Our December 2020 Graduates
Graduation looks a little different for the Class of 2020 at The University of Queensland. COVID-19 has forced the postponement of on-campus graduation ceremonies. Instead, there'll be an online celebration. Here we learn about just a few of the students who have completed their studies in a very challenging year.
No flies on this graduate as she chases dreams
Image supplied: Montana Samantzis at her undergraduate graduation ceremony.
‘Why?’ is a question that motivates soon-to-be UQ honours graduate Montana Samantzis.
The neuroscience researcher spends her days at the Queensland Brain Institute investigating whether flies have a form of REM sleep, and hopes the answer to that conundrum will help explain why we dream.
“Non-REM sleep is for clearing metabolic waste and it’s restoring your body and it makes sense that most animals would need that, but scientists think REM sleep is more to do with memory and emotional processing.
“Why on earth does a fly need that?
“Researchers don’t know a lot of the reasons for why we sleep - why don’t we know this? I think it’s all fascinating.”
Ms Samantzis’ own study and busy extra-curricular program left her little time for sleep herself.
The Bachelor of Science and Arts graduate was in the Advanced Studies Program in science for three years, won best presentation at the 2018 Science Undergraduate Research Conference, was an affiliate student at University College in London, a summer student at the University of Cambridge and attended a leadership conference in Prague.
At the same time, she still managed to maintain a high GPA, work at the City of Gold Coast Libraries running children’s activities and tutor university students.
Ms Samantzis was also a member of the UQ Science Leaders Academy, deciding to become involved when she arrived at UQ from her Gold Coast home because she knew no one.
“I thought it was great, I could get more involved with the community and also help people, and so I started with Science leaders and got more involved and started organising some of their events,” she said.
Image: supplied. Montana Samantzis wearing a Science Leaders shirt
Image: supplied. Montana Samantzis wearing a Science Leaders shirt
“I think that’s a very important part of the program.
“We try to foster connections, which is something I didn’t have when I started.”
COVID-19 forced most activities online in 2020, and also kept Ms Samantzis from the laboratory for a few months, before she was able to finish her work and thesis.
“I’m so excited to be graduating,” she said.
“It’s been a stressful year I think for everybody and honours is stressful on top of that and I’m really glad to be finished.”
Ms Samantzis is planning a future in research, teaching and academia, and remains grateful for the opportunities UQ has afforded.
“I’m probably going to work as a research assistant for a little bit next year at least and then think about where I am going to do my PhD,” she said.
She’ll also continue searching for answers to life’s unanswered questions.
Image supplied: Montana Samantzis at her undergraduate graduation ceremony.
Image supplied: Montana Samantzis at her undergraduate graduation ceremony.
Image: supplied. Montana Samantzis speaking during the International Youth Leadership Conference in Prague in 2019.
Image: supplied. Montana Samantzis speaking during the International Youth Leadership Conference in Prague in 2019.
Image: supplied Montana Samantzis participating in a UQ Future Leaders event (third from right).
Image: supplied Montana Samantzis participating in a UQ Future Leaders event (third from right).
Image: supplied. Marty Doyle took the prize for best oral advocate at the 2018 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students' Moot
Image: supplied. Marty Doyle took the prize for best oral advocate at the 2018 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students' Moot
Image: supplied. Marty Doyle (second from left) at the 2019 UQLS Reconciliation Breakfast
Image: supplied. Marty Doyle (second from left) at the 2019 UQLS Reconciliation Breakfast
Image: supplied. Marty Doyle with his soccer team, Torts Illustrated (second from left in the back row)
Image: supplied. Marty Doyle with his soccer team, Torts Illustrated (second from left in the back row)
Leading the way for Indigenous lawyers
Image: supplied. Marty Doyle took the prize for best oral advocate at the 2018 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students' Moot
Inspiring future generations of Indigenous law students is the endgame for soon-to-be University of Queensland graduate Marty Doyle.
After six years of late nights and long hours Mr Doyle will earn his Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/ Bachelor of Science testamurs this month.
Mr Doyle is a proud Woppaburra man whose people are the traditional owners of the lands on the Keppel Islands off the coast of Yeppoon.
“It’s important to know your mob and your country and to ensure you recognise that as a major part of you,” Mr Doyle said.
“I wouldn’t be in the position I am without the support of community; I think it's fair that I pay back that support in kind and with interest as much as I can.”
The Law School student is about to start a 12-month stint as an associate for His Honour Judge Ken Barlow QC, Judge of the District Court of Queensland.
He will follow this up with a role at law firm Ashurst to pursue his interest in commercial litigation.
While he will be busy for the time being, Mr Doyle said he hoped to one day have the opportunity to give back to his community through pro bono work.
