Music, medicine and a touch of magic
Published on: 2 December 2021
- The honour of opening Australia’s medal tally on the first morning of the Paris 2014 Olympics rests on the impressive shoulders of UQ Alum Maddison Keeney. She will be competing in the synchronised 3-metre springboard diving event on day one of the Games with her synchro sister Anabelle Smith.
- The first Australian Indigenous woman to complete a university degree, Dr Margaret Valadian AO MBE, has been posthumously honoured with an Honorary Doctorate from UQ. The University will also record the late Dr Valadian’s remarkable contribution with a carving in UQ’s Great Court.
- Sports media pioneer Louise Evans is getting ready to travel to Paris to cover her 7th Olympic Games. She spoke to 'Contact' ahead of departure about her experiences and highlights while reporting on global sporting events.
- UQ has secured third place overall at the 2024 UniSport Indigenous Nationals. Watch the video and view all the images.
- Jack Ireland knows how much it hurts to miss out on Paralympic selection. After failing to qualify for Tokyo in 2021, Ireland has since used that disappointment as motivation and will make his Paralympic debut in Paris, where he will line up in the S14 200m freestyle.
- It’s hard to know where to begin when it comes to cutting through the nonsense and understanding the science around sugar intake. So, 'Contact' called on a UQ expert who knows her glucose from her fructose: Professor Sarah McNaughton.
- While a lot of profit stands to be made from alcohol and liquor licensing fees, we can’t ignore the harm it poses to young people.
- The second series of First Nations Classics welcomes 8 more titles to this line-up of iconic Indigenous voices who have shaped this country's literary landscape.
- University of Queensland PhD student Amy Zhao has discovered that we are attracted to people who look like ourselves.
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- We're back with another edition of Love at UQ. From bench seats in Forgan Smith, to years spent on Heron Island, join us as we celebrate the special bonds that university life creates.
- Emma Johnson was in the global top 0.5% of Taylor Swift’s listeners in 2023. 'Contact' asked the UQ alum to explain the level of unbridled dedication and devotion Swifties have for the pop icon, why the Era’s Tour means everything, and why being a ‘Swiftie’ will never go out of style.
- On an average day, you’ll find Ellie Sursara outdoors. Planting native trees, trying to attract more blue banded bees to her garden, or playing ‘frogmum’ to a Tawny Frogmouth bird. It’s part of everyday life for the keen environmentalist, who shares these moments with her community of more than 115,000 followers on social media.
- UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry and leading criminologist and educator Professor Lorraine Mazerolle are among the UQ community recognised with 2024 Australia Day Honours.
- UQ Cricket Club players will get to follow in their heroes’ footsteps this year when the club embarks on a tour of India – its first international tour in 3 decades.
- In this edition of The Real YouQ, we catch up with UQ alum and Brisbane Lions AFLW star Natalie Grider, fresh off the back of celebrating the club’s second AFLW premiership last month.
- UQ nutrition experts share their top tips to support your children’s energy levels throughout the school day.
- Most teachers would count themselves lucky if students paid attention to every minor detail in class. For former high school teacher Adam Delroy, a blunt warning from an observant student may have saved his life.
- This year marks the 10th anniversary of InspireU, which brings Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students from across the state to UQ's St Lucia campus in Brisbane for week-long camps. 'Contact' asked previous InspireU participants about their experiences, and how the program has impacted their lives.
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- From hangover cures to limiting liver disease, there’s no shortage of received wisdom when it comes to mitigating the impact of alcohol on our health. But how much of it is misleading? And is there really such a thing as ‘healthy drinking’?
- UQ researchers have partnered with NBA champion Patty Mills’ not-for-profit organisation to boost sporting, educational and cultural pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young peoples.
- As the COVID virus continues to evolve, so does our vaccine response. From December 11, Australians will have access to new vaccines that offer better protection. But who is eligible for these new boosters? How do they differ from earlier ones? Do they work? Are they safe?
- UQ’s re-engineered clamp platform has produced a vaccine that is equally safe and virus-neutralising as an approved vaccine considered among the best in its class.
- A major study of screen use found it’s not the screen itself that really matters but what’s on it and the way kids use it.
- The University of Queensland will help mark a milestone for the world’s longest running sci-fi television show, hosting Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary Symposium on Friday 24 November.
