Country music’s newest star, Jared Porter, is set to make his mark on the world stage after winning more than $15,000 in cash and prizes and a mentorship with one of the world’s biggest labels in the Unsigned Only Music Competition.
The Bachelor of Popular Music alumnus and fellow musician Kaylee Bell took out the 2015 Grand Prize for their acclaimed duet and co-written song “Pieces”.
The judging panel included well-known names in modern music including band members from The Killers, The Cure, alt-J, Run DMC and Kool and the Gang.
Jared’s song beat 7000 entries from 100 countries and was the first entry outside of North America — and the first country song – to win the overall prize.
Jared, who moved to Australia from the US when he was 15 years old, can’t wait to return to his homeland to be mentored by the top echelon of record company professionals.
“There are a couple of options and we have the opportunity to test the waters with a few labels.
“We have the opportunity to meet many professionals and see if the relationship works for both parties. I hope to continue my relationship with Big Machine Label group who manages artists like Taylor Swift. It doesn’t get much bigger than that.” he says.
Jared became a full time musician after winning Toyota Star Maker in January 2014. Since then, he has gone on to become aGolden Guitarfinalist for New Talent of the Year 2015, a finalist for CMC (Country Music Channel) New Oz Artist of the Year 2015, win the international“Fender Contender Challenge” and play the Country Summer Festival, Northern California’s biggest country music festival.
Jared says in the competitive music industry, winning a competition like Unsigned Only is invaluable — and he’s already seeing the benefits.
“It’s a tough competitive industry, you need publicity for people to see you as a valid option for a tour, a festival a side act, to sign to a record label. The money is kind of a small thing, it’s nice but the publicity is what will really help my career as an artist.”
Jared says studying at Griffith gave him the knowledge he needed to springboard his music career.
“I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve won a few significant things that have progressed my career a lot quicker but the Bachelor of Popular Music is a phenomenal course. I couldn’t recommend it anymore. I decided I need to stay in Queensland because the BPM course was the best option I had. I would recommend it to anyone looking to be in the music industry.”
Listen to Jared Porter perform at Griffith University’s TEDx event here and his award winning duet “Pieces”here.
An invasive bird species is carrying, and potentially spreading, a high prevalence of avian malaria throughout its range in eastern Australia, a Griffith University PhD candidate has uncovered.
Nicholas Clark found that up to 40% of Indian Mynas in the South East Queensland region can carry malaria parasites. While they can’t infect humans, the parasites pose a significant threat to native wildlife.
He said that because Mynas carry some malaria strains exotic to Australia, the spread of the Myna could put our native birds such as parrots, magpies and butcher birds at risk.
His discovery, which formed his thesis project while studying with the School of Environment, was published online on 19 October in the International Journal for Parasitology.
“Malaria parasites are common in Australian birds but through the use of genetic techniques I have discovered they are more diverse than originally thought,” the former Gold Coast student, who now works for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries said.
An Indian Myna bird.
Nicholas said that some of the malaria parasites found in Australia were probably introduced from other countries and are now being spread by the Myna, which was brought to Australia in the 1800s to control insect pests on crops. But today they are considered an aggressive pest that has the potential to cause significant negative impacts on biodiversity.
“These malaria parasites seem to have little effect on the Mynas but could be harmful to native birds as they come in contact with each other,” Nicholas said.
“Mynas are known to impact native birds by driving them away from nesting sites, but my work suggests they are also exposing our natives to new diseases.
“I believe we as a society, have under estimated the threat they can cause.”
Nicholas said avian malaria parasites cannot be spread to people. However the next step in this research will be to investigate what other diseases invasive birds like the Indian Mynas are potentially carrying and determine if these are a risk to people.
Read the Nicholas’ full research publication here.
Centre for Work, Organisation and WellbeingResearch Fellow, Dr Susan Ressia, provided insight into the Southeast Queensland jobseeking experiences of 17 female and five male skilled migrants during a 20 October, 2015 seminar. The main focus of Dr Ressia’sresearch was on migrants and their spouses who had arrived in Australia as independent skilled visa holders. The experience of highly skilled humanitarian visa holders was also considered.
