[Pictured above: In the Current by Selina Springett and Alex Mesker] Creative practice PhD candidates Danielle Zorbas, Selina Springett and Terry Pelarek have explored the question ‘what constitutes research?’ in their co-curated In The Loop: Feeding the Polyphonic Present exhibition. Presenting various levels of scientific enquiry, art and research, the displays impress upon the viewer that a research story can also be told in unusual ways.

The exhibition itself includes pieces from both established and emerging arts practitioner researchers, and is currently running every Tuesday to Friday in the Macquarie University Art Gallery until Friday 27 November.

Discover more about the In The Loop exhibition.

On Saturday 24 October a combination crew made up of Macquarie staff and students, and staff from Cochlear competed in and won the social category at the Dragons Abreast Festival. Dressed in super hero costumes, the ‘Macquarie Kong Fu Dragons’ won all four of their races. More importantly, the team raised more than $3000 for breast cancer awareness and much-needed funds to support breast cancer survivors around Australia.

Fourteen students entered the ‘Shark Tank’ last month to compete for their share of $10,000 prize money at the 2015 Macquarie Entrepreneurship Competition. The competition, made possible through a Learning and Teaching Strategy priority grant, was run by Jarryd Daymond from the Faculty of Business and Economics and Clare Iarandine from the Career and Employment Service.

The difficult task of judging lay with successful entrepreneurial alumni Justus Hammer, Liam Darmody and PACE lecturer Dr Jennifer Ruskin.

First prize winners Jacob Hkiek and Blake Moore [pictured above], received $8000 for their pitch ‘Wherever Psychology’, an online platform to help Australians find a psychologist and book an appointment at a time and through a medium that suits their lifestyle.

The competition provides students with a dynamic and real-world opportunity to develop their employability skills. It is hoped the competition will continue in future years and lead to deeper partnerships with alumni and industry that will support our student innovation and entrepreneurial activities.

Congratulations to English Language Centre graduate Samah Abdulmawla [pictured above], who was named a finalist at the StudyNSW International Student of the Year Awards 2015. The Awards celebrate outstanding contributions made by international students to communities in New South Wales, and acknowledge ogranisations that support international students with community programs and initiatives. In the lead-up to the Awards, Samah was filmed on campus in preparation for a potential win. As a finalist, she was presented with a certificate by Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres.