Dear staff,
With Semester 2 classes getting underway on Monday, we can expect increasing activity across our campuses next week, including a range of Connect Week events and activities. For those based at St Lucia, it’ll be particularly lively in the Great Court next Wednesday, 26 July, for Market Day.
Enterprise Agreement update
I am delighted to announce that the heads of agreement for UQ’s next Enterprise Agreement has now been signed. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to work closely with the unions to finalise the new enterprise agreement and we hope to share the new agreement with staff for their review in late August.
I would like to thank the team at the NTEU and the Together union, as well as the UQ team led by the Provost, for their continued efforts on and commitment to this important agreement.
Opening of AFTRiC to develop new cancer therapies
On Monday this week, I attended the official opening of the new ACRF Facility for Targeted Radiometals in Cancer (AFTRiC), which is based at the Centre for Advanced Imaging (CAI), at St Lucia.
Established with the assistance of a $1.2 million grant from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation, this new facility positions UQ to play a leading role in the development of new alpha-particle based therapies that have the potential to kill cancer without damaging healthy tissue.
The new facility also received $1.2 million from the National Imaging Facility under the Federal Government’s NCRIS program, and a further $180,000 from the Ian Potter Foundation.
I’d like to congratulate Professor Kris Thurecht and wish the team at CAI all the very best with their important research into the use of precision medicines for treating cancers.
ARC ITTC for Bioplastics and Biocomposites
Earlier this week, I also had the privilege of attending the official launch of the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Bioplastics and Biocomposites, which is based in UQ’s School of Chemical Engineering. Led by Associate Professor Steven Pratt, this new ARC Training Centre is focused on using Australia’s natural resources to drive technological advances in bioplastics and biocomposite products for the new bioeconomy.
Partnering with the Japanese on a Moonshot
UQ recently signed an MoU with the Japanese Moonshot Research and Development Program, a AUD$1 billion initiative that’s aimed at tackling a range of complex global challenges. Our initial contribution to the program will be led by Professor Damian Hine in QAAFI, who is focussed on developing a commercial supply of sustainable biofuels from the pongamia tree.
Future of our health faculties
This week, the Provost and Deputy Provost have been hosting a series of information sessions at St Lucia, Herston and online, so staff have an opportunity to ask questions and share their views on how we could ensure tighter integration across our health-related teaching and research programs.
If you haven’t done so already, I would encourage you to review the discussion paper and provide feedback via the online survey before the consultation period concludes next Friday, 28 July. The website also provides details of the information sessions that will be held next Wednesday at St Lucia and the PACE precinct.
Recent award winners
UQ’s Dr Lena Oestreich last week received the ‘Breaking Barriers Award’ in the 2023 Queensland Women in STEM Prize. Lena’s research uses AI to detect patterns in neuroimaging to help identify people who are at risk of developing mental illness.
In other great news, 6 UQ teams recently received funding via the Queensland Government’s Engaging Science Grants program to run projects that inspire student participation in STEM subjects.
My congratulations also to Dr Sharlene Leroy-Dyer of the UQ Business School, who was recently presented with the ‘Dr Robert (Uncle Bob) Anderson Award 2023’ by the Queensland Council of Unions for her contributions to the union movement.
Awards season at UQ
We will have some wonderful opportunities this Semester to recognise the contributions of our colleagues, with Research & Innovation Week (4–8 September), Teaching & Learning Week (30 October – 3 November), and the UQ Awards for Excellence (29 November) all scheduled for the coming months.
On top of the regular annual awards, this year we’re also introducing the UQ Research Culture Awards to celebrate individuals and teams who have made a significant impact on the research landscape within UQ. You can nominate a colleague, or a team of colleagues, up until 10 August.
Nominations are also currently open for the UQ Ally Award, which recognises the great work of people and teams who help to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for the LGBTQIA+ community at UQ. You can nominate an Ally up until 31 July.
Senior appointments
I am delighted to announce that Professor Virginia Slaughter has been appointed Dean of the UQ Graduate School. Virginia is very well known to the UQ community as the founder and Director of the Early Cognitive Development Centre in the School of Psychology, and as the Head of the School of Psychology from 2013 to June 2023.
I’m also pleased to announce that Andrew Brodie will be joining UQ in September as UQ’s next Chief Property Officer (CPO). A UQ alum, Andrew has wide-ranging leadership experience in complex public infrastructure projects, retail and commercial management, and property development.
He will succeed Fabby Ernesta, who is leaving UQ at the end of September to return home to the Seychelles with his family. I’d like to sincerely thank Fabby for his many contributions to UQ over the past 4 years.
Voice to Parliament staff events
Regretfully, due to speaker availability, we need to reschedule the Voice to Parliament staff events that were due to be held at St Lucia and Herston over the next couple of weeks. We are working with panellists to find new dates. We will let staff know once these arrangements are confirmed and reopen the event registrations. I apologise for any inconvenience caused by the changes, and we hope you will be able to join us at the rescheduled events.
Release of the Universities Accord interim report
Finally, it has been a significant week for our sector with the release of the Australian Universities Accord interim report – and a major speech by the Minister for Education, the Hon Jason Clare MP at the National Press Club on Wednesday.
A central theme of the report is the importance of ensuing that everyone is afforded the opportunity to gain a university education. As a university, we are fully supportive of the 5 immediate ‘priority actions’ that have been outlined in the interim report. We will be considering all other recommendations and providing our feedback to the Accord team over the coming weeks.
I hope you have a great weekend.
With best wishes
Debbie
