International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
Professor Wendy Moyle
The awards were presented to Professor Suzanne Chambers for Leadership in Community, Professor Wendy Moyle for Leadership in Community and Professor Roianne West, who received the Leadership in Social Justice Commemorative Award, at a ceremony at the Gold Coast Arts Centre.
“These awards demonstrate the outstanding commitment of these three women scientists,” said MenziesHIQ Director Professor Sheena Reilly.
“Each of their individual stories is truly inspirational, with each of them being fabulous mentors to other women in science. All demonstrate their commitment to leadership and excellence within the local community.
“However there are so many great women in leadership at Griffith University that there could have been many more nominees for these awards.”
Professor Suzanne Chambers is a world leading researcher into the psychological effects of cancer and how best to provide support for individuals and couples.
Professor Suzanne Chambers
Drawing from more than 25 years of health psychology and research, Suzanne has numerous strings to her bow, including being an Australian Research Council Future Fellow, author of a book entitled ‘Facing the Tiger: A Guide for Men with Prostate Cancer and the People who Love them’ and is chief investigator on successful research grants valued over $26.5M. She works closely with the Cancer Council Queensland, Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia, Cancer Australia and Beyond Blue — all working towards the best possible prospects of preventing, detecting, treating and surviving a cancer diagnosis. Most recently, Suzanne was appointed the Menzies Foundation inaugural Professor of Allied Health Research.
Professor Wendy Moyle is highly regarded and internationally renowned for her research and work with social robots and improving the quality of life and care for people living with dementia. Wendy’s commitment has resulted in some impressive achievements including being the first nurse to be elected to the International Psychogeriatric Association Board of Directors. Wendy established and leads the first Social and Assistive Technology Laboratory in Australia and holds two Visiting Professor appointments at City University and Northumbria University, both in the UK. She is a highly sought-after spokesperson in this field and has been awarded the Griffith University Media Excellence Award, for the past two years for her extensive media engagement. Most recently, Wendy was appointed the Director of the ‘Optimising Health Outcomes’ Research Program at MenziesHIQ.
Professor Roianne West
Professor Roianne West is the inspiration behind Griffith University’s First Peoples Health Unit. Roianne is a strong advocate for pathways to health programs in higher education. Her belief in building a more highly skilled and educated Indigenous Australia is critical to driving towards equal opportunities for all Australians. This phenomenal women brings 20 years experience in Indigenous Health to our university, has a Bachelor in Nursing, Masters of Mental Health Nursing and also completed her PhD. She is committed to inspiring and supporting Indigenous people pursuing higher education.
Barbara Hadley has been a professional snooker player, a private investigator and a chief toilet cleaner in the Greek Islands.
You name the job and she’s done it. But the 51-year-old has happily given it all away to return to university to study science. And it’s all in the name of “making a difference”.
“I’ve done so many things in my life, but I’ve always had a fascination with the human body and just how amazing it is,” she said.
“For me I decided it was time to give back to the community. To make your life worthwhile I believe you have to give and make other people happy.”
Today Barbara, a PhD candidate with the Institute for Glycomics, dreams of helping find a cure for cancer, through her research which explores the sugar structures on a cell which transports cancer throughout the body.
FameLab is designed to inspire, motivate and develop young scientists and engineers to actively engage with the public and stakeholders and to share their passion about the science industry.
Barbara isn’t the only female scientist making a difference at Griffith University.
As part of International Women’s Day 2016, Griffith is taking you behind the scenes to discover what really drives our researchers and to show that science is more than just test tubes and lab coats.
Join the conversation and tell us what motivates your via #WomenInSTEM and #IInternationalWomensDay
Dr Lara Herrero, Research Leader, Institute for Glycomics
Dr Herrero started researching Ross River virus after she contracted the debilitating illness herself. She recently received $419,180 in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for her new research project titled, ‘The role of glycans in arboviral disease; from immunomodulation to glycotherapeutic treatment strategies.
