THE CONNECTING POWER OF TWITTER - How social media is enhancing the way people with traumatic brain injury communicate - UTS Newsroom
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HEADER
TITLE
SEPTEMBER 2018
THE CONNECTING
POWER OF
TWITTER
How social media
is enhancing the
way people with
traumatic brain injury
communicate
CHANGING THE
WAY WE MANAGE
DEATH
The urgent need
for innovation in
palliative care
THE LAST ISLAND
An interactive board
game encouraging
sustainability
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ASK THE EXEC
Dwyer
Anne
deputy vice-chancellor
(corporate services)
This year is UTS’s 30th anniversary. What is your greatest wish for staff? Thursday 13 September is R U OK?
What is your favourite UTS memory? That they love coming to work – even on a Day. What does this day mean
A very important memory is the Nobel tough day, as we all have from time to time! to you?
Prize exhibition in 2007 – Beautiful Minds: I love this expression! Of course, I don’t
Cultures of Creativity, celebrating a century Every job should have the potential to leave it to one day a year to ask my
of Nobel Prize winners. lead to something more, either within colleagues if they are okay; I check in daily
or outside our university. I want staff to with many people I interact with.
We had three months to get ready for the embrace their skills and see opportunities
$1 million exhibition that arrived in semi- for change and development. I would like There is so much going on in all our
trailers courtesy of the Nobel Foundation. to see more collaboration and valuing lives – it’s good to be aware of how
And it proved to be a sensational of shared success and also support and people are feeling so you can adjust how
collaborative venture across many areas acknowledgement of our colleagues as you’re interacting with them to support
of UTS. We were the only venue in Australia we all push to achieve our collective and their circumstances. UTS has a strong
for Beautiful Minds and the UTS Tower individual goals. And I would like to see all commitment to wellbeing with a particular
was transformed into an extraordinary staff become resilient leaders as we work focus on mental health through our Mental
exhibition space, which even saw the front together to understand how all our roles Health Strategy. We’re now working with
glass wall moved several metres to make are changing. PeopleSense who employs registered
room. The exhibition attracted more than clinical and organisational psychologists
25,000 visitors and 30 school groups and In October, we’ll be asking staff to with extensive experience in counselling
included many hosted tours and talks by participate in our biennial Voice Survey to and workplace consulting. So, if you or
Australian Nobel laureates. find out what’s working well and where you your colleague needs help, talk to
see opportunities for improvement. This is PeopleSense and make an appointment
I always think of this time as a significant an invaluable opportunity for staff to give on 1300 307 912.
turning point for the university – we direct input into the planning and priority
showed ourselves and the broader setting of the university. And, when you ask someone if they’re
community what we were capable of okay, remember that while they may be
and it was the beginning of a much more This year, it has been very rewarding after advice, often they really just need
externally engaged and confident UTS. to look at how much we have achieved someone to listen. So stay in touch and be
together over the past 10 years. And it there for them. Genuine care and concern
gives me great confidence that we can make a real difference!
create a strong and even more aspirational
2027 vision for our students, staff and Photographer: Jesse Taylor
broader community in our next
strategic plan.
Articles
06 08 10
Changing the way we The last island Cover: The connecting
manage death It’s an interactive board game with power of Twitter
a serious mission – to help us better
The innovative new approach to understand how our choices impact Find out how 280 characters is
palliative care that’s set to offer the environment. improving the way people with
Australians more choice in how they traumatic brain injury communicate.
spend their final days and ensure they
receive the best and most
cost-effective care available.
02 Ask the Exec: Anne Dwyer
04 News: Wanna spoon? Ask first!
05 Around U: The Tower’s happy place
12 Staff profile: Step inside the ‘crime house’
13 Alumni profile: UTS to NYC
14 Two of U: Rugby and redemption in Argentina
16 Student profile: Behind the wheel
17 U read it: UTS in print
18 Featured event: Void
19 What’s on: September
19 Art & U: UTS art collection
Next issue Issue 06
The next issue will be released on U is published by the Marketing and Communication Unit and provides a voice for the university
Tuesday 2 October 2018 community. As such, the views in U are not necessarily the views of the university or the editorial team.
U reserves the right to edit as it sees fit any material submitted for publication.
All U articles are available to read online via
newsroom.uts.edu.au or follow us @UTSEngage Managing editor: Georgia Nielsen Art direction: Helena Woo
Send your story ideas, opinions and events to Editor: Fiona Livy Design: Stella Thai
u@uts.edu.au Assistant editor: Katia Sanfilippo Cover image: Alice Donovan Rouse
Enquiries: 02 9514 2249 | u@uts.edu.au via unsplash.com
Page 19 images: Ben Roberts, Interior of Amazon Contributors: Debra Adelaide, Lexy Akillas, Media enquiries: Lesley Parker | 02 9514 3054
Fulfilment Centre, Rugeley, UK, 2012, C-Type Print, Khaulah Bachsinar, Dan Buhagiar, Anita Dawson,
courtesy the artist; unsplash.com; Grant Turner Hannah Jenkins, Alicia Pearce, Jane L. Phillips,
Emily Mead, Janet Ollevou, Lesley Parker,
Matthew Power, Louise Yeh
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NEWS
DIRC
Ask first!
Wanna spoon?
The ‘Wanna spoon? Ask first!’
activation at O’Day 2018
sweet exterior, this project had a not- “We often do this by looking at the values,
so-hidden agenda – it was a way for the themes and patterns that are present in
UTS community to better understand the the research and considering different
current student perspective on sexual ways to look at a problem. Like, what
assault and sexual harassment. if we approached sexual assault and
harassment not as a problem of consent,
The issue was given national backing but as a symptom of power imbalance?
by the sector in 2016 when Universities
Australia’s Respect.Now.Always. “We usually work with external partners,
campaign was launched. Then again a so this has been a great project to apply
year later, when the Australian Human design practices to UTS,” adds Bridget.
