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Dr Prabhakar Ramachandran is the Director of Medical Physics at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (Ipswich Road). He has post-graduate degrees in Medical Physics, Electronics Engineering, and Computer Science. He earned his PhD from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He holds accreditation in Radiotherapy QA from the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) and in Radiation Safety from the Australasian Radiation Protection Society Inc (ARPS). He is also board certified by the American Board of Radiology. His research interests include real-time dosimetry, treatment planning, 4D-imaging, radiation dosimetry, and developing deep learning models for Gamma Knife radiotherapy.

Dr Ramanan is a Specialist in Intensive Care Medicine. His main research interests are in critical care epidemiology, long-term outcomes of critical illness, methodological aspects of clinical research and database/registry research.

Dr. Markus Rambach's research interests are in the field of quantum optics, especially on single photon sources to create photonic qubits and qudits.

Markus was born and raised in a small alpine town in Austria, before doing his BSc and MSc at the University of Innsbruck (Austria). He did his undergrad in Physics, before completing an MSc in experimental quantum physics in the prestigious group of Pro. Rainer Blatt. Here, is where he met a young renegade Brit who had just completed his PhD in the research group of Prof. Andrew White at the University of Queensland. Inspired by the stories, Markus decided to have a look for himself and moved to Brisbane, where he completed his PhD with Andrew in 2017. After a short intermezzo for a Postdoc in Scotland, he moved back to Brisbane 2019 and has been a research fellow at UQ ever since. Markus' research interests are in the weird but beautiful world of quantum physics, where he is investigating ways to make the upcoming quantum internet a reality. Over the years he has worked with verious single photon platforms and used them for quantum information experiments. Recently he changed gear and is now investigating the infinitely-sized space of higher-dimensional quantum systems, so-called qudits.

Markus enjoys community engagement, be it as chair of the SMP Early and Mid-Career Academics Committee or as a member of the EQUS Public Engagement Committee. He particular likes the sparks in people's eyes when they start to understand a concept or idea.

Research interests include: applied econometrics, time series econometrics, state-space models and spatial time series models. Has published in journals that include the Journal of Econometrics, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Applied Econometrics.

Current research projects are in: spatial time series models with applications to modelling housing and land prices, transport demand, international comparisons and sectoral productivity

Dr. Divya Ramnath is a post-doctoral researcher in Prof. Matt Sweet's lab at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland. As an early career post-doctoral researcher, she led a new project, characterising inflammation-associated determinants of chronic liver disease at the IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research (CIDR).

Dr Isuru Ranasinghe is a Senior Staff Specialist Cardiologist and the A/Prof in Cardiology at the Prince Charles Hospital and the Northside Clinical Unit of the Faculty of Medicine at UQ. He leads research in clinical cardiology, cardiovascular epidemiology and healthcare safety and quality. Dr Ranasinghe has recipient of nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships including the NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship, the NHMRC Neil-Hamilton-Fairley Early Career Fellowship and the National Heart Foundation of Australia Future Leader Fellowship. He currently holds an Advancing Queensland Clinical Research Fellowship.

Dr. Imtiaz graduated in Animal Husbandry (2003) and then obtained MSc.(Hons) in Animal Breeding and Genetics (2005) from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Pakistan. Later, in his PhD in Animal Genomics (2015) from The University of Sydney, he has developed bioinformatics tools – Meta Selection Scores (MSS) and Composite Selection Signals (CSS) – to investigate the core traits influenced by the historical selection events in worldwide cattle breeds and presented novel insights about the hot-spots of positive selection in the bovine genome. Dr. Imtiaz has been working since 2005 at various teaching and research positions at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore, University of Sydney, James Cook University and The University of Queensland. He is a motivated geneticist, conducting research in the fields of Molecular Genetics, Genomics and Breeding to understand and analyse the phenotypic and genomic data of various species (buffalo, cattle, chicken, dog, dingo, goat, horse, sheep) using high-performance computational and big-data analyses facilities and programming languages (R, Plink, Python); and to characterise the genetic architecture (gene variation, expression and regulatory networks) related to various complex traits of agricultural, clinical, environmental and economic importance for adaptation, appearance, production and welfare.

Dr Melinda Rankin is the author of De facto International Prosecutors in a Global Era: With My Own Eyes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022; and The Political Life of Mary Kaldor: Ideas and Action in International Relations. Boulder CO: Lynne Rienner Publishing.

