2023 Global Change Scholars

School of Psychology

Ben is a PhD student working under Dr Gary Chan at the National Centre of Youth Substance Use Research. His thesis will investigate the use of non-medical use of prescription stimulants in Australia by conducting qualitative interviews and analysing social media content.

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability

Biswaranjan is a PhD scholar at the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences under the supervision of Drs. Alwyn Williams, Mike Bell, and Yui Osanai. His research project tries to find out whether the increased greenhouse gas emissions due to residue decomposition can offset the beneficial effects of no-till agriculture on carbon sequestration in soil.

Biswaranjan completed his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Science at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, India in 2016. He secured a scholarship to study at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), where he completed a master’s degree in Agronomy in 2018. During his master’s programme, he was adjudged as the best M.Sc. student of the year 2018 and conferred with IARI Merit Medal. His M.Sc. work has been recognised with the Best M.Sc. Thesis Award 2018 by Indian Society of Agronomy. Biswaranjan joined Indian Agriculture Research Service in 2020 and has been working as an agronomist at ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management, India. He is a recipient of several fellowships and awards for his scientific contribution to the field of Agronomy. Biswaranjan has many research articles in peer-reviewed journals related to agronomy and soil science.

School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Carlos Eduardo is a PhD student at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science where he researches tipping points on the adoption of clean energy technologies under the supervision of Dr Mashhuda Glencross and Prof Stephen Viller. He is mainly interested in the dynamics between these technologies and how they contribute for Australia's net zero emissions targets. Carlos holds a Master's degree in Systems Engineering and Computer Science from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), focused on Multiobjective Optimisation for the power expansion planning problem with environmental aspects. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from the same university and has professional experience in Power Operation Planning for the Brazilian Energy Market, Climate Change Adaptation and Hydraulic and Environmental Modelling.

His main interests are in the areas of Energy and Sustainability as well as Modelling, Urban Planning, Philosophy, Astronomy and Psychology. Apart from his studies, he spends time reading, watching movies, listening to Brazilian music and exploring all the possibilities that Brisbane has to offer. With his PhD research and future work he expects to create a positive impact by helping humanity to go towards a more sustainable future in terms of environmental justice and social equity.

School Languages and Cultures

David Lu obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, a master’s degree in law and a PhD in management in China. He also got a Master of Philosophy in Law from the University of Queensland. 

He was a visiting professor at the Central South University and the Judge Collage of Guangdong, China.  

He also was a research scholar in the Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law of the University of Queensland, Australia, and a member of the advisory board of the Centre for Comparative and International Law of Indiana University, USA. 

He founded and operated a Chinese media group in Brisbane, which included radio, newspaper and digital publishing.  

Currently, he joins the School of Languages and Cultures as a Higher Degree by Research scholar. His research project is A Study on Translation and Interpretation of Chinese Business Law and Its Practice from a Cross-Cultural Perspective.  

The study will seek to explore: Can common Chinese to English translation mistakes of Chinese business law be classified into some sort of pattern or typology? How does cultural sensitivity affect Chinese to English translation quality of Chinese business law? What are some ways we can improve Chinese to English translation quality of Chinese business law? 

David Lu’s principal advisor is Professor Ping Chen; his associate advisor is Dr Wendy Jiang.

School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work

Bubbling with child-like curiosity, anchored in education and experience as an organizational psychologist, I, Dimple (she/her), enjoy exploring the psycho-social interplay between individuals and the larger systems they inhabit, influence, and are influenced by. In this process of unearthing hidden patterns within this multifaceted interaction, 'Aha moments' unfold and fuel my love for facilitating insights.

Throughout my journey, I have had the opportunity to wear multiple hats as a facilitator, fulfilling roles as a counsellor, trainer, tutor, and now, a researcher; driven to explore the nuanced dynamics at the intersection of culture and gender.

Based at the School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, I am presently exploring social justice for the marginalised Hijra/Kinner (aka transgender) community of India employing a participatory methodology. In the spirit of co-creation, the project - spearheaded by the community, rooted in ‘care’, aims to move from the community’s pain to possibilities.

Energised by the transformative potential of this movement and the multitude of possibilities collaboration brings, I find my ground in nature; basking in the warmth of sunlight, breathing in the rejuvenating fresh air, and oh - walking barefoot on the grass. I am wholeheartedly in.

