A record six students from Macquarie’s Master of Professional Psychology program have been offered NSW Education Department scholarships.

The Department’s Psychology Graduate Scholarship Program supports high-achieving psychology graduates to complete a Master of Professional Psychology and become school psychologists working in metropolitan, regional and rural public schools across the state.

A scholarship covers course costs up to $38,000, plus extras including a textbook allowance, supervised placements in schools, a one-year full-time internship when they finish study, and a permanent position as a school psychologist.

The Department of Education employs more than 1200 staff in the school counselling service across 2220 schools and the number of school psychologists continues to increase.

Master of Professional Psychology Course Director Dr Josephine Paparo says the scholarship program is an excellent pathway for graduates who want to work with children and young people in the diverse environments of NSW public schools.

“All our students do placements as part of the course, but the only way to get a placement in a public school is through this program,” she says.

“Usually, most of the recipients are from universities that offer specialty training programs in school psychology.

“Macquarie’s previous record was two scholarships in a year, so the fact that this year we have received more offers than any other non-specialist psychology program is very pleasing.”

Danya Braunstein, Pratica and Skills Training Co-ordinator in the School of Psychological Sciences, says becoming a school psychologist in the Department of Education requires specific experience that many graduates don’t have.

“Working in schools requires a comprehensive knowledge of assessments, and that’s something that the provisional psychologists can learn during their placements and internship,” she says.

“This is the perfect opportunity for them to learn vital skills on the job.

“This year, we made a concerted effort to support students to apply for the program. We really want them to land well after graduation.”

As a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, Melanie Porter’s research focus is on neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly in children.

Melanie’s unique expertise in Williams syndrome (or Williams-Beuren syndrome) – a rare genetic disorder which she has studied for over 20 years – saw her invited to contribute to Nature’s recent disease primer on the syndrome.

1. Something people usually ask you when they find out what you do for living
They ask what Williams syndrome is, as it’s a rare (but fascinating) condition. They also ask if working in the area child disability is stressful, to which I reply no – it’s a rewarding and such a positive area to work in.  I love changing the lives of children with disabilities and their families and I feel I do this every day with my research and my clinical work.

2. Something you feel proud of
I’ve been invited to write a second paper for Nature on the international treatment guidelines for Williams-Beuren Syndrome, which will be published in December.

With the Nature Disease Primer, I successfully requested to interview an Australian family to show their personal experience and perspective. This is a first for the Disease Primer series.

3. A favourite photo from your camera roll
This little girl was a participant at our last Williams syndrome conference at Macquarie in 2014. She was contributing to a workshop on the good things and not so good things about having Williams syndrome.  We can learn so much from these kids!

4. The first person you go to for advice
If it’s about research directions, always those with the condition and their families. I like to know their daily struggles, what they want more information on and what they think needs to change.

5. The coolest bit of equipment you use in your work
We use eye-tracking to look at how people with Williams syndrome process faces and social threat.  Along with their social vulnerability and over-friendliness, they have a fixation on faces, especially the eye region.  They  also have trouble disengaging their attention from the eyes and faces.

Our brain imaging studies (which are not published yet) show this overfriendliness is related to the amygdala and frontal lobes in the brain.  Interestingly, we found the same relationships between overfriendliness and amygdala and frontal brain volumes in Down syndrome.

6. What you need to do your best work
Grant money! I also like regular exercise.

7. A website or app you can’t live without
Facebook is a great way for families to connect with one another these days.  There are Facebook pages for parents of children with various conditions, including one for Williams syndrome.

8. Something you’re trying to do differently in 2021
I’m applying for larger grants, which is hard when dealing with rare disorders. I’m looking at the broader implications of things I have learned in Williams syndrome, such as anxiety and social vulnerability (anxiety is six to ten times more common in Williams than in the general population).

With COVID-19, we are also doing a lot more online research.

9. When you’re at your happiest
When I’m with my nine year-old son, who also has special needs. I love making him smile and enjoying the simple things in life with him. Life gets too complex sometimes.

10.  A Macquarie person you admire
Anyone who can successfully balance research, teaching and clinical work. Scientist/practitioners can offer so much, but it can be a constant juggle.

