Published Friday, 08 June, 2007 at 03:29 PM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
SMART STATE SCHOLARS SHARE IN $200,000: PREMIER
The wide range of cutting-edge research underway in the Smart State has gone under the microscope during Queensland Week which runs until June 10.
Premier Peter Beattie today announced 24 Queensland university students are
sharing in almost $200,000 in the latest round of Growing the Smart State PhD Program funding.
“Worth up to 15,000 each over three years, these competitive grants help cover research costs and provide important mentoring support to open up data and doors,” Mr Beattie said.
“Recipients in this round are as outstanding as ever, with their studies ranging from arthritis and cancer research, to climate change, and overcoming the barriers to learning,” he said.
“Supporting our best and brightest is an investment in Queensland’s future, with theses scholars’ findings helping improve our prosperity and quality of life.”
Mr Beattie said the grants supported researchers as they tackled critical issues like sustainability, climate change and waste water management.
Also winning grants this round are projects investigating population health, as well as road safety.
“My Government is committed to nurturing talented Queenslanders, and these students are at the cutting edge,” said the Premier.
Since its inception in 2002, the Growing the Smart State PhD Program has awarded more than $940,000 to 113 students at Queensland universities across the State.
In addition to the funding support, each student is partnered with a mentor from a State Government agency who provides the researcher with a range of assistance such as access to networks and statistics.
The PhD students are then required to provide a final paper outlining their research findings and drawing some policy implications. A number of these reports are available online at http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/policy/research/phdfund/
Mr Beattie said applications for round 6 of Growing the Smart State grants open on July 2, 2007. For more information on the Program visit www.premiers.qld.gov.au
A FULL LIST OF ROUND 5 GRANT RECIPIENTS IS ATTACHED
Media Contact: Premier’s Office: 3224 4500
Growing the Smart State PhD Funding Program
2006 Grant recipients
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY
Kartik Venkatraman for research on “Phytocapping of landfills: Optimising plant characteristics and soil depth.”
School of Biological and Environmental Science.
This research will evaluate the performance of 21 species to reduce water infiltration through refuse, enabling us to select the best suited species for a phytocapping system.
JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY
Vivian Cumbo, for research on “Can coral adapt to climate change by acquiring and/or switching to a more heat tolerant symbiont.”
School of Science, Engineering and IT
Corals may cope with projected increases in sea surface temperature associated with climate change by combining with heat tolerant symbionts. This project will test the potential of this mechanism.
Richard Evans, for research on “Are Fisheries benefiting from increased target fishery stocks inside no-take marine reserves on inshore reefs?”
School of Science, Engineering and IT
Assess the influence of the new zoning plan on fish stocks of inshore reefs and use Genetic tools to test the extent to which stocks of fishery target species on these inshore reefs are connected.
Susan Gorton for research on “Creating Pathways between Distance Education Rural/Remote Students and the Health Professional Careers in the Bush.”
School of Education
Many studies have shown that health professionals who grew up in the bush are more likely to return to work in the bush. This study examines pathways between distance education rural/remote children, who have a great affinity for the bush, and the health professional careers.
Anne Leitch for research on “Capacity of human communities to adapt to climate change in the Great Barrier Reef region.”
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
This study will work with two communities adjacent to and dependent on the Great Barrier Reef, to develop an integrated assessment of their adaptive capacity and planned response options to climate change.
QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Stuart Bell for research on “The effect of high temperature and light intensity on the performance of photocatalytic reactions.”
School of Built Environment and Engineering
This is an investigation into the effect of high temperature and light intensity on the performance of photocatalytic reactions with the potential to produce hydrogen from water using sunlight.
Cameron Brown for research on “New techniques for assessing early stage osteoarthritis will be developed and investigated to improve surgical decision-making and treatment outcomes.”
School of Built Environment and Engineering
This research will examine and develop methods that can distinguish normal from degenerated cartilage at arthrosocopy so as to enhance the outcomes of surgery and allow early intervention treatments for arthritis.
Colin Edmonston for research on “Comparing the characteristics of crashes involving Indigenous and non-indigenous people in rural and remote North Queensland.”
School of Health
The research profiles and compares crashes involving Indigenous and other road users in rural and remote areas.
Leanne Jack for research on “Promoting intestinal health for the intensive care unit patient.”
School of Health
Diarrhoea remains a significant problem in the enterally tube fed critically ill patient. This study aims to establish whether Probiotic therapy and early enteral nutrition significantly reduces the impact of diarrhoea and its complications.
