s

Actor Gyton Grantley’s awards success

August 2009alumni magazine

contents

Profiles

VOLUME 12 NUMBER 2

Regulars NEWS ROUNDUP 6

RESEaRch UPDatE 18

alUmNi NEWS 21

KEEP iN tOUch 22-24

laSt WORD by Vice-chancellor Professor Peter coaldrake - See inSide back cover

Our cover acting alumnus Gyton Grantley has won accolades for his role in tV’s Underbelly, including a Special Excellence award from QUt. See page 5 for his story.

editor Janne Rayner p: 07 3138 2361 e: j2.rayner@qut.edu.au

contributors Sharon thompson, mechelle mcmahon, Niki Widdowson, Rachael Wilson

images Erika Fish design Richard de Waal

links alumni m

agazine

QUt Links is published by QUt’s marketing and communications Department in cooperation with QUt’s alumni and Development Services. Editorial material is gathered from a range of sources and does not necessarily reflect the opinions and policies of QUT. cRicOS No. 00213J

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acclaimed artist William Robinson is QUt’s 2009 Outstanding alumnus.

meet australia’s top deal maker – QUt law graduate teresa handicott.

a trio of michaels are making architecture waves.

Research

7101119

a QUt scientist is casting new light on why iVF treatments sometimes fail.

Donations research reveals our most general jobs and postcodes.

Shopping centres are a key to older people’s wellness.

Our Fulbright Scholar is fighting cyber crime.

Features

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a $200m Science and technology Precinct is being developed at Gardens Point.

Old Government house is now open to the public.

Energy cuts, rubbish recycling and pedal power: part of a green QUt.

Employment expert reveals how to be the perfect boss.

In focusSudanese refugee Sara Kueth has an inspirational story of finding success – thanks, in part, to the QUt learning Potential Fund. See page 20.

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QUTLINKS AUGUST ’09

Artist accolade

HE’S regarded as Australia’s greatest living landscape painter, has won two Archibald Prizes for irreverent self portraits, and his work hangs in the National Gallery of Australia and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Now William Robinson has also been honoured by QUT as the 2009 Chancellor’s Outstanding Alumnus, as well as the Faculty of Education award winner.

The award is a fitting tribute for Robinson, who studied teaching and art at the university’s predecessor institutions, and went on to teach at those colleges for 32 years.

He retired from teaching in 1989 to devote himself to painting fulltime but has maintained strong links with QUT ever since.

And this month, a new William Robinson Gallery opens at Old Government House on QUT’s Gardens Point campus.

At the Outstanding Alumni Awards on July 22, Mr Robinson spoke of his fondness for QUT and his time at the Queensland Teachers Training College (QTTC).

He gained a Certificate of Teaching from the QTTC in 1954 and later completed a Diploma in Drawing and Painting, and a Diploma in Art Teaching, at the Central Technical College. The three decades of teaching that followed culminated in his appointment as head of painting at the Brisbane College of Advanced Education (another QUT predecessor).

After he left teaching, his many achievements included winning the prestigious Wynne Prize for

Landscape Painting twice (1990, 1996), and two Archibald Prizes (1987, 1995).

Today, QUT holds Australia’s largest collection of William Robinson works.

The artist said it was important for the history of his career to be preserved for the public by QUT.

“Because I taught at the college and university for so long even my first feeble attempt at printmaking should be kept on record,” he said.

“Also, I felt a responsibility because of the support the university has given me over the years.”

He said that support had ranged from a college lecturer (Mervyn Muhling) collecting his work since his first show in 1967, to Professor Coaldrake being a major force behind the gallery and the restoration of Old Government House.

The William Robinson Gallery will be open to the public and provides the first permanent gallery of Robinson’s work.

- Mechelle McMahon

1

Alumni

QUT Chancellor’s Outstanding AlumnusWilliam Robinson

QUTLINKS AUGUST ’092

LIEUTENANT Colonel David Freeman has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian Defence Force, exemplified by a distinguished service career as a legal officer and academic achievements in human rights and international humanitarian law.

Over the past decade, he has served in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, providing advice on rules of engagement, targeting, proper treatment of detainees and human rights abuses.

Lt Col Freeman has received military and civilian awards including the Chief of Army’s Commendation in 2003.

For his community work, he has received Australian and international awards including the Knight of Honour in the Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem and being made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Lt Col Freeman’s first degree was a Bachelor of Laws from QIT. Following his admission, he completed postgraduate qualifications in legal practice, criminology, international politics and human rights law at other institutions.

MARIO Pennisi is recognised nationally as a leader in the field of clinical trials for newly developed drugs and therapies.

Focused on commercial outcomes, his activities have been a significant contributor to the development of the biotechnology industry in Queensland and Australia.

In 2005, Mr Pennisi was appointed CEO of the newly established Queensland Clinical Trials Network, an association of life sciences research organisations and related entities established under the Smart State Initiative.

He has developed it into the primary

point of contact for domestic and international organisations seeking to conduct clinical research in Australia.

Prior to this, he was national business development manager for the Mayne Group and a scientist and client services manager with Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology. Mr Pennisi is active on numerous Biotechnology industry bodies including AusBiotech, the peak industry body in Australia, and is its representative on the Pharmaceuticals Industry Development Taskforce. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Laboratory Science) from QIT.

DR Shaun Larkin has been a general manager at HCF – Australia’s largest not-for-profit health insurer – since 1997.

Since its establishment in 2000, he has also guided the development of the HCF Foundation’s research funding program that has seen over $6 million invested in 30 projects spread across Australia for the benefit of the community.

Dr Larkin was appointed to the Federal Government’s National Preventative Health Taskforce in April 2008.

An alumnus of Harvard Business School, his Master of Health Science and Doctor of Health Science were attained at QUT.

Science and Technology winnerMr Mario Pennisi

Health winnerDr Shaun Larkin

Law winnerLieutenant Colonel David Freeman

The oUTSTANdING ALUmNI AwArdS, SpoNSored by The NATIoNALAUSTrALIA bANK ANd VeNdING SoLUTIoNS, recoGNISe The profeSSIoNAL AchIeVemeNTS ANd coNTrIbUTIoNS of GrAdUATeS of qUT ANd ITSpredeceSSor INSTITUTIoNS. ThIS yeAr’S ceremoNy wAS heLd oN JULy 22.

Alumni

OUTSTANDING design talents have taken Kirsti Simpson to the top of her field.

The interior design graduate is a director of Hassell Ltd – one of Australasia’s largest and most successful planning and design consultancies – and also its joint leader of interior design in Queensland.

The practice has received many industry awards as a direct result of Kirsti’s innovative approach

to workplace design.In addition to her design skills, her

leadership on family-friendly work arrangements has been recognised by the National Association of Women in Construction and the Urban Design Institute of Australia.

Ms Simpson was also named the Queensland Government Smart State Designer of the Year in 2007.

She has a Bachelor of Built Environment (Interior Design).

Built Environment and Engineering winnerMs Kirsti Simpson

Creative Industries winnerMs Natalie Weir

NATALIE Weir is artistic director of Expressions Dance Company, and a standout Australian choreographer of her generation.

Over a 25-year career, she has contributed more than 150 works to the repertoire of Australian and overseas classical and contemporary dance companies, many to international acclaim.

These include Dark Lullaby for the Australian Ballet, Jabula for the Queensland Ballet (also performed in London by the Royal Ballet School) and Harmonium

for the American Ballet Theatre. Steppenwolfe, created for the Houston Ballet, received the Choo San Goh Award while Turandot won at the 2004 Hong Kong Dance Awards.

Ms Weir was the recipient of a Lord Mayor’s Fellowship and an Australia Council Fellowship for outstanding commitment and further artistic development in her field, an award made only once in a person’s lifetime.

