UNSW Newsroom

A new AI tool has been developed by researchers to help jobseekers switch careers.

05 Aug 2021

Need to change careers? This AI tool can help

Researchers at UTS and UNSW Sydney have developed a machine learning-based method that can identify and recommend jobs to workers looking for a new role.

stock photo showing people coming into university and graduating

Photo: Shutterstock

Opinion

06 Aug 2021

Think our unis are all much the same? Look more closely and you will find diversity

The sameness of the way in which universities present themselves is based on a shared view of what they think stakeholders want. Behind the official facade it’s more like ‘organised anarchy’.

Dr Daniel Mansfield holds si.427 in gloved hands in a darkened museum storage room ng

Daniel Mansfield holds Si.427 in a Turkish museum. The ancient tablet has implications for the history of mathematics. Photo: UNSW Sydney.

General

05 Aug 2021

Australian mathematician reveals world's oldest example of applied geometry

A UNSW scientist has revealed that an ancient clay tablet could be the oldest and most complete example of applied geometry, showing that ancient mathematics was more advanced than previously thought.

Woman who recently underwent cancer treatment wearing a headscarf

The pandemic had minimal impact on medical cancer treatments in Australia last year – even during our key lockdown periods. Photo: Shutterstock.

Health

04 Aug 2021

Cancer treatments didn't falter in Australia during 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns

The findings come as welcome news as NSW lockdowns continue – but future cancer treatment patterns will depend on how current infection rates develop.

An international review study details for the first time how biochar improves the root zone of a plant. Photo: Shutterstock.

Science & Tech

04 Aug 2021

The waste product which could help mitigate climate change

Biochar can boost crop yields in poor soils and help stop the effects of climate change, study finds. So why aren’t we using it more?

Frontline healthcare workers are advised to wear surgical masks to protect against viruses in droplets, and respirator masks to guard against airborne viruses. Photo: Shutterstock

General

21 Jun 2021

Sydney COVID-19 cluster: experts available for comment

UNSW has a wide range of experts available for comment on the coronavirus pandemic.

A 'Black Widow' poster at Arndale shopping centre in Manchester, UK.

"To succeed in her claim, Johansson will need to prove a few things. First, she’ll need to show that Marvel Studios breached their contract," says Lecturer Chris Pearce. Photo: Shutterstock

Business & Law

04 Aug 2021

Is Scarlett Johansson's claim against Disney valid?

In true ‘Avengers’ style, Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney for a fair pay day, and setting a precedent for other Hollywood actors.

Social Affairs

04 Aug 2021

Poor protections make buying alcohol online easy for minors

General

03 Aug 2021

New species of bobtail squid named in honour of Professor Merlin Crossley

a woman in a city at night waves to her ride share vehicle

Photo: Twinsterphoto/Sutterstock

Opinion

03 Aug 2021

Vital Signs: Uber’s impact on traffic accidents is a lesson in calculating social benefit

Uber’s downsides are well publicised, but it may have a big social benefit in helping to reduce the incidence of drunk driving.

"When people try to communicate uncertainty as certainty, that's when you get into trouble," said Professor Raina MacIntyre.

Health

03 Aug 2021

Critical leadership elements in times of crisis

Truthfulness, acknowledging uncertainty and understanding the workforce are key leadership elements, say senior health leaders.

a man stares at a gambling game on a screen in a dark room

Photo: Alexander Kirch/AAP

Opinion

03 Aug 2021

Gamblers bet more when in the dark: feedback can curb their online losses

How to inject more reality into gamblers’ overestimation of their chances of winning? One simple tool is feedback.

Close-up of newborn baby's feet poking out of blanket

By the time an infant with SMA starts showing symptoms, they've already lost 90 per cent of their nerves – which is why early detection and treatment is so important. Photo: Unsplash.

Health

03 Aug 2021

Testing and treating newborns for spinal muscular atrophy: saving lives and healthcare costs

Gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy might have a high up-front price tag. But by screening and treating infants early, the therapy can save both lives and money in the long term.

A bandicoot being released into the desert at night

Bandicoots contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem by turning the soil as they dig, helping it catch more water and nutrients. Photo: UNSW Sydney.