Mitchell Lawrence for research on “Understanding the complexities of prostate cancer: What role does the prostate cancer biomarker, SA, really play?”
School of Life Science
PSA and related enzymes are erroneously secreted in prostate cancer where they can cause distinctive cancer-associated changes. These changes will be investigated using a new 3D model that mimics the prostate cancer cellular environment.
Nerida Leal for research on “The road safety implications of street racing.”
School of Health
This project involves the analysis of official datasets, conducting driver focus groups, driver questionnaires and interviews with police to evaluate Queensland's "anti-hooning" legislation.
Jeremy Vrignon for research on “How to combine existing vigilance detection methods in order to obtain a better estimation of driver state linked to a probability of road crash accidents.”
School of Health
This research investigates the combination of existing driver vigilance detection systems in order to improve their reliability, and defines a new method to evaluate and compare them with the proposed approach.
Suzelle Waggett for research on “Development of a high-level expression system for the production of bioplastics in sugarcane.”
School of Science
This PhD project aims to develop a system to enable the increased production of bioplastic compounds in sugarcane plant cells, thus increasing yield of products produced through molecular farming and providing diversified income streams to sugarcane farmers.
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
Joanne Bradbury for research on “Omega 3 fatty acids are protective in stress related mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety by reducing the inflammatory impact of stress.”
School of Health Sciences
This research aims to provide a mathematical model that can predict the size and significance of the relationships between dietary fatty acids, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, psychological stress and the risk of mental health disorders.
Jeffrey Foley for research on “The evaluation and comparison of the global environmental costs and benefits form the construction and operation of different waste water treatment and reuse technologies.”
School of Engineering, Physical Sciences & Architecture
This study aims to quantify the environmental costs and benefits of different wastewater treatment and reuse technologies by exploring the tensions between designs aimed at optimum water quality and those seeking to minimise other emissions such as greenhouse gases.
Kelly Greenop for research on “Current and historical places in Brisbane which are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now.”
School of Engineering, Physical Sciences & Architecture
This project will use literature sources to establish Aboriginal places of importance in history and interview Indigenous people in Brisbane to identify what places are culturally important in their lives in urban Brisbane today
Ben Jones for research on “Improving kidney patient transplant outcomes: Development of a new adult stem cell based therapeutic.”
Southern Clinical School of Medicine
This study will investigate the use of a particular stem cell (mesenchyman) found in bone marrow, and its ability to migrate to a transplanted kidney, protect and repair it.
Martina Linnenluecke for research on “Examining how institutions shape different corporate strategies in response to global climate change in Australia and Germany.”
School of Business, Economics & Law
In this comparative study of two countries it will be investigated how the institutional context shapes corporate responses to global climate change.
Elisabeth Lord for research on “Active Leisure, Mental Health and Well-Being of Older People.”
School of Business, Economics & Law
This research will investigate how to motivate older adults to engage in active leisure lifestyles in order to improve mental health and well-being.
Sandeep Salunke for research on “Examining the dynamics of service innovation and its relevance in improving service-firm competitiveness.”
School of Business
This research attempts to identify and measure service-innovation specific dynamic capabilities in project-oriented service firms. The study will also examine underlying factors driving innovation-based competitive advantage in small to large Australian service firms.
Anna Stephens for research on “Clarifying the nature of learning in biotechnology R&D collaborations: Opening the ‘black box.’”
School of Business, Economics & Law
This study examines the processes of localised learning in biotechnology clusters. Learning is studied by analysing the relationships between the cluster members, and the mediation of these relationships by rules, tools and roles.
Ian Vela for research on “Factors involved in why prostate cancer spreads to bone.”
School of Health Sciences
This study will investigate the importance of the kallikrein family of serine proteases (of which Prostate Specific Antigen [PSA] is the best known) in the development of prostate cancer bone metastases.
Charlene Willis for research on “Is a newly discovered family of scabie mites genes a new target for chemotherapeutic controls?”
School of Population Health
This research will determine whether novel proteins that have been discovered in the scabies mite have the potential to interfere with the growth and lifespan of the bacterium Streptococcus as a basis for developing chemotherapeutic controls against both organisms.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND
Jyotiprakash Padhi for research on “Sustainable practices to improve irrigation performance and water use efficiency using paddock scale spatial variability.”
