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Eric Eisenstat received his Ph.D. in 2007 from the University of California, Irvine. His current research focuses on Bayesian time-series econometrics, particularly structural inference from multivariate models, but he also works on model uncertainty/averaging and shrinkage estimation in big data settings. Alongside publishing in top academic journals, Eric also routinely provides consulting services to policy institutions and private organisations. His recent consulting work has focused on developing and implementing marketing mix models in big data settings.

Jessica Eisma is an expert in community-engaged research in the context of sustainable urban water management. Her vision is to spark a shift toward hydrology-informed urban design spanning the lot to city scale through grounded, yet innovative research on nature-based solutions for managing urban flooding and on urban modification of rainfall. She seeks to uncover how urban development policy and practice contribute to the occurrence of flooding and to stimulate international dialogue on effective urban water management with nature-based solutions. She is committed to developing the information and resources necessary for urban planners and engineers to pursue practice and policy changes that will address significant infrastructural planning and design gaps related to infrastructure for urban water management. Her work will advance scientific evidence for the feedback between urban areas, the hydrosphere, and society and transform the way we approach urban development. In the face of climate change and burgeoning urban populations, such understanding is increasingly critical for managing the human and property costs associated with urban flooding.

Chandima Ekanayake received his B.Sc.Eng (Hons) in 1999 from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He obtained his Tech. Lic. and PhD from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, in 2003 and 2006 respectively. From 2006 to June 2008 he was attached to the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka as a Senior lecturer. In 2008 he joined School of ITEE, The University of Queensland as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow and in 2011 became a lecturer attached to the same school. From 2015-2018 he served as a lecturer in School of Engineering, Griffith University. In 2018 he re-joined school of ITEE, UQ where he is currently an associate professor.

His research focuses on instrumentation for condition monitoring & protection of power system assets and developing ageing models based on laboratory and field measurements to quantify the ageing of assets due to multi-factor ageing mechanisms. This work targets to increase the reliability and efficiency of electricity supply. Chandima's current research areas are as follows:

• Developing lifetime prediction models - Many power system assets are currently operating beyond their designed life. It is not economical to replace these expensive assets based on the age. As operating conditions of the modern electrical grid is significantly different from the traditional system the operating stresses imposed on the assets are complex and therefore traditional failure prediction models are not capable to count these effects on the ageing of power system assets. Our research is focused on identifying the failure mechanisms under modern operating conditions of the grid through laboratory and field investigations to develop new life time prediction models for power system assets including transformer, cables , bushings, circuit breakers and tap changers.
• Smart Monitoring - Developing reliable monitoring techniques and applying artificial intelligence for condition assessment of power system assets are essential requirements for advanced asset monitoring systems. Our research is focused on developing smart monitoring systems using start-of-the-art facilities available at UQ. This includes instrumentation, signal processing, data analytics and application of artificial intelligence.
• Insulating materials and emerging tests - Introducing sustainable materials for high voltage insulation systems is a timely requirement. In addition reliable tests to determine the condition of new and existing materials used for electrotechnology is essential. UQ has state-of-the-art lab facilities for electrical insulation ageing studies and developing diagnostic tools and associated knowledge. Our current research is focused on application of bio-degradable oil, developing thermal models for new insulating materials, analysis on corrosive sulphur in transformers, oil paper ageing, XLPE ageing and evaluating moisture in high voltage insulation systems.
• Power quality - Detection and classification of power quality can improve the grid reliability. Our research is focused on developing suitable techniques to identify the system status and asset conditions through power quality measurements.

Chandima is senior member of IEEE. He is an active IEEE volunteer and held many volunteer positions including the Chair of IEEE PES/DEIS Queensland and Chair of IEEE Sri Lanka section. Currently he is serving as the Deputy Director of Australasian Transformer Innovation Centre. Chandima is a member of CIGRE Australian Panel B1 and closely working with CIGRE Australian A2 and D1. His research work is closely associated with the Australian electricity supply industry.

Lulit holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Addis Ababa Institute of Science and Technology, Ethiopia. She had enriched her teaching experience at the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, instructing courses such as hydrology, hydraulics, water treatment, urban drainage, wastewater treatment, and environmental engineering. She further advances her study to Master of Science in Water Supply and Environmental Engineering at the same University. Lulit then moved to South Korea in 2018 to start her PhD at the University of Science and Technology. She obtained her PhD in Resources Recycling in 2021 and started working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Minerals (KIGAM) in South Korea. During her postdoctoral researcher position, Lulit has worked on the enrichment and recovery of rare earth elements from coal by-products using mineral processing, flotation and carbon mineralization. Lulit joined the SMI in 2024. She has been working on multidisciplinary which will enable her to address the circular economy solution in mining sector (i.e. ore-sands).

Carol El-Hayek is an epidemiologist and public health researcher with over 15 years’ experience managing state and national surveillance systems, monitoring blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections, and evaluating public health programs. Carol is a certified health informatician and has completed a PhD studying the application of computational analytics to real-world electronic medical records to enhance disease surveillance.

Carol is a Senior Research Fellow in the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, managing the ATLAS Indigenous primary care surveillance network.

Background in physiology, endocrinology and primatology. Chartered Biologist, Chartered Scientist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.

1969-1973 - BSc Hons University of Newcastle upon Tyne (UK), Agriculture/Animal Production

1973-1980 MSc and PhD University of Florida. Reproductive physiology and endocrinology of cattle

Employment:

• 1980-1982 Lecturer, Department of Physiology, University of Nairobi teaching physiology to veterinary and animal science students.
• 1982-1992 Head of Reproduction thereafter Chief of Research, Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya. Initially
• 1992-2001 Education Officer at International Laboratory for Research in Animal Diseases /International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi Kenya
• 2001-2003. Academic Coordinator for the Learning and Teaching Support Network Engineering Centre, Loughborough University (UK).
• 2004-2012 Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health, University of Southern Queensland.
• 2012 – 2024. Academic Research Manager Princess Alexandra Hospital (Queensland Health) and University of Queensland School of Medicine.

