The year was 1999. Griffith Science’s 2020 Outstanding First Peoples Alumnus Troy Byrnes had just moved to the Gold Coast to start his PhD at Griffith University. He was a tutor for a Planning and Environmental Law subject at the time, and Ryan Dunn just happened to be a student in that class.
Troy recalls ‘Ryano’ and his friends being smart but also a little bit cheeky.
“They were always up for a good laugh, which I quite liked as I’m someone that doesn’t like to take life too seriously,” Troy said.
The pair shared similar interests and soon became great friends, maintaining their friendship throughout Ryans's bachelor studies, where he would end up doing laboratory demonstrations and research assistant fieldwork alongside Troy and other members of the Environmental Science school.
“My mates and I became friends with Troy over the course of the semester and before long we would share fun outside of the lecture rooms including trips to the surf regularly” Ryan recalls.
As the years went on, Ryan and Troy both worked as tutors for the late, great Peter Teasdale in his Earth Sciences classes. Ryan went from student to ‘Dr’ and helped proofread final drafts of Troy’s Thesis prior to submission. The pair always joked about writing a paper together one day, and in 2020 they finally did, which they both agree is very special.
‘Byrnes, T.A. and Dunn R.J.K. (2020). Boating and Shipping Related Environmental Impacts and Example Management Measures: A Review, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 8(11), pp. 908-957.’
Some of their favourite memories include research work in the Whitsundays on bareboat charter yachts and many surfing trips abroad. They have also shared many vessel-based fieldwork outings in local and further afield estuaries and coastal waters together – and lived together as flatmates for almost 20 years!
Both having a strong sense of family, the two recognise the support and encouragement of their parents and close friends, which Troy acknowledges publicly in his PhD thesis.
‘In addition to acknowledging the official contributions of those above, I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to my family (especially Mum and Dad), my surrogate Gold Coast family (Big Den and Toots) and my good friends Ryano and Snail, without your ongoing support and encouragement I may never have finished – Thank you.’
Ryan now lives on the Gold Coast. He works as a senior environmental scientist for an international consultancy group whilst also concurrently continuing work as a Research Fellow at Griffith University’s Coastal and Marine Research Centre.
Troy went on to complete his Doctor of Philosophy in coastal management at Griffith University and is now a well-regarded expert in his field, having contributed to several internationally recognised peer reviewed publications and presentations. Dr Byrnes is the Principal Advisor (Waterways) at the Gold Coast Waterways Authority.
“It was fantastic that the paths of Troy and my own crossed at Griffith University Gold Coast campus, providing a great friendship of countless fun times that will no doubt continue long into the future,” Ryan said.
“The dictionary defines the word ‘serendipity’ as ‘the fact of something interesting or pleasant happening by chance’ and I could not think of a more appropriate word to describe the chance meeting of Ryano and my good self all those years ago. I can honestly say that our chance meeting and the subsequent strong mateship was one of the best things that ever happen to me while at Griffith” Troy said.
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