Inspired by tumultuous times
Published on: 18 June 2021
- UQ alum Brenden Hall and student Lakeisha Patterson have claimed Australia’s first 2 medals in the space of 10 minutes on the opening day of the Paris Paralympics.
- Welcome to 'Contact' magazine's home of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Stay up to date with all the results from the UQ athletes in action in Paris.
- UQ Mythbusters gives you expert advice on what to do to stay safe when being swooped by a bird – and how to avoid being swooped altogether.
- Drama students are taking the stage at the revitalised Avalon Theatre, more than a century after construction of the original building in St Lucia. Following an 18-month refurbishment, the iconic theatre has reopened as a unique teaching and performance space for UQ.
- The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and many other political leaders want to ban young Australians from social media until they turn 16. Is that a good idea or a regressive move that distracts us from the more important task of building forms of social media that enable young people to flourish?
- The University of Queensland community is remembering the achievements of activist, academic and author, Adjunct Associate Professor Merle Thornton AM, who died on Friday 16 August, aged 93.
- A new facility at UQ is set to provide Australian researchers with cancer vaccines tailored to individual patients.
- As the Olympic cauldron is extinguished in Paris, to be reignited in Los Angeles in 4 years, the magic carpet ride of 19 UQ athletes comes to an end, after 16 days of triumph, heartbreak and unforgettable experiences.
- Every athlete has a story of perseverance, dedication and passion.
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- Cakes, bread rolls and pi: in this instalment of The Real YouQ, 'Contact' speaks to maths lecturer and amateur baker Dr Poh Wah Hillock.
- Adjunct Associate Professor Mary Graham's work as a community development leader, Elder, educator and philosopher were recognised recently with an Honorary Doctorate – UQ’s highest honour. 'Contact' spoke to UQ colleagues close to Aunty Mary about the impact of her career and what she means to them.
- Three former UQ physiotherapy lecturers took on a special project in retirement: recording the history of training conducted at UQ and of the profession generally.
- 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.
- Introducing the 2023 UQ Alumni Award recipients.
- 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.
- Looking for some scary movie recommendations to set the mood this Halloween? Contact has enlisted the help of UQ alum and co-curator of GOMA’s Australian Cinémathèque Robert Hughes to take us through some of the most chilling classic films being shown free of charge at the Cinémathèque this summer.
- 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.
- The story of UQ jacarandas is the story of Ernest Walter Bick, the man who raised and planted more than 130 jacarandas across the St Lucia campus in the 1940s.
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- The latest UQ Talks panel discuss the fundamentals of why our brains make the decisions they do and offer insights into how to make better choices.
- 'Contact' delves into the fascinating world of memory with Professor Frederic Meunier from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute to debunk common myths surrounding this complex cognitive process, and find out what the science has to say about memory-boosting trends.
- How does it feel to have no home? What does it look like from ‘outside the inside’? And how do people cope? Engage with how housing instability impacts health and wellbeing, from the point of view of those actually living it in Brisbane, at Health Home Hope – a photographic exhibition on housing instability and health.
- From IV treatments to immunity bombs and ice baths, it seems our social media and newsfeeds are flooded with alternative treatments to boost our immune systems – often endorsed by celebrities and other influencers. But should we be placing our trust in these alternative treatments, and what impact are they actually having on our health?
- Research using venom from a rare tarantula is one of two UQ projects which have received funding to develop treatments for motor neurone disease (MND).
- Biologist Dr Wilma Hart explains how growing cocoa to make chocolate is having a negative impact on the world's environment and that African farmers are living below the poverty line to produce it.
- Researchers at UQ have discovered viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can cause brain cells to fuse, initiating malfunctions that lead to chronic neurological symptoms.
- UQ researchers have shown for the first time that some of the world’s most painful ant stings target nerves, like snake and scorpion venom.
- Australia’s housing crisis is no secret. What many people don’t realise is that there’s another, less visible housing crisis. Australia’s urban cemeteries are running out of space to house the dead.
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- Signs of inclusion as UQ student Jamie Howell named AFLW Premiership Cup Ambassador.
- The benefits of mentoring are indisputable – from increasing confidence and providing perspective to creating opportunities and building networks.
- As UQ’s Chief Student Entrepreneur and successful founder, Rachael Dagge is no stranger to launching startups.
- For UQ graduate, ex-Army engineer and medico Dr Chris Jeffery, everything in his life so far has pointed to this moment.
- Contact sits down with UQ Emeritus Professor and author Roland ‘Roly’ Sussex to talk about the ever-evolving English language and his new book, Word for Today.
- COVID-19 restrictions have impacted everyday lives, including those of our children.
- The spread of COVID-19 has forced much of Australia's workforce into a period of stagnation.
- The Eurovision Song Contest is the longest-running televised competition in history.
- Music teacher keeps students in tune with online lessons.
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- The Queensland University Regiment (QUR) is committed to educating future generations about the importance of Anzac Day. QUR will be providing the catafalque party at dawn service at Toowong Memorial Park again this Anzac Day, as the Regiment celebrates its 75th anniversary.
- What's the story behind the hundreds of thousands of books donated to UQ Alumni Book Fair each year? Did the previous reader enjoy it the way you did. Did they like the same characters and did they lend it to a loved one? Follow the incredible journey of a donated book.
- As UQ prepares for the annual Alumni Book Fair and Rare Book Auction, 'Contact' stumbled upon some centuries-old cookbooks and decided to recreate some classic recipes. Do these delicacies still hold up today? We’ve got the scoop.
