GPA. This internship has really been valuable to me in every aspect. From networking, professional and personal development, my academics and even friendships that I have made from doing this internship.
Completing this internship has definitely been one of the best things I have done. For my career and future, it will enable me to travel the world, work on a range of different events and in different organisations.
Bruce Highfield, the Executive General Manager of Human Resources and Safety at Olam International will joinUnitingCare Queensland’s Shannon Foley and the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing’sDr Rebecca Loudoun for a special panel discussion on the importance of organisational values in the recruitment and management of employees.
Those in attendance will hear about a variety of topics including how values play into employee recruitment, how to maintain these values and how values may differ depending on the organisation.
“One of my most recent undertakings was to review the global recruitment process for Olam, so it’s quite uncanny that this discussion has come up,” Highfield said.
“We have some brand values, and I have put a proposal together to align our recruitment to our brand values. If you say your brand is this that and the other, it would make some sense to be aligning yourself with those brand values.”
As well as a focus on brand values, Highfield says his company has a clear view towards what they call core human values or values that human beings rate others by, as they can be just as important in a working environment and leadership required individuals to display these principles.
“They’re not the values that you would see organisations putting up on the wall. Having said that, many organisations put an importance on mutual respect, teamwork, trust and honesty,” Highfield said.
“So if you’re in a group and you’re with someone you don’t trust the group will split. If you think that the person leading the group displays behaviours that are unfair, untrusting, lack respect for dignity, lack courage of decision making, these are core social values that will draw a response.”
When it comes to organisational values, Highfield believes that there is not much of a difference when you analyse how the top companies in the country operate.
“If you took the top 100 companies in Australia and you compared their vision and value statements 80% would look very similar,” Highfield said.
“In fact, you would be hard pressed to say where the values come from and you would struggle to differentiate them.”
The panel discussion is presented by the Griffith Business School Alumni Network and the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing, and will take place on Thursday, August 10th at the Brisbane Marriott Hotel.
Bruce Highfieldis Executive General Manager HR and Safety for Olam’s operations in Australia and its Global Edible Nuts division across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Bruce commenced his career in HR in predominately in Industrial Relations in at Altona Chemical Complex and two years with the London Underground. During his career he has held senior positions at Orica, General Manager of People at Virgin Blue and UK consulting firm MacDonald Associates and numerous mining projects. Bruce has consistently demonstrated his ability to deliver tangible bottom line results through his understanding of organisation design and human nature.
Go online for more information on the event and how to register.
An internship with the Brisbane Roar women’s soccer team was the perfect cap to Griffith University graduate Gabrielle Brown’s double degree.
The sports enthusiastand Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Communications graduate undertook the Roar internship where she managed the team’s social media profile as part of her public relations major.
“It was a fantastic experience,” she says. “I went to a game each week, had a shirt, sat on the bench and really felt like I was an integral part of the team.”
Growing up in a rural area, Gabrielle was a keen horse rider and spent many years riding and competing in horse shows throughout Australia.
After she finished school, she spent 18 months working in a variety of jobs including hospitality and retail to help fund her her horse-riding passion. She then decided to study at university.
“I chose Griffith because even though it’s a large university it feels like an inclusive, welcoming community,’’ she said.
“I decided on a double degree because I’d always been interested in marketing and business and the public relations major allows me to be creative.”
Even though it had been a while since she’d studied, Gabrielle (24), had no trouble getting into the rhythm of university life and believes being involved in university activities is important in making connections.
“Always say yes to things if your lecturer offers opportunities whether it’s part-time work or volunteering at events, meeting other people already working in the area you want to be in can be so beneficial,” she said.
“Through GEMMS and networking I was able to become a student ambassador and able to represent the university, making contacts and meeting people.”
The first in her family to go to university, Gabrielle’s parents and grandparents are understandably proud and excited about her degree.
“My parents encouraged me to do my best with my education and are very happy that I’ve graduated.”