Rights Commission (AHRC) released ““It has helped us re-imagine the way that
their ‘Change the Course’ report. research can be done and how we can
The latter, revealed an unacceptable find playful ways to negotiate serious
number of sexual violence incidents social challenges.”
in our community.
So far, the research project has
Vice-Chancellor Attila Brungs has since delivered 21 in-depth insights and five
established the UTS Prevention of Sexual personas that are supporting sexual
Assault and Harassment Working Group violence-related initiatives, which
with staff and student representation. include centralised reporting, mandatory
This group, recognising the importance staff reporting and implementation of
of the student voice in this conversation, mandatory Consent Matters training.
engaged our own experts in the Design
“The wider world of what could Innovation Research Centre (DIRC) to “When we understand the experiences
be sexual harassment is not identify opportunities for intervention. of others, we can define what behaviour
And, as DIRC Strategic Design Research is harmful and what is respectful, and
fully understood.” So says one of Practitioner Bridget Malcolm says, to work towards developing a culture in UTS
nearly 3000 students who were understand “what the problem behind the where assault and harassment are not
engaged in the ‘Wanna spoon?’ problem is”. tolerated. Understanding experiences is
student voice research project. also key in helping UTS design services
“While a quantitative survey, like the one and interactions that meet the needs of
by AHRC, can tell us about the number students seeking support.”
In 2018, the phrase ‘Wanna spoon? Ask of incidents and where they occurred, it
first!’ appeared on screens, stickers, doesn’t tell us more about how people Staff and students should complete
lanyards, but most notably through within the UTS community think and feel Consent Matters training now.
pop-ups at UTS’s most-attended student about this issue,” says Bridget. Visit uts.ac/consent-matters
events, including O’Day, Summerfest and
the Night Owl noodle markets. And to DIRC’s research-led design practices ANITA DAWSON
make matters sweeter, free ice-cream enabled a deep-dive into the issue Marketing and Communication Unit
was served. as it stands at UTS. Bridget explains:
““Reframing is a core part of design Photographer: Monique Louise and Mustafa Saeed
Students were encouraged to ask for their practice and something that DIRC does
preferred ice cream flavour, including really well. Rather than looking at the
the dairy-free ‘zero-tolerance’ and ‘it surface information of what we have
takes two to mango’. But, beyond the found in research, we probe deeper.
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AROUND U
PMO | JUMBUNNA
The Tower’s
happy place
Botanist and D’harawal elder
Aunty Fran Bodkin has been Aunty Fran Bodkin
learning about plants her
entire life. Often by getting her
hands dirty. Sometimes her
underarms too.
Dianella Revoluta, the berries
“We used to have an allergy test that mum of which are traditionally
told us,” Aunty Fran explains. “We used used as lipstick
to rub the back of our hands if we didn’t
know what the plant was. If there was no
reaction there we could then rub on the
elbow. If there’s no reaction there, rub Crowea, meanwhile, is a flower used to hands over your face, cover your nose
under the arm. Then your lips. Then you signify betrothal. and mouth and breathe in deeply.”
have a little taste of it and if there’s no
reaction you can eat it. I’ve been doing Aunty Fran explains: “The men gave this Aunty Fran says Eucalyptus Tereticornis
that all my life.” flower to the women they wanted to marry. helped her through her own university
If the woman rejected the love, she would studies in the 60s.
With decades of her own botanical have to give the flower back. But if she
experiments under her belt, and accepted it, she had to accompany him to “While I was studying, I would have the
traditional knowledge handed down that same bush and she would pick some leaves in hot water beside me and I would
through her family and community, Aunty flowers to give back to the man. Which I be inhaling the vapour. When I got to the
Fran was the ideal advisor for Waraburra think is very romantic!” exam room I would again rub the leaves
Nura (The Happy Wanderer’s Place). in my hand and I would remember what
It’s our new native garden located just If either partner was unhappy they could I had learned.”
outside Jumbunna on the Tower’s level go back to that same bush, pick some
6 balcony. Here, timber planter boxes flowers and hand them back to signal The inspiration for Waraburra Nura came
provide seating for visitors, as well as a the end of the relationship. “But the from Alice McAuliffe in UTS Art Learning
home for a collection of plants native to sneaky thing of nature is that the plant and Projects. Alice is now exploring
the Sydney basin area. only lives for four years, so you’ve only opportunities to incorporate the garden
got four years to make up your mind,” into learning and teaching at UTS.
One of Waraburra Nura’s purposes is to Aunty Fran warns.
pass on knowledge of the traditional uses Students, staff and visitors can
of its plants to the people who visit. “Don’t tell anybody that though, ’cause we check out Waraburra Nura weekdays
don’t want our men to know.” between 6am and 9pm. Or visit
Take, for example, Grevillia Laurifolia. With waraburranura.com to find more
its stunning red flowers, this plant is Keen students, and staff, might want information about the plants and
traditionally used to make an energy drink. to schedule a visit to the garden for their traditional uses.
Eucalyptus Tereticornis at least a couple
“The nectar was collected by washing of times a year. DAN BUHAGIAR
the flowers in water until it had become Marketing and Communication Unit
sweet to taste,” says Aunty Fran. “It was “It helps your memory,” promises Aunty
then given to young children recovering Fran. “And it’s just the vapour that you Photographer: Shane Lo
from sickness as an energising drink or use. You crush the leaf up into a little ball
even just to drink while you’re sitting by and you rub it between your hands very
the fire chatting.” quickly until your hands get quite warm.
Then you throw the leaf away and put your View this article at
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OPINION
HEALTH
we manage death
Changing the way
Jane L. Phillips
Death is sometimes quick and Until very recently, the majority of
unexpected, and we have no Australians died unexpectedly.
