Welcome to QUT's weekly round-up of news and events. For regular updates, follow us on Twitter (@QUTmedia) and Facebook (@QUTBrisbane). To subscribe to this wrap, please email media@qut.edu.au.
Pepper shakes up school holiday STEM Camp: Teenagers from across Queensland taking part in QUT’s annual Vice-Chancellor’s STEM Camp will have a new non-human ‘mentor’: Pepper, a humanoid robot, will help guide the visiting Year 11 students through the camp.
QUT creates Australia’s first lithium-ion battery: QUT researchers have produced Australia’s first lithium-ion battery after establishing the country’s only facility capable of such manufacturing.
Stay hydrated to stay safe in extreme and deadly heat: With the Australian Bureau of Meteorology predicting unseasonal heatwave conditions for much of Queensland from Sunday, a QUT health expert has warned people to stay cool, keep an eye on the colour of their urine and remain hydrated.
Scientists and farmers work together to wipe out African lovegrass: A partnership between QUT, the NSW Government and farmers could lead to the eventual eradication of the highly invasive African lovegrass (pictured above) which is threatening pastures and native grasslands Australia-wide.
What motivates men to donate sperm online? World-first QUT study: A world-first QUT study into online sperm donor behaviour has revealed the importance men place on their family, friends and the risks associated with donation has little impact on their motivation or psychology when choosing to donate their sperm to women they meet online.
The debate on assisted dying: how can we assess the competing claims? As Victorian MPs debate a bill on assisted dying, it is vital that they examine evidence and not just rhetoric, says QUT Law Professor Ben White
Now-Nov 24: STEM for Schools: What's on in 2017 @ QUT
Now-Sept 26: Pride Month 2017 (free) @ QUT
Now- Sept 29: Vice-Chancellor's STEM Camp @ QUT
Now-Sept 29: Australian University Games @ Gold Coast (Follow the journey on QUT Sport Facebook.)
Now-Sept 30: Brisbane Festival Theatre Republic @ QUT Creative Industries Precinct
Sept 30: QUT Learning Potential Fund Riverfire Celebration and Online Auction @ RoomThreeSixty
Oct 4: QUT Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (free) @ Gardens Point
Oct 8: Brisbane Open House festival (free) @ Old Government House
Oct 12: QUT School of Law - Celebrating 40 Years @Gardens Point
Oct 12: A Letter to My Younger Self: Leadership Journeys (free) @Gardens Point
Oct 17: Real World Futures conference: Disruptive Influences @ Gardens Point
Oct 19: Frontiers of Materials Research Symposium (free) @ Gardens Point
Oct 25: MBA and Postgraduate Business Information Evening (free) @ Gardens Point
Now-Oct 29: Machination (free) @ QUT Art Museum
Now-Oct 29: Why future still needs us: AI and humanity (free) @ QUT Art Museum
Now-June 25, 2018: Eternal Present: The Still Life paintings of William Robinson (free) @ William Robinson Gallery, Old Government House
Now-December: Code-A-Bot, Physics Observatory and Dino Zoo (free) @ The Cube
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- Professor Peter Talbot spoke with Radio 4BC and ABC Radio Brisbane about creating Australia’s first lithium-ion battery. The story was also run by ABC Online, 2GB, Gizmodo Australia, Sustainability Matters, Industry Update, Manufacturers’ Monthly , Process Online, Science Newsline and Znet. The story was widely watched via Facebook.
- Stephen Whyte’s world-first research into the motivations of men donating sperm online featured in the Courier Mail. The story also appeared on Health Medicine Network and Finder.com.au
- Research led by Associate Professor Jennifer Firn (pictured right) to defeat African lovegrass was reported by ABC Gippsland, The Environmental News Network, Science Daily and Physic.Org.
- Lifehacker, The Courier Mail and the News.com network featured a story about the Australian Access to Digital Media: 2017 Report compiled by QUT's Digital Media Research Centre.
- ABC Radio PM interviewed Distinguished Professor Stuart Cunningham on the campaign to have streaming services produce local content. He was also quoted in a Crinkling News on the growth of YouTube and the increasingly popularity of its stars.
- Nicole Robinson was interviewed by Radio 2SM, ABC News 24, and ABC Sydney on her study to evaluate human-robot interactions. It was also reported by Robot Enthusiast, Physic.Org and Health Times.
