1. Western Sydney University24
IMPACT REPORT 2014
Grace Micali
PHD CANDIDATE
“It’s always two steps back,
one step forward with this
work, but to know that there
are people who are just as
passionate about what I’m
doing makes me want to
work even harder.”

2. westernsydney.edu.au
IMPACT REPORT 2014
25
BRAINPOWER TO
BATTLE SUPER-BUGS
Healthcare-associated
infections are the most common
complications affecting
Australian patients, with around
200,000 cases each year. One
Western Sydney University
student is determined to see
these numbers shrink.
Bacteria commonly associated with
hospital infections, such as ‘golden staph’
and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci
VRE are constantly evolving, often making
antibiotics ineffective. While pharmaceutical
companies attempt to develop new drugs
to combat this, Western Sydney University
PhD student Grace Micali is trying a different
approach by seeking to understand and
ultimately disrupt the mechanisms that
facilitate the spread of resistance.
“More drugs will potentially be made, but
based on the trends of the last 50 years,
resistance will develop shortly after,” says
the 23 year-old. “I want to understand
the biology of mobile DNA which carries
genes that confer resistance to multiple
antibiotics and disinfectants, using a
genetic and cell biology approach.”
A PhD student with the Western Sydney
University Antibiotic Resistance and Mobile
Elements Group (ARMEG), which is led by
Associate Professor Dr Slade Jensen from
the Western Sydney University School of
Medicine, Grace hopes to unravel the secrets
of resistance maintenance and spread, and
then find ways to counteract and interfere
with it. Infections caused by superbugs have
a significant impact on health outcomes,
especially in the largely populated western
Sydney region, and Grace wants her work to
eventually help people in her own community.
“I’m a local Liverpool girl and I’ve heard
of cases where patients go into hospital
with a previous illness and acquire a
bacterial infection that ends up being
their cause of death,” she says. “They
go in already immunocompromised
and vulnerable to these infections.”
As with most medical research, making
discoveries is a slow and painful process.
Grace has the added pressures of university
teaching shifts and part-time weekend
work to make ends meet, along with caring
responsibilities as the eldest of six children.
Her hard work recently saw her nominated for
the Young Women of the West Award, which
drew the attention of Lynda Cowan, Trustee of
the L&M Cowan Foundation. The Foundation
has since supported her with a $8,500 grant
which will help Grace with the expenses of
attending conferences and workshops in
her field, and also go towards her research
costs and general living expenses.
“(The grant) has relieved the pressure and
I’m just so grateful,” she says. “It’s always
two steps back, one step forward with this
work, but to know that there are people who
are just as passionate about what I’m doing
makes me want to work even harder.”
Lynda Cowan, who has a background in public
health, is enthusiastic about the direction of
Grace’s research. “‘Golden staph’ is a problem
that’s getting out of hand, along with other
microbes that are evolving and developing
resistance (to antibiotics) and supporting
this research is an area where we can make
an important contribution,” she says.
She also commends Grace’s hard-
working nature and determination to
help her community, describing her as
an ideal candidate for the L&M Cowan
Foundation’s support. “People with this
kind of passion are the ones who can really
go on to make a difference,” she says.

3. Western Sydney University32
IMPACT REPORT 2015
Cultural acceptance and
diversity have always
been a part of Emilie
Baganz’s make-up.
So, when she saw an advertisement
for a postgraduate scholarship
funded by UrbanGrowth NSW to
research how diversity contributes
to economic, social and cultural
sustainability, she instantly knew
she was made for it.
Emilie grew up in Germany where
diversity has been encouraged and
promoted through education since
the end of WWII.
She was initially impressed by
Western Sydney University when she
came across its Unlimited advertising
campaign which went viral in 2015.
“I was working on the Challenging
Racism project for Courage to Care
NSW and immediately liked what the
University stood for and the diversity
it promoted,” she says.
Emilie and fellow UrbanGrowth NSW
Research Scholarship recipient Ildi
Vukovich start their two-year projects
this year through the Urban Research
Program in the School of Social
Sciences and Psychology. Ildi will
research Community Engagement in
Major Urban Renewal Projects.
UrbanGrowth NSW is using
government land to create vibrant
living and work places that integrate
with public transport, community
facilities and public open spaces.
“The aim of the research being
undertaken by the two Masters
students is to support the work
of UrbanGrowth NSW in the
important areas of diversity and
community engagement,” says
Senior Manager – Government &
Industry Relations Alison McLaren.
“As the future workers and residents
of our city, the aspirations, ideas
and innovations of university
students across NSW will be critical
in shaping UrbanGrowth NSW’s
major urban transformation portfolio
of projects into genuine world-
class communities of tomorrow.”
For Emilie, the project will not only
provide her with the experience
and skills needed for further
research positions, it will also – she
hopes – reveal a positive impact
of diversity in areas of urban
renewal – and ultimately work
towards combatting racism.
“I think it’s important that people
don’t live segregated – that
there’s a healthy mix of people.”
To discuss funding a research
scholarship, please contact the
Office of Advancement and
Alumni on 02 9685 9511.
DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT CRITICAL FOR
‘URBAN GROWTH’
Emilie Baganz and Ildi Vukovich, Master of Philosophy (Social Science) students,
with Alison McLaren of UrbanGrowth (centre)

