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Professor Nigel Perkins is from a mixed grazing property in south west Queensland and completed a veterinary degree at the University of Queensland, followed by a Master of Science at The Ohio State University and a PhD in veterinary epidemiology at Massey University, New Zealand. He has practiced as a veterinarian in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria and has worked as a veterinary academic clinician at university veterinary schools in Australia, the USA and New Zealand. In 2003 Nigel was promoted to Associate Professor in veterinary epidemiology and Group Leader of the EpiCentre, an internationally acclaimed epidemiology research and consultancy centre within the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Science, Massey University. Nigel then joined AusVet - a private epidemiology consultancy company - in 2004 and became a Director of AusVet in 2007. Nigel joined UQ in February 2016 as Professor of One Health and Academic Superintendent within the School of Veterinary Science. In October 2017 Nigel was appointed as the Head of School of the School of Veterinary Science.

Nigel has held leadership roles in a number of organisations, including research program manager for the Horse R&D Program within the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), surveillance program co-ordinator for the Australian Biosecurity Co-operative Research Centre (AB-CRC), and Chief Examiner of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. He is the current Chair of the Thoroughbred Advisory Panel for Agrifutures Australia. Nigel is recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in the field of veterinary epidemiology. He has broad experience in investigations of animal health, welfare, production and disease in a number of species including sheep, cattle, horses, poultry, pigs, aquatic species, and wildlife, as well as experience in human health projects. He has been involved in many short-term projects in Asian countries associated with capacity building in animal health, transboundary animal disease preparedness and response, risk analysis and disease outbreaks. Nigel's work has a strong focus on improving animal health, production and welfare outcomes in Australian livestock as well as providing leadership within the veterinary profession and in the broader areas of science, food sustainability and one health. .

Risti is passionate about promoting food security. Risti has undertaken extensive research in Australia and Asia, particularly in Indonesia, on topics such as the agriculture and livestock policy, Australia-Indonesia beef and dairy supply chains, agricultural trade, the adoption of agricultural innovations by smallholder producers, digital transformation and agrifood e-commerce, and has been a Principal Investigator in several international development projects. In recent years, her work has focused on building food system resilience, working with researchers and stakeholders across disciplines. Risti is also committed to improving gender inclusion in agriculture through leadership and providing opportunities to early career researchers. Risti has also served as an Expert Reviewer to assess multiple international development projects related to food security in recognition of her expertise in project management, the monitoring and evaluation framework and impact pathway.

Prior to her current role, Risti was a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics at Deakin University, serving as the main focal point for Deakin Business School’s involvement in teaching, research, and community engagement in the areas of agribusiness. Between 2016 and 2018, Risti was an Assistant Director of the ASEAN Integration Monitoring Directorate at the ASEAN Secretariat. After completing her postdoctoral fellowship in agriculture economics in 2012 at the School of Economics, the University of Adelaide, between 2013 and 2016, Risti was a Research Fellow/Lecturer at the Centre for Global Food and Resources, the University of Adelaide.

Risti has a PhD and Master in Economics from the University of Adelaide and a Bachelor of Science in Statistics (minor in Agricultural Economics) from IPB University.

Courses taught at UQ:

• Semester 1: MKTG7961 Agribusiness Marketing (Postgraduate)
• Semester 2: AGRC3000 Food & Fibre Case Studies III (Undergraduate; Capstone)
• Semester 2: MKTG3960 Applied Market Research (Undergraduate/Postgraduate)

Internal roles at UQ:

• The School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability (AGFS) - Chair of Engagement and Advancement Committee
• The Bachelor of Agribusiness Program Coordinator

Dr Simon Perry’s research interests include Russian music (history and criticism, and analysis) and analysis of late nineteenth and early twentieth century music.

He is a BMus (Hons) and MMus graduate from The University of Melbourne and a PhD graduate of the School of Music at UQ.

He lectures mainly in music techniques and music history.

