Bill Liddle awarded the DEi Influencer Award
Bill Liddle (Head of Science) from Trinity Bay SSHS was recently awarded the Department of Education (DEi) Influencer Award in recognition of his contribution to Daintree Rainforest Observatory: Our Classroom in the Rainforest.
The Classroom in the Rainforest project is a consortium whose members are James Cook University, Trinity Bay SHS, Cairns SHS, Smithfield SHS and Redlynch State College.
The project opens up JCU’s Daintree Rainforest Observatory to international and local high school students providing them with the opportunity to be involved in real life rainforest research, whilst also visiting the Great Barrier Reef. The project attracts international students to Queensland, to study in both secondary and university level, engaging them in two cutting-edge research investigations.
Bill Liddle has led the successful Orpheus Island: our Classroom on the Reef project for the past two years. In 2018 Bill introduced the Daintree Rainforest Observatory, a sister program to the Orpheus Island project. Both projects are run in conjunction with JCU with Trinity Bay SHS being the lead school. Bill works with the Acting Head of Department International Student Program to provide these life changing opportunities to ensure invaluable opportunities are available to international students.
Bill has been instrumental in sourcing funding grants for both projects from the DET Collaboration and Innovation Fund for Orpheus Island and from Trade and Investment Queensland for the Daintree Project.
By combining the collaborative power of International Student Program schools in Tropical North Queensland, with the research and expertise of JCU, students experience cutting edge science projects, increasing education opportunities for international students which are unique to the region. The successful implementation of these two projects also benefits the Cairns community, stimulating the local economy, further establishing Cairns as a desirable study destination.
Study Cairns congratulates Bill Liddle for winning this DEi Influencer Award.