Currently, she is Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland. Prior to this, she was Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Queensland; Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Global Constitutionalism, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB Social Science Centre Berlin); and Lecturer at The University of Sydney.

Rankin's current research program, titled Conceptualising De facto International Prosecutors in a Global Era, explores the role of ‘de facto international prosecutors’ as an emerging phenomenon. They are ‘private’ non-state actors (including witnesses and victims of core crimes), as well as state legal ‘officials’ in foreign courts, that adopt the practices of the offices of international prosecutors. The program examines the practices, innovations and strategies de facto international prosecutors adopt, and shows how witnesses and victims of core crimes emerge as key leaders in the accountability process. As a part of this broader program, Melinda also leads a project, titled ‘The Nuremberg Effect,’ supported by the Gerda Henkel Stiftung. This project investigates how non-state actors have historically drawn upon the Nuremberg Trials as a type of template to pursue those most responsible for core international crimes. In particular, it focuses on those non-state actors who pursue accountability in foreign courts exercising universal jurisdiction.

Rankin has published a range of refereed academic journal articles, as well as policy articles for Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), Berlin; the Center for Global Constitutionalism at WZB, Berlin; and Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney.

In 2022, Melinda was the recipient of a Gerda Henkel Stiftung grant for the project, titled The Nuremberg Effect; and in 2018, she was the recipient of the Berlin Fellowship Award for the research program, titled Conceptualising De facto International Prosecutors in a Global Era. In the past, she has provided comment for media, including on SBS World News on the subject of Iran and US relations.

Rankin is a Member of the International Society of Public Law (ICON-S), New York; British International Studies Association (BISA); American Society of International Law (ASIL); and International Studies Association (ISA).

Prior to her academic career, Dr Rankin worked in projects, business operations, strategy consultancy, data governance, and policy for groups such as (in London) JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of New York; (in Sydney) MLC, Westpac and Genworth; and (in Melbourne) ANZ and NAB.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Single Authored Books

Rankin, Melinda (2022) De facto International Prosecutors in a Global Era: With My Own Eyes, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Rankin, Melinda (2017) The Political Life of Mary Kaldor: Ideas and Action in International Relations, London and Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishing.

Refereed Journal Articles

Rankin, Melinda (2019) ‘The ‘responsibility to prosecute’ core international crimes: German universal jurisdiction and suspected atrocities committed by the Syrian government.’ Global Responsibility to Protect, 11 (4): 394-410.

Rankin, Melinda (2018) ‘The future of international criminal evidence in New Wars: The Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA).’ Journal of Genocide Research 20(3): 392-411.

Rankin, Melinda (2017) ‘Investigating crimes against humanity in Syria and Iraq: The Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA).’ Global Responsibility to Protect 9 (4): 395-421.

Essays and Commentary Journal Articles

Hale, Kip and Melinda Rankin (2019) ‘ICC’s Decision on Myanmar: Extending the ‘system’ of ICL.’ Australian Journal of International Affairs 71 (3): 22-28.

Rankin, Melinda (2018) ‘Australia’s responsibility to prosecute? Bridging the international criminal law gap in Syria and Iraq.’ Australian Journal of International Affairs 72 (4): 322-328.

Publically Engaged Scholarship, Policy Articles, & Podcasts

Rankin, Melinda, (2023) ‘Russia in Ukraine: Accountability and global order on the precipice’, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 22 Feb.

Ireland-Piper, Danelle, and Melinda Rankin, (2022) Interview by Lauren Sanders: Universal Jurisdiction and Ukraine (University of Queensland Law and the Future of War podcast series): On Spotify , Brisbane, December.

Rankin, Melinda, (2022) ‘From Pinochet to Anwar R.’ Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law Perspective, Melbourne, 18 March.

Rankin, Melinda and Jacinta O'Hagan, (2020) 'Prosecution of alleged war crimes: need for Afghan voices in Australian judicial process', United Against Inhumanity, Lyon, 17 December.

Rankin, Melinda, (2019) ‘The looming international law paradox between the US and Iran’, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 13 May.

Rankin, Melinda, (2019) ‘Responsibility to Prosecute? The Case of German Universal Jurisdiction, CIJA, and the Arrest of Syrian Perpetrators.’ LawLog, Center for Global Constitutionalism, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, WZB (Social Science Centre Berlin), Berlin. 13 March.

