Southern Cross Matters

What also shines through the pages is the genuine and quite remarkable diversity of interests, passions and backgrounds amongst our academic and professional staff members and the way that this all comes together in the service of the higher ambitions that we are each in our own way working towards realising.

Every day at our University can be fascinating, precisely because it gives us the opportunity to meet, get to know and work with people from very different professional, intellectual and cultural perspectives and backgrounds. We draw such strength and vitality from this and each of us has a vital role to play in stewarding and further developing this rich tradition.

As we continue to build momentum into the second half of our year, I express my very sincere gratitude to each of you for your passion, energy, commitment and courage. We really are pushing back barriers right across the University and I hope that there is a very deep sense of shared accomplishment and pride as we commit to doing better and better each day.

Please do enjoy this month’s Southern Cross Matters and continue to give feedback about areas you’d like to see reflected in future editions.

The evolving plan responds to current demands and looks ahead to a future of continued enrolment growth and innovation in learning and working. It includes more flexible learning environments, improved digital systems, outdoor activation zones and dynamic spaces that support hybrid and collaborative work styles.

A proposed shift in the staff occupancy model will introduce bookable offices, quiet zones, and shared spaces, responding to changes in the way our campuses are used, and the need for a campus environment that fits present and anticipated future needs.

Final engagement activities are now underway, including student and staff surveys and on-campus pop-ups to validate the proposed direction.

“This is a crucial checkpoint to make sure we’re on the right track and that the proposed direction reflects what matters most to our university community,” Professor Jomeen said.

If supported, the plan will move into detailed planning and staged implementation from 2026. The Master Plan aims to ensure the Gold Coast campus remains a flagship destination for students and a vital part of the University’s long-term future.

The project, cheekily titled “Swinging both ways – the genetic control of sex expression in hemp,” is a collaboration with local company Kavasil Pty Ltd and builds on the University’s expertise in hemp research, the result of nearly three decades of work.

“Hemp is the swiss army knife of plants and hempseed has so many nutritional and environmental benefits, but yields are low. If we can achieve a fifty per cent increase in yields, this could mean better returns for growers and more affordable hemp products for everyone,” Tobias said.

Read more about the research project here.

“It also facilitates further research and provides open access to resources that support community knowledge and evidence-based decision-making.”

Building on this work, Associate Professor Wessell has been awarded a $12,000 State Library Fellowship to extend the repository. In addition, a new project in partnership with the University’s Living Lab, funded by a $54,000 grant from the NSW Reconstruction Authority, will preserve the heritage and history of North Lismore, a community significantly affected by recent flooding.

The initiative has also strengthened the University’s capacity in digitisation standards and archival policy, offering a model that can be applied to other flood recovery and heritage preservation projects.

“Many people in Lismore lost personal records and community histories in the floods, and some will relocate permanently,” Associate Professor Wessell said. “Our goal is to ensure that the stories, identity and cultural heritage of North Lismore are not lost but made accessible to the public and future researchers.”

To learn more, read articles by Clare Thorpe and Adele Wessell on the creation of the repository:

• Keeping the archives above water: preserving regional heritage in times of accelerated climate change
• Digital stewardship for river stewardship: creating the Richmond River open access repository

“We bring a world-leading research team to this project, affording a critical research study focused on understanding and supporting at-risk children and young people.”

Designated as a Special Assistance School, MSA opened its first campus in Varsity Lakes in 2021 to provide a quality educational alternative for students in years 4-10 who are disengaged or at risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling. 

“We are one of the only schools in Australia that is glad to see its students leave,” said MSA Managing Director Michael Roberts. “We want to equip our students with the tools they need to succeed in mainstream environments and where they can go on to thrive.”          

MSA uses a combination of techniques to re-engage students with learning. Small learner groups, rather than age groups, allow students to master a subject and move on when they are ready.           

“As students achieve and succeed, we can see that this gives them motivation to go on in their learning. What we are planning to investigate is what goes on in the mind of a child who experiences success,” said lead researcher Associate Professor David Turner.

The Mastery Schools Australia Project: An investigation into the establishment and operations of Third Space Professional Learning Arrangements is a three-year project that focuses on the concept of ‘third space’ and ‘co-design’ collaborations, which strengthens partnerships between universities and schools.