Made up of two jobseeking groups — those who had been looking for work for less than, or more than, 12 months — Sue interviewed participants twice (12 months apart) to understand the motivations behind their migration, their experiences of jobseeking and the strategies they each used to find employment commensurate with that held by them in their home country. The research revealed however that while these skilled migrants expected to achieve – because they met immigration criteria and/or have a job listed on the skilled occupation list – good employment outcomes fairly quickly after arrival, each suffered downward occupational mobility (DOM); that is, the job they found (if at all) is lower in skill level to their job held pre-migration.
Occupational mobility refers to an individual’s labour force mobility — both occupational and geographical, and the expectation is that such moves will improve occupational outcomes and economic benefits. It also encompasses the movement in social class, position and status that an occupation can bring.
The study also highlighted issues migrant jobseekers face that are not experienced by Anglo cohorts: perceived racial discrimination and wages that tended to be lower than Australian born workers.
Dr Ressia reported on an underlying concern from many of the 22 interviewees about the loss of their skills while being out of the workforce. She explained the concern held by a highly skilled civil engineer who was afraid that she would be unable to keep up to speed with advancing technologies in her field and feared that her skills were becoming dated the longer she spent out of her occupation.
The complexities of gaining good employment outcomes was intensified, furthermore, for women with younger families. Issues around managing child care responsibilities, and a lack of financial resources, prevented their access to training which would otherwise enable the maintenance of their occupation-specific technological skill-set. As a result, Sue’s research showed that migrants may consider changing careers and subsequently undertake study in a different field.
Dr Ressiahighlighted the negative impact that being unfamiliar with Australia’s labour market nuances had upon migrants’ employment-seeking experiences, and the positive role of work placement programs in gaining employment in some instances:
“While…programs did help some of the migrants… – although not at a level commensurate with their qualifications, skills and experience – …they still experienced the effects of downward occupational mobility,” concludes Sue.
Contact the Centre for a copy of Dr Ressia’s PowerPoint presentation: [email protected] or phone 07 3735 3714.
Professor Glenda Strachan and colleagues conducted a major Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage project funded byUniversities Australia, Unisuper and the National Tertiary Education Union on gender equity in universities in 2012. As well as a major report, they have also published papers on the use of casual academic staff, the insecurity facing highly skilled research staff,workplace harassment,the progress of non-academic staff,and gender discrepancies in academics’ bonus payments.
Project leader Strachan has herself been a prolific and influential researcher on work for over three decades, with a particular focus on equity and gender equity.Glenda’swork has analysed organisational practices in equity and has shown that there is a distinct national character to these policies. Her work illustrates that Australian policy frameworks for equity are in the vanguard of such policies internationally, but at the same time she has provided a critique of policy and practices that has advanced public debate in this area. This work culminated in the bookManaging Diversity in Australia: Theory and practice(2010) with co-authors Erica French and John Burgess.
Glenda’spublic work includes an invited submission to the 2007 Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) Pay Equity Inquiry:Progressing Pay Equity(with Erica French).The significance of this work is underlined by the QIRC’s vanguard role in pay equity developments in Australia. The conclusion from her research that “cohesive, universal legislation premised on equal opportunity and anti-discrimination principles is required if gender equity, including pay equity, is to be achieved” is a major driver for the Report’s recommendations.
Professor Strachanis Co-Chair of Universities Australia (UA) Executive Women (UA is academe’s industry peak body).
Members of WOW conduct research in the areas of equity, diversity and gender in employment
She has been at the forefront of developing equity and diversity research in Australia and developing the equity and diversity in employment (EDGE) stream within the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing at Griffith University.
Further reading
Timothy Skinner, David Peetz, Glenda Strachan, Gillian Whitehouse, Janis Bailey & Kaye Broadbent(2015) ‘Self-reported harassment and bullying in Australian universities: Explaining differences between regional, metropolitan and elite institutions’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 558-571.
Griffith University researchers have opened a new avenue to advance a therapy to repair the paralysed spinal cord.
A paper published in the prestigious Nature group journal Scientific Reportspresents a novel technique to grow cells in three dimensions, without the traditional restrictions of matrix or scaffolds.
