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6 Be: Upfront MAJOR FUNDING CQUni welcomes $73.8m boost for dual sector • CQUniversity received a $73.8 million slice of major Government funding, putting it on the path to becoming Queensland’s first dual-sector institution and an engineering powerhouse. The funding, part of a total pool of $377m from the Structural Adjustment Fund (SAF) and Education Investment Fund (EIF), will be spent on readying the University for its proposed merger with Central Queensland Institute of TAFE and further strengthening its already-solid engineering offering. “Not only will this allow us to deliver critical skills to the region’s workforce, but it will also create countless local construction jobs thanks to a huge ramp-up in building activity,” Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman said. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Touch down • Thousands of spectators and players from throughout Queensland and New South Wales rolled in for the hugely successful Indigenous Reconciliation Carnival held at CQUniversity Rockhampton’s sports fields in January. The event featured spectacular rugby, cultural dancing, traditional food and the opportunity to celebrate reconciliation. Former NRL stars Rhys Wesser and David Peachey were special guests at the event. Be:Connected ECONOMIC RESEARCH Golden beaches BUNDABERG CAMPUS • The value of annual beach access and recreation along the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland has been assessed at nearly half a billion dollars. That’s according to CQUniversity researchers Professor John Rolfe and Daniel Gregg who surveyed more than 1100 households along the Queensland coast between Bundaberg and Port Douglas. The study revealed that the regional population of about 643,000 people aged between 15 and 74, makes an average of 52.6 visits to a beach per year for a total of 12.8 million visits per year. The average value of each beach visit was estimated at $35.09. “Aussies love that our beaches are free of charge to use, but they don’t often consider the huge economic value of beaches themselves,” Professor Rolfe said. University CITY • Already well recognised for its sugar, rum, tourism, horticulture and aviation industry, Bundaberg will also now be known as a ‘University City’. Bundaberg Regional Council and CQUniversity Australia signed an Accord as a formal expression of their common goals and partnership intentions. The Council pledge includes a commitment to offer three engineering student cadetships, aligned with the introduction of first-year engineering programs at CQUniversity Bundaberg Campus from 2013. These cadetships will offer financial support for study and vacation employment within the Council operations. More on the event at Be Extras : www.be.cqu.edu.au The Accord was signed by Council CEO Peter Bryne, Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman, Mayor Cr Lorraine Pyefinch and Bundaberg Head of Campus Professor Phillip Clift. ISSUE 13

7 KOALA SIGHTINGS Koala hot and cold spots • After three years of mapping koala sightings, including responses to a ‘wanted dead or alive’ SMS Hotline campaign, researchers have identified the CQ region’s hotspots. One hotspot for sightings is the Bruce Highway in a corridor between Granite and Waverley Creeks near St Lawrence. Another is on the Peak Downs Highway from the top of the Eton Range to Denison Creek. Addressing a CQ Koala Workshop audience including regional, national and international specialists, CQUniversity researcher Gail Tucker reported receiving 42 sightings of live koalas and 62 deaths; many via the SMS hotline. AGRICULTURAL DATA Soils ain’t soils • “Have your microbes tested” is the call from CQUniversity microbiology lecturer Dr Sandrine Makiela, who is keen for landholders to be part of her research which hopes to produce baseline data of microbial activity in Central Queensland soils. Thanks to a new trial jointly funded by CQUniversity and consultants Grazing BestPrac (GBP), graziers may be able to get feedback on microbial activity in their soils without sending samples interstate. NEW INITIATIVE Healthy partnership • The recent launch of the Fitzroy Partnership for River health hopes to provide the Central Queensland community with a complete picture of the state of the river system. Information about the Fitzroy River’s health is collected by 26 organisations at 450 locations throughout the catchment; however public confidence in the waterway has continued to be a concern. The Partnership hopes to restore confidence back in the river through sharing information, informed decision-making and a final ‘report card’ to be produced in 2013. This initiative is hosted by the Fitzroy Basin Association, while CQUniversity is a major partner, along with major government, community and commercial organisations. More on the partnership at Be Extras : www.be.cqu.edu.au WATER RESEARCH Bright prospect • CQUniversity researchers have used the sun to address a problem facing fish farmers. Doctoral student Sadia Khan, Professor Rob Reed and Dr Mohammad Rasul have created a prototype water purification reactor that uses the sun’s natural disinfection properties to kill bacteria in water, reducing the need for expensive antibiotics and poisonous chemicals. The reactor contains a thin film of titanium dioxide (TiO2) which enhances the sun’s purification performance by over 10 times. PEOPLE ON THE MOVE CQUNIVERSITY STAFF AND ALUMNI CQUniversity alumni have been recognised throughout Queensland as top managers by the Australian Institute of Management (AIM). VEREIMI LEVULA MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, 1993 Vereimi has been appointed as the Chief Manager of the Financial Systems Development and Compliance Group within the Reserve Bank of Fiji, after acting in the position for almost 12 months. MEREDITH PAPAVASILIOU BACHELOR OF ARTS, 1996; MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, 2007 Since graduating from CQUniversity Meredith Papavasiliou has worked as a journalist and editor of regional newspapers. She recently won the APN News & Media Editor of the Year award and was part of the team who won APN’s Newspaper of the Year award for the Gladstone Observer newspaper. Under her guidance, The Observer also picked up a Newspaper of the Year Award in its category from the Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers’ Association (PANPA). Married to Daniel, whom she met at CQUniversity while living at Capricornia College, she now has two children and balances family life with her busy job. She is also about to embark on her PhD. DR MICHAEL LANDSBERG BACHELOR OF APPLIED SCIENCE (HONS) 1998 Michael was recently awarded the highest Australian accolade in his field of work, for excellence in biological electron microscopy. His research team recently discovered a strain of bacterium that is deadly for many insects, but not for humans, a discovery that will have significant outcomes on the agricultural industry. Michael was awarded a PhD from the University of Queensland in 2003 and now works at the University as a postdoctoral researcher. ARE YOU ON THE MOVE? Let us know at: be@cqu.edu.au ISSUE 13