“I love that I can make a difference in the world through my research on mosquite-borne viruses,” she said.
Catherine Pickering
Professor Catherine Pickering, Griffith School of Environment
Professor Pickering is often out and about assessing the impact of hiking and mountain biking on sensitive plant communities. She was also behind the successful app GrowsAtGriffith.
“Helping us to enjoy and conserve the naturalenvironment is what motivates me each day,” she said.
Dr Caryl Bosman, Discipline Head of Urban and Environment Planning.
Dr Bosman is current researching the impacts of an ageing population in various urban and environmental planning contexts, specifically housing, travel and social health.
“Studio teaching is fun and practical,” she said. “We work with real planning concerns to achieve happier, healthier and ecologically sustainable living environment.”
Associate Professor Katherine Andrews, Head of the Tropical Parasitology Lab, Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery.
Associate Professor Andrews is currently working with the SCIRO and the Medicines for Malaria Venture to discover new drugs to prevent malaria.
“The most enjoyable part of my job is teaching enthusiastic students state-of-the-art skills in infectious diseaseresearch,” she said.
Joan Vaccaro, Associate Professor, Centre for Quantum Dynamics
Associate Professor Vaccaro is researching the quantum nature of time and the origin of dynamics.
“I love solving puzzles and mysteries, especially those that lead to the discovery of new things about Nature,” she said.
Associate Professor Francesca Iacopi, Future Fellow, Australian Research Council​ and Griffith’s Micro-and Nanotechnology Centre
Associate Professor Iacopi plays an important role in shaping the future of science, innovation, economic development and jobs in Queensland through her position on the Advance Queensland Expert Panel. Her research area is with biosensing and graphene.
“I love being able to understand and apply Nanotechnology to practical problems and helping educate younger generations,” she said.
Larissa has been working on a treatment for human parainfluenza virus by researching how it is released from infected cells.
“I love to discover things no one has experienced before,” she said.
Professor Sally-Ann Poulsen, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery
Research led by Professor Poulsen is being widely credited as anticipation builds over the potential of saccharin in the fight against cancer. There is growing excitement about the development of drugs capitalising on the anti-cancer properties of the popular sugar substitute.
“I enjoy the creativity involved in applying modern chemistry approaches to develop new chemical probes that contribute to understanding complex biology associated with cancer and infectious disease,” she said.
Dr Kate Seib, Research Leader, Institute for Glycomics
Dr Seib is part of a team of researcher who have received more than $1 million to find new vaccine targets for diseases which cause meningitis, gonorrhoea and middle ear infections.
“I enjoy the challenge of solving puzzles, and knowing that our discoveries could one day improve people’s health,” she said.
Aimee Tan, Postdoctoral research scientist, Institute for Glycomics
Amiee’s research explores a genetic regulator found in bacteria that cause meningococcal disease or otitis media (middle ear infections). She is trying to determine how this switch works, and whether it links to the way disease manifests in people.
“My job is basically problem solving, and the problems are always new. Day-to-day, they might be small in scale, but the big picture — how diseases work andchange— is absolutely fascinating.”
Michele Burford
Michele Burford, Executive Deputy Director, Australian Rivers Institute
Michele’s research aims to improve the predictability of glue green algae (cyanobacteria) to develop more tools to efficiently and effectively measure its toxins in waterbodies.
“The most enjoyable part of my job is having the opportunity to undertake challenging, innovative and practically orientated research with industry and researchers around Australia,” she said.
Dr Freda Jen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Glycomics
Dr Jen is currently trying o understand the mechanism of howNeisseria meningitidiscauses deadly meningococcal disease and howNeisseria gonorrhoeaecauses venereal gonorrhoea disease.
“I enjoy looking for solutions that can help the world to treat or prevent diseases,” she said.
Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, Professor of Immunology and Research Leader for the National Centre for Neuroimmunologyand Emerging Diseases.
Professor Marshall-Gradisnik is part of a research team shed light on the potential cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis by developing a screening test.
