As a mother of five — including 10-year-old twins — Griffith University PhD candidate Megan Best knows the importance and strength of family connections.
Furthermore, the empathy born of such appreciation complements Megan’s scientific expertise as she contributes to a project of national significance, one reuniting Australian families with the remains of soldiers lost during the Asia-Pacific campaign of World War Two.
Under the auspices of the Australian Defence Force and led at Griffith by forensic science senior lecturer Ms Kirsty Wright, Unrecovered War Casualties — Army (UWCA) spans science, military history and more than 70 years of family uncertainty as researchers like Megan apply, develop and refine DNA techniques to identify long lost war casualties.
“Through UWCA, we have access to military field notes that serve as a great lead for the task of identifying these soldiers who have been lost for decades after sacrificing everything for Australia in theatres like Papua New Guinea,” says Megan.
“As you work with DNA and conduct high-level scientific analysis, at the same time you find yourself thinking about these soldiers’ families.
“To play a part in bringing back someone whose fate and whereabouts have been unknown for so long, is very important.”
Megan, from Jimboomba, has become expert in balancing the demands of family, work and study.
“It’s a challenging life, but a very fulfilling one. I go from working in the lab to taking my daughter to her driving lessons or the boys to football. Career or family, there’s never a dull moment,” she says.
“I’ve always loved study. After leaving high school I studied natural medicine and thought I might pursue a career in that direction.
“It was only when the twins were of school age that I thought I might go back to study, this time focusing on a new area of science.”
She recently began a three-year PhD in Forensic Biology specialising in identifying human remains — particularly historical and military — through analysis of mitochondrial DNA passed down through the maternal line.
Mitochondrial DNA is commonly used in forensics to identify human remains, especially older remains, and offers a greater likelihood of finding a match with a living relative, regardless of the number of maternal generations separating them.
After her PhD, Megan hopes to focus on disaster victim identification, perhaps with the Australian Federal Police.
“Victim identification carries ramifications on scientific and human levels,” she says.
“To have someone returned to you is a comfort and a resolution, and to play a role in that process constantly reminds me of the purpose and value of science, and the importance of family.”
Ground-breaking research at Griffith University into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is leading the way for the development of a new screening tool for the condition.
The research team from the National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED), Menzies Health Institute Queensland, has identified new markers that can be used to screen patients and is now looking to partner with diagnostic companies to bring a test to market. The screening test is expected to benefit all those with symptoms of the condition.
“Over the last four years, with support from the Queensland Government and philanthropic donors, we have identified unique markers in CFS patients,” says Professor Marshall-Gradisnik.
“This screening test may be expected to become a laboratory standard to provide more certain, and cost-efficient, diagnosis for CFS. Currently patients may be undergoing a range of tests to diagnose for CFS which incurs a significant cost to the health care system.
“CFS, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), affects up to 400,000 Australians, many of whom are housebound or bedbound. Patients are isolated and further stigmatised by disbelief of their condition.
“This illness has traditionally been difficult to diagnose, meaning that people can go for months without getting the care and attention they require. We are confident that the new screening test currently in development will provide efficient and increasingly accurate screening for people with CFS. This test may also be used to monitor and track the progression of their illness,” says Professor Staines.
Innovative research
Developing this screening test and engaging potential diagnostic companies reflects the innovative research being undertaken to deliver better health outcomes for CFS patients in Australia.
Awareness and support of CFS is currently gathering momentum in Australia, with a recent Senate Estimate Committee highlighting the requirement for increased research and funding regarding the condition. https://www.facebook.com/SenatorLudlam/videos/vb.17351204469/10153980238139470/?type=2&theater
The movie Mad Max: Fury Road has become Australia’s most successful film in the history of the Academy Awards.
After being nominated in 10 categories the film, directed by Dr George Miller AO, won six Oscars at the 88th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
While Dr Miller may have missed out on the Best Director Award, his wife Margaret Sixel won best Film Editing.Griffith Film School graduate Mandy Eyley was an Assistant Editor on the film. Mandy graduated with a Bachelor of Film & Screen Media Production in 2009.