However, the current reality is that most
choice in the matter. More often Australians will experience an expectant
though, it’s a long, slow process death at an older age, and with one or
that affords us the chance to more progressive chronic illnesses –
choose how we spend our final cancer, heart failure, chronic renal failure,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
days. Or it would, if our public cognitive impairment and/or other
health system wasn’t plagued neurological conditions.
by outdated policies, inefficient
Most people desire to remain as
spending and ill-equipped health independent and as well as possible
professionals. That’s where our in their preferred place of care, which
new Master of Palliative Care is usually at home. Palliative care is
essentially about helping people facing an
comes in.
expectant death to achieve this goal.
While there are many definitions of
palliative care, it’s best described as a
philosophy of care focused on enabling
people with a progressive life-limiting
illness to live as well as possible, with
minimal discomfort and suffering and in
the manner they wish until they die. It also
includes supporting a patient’s family
through the process, too.
In Australia, the average age of a person
receiving palliative care is 75 years.
While most people consistently state
they desire to die at home, the reality is
the majority finish up dying in hospital.
For many people, their preferred place of
care and death are likely to be two very
different locations, with most electing to
spend as many days as possible at home
and only electing to be transferred to
hospital when their care needs exceed
available community resources or when
death is imminent.
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“Australia needs health
care professionals
who can focus on and
challenge outdated
practice, actively
contribute to legal and
Reconfiguring community-based care,
as well as our palliative care services and ethical debates and
their associated funding mechanisms, is
required if we are to enable more people
uphold the principles
facing an expectant death to spend more of social justice.”
days at home.
Good palliative care offers the potential
We know that 10 per cent of the Australian of improving patient and carer outcomes,
healthcare budget is actually spent on especially into and beyond bereavement,
care for people during their last year of whilst also improving the use of scarce
life, but a large proportion of these funds healthcare resources. There are
are spent on treatments that are quite compelling humanitarian, moral, ethical,
burdensome and offer few benefits for and clinical imperatives for palliative care.
people living with advanced disease.
For example, one of the first ideas we’ll This new masters will also consider the
Designing new, appropriately targeted be exploring in the degree is unconscious future role of technology in all of its guises
and funded models of care is crucial biases. Our patients come from all walks – ranging from artificial intelligence, to
if we are to address this reality. Health of life. As such, we need to be cognisant adaptive technology, remote monitoring,
professionals need to be part of, if not that our own backgrounds, personal and social robotics – and how these
leading, that process. And, they need to experiences, societal stereotypes advances will enable more people to
understand and be prepared to apply and cultural context all converge to remain at home for longer while receiving
public health principles to strengthen unintentionally impact our decisions and the best evidence-based palliative care.
palliative care provision in their local actions. Recognising and overcoming
health service, as well as nationally and unconscious biases is essential to There’s no question that Australia’s health
globally, especially in Oceania and Asia. ensuring the care we provide to people care system is ripe for innovation. By
with differing values and beliefs, and preparing our health professionals to be
In addition to policy and funding those from vulnerable populations, those innovators society needs, more
reforms, we also need to ensure that is optimised. Australians with palliative care needs,
every health professional understands regardless of where they live, will be
and acknowledges the role they play in Our masters students, in addition able to spend more days in their place of
providing palliative care. This requires a to exploring advanced symptom choice, and receive the best and most
health workforce with the capabilities to management, pharmacology and complex cost-effective palliative care we, as a
deliver the best evidence-based palliative communication skills, will look at how nation, can provide.
care in any setting. The key to achieving changing societal expectations are
this is access to high-quality palliative driving the establishment of policies and It’s time to change the way dying is
care education. practices that foster more compassionate managed in Australia.
communities, and their role in this
Our new Master of Palliative Care emerging social movement. The degree JANE L. PHILLIPS
program will be the first interdisciplinary will outline the innovation required in Director IMPACCT
postgraduate palliative care qualification aged care policy and practice to ensure Faculty of Health
to be offered by a university in NSW. the care provided in this setting is of
Photographer: Stella Thai
The master, due to be launched in equal quality to that provided within our
2019, will target experienced health specialist palliative care services.
professionals across all clinical
disciplines, as well as those working in Recently, we’ve seen a rapid escalation
policy and education. It’s designed to in new treatments and healthcare costs,
meet future palliative care needs, and a growing incidence of elder abuse,
is configured to drive policy and clinical increasingly complex advance care
practice reforms that will demonstrably planning and the enactment of Physician
improve palliative care outcomes for all Assisted Suicide legislation in Victoria.
patients and their families. As such, Australia needs healthcare
professionals who can focus on and
challenge outdated practice, actively
contribute to legal and ethical debates
and uphold the principles of social justice.
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RESEARCH
FEIT
The last island
You’re living on the last remaining
piece of land on Earth. You have
limited resources, but need to
ensure your small community
“The fact is we’re doing something wrong,
grows and survives into the future. and that’s basically how this project came
Welcome to Last Island. up – me asking, ‘How can we use games
and gaming technology to convey this
Last Island is an interactive board message to the people?’”
game with a serious mission – to better
understand how human behaviour and Enter gaming gurus and co-directors of
the choices we make can impact the the Games Studio research group William
transition to a more sustainable future. Raffe and Jaime Garcia.
“We’re successfully destroying our planet “Alexey has a lot of experience with
–– the science is pretty clear about that,” systems modelling,” says William, who
affirms Distinguished Professor Alexey along with Jaime is responsible for Last
Voinov in the Faculty of Engineering Island’s design and development. “This
and Information Technology’s School of helps us to understand what the future
Systems, Management and Leadership. may be, where we’re going to end up,
but it does not tell us how to persuade
people to take different courses of
action, possibly changing their behaviour
towards creating a better future for our
children. That’s where games can help.”
Last Island is a computer-supported
board game. That means it’s played
with both cards and a computer. Players
use the cards to make decisions that
impact human population, economic
development or the environment.
Each time a player places a card on the
table, the corresponding card is clicked
on the computer screen, changing the
parameters of the game’s simulation
model that shows how the decision has
affected the island’s chances of survival.
