Saturday, 11 February, is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
There are wolves and marmots on the Mongolian steppes. Wild horses and baby bears too. On the forested border with Russia, there are reindeer.
Wherever they are, Griffith University alumnus Emma Dale is there too.
It’s difficult to imagine an environmental contrast more striking than that between Australia’s Gold Coast, where Emma completed her science degree in 2014, and the East Asian sovereign state of Mongolia.
Yet as Emma speaks from her 10th floor apartment on the outskirts of the capital Ulaanbataar, where the outside temperature is minus 30C and the air is hazy with the pollution from coal fires, it is clear she feels completely at home.
Furthermore, when the time comes to trade the comforts of the apartment for the rigours of Hustai National Park and accommodation in a felt-covered tent known as a ger, Emma will be equally content
Category: Griffith University Feed
Griffith student trains with Australia rugby sevens squad
Griffith business student Lauren Brown is this week training with the elite Australian women’s rugby sevens after getting the call to link up with the elite squad.
The 21-year-old from the Gold Coast will also be part of the Australian Development team that travels to Japan for an invitational tournament next week.
The national breakthrough capped off a top week for Lauren’s rugby sevens ambitions after the ARU named Griffith University among eight teams who will compete for the inaugural National University Sevens Series later in 2017.
“I don’t want to get too ahead of myself but it’s a fantastic opportunity,” she said.
“It’s a great chance to see what they do, how they train and just get an insight into that level.”
READ MORE: Griffith in elite eight to contest inaugural women’s rugby sevens
Lauren is about to start the final year of a business degree at Griffith University where she is studying sport management
Griffith partners with MOOC market leader FutureLearn
Griffith University has established a partnership with massive open online course (MOOC) platform FutureLearn.
FutureLearn’s Director of Partnerships Development, Mark Lester, visited the Nathan campus in Brisbane for the formal signing (pictured below) with Griffith University Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian O’Connor.
“This initiative underlines the proactive approach to the delivery of education at Griffith University,” Professor O’Connor said.
“By partnering with a world leader in online delivery of education, Griffith University is confirming its role as an innovative leader in this space.”
Mark Lester highlighted an evolving education landscape where the expectations of today’s learners are changing constantly.
“We’re devoted to providing a platform for our partners that meets the needs of both them and their learners. We’re delighted to be working with such a forward-thinking partner in Griffith University and we can’t wait to introduce their courses to our millions of learners.”
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Debra Henly, welcomed the partnership with FutureLearn which will
Griffith filmmakers selected for Berlinale
A trio of Griffith filmmakers are off to the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival with their graduate documentary, Wolfe.
Wolfe is a short documentary from producer/director Claire Randall, who studied Film and Screen Media at Griffith Film School.
The film was motivated by her own encounter with mental illness as a teenager. It uses interviews and animation to explore a young man’s journey through adolescence with undiagnosed schizophrenia, and his relationship with an imaginary friend, Mister Wolfe.
For Claire, the film was a labour of love.
“I was looking for someone who had a powerful story, and Nick and I were introduced by mutual friends and actually shared a flat together for a few months,” she said.
“I knew it was a big responsibility taking on his story, but I think we handled it respectfully.
“I believe these kinds of films can help other people who are struggling and encourage them to seek help.”
Lachlan Morton, Director of Photography
Teresa Bradford: An inspiration to others in nursing
Genuine, understanding, compassionate, inspirational.
These are just some of the words that have been used to describe Bachelor of Nursing student Teresa Bradford (née O’Brien), since she sadly passed away on the 31st January as a result of a domestic violence incident on the Gold Coast.
A mature aged full-time student at Griffith’s Gold Coast campus, Teresa was mum to four children, including one with mild cerebral palsy.
Her life was non-stop, but she always kept going showing amazing resilience and positivity.
At 40, she was just starting to gain confidence and believe in herself wanting to help others by becoming a nurse.
Her teaching staff and fellow students have talked about how excited Teresa was about her future and so proud of her four children, who were the centre of her life.
“From the first time I met Teresa I knew she was a genuinely good person,” fellow nursing student Jessica Jones said.
“We had each
University launches internship to help India’s slum communities
Griffith University is continuing with its mission to create globally responsible leaders with its latest internship program, funded by the government’s New Colombo Plan.
