Southern Cross University is a contemporary and connected regional research university, with remarkable campus locations - Coffs Harbour and Lismore in New South Wales and the uniquely situated Gold Coast Airport campus in southern Queensland. Our regional environs provide living laboratories for learning and research and creative hubs for artistic endeavour. Southern Cross University has a growing research profile, with 24 research areas identified ‘at or above world standard’ in the most recent Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) national evaluation. Our research strengths include disciplines as diverse as plant genetics, zoology, geoscience, oceanography, engineering, nursing, and complementary and alternative medicine.
Globally, amphibians have suffered serious declines and extinctions over the last 30 years. But our research, published today, shows that at least one subtropical rainforest frog is recovering. The most…
With the debate increasing over coal seam gas (CSG) exploration, and all sides claiming the moral high ground, how do you find out what the community really thinks about the issue? Well you could do what…
Any major sporting triumph without euphoric emotion or a serious opening of the floodgates would seem strange. Commentators tell us that tears show “passion”. Fans seem to demand them. It wasn’t always…
My doctoral studies in visual arts entails working with people who are not necessarily visual artists, but see the value in artistically expressing their story to expand our understanding of suicide. Suicide…
Sharing water between different groups in society is almost inevitably a very contentious issue. Throughout the world, there are daily conflicts between people about how water can be used; at an individual…
A growing body of evidence suggests being obese as a child or adolescent may have a larger effect on future health than previously thought. In a new meta-analysis of 63 studies including nearly 50,000…
As I write this, the Paralympic opening ceremony is in full throes with the athletes streaming into the stadium in the traditional march-on. This year will see 4,200 athletes and 166 national Paralympic…
When triple Paralympic gold mediallist Evan O'Hanlon steps up to the track for the 100m this week, you might notice something odd about his racing apparel. The 24-year-old, who is Australia’s fastest disabled…
Some of the celebrations witnessed at these Olympics have been sensational. The bewildered surprise of Mo Farah as he took gold for the second time in the 5 000 metres; Sally Pearson’s shrieking relief…
The past twelve days have seen me happy as the proverbial “pig in mud”. I’ve gone nocturnal, camped on the couch desperately trying to stay awake in the midst of an onslaught of sporting fare the like…
Great moments for Australian sport this morning as Anna Meares and Sally Pearson added to Tom Sligsby’s individual gold of 24 hours earlier. Firstly in the depths of the Australian night, Anna Meares took…
I’ve taken a few hours to write this blog piece as I am still recovering with gobsmacked astonishment at the Olympic sport of the last 24 hours. ‘Super Saturday’s’ often become oxymoronic but with 25 gold…
While the Australian public and the media that feeds them continue to lament a lack of medals, the celebration of victory will be all the more meaningful in the context of the hard work and tremendous…
The London Olympic Games has been dubbed the Socialympics by many. It is the first to be held under the microscopic deconstruction provided particularly by Twitter but also by Face book and others. The…
Is there a role for logging in ensuring the future of the world’s tropical forests and their rich diversity of plants and animals? For many this idea is absurd, because timber production achieving conservation…
Well that’s the opening ceremony done and dusted! We can now get on with the real business of the next fortnight or so. Oh yes the birging and corfing! Although you may never heard of these terms, let…
Yesterday I wrote a blog that panned opening ceremonies as a jingoistic waste of money that left me cold. Please ignore it! The one I have just watched was life affirming, a celebration of everything…
From the outset let me say I am no real fan of the opening ceremony genre. I can stomach the lighting of the cauldron by an athletic legend of yesteryear via harebrained method but the rest of the nationalistic…
Any investment manager will tell an investor to spread risks, to have a diverse portfolio, to engage with many sectors of the local economy, to invest in other parts of the globe, to hedge your bets, a…
We are really rather fickle about our Olympic athletes. Stirred by the feeling that it is our hard earned that funds their pursuits as if it’s pinched from our pocket on pay day, we have an expert opinion…