She holds an Associate Diploma of Performing Arts (Dance).

NICOLE Hollows is one of the first female CEOs of a mining company worldwide.

She has been chief executive officer and managing director of Macarthur Coal since 2007, and oversees the world’s largest seaborne exporter of low volatile PCI coal, and an annual turnover over $400 million.

She began her career at Ham and Partners Chartered Accountants, where she became an associate. She then moved to

Australian Premium Coals Pty Ltd, which went on to become Macarthur Coal.

As chief financial officer and company secretary, Ms Hollows was involved in the 2001 floatation of Macarthur Coal and has been instrumental in the company’s growth.

She is the first female president of the Queensland Resources Council and was this year named a “Rising Star” at the Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year Awards.

She holds a Bachelor of Business, Graduate Diploma in Advanced Accounting, and Graduate Diploma in Company Secretarial Practice.

Business winnerMs Nicole Hollows

44 QUTLINKS AUGUST ’09

SIR Brian Bell is chairman and managing director of the Brian Bell Group of Companies and an icon of the Papau New Guinea business community.

Sir Brian arrived in PNG in 1954 with a sense of adventure and a Diploma of Pharmacy from the Central Technical College (one of QUT’s predecessor institutions).

He took up the position of pharmaceutical chemist in a bulk medical store but soon established PNG’s first electrical retail outlet.

Through the decades, the business expanded into department stores and home centres, chemicals, cleaning products and industrial equipment.

It is now the largest business of its kind in PNG, generating an annual revenue of $119 million and employing 1300 staff. A philanthropist, Sir Brian is a prominent benefactor of the Port Moresby General Hospital, the Salvation Army, Red Cross and Port Moresby City Mission.

Special Excellence Award winnerSir Brian Bell

TAMMY Williams has made a significant contribution to economic and social justice for Indigenous people.

She has a long history of utilising her legal expertise to assist Indigenous communities.

In 2000, the National Law Council of Australia awarded her the John Koowarta Scholarship. Ms Williams gained her Bachelor of Laws from QUT the following year and was admitted as a barrister in 2002.

She was named the Queensland Women Law Association’s Emergent Young Lawyer of the Year in 2003.

Ms Williams is a founding director of Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships, a coalition of corporate, philanthropic and Indigenous organisations assisting communities to overcome welfare dependency through business enterprise.

Last year, she was one of four eminent Australians appointed to the National Human Rights Consultation Committee. She has also recently been appointed as member of the Children’s Tribunal in Queensland.

Outstanding Young Alumni Award winnerMs Tammy Williams

DR Tom Ward graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Medical) and a QUT Medal.

He won a Rhodes Scholarship to complete a doctorate at Oxford University’s Orthopaedic Engineering Centre, researching a system to enable better understanding of the post-operative movements of knee-joint replacements.

During his undergraduate studies, he was sponsored by the Queen’s Trust for Young Australians to assess the needs of landmine victims and amputees in Cambodia, which has one of the largest disabled populations in the world.

He developed a simple device to monitor gait and track post-operative recovery.

He secured a QUT Community Service Grant to develop a relationship with the Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics in Phnom Penh and returned to Cambodia seven times to teach at the school.

Following Oxford, Dr Ward worked in the United States and consulted on major health system reforms in the Middle East. He is currently completing a medical degree at the ANU medical school.

Outstanding Young Alumni Award winnerDr Thomas Ward

QUTLINKS AUGUST ’09 5

Great Gyton

Alumni

THE fortunes of QUT acting graduate Gyton Grantley have undergone a growth explosion since he played Melbourne crime figure Carl Williams in the first series of Channel 9 television drama Underbelly.

Gyton, who graduated from the QUT Bachelor of Arts (Drama) degree in 2001 – now the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) – won last year’s AFI award for Best Lead Actor in a television drama and this year’s Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor, which is voted on by industry peers.

He has also been immortalised in paint by QUT fine art student Sam Cranstoun, whose portrait of Gyton was chosen as a finalist of this year’s Archibald Prize.

And now, the young actor has been recognised with a Special Excellence Award at the 2009 QUT Outstanding Alumni Awards.

In his Silver Logie acceptance speech, which was

aired to a national television audience, Gyton thanked QUT for his training.

Gyton told Links that QUT had prepared him well for his challenging role in Underbelly (pictured, top left).

“I got to use everything I learnt at QUT. QUT gave me the tools that I needed to perform my craft,” Gyton said.

“Since graduating, (playing Williams) was by far the most amazing challenge, as far as characterisation goes.

“Obviously, playing a real person, there is an obligation to stick with the facts and figures. It’s interesting to delve into the mind and psyche of one of the most notorious murderers and drug dealers in Australia’s history.”

Gyton said the lead role resulted in many more opportunities coming his way, including a co-starring role in the new Australian movie Balibo, which was filmed last year.

The film is based on the story of the “Balibo Five” – five journalists who disappeared in East Timor in 1975.

- Rachael Wilson

Special Excellence Award winnerMr Gyton Grantley

QUTLINKS AUGUST ’096

news round-up…NewS of New AppoINTmeNTS, UNIVerSITy SUcceSSeS, AchIeVemeNTS of STAff ANd STUdeNTS, ANd corporATe eVeNTS.

Smart cancer researchNew treatments to ease or even cure the most common cancer affecting Australian men are a step closer to reality with a $1.25 million five-year grant awarded to QUT prostate cancer researcher Professor Colleen Nelson. Professor Nelson received 2009’s top Smart Futures Premier’s Fellowship, which she will use to develop new, advanced treatments for prostate cancer. The fellowship is funded by the Queensland Government’s Smart Futures Fund. Professor Nelson works at QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation and is a world leader in prostate cancer research.

QUT Confucius Institute launchedQueensland’s first Confucius Institute, which is based at QUT, was officially opened in June by Queensland Premier Anna Bligh. The QUT Confucius Institute delivers a range of courses and services designed to develop and nurture the teaching of the Chinese language and culture in Queensland. QUT’s institute partner is the Jiangsu Education Department, which is based in the province of Jiangsu, on China’s eastern seaboard, which has a population of more than 75 million. Visit

www.confuciusinstitute.qut.edu.au.

Vice-chancellor appointed until 2015

QUT has recognised the strategic leadership of Professor Peter Coaldrake by extending his appointment as the university’s vice-chancellor for a further term to 2015. Initiatives under Professor Coaldrake’s leadership include the establishment of four flagship research institutes in the areas of health, security, sustainability and creative industries;

the construction of a $250 million series of building developments

at the Kelvin Grove campus; and national leadership in areas of prostate and biomedical research.

He is also driving the $200 million development of a Science and

Technology Precinct at the Gardens Point campus (see story page 8).

New doctors honouredQueensland’s first woman judge, Justice Margaret McMurdo, and long-time political journalist Kerry O’Brien have been made Doctors of the University –

which is QUT’s highest honorary award – in recognition of their distinguished service and contribution to the community. Justice McMurdo was the first woman to be appointed to the District Court bench in Queensland in 1991 and was also the first woman to be appointed as president of an appeal court in Australia. Mr O’Brien is a Gold Walkley award winner who has been editor and compere of the ABC flagship current affairs program The 7:30 Report since 1995. He participates in journalism master classes at QUT and comperes the QUT Business Leaders’ Forum series.

Boost to creative economyAustralia’s creative economy will benefit from almost $6 million in funding awarded to the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation by the Australian Research Council. The funding will ensure the ongoing high performance of the centre, which is based at QUT Kelvin Grove, for another three-and-a-half years.

Queen’s Birthday honoursDistinguished Professor John Hartley has been made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday honours list. The author, researcher and media commentator was recognised for his contribution to education in the field of journalism, culture and media studies.