He sees himself lending a hand wherever it’s needed, whether that involves assisting community members with criminal and civil matters or mentoring aspiring Indigenous law students.
Mr Doyle credited his family with instilling his unshakeable sense of community, but was also grateful to Law School teachers Professor Tamara Walsh and Associate Professor Justine-Bell James for showing him how to apply the law to create meaningful societal change.
He said an endowed scholarship also inspired him to persevere.
“I received the Endowed Dr J and Dr M Fulcher Scholarship in Law at a time when I had been questioning whether law was actually for me,” Mr Doyle said.
“This gift proved to me that I was on the right path, that there are people out there who think I can do this and want me to succeed.
“I want to do something similar for potential students – to help them realise they can go to UQ, the best law school in the state, and achieve incredible things.
“I’ll always think of my experience here as amazing, but I don't want studying law to be seen as something that’s outside the norm or especially remarkable for an Indigenous student.”
During his studies Mr Doyle took every opportunity to develop his knowledge, advocacy and legal skills.
In 2018, his team won the fourth annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students’ Moot, where Mr Doyle took home the prize for best oral advocate in the competition.
He took part in the UQ Law Revue, and was an executive member of the University of Queensland Law Society (UQLS), organising the first UQLS reconciliation breakfast.
Mr Doyle said he had mixed emotions about graduation.
“Law school has been both a challenge and also quite a fun time,” he said.
“Most of all, I’ll miss the people I’ve met here, the fraternity and that sense of a shared objective.”
His advice to other law students is to discover what drives you.
“Try to find what makes you want to succeed, whether that is a cause close to your heart like environmentalism or racial justice, or whether it’s something like working in a top-tier law firm,” Mr Doyle said.
“Find that drive – it will take you a long way.”
Engineering a sustainable solution to climate change
A passion for sustainable energy and reversing climate change are the issues that motivate University of Queensland engineering graduate Kailin Graham.
Image: supplied. Kailin Graham in his graduation gown in UQ's Great Court
He has completed his Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Chemical after a busy five years at UQ.
Mr Graham said he had always thought climate change was important.
“I realised during an internship that sustainable energy is the field where I can apply my degree and still have an impact on this big issue and feel like I am contributing to the solution,” Mr Graham said.
“After that I made an active effort to tailor my studies and my professional experience to that.”
While at UQ, Mr Graham completed a one semester exchange at McGill University in Canada through the Gus Wiles Scholarship, and became a Global Experience Student Leader to encourage other engineering students to do likewise.
“I made a lot of friends from all over the world during that semester and it opened my eyes to the possibilities,” he said.
Image: supplied. Kailin Graham hiking in the Canadian Rockies during his one semester exchange at McGill.
Image: supplied. Kailin Graham hiking in the Canadian Rockies during his one semester exchange at McGill.
He was also named among the AFR Top 100 Future Leaders for 2020, winning the Broadspectrum Innovation Award, worked as a Research Scholar with the Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation, and completed internships with Shell, Ernst & Young and Hatch.
Next priority is a Masters in the U-S, where he has applied to MIT, Stanford and the University of California, Berkeley.
“I want to try and partner some of my engineering background with policy and management studies to be involved in the big decisions that are going to drive the shift in the energy sector but also having that technical understanding to back up those decisions,” Mr Graham said.
“So much of the challenge in addressing climate change is going to be political, in terms of shaping public perception and understanding.
“For me the bushfires at the start of this year really illustrated that, especially in Australia, the divide over this and the misinformation shows that it’s not just a technical challenge.
“We have negative time to start making change.
“We have time left to continue to make it, but it’s getting smaller and smaller.”
Despite the rapid changes in the sustainable energy sector, Mr Graham does have a direction in mind for his future.
“I’d love to be working for a body like the International Energy Agency, because they analyse energy systems around the globe and then inform governments on policy decisions.
“I think that would be a very interesting place to be.”
He would also encourage other engineering students to think beyond the technical and problem-solving skills they acquire via their degree.
“Potentially you need to have more of a desire to have a large scale impact and I feel like we leave that to the lawyers and other disciplines and just focus on our technical work, but I think there’s a lot of scope for both.”