School of Engineering and Surveying
With farms, some degree of spatial variation exists due to variation in soil and crop growth. This project will examine the scope of applying more or less water than is required, to maximise crop growth and yield to improve performance and efficiency of farm water use.
Premier Peter Beattie today announced 24 Queensland university students are
sharing in almost $200,000 in the latest round of Growing the Smart State PhD Program funding.
“Worth up to 15,000 each over three years, these competitive grants help cover research costs and provide important mentoring support to open up data and doors,” Mr Beattie said.
“Recipients in this round are as outstanding as ever, with their studies ranging from arthritis and cancer research, to climate change, and overcoming the barriers to learning,” he said.
“Supporting our best and brightest is an investment in Queensland’s future, with theses scholars’ findings helping improve our prosperity and quality of life.”
Mr Beattie said the grants supported researchers as they tackled critical issues like sustainability, climate change and waste water management.
Also winning grants this round are projects investigating population health, as well as road safety.
“My Government is committed to nurturing talented Queenslanders, and these students are at the cutting edge,” said the Premier.
Since its inception in 2002, the Growing the Smart State PhD Program has awarded more than $940,000 to 113 students at Queensland universities across the State.
In addition to the funding support, each student is partnered with a mentor from a State Government agency who provides the researcher with a range of assistance such as access to networks and statistics.
The PhD students are then required to provide a final paper outlining their research findings and drawing some policy implications. A number of these reports are available online at http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/policy/research/phdfund/
Mr Beattie said applications for round 6 of Growing the Smart State grants open on July 2, 2007. For more information on the Program visit www.premiers.qld.gov.au
A FULL LIST OF ROUND 5 GRANT RECIPIENTS IS ATTACHED
Media Contact: Premier’s Office: 3224 4500
Growing the Smart State PhD Funding Program
2006 Grant recipients
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY
Kartik Venkatraman for research on “Phytocapping of landfills: Optimising plant characteristics and soil depth.”
School of Biological and Environmental Science.
This research will evaluate the performance of 21 species to reduce water infiltration through refuse, enabling us to select the best suited species for a phytocapping system.
JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY
Vivian Cumbo, for research on “Can coral adapt to climate change by acquiring and/or switching to a more heat tolerant symbiont.”
School of Science, Engineering and IT
Corals may cope with projected increases in sea surface temperature associated with climate change by combining with heat tolerant symbionts. This project will test the potential of this mechanism.
Richard Evans, for research on “Are Fisheries benefiting from increased target fishery stocks inside no-take marine reserves on inshore reefs?”
School of Science, Engineering and IT
Assess the influence of the new zoning plan on fish stocks of inshore reefs and use Genetic tools to test the extent to which stocks of fishery target species on these inshore reefs are connected.
Susan Gorton for research on “Creating Pathways between Distance Education Rural/Remote Students and the Health Professional Careers in the Bush.”
School of Education
Many studies have shown that health professionals who grew up in the bush are more likely to return to work in the bush. This study examines pathways between distance education rural/remote children, who have a great affinity for the bush, and the health professional careers.
Anne Leitch for research on “Capacity of human communities to adapt to climate change in the Great Barrier Reef region.”
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
This study will work with two communities adjacent to and dependent on the Great Barrier Reef, to develop an integrated assessment of their adaptive capacity and planned response options to climate change.
QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Stuart Bell for research on “The effect of high temperature and light intensity on the performance of photocatalytic reactions.”
School of Built Environment and Engineering
This is an investigation into the effect of high temperature and light intensity on the performance of photocatalytic reactions with the potential to produce hydrogen from water using sunlight.
Cameron Brown for research on “New techniques for assessing early stage osteoarthritis will be developed and investigated to improve surgical decision-making and treatment outcomes.”
School of Built Environment and Engineering
This research will examine and develop methods that can distinguish normal from degenerated cartilage at arthrosocopy so as to enhance the outcomes of surgery and allow early intervention treatments for arthritis.
Colin Edmonston for research on “Comparing the characteristics of crashes involving Indigenous and non-indigenous people in rural and remote North Queensland.”
School of Health
The research profiles and compares crashes involving Indigenous and other road users in rural and remote areas.
Leanne Jack for research on “Promoting intestinal health for the intensive care unit patient.”
School of Health
Diarrhoea remains a significant problem in the enterally tube fed critically ill patient. This study aims to establish whether Probiotic therapy and early enteral nutrition significantly reduces the impact of diarrhoea and its complications.
