Latest news with #NotreDameUniversity
West Australian
21 hours ago
- General
- West Australian
Sugarbird Lady plane to soar again for inaugural Notre Dame award in her namesake
The Sugarbird Lady's Mooney VH-REM aircraft will fly into Broome on Thursday August 14, coinciding with the presentation of the inaugural Sugarbird Lady award at Notre Dame University's Broome Campus. Robin Miller-Dicks' aircraft will fly from NSW with two pilots, via Birdsville, Alice Springs, Halls Creek and Derby before landing at Broome International Airport. On August 15, the inaugural Sugarbird Lady Award will be awarded to a Notre Dame Broome Campus nursing student, receiving $1000 a certificate and book detailing Ms Miller-Dicks' life, presented by Royal Australian Air Force Association of WA director Charles Page. The following day on August 16 there will be a wreath laying at Ms Miller-Dicks' grave at Broome Cemetery at 10am led by Father Liam Ryan and organised by RAAFA WA and the Lions Club of Broome. Ms Miller-Dicks' younger sister Marie Megaw will also attend the events over the weekend. Members of the public are invited and may make floral tributes. The Mooney VH-REM aircraft will leave Broome on August 17.
DW
5 days ago
- Health
- DW
Hazardous 'forever chemicals' found in period products – DW – 07/26/2025
Period underwear and menstrual cups are touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to pads and tampons. Now a team of researchers has discovered that they can contain risky "forever chemicals," or PFAS. The name sounds almost poetic: forever chemicals. But these are perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which get their name from the fact that they practically never decompose — and stay in our environment forever. They also have serious consequences for humans. Some PFAS are carcinogenic, while others have an effect on the immune system or reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations. "PFAS can affect fertility, sperm quality or even the development of the child in the womb," toxicologist Marike Kolossa-Gehring told the German TV show . Forever chemicals have also been linked to thyroid disorders and high blood pressure. Now, a research team in the US has found that these chemicals can be found in reusable period products. Almost a third of the period underwear, menstrual cups and reusable pads tested by the scientists were made using these toxic chemicals. The team, led by Alyssa Wicks and Graham Peaslee at the US University of Notre Dame, tested 59 reusable period products from North America, South America and Europe. The researchers found low levels in some products, which were most likely packaging residues. But in some products, the levels were so high that PFAS must have been used in the manufacturing process — even though they would work just as well without the toxic chemicals. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "We found PFAS in some, but not all of the products," Peaslee, a physicist and professor emeritus at Notre Dame University, told DW. "So it's not necessary. Some don't have PFAS, and they sell fine." The chemicals can cause harm to humans in two ways. The direct route is absorption through the skin of the wearer. "The skin absorbs between 1% and 50% of PFAS in the product," said Peaslee. "Even if only 1% or 2% are absorbed, that's still bad." The indirect route endangers not only the individual using the item, but everyone else, too. When the products are disposed of, the chemicals end up in our water cycle, where, as their name suggests, they do not decompose. People the wind up absorbing PFAS via their drinking water or food that has been irrigated with contaminated groundwater. "These products are sold as eco-friendly, because they produce less waste than single-use products," says Peaslee. "But this chemical class is particularly terrifying, because they're everywhere and don't go away." PFAS are widespread. They are water and dirt repellent, as well as resistant to pressure and heat. This makes them attractive for companies like clothing and packaging manufacturers. Forever chemicals can be found in water-repellent jackets or shoes, in tents and in food packaging. PFAS are even used in cosmetics to alter the consistency of the product, or as a colorant, for example. With the study, Wicks, Peaslee and their team want to raise awareness of the dangers of PFAS in menstrual products, both among companies and consumers. They do not mention brand names in their published report. "We didn't want to be sued," said Peaslee, adding that could easily happen in the US. The researcher said that it would be more cost-effective for producers to omit PFAS from their products, as these materials are expensive. However, at the end of the day, he expects any industry move away from PFAS will primarily be driven by consumers. "Consumers have a lot of market power," says Peaslee. "Consumers should ask [whether products are manufactured without PFAS] and be vocal about their choices. If there's demand, companies will start to test for [the chemicals] and say when their products don't contain PFAS. And companies won't lie, because they don't want to get sued, either."
