Queensland Academies Health Sciences campus

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1 18 May 2015 Queensland Academies Health Sciences campus and Griffith University Smart Water Research Centre Nomination Peter Doherty Science Education Partners 2015 Since 2011 the Griffith University Smart Water Research Centre (SWRC) has worked collaboratively with the Queensland Academies - Health Sciences campus (QAHS) in an initiative to provide high achieving secondary school students exposure to working research laboratories, giving students highly technical skills and knowledge that are directly transferable to research work. This has primarily been in the form of providing access to world class research facilities for their International Baccalaureate (IB) extended essay (extended experimental investigation) projects. This has allowed the students access to advanced facilities and techniques in molecular genetics, microbiology and analytical chemistry that would not normally be available to them. The collaboration between SWRC and QAHS has been driven by Mr Ben Matthews (SWRC) and Mr Mark Cooper (QAHS), resulting in a relatively large number of science students gaining exposure to a working research environment. The students involved have gone on to achieve outstanding success in their IB extended essays. This work has also been acknowledged with awards in local, state, and national competitions involving Scientific Investigations. Ben has had involvement in more than fifteen long term research projects over a period of four years, providing scientific expertise and mentorship to the participating students. The knowledge, experience, enthusiasm and technical expertise that Ben brings to the direction and support of these students has been paramount to their achievements. The following items highlight projects that he has initiated and implemented at QAHS since 2011.

2 Initiative and Implementation: 1. Long-term commitment to engaging students in authentic science contexts that foster curiosity, imagination, and knowledge. Focussed research to allow for the individual experimentation required by the rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) Extended Essay in Science instructed students in the use of analytical laboratory equipment and techniques not normally available to secondary schools OUTCOMES: The results of Ben Matthews approach to enquiry based investigations have contributed directly to the students academic outcomes. It has also allowed students to gain local, state and national recognition for their scientific research through the entry of their projects in science competitions. Table 1 outlies the students involved in SWRC projects and their outcomes. Table 1 - Research undertaken at SWRC Year Student Research/Topic Outcomes 2011/2012 Saymaa Selman The influence of the 2011 January floods of South East Queensland, Gold CSIRO CREST Award 2012 Australia, on the Brisbane, Bremer, Caboolture and Logan Rivers and 1 st Place 2012 Gold Coast Science Oxley Creek. Competition - Environmental Project Salinity, ph, turbidity, phosphates, ammonia and enterrococci concentrations were measured over a six month sampling period and compiled with secondary resources resulting in data over a 15 month period. 2011/2012 Brandon Trinh The effects of the presence of an animal wildlife sanctuary on the counts of faecal coliform (Escherichia coli and Enterobacter) and water quality. 2011/2012 Jisu Jeon The quality of bore water from different regions of Gold Coast (Southport, Ashmore, Runaway Bay, Nerang and Stradbroke Island) within the set guidelines of drinking water developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) and hence, can it be used in communities for human consumption? 2012/2013 Katherine Chen The effect of ultra-low frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) under 100Hz exposure on the antimicrobial activity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa free-living cells and biofilms. 2012/2013 Alicia Lou How the leaching of ptaquiloside from the rhizomes of Pteridium esculentum into water bodies on the Gold Coast affect the generation time of DH5α Escheria coli in the detection of bacterial inhibition and the DNA conformation of pegfp plasmids. 1 st Place 2012 Science Teachers Association of Queensland (STAQ) Awards - Environmental Action Project Finalist 2013 BHP Billiton Awards One of only three national finalists for the 2013 Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) Silver CSIRO CREST Award nd Place 2012 Gold Coast Science Competition - Environmental Project 1 st 2013 Gold Coast Science Competition - Scientific Investigation Overall Best Scientist STAQ Award 2013 Finalist BHP Billiton Awards st Place STAQ Awards Scientific Investigation