Dubbed a community internship, the program sees students from a range of disciplines travel to India for three weeks with the aim of observing and improving the living conditions of those struggling in areas stricken by poverty.
Dr Dhara Shah, a lecturer with the Department of International Business and Asian Studies, is one of the course creators, and will be accompanying students on the trip.
She says that the internship is a truly unique opportunity within the university’s plentiful internship options. “It’s the first of its kind for Griffith, because it’s a trip where we are bringing different disciplines together,” Dr Shah explains. Students from the Business School will accompany those studying nursing, journalism, humanities, ecology and even photography.
Dr Shah was one of a group of delegates
Qld’s top Year 12 graduate to study at Griffith
She’s just been named Queensland’s top Year 12 graduate for 2016, she’s just about to start life as a Griffith University student and she’s got more than just a passing interest in rockets.
It’s quite the hectic life for 17-year-old Amelia Grace from Southport.
On Saturday she was presented with the state’s Outstanding Academic Achiever award by Education Minister Kate Jones at a South Bank ceremony hosted by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA).
Then on Monday she threw herself into everything O-Week had to offer at Griffith’s Gold Coast campus, ahead of her first lectures as an engineering student starting next week.
“I can’t wait to start. I’m sure there will be challenges that I don’t know about yet but I think I’m ready,” Amelia said. “The award was so unexpected. I think I’m still in shock. You just do the work.”
Amelia’s outstanding results in Year 12 placed her ahead of more
ABC showcases Griffith filmmakers
ABC iView is screening Griffith Film School’s graduate projects as part of a new showcase of Australia’s best original short films.
Grad Season 2017 is curated by ABC Arts on iView, introducing Griffith’s talented young filmmakers to a wider audience.
Selected works from the collection will also be chosen for a broadcast premiere on ABC2.
A new platform for young filmmakers
Creative Director of Griffith Film School’s LiveLab, Richard Fabb, said the initiative provided recent graduates with a national platform for their work.
“I am always blown away by the polish and professionalism of our graduate films and they really show the best Griffith Film School has to offer,” he said.
“The national broadcaster is a natural home for these young filmmakers, and it is great to see their work find a broader audience.”
Head of ABC Arts, Mandy Chang said the ABC was keen to build relationships with young Australian filmmakers.
“These young filmmakers are the future
Young minds shape future of commercial tourism in Queensland
The future of commercial tourism in Queensland now rests with young entrepreneurs who are best-placed to tap in to the needs of the booming youth market according to a tourism expert.
Dr Sarah Gardiner from the Griffith Institute for Tourism at Griffith University’s Business School, said new figures show a third of tourists to the Sunshine State are aged under 30 with the booming demographic now crucial to making commercial tourism thrive.
Dr Sarah Gardiner (left) with Chris Hogan from MeMedia and entrepreneurs Sarah Schoeller and Selasi Berdie
“Young people are looking for fresh and novel experiences that are relevant to their generation. Young entrepreneur share that mindset and are therefore best positioned to create experiences that appeal to young travelers.
“There’s a huge opportunity for young people to create businesses and market products to other young people out in the marketplace and that’s what we are trying to encourage people to think about,”
Griffith filmmakers win prestigious film award
Three Griffith filmmakers have been awarded a prestigious Crystal Bear award for their documentary ‘Wolfe’, which was named Best Short Film by the Youth Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany.
‘Wolfe’ is a 16-minute production from producer/director Claire Randall, who is an undergraduate in Film and Screen Media at Griffith Film School.
Pivotal to the production as well was producer Shannen Tunnicliffe and Director of Photography and animator Lachlan Morton.
The film was inspired by the director’s own encounter with mental illness as a teenager. It uses interviews and animation to explore a young man’s journey through adolescence with undiagnosed schizophrenia, and his relationship with an imaginary friend, Mister Wolfe.
‘Wolfe’ was selected for the Generation 14plus category at the festival, part of a program dedicated to young people that attracts more than 65,000 film fans. The Generation 14plus section has previously featured other high-profile Aussie films like ‘Red Dog’, ‘Girl Asleep’ and ‘Bran Nue Dae’.
The Festival jury