For example, if the island’s population is
too high, a player may choose to decrease
the birth rate by adding a family planning
clinic or increase the death rate by
building a fast food restaurant.
The variations in the system are clear
as the game progresses, with a red line
reflecting population, a blue line showing
Firouzeh Taghikhah, Jaime Garcia, William Raffe and production and a green line signifying
Alexey Voinov playing Last Island environmental impact.
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“The takeaway is
that throwing the
Firouzeh says, “There was no road
system out of whack map – Last Island was built by sharing
for one’s own greed knowledge. Each member of the team
brought something different to the table,
will always have and the integration of ideas and the multi- The Last Island
consequences.” disciplinary nature of this research taught
me to think outside of the box.”
simulation during play
To test the playability of the game, the
researchers ran a workshop with 24 staff
and students who played the game and
reported their impressions.
“These kinds of games for change need
to be fun but also educate or persuade
Each player also has an individual goal to someone to change their mind, change The idea behind PERSWADE is that
achieve – scoring points to win the game. their behaviour or even just reflect,” human choices and behaviour have a
But (and it’s a big but), there’s no winner if says William. huge impact on our life support system.
the whole island system collapses. Tracking and understanding social
“We found, in our experiment, that all attitudes, values, beliefs, and biases can
“The idea,” says William, “is if these three the groups lost at least one round but help us to change behaviours.
variables change too much, and any of wanted to play again. By the time they
these lines go into the red bars above or played the second or third time, they’d “Last Island proves that games are
below, it’s game over. So, you all have to found a way to collaborate and maximise powerful,” says Jaime. “We’ve got to be
work together to keep the island within their own cards.” wiser and think about things that change
a safe operating space. Everyone takes the way we live.”
turns to make sure they’re balancing out Assessing people’s behaviours on a larger
the effect of what other people have done, scale is something the team hopes to William agrees. “Behaviours and attitudes
while trying to maximise their own points.” explore further. They hope new funding can change over time and between
applications will enable them to launch demographics, so we’re not trying to
“The takeaway,” he adds, “is that throwing the game on a digital platform and target a specific audience and say this is
the system out of whack for one’s own capture perspectives across different what the people of Sydney believe in 2018.
greed will always have consequences.” places and demographics.
“It’s about finding a more holistic
The creation of Last Island was funded by “Seeing how people’s perspectives are understanding of global choices and what
a $19,000 Blue Sky grant from the faculty. changing and what influence the game can be done, not what can be done for a
With that money, the team hired second- is having on their behaviour. That’s the specific government’s policy.”
year Bachelor of Science and Games ultimate goal,” says Alexey.
Development students George Mitri KATIA SANFILIPPO
and Sebastian Du Toit, and PhD student It’s an important part of the newly created Marketing and Communication Unit
Firouzeh Taghikhah to help build the game faculty research centre on Persuasive
over two months. Systems for Wise Adaptive Living Photographer: Shane Lo
(PERSWADE).
“The undergrad students were enthusiastic
and had great ideas around developing
the game. It was an opportunity for
them to really put what they’ve learned
into practice,” says Jaime. “Firouzeh
brought the research angle. She had the
understanding of what questions needed
to be answered and the means to get
to that.”
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HEADER
COVER
TITLE
GSH
“We know that most people after a traumatic
brain injury lose many of their friends …
social media is a way to keep connecting with
power of Twitter
The connecting
your mates.”
Twitter, often discounted for Right now, Liss is focused on bringing
its brevity and superficiality, is her field of TBI in speech pathology into
offering people with traumatic the 21st century. Her PhD is supported
by a UTS Graduate School of Health
brain injuries powerful new ways Postgraduate Research Support
to communicate, connect and Scholarship and funded through the
enjoy everyday life. It’s all part of Australian Government Research Training
Program. It aims to develop a framework
a technological shift that’s turning for health professionals working with
traditional speech pathology on people with TBI to better understand
its head. social media and how they can use public
platforms like Twitter during rehabilitation.
Five years ago, Sarah* was driving home
from work, anticipating that evening’s It’s not as much of a stretch as it sounds.
date with her partner. But she never Liss explains: “Speech pathologists help
made it. Instead, Sarah was rushed to people who have communication disability
hospital after a truck slammed into her to find more ways to communicate and
car, injuring her body and her brain, and connect with people.
irrevocably changing life as she knew it.
“We know that most people after a
“Traumatic brain injuries – also known traumatic brain injury lose many, if not
as a TBI – are a split-second thing all, of their friends,” adds Liss. “Even
that can happen to anyone,” says their family and really close supporters
Melissa (Liss) Brunner. find it challenging to stay close because
the person they know and love can lose
Liss is a part-time PhD candidate and the ability to connect – they may talk
Research Associate in the Graduate over the top of other people, or not talk
School of Health’s new speech pathology enough as they’re not sure of what to say.
discipline. She’s also a speech pathologist Until you lose that connection through
who, for over a decade, has been communication, you often don’t realise
practising and advocating for functional how important it is.”
rehabilitation, which gives people with TBI
the skills they need to live the best life For Liss, “Social media is a way to keep
they can. connecting with your mates and your
family, and to make new friends. You
can tell them about what’s happening,
about life in rehab, or you can talk about
something completely different and ignore
your brain injury.”
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Liss Brunner
Connection has always been an important That’s why Twitter works so well. “If you “We’re moving beyond what’s done
part of Liss’s life. Growing up in Lismore, only have a certain number of characters, traditionally in speech pathology,
in north-eastern NSW, Liss spent a lot there’s less pressure for those who have embracing the use of social technologies
of time with her family, particularly her trouble saying very much, but it also helps in many forms, but still thinking about it
grandparents. the people who say a lot to try and say from that real-life, functional approach
what they mean in fewer words.” in rehabilitation.”