I also greatly admire working mums. Also hard to juggle!

Do you swear to yourself that tonight you’ll read a book, do some exercise or phone that old friend, only to find yourself mindlessly scrolling on social media for hours?

Are your teens constantly checking their phones during family meals? Do you park your toddler in front of the TV for long stretches so you can get things done around the house?

You’re not alone. Many Australians are exceeding recommended daily limits for recreational screen time, with the numbers particularly concerning amongst children and teens (things are even scarier in the USA, where teens spend more than 7 hours a day on recreational screen use).

Wayne Warburton is a qualified psychologist and an Associate Professor of developmental psychology in the Department of Psychology, where his research focuses on the impacts of media on children and young adults.

He’ll be speaking at Staff Wellbeing Month about the neuroscience behind screen addiction and providing advice to staff who are looking to create a healthier ‘screen-life balance’ in their homes.

“The vast majority of people who use screens – even fairly heavy users – typically manage a normal, healthy life where screen use mostly enhances their life,” Wayne points out. “But some people have trouble limiting their use – for example, around about 10 per cent of children and teens can be defined as problematic users, where their level of screen use has a serious negative impact on a key area of life.”

Warburton recommends thinking about your family’s screen time in the same way you think about your family’s diet and nutrition.

“Like a healthy food diet, healthy screen use is about moderation in amount and a content mix that is both age-appropriate and – like the healthy food pyramid – emphasises more of the good stuff (like prosocial and educational media) and less of the less-good stuff (like violent, antisocial or mind numbing media).”

One great tool that Warburton recommends for families is healthychildren.org’s Family Media Plan.

“These kinds of tools are very useful for establishing household rules around screen time,” he says. “Things like keeping screens out of the bedroom at night and putting as much time as possible between screen use and sleep time – having these clear expectations in the form of a family agreement can be a great way to achieve that screen-life balance.”

Register on the Staff Wellbeing Month website for Wayne’s lunchtime webinar Can you really be addicted to a screen? Neuroscience says yes on Tuesday 1 September.

Other lunchtime webinar topics include weight management (9 September), everyday habits for emotional health (10 September), LGBTIQ+ emotional wellbeing in the workplace (15 September) and a professional athlete’s advice on health and wellbeing (17 September).

All webinars will also be recorded and uploaded to the staff wellbeing What’s on page.

Every month we celebrate some of the impressive achievements in the Macquarie community. Got something to share for next month? Tell us.

Macquarie’s seven Eureka Prize finalists

Congratulations to all of our finalists who had had outstanding success in their respective areas and who have been nominated in the Eureka Prizes. The Eureka Prizes reward excellence in the fields of research and innovation, leadership, science engagement and school science.

Distinguished Professor Michelle Leishman and Distinguished Professor Lesley Hughes (main photo) with the Weed Futures team have been named as finalists for the 2019 NSW Environment, Energy and Science (DPIE) Eureka Prize for Environmental Research.

Associate Professor Joanne Jamie, Associate Professor Subramanyam Vemulpad and Dr Ian Jamie, have been nominated for the 2019 Department of Industry, Innovation and Science Eureka Prize for STEM Inclusion, along with Yaegl Aboriginal Elder Dr Uncle Ronald Heron, and Dr Danny Bedgood and Associate Professor Paul Prenzler from Charles Sturt University.

Professor Neil Saintilan of Macquarie University’s Department of Environmental Sciences has been shortlisted for the Eureka Prize for a second year running. In 2019 he has been shortlisted in Environmental Science, while in 2018 his work was recognised in the Mentoring of Young Scientists category. His success as a mentor is obvious from his latest nomination, which builds on the success of his former students. Three members of the team completed their PhD studies and postdoctoral research under Neil’s supervision.

Macquarie University Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics, Sophie Calabretto, is a finalist for the 2019 Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science. In 2017 Sophie was chosen as one of the ABC’s ‘Top 5 Under 40’ researchers, which gave her a platform to engage with the wider community.

