Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

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

ELS Innovations
It's that time of year again...applications for the annual Innovation Awards are now open

Opportunities
- Learn How To Protect Your Research, Ideas & Inventions.....
- Biofuels, Energy and Agriculture: Powering Towards or Away From Food
Security?

Events
- Opening Celebration: new organic geochemistry lab
- Welcome to ELS Afternoon Tea
- Death Date: Powerhouse Museum Seminar on Sustainable Design
- ELS Seminar Series

News from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

A very quiet week with many staff and the undergraduates still away.

However, there was a notable highlight with the on-campus visit and awards for the Western Sydney Science Pathway Project led by Joanne Jamie, Subra Vemulpad and Jim Kohen and funded by a DEST Indigenous Higher Education School to University Pathways grant. This event, saw Aboriginal Education Assistants, High School volunteers from Chifley College and our own student volunteers receive awards from the Vice-Chancellor for their contribution to this great science initiative. Congratulations to all.

The Australian Health Policy Institute is hosting a seminar on Thursday 26 July entitled "Healthy and Sustainable Communities", 5:00-7:00 pm at the Eastern Avenue Auditorium, Eastern Avenue, University of Sydney. RSVP Monday 23 July to Diana Freeman - ahpiadmin@med.usyd.edu.au ; tel: 9351 2818.

The Royal Society of NSW has announced its 2007 awards invitations. See web site:- http://nsw.royalsoc.org.au

•  Walter Burfitt Prize - papers published during the past six years, deemed of the highest scientific merit. Three copies of nominations and supporting material including a CV to be submitted.

•  Edgeworth David Medal - the recipient must by under the age of thirty-five at 1 January 2007, for work done mainly in Australia. Every nomination is to be accompanied by a list of publications and a full CV.

Applications for both (not later than 30 September 2007) to:-

The Honorary Secretary, The Royal Society of NSW, Building H47, University of Sydney, NSW 2006. Electronic copies may be sent to: info@nsw.royalsoc.org.au .

Finally, congratulations to Nichola Hill (PG in Biological Sciences) who won the John Seebeck Travel Award for Excellence in Student Oral Presentation at the Australian Mammal Society Conference, and also the Best Student Oral Presentation Award at the Australian Parasitological Society Conference. Well done Nichola!

Till next week,

Liz

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The 4th Macquarie University Innovation Awards

The 4th Macquarie University Innovation Awards will be held on Wednesday 31 October 2007. The Awards recognise and reward staff and students for outstanding performance and excellence in innovation.

Last year, ELS staff Kelsie Dadd, Theresa Winchester-Seeto, Richard Flood, Glenn Brock, Nathan Daczko, Simon Jackson, Mark Lackie and James Valentine received a Highly Commended award for their project: "TAILORED PROBLEM BASED LEARNING: AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO TEACHING UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE"

You can check out the team's entry at :
» High connection speed (Broadband: Cable, DSL, Satellite, T1)

Applications for this year's awards opened on Monday 2 July and will close on Friday 24 August and all staff and postgraduate research students at Macquarie University are encouraged to apply, either for individual or team-based innovations.

An Information Session will be held:

DATE: Wednesday, 25 July 2007

TIME : 12 noon (Lunch provided)

PLACE: Building E4A, Room 323

RSVP: sharen.page@mq.edu.au by 12 noon, Monday, 23 July

Click here for more information on the Macquarie University Innovation Awards

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Opportunities

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Learn How To Protect Your Research, Ideas & Inventions.....

Had any good ideas recently? Not sure how to protect and commercialise them? Well look no further!

Intellectual Property (IP), the product of your hard work and research, can be valuable, but it is easy for this value not to be fully realised. Whether you are a staff member or post-graduate student, you need to know how to identify, protect and commercialise your ideas and innovations.

To start you thinking about these issues, you're invited to attend a FREE Intellectual Property Seminar, hosted by Access Macquarie Limited , the commercial arm of Macquarie University.

Date : Thursday, 16 August, 12noon - 4.30pm
Location : Level 1, Dow Corning Building, 3 Innovation Road, Macquarie University

A FREE lunch will be provided to registered attendees between 12noon~12.45pm

Click here for more information, bookings and reservations

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BIOFUELS, ENERGY AND AGRICULTURE: Powering Towards or Away From Food
Security?

