I have recently experienced or witnessed a number of events that when viewed alone are probably inconsequential but when taken together capture a spirit that I wish to share. I was fortunate to have a coffee with a senior academic and one of our young fellows to discuss possibilities of a research collaboration. What I experienced was the ardor and passion that these researchers felt for their latest results as well as a crescendo of anticipation of where their future work seemed to be leading them. Their sense of urgency was contagious. I then had the good fortunate to navigate through a small group of students mulling over the pontifications of an academic as he talked about the significance of research in a poster lining the corridor of the 3rd floor of MacGregor building. There were no fancy powerpoint slides to entertain the students but merely an academic practicing an art passed from teacher to student since the time of Aristotle. Finally I experienced the joy of academics and general staff who have been recognized for their accomplishments by receiving an NHMRC fellowship, a UQ Research Award, a UQ T&L grant, a company directorship, a paper in Nature and a promotion to Level 7 for outstanding performance in research administration. Congratulations to all.

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UQ-Australia: The iGEM Challenge
 
Look out, MIT, here they come!

Well, it has been a very busy few months for the UQ-Australia team in the lead-up to the iGEM Jamboree. Everyone is very excited about getting to MIT – this week! – and presenting their projects.
 
So, what exactly are those projects again, you ask?
 
The team’s Bioprecipitation project aims to optimise the ice-nucleating ability of P syringae at elevated temperatures with the goal to induce precipitation. So, can bacteria help drought, by bringing on rain? That’s exactly what UQ-Australia is trying to find out!
 
In addition to this exciting research, the team is also presenting a Biofiltration project which aims to modify the mercury uptake, reduction and efflux system in E coli to reduce mercury contamination in water supplies. If this project is successful, the team feels it is likely that a similar approach would be effective in mitigating other types of heavy metal contamination.

Team members have been busy out of the lab as well. Katelin Haynes and Michael Milevskiy gave a presentation during UQ’s Graduate Student Week, a program of research training workshops and seminars organised by the Graduate School.  Kate and Michael talked about their experiences gained from participating in iGEM.
 
Michael said that, of the 50 people at their presentation, at least half were honours or undergraduate students.
 
“These students are eligible for participating in iGEM,’ Michael said, ‘so there is definitely interest in the project. After the presentation, Kate and I both realised how lucky we are as undergrads to be part of UQ’s first iGEM team.’
 
Everyone in SBMS wishes Flo, Kate, Liam, Luke, Michael, Richard, Rob, Tam, and Tom all the very best at the jamboree. Thanks go to Wally Thomas, Peter Thorn and Kelly Matthews who have acted as Team Advisors for UQ-Australia and will be accompanying the team to MIT.
 
Stay tuned for news from the jamboree!
 
Robyn Humphreyes-Reid
Team Manager

The SBMS Education Research Unit is proud to announce the launch of its new discipline-based Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grants Scheme. The Scheme will provide modest seed funding for discipline-based Scholarship of Teaching and Learning projects within the School that have the potential to develop into larger teaching and learning grant applications and/or peer-reviewed publications.
 
All SBMS staff actively involved in teaching are encouraged to apply. The Scheme aims to enhance the scholarly activity of staff that are not eligible to apply for other UQ grant schemes based on their employment conditions. All applicants must nominate a mentor for their proposed project.
 
Application for 2009 close 16th of November 2009.
 
Please look at the ERU Teaching and Learning Grants Scheme website to view guidelines and application form.
 
For questions about the application process and help finding a suitable mentor, contact Dr Hardy Ernst or Dr Kay Colthorpe.

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Karin Borges - Conference, 2-3 November.
Lindsay Brown - Conference, 15 October - 13 November.
Jon Curlewis - LSL, 19 October - 6 November.
Dan Markovich - Recreation, 25 November- 1 December.
Stuart Mazzone - Conference, 19-24 November.
Peter Noakes - Conference, 9 October- 4 November.
Peter Thorn - Conference, 26 October - 5, 11-12 November.
Terry Tunny - Recreation, 23 November - 18 December.

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by Yann-Arthus Bertrand and can be viewed FOR FREE on line.


This is a compilation of the most beautiful images taken from the sky but also the most alarming ones about the already visible consequences of our development model on the ecosystems...A must see!

Arnaud Gaudin
Environmental Advice
Ext: 53058
E-mail: a.gaudin@uq.edu.au

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