“My work is about being a detective,” she said. “Testing a hypothesis andworkingout if it is correct or not.”
“Importantly, knowing your research is making a difference to people who have CFS as it is not only providing scientific evidence to the origin of this illness.”
Susan Bengtson Nash
Dr Susan Bengtson Nash, Associate Professor and Group Leader, Griffith School of Environment is looking at the long-term energetic health of humpback whales, and relating findings to climate indicators in the Antarctic.
“I love the capacity science gives you to pursue ideas that inspire you,” she said.
It was an exciting day on Thursday 3 March as we officially opened the new science labs and associated teaching rooms.
Members of the school were joined by PVC Paul Mazzerole and other official guests on this important occasion and were treated to fun-filled science tours to showcase these fantastic learning spaces.
Dr Harry Kanasa took us on a virtual planet tour in the primary science lab, whilst Dr Christine McDonald and Mr Ben Barlow exploded soft drink cans and made ‘eggs’ disappear in the secondary science lab!
The guests also included children from Yarranlea Primary School who were very keen to take part in the activities.
The original science building was built in 1968, with the science laboratories completed in 1969. The labs served the university well between 1969 and 2014 when wear and tear finally prompted discussion about refurbishing the spaces. Dr Jim Richmond, Dr Rick Swindell and Mr Paul Parkinson were some of the long-serving academics who utilised the teaching labs to offer practical, engaging, hands-on experiences for preservice teacher education students for almost half a decade.
Plans began to take shape for two new state-of-the-art science laboratories in 2014. A working party comprising long-standing Senior Laboratory Technician Robert Weismantel; Academics – Associate Professor David Geelan, Dr Christine McDonald, Dr Alison Sammel and Dr Harry Kanasa; Executive Officer (AEL) — Ms Elizabeth Ganesathurai; and Project Manager – Mr Robert Palmer met throughout 2014-2015 to conceptualise and design the new labs.
Two state-of-the-art, $2.7 million, technologically enhanced science laboratories and associated teaching spaces and prep rooms were developed, suitable for not only preservice primary and secondary science education students, but also early childhood students, primary students, high school students, and professional development attendees.
Flexible design allows instructors multiple options for course delivery with mobile tables and chairs, ICT-enabled workstations at every lab bench, fully wifi-enabled facilities throughout, and the capacity to communicate across the two labs.
Facilities of this calibre will enable the science education team to deliver high quality professional development programs to external providers, and the team is keen to develop programs with the School’s Professional Learning Hub to enable them to showcase this outstanding facility to school leaders and other industry professionals.
Science lab opening activities
Mt Gravatt science lab official opening
Mt Gravatt science lab before refurbishment
Science labs after refurbishment
Mt Gravatt Science labs after refurbishment
Science labs after refurbishment
What the Mt Gravatt science labs looked like before the refurbishment.
Griffith University markedInternational Women’s Day todaywith an event featuring presentations from senior academics on career success, resilience and balance.
Nationally recognised as being an Employer of Choice for Women since 2001, Griffith was last year awarded anEmployer of Choice for Gender Equalityfor its commitment and best practice in promoting gender equality. It is one of only six organisations in Queensland and one of 12 universities and 90 organisations nationwide, to have been recognised in this way.
Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of Logan Campus Professor Lesley Chenoweth AO said one of the key priorities of the university’s Equity and Diversity plan was to improve the proportion of female staff in senior roles and improve the gender balance in academic and general staff roles at all levels.
“Griffith has created flexible working conditions and removed barriers that prevent staff from reaching their full potential,’’ said Professor Chenoweth, who was last year named in theAustralian Financial Review’stop 100 of Australia’s most influential women.
“I am ​honoured to be part of an organisation that has an ongoing commitment to a fair and equitable workplace that supports all staff, irrespective of gender, age, culture, sexual preference or disability.”
International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate the achievements of women throughout history and the world. The theme for this year is Pledge for Parity.
