Central Queensland University staff in Rockhampton, Mackay and Bundaberg are among those across Australia who will receive Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.

The winners each receive $10,000 and will attend a presentation ceremony at Customs House in Brisbane on August 6, as part of the 2007 Carrick Australian Awards for University Teaching.

Bill Aspden, Vicki Pascoe, Karen Becker, Andrew Chiou and Nasser Hossein-Zadeh

The successful nominees from Rockhampton include Karen Becker and Dr Nasser Hossein-zadeh and the Tertiary Entry Program (TEP) team of Laurel Hunt, Dr Jonathan Makuwira, Vicki Pascoe, Laurence Armstrong and Kylie Radel.

Karen Becker is recognised for leadership in use of educational technology to inspire and motivate the learning of a highly-distributed student cohort.

Dr Hossein-zadeh is recognised for promoting technical and professional graduate attributes among engineering students through the creation of innovative links between courses and industry.

Nulloo Yumbah, CQU's Indigenous Learning, Spirituality and Research Centre, began offering the Tertiary Entry Program in correctional centres in 2002. The TEP team has been recognised for creating and teaching a successful, culturally appropriate program for Indigenous Australians aspiring to tertiary education, particularly to students in correctional centres.

Another successful CQU nominee was Dr Cecily Knight from Mackay, for building supportive learning environments through curriculum design and implementation and pedagogical approaches that impact on practice and policy in teacher education. 

Karen Seary
Cecily Knight

Karen Seary from Bundaberg was also successful for creating an inspirational and caring environment that supports and strengthens disadvantaged students as they prepare to embark on university study.

Professor Alex Radloff, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Services), said the receipt of  5 Citations in one year was a very good outcome for the University.

"At CQU, we are genuinely committed to recognising and celebrating excellence in learning and teaching. We were very pleased to support 9 citation applications," Professor Radloff said.

"Receiving 5 citations is a very good outcome especially given the competitive nature of the process, and one which CQU should be proud of. It reflects well on the dedication of our staff and on CQU's commitment to quality learning and teaching."

Other Rockhampton staff nominated for the national awards were Andrew Chiou (for using robotics as a learning and teaching tool for mathematics, science and technology at university and pre-tertiary levels), Antony Dekkers (for development and delivery of curricula and resources for students studying mathematics) and Dr Bill Aspden (for creating a technologically-dynamic environment where students are inspired to integrate leading-edge research into learning).

CQU Sydney's Peter Adams was also nominated for exciting and engaging international students to learn in new cultural environments.

Peter Adams