Three weeks before she finishing her degree Gabrielle obtained a full-time position as a Student Recruitment Officer at Griffith University.
“I look after 102 schools around the Gold Coast and northern NSW, where I maintain the relationship between Griffith and the schools and inspire young people to study at Griffith.”
Her advice to prospective students? “Study something that you enjoy or are passionate about as it will make your uni journey more rewarding. Also, get involved in anything that comes your way.”
For Gabrielle, that means finding time to maintain her connection with the Brisbane Roar, helping with their social media profile and developing her professional network.
Unravelling the past for the First People is key to a new partnership between Griffith University and the Mithaka People of South West Queensland.
Mithaka People are the Native Title owners of 33,800 square kilometres in the Channel Country of southwest Queensland, as well as the last claimants to a further 22,000 square kilometres west of Cooper’s Creek.
Today (July 24) the Mithaka People launched their Research Framework. This research framework will support Mithaka Traditional Owners and their research partners to:
establish trust between researchers and create a neutral platform for effective research;
implement best practice research using culturally sensitive guidelines and principles;
promote innovative research that traverses and benefits western and traditional knowledge;
create opportunities to develop, promote and engage with Aboriginal research.
The collaboration will allow leading scientists from Griffith’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE) to further their work with the Mithaka people in Channel Country.
By integrating non-Indigenous scientific approaches with Indigenous approaches and knowledge, researchers hope to build a thorough understanding of how Mithaka Country received her people and how she carried them through the next 50,000 or so years
Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Barry Riddiford said the Mithaka people were really trying to understand what went on across their land for many years.
“This partnership is going to open up a lot more opportunity for in-depth investigation and is a part of a long-term strategy,” he said.
Mr Riddiford said the aim was to participate in and develop research as a practice that collaborated with Mithaka Traditional Owners to manage traditional knowledge so that it benefited Mithaka Country, Culture and People.
ARCHE Director Professor Rainer Grün said there was a wealth of archaeological remains and features in Mithaka Country that would help First People gain insights into their archaeological past.
“I think the partnership is the essence of what we do at ARCHE and part of our mission to help unravel the past for Australia’s First Peoples,” he said.
Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation’s Research Framework ensures that all stages of research are transparent and accountable, and supported by sound Mithaka governance and continuous communication between Traditional Owners and their research partners.
Background:
Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC holds in trust the native title rights and interests of Mithaka People of South-Western Queensland. It was formed as an entity in September 2015 in order to finalise the Native Title claim over Mithaka Country – an area west of Windorah in South West Queensland. Mithaka People’s non-exclusive native title determination over 33,752km2 of country was recognised after a 13 year legal process in October 2015. Mediation with the different interests, primarily pastoral leases, in the determination area ceased in September 2015, and a consent determination was reached
The Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, which sits within based in Griffith’s Environmental Futures Research Institute, is the first academic centre specifically focused on gaining a deeper understanding of the scale of ancient human migrations and the full story of the origins of the people in our region. An initiative of Queensland’s Griffith University,ARCHE’s mission is to foster research excellence through multidisciplinary projects that bring together leading Australian and international scholars and institutions in the field of human evolution, with a particular focus on two key regions: Australia and neighbouring Southeast Asia.
A revolutionary technology in complex reconstructive and robotic surgery is offering amputees a significantly improved quality of life, providing them with far greater mobility and comfort.
The technique is called osseointegration and will be just one of the topics featured at theXXVI Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics 2017. Jointly hosted and sponsored by Griffith University, the eventis beingheld at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 23-27 July.
Associate Professor Munjed Al Muderis, a Sydney-based orthopaedic surgeon, will be discussing how osseointegration has put Australia at the leading edge of the technology, and how new work at Griffith on virtual-reality technology and 3D printing techniques can guide the way to more accurately undertake the more complex of these surgeries.
