December 9, 2015
PhD video challenge winners tackle global research issues
Ten higher degree research students from UOW have each won $2,000 travel scholarships after having convinced judges through a two-minute video challenge of the importance of their research on the global stage.
Each of the students, who won from a competitive field of about 50 PhD students, outlined in their videos how their research would address one of the Global Challenges set by UOW of: Transforming Lines and Regions; Living Well, Longer; Manufacturing Innovation; and Sustaining Coastal and Marine Zones.
Videos covered a spectrum of topics from the impact of large commercial vessels anchoring offshore from Australian ports, energy absorbing shock mats for sustainable railway transport infrastructure to an examination of the decision making process of micro finance clients in Sri Lanka.
UOW’s Global Challenges Program assessed entries by the quality of the research project, how well the project addressed one of the Global Challenges and the quality of the presentation itself.
The students can use their prize money to travel anywhere in the world in support of their research.
The winners came from across UOW’s five faculties and many will use their scholarship to conduct fieldwork, attend conferences, or take part in research exchange.
The successful 10 PhD recipients (in alphabetical order) were:
Rachelle Balaz (SMAH), Supervisor Dr Lezanne Ooi
More than memories
Vivien Forner (BUS), Supervisor Professor Nina Reynolds
Positive organisations: The future of work
Siti Nurul Hidayah (SOC), Supervisor Dr Noelene Weatherby-Fell
Mentoring novice teachers as an alternative training program: A case study in a developing dountry
Sinniah K. Navaratnarajah (EIS), Supervisor Professor Buddhima Indraratna
Energy absorbing shock mats for sustainable railway transport infrastructure
Fiona Yum Yu Ng (SOC), Supervisor Professor Brin Grenyer
Recovery in borderline personality disorder
Nadeera Udayangani Ranabahu (BUS), Supervisor Professor Mary Barrett
An examination of the decision making process of micro finance clients in Sri Lanka
Lora Reeve (LHA), Supervisor Professor Robin Warner
The global challenge of regulating ocean noise pollution: Opportunities for a new multidisciplinary approach
Alexander Stamenkovic (SMAH), Supervisor Associate Professor Paul Stapley
Balance and movement: The role of predictive postural adjustments
Chantel Steele (SMAH), Supervisor Professor Andy Davis
The impacts of large commercial vessels anchoring offshore from Australian ports,
Guanran Zhang (AIIM), Supervisor Attila Mozer
Light harvesting mechanism in ternary blend polymer solar cells
Keep up with the students’ travel via the Global Challenges blog.