Associate Professor Roslyn Petelin initiated and designed the post-graduate Writing, Editing, & Publishing (WEP) Program in the School of Communication and Arts. Prior to launching the program at UQ in 2000, she taught Literature and Film at the Brisbane Kindergarten Teachers’ College and Communication in the Faculty of Business at Queensland University of Technology and in the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.

Associate Professor Petelin edited the internationally refereed Australian Journal of Communication from 1988-2013 and is on the editorial boards of Business and Professional Communication Quarterly (USA) and Corporate Communications: An International Journal (UK). She is a past President and Honorary Life Member of the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association and has consulted extensively on writing, editing, and information design to public and private sector organisations in Australia, the UK, the USA, and S. E. Asia. In 2014, she developed and launched WRITE101x, a massive, open online course for UQx, which has attracted more than 950,630 registrants in its many offerings to date (end of 2024).

Research

Classical and contemporary rhetoric, academic writing, scholarly editing, writing about the arts, writing in the disciplines and the professions, University Writing Programs, publishing, knowledge management, information design, blended learning, and digital publishing futures.

Current research includes: Plain language, writing and editing in the disciplines and the professions, editing scholarly journals, e-Learning, and e-Publishing.

Senior Staff Specialist Anaesthetist at the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

Matt lectures and researches management accounting. Matt completed his PhD in management accounting while working full-time in industry. Matt worked in accounting and finance roles including Group Financial Controller at GenesisCare (tier one private equity environment with CVC Worldwide), and Group Strategy and Financial Controller for Major Change at Woolworths Limited. Before that, Matt worked at Hewlett-Packard, Astra Zeneca, Tyco International, and Gerling Global. Earlier in his career, Matt started and sold an indoor rock climbing gym business and a climbing wall manufacturing business. Matt likes to bring innovative insights from sociology and strategic management literature to his management accounting research projects. Matt has developed a range of innovative teaching materials and materials for management accounting classrooms to give students real-life knowledge and skills. Matt received the 2022 UQ BEL Leading Teaching Award. Matt loves how at UQ he can flex time to balance his work and private lives.

Dr. Ove A. Peters joined the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, in 2020 after faculty positions in Heidelberg, Germany and Zurich, Switzerland, as well as at the University of California, San Francisco. Most recently, he was the founding director of the postgraduate endodontic program at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, a professor with tenure and the Chair of the Department of Endodontics at that school.

Dr. Peters has wide-ranging clinical and research expertise and has published more than 200 manuscripts related to endodontic technology and biology. He has authored two books and contributed to several leading textbooks in dentistry; he also is an associate editor for the International Endodontic Journal as well as the Australian Endodontic Journal, an academic editor for PLOS One and serves on the review panel of multiple other journals. Among others awards, Dr Peters has received the Hans Genet Award of the European Society of Endodontology and more recently the Louis I. Grossman Award of the American Association of Endodontists. He is a Diplomate of the ABE, a member of OKU and a Fellow of the International and American Colleges of Dentistry.

I began my career working in industry for a company which specialised in in vitro diagnostic assays, for both human and veterinary health (AGEN Biomedical). There, I worked as a scientist for almost a decade in numerous departments of the commercialisation pipeline, including manufacturing, product development and research. Following this, I completed a PhD (2010) with the Australian Biosecurity Co-operative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease and have since worked as a virologist at The University of Queensland.

My current research focuses on mosquito-borne virus discovery and the development of innovative vaccine and diagnostic platforms. Together, these research interests have culminated in a greater understanding of the mosquito virome and the development of new approaches for the detection of novel viruses. These include high throughput sequence and antigen-independent assays and the development of suites of unique monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which in conjunction with deep sequencing platforms, provide comprehensive virus discovery strategies. Using this repertoire, I have been involved in the discovery and extensive genetic and phenotypic characterisation of new mosquito-borne viruses, belonging to more than six viral taxon (including Flaviviridae, Mesoniviridae, Bunyavirales, Reoviridae, Negevirus, Nodaviridae).

Harnessing the unique mosquito-specific growth restriction of the insect-specific flaviviruses that we discovered, my research now focuses on the application of these viruses to the development of novel, safe vaccines and diagnostics for multiple pathogenic flaviviruses.

