Southern Cross Matters

In particular, the recommendations of the Accord Panel that focus on access, equity, participation and success. connect in a very tangible manner to our character and purpose as an institution, and challenge us to think carefully about how we can build on the work that we have all done in implementing the Southern Cross Model to drive still further enhancements to outcomes across these dimensions.

As we do this, it will be necessary and beneficial to think very carefully about the implications, risks and benefits of the ongoing rise of Artificial Intelligence technologies, particularly as they bear on the integrity and robustness of our assessment regimes and on our capacity to tailor support and feedback to students in more timely and targeted ways than traditionally possible. Our researchers must also begin to think carefully about how new technologies may unleash new opportunities for them to explore richer and more diverse questions than ever before, and to drive greater impact through the product of their work.

As we look forward into the journey that lies ahead, it is helpful to look within to remind ourselves of our purpose and our values and to look back to the legacy of the things that we have accomplished together in the past. In this month’s edition of Southern Cross Matters you will see evocation of both, through the lens of some of our colleagues and some of the amazing graduates who crossed the stage at our recent Gold Coast graduation ceremonies which were incredibly joyous occasions. I hope you really enjoy this month’s content and am looking forward to continued feedback from colleagues on how we can continue to make Southern Cross Matters relevant, engaging and informative.

Tyrone

"Here's yet another compelling example of Southern Cross University's ability to cultivate research excellence with worldwide implications and recognition, despite being a regional institution not as widely recognized as larger Australian counterparts."

About the research

Since 2015, a team of Australian, US and Chinese researchers has been investigating what caused the demise of the Gigantopithecus blacki, the world’s largest primate.

These giants once roamed the karst plains of southern China, three-metre tall apes weighing in at 250 kilograms. These very distant human ancestors went extinct before humans arrived in the region, with few clues to why, and so far leaving around 2,000 fossilised teeth and four jawbones as the only signs of their existence.

New evidence demonstrates beyond doubt that the largest primate to walk the earth went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago, unable to adapt its food preferences and behaviours, and vulnerable to the changing climates which sealed its fate.

"Direct dating of the fossil remains offered a crucial chronological framework that harmonized with other contextual geochronology. Through a multidisciplinary and multi-technique approach, the team gained a thorough and dependable understanding of when, where, and how G. blacki became extinct," explained Professor Joannes-Boyau.

Learn more: The extinction of the giant ape; a long-standing mystery solved and The demise of the giant ape Gigantopithecus blacki

While the roles within this portfolio may vary from designing marketing campaigns, taking calls from future students, to travelling overseas to international student recruitment expos, there is a common goal: to attract the right student and ensure their experience is a positive one, from admissions to alumni.

“I would like us to make sure that we understand the customer journey and become very customer-centric as a university. Our first piece of work is focusing on the acquisition process, up to their first year at our university, because we know that's a really important time for students. It should be as easy and enjoyable as possible,” she said.

While Anna-Maree has worked for retail giants such as Tesco, Sainsburys and Walmart, the financial services sector, and private consulting, her heart is in education.

“I just love learning and education. I chose to come back to the university sector because I think it changes people’s lives. I'm first in family from a remote town 1,200 kilometres from Brisbane and education changed my life. And I think it can really change other people's lives. So, I'm really passionate about it.”

“The tool I developed as a part of my PhD is being used in at least 15 countries around the world. I am spearheading a few research projects that arose as recommendations from my PhD that will explore health workforce AI literacy, socio-cultural dimensions of implementation and indigenous perspectives of AI technology use in healthcare,” she said. 

She was also lucky enough to cheer on her Bachelor of Nursing students who graduated on the same day. 

“I am always extremely proud of watching our nursing students graduate. There is so much joy at seeing them celebrate their achievement, the friendships they have made and the promise of a new chapter of their life,” Lucy said.

Southern Cross University Marketing Manager Bill Key was also decked out in cap and gown at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, receiving his Graduate Certificate in Business. 
 
Bill began his career as a political cartoonist, before moving up the ranks to lead creative departments at the Gold Coast Bulletin, and later, the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. But it wasn’t until joining the team at Southern Cross that he took the leap into tertiary study. 