In addition to her Eureka Award nomination (above), Professor Lesley Hughes has also been honoured with the 2019 Australian Museum Research Institute Lifetime Achievement Award.

Receiving her award in the Museum’s Long Gallery on 31 July, Professor Hughes spoke of her hope in the face of climate change.

Read Professor Hughes’ full speech >>

Congratulations to Dr Philippe Gilchrist and Associate Professor Melissa Norberg from the Department of Psychology who hosted a Visiting Scholar, UK PhD student Tess Langfield, in a specialist lab here on campus.

Tess won a USD$3000 award from the Health and Behaviour International Collaboration (HBIC) to investigate drinking behaviour using psychophysiological measures. This project builds upon her PhD research, which investigates the impact of glass shape on drinking behaviours for soft drinks.

Tess explains the project greatly benefited from Macquarie University’s state-of-the-art facilities and equipment (including a “bar laboratory”, situated in the MQ ‘Simulation Hub’, complete with a BIOPAC machine for measuring physiological responses).

The Department of Physics and Astronomy has received the Silver Pleiades Award from the Inclusion Diversity and Equity in Astronomy Chapter of the Astronomical Society of Australia.

The Pleiades Award recognises organisations in Australian astronomy that take active steps to advance the careers of women through focused programs and strive for sustained improvement in providing opportunities for women to achieve positions of seniority, influence and recognition.

In 2016 WiA broadened its aims to encompass wider issues of diversity. The overarching objective of the IDEA Chapter is to achieve an environment in all institutions associated with Australian astronomy that is welcoming and supportive of all academic staff, professional staff and students, regardless of gender and sexual identity, ethnic and cultural background, disability, age, family/carer responsibilities, political affiliation, and religious belief.

The Department received the Bronze award in this scheme in 2016.

Read our 2018 This Week story about the Department of Physics and Astronomy’s efforts to create a more inclusive culture >

Associate Professor Ronika Power has been named as the recipient of one of two Early Career Awards from the Union Académique Internationale – a global organisation of more than one hundred national and international academies from more than 60 countries across the world.

As part of the celebration of the Union’s Centenary in 2019, the Board created two awards of €6000 ($10,700 AUD) each for a period of two years (2020-2021) to scholars who qualify as Early Career Researchers in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

“The project I will be undertaking under the auspices of this award is entitled: The Sentinels of Ħal Saflieni, Malta: Science Facts versus Science Fiction,” says Ronika.

“In close collaboration with Heritage Malta, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage Malta and colleagues from various international institutions, the project will carry out the first-ever interdisciplinary analyses of the remains of the only surviving individuals (<20 out of a prospective 7,000 people) excavated from the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a multi-level subterranean Neolithic (~4,000–2,500 BC) burial and ritual complex located in Paola, Malta.”

Congratulations to the LEAP UP Refugee Mentoring Program run by the Widening Participation Unit has been shortlisted for the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards under Equity and Opportunity.

The Awards are judged by an independent panel of eminent higher education veterans and this year will be held on 27 August at the Hilton Brisbane.

I’ve been at Macquarie for…

Only 3 months

In a nutshell, my job is to…

I’m lucky enough to have inherited a highly productive Department of Psychology.  My ‘day job’ is making sure that it continues running in that vein. But on the side, I continue doing research on computer models of reading, and teaching the occasional lecture.

The question I hear most often in my work is…

“How’s it going so far?”  (Usually, the person asking has a nervous grin.)

The top three things on my to-do list today are…

1. Finish the book that I’ve been writing for the past nine years.
2. Finish the book that I’ve been writing for the past nine years.
3. Finish the book that I’ve been writing for the past nine years.

(All work and no play makes Erik a dull boy.)

If I could do any other job at Macquarie (with instant qualifications/knowledge) it would be…

I wouldn’t mind being the Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences. It’s an amazing Faculty with really strong psychology, cognitive science, linguistics, and education departments, and for that reason I think it’d be a lot of fun learning more about each of the disciplines and figuring out ways of making them even more integrated.

Name a Macquarie staff member that impressed you last week…

My Department Manager, Avril Moss. She actually amazes me most days with her wealth of institutional knowledge and plain good judgment. My job is only do-able because of her!