DW
6 days ago
- Health
- DW
Hazardous 'forever chemicals' in period products – DW – 07/26/2025
Period underwear and menstrual cups are touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to pads and tampons. Now a team of researchers has discovered that they can contain risky "forever chemicals," or PFAS. The name sounds almost poetic: forever chemicals. But these are perfluoralkyl or polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS), which get their name from the fact that they practically never decompose — and stay in our environment forever. They also have serious consequences for humans. Some PFAS are carcinogenic, others have an effect on the immune system or reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations. "PFAS can affect fertility, sperm quality or even the development of the child in the womb," toxicologist Marike Kolossa-Gehring told the German TV show . Forever chemicals have also been linked to thyroid disorders and high blood pressure. Now a research team in the US has found that these chemicals can be found in reusable period products. Almost a third of the period underwear, menstrual cups, and reusable pads tested by the scientists were made using thSee toxic chemicals. The team, led by Alyssa Wicks and Graham Peaslee at the US University of Notre Dame, tested 59 reusable period products from North America, South America and Europe. The researchers found low levels in some products, which were most likely packaging residues. But in some products, the levels were so high that PFAS must have been used in the manufacturing process — even though they would work just as well without the toxic chemicals. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "We found PFAS in some, but not all of the products," Peaslee, a physicist and professor emeritus at Notre Dame University, told DW. "So it's not necessary. Some don't have PFAS, and they sell fine." The chemicals can cause harm to humans in two ways. The direct route is absorption through the skin of the wearer. "The skin absorbs between 1% and 50% of PFAS in the product," said Peaslee. "Even if only 1% or 2% are absorbed, that's still bad." The indirect route endangers not only the individual using the item, but everyone else, too. When the products are disposed of, the chemicals end up in our water cycle, where, as their name suggests, they do not decompose. People the wind up absorbing PFAS via their drinking water or food that has been irrigated with contaminated groundwater. "These products are sold as eco-friendly, because they produce less waste than single-use products," says Peaslee. "But this chemical class is particularly terrifying, because they're everywhere and don't go away." PFAS are widespread. They are water and dirt repellent, as well as resistant to pressure and heat. This makes them attractive for companies like clothing and packaging manufacturers. Forever chemicals can be found in water-repellent jackets or shoes, in tents and in food packaging. PFAS are even used in cosmetics to alter the consistency of the product, or as a colorant, for example. With the study, Wicks, Peaslee and their team want to raise awareness of the dangers of PFAS in menstrual products, both among companies and consumers. They do not mention brand names in their published report. "We didn't want to be sued," said Peaslee, adding that could easily happen in the US. The researcher said that it would be more cost-effective for producers to omit PFAS from their products, as these materials are expensive. However, at the end of the day, he expects any industry move away from PFAS will primarily be driven by consumers. "Consumers have a lot of market power," says Peaslee. "Consumers should ask [whether products are manufactured without PFAS] and be vocal about their choices. If there's demand, companies will start to test for [the chemicals] and say when their products don't contain PFAS. And companies won't lie, because they don't want to get sued, either."
AU Financial Review
16-07-2025
- AU Financial Review
Students furious at enrolment, results chaos months after uni hack
Students at a major private university say they have been unable to enrol in classes, forced to repeat units and placed at risk of losing their graduate jobs because of online system problems lingering from a cyberattack more than six months ago. Notre Dame University's 12,000 students and staff lost access to several online platforms in January after it was hit by a ransomware attack in which hackers stole students' details, HECS information and tax file numbers.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fist pumps and goose bumps: Lebanon High School Class of 2025 graduates in high spirits
Friday night was an occasion for fist pumps and confetti at Lebanon High School. Class president Joe Susong led the 149th graduating Lebanon High School class into the gymnasium. Friends and family in the bleachers cheered and whistled. They waved bouquets of flowers, baby photos, and signs attached to sticks at their children who stood in black robes on the edge of adulthood. The seniors searched for familiar faces and flashed the peace sign, pumped their fists, pointed, and grinned from ear to ear. They hugged one another and waited for the band to complete 'Pomp and Circumstance.' Students who will serve in the armed forces after graduation led the standing-room-only crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and basked in a spontaneous standing ovation from their peers. Olivia Follmar encouraged her class not to ask God for easy lives but to become stronger men and women, before she led them in prayer. Principal Frank Meyer began with a Mark Twain quote, 'I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.' 'Your schooling ends tonight, but your education is just beginning,' he said. He encouraged them to take their hunger to keep learning and to be brave enough to fall short. 'Fail at something important and figure out how to do it again, better,' he said. Valedictorian Taylor O'Brien plans to attend Notre Dame University in the fall. He had a high school grade point average of 4.6, is an Eagle Scout, an academic all-star, and lettered four years in swimming, among other accomplishments. O'Brien said he doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up and assumed that most of his classmates don't know either. 'That's okay,' he told them. 'Not knowing creates the possibility for opportunity,' he said. 'The best way to predict the future is to create it.' Salutatorian Claire Boling urged classmates to enjoy the time they have left together this summer and to forge friendships and make memories with a new set of people as they move forward.
