Some of our top research students gathered in Rockhampton this week and showed they will be a valuable resource for the future across the regional, national and international spheres...

The students presented in front of their peers, supervisors and industry representatives, during the 2nd Annual Conference of the IRIS Postgraduate Students: 'Resourcing for the future' Conference Program. IRIS is the Institute for Resource Industries and Sustainability.

IRIS conference organisers (seated L-R) Dr Anna Thomas, Dr Christelle Catuogno and Professor Richard Clegg with some of the research student participants

Participating students represented a range of university groups and centres, including biodiesel, environmental management, plant and water science, process engineering and light metals, power engineering, intelligent and networked systems, railway engineering and business research.

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There were guest addresses from Glenn Schumacher from Gladstone Power Station and Paul Walmsley from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.

This event was chaired by IRIS Director Dr Anna Thomas and Professor Richard Clegg and coordinated by Dr Christelle Catuogno and Karen Chapman. Sponsorship came from the community support program of the Gladstone Ports Corporation.

Dr Thomas said that, as well as highlighting a sample of our postgraduate research, the conference showcased the future leaders of industry and academia and provided an excellent opportunity for future employers to meet a wide range of graduate students.

Professor Richard Clegg chats with conference presenter Wayne Boyd

"It's also an opportunity for our students to present and receive critical feedback from peers and experts in the field," she said.

All the student presentations were judged by an industry panel. The winners were:

First Prize: I-pad

Richard Egelstaff, Process Engineering & Light Metals Centre:  Modelling intangible asset life cycle costing by using learning, unlearning and asset utilisation

Runners-up Prizes - Kindle E-reader

1^st runner-up -  Ben Kele, Centre for Plant and Water Science:   Volcanic Rock Filters in Decentralised Wastewater Treatment.

2^nd runner-up  Wayne Boyd, Centre for Environmental Management:  Assessing the success of ecosystem rehabilitation on open cut coal mining in the Bowen Basin, Queensland Australia

3^rd runner-up - Sumaira Tasnim, Power Engineering Research Group:  Power Loss in Transmission in a Wind Farm

Audience Choice for Best Presentation - CQUniversity Gift Pack

Ben Kele, Centre for Plant and Water Science: Volcanic Rock Filters in Decentralised Wastewater Treatment

All other student presenters received a $20 gift voucher from the CQUniversity Bookshop.

Dr Anna Thomas presents prizes to Sumaira Tasnim, Richard Egelstaff and Ben Kele 
Chatting at the conference L-R Professor Gopinath Chattopadhyay, Richard Egelstaff and Professor Richard Clegg