Latest news with #TheUniversityofSydney
The Irish Sun
20-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
I'm raising my toddler on a desert island… he loves daily swims & crab hunting, but it's not easy when he's sick
WALKING along the island's crystal-clear shoreline, my partner Heinrich and I smiled as our two year old excitedly pointed to a blue starfish. But we weren't on holiday – we were enjoying our morning walk, because we are the only residents of Advertisement 4 Ruby Holmes is raising her son Lukas on One Tree Island in Australia's Great Barrier Reef 4 Ruby and her partner Heinrich are station managers and the island's only residents In October 2019, Heinrich and I moved here after a friend sent us details of two job vacancies for research station managers to host visiting researchers. I'd grown up near the coast in Australia and had a degree in marine biology, while Heinrich had worked as a free diver on a remote island, so we were excited to learn we'd both been successful in our interviews. When we arrived, I was blown away by the beauty. Advertisement We had to go six weeks without a food delivery Surrounded by clear ocean, 100km from the mainland and 20km from the nearest island, it felt like our own paradise. We'd been working in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga on boats, so it was great to have more space to explore nature and not feel so confined. But when the Covid pandemic struck a few months later, it felt very isolating. We had to go six weeks without a food delivery, and while we were prepared so didn't go hungry, I was craving texture after weeks of eating frozen fruit and veg. Then, in 2021, our island life was left in jeopardy when I became pregnant, as children weren't then allowed to live on One Tree. Advertisement UK's loneliest school on remote island offers free accommodation & £41k salary - but you have a long way to get there Luckily, The University of Sydney, which manages the station, put a child policy in place. So, we left the island to give birth and returned with our baby three months later. We questioned if we were doing the right thing, but Lukas adores his daily swims and kayaking with Heinrich. Of course, having a baby presented a whole new set of challenges. Our days start earlier, as Lukas loves a 5am wake-up, but the sunrises over the reef are so beautiful that we now adore going for an early morning family walk. Advertisement New challenges He enjoys looking for crabs and likes the porcupine rays. One night, I even found a mother green sea turtle in our front room! People assume our life is easy, but it's not always. Just before Lukas turned two, he caught scarlet fever from a researcher. Thankfully, we were able to talk to a doctor on the phone and use antibiotics we keep in our locked medical kit. Advertisement Work-wise, we are constantly on call, and because we both work full-time we have an au pair living with us to help with Lukas. 4 Ruby says Lukas adores his live on the island 4 One Tree Island is surrounded by clear ocean, 100km from the mainland and 20km from the nearest island Of course, Heinrich and I argue, but we have great communication skills, which is important when you live and work in close proximity. We also respect each other's space – I love to do workouts to blow off steam, while Heinrich has his workshop he can retreat to. Advertisement We can't always get deliveries, so we plan food, medical supplies, fuel, you name it. Unpredictable weather We order groceries fortnightly, which come by barge to Heron Island, which can be a two-hour boat trip for us, depending on the weather. There's no dash to the store for late-night snacks, which means we eat pretty healthily! The unpredictable weather can be stressful, and while we've not had a major cyclone, there are evacuation plans in place. We have satellite phones and internet, but we can't just pop over to visit family and friends, who we miss. Advertisement I don't worry about Lukas socialising, because researchers sometimes bring children with them and friends and family do visit. We also try to get off the island three times a year, and go on holidays. For now, we plan to have Lukas We feel so lucky to be bringing him up in a simple way without television or tablets. Hopefully, this experience stays with Lukas and he always remembers the remote paradise we were lucky enough to call home.' Advertisement
Scoop
20-06-2025
- Science
- Scoop
World's Top Science Competition Awards $1M To Australia's Visionary Scientist Tackling Global Climate Crisis