A SERENDIPITOUS discovery by QUT researcher Dr Christine Knox could help unravel the mystery of why many procedures for infertility fail to produce a pregnancy.

An initial search for a particular bacteria in follicular fluid, the fluid which surrounds individual eggs in the ovaries, led to a puzzling finding by Dr Knox, who is a member of QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation.

Her efforts to find answers to this puzzle were recognised in 2009 when she was awarded the Wesley Research Institute’s Researcher of the Year award, for work she conducted in collaboration with Drs John and Janet Allan at Wesley Monash IVF.

“It was noted that the fluid from some women undergoing assisted fertility treatment coagulated in the test tube while the fluid from other women undergoing fertility treatment did not,” Dr Knox said.

“We decided to find out why this had happened and so we tested the follicular fluid collected from 31 women in Brisbane, whilst they were undergoing fertility treatment, for the presence of microorganisms. These women showed no clinical signs of ovarian or upper genital tract infection.

“Our findings were startling: we found 21 of the 31 fluid samples contained one or more microorganisms. This in itself was contrary to accepted thought because it was believed the fluid surrounding the egg in the ovary was sterile.

“Then we compared the rate of pregnancy in women with

non-infected fluid to that of women with fluid colonised by microorganisms and found that women with non-infected fluid had a five times greater chance of pregnancy.

“We also found that eggs from women with colonised fluid had a lower rate of fertilisation to start with, which, of course, meant they produced few embryos for transfer to the womb. In fact, no woman in the study with infected follicular fluid produced an embryo suitable for transfer.”

Now a major study is underway and to date over 200 couples have been tested.

“IVF outcomes were only affected if the follicular fluid was colonised with bacteria whilst the egg was developing, prior to egg collection,” Dr Knox said.

She said said the risk factors for having colonised follicular fluid and poor pregnancy outcomes appeared to be: a longer time of infertility; previous fertility treatment with trans-vaginal oocyte retrieval; and a past history of damage to the Fallopian tubes.

Dr Knox said the findings from the larger study, funded by The Wesley Research Institute, could help identify the particular bacteria associated with failure to become pregnant.

“In the future, it may be possible to treat women with these bacteria in their follicular fluid so that we can improve their chances of achieving a pregnancy,” she said.

- Niki Widdowson

Scientists are working to help more womenbecome pregnant through successful fertility treatments.

Clues to IVF puzzle

QUT’S Gardens Point campus will be transformed over the next three years as a new Science and Technology Precinct is created during the biggest construction project in the university’s history.

The $200 million redevelopment involves the demolition of five buildings and the creation of two new buildings for research and teaching, along with new public spaces for recreation, leisure and dining.

The precinct will be used for key

teaching and research priorities across the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, and will house two key QUT institutes – the Institute for Sustainable Resources and the Information Security Institute.

Demolition work has already started, with the project expected to generate 500 construction-related jobs.

QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Coaldrake said the precinct, to

be completed by 2012, would be an internationally significant centre for the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.

“The Science and Technology Precinct is critical to the future of the Gardens Point campus and will transform QUT’s contribution to Australia’s emerging green workforce needs, as well as to research and development solutions for pressing global issues such as climate change,” he said.

“It will place the university at the forefront of development of a world leading model in the teaching and research of science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.

“With a theme of sustainable and secure infrastructure, it will also establish the university’s cross-faculty response to issues formed at the intersection of greenhouse emissions, energy consumption, land use, systems integration, construction and sensor technologies, and materials.”

The redevelopment has been made possible thanks to a $25 million Founding Chairman’s grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies.

The grant completed QUT’s campaign to raise $200 million for the precinct project, and came on top of a recent $75 million infrastructure grant awarded by the Commonwealth Government under the Education Investment Fund.

The State Government has also pledged $35 million in funding, and QUT is committing $65 million to the landmark project.

QUT’s $200M new Science and Technology Precinct is now underway.

ABOVE AND LEFT: Some of the winning designs from architectural consortium Donovan Hill and Wilson Architects, who won the design competition for the new Science and Technology Precinct. BELOW: The development area on the existing campus.

QUTLINKS AUGUST ’0910

QUT researchers have revealed politicians, state governors and judges gave the most money in tax deductible donations in 2007 – followed by entertainment industry members who include circus performers, actors and strippers.

The annual Tax Deductible Giving report by QUT’s Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies analyses the most recently available figures and this year targeted the 2006-2007 tax year.

The research team this year also launched a website which allows people to type in their postcode – or occupation – to see how generous they and their neighbours and colleagues are (www.bus.qut.edu.au/research/cpns/postcode.php).

Centre director Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes said members of parliamant, local councillors, governors and the judiciary claimed the highest average gift tax deductions of $1938 or 0.89 per cent of their income.

“The second most giving group, the entertainers, claimed $1135 in tax deductible donations which averaged 0.92 per cent of their taxable

income,” he said.“Perhaps the ancient

notion of tithing still exists, because religious practitioners topped the list of those who gave the highest proportion of their taxable income at 1.9 per cent. Fire and police officers and inspectors were the occupation group most likely to claim a gift deduction with 73 per cent making a claim.”

The report shows the average tax-deductible donations claimed by Australian taxpayers in 2006-07 were $440.01, up 21.1 per cent on the previous year.

Nearly 4.3 million Australians claimed a total of $1.885 billion in tax deductible gifts in their 2007 tax returns.

The most generous postcode was Point Piper and Darling Point (2027) with a total of $57.7 million in deductible gifts and an average of $25,037.

“Overall, giving actually increased during both 2006 and 2007 due to the public focus on giving and philanthropy and good economic times,” Professor McGregor-Lowndes said.

He said the big question was whether the global financial crisis would mean a drop in giving or if the trend of increasing personal gifts would continue.

“Clearly, demand for the services of charities is rising. While corporate donations might suffer, personal donations could still increase as many high givers such as parliamentarians, the judiciary and professionals generally would not suffer any or significant decrease in earnings,” he said.

The Tax Deductible Giving report is compiled each year by

QUT’s Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit

Studies from data provided by the Australian Tax Office.

- Niki Widdowson

amounts

Australians are donating to good causes in record numbers.

Our most generous jobs

11QUTLINKS AUGUST ’09

Shopping havensResearch has found shopping centres are a key to older people’s health.

THEY may be loud, bustling and crowded but our shopping centres are vital social hubs that help many older people feel connected to their community and happy to get up in the morning.

This was a key finding in a detailed study of older people’s perception of wellness by QUT PhD nursing researcher Jenneke Foottit.

She said the study demonstrated that social connectedness may be a critical factor in wellness in older people because it contributed to positive social and emotional health.

“Older women use shopping centres as a way of connecting with society. They go there for social activity, to see people, they use it for safe exercise and, sometimes, they mention doing the shopping,” Ms Foottit, from QUT’s Dementia Research and Training Centre, said.

“This has implications for the building and refurbishment of shopping centres. As our population ages, we must make sure they stay mobile by creating social environments that are safe for them to move around in.

“We need to remember shopping centres are meeting

places for older people and provide appropriate health services, spaces where they can gather socially and make sure they can accommodate walkers and have access to public transport.”

Ms Foottit studied 263 Queenslanders aged 65 years and older and found a sharp dip in perception of wellness and in health-related quality of life in women aged 85 to 90.

“I found that older people perceive themselves as being well when they can do the things they want to do despite having health issues,” Ms Foottit said.

“For example, one woman had had heart bypass surgery, heart valve surgery and cancer treatment but she saw herself as well because she could still go out.”

Ms Foottit said that being able to do the things they wanted to do was a key factor in combating loneliness.

“The women said that they tried to tire themselves during the day by doing as much as they could so that they would sleep at night. They talked about the ‘5 o’clock syndrome’ where they shut their door against the world because they see it is not safe or easy to go out and then they must manage their loneliness.”