“While we have come quite a way, we also know thatprogress towards gender parity has slowed in many places. The World Economic Forum predicted in 2014 that it would takeuntil 2095 to achieve global gender parity. Then in 2015, they estimated that a slowdown in the already glacial pace of progress meant thegender gap wouldn’t close entirely until 2133.
“At Griffith,​we ​have many wonderful women who contribute in ​ all kinds of ways not only ​ to​ the university but​across many​ international arenas. ​ It is important to celebrate their achievements but also to reflect on how much furtherwe have to go.”
The Cupcakes and Careers morning tea was held at Logan campustoday.
In the lead up to International Women’s Day the Hon Karen Andrews MP, Assistant Minister for Science, visited young engineering students on Griffith University’s Gold Coast campus on Friday 4 March 2016.
Assistant Minister Andrews, herself a qualified engineer, is a strong advocate for making Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) a priority in schools and in particular for girls to study these subjects through to university.
“Tackling the gender imbalance in STEM is a key focus for the Government in its National Innovation and Science Agenda. There’s $48 million to inspire STEM literacy under the agenda and we’re investing an additional $13 million to inspire girls and women to take up STEM education and careers,” said Mrs Andrews.
“This will be done by highlighting female leaders and building programs and networks to support workplace gender equality and advance women in STEM.”
Pro Vice Chancellor of Griffith Sciences Professor Debra Henly said she was delighted to have the Minister’s support in calling for more women to take up careers in STEM.
“The future of work is in STEM. The National Innovation and Science Agenda will drive a new boom to generate jobs and prosperity for all and we need more women to do that.
“Griffith University is committed to producing high calibre STEM graduates and we begin that process with our Science on the Go team which works very closely with high schools across the South East Queensland encouraging more students, particularly girls, to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses.”
“At Griffith University, we also work closely with our industry partners so that our students are working on real-life projects from the word go and they have the necessary skills and experience to take advantage of the range of jobs that are evolving.”
Professor Henly is one of only a handful of women who head a Science, Engineering and Information Technology faculty in Australia.
During the campus visit Assistant Minister Andrews will also be briefed by leading Griffith researchers about a range of key research initiatives
Griffith University will play an important role for the local environment this weekend with its BeachCare group hosting not one, but two Clean Up Australia Day events.
BeachCare is a coastal community engagement initiative facilitated by the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management in partnership with the City of Gold Coast. The program aims to provide an opportunity for community members to participate in caring for their local coastal environments through the planting of native dune species, weed removal and litter collection and auditing.
To be held thisSunday 6 March, the Clean Up Australia events aim to inspire and empower communities to clean up, fix up and conserve our environment.
“Every year Australia wide, hundreds of thousands of Australians get stuck in and clean up their local environment by collecting and removing rubbish,” says Beachcare co-ordinator Tegan Croft.
“The importance of the role of our dunes in the overall management of our beach can’t be overstated,” says Professor RodgerTomlinson, Director of the Centre for Coastal Management. “A healthy dune means our beaches will recover faster after storm events. I really encourage the community to get involved in looking after our beaches through the BeachCare program.”
The events will be held in Labrador (200m north of Charis Seafoods, opposite Parker St)from 9am-11am and at Currumbin at ‘The Alley’, Duringan Street, from 9am-11am.
Please be sure to bring some drinking water, wear enclosed footwear and sunsmart clothing.
Unfortunately you will not be able to participate without enclosed shoes.
Australian pop idol and Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University graduate Dami Im will fly the flag for Australia at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.
Im was revealed as the Australian representative at a special concert at the Sydney Opera House featuring 2014 Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst.
SBS had led speculation in the lead up to the announcement, posting a series of cryptic messages on Instagram. Im was the clear leader in the betting, with an SBS viewer poll placing her well ahead of Tina Arena, Delta Goodrem, Kylie Minogue, Sia and others.
Im is an award-winning pianist who won the popular reality television show The X Factor Australia in 2013. Her self-titled debut album reached number 1 on the ARIA charts, as did her lead single, Alive.
