UQ scientists, a psychologist, dentist and environmental engineer have scooped Queensland’s Smart Women – Smart State awards.
Queensland Minister for Women Desley Boyle presented winners with $2500 and trophies at Parliament House last night, with UQ women taking three of seven categories.
The awards were introduced in 2003 to encourage women to pursue non-traditional career paths in science, engineering and information and communication technology.
The UQ winners were: Undergraduate student (joint winners) – Sara Tromp Third year Bachelor of Science student Sara Tromp is part of a team of scientists studying the bacteria Wolbachia, which infects many insects and could be used for pest and disease control. Ms Tromp is looking at ways it may affect how an insect flys and could lead to efficient, affordable long-term control of human diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and sleeping sickness.
– Agatha Branczyk Bachelor of Science physics major and honours student Agatha Branczyk was part of the Hyshot team that claimed the world’s first flight test of supersonic combustion. Ms Branczyk, 21, of Toowong, volunteered to measure the remains from the first launch then released weather balloons before the second test flight. She is also researching quantum computing technology, holograms and laser spectroscopy.
Postgraduate student – Linda Cobiac (highly commended) Environmental engineer Linda Cobiac, in her third year of PhD studies, is working on new method to help urban planners better assess the sustainability of storm water systems. Current methods assess water quality and flow but Ms Cobiac’s model adds economic, social and environmental issues. Many cities face water supply shortages and declining river and estuary water quality. The 29-year-old from St Lucia, wants to reduce waterway pollution, encourage re-use and recycling of storm water resources and develop community education programs.
Women in the community
– Louise Earnshaw Psychologist and PhD student Louise Earnshaw has shown that maverick streetkids and successful entrepreneurs share personality traits such as cheekiness, guts and gall. She has developed training programs that will be introduced into schools and TAFE colleges around Australia will harness these traits constructively rather than for crime. The Yeronga woman is also opening her own College of Entrepreneurship.
Women in the public sector
– Dr Anne L Symons Associate Professor in dentistry Dr Symons has been involved in research, clinical teaching and clinical practice for more than 25 years. Dr Symons specialises in craniofacial development. She is working on new ways to promote healing and development of teeth and jaws, injured or deformed as a result of trauma, tumours or inflammatory disease.
For more information or photos of the UQ winners, contact Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (phone: 3365 2619, email: m.holland@uq.edu.au)
