A USC lecturer and polar ice explorer who is developing affordable life-saving avalanche detectors after surviving a tragedy on Mount Everest will inspire young leaders from the Fraser Coast.

A motivational address by Dr Adrian McCallum is the highlight of a special Leadership Day organised by USC Fraser Coast to empower local school captains, house captains and prefects to guide and represent their fellow students over the coming year.

Dr McCallum was part of an Armed Forces team attempt on the world’s highest peak in 2001 when a filmmaker making a documentary of the climb was killed along with his wife and young daughter in a sudden avalanche.

The tragedy left Dr McCallum determined to develop a low-cost avalanche detector to improve warnings for climbers and the people of Nepal – but first he had to learn how to engineer it.

After 20 years in army, he began an engineering degree, gained a PhD form the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, and now lectures in Geotechnical Engineering at USC.

His life of adventure and exploration includes research projects in remote regions of the world including the Arctic, Himalaya and Antarctica.

About 50 Year 11 and 12 students from six Fraser Coast schools and Isis District State High School in Childers will take part in Leadership Day on Wednesday (8 March).

The program will include a session on developing leadership skills, run by USC Senior Human Resources Consultant Jodie Turner, and techniques to effectively engage and communicate with peers

— Clare McKay