“My nan and pop moved into a retirement
village quite early in life, they were in Unlike other social media sites, Twitter While Liss is the first to admit that “trying
their 50s or 60s. They set up, near the also allows you to connect with others to re-shape society’s perception of
mailboxes, a table and some chairs. It was without having to become ‘friends’ or people with communication disability is
called ‘the chatterbox’. Every afternoon, -‘followers’. really hard”, seeing how technology has
for afternoon tea, they’d go to the changed the lives of people like Sarah
chatterbox and everyone in the retirement “So you get lots of people talking to (yes, she’s a real person with a TBI) makes
village would bring some cakes and tea politicians, organisations, or celebrities it all worthwhile.
and coffee and they’d sit and chat.” directly and providing that commentary
about their views and opinions. It’s also “At the end of the day it’s not really about
“My pop, he’d be sitting there hooking into a great news platform, where lots of the technology,” smiles Liss. “It’s about
a cup of tea and a scone laden with jam real-time events get reported and giving people some skills in navigating
and cream that was prepared for him by commented on.” it. Everyone should be able to enjoy life
my nan,” Liss recalls. “You know, if they and contribute to society in a way that’s
couldn’t eat and drink or sit around the Less than two years out from finishing meaningful to them – and being included
table and chat with their friends, then it her PhD, Liss has already completed in social media communities is an
would have totally changed their quality systematic reviews of social media and important part of that.”
of life.” the technology currently used in speech
pathology, interviewed people with TBI, You can follow Liss and her research
It’s an ethos that continues to inspire Liss. analysed their tweets and hashtags (like on Twitter @LissBEE_CPSP and her
“Just because you have a communication #TBI and #concussion), run focus groups blog, melissabrunner.wordpress.com
disability, it doesn’t mean you aren’t part with rehabilitation teams, and is working Find out more about our new
of society or that you can’t contribute to on developing a framework for clinicians speech pathology degrees at
society. It just means you may need to to use when talking with people with brain uts.ac/speechpathology
communicate in a different way. injury about using social media.
FIONA LIVY
“In traumatic brain injury, people often Guiding her research knowledge and skill Marketing and Communication Unit
have one of two distinct communication development are her multi-disciplinary PhD
styles,” continues Liss. “Some people team, which include an engineer, social Photographer (Liss Brunner): Shane Lo
Photographer (background): Alice Donovan Rouse
talk a lot, even too much. Others have marketer, and two speech pathologists, via unsplash.com
trouble starting conversations or keeping including her primary supervisor UTS’s
them going.” Head of Speech Pathology Bronwyn This research is funded by: UTS Graduate School
Hemsley. Liss says, “I knew that by coming of Health Postgraduate Research Support
Scholarship and the Australian Government
here I could continue to work closely with Research Training Program.
Bronwyn on technology-based research
that was really helping people with **Name has been changed to protect her identity
communication disability.
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STAFF PROFILE
SCI
the ‘crime house’
Step inside
Brandon Lam’s shadow fills the As Brandon grew more competent in the
doorway. A body lays on the floor. role, he was given more responsibility. It
The wall behind is splattered with eventually led to him taking on his current
position as Technical Officer in the
blood. As Brandon moves through Faculty of Science, and the quirky role of
the living room, he’s careful to setting up fake crime scenes.
leave fingerprints. Lots of them.
When asked if it makes him feel like a part
Because Brandon isn’t a criminal. of the CSI or NCIS team, Brandon laughs.
He’s the staff member responsible ““Here in the Crime Scene Simulation Lab,
for setting up the crime scenes or ‘crime house’ as it’s known, everything
is done as it should be. By the book.”
our students use to learn how to
be forensic scientists. Brandon continues: “A lot of what they
do on those shows would probably be
“My job is a bit strange,” admits Brandon. discounted in court, just because they’re
““You probably won’t find many roles like not proper procedures.
this. It’s completely different every day.”
“They’re actually a very poor example of
In 2012, just one year after graduating what happens in real life. Obviously it’s
from forensic science at UTS, Brandon for show, and they need to entertain, but
was back. This time, on the opposite side here at UTS, we’re about preparing the
of the bench as a lab assistant. students for industry, and for real-life
experiences.”
“It was a bit of a shock, going from
student to lab assistant,” he says. “As a Of course, that doesn’t stop some
student you just go to your classes, and students from bringing in sunglasses
everything’s already there for you, you to stage their very own Horatio Caine
don’t really see the extent of the work that moment, as if they are on CSI: Miami.
goes into preparing the labs. It gave me
much more appreciation for the people “It’s good to see the students have fun
who make things happen here.” with it,” smiles Brandon. “But when crunch
times comes, you see their serious side.”
For the second-year students who get to
work in the crime house, the exercise is
about learning how to properly process a
crime scene. It includes everything from
how to take case notes, to how to use
industry-standard equipment, take proper
photographs, and collect and search
for evidence.
Away from work, Brandon prefers to spend
his leisure time with friends, catching up
at sports games, having a yarn at the pub,
or watching a movie that is definitely not
crime based.
Brandon says, “My role is changing, week-
in and week-out, so I’m never stuck doing
the same nine-to-five job every day.
I think that’s what I enjoy most, and getting
to be a little bit creative with it, too.”
LEXY AKILLAS
Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism)
Photographer: Shane Lo
Brandon Lam inside the ‘crime
house’ – UTS’s Crime Scene View this article at
Simulation Lab in building 7 UTS NEWSROOM
or share it @UTSEngage|13|
ALUMNI PROFILE
DAB
UTS
to NYC
A model wearing one of Sarah’s
designs on the catwalk
Just five years ago, Sarah Lim
didn’t know how to sew. But that Sarah Lim and
Carla Zampatti
didn’t stop her from completing a
Bachelor of Design in Fashion and
Textiles (Honours).