School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work

Elouise is a current PhD student in the field of paediatric oncology under Prof. Amanda Ullman. Her research at the Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR), focuses on children with cancer and looks at the implementation of a new catheter lock solution to reduce infection during chemotherapy. She hopes to be able to use the skills gained during her PhD research and the Global Scholars Program to further her career in clinical trials, making more medications, vaccines and medical devices available.

Elouise holds a Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours Class I) and completed her Honours research in clinical chronic pain research. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the cello in the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra.

Faculty of Medicine

I’m a PhD student with Mater Research Institute – University of Queensland. My research involves developing software that analyses data from advanced genome sequencing technology to generate more specific insights for functional interpretation. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology and have a self-taught background in biological data analysis using programming language. Outside research, I’m a creative and science communication enthusiast who enjoys reading about new discoveries and sharing them in a more publicly accessible language. In the Global Change Scholar’s program, I look forward to exploring, learning, and practicing transdisciplinary collaboration, problem solving, and effective communication.

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability

Hannah (she/her) holds an MSc in Culture & Society from the London School of Economics and a BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism, and Curation from Central Saint Martins. Her interests span social and cultural theory, design, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and innovation. In her PhD, “Bioplastics & Responsible Innovation”, Hannah is investigating the systems and stakeholders making up the bioplastics landscape and identifying potential sticking points for the mainstream adoption, proper integration, and sustainable development of bioplastics.

Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology

Hemanshi Galaiya is a multi-award winning young leader and entrepreneur. She completed her Masters of Engineering in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sheffield. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). Her current research is focused on the production of bioplastics using bacterial strains that can feed on carbon dioxide. Through this research, she hopes to bring forward technology that can help reduce environmental degradation.

Over the years, she has been a passionate advocate for gender equality and enhancing the quality of education, which has seen her in roles like an International Engineering Ambassador, a Science and Engineering Champion and a former President of the Women in Engineering Society at the University of Sheffield. She is also an Alumna of the Sheffield Engineering Leadership Academy and has undertaken academic research contributing towards a wider investigation for Nestle.

In 2019, Hemanshi started a social enterprise, Young Stripes – a STEM outreach initiative aimed at empowering students in Kenya. As a young educator and entrepreneur, Hemanshi has participated in several highly competitive fellowships including Metis, Africa Yes and the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI). She was also invited to join the Electrocomponents Group's (FTSE 250 company) Fresh Advisers Board contributing strategies and cool projects to make the company a first choice for the youth.

Her contributions for women and youth empowerment have been recognised with titles such as a '25 Under 25 Young Achiever', 'A Rising Impact Maker', 'An inspirational Women of Sheffield City' and ‘Rising Impact Maker’.

As a PhD student, she is interested in improving her academic acumen, participating in multidisciplinary research and enhancing her leadership and entrepreneurship portfolio.

School of the Environment

I (she/her) came to UQ in 2017 and completed a Bachelor of Science (Hons) and majored in Marine Biology and Genetics. Following this, I worked as a research technician for two years on a Quandamooka/Moreton Bay Sustainable Urban Seascapes project. This project was inter-disciplinary and involved social science, engineering, ecological monitoring and community engagement. I am now a first-year PhD student in the School of The Environment. My project aims to use a seascape genomics approach to better understand the spatial distribution of genetic variability and local adaptation in several coral species in Australia and the Caribbean. I aim to work alongside modellers and ecologists to use this information to inform marine spatial planning tools and objectives. Ultimately I strive to work at the intersection of scientific research and conservation practice/policy. More broadly, I am passionate about science communication, empowering women in STEM, and equality, equity, and diversity in education.

School of Education

I’m an Educational Psychologist who also has experience in the FMCG industry as an HR, specialize in Learning and Development. Besides doing another job as a career coach in Indonesia, I was also active in delivering training programs as a consultant to any kind of sector, such as universities, a hospital, government corporations, automotive industries, etc. Starting on January 2023, I become a PhD student in education with a focus on research to create a problem-solving test for Indonesian students.

School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences

My PhD is on the charge-transfer physics of organic photovoltaics, where I'm working with the Centre for Organic Photovoltaics and Electronics here at UQ. Our goal is to improve the performance and viability of next-generation solar technology, so that we may accelerate their widespread commercialisation and more effectively generate renewable energy. I decided to study here because I'm committed to searching for new and innovative solutions to the complex, global problems that we face, and I hope to hone my skills in communication, leadership and problem-solving.

