The complex, emerging and evolving relationships Australia has across the Asian region fell under the insightful microscope of the Honourable John Howard OM AC at Griffith University last night.
The former Prime Minister delivered a compelling analysis in an hour-long speech at the Queensland Conservatorium in the first Asia Lecture hosted by the Griffith Asia Institute.
With a wealth of firsthand knowledge infused through the content of his address, Mr Howard charted the history of Australian foreign policy and economic trade across the region before an audience of academics, students and invited guests.
“Australia’s relationship with Asia is of enduring significance to this country,” he said, describing the current climate as a “common sense phase”.
In this context, he added that Griffith was to be congratulated on inaugurating the Asia Lecture series.
Rise of China
The value of relationships with Japan, Burma, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Singapore each came in for some discussion, but none more than China. “The rise of China has been good for China and good for the world,” Mr Howard said.
“It has contributed to our wealth and economic growth but we should not make the mistake of being mesmerised by China. China remains unashamedly an authoritarian country.”
Mr Howard commended the attitude of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on his recent visit to China for emphasising the dividend to be gained from the relationship with China while also emphasising the importance of rule of law in international relations.
“He struck the right note,” Mr Howard said. “He didn’t compromise on principle.”
He described Australia’s bilateral relationships with China and the United States as the most important in the Asian region.
“Australia will always be closer to the US than it is to China. The common values between the two countries are stronger and common values will always trump trade agreements.
“But we should be pragmatic in our relationship with China and focus on what we have in common.”
Open Door
He argued that an open door policy should be maintained when it came to Chinese investment in Australia. “Chinese investment should be treated exactly the same as investment from any other country. We should welcome investment from anywhere in the world.”
In conclusion, Mr Howard summed up the growth of the Asian middle class of as “ongoing colossal significance” to Australia.
Professor David Grant, Pro Vice Chancellor (Business) congratulated Mr Howard on a masterclass. “This was a talk that reminded us of the enormous change that has taken place and is ongoing in the region, a talk that has left us with lots to think about when we consider where the region may be headed.”
Griffith University’s Climate Change Response Program is part of a remarkable Pacific Island project to rebuild an area devastated by Cyclone Pam in 2015 and enhance its ability to withstand future extreme weather events.
On Saturday, 23 April 2016, the official opening of a solar-powered, Category 5 cyclone-proof community medical clinic on Vanuatu’s Tanna Island will feature 1000 local dancers, 13 tribal chiefs and representatives of the multi-partner team behind the project.
The Enkatalie area of Tanna was one of the hardest hit when Cyclone Pam struck in March 2015, destroying lives, homes, community buildings, businesses, infrastructure and vegetation.
The disaster demonstrated the vulnerability of local communities that lack cyclone shelter or modern energy services and sanitation.
However, from the devastation arose a project envisaged by the Vanuatu and Tafae provincial governments to revitalise and rebuild Tanna.
Adopting a holistic approach to the resilient delivery of essential services, the first phase involves the construction of community buildings in 15 villages, with each building designed to withstand Category 5 cyclones and equipped with a solar energy Mini Power System.
Until now these communities have not had access to electricity.
Queensland companies are major partners in the project, with the buildings designed and constructed by Brisbane-based Nev House and the Mini Power System invented by Gold Coast firm Green NRG Co, a subsidiary of another Queensland company, LEDTek Global.
The Mini Power System is a renewable energy generation and storage system enabling users to generate, store and consume their own clean, free energy. It represents a major breakthrough in controllable unit technology and is a genuine first-in-the-world solution.
Director of the Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Professor Brendan Mackey, said it is envisaged the community buildings can act as safe houses during cyclones, while at other times serving as health clinics, classrooms and fulfilling other community purposes.
“Griffith will provide independent monitoring and evaluation of the project over the next three years, with particular focus on how the energy is being used and the social impact of these new facilities,” said Professor Mackey.
“We’ll be looking at these from engineering, economic and social perspectives.
“The aim of the project is to assist local communities in developing more resilient settlements and enhanced livelihoods in ways that leapfrog old technologies and take advantage of emerging green building design and clean energy approaches.”
Professor Mackey said Griffith expertise could also inform future projects aiming to work with local stakeholders — such as remote tribes and local government in Vanuatu — and highlight the array of constraints and opportunities for similar adaptation projects to include principles of climate justice.
Professor Mackey also acknowledged the project would not have been possible without the funding support of an International Charitable Foundation.
We’re looking for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing (WOW)!