Science & Tech

02 Aug 2021

Bandicoots return to Sturt National Park after more than a century

The locally extinct animals have been reintroduced to the NSW outback as part of a major rewilding project led by UNSW Sydney.

The government’s 'return to normal' plan aims for a 70 per cent vaccination rate before restrictions start to be eased, but psychologists say those who are hesitant to be vaccinated fall into four categories. Photo: Shutterstock.

Science & Tech

02 Aug 2021

The Four Cs which might be the key to increasing vaccine uptake

Psychology researchers advising the NSW government say a behavioural science model could prove the answer to increasing vaccination rates.

smoke from bushfires at sydney circular quay

The study found that smoke exposure was significantly linked to adverse health effects among people with pre-existing respiratory conditions. Photo: Kirby Institute

Health

02 Aug 2021

How extensive were the adverse health effects of bushfire smoke in the summer of 2019/20?

A UNSW survey has explored the links between bushfire smoke and adverse health effects.

General

30 Jul 2021

UNSW awarded $3m in ARC funding for collaborative research

Health

02 Aug 2021

$5m grant supports detection of infectious diseases in Indo-Pacific

Exisiting traffic lights technologies can help detect the number of vehicles on roads but more research is needed to understand the movements of pedestrians and cyclists. Photo: Shutterstock

Science & Tech

27 Jul 2021

Pedestrians should get the green light on traffic signal prioritisation

Why the car shouldn’t always be king when it comes to traffic light sequences.

Woman buying multiple packs of toilet paper

Stocking up on toilet paper – bizarre as it may be – helped many people regain a sense of control at the start of the pandemic. Photo: Shutterstock.

Science & Tech

30 Jul 2021

Why uncertainty makes us change our behaviour (even when we shouldn't)

‘Panic buying’ might be a normal human response to uncertainty, after all.

police on horseback on the streets of Sydney.jpeg

Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP

Opinion

30 Jul 2021

COVID has changed policing — but now policing needs to change to respond better to COVID

It is critical that policing during COVID-19 does not amplify inequalities by prioritising punishment over keeping people safe. There are better ways police can support the community.

General

30 Jul 2021

UNSW awarded $3m in ARC funding for collaborative research

Business & Law

28 Jul 2021

How can leaders create trust when the information keeps changing?

The project will support those living with a rare disease, focusing on mental health, and social and emotional wellbeing. Photo: Shutterstock.

Health

29 Jul 2021

Funding supports Australians living with a rare disease

UNSW Sydney researchers have been awarded $1.9 million for a project that will develop and deliver rare disease resources, education and training.

Emeritus Professor Hal Wootten AC QC, founding Dean of UNSW Law & Justice. Photo: Supplied.

Business & Law

29 Jul 2021

In memory of Hal Wootten, founding Dean of UNSW Law & Justice

Emeritus Professor Hal Wootten passed away during the night of 27 July, leaving behind a world where the law can finally meet justice.

Herd immunity is when immunity in a population is high enough to block the pathway for the ongoing transmission of the disease. Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Opinion

27 Jul 2021

When will we reach herd immunity? Here are three reasons that’s a hard question to answer

Once we achieve herd immunity, people who are not vaccinated benefit indirectly from the immunity of those around them. But it’s not easy to say exactly when we’ll reach this threshold for COVID-19.

A person walking down the street with an umbrella

The Indian Ocean Dipole, or IOD, is a natural climate phenomenon that influences rainfall patterns around the Indian Ocean, including Australia. Photo: Shutterstock

Opinion

27 Jul 2021

A wet winter, a soggy spring: what is the negative Indian Ocean Dipole, and why is it so important?

Last week the Bureau of Meteorology declared a negative Indian Ocean Dipole — a natural climate phenomenon set to bring wet weather. Let’s look at what you can expect, and the role of climate change.

'Supercharged' cells help scientists analyse SARS-CoV-2 variants faster

Health

In this video, watch how the SARS-CoV-2 virus takes over cells by ‘melting’ them into each other.

Researchers at UNSW Sydney’s Kirby Institute have developed cells that allow them to test the effect of SARS-CoV-2 faster than anywhere else in the world.