By using floating liquid marbles, cells can freely associate and form natural structures as they would normally within the human body.
“Allowing cells to grow in this 3D format dramatically increases their growth and function and is particularly useful for spinal transplantation repair in which cells are transplanted into the injury site,” says research supervisor Dr James St John, from Griffith’s Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery.
The technique was developed when neurobiology merged with microfluidic engineering technology. Lead researcher, Griffith PhD student Raja Vadivelu, and Professor Nam-Trung Nguyen (Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre), collaborated with Dr Jenny Ekberg (Queensland University of Technology) and scientists in Spain.
“In Australia, more than 12,000 people live with spinal cord paralysis and there is at least one new occurrence every day,” says Dr St John.
“Although rehabilitation medicine has resulted in reductions in mortality, the current outcome for patients is permanent paralysis, with an overall cost to the community of $2 billion a year.
“In light of the overwhelming impact of spinal cord injury, new therapeutic interventions for drug discovery and cell therapy are urgently needed.”
The transplantation of the specialised cell type from the olfactory (sense of smell) system is a promising approach to spinal cord repair.
“Successful partial regeneration of a completely severed spinal cord in a human was achieved recently in an overseas study, thus demonstrating this therapy can work,” says Mr Vadivelu.
“What is now needed is to make the transplantation therapy more effective and suitable for patients with a range of different spinal cord injuries.”
The new method enables transplanted cells to survive and better integrate into the injury site. In turn, this will help the spinal cord to regenerate more effectively.
“Liquid marbles are a remarkably simply way to culture cells in 3D,” says Dr St John. “A droplet of liquid that contains the cells is placed upon a carpet of teflon powder to create a liquid marble which can then be floated on cell culture medium.
“By having an air interface between the liquid marble and the cell culture medium upon which it floats, the liquid marble easily rotates. This allows the cells within the liquid marbles to freely associate to form natural structures without the confines imposed upon them by other 3D culturing methods.”
Floating liquid marbles have been known for almost 200 years. In 1830, British explorer Alexander Burnes was travelling through what is now Pakistan when he observed the Indus River merging with the sea.He noted that “round globules filled with water” floated on the seawater and formed when the freshwater detached sand from the sand banks.
“Burnes probably didn’t think they could be used to help develop a therapy for spinal cord repair, but combining neurobiology and engineering at Griffith University has at last found an incredible use for the ‘round globules’,” says Dr St John.
The floating liquid marble technique can also be used to grow many other cell types in 3D and is likely to bring dramatic advances in several biological fields.
The Australian Research Council Future Fellow from Griffith’s Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre is one of 16 high-level representatives from industry, tertiary and research sectors to form the Expert Panel.
The Expert Panel will provide advice and direction to government in regards to a range of Queensland initiatives and programs as well as ensuring they are being effectively invested and targeted.
“I feel honoured by this appointment and I’m looking forward to contributing to this important initiative for Queensland,” Francesca said.
“To have the opportunity to shape and contribute to Queensland policy making is something that is very important to me.”
Associate Professor Iacopi said through her position on the panel she hoped to help bridge the gap between students and industry. More local jobs for highly skilled workers outside academia and a thriving local hi tech economy is something particularly important to her.
“I really want to help develop a closer relationship between universities and the industrial environment by both aligning research purposes and bringing industrial engineers together with students,” she said.
“ It is a matter of getting to know each other’s perspectives and priorities and find some common grounds and goals.”
Associate Professor Francesca Iacopi has more than 15 years’ academic and industrial expertise in materials and processes for micro- and nanotechnologies, across the field of devices, interconnects and packaging.
She was among Griffith University academics included in the 2015 list of Queensland’s Top 50 Thinkers compiled by theSundayMailnewspaper.
She was acknowledged for her world-leading work capitalising on the remarkable properties of the pure carbon material graphene for future cost-effective mass production of micro-devices.
Advance Queensland’s programs and initiatives aim to create knowledge-based jobs of the future, drive productivity improvements and build on Queensland’s natural advantages.
The expert panel brings together successful leaders from across the business, academic, research and education sectors who can provide broad-based expertise and independent advice to government.
For business student Silvana Boulas Griffith University’s Relay for Life event was about more than raising money and awareness of cancer.