The film also won Oscars for; Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing.
Dr Miller did win an Oscar for Happy Feet in 2007. He was also nominated for an Oscar for Babe (1996 Best Picture and Best-Writing – screenplay based on material from another medium), and Lorenzo’s Oil (1993 Best-Writing – screenplay written directly for the screen). He also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture for Babe in 1996.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to film, Dr Miller was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1996 and was the recipient of the Queensland Advanced Expatriate Award in 2007. He has also been a member of the jury at the Cannes film festival in 1988 and 1999, Patron for the Australian Film Institute (2001-2004), Patron of the Brisbane International Film Festival, and Co-Patron for the Sydney Film Festival (2003).
In 2007, Dr Miller took time from his busy schedule to record a special welcome for the opening of the Griffith Film School building at South Bank.
In his welcome, he praised the foresight of the Queensland Government and the University in establishing the Film School in its wonderful location, and acknowledged the contribution of Griffith animation graduates to the making of the award winning animation film, Happy Feet.
Griffith awarded Dr Miller an Honorary Doctorate of the University in 2008.
Why torture is an unreliable method of obtaining a confession and reasons contributing to false confessions are two of the topics to be discussed by former Queensland Police Service detective Rod Shelton in a presentation to Griffith Law School students this week.
“The process of interviewing is an art and a science,’’ said Mr Shelton who addressed students at the Gold Coast campus on Tuesday, March 1.
“As an art, it involves ingenuity and creativity and, as a science, it involves psychology, careful preparation, following an established method, collecting and classifying information, reaching a conclusion, and verification of results.”
Mr Sheltongavean overview of modern investigative techniques, the legal requirements of police during an interview, witness and suspect interviewing procedures and discuss examples of overseas false confessions.
Former QPS detective Rodney Shelton is an expert in investigative interviewing.
The law students are enrolled in the Innocence Project course which teaches them about how wrongful conviction occurs as well as their role in the review of the cases and the difficulties within the current Australian framework, for people trying to prove their innocence.
The Griffith University Innocence Project began in 2001 and was one of the first established outside the US. It is now a part of the Innocence Network which consists of 69 member organisations internationally.
Griffith University Innocence Project Director Lynne Weathered.
Director Lynne Weathered said the Griffith University Innocence Project reviews cases for people claiming to be innocent of the crime for which they have been convicted and seeks to ascertain whether innocence may be established through the use of DNA technology (or in exceptional circumstances through other new evidence of innocence).
“The vast majority of student investigative work will be analysing relevant documents, such as the police record of interview, committal, trial and appeal transcripts, witness statements and other relevant documents,” she said.
“This is a major and essential component of project work as it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the facts of the cases and the evidence as presented at trial, prior to seeking access to further information, considering what potential new evidence may be available and seeking to access any such evidence for DNA testing.
Rodney Shelton served 18 years in the Queensland Police Service and was a detective specialising in investigative interviewing training and fraud prevention. Prior to joining the QPS he was a teacher for 17 years. Since retiring, he has continued investigative interviewing training with business, local government and the Australian Federal Police. He is a member of the International Investigative Reviewing Research Group.
Three Griffith University teams will fly to San Francisco, Shanghai and London next weekto compete in the regional finals of the prestigious Hult Prize.
The Hult Prize Foundation is a start-up accelerator for budding young social entrepreneurs emerging from the world’s universities.
Named by President Bill Clinton and TIME Magazine as one of the top five ideas changing the world, the annual competition aims to create and launch compelling social business ideas that tackle grave issues faced by billions of people.
The winners will receive USD1 million in seed capital, as well as mentorship and advice from the international business community.
Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Martin Betts said it was pleasing to see Griffith University students excel in the competition.
“Having three teams through to the regional finals is an extraordinary achievement given that it is the highest number of any Australian university, and more than 25,000teams worldwide applied in 2016,” Professor Betts said.
“The University encourages all students to embrace new ideas and to collaborate during their studies and the Hult Prize encourages just that.”