School of Psychology

I am a Provisional Psychologist completing a dual Masters of Organisational Psychology and PhD at The University of Queensland. My PhD research investigates how the number of hours we work can affect our mental health and wellbeing. Here, my team and I are working to apply a novel computational model that combines data from longitudinal cohort studies globally to predict the effects of changing work patterns for different people in different jobs.

Outside of this, I am passionate about evidence based organisational psychology practice related to mental health at work, which has been strengthened through both my experience working as a Consultant for the World Health Organization and volunteering as a Student Representative Committee Member for the Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology Australia.

I am excited to engage with the hands-on industry collaboration and leadership development opportunities afforded by the Global Change Scholars Program and believe this will help me translate and apply my research in practical settings.

Sustainable Minerals Institute

Joseph Kimtai is a PhD student at the Sustainable Minerals Institute within CSRM, contributing his expertise to the Community-Smart Consultation & Consent (CSCC) Project. Under the guidance of his supervisory team-Dr John Burton, Associate Professor Nick Bainton, and Dr Éléonore Lèbre, Joseph addresses the critical issue of deep-rooted structural disadvantages faced by Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities as they engage with development stakeholders. His research illuminates the 'implementation gap'- the stark discrepancy between agreed-upon formal frameworks for managing natural resources and actual practices on the ground. He carries out a comparative analysis of this disconnect against Good International Industrial Practice (GIIP) guidelines for responsible mining. He pays particular attention to the World Bank Group Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines and the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Performance Standards, as these are crucial for safeguarding vulnerable land-dependent communities' rights. The setting for Joseph's research is Kwale County, Kenya, amongst the native Mijikenda, a community of nine tribes known as "the nine kayas." His work explores how one of the tribes; the Digo, who are motivated by a strong desire to uphold both their Mijikenda and Islamic identities, navigate the challenges of land access rights within the broader context of large-scale mining operations. Joseph aims to illuminate the realities faced by this tribe, and in doing so, he hopes to propose effective strategies to bridge the 'implementation gap.'

Joseph holds a Master of Environmental Studies (Climate Change and Sustainability) degree from Kenyatta University and Bachelor of Education (Arts)-Geography & Kiswahili degree from Moi University in Kenya.

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability

Kusumitha is a first-year PhD student at the University of Queensland, where she works as a casual academic at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences. Her research focuses on the natural variation in demethylation in the endosperm of the Sorghum grain and its correlation with grain quality, using epigenetic information. This project is aligned with the UN Goals, as it aims to promote food security through Sorghum improvement and gain valuable insights into its practical applications. The project aims to explore the underexplored area of differential demethylation, which has shown promising results in maize, and discover new epigenetic targets for breeding in sorghum. Kusumitha has extensive knowledge in agricultural biotechnology, ranging from tissue culture to genome editing in sorghum and genomic selection in beef cattle. Her personal investment in this project is driven by her cultural significance, as she grew up eating sorghum in India. The project aligns with her goals of improving agricultural sustainability and food quality. During her Master’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of Queensland, she received several awards, such as the UQ-SCMB India Scholarship, the UQ Employability Award for leadership excellence, and being recognised as a UQ Future Leader 2022. She has also been highly engaged with the UQ community through volunteering, mentoring, student representation, and being a student voice on several committees, which allowed her to improve her soft skills and operational management skills. Kusumitha looks forward to gaining industrial experience and working on challenging opportunities through the Global Change Scholars program, which will help her pursue a career in sustainability and future foods. Her primary supervisor is Dr. Peter Crisp.

School of the Environment

Reyad is a PhD student in the School of Architecture, Design and Planning under the supervision of Dr. Dorina Pojani and Dr. Sara Alidoust. His PhD project aims to examine the role of culture on people’s daily mobility behavior, particularly to identify if the degree of cultural effect is the same on men’s and women’s daily urban mobility.

Reyad completed his Bachelor of Public Administration and Master of Public Administration from the University of Chittagong in Bangladesh. After that, he was awarded a Chinese Government Scholarship for another Master’s in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Science and Technology of China. In his research, Reyad focuses on sustainable urban transport planning and gender issues.

