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Mindful Ageing: A Control-Enhancement Mindfulness Pilot Intervention for Regional Australian Older Adults
This pilot study adapts an 8-week mindfulness program to support mental health and enhance a sense of control among regional Australian older adults experiencing psychological distress. Older adults frequently report a diminished sense of control, which exacerbates anxiety and depression. Participants will engage in guided mindfulness and structured inquiries to better recognise controllable versus uncontrollable life domains. This project evaluates if the intervention successfully reduces distress and strengthens personal agency, providing critical pilot data to leverage significant future funding applications for regional mental health care.
MBCSR: Co-Designing a Mindfulness-Based Climate Stress Reduction Group Intervention to Improve Climate-Related Mental Health
This project aims to co-design a group-based mindfulness intervention to support mental health in communities affected by climate change. Using participatory co-design workshops and the Delphi method, we will collaborate with individuals with lived experience, health professionals, and community members to develop an inclusive and culturally responsive Mindfulness-Based Climate Stress Reduction (MBCSR) program. The co-design process will ensure the intervention is relevant, acceptable, and grounded in real-world needs. Findings will lay the foundation for future large-scale trials and support the development of accessible, evidence-informed strategies to reduce psychological distress in regional, rural, and remote communities impacted by climate-related stress.
Mindful Warriors Full-Day Retreat
The Mindful Warriors Retreat at JCU Central Plaza, James Cook University, Townsville,
offers a day to connect with nature, reduce stress, and cultivate inner peace. Guided
by a qualified mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) teacher, participants practice
mindfulness meditation away from daily distractions. This practice encourages being fully
present and observing thoughts and feelings without judgment. It is a powerful tool for
emotional regulation and overall well-being for veterans and community members. The
retreat includes various meditation techniques and a mindful BBQ and eating session.
Cross-Cultural Comparison on Palliative Care Knowledge in Community and University Samples in the Tropics: Towards a Public Health Approach to Palliative Care
The project aims to investigate palliative care (PC) knowledge in community and university samples
in Australia and Singapore and provide empirical evidence to palliative care education for the
tropical communities.
Roster Modelling for FIFO in the mining, oil and gas sector using genetic algorithms and neural networks
Australia currently has approximately 130,000 Fly-In/Fly-Out (FIFO) mining workers and 70,000 construction workers nationally as at 2011 (Australian Government report, 2011). The vast majority of FIFOs are on two week rosters and 45% time at work, which equates to 10.4 million plane trips (i.e., 5.2 million return trips) per year, approximately 84,000 room nights, 250,000 meals per day and other associated supply logistics such as cleaning and administration. Currently, the systems that manage the rostering of FIFO worker's travel, accommodation, meals, cleaning and administration, have limited ability to assist with determining the most efficient roster model. A 3% waste across transport and accommodation equates to millions of dollars (e.g., approximately 300,000 flights, 2,500 rooms and 7,500 meals). Any reduction in waste would represent substantial saving. The ability to efficiently schedule resources and maintain sufficient staff coverage, rest periods etc. has the capacity to improve the productivity of FIFO enterprises. The aim of this research is to explore the use of artificial intelligence to build an optimised travel, accommodation and roster model based on varying sets of seed data and supervised and unsupervised neural network training. Neural networks can be used to optimise rosters, transport and accommodation using a subset of all required parameters. Two approaches will be investigated to determine the most effective and efficient AI model. These
Please provide a brief outline of the proposed project and deliverables
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include neural networks with 1) supervised training using cloud based historical data or 2) unsupervised training using Genetic algorithms. The outcome of this project will be an artificially intelligent solution to optimisation modelling of workforce logistics in the mining, oil and gas sector. The product will be an intuitive, automated roster modelling tool that will benefit Osmotion's current and future clients by offering waste reduction and economic value through optimising the FIFO roster model.