Image: supplied. Kailin Graham in his graduation gown in UQ's Great Court
Image: supplied. Kailin Graham in his graduation gown in UQ's Great Court
Image supplied: Kailin Graham at the Top 100 Future Leaders competition with the other finalists
Image supplied: Kailin Graham at the Top 100 Future Leaders competition with the other finalists
Image supplied: Kailin Graham on site during an internship with Shell
Image supplied: Kailin Graham on site during an internship with Shell
Image: supplied. Dr Amy Chan communicating science
Image: supplied. Dr Amy Chan communicating science
Image: supplied. Dr Amy Chan in the laboratory at IMB
Image: supplied. Dr Amy Chan in the laboratory at IMB
Image: supplied. Dr Chan at work wearing her Wonder of Science shirt
Image: supplied. Dr Chan at work wearing her Wonder of Science shirt
Image: supplied. Dr Amy Chan communicating science
UQ biologist cell-abrates love of learning at UQ
A future making breakthroughs in cell biology and teaching at UQ are the targets for newly minted PhD Amy Chan, from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience’s Inflammasome lab.
Dr Chan’s long-term relationship with the University began in 2011 and spans a Bachelor of Science, Honours, and now a doctorate.
And with a passion for science communication and education, she’d like it to stay that way.
“I love this university and would definitely like to stay on and come back and teach at some point,” Dr Chan said.
“My PhD was to figure out how a certain type of inflammasome works, how it turns on and functions.
“Inflammasomes are basically big platforms inside your cells which can coordinate inflammation.
“So it can sense bacteria or viruses and once it senses whatever triggers it, it can switch on, and then it’ll coordinate an inflammatory response, which means that you get a fever, you have pain or swelling.
“While inflammation is important to protect us from infection, it is actually a main driver of different human diseases like various cancers and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and also infectious diseases.”
The research could one day lead to therapeutics for some of these diseases.
Image: supplied
Image: supplied
When not in the lab, Dr Chan spent her time volunteering with the Wonder of Science program teaching kids, participating in the Pint of Science program and winning awards such as the 2018 Women in STEM prize for People’s Choice.
“I find volunteering cathartic because I can actually get out of the lab and stop thinking about whatever I am doing, and because it’s fun,” she said.
“There are days when I come out of the lab and nothing has worked, but then kids say, ‘bacteria, that’s so cool’.
“I think every scientist starts off with wanting to do cool things and make discoveries and then you get bogged down by the system, but it’s a nice reminder sometimes that this is what I wanted to do when I was little.”
Next step in Dr Chan’s burgeoning career is a post-doctoral research fellowship at IMB and she’s also been accepted in the UQ Future Leaders program.
And while she concedes the PhD experience was tough, Dr Chan said it was worthwhile.
“I think this university is putting out very good, high-quality research and I want to be a part of that.
“When I was a child I was told that science wasn’t a viable career pathway and so I was considering medicine and that was my career trajectory until I came to UQ.
“I have always loved science, and I realised I am actually pretty good at this, and along the way I discovered from the scientists around me that it is a career and can lead to many different places.”
Maybe right back to where it all started nearly 10 years ago at UQ.
To be or not to be - the philosophy of acting
Image: Benjamin Prindable
It was his aspiration to be an actor that first brought Silvan Rus to The University of Queensland.
An apprentice, and then a core artist with the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble, Mr Rus used to come to UQ’s St Lucia campus for group rehearsals of Hamlet and other iconic tragedies of the stage.
Working part time in a cinema and wishing he spent more time on stage than behind the screen, Mr Rus found escapism in books.
“Specifically, I was reading books about philosophy and I thought maybe I could do that – be a philosopher,” he said.
“So, I started studying by day and rehearsed by night.”
Graduating this year with first class honours in philosophy, Mr Rus found his studies enhanced his acting skills.
“I really chose subjects that were bothering me in the arts,” he said.
“My first thesis was, ‘why do theatre?’ and then I used Aristotle’s causes to ask, ‘if you want to find why a thing is the way it is, then you should find its causes’.
“Digging philosophically helped me answer both personal and professional questions.”
During his studies, Mr Rus strove for creativity, writing one of his papers in iambic pentameter and performing what one of his lecturers described as the best Hamlet she’d seen by the Ensemble.
Image: Benjamin Prindable
Image: Benjamin Prindable
“That role was the biggest challenge I’ve ever had in theatre, but it was very rich,” he said.
“There were so many creative opportunities.”
A death in his family earlier this year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown meant Mr Rus had to return to Sydney.
“So that was a curve ball, but because I’m an honours student, there was no real lifestyle change for me when the pandemic hit,” he said.
“I just read books and wrote, and while the whole world was in pandemic mode, I was in philosophy mode.
“My supervisor really supported me and Zoom, as a tool, was a good supplement.”
Now that his time at UQ has drawn to a close, Mr Rus said he had nothing but appreciation for the institution and its staff.
“The quality of the teachers, the lecturers – and the philosophers specifically – was really high and there was a real sense of communal teaching, that teachers wanted to help you think,” he said.
Now based in Sydney, Mr Rus plans on studying for a PhD and will continue working on the stage.