The team, led by Associate Professor Stuart Turville, use these genetically “supercharged” cells to quickly understand the dynamics of different variants of the virus, to test their ability to evade vaccines, and to inform the public health response in real time.

The scientists have now shared microscopic footage of the process – in their incredible video, you can see the healthy supercharged cells being taken over by the SARS-CoV-2 virus over a 20-hour period.

People waiting at a COVID-19 Vaccine Centre

Global vaccine inequity is a “catastrophic moral failure”. Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Opinion

27 Jul 2021

How Australia’s fickleness on COVID vaccines is perpetuating global vaccine inequity

If Australians won’t take the AstraZeneca vaccine, we must donate it to save lives elsewhere, especially while we queue-jump for more Pfizer doses.

"It’s almost impossible to predict which variant will win the race and when we have reached the point of most transmissible,” said Dr Di Giallonardo. Credit: Shutterstock

Health

26 Jul 2021

What we know about the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant

The Delta variant is likely to become the most dominant strain globally. What does that mean for current and future variants?

Woman sitting on bed pressing her head in pain

Regulating emotions might be harder for people with chronic pain, the study finds. Photo: Shutterstock.

Science & Tech

27 Jul 2021

Chronic pain might impact how the brain processes emotions

Chemical ‘messengers’ called neurotransmitters help regulate our emotions – but scientists have noticed a disruption to their levels in people with chronic pain.

Runners on an athletics track jumping hurdles

When it comes to COVID vaccines, Australia has had a shocker. Photo: Eric Surprenant/Shutterstock

Opinion

23 Jul 2021

We’re losing the vaccination race because of bungling, not bad luck

To paraphrase a legendary golfing saying, the harder you work, the luckier you get.

golden sun shines across solar panels on a roof

In Australia, more than two million rooftops have solar panels - the most per capita in the world. Photo: Shutterstock

Opinion

23 Jul 2021

The sunlight that powers solar panels also damages them. ‘Gallium doping’ is providing a solution

The process of manufacturing gallium-doped solar panels was under a patent until last year. It's only now that this method has started to pick up steam.

A photo of Scott Morrison at a press release conference.

“If people don't trust their government, they will be less likely to comply with government policies,” Professor Rosalind Dixon says. Photo: Shutterstock

Business & Law

26 Jul 2021

Is it too late for the government to win back Australia’s trust?

A lack of transparency and good policy has created a challenge for trust in political leaders, says a UNSW Sydney constitutional law expert.

Sydney Harbour Bridge behind a chain link fence

One study found the amount of virus shed from people infected with Delta to be over 1,000 times greater than from the original 2020 strain identified in Wuhan. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP

Opinion

23 Jul 2021

Is Delta defeating us? Here’s why the variant makes contact tracing so much harder

NSW's successful test and trace strategy controlled the Crossroads Hotel outbreak a year ago without needing a stringent lockdown. But this has not worked as well against Delta.

Aerial view of a typical suburb in Australia

National home-ownership rates have fallen and the ownership rate for under 35s has collapsed, building in structural problems for future decades. Photo: Shutterstock

Business & Law

22 Jul 2021

Why should financial regulators worry about exorbitant house prices?

Regulators need to take action to prevent older Australians from borrowing against their superannuation to upgrade their housing and help rein in unsustainable property prices.

Romanian weightlifter at the Olympic Gamers

Razvan Martin of Romania was stripped of his bronze medal after testing positive for drugs eight years after the 2012 London Olympics. Photo: Hassan Ammar/AP

Opinion

21 Jul 2021

Doping has become inevitable at the Olympics. And who wins gold in Tokyo might not be certain until 2031

Anti-doping efforts are not stopping cheating in sport. Unless there's a game changer in technology, we might just have to live with a certain amount of doping in the Olympics.

Social Affairs

21 Jul 2021

Will the Tokyo Olympics win gold for sustainability?

Opinion

20 Jul 2021

Excessive strip-searching shows discrimination against Aboriginal women

Tim Putt, Amy Ridge and Nathan Power at the UNSW Fitness and Aquatic Centre

Eight UNSW students, including water polo players (L-R) Tim Putt, Amy Ridge and Nathan Power, and four alumni will compete at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Arc UNSW

General

20 Jul 2021

Faster, higher, stronger: UNSW's Olympic athletes are ready to take on the world

With athletes training in quarantine, taking regular COVID tests and competing in empty stadiums, Tokyo 2021 will be an Olympics like we have never seen before.

