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Like being ‘slapped’ or ‘kicked’: judicial bullying is a problem in Australian courtrooms

Business, Law and Politics 5 min read

Like being ‘slapped’ or ‘kicked’: judicial bullying is a problem in Australian courtrooms

by Ray Nickson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, School of Law and Justice and Alice Neikirk, Lecturer, School of Law and Justice

Bullying by judges, magistrates and other judicial officers is a factor in many lawyers leaving the profession. Our latest research has shown that judicial bullying remains an issue across all states in Australia.
No croutons, no anchovies, no bacon: the 100-year-old Mexican origins of the Caesar salad

Arts, Culture and Society 4 min read

No croutons, no anchovies, no bacon: the 100-year-old Mexican origins of the Caesar salad

by Garritt Van Dyk - Lecturer at the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences (History)

The most seductive culinary myths have murky origins, with a revolutionary discovery created by accident, or out of necessity.
Groundwater is heating up, threatening life below and above the surface

Environment 4 min read

Groundwater is heating up, threatening life below and above the surface

by Gabriel C Rau, Lecturer in Hydrogeology, School of Environmental and Life Sciences (University of Newcastle), Barret Kurylyk Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Coastal Water Resources (Dalhousie University), Dylan Irvine Outstanding Future Researcher - Northern Water Futures (Charles Darwin University) and Susanne Benz Freigeist Fellow, Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (IPF) (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

Under your feet lies the world’s biggest reservoir. Groundwater makes up a whopping 97% of all usable freshwater.
Australia’s first civilian jury was entirely female. Here’s how ‘juries of matrons’ shaped our legal history.

Business, Law and Politics 5 min read

Australia’s first civilian jury was entirely female. Here’s how ‘juries of matrons’ shaped our legal history.

by Alice Neikirk, Lecturer in the School of Law and Justice

It’s hard to imagine now, but for almost 1,000 years, pregnant women in England could avoid the death penalty just by virtue of being pregnant. A pregnant woman sentenced to death would receive a stay of execution until the baby was born.
Is bioenergy ever truly green? It depends on 5 key questions

Science and Technology 5 min read

Is bioenergy ever truly green? It depends on 5 key questions

by Dr Jessica Allen, Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering

Plans to revive an old coal-fired power station using bioenergy are being considered in the Hunter region of New South Wales. Similar plans for the station have previously not gone ahead.
Why are auroras so hard to predict? And when can we expect more?

Science and Technology 5 min read

Why are auroras so hard to predict? And when can we expect more?

by Hannah Schunker, ARC Future Fellow in Physics at The University of Newcastle, and Brett Carter, Associate Professor in STEM at RMIT University

On Saturday evening before Mother’s Day, Australians witnessed a rare celestial spectacle: a breathtaking display of aurora australis, also known as the southern lights.
Yes, adults can develop food allergies. Here are 4 types you need to know about

Health and Wellbeing 5 min read

Yes, adults can develop food allergies. Here are 4 types you need to know about

by Clare Collins - Laureate Professor NHMRC Investigator Fellow School of Health Sciences

If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much more complicated.
Digital ‘death knocks’: is it fair game for journalists to mine social media profiles of victims and their families?

Business, Law and Politics 5 min read

Digital ‘death knocks’: is it fair game for journalists to mine social media profiles of victims and their families?

by Alysson Watson, Associate Lecturer at the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences

The family of Ash Good, one of the Bondi stabbing victims and the mother of the nine-month-baby who was also stabbed, issued a plea overnight for media to stop reproducing photos of Ash, her partner and their baby without consent.
Big dreams built through remote community partnership

Arts, Culture and Society 7 min read

Big dreams built through remote community partnership

by Shahni Wellington

The unlikely pairing of outback Menindee and seaside Newcastle have successfully bridged the distance
Research has found a way to help the teacher shortage and boost student learning

Education 6 min read

Research has found a way to help the teacher shortage and boost student learning

by Jennifer Gore, Laureate Professor at the School of Education and Drew Miller, Senior Lecturer at the School of Education

Australian schools are facing unsustainable pressures. There are almost daily reports of too many students falling behind and not enough teachers to teach them. Meanwhile, the teachers we do have are stressed, overworked and lack adequate support in the classroom.
Teacher transformation scores top marks

Education 10 min read

Teacher transformation scores top marks

by Madelaine Love

A new way of teaching has helped turn the tables at Cessnock High School. The results speak for themselves.
It’s common to ‘stream’ maths classes. But grouping students by ability can lead to ‘massive disadvantage’

Education 4 min read

It’s common to ‘stream’ maths classes. But grouping students by ability can lead to ‘massive disadvantage’

by Professor Elena Prieto-Rodriguez at the School of Education (Mathematics)

It is very common in Australian schools to “stream” students for subjects such as English, science and maths. This means students are grouped into different classes based on their previous academic attainment, or in some cases, just a perception of their level of ability.
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