Crowded urban spaces
This year’s challenge is ‘Crowded Urban Spaces,’ with each team proposing a solution to vie for the start-up funding.
Bachelor of Exercise Science student Andrew McLean is travelling to the London regional final next week alongside fellow team members Bachelor of Forensic Science student Katelyn Pomroy and Bachelor of Business student Joseph O’Rourke.
The team’s entry focuses on better health and safety for street food vendors in Manila in the Phillippines.
“We are aiming to develop a market for internationally recognised hygienic safe eating places,” says Andrew.
“The streets of Manila are our target for a pilot program which will take 10 existing businesses and street vendors and aim to improve their food hygiene standards. This will be aided by providing the business owners with the tools they need to get started such as online learning tools, and appliances including a refrigerator and kettle.
“The program will also provide tourists to the region, with the peace of mind to experience more than just the food in the big hotels and get out and sample the local street food.
“If we can prove our pilot program’s worth during the six-minute presentation, then we have a chance of getting through to the finals and getting the $1m for the start up funding.”
Jack Fox, Griffith Engineering alumnus and leader of the team travelling to San Francisco, said his group’s entry is about providing multinational corporations with a learning management system tailored for developing nations.
“Through an innovative approach to content, delivery and accessibility, unskilled locals living in crowded urban spaces will be given the opportunity and tools to become employable for free.”
Meanwhile, a team from the Griffith Business School, comprising three social marketing researchers and a human resources postgraduate student, will take its plan for economic growth in the slums of Sao Paolo to Shanghai.
“We have developed an income redistribution strategy with the aim of creating new revenue streams to improve quality of life among slum dwellers in Brazil,” business student David Schmidtke said.
“We want to set up industrial kitchens in or near the slums and deliver lunch-box style meals to companies in the city using new bicycle lanes that are part of emerging infrastructure in Sao Paolo.”
The regional finals of the 2016 Hult Prize take place on March 11-12. Winners will compete in the Global Final in New York City in September.
Two more Griffith students are about to embark on the learning opportunity of a lifetime when they begin their internships withthe Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC).
Griffith communication students Hayley Payne and Natasha Hoppner were the first interns to experience Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) from a whole new perspective. They took up 12 week internships with GOLDOC’s Digital Content team giving them credit points applied to their degrees.
Second year Bachelor of Public Relations and Communication student Hayley Payne, who has now completed her internship, said she is honoured to have had this once in a generation opportunity to be part of the Commonwealth Games preparation.
“I have been able to learn from some of the best professionals from the Gold Coast and from across the world — including some who have worked on previous Commonwealth Games.
“There is such a wealth of knowledge that I can take back into my studies and enhance my future career prospects.”
And for Griffith Engineering studentAdil Rachidi, a 12-week internship withGOLDOC’sEngineering Services team has resulted inhis being offered full-time employment.The Moroccan-born student has always dreamed of finding a career in which he can combine his two passions of sport and engineering.
“This is something close to my heart to combine sport with engineering as it’s just what I love to do,” he said.
“When you arrive at GOLDOC, you read the motto ‘share the dream’ and for me I’m really living a dream now — it’s amazing.”
Griffith University Vice Chancellor and President Professor Ian O’Connor said the internship opportunities, available to students from all study areas means Griffith students will integrate a powerful professional experience to their academic studies.
“As the leading university for the Gold Coast, Griffith University is dedicated to creating possibilities for our students and the community,” he said.
“We are proud to be part of this important milestone for the Gold Coast and for Griffith and we are proud of what our students will be able to offer the community over the next three years.”
Engineering students Adil Rachidi and Alex Cachia, GOLDOC CEO Mark Peters and public relation interns Hayley Payne and Natasha Hoppner.
Griffith University graduates will continue to benefit from employment opportunities as GOLDOC grows from 160 employees today to over 1,000 in 2018.
Bachelor of Environmental Design graduate and national rowing champion Emma Bunn said she was looking forward to combining her passion for sport with what she had learnt studying.
“The Commonwealth Games is a fabulous opportunity for growth on the Gold Coast,” she said.