The ARC Industrial Transformation Research Program supports collaborative research activity between industry and the Australian higher education sector. Photo: Shutterstock.

Science & Tech

21 Jul 2021

UNSW tops ARC Research Hub grants

More than $9 million in ARC grants have been awarded to two UNSW Sydney projects providing research into sensors for the health sector and new technologies for Australia’s infrastructure needs.

The COVID-19 vaccination glossary aims to provide plain language meanings to complex immunisation and vaccine development and terms. Photo: Shutterstock

Health

19 Jul 2021

COVID-19 vaccination glossary to help non-English speakers

The glossary will be translated into 31 languages.

Aged care with demential and increased medication

Prior to this research, little was known about how many residents changed their GP when they entered aged care facilities, or what the effect this had on their care. Photo: Shutterstock

Health

19 Jul 2021

People entering aged care with new GP experience an increase in medication

New research reveals people with dementia entering aged care with a new GP experienced a 20 per cent increase in prescribed medication.

a woman walks past a mural with indigenous themes and native animals

Transport inequality and its health implications for Indigenous people is overlooked by policymakers. Photo: John Pryke/AAP

Opinion

19 Jul 2021

In search of walking equality: 70% of Indigenous people in Sydney live in neighbourhoods with low walkability

Reducing transport inequality and improving walkability in Indigenous communities are necessary to help close the health and social gap.

Opinion

19 Jul 2021

We’ve become used to wearing masks during COVID. But does that mean the habit will stick?

General

16 Jul 2021

A new $5m centre of excellence will enable capacity building in India

Professor Megan Davis has been an expert member of the UN Expert Mechanism since 2017. Picture: Andrzej Liiguz

General

13 Jul 2021

Law Professor elected as Chair of United Nations Indigenous rights body

Professor Megan Davis, UNSW Balnaves Chair in Constitutional Law and Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous, is the new Chair of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous People.

Dr Beena Ahmed, Senior Lecturer in Signal Processing in the School of Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications, was honoured in the AI in Education category for her development of speech therapy applications for children.

International Women in Engineering Day

Science & Tech

It’s International Women in Engineering Day.

At UNSW, we're so honoured to have inspiring female engineers who are making a big impact in the world.

Science & Tech

15 Jul 2021

Ecological Society of Australia honours UNSW academic

Opinion

16 Jul 2021

Why we need engineers who study ethics as much as maths

Platypus numbers were lower, however juveniles were trapped by researchers, indicating the capacity of platypuses in the river to recover. Photo: Shutterstock.

Science & Tech

13 Jul 2021

Survey finds encouraging platypus numbers on Kangaroo Island

UNSW researchers have been involved in a platypus survey on Kangaroo Island which was severely affected by bushfires 18 months ago.

COVID Files: How do variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge?

Health

Associate Professor Stuart Turville from UNSW Sydney and the Kirby Institute's Immunovirology and Pathogenesis Program explains how variants emerge, how they are detected and what we know about the B.1617 variant.

Opinion

13 Jul 2021

Studying social media can give us insight into human behaviour. It can also give us nonsense

Opinion

13 Jul 2021

First Nations people urgently need to get vaccinated, but are not being consulted on the rollout strategy

People wearing masks wait in line for a COVID-19 test

The last few months in Melbourne and Sydney show the COVID crisis is far from finished. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Opinion

13 Jul 2021

As Sydney’s lockdown continues, what support is available – and needed – for people losing income?

JobKeeper and the Coronavirus Supplement ended earlier this year. But the last few months in have shown the COVID crisis is far from over in Australia.

The effects of the pandemic on people living with dementia

Health

Dr Katya Numbers from the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has posed unique risks to people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Dr Numbers' research has revealed people living with dementia have a relatively high risk of contracting severe COVID-19 and are also at risk of neuropsychiatric disturbances as a result of lockdown measures and social isolation.

Opinion

12 Jul 2021

'Supercharged' cells help scientists analyse SARS-CoV-2 variants faster

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