She balanced full-time work, family, carer responsibilities and the profound challenge of supporting her father through terminal illness, all while completing a rigorous doctoral journey.

“My supervisors weren’t just focused on the thesis; they walked the journey with me,” said Dr Wilson. “Their empathy, flexibility and deep understanding got me through some very difficult times.”

Another of our remarkable graduates is Rodney Peadon, whose PhD thesis explored the silence that often surrounds medical errors within healthcare settings.

“My supervisors pushed me to sharpen my thinking, question my assumptions, and find my voice. It wasn’t always comfortable, but it was always growth,” he says.

Melissa Tan also received her testamur, with her research focusing on how climate change is reshaping Australia's fisheries.

Melissa now works with the Marine Wildlife Team at NSW National Parks and Wildlife, while also maintaining her connection as a Research Assistant at the National Marine Science Centre, assisting with lab work on a variety of marine research projects.

“I’d love to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been on this journey with me, my supervisors, fellow students, staff, friends and family. Their encouragement meant everything,” she said.

Each of these graduates credited the immense support from our academics as a defining part of their success.

Chair of Nursing Professor Jennene Greenhill praised Gabby's innovation in integrating high-calibre clinical simulation in short, sharp, focused terms, honing students’ skills for confident clinical practice.

Gabby was nominated for her dedication to student success, reflected through outstanding student feedback regarding how she approaches teaching units across the Bachelor of Nursing, Master of Nursing and the EN to RN pathway in Southern Cross University’s innovative 6-week term model.

Gabby says: “I feel very strongly about really linking theoretical concepts to how they are applied in a real-world setting. I maintain a clinical portfolio in local hospitals, so I often see our students when they're on placement, and am keeping abreast of policy, and evidence-based practice, and bringing that into the classroom to make sure they're well prepared.

“Our model of learning has really enabled students to focus on specific skills, to understand them, consolidate them, then build on them – we’ve really integrated a layered learning approach of scaffolding the learning.”

“I was shocked and excited to be named a finalist. As mums and business owners, we do so much but rarely get recognised for it. To be nominated for a national award is very humbling,” Lara said.

“In 2022, the original location of Coastal Therapies flooded while I was 15 weeks pregnant with my first baby. It was a time in my life when

I could have thrown in the towel but holding onto the dream of having this space to support my family long-term pushed me to reopen in a new location. It showed me resilience and that hard work pays off.”

Lara graduated from Southern Cross University’s Master of Osteopathic Medicine in 2014 and for the past six years has worked at the University as a tutor and supervisor in the student clinic.

“My experience with Southern Cross was awesome. That’s why I chose to give back to the uni by supporting and mentoring osteopathy students. I wouldn’t be here today without my experiences at Southern Cross and the connections that I’ve made within the university,” she said.

Voting for the People’s Choice Award is open now. Click here to vote for the Health and Wellbeing category.

Winners for the 2025 AusMumpreneur Awards are announced on 12 August 2025.

“My passion has always been creating amazing experiences. At university, that is our students and staff. That’s exactly what the Stay Well initiative represents.”

As, Swathi leads units that support a broad range of services within ‘UniLife’ including accommodation, equity and diversity, loans, sports and recreation, e-sports, triage and the ‘counselling and safety unit’ focussing on our students counselling and safety needs.

Swathi says she is already generating ideas for new initiatives and improvements.

“I have a great team at Southern Cross and there are lots of exciting ideas brewing, from student-led initiatives to systems and process improvements. Let’s just say there won’t be a shortage of butcher paper or coffee in the brainstorming process!”

For Swathi, the most rewarding part of the job is seeing the real impact support services can have.

“Seeing students thrive, especially after facing tough challenges, is incredibly rewarding. When something we’ve created makes a genuine difference, helps someone feel heard, or gets them through a rough week, that’s what it’s all about,” she said. 

In the true spirit of wellbeing, we had to ask Swathi what her favourite office snack is. 

“I’m not saying there’s a desk drawer dedicated to dark chocolate and roasted nuts... but there is,” she laughs.

With a focus on connection, care and continuous improvement, the University’s new Senior Manager of Stay Well is here to lay the groundwork for lasting wellbeing improvements.