- Niki Widdowson

QUTLINKS AUGUST ’09

Doors open on historyA special part of Queensland’s heritage has been restored at QUT for the public.

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OLD Government House in the heart of QUT’s Gardens Point campus has emerged from its $15 million renovation as a magnificent centrepiece of Queensland’s colonial history and a living, working building for people of all ages.

The elegant, sandstone house, which was built in 1862, was home to Queensland’s first 11 governors and was re-opened by Premier Anna Bligh in June, in the presence of the state’s current governor, Penelope Wensley AO.

The public can now visit Old Government House from Sundays to Fridays and immerse themselves in Queensland’s heritage.

Visitors can step back in time by exploring the beautifully restored rooms, and taking high tea in the tearoom. They can also utilise futuristic technology to “wander through” the house as it was around the 1900s in a virtual reality room. Interactive touch screen displays also enable people to discover the story of the house and the young Queensland colony.

QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Coaldrake, who is also chair of Q150 (Queensland’s 150th celebrations) said the revival of Old Government House for use by the people of Queensland was

fitting for the state’s first significant public building.“Old Government House has been restored with a

blend of historical detail, public spaces, and futuristic technology to appeal to today’s generation,” he said.

“QUT is custodian of this wonderful building and it is open for the people of Queensland to enjoy and use. This has been a heartfelt project for QUT because we strongly believe in engaging with the community and contributing to the cultural life of the state.

“We look forward to welcoming people of all ages to help celebrate the opening of this beautifully restored building which is so significant to Queensland’s history.”

Significant events in Queenslanders’ lives can also now be celebrated at the House where some ground floor rooms are available for weddings and other functions.

Another feature of the building is the new William Robinson Gallery upstairs – home to QUT’s collection of paintings by the landscape master. Visit www.ogh.qut.edu.au. - Niki Widdowson

QUTLINKS AUGUST ’0914

Australia’s top dealmaker is also nurturing a new legal generation.

AFTER an incredible 12 months of orchestrating some of Australia’s biggest commercial transactions and being named Australian Dealmaker of the Year, QUT law alumnus Teresa Handicott is finding time for some other favourite things to do.

The mountain-hiking, bush-loving corporate lawyer, who grew up outside Rockhampton, has reached the top of her game and is helping to provide disadvantaged students with an opportunity to study law.

Ms Handicott, who is a partner for law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth and a member of the national Takeovers Panel dispute-resolution body, has chaired the QUT Law Founders’ Scholarship committee since its inception in 1997.

“That is the most wonderful thing to be involved in. It is inspirational and humbling to see students who have come through great challenge to succeed in their studies,” Ms Handicot said.

“The scholarship helps law students who experience

socio-economic disadvantage and is funded by legal professionals, the Faculty of Law and QUT, law graduates and past scholarship winners.”

Ms Handicott was named Australian Dealmaker of the Year for 2008 at the annual ALB Australasian Law Awards after successfully negotiating several takeovers and mergers, including advising Suncorp on its $7.9 billion merger with Promina, the second biggest financial services transaction ever completed in Australia.

“It was an extraordinary year,” she said.“Work dominated my life for that time, but it was a great

privilege to have done it. It tests you and you know what you are made of by the end of it.

“It has to be a win-win for both sides. You can’t push too hard for one client, otherwise you might not win the deal.”

- Rachael Wilson

Deal diva

Senior Counsel coupFive more QUT graduates have been appointed to the Queensland Senior Counsel in the last 12 months.

QUT executive dean of law, Professor Michael Lavarch, said the strong showing reflected the maturity of QUT’s law course, which is now 32 years old.

He said appointment to Senior Counsel was a great honour and recognised years of outstanding law practice

by a barrister.The QUT alumni recently

appointed as Senior Counsel are: Geoffrey Diehm SC (LLB 1990); Kylie Downes SC (LLB 1990); Darryl Rangiah SC (LLB 1990); Martin Burns SC (LLB 1982); Michael Copley SC (LLB 1987).

Geoffrey Diehm and Kylie Downes

AN award-winning architectural company made up almost exclusively of QUT alumni is making its mark on the Brisbane landscape.

m3architecture, based in Albion, won the prestigious Sir Zelman Cowen Award last year for their design of a project at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, and has made a name for itself as a place of innovation, individuality and inspiration.

Twelve of the company’s 13 professional staff are QUT graduates or currently studying at the university.

Those architecture graduates include a trio of Michaels who are the company’s founders – Michael Banney, Michael Lavery and Michael Christensen ... hence the m3.

Mr Banney said the trio had all shared similar ideas for how they wanted their business to develop when they began 12 years ago.

“The three of us had studied together and worked together at various times throughout our degree and had spoken about the possibility of setting up a business together at some stage,” he said.

“We are interested in how people feel in spaces especially as they move through it, as well as how a building might participate in a situation and how this may be perceived by people who experience our projects.”

Mr Banney said the three went their separate ways after university, travelling and working at various larger firms, before meeting up again around four years after graduating.

“We wanted to work on public buildings in Brisbane, as well as residential projects,” he said.

“We also wanted to set up an office which was seen as a place of learning for everybody in it. We hoped we might set up a studio which was collegiate and collaborative between people within the practice and those outside of it.”

Not long after the formation of m3architecture, Ben Vielle joined – another QUT graduate who is now a partner.

Since starting with small-scale projects, m3architecture has built up a large client base, and last year the team won the Sir Zelman Cowen Award (the national prize for public architecture) for their work on the Brisbane Girls Grammar School’s Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre.

Mr Banney said the key driver had been to make a place for the education of girls by providing structured learning environments as well as places for social interaction.

“The combination of these elements and the relationship between these learning environments shaped the building within the school, and the result is a series of interconnected balconies, bridges, stairs and terraces over six levels,” he said.

“Parallels have been drawn to Hogwarts, ant colonies and Escher drawings. Between classes and especially at lunch this space is alive with students moving in all directions and socializing in many different ways in this interesting 3D environment.” - Sharon Thompson

QUT unite

Great grads and brilliant buildings prove a winning combination for

a young Brisbane firm.

WHEN you have the same population as a small city, it pays to remember to turn out the lights.

In QUT’s case, being a good environmental citizen is not only saving money, but reducing the university’s carbon footprint.

With more than 40,000 students and staff members, QUT consumes about the same amount of power each year as 9000 homes.

But over the past three years, the university has cut energy consumption by 16 per cent at its Gardens Point campus in the Brisbane CBD. Energy use has also dropped 28 per cent in just a year at the Creative Industries Precinct at Kelvin Grove.

Earlier this year, the university switched off all non-essential lights as part of Earth Hour – the global sustainability event that’s on a mission to reduce global warming.

It’s a mission QUT takes seriously: the university has pledged to reduce its own carbon emissions by 25 per cent over the next 12 years as part of a new target pact between members of the Australian Technology Network of Universities.

Other initiatives this year include the Kelvin Grove campus becoming the first place in the country to install the solar-powered “Green Pod” – a recycled-water facility that provides a

space for cyclists to shower and prepare for their day at work or uni.

The pod was designed and built by Mark Rossiter, a QUT business graduate, and Tim Ceolin, a QUT student studying for his masters in architecture (both pictured).

There’s also been good news for those who take the bus to uni – QUT has increased its free inter-campus bus shuttle services by 25 to 30 per cent this year. Patronage is expected to rise from 480,000 people movements/annum to around 650,000.

The university’s operations director, Brian Fenn, said water and rubbish were also being targeted around campus.

Water consumption has halved since late 2004, and this year improved recycling bins were introduced to encourage staff, students and visitors to not waste their rubbish.

And with more than 10 million litres of waste removed for QUT each year, the potential for recycling is huge.