“I have had the privilege of living here for five years so to be able to contribute to the sporting growth of this city through working with GOLDOC is an amazing way to give back to a city I love.”
Griffith business student Jeremy Hartley is already making his mark on an international scale.
His latest global enterprise, Hartley Watches, is attracting consumers with credit cards from the United States, Germany, across Europe and throughout Australia.
Combined with his successful Teatox Australia initiative, Jeremy’s business ventures are forecast to turnover more than $1 million in 2016.
All this before he turns 20 or graduates from Griffith Business School.
Jeremy, who is Gold Coast based but who looks on the world as his home, has been nurturing bright business ideas since he accidentally bought 100 iPhone covers at the age of 14 and turned a neat profit on eBay.
Studying a business degree at Griffith has reinforced this formidable entrepreneurial savvy, and bolstered his confidence in taking new products overseas.
Jeremy, who handed in his final university assignment in early February, highlights studies in economics, accounting and international relations as crucial to his development as a businessman dealing in globalised markets.
“My studies have helped me to develop and sharpen my skills as an all-round business person,” he says.
“I’ve learned about areas like regulation, trademark boundaries and entering different markets. Knowing how governments work in different countries has been very valuable.”
Jeremy launched his self-styled range of classic watches in Milan last October, after a 10-month development plan and initial groundwork in Europe and Asia. He sourced leather wristbands in Italy, the inner mechanics in Japan and had the stylish timepieces assembled in China.
He completed high school at Livingstone Christian College in Ormeau with a series of certificates in boat building, retail, fitness, business and workplace practices.
Without an OP at that stage, Jeremy next did a Diploma in Business through Coomera Training College, a pathway that would lead to Griffith University.
He also finished high school in the same year he registered his first company, Teatox Australia, which would become the biggest weight loss business of its kind in Australia and which now numbers 100,000 followers through Instagram.
Jeremy has accelerated through the education process, maintaining a high-ranging GPA while bringing a series of business projects to fruition and also working at a Broadbeach hotel and a NSW law firm.
His enrolment at Griffith also opened the door for him to study a graduate certificate in software engineering through Harvard Extension School. He also owns and runs a web development company.
He cites inventor and business magnate Elon Musk as an inspirational role model. “He’s a billionaire who is making a difference. He’s not just sitting back on a yacht. I want to make a difference too.”
Curing chronic neck pain through virtual reality perception; exploring the link between urban Aboriginal male identity and health and evaluating plant management programs on the Gold Coast.
These are just some of the research projects undertaken by 13 Indigenous students as part of the Kungullanji Indigenous Summer Research Symposium.
The Symposium, in its second year, offers the opportunity for undergraduate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to participate in research projects across areas in Griffith Sciences and Griffith Health programs.
Estin Hunter’s project aims to change the perception of body in space through virtual reality.
Bachelor of Exercise Science student Estin Hunter was part of a project that aims to cure chronic neck pain by altering perception of body in space through virtual reality goggles.
“My main focus was to work out a way to maximise the illusion of changing a person’s body perception, so that it can then be applied to treat people suffering from chronic neck pain,” he said.
“The theory is to train the brain to move the neck to a spot that previously caused pain and over time the brain will recognise that this is no longer painful.
“This research is amazing because we can eventually move away from drugs and medication to treat pain by altering the brains activity.”
Estin said if it wasn’t for the Symposium he never would have had the opportunity to work on such a quality research project, which was supervised by Dr Daniel Harvie from the School of Allied Health Science’s RECOVER Injury Research Centre.
Jamie Penny’s project explores the link between urban Aboriginal male identity and health.
Bachelor of Public Health student Jamie Penny’s project explored the link between urban Aboriginal male identity and health.
He believes that negative discourses and stereotypes surrounding Aboriginal identity are contributing to a number of serious health consequences for the Indigenous urban population.
“Considering the embarrassingly poor state of Aboriginal men’s health, this is a disturbing lack of research exploring discourses of Aboriginal identity for men in the urban environment,” he said.
