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Griffith University is further equipping students for jobs of the future with the introduction of a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicles major.
The major in Electronics and UAV will begin in the Griffith School of Engineering next year as part of the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree program, giving students specialist knowledge in aviation and avionics as well as a CASA accredited pilot licence for UAV or drones.
It is among eight new innovative degree programs being offered by Griffith Sciences, including a world and Australian-first Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/ Bachelor of Aviation combination.
Head of Electronic and Engineering at Griffith’s Nathan campus, Associate Professor Steven O’Keefe, said while some people still thought of drones as toys, the industry was becoming more advanced and now using Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems terminology.

“You can certainly buy small aircraft, model planes for example, which are toys but the industry is using aircraft that are far beyond that,

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A Griffith University study on female victims killed by their intimate partners will aid researchers in identifying risk factors to help improve women’s safety.
“Each year in Australia about 100 females become victims of lethal violence,’’ says lead investigator Professor Paul Mazerolle, Griffith University Pro Vice Chancellor (Arts, Education & Law) and Director, Violence Research and Prevention program.
Two out of three of those victims are killed by a current or former intimate partner. In contrast just one in 10 (or fewer) male homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner.
“The over-representation of women killed by intimate partners highlights the need for improved prevention efforts focussed on reducing this form of extreme violence,’’ Professor Mazerolle said.
Professor Paul Mazerolle, Pro Vice Chancellor (Arts, Education and Law)
Although recent high-profile cases of intimate partner femicide (IPF) have received considerable media attention and driven public calls for action, the knowledge base around IPF is limited.
Much of

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Students with an interest in tourism and/or community development at Griffith could find themselves on a field study trip to India during Trimester 3.
Associate Professor Alexandra Coghlan, Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management, is seeking 12 students to take part in a three-week intensive course as part of the Federal Government’s New Colombo Plan initiative.
Participating students will spend time at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, Jim Corbett National Park in Ramnagar, Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh and Jabarkhet Nature Reserve in Mussoorie.
The field trip, from November 22 to December 11, will also incorporate homestays at the different locations students visit.
“Working alongside local tourism experts, our students will learn what it takes to successfully manage rural tourism so it benefits local communities and the environment,” Associate Professor Coghlan said.
“Within this context, the importance of giving tourists an experience to remember will also be a key factor students will consider.
Prepare to

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An early childhood relocation from Brisbane to the Darling Downs has had a pivotal influence on 21-year-old, Griffith University student Tim O’Dea.
The Millmerran and Pittsworth State High School graduate has maintained numerous friendships and remains grateful for the highly supportive, community orientated upbringing he had.
As a forensic science student he’s now poised for global study opportunities, embarking on an international exchange program to the United Kingdom.
O’Dea will spend six months with Plymouth University in England’s south-west, under a partnership scheme to further his academic studies as part of a Forensic Science/Criminology and Criminal Justice double degree.
Although ecstatic at this prospect, his departure means he’ll miss the opportunity to attend the inaugural ‘Future-proof your career, The Griffith STEM Roadshow’ to be held at Toowoomba’s Cobb and Co Museum on Thursday 20 July.
“It would have been great to come back to the region and instil my passion for forensic science among Darling

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Love and death. Romance and rivalry. Welcome to West Side Story, the Queensland Conservatorium’s main stage musical for 2017.
The show, which turns 60 this year, headlines the Queensland Conservatorium’s 60th anniversary line-up.
Hailed as ‘the greatest musical of all time’, the show features a Grammy-winning score by legendary composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, including hits like Maria, America, Somewhere and Tonight.
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is set in New York’s Upper West Side in the mid-1950s where racial and social tensions have reached boiling point.

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West Side Story set moves into the Conservatorium Theatre
Two weeks to go till West Side Story opens! Here is a sneak peak of the massive set moving into the Conservatorium Theatre. Book now http://bit.ly/2veQD3C
Posted by Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University on Wednesday, 12

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By Dr Keiran Hardy, lecturer, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
The government’s announcement of plans to strengthen the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) role in domestic counter-terrorism operations appears to be a quick and decisive reaction to the New South Wales coroner’s report on the Lindt Café siege in 2014.
The proposed changes may help to clarify some of the confusion surrounding the role of state police and the ADF in responding to terror attacks. However, to prove effective in practice, the changes will depend heavily on the willingness of state police to accept military advice and assistance.
Changes to call-out powers
The major change proposed is to relax the call-out powers for ADF assistance during a terrorist attack. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull described the existing law as “cumbersome” – and it certainly sets a high bar for requesting military involvement.
Currently, the Commonwealth Defence Act provides that the ADF can be called out to respond to violence within state boundaries,

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New insights into the way that theropod dinosaurs walked the earth are providing another piece of the puzzle regarding our understanding of extinct animals and how they are portrayed in popular culture.
The Griffith University-led research, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface this week, has revealed that theropod dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex), were more similar to birds than to humans in the way that they moved, a finding that goes against what was previously believed.
The work will be just one of the topics featured at next week’s XXVI Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics 2017. Jointly hosted and sponsored by Griffith University, the event is at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 23-27 July.
Dr Peter Bishop from Griffith’s Menzies Health Institute Queensland used simple step width measurements of fossil footprints of extinct theropod dinosaurs from more than 210 million years ago and compare them with

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Combining Griffith University’s marine research efforts with Sea World’s is the perfect fit for alumna Erin Wyatt.
The Marine Education Supervisor, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Marine Biology (Honours) in 2006, oversees all aspects of the marine-park’s educational initiatives and programs.
The exciting new Sea Jellies Illuminated exhibit is one of those initiatives, taking guests on a journey that will inform them on important sea jelly information, wider environmental issues and research projects being undertaken in a first-of-its-kind laboratory.
“I’m so excited about this partnership because Sea World absolutely has lots to do and see but if you ask anyone who works here our driving passion is to care for animals and create awareness so that everyone can contribute to preserving natural habitats and marine areas,” Erin said.
“The partnership between Sea World and Griffith University will open that up so much more because people can see the research we’re

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Completing a Griffith University degree in architecture has created the catalyst for 21 year-old Masters student, Courtney Villegas to conceptualise a totally off-the-grid, 120-acre property, just outside of Lismore, in northern New South Wales.
The initiative has evolved through necessity, with entrepreneurial vigour and creativity a hallmark of the project. This complete undertaking is seeing a significant overhaul of the off-grid house typology and Queenslander style, utilising cutting edge techniques acquired through the Griffith university architectural degree to create a home that subsumes both aesthetic appeal and ecologically sound application.
“Where my parents live it’s hard to get any power or water resources so what we’ve been doing is gradually designing a totally off-the-grid house,” confirmed Courtney.
“With the sustainability techniques I’ve learned at Griffith Uni, we’ve started implementing an underground water spring reserve, water tanks, solar panels and working on our own sewerage system, so it’ll be a completely 100 percent off-the-grid

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Over the last 40 years, global air travel has increased almost eight-fold and is set to rise further. This rapid growth is putting infrastructure strain on capital cities, but also putting pressure on airports to validate their future investment in terms of regional return on investment, not just increased capacity.
Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) recently contracted researchers from Griffith University to record and analyse passenger travel patterns and behaviour to provide a clearer picture of the contribution travellers make to the whole state’s economy.
Improved infrastructure
The Brisbane Airport is one of the few airports in Australia that is ahead of the growth curve. Already boasting train access, improved road access, the airport also has a third runway scheduled to open in 2020. When upgrades have finished, Brisbane’s airport will have the same level of capacity as Hong Kong and Singapore while Melbourne and Sydney are still debating improvements.
But Governments don’t pour money

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