“Each campus is also now home to ‘eWaste’ storage facilities, which collect old computers, printers and other electronic waste,” Mr Fenn said. “We’re aiming to recycle up to 90 per cent of eWaste within two years.”

Mr Fenn said QUT had an ongoing commitment to sustainability, and was

proud of achievements such as the drop in power usage.

“The good news is that our carbon footprint has shrunk by 7500 tonnes CO2-e per annum as a result of our ongoing energy management efforts,” he said.

“It makes good financial sense as well as environmental sense – we’re saving about $700,000 a year through these consumption cuts and that money is being reinvested into further energy efficiency opportunities.”

Mr Fenn said the power savings had been the result of a consumption review and changes to QUT’s building management system which automatically controlled lighting and airconditioning.

Other recent energy-saving initiatives include the installation of on-demand controls for airconditioning and lighting in some areas (so that these systems can be adjusted manually by the people in the rooms) and the use of motion detectors to control lighting in teaching spaces. The university also employed an energy manager in June.

- Mechelle McMahon

PowerfulmissionEnergy cuts, rubbish recycling and even pedal power are

all part of QUT’s growing environmental commitment.

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17QUTLINKS AUGUST ’09

How to be the Perfect Boss Employers shouldn’t take top workersfor granted during tough times.BUSINESSES and organisations that fail their people’s needs are dinosaurs that risk dying out during the recession, according to workplace culture expert and author Dr Tim Baker.

Dr Baker, who has a Doctor of Education from QUT, said too many employers operated on old workplace models which didn’t take into account the changing needs of workers, including demanding Generation Ys.

“The traditional ‘them and us’ employment relationship between employer and employee, as we know it, is a relic of the last century,” he said.

“In the western world, people now stay in the same job – on average – for less than two years.

“Sentimental loyalty’s out the window and it’s now a pragmatic sense of commitment – you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

“I think the challenge for companies now is: How do we keep people for longer, and keep them productive.”

Dr Baker has his own Brisbane-based international consultancy, WINNERS-AT-WORK, and has clients including IBM, Unilever, Nokia, Boeing, Singapore Airlines, Warner Brothers, Volvo and SAP.

He said top workers would always be in demand, regardless of the economic climate, and that employers shouldn’t think that a recession meant they could take people for granted.

His “new employment relationship model” – which is based on his doctorate research – advocates changes including more flexible employment practices, emphasising project teams across organisations rather than functional silos, and human resource practices that balance personal development, jobs skills and problem solving.

He said employability was a key concern for today’s workers, with people demanding ongoing learning and development opportunities, including workplace training and external education.

And if their current boss doesn’t give it to them, they’ll walk.

Dr Baker said staff retention should be a priority, given the

replacement cost. Once you take into account everything from the recruiting process to lost knowledge, time and business, he estimates replacing a top engineer costs a company at least $50,000.

Although many organisations have made inroads, Dr Baker believes the majority of employers still view their workers as numbers and do not communicate effectively with them.

“I was talking to a young person who’d been in a new job for six months and hadn’t had any feedback during that time,” he recalled. “She asked me if I could approach the manager and request some feedback ... when I did, the manager said: I can’t do that! If I do that, I’d have to do the same thing for everybody.

“But at the other end of the spectrum I’ve found employers who offer massages during work, and who respect the work-life balance and let people telecommute and work from home.”

Dr Baker’s new book, The 8 Values of Highly Productive Companies: Creating Wealth from a New Employment Relationship, was released in June.

- Mechelle McMahon

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updateresearch

Electronic butler runs your lifeForget sticky notes to keep track of your busy life – a QUT PhD student has researched a system that not only remembers all the everyday chores but does them for you. Mary Tom from the School of Information Technology has produced “eHome”, a roadmap for an automated personal assistant that frees up your time. It integrates and automates home and work diaries into one. “It would pay

your energy, gas or insurance bills on time; manage your household finances; and monitor your child’s diet to ensure it’s balanced, while working out a meal schedule and shopping list for you to feed the family with,” she said.

Australians – particularly young people – have given mobile phone banking the thumbs up, according to a new QUT study. Business honours scholar Lisa Wessels surveyed 300 people to find out if they planned to embrace “m-banking” – new technology that enables consumers to access online banking via their

phone. She said around 70 per cent of respondents to the national online survey indicated they would use mobile banking. For those who were cautious about it, the biggest deterrent was the possibility of security risks. The survey was the first of its type in Australia and was open to people aged 20 to 60.

Pilotless aircraft facility lifts offWork has begun on a $6 million research facility for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) industry which aims to enable pilotless aircraft to one day tackle tasks such as fighting fires and combating terrorism. The 800sqm facility is being built at Brisbane Airport for the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA), which is a partnership between QUT and the CSIRO ICT Centre. QUT aviation researcher and ARCAA director Professor Rodney Walker said the new facility would house up to 35 people conducting world-leading research on the use of UAVs in border protection operations, biosecurity, and other areas. It is due for completion in 2010. ARCAA was established with help from the Smart State Research Facilities Fund.

Family first for teenagersIt seems Australian teenagers have both traditional as well as contemporary expectations when it comes to planning their futures. A QUT study asked over 800 Year 11 and Year 9 students to imagine themselves at their parents’ ages and write an essay. It found that most young people envisaged a secure job, owning a home and having children as top priorities. “The boys expected uninterrupted, fulltime employment throughout their adult lives, and a ‘balanced’ work and family life,” said Dr Paula McDonald, a senior lecturer with QUT’s Faculty of Business, who carried out the study. “Caring for children and a deep involvement in family life was not even on the radar.” In contrast, the vast majority of girls expected to be the primary caregivers of their children. “This suggested that young people’s fundamental values around household roles may not have changed as much as we might think,” Dr McDonald said. “Around half of the girls were aware that combining careers and primary care-giving was problematic, and cited strategies such as career breaks or part-time work to resolve this tension.”

Mobile phone banking gets thumb up

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Fulbright Scholar aims to save our computers from criminal invasion.EVERY day Kim-Kwang (Raymond) Choo fights international criminals, botnets and zombies in cyberspace without leaving his laptop.

He is not some real world Dr Who, but a QUT PhD graduate in information technology who is on the trail of organised criminals who inhabit the cyber underworld ... and he’s aiming to use his prestigious Fulbright scholarship to get several steps ahead of them.

Dr Choo is a research analyst at the Australian Institute of Criminology and through his position at the institute he collaborates with the Australian National University’s ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security as a visiting fellow.

He was this year named as one of The Weekend Australian’s Next 100 Emerging Leaders (in Innovation).

Dr Choo’s Fulbright Professional Scholarship in Australia-US Alliance Studies, sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will see him visit law enforcement agencies, academia, and giant IT firms in the United States to participate in leading-edge international research networks.

During his trip he will spend six weeks each at Rutgers University’s School of Criminal Justice and the Palo Alto Research Center to focus on new trends with cyber criminals.

“I want to understand more about current and emerging issues in cyber crime rather than merely respond to problems as they arise,” Dr Choo said.

“My project aims to look at short to medium term cybercrime threats and to consider how these might develop so that we can understand the motivation of cyber criminals, identify weaknesses in regulatory practices and find strategies to prevent threats to our cyber security.

“In recent years, cyber exploitation and malicious activity has grown more sophisticated, more targeted, and more serious, and governments and private-sector networks and information are being exploited by a growing array of state and non-state actors, such as criminals and terrorists.”

One booming area for hackers is botnets – viral pandemics that infect ordinary computers and turn them into “zombies” that hackers use to send spam or launch denial-of-service attacks that overload and crash organisations’ computer systems.

“If you notice your computer is running more slowly than usual it could be that your computer has been infected by malware and you will need to scan your computer for (malware) infection and be proactive about protecting your computer,” Dr Choo said.

