2007 winners
Former Premier and Minister for Trade Peter Beattie and Minister for Women Margaret Keech hosted the coveted fifth annual Smart Women - Smart State Awards on 29 August 2007.
Multi-award winning science writer and ABC's The New Inventors judge Bernie Hobbs ensured an entertaining evening as the witty and lively Master of Ceremonies.
Showcasing the Awards' ever-increasing popularity, a packed house of nearly 300 guests attended the function at the State Library of Queensland's Brisbane auditorium.
Minister Keech With 2007 Award winners, August 2007
This year's Award winners are high achievers in science, engineering and information and communication technology (ICT). They are pioneering world-class research to prevent life-threatening diseases, developing engineering solutions, leading educational projects and much more.
We congratulate these high-achievers who are leading the way in our communities, research institutes, educational facilities and in business.
The Office for Women extends its sincere thanks to the event sponsors and judges, who continue to provide their professionalism, expertise and enthusiastic support to the Awards each year.
Winners of Smart Women - Smart State Awards 2007
Category 1: Secondary School Students
Sponsored by Griffith University
Sally Barrett, Southport
Sally is a year 12 student at Keebra Park State High School, who has undertaken a cutting edge chemistry and biology project on the detrimental effects of climate change on marine organisms. Key evidence uncovered by Sally highlights the hidden impacts of global warming. Her project is entitled "The effects of anthropogenic carbon dioxide on the shell development of ostracods".
Category 2: Undergraduate Students - Science
Sponsored by the Queensland Resources Council
Alecia Carter, Brisbane
Alecia, an honours student at the University of Queensland, has designed a computer program that analyses how female kangaroos interact with each other, demonstrating the benefits of relationships developed between individual female kangaroos. Her project is entitled "Complex association patterns and fitness benefits in female Eastern Grey Kangaroos".
Alecia's research has implications for the conservation of this and other species. Her findings could also be used for managing overabundant animal populations and legal harvesting programs.
Category 3: Undergraduate Students - Engineering
Sponsored by the Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering
Helen Gorell, Brisbane
Helen is in the final year of her medical engineering degree. She has developed a mock circulation loop - a physical model of part of the human circulation system. Using this system, Helen aims to enable the evaluation of devices such as the C-Pulse, which provides mechanical cardiac assistance for sufferers of heart failure. Helen's project is entitled "Design and construction of a mock circulation loop for future testing of an extra aortic balloon".
Category 4: Undergraduate Students - Information and Communication Technology
Sponsored by Queensland Treasury and CorpTech
Yvette Griggs, Townsville
Yvette is an Honours student in Computer Systems Engineering at James Cook University. Her project is entitled "Rapid application development for microcontrollers using automatic code generation from graphical requirements with IMMERGE". It focuses on the development of code generation software intended for programmers with very little experience in code - allowing a wider range of people to successfully program embedded systems.
Category 5: Postgraduate Students - Science
Sponsored by The University of Queensland
Jennifer Firn, Nikki Sims, Megan Ward and Alice Yeates, Brisbane
This team of smart women from The University of Queensland won the Award with their project "Investigating the mechanisms behind costly and environmentally destructive weeds". Their nomination detailed the use of empirical research in conjunction with mathematical modelling, and their strong commitment to battling weed invasion using innovative research methods.
Category 6: Postgraduate Students - Engineering
Sponsored by Queensland Transport and the Department of Main Roads
Katrina McDonald, Brisbane
Katrina McDonald from the Queensland University of Technology won this Award for her investigation into bone fractures associated with osteoporosis. With an ageing population such as ours, Katrina's work is extremely significant. Her research aims to develop biomechanical techniques to better understand the processes leading up to, and following, vertebral compression fractures.
Katrina's project is entitled "An experimental and finite element investigation of the biomechanics of vertebral compression fractures".
Category 7: Postgraduate Students - Information and Communication Technology
Sponsored by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Kaylene Clayton, Brisbane
Kaylene, a PhD student at Griffith University, is an active advocate for young women to get involved in ICT careers. She is currently exploring the factors affecting young people's career choices and how interventions can be developed for improving recruitment to ICT study programs. Kaylene is also actively involved in community service activities promoting ICT careers to young women.