6<br />

Be: Upfront<br />

MAJOR FUNDING<br />

CQUni<br />

welcomes<br />

$73.8m<br />

boost<br />

for dual sector<br />

• CQ<strong>University</strong> received a $73.8 million<br />

slice of major Government funding,<br />

putting it on the path to becoming<br />

<strong>Queensland</strong>’s first dual-sector institution<br />

and an engineering powerhouse. The<br />

funding, part of a total pool of $377m from<br />

the Structural Adjustment Fund (SAF) and<br />

Education Investment Fund (EIF), will be<br />

spent on readying the <strong>University</strong> for its<br />

proposed merger with <strong>Central</strong> <strong>Queensland</strong><br />

Institute of TAFE and further strengthening<br />

its already-solid engineering offering. “Not<br />

only will this allow us to deliver critical<br />

skills to the region’s workforce, but it will<br />

also create countless local construction<br />

jobs thanks to a huge ramp-up in building<br />

activity,” Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott<br />

Bowman said.<br />

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT<br />

Touch down<br />

• Thousands of spectators and players<br />

from throughout <strong>Queensland</strong> and New<br />

South Wales rolled in for the hugely<br />

successful Indigenous Reconciliation<br />

Carnival held at CQ<strong>University</strong><br />

Rockhampton’s sports fields in January.<br />

The event featured spectacular rugby,<br />

cultural dancing, traditional food and the<br />

opportunity to celebrate reconciliation.<br />

Former NRL stars Rhys Wesser and David<br />

Peachey were special guests at the event.<br />

Be:Connected<br />

ECONOMIC RESEARCH<br />

Golden<br />

beaches<br />

BUNDABERG CAMPUS<br />

• The value of annual<br />

beach access and<br />

recreation along the<br />

Great Barrier Reef in<br />

<strong>Queensland</strong> has been<br />

assessed at nearly<br />

half a billion dollars.<br />

That’s according<br />

to CQ<strong>University</strong><br />

researchers Professor<br />

John Rolfe and Daniel<br />

Gregg who surveyed<br />

more than 1100<br />

households along the<br />

<strong>Queensland</strong> coast<br />

between Bundaberg<br />

and Port Douglas.<br />

The study revealed<br />

that the regional<br />

population of about<br />

643,000 people aged<br />

between 15 and 74,<br />

makes an average<br />

of 52.6 visits to a beach per year for a total of 12.8 million visits<br />

per year. The average value of each beach visit was estimated at<br />

$35.09. “Aussies love that our beaches are free of charge to use,<br />

but they don’t often consider the huge economic value of beaches<br />

themselves,” Professor Rolfe said.<br />

<strong>University</strong> CITY<br />

• Already well recognised for its sugar, rum, tourism, horticulture<br />

and aviation industry, Bundaberg will also now be known as a<br />

‘<strong>University</strong> City’. Bundaberg Regional Council and CQ<strong>University</strong><br />

Australia signed an Accord as a formal expression of their<br />

common goals and partnership intentions. The Council<br />

pledge includes a commitment to offer three engineering<br />

student cadetships, aligned with the introduction of first-year<br />

engineering programs at CQ<strong>University</strong> Bundaberg Campus from<br />

2013. These cadetships will offer financial support for study and<br />

vacation employment within the Council operations.<br />

More on the event at Be Extras :<br />

www.be.cqu.edu.au<br />

The Accord was signed by Council CEO Peter Bryne,<br />

Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman, Mayor Cr Lorraine<br />

Pyefinch and Bundaberg Head of Campus Professor Phillip Clift.<br />

ISSUE 13

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