He said the once typical hacker who worked alone to cause major disruptions for honour and glory within their computer geek circles had been replaced by professional, profit-seeking hackers with malicious intent who devised ways to induce computer users to give away personal and banking details.

Dr Choo said he would study innovative technologies in the US that he could apply back in Australia, to help inform national policy and practice, and stay ahead of cyber crime.

- Niki Widdowson

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JASON Trump’s strong belief in education has seen him join a growing group of people who are including QUT in their wills.

The IT professional completed his Bachelor of Information Technology at QUT and worked at the university in a variety of positions for more than eight years.

He now combines his knowledge of technology and education as Microsoft Asia-Pacific’s education solutions strategist.

Mr Trump is one of the youngest people to pledge a bequest to QUT and also donates to the university’s Learning Potential Fund, which helps students like Sara Kueth (see story above).

“As a former student and staff member

I know that QUT has been fundamentally important to my career development,” he said.

“I’ve been lucky to create my fortunes through a quality university education and wonderful career opportunities.

“I believe QUT’s Learning Potential Fund will give other students that same opportunity, which is why I have chosen to support the fund through regular donations as well as through a bequest.

“Making a bequest is a very real way that you can pass on the legacy of opportunity to others.”

People interested in including QUT in their wills can call the university on 07 3138 2950 or email development@qut.edu.au.

FIVE years ago, Sara Kueth was living in Egypt and could only speak a small amount of English.

Now, she and her large family – she is the oldest of eight children – are settled in Brisbane, and Sara is in her second year of a biomedical science degree at QUT.

Sara applied to study at QUT through the Q-Step Program in 2008, and received a National Priority Scholarship in her first year, which included an Equity Starter Bursary, funded in part by the Learning Potential Fund.

The Learning Potential Fund, which is a QUT Alumni initiative, provides a source of income for scholarships and bursaries for students in financial need.

Born in Sudan, Sara lived there until she was 13, when she and her family moved to Egypt to escape the war-torn conditions.

She said her family applied for Australian residency as a refugee while in Egypt, and arrived in 2005, when Sara was 16.

“I did not really speak much English at all when we came here,” said Sara.

“I had to go to a special language school, and in three months was able to get up to a Year 10 level of English, and then started regular high school.

“It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it.”She said it had been great to receive

the extra scholarship help and that she was pleased to now be studying

biomedical science.“I have always had an interest in

anatomy, and from a very young age I have seen sick people who I was not able to help – I felt powerless, and I have always wanted to learn to be able to help people,” she said.

Sara is currently preparing for the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test for entry to study medicine or research in preparation to go on and do her Masters followed by a PhD.

“It is hard to say what I want to do when I have finished studying, but of course at some stage I would love to go back home and help there,” she said.

- Sharon Thompson

Scholarship helps medical career

Donations make a difference

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Wine benefit for alumniTake advantage of the partnership between QUT Alumni and one of Australia’s largest national wine distributors, Premium Wines Direct. As an Alumni member, you can have access to outstanding prices on premium Australian wine plus bonus offers. Ordering is easy and they will deliver to your home or office anywhere in Australia. Email qutwine@winedirect.com.au.

You’ll also find details of other exclusive Alumni offers on the address sheet with this issue of QUT Links.

JULIe mANNIoN, ALUmNI reLATIoNS mANAGer

alumni New

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chapter and Group news

Recent alumni eventsn Student Leadership AwardsQUT engineering student Katrina Bukauskas, pictured, was recently named the 2009 Student Leader of the Year. The Student Leadership Awards, an initiative of QUT Alumni, aim to recognise students of QUT for their contribution to the university and the wider community.

n Brisbane Executive ClubThe new committee of QUT’s Brisbane Executive Club Alumni Chapter launched into 2009 with an executive event called Creating Opportuni-ties in Tough Economic Times. It attracted over 70 people and featured a lively discussion, facilitated by Helen Besly, the Rowland Group managing director. More events are scheduled for August and November. Visit www.bgsb.qut.edu.au/community/bec/ or email bec@qut.edu.au.

n QUT Coffee Week QUT Coffee Week was held in May to raise money for the university’s Learning Potential Fund, which helps low income students. Staff raised $15,000 by buying cuppas, which was matched dollar for dollar by the university. The Staff Giving Committee celebrated the effort by “paving Main Drive with gold”, pictured.

n Young Alumni workshopMore than 80 QUT Young Alumni members returned to QUT to participate in the Marketing Yourself workshop in May. Hosted by Lisa Butler, the highly-experienced

director of Paragon Associates, the event provided practical tips and tricks.

Upcoming alumni eventsn The 2009 Golden Graduates Morning Tea will be held on November 7, in Brisbane. If you completed study at one of QUT’s predecessor institutions in 1959 or earlier, you’re invited! Call 07 3138 1833. The event is sponsored by FKP Limited and Malouf Group Pharmacies.n International alumni events will be held in conjunction with graduation ceremonies in: Taipei, Taiwan, on September 19; Hong Kong on September 21; Beijing on September 24; and Nanjing on September 26.n The Alumni AGM and volunteer thank you reception will be held on October 8 in Old Government House.

For more information on activities and events, or alumni groups and chapters, visit the QUT Alumni website – www.alumni.qut.edu.au – and click on the links.

Join Our Alumni E-Newsletter for special offers, alumni events and activities, QUT and alumni news.How to contact the alumni office: Web www.alumni.qut.edu.au E alumni@qut.edu.au P +61 7 3138 1843Fax +61 7 3138 1514 Mail QUT Alumni GPO Box 2434, Brisbane Q 4001, Australia

The QUT Alumni survey is now open and wants to hear from graduates on a range of issues regarding their links with QUT. It’s your chance to help drive the future direction of QUT Alumni – we want to hear from you!

The online survey is easy to do and only takes a few minutes – AND you have the chance to win a great prize, PLUS you’ll be providing valuable information to help QUT Alumni Relations improve how they help you.

Questions range from what kind of

contact best suits you, to what sorts of opportunities would inspire you to be more involved with QUT.

The survey is open to all alumni, including those now living overseas.

Enter before November and you could win one of three memberships to the QUT library, which include online access to selected journals.

To complete the survey, visit the QUT Alumni site, www.alumni.qut.edu.au, and follow the link. (Any questions? Call 07 3138 1833.)

Alumni survey: We want your feedback!

QUTLINKS AUGUST ’0922

deGreeS ShowN UNderNeATh The NAmeS of ALUmNI Are from qUT or predeceSSor INSTITUTIoNS.touchkeep in

2000sNabaz AminBEng (Civil) 2008Following his graduation, Nabaz has worked as a graduate structural engineer with Robert Bird Group.nabaz2@bigpond.com.au or 07 3972 3215

Harpreet BainesLLB 2002Harpreet is currently working as an in-house lawyer for talkbackthames, a television company based in London. He works on high profile UK television programmes such as The Bill, The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, The Apprentice and Grand Designs. harpreet.baines@talkbackthames.tv or + 44 207 691 6612

Scott CharltonMBA 2006After completing his MBA, Scott went on to undertake a Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning. Currently, in his role as Director of Coaching at robnixon Pty Ltd, Scott is assisting over 130 accounting firms to run better businesses and provide more value to their clients.scottch1@bigpond.net.au or 0409 870 330

Kim-Kwang Raymond ChooPhD 2006Raymond is the recipient of awards including the 2009 Fulbright Professional Australia-US Alliance Studies Scholarship sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2009 Australia Day Achievement Medallion, Wilkes Award for the best paper published in the 2007 volume of Oxford University Press’ Computer Journal, 2007 QUT Faculty of IT Executive Dean’s outstanding thesis commendation and Best Student Paper Award at the Australasian Conference on Information Security and Privacy 2005.raymond.choo.au@gmail.com or 0418 462 475