“I hope my research will further address these negative discourses by focusing on self-perceptions of identity of Aboriginal men’s group participants with a focus on ‘what and how we are’ rather than ‘who we are’.”
Indigenous Research Unit Professor Adrian Miller said the Kungullanji Indigenous Summer Research Symposium was created by Program coordinator Jennifer-Leigh Campbell to develop pathways for undergraduate students to progress through to PhD research.
Professor Miller said he was amazed by the quality of research projects delivered by this year’s participants.
“This is absolutely exciting to see this calibre of work presented by undergraduate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students,” he said.
“If these students are our future then it’s looking bright.”
Prof Adrian Miller, Jennifer Campbell, Jordyn Godfrey, Estin Hunter, Leah Henderson, Breanna Johnston, Trishiko King, Penelope Henain, Eden Little, Jamie Penny, Dhayne thomas, and Julia-Rose Satre.
Participants
Penelope Henain, Bachelor of Nursing — Is your life safer in the hands of an RN who is capable of academic writing?
Leah Henderson, Bachelor of Psychological Science — Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
Jordyn Godfrey, Bachelor of Psychological Science / Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice — Headaches and migraines in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Tishiko King, Bachelor of Science — Evaluating the relative importance of local natural resources to food security of Torres Strait Islander communities
Breanna Johnston, Bachelor of Marine Science — Do artificial reefs become more like natural reefs?
Eden Little, Bachelor of Science: Wildlife Biology and Marine Biology — Bioacoustic monitoring of river biota
Jamie Penny, Bachelor of Public Health — Exploring the link between urban Aboriginal male identity and health
Julia-Rose Satre, Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences — A quantitated approach investigating the role of COUP-TF-II in steroid hormone synthesis of bovine ovarian follicles
Estin Hunter, Bachelor of Exercise Science — Altering perception of body in space through bogus visual feedback
Dhayne Thomas, Bachelor of Social Work — Factors that influence Indigenous social determinants of health
Ashleigh Bolt, Bachelor of Nursing – Evaluation Framework for Indigenous Health Courses.
By Dr Patricia Fronek, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, and Professor Denise Cuthbert, RMIT University.
A recent Conversation article that said our current laws prohibiting commercial surrogacy are not working was correct. Some states outlaw overseas commercial surrogacy, but people are working around the laws or simply ignoring them.
There’s no evidence, however, to say legalising commercial surrogacy here would stop people from going overseas where it’s probably cheaper and there may be less regulation.
Love isn’t all you need
Proponents of commercial surrogacy argue it doesn’t matter how a child is conceived as long as it is loved.
However, this view contradicts trends in public policy internationally and a large and growing body of research into the experiences of adoptees and donor-conceived people.
Birth circumstances, conception, secrecy and separation from family have life-long implications for identity, well-being, relationships and mental health. A truly child-centred approach cannot disregard this.
Relocating the problem
It is assumed children born of commercial surrogacy in Australia will have access to complete and accurate information, but there are no laws that compel parents to tell their children about their origins in the case of adoption or donor conception.
Overseas commercial arrangements can be expensive, especially in the United States, a first world country. Conditions in many countries are not regulated, lack transparency, are exploitative and do not require standards in record keeping — the release of information (if it exists) is arbitrary. Overseas surrogacy is financially and ethically risky for everybody. But legalising commercial surrogacy in Australia won’t fix this.
Making surrogacy affordable and competitive against cheap Asian options shifts the potential for exploitation to Australian surrogates rather than addressing it. The very low rates of altruistic surrogacy indicate that unless motivated by a deep personal connection between surrogate and commissioning parents, most Australian women consider the risks, inconvenience and potential emotional and health complications of surrogacy to be too much.
Educated, skilled and employed women are unlikely to subject themselves to the demands and risks of pregnancy to fulfil the aspirations of others. This leaves the likely Australian candidates for commercial arrangements as less educated women with fewer skills and employment prospects. While Australia is not a developing country, differences in wealthand power create a dynamic ripe for exploitation.
Properly calculating the real costs for surrogates while ensuring profit for private legal and medical practitioners will not make costs cheaper than Asia or the Americas.
