Latest news with #UNE
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney to Armidale: How going bush is bringing big rewards for university students
His experience echoes Hong's, of being part of a close-knit university community. The initial nerves he felt about making a major geographic change, particularly as a migrant and queer person, soon dissipated amidst a wave of support. 'There is a community of people like me in college,' says Nguyen. 'There was already an established community of queer students doing a variety of courses. They all had a really beautiful culture; very neuro-diverse-friendly, very queer-friendly. They accepted me as their own; I felt safe and protected,' he adds. Friends attending university in Sydney report travelling an hour each way and heading straight home after class. Hong and Nguyen, who both live at Mary White College at UNE, speak of an environment where medical students from senior to junior ranks readily cross paths and share experiences. 'It's really wonderful and rare,' says Nguyen. Underscoring their sense of belonging and eagerness to contribute to college life, Hong is a residential leader at Mary White and Nguyen an academic mentor, connecting senior and junior students with twice-weekly gatherings that combine study and social interaction. 'You break that bubble and get people talking to each other,' says Nguyen. Collegiality and support fire imagination Regional Universities Network CEO Alec Webb says the more personalised experience of rural tertiary studies is a powerful drawcard. Having worked in both regional and metropolitan university settings, he believes there is no comparison when it comes to connection. 'What immediately struck me as different, at a regional university the executives are known and seen,' says Webb. 'You go to the coffee cart at UNE and the vice-chancellor is in line getting his cup of coffee and having a chat with students. That just doesn't happen in Melbourne or Sydney.' Webb points to government-endorsed data from regular Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) surveys. These surveys indicate that graduates from regional universities not only report higher satisfaction rates than their metro counterparts, but also higher starting salaries as they enter the workforce. Webb points to the flow-on effect of students staying in the regions to work, 'which is a vital aspect of providing the workforce for regional Australia.' Hong is a strong advocate for regional healthcare. She has experienced first-hand how hard it can be to see a doctor in regional Australia, either for illness or for vaccinations needed to take part in placements. During the latter, she has been inspired by the rapport between rural GPs and their patients. It's left her determined to help make a difference. 'I think I'll be practising regionally,' says Hong. 'I'm going to look into rural generalism where you are a GP with specialties on the side like paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology or a bit of surgery. 'I really like Wagga. Tamworth is great. I've seen Taree which is fantastic, too. I'm keen to see where this adventure takes me.'
The Age
a day ago
- Health
- The Age
Sydney to Armidale: How going bush is bringing big rewards for university students
His experience echoes Hong's, of being part of a close-knit university community. The initial nerves he felt about making a major geographic change, particularly as a migrant and queer person, soon dissipated amidst a wave of support. 'There is a community of people like me in college,' says Nguyen. 'There was already an established community of queer students doing a variety of courses. They all had a really beautiful culture; very neuro-diverse-friendly, very queer-friendly. They accepted me as their own; I felt safe and protected,' he adds. Friends attending university in Sydney report travelling an hour each way and heading straight home after class. Hong and Nguyen, who both live at Mary White College at UNE, speak of an environment where medical students from senior to junior ranks readily cross paths and share experiences. 'It's really wonderful and rare,' says Nguyen. Underscoring their sense of belonging and eagerness to contribute to college life, Hong is a residential leader at Mary White and Nguyen an academic mentor, connecting senior and junior students with twice-weekly gatherings that combine study and social interaction. 'You break that bubble and get people talking to each other,' says Nguyen. Collegiality and support fire imagination Regional Universities Network CEO Alec Webb says the more personalised experience of rural tertiary studies is a powerful drawcard. Having worked in both regional and metropolitan university settings, he believes there is no comparison when it comes to connection. 'What immediately struck me as different, at a regional university the executives are known and seen,' says Webb. 'You go to the coffee cart at UNE and the vice-chancellor is in line getting his cup of coffee and having a chat with students. That just doesn't happen in Melbourne or Sydney.' Webb points to government-endorsed data from regular Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) surveys. These surveys indicate that graduates from regional universities not only report higher satisfaction rates than their metro counterparts, but also higher starting salaries as they enter the workforce. Webb points to the flow-on effect of students staying in the regions to work, 'which is a vital aspect of providing the workforce for regional Australia.' Hong is a strong advocate for regional healthcare. She has experienced first-hand how hard it can be to see a doctor in regional Australia, either for illness or for vaccinations needed to take part in placements. During the latter, she has been inspired by the rapport between rural GPs and their patients. It's left her determined to help make a difference. 'I think I'll be practising regionally,' says Hong. 'I'm going to look into rural generalism where you are a GP with specialties on the side like paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology or a bit of surgery. 'I really like Wagga. Tamworth is great. I've seen Taree which is fantastic, too. I'm keen to see where this adventure takes me.'