I get my campus coffee fix from …

Piccolo Me in the Hearing Hub. I hold a lot of my meetings there, drinking coffee. I should get a discount for all of the business I drum up!

If I could change anything about Macquarie it would be…

The naming conventions of the buildings – X5B, C3A, E8C, etc.  Really?!?

Outside of work, you’ll often find me…

Running (literally!) around the city.  It’s all very new to me and I’ve found that going on long runs around the city really is the best way to get to know the place.

I’m really looking forward to….

My partner and I are going to Tibet next year. We’ll probably take a train from Beijing to Lhasa (which will be an amazing experience in itself), and then spend about two weeks traveling around the country. It should be the trip of a lifetime!

The most amazing place I’ve ever visited is…

It’s really hard to say, but probably the different places I’ve visited in China. To quote Ray Batty from Blade Runner, “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe”.

The proportion of older adults continues to grow in Western societies such as Australia. Ageing has often been viewed as a negative experience or life phase, however, for many this is a rich and positive life phase.

Dr Sue Ferguson tells us that at any age, and whether still working or retired, it is important to look positively toward the future and make plans for things we believe we can achieve but not to let that stop us enjoying the present moment.

“Mixing a focus on the future, our goals and plans, with periods when we just focus on the here and now, may be a good mix for overall wellbeing.”

What was the aim?

The research aimed to explore whether the way we view the present and the future are associated with our wellbeing in older adulthood. The study explored whether having hope (thinking about the future with clear plans and alternatives and with the confidence that you can achieve them), is associated with wellbeing in a positive way. Is this true even in older adults who have less time ahead of them?

On the other hand, the benefits of focusing on the present, particularly the concept of mindfulness has been talked about a lot recently, but not much with retirees. So, the study also explored whether a related concept, experiential avoidance (the process of ignoring, pushing away or distracting yourself from unwanted thoughts and feelings) is also important to wellbeing in older adulthood. For example, what are the consequences of avoiding anxious thoughts, negative emotions like sadness, and regrets, rather than accepting them?

How did we do it?

Questionnaires were completed by 259 people over 65 years, with an average age of 75. As well as measures of hope and avoidance, each person also filled in questionnaires about positive affect (happiness), negative affect (such as feeling upset or irritable), and a measure of whether they felt their life had meaning and purpose.

What did we find?

The results suggest people who look to the future with hope had higher happiness and a higher sense of their life being meaningful compared to those who report lower hope. It appears that high hope may lead to higher wellbeing, rather than the reverse, but we need more research to confirm this. This study also found that a tendency to avoid emotions and thoughts were associated with higher negative affect; similar to results in younger adults showing avoidance led to depression.

What does this mean in practice?

These findings are important because we now know that when we develop interventions that target older adults we need to target their views of both the present and the future. This way we can potentially reduce negative outcomes, but also increase positive outcomes such as happiness and meaning in life. This research can be used to help guide the development of programs to increase positive ageing among our growing older population.

Ferguson, S. J., Taylor, A. J., & McMahon, C. (2017). Hope for the future and avoidance of the present: Associations with well-being in older adults. Journal of Happiness Studies, 18(5), 1485-1506. doi:10.1007/s10902-016-9787-0

If you’ve been following media coverage of the post-hurricane flooding in Texas during the last couple of weeks, you will have seen many images and accounts of people evacuating with their pets.

You will no doubt also have seen emergency responders and volunteers rescuing abandoned pets and stranded horses and livestock. Similar stories play out during all types of natural disasters, whether they’re floods, cyclones, or bushfires.

An estimated 63 per cent of Australian households have at least one pet – one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world – and including those pets in your emergency plan can be vital.

Last week, a New South Wales coronial inquest into the 2015 Hunter Valley floods heard that an elderly resident who drowned refused to leave her home without her dog and bird, prompting parliamentary questions to the NSW minister for emergency services over provisions for animals in emergencies.

I have spent the past three years leading a project on animal management in emergencies, which considers the challenges for emergency responders, as well as owners of pets, horses, pet livestock, animal-related businesses, and livestock farmers.