Director of Queensland Conservatorium, Professor Scott Harrison, says it’s another fantastic example of our local talent on the world stage.
“It’s a wonderful achievement for Dami to represent Australia in this way and we wish her every success,” he says.
During her time at Queensland Conservatoirum, Dami trained with the renowned Dr Irene Bartlett – who also taught Megan Washington, Katie Noonan, Elly Hoyt and Kristin Berardi.
Irene’s students have been recipients of prestigious industry and academic awards including: seven Aria Awards, The Freedman Jazz Fellowship (the Music Council of Australia), the Montreaux Jazz Festival international vocalist competition, five James Morrison Generations in Jazz Scholarships, and two Churchill Fellowships.
The Eurovision Song Contest is watched by approximately 200 million viewers, and this year will feature 43 countries including Australia — the largest number to date.
Australia was a surprise inclusion in the 60th anniversary event in 2015, with Guy Sebastian’s credible fifth place earning the nation another opportunity to compete.
“We strongly believe the Eurovision Song Contest has the potential to evolve organically into a truly global event,” Eurovision’s Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand said.
“Australia’s continued participation is an exciting step in that direction.”
Im will sing in the second semi-final in Stockholm on May 12. She needs to place in the top 10 via popular vote to advance to the grand final on May 14.
The announcement comes shortly after fellow Conservatorium graduate Tim Munro won his third Grammy for his work with sextet eighth blackbird.
SBS viewing schedule (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Semi-final 1 — SBS live broadcast Wednesday May 11 5am
Semi-final 2 — SBS live broadcast Friday May 13 5am
Grand final — SBS live broadcast Sunday May 15 5am
The obsession of human resource management (HRM) research to link with performance over the last thirty years, is yet to prove that such an association makes a big influence. HRM strategies that ask what an organisation can get out of workers is also stalling, and is more likely to backfire in the contemporary (Western) employment relationship.
During his 1 March presentation (delivered to a packed house at Griffith’s Nathan and Gold Coast campuses),Davidposed alternatives to this performance-HRM approach:
“We need to focus on mutual benefits for stakeholders, the employment relationship as an integrating framework, and worker wellbeing as a primary goal. …Employee-centred HRM that supports psychological, physical and social wellbeing … [can ] build upon existing [HRM research]…antecedents…including Warr’s Vitamin-; Walton’s conditions for High Quality of Working Life-; and Bakker, Demerouti and Schaufeli’s Job Demands-Resources Models.”
Professor Guest further highlighted the benefits of replacing the dominant (and assumed) causal link between HRM practices which focus on employee ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) to result in high performance outcomes, with a wellbeing focus:
“By focussing on employees, [a wellbeing-centred] approach allows [researchers] to incorporate a social exchange perspective at a collective level — the employment relationship — and individual level — workers’ psychological contract, issues of trust; [all of which] implies a positive employment relationship. It also offers a realistic perspective that recognises the legitimacy of the main stakeholders — potential differences, and shared, areas of interest, mutual gains (including performance) etc..”
Professor David Guest presents an alternative to the HRM-performance paradigm during a 1 March, 2016 seminar.
In concluding, Davidsuggests that for researchers, “the challenge [lay] in identifying HR practices that invest in employees, provide interesting work, a positive social and physical work environment, two-way communication between the employer and employee/s, and organisational support through the likes of flexible working arrangements, performance management, and inclusivity.”
“The changing external context,” he adds, “presents threats to workers’ wellbeing and workers’ commitment to organisational goals. Current HRM research is both ignoring workers’ concerns and failing to significantly progress the field. It is recommended that research…takes into account the internal and external contexts of work.”
The full implementation of the shift of year 7 to secondary has now occurred.
In 2015, almost 99,000 Queensland students left primary school to start high school in Year 7, located there for the first time.