It was a chance to show her mother that there is still hope.
At a time when Silvana’s mother, Suzanne Isaac, is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer the weekend’s annual event could not have come at a better time.
“Mum encourages me to raise awareness and raise money for cancer as it gives her hope,” she said.
“We try to focus on the positive as it is really tough going through something like this when we only have each other.”
Silvana also lost her father topancreatic cancer in 2001.
Gold Coast Relay for Life organiser Steve Harris, student Silvana Boulas and Kelly Armstrong, Relay Events and Activities Lead.
Silvana, who is studying a double degree in business events and marketing, said the Relay for Life was the first one she had participated in. She also received the Spirit of the Relay award.
“The event really exceeded my expectations. There were serious moments to remember the past, present and future but also fun moments to celebrate what we have achieved,” she said.
“It is tough to juggle studies with my mum’s medical appointments but I don’t want her to go through something like this on her own.”
This year was the third time Griffith has hosted a Relay for Life Event at the Gold Coast campus raising over $28,000 for cancer research.
At the finish line of Griffith’s 2015 Relay for Life
More than 200 participants from 23 teams took turns to keep a baton moving in a relay style walk or run for 18 hours through the night from 3pm Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning at 9am.
This year’s event patron was Student Guild Board President Cameron Harrison.
Griffith’s Gold Coast Relay for Life event organiser Steve Harris said Cameron represented not only the Griffith student body, but as a medical student he will be on the front lines in the future fighting against the devastating disease.
He said a planning committee of 15 students and staff contributed to an exciting list of activities and memorable ceremonies.
“The Relay Rivalry saw all teams competing in a series of challenges throughout the event to earn points, including a glow stick “body jam” party,” Steve said.
“While the candlelight ceremony was a special time where each participant lights a candle in remembrance of those we have lost to cancer.”
See more photos from the weekend at Griffith University’s facebook page.
Griffith University’s Professor Lesley Chenoweth AO has been named in the top 10 of Australia’s most influential women.
The Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of Logan Campus won the local/regional category at the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards for 2015 Gala Dinner at Sydney Town Hall. Carnival Australia CEO Ann Sherry won the overall honour.
Professor Chenoweth said she was honoured to be acknowledged as “influential”, especially alongside McGrath Foundation CEO Petra Buchanan, former Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon, Managing Director of Microsoft Australia Pip Marlow, Australian Army pilot Captain Jennifer Roberts and publisher Louise Adler.
“I believe that all women have the potential to influence, and you don’t have to be in a leadership role to do so,” she said.
“I have met so many wonderful women who have influence in their own way in their own spheres.
“I think the key is to seize opportunities and understand the nature of leadership and influence — there are many opportunities for leadership even when you are at school or just starting your career.”
Professor Chenoweth has led a long and distinguished career in higher education, integrating research, education and community particularly in the areas of social work, people living with disabilities and people often excluded from higher education.
Based at the Logan campus, her work involves partnerships with Logan City Council, community organisations, schools, sporting groups and the whole community to enable more people to achieve more.
“This is made possible through the support of the university to be part of the transformation of a whole community. My vision is for Griffith’s Logan campus to be an aspiration for local young people and others seeking a university education”
Professor Chenoweth believes her successful career would not have been possible had she not taken up opportunities that came her way.
“I’ve had some amazing opportunities presented to me and I’ve grabbed most of them,” she said.
“I’ve also had some great women in my life and cannot stress how important it is to collaborate and work together or seek out mentors at different times.”
Earlier this year Professor Chenoweth was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
The 100 Women of Influence Awards aim to highlight the important contribution women make in creating a bold and diverse future for Australia.
The highly-concentrated focus of this landmark conference will be on how countries around the world can begin the transition towards a carbon neutral economy.
For that to be possible there will need to be renewed political and social action across the globe on carbon emission reduction, and it is against this backdrop that Griffith University has teamed up with the Global Change Institute for a two-day workshop in Brisbane later this month.
‘Managing the transition to a sustainable economy’ will be hosted at South Bank on Thursday and Friday, October 22-23, and brings together world-leading academic thinkers from the fields of natural science, psychology and economics.