School of Psychology

Melinda graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Psychological Science (First Class Honours), continues her academic journey as a PhD student at the School of Psychology. Drawing in her own experiences attending various international schools and moving countries, Melinda developed an interest for the dynamics of intergroup contact and the experiences of minority groups.

Supervised by Professor Fiona Kate Barlow and Dr. Michael Thai, Melinda joins an ARC research project studying everyday experiences of racism and its impact on minority groups. This research aims to explore the experiences of minority groups during interracial interaction. By gaining a deeper understanding of how these complex interactions affect marginalised communities, Melinda hopes to contribute to the development of more effective strategies for addressing discrimination and prejudice.

Faculty of Medicine

Hi, my name is Navid and I am a 29-year old PhD student at the School of Public Health at the University of Queensland. I was born and raised in Germany to Iranian immigrants and completed my high school, undergraduate and a Master’s degree in Frankfurt, Germany. I then moved to Australia in 2020 to study a Master’s of Peace and Conflict studies and have started my PhD at the School of Public Health in October 2022. My research focuses on how food industry, in particular the meat industry, attempts to influence scientific discourse and scientific research and its dissemination. This is part of the broader studies in lobbyism and corporate political activity and has been researched before for other industries, specifically the tobacco or sugar industry. It is a cross-section between political sciences and public health. Apart from my research, I enjoy different sports like football (as a German you basically have to), squash and tennis. I like staying informed by reading different news media and listening to podcasts and consider myself a fairly political person. When I find the time in between all the studies, I regularly do longer travels abroad either by myself, or with some close friends.

School of Communication and Arts

Oluwapelumi is a PhD Student at the School of Communication and Arts, University of Queensland, working under the supervision of As/Pr Jane Johnston and As/Pr Levi Obijiofor. Her PhD project focuses on Human rights reporting of conflicts and the role of the media in social justice advocacy. This research adopts the content analysis research method in investigating patterns of human rights representations in media reportage of conflict situations in selected West African countries. To this end, the research makes significant contributions to extant debates about human rights and conflict reporting across the globe by integrating the realities from West Africa into the global discourse for contextual and comparative knowledge production. In addition, the research will provide a much-needed overview of the role of the media in shaping public discourse about social justice advocacy and the problematic human rights conditions in Africa.

Oluwapelumi completed her Bachelor of Arts in English and Literary Studies with first-class Honours at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria, where she graduated as the best student in her department and the overall best-graduating student in the Faculty of Arts. She worked as a research/project officer on Conflict, Security, and Human Rights Project at the Centre for Journalism Innovations and Development (CJID).

Beyond conflict, security, and human rights, she also coordinated and facilitated projects and research on climate change and energy transition. She has also been part of the execution team for various Health, Agric, and National Resources & Extractives (NAREP) projects at the centre (CJID). These projects have built the capacity of over 300 journalists, 100 researchers, and 50 civil society practitioners across Anglophone West African countries, which has produced hundreds of reports and policy briefs; and also informed several advocacy campaigns. Working with a team of about 10 professionals on the Development Practice Programme to execute projects and drive research and policy work has earned her an all-around hands-on experience in different Development sectors in the region, which has contributed to the advancement of independent media across West Africa.

Oluwapelumi was also an Operations consultant for MyFund FinTech company before beginning her Ph.D. at the University of Queensland. Her interests include making new friends, hanging out, travelling, networking, listening to music, learning new dance steps, and taking a lot of pictures.

Queensland Alliance of Agriculture and Food Innovation

Taking into account the potential consequences of climate variability on crop productivity is of utmost importance in the pursuit of developing food systems that are both sustainable and resilient. Promoting the cultivation of alternative grains is the key to enhance the diversity in our diets, address micronutrient deficiencies, and decrease the demand for agricultural water, fertilizers, and pesticides, thus necessitating a substantial shift from relying on staple cereals to embracing highly adaptive millets.  However, it is important to note that despite their agricultural potential, millets currently exhibit lower yields compared to conventional cereals, and their production is hindered by the incomplete selection of crucial domestication traits like lodging, seed shattering, and seed size.

Rahul's PhD research, supervised by Prof. Robert Henry, focuses on the genome analysis of channel millet (Echinochloa turneriana) for its de novo domestication. Channel millet is among the potential agricultural indigenous wild species native to the arid channel region of inland Australia. Through sequencing of Echinochloa turneriana and resequencing of other minor millets, valuable insights can be gained into the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and the identification of favourable traits to determine options for rapid domestication. Selected candidate traits may be subjected to editing to progress domestication. This project will define and test a pathway to develop climate-adapted crops for the future.