3 2012/2013 Margaret Park The effect of the copper, iron and zinc on Bacillus subtillus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. 2012/2013 Sakhi Doshi The effect of high rainfall on faecal coliforms in the Gold Coast seaway. 2012/2013 Shane-Ann Ong The antimicrobial activity effects of garlic (Allium sativum), onion (Allium cepa), leeks (Allium porrum), chives (Allium schoenoprasum) and spring onions (Allium fistulosum) on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, as well as their synergistic antimicrobial effects with tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). 2013/2014 Ben John The effect of exposing Escherichia coli strains; pegfp transformed DH5α & ATCC 15766; to an increasing lethal dosages of ampicillin to determine its effect on the conjugation of the pegfp vector. 2013/2014 Vincent Chen The effect of different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (different amounts of oxidative stress) on biofilm formation and secretion quantity of quorum sensing molecules by bacteria. 2014/2015 William Tsai The effect of nitrate levels in effluent discharged from Esk, Lowood, Fernvale, Oxley and Beenleigh wastewater treatment plants into waterways in Queensland, Australia on growth rate (cell/day) and heterocyst development (heterocyst/filament) of Anabaena circinalis in fresh water. *VHA equivalent grading 2 nd Place 2013 Gold Coast Science Competition - Environmental Action Project 3 rd Place 2013 STAQ Awards - Scientific Investigation Finalist BHP Billiton Awards 2014 B levels for IB extended essay Silver CSIRO CREST Award 2014 A levels* for IB extended essay Gold CSIRO CREST Award 2014 Gold CSIRO CREST Award st Place 2014 Gold Coast Science Competition - Environmental Action Project 3 rd Place 2014 STAQ Awards - Scientific Investigation 2015 National SWJP winner In 2015 QAHS have five students who have embarked in a variety of in-depth projects in topics ranging from using bio-luminescent bacteria as indicator organisms for toxicity testing to examination of bacterial biofilm-formation processes and are due for completion in July 2015.

4 Initiative and Implementation: 2. Facilitation of opportunities for teachers to use current scientific procedures and engage in science experiences beyond the classroom. Induction of science teachers from QAHS to the facilities and procedures of the SWRC and engagement with QAHS community to promote science in the region. OUTCOMES: All science staff have undergone an induction process in the physical containment level 2 (PC2) laboratories at the SWRC and are allowed to undertake the direct supervision of their students at these facilities. Such research is not possible at the QAHS PC1 laboratories. Ben has supplied training in the specialised equipment and procedures necessary to undertake the studies and has been very generous in giving of his time, support and expertise. As a result of working in the SWRC environment students and non-mathematical teachers have become proficient in statistical analysis such as ANOVA s and Student T statistics to assist in the interpretation of large amounts of data generated by the investigations. Ben has been instrumental in allowing this relationship to run successfully. Many of the techniques, methodologies and equipment which the students use at SWRC are complex and stretch the abilities of our highly capable students. Ben places a strong emphasis on providing the students with a strong theoretical foundation and spends many hours helping students to understand the scientific connections behind their experiments so that they can collect data safely and gain a deeper understanding of their results. This approach to learning takes Ben a lot longer than adopting a procedural approach but is one of the primary reasons why our students find the experience so enriching. Mr Paul Mitchell, Senior Chemistry Teacher, QAHS Enhanced teacher knowledge and confidence to undertake supervision of students in advanced water research with the following outcomes: Year Teacher supervised outcomes 2011/ Gold CSIRO CREST Awards 5 BHP Finalists 2013/2014 National winner SJWP. Also won 2 nd Place BHP (monetary prize and trip to LA) 2 other finalists SJWP 11 Gold CSIRO CREST Awards 2014/ Gold CSIRO CREST Awards 5 BHP Finalists The opportunity to work with Ben Matthews at SWRC during my time at QAHS has been invaluable, greatly increasing my practical knowledge of microbiological techniques and allowing me to more effectively guide the students with their EE research. Dr Danielle Kay, Chemistry Teacher, QAHS Ben also volunteered to present the major scientific research awards at the 2014 QAHS Academy Awards ceremony and gave generously of his time to this event. Judging of the Australian finalists in the 2015 Stockholm Junior Water Prize was held at the SWRC facilities in 2015 and Industry judges were enlisted from numerous commercial premises throughout the South East region. Ben s passion for science, coupled with his technical knowledge and long term commitment to foster curiosity, knowledge and enthusiasm for science has benefitted not only students but QAHS teachers. Mr Mark Cooper HOD SCIENCE & ENRICHMENT QUEENSLAND ACADEMY FOR HEALTH SCIENCES Mrs Jane Sleeman PRINCIPAL QUEENSLAND ACADEMY FOR HEALTH SCIENCES

5 Peter Doherty Science Education Partners 2015 Statement by Mr Ben Matthews outlining how he would use this award: Prize money would be utilised by Ben Matthews to reinvest back into the science infrastructure at the Smart Water Research Centre. Specifically it would be used to purchase software to allow identification and amino acid sequencing of proteins via mass spectrometry. This software tool will expand the scope of future student projects to include proteomics applications - an important area of future research in health sciences. Mr Ben Matthews LABORATORY MANAGER GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY SMART WATER RESEARCH CENTRE NOMINEE Mr Ben Matthews LABORATORY MANAGER GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY SMART WATER RESEARCH CENTRE