Executive Dean’s Message - February 2026
Dear colleagues,
Isn’t it wonderful to see students returning to our campuses after the summer break? This is always a great reminder of our purpose and why we should be proud of the contributions made by staff across the breadth of the Faculty of Science to develop the next generation of scientists.
There was such a buzz during O-week last week, from Science-specific activities through to Market Day. Thank you so much to the large number of professional and academic staff across the Faculty of Science for welcoming students to UQ last Wednesday. The energy and enthusiasm at the BSc/BAdvSc (Hons) expo was amazing, thanks to Gurion Ang (SENV and outgoing convenor of the BSc), our major convenors, Aimee Clarke and the Science Student Experience Team and the many other staff who made this a success.
With Semester 1 classes starting this week, I would like to express my thanks to all academic and professional staff for the work you have done in preparation, including developing course profiles, incorporating new knowledge into our curriculum, being thoughtful and courageous about co-curricular activities, exploring innovative ways to get assessment right and so much more. All of these tasks are hugely challenging but incredibly important, and it is wonderful that we have so many committed and caring staff who are truly committed to enabling student learning and success.
News
Australia Day Honours (Updated)
Congratulations to the following members of the wider UQ Faculty of Science community who have been recognised in the 2026 Australia Day Honours. Their contributions reflect the depth of expertise, dedication, and impact across our Faculty and beyond.
- Marc Hockings (Emeritus Professor, SENV) - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to environmental conservation, the development of protected area management effectiveness evaluations, and to tertiary education.
- Robert Newton (Honorary Doctor of Science) - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to exercise medicine, to cancer research, and to the community.
- Roderick Drew (Emeritus Professor, AGFS) - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to horticulture research and to agricultural development.
- Warren Henry (Alumnus, SVS) - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to veterinary science and to global humanitarian programs.
- Nicholas Mersiadis (Alumnus, Urban studies (previous School of Earth and Environmental Science) - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to aged welfare.
- Bruce Green (Alumnus, Queensland Agricultural College) - Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to local government and to the community of Port Lincoln.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Teresa Ubide (SENV), who has been named a 2026 Distinguished Fellow of the Geological Society of Australia (GSA), one of the highest honours in the Australian Earth Science community. This prestigious recognition acknowledges Teresa’s exceptional contributions to igneous petrology and volcanology, and her leadership in advancing understanding of magmatic processes. Teresa received this honour alongside long‑time collaborator and mentor Professor Gideon Rosenbaum, as well as an outstanding cohort of Earth scientists from across Australia. This achievement reflects Teresa’s significant impact on the discipline and her commitment to strengthening the broader Earth science community.
New Enrolments
In the Semester 1 QTAC round, 1,795 domestic students were offered a place in a Faculty of Science program, up from 1,714 offers in 2025, an increase of 4.7%. This comprised increases in domestic student enrolments in a number of programs including the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Wildlife Science, Bachelor of Veterinary Science, and Bachelor of Mathematics. In terms of international students, the Faculty of Science has accepted 371 students to study in our undergraduate programs (up 19.3% compared to 2025), notably including our Bachelor of Science program which has accepted 175 new students, up 29.6% compared to 2025. International postgraduate coursework acceptances of 407 students however is less positive, down 14.1% compared to last year.
UQ News
TIME University Rankings Update
TIME Magazine has released its inaugural World’s Top Universities 2026 ranking, with UQ recognised as Australia’s leading university and placing us 30th globally. This ranking assesses academic capacity and performance, innovation and economic impact, and global engagement. UQ performed particularly strongly in innovation and economic impact, reflecting our graduate outcomes and industry partnerships.
Teaching and Research Awards
UQ has once again been very successful in the annual Universities Australia Awards:
- Australian University Teacher of the Year: Roma Forbes, Deputy ADA, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, and Academic in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
- Awards for Teaching Excellence: Jason Lodge, School of Education and Lynda Shevellar, School of Social Science.
- Shaping Australia Awards Problem Solver Award: H Peter Soyer, Fraser Institute, and colleagues at UQ and Monash for their outstanding research in the area of Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis, revolutionising early detection and the fight against melanoma.
Call to Action ‘Respect at UQ’
As you may be aware students are required to complete the Respect at UQ training module. The Semester 1 completion rate for this is currently 26%, with more than 22,000 students still to complete it. Students who have not finished the module by 5pm on Sunday 15 March 2026 will have their Blackboard access removed until completion. Staff are asked to remind any students in their courses who have not yet completed the training to do so as soon as possible. Resources are available to support staff communication, and students can seek assistance from UQ Safer Communities for confidential support.
Events
Universities Australia Conference
I really enjoyed attending the Universities Australia Conference (albeit online) this week with highlights including Keynote addresses and panel discussions in the areas of:
- Universities as engines of growth
- Deepening practical engagement in international education
- The future of international and transnational education
- Building social licence and trust in institutions
- Shaping Australia’s research and innovation future
- University-industry partnerships that work (with panellist and outstanding contribution from Emeritus Professor Paul Young!)
Further information can be found online.
Celebrating our New Columbo Plan students
Another highlight this month was attending the celebration of Faculty of Science students who were supported by New Columbo Plan grants to undertake a study tour of China in towards the end of last year. These amazing students visited universities, industries, consulates, field stations and more with opportunities to learn, build relationships and engage with future UQ students. A massive thank you to everyone involved in leading and supporting this program including Grace Li, Gurion Ang, and many more. Check out the video: 2025 NCP China Academic Program Faculty of Science
Faculty of Science Strategic Planning Retreat
The Faculty of Science executive is currently in the process of identifying our priorities to deliver on the recently launched UQ Strategic Plan 2026 – 2029. Last week we spent two days exploring opportunities to address the four domains of the UQ plan: Delivering for the Public Good. Teaching and Learning, Research and Innovation and Our People and Sustainable Operations. We considered feedback provided by many of you at the last Faculty of Science Forum, welcomed outstanding advice and input from academic and professional leaders across the Faculty and beyond, and are now trying to pull all of this together. I am looking forward to consulting with all of you on the draft plan in late March / early April, ahead of finalising and launching the plan at the Faculty All Staff Forum in June.
Opportunities and upcoming events
The Faculty of Science Academic Promotion Information Session is scheduled for Wednesday 4 March. Academic staff considering applying for promotion to Level B, C, D or E should attend either in person or online. Please register online. And a reminder that the timeline for the UQ Promotion to Professor program has changed this year, with applications opening on Monday 2 March and closing on the 7 June.
The Faculty of Science annual awards event is being held next Wednesday the 4 March at 1pm, followed by afternoon tea. Details and the opportunity to register can be found online.
The Career Progression for Women (CPW) program will run again in 2026, with expressions of interest opening next week. CPW supports UQ’s women and non‑binary Academic Level C staff who are actively pursuing leadership and career development opportunities.
Purpose‑built for UQ’s context, the program is designed to strengthen leadership capability, broaden networks, and prepare participants for promotion in the coming years. The 2026 program will be co‑facilitated by Professor Deanne Gannaway, Professor Kylie Tucker and Georgia Acutt, with 24 places available across Faculties, Institutes and Portfolios. Further information can be found online.
The World Science Festival will run from March 20 to March 29 this year. Further information on the many events can be found online.
Kind regards,
Professor Melissa Brown
Executive Dean – Faculty of Science