- UQ’s Fryer Library is home to a rare 200-year-old first edition of John Polidori’s 'The vampyre'. The tale of how this book was written and how it came to be in a university library in Brisbane more than 200 years later is the perfect Halloween story.
- Your skin prickles, your palms sweat, and your breath gets caught in your chest. But why can't you tear your eyes away from the latest horror film or fiction? UQ experts explain the art and science behind our fascination with fear.
- Researchers from UQ and QUT have traced the unique evolution of Brisbane’s punks and goths, and their role in shaping the city’s ‘alternative’ identity.
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- On Wednesday 26 May, just after 9pm, look to the east. If the skies are clear, you will see the moon bathed in red. Dubbed the ‘blood super moon eclipse’, the first lunar eclipse of 2021 is more than just a visual spectacle.
- Top execs share their stories of imposter syndrome and how they overcame it.
- On 17 May each year, LGBTIAQ+ communities and their allies celebrate International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).
- An exhibition showcasing the persecution and murder of hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled patients by medical practitioners and nurses in Nazi Germany has been brought to Brisbane by several academics from The University of Queensland.
- UQ experts have joined forces on a project to make widespread reform in Australian law in areas such as espionage, whistleblowing, shield laws and free speech as they affect the media.
- Millions of people have learnt how to cook the perfect feta and tomato pasta on TikTok. They’ve also learnt how to tie their T-shirts into five different wearable designs, renovate their living room and the trick to sealing a loaf of bread. Are people really turning to TikTok to learn? And if they are, should you be too?
- Nurses were not warriors – they were caregivers. But they too suffered trauma as a result of their service. And, like the men they devoted themselves to, they were worn down and in some cases shattered by the horrors they witnessed.
- Professor Kim Wilkins has always been happiest when immersed in a good story. Watch the video to find out how she starred in her own story of self-discovery and success.
- UQ graduate and Contact contributor Andrew Kidd Fraser spoke to language and linguistics expert Emeritus Professor Roly Sussex to learn more about the origins of names and how spelling has evolved over time.
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- If you’ve spent any time at UQ’s Gatton campus, chances are you’ve purchased a coffee or a bite to eat from Regie Narara at the Coffee Pod. And chances are you’ve left feeling brighter and more energetic – and not just because of the coffee.
- Phoebe Robinson lives 2 very different lives. During the day, she’s a Bachelor of Agribusiness student, gaining hands-on experience at UQ’s Gatton campus. But before that day starts, she’s pushing her body to its limits on the Brisbane River as she edges closer to her goal of representing Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
- UQ has achieved great success at both the 2023 Australian Institute of Architects Awards and the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects Awards.
- Have you ever wondered how life might have been had you chosen a different career path? Well, current UQ student and former public relations executive Yasmine Gray won’t be left wondering. At the grand age of 60, she has just enrolled in the Bachelor of Veterinary Technology and aims to become an animal paramedic, specialising in large animals such as horses and cows.
- In this edition of The Real YouQ, we meet internationally acclaimed archaeologist, heritage consultant and author Dr Andrew Sneddon. His new memoir "charts the often frightening and sometimes farcical journey of his teenage years" while living in the criminal underbelly of Queensland’s Gold Coast.
- Meet the current UQ Liveris Academy Executive in Residence, Leigh Staines, who reveals her passion for her new role and how she believes she can make a difference.
- In this edition of the The Real YouQ, we meet the UQ Art Museum's Senior Team Leader, Engagement and Training, Danielle Harvey. Danielle is passionate about making the UQ Art Museum a welcome space for all, and her team is focused on considering issues from the visitor’s perspective.
- At just 10 years old, Elijah Richardson has made some serious waves in ocean conservation. Here at UQ, we were thrilled to hear that Elijah was recently interviewed for the ABC television series, War On Waste.
- Ahead of the International Blind Sport Federation World Games in Birmingham this month, Contact sat down with UQ student Sidney Whipp to find out how he’s balancing first-year studies and representing Australia in goalball – with his best friend Quarry by his side.
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- Welcome back to UQ Diaries. This edition, 'Contact' wanted to know if you are addicted to your phone? Here's what the UQ community had to say.
- As the COVID virus continues to evolve, so does our vaccine response. From December 11, Australians will have access to new vaccines that offer better protection. But who is eligible for these new boosters? How do they differ from earlier ones? Do they work? Are they safe?