“I’ve always loved the way clothing can tell So, during her nine-hour flight to Tokyo “It’s nuts!” Sarah enthuses. “The
stories about our lives and experiences,” and the two weeks she spent exploring opportunities that present themselves
Sarah confesses. “We wear clothing every Japanese art galleries and fashion to you; things that you never would have
day, so what we express through the act districts, Sarah also went to work thought were possible, they actually do
of dressing, whether unintentionally or not, designing her collection. The end happen; if you just say ‘yes’ every now
is really interesting to me. result was inspired by soft tailoring and then.”
as well as the masculine tailored
“The first year of university was really silhouettes of the 1940s. Right now, Sarah’s focused on settling
challenging and the class had a mixture into New York, building a network of
of both technically proficient people as For Sarah, her designs hit the sweet creatives in her new home and
well as complete beginners. But,” Sarah spot between her own aesthetic – which finding new ways to empower
adds, “choosing to persevere through is influenced by utilitarianism and marginalised bodies.
the difficult parts was one of the most practicality – and the Zampatti design
rewarding decisions I’ve made.” Even ethos – which places the woman, “Fashion is so close to us,” says Sarah.
when life decided to throw her a curveball. confidence and glamour at its core. Sarah ““You wear it every day; it’s something
was named the Carla Zampatti Foundation so personal. Clothes can be a marker of
In February this year, after a demanding Design Award’s inaugural winner. identity, they can tell stories.
year completing her degree, Sarah was
about to go on a well-deserved holiday. Sarah says, designing the looks was “These stories are meaningful; they can
challenging, but rewarding. “My design help us to think about things we might
Then Sarah, together with Jessica process is more intuitive; I have to work not have thought about before. If they
Guzman and Lily Xu, was named as a with my hands to get an idea of what I broaden the perspectives of the people
finalist in the inaugural Carla Zampatti want to design. Having to sit down and who come into contact with them even
Foundation Design Award. To determine design this collection for the Zampatti just a little, it could help make holistic
the winner, each finalist had to create a label was a bit difficult, but it was also change for the future.”
six-outfit conceptual capsule based on really fun, and a great opportunity.”
the Carla Zampatti brand. LOUISE YEH
Now, seven months after submitting Student Administration Unit
her winning collection, and with a cool
$25,000 towards her tuition costs, Sarah Photographer (S Lim and C Zampatti): Lesley Parker
Photographer (model): Daniel Gurton
is taking on the Big Apple. She’s studying
postgraduate fashion at the famous
Parsons School of Design.
View this article at
UTS NEWSROOM
or share it @UTSEngage|14|
TWO OF U
BUS | FASS | 2SER
Rugby and They may be locked behind the
bars of a maximum security
prison, but, for almost 10 years,
redemption in
the Spartans have been proven
to reduce reoffending rates in
Argentina. Last year, Danielle
Logue flew to Argentina as a
visiting professor. She was there
Argentina
to study how the concept of
a prison rugby team could be
applied to other contexts. Then
serendipity intervened. The
end result is a radio story borne
out of a collaboration between
Danielle and 2SER journalist (and
journalism student) Ninah Kopel.
Danielle Logue
I was in Argentina as a visiting professor
at IAE Business School in 2017 to work
with colleagues on social innovation
projects, in particular a project on the
Spartans. They’re a prisoner rugby team
who can count the Pope among
their fans! My friends and colleagues at
IAE Business School, Tomas Farchi and
Pablo Fernandez, provide a wonderful
visiting program for academics, as an
opportunity for cross-national learning
and project collaboration.
I had seen video messages the Pope had
sent the team, and documentaries as well.
So, I was really interested in how the team
was working to reduce recidivism rates,
as part of understanding how different
socially innovative solutions are working
in other countries.
For me, it’s really important that research
has impact, and that we get better at
translating our ideas into channels
beyond academic journals. The team
at 2SER are so supportive in helping
academics become better at this! That’s
why I was also excited to learn that Ninah
happened to be in Argentina at the
same time.
While I was there, I saw tweets about a
2SER story Ninah had produced and I
Danielle Logue and Ninah Kopel thought I’d reach out to say I’m also here
doing this project, and she was really
interested in collaborating.|15|
A police officer on duty
in Buenos Aires
When you’re a journalist you go
into spaces looking for a story, but
Danielle’s coming at it from the social
innovation side, so she was making
these observations like, ‘What is going
on here that could potentially apply in
other circumstances?’ Whereas I was
more like, ‘Who are these people, what
are they learning, what are they feeling?’
But that’s what makes it interesting. And
this process is what we do at 2SER a
lot: we go and work with academics and
researchers and experts, and we find a
way to bridge the gap between research
and the everyday person. But Danielle’s
research is so relatable already. You don’t
Buenos Aires, the capital of have to convince people that it’s a human
Argentina and home of the story, because that’s the whole point of it.
IAE Business School
The Spartans do this thing called a
rosary ceremony where they get up and
talk about their feelings. It was a kind of
When we met in a local café, I didn’t really The overall idea is something worth fly-on-the-wall experience when I was
consider her a student, she was more a testing, but the more we started to think there; listening to them talk in a really
proper journalist at that stage – and her about it, we realised that rugby itself plays private, intimate way. There was then
Spanish skills are far better than mine! a particular role in the class system and the expectation that I would get up and
social structure in Argentina, I don’t think share something as well, which was
I’ve only worked with students from the it would have the same transformative really nerve-wracking. But, more than
UTS Business School, so for me it was impact in prisons in Australia. anything it showed that what they’re
really interesting to learn more about doing with this team is really special, and
what Ninah was observing in Argentina, For both of us, I think the really powerful it’s allowing people to realise that at the
and how she went about her side of the thing was interviewing people, speaking end of the day they’re just humans.
project. The main value for me was being to the coach and the players, and having
able to talk with someone from a different that experience. The whole experience made me realise
discipline. But, it was also great to speak there are such amazing opportunities
with someone from the Australian system, Ninah Kopel to work together. Danielle opened up a
where we could have that conversation of, When this process started, I didn’t home where she was staying in Buenos
‘‘Are you seeing what I’m seeing?’ or ‘What know Danielle personally, but I knew Aires to me, opened up her research
did you notice that was different?’ We had she had worked with 2SER in the and her ideas to me, and trusted me to
shared concerns about what was going past. I was in Argentina as part of my run with them. That’s really amazing.
on in the world, what our role was, how we international studies degree, working
could contribute, and how we could do on another story about Argentina’s I think the more we can do that, and
better; it was really refreshing to be able senate elections, and when Danielle the more we can make stories out of
to speak with an engaged, thoughtful, and saw my stories posted on Twitter, she the ideas that are happening in this
articulate student in detail about stuff was like, “By the way, I’m here too!” university, the more exciting they’ll
that really matters. be for people, and that’s awesome.