5. Oracle Invests in Childhood Cancer Research
Oracle is investing AU$140,000 (US$105,000) in two big data research projects: one
using visual analytics to interpret data gleaned from the treatment of children with
cancer, and the other using virtual and augmented reality to make large-scale visual
analytics more accessible to non-technical professionals.
Both projects are being conducted by Western Sydney University’s School of
Computing, Engineering and Mathematics in Australia.
Visual analytics help researchers gain insights into complex problems by combining the
vast processing and storage capabilities of computers with visual interfaces that are
more intuitive for people who aren’t data scientists. “Rather than having users try to
decipher reports or dashboards, visual analytics can add a new dimension and help
users gain new and different insights from data more quickly,” says Robert Spinks,
Oracle senior director, big data integration and analytics.
The first tranche of Oracle funding will enable a two-year extension of a research study
titled “Enabling Effective Clinical Decisions with Visual Analytics,” which is currently
supported by a grant from the Cancer Institute of New South Wales.
The cure rates for childhood cancers have improved dramatically thanks to technology
and research advances, but “there is still a lot more that needs to be done,” says Dr.
Quang Vinh Nguyen, senior lecturer at the Western Sydney school.
The human genome, Dr. Nguyen notes, comprises thousands of genes containing
information about individual patients and the biological mechanisms of their diseases.
“By combining genetic information with clinical data and using data visualization
techniques to break down that complexity, this research seeks to find new ways to
battle childhood cancers with cutting-edge discoveries that are safe, less toxic, and
more effective,” he says.
The second research project will investigate the use of virtual reality and augmented
reality tools and techniques in the deployment of large-scale visual analytics projects.
“Today’s knowledge-driven society generates a vast amount of data,” Dr. Nguyen says.
“Ordinary analysis methods quickly become inadequate as the data size and complexity
increase. This research will focus on how an immersive visual data analytics experience
can be enabled by utilizing newly introduced technologies in the areas of virtual reality,
augmented reality, or both.”
This new project is open to PhD students, with applications closing in June 2017.

7. Press Release
Childhood Cancer Research Gets Investment Boost From Oracle
Oracle and Western Sydney University team up on visual analytics research
Sydney, Australia, 30 November 2016 - Two big data PhD research projects have
received an investment boost from Oracle. The research projects will be conducted by
Western Sydney University’s School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics. The
studies will look at new ways of using visual analytics across two fields: using
visualisation to help better interpret data in the cancer treatment of children; and how
the use of virtual and augmented reality can make large scale visual analytics more
accessible.
Robert Spinks, Senior Director, Big Data, Integration and Analytics, Oracle, said
“Oracle’s heritage is data, how to manage it, secure it and use it effectively. In today’s
big data world, making data visual is a big part of making it understandable, especially
when the interpretation is done by users who may not be skilled data scientists. Rather
than having users try to decipher reports or dashboards, visual analytics can add a new
dimension and help users gain new and different insights from data more quickly. These
research projects are both really exciting and we can’t wait to see their results.”
The first tranche of funding will enable a two-year extension for existing research into
'Enabling Effective Clinical Decisions with Visual Analytics', which is currently supported
by the Cancer Institute of NSW’s "Big Data, Big Impact" Grant.
Dr. Quang Vinh Nguyen, Senior Lecturer with Western Sydney University’s School of
Computing, Engineering and Mathematics, explains: “While the cure rates of childhood
cancers have improved dramatically thanks to the growth of technologies and research,
there is still a lot more that needs to be done.. The human genome comprises
thousands of genes containing information about individual patients and the biological
mechanisms of their diseases. By combining genetic information with clinical data and
using data visualisation techniques to breakdown that complexity, this research seeks to
find new ways to battle childhood cancers with cutting-edge discoveries that are safe,
less toxic and more effective.”
The second initiative will investigate the use of virtual reality and augmented reality tools
and techniques in the deployment of large scale visual analytics. This new project is
open to PhD students with applications closing in June 2017.
“Today’s knowledge-driven society generates a vast amount of data. Ordinary analysis
methods quickly become inadequate as the data size and complexity increases. This
research will focus on how an immersive visual data analytics experience can be
enabled by utilising newly introduced technologies in the areas of virtual reality,
augmented reality or both,” said Dr Nguyen.

8. To apply or to receive more information about the research projects contact:
Professor Simeon Simoff, Dean, School of Computing, Engineering & Mathematics,
(02) 9685 9179, 0424 156 514, S.Simoff@westernsydney.edu.au
Dr Quang Vinh Nguyen, Senior Lecturer in Visual Analysis, School of Computing,
Engineering & Mathematics, (02) 9685 9328 , q.nguyen@westernsydney.edu.au
About Oracle
Oracle offers a comprehensive and fully integrated stack of cloud applications and
platform services. For more information about Oracle (NYSE:ORCL),
visit www.oracle.com.
About Western Sydney University
Western Sydney University, School of Computing Engineering and Technology, offers a
large range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs that educate innovators in
technology and create the entrepreneurs of the future.,
visit https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/scem/school_of_computing_engineering_and_
mathematics
Contacts
Rebecca English, PR Director, Transformational Campaigns – APAC, Oracle Australia,
03 8616 3912, 0414 314 836, rebecca.english@oracle.com
Amanda Whibley, Manager, Media and Public Relations, Western Sydney University,
02 9678 7084, 0418 438 399, a.whibley@westernsydney.edu.au

9. All smiles at the first work in progress meeting for two big data research projects
addressing childhood cancer.
L to R
Babar Jan-Haleem, APAC Director Big Data & Analytics, Oracle
Socs Cappas, Director Product Management, Oracle Business Analytics
Vinh Nguyen, Senior Lecturer in Visual Analysis, Western Sydney University
Andrew Brunker, PhD Student, Western Sydney University