About the GUPF scheme
Griffith University administers an annual competitive Postdoctoral Fellowship (GUPF) scheme, offering up to eight (two year, fixed—term) Fellowships University—wide. Full details can be accessed via the Office for Research website.
WOW invites Expressions of Interest (EoI) by 5 pm (AEST), 6, May 2016, from applicants interested in competing for one Fellowship to be (potentially) housed by the Centre. Note: EoIs received after this date will not be considered.
Download the EoI form here (docx. 44kb).
Completed EoIs should be submitted to the Centre Manager, Clare Inwood, in one document (MS Word or PDF file format) via email: [email protected].
About the Centre
The Postdoctoral Fellow will pursue an independent program of research that relates to one of the Centre’s seven areas of research strength.
We are an interdisciplinary research group whose scholarly members conduct research in seven broad areas of strength. They are:
WOW researchers seek to understand the changing world of work in this era of significant social, economic and technological change using theoretically-informed and empirically-driven research as the gap between research, practice and policy is bridged.
For further information about the Scheme, and potential WOW supervisors/ mentors to support your EoI application, please visit our website.
Professor Donna Pendergast, Dean of Education and Professional Studies has supervised 27 HDR students to completion, 20 since joining Griffith University in 2009.
Every single one of them knows about “Golden Threads”.
“I like to use the term Golden Threads,’’ Professor Pendergast says.
“Golden threads run through students’ research with the selvedge formed by the bookend chapters. The golden threads should glisten at different points in the thesis and are what students hang their work on.
“Some of my students think I’m a bit nutty at first but they soon get the picture.”
This innovative approach has been acknowledged in the 2016 Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards with Professor Pendergast awarded the Research Supervision award.
“Being recognised through this award means a lot to me,’’ she says.
“HDR supervision is probably the most exciting part of my work, with people who are highly motivated and contributing to new thinking in their field of research.”
“It’s a privilege. Candidates are developing new ways of working, and are right on the coalface of learning. For an educator, it’s exciting.”
Many of Professor Pendergast’s graduates have gone on to rewarding careers in academia including two who are now professors in Sweden and Hong Kong.
“Her professional collaboration and support has allowed me to become a successful early childhood education professor who has been able to make a significant contribution in both Australia, Sweden and internationally,’’ said Professor Susie Garvis from the University of Gothenburg.
Over the years Professor Pendergast has seen a cultural shift in the way the supervisor/student relationship is negotiated.
“HDR students need a sense of genuine partnership and trust between them and their supervisor otherwise it can be a very lonely journey. It’s a true professional partnership.”
She said the focus today includes formal outputs with students required to publish during their candidature.
“It’s much more demanding in this regard, but we work together to set really clear expectations. We talk about how the work they are doing is really important to share with others and to build their profile.
“We typically look to publish along the lines of their Golden Threads.”
Leading Griffith University researchers were honoured at the Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards held at South Bank campus on April 19.
From a range of areas including drug discovery, nutrition care and clean energy, Vice Chancellor and President Professor Ian O’Connor said the nominees and winners represent only part of Griffith’s outstanding research excellence story.
“I am sure you all agree that the 2015 Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards showcase just the tip of the University’s proud research legacy,” he said.
“I take great pleasure in congratulating the nominees and winners, and commend the far-reaching benefits and diversity of your research.”
Excellence in Research Leadership
For his significant research accomplishments Professor Ron QuinnAM was awarded the 2015 Lifetime Research Leadership award.
Professor Quinn is the Foundation Director of the Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, where he has led a team of researchers investigating treatments for human diseases in the areas of cancer, infection and immunity, neglected diseases, neurological disease and stem cell biology.
Professor Quinn is also the driving force behind Nature Bank — the world’s first integrated drug discovery platform encompassing a library of over 200,000 optimised natural product fractions derived from a diverse collection of over 72,000 samples of plants and marine invertebrates from tropical Queensland, Tasmania, China, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.
He said being able to teach the next generation of scientists and continue his research focus was what kept him inspired and motivated.
“I like to help students get where they want to go but I also like to challenge them on what they are learning,” he said.
“There are many researchers out there still doing things that we did in the 1950s and I think that is crazy in today’s scientific world.
“I want to show that you don’t have to do that, that there are other ways to attack this problem and make it more systematic.”
Read more about Professor Quinn’s achievements.
Excellence in an Early Career Researcher
Dr Lauren Ball, an NHMRC Research Fellow from the Menzies Health Institute Queensland won the award for Excellence in Early Career Research.
Dr Ball was recognised for her work on improving the nutrition care provided by primary health care professionals to patients with chronic disease.
