University Of Queensland News

Antarctica, the world’s last true wilderness, has been protected by an international treaty for the last 60 years. But the same isn’t true for most of the ocean surrounding it.Just 5% of the Southern Ocean is protected, leaving biodiversity hotspots exposed to threats from human activity.The Western Antarctic Peninsula, the northernmost part of the continent and one of its most biodiverse regions, is particularly vulnerable. It faces the cumulative threats of commercial krill fishing…

BMT WBM’s Brisbane-based Graduate Scientist, Danielle Udy, was recently awarded the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland 2014 Kevin Smith Prize for her honours research. The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland presents medals to the highest achieving student majoring in geographical science at three major Queensland universities – James Cook University, The University of Queensland and the University of the Sunshine Coast.  Danielle’s research identified atmospheric circulation patterns that were linked to recent flood events within the Brisbane River Basin to enhance flood forecasting potential.  She will be presenting this research at the upcoming annual Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society conference in July.

The Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) has appointed a full time Technical Director who will be responsible for ensuring the Association maintains its pledge of delivering a high level of technical advice and service to its members against a rapidly changing international regulatory landscape, the SSA said in a press release. He will be responsible for ensuring that the association maintains its pledge to deliver a high level of technical advice and service to its members against a rapidly changing international regulatory landscape. Captain Ang has over 40 years of experience in the maritime sector, initially as a seafarer and port captain and, later, as an academic. He is a qualified Master Mariner (New Zealand) and an accountant – FCA (Singapore) and FCPA (Australia).

BMT WBM (BMT), a subsidiary of the BMT Group, a leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has partnered with Buckley Vann town planners and the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland to develop a comprehensive climate change adaptation plan for the provincial capital of Choiseul in the Solomon Islands. The capital is located on Taro Island, a small coral atoll within Choiseul Bay, mostly less than two metres above mean sea level. Coastal hazards such as tsunami and ocean storms present a significant risk to the Taro Island community, and these hazards will be compounded in the future with climate change and sea level rise in particular.

A world leading collaborative research project between the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), the University of Queensland and the University of Western Australia will investigate the safety culture of shipping operations over a three-year period. AMSA, and UQ have obtained a linkage grant through the Australian Research Council (ARC) to examine the predictors and outcomes of safety culture in the Australian maritime industry. Ship Safety Division general manager Allan Schwartz said the findings from the project would be used to improve safety policies, regulations and practices that aim to reduce the number of accidents and incidents in Australian waters.

Aluminium Boats Australia (ABA) announced that General Manager Stuart Pascoe won the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Leaders of Innovation 2010 award. Selected for his individual ability to enable innovation and create commercial value, Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman announced Stuart as winner of the award for the product innovation category. In 2009 Aluminium Boats Australia delivered the first of its Eco Jet waterbus catamarans to Transit Systems for operation around the south Moreton Bay islands. Eco Jet concept that ABA is now building its fifth vessel for the customer.

•    Frances G. •    Terry D. •    Cherry A. The bipartisan Commission, established through an Executive Order, is tasked with providing recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling. The Council is co-chaired by former two-term Florida Governor and former U.S. Senator Bob Graham and former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency William K. Reilly. Frances G. Frances Beinecke is currently the President of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profit corporation that works to advance environmental policy in the United States and across the world. Ms. Beinecke has worked at NRDC for 35 years, serving as executive director, associate director and deputy executive director.