U21 programs give UQ students a global edge

The world awaits eight University of Queensland students who are heading to Sydney and China for Universitas 21 (U21) Student Experiences program.

These young men and women are building on a strong tradition of UQ students attending the program, which is a network of 27 research universities from around the world that aims to foster the early careers of young researchers.

They are Sharifah Syed Mohd Hamdan, Mai Phuong Nguyen, Chloe Forsyth, Tanya Sinha, Sophie Fleming, Zhang Hanxiao, Fynn De Daunton and Caj Christie.

Mr Christie, who is studying a Bachelor of Science (Honours), said he would be presenting a paper in China on his research into the link between the pesticide paraquat and Parkinson’s disease.

He said the conference theme, Food Safety – Better Food, Better Life, was an ideal forum to discuss the risks and benefits of using paraquat in agriculture.

“Recent findings suggest that exposure to paraquat increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease,” he said.

“The aim of my research is to understand how changes in the brain caused by paraquat may contribute to the progression of Parkinson’s disease.”

Mr Christie said he was looking forward to travelling abroad to meet with fellow researchers and learn about their projects.

“The conference will be a great chance to hear about research from around the world, and explore international research opportunities,” he said.

UQ graduate and previous U21 attendee Esther Manning said this year’s cohort would gain a lot from the U21 programs.

“I participated in the U21 Summer School hosted by Tec de Monterrey in Mexico in 2012, which led to an internship in Mexico and, ultimately, shaped my career direction,” she said.

“Due to a connection I made with the International Students Coordinator at Tec de Monterrey, I had the opportunity to return to Mexico for an internship in the International Programs Office.”

She said her U21 experiences helped her stand out from the crowd when seeking employment.

“Whether it’s contributing to a student organisation, working for a government official or manning the phones for a busy NGO, these experiences will teach you so much,” she said.

“Seek out opportunities now that will put you one step closer to landing that dream job.”

The UQ students represent a broad range of disciplines from town planning to health sciences and engineering to economics.

The participants will receive grants from the UQ Advantage Office to support their participation.

To find out more about Universitas 21 student experiences visit www.uq.edu.au/uqadvantage/u21.

Media: Georgia Mitchell, UQ Advantage Office, 07 3346 0626, georgia.mitchell@uq.edu.au.