June 17, 2025 The Frontiers Planet Prize has named its three 2024/25 International Champions, including Australia's Dr Arunima Malik. The winners are scientists offering innovative, scalable solutions to help keep humanity safely within planetary boundaries. Dr Arunima Malik will receive a prize of one million dollars (USD) to further her research and impact. The winning research focuses on the environmental and social impacts of international trade and its effect on meeting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following an independent scientific assessment involving 100 experts, chaired by Professor Johan Rockström, the developer of the Planetary Boundaries framework, the prize ensures faster global scientific consensus around the innovative ideas with greatest potential to drive change. On 17 June, the Frontiers Planet Prize announced Dr Arunima Malik, from The University of Sydney, as one of its 2025 International Champions, awarding her $1 million to advance her and her research team's pioneering work in sustainability science. Providing groundbreaking, scalable solutions to help keep humanity within planetary boundaries, Dr Malik received the award for the publication, Polarizing and equalizing trends in international trade and Sustainable Development Goals, featured in Nature Sustainability. This year's three International Champions were revealed at the Frontiers Planet Prize Award Ceremony, hosted by the Villars Institute as part of the 2025 Villars Symposium in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland. The three International Champions were selected from a group of 19 National Champions chosen by the independent Jury of 100, a group of renowned sustainability and planetary health experts chaired by Professor Johan Rockström. The world's largest and most ambitious science competition for planetary health, the Frontiers Planet Prize is a global call to action - accelerating innovation, igniting impact, and rallying the academic world to confront the planetary crisis with urgency and bold solutions. The award-winning research by Dr Malik and her team highlights the environmental and social impacts of international trade and the complex role it plays in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The research is also highly relevant for shaping policies related to the Loss and Damage (L&D) fund, offering data-driven guidance on financial contributions from developed countries to support developing nations in addressing climate-related losses and damages. Commenting on the award, Dr Arunima Malik said: 'Commenting on the award, Dr Arunima Malik said: 'It's an honor and a privilege to receive this recognition and support from the Frontiers Planet Prize. This esteemed prize will provide impetus to drive sustainable solutions for planetary health. It is inspiring and vital as we search for innovation and action in the face of global environmental challenges. This $1 million award will significantly help accelerate our ability to expand our research and further highlight the nuances around the impact of trade and associated positive and negative impacts on both people and planet around the world. With these resources, we can advance research with policy-relevant insights, and develop tools to inform sustainable solutions, especially in contexts where climate vulnerability and economic inequality intersect. I would take this opportunity to thank the research team, Prof. Manfred Lenzen, Dr Mengyu Li, Camille Mora, Dr Sarah Carter, Dr Stefan Giljum, Dr Stephan Lutter and Prof. Jorge Gomez-Paredes for their valuable contributions.' Commenting on the Frontiers Planet Prize, Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said: 'The Frontiers Planet Prize is more than a scientific award - it is a catalyst for the urgent transformation we need to stay within planetary boundaries. The three 2025 International Champions exemplify the power of science to deepen the understanding of the fundamentals of our earth systems while also delivering actionable, scalable solutions to the intertwined crises of climate, biodiversity, and inequality. Their work stands at the intersection of scientific novelty, innovation, and impact, showing us that a sustainable and just future is within reach—if we act boldly, and fast. It has been an honor to chair the Jury of 100 and witness firsthand the incredible depth of scientific excellence mobilized by this prize." Jean-Claude Burgelman, Director of the Frontiers Planet Prize, added: 'The 2025 International Champions embody the spirit of the Frontiers Planet Prize: bold science in service of humanity and the planet. This Prize is building a global community of researchers who are not only advancing knowledge but actively shaping the path to a sustainable future. These Champions inspire all of us – demonstrating that through collaboration, courage, and scientific integrity, transformative change is not only possible, but already underway.' About the Frontiers Research Foundation: The Frontiers Research Foundation is a not-for-profit organization based in Switzerland, which was founded by Kamila and Henry Markram, neuroscientists from the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology (EPFL). It raises funds to support programs that accelerate scientific solutions for healthy lives on a healthy planet. About the Frontiers Planet Prize: The Frontiers Planet Prize is a global competition for scientists and research institutions to propose solutions to help the planet remain within the safe operating space of any one or more of the nine planetary boundaries. It was created by the Frontiers Research Foundation on Earth Day 2022 to mobilize the global scientific community, make it complete at the highest level of excellence, and contribute to the acceleration of concrete solutions to the challenges defined by the planetary boundaries. To-date, it has drawn together hundreds of scientists, 23 national academies of science, over 600 leading universities and research institutions to compete for three prizes of 1M USD each as adjudicated by a Jury of 100 leading sustainability scientists.