ConnectED: Translating mental health peer support into practice for consumers in rural and regional emergency departments
Translating mental health peer support into practice for consumers in rural and regional emergency departments, feasibility and pilot testing. Listed publicly by the funder as Embedding peer support in rural emergency departments. Medibank Better Health Foundation, now the Medibank Better Health Research Hub. Chief investigator Associate Professor Kevin Mc Namara at Deakin, with twenty co-investigators across eight organisations: Deakin, Grampians Health, the University of Melbourne, La Trobe, the University of Tasmania, Monash, Northern Health and Western Alliance.
JCU-CSIRO community-led biosecurity initiative
The objective of this Project is to build on the work of the first phase project (CSIRO Ref: C043882), which engaged with Traditional Owners in the Townsville region to identify community-led projects that will aim to reduce biosecurity risks and/or impacts.
This project will recruit an Indigenous student to complete a 2 year Masters degree that will address one of the projects emerging from the phase one project (i.e. managing weeds on country) and who will be managed by Daniel Montesinos Torres and Kyana Pike. The full details of the project will be finalised upon consultation with the recruited student and the Bindal community who are participating.
A Community Research Assistant will be recruited from the Bindal Community to provide liaison and engagement between the Masters student, Dr Montesinos, Dr Pike, and the Community.
Port of Cairns 2026 Dredge Spoil Disposal Area Benthic Study
This study will undertake benthic flora and fauna as well as sediment (particle size distribution (PSD) only) monitoring at the Port of Cairns DSDA following the same or comparable methodology of previous studies (undertaken at the previous disposal area) conducted in 2020 (BMT 2020a) and 2016 (Advisian 2016). Note previous surveys did not consider flora and thus monitoring of this aspect must be appropriately considered and designed including field, laboratory (if applicable) and data analysis methodology, and analyse data to assess and highlight spatial and temporal patterns in benthic communities and sediment PSD at and adjacent the DSDA to accept or reject the abovementioned LMDMP impact hypothesis (Section 2). It is acknowledged that this is the first time this study has been conducted at the DSDA and thus temporal analysis and discussion is not possible. However, previous studies conducted at the former disposal site (DMPA) and related results and patterns should be mentioned and used whenever possible and appropriate
Growing Strong Together: A First Nations Implementation Science Framework for Expanding Social and Emotional Wellbeing Services Across the Lifecourse.
This three-year implementation science project will investigate the success, sustainability, and future development of the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS) Social Emotional Mental Wellbeing Team (SEMWT). The service has established itself as an important provider of culturally responsive social and emotional wellbeing support for First Nations people; however, little research has examined the organisational, cultural, workforce and community factors contributing to its success or how these strengths can inform future service expansion.
Using a First Nations-led implementation science approach, the project will employ three interconnected phases. Phase One will review organisational documents, service reports, program records and implementation materials to identify factors associated with successful service establishment, growth and sustainability. Phase Two will utilise interviews and yarning methods with current and former staff, managers, organisational leaders and key stakeholders to identify enablers, challenges and opportunities for service improvement. Particular attention will be given to opportunities for
extending service provision to adolescents and young people aged 12 years and older. Phase Three will establish and work alongside a First Nations Implementation Science
Reference Group to co-design a culturally grounded implementation and evaluation
framework, including indicators of success, evaluation processes and strategic priorities for future service planning.
The Ways Remote Communities Care: Creating a Community Resilience Framework through social networks and story mapping of Mount Isa Community Groups and their impact on mental health and wellbeing.
The Ways Remote Communities Care explores how the community of Mount Isa engages in healing and wellbeing through shared experiences and care practices. Partnering with local organisations, the project examines how community groups foster healthy and mentally well communities. We will map the work and linkages between existing community groups, successes and challenges, and collect stories of care work in the community. This will culminate in the community creating their Community Resilience Score. This interdisciplinary initiative aims to generate pilot data and narratives that inform future research and funding applications focused on trauma, precarity, and collective healing.