“Osseointegration takes away all the old discomfort and mobility issues seen with the traditional socket-mounted prostheses that patients used to have to endure,” says Associate Professor Al Muderis.
“Now we’re able to directly attach a titanium implant into the limb, while the remaining muscle and nerves in the limb are able to be reconnected in order to reoperate the leg and effectively restore what they have lost.”
He says osseointegration is gaining in momentum across Australia with at least one surgeon in every state able to offer the technology, now that outcomes can be more easily predicted and a wider group of surgeons are being trained in how to perform it.
“Australia is very lucky to have a very low proportion of amputees, however our goal is to be able to make this surgery readily available for people in countries where there is most need and financial hardship eg in parts of Asia and the Middle East.”
Griffith University’s Gold Coast Orthopaedics Research Education (GCORE) is currently working on implementing new virtual-reality technology and 3D printing techniques to carry out ‘virtual surgeries’ on orthopaedic patients prior to a planned real surgery.
This work has the potential to work hand—in-hand with surgeries such as that carried out by Associate Professor Al Muderis, in order to accurately plan the surgery and significantly improve post-operative outcomes.
Griffith advancements in technology
As such, he is very positive about the Griffith advancements in technology.
“Griffith is at the forefront of this technology, and although it is still early days, we are hopeful that the ability to virtually assess a patient for surgery will have further beneficial effect for orthopaedic patients, especially those with more complex problems,” he says.
Professor David Lloyd from GCORE and Co-Chair of the Congress, says: “By using these techniques in the future we will be able to virtually assess a patient for surgery by looking at the potential effects on neurological, muscular and skeletal function.
“In this way, we are able to create ‘digital patients’ to significantly improve surgery for orthopaedic patients.”
Professor Lloyd says the technology, which has already been used to inform surgeries on children with hip fractures, also offers the capability to 3D print personalised cutting guides for children with bone deformity.
“3D printing is a technology capable of fabricating complex shapes and so we can utilise this to provide personalised cutting guides for children with bone deformity. This inclusion will result in better surgical correction for the child, leading to reduced surgical revision and enhanced post-operative function and ultimately increased capacity for activity and community participation.” ENDS
For more information on the conference program please visit http://www.biomech2017.com/index.php
Associate Professor Al Muderis is an Australian trained Orthopaedic Surgeon and a Squadron Leader in the Australian Air Force Reserve. He is also an Ambassador for the Australian Red Cross, human rights activist and a refugee. Munjed came to Australia by boat.
Born in Baghdad, at the age of 27, Munjed had to flee Iraq as a young Doctor having refused the orders of Saddam Hussein to mutilate army deserters’ ears. Munjed endured a life-threatening journey to Australia.
After spending 10 months in Curtin Detention Centre, upon his release, he embarked on a mission to become an Orthopaedic Surgeon.
He is now one of three surgeons world wide pioneering a revolutionary technology known as Osseointegration. As a leading surgeon in this complex reconstructive and robotic surgery, Munjed has helped more than 270 amputees from around the world to improve mobility, reduce pain and overall enhance their quality of life.
Munjed’s day-to-day work as an Orthopaedic Surgeon involves hip and knee arthroplasty and major reconstructive surgery.
He teaches at Notre Dame and Macquarie Universities, trains local and international surgeons, registrars and medical students. Apart from his academic and clinical roles, Munjed is heavily involved in humanitarian work volunteering his time as a surgeon and as a human rights advocate. He has affiliations with Amnesty International, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and represents the Australian Red Cross.
Braving the winter chill, thousands of prospective students, their families and community members turned out for Griffith University’s Open Day 2017.
The annual event on Sunday at Griffith’s Nathan, South Bank and Gold Coast campuses showcased the hundreds of degrees Griffith has to offer across Health, Business, Education, Law, Humanities, Creative Arts, Music, Sciences and Engineering.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Engagement) Professor Martin Betts said it was the first Open Day in the Remarkable era, and the experiences at all three campuses certainly lived up to the brand.