Sydney Morning Herald
18-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Wake-up call' as Australian universities slip in world rankings
Australian universities have slipped in global rankings after a 'turbulent year', with experts calling it a wake-up call as growing competition in the region and the politicisation of international students pose a threat to progress. The University of Melbourne held its crown as Australia's top-ranked institution in the annual QS World University Rankings 2026 on Wednesday, but it has slipped six places from 13th to 19th. Twenty-five Australian universities dropped in rank this year. The University of NSW dropped from 19 to 20, and The University of Sydney dropped to 25 and out of the top 20. Australia is one of five nations with at least two universities in the top 20. Angela Calderon, RMIT University director of strategic insights and member of the QS Global Rankings advisory board, said the results were a wake-up call for Australia. 'We are experiencing an acceleration in the pace of change in higher education globally. Universities from emerging, middle-income economies and Asian countries are now global standouts,' she said. She said Australian universities must adapt to remain competitive and relevant, and boost national productivity. While several universities continued to improve on key measures, including citations per faculty and academic staff measures, income from international students bolstered Australian universities' research endeavours and global ranking. The = sign denotes an equal ranking with another university.
The Age
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
‘Wake-up call' as Australian universities slip in world rankings
Australian universities have slipped in global rankings after a 'turbulent year', with experts calling it a wake-up call as growing competition in the region and the politicisation of international students pose a threat to progress. The University of Melbourne held its crown as Australia's top-ranked institution in the annual QS World University Rankings 2026 on Wednesday, but it has slipped six places from 13th to 19th. Twenty-five Australian universities dropped in rank this year. The University of NSW dropped from 19 to 20, and The University of Sydney dropped to 25 and out of the top 20. Australia is one of five nations with at least two universities in the top 20. Angela Calderon, RMIT University director of strategic insights and member of the QS Global Rankings advisory board, said the results were a wake-up call for Australia. 'We are experiencing an acceleration in the pace of change in higher education globally. Universities from emerging, middle-income economies and Asian countries are now global standouts,' she said. She said Australian universities must adapt to remain competitive and relevant, and boost national productivity. While several universities continued to improve on key measures, including citations per faculty and academic staff measures, income from international students bolstered Australian universities' research endeavours and global ranking. The = sign denotes an equal ranking with another university.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Nagaland Univ launches studies to explore prehistoric Naga life
Guwahati: Nagaland University has launched archaeological studies to explore the life of prehistoric Naga communities, seeking to uncover climate adaptation methods that could bolster current food security in Nagaland. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Australian Research Council is supporting this interdisciplinary community research from 2025 to 2028. The study examines life dating back 11,000 years (Holocene epoch) and the Anthropocene period when humans began affecting the environment significantly. Researchers are investigating two site types — prehistoric locations potentially containing pre-agricultural evidence and Naga ancestral village sites typically located beneath present-day village settlements. Researchers note these ancestral locations represent pre-colonial indigenous habitation and serve as collective memory repositories for descendant groups, particularly in migration narratives from key dispersal points. "We work with communities to uncover the deep history of their villages, to see how their food systems changed through time and to identify any past adaptations they made to altered climatic conditions. Using this knowledge and wider scientific studies, our research will include suggestions and advice that may assist indigenous communities towards further adaptation in the face of an increasingly environmentally unstable future," said Prof Alison Betts from The University of Sydney. This project combines past studies, community involvement, agriculture and sustainability. While distinctive in structure, the researchers felt that it could serve as a template for comparable research elsewhere. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Prof Tiatoshi Jamir from Nagaland University's department of history and archaeology reported completing initial research at Langa village in Shamator district. "As part of our work targeted towards public outreach, we produced a short community archaeology film documenting the traditional oral history of the village and the archaeology of this ancestral site with the collaborative efforts of the local communities of Langa, Kuthur, and Yimkhiung Tribal Council. Further study of a similar nature is also ongoing in New Phor (Burakha), Meluri district, with the support of the local community of New Phor and Pochury Hoho," he added. This collaborative study involves Nagaland University, University of Sydney, La Trobe University, University of York, and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, supported by Nagaland's department of art and culture.