Janice Margaret CrosbieBSocSc (Hons) (Human Services) 2007Janice currently works for QLD Alliance, a mental health organisation, as a peer development worker. She has spoken on

recovery issues as well as presented a research project which measured how consumer participation was evaluated in six human service organisations.xbee@bigpond.com or 0418 873 701

Leonard D’CruzLLB 2002Leonard has extensively worked and consulted in Malaysia in corporate and commercial law, and is currently a senior partner at D’Cruz & Brian – one of Malaysia’s leading boutique corporate law firms. Leonard’s career achievements, which he attributes to the invaluable training he received at QUT’s Faculty of Law, have earned him a coveted seat on the Board of Directors of The North Borneo Corporation Berhad, a Malaysian publically listed company.+603 2095 9092 or ldcruz@streamyx.com

Karen KimberGradDipEd 2007Having graduated from QUT again, this time with a Grad Dip Ed, Karen continues to teach missionary, other expat and Cambodian children at Logos International School in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. After more than 20 years in various administrative positions with Queensland Health, Karen says she enjoys sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with her students as well as providing them with a quality education.karenkimber.logos@yahoo.com

John LambBSocSc (Human Services) 2002John is back in Brisbane after five years as a community development consultant with Morgan Hunt Public Sector Ltd in Manchester, UK. His overseas experience includes work as a liaison team leader on a community development project in Oldham, Northwest England, involving the refurbishment and selective replacement of inner urban housing. john.lambau@hotmail.com

Vincent LieB Bus/B InfoTech 2006Since graduating from QUT, Vincent has worked as a senior analyst in Deloitte’s Risk Services (Business Process Improvement), where he works with

large clients in reviewing and improving their internal controls, processes and systems. Vincent previously worked as a casual duty tutor and PASS Leader in QUT’s Faculty of IT between 2004 and 2006. vlie@deloitte.com.au

Matt MitchenerB Bus 2007After graduating from a Bachelor of Business Degree of International Business and Marketing, Matt has headed up the marketing department for The Brokerage, a national financial services company. Also, he is the operations manager of a direct-marketing company called Powerport and is on the Brisbane Junior Chamber of Commerce executive board.mattm@thebrokerage.com.au or 0431 749 685

Michele O’ReillyBed (Adult & Workplace Ed) 2005Having done a one year stint at James Cook University counselling and tutoring international students, Michele is now a case manager with Red Cross Employment Services. She is utilising her QUT adult and community education and career development skills and talents to provide interventions – behavioural, vocational, emotional – as well as employment and disabled job seekers support.moreilly7@bigpond.com or 0417 072 290

Dario PaoliniBBltEnv 2006Since completing his degree, Dario has started two businesses which are both performing well. Grandbrands, a graphic design agency with a focus on corporate identity design, was his first venture and now has a small portfolio of corporate clients. Astroprint.com.au, his most recent project, is an online printing business where you can order printing on the web instead of visiting a storefront printing business.dario@grandbrands.com.au or 0432 997 673

Darren RobinsGradDip Interior Design 2001After graduating, Darren moved into the community services field and has

23QUTLINKS AUGUST ’09

been working in this area ever since, while pursuing more creative goals on a “spare time” basis. He would love to hear from any fellow Alumni.badcreativeblock@yahoo.com.au or 0420 383 025

Govind SinghBInfo Tech 2001Govind is presently working for Macquarie Bank as a risk management analyst in New York City. govindsingh@gmail.com

Juh Kwee TeoBBltEnv 2002After working several years in Malaysia, Juh Kwee’s degree in interior design has opened up a new chapter of educational life. He believes the exposure of the Australian lifestyle and friendly community at QUT and in Brisbane was a good experience of campus life for him, as an overseas student. jk_teo@yahoo.com + 6016 668 9090

Prashanth VaidyanMBA 2006Prashanth works with a global IT solutions company as their group chief information officer. Prashanth says that he owes much to the trainings he received at QUT’s Brisbane Graduate School of Business, helping him to handle businesses with a global perspective. Prashanth hopes to return to Australia soon and would be happy to hear from and share ideas with fellow Alumni members.prashanthvaidyan@gmail.com or +91 963 2222 027

1990sParameswaran Nalla AlaganBBus 1993Parameswaran is the Managing Director for Ram Guard Services Sen Bhd and the CEO of Fer de Lance Consulting Sdb Bhd. Parameswaran is also actively involved in the security services sector in Malaysia and also spearheads security education in Malaysia.parameswaran@ramguard.com.my or + 603 907 61 777

Julie DavisBBus 1995Julie worked as a medical receptionist/administrator for six years during and after completion of her undergraduate degree. In 1998, she relocated to Brisbane from the Sunshine Coast and obtained a position as a recruitment consultant at ALAQ (Services), recruiting

staff for medical centres and hospitals. Julie commenced her own recruitment agency in 2001, Davis Recruitment, which is now the largest specialised provider of medical administration staff in Brisbane.julie.davis@davisrecruitment.com.au or 07 3394 8344

Dale HewerdineGradDipNursing 1998The first 15 years of Dale’s career was spent nursing in Queensland, with 10 years as a registered nurse/clinical nurse/clinical nurse educator in operating theatres. In 2003, he moved into recruitment and spent the next five years starting up and managing three private nursing and healthcare recruitment companies in Brisbane. In 2009, Dale moved back into the nursing industry as clinical manager for an aged care facility.dale.hewerdine@hotmail.com or 0413 584 359

Matthew HilanBAppSc (Mathematics) 1996After a two-year stint as a commissioned officer in the RAAF, Matthew entered the finance industry and trained to become a quantitative analyst, focussing on the equities market. He is a CFA charterholder and is currently head of quantitative research for UBS Investment Bank in Australia.matt.hilan@ubs.com

Patrick KiddBAppSc 1994Since graduating, Patrick has worked in geotechnical engineering, extensively throughout Queensland, northern New South Wales and on projects located in all mainland states, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Indonesia and Laos. Patrick is currently the geotechnical manager of the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporates’ Gold Coast office.patrick.kidd@smec.com or 07 5503 1044

Anthony LambertBA (Hons) 1992In May 2009, Anthony, along with Renata Murawska and Catherine Simpson, published Diasporas of Australian Cinema. This is the first volume to focus exclusively on diasporic hybridity and cultural diversity in Australian filmmaking over the past century. Topics include post-war documentaries and migration, Asian-Australian subjectivity, cross-cultural romance, “wogsploitation” comedy, and post-ethnic cinema. anthony.lambert@mq.edu.au

Ian MollerBEng (Elect & Comp Eng) 1990Ian retired after 40 years with the Queensland electricity supply industry. He is now a casual engineering consultant with Sinclair Knight Merz in Brisbane. Ian is a member of the South East Qld Regional Electricity Council and has been a mentor with the QUT Career Mentor Scheme.

imoller@aapt.net.au or 07 3351 5190

Dhaval MonaniGDip Interior Des 1999After graduating from QUT, Dhaval earned masters degrees in other design fields from UK and Italy. Thereafter, he was in private practice in India for four years. In 2004, he joined IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain, and completed an MBA in 2006. He joined the Indian School of Business, one of the top business schools of the world, in 2008 as a consultant.

dhavalm@hotmail.com or +91 281 2455 267

Tammy ReidGDipEd(Sec)(Preservice) 1997Tammy is now teaching part-time at Caboolture East State School as the special education teacher for Year 2. She enjoys co-teaching in an inclusive classroom and is having fun! She also has her own business teaching yoga and providing energic healing and Zen Thai Shiatsu massage. She loves living in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast.