Her current research involves the development and implementation of an intervention that supports GPs and Practice Nurses to promote healthy eating in consultations. Her work has aided better understanding of what “best practice” nutrition care looks like, increased continuing education opportunities for health professionals and improvements to university nutrition education for medical students.
Excellence of an Individual Mid-Career or Senior Researcher
The award for excellence for a mid-career or senior researcher went to Associate Professor Eddie Shanqing Zhang.
Professor Zhang’s research addresses global pressures on water and energy security. He established the Energy Storage research lab and energy storage program within the Centre for Clean Environment and Energy with an emphasis on developing low cost, long lived, sustainable and efficient energy storage devices including lithium ion batteries, lithium-sulphur batteries and supercapacitors.
Professor Zhang, who works in the Griffith School of Environment and the Centre for Clean Environment and Energy, said his lifelong dream had been to develop new technologies that would change the world.
He said he was humbled to receive such a highly regarded research award for his years of dedication to his research.
“It is very encouraging of my hard work and I hope it helps make more people aware of what I am trying to achieve through my research.”
Read more about Associate Professor Zhang’s research into using natural resources to improve the performance of batteries.
Excellence Award for Research Supervision
Professor Donna Pendergast was awarded the Research Supervision Award for her dedication in guiding her students throughout their individual Higher Degree Research journeys.
Since her appointment as the Head of School Education and Profession Studies in 2009,
Professor Pendergast has maintained a full load of HDR student supervision that far exceeds her teaching and learning time allocation. In that time Donna has supervised 10 Griffith and 13 University of Queensland PhD students to completion and currently supervises 11 HDR students.
“Being recognised through this award means a lot to me,’’ she said.
“HDR supervision is probably the most exciting part of my work, with people who are highly motivated and contributing to new thinking in their field of research.
“It’s a privilege. Candidates are developing new ways of working, and are right on the coalface of learning. For an educator, it’s exciting.”
Excellence Award for Research Team or Group
The Centre for Applied Health Economics led by Professor Paul Scuffham from the Menzies Health Institute Queensland won the award for Research Group/Team.
As Queensland’s premier centre for health economics and one of just three in Australia, its health economists are leaders in health economics approaches and in demand as chief investigators on NHMRCE Projects, Centres of Research Excellence and program grants.
Projects include the CRE to Reduce Inequality in Heart disease, The Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre, the CRE in Sun and Health and the Program on Optimising Heart Disease Prevention and Management. The Centre hosts the Griffith Birth Cohort Study facilitating important mother/baby research studies.
A ‘why not’ approach to research is the kind of legacy Professor Ron Quinn AM hopes to leave behind.
This legendary scientific researcher of human diseases likes to challenge those who say it can’t be done, and he definitely doesn’t settle for doing things the traditional way.
It’s this proactively passionate attitude that has seen him make many ground-breaking discoveries during his 40-year career, 33 of which were at Griffith University and cemented his reputation as an international leader in the field of Marine Natural Product drug discovery.
Professor Quinn is the mastermind behind Nature Bank — the world’s first integrated drug discovery platform encompassing a library of more than 200,000 optimised natural product fractions derived from a diverse collection of more than 63,000 samples of plants and marine invertebrates.
This project was one of the single biggest industrial investment in research in the tertiary education sector in Australian history with $101 million over 15 years. The methodologies he developed through this project have since been applied in many laboratories around the world
He was also the Foundation Director of the Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery from 2003-2016 and has led a dedicated team of researchers investigating novel treatments for human diseases in the areas of cancer, infection and immunity, neglected diseases, neurological disease and stem cell biology.
Today Professor Quinn has been announced as the winner of the Lifetime Leadership award in the 2015 Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards.
He was also presented the Paul J Scheuer Award in Marine Natural Products Chemistry at the biannual Marine Natural Products Gordon Research Conference in Ventura, California, USA on March 10.
Professor Quinn said being able to teach the next generation of scientists and to continue his research focus was what kept him inspired and motivated.
“I like to help students get where they want to go but I also like to challenge them on what they are learning,” he said.
“There are many researchers out there still doing things that we did in the 1950s and I think that is crazy in today’s scientific world.
“I want to show that you don’t have to do that, that there are other ways to attack this problem and make it more systematic.”
Under Professor Quinn’s supervision he graduated 25 PhD students, seven masters students and 16 honours students. In addition he has employed more than 50 postdoctoral and senior research fellows in the past 20 years.
He currently mentors and supervises 15 PhD students and research fellows.
Professor Quinn’s work with Nature Bank reinvigorated natural product chemistry research in Australia.
