Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

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

Educational Experiment with the Right Chemistry
Ian Jamie's Advancing "Chemistry by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory"
program wins a Carrick Award.

Opportunities
- From the Library: Opportunity to Tune your Reading List
- Remote First Aid Course and 4WD Training

Events
- "Why Can't be All get Along" - public lecture with David Marr
- Author Talk: "Advance Australia .... where?" with Hugh Mackay
- Colloquium in Higher Education: "The importance of the halo effect"
- ELS Seminar Series

News from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

As we move into the season of heavy marking, we are also focussed on preparation for the RQF. Researchers across the Division have been allocated to groups and group leaders are now working on the Context Statements in preparation for the IRU Review in late November. Soon each researcher will be asked to write a 100 word summary of the significance of each of their four submitted outcomes. The Division has an RQF Folder on the intranet site which contains a lot of information you might find of interest.

Congratulations to our staff who were recently promoted:-

Mike Gillings, Biology, Professor
Richie Howitt, Human Geography, Professor
Marie Herberstein, Biology, Associate Professor
Henry Pollard, Health & Chiropractic, Associate Professor
Mark Taylor, Physical Geography, Associate Professor
Belinda Ferrari, Chemistry & Biomolecular Sciences, Senior Lecturer
Fei Liu, Chemistry & Biomolecular Sciences, Senior Lecturer
Jane Williamson, Biology, Senior Lecturer

Also, congratulations to Ross Peacock for his recent award from the Department of Environment and Climate Change, The Scientific Services Division Award for Excellence in 2007. He was one of only three awards in the DECC with a staff of 270.

A few opportunities:-

•  2008 Ecological Research Grants from Gosford Council. These cover a range of areas including environmental impacts, pests, fire, climate change, effluent management, sustainability and water conservation. Details from Michael Elbert, Environment Offices, tel: 4325 8912.

•  RACI awards to Honours Students for the best thesis that shows originality, creativity and innovative use of chemistry to solve problems. Closing date is March 31 2008. Eligible students will have had a residential address in the Western Sydney area during their honours program and used chemistry to help them solve their research problems. Details from Dr Deidre Tronson (FRACI), tel: 4653 1430, email: deidre@bowtie.com.au or leave the thesis, clearly marked "WSS Honours Prize" at the RACI office, UNSW.

Till next week,

Liz

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Educational experiment with the right chemistry

A project that has amassed a large database of lab experiments that have been proven to be effective teaching tools for chemistry students has won a major teaching award.

The Advancing Chemistry by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory (ACELL) project, which also develops chemistry academics' teaching skills, was has been awarded a $25,000 Carrick Award.  Dr Ian Jamie, from the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, is a Director of the program.

ACELL is a multi-university project, and the award was made under the category of "Educational Partnerships and Collaborations with Other Organisations.

The ACELL database contains experiments that have been peer-reviewed - to ensure that they are both technically feasible and educationally sound - but they have also been evaluated by students.

T program has professionally developed about 20 per cent of chemistry teachers in Australia 's universities. ACELL has also helped chemistry academics who were interested in exploring the field of education research, assisting them to publish in chemistry education journals.

The ACELL project is a partnership between The University of Sydney, The University of Western Australia, the University of Adelaide and Macquarie University .

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Opportunities

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From the Library: The closing date for receipt of Semester 1 reading list material

The closing date for receipt of Semester 1 reading list material for the Reserve, e-Reserve and 7 Day Loan collections is Friday 25th January, 2008. Reading lists received after this date may not be processed by the beginning of the semester. Staff convening Units in the Summer Course Program, 2008, should contact Learning Resources staff immediately.

To ensure the most timely processing, please try to arrange your list in a weekly or topical format, being the order in which students will require material. Indicate with asterisks whether books, AV items, chapters or articles are:

** (essential items to be placed in Reserve or e-Reserve.)

* (important items to be placed on Seven Day Loan.)