- Deputy Vice-Chancellor Suzi Derbyshire featured on ABC TV News about QUT’s entrepreneurship with a competition hosted by Creative Enterprise Australia which was also covered by The Courier Mail, ABC Brisbane, Content & Technology Asia-Pacific News also ran a story.
- Professors Ben White, Lindy Willmott and Dr Andrew McGee’s Conversation article about renewed political focus on euthanasia and assisted dying was picked up by ABC Radio Canberra (@1hr10mins) and ABC Radio PM.
- Coverage continued in Fairfax with Associate Professor Wendy Scaife about the way Australians are giving, following the release of the latest Giving Australia report.
- Professor Gerry Fitzgerald spoke to 97.3FM about the weekend total fire ban and keeping hydrated.
- Professor Matthew Rimmer spoke with ABC Radio Hobart about copyright ownership after a Tasmanian cartoonist’s work was altered and Radio National Saturday Extra about medical patents and their influence on public health.
- The Guardian ran a story on privacy risks involved in driverless vehicles quoting Professor Des Butler.
- Dr Matt Dunbabin and Dr Trudi Collet featured on Scope TV in separate stories about volcanoes and medicinal plants. CARRS-Q developing apps inspired by video games to improve driver focus and safety also ran on Scope TV .
- Nine News Queensland interviewed Associate Professor Gary Mortimer about retailers rolling out click and collect services. The story also aired in Cairns and Mackay. He spoke with Smart Company about challenges for small retailers in the homewares market, and to ABC Radio, 9 News, the Herald Sun and AAP about eBay and Amazon’s entry to the Australian market. Brisbane Times ran a feature about loyalty cards and how business uses the data.
- Associate Professor Adrian Barnett, Associate Professor Ian Stewart and Kelly Stewart were quoted in a LifeHacker story giving expert advice on how to cope with predicted heatwaves. The story also appeared on Business Insider.
- Professor Axel Bruns spoke to ABC Radio AM on the risk for politicians bowing out of social media. His comments also ran on Triple J and ABC Online.
- Professor Clive Bean’s comments on Queensland’s developer donation laws reflecting community attitudes were reported by SBS, The Guardian and News Corp.
- QUT’s research partnership with Rheinmetall through its proposed research and development fund ran across regional Queensland through News Corp.
- Computerworld reported on the call for submissions from the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision at QUT to prepare Australia’s first robotics and computer vision roadmap. The story also appeared on CIO Asia.
- Adjunct Professor John Mickel spoke to ABC Radio Gold Coast about the imminent Queensland state election.
- Associate Professor Mark Lauchs talked to ABC News about why tobacco is featuring in the list of drugs being imported and distributed by criminal networks.
- A study, on which QUT collaborated, showing that taking a break from dieting may improve weight loss was reported by EurasiaReview, Australian Journal of Pharmacy and Financial Tribune.
- The report by Dr Deanna Grant-Smith and Dr Jenna Gillett-Swan on student wellbeing and work integrated learning was featured in Campus Morning Mail.
- Michael Klaehn’s regular social media segment on ABC Radio Brisbane canvassed clever advertising, digital technology and privacy.
- Michael Milford’s approach to engage students in STEM through storytelling appeared in North West News.
- Army News published a story about David Kavanagh’s research evaluating an app designed to manage the symptoms of PTSD for ADF members.
- Dr Christine Satchell explained to The New Daily and Gears of Biz why the iPhone 8 won’t have Apple users lining up.
- Jade Byers-Pointer penned a piece for Fashion Weekly on four easy hacks for a healthier lifestyle.
- City South News reported comments from Dr Andrea Blake on West End’s gentrification, and City North News covered the QUT Learning Potential Fund Riverfire auction.
- A time-lapse video of Dr Mia Woodruff’s 3D printed technology being used to create a prosthetic ear featured on The Brisbane Report.
- Susan Hetherington joined ABC Radio Capricornia for her regular segment Family Matters talking babies sleeping habits, NAPLAN results and teenage behaviour.
- Fairfax reported on plans for the new QUT school with Education Queensland in Fortitude Valley.
- Dr Kateryna Bazaka research regarding bacterial antibiotic resistance in plants ran in US-based deathrattlessports.com
- Dr Mary Crawford joined ABC Radio Brisbane for a regular panel to discuss state politics.
- Professor John Scott discussed the criminal justice system to integrate young people into the community with ABC North Queensland.
Media release date: Monday, September 25, 2017
Media contact: media@qut.edu.au
QUT is part of a national collaborative group of five major Australian universities that form the ATN (Australian Technology Network of Universities).