Carrying a child to term is a nine-month, 24-hour-a-day undertaking. It brings discomfort, inconvenience and health risks, and precludes other activities.
Then, of course, there are costs before pregnancy and after birth. Not covering all costs, or costed at less than appropriate rates, will exploit the most vulnerable and powerless in our society. Clinics might turn to importing poor women from overseas as we see egg donors coming into the country now.
The current legislative prohibitions on commercial surrogacy are not working, but there is no evidence that commercialising surrogacy in Australia will solve overseas exploitation. Many commissioning parents in countries where commercial surrogacy exists still go overseas.
Commercialisation will not prevent inappropriate people from accessing children, as in the Baby Gammy case, because there is little focus on the well-being of the children in any legislation or in national and international discussions. The voices of “consumers” dominate these debates.
Legalising commercial surrogacy in Australia will not necessarily prevent the exploitation of women nor ensure the well-being of children under proposed changes to the laws. It will simply change the site at which the exploitation takes place.
New Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor David Grant, has set his sights on delivering an outstanding learning experience for students at Griffith Business School; one characterised by an increased focus on employability and the potential of new technology to deliver content in innovative and practical ways.
High-impact research is also a top priority as he aims to bring more of the School’s academic expertise to bear on industry — both the private and public sectors — and on the not-for-profit sector.
Professor Grant joined Griffith University in January from the University of NSW where he was the Senior Deputy Dean at the Australian School of Business. He has a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science and is internationally recognised for his expertise in organisational change and leadership.
“We have to move quickly and with innovation into the digital space to provide programs that are attractive to potential students; students who are comfortable with digital technology, and who increasingly expect us to use technology in ways that provide flexible study opportunities and enrich the experience of learning.”
Growing expectations
A new PwC report, commissioned by the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association, recently stressed the importance of universities meeting the growing expectations of students in terms of employment outcomes after graduation and access to an online education that is useful in a work context.
“We’ve got to think very carefully about what we teach and how we teach,” said Professor Grant, who pinpointed the need to produce graduates with the skills, knowledge and attributes that enable them to contribute to an economy increasingly driven by digital innovation.
Further, he called for the development of soft skills among students to complement the business acumen learned in the classroom, and pointed to Work-Integrated-Learning as an integral part of any student experience.
“Employers today want someone who has had hands-on experience and exposure to the workplace, be that in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors,” he said. “They now require high-calibre graduates who not only exhibit cutting edge professional knowledge, but who also demonstrate key interpersonal skills and competencies such as leadership, an ability to work in teams and an ability to think critically and to be creative.”
Students can also look forward to the rewards of a curriculum enriched by heightened levels of engagement between Griffith Business School and the business community as Professor Grant seeks to bring more industry practitioners into the classroom to share their experience and knowledge and draws on the Business School’s large alumni base as a means by which to help expand the mentoring and career advice opportunities available to those studying business degrees at Griffith.
Engagement
Professor Grant’s engagement agenda also extends to research. “Engagement should lead to high-impact research that has demonstrable effect; research that has real-life value,” he said.
“Griffith Business School already does this extremely well where, in partnership with industry, we are working to understand their strategic environment and concentrate our research efforts on producing results and findings that influence policy and change the way companies and other organisations are run. We want to increase our activity in this respect; doing so is commensurate with our aim of engaging in scholarship and education that benefits the economy and society.”
Understanding and keeping pace with the complex and rapidly-evolving state of competition in the tertiary education sector is also high on Professor Grant’s agenda as the influence of international providers emerges as a player in the domestic market.
“I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead as we strive to establish Griffith Business School as an internationally recognised premier provider of business education in Australia and the Asia region.
“I feel privileged to have the opportunity to lead such an outstanding group of academic and professional staff who are so clearly passionate about Griffith Business School and committed to its success.”
“I’m confident that we can take advantage of the many exciting opportunities that are emerging in the business education sector and that we can build on the terrific foundations already put in place by my predecessor, Professor Michael Powell.”