Danielle explained she was doing a
We were both fascinated with the team, project on the Spartans, and thought I’d You can listen to Ninah’s story at
but we came at it with a different end be interested in doing something too. 2ser.com/shows/weekend-breakfast
purpose. For Ninah, it was more about
the story, whereas I was interested in The first time we met was just to have
Photographer (D Logue and N Kopel): Stella Thai
socially innovative solutions, and ways of a coffee and chat about what she was Photographer (police officer): Gonzalo Diaz via
financing them. I was really interested in doing so I could get my head around Flickr Creative Commons
finding out what was actually happening, it. Later on, we visited the prison itself Photographer (Buenos Aires): Deensel via
and thinking through whether this idea and I went into it wanting to capture the Flickr Creative Commons
could diffuse to other places, or whether it experience Danielle was having. It’s a
was unique to Argentina. really overwhelming sensory experience,
and even more so for Danielle, since
What we found was that the people who she didn’t know the language!
were really leading it and championing it
are really quite special people, and a lot
of the success comes down to these few View this article at
key people. UTS NEWSROOM
or share it @UTSEngage|16|
STUDENT PROFILE
FEIT
the wheel
Behind
Campbell Cain-Carney working on
the UTS Motorsport Electic Team
car inside ProtoSpace
“It proves you don’t need to complete Right now, they’re preparing for
Year 12 to get into the degree you want,” December’s Formula SAE event in Victoria.
affirms Campbell. ““The goal for our design team is to win
efficiency while remaining competitive
Nor does your degree have to dictate overall,” says Campbell. Efficiency is
which activities you get involved with just one of the categories competing
on campus. In 2016, Campbell say his teams are judged on. It’s calculated by
classmate Niels Verhaegh introduced measuring how much energy is expended
him to the UTS Motorsports Electric Team, by the vehicle in relation to the time it
As a child, Campbell Cain-Carney where he works alongside students from takes to complete a lap of the course.
spent hours doing experiments science, engineering, media and business.
Last year, the team achieved their goal
from Horrible Histories magazine. The team designs and manufactures a in the competition by finishing 1st in
““They included everything single-seater, open-wheeled, formula- efficiency and 2nd overall in the
from erupting volcanoes to style race car. The students drive the car electric category.
in a series of static and dynamic events at
growing your own bacteria and the Formula SAE Australasia competition “There’s a huge sigh of relief when the car
even your own lab coat. I’ve -– an international competition specifically crosses the line.” Campbell says, “It’s a
always been interested in trying for students. big build up, a year-long project that sees
thousands of work hours and $200,000
to understand how things work,” This year, the team – which was originally invested into the car.”
recalls Campbell. based in an old workshop under building 2
-– moved into the university’s new For Campbell, the late nights are well
Originally from Bathurst NSW, Campbell ProtoSpace in building 7. And Campbell, worth it. “The experience gained by going
left high school before his final year. “I felt who still has three years until he finishes to comp, presenting the car and also
my time would be better spent studying his degree, has taken on the role of seeing what other teams have done is
at home or working, so I enrolled in Technical Director. “I’m responsible for invaluable. There’s nothing quite like it!”
automotive mechanics at TAFE.” In 2015, overseeing all mechanical systems of the
once his apprenticeship was completed, car, including aerodynamics and cooling, Find out more about the
Campbell turned his sights to university. chassis, driveline, ergonomics and vehicle UTS Motorsports Electric Team
dynamics,” explains Campbell. at utsmotorsports.com or about
The lure of the big city, a keen interest ProtoSpace at protospace.uts.edu.au
in science and an alternative admission Working in ProtoSpace allows the
pathway led Campbell to UTS. By UTS Motorsports Electric Team to MATTHEW POWER
completing an aptitude assessment think creatively. “We’ve started using Information Technology Division
and applying through the University ProtoSpace to 3D print some of our
Admissions Centre (UAC) he was more complex parts,” says Campbell. Photographer: Shane Lo
able to start studying a Bachelor of ““This includes 3D printing parts like
Science in Nanotechnology, and later a the steering wheel or seat, which
double degree, including mechatronic are ergonomically designed for
engineering. individual drivers.”