Rankin, Melinda, (2018) ‘A road map for Germany: Negotiating a path to accountability with Assad.’ PeaceLab, Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), Berlin, 19 December.

Rankin, Melinda, (2018) ‘Jamal Khashoggi: Shifting law in a deadly turf war.’ The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 29 October.

Rankin, Melinda, (2018) ’To Russia: A Plea of Caution on Syria.’ The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 5 March.

Rankin, Melinda, (2018) ‘Australia’s Responsibility to Prosecute in Syria and Iraq,’ Australian Outlook, Australian Institute for International Affairs, Sydney, 19 February.

Peter is a Research Fellow in Applied Statistics at the Science of Learning Research Centre, Queensland Brain Institute. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that enable or limit children’s life chances. He plays a crucial role in designing well-structured studies, analysing data, and interpreting results to provide valid and reliable conclusions on how to improve children's opportunities and outcomes.

As an applied statistician, Peter collaborates with an inter-disciplinary team to integrate statistical analyses with qualitative research and contextual knowledge. He brings expertise in identifying and analysing key factors and variables that influence children's life chances. Further, he develops research methodologies, including sampling strategies, data collection methods, and statistical analyses of small- and large-scale data, to understand the complex interplay of factors that contribute to children's opportunities and outcomes. He distills the link between experiences and children’s life chances using an array of statistical methods, including longitudinal and multilevel modelling, measurement and psychometrics, causal inference, data science, structural equation modelling, and data visualization. Additionally, he has expertise in uncovering the mediating and moderating factors that influence the relationship between early life experiences and later life chances. By leveraging expertise in statistical analysis and research methodology, Peter’s work provides evidence-based insights into the mechanisms that shape children's life chances. This evidence informs research, policy, and interventions aimed at improving children's opportunities and outcomes.

Dr Rash completed his Honours (1996) and PhD (2001) on the pharmacological activity of spider venoms at the Department of Pharmacology, Monash University in the group of Professor Wayne Hodgson. After 18 months as an Assistant Lecturer at Monash Pharmacology, he was awarded an INSERM/NH&MRC Post-doctoral Fellowship to work in the group of Prof. Michel Lazdunski at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology in Antibes, France. It was here that he became involved in discovery and characterisation of venom peptides that act on acid-sensing ion channels, voltage-gated sodium channels and other pain related channels. Upon returning to Australia to the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (The University of Queensland), he established an ASIC research program and was awarded an NH&MRC project grant as CIA to investigate the molecular basis of the interaction of PcTx1 and APETx2 with ASIC1a and ASIC3 respectively. Dr Rash was appointed as senior lecturer in Pharmacology in the School of Biomedical Sciences in early 2016 where he continues his research on identifying novel bioactive peptides from animal venoms, unravelling the molecular basis for their specific channel interactions and their use as research tools and potential therapeutic lead molecules.

I am a Principal Investigator (PI) and a senior research officer (SRO) at Mater research – UQ with excellent clinical and research laboratory skills and expertise in conducting and analyzing laboratory assays and resolving complex research and clinical laboratory problems. I can describe myself as determined, reliable, studious, conscientious, attentive, industrious, diligent, and focused on the timely, quality completion of all lab procedures. I am able to work well under pressure and time constraints within high-volume environments both independently and in collaboration within a team. I am also a highly self-motivated and career-oriented individual with a genuine interest in addressing cancer molecular mechanisms with the goal of developing novel cancer therapeutics and immunotherapy focusing on tumor microenvironment, immunoregulation and signaling pathways in cancer and metastasis.

Cassandra is a Senior Research Fellow at QAEHS, joining the group in 2019. She completed her PhD at the University of Birmingham in 2014 where her research focussed on determining how humans are exposed to flame retardants from their indoor environments. Following her PhD she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Environment and Climate Change Canada where she was the principal researcher for the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) Network, researching chemicals of concern in the atmosphere. Following her Postdoctoral Fellowship she worked for the Oil Sands Monitoring Program in Canada, assisting with facilitating a multi-stakeholder funding program for assessing environmental impact of Oil Sands operations, before returning to Australia in 2019.

At QAEHS she is the project lead investigating human exposure to microplastics and developing new methods for detecting micro and nanoplastics in human matrices. Her other research interests include the impact of tyre road wear particles and the chemical additives they contain on urban water ways, and developing novel biomonitoring methods for assessing human exposure to chemicals of concern (e.g. silicone wristbands and breast implants).