Dr Elizabeth Tansley has been associated with CQUniversity for more than 17 years, as a student and now staff member, but her life could have followed a very different path...

Dr Elizabeth Tansley

What was a key turning point for you?

"When leaving school all I had in mind was to become a check-out chick but my mother put a Uni application in for me. I would have been happy taking the first job that came along," Elizabeth said.

"Once I enrolled I progressed into honours and then doctoral research into how people learn about data bases."

What are you doing now?

"I'm on secondment working for the Nexus project, which will help students avoid having to make multiple entries into databases."

What's coming up in future?

"I'll return to my substantive position as an IT lecturer."

What do you do outside the campus?

"I'm a real Theatre buff. I'm involved with Friends of the Theatre and Rockhampton Musical Union and have enjoyed performing and helping behind the scenes."

What's something people might not know about you?

I'm really keen on sign language ever since seeing someone doing it at a church service. I went to a course here at the Uni to learn."

What advice do you have for young people?

"Success is largely about perseverance. My own mind is probably better at creative things but I've been able to cope in IT by working at it.

"I'm known as a soy geek because I'm not really that obsessed by technology so I'm really just a pretend geek."