Rockhampton’s Sharon Marks is looking forward to graduation day (Saturday, October 2) as the proof she is fully recovered from serious head injuries sustained while working as a volunteer overseas.

A few years ago, she was working as a biodiversity officer through Australian Volunteers International in Tuvalu, a tiny coral atoll developing country about 1000km north of Fiji, when she was assaulted and medivaced back to Australia.

Before the assault, Ms Marks had assisted the Polynesian conservation officer with project duties including fauna surveys, funding proposals for a boat and dive equipment, a clean-up of islets in the park, development of an ecotourism strategy and business plan, development of a web site, and awareness raising through information sheets, newsletters, radio and newspaper articles.

Two years after the assault, Ms Marks started external postgraduate study with CQU’s Institute for Sustainable Regional Development (ISRD) to complete a Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Development.

“I started the ISRD study as I am still very interested in this issue of the environment and development and was keen to assess the effects of the head injuries on my academic ability,” she said. “I completed the course with Distinctions for half my subjects, and a High Distinction for a major essay on salinity, so I knew I was OK.”.

In the late 1990s, Ms Marks completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Studies degree at James Cook University (with Honours).

“The qualifications I have now in environmental science and sustainable development along with communications experience with community groups and conservation areas is fantastic for my current position as Communications Officer with the Fitzroy Basin Association,” she said.

“This is the regional natural resource management (NRM) body for Central Queensland whose motto is ‘community working for a sustainable future’".