Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

News From the Deane
The weekly update from the Dean of Division, Prof Liz Deane

Jelly Fish Protein Shine
Biotech students demonstrate their creativity!

Opportunities
- Discovery Channel Canada Seeks Stories on Aussie Science
- 2008 John Monash Awards for Postgrad Studies, applications now open
- 2008 Fulbright Scholarships, applications now open

Events
- Biological Sciences Double Bill Seminar this Wednesday
- ABC 75th Anniversary "Being the News Desk" with Richard Morecroft
- ELS Seminar Series

News from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your great effort in getting all our RQF data completed and off to the Research Office last week. I understand that the process of allocation to reviewers is now underway.

Only a couple of new items came in this past week. These are advanced notice of talks by two Nobel Laureates.

Remember the Division BBQ this coming Friday!

See you then,

Liz

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Jellyfish protein shines!

Biotech students demonstrate their creativity

As an end-of-semester challenge, CBMS students studying 'Protein Discovery and Analysis' competed for a prize for the most creative representation of a protein using a 3-D model. The 'Most Beautiful Protein' competition was judged by the Dean who selected a winner and distributed ELS field mugs to all finalists.

For the duration of the semester, students are given their own 'pet protein' as a case study for their own research and analysis. All 'pet proteins' are significant in today's biotechnology industry. As a final assignment, students build a 3D model that illustrates the protein's overall organisation and structure, which may include its bonds, chains, helices, and sub-units.

The winner of the 2007 challenge, Amith Vasantha Kumar, used mirrors, ribbons and an electrical circuit to produce a stunning representation of a jellyfish protein called GFP. A glowing green light in the centre of Amith's model provided a graphic display of the functionality of the protein, one which when implanted in mice, produces eerily green-furred rodents.

Unit convenor, A/Prof Bridget Mabbutt says, "This task may be fun for the students, but it is a perfect way for each student to demonstrate that they have understood the spatial simplicity of their protein". Each year, A/Prof Mabbutt selects several exceptional models that she uses as class illustrations in future years.

The creativity and inventiveness displayed in the 3D models are evidence that innovation and clear spatial concepts are part and parcel of these young scientists' abilities. The models, comprised of materials such as pipe cleaners, strings of beads, wire, hair rollers and ribbons, are indeed works of art.

The winning model, GFP protein from jellyfish.

The runners-up and the winner, Amith Vasantha Kumar (far left of picture), with their models.

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Invasive plant species and climate change in Australia:
predicting the threat and projecting the future

Science News has recently been featuring summary details of our successful ARC Linkage applicants. This week we are featuring a new ARC Linkage project exploring the impact of climate change on invasive plant species in Australia. Successful applicants Michelle Leishman and Lesley Hughes (with Paul Downey (NSW Dept of Environment & Climate Change) ) write the following about their new project:

Invasions by exotic species and climate change are two of the biggest issues in applied ecology today yet their synergistic impacts have rarely been investigated. In this project we will investigate the potential impact of climate change on invasive plant species in Australia using an integration of bioclimatic modelling, field surveys and experiments manipulating CO2 and temperature. The bioclimatic modelling will assess the potential distribution of ~ 50 exotic plant species under several climate change scenarios. We will use field surveys to investigate the impacts and distribution of one of the most serious functional groups of invaders, exotic vines, in an endangered ecological community, littoral rainforest. Manipulative experiments will investigate the direct impacts of enhanced CO2 and temperature on both exotic and native plant species to assess the potential for their competitive interactions to be altered in the future. This research will contribute substantially to our understanding of plant invasion under future climates, enabling identification of exotic plant species most sensitive to climate change and potential hotspots of invasion. It will also provide a critical risk assessment framework for land managers throughout Australia.

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Opportunities

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Discovery Channel Canada is doing a Major Series on Australian Science

...and they want your story ideas!

Their nightly flagship science show, Daily Planet, is planning to produce seven hours of dedicated programming on Australia's innovative science, nature, technology and engineering sectors. They plan to feature the people, places and hardware associated with new and cutting-edge developments. They start filming in Australia at the beginning of September through to February, 2008. They expect an audience of many millions - in Canada and worldwide.