15 August 2007 The Theatrette, New Parliament House, Canberra

This year the Crawford Fund’s free annual development conference will consider the range of issues for developing countries and for Australia due to a growing interest in biofuels

It will provide an up-to-date assessment of what current and future biofuels technologies offer, what they can do for lifting farmers’ incomes, the possible trade-off in reduced food supplies and higher food prices, and will highlight the need for international agricultural research to mitigate any downsides and identify options for the sustainable production and use of biofuels.

It will be of relevance to anyone interested in development issues, the energy debate, the sustainable production and use of biofuels, and in sustainable agriculture.

The event is bringing together the following international and national specialists in the broad range of issues of interest in Australia and globally related to biofuels and agriculture, including:

• The Hon. Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Dr Joachim Von Braun, Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute
• Lord Ron Oxburgh, Member, House of Lords, UK; Chairman of D1 Oils plc, and former Chairman of Shell UK
• Dr Stephen Schuck, Manager, Bioenergy Australia; Executive Committee Member and Member for Australia on International Energy Agency - IEA Bioenergy
• Dr Weber Amaral, President, National Brazil Biofuels Program, University of São Paulo
• Dr Alok Adholeya, Director, Biotechnology and Management of Bioresources Division, The
• Energy and Resources Institute, India Dr John Wright, Director, CSIRO Energy Transformed
• Flagship Program, and previously Chief, CSIRO Energy Technology
• Mr Michael Taylor, Secretary, Australian Government Department of Transport and Regional Services
• Mr Peter Core, Director, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

Registration is essential as seats are limited. Free online registration and further information is now available at www.crawfordfund.org or contact 03 93478328.

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Events

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Opening Celebration: new organic geochemistry lab

A new organic geochemistry lab has been designed and built by Macquarie University over the last 15 months. It is in E7B 340/344 and is now operational. As a gesture of thanks, and a celebration of future collaborations, Simon George is, on behalf of the new facility, hosting an informal opening tour and party on 9th August, 3-4pm, E7B 340/344. Drinks and nibbles will be provided.

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ELS Welcome Afternoon Tea

The Division of ELS is holding an afternoon tea to welcome the new members of the CoREs and Tim Flannery.

The afternoon tea will held on Thursday 26 July in E7A room 290 at 3:30 pm.

To aid with the catering, please RSVP to Jane Edgson at elshead@els.mq.edu.au

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Death Date: Powerhouse Museum Seminar on Sustainable Design

Nell Schofield will be joined by Kirsty Mate, Cameron Tonkinwise and Rob Coombes to discuss how to reduce the environmnetal impact of a product through its manufacture, use and disposal. Discussions will offer tips to consumers on what they can do to avoid products whose "death date" perpetuates a destructive cycle.

When: This Thursday the 26th July, 6 - 8.30pm
Where: Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo
Cost: Free
More Info: www.powerhousemuseum.com/dfactory

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

Children's prescription drug dangers
A groundbreaking NZ study of children's treatment with "atypical antipsychotic" drugs is providing new insights into why they are being prescribed and what adverse reactions can result.

Discovering pooch's personality
A world-first study by Monash University researchers shows dogs have personalities that are very similar to our own and include traits such as self-assuredness, extraversion and amicability. 

Part-time work punishes uni studies
Five UQ Ipswich Bachelor of Business students have found the impact of part-time work on university students is even more significant than previously thought.

Why flesh eating bacteria is spreading
Researchers from around the globe have discovered an explanation for how a deadly strain of "flesh-eating" bacteria have evolved to produce serious human infections worldwide.

Small molecule, big leukemia lifesaver
Scientists investigating drug therapies for children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia have demonstrated for the first time that a small molecule can increase the effectiveness of  therapies.

Need to globalise uni education
A study has shown that Australian universities would benefit from viewing international students as more than empty vessels whose fees make up for shortfalls in public funding.

Dag factor predicts music taste
Music that expresses more emotion than that felt by listeners is likely to be unpopular or "daggy", according to new empirical research.

Newcastle are Robocup runners-up
The University of Newcastle's NUbot's have placed second in the 2007 Robocup, the world championships for the four-legged robotic soccer league.

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