Maree's program of research centres on older people experiencing disadvantage. Underpinning her research is the recognition of the rights of older people to participate in healthy ageing, and as such be housed well with access to community aged care services. Her work incorporates a number of themes but the central aim is to use research to improve the delivery of health and welfare services in the context of elder abuse, housing, homelessness with particular emphasis on the intersection of the policy areas of housing, health and income security necessary for ensuring wellbeing as people as they age. The results from her research have implications for how we think about older people without access to their rights, and living in poverty and at risk of homelessness with restricted access to community aged care and support.

Professor Pettit leads the Bones and Immunology Research Group at Mater Research Institute-UQ and is Director of Biomedical Research for Mater Research. Professor Pettit has led multidisciplinary research discovering intersecting biological mechanisms across the fields of immunology, rheumatology, cancer biology, haematology and bone biology. Professor Pettit is currently a UQ Amplify recipient associated with an ARC Future Fellowship, 2017-2020 and CIA on an NHMRC Ideas Grant, 2022-25. Major contributions led by Professor Pettit include the paradigm shifting discovery of a novel population of resident macrophages, osteal macrophages (osteomacs), and their role in promoting bone formation and bone regeneration after injury. Her team have published over 17 manuscripts based on this original discovery (with over 1700 citations) including translation of this basic research discovery toward eluciating novel disease mechanism from cancer bone metastasis to osteoporosis. This also led to the novel discovery of bone marrow resident macrophage contributions to supporting blood stem cells niches and the key role that these cells play in protecting this vital niche from cancer therapies. Bone marrow and specifically haematopoietic stem cell damage is one of the most serious and life-threatening side effects of cancer therapies. Here discoveries are cited in over 117 patent documents and she is currently collaborating with a major pharmaceutical partner.

Professor Pettit's leadership and achievements have been recognised through multiple awards including the 2019 UQ Faculty of Medicine Leader of the Year (Academic), Women in Technology 2018 Life Sciences Outstanding Achievement Award and becoming a Fellow of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research. Professor Pettit has been invited to give numerous presentations at national and international conferences including Seoul Symposium on Bone Health, Asia-Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Congress and a prestigious American Society of Bone and Mineral Research Meet-the-Professor session. Professor Pettit is and Associate Editor for the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, is an past Council member for the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, and chairs or serves on numerous committees including the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. PhD candidates under Professor Pettit's supervision have all been supported by scholarships (including 2 x NHMRC), received numerous local and national awards (e.g. Dr Alexander, ASMR QLD Premier Postgraduate Award, 2011 and Dr Lena Batoon won the UQ Faculty of Medicine Graduate of the Year Award, 2021), all had high quality first author publications at completion and 2 received UQ Dean’s Commendations.

Dr Sang Phan work combines research in forest ecology and management with significant experience as a practitioner in project implementation and a community development worker. Dr. Phan’s expertise includes carbon sequestration in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems (such as mangrove forests), sustainable forestry practices, and the valuation of ecosystem services. He translates this expertise into practical outcomes by leading forest restoration programs, designing climate change mitigation projects such as REDD+ and agroforestry carbon initiatives, and improving environmental monitoring techniques. A key aspect of his approach involves working directly with local communities and stakeholders, coordinating development projects, and delivering targeted training to build local capacity for sustainable land management and livelihood enhancement.

I got my BSc degree from the University of Natural Sciences in Vietnam. I spent the next two years working on characterisation of multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis with Dr Maxine Caws at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I went to the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge, UK to do my PhD in Prof. John Wain lab where I studied molecular mechanisms affecting the stability of IncHI1 multidrug resistant plasmids in Salmonella Typhi. I then moved to Australia to join the group of Prof. Mark Schembri at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland. I am now working on identifying novel virulent factors in uropathogenic E. coli, especially in the newly emerged but globally spread ST131 clone, using high-throughput transposon mutagenesis and next-gen sequencing. I also maintain my interest in plasmid biology and have started projects to study multidrug resistant plasmids carrying blaCTX-M-15 or blaNDM-1 resistant genes.