Welcome to QUT's latest round-up of news and events. For more updates as they happen, join 11,786 followers of @QUTmedia on Twitter.
QUT wins two prestigious teaching awards: A QUT program designed to improve job prospects for PhD students and another enhancing the quality of teaching in some of Australia's lowest socio-economic schools have been recognised with major higher education national awards.
Unclean water supply may contribute to lower life expectancy in remote Australia: Lack of access to sufficient, clean, safe water could contribute to the 10-year average life expectancy gap between people who live in many rural and remote areas and those living metropolitan Australia, a QUT public health engineer says.
The heat is on – how to survive a long, hot El Niño summer: Keep an eye on children’s water intake, carry a water bottle wherever you go and avoid travel in the hottest part of the day – that’s the advice of QUT health statistician Associate Professor Adrian Barnett as we move into an El Niño weather pattern predicted to be the strongest yet.
Short and successful: More drink drivers set to stay under the limit: A revamp of the highly successful Under the Limit drink driving rehabilitation program has seen completion rates increase to the highest levels with 86 per cent of high-risk, high-range convicted drink drivers finishing the program.
Roger That! CB radio turns digital with TravelPal prototype: Turning a long road trip into an enjoyable experience for tourists has led QUT and University of Salzburg researchers to develop a mobile prototype, called TravelPal, to connect to each other in real time.
QUT awards Honorary Doctorates to Indigenous community leaders: Lilla Watson and Mary Graham, two prominent Indigenous Elders, activists, feminists, educators and academics, have each been awarded the title of Doctor of the University, QUT's highest honorary award.
QUT awards Honorary Doctorate to Rosemary Vilgan: Outstanding business leader Rosemary Vilgan was awarded QUT’s highest honorary award, the title of Doctor of the University, on Sunday, 6 December for her distinguished service to the University and the community.
Sexual harassment widespread in Victoria Police, report finds: Forty per cent of women surveyed in the Victoria Police say they have been sexually harassed at work, according to a report co-authored by a QUT researcher.
QUT sculptor’s career gets freeway fast-track: A QUT visual arts technician and contempory artist who has never done a public artwork before has scooped one of Australian sculpture’s most sought-after prizes – a $250,000 commission for the latest massive iconic artwork alongside Melbourne’s Peninsula Link freeway.
It's crunch time!: QUT hosts Real Decisions event on Dec 22: QUT will host its annual Real Decisions event on Tuesday, December 22 - just three days after thousands of Queensland school-leavers find out their OP scores.
Baden-Clay - a "crime scene setter": researcher: Gerard Baden-Clay is among the 3 to 8 per cent of homicide offenders who manipulate evidence at a crime scene to mislead investigators in order to avoid arrest, a QUT forensic criminologist says.
Dec 22: Real Decisions (free) @ QUT Gardens Point & Caboolture
Feb 24 - March 18: SHAPE of Things to Come: The Anniversary Show (free, pictured left) @ QUT Creative Industries Precinct
Now - Dec 23: Old Government House tours (free, every Tues, Wed & Thurs) @ QUT Gardens Point
Now - Feb 28: Nineteen Sixty-Five: Dadang Christanto (free) @ QUT Art Museum
Now - June 26: Inspirations (free) @ William Robinson Gallery
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
The Wall Street Journal and International Business Times reported research from Professor Peter Waterhouse and Dr Julia Bally on a ‘magic’ plant that could help grow food on Mars.
Dr Nigel Stobbs’ comment on the successful appeal of Gerard Baden-Clay was covered by the Courier Mail and other News Corp websites, AAP and ABC Online.
And Associate Professor Molly Dragiewicz called for further training for police on how to best gather evidence and interpret it in The Courier-Mail.
The Boston Globe reported on research from Stephen Whyte and Professor Benno Torgler showing shy, dependable men are top picks for women seeking sperm donors.