If a reading list is not annotated, it will be assumed that nothing on that list will be required for Reserve or e-Reserve. Staff who wish to re-use e-Readings from a previous semester should contact Reserve directly. Processing priority will be given to staff who can provide originals or high quality copies of essential readings. The required standard for these documents is listed at: http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/reserve/academic.html

Please note that e-Reserve is the University's designated repository for material copied in reliance on Part VB of the Copyright Act. This typically includes book chapters and journal articles. For questions about this requirement, please contact the Macquarie University Copyright Unit.

Books and other 'hard copy' materials may be brought to the Learning Resources Office on level 2 of the Library, at any time, for inclusion into the Reserve or 7 Day Loan collections.

For more information about Reserve procedures, refer to: http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/reserve/academic.html

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On campus remote area first aid course

Craig Angus is looking for people interested in doing a Remote Area First Aid Course with Freney First Aid next February 2008: http://freney.com.au/

The cost hasn't been confirmed yet, but previously it's been about $180.00. The date and venue yet to be determined and Craig requires a minimum No. of 10 people to run the course.

The course is fully government accredited and focuses on a hands on approach, including realistic scenarios. The Remote Area First Aid certification is valid for 3 years.

Please contact Craig Angus Fieldwork Manager Room E8A173 Phone: 9850 8249. Mobile: 0408168983 if you are interested.

For terrestrial fieldworkers and 4WD enthusiests, Craig can also organise government accredited training with Off Road Driver Training in the Southern Highlands .

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Events

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Why Can't We All Get Along?

In this public lecture based on his essay and conversation with journalist David Marr; acclaimed author Christos Tsiolkas analyses the concept of tolerance. Introduced by David Williamson AO.

Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm Nov 14 Cost: $22/$12 conc.incl resfreshments

Venue: The Australian Hall, 150-152 Elizabeth St , Sydney

Enquiries: International PEN Sydney Centre Inc www.pen.org.au
1300 364 997

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Author Talk: Advance Australia .... where? with Hugh Mackay

Social researcher and commentator Hugh Mackay asks the hard questions about ourselves and where our country is heading

Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm Nov 14 Cost: Free

Venue: Ashfield Town Hall , 260 Liverpool Rd , Ashfield

Bookings: Ashfield Library, 02 9716 1810

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Colloquium in Higher Education: The importance of the halo effect

Michael Gallagher, Executive Director, Group of Eight discusses the relationship between the higher education sector, Government policy and the important role that universities have to play in ensuring equity of access to tertiary education.

Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm Nov 15
Cost: Free
Venue: Old Teachers College, The University of Sydney, Level 3, Room 306, Manning Road, Main Campus, Sydney

Enquiries: (02) 9036 9648

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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

Alcohol is high risk drug, warn experts
A comparison between dangerous liquid sedative, 'fantasy' (GHB), and alcohol has caused scientists to argue that alcohol should be classified a high risk drug.

Lesbians face health problems
A study has shown that lesbian women in Western Australia are less healthy than heterosexuals, as they smoke and drink more and eat less healthy food.

Smoking increases in NZ youth
The latest research has shown that more young New Zealanders are smoking and drinking than in 2003, while less are trying cannabis and amphetamine.

Strategic pasturing controls ryegrass
Modelling has given farmers a greater understanding of the complex task of outwitting the major weed, ryegrass, in regions of low to medium rainfall.

Guide indicates research's applications
A new guidebook has been launched to help scientists identify and disover industry-focused applications for their new technologies.

Spring crops dry out soil
A new agricultural model has shown that a three to five year perennial pasture phase removes water from soil and could damage crops for the following year.

Brain preference biases ballot sheets
A study has revealed that our brains gravitate towards the left of a page, giving an advantage to candidates who draw a left-hand spot on a ballot sheet.

Odd hours don't impair mental skills
Shift workers with rotating hours may not experience impairments to their memory and attention, contrary to previously thought, according to new research.

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