Climate change adaptation
“Irrespective of the outcomes of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, it is clear that both developed and developing countries face a number of fundamental challenges in achieving substantial carbon emission reductions,” Dr Andreas Chai, Griffith Business School, said.
“Along with decreasing the carbon emissions associated with energy production, there must be a simultaneous move towards achieving more carbon neutral consumption patterns and lifestyles too. Otherwise it is not a complete solution.
“To this end, we have assembled experts from economics, psychology and the natural sciences to discuss the social, psychological and economic dimensions of climate change adaptation.”
Researchers from some of Australia’s top universities and institutions will be joined by colleagues from the United States and Europe over two days at South Bank.
Three dedicated sessions will cover (i) Sustainable transition in energy production; (ii) Climate change, consumer lifestyle and energy demands; and (iii) Policy making and well-being in the era of sustainable growth.
A presentation by Professor Carmen Lawrence (left), University of Western Australia and former Premier of Western Australia, will open session two; while Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, University of Queensland, will deliver the keynote address at the workshop dinner on October 22 at the Shore Restaurant.
“While many profess to be concerned about climate change and the state of the environment, there appears to be a yawning gap between these concerns and the propensity for people to act on these concerns and adopt sustainable consumption practices,” Dr Chai said.
“In addition, the shifting knowledge base around climate change continues to create uncertainty and this poses particularly tricky issues for policymakers about the timing of policy interventions.”
The end of the two-day workshop on October 23 will be followed by a special panel event hosted by the Griffith Centre for Sustainable Enterprise and Griffith MBA on social inclusion in a warming world.
Yeronga State High School has been shortlisted in the Excellence in Industry Partnership category at the 2015 Showcase Awards for Excellence in Schools.
The nomination recognises the productive partnership established between the south Brisbane school and Griffith Business School through the GriffithBUSINESS School Outreach Program.
Thirty five Year 12 students have taken part in this year’s program which creates pathways for high school students not only to go to university but also to prepare for life as a university student.
Along with senior teacher Kerrie Hopewell and Griffith Business Schools Engagement Manager Simone Markham, students were in the TV spotlight last week when Network 10 visited the school for filming ahead of awards night on October 30.
“It is a life-changing program, not just for the individual students but for their families and for generations to come,” Kerrie Hopewell said.
“Students are welcomed into the university environment, they are engaged and challenged and moved gently out of their comfort zone.”
“It is fantastic to see how their confidence and belief in themselves grows during the course of the program, as the idea of attending university emerges as a genuinely attainable goal.”
Year 12 student, Farzana Hussaina (18), hopes to do a double degree in Business Management and Event Management at Griffith. She said the program offered her a realistic pathway to fulfil this dream.
Yeronga State High School has participated in the program since 2012. The program combines QSA syllabus content and university course content to generate a deeper knowledge about business subjects like sport and event management, human resources, accountingfinance and international relations to name a few.
At the same time the program develops a stronger understanding of the tertiary environment among students.
Activities start with Year 10 and 11 business students who initially join the GriffithBUSINESS Ambassadors Program which introduces them to the university environment. In Year 12 they take part in university activities like lectures, tutorials and assessments.
“The program sets students up to succeed,” Kerrie Hopewell said. “They have the opportunity to get involved in university life and take responsibility for the way they approach this.”
Associate Professor Ruth McPhail, one of the creators of the GriffithBUSINESS Schools Outreach Program, welcomed the program’s selection as one of three finalists for the industry partnership awards.
“This nomination is testament to the quality and impact of a program that is making a real difference in the community,” she said.
The Showcase Awards, which are in their 15th year, recognise and reward Queensland state schools that are significantly improving student learning outcomes through excellent teaching practice.
Schools across the state will be celebrated in six categories when the winners are announced at the end of October at the Showcase Awards Gala Dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Western Cape College and Gympie State High School are the other finalists in the Excellence in Industry Partnerships category. Gympie State High has also engaged with the GriffithBUSINESS Program since 2013, with eight Year 12 students graduating from the program this year.
In total 389 high school students graduated from the GriffithBUSINESS Program this year from schools linked to Griffith’s Nathan, Gold Coast and Logan campuses.
