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Aeromedical Retrieval of people with Acute Behavioural Disturbance in Queensland – ELEVATE Study (Phase 2)
PhD Candidate Dr Clinton Gibbs and Dr Kris McBain-Rigg will undertake interviews with staff of Aeromedical Retrieval Services throughout Queensland to explore their experiences of retrieval of patients diagnosed with Acute Behavioural Disturbances (ABD).
Aeromedical Retrieval of people with Acute Behavioural Disturbance in Queensland – ELEVATE Study
The aeromedical retrieval of people with Acute Behavioural Disturbance is a challenging process for a vulnerable group of patients. Due to the nature of the persons illness, the balance between providing timely access to care and risks during transfer is complex. This project aims to use a mixed methods approach to explore this patient group and the perceived challenges of their aeromedical retrieval, test current practice, identify areas for improvement and assess methods of optimising care provided before, during, and after transfer.
NESP 5.1 Environmental Economic Accounting - Developing & trialling approaches for accounting to ensure respectful inclusion of First Nations knowledges
This project aims to address two overarching research questions: how can First Nations Peoples knowledges be reflected within (or alongside) Ecosystem Accounts prepared following the United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting—Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA)? and what are suitable methods for appropriately gathering and presenting First Nations Peoples’ knowledges in relation to SEEA EA?
To achieve the project aim, researchers will partner with two First Nations groups from contrasting contexts and environments (northern QLD savannah and southern WA coast). Together we will trial methods and prepare full sets of SEEA EA compliant accounts for each group. By co-designing methods and accounts presentation, the aim is for the accounts to provide information that is useful for the groups themselves in addition to providing useful information for other research users.
Beyond accounts preparation, and incorporating existing Australian literature, the project will develop and test overarching learnings and recommendations that can inform future EA policy development within DCCEEW. Working closely with our First Nations partners, and testing outputs with a small number of First Nations people from other organisations, the project will seek to identify common themes across different First Nations groups, and assess the relevance of, and links between, national accounting information (such as NEAP) and accounts built upon First Nations knowledge and perspectives.
Improving land condition across north-west Queensland to boost productivity, build climate resilience and increase biodiversity
Across the Southern and Northern Gulf region of north-west Queensland, there are many thousands of hectares of land in poor condition. Land that is in poor condition is less productive and therefore profitable, more susceptible to severe impacts from extreme climate events (e.g., floods and droughts), has a lower capacity to sequester and store carbon, and negatively impacts other ecosystem services (e.g., biodiversity and water quality). The overarching aim of the project is to build resilience in Southern and Northern Gulf rangeland production systems through improving land condition. To achieve improved land condition across the region, the project will work directly with land managers to implement on-ground land management practice changes and/or remediation treatments. The effectiveness of these interventions will be rigorously monitored and evaluated. Key learnings and outcomes will be passed on to the other landholders, NRM groups, Government extension staff and researchers through demonstration sites, field days, communications materials, scientific publications, and capacity building events. Overall, the project will provide much needed new knowledge, information, data, tools, and capacity to boost productivity, build climate resilience, and facilitate access to emerging environmental markets across north-west Queensland, and other parts of northern Australia.
Listening for Chital Deer
Chital Deer Audio Recording devices
Quinkan Grass Guide (Old ID 23227)
This project will produce a series of fact sheets to help land managers and the public identify grasses of Quinkan country, Cape York Peninsula The outcomes will be useful to everyone who manages land in the Quinkan area and needs to determine what grasses are present on their land and whether they are palatable, productive or weeds. This is a pilot project for a future complete guide to grasses of Cape York Peninsula.
EarthBank: An Australian geochemistry network activity enabling the analysis, preservation and discoverability of nationally significant Earth & environmental collections
This project will fund an Earthbank scientist to contribute to the expansion of the Earthbank database and build capacity in earth and environmental sciences.
McKenna Maternity Funding for Research Assistant (Old ID 23436)
Maternity funding to employ a research assistant to assist Senior Researcher whilst on maternity leave to maintain research progress.
Discovery of Novel Biomarkers for Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) Infection Related Cancers - HL Study (Old ID 23629)
There is a large body of evidence indicating that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) actively contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple tumours. We hypothesize that the antibody response to EBV in individuals with and without cancer (cases and controls) using our proprietary EBV proteome array, to identify an antibody signature which predicts cancer risk. The ultimate goal is an immunodiagnostic test to identify individuals in the general population who are at high risk of developing infection-related cancers. Extending previous studies, we will probe defined samples from the HL study provided by colleagues at NIH/NCI.
Rural and Remote Generalist Nurse Pathway Scoping Review
This is a joint collaborative project with Queensland Health Office of the Chief Nurse, USQ, CQU, USC. The project is a scoping review that we will undertake together and publish collaboratively to inform a new nursing pathway in Queensland for rural and remote nurses.