The positive influence of creativity on the ageing brain is well reported, but until now, scientific evidence of its impact on cognitive function has been lacking. Associate Professor Helen English and Professor Frini Karayanidis from the University of Newcastle are undertaking critical research to investigate the impact of creative ageing on cognition with programs that invite older adults to participate in song writing or art. Funded by Dementia Australia, the study aims to identify the important ingredients of creative activity programs that drive benefits in wellbeing. Meet Joan, a 75-year-old who learnt how to compose her own song despite never being a musical person, and Doug, who tells us why it’s never too late to learn art.

Could creative ageing be the key to preserving cognition?

Being accused of a crime we didn’t commit is the stuff of nightmares for many. It’s an injustice The Bridge of Hope Innocence Initiative is helping correct by connecting criminology and law students with real cases where new evidence suggests a miscarriage of justice has occurred. Associate Professor Dr Xanthe Mallet, renowned forensic anthropologist and criminologist who established an extension of the RMIT program at The University of Newcastle, speaks to the impact of wrongful conviction on the lives of those accused and the people around them. And we also meet criminology students and volunteers of the program, Isabella and Ryan, whose strong sense of social justice has guided them in the pursuit of innocence for their client.



To read more about this story and others just like it, head to newcastle.edu.au/hippocampus

Second chances and social justice: the program giving the wrongfully convicted a voice

Submarine landslides pose a significant tsunami threat to coastal communities, and, in May of 2022, eight undergraduate students and a team of researchers from The University of Newcastle set sail on the CSIRO RV Investigator to explore this risk. Dr Hannah Power, Associate Professor of Coastal and Marine Science and Alternate Chief Scientist on The Voyage, explains the potential impact and origins of underwater landslides, and we also hear from Dr Michael Kinsela, Lecturer in Coastal and Ocean Geoscience about mapping areas of the seafloor never seen before.  Student Volunteers Chloe and Mikayla share their experience about being onboard and being part of a data-collecting endeavour that will drive research for decades to come.



The Voyage was a collaboration between The University of Sydney, The University of Newcastle, Geoscience Australia, and CSIRO and was supported by a grant of sea time from the CSIRO Marine National Facility.

To read more about this story and others just like it, head to newcastle.edu.au/hippocampus

Uncharted territory: uncovering the secrets of the seafloor

Green Hydrogen could play a significant role in the global effort to decarbonise with researchers from the University of Newcastle leading the charge in the production and manufacturing of the captivating chemical. But what is hydrogen and how can it be green? Dr Jessica Allen, senior lecturer in chemical engineering, de-mystifies the nexus between hydrogen and energy production and we also meet one of the minds making Green Hydrogen possible, Laureate Professor Behdad Moghtaderi. Renewable energy engineering student Jess shares how she’s forging new ground in energy research, and Dr Rohan Stanger investigates an alternate role that coal could play in energy storage.

To read more about this story and others just like it, head to newcastle.edu.au/hippocampus

Re-imagining a renewable energy future

High-contact sports like rugby league are synonymous with conversations around physical safety and concussion. Someone who knows that all too well is Timana Tahu, a Barkindji man, NRL legend and Senior Manager of Elite Indigenous Pathways. Timana has spent years trialing safer tackling techniques on the field, and now, with the help of neuropsychologist Dr Andrew Gardener at the University of Newcastle his techniques are being scientifically validated. Hear about Timana’s personal journey with concussions coming up through the grassroots to elite levels, and meet Kalan, a young soccer star who recently experienced a head knock himself. We also meet Chad, Kalan’s dad, who talks about the importance of safe sports for young athletes.

To read more about this story and others just like it, head to newcastle.edu.au/hippocampus

The research into tackling techniques that could be a game changer

Starting kindergarten without the skills to be able to speak clearly is a reality many children face. Waitlists as long as two years to see a speech pathologist disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.  It’s an issue the University of Newcastle, the Gunawirra Organisation, Scribbly Gum Dalai and Dalaigur preschools, and the Vonwiller Foundation are working hard to address with the establishment of a new community-centred program led by students. Hear from Mum, Taylor about how her daughter learnt to sing, and Jane, a speech pathology graduate with a passion for working with children. We also meet Graham, CEO of Gunawirra who shares the importance of speech in preserving culture.

To read more about this story and others just like it, head to newcastle.edu.au/hippocampus

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Could creative ageing be the key to preserving cognition?

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