Newcastle Researchers Investigating Relations Between LGBTQ+ Community and Police in the Hunter

BY ISABEL EVERETT

University of Newcastle researches are hoping to uncover more information about the relationship between the LGBTQ+ community and the police force between the 1950's and 1980's. 

It's hoped the research will encourage ongoing dialogue about the importance of inclusion and diversity.

Researcher, Dr Justin Ellis says it will shine a light on hidden parts of our history, using oral history to capture local experiences. 

"What's significant about this relationship is that it's involved overtime and in many ways for the better," he said. 

"But we still have gaps in our knowledge about police, queer community relationships in Newcastle, the Hunter and a whole range of other jurisdictions." 

"We also want to tap into those stories of resistance, so that we can develop positive affirmative messages for young queer people today."  

Dr Ellis and Dr Kate Senior are inviting members of the LGBTQ+ community in Newcastle and surrounds, who have knowledge and experience of police-queer relations during these years, to tell their stories and have them documented.

Interviews will be conducted between April and June 2021 and will be audio or video recorded at a place of convenience for the interviewee. 

To participate in the research or obtain further information contact Dr Justin Ellis on 0449 255 658 or email Justin.ellis@newcastle.edu.au.

The research is funded by the local Copley Bequest.

Two University of Newcastle Courses Among Top 10 Most in Demand for NSW Students

BY ISABEL EVERETT

The University of Newcastle is welcoming students to it's campuses with Orientation or 'O' Week celebrations kicking off this week.

Two courses at the University of Newcastle were among the top 10 most in-demand courses in NSW for 2021, according to the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

The Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine joint medical program at University of Newcastle and University of New England was the second most popular course in the state this year, while the Bachelor of Nursing came in at ninth.

The biggest increases in enrolments at the University were in Education, Science and Psychology, with the new Bachelor of Criminology also generating significant interest.

This follows reforms to University course fees brought in by the Federal Government last year, which saw fees decreased for science, health, architecture, environmental science, IT, engineering, agriculture, maths, teaching, nursing, clinical psychology, English and language courses.

Degrees in teaching, nursing, clinical psychology, English and languages became up to 42 per cent cheaper, with a three-year nursing degree costing $11,850, down from $20,412.

Fees increased for humanities, law, economics, commerce, communications and visual arts courses.

Fees for humanities and communications subjects rose around 113 per cent. Law, commerce, economics increased by 28 per cent, with a a full four-year program in these disciplines costing students about $58,000.

This year will see a return to more face-to-face learning experiences for students, following the move to a higher proportion of online learning last year.

Each course will set its own blend of on-campus and online activities and new COVID-safe protocols such as checking in to buildings will be introduced.

University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Vice-President, Professor Mark Hoffman, said the campus experience was important for students and the University was committed to creating the best environment for them to thrive.

“Students are saying they’re really excited to be able to enjoy face-to-face learning opportunities and experience everything that university life has to offer,” Professor Hoffman said.

Professor Hoffman said there had been a high demand for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in 2021.

“It’s exciting to see student numbers so strong this year, especially since we know how challenging 2020 was for so many of them,” Professor Hoffman said.

“We are noticing the highest growth in degrees that embed work integrated learning into the program and have strong graduate employment opportunities.”

Investors Blown Away by University of Newcastle Startup's Wind Turbine

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Compact, yet offering the highest energy output in its class, a small wind turbine created by a University of Newcastle based start-up is attracting large commercial investment in a bid to improve remote and emergency telecommunication access.

Diffuse Energy, has secured $400,000 in seed funding from Australian venture capital fund, Shearwater Growth Equity, to scale production of its promising renewable energy option.

An idea born from PhD research, engineers Dr Joss Kesby, Dr Sam Evans and James Bradley, now co-founders of Diffuse Energy, are reimagining wind energy.

Unlike a traditional open-blade wind turbine which may be as large 160 metres in diameter, their invention spans less than a metre. 

This is achieved by enclosing the blades within a diffuser, which draws more air through the turbine to boost power while taking up less space.

CEO of Diffuse Energy, Dr Joss Kesby said they were changing the way telecommunications companies buy renewable energy infrastructure.

“Our commercial model removes upfront hardware costs in favour of a monthly subscription, eliminating major barriers associated with technology uptake and deployment,” said Dr Kesby.

Suitable for the toughest off-grid environments in Australia, the scaled-down, lightweight turbines plug into existing telecommunications infrastructure, enabling rapid setup of turbines onto towers in hard-to-service locations, and converting them from diesel power generation to cheaper, more environmentally friendly wind-power.

“We know small wind can solve the unique challenges of powering telecommunications infrastructure in remote locations and under critical emergency scenarios. The challenge has been how to deploy at scale in remote and off-grid locations in the most cost-effective manner possible,” said Dr Kesby.

L-R: James Bradley, Joss Kesby, Sam Evans

Plan To Get International Students Back To Newcastle University

BY IAN CROUCH

It's hoped the University of Newcastle will soon be able to welcome back international students as the coronavirus pandemic eases.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian is working with all levels of government on a plan to transition the current two-week hotel quarantine system to a health checkpoint for international students.

The state government estimates foreign students are worth $13.9 billion to the economy and support 95,000 full-time jobs.

The Premier says regional universities won't survive unless they can get some of their students back.

It comes as the Hunter Business Chamber calls for an action plan to safely allow international students with existing visas back into NSW to help rebuild the education sector.

Newcastle University has more than 6000 international students among its cohort of 37,000 students.

University of Newcastle Researchers Join Forces to Develop Innovative Face Shields

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Scientists and engineers at the University of Newcastle have teamed up to develop innovative new face masks in an attempt to address supply shortages of vital protective equipment across the Hunter and nationwide.

Physicists, engineers, designers, and health professionals worked together to create a product which met the needs of a healthcare sector critically challenged by COVID-19.

Professor Paul Dastoor, Director of the Centre for Organic Electronics, says the production of advanced medical devices and other technology was familiar territory for his team - but something which seems as relatively simple as manufacturing face masks was a change of pace.

"We normally make printed solar cells," said Professor Dastoor. "But the substrates that we print on are sheets of PET, a common plastic, which is ideally suited for face shields."

The face shields are made of laser-cut PET plastic, foam strips, and pieces of elastic, making them easy to assemble and even easier to manufacture quickly.

While around three-hundred of the masks are now in use on the front-line in the Hunter Region and beyond, the team already has orders for thousands more.

"That's culminated now in orders for nearly four-thousand face shields from our local health authority, and indeed other other hospitals now appear to be coming on board requesting further face shields."

While the team only intends to produce masks as a stop-gap until larger manufacturers can catch up to the demand, Professor Dastoor estimates there are enough supplies to produce at least ten-thousand face shields.

"Perhaps we'll have to make that, perhaps we won't. We're just manufacturing while there's a need."

Image credit: University of Newcastle

Police Investigate Late Night Theft On Campus At Newcastle University

BY IAN  CROUCH

Police are searching for two young men involved in a robbery overnight at the Newcastle University's Callaghan campus.

A 20-year-old woman was walking along the Ring Road towards Warabrook Railway Station at about 10.50pm on Wednesday listening to music through headphones.

She didn't notice two males who approached her from either side.

Police say the pair, who had their faces covered with hooded jumpers, demanded her handbag.

She complied and the pair ran off towards the Bar on the Hill.

The young woman gave chase but the bandits managed to escape.