“We look forward to translating this after last year’s good numbers to a healthy recruitment roundin 2018.”
Spectators were able to get up close and personal with drones in aerial displays and learn about the new Unmanned Aerial Vehicles major in the Bachelor of Engineering.
Track cyclist Kristina Clonan talks with NOVA host Ange Anderson.
Business student and track cyclist, Kristina Clonan was at the Griffith Sports College at the Nathan campus to talk about her Griffith University and GC2018 Sporting Excellence Scholarship.
In the Red Zone, a VR bicycle created by Griffith Sciences gave visitors a chance to take a virtual ride around the Anna Meares Velodrome, which will host track cycling at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Gold Coast visitors were able to check out top health and business facilities as well as the new Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.
Robotics and quadcopter demonstrations were a big hit as were the building fidget spinners sessions while the paramedicine workshops were well attended.
South Bank campus showcased its music and creative arts offerings with live music performances, documentary screenings, animation, games design, fine art and photography information sessions.
Academics and students discussed their knowledge and experiences at Griffith during live interviews with NOVA and SeaFM radio stations.
Visitors were able to go into the draw to win four tickets to a session of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Swimming Finals.
New in 2018
People werealso able to find out more about new physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech pathology degrees to be offered in Brisbane from 2018, as well as new degrees in social science and acting.
Double degrees were also on the agenda — giving students the option to combine business with creative and interactive media, photography, fine art or environmental science or engineering with computer science or aviation.
Set backs are an inevitable part of life, but Associate Professor Ruth McPhail, from Griffith Business School believes that not getting what you want can actually lead to your dream career.
“I think we are conditioned so that when our expectations are not met, it bothers us, we see it as a negative. But sometimes, when you don’t get what you wanted or expected, you get something that works out better because you’re forced to re-evaluate and re-scope your future. Suddenly new possibilities and options emerge that you might not have seen or considered before,” she said.
Illustration by Demetri Martin, from This is a Book (2012)
According to Ruth, plan B or C shouldn’t be seen as your worst-case scenario plan, but rather an opportunity to be flexible, innovative and creative. Being too rigid with your goals can close you off to opportunities you may not have known about.
Take Griffith business graduate Tim Gibson for example. Despite having his pilot’s licence before he could drive a car, Tim’s lifelong dream of flying for the in Australian Defence Force was thwarted due to his eyesight. Rather than giving up on his dream, he adapted it, and seized the opportunity to incorporate aviation electives and mentoring with Boeing Defence into his degree. In 2014, he won he won the chance to compete against 105 others at NASA in a worldwide competition. His passion and commitment to aviation paid off, and he’s now, he’s training to go into space.
Tim says his failures gave him knowledge, which bred success somewhere he never thought was possible, and he’s ecstatic to have the opportunity to become successful around his dream.
Watch Tim’s TEDxGriffithUniversity–Failure is knowledge, knowledge is success–to learn more about his story.
A flexible mindset is particularly important for students completing high school and considering university–especially if they are feeling anxious about their OP.
“It’s important to remember that university is a new beginning. OPs don’t matter once you come to university as a student. There are lots of opportunities to transition between disciplines at modern universities like Griffith. It’s possible to start a solid, foundation degree and to go on and specialise in an area of your choice,” says Ruth.
Musical theatre student Grady Swithenbank is one of thestudents taking on the male lead, Tony.
Fellow final-year musical theatre student Maddison McDonald is playing Anita – a part she describes as “the sassy best friend role”.
Mr Stewart said that audiences were in for a treat, with the production featuring a full dance ensemble and symphony.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Engagement) Professor Martin Betts said it was the first Open Day in the Remarkable era, and the experiences at all three campuses certainly lived up to the brand.
Robotics and quadcopter demonstrations were a big hit as were the building fidget spinners sessions while the paramedicine workshops were well attended.
New in 2018