- Welcome back to UQ Diaries. This edition, 'Contact' wanted to know whether it's more expensive to be single or in a relationship? Here's what the UQ community had to say.
- As Australia celebrates Grandparents’ Day on Sunday 29 October, Dr Cassandra Tellegen and Dr April Hoang from UQ’s Parenting and Family Support Centre share their top tips on how to balance the delicate grandparent-parent relationship.
- If you’ve spent any time at UQ’s Gatton campus, chances are you’ve purchased a coffee or a bite to eat from Regie Narara at the Coffee Pod. And chances are you’ve left feeling brighter and more energetic – and not just because of the coffee.
- UQ experts are here to help you understand why a Voice to Parliament has been proposed, what will change about Australia’s Constitution if it succeeds, and what your referendum vote will mean on October 14.
- How much misinformation have you been sleeping on when it comes to how to get a proper night’s rest? UQ Mythbusters is back and here to help you separate fact from fiction with the help of sleep science expert Professor Bruno van Swinderen from the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI).
- Welcome to UQ Diaries, an anonymous 'Contact' magazine series that dives into the burning questions you've always wanted to ask. In September, we asked our UQ alumni if having a work-life balance is possible. Check out their responses!
- The Bureau of Meteorology has declared that Australia is now in the grip of an El Niño climate pattern. 'Contact' spoke to Bureau of Meteorology CEO Dr Andrew Johnson to help you understand what El Niño means and what Australians should expect for the summer ahead.
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- VIDEO: UQ has been crowned the winner of the UniSport 2023 Indigenous Nationals the first time in the history of the competition.
- The University of Queensland has announced a nationally significant partnership with Paralympics Australia to put Brisbane on track for 2032 glory.
- For as long as she can remember, Emerald Gaydon has set her eyes on the stars on her quest to become an astronaut. On a recent adventure to the Himalayas, she felt so close she could almost touch them.
- The Queensland Government and The University of Queensland have each committed $44 million funding to establish a world-leading Paralympic Centre of Excellence at UQ’s St Lucia campus.
- UQ alum Brett Clark has put his body and life on the line to complete 7 marathons on 7 continents. Contact spoke to Clark about his dice with frostbite in Antarctica, his narrow escape from injury during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, and the personal motivation driving his quest.
- Several Australian Commonwealth Games representatives are among 19 student-athletes recognised for their sporting achievements as UQ celebrates 110 years of the UQ Blues Awards.
- 'Contact' catches up with UQ’s medal-winning athletes after their Commonwealth Games heroics in Birmingham.
- After making her debut for Hockeyroos and helping Australia claim bronze at the World Cup this month, UQ student Claire Colwill has also been named among a group of UQ athletes to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
- After 11 years of juggling the demands of an elite sporting career with study, Queensland Firebird Gabi Simpson has been acknowledged for her hard work and success, graduating from The University of Queensland as valedictorian.
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- Welcome to the final instalment of 'UQ by design', a 12-part Contact series celebrating the beauty and abundance of UQ's cultural assets. In this final episode, we look at UQ's stunning signage and some other decorative features of interest.
- Photographer and writer Jessica Howard (BJ ’03) is committed to sharing the spirit of rural Australia. Jessica writes for Contact about her most recent endeavour – to amplify the stories of outback Australia as the editor and publisher of Bush Journal.
- Cairngorm House, a ‘Queenslander’ older than UQ itself, has played a formative role as factory, family home and Alumni Friends’ base during 120 years at Walcott Street, St Lucia.
- Sometimes, the best love stories begin in unexpected places. This Valentine's Day, Contact is sharing the stories of the alumni who found love at UQ.
- In this instalment of 'UQ by design', we look at some of the interesting pieces that are 'here today, gone tomorrow' – literally popping out of nowhere.
- 'Contact' catches up with UQ graduate Laura Johansen from her Californian home to learn how she became the personal photographer for 'Mary Poppins' star Dick Van Dyke.
- The UQ lecturer who grew up in a safe house for Chile's most-wanted political fugitives, and the graphic novel her life inspired.
- There's a resurgence of the great Australian road trip, but it's a new generation of happy campers who are hitting the highway. Contact speaks to the UQ experts about the latest off-track travel trend.
- In this instalment of 'UQ by design', we look at our magnificent museums, located across each campus. The University is home to several museums, of both historical and artistic significance, where you can while away an hour or a day.
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