Graduation was a real family affair, especially for PhD researchers Dr Judith Applegarth and Dr Lance Pendergast.

While waiting to cross the stage at the CQUniversity Rockhampton cermony, both Judith and Lance had the chance to see their children graduate with bachelor degrees.

Dr Lance Pendergast with daughter Melanie Holgate (nee Brown) and grand-daughter Abigail

Dr Judith Applegarth and son Sam

Judith's son Sam earned his Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Co-op) with Honours, while Lance's daughter Melanie Holgate (nee Brown) earned her Bachelor of Environmental Health.

No doubt the children were also proud of their parents.

Dr Applegarth produced a thesis on Understanding Assisted Reproductive Technology Nursing (ART) Practice in Australia. In recent years, she's been in demand on the international conference circuit for her specialised knowledge, helping to put ART Nursing "on the map".

Dr Vincent Ross Skinner with Deputy Chancellor Charles Ware

Meantime, Dr Pedergast proved the Benefits of Aeration of Subsurface Drip Irrigation Water, showing how adding air to irrigation water (oxygation) provides significant gains in yields and water-use efficiencies of field irrigated cotton and chickpea.

Other PhD graduates included Vincent Ross Skinner with his Sociological Study of Indigenous Adolescent Offending in Queensland, and Dawei Zhang with his thesis on Network-based Output Tracking Control for Continuous-time Systems.
Dr Dawei Zhang with Deputy Chancellor Charles Ware