63 Team SCU athletes ran the 10km race, 35 took part in the Half Marathon (21km), 24 in the Full Marathon (42km), and 27 in shorter runs. Out of those 149 runners, nearly 50 per cent are Southern Cross current students, 20 per cent staff, and over 30 per cent alumni or community members.

PhD student and Team SCU member Grace Redden, who recently came back from participating in an ultramarathon in South Africa, ran her second Gold Coast Marathon this year.

“I had a lot of fun out on the Gold Coast Marathon course. The event was very well organised and the support from Team SCU made the two days flow smoothly. I had a goal of completing the double (both the full and half marathons) and was ecstatic to walk away with a 10-minute personal best in the marathon on the second day.”

It was a non-stop weekend of action at the Southern Cross Recovery Hub. As part of their placement hours, our osteopathy students provided treatments to approximately 150 athletes. Meanwhile, the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) team kept participants hydrated by serving more than 850 recovery teas and electrolyte drinks. 

As part of a new collaboration with ASICS, our osteopathy students joined their Recovery Zone team, offering treatments alongside our exercise science students, who assisted more than 550 runners with post-race recovery through foam rolling, stretching, and compression boot therapy.

“This year’s partnership with the Gold Coast Marathon was our most successful to date,” said Southern Cross Marketing Manager Bill Key. “Our newly branded dome tent stood out prominently in the recovery area, and we received outstanding feedback from both event organisers and the ASICS team on the professionalism and performance of our health students.”

“The positive feedback from staff who’ve completed the training shows the value of equipping SCU team members and their leaders with skills and resources to embed and practice the Four Levels of Conversation,” she says.

“The average rating for ‘The content and insights have practical application to my everyday work’ is 4.5 out of 5, with more than 10 teams having already completed the training.”

Those teams include People and Culture, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Faculty of Business, Law & Arts, Future Students & Outreach, Office of the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Academic Portfolio Office, Governance, Library Services, Faculty of Health and most recently the Faculty of Education.

In the words of one participant, the most valuable benefit was: “Getting everyone together to discuss as a group and talk through real-life examples. The playbook is a great resource with helpful language tips."

Director, Organisational Development Mark Krnjaic says Momentum is part of the University’s People strategy focused on building a culture of feedback at Southern Cross.

“Momentum encourages meaningful, real-time discussions that help everyone feel supported and equipped to have quality interactions in every context.”

SCU Learning and Organisational Development Consultant Emily Hamilton says Momentum – developed and delivered by OrgDev – continues to be refined as more staff take part. 

“We are interested in getting continuous feedback about Momentum Generation through the official feedback form or directly via momentum@scu.edu.au or through Teams.”

Brendan Walker-Munro's authored a new report for ASPI (Australian Strategic Policy Institute), 'Shifting the Needle: Making Australia’s Research Security Ecosystem Work Smarter'. Highlights include: Times Higher Education News; ABC News Radio; 2GB; ABC Radio National Breakfast; and Nine Radio (2UE, 2GB and more than 30 regional radio stations). Meri Oakwood’s Conversation article 'Family law changes will better protect domestic violence victims – and their pets' generated interviews on ABC News Radio Drive and ABC World Today, listen. 

Finally, Georgina Dimopoulos' new co-authored research reveals how courts, banks, and Centrelink can facilitate financial abuse. Highlights include: West Australian; Daily Mail; Yahoo News; plus syndicated to more than 60 regional newspapers; ABC North Coast; ABC Mid North Coast.

Tobias Kretzschmar’s received an ARC Linkage grant worth $561k to boost hempseed yields and supercharge production in conjunction with partner Kavasil. Highlights include: NBN News across multiple regions - Northern Rivers, Gold Coast, Central Coast, Tamworth/North West; Farm Weekly; Ocean Road magazine.

Vanessa Miller and Tony Yeigh's co-authored Conversation article about solutions to school bullying has received more than 11,614 views, plus it was republished in Child Magazine. Vanessa was interviewed on ABC Newcastle Drive.

Keep up to date at scu.edu.au/news where you’ll find the University’s media releases, feature articles, podcasts, videos and more.