This project attracted many young and aspiring natural product chemists to Australia from around the world. Some of the next generation of marine natural product chemists were among this group.
“I started the research to find something that could potentially be a useful drug and I acknowledge that it was a significant aspiration,” said Professor Quinn.
“I’m interested in why a molecule is biologically active. I believe that every molecule that is made by a biosynthetic enzyme should interact with potential therapeutic targets — it’s a different way of thinking.
“The contribution I make is to try and understand that aspect first and then find what it might target to decide what disease it might be able to treat.
“It’s almost there and I would just like to keep going for a bit longer to find that missing piece of the puzzle.”
Inspired by 16th century Chinese medicine, Griffith scientists have turned to nature for solutions to improve the performance of batteries.
Professor Eddie Shanqing Zhang and his team have identified three natural sources which will not only reduce pollution in the manufacturing of lithium ion batteries and lithium-sulfur batteries, but improve overall performance and cyclability. This discovery could power a new generation of batteries using renewable power generation.
It’s this innovative research focus that saw Professor Zhang named as the mid/senior career research winner in the Griffith University Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards last night (April 19).
Professor Zhang, who works in the Griffith School of Environment and the Centre for Clean Environment and Energy, said his lifelong dream had been to develop new technologies that would change the world.
And now after 20 years of research and world first discoveries he is on the cusp of another major contribution to the science field.
“This century there are three important things we must explore — the environment, energy and health,” he said.
“I am working on two of those areas. Batteries will further improve our modern life but we need to address environmental issues by reducing the use of unsustainable materials and the production of toxic wastes in the manufacturing process.”
The team has identified Gum Acacia, a deciduous legume from Northeast Africa used in food and medicine as a soluble dietary fiber, Sodium Algnate (sea algae) and bamboo carbon has natural sources of highly efficient polymers.
“Among them, the use of the Gum Acacia, as binder could reduce the pollution in the manufacturing process by eliminating the use of toxic solvent NMP and saving millions dollars recycling equipment and improve overall performance of the produced Li-S battery by about 500% in comparison with conventional lithium ion battery,” Professor Zhang said.
“This discovery and achievement will attract battery communities’ interest in developing and commercializing green electrode fabrication process for Lithium-sulfur cells.
“This fabrication strategy could also be applied to other rechargeable battery systems such as lithium-air and sodium-ion batteries.”
A series of findings and creations of Zhang’s group have been published in high impact journals Advanced Energy Materials, Nano Letter and Nano Energy.
During Professor Zhang’s career he has developed a series of patented and commercialised photoelectrochemical sensors for environmental monitoring based on the functional nanomaterials.
Professor Zhang, said he was humbled to receive a Griffith University Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Award “It is very encouraging of my hard work and I hope it helps make more people aware of what I am trying to achieve through my research,” he said.
Earlier this year Professor Zhang was invited to the Nature Conference on Materials and Energy in Wuhan China, and has been asked to be a guest lecturer at two prestigious universities in China; Peking University and Tsinghua University.
A novel procedure for heart valve replacement surgery could provide improved health outcomes for patients who cannot have open heart surgery, as well as being a cost effective alternative.
This is the basis of research being carried out by the Centre for Applied Health Economics, part of the Menzies Health Institute Queensland at Griffith University.
The Centre’s research team is a winner of this year’s Vice Chancellor Research Excellence Awards and Dr Cindy Mervin is one of those leading the study.
“Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a far more simpler procedure than open heart surgery and provides an alternative for high risk patients and an active treatment for those who are inoperable,” says Dr Mervin.
“Aortic stenosis has become the most frequent type of vascular heart disease and is likely to increase due to the ageing population. The standard current treatment for severe aortic stenosis— surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) – involves invasive open heart surgery with a long hospital recovery period. For some patients, this surgery is not possible,” says Dr Cindy Mervin.
An innovative treatment
The innovative alternative, commonly available in the US, results in a shorter hospital stay and less impact on hospital resources. Assessing the impact on both health and costs is particularly important when trying to maximise health outcomes within a fixed budget.
A US study followed two groups of patients over the age of 80 (high surgical risk patients and inoperable patients) with severe aortic stenosis, for a five year period.
Within each group, patients were assigned either the new transcatheter aortic valve replacement or the standard treatment – surgical aortic valve replacement for high-risk patients and medical management for inoperable patients.
“The results at five years showed a reduced hospital stay and similar outcomes for TAVR and SAVR; however, TAVR is more beneficial than medical management in patients who are considered inoperable,” says Dr Mervin.