ABC News
23-06-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Grain-fed cattle emissions 56 per cent lower than previous estimates, research finds
The perception of livestock's contribution to climate change is set to be altered, as the federal government adopts a new way of calculating methane emissions from Australian feedlot cattle. All cattle producers have been under scrutiny for contributing to about 15 per cent of the world's total greenhouse gas outflow according to CSIRO, but a new Australian-focused emission calculation has disputed the contribution from Australia's grain-fed cattle. It found grain-fed cattle emissions were 56 per cent lower than previously believed. For sixth-generation Eugowra farmer and Gundamain Feedlot co-director Caitlin Herbert, this change has significantly shifted the conversation around feedlotters' contribution to climate change. "It also aligns with our industry's reduction in emissions, and contributes to our goal of net zero." When a cow burps, or belches, the greenhouse gas methane is introduced into the atmosphere. A more than 50-year-old calculation that used data from United States dairy cows, known as the Moe and Tyrell equation, had previously created the methodology for grain-fed cattle farmer emission estimates. Many researchers have questioned its accuracy for Australian cattle. However, following research conducted by the University of New England (UNE), the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has adopted a new, Australian-specific equation to calculate methane emissions from grain-fed cattle. The new methodology takes into account the feed intake of the animals, and adjusts the methane emissions for the amount of roughage, fibre and fat they consume. The study was funded by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) on behalf of the Australian Lot Feeders' Association (ALFA), and the government says it was reviewed by independent experts. Of Australia's cattle that have gone to slaughter, 40 per cent are grain-fed, according to Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), and currently make up 1.4625 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents. Grain-fed cattle emissions are 80–85 per cent lower than grass-fed animals on average, due to the high energy, lower fibre and increased digestibility of grain-based diets. Owner and co-director of Gundamain Pastoral Co and Gundamain Feedlot Tess Herbert said she had an inkling emissions were being overestimated before the new methodology was released. "I think the [Australian] grass-fed industry does [believe their emissions are being overestimated] too, so that may be the next step along the supply chain," Mrs Herbert said. Separate from the study, research fellow Mei Bai at the University of Melbourne's School of Agriculture, Food, and Ecosystem Sciences said it was good news to have a local emission factor formula. However, Dr Bai said the new coefficients seemed to come from respiration chambers conducted under controlled conditions. "It doesn't fully replicate commercial feedlots' environment, where animal activities, climate and farm management practices would be different," she said. "It would be good to validate the revised emission factors with on-farm measurements." Professor of livestock production at UNE Frances Cowley is the co-author of the equation. Professor Cowley said the modelling had been under scrutiny for a number of years. She said MLA and UNE had pulled together recent Australian feedlot data on diets and conditions to conduct new experiments. "We modelled the data that we had using Australian diets and Australian cattle and Australian conditions and came up with an equation which is a really tight fit and a very strong prediction of methane going to be produced by grain-fed cattle on Australian diets in Australian feedlots," Professor Cowley said. Being able to track the emissions more accurately means farmers can adjust their cattle's methane-emitting diets. ALFA president Grant Garey said it was a significant win for the whole industry, solidifying Australia's reputation in all global markets. "It's a practical win for lot feeders," Mr Garey said.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
UNE professor suspended for violating live animal research protocols
Jun. 12—A shark and fish researcher at the University of New England has been suspended from research and teaching for "serious and continuous non-compliance" with protocols related to the study of live vertebrate animals. A university spokesperson declined to name the researcher, citing a personnel issue, but said they are no longer employed at UNE. The violations are outlined in a report authored by Karen L. Houseknecht, the university's vice president for research, which followed an investigation by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, the group charged with reviewing all activities involved vertebrate animals at the university, and an attending veterinarian. According to the report, the college's research compliance office received complaints in September and October of last year about research projects conducted by this professor. One involved tracking seasonal movements for two fishes in the Saco River system, and another that involved tagging sharks to monitor movement in the Gulf of Maine. According to the report, the animals impacted by those projects include eight to 10 pollack, seven Atlantic sturgeon and seven white sharks, all of which were captured and released. Through its investigation, the committee said it found "serious and continuous non-compliance" with protocols for these projects, including research on vertebrate animals without approval, failure to adhere to school protocols, activity beyond the approved end-date of the project and participation by people that were not appropriately qualified or trained. As a result, the committee voted to stop all research involving that professor, and suspend them from all research and teaching activities related to live vertebrates for a year, which began in December 2024. The students in the lab were to be assigned to new faculty advisors and given additional live animal training, including through a meeting with the veterinarian, according to the report. The investigation also concluded a need for institutional changes around research at UNE, including adding gatekeeping mechanisms like documentation for boat trips and teaching activities that involve live vertebrates, not allowing students to serve as the primary