View this article at
UTS NEWSROOM
or share it @UTSEngage|17|
U READ IT
UTS in print
AUSTRALIAN LITERATURE NEW HUMANS OF WE’RE GOING AHEAD
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AUSTRALIA WITHOUT YOU
By: Rosemary Ross By: Nicola Gray By: Sophie L Meredith
Johnston Publisher: Nicola Gray Publisher: Ginninderra Press
Publisher: Oxford Publishing
University Press
Research proves reading is good for New Humans of Australia is not only a Sophie L Meredith made her debut on
you. In this recent title, Rosemary Ross popular Facebook page (it has 115,000 the slam poetry scene, coming third
Johnston seeks to inspire and nurture – as subscribers and counting), it’s now at the state finals in 2017. Staying true
opposed to merely instruct – creativity also a coffee table book. Its premise is to her authentic self, Sophie’s talent is
and enquiry by guiding readers through simple: each of us has a story to tell, and seamlessly revealed through her first book
one of the most vital aspects of our migrants and refugees’ stories – rarely – We’re Going Ahead Without You. Although
culture – literature. A ‘mind book, not a heard in their own words during our her journey in poetry only started last year,
handbook’, Australian Literature for Young national discussion around migration and you can’t tell she’s new to it. Sophie’s
People does more than just investigate asylum – should be shared. The 49 people poetry is autobiographical, telling some of
a large variety of texts for young readers who generously shared their stories her own and a few close family members’
(though it does that too); it also examines, in this book have come through great stories. She explores a plethora of
amongst other things, the teaching and adversity and adventure, with bravery and emotions that resonate with the reader;
learning of literature, the telling and perseverance. We hear stories starting from sorrow to happiness, heartbreak
reception of stories, the grand themes of in Iran and Afghanistan, the Philippines, to love, we feel it all. Notably, her poem
literature, and the great variety of stories, Indonesia and Nepal, Wales and Ogaden, ‘Isabelle’ explores the final moments of
including picture books, film and other and ending in our own community. I read life. It’s raw and heartbreaking, and in
multimodal texts. Beginning with the from this book to my five-year-old child it we feel her family’s grief. Meanwhile,
‘magic’ of reading, and ending with the at bedtime, and, over a week, we spent her poem ‘We’re Going Ahead Without
poetics, or ‘idea of language’, Rosemary hours discussing the stories through her You’, which was written during Australia’s
also discusses Indigenous storytelling, the eyes. Why didn’t Gulima speak English same-sex marriage debate, reflects
importance of deep literacy, genre writing when she started school? Why did Roda Sophie’s activism for LGBTQI rights. By
(romance, fantasy, et cetera) as well as have to leave her family photo album generating a discourse on social justice
the basic tools of literature: narrative, plot, under a tree? Why was Ibrahim’s village issues, this poem creates a paradigm of
character and theme. The book is wide- house bulldozed? Why was Oboya’s dad us (Australia) and them (who Sophie calls
ranging and scholarly but also reader- put in prison for his political beliefs? the “anti-equality person”), galvanising
friendly. It reveals a broad knowledge of Reading New Humans of Australia also the reader to ‘Trump fear and hate and let
Australian literature, and is full of insights enabled my daughter and I to talk about love in’. And let’s face it, that’s a lesson we
into individual texts and authors. For her elderly great-grandparents who could all do well to remember.
anyone wanting to impart to young people migrated to Australia after civil war
ideas about how and why one should read, devastated their village. Empathising with KHAULAH BACHSINAR
Rosemary has done all the work for you in others is an important life skill. And I hope Marketing and Communication Unit
this one splendid book. by reading New Humans of Australia more
of us are encouraged to ask others about Sophie L Meredith is a current PhD candidate in the
Faculty of Health. We’re Going Ahead Without You is
DEBRA ADELAIDE their story and our own. her first book.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
ALICIA PEARCE
Rosemary Ross Johnston is a Professor of Equity and Diversity Unit
Education and Culture at UTS. She is the Founding
Director of the International Research Centre for
Nicola Gray graduated from UTS in 2003 with a
Youth Futures, which evolved out of the Australian
Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She launched
Centre for Child and Youth: Culture and Wellbeing.
the New Humans of Australia Facebook page in 2015
as a way to celebrate the diverse contributions of
refugees and migrants who now call Australia home.|18|
FEATURED EVENT
ART
Void
“Art is defined as much by what it
is, as what it isn’t. Artists express
what we don’t have words for and
Suzy Green and Robyn Johns
that’s certainly what you’ll find
with the Indigenous artists
that have been included in
this exhibition.”
In Void, UTS Gallery’s upcoming exhibition,
curator, Wiradjuri woman and UTS
alumnus Emily McDaniel explores the
many ways that artists create form for
the formless, manipulating the positive
and negative spatial relationships to
visually articulate the undefined ‘void’.
Featuring contemporary works across The exhibition was developed in For Emily, the UTS Gallery was as a natural
drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, conjunction with Bathurst Regional Art fit for what she calls the “nucleus” of
textiles and photography, Void will Gallery (BRAG), and will be presented the large travelling exhibition. It’s the
bring together artists from around nationally by Museums & Galleries of NSW. spirit of experimentation, risk-taking and
the country before embarking on In addition to workshops and forums uncertainty embraced by UTS that will
its own multi-venue national tour. being held at each of the host venues, light the fire to carry on to each location.
Emily will be working with the UTS Gallery
“Indigenous artists are innovative, to create a suite of educational resources Void will be on display in the
constantly changing and finding new aimed at deepening engagement UTS Gallery from 25 September
ways to articulate old ways,” says with Indigenous knowledge and to 16 November. To find out
Emily. “The challenge that I come across understanding of the works themselves. more, visit art.uts.edu.au
so often with working with audiences
in creating experiences around Museums & Galleries of NSW Gallery HANNAH JENKINS
contemporary Aboriginal art is breaking Programs and Touring Exhibitions Marketing and Communication Unit
free of the expectation of consistency. Manager Rachel Arndt says, “Void, and
the national tour, present a significant Image: James Tylor, (Deleted scenes) From an
untouched landscape #7 (detail), 2013, inkjet print
“That’s what I hope to do with opportunity for communities across on hahnemuhle paper with hole removed to a black
this exhibition,” adds Emily. Australia, whether they be regional velvet void, 500 x 500mm. Courtesy the artist and
or metropolitan, to engage with GAGPROJECTS.
“It’s about finding a new language to some of the very best contemporary
speak about these works. These artists Aboriginal arts practice.”
are engaging with art as a visual and
a metaphorical means to articulate
the complexity of their experiences,
so it’s about expanding on the way
we talk about Indigenous art.
View this article at
UTS NEWSROOM
or share it @UTSEngageYou can also read