“UQ has left me with many gifts - friends, a confidence in my capability to do more things and a greater ability to make sense of the world,” he said.
“I would encourage anyone to study philosophy there.
“It is one of the best life decisions I’ve made.”
The Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble is UQ's professional theatre company in residence which offers performances and training opportunities year round.
Image: Benjamin Prindable
Image: Benjamin Prindable
Image: Benjamin Prindable
Image: Benjamin Prindable
Image: Benjamin Prindable
Image: Benjamin Prindable
From refugee to regional nurse, a career in caring beckons
Image: supplied
A childhood in an African warzone propelled UQ nursing graduate Leon Mupapira to a career in healthcare in his family’s new home, Australia.
Mr Mupapira and his family fled their village after the Second Congo War when he was a young child and then spent six years in a Malawian refugee camp before being re-settled in Australia.
He said his early life experiences definitely influenced his career choice, with nursing a natural fit and a progression towards working in rural health.
“Being born in a war, living most of my childhood in a refugee camp and observing the negative impacts of limited access to healthcare made me appreciate what I can do to help others,” Mr Mupapira said.
“I chose to study nursing as I have always wanted to work in healthcare.
“And I chose rural nursing because I have a passion to improve health equity between urban and rural communities.
“I value the positive impacts that nurses can make on a patient’s healthcare journey, as well as the close therapeutic relationship we are able to form with the individuals and communities.”
The first in his family to attend university, Mr Mupapira made the most of his studies at UQ, with an overseas placement in India confirming his interest in Indigenous healthcare.
Image supplied: Leon Mupapira (centre) in a refugee camp with two of his brothers.
Image supplied: Leon Mupapira (centre) in a refugee camp with two of his brothers.
“In rural Gudalur, India, the Adivasi hospital was run entirely by the Aboriginal Adivasi communities and has been quite successful in tackling the unique challenges the communities face.
“This sparked my interest in the unique health challenges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities face here at home, in particular for rural and remote communities.”
A final year clinical placement in Indigenous health in Australia soon followed.
“My placement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health solidified my interest in working with Indigenous communities as it was one of the most enriching experiences I’ve had.”
Now graduated, he and his wife have moved to Far North Queensland, where he has secured a job with Queensland Health in the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service.
He has big plans for their future.
“I hope to further develop leadership, critical thinking skills, creativity and many other nursing attributes that will enable me to perform at my best.
“I hope to also learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health and cultures in order to optimise my care delivery to the communities.
“I believe my generation is the future of healthcare innovation.
“I aspire to be a well-rounded generalist nurse practicing in rural and remote areas and hope ultimately to practice as a public health nurse practitioner.“
That plan could one day lead Mr Mupapira back overseas.
“Eventually I would also like to be a part of a humanitarian effort aiming to improve health equity in disadvantaged communities around the world.
“Nursing is a field that excites me every day and I can’t wait to see what it holds for me in the future.”
Image: supplied
Image: supplied
Image: supplied. Leon Mupapira during his placement in India
Image: supplied. Leon Mupapira during his placement in India
Photo: supplied. Leon Mupapira and his wife, Tessa
Photo: supplied. Leon Mupapira and his wife, Tessa
Image: supplied. Rohith Nunna
Image: supplied. Rohith Nunna
Image: The University of Queensland
Image: The University of Queensland
A step up in the job market
Image: supplied. Rohith Nunna
Eighty-four University of Queensland students will graduate this semester with more than just a degree, after achieving the Employability Award.
The Award recognises a graduate’s contribution in areas like volunteering, work experience and extra-curricular activities within UQ and the wider community.
Recipient Rohith Nunna is finishing his dual program in Bachelors of Engineering (Honours) and Business Management, and was awarded for his career mentoring, undertaking a Global Experience and for his paid and volunteer roles at UQ.
“These experiences enable you to unlock your potential in driving change,” Mr Nunna said.
“Some opportunities can help you leverage your academic knowledge to integrate solutions within the community, but overall the opportunities will help you establish a track record towards your future professional career and connect you with amazing people along the way.”
The program is coordinated by the Student Employability Centre and is available to all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework.
Based on the concept of experiential learning, and aligning closely with the UQ Employability Framework, the program encourages students to participate in and reflect on experiences to understand what capabilities and attributes they have developed.
It culminates with an application and interview process where participants demonstrate their ability to effectively communicate their employability during the recruitment process and beyond.
Mr Nunna said he’d recommend students join the program from their first semester, as it would pay off once they began applying for a graduate job or for further studies.
All recipients are issued with a certificate upon graduation and have the Employability Award listed as a Special Achievement on their academic transcript.
The University of Queensland wishes to congratulate the Employability Award recipients for Semester Two, 2020.
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