tammylouisereid@yahoo.com.au or 0417 708 388

Ching-Pei (Patricia) YangMed (TESOL) 1996After five years working as an English teacher in Taiwan, Patricia has undertaken a new career path as an exchange student advisor in the Office of International Affairs at National Taiwan University.

pyfwqw@gmail.com or +886 937 853 908

1980sWolfgang KreuzerAssocDipPerformingArts (Theatre) 1984Wolfgang is involved in performing arts, stage plays and radio plays in the German language. These plays are produced for expatriates and students of German. Wolfgang also teaches drama, translates and does voice-overs for documentaries and commercials.

wolmar@bigpond.com or 0409 894 575

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Victor Ningkan UmuBAppSc (Applied Chemistry) 1981Victor would just like to say hello to his classmates doing chemistry at QUT. He would be happy to hear from any Alumni because he loves to receive letters from overseas. He also says a big thank you to QIT (QUT) for the five years where he studied.C/- Mr Petrus Nyawan, 6th Floor, PDW’s Office, Jubilee Mutiara Building, Bersatu Road, SARIKEI, SARAWAK 96100 MALAYSIA

1970sRoselyn LaytGradDipEd (Teacher – Librarianship) 1978Roselyn graduated from Kelvin Grove Teachers’ College in 1959 and taught in diverse parts of the state – Weller’s Hill, Inala West, Mt Isa and Warrigal Road. Roselyn is looking forward to the 50 year Golden Graduates re-union in November.rlayt06@bigpond.net.au or 07 3349 4636

Evan RussellDipTeach 1971Evan is now retired from teaching and is content to pursuer home renovations and his musical interests. Regular beach walks and swims and camping holidays fill the rest of his spare time. He is happy to make contact with former colleagues. He is also a U3A member with Sunshine Coast University.evruss@bigpond.net.au

Geoff SpeakmanCert Arch 1971Geoff is still enjoying retirement, playing tennis, motorcycling, tending his wine cellar and managing his investments. In 2009, Geoff and his wife Rona will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary and move into their dream home at Raby Bay Harbourside. Geoff says life is great, and even better when old friends drop in. geoffandronaspeakman@hotmail.com or 07 3286 7219

1950sLynnette Frances BeckDipTeach 1955Lynne has just sold three funeral businesses, as well as Melaleuca Station, which was a tourist business situated over the NSW border at Chinderah. Lynne has now decided to take on a new adventure in the Tweed coastal

area and would welcome catching up with other 1955 graduates!d.l.beck@bigpond.com or 0428 660 474

Daphne Danan (nee Heiner)CertTeach 1955Daphne is still active and registered, teaching music, speech and drama and singing from her studio in Bulimba, Brisbane. She assists string players by coaching extra fields of study such as form, ear tests and accompaniment. Daphne also has three certificates for Bahasa Indonesia. 07 3399 4048

Coral CogzellCertTeach 1954Following her Cert Teach, Coral completed a Dip Teach in 1980 and a Bachelor of Education in 1983. Her teaching career took her to state schools including Currumbin and Tweed Heads and she also taught in Auckland. Since retiring from full-time teaching in 1992, she’s been very active in the not-for-profit organisation Forum Communicators, and her hobbies include lawn bowls and singing. Her eldest grandchild, Hannah Statham, is a current student at QUT.cgcogz@optusnet.com.au

Coral DeethCertTeach 1958Coral left the education department (Regional Office, Maryborough) in September 1991. She then spent almost 13 years as a Chaplain at St Stephen’s Hospital, Maryborough. Presently, Carol is Pastor of Isis Uniting Church congregations (Childers, Biggenden and Woodgate)coraldeeth@westnet.com.au or 07 4126 1135

keep in touchShare your newsSubmit online at

www.alumni.qut.edu.auor email

alumni@qut.edu.auor fax an update to

+61 7 3138 1514

Quote the year you prefer to be listed under, if you have more than one degree from QUT or a predecessor institution. QUT Links reserves the right to edit all Keep in Touch notes received for publication.

PROVIDING our students with real-world experience is of paramount importance to QUT.

One way students can enhance their learning experience is by undertaking job placements/work experience within an organisation where they are exposed to real projects and situations within the work force. This is known as Work Integrated Learning.

Having this experience is invaluable in preparing the students to enter and compete more effectively in the job market.

We are currently looking for more QUT alumni and friends who are prepared to pass on real world experience to current students. This can take a variety of forms and can be designed to suit your current commitments.

Here are some ideas. You may be able to:

- offer work experience (paid and unpaid)

- become a career mentor- give a lecture about your area- become a part-time tutor.

In the current economic climate you may be finding that you have projects/activities which need to be done, but you don’t have the resources to complete them.

You may like to consider offering these projects to students, allowing them the opportunity to learn and develop their skills while completing projects that may not otherwise have been actioned.

For more information or to discuss an idea, call QUT on (07) 3138 7525 or send an email to wil@qut.edu.au.

Help them find their future

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THE official opening of the refurbished Old Government House on our Gardens Point campus on Sunday 7 June 2009 was an event of great significance for the State of Queensland and for QUt.

coinciding with the year of celebration for the State’s sesquicentenary, the opening of one of Queensland’s most historically important public buildings also marks a new phase of physical development and renewal for the University.

Graduates who have spent time on our Gardens Point campus in times past may well recall it with some mixed feelings.

it enjoys one of the best possible locations for a university, adjacent to the central business district of a capital city, on the bend of the Brisbane River, next to Botanic Gardens and within close proximity to the cultural and social facilities of Brisbane’s Southbank. Yet it is also one of the world’s most densely used university campuses, with less than 8 hectares of land catering for some 24,000 students and 2000 staff.

Over the years the campus has grown to accommodate new needs and pressures, and while efforts have been made to link its various parts and to provide spaces for social life as well as teaching and research, there is clearly great potential to renew, reconnect and revitalise this space.

We have undertaken a comprehensive master Planning exercise encompassing all our current and planned physical locations, including the Kelvin Grove and Gardens Point campuses, which aims to take a long-term vision and to apply strategic principles to support our ambitions for QUt’s future.

this will build on the transformative work we have begun at Kelvin Grove, where landmark facilities such as the institute for health and Biomedical innovation and the creative industries Precinct have shown how we can integrate state-of-the-art academic infrastructure with new technology, in partnership with the local community and with relevant professional services.

Over the next few years we will extend this renewal to the Gardens Point campus, providing new spaces for education and research, new facilities for engaging with the community and with our professional partners, and connecting the campus with the surrounding environments with a particular focus on sustainability.

the newly-refurbished Old Government house begins this process, and it is worth noting that not only does it embody our emphasis on collaboration and engagement – being the result of a partnership between QUt, the Queensland Government and the National trust of Queensland – it also provides an opportunity to recognise the achievements of one of our alumni and one of australia’s greatest artists, Bill Robinson (the William Robinson Gallery, on the top floor of Old Government house, will be opened this month, august 2009).

Nearly a century and a half ago the first public building of the new colony of Queensland was a prominent marker of a new and rapidly growing city and a focal point for social and political activity.

It is therefore fitting that Old Government House, which represented the highest aspirations of the founders of Queensland, should now be restored to its former glory, reminding us of our heritage, continuing as a publicly accessible and actively used building, and enduring as a focal point for the development of what will become one of the world’s most vibrant, engaged and attractive university campuses.

Professor Peter coaldrakeVice-chancellor

WITH THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

this graceful cascade of golden Swarovski crystals is the new atrium chandelier in Old Government house on QUt’s Gardens Point campus. it was designed by Belinda Smith from Urban art Projects (UaP) – a Brisbane-based design consultancy formed by QUt Bachelor of Visual arts graduates mathew and Daniel tobin. UaP’s large contingent of QUt alumni also includes cEO Ben tait, who studied construction management.

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