UQ Update

The latest

This week is Teaching and Learning Week

The University’s commitment to being one of the country's leading teaching institutions will be highlighted this week at Teaching & Learning Week. Program highlights include a keynote address on October 28 by special guest, Dr Mary Taylor Huber, Senior Scholar of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement for Teaching, USA. The program of events is available at the Teaching and Learning Week website. Story

Graduate attributes – nothing to do with me!

Dr Clair Hughes (TEDI) and internationally acknowledged leader in graduate attributes Associate Professor Simon Barrie (University of Sydney) will conduct a session for all academics — coordinators and other curriculum leaders, lecturers and other teachers — at the Sir James Foots Building (#47A), Room 141 on Wednesday, October 29 at 10am to 11.10am. Details: online.

UQ gets fabrication infrastructure boost

A $100 million Australian National Fabrication Facility launched this month in Canberra includes a Queensland node, based at UQ. Story

Enrol now for Summer Semester

UQ Summer Semester runs between November and February. Summer Semester provides for the intensive study of selected undergraduate and postgraduate courses from award programs and you don’t need to be a current student to apply. Enrolments close Friday, November 7. Details: www.uq.edu.au/summer

UQ’s response to climate change – Gatton and Ipswich campuses

Climate change is becoming a global and local issue. This forum on Thursday, November 13, will discuss UQ’s response to climate change. Limited numbers, register now. Click here to view the program for Ipswich. RSVP by Monday, November 10 to: Environmental Services, Property and Facilities Division, ext. 52076 or email: unigreen@pf.uq.edu.au.

Sustainable UQ – speakers forum

All staff and students are invited to this forum at the Abel Smith Lecture Theatre, St Lucia at 1–3pm on Wednesday, October 29. Hear the challenges and new ideas on sustainable UQ from the Vice-Chancellor, leading researchers, environmental managers, NTEU president and UQ Environment and Climate for Change representatives. All welcome, refreshments to follow. RSVP m.mcnally@qld.nteu.org.au, ext. 52538.

Award winner secures future for our parks

Dr Marc Hockings has been awarded the Kenton Miller Award for his research into nature conservation in national parks and reserves. Story

Applications close November 30 for BEL Postgraduate coursework scholarships

The BEL Faculty is offering Commonwealth Supported Postgraduate Scholarships to general staff employed in full-time continuing appointment/s for at least two years. Applicants must apply separately for admission to one of the Faculty's postgraduate coursework programs and provide evidence they have been admitted to a relevant program. Applications for a first semester 2009 start should be submitted by November 30. For details and application forms, contact Allanah Bigg or phone ext. 69061.

Politics of English in Japan

Kayoko Hashimoto is a Lecturer in the School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies. She will present a seminar for the Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies entitled: The Politics of English in Japan: Cultivating “Japanese who can use English” on Tuesday, November 11 at 2pm in the CCCS Seminar Room, level 4, Forgan Smith Tower, St Lucia. This seminar will examine Japanese government policy texts of the plans to promote English. Details: Rebecca Ralph, ext. 67407.

Tools of Science meeting — Tools of the instrument maker

The next meeting will be at 6pm on Tuesday, November 11 (note change of date) in Parnell Building, St Lucia, LR222. The presenters will be Alan Emmerson, Anthony Roberts and Norman Heckenberg. They will examine: How were scientific instruments made in previous centuries? What tools were used to make those beautiful tools of science? Techniques used for transforming brass and steel into an instrument will be discussed with demonstrations of some traditional methods. Details: Professor Norman Heckenberg, ext. 53369.

CCRE spine research seminar series looks at causes of back pain

Dr Jennifer Pynt is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Charles Sturt University. Dr Pynt will present a seminar: Ancient Greek seating and the power of aesthetics over the practical and rational: causes of modern day back pain. It will be held at 7pm on Wednesday, November 5 in Room 304, Therapies Building (#84a), St Lucia. Details, or to register, contact Mandy Weidman. Drinks and light refreshments will follow to celebrate the final CCRE Spine Research Seminar for 2008. The Centre thanks all who have presented, attended and co-ordinated the series this year. Please visit the website for upcoming events.

SI-net Maintain Grades and Grade Upload refresher session

Refresher training on Maintaining Grades and the Grade Upload Process in SI-net is being held in the Senate Room, St Lucia, today, Monday, October 27 from 2pm–3.30pm. No registration is required to attend this Senate Room refresher session.

