Executive Dean’s Message - July 2025
Dear colleagues,
July delivered many highlights to the Faculty of Science community, including graduations, O-Week, the start of Semester 2, many wonderful funding outcomes (see below) and the opportunity for many staff to take some well-deserved leave, including me!
The mid-year graduations were a special treat with hundreds of students graduating from programs in the Faculty of Science and its schools at graduation ceremonies the week before last, and Sir Emeritus Professor Peter Donnelly (Oxford University) and Dr Cathy Foley (previous Chief Scientist of Australia) being awarded UQ Honorary Doctorates.
It was also great to get involved in the development of the 2026-2029 UQ Strategic Plan, through a range of consultation sessions and opportunities for feedback. Consultation sessions focused on a range of topics have all been recorded and are worth watching if you have time.
This month we have lots to celebrate and look forward to!
New appointments
Welcome to Clare Schonfeld who has joined the School of Veterinary Science as School Manager. Clare brings extensive operational leadership experience, most recently serving as Director – Planning, Analytics and Programs at the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service, following her substantive role as Senior Manager, Operations with UQ’s Southern Queensland Rural Health team. With a strong background across both UQ and USQ, Clare is well versed in the higher education sector and brings valuable insight and expertise to the school.
I am also delighted to announce two new leadership appointments at Hidden Vale Research Station (HVRS).
Diana Fisher (SENV) has been appointed Academic Director of HVRS. Diana brings extensive expertise in ecological research, conservation biology, and academic leadership. Her commitment to advancing environmental science and mentoring emerging researchers makes her an outstanding choice to lead the station’s academic strategy and engagement over the next three years.
Robbie Wilson (SENV) has been appointed to the role of Director of Partnerships, Hidden Vale Research Station. Robbie will build on the fantastic work he did as the previous Academic Director of HVRS building strategic collaborations across research, industry, and government. His appointment will further strengthen our capacity to foster impactful partnerships and broaden the station’s impact.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Keith Chappell (SCMB and AIBN), Daniel Watterson (SCMB) and Paul Young (SCMB) and for their amazing work on developing the Molecular Clamp vaccine technology that lead to the acquisition of UQ’s UK commercialisation partner ViceBio, by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi in a $1.15B deal. This deal is the largest involving such deal involving a company that is commercialising intellectual property (IP) from an Australian university. Further information can be found online.
Congratulations to Karen McNamara (SENV) on securing a highly prestigious 2025 ARC Industry Laureate Fellowship, which aims to identify the most effective strategies to address climate-driven loss and damage affecting the ancestral lands, culture, and wellbeing of Pacific Island communities.
Congratulations to Aude Bernard (SENV) on being awarded a 2025 Future Fellowship for her project focused on modelling the short- and long-term impacts of migration policy on Australia’s population, labour force, and housing demand. The outcomes of Aude’s research will support strategic planning for immigration, ageing, workforce needs, and housing - delivering benefits at both national and regional levels.
Congratulations to Anne Sawyer (SCMB and QAAFI) on securing a 2025 Mid-Career Industry Fellowship. Anne’s project will focus on developing safe, environmentally friendly biopesticides to protect crops and native plants from disease - reducing chemical use and boosting Australian agriculture and biodiversity.
Congratulations to Alice Twomey (SENV), recipient of a 2025 Early Career Industry Fellowship for her project on mangrove recovery under sea level rise. Using drone surveys and hydrodynamic modelling, the research will support coastal conservation through predictive models of elevation change and storm recovery.
Congratulations to Christine Beveridge, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture and Professor in the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability (and previously the School of Biological Sciences), who has been appointed to the role of Director for the Centre for Horticultural Science at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI). Thank to Christine for her amazing contributions to the Faculty of Science over many years, as a teacher, researcher and leader, including as Associate Dean Research.
Events
Open Days 2025 are almost upon us: St Lucia on Sunday 3 August and Gatton on Sunday 17 August. A huge thank you to our Marketing, Communications, and Future Students teams for their outstanding work in preparing and promoting these events. Thank you also to the academic staff and science student ambassadors who will be volunteering their time to showcase the Faculty of Science and inspire the next generation of scientists.
Opportunities
Applications are open until 5pm, Thursday 21 August 2025 for the 2025 UQ Early Career Researcher Development: Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund. This scheme supports ECRs in building partnerships with end-users to enhance research impact, collaboration and career development. Workshops and resources are available to support applicants.
Applications are open until 5pm, Thursday 21 August 2025 for the 2025 UQ Indigenous Research Engagement & Partnerships Fund (IREP) fund, supporting research partnerships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities (Stream 1), and the career development of Indigenous researchers (Steam 2). The Research office is offering workshops to assist researchers in preparing their application for funding.
Other activities
This year is a big year of reviews with the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability being reviewed this week, the Bachelor of Vet Science (Hons) accreditation being assessed in September and the School of the Environment being reviewed in October. I acknowledge the substantial amount of work that staff across all three schools have put into preparing for these important events and am greatly looking forward to hearing the outcomes.
Kind regards,
Professor Melissa Brown
Executive Dean – Faculty of Science