Retired at the end of 2024 but continues to supervise PhD candidates, chair progress reviews and collaborate on research projects in health sciences and emergency medicine.

Extensive publication records including books, book chapters, proceedings of conferences, research reports to government and industry, annual reports and popular articles, 100 conference papers and 150 peer reviewed papers.

Additional experience in the organisation of five international conferences; consultancies for FAO/IAEA; supervision of postgraduate students; external examiner of BVM, BSc, MSc, and PHD students; journal and grant reviewer and more than 25 years as member of animal and human research ethics committees.

Professor Eley obtained her medical degree at The University of Tasmania in 1999 and became a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists in 2006, after being awarded the Cecil Gray prize for the Final Examination. She has worked as a Staff Specialist in anaesthesia at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) since 2007, providing adult and obstetric anaesthesia clinical services. In 2017 she completed her PhD with The University of Queensland, in the area of obstetric anaesthesia. She has a clinical and research interest in optimising the anaesthesia care of patients with obesity, in obstetric and non-obstetric anaesthesia. Professor Eley is currently undertaking a Metro North Clinican Research Fellowship exploring the influence of perioperative antibiotics on the maternal and neonatal microbiome. She is currently focused on expanding the growing research activity within the Department of Anaesthesia of Perioperative Care at the RBWH and across Metro North Health. As the Professor of the Mayne Academy of Critical Care, she is oversees the teaching of the Critical Care curriculum for UQ medical students and promotes teaching and reseach by Academic Title Holders.

Emerita Professor Diann (Di) Eley is the former Director of MD Student Research and Director of Research Training in the Faculty of Medicine. She is the Chair of the UQ Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC B) and she serves on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE).

Research career began with 20 years as a bench scientist in bio-medical laboratories in Kenya and the UK. Academic career began in 2000, receiving a PhD in health psychology from University of Bristol. Moved to the School of Medicine at UQ in 2003.

Primary research focus is research training and rural health workforce. Developed and implemented the Clinician-Scientist Track (MD-PhD and MD-MPhil) in the UQ Medical School.

Over 150 peer reviewed journal publications and received UQ and national awards for programs that enhance learning.

• 2015: The University of Queensland Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
• 2015: The University of Queensland Award for Excellence in Leadership
• 2014: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Senior Teaching Excellence Award
• 2014: Dean’s Award for Innovation in Curriculum Development. School of Medicine
• 2013: The University of Queensland Faculty of Health Sciences Award for Teaching Excellence.
• 2006: National Carrick Award for Australian University Teaching – Innovation in curricula,
• 2005: The University of Queensland Awards for Enhancement of Student Learning

Dr John Elfick has been an Honorary Research Consultant with the School of Education since late 1999. Dr Elfick was employed by UNESCO in various roles in a number of countries. He has extensive experience in international programs and extensive links to international governments, agencies and NGOs. Dr Elfick's major continuing project involves a web-based School Science Lessons resource that he runs in conjunction with UNESCO.

As/Prof Kathy Ellem is Head of Discipline (Social Work and Counselling) in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at The University of Queensland, Australia. Her research expertise includes participatory research methodologies (including narrative, digital and arts-based research) with people with impaired cognitive capacity; the intersectionality of disability and the criminal legal system; disability workforce development; family-centred practice and capacity building of families who have a loved one with a disability; self-advocacy for people with an intellectual disability; families who have been forced to relinquish care of their child with a disability; and parents with an intellectual disabilitiy and their experiences of the child protection system.

Kathy has previously practiced as a social worker in both government and non-government sectors, working with children, young people and their families in disability and child protection services. As a social worker, she has been actively involved in casework; case management; behavioural intervention; group work; community development; and individual, citizen and systems advocacy. She has taken on family leadership roles in the disability sector.

Kathy's academic focus is on improving the lives of people with disabilities. She is a board member of the Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability, and Deputy Chair of the University fo Queensland's Disability Inclusion Group.

Kathy currently leads the Honours research course for the Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) and supervises research higher degree students in the fields of disability, mental health and health. Her work focuses on how both teaching and research can influence positive change in social work practice and in the lives of people who experience significant social disadvantage.

Dr Claire Ellender BSc MBBS FRACP PhD, is a Respiratory and Sleep specialist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. Her areas of research include evaluating health literacy in sleep education materials and the treatment of complex sleep disorder management. Dr Ellender works closely as a conjoint appointed academic within the Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland at the PA Southside learning community.

Georgina Elliott is the First-Year Coordinator at the TC Beirne School of Law, where she focuses on supporting student transition to university and developing high-quality teaching materials for skills development in legal education. Georgina the coordinator of the First-Year Skills Program, a series of workshops embedded within the Foundations of Law course. The program is designed to support students in their transition into university life by building essential legal skills, including research, writing, and critical thinking, which are needed for both study and professional practice. It also aims to foster the capacity for respectful dialogue and professional conduct, and introduces students to the diverse career pathways available within the legal profession.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland, a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Queensland University of Technology, and a Graduate Diploma of Education and Teaching from the University of Queensland. A committed legal educator, Georgina was recognised as an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) in 2026, reflecting her dedication to excellence in teaching and learning in legal education.

Dr Bill Ellis is an ecological researcher based in the School of The Environment. He gained a BSc with honours in Zoology at The Australian National University and holds a Master of Environmental Law from the same institution. Bill graduated with a PhD in Zoology from The University of Queensland in 1998 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at San Diego Zoo's Centre for Research on Endangered Species in 2011.