- 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.
- Gloria, a beloved pet green tree python, bit off more than she could chew and ingested a puppy pee pad along with her dinner. Luckily, her owners noticed something was amiss, and took the snake to the UQ VETS clinic at Gatton for treatment.
- 8 March is International Women's Day and UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Deborah Terry AO explains that innovations linked to digitisation and automation have the potential to exacerbate existing inequalities and reinforce systems of discriminatory practices.
- Welcome to Love at UQ – our annual celebration of all the connections that university life brings. This Valentine's Day, Contact is sharing the stories of alumni who came to UQ for an education and found love as well.
- The century-old Avalon Theatre building is soon to be refurbished to reclaim its rightful place in UQ's cultural heritage.
- 'Contact' checks in with Marcie the greyhound after her successful adoption from the UQ VETS Clinical Studies Centre and learns how you can help 'suppawt' the next generation of veterinary professionals.
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- Welcome to The Real YouQ, the latest 'Contact' Q&A series offering a glimpse into the real lives of members of the UQ community. In this edition, we meet celebrated TEDx speaker, author and cult survivor Claire Ashman.
- Welcome to UQ Diaries, an anonymous 'Contact' series that dives into the burning questions you've always wanted to ask. In July, we asked non-homeowners and homeowners: How realistic is home ownership to you? And, is owning a home everything you imagined it would be? Here's what the UQ community said.
- Should we thank Barbie for encouraging the belief that girls can do anything, or ask her to please explain the perpetuation of exaggerated white femininity and excessive materialism?
- The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has kept interest rates on hold this month at 4.1%. But any reprieve could be short lived with the RBA Governor Philip Lowe warning more rate hikes could be coming. Is this in the best interests of the country when many Australians are already feeling the pinch?
- Many jobs that were prevalent in 2013 have become obsolete, while new and exciting career opportunities have emerged. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering 'what do I actually want to do with my life?', here are 10 unconventional careers that you may not have considered.
- UQ alum and private wealth adviser Shayne Sommer covers some of the foundational steps to consider when investing for the first time.
- From IV treatments to immunity bombs and ice baths, it seems our social media and newsfeeds are flooded with alternative treatments to boost our immune systems – often endorsed by celebrities and other influencers. But should we be placing our trust in these alternative treatments, and what impact are they actually having on our health?
- The Vision Pro is the first new product category Apple has introduced since the Apple Watch in 2014. It marks the company’s foray into spatial computing. Analysts, markets and consumers have been quick to react – and not all positively.
- Claims the US government has secretly retrieved crashed alien spacecraft and their non-human occupants are hardly new. Now, however, journalists Leslie Kean and Ralph Blumenthal have injected fresh vigour into these ageing claims – apparently with the Pentagon’s approval.
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- UQ welcomed senior high-school netballers from Ipswich, Darwin and Alice Springs as part of Netball Queensland’s Diamond Spirit program.
- Contact caught up with UQ Olympic experts about how hosting the Games in 2032 will benefit Brisbane and Australia's future athletes.
- How does a swimmer prepare for a Paralympics when no pools are open for training? Hear from Paralympic champion and UQ student Lakeisha Patterson as she prepares for the Tokyo Olympics in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- UQ has awarded 53 Scholarships worth more than $205,000 to 51 recipients, including Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls and representatives for Australian and Queensland sporting teams.
- Signs of inclusion as UQ student Jamie Howell named AFLW Premiership Cup Ambassador.
- UQ final-year student Justin Clarke is bound for Oxford University.
- With the AFL season on the line, Queensland stood up to help keep the game alive, winning the right to host the coveted grand final in the process. But what does this mean for the state, the fans and the game itself?
- Clarke is now an ambassador for UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute.
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- Join 'Contact' each month as we take you on a virtual guided tour, providing a brief overview of UQ's design pieces and where you can find them. This month, we take a look at the sentinel statues dotted across the campuses to honour significant people in history.
- VIDEO: 'Contact' speaks to UQ Archivist Bruce Ibsen about his role in finding missing names from UQ Roll of Honour plaques and why it’s important to always remember the sacrifices made by soldiers who had so much to live for.
- Join 'Contact' each month as we take you on a virtual guided tour, providing a brief overview of UQ's design pieces and where you can find them. This month, we take a look at what a load of bull exists at the University!
- Representatives of the UQ Senate, staff and students gathered at short notice in March 1954 to catch a glimpse of Prince Philip, as the Duke of Edinburgh made a whirlwind tour of the St Lucia campus.
- 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.
- Brisbane bookworms can look forward to the return of the city’s oldest book fair – although, it might not be the one you think.
- Join 'Contact' each month as we take you on a virtual guided tour, providing a brief overview of UQ's design pieces and where you can find them. This month, it's our fabulous fountains.
- Watch the video about Francis Nona to learn about how he is using the power of education as a tool to close the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
- Join 'Contact' each month as we take you on a virtual guided tour, providing a brief overview of UQ's design pieces and where you can find them. This month it's bike racks, and the inspiration behind their intriguing designs.
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Connecting you with news from UQ's Indigenous community
About Contact magazine
Contact magazine is your pocket guide to navigating our changing world. Landing in email inboxes monthly, with added special editions covering timely topics, our features keep you informed and entertained. Contact brings together the best insights from UQ’s alumni, researchers and community, connecting our global network of ChangeMakers through storytelling.