In honour of national Pay It Forward Day, University of Queensland Gatton students washed more than 60 cars and two quad bikes for free. What a nice story as we go into the weekend!

The Pay It Forward concept is based on a book by Catherine Hyde and was later made into a movie with Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey.

To Pay It Forward is to do something nice for a person and expect nothing in return. Rather you ask them to also do something helpful for another person, spreading a feeling of goodwill.

Gatton Campus Director Janelle Zahmel was very keen to get behind the idea.

“It is very positive to see students so motivated to spread kindness through the community and expect nothing in return,” she said. “We also have bright coloured paper in key areas around the campus so that students and staff can send messages of thanks to people who have made a difference in their lives. We hope by getting behind Pay It Forward we will brighten a few people’s day and you never know where a small act of kindness may lead.”

PhD student Prue Kearney was instrumental in the University of Queensland Gatton Community embracing Pay It Forward.

“All of the people here play such an important role in the community whether they are a student, lecturer, tutor, researcher or general staff member,” Kearney said. “I thought it would be good if we could do something nice and a little out of the ordinary for people who contribute positively to our lives every day. I’ve been really happy with the response from students and staff in getting behind Pay It Forward!”

What a great concept! This story is typical of the University of Queensland community, as the student and staff always work together to bridge the school community together.

Have you ever paid it forward?

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Learn more about the University of Queensland!

The environmentally sustainable design of The University of Queensland’s new engineering facility has been given the national green star tick of approval.

Having met an extensive list of requirements, the Advanced Engineering Building – with a “live building” design that allows monitoring of ongoing sustainability performance – was awarded a 5-Star Green Star – Education Design v1 Certified Rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

The rating signifies Australian excellence in environmentally sustainable design and construction of buildings.

Highlights of the sustainable design features of the UQ AEB building include

• a mixed-mode feature allowing the building to operate largely using natural ventilation to reduce the need for air conditioning ;

• a ‘passive cooling system’ consisting of a labyrinth and phase change materials to cool the air entering the building, coupled with natural ventilation;

• task air that delivers cool air directly to the workstations of the occupants of the building;

• building-wide monitoring systems to track the building’s environmental performance; and

• recycled materials such as wood, rubber and fibres incorporated into timber facades, flooring and structures of the building.

The Advanced Engineering Building will be a feature of a new engineering precinct at University of Queensland’s St. Lucia campus that provides innovative spaces and blended learning laboratories for 3,600 students.

The University of Queensland is currently developing a Climate Action Plan that sets out proposed actions to reduce emissions by 2020. This plan will incorporate a strategy to reduce emissions associated with land use and the built environment. A key element of this will be to embed sustainability and Green Star principles into the university’s design guidelines for future infrastructure projects.

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Learn more about the University of Queensland!

Have you seen The King’s Speech yet?

We know, it sounds as though we’re a year behind the times, but if you do watch the movie, you’ll be privy to watching the 2012 Australian of the Year in action.

Did we mention he’s also a University of Queensland alumnus? Oh, right. We did that in our headline.

Anyway…

Actor and film producer Dr. Geoffrey Rush has been named the 2012 Australian of the Year – that was the point we were initially trying to make!

Awarded a University of Queensland honourary doctorate of letters in 1997, Dr. Rush, who has earned acting’s coveted “Triple Crown” (Academy, Emmy & Tony Awards), has acting credits that range from Shakespearean plays to his Oscar-winning 1996 performance as pianist David Helfgott in Shine; the voice of Nigel, a pelican in Finding Nemo; Captain Hector Barbossa in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise; to playing speech therapist Lionel Logue in The King’s Speech.

He graduated with a  Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland in 1972, and now the Geoffrey Rush Drama Studio at the University’s St. Lucia campus honours his contributions.

Born in Toowoomba in 1951, Dr. Rush moved to Brisbane in 1968 and performed with the College Players, a theatrical group formed by Bryan Nason at The University of Queensland.

While studying at the University of Queensland between 1969 and 1971, Dr. Rush was also active in the drama society he and Bille Brown, later also an internationally renowned actor, renamed “Unique.”

Dr. Rush’s contributions both nationally and internationally earned him the 2012 Australian of the Year on Australia Day!

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Does this mean that attending the University of Queensland will make you the Australian of the Year? Dream big, friends! Learn more about studying at the University of Queensland.