“I have been working in the marketing industry for 30 years, but I had never enrolled in formal study, I was always learning on the job. So, when I enrolled in the business course I received a lot of prior recognition of learning, which I think a lot of people out there may not realise they are eligible for,” he said. 

Not only was completing a course at Southern Cross an opportunity for Bill to upskill, it provided the perfect avenue for market research into the student experience and the new 6x6 model. 

“Part of my motivation was to understand the whole journey of a student. The Southern Cross Model actually allowed for a lot of flexibility, where I was able to fit my work and overseas travel around the units I was studying,” Bill said. 

While finishing with distinctions and completing the Noosa Triathlon all within the space of a month was cause for celebration, the best part of Bill’s experience was on graduation day.

“I had no idea how special every graduate in there feels. It was a real acknowledgement of what you’ve done, and the actual ceremony made you realise how entrenched in tradition it all is. My mum thought the pope was going to pop out at any minute.”

Congratulations to all our Southern Cross University colleagues who have just graduated!  

This project involves attuning to the living knowledge that can be passed on, using the construction of a fishing net to highlight the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) that existed for many thousands of years in Aboriginal Australian communities.

“There is ancient embedded knowledge preserved within a practice such as this, such as string theory, sustainable resource management, and environmental stewardship,” said Dr Day.

“The last known photographic evidence of the Mundang (net) dates back to approximately the 1870s, but the practice is much older than that, dating back thousands of years.”

A recent workshop held at the Living Lab Northern Rivers saw key Bundjalung knowledge holders and weavers from Fingal Head, Casino, Lismore, Cabbage Tree Island and Ballina coming together with non-Indigenous participants to produce the string that will form the foundation of the traditional fishing net.

“We feel a strong responsibility to learn about this Country's history and the effects of continuing colonialism on First Nations' Knowledge and culture. Since the workshop we have been meeting on the Lismore campus and continuing the string making. Through our research and teaching practices we are becoming increasingly aware of the living intelligence of the world around us, and we are continuously inspired by the intricate and patterned Knowledge it holds. Aunty Gwen strongly recommended we were to never learn alone,” said Dr Day.

“Sitting and yarning, we are developing a community. We are not only weaving a fishnet but weaving the collection of our stories together,” said Aimee Andersen, who has extensive experience working in remote Indigenous communities.

Dr Jenelle Benson, who has taught STEM in secondary and tertiary settings for more than 40 years, said it was a wonderful opportunity to engage community with University research. “It’s a privilege to be part of the project,” she said.

Many thanks to everyone that attended the January workshop and a special thanks to Marcus Ferguson, the Jagun Alliance project, and Guung Butherun (water stories) that is run in collaboration with the NSW Environment Protection Authority.

Throughout, Desirée has fostered a commitment to mentoring and empowering students, guided by the belief that making a difference in the lives of thousands can be more impactful than helping one individual at a time in clinical practice. Her name is familiar to many within the University community, whether for her warming presence in Coffs Harbour, or her research delving into the psychology behind pleasurable emotions.

We sat down with Desirée as she sheds light on her role as Chair of the Academic Board:

For those unfamiliar, how would you summarise the Academic Board's role?

Desirée: Academic Board serves as the main academic body responsible for maintaining and promoting the standards of the University’s products and experience. Our focus is ensuring we deliver quality, contemporary education, and we advise the University Council about all kinds of academic matters.

What do you feel like Desirée will bring to the Board table?

Desirée: I had a career in corporate management before I came to academia which brings a certain perspective. I also bring my own values and priorities, like social justice, access, and equity. I look at everything I do as an opportunity to make the University, and even the world, richer, fairer, and more vibrant.

Q: Can we get a sneak peek of what we can expect from 2024 Academic Board discussions?

Desirée: There’s a big appetite for positive change. At our most recent academic board meeting, it became clear that we are focusing on access and equity for students. We have fantastic entry pathways for students, but we are looking at other ways to improve quality and equity and ensure all students have the chance to achieve their hopes and goals.