Simultaneously, state schools achieved what has been identified as the biggest education reform in the last 50 years, as alongside the shift of Year 7 students from primary into high school settings, the establishment of Junior Secondary for Years 7 – 9 was implemented.
EPS Dean and Head of School, Professor Donna Pendergast, has led the projects, which focus on getting ready for school, getting ready for high school and boosting the performance of all schools.
“The Junior Secondary Leading Change Program was delivered as a key element to prepare for this transformation. This multifaceted program was developed to build capacity in school leaders to enable effective change processes in 258 schools. Feedback about the shift has been described to be ‘a success‘, ‘positive change‘ and ‘one of the great success stories of Queensland education‘.”
Junior Secondary is now being implemented in all schools in Queensland that teach years 7-9.
“The teaching curriculum has changed to reflect this major shift. One of the real benefits is for Year 7 students to have access to subject specialists, e.g. in science and mathematics, one year earlier than prior to this reform.”
What is the difference between Middle Years Education and Junior Secondary?
“Middle years is a broader category than Junior Secondary. Middle year’s students refers to young adolescents in the broadest sense, and so includes the range of Years 6-9 and age 10-15 years. Junior Secondary is a slice of this group of young people.”
“It is very important for the sustainability of the Junior Secondary initiative that majors and distinct programs, both undergraduate and graduate, exist in the field of middle year’s education.”
“Having teachers who are expert means they have a desire to work in these years and to specialise their capabilities.”
Middle years education is about understanding the unique teaching and learning needs of young adolescents and about shaping curriculum, pedagogy and assessment practices to optimise engagement and participation at a time that is most vulnerable in terms of students disengaging from learning and not achieving their potential.
The need has never been greater and the future never brighter.
The impact of a range of performing arts-based programs on Australian prisoners has been explored in the first national research project of its kind.
The project has documented current practices and established a framework to develop new approaches to enhance prisoner wellbeing and post-release outcomes.
According to Chief Investigator Associate Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, understanding the impact of arts-based programs on prisoner’s lives has the potential to transform significant aspects of prison service delivery in Australia.
“Across the world, performing arts based programs are increasingly recognised for their potential to change both prisoner development and the provision of humane, effective and safe correctional service,” Associate Professor Bartleet says.
“In the past 30 years, theatre, music, dance, performance poetry, song writing, opera and film have had a growing worldwide presence in prisons.
“Such programs have the potential to reduce conduct violations and repeat incarcerations, to introduce positive life skills, enhance self-worth and ultimately reduce the costs of imprisonment to society.
Associate Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet
“Yet despite the sheer number and diversity of programs across the world, previously there was very little research into the presence and effect of such initiatives in Australia.
“The results of this study will now enable corrective service providers across the country to develop, implement and evaluate more effective performing arts programs for the future.”
Five case studies were assessed during the project, including Somebody’s Daughter Theatre in Melbourne, Drumbeat in Alice Springs, One Mob Different Country in Darwin, Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble in Brisbane and Unlocked throughout New South Wales.
The need for a “common language”
Associate Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet says one of the most common observations throughout the research was the pressing need for “a common language”.
“While the intentions of arts facilitators and correctional managers were very similar, it seems that a common language enabling the two to effectively communicate is missing,” she explains.
“There is a need for a national framework and guidelines that allow for new projects with relevance and meaning to be proposed and developed.
“This would also offer correctional professionals with information that can assist their policy development, decision-making and overall engagement with arts projects and approaches to rehabilitation.”
The study was conducted in partnership with Serco, which currently deliver music and theatre programs in prisons throughout Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
It incorporated a nation-wide online survey, case studies of selected performing arts programs, field visits, interviews, focus groups, non-participant observations and analysis of reports and audio visual material.
Captive Audiences was supported by the Australia Research Council as a Linkage project with financial and in-kind contributions from partner organisation Serco Asia Pacific.
Chief Investigators for the research included Professor Huib Schippers, Professor Michael Balfour, Associate Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, Dr John Rynne and Research Fellow Ms Linda Davey.