St Lucia Staff Club plans November events

The Staff and Graduates Club (soon to be known as The University of Queensland Club Inc) has some exciting events for members and guests over the coming weeks. Get a group of friends together and join in.

Tuesday, November 4 — Melbourne Cup luncheon, 12noon–3pm;
Wednesday, November 5 — Wine and Cheese night, 7.30pm;
Friday, November 28 — "Sparkling Night": the tradition continues, 5pm–8pm.

Details: online.

The Cancer Council Queensland William Rudder Memorial Lecture

This year’s speaker is William Rudder Travelling Fellow 2008 Dr John Yaxley, who will discuss: Update on Prostate Cancer Management – the UCSF experience Dr Yaxley is a consultant urologist and urological surgeon at the Royal Brisbane Hospital & Redcliffe Hospital. His special interests include nerve sparing techniques during radical prostatectomy to help improve recovery of post operative potency. The lecture will be on Monday, December 1 at 6pm for a 6.30pm start at the Cancer Council Queensland David Lambert Auditorium, 553 Gregory Terrace, Fortitude Valley. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP to Gillian Yap at (07) 3258 2313 or email ResearchGrants@cancerqld.org.au by Friday, November 21.

Genetics counselling discussion this week

The Queensland Branch of the Human Genetics Society of Australia invites UQ staff to a workshop where a panel of genetic counselling practitioners and humanities scholars will discuss: What are essential elements of ethical genetic counselling?. The session will be at the Edwin M. Tooth Auditorium Education Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospitals, Herston on Thursday, October 30 at 5.30pm. Contact Dr Viviane Morrigan, phone ext. 11572.

Enrol in staff development courses

Places are still available in the following staff development courses:

Teaching & Learning:

Planning Course Assessment Tasks & Programs on Monday, November 3.
Annual Review & Planning for 2009 on Monday, November 3.

General

Project Funding - Accounting for Grants on Wednesday, November 5.
Fringe Benefit Tax on Entertainment on Wednesday, November 5.
Blackboard: Online Assessment on Thursday, November 6.

For details of all Staff Development Program courses, visit www.tedi.uq.edu.au/sdh/.

Get ahead with UQ Business School’s executive education courses

Innovation Leadership (30 March – 3 April 2009)
Valuing Human Capital (27 April – 1 May 2009)
Strategy in Action (18 May – 22 May 2009)
Women Executive Leaders (15 June – 19 June 2009)
Leadership for the Not for Profit Sector (6 July – 10 July 2009)
The Leadership Challenge (27 July – 31 July 2009)
Financial Management at Work (17 August – 21 August 2009)
Corporate Sustainability (7 September – 11 September 2009)
Strategic Marketing and Communication (28 September – 2 October 2009)
Negotiation Skills for Today (19 October – 23 October 2009)
Managing People, Managing Projects (9 November – 13 November 2009)

Details: contact the Executive Education Team on ext. 67104, email execed@business.uq.edu.au or visit www.business.uq.edu.au/execed.

Enrolments open for summer social sport

This summer get a team of 10 friends or co-workers together and take part in the best social sport competition in town. Enrolments close November 18. Details: visit www.uqsport.uq.edu.au/socialsport.

Lifestyle program summer 08

This summer, open your mind to something new, improve your fitness, or learn a new skill by enrolling in the UQ SPORT summer lifestyle program. Details: visit www.uqsport.uq.edu.au/lifestyle Enrolments now open. They close November 28.

COPD (Emphysema) and Heart Disease Study

Are you male and aged 60 or over? Do you have healthy lungs? If so, you may be eligible to take part in this study, which involves an interview with a research nurse, a lung function test (spirometry), an ECG (a simple test tracing the electrical activity of your heart), and a blood test. There will also be a follow up fasting blood test to measure glucose and cholesterol levels. Details: contact Michelle Towers, phone 3240 7922.

Do you have a social work qualification?

People with a social work qualification (undergraduate or postgraduate) who are working in a therapeutic counselling role are invited to take part in an online survey examining the recognition of their professional role. The views of practitioners who see themselves as a “social worker”, as well as those who may not identify, or be employed as a “social worker”, but who meet the criteria, are being sought. Participation will take 10-15 minutes. Details: Kim Oosthuysen or complete the survey online.