Recently we have teamed up with a community-led group in the Blue Mountains, Blue ARC Animal Ready Community, to focus on identifying and helping to solve local challenges and barriers to emergency preparedness and planning for animals.

So if you have animals, what can you do to protect them? The first thing to do is check general resources on emergency plans. Unfortunately, there is no Australia-wide emergency response approach, so it’s important to make plans that are suited to your own situation and the help you have available.

Here are my seven top tips for taking care of your animals in an emergency:

1. It sounds obvious, but creating an emergency plan that includes pets is the first step. If you don’t have a household plan, the Australian Red Cross Rediplan is a good place to start. Consider a range of potential emergencies in your planning: heatwaves, prolonged loss of power, floods, cyclones and bushfires. Most importantly, think about every creature in your household: our research suggests that chooks are popular but often not considered when it comes to emergency planning.
2. Plan to leave early. Evacuating with animals can take longer, especially when you have multiple types of animals or need to make multiple journeys. Don’t plan to leave animals behind, or plan to leave a household member behind to take care of the animals. Stay aware of weather conditions and emergency warnings.
3. Have an emergency kit for your animals: fill a “go bag” (or box) with items you’ll need if you need to leave in a hurry. If you have essentials you can’t afford to leave in a box, make a checklist and know where they are. There are some excellent checklists available online to get you started.
4. Plan where you will take your animals. Emergency services can’t help evacuate your pets or larger animals in emergency situations, and not all evacuation centres will accept them. The official position is that your animals are your responsibility, so you need to know where you’ll take your animals and how you’ll get them there. Most people rely on taking them to friends or family, but this can sometimes mean that different animals need to go to different places.
5. Plan for what will happen if you’re not at home, or can’t get back home. No one likes considering this situation, but it is often a reality. Speak to neighbours or nearby friends about what you would like them to do if you’re not home (and offer them your support if they’re away). Make sure you have contact numbers for neighbours and those who might be able to help in these situations.
6. If you have horses or other large animals, find a buddy. Horses and other large pet livestock are special cases in emergencies: their size means that there are additional challenges in their handling, loading, transportation, and relocation. Many equine groups have guidance for horse owners and advocate buddy systems to help owners. There are also networking systems, such as Walking Forward Disaster Relief Team, that help horse owners pre-arrange safer places to relocate their animals ahead of emergencies.
7. Hardest of all: practice your plan. Most emergency preparedness advice suggests that you practice your plan, but it’s particularly important with pets. It’s better to find out early that your ideal plan doesn’t work in practice. Finding work-arounds, and making a plan B and C, is far easier without the threat of imminent danger.

Remember, your animals depend on you. Plan for all the human and non-human animals in your household and stay safe.

September 16 and 17 2017 is the NSW Rural Fire Service-led Get Ready weekend, with various bushfire awareness and preparedness activities being planned across the state. To support that event in the Blue Mountains, we have co-developed, with Blue ARC and the Resilience and Preparedness Group, posters and flyers encouraging residents to make an emergency plan for all the family, including links to useful resources.

October is Mental Health Month in New South Wales. We asked Professor Jennie Hudson, Director of the Macquarie University Centre for Emotional Health, to give us her expert tips for keeping anxiety and worry in check.

Feeling stressed or worried can be a normal part of life, particularly when you may have an upcoming presentation or deadline at work or during transitions. To prevent stress from taking hold, here are a few strategies that you can put in place:

1. Don’t avoid the situation

As tempting as it is, stress and anxiety thrive when you avoid. One of the most effective ways to overcome fear and anxiety is by facing the feared situation. This is best done in a gradual way, starting with an easy step and working up to more difficult situations.  For example, if you are worried about delivering a presentation at work, start by practising by yourself, then try presenting to your partner or friend, and then in front of a group of trusted colleagues at work.

2. Explore and challenge your thinking

Anxiety and fear occur when you think something bad is going to happen. Sometimes, particularly in times of stress, people might be more likely to over-estimate the likelihood of something negative occurring and underestimate their ability to cope with it. Identifying and challenging your thoughts can help. Ask yourself “What do I think will happen?” and explore other possible explanations and different points of view. Revise your original thought by considering the alternative possibilities you’ve come up with.