The Courier-Mail’s CityBeat column reported Rosemary Vilgan receiving QUT’s highest honorary award, the title of Doctor of the University.
The award-winning Teaching Advantage program for PhD students, designed by Professor Larry Neale, Associate Professor Abby Cathcart and Dr Dominique Greer, was profiled in The Australian.
Associate Professor Adrian Barnett told News.com.au winter was the worst time for pollution in China, after Beijing issued a “red alert” for the first time. ABC 7.30 Victoria interviewed him on the deaths likely caused by pollution from the Hazelwood mine fire.
Professor Per Davidsson spoke to 612 ABC radio about entrepreneurship and innovation after the release of the Federal Government’s innovation statement and ABC Online also covered his comments.
Professor Paula McDonald’s piece for The Conversation about a review he co-authored that found evidence of widespread sexual harassment in Victoria Police was referenced by Huffington Post Australia.
ABC’s Rural Report, Australian Food News, Technobahn, Science Daily and Phys.org reported research by Professor Sagadevan Mundree, Dr Brett Williams and Hao Long on how a drought-tolerant resurrection plant’ can rise from the dead – and the implications for global food crops.
Megan Smith, project dietician for QUT’s PEACH program was quoted in News Corp papers including The Daily Telegraph on new ABS figures showing the majority of Australian children are not eating enough vegetables.
Professor Lynne Daniels from QUT’s PEACH program was interviewed by ABC Tropical North on how families can indulge in moderation this Christmas.
Dr Mark King was interviewed for the Mornings program on ABC Far North Queensland about the QUT/CARRS-Q Under the Limit drink driving rehab program.
Stephen Harrington examined how politicians lie in an article for The Conversation.
APN papers ran Dr Claire Ferguson’s explanation of manipulation by perpetrators of crime scenes to avoid arrest.
Professor Chris Eves’ report that found air traffic noise has little impact on house prices in Brisbane was covered by Quest newspapers.
And Professor Eves told news.com.au under-utilisation of properties was a national problem.
Dr Paul Bain’s argument that religious leaders could help inspire action on climate change was covered by Rooster’s Report.
Dr Dhaval Vyas spoke to SBS’ Gujarati language radio show (in Gujarati) about his research showing the sharing economy can be harnessed to help people with financial struggles.
Professor Marcus Foth told Business Insider Australia innovation was no longer something only coming from developed countries.
Dr Tim Highfield said how “curated” someone’s social media presence varied from platform to platform, in a piece for ABC Online and also spoke about social media with 4ZZZ.
Ragtrader featured QUT Creative Enterprise Australia’s Fashion Acelerator 2016 intensive program.
Professor Tim Foresman told Wild Magazine excessive levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would take hundreds of years to remedy.
And Professor Foresman spoke to ABC Mid North Coast about his role at the NSW Coastal conference.
QWeekend magazine featured QUT past and present, including Dr Matthew Dunbabin, Dr Stephen Hughes, Dr Abigail Allwood, Rebecca Jessen, Tiona Pemberton, Bronte Campbell and Joe Burns in its 50 Best & Brightest issue.
The Herald Sun spoke to Dr Gary Mortimer about rewards programs and the move toward “mass customisation”.
And Dr Mortimer also told The Courier-Mail Queenslanders were likely to indulge in Christmas shopping this year.
Professor Peter Corke and The Cube received world-wide recognition, claiming first and second prizes in several categorie of the international Reimagine Education 2015 Awards.
Professor Karen Thorpe told news corp websites including news.com.au that more women were delaying having children until they felt “ready and emotionally and financially”.
A piece for The Conversation by Dr Mark Gibbs about rising sea levels and how we need to be better prepared was republished by Fairfax Media including The Age.
Associate Professor Steven Pike spoke to the New Zealand Herald about his latest book on tourism destination marketing which includes a case study on Rotorua.
Release date: Monday, December 14, 2015
Media contact: media@qut.edu.au
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