Mitchell Lawrence for research on “Understanding the complexities of prostate cancer: What role does the prostate cancer biomarker, SA, really play?”
School of Life Science
PSA and related enzymes are erroneously secreted in prostate cancer where they can cause distinctive cancer-associated changes. These changes will be investigated using a new 3D model that mimics the prostate cancer cellular environment.
Nerida Leal for research on “The road safety implications of street racing.”
School of Health
This project involves the analysis of official datasets, conducting driver focus groups, driver questionnaires and interviews with police to evaluate Queensland's "anti-hooning" legislation.
Jeremy Vrignon for research on “How to combine existing vigilance detection methods in order to obtain a better estimation of driver state linked to a probability of road crash accidents.”
School of Health
This research investigates the combination of existing driver vigilance detection systems in order to improve their reliability, and defines a new method to evaluate and compare them with the proposed approach.
Suzelle Waggett for research on “Development of a high-level expression system for the production of bioplastics in sugarcane.”
School of Science
This PhD project aims to develop a system to enable the increased production of bioplastic compounds in sugarcane plant cells, thus increasing yield of products produced through molecular farming and providing diversified income streams to sugarcane farmers.
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
Joanne Bradbury for research on “Omega 3 fatty acids are protective in stress related mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety by reducing the inflammatory impact of stress.”
School of Health Sciences
This research aims to provide a mathematical model that can predict the size and significance of the relationships between dietary fatty acids, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, psychological stress and the risk of mental health disorders.
Jeffrey Foley for research on “The evaluation and comparison of the global environmental costs and benefits form the construction and operation of different waste water treatment and reuse technologies.”
School of Engineering, Physical Sciences & Architecture
This study aims to quantify the environmental costs and benefits of different wastewater treatment and reuse technologies by exploring the tensions between designs aimed at optimum water quality and those seeking to minimise other emissions such as greenhouse gases.
Kelly Greenop for research on “Current and historical places in Brisbane which are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now.”
School of Engineering, Physical Sciences & Architecture
This project will use literature sources to establish Aboriginal places of importance in history and interview Indigenous people in Brisbane to identify what places are culturally important in their lives in urban Brisbane today
Ben Jones for research on “Improving kidney patient transplant outcomes: Development of a new adult stem cell based therapeutic.”
Southern Clinical School of Medicine
This study will investigate the use of a particular stem cell (mesenchyman) found in bone marrow, and its ability to migrate to a transplanted kidney, protect and repair it.
Martina Linnenluecke for research on “Examining how institutions shape different corporate strategies in response to global climate change in Australia and Germany.”
School of Business, Economics & Law
In this comparative study of two countries it will be investigated how the institutional context shapes corporate responses to global climate change.
Elisabeth Lord for research on “Active Leisure, Mental Health and Well-Being of Older People.”
School of Business, Economics & Law
This research will investigate how to motivate older adults to engage in active leisure lifestyles in order to improve mental health and well-being.
Sandeep Salunke for research on “Examining the dynamics of service innovation and its relevance in improving service-firm competitiveness.”
School of Business
This research attempts to identify and measure service-innovation specific dynamic capabilities in project-oriented service firms. The study will also examine underlying factors driving innovation-based competitive advantage in small to large Australian service firms.
Anna Stephens for research on “Clarifying the nature of learning in biotechnology R&D collaborations: Opening the ‘black box.’”
School of Business, Economics & Law
This study examines the processes of localised learning in biotechnology clusters. Learning is studied by analysing the relationships between the cluster members, and the mediation of these relationships by rules, tools and roles.
Ian Vela for research on “Factors involved in why prostate cancer spreads to bone.”
School of Health Sciences
This study will investigate the importance of the kallikrein family of serine proteases (of which Prostate Specific Antigen [PSA] is the best known) in the development of prostate cancer bone metastases.
Charlene Willis for research on “Is a newly discovered family of scabie mites genes a new target for chemotherapeutic controls?”
School of Population Health
This research will determine whether novel proteins that have been discovered in the scabies mite have the potential to interfere with the growth and lifespan of the bacterium Streptococcus as a basis for developing chemotherapeutic controls against both organisms.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND
Jyotiprakash Padhi for research on “Sustainable practices to improve irrigation performance and water use efficiency using paddock scale spatial variability.”
School of Engineering and Surveying
With farms, some degree of spatial variation exists due to variation in soil and crop growth. This project will examine the scope of applying more or less water than is required, to maximise crop growth and yield to improve performance and efficiency of farm water use.