“We have now conducted the economic evaluation using the clinical results of the US trial and estimated the potential costs and benefits to Australian patients and the Australian healthcare system,” says Dr Mervin.
“If TAVR becomes available in Australia, it will provide a cost-effective treatment option for many Australians who cannot have open heart surgery.”
Helping GPs with nutrition education to overcome chronic illness With a recent report released from the World Health Organisation on the almost four-fold increase in diabetes, Griffith University is stepping in with the launch of a program to help GPs provide effective nutrition advice to their patients.
The Need for Nutrition Education Program (NNEDPro) has a global focus which began at The University of Cambridge and is now being replicated in Australia and New Zealand, as well as 9 other countries.
Already having won the 2015 Complete Nutrition Award for impact in healthcare and shortlisted for the British Medical Journal 2016 Award, NNEdPro is based on previous research showing that GPs are unsure how to educate their patients about the role of nutrition as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Dr Lauren Ball, driving force behind the program
Dr Lauren Ball, a winner of Griffith’s 2015 Vice Chancellor Research Excellence Awards, is a driving force behind implementing the program in Australia.
“Approximately two thirds of general practice consultations concern patients with chronic disease issues such as high cholesterol or diabetes,” says Dr Lauren Ball, NHMRC Research Fellow from the Menzies Health Institute Queensland (MHIQ).
“We already know that nutrition is the most influential factor affecting how these conditions are managed, however we have found that the level of nutritional advice provided by GPs is extremely low.
“Now we can report that we have considerable support from nearly all medical schools across Australia — including Griffith – and the two in New Zealand, who have joined up to our network, to offer formalised nutrition education as part of their undergraduate and postgraduate medical programs.
“The ethos behind this is that medical professionals will be educated at the grass-roots level about the science behind nutrition and its value in overall general health, and that this will therefore impact the new generation of up and coming GPs.”
Dr Ball and her team say the current priorities of NNEdPro’s implementation is three-fold.
“We are currently designing online modules that will meet a competency framework laid down by Deakin University who we have been working with on this; these will then be rolled out fairly shortly to several exemplar universities as part of a trial process.
“Secondly we are implementing a website to house all the resources and latest nutrition news to support educators to teach medical students about nutrition. We are also aiming to map out the current medical curriculums of all the universities involved in the program to see where they’re succeeding and where they’re not succeeding, in order that we can take the best approach possible.
“Unfortunately, in other countries such as the US, nutrition education for medicine students takes a somewhat punitive approach, whereby students are not obliged to do too much to demonstrate even basic nutrition knowledge.
“With NNEDPro, we are being proactive in supporting the universities’ learning needs to get nutrition into the curriculum, integrate the topic effectively with the appropriate learning methods and ultimately encourage the GP to be a real advocate for healthy eating and lifestyle.”
This initiative is important given the potential for GPs to support patients to have healthy diets and reduce their risk of chronic disease.
What company directors and business executives must know about digital disruption will be discussed at the latest in the Leaders’ Edge luncheon series on Thursday (April 21).
Griffith Business School has partnered with host organisation, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, for the Brisbane event which challenges business to find its place in the digital world, while navigating the perils of cyber-crime.
Three leading experts in the digital sector will highlight emerging opportunities for development and innovation.
Nick Abrahams is a former dotcom entrepreneur and the author of Digital Disruption in Australia: A guide for Entrepreneurs, Investors and Corporate. Karen Lawson is CEO of Digital Transformation Consulting and a senior leader in digital industry. Dr Adrian McCullagh is principal of ODMOB Lawyers and an expert in IT law and IT security.
Professor David Grant, Pro Vice Chancellor (Business), Griffith University said he was delighted with the partnership between the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Griffith Business School.
“The Leaders’ Edge series provides an excellent showcase to explore the big issues affecting business in Australia today,” Professor Grant said.
“There has been a shift in the thinking in this space from business disruption to business transformation. The onset of the digital age represents an opportunity for businesses to expand and grow and move forward in new ways.”
Professor Grant sounded a warning note about cyber security, however. “This is an ongoing concern for the business sector and the concerns are just as real and relevant for small to medium-sized businesses as they are for corporate business organisations. The smaller firms are often more vulnerable to the kind of cyber-attacks that can destroy a business.”
WHAT: Leaders’ Edge Lunch: What directors need to know in the digital age — business disrupted
WHO: Hosted by Australian Institute of Company Directors in partnership with Griffith Business School
WHEN: Thursday, April 21, 12.30pm
WHERE: Hilton Hotel Brisbane