If you have stories please email your ideas to Mark Stevenson at mstevenson@discovery.ca and Niall Bryne from Science in Public at niall@scienceinpublic.com.au   

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2008 John Monash Awards for Postgrad Studies - Applications now Open

The Awards offer up to $150,000 over three years for postgraduate studies (PHD or professional Masters Degree) at any of the world's best universities overseas.

Only eight Awards are made each year to Australian citizens adjudged to have outstanding academic achievement, community consciousness and service and leadership potential of their field and the community. The Foundation expects Award Winners to make a significant contribution to the future development of Australia.

There is no restriction on the age of applicants or the fields of study. The average age of past Winners is 26 and they have come from universities across Australia including from the fields of: Science; Engineering, Law, Economics, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Social Studies, Medicine, Health, Philosophy, Arts and Music.

See www.monashawards.org for more information.

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Valued at up to $A40,000, Fulbright scholarships are open to Australian citizens to undertake research or study in the United States for 3 - 12 months. Scholarships can be started between 1 July 2008 and 30 June 2009.

Applications are open to Postgraduates (to do research related to their Australian PhD. or enrol in a US degree); Postdoctoral, Professional and Senior Scholars from any field of study.

For further information and application forms see www.fulbright.com.au

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Events

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Biological Sciences Seminar

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ABC 75th Anniversary - Behind the News Desk
Richard Morecroft, former ABC TV News presenter

When: 2pm-3pm Sunday 1 July
Where: Target Theatre, Level 3 of the Powerhouse Museum
Cost: Free!

As the ABC celebrates its 75th anniversary, former ABC TV News presenter Richard Morecroft shares a few of his ABC memories and behind-the-scenes stories. Morecroft presented the ABC News in NSW and the ACT for more than twenty years, as well as other programs including Nationwide, Behind the News and Go Wild. Morecroft gives a light-hearted talk about what it was like working behind the ABC News desk for more than two decades.

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ELS Seminar Series

Departments in ELS host seminars covering a wide range of topics associated with ongoing research projects and other areas of interest. The seminars are delivered by academics, research staff, and students from within the Division, as well as guest speakers from other institutions and industry. Details of times, dates, locations and topics of seminars to be held over the next few weeks are listed here.

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Snippets

Research Finds Evidence Tropical Cyclones have Climate Control Link

Robot roams Ningaloo reef
Marine scientists and engineers recently set free a robot called Sirius to explore the ocean floor at Ningaloo in WA.

Virtual fencing to improve farming
A virtual fence for livestock that allows better use of pasture, protects the environment and reduces labour, is being developed.

Breaking the cycle of violence theory
A Bendigo social research study is challenging the weight given to the widely accepted 'cycle of violence theory'.

Smoke kills even after quitting
A new study shows that lung damage in smokers continues to progress, even after they have stopped smoking.

Clues to causes of cancer spread
A Deakin University study has shed light on what causes breast cancer cells to move to other parts of the body.

Fight to survive heats up for reef fish
An Australian study reveals that survival isn't easy for young fish living on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) - and may be even harder under climate change.

IT workers see funny side of banter
A study of how New Zealand IT workers use humour in the workplace has found that joking and banter is highly prized by staff wanting a stimulating work environment.

Light activity reduces diabetes risk
Reducing time spent sitting and increasing light physical activity may reduce the risk of diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases.

Wave power feeds the reef
Researchers have found that reef production is fed by wave-power from the sea, which pumps plankton across the reef.  

Black cars crash more
Black coloured cars are more likely to be involved in a crash, according to definitive new research linking road safety and vehicle colour.

More disability services needed
A new report shows that the number of people aged under 65 with a profound or severe limitation in basic daily activities is projected to increase to over 750,000 people by 2010.

Insight into online daters
A study reveals online daters tend to be well-paid, professional people who are organised in their mission to meet the one special person with whom they can establish an intimate real-world relationship.

Irish sting for NZ weevil
Latest field results in from the field show that a tiny Irish wasp released early last year is hitting adult clover root weevils hard in NZ's North Island.

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