Category 8: Women in Industry/Business - Science
Sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency
Professor Jennifer Stow, Brisbane
Jennifer is one of Australia's leading research scientists and cell biologists, with more than 20 years of experience. Her research into cell biology may lead to cheaper alternatives to costly current treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Category 9: Women in Industry/Business - Engineering
Sponsored by Trackstar Alliance
Anne Lavers, Townsville
Anne is a Civil/Structural Engineer and a manager of engineering firm GHD. Involved in a number of big projects, Anne received the Award for her work on the Ross River Dam Upgrade Project. This project, involving the implementation of advanced engineering techniques, will result in increased storage capacity, meet international health and safety standards and maintain bio-diversity in the area.
Category 10: Women in Industry/Business - Information and Communication Technology
Sponsored by the Department of Emergency Services
Tammy Halter, Brisbane
Founder and sole director of software company Absolute Data Group, Tammy identified a niche marketing opportunity in the global ICT marketplace.
Tammy won the Award for her Absolute Data Group Broadcaster and R4i software. Her company's content technology solutions are now in use all over the world.
Category 11: Women in Community/Public Sector - Science
Sponsored by Queensland Health
Professor Linda Blackall, Brisbane
Professor Linda Blackall, of the University of Queensland's School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, is a leader of groundbreaking research on wastewater management. She won the Award for her project "Innowatech".
Linda's work will maximise Australia's ability to control environmental pollution, efficiently recycle water and more effectively use and generate energy.
Category 12: Women in Community/Public Sector- Engineering
Sponsored by the Department of State Development
Lin Ma, Brisbane
Lin is an Associate Professor at the Queensland University of Technology, School of Engineering Systems. She won the Award for her work as an asset health manager.
Lin's work involves developing state-of-the-art methods and systems to monitor the performance and condition of major assets (machinery) to predict when they should be maintained so they don't fail unexpectedly. Her systems help companies maintain safety and avoid unnecessary loss of production, while allowing them to plan most efficient use of resources.
Category 13: Women in Community/Public Sector - Information and Communication Technology
Sponsored by the Department of Communities
Dr Penny De Byl, Toowoomba
Penny won the Award for her project "Advanced Learning and Immersive Virtual Environment (ALIVE)". ALIVE brings fun to learning and addresses issues associated with student boredom. It seamlessly integrates Web3D technologies, such as interactive games, simulations and 3D technologies, with existing course materials.
Highly commended and other outstanding nominees
Unfortunately there can be only one winning entry per Award category. The calibre of nominations this year was so high the Premier presented several high commendation certificates, and acknowledged the excellent work of three more outstanding nominees.
The Premier presented 'Highly Commended' certificates to the following Award nominees:
Category 5: Postgraduate Students - Science
- Dr Kim Hamilton, Brisbane
- Melina Georgousakis, Brisbane
- Kathleen Ahern, Brisbane
Category 7: Postgraduate Students - Information and Communication Technology
- Lindy McKeown, Toowoomba
Category 10: Women in Industry/Business - Information and Communication Technology
- Saori Uyeda, Brisbane
Category 11: Women in the Community/Public Sector - Science
- Professor Angela Arthington, Brisbane
Category 13: Women in the Community/Public Sector - Information and Communication Technology
- Dr Aileen Cater-Steel, Toowoomba
Encouragement certificate
A certificate of encouragement was Awarded to Trang Phan of Cairns, for her Secondary School Students category nomination.
Mentoring opportunity
The Department of State Development presented a special mentoring and professional development opportunity to Sallyanne Brooke-Taylor, of Townsville. Sallyanne's project numerically modelled road embankments to determine if there is potential for significant cracks to develop in the road surface. Her research could potentially save on road maintenance costs as well as minimise road closures and delays.
Lifetime contribution to science
The Premier recognised Brisbane's Anne Bourne for her lifetime contribution to science. Anne retired in 1991 but she continues to play a critical role in CSIRO's entomology unit as an Honorary Fellow. Anne has contributed to issues such as dealing with species' response to climate change, and solving pest and disease problems plaguing agricultural production and natural environments. Her contribution has been recognised by authorship and acknowledgement in over 20 papers published by international journals.
Last updated: 8 April 2008
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