3. Focus on the task

High anxiety can take your mind away from the situation and make you focus on your worried thoughts. Practise staying focused on the task by training yourself to attend to the task at hand.

4. Find a relaxation or ‘switching off’ technique that works for you

The arousal that comes with anxiety can’t hurt you, but if you want to reduce your arousal, there are a number of different techniques that can work if you practice them. Some people find deep breathing, going for a walk/run, taking an exercise class or taking a technology break can help. Regular physical activity, breaks, sleep and healthy eating all contribute to emotional well-being and health.

5. Talk to someone

Sometimes it can help to talk to a trusted friend or partner. If they are a good listener, they might help you to get perspective on the situation. If you find that your worry and anxiety is interfering with your daily routine or preventing you from enjoying life, then it would be useful to see a professional. Effective help that involves practical strategies is available.

The Centre for Emotional Health (CEH) is a Macquarie University Centre for research excellence that focuses on the understanding, treatment and prevention of anxiety, depression and other emotional health disorders.

Anxiety and mood disorder expert Associate Professor Viviana Wuthrich has received a prestigious Young Tall Poppy Science Award for her work on developing manualised and computerised anxiety and mood treatment systems. Viviana accepted the award during a gala event recognising New South Wales’ best young scientists.

“Several of Associate Professor Wuthrich’s programs have already been implemented and her work is having real-world impact. Viviana’s work shows off the world-changing research Macquarie University conducts every day,” says Macquarie’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Sakkie Pretorius.

Viviana, a Developmental Psychologist who has broad research interests in understanding the development and presentation of mental health across the life span, says that she was stunned when she heard the news.

“When I found out I had received this award, it made me stop and rethink my progress and realise that maybe I have achieved more than I give myself credit for.”

Organised by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS), the awards acknowledge the world-class research contributions of a small group of our state’s best and brightest early career researchers who are also passionate science communicators.

“To me, this award is particularly special as, unlike most career awards, it acknowledges the importance of both high quality research but also the importance of communicating research findings to the general community,” says Viviana.

Praise for Viviana’s accomplishments has also come from other members of the University, with Professor Ron Rapee commenting, “Viviana’s work is helping the millions of older people who struggle with anxiety and depression – an area of increasing importance due to our aging population.”

The award winners will now be involved in various workshops and seminars held over the next year that promote knowledge of, study and careers in science among school students, teachers and the broader community.

Learn more about the Young Tall Poppy Awards.

It takes two minutes to change your perception of body size, a new Macquarie study suggests.

Directed by lead author Associate Professor Kevin Brooks, researchers explored how the perceptual mechanisms in a person’s brain adapt in response to images of one’s own or other people’s bodies by asking participants to give their opinions about body images that had been manipulated to look thinner or fatter.

“After two minutes of being exposed to images of thinner versions of themselves or others, we saw that the neural mechanisms controlling participants’ perceptions actually adapted to see thin images as normal, whereas original sized body images now looked fatter to them,” said Associate Professor Brooks.

The opposite situation was also true, where the exposure to fatter body types made participants see original body sizes as skinny. The research also indicated that separate neural mechanisms controlled a person’s perception of their own body size and another person’s body size, but that these mechanisms could affect each other.

“This means that being exposed to images of skinny people doesn’t just make you feel bad about your own body size, which has been known for a while, it actually affects the perceptual mechanisms in your brain and makes you think you are bigger or smaller than you really are,” said Dr Ian Stephen, another author of the study.

The researchers say that the findings, which indicate that we are extremely impressionable when it comes to body images, may help us understand more about how mental health problems involving body image disturbance, such as anorexia nervosa and muscle dysmorphia, can develop.

“There is only one way for information to be received by our brains: through the perceptual and neural mechanisms fed by our senses. By unpacking the details of the neural mechanisms involved in body size perception we are hoping to discover more about how the brain deals with this information as a whole, so that we can understand how conditions involving body image disturbance arise,” said Kevin.