QUT News & Events Wrap - December 22 edition

NEWS

2016 in news: top stories from QUT Media: Thanks for keeping up with news from QUT throughout 2016. We’ve enjoyed sharing QUT’s innovative research and activities, including new technologies to boost conservation, colourful events celebrating creativity and world-leading studies that reveal new insights into our brains and behaviours.

2016 in pictures - top photos from QUT Media: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then QUT Media has produced at least a few novels this year. We’ve collected our favourite 2016 photos from the QUT Media library. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

 

You beauty, Bruce! Bonza robo-boat takes safety mission to Hawaii: The future of maritime emergency response could look a lot like Bruce - an autonomous robo-boat built by a team of seven QUT students.



Therapy to prevent failure of 3D printed body parts discovered: A key physiological process holding back the successful integration of 3D printed replacement body parts for many patients has been discovered by a team of biomedical scientists. 

QUT recognised for global leadership in learning and teaching: Biological scientist and research veterinarian Dr Melody de Laat (pictured) has become the 250^th QUT staff member to be recognised as an HEA Fellow by the UK Higher Education Academy (HEA). 

Forget AAA rating and focus on growth, urges QUT economist: The Federal Government should focus on growing the economy and creating jobs rather than preserving Australia’s AAA credit rating, QUT economist Dr David Willis (pictured) says.

Power tool study investigates DIY disasters: From lifting a mower to trim the hedges to lopping trees with a circular saw, it seems there are endless ways for DIY enthusiasts to end up in hospital emergency departments.

Hands-free just as distracting as handheld mobile phone use behind the wheel: Talking hands-free on a mobile phone while driving is just as distracting as aconversation using a hand-held phone, despite one being illegal and the other not, a QUT road safety study has found.

QUT awards Honorary Doctorates to Rhonda and Terry White: Terry and Rhonda White (pictured) have been awarded Honorary Doctorates from QUT, the University’s highest honorary award.

Congratulations to December 2016 graduates: The QUT alumni community has received a boost, with almost 7,000 new graduates receiving their parchments during a week of graduation ceremonies.

Productivity Commission’s report on IP reform is right on the money: IP law expert: The Productivity Commission’s recommendations to reform Australia’s copyright system to promote and enable creativity and innovation are desperately needed if we want to be a world leader in innovation, QUT Intellectual Property and Innovation Law Professor Matthew Rimmer says.

QUT takes out three awards in prestigious global competition: QUT is celebrating three awards for two projects in the prestigious global Wharton-QS Stars Reimagine Education competition.

Is your health prepared for storm season?: Everyone needs to be aware of asthma symptoms because even people who had never had it before were affected by the Melbourne asthma thunderstorms, says QUT PhD researcher Kaitlyn Porter, who is studying the role of pharmacists in natural disasters.  

Chris doodles his way to 'Bizdraw' startup: Chris Veraa has turned a habit of doodling his lecture notes into a start-up venture that he hopes will help other businesses better sell their ideas.

Free physics fun at The Cube these school holidays: It's free, it's fun and it's taking over The Cube at QUT these school holidays.


 

EVENTS

Jan 6-15: Physics Observatory summer holiday program (free) @ The Cube
Jan 7: Physics Fun Day (free) @ The Cube
Jan 10-12: 'Back to school' health checks for kids (free) @ QUT Health Clinics
Jan 18: MBA and Postgraduate Business Information Evening (free) @ Gardens Point
Jan 18: IFE Distinguished Visitor Lecture with Blue Ocean Robotics Co-CEO Claus Risager (free) @ QUT Institute for Future Environments
Now - Feb 23: To Sir with Love: an exhibition of the Dr Wilton WR Love album (free) @ Old Government House
Now - March 5: GLASS: art design architecture (free) @ QUT Art Museum
Now - early 2017: Physics Observatory (free) @ The Cube
 Now - June 18: William Robinson: Genesis (free) @ William Robinson Gallery
Now - Sept 13: Season 2017 @ Gardens Theatre: Stories that connect  @ Gardens Theatre
March 26-31: MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp @ QUT
April 5-7: 2017 Times Higher Education (THE) Young Universities Summit @ Gardens Point

CHRISTMAS CLOSURES

** The Cube will be closed from December 23 to Janaury 3, and re-open January 4.
** QUT Art Museum will be closed from December 23 to January 9, and re-pen January 10.
** Old Government House will be closed from December 23 to January 2, and re-open January 3.
** Gardens Theatre box office will be closed December 23 to January 15, and re-open January 16. (Tickets to the 2017 season can still be booked online during this period.)

MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

- Dr Shimul Haque’s research on hands-free and handheld mobile phone distraction was on ABC Radio News, ABC TV News, 612 ABC Drive, Ten News,  AutoTalk.com.au, Technobahn, Gizmodo Australia,  Australiaplus.com, Tempo.com, MSN New Zealand, and the Press Trust of India.
- Cyber security expert Emeritus Professor Bill Caelli talked to ABC News about a massive Yahoo data breach. The story was republished by Mamamia.
- The Courier-Mail’s City Beat column and the Australian Journal of Pharmacy reported that pharmacy trailblazers Terry and Rhonda White received QUT Honorary Doctorates.
 - Advertising lecturer Michael Klaehn (pictured) shared his top Christmas ads from around the world with Fairfax, including the Brisbane Times, and with Mumbrella.
- Dr Kim Johnston gave some sage advice for Christmas shoppers on 9 News.
- Research led by Professor Dietmar Hutmacher into new ways to prevent body implant failure ran across Fairfax, including the Brisbane Times and Sydney Morning Herald, and ABC News 24.
- The ABC, AAP, Hit105 and Triple M covered news of a joint study by QUT and UQ researchers into power tool accidents – and a warning for home renovators to stay safe over summer.
- Dr David Willis was in The Courier-Mail downplaying the importance of a AAA credit rating, arguing that the Australian Government should instead focus on investing in infrastructure and job creation.
- Pro Bono Australia highlighted a QUT / ACU / Griffith study into children’s perceptions of their safety in residential care.
- Dr Jonathan Peake's research into the effectiveness of post-exercise ice baths was covered by BBC Future.
- Professor Clive Bean was interviewed by SBS about volatile elections and voter dissatisfaction with major political parties.
- Radio National’s Future Tense aired a Digital Media Research Centre symposium on automating the everyday, featuring panellists Professors Jean Burgess and Jonathan Roberts.
- Research from Professor Richard Brown and Farhad Hossain highlighting the potential of recycled tyres to form lower emission diesel was covered by The Guardian in an article that also quoted Professor Ian O’Hara. Nature World News  also ran a story on the research.
- ABC News online ran a Pacific Beat story about an innovative project in the Papua New Guinea highlands, led by Dr Jackie Kauli, to combat sorcery-related violence.
- Professor Selena Bartlett’s research on retraining the brain to beat stress and lose weight was covered by outlets including the Courier Mail, Radio 5AA, Townsville Bulletin, Daily Telegraph, AAP newswire, NZ Herald, and Brisbane Times.
- Professor Matthew Rimmer was interviewed on ABC News 24 about the impact of a Federal Court ruling on online piracy in Australia.
- Dr Kerry Armstrong told the ABC’s The Drum that suspended or disqualified drivers were more dangerous on the roads, in a story on a call for tougher laws.
- 2SER talked to Professor Ben White on how Victoria’s proposed bill for assisted dying could affect the rest of the country.
- Distinguished Professor Stuart Cunningham (pictured) was on ABC News Brisbane regarding Aquaman being filmed on the Gold Coast, and told ABC TV News Darwin the tax changes made by the government to attract the shoot should be made permanent.


- QUT Business School's Dr Mary Crawford also talked to 612 ABC about the Aquaman shoot.
- The Maritime Daily featured the QUT robotics team, supervised by Drs Matthew Dunbabin and Markus Eich, competing in the international Maritime RobotX competition in Hawaii. Meanwhile Dr Dunbabin and Professor Tristan Perez was part of a RobotX promotional video.
- EFTM’s Trevor Long bemoaned Target’s website crashing over the Nintendo Classic Mini and cited the cloud-based web traffic technology used by QUT students to build an alternate Census site.
- Judith Singleton, Dr Esther Lau and Professor Lisa Nissen’s Conversation article discussed the pros and cons of a new website that sells patients medicines they cannot easily access in their own country. The piece also ran in Daily Bulletin.
- OutdoorDesign covered the Karl Langer Landscape Architecture awards won by fourth-year Bachelor of Design in Landscape Taneile Nixon.
- Australian Energy Review covered a renewable energy trial by QUT and Japanese manufacturer Sumitomo Electric that involves Professor Ian MacKinnon.
- News.com.au ran a feature on new era courses and talked to creative industries graduate and Google employee Tamika Wood.
 - Business Insider ran a story on AI software that can target fake news, which quoted Professor Axel Bruns.
- The Dalby Herald ran a story on former Chinchilla State High School and current QUT student Elisabeth Irwin's New Colombo Plan scholarship to go to Vietnam.
- Haven magazine previewed The Cube’s Physics Observatory holiday program.
- QUT’s role in the Herston Biofabrication Institute featured in HospiMedica.
- Karage.tv previewed the Middle East’s first competitive solar car competition and a QUT student team.
- Research from Gregory Merlo on preventing recurrent infections was published by the Doctors Lounge.
- The Campus Morning Mail reported on the recent accolades for Distinguished Professor Kerrie Mengersen.
 - The Westerner featured a story about QUT fashion graduates Alexandra Stokes (pictured) and Isabel Bryran.
- Research from Dr Peter O’Connor on workers cutting corners was in The Canberra Times.
- A Conversation article by Professor Ben White and Lindy Willmott examined Queensland's new Mental Health Act.
- Professor Jonathan Roberts’ Conversation article looked at the links between Star Wars Rogue One and real-life war machines.
- Associate Professor Gary Mortimer told The Courier Mail companies need to go the extra mile online after figures showed only three per cent of consumers log on to do grocery shopping. And he spoke to 9 News about shoppers’ right to refund Christmas gifts.
- Dr Paula Dootson, Dr Kylie Pappalardo and Associate Professor Nicolas Suzor wrote a piece for The Conversation on illegal downloading, which also appeared in The Daily Bulletin and led to ABC Newcastle interviewing Prof Suzor. Their comments were also in a Sydney Morning Herald story.
- OP 1 student Jacinta Roberts told Noosa News and the Sunshine Coast Daily she hoped to study engineering at QUT and fellow OP 1 student Bridget McCarron told the South Burnett Times she wanted to study medical imaging at QUT.
- Associate Professor Adrian Barnett spoke to The New Daily about banning diesel.

Release date: Thursday, December 22, 2016
Media contact: media@qut.edu.au

** QUT (including the media unit) will be closed from December 26 to January 2, and re-open January 3. 

QUT is part of a national collaborative group of five major Australian universities that form the ATN (Australian Technology Network of Universities).