School of Business

Ricardo is a PhD Student in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at UQ Business School. He studied International Affairs (Trade & International Finance) at L’Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement (IHEID, The Graduate Institute) – Geneva, Switzerland. In 2021, he was a Visiting Student at the Centre for Comparative and International Studies, D-GESS, ETH Zürich (Switzerland). Ricardo also holds a dual BSc with First Class Honours in Economics and Finance from the University of Liverpool (UK) and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (China) at its triple-accredited (AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA) international business school in picturesque Suzhou.

Supervised by Dr Frederik von Briel and Prof Paula Jarzabkowski, Ricardo’s current research focuses on understanding how businesses strategically respond to crises and harness them to fuel high growth. He uses a mixed methodological approach in his research, including case studies, (computational) text analysis, and network analysis. He is a member of several societies in management (BAM, IACMR) and social network analysis (INSNA).

Before joining UQ Business School, Ricardo worked in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Section at Swissnex in China (Science Consulate of Switzerland), where he supported leading Swiss tech companies and start-ups in innovation scouting and strategy formulation. His professional experience extends to strategy consulting, development banking, and public speaking engagements with several international organisations. Passionate about translingual epistemics in international business and diplomacy, Ricardo is a United Nations certified Chinese-English translator and speaks German, French, and Spanish at various proficiency levels.

School of Business

When I was just a kid, my dad decommissioned an old computer from his work desk in Germany, and I set to work looking for ways to repurpose it. Since then, I’ve been driven to discover new ways to use technology effectively to support people doing their greatest work. I’m also fascinated by the reasons why some businesses use digital technology and to which extent. This led me to start a blog (uncoverstrategy.com) to connect with like-minded individuals to discuss, explore, and research the intersection of technology, innovation, and business strategy.

I decided to formally explore these topics throughout my prior studies in Germany and Australia, alongside working for a European bicycle manufacturer as an IT manager. Today I am continuing my research through my PhD, where I intend to discover how digital technologies, especially AI, enable industrial-age firms to scale. As a passionate technologist, I am eager to explore how digital technologies can be practically applied in industrial settings. Studying alongside professional work has allowed me to alternate between professional work and study, giving me first-hand experience in understanding the fascinating relationship between technology & business.

Faculty of Medicine

Tracey is a higher degree by research scholar in the Mayne Academy of General Practice, University of Queensland, supervised by Professor Katharine Wallis and Associate Professor Maria Donald. Tracey’s PhD will use multi-method approaches to evaluate the implementation strategies employed and understand the implementation context and outcomes of the RELEASE intervention which has been designed to prompt medication review, support shared decision-making, and guide safe tapering and stopping of long-term antidepressants where there is no clinical indication for ongoing use. Many people experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when they attempt to stop antidepressants, and these are often mistaken by both healthcare practitioners and patients as 'relapse' perpetuating their long-term use.

Tracey’s personal interests in planetary health and sustainability supplement her clinical approach to the quality use of medicines. As a researcher seeking to contribute to sustainability, she embraces collaborative effort, believes in the power of transdisciplinary problem solving, and trusts she can probably be more constructive by attending to general patterns than by getting too hung up on single issues.

School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences

My name is Tuan. I come from Vietnam. I am currently PhD student at the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics (The University of Queensland). I am working towards the development of solution-processed organic light emitting diodes. In my spare time, I enjoy doing some outdoor sports (street workout, running, football). I like sunbathing, swimming and camping very much. I also enjoy gathering with other PhD fellow students on weekends to discuss research topics and challenges. I would like to meet other PhD students and broaden my horizon through the 2023 Global Change Scholars Program and I think it will be definitely a great opportunity to equip myself with sufficient knowledge and soft skills for my future development.

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability

Van Tinh Thai is a PhD student at the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability (AGFS), The University of Queensland (UQ). He holds a master’s degree in international development in rural areas from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT). He has been working as a researcher at the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD) in Vietnam, with over a decade of experience studying climate change, carbon footprint, agriculture policy, value chain analysis, agricultural insurance, and rural community development. His current research aims to improve the environmental sustainability in the rice value chain in Mekong Delta.