investigator on research projects and requiring new training for everyone in the department. "Considering the scope of the events outlined in this report and the potential repercussions of noncompliance, all faculty and professional staff in the School of Marine and Environmental Sciences and the (Marine Science Center), regardless of role with respect to vertebrate animals, will be required to take basic training in the care and use of live vertebrate animals and the role of the (committee) in order to improve the knowledge base and compliance culture in the (Marine Science Center) and associated programs," it reads. The report said a policy will be developed that outlines the appropriate use of UNE boats for "research/teaching activities vs. use for recreational fishing." Sarah Delage, associate vice president of communications at UNE, said the university took quick action in response to the investigation's findings. "Like any highly regulated industry, there are strict protocols in place around research," she wrote in an email. "As the report states, the university discovered a failure to follow established protocols. The university takes research integrity very seriously and took immediate and decisive action in compliance with all regulations." Delage said all involved students have "received full support from UNE to complete their work and are on track for on-time graduation" and said comprehensive training in research protocols has been delivered to everyone in the university's marine research community. The animal rights watchdog group Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! has been calling on UNE to fire the "rogue" researcher and anyone else connected to the violations, arguing "no respectable institution of higher learning should have faculty who seriously violate federal regulations on staff." The group filed an administrative complaint with the school and in it suggested any data generated by the research would be unpublishable because of the compliance violations. The university declined to answer specific questions about how the research will be affected or how common research integrity investigations are. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Maine's only medical school to expand in new home
Jun. 3—Dr. Jane Carreiro gestured to several rows of student exam tables in the shiny new home of Maine's only medical school. In that particular classroom on the third floor of the Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences, students will soon be role-playing as doctors and patients to learn how to conduct primary care exams. The $90 million building — which will be showcased in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday — is the cornerstone of a strategy to grow the University of New England's Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, and connect it to all of the health sciences programs at the university. By moving the medical program from the university's Biddeford campus to the sprawling, 110,000-square-foot building on its Portland campus, the DO program will grow from graduating 165 medical students per year to 200. The first class with 200 students will start this fall and graduate in 2029 before going into their residency program. A $30 million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation, $5 million in federal funding secured by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and other fundraising efforts made the construction of the new facility possible. The aim is to try to get more newly minted doctors working in Maine to help ease the health care workforce shortage. "That is our No. 1 goal," said Carreiro, vice president of health affairs at UNE and dean of the medical school. "That's what we are here for, to provide the workforce that we need for patient care in northern New England." The total number of health care practitioners in Maine — doctors, nurses, physical therapists, physician assistants and others working to provide care — rebounded in 2024, increasing to 43,930 from a recent low of 41,110 in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But there are continuing shortages of some providers, and demand for care is ever-increasing. In one category of primary care, for example, the number of family physicians working in Maine declined from 710 in 2019 to 630 in 2024. And experts say that Maine's recent population gains, plus its aging population, mean that demand for care has spiked even as the numbers of some providers has declined. James Herbert, UNE's president, said it's not only about increasing the number of graduating doctors, but also getting them to stay here. "Most doctors settle within the general vicinity of where they did their residencies," Herbert said. A residency is a supervised clinical training for medical school graduates, where they learn under a practicing doctor for a few years. "We need more residencies in Maine to anchor doctors in Maine," he said. Herbert said there is no federal money available to increase the number of residencies, so the university is supporting a bill, LD 1311, that would add $2 million in state funding to increase physician residencies in rural Maine. Herbert said the initial proposal was $5 million per year, but it's since been scaled back to $2 million to give it a better chance of passing. The bill is pending in the Maine Legislature. Herbert said while the new building will serve DO students, it will also be used by students in the other health sciences, including nursing, dentistry, physical therapists, physician assistants and pharmacists. The different health sciences programs will work together. Doctors of osteopathy can practice all areas of medicine similar to doctors of medicine, or MDs, and training emphasizes a "whole person" approach to diagnosis, treatment and patient care. "The way we've traditionally done health care education is to have everything siloed — nurses do their own thing, doctors do their own thing, PAs do their own thing. They don't train together. We will be doing more interprofessional education, and learn how to work on interdisciplinary teams," Herbert said. With all medical sciences working at the same Portland campus, having the students and faculty work together across programs will be easier to achieve. "It's a point of pride that at the Portland campus, the University of New England will be the only university in New England where all of its health programs will be co-located on a single campus," Herbert said. Copy the Story Link
