Frequently Asked Questions

UQ Researchers is a rich, up-to-date, reliable and easy-to-use repository of the profiles of academic staff at The University of Queensland.

If you are a research student, an industry professional or a media person looking for UQ academics with knowledge and expertise in your area of interest, UQ Researchers is the ideal tool to help you find the right person.

UQ Researchers is driven by information in enterprise systems and databases within the University. Staff members can also self-contribute some data that is not available in other systems.

Frequently asked questions:

UQ Experts

What is UQ Researchers?

UQ Researchers is a gateway into the research community at The University of Queensland. It is a rich and up-to-date repository of the profiles of academic staff across the University. The system provides a credible insight into the depth and breadth of the research activities of each researcher at UQ

Who should use UQ Researchers?

Anyone who needs to find someone at UQ with particular expertise. Such as:

  • Prospective research degree students wishing to find an advisor for their study
  • Industry and business representatives that seek an expert from UQ for consultation or collaboration
  • Journalists who require an expert to comment on issues with local, regional or global impact (such as natural disasters, civil unrest, epidemics, elections and research breakthroughs)
How are the profiles created on UQ Researchers?

To ensure that the profiles are up-to-date and reliable, the majority of information is sourced from corporate databases such as Aurion for HR data, eSpace for publications or SI-net for supervision. However, staff are able to contribute information that is not available in any corporate systems, such as their biography or research interests.

Who is listed on UQ Researchers?

Any current academic staff members with a continuing or fixed-term appointment of more than 12 months automatically will have a profile on UQ Researchers 4 months after commencing employment at UQ. This 4 month grace period gives the new staff an opportunity to complete their profile (add bio, get their publications into eSpace, etc). During these 4 months however, the new staff have the option to opt-in to have a profile on the system if they wish.

Unpaid academic staff members (e.g., adjuncts, honorary) with an appointment of more than 12 months have the option to opt-in to have a profile on the system.

Professional staff, casual employees and RHD students are not currently included in the system.

Note for unpaid staff and new staff: Please refer to this guide if you would like to activate your profile on UQ Researchers.

I want to commence a PhD or MPhil with an academic person listed on UQ Researchers. What is the next step?

First of all, feel free to get in touch with that staff member! Contact details are available on the profiles.

More information on how to apply for a PhD or MPhil at UQ is available on UQ Graduate School website.

I am a UQ academic, how can I update my profile on UQ Researchers?

Academic staff can login to UQ Academic Portal to review and update their profile. Depending on what needs updating, you can make changes in your profile in one of the following ways:

  • For information sourced from upstream systems (such as eSpace or SI-net) you need to get the data fixed there first. Corrected records will automatically update in your UQ Researchers profile the following day. Please see the guidelines in UQ Researchers on how to update the upstream systems)
  • For self-contributed information (e.g., biography or research interests), you can update the data yourself through your profile. Click on the Update Profile link in the navigation bar at the top of the page to log in to the Academic Portal, then click on the Profile tab.
Some information on my UQ Researchers profile is incorrect or incomplete. What should I do?

Depending on what needs updating, you can correct the information in your profile in one of the following ways:

  • For information sourced from upstream systems (such as eSpace or SI-net) you need to get the data fixed there first. Corrected records will automatically update in your UQ Researchers profile the following day. Please see the guidelines in UQ Researchers on how to update the upstream systems)
  • For self-contributed information (e.g., biography or research interests), you can update the data yourself through your profile. Click on the Update Profile link in the navigation bar at the top of the page to log in to the Academic Portal, then click on the Profile tab.
I am a UQ academic, but not listed on UQ Researchers. What should I do?

UQ Researchers automatically creates a profile for UQ staff members if they meet the following two conditions::

  • Have an academic position with continuing or fixed term appointment of more than 1 year
  • Have a current appointment

Unpaid academic staff members such as adjuncts and honorary have the option to opt-in to have a profile created in UQ Researchers

Professional staff, casual employees and RHD students are not currently included in the system.

If you meet the above criteria but still do not have a profile on the system, please contact AcademicPortal@uq.edu.au.

I should be listed among the search results when a certain phrase is searched for on the system, but I am not. Why?

UQ Researchers uses a powerful search engine to parse the content of the profiles, including:

  • Biography
  • Research interests (title, details)
  • Title of organisational unit(s) the staff member is affiliated with
  • Keywords attached to the staff member
  • Publications of the staff member (title, abstract, keywords)
  • Grants of the staff member (title, description, funding body)
  • Current and completed RHD advisory roles carried out by the staff member (title, abstract)
  • Available projects (title, description)

A staff member is included in the search results if the search term has been found somewhere in the above profile content.

If you would like to be listed on a particular search term, please add that term to your biography, research interests and/or free-text keywords.

Can I assign someone from my school or institute to maintain the staff profiles within our unit (unit administrator)?

Yes. Please email us to nominate a person as the admin member of your unit. The admin person will be able to view and edit the profiles of all the staff within your unit.

The administrators of the old UQ Researchers will continue to have their admin privileges on the new system.

Can I authorise someone else to update my profile?

Yes. Apart from unit admins that can view and update the profiles of all staff in their units, each individual academic staff member is able to nominate an “agent” to update their profile on their behalf. Log in to your profile and use the agent tab from the left hand-side menu to assign an agent.

Who should I contact if I have any questions about UQ Researchers or need assistance?

The UQ Researchers team welcomes your feedback, questions and suggestions. Please contact us via the feedback tab at the top of the page or send a message to our support email address.

What is UQ Experts for Media?

UQ Experts for Media is specifically designed to help journalists find UQ staff who are willing to provide expert comment for print, broadcast and online media. Staff listed as UQ Experts are willing to share their research insights through the media. The database can be searched by name or by subject/keywords.

The UQ Experts directory is maintained by the Office of Marketing and Communications. Journalists can contact the UQ Media Team, (07) 3365 1120, for assistance.

How is UQ Experts for Media different from UQ Researchers?

UQ Experts comprises staff who have indicated they are willing to talk to media, while UQ Researchers provides profiles of all currently active research academics at UQ.

How do I become a UQ Expert for Media?

Log in to your Profile, select “Expert for media” from the left-hand menu, and follow the instructions. Ensure you click on the “confirm listing is correct” button to save any changes. Your information will be publicly available through the UQ Experts search engine within 15 minutes, and an 'Expert for media' message will appear on your UQ Researchers profile.

How do I update my UQ Experts for Media profile?

Your UQ Experts for Media profile is identical to your UQ Researchers profile except it has additional fields for your phone numbers and media keywords. To update these fields, log in to your profile, select “Expert for media” from the left-hand menu, and follow the instructions to update your details. Ensure you click on the “confirm listing is correct” button to save any changes.

How can I increase my chances of being contacted by the media?

Set your mobile phone number to public. Journalists work to tight deadlines and will be more likely to contact you if they can get an immediate response.

Ensure your keywords for media are simple and straightforward, and accessible to a general audience rather than an academic one. For example, you might say “headache” instead of “cephalgia”, or “metals” as well as “metallurgy”. Try your keywords out on someone who is not an expert in your field, and seek advice from the communications team in your faculty, school or institute.