Ally Network Pride Wall launch

This Pride Month, the Ally Network launched the MQ Pride Wall, a digital installation that celebrates Macquarie’s LGBTQ+ staff and student community. Staff joined the Ally Network in the Arts Precinct for a morning tea, and to see the wall come to life.

Pictured above (L to R): Michelle Power, Sophia Halpin and Sheyana La Brooy.

Staff and students show their pride at the Indigenous Nationals

There was pride all around at the Indigenous Nationals. Our team donned pride bands and socks to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community and Macquarie placed fifth out of 29 universities.

Campus Life serves up some colourful cupcakes

Hopefully you were lucky enough to try one of these delicious rainbow pride cupcakes, served at ESC and Library Cafe during Pride Month.

Pictured above: Stephanie Keegan – read her recent 10 Questions with…

Getting crafty for Pride Month

The School of Natural Sciences’ EDI Committee hosted a ‘CRAFTernoon Tea’ for staff across FSE to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community with colourful crafts including crocheted rainbow flags and handwritten messages of support, which were displayed for the duration of Pride Month.

Ubar hosts Drag Queen Trivia

Close to 150 people attended Drag Queen Trivia at Ubar for Pride Month, including a large number of members from MQ Queer Collective and the newly affiliated student group, MQ Gaymer Gang. Drag Queen Charlamaine hosted the fabulous event, pictured here with Ubar staff – Saskia Maccioni, Meg Guise, Ben Nyar, Jemillah Hughes and Gemma Hinton. 

Macquarie social sport Pride Month round

Macquarie’s social sport competition held its annual Pride Month round where players showed their support for the LGBTQ+ community. Staff, students, local businesses and the community took part, wearing pride arm bands. If you’re interested in joining the winter competition, check out which sports are played in the social sport competition now. Registrations close 14 July.

Pictured above (L to R):  Ashlynn Rees and Jenna Rees, Hamish Spalding and Ariel Wang.

Pride Month group fitness at MUSAC

The Sport and Aquatic Centre kicked off Pride Month in style with a Zumba group fitness class. Pictured are the amazing Group Fitness instructors Anna Biddiscombe, Neda Buckland, Cara Everson, and Maria Cielo Gaingalao, who danced up a storm for the 50 people who came to celebrate! All evening classes for the month were themed and decorated. The Pride selfie mirror got a good workout, particularly during the Pride Month Night Festival from 15 to 17 June. Overall, 4489 people came along to support Pride Month Group Fitness at MUSAC.

More snapped on…

Wally’s Coffee and Toasties – open today!

The wait is over and Wally’s Coffee and Toasties is finally open TODAY (Tuesday 12 July) on the Western terrace of 18 Wally’s Walk. Pictured here is Dani, Pina, Liana, Ryan, Jay and Tia from the Food and Beverage team in Campus Life setting up last week for the opening today. Make sure you head down this week for your $5 toastie special – head barista Jay is looking forward to making your morning coffee at your new coffee spot.

Snap a selfie with your toastie and send it to this.week@mq.edu.au for your chance to appear in next month’s edition of Snapped On Campus!

US visit to boost multidisciplinary research experiences

During June and July six undergraduate students from colleges and universities in the US state of Virginia will be hosted by Macquarie University together with Queensland’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF). Here as part of a US National Science Foundation (NSF) International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program, the program is designed to give US students multidisciplinary research experience in Australia that will advance basic science and address internationally significant challenges in biosecurity and global food supply chains. Two students will be based in Applied BioSciences working with Dr Vivian Mendez, Dr Soo Jean Park and Dr Bishwo Mainali. Two other students will be based in School of Natural Sciences working with Associate Professor Joanne Jamie, and two will be based in DAF at Mareeba (QLD).

Pictured above (L to R):  Eastern Mennonite University Professor Jim Yoder with students, Laura Craft, Nicole Miller, Allison O’Brien, Emily Schloss, Mary Ruth Shifflett and Dr Bishwo Mainali during their recent visit to Macquarie University.

Mighty effort for MND research

This year’s MND Gala Dinner was a brilliant success, raising $146,000 for motor neuron disease research at Macquarie. The sold-out event was held at the Art Gallery of NSW on 17 June and included an exclusive viewing of the Archibald Prize Exhibition. The live auction was the biggest winner of the night, raising $100,000. The purebred Hereford calf from Professor Dominic Rowe’s Hunter Valley farm proved such a popular item that he offered up a second calf, with each selling for $15,000.

Pictured above: Professor Dominic Rowe addressing the audience at the MND Gala Dinner.

Refugee Week Community Education and Employment Expo

The Widening Participation Unit was part of a Community Education and Employment Expo hosted by the City of Ryde, as part of Refugee Week Celebrations. The team was invited to participate to engage with local community members from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds, providing information about tailored support, study pathways and opportunities available at Macquarie. It was also a great chance to meet representatives from other local services that engage people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds and discuss potential collaborations to support our students here at Macquarie, as well as the broader community.

If you would like to get involved in academic mentoring (for students from Refugee and AS, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and regional and remote backgrounds) or be an academic supervisor for the Macquarie Undergraduate Equity Research Internship program, please contact wpu@mq.edu.au.

Pictured above (L to R): Lotus Rana and Jindri De Silva from the Widening Participation Unit Team. 

World-first therapy helping patients hear again

The first patients to receive a revolutionary gene therapy to boost the function of Cochlear Implants have met with some of the hearing researchers and clinicians responsible for the breakthrough, at a lunch hosted by the Australian Hearing Hub.

The clinical trial team includes researchers from Macquarie, UNSW Sydney, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne (Bionics Institute), with clinicians from NextSense and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH), Cochlear Ltd, and collaborators in France and the UK.

Hyderabad program restarts

Clinical placements have begun in Hyderabad for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this component of the Doctor of Medicine (Macquarie MD). Eight final-year medical students arrived in the central Indian city on 27 June to begin their eight-week placement at Macquarie partner institution Apollo Hospital. The program began in January 2020, but the first group of third-year students were repatriated just eight weeks into their 22 week placement as the global COVID-19 situation deteriorated. A larger group of third-year Macquarie students will also make the journey to Hyderabad in January.