PhD scholarship recipient moves south in search of a cause

Former Holloways Beach resident Grant Sinnnamon has made the move to Townsville after finding out he is one of 27 of Australia’s top research students who will take up Smart Futures PhD scholarships at universities across the state in 2009.

Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Desley Boyle said the Queensland Government scholarships award each postgraduate $22,500 over three years for full-time research in varied disciplines.

Grant said he is thrilled at the prospect of being able to continue his research into the cause of Type 1 diabetes by exploring the links between environmental and biological factors.

“The issue of diabetes is one that is close to my heart as both myself and my daughter live with Type 1 diabetes and I also lost a relative to the disease,” Grant said.

“This particular study will be a world first and will hopefully enable us to get that much closer to finding out what causes the onset of diabetes in some people,” he said.

Grant’s doctorate will be supervised by world-class German neurosciences researcher Professor Bernhard Baune who heads the department of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Neuroscience at James Cook University.

Ms Boyle said other projects undertaken by the PhD scholarship-holders will include climate change on the Great Barrier Reef, skin cancer treatment, obesity intervention, developing new learning methods, improving police investigative practices and the effects of aerosols on rainfall,” she said.

“While Brisbane universities will host eighteen of the scholarship-holders, the other ten will study at universities across the state from James Cook University in Townsville to Griffith University on the Gold Coast.

“Scholarships foster innovation in Queensland’s research and development sector, helping to build the foundations for a sustainable state-wide research community.

“This in turn plays a key role in our economic prosperity and social advancement,” she said.

Ms Boyle said Queensland has a reputation for building world-class R&D infrastructure and now there is a push to attract leading researchers too.

“During the past 10 years the Queensland Government has invested $3.4 billion in 36 new research institutes and more than 230 research scholarships and fellowships,” Ms Boyle said.

“The four-year $120 million Smart State Strategy, launched in 2008 and incorporating the Smart Futures scholarships, will boost science and industry’s capacity to solve problems through research, innovation and key partnerships across public and private sectors.

Grant said receiving the scholarship would mean exciting changes for the whole family as his wife and four children would be moving with him to Townsville.

“My family have been with me every step of the way and are very supportive of what I do,” Grant said.

Ms Boyle congratulated all scholarship recipients and said she looks forward to the outcome of their research.

12 February, 2009

Media contact: Marcus Taylor 3225 1005/0419 025 326 or Zoe Russell 3224 2007/0437 436 914
2009

James Cook University: Jim O'Brien 4781 4822

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