New mother and CQU researcher Dr Susan Kinnear has won the 'Young Achiever Department of Main Roads Environment Award' during the Queensland Young Achievers Awards.

The awards were announced on Saturday night (September 22) at the Gold Coast's Crown Plaza Royal Pines Resort.

CQU Communications student Ana Stevenson (pictured below) was also a finalist - in 'The Coffee Club Arts Award' category - recognising her musical and youth leadership roles, while CQU forensic science researcher Trent Pohlmann (also pictured below) gained a semi-final placing in the Science & Technology Award and 2005 nursing graduate Olivia Wilson was a semi-finalist in the Community Service Award category.

Menswear designer wins CQU-sponsored achievement award 

Dr Susan Kinnear

Dr Kinnear, who works for the Institute for Sustainable Regional Development, was unable to attend the awards, having only just been released from hospital the day before after giving birth to her first child, a daughter.

In a message sent to the organisers, Dr Kinnear said:

"This award may recognise my own personal achievements, but it would certainly be remiss of me not to recognise that many other people have been instrumental in helping me reach my goals.

"In particular, I am indebted to the research community at CQU, particularly the staff in the (then) School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, who helped foster my interest in the environment.

"In recent years I have worked closely with 2 wonderful supervisors, Dr Leo Duivenvoorden and Dr Larelle Fabbro, and I would sincerely like to thank them for their invaluable guidance and mentoring during the completion of my doctoral degree.

"My husband (Darren) and family have also always been very supportive of me and this has been so important in being able to achieve a balance my home and work lives."

Dr Kinnear, based at CQU Rockhampton, is making serious headway in her research of blue-green algae.

Having completed a Bachelor of Environmental Science (with distinction), a Bachelor of Science in Biology (with first class honours) and most recently her PhD, Susan is more than an asset to the Environmental Management Team at CQU.

Her key research area is the study of the adverse effects of natural toxins produced by freshwater blue-green algae. She has published many academic journals and presented professional conferences both locally and nationally on the topic.

Dr Kinnear has been awarded many grants for her research, including a Commonwealth-funded Australian Postgraduate Award for her PhD research.

Aside from all her research work, Susan helps with undergraduate teaching for the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences allowing her to pass on her knowledge and enthusiasm for environmental research.

Most recently, Dr Kinnear has been working side by side with several community based organisations and government bodies to secure funding for research into controlling an aquatic weed in Central Queensland.

Susan's future research goals are to contribute to a better understanding of the natural environment to enable us to prevent, minimise and (attempt to) reverse ecological damage through further and more detailed research.

As the winner of The Department of Main Roads Environment Award, Susan received a $2000 savings account from the Heritage Building Society and a superb trophy.

Ana Stevenson - one of the finalists - performing at the recent Multicultural Fair
Trent Pohlmann gained a semi-final placing

The event was attended by 350 guests and was a spectacular finale to the year's program involving 1000 nominees across the 7 categories.

The Queensland Young Achievers Awards are held annually to recognise the outstanding achievements of our Queensland youth.

These awards acknowledge the contributions of young Queenslanders in the 7 categories of: Arts, Sports, Community Service, Environment, Career Achievement, Science & Technology and Regional Initiative.

Central Queensland University made its presence felt in a number of ways at the Gala Awards Presentation event for the 2007 Queensland Young Achiever Awards.

Professor Phillip Clift, head of Bundaberg Campus, was invited to be the ‘specialist' judge for the second year, in a panel of 3 judges who took the nominations down to the final 3 in the CQU-sponsored Career Achievement category.

Associate Professor Nanjappa Ashwath from Rockhampton Campus was invited to be the ‘specialist' judge in the Sigma Energy Solutions-sponsored Science and Technology award which this year had record nominations and produced the overall winner.

Professor John Rickard said in his category presentation speech that CQU was itself a ‘Young Achiever" in university terms having only been elevated to university status some 15 years ago.

Dr Larelle Fabbro and Professor Bob Miles were referees in support of Dr Susan Kinnear's application and subsequent win in the Department of Main Roads-sponsored Environment Award.

Trent Pohlmann was supported to his semi-final placing in the Science & Technology Award by Dr Vicky Vicente-Beckett from the Faculty of Sciences, Health & Engineering.

Organisers thanked CQU for its strong support of the Young Achievers awards and said that record entries from the Central Queensland area were testament to the University's willingness to enthusiastically promote the opportunities that awards such as this can provide.