Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

News From the Dean
The weekly update from the Dean of Division, A/Prof Kevin McCracken

Report: Joint UNESCO-Macquarie University Forum
" The Ethics of Energy Technology "

Opportunities
- National Measurement Institute Scholarship
- Fullbright Scholarship Information Session
- Three

Events
- Gene's to Geosciences Seminar this Wednesday
- Naldo Rei - "Resistance Launch" Author Talk
- Sydney Democracy Forum: Where to from Here?
- ELS Seminar Series

News from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

In case anyone has missed the news, it was announced last week that Prof Stephen Thurgate, current Dean of ICS, will be the Executive Dean of the new Faculty of Science. We have already been liaising with Stephen and ICS closely since the start of the year and look forward to this continuing under Stephen's Executive Deanship.

Last Thursday, the Division held its annual Prize Giving Ceremony. Congratulations again to all the students who won prizes and/or scholarships. It was great to see so many recipients and donors at the ceremony. For the first time, ELS acknowledged its staff with Learning and Teaching Awards. These were awarded to the following for their outstanding commitment to L&T, nominated by their peers:-

Biological Sciences - Mr Ray Cameron

Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences - A/Professor Peter Karuso

Earth and Planetary Sciences - Dr Norm Pearson

Graduate School of the Environment - Ms Jenny George

Health and Chiropractic - Dr Robyn Beirman

Human Geography - Dr Robyn Dowling
Physical Geography - Dr Kirstie Fryirs
Dean's Award - Ms Carolynne Paine

Congratulations to you all and thank you for your dedicated service and support over the years.

You may have noticed some recent changes to the ELS web site. Please take some time to have a browse around and if you notice any errors please contact Tanya Kysa on takysa@els.mq.edu.au .

Finally some more good news. Late last year a group from GSE, Human Geography and Physical Geography submitted a bid for funding from the Commonwealth's Climate Change Adaptation Skills for Professionals Program. The Minister, Penny Wong, announced the successful applicants last week and we were one of 14 successful projects (see http://www.climatechange.gov.au/impacts/skills.html for the full list). The project, funded at ~$141K, aims to develop an awards program, new courses and modules, and educational resources to incorporate climate change adaptation into undergraduate and graduate programs. Congratulations to Peter Nelson and his team.

Till next week

Kevin

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Joint UNESCO-Macquarie University Forum on " The Ethics of Energy Technology "

Sunday the 4th of May saw the Department of Biological Sciences host the Joint UNESCO-Macquarie University Forum on " The Ethics of Energy Technology ".

This forum was one of a series associated with the 'Ethics of Energy Technologies in Asia and the Pacific ' project as advanced by Professor Darryl Macer, Regional Adviser in Social and Human Sciences for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO Bangkok. The joint UNESCO-Macquarie occasion was a youth-oriented student vision exploring important issues at the interface of applied science, law in practice and bioscience ethics. Undergraduate students from the Advanced Biology Program and the Centre for Environmental Law made group presentations of energy related topics with the intention of exposing value questions that have often been neglected in public and political debates. The Student presentations included group lectures, dialogues and role plays. Irina Pollard was the catalyst for the forum which was then jointly organized with Culum Brown (A dvanced Biology Program) and Erika Techera plus Elaine Johnson (The Centre for Environmental Law).

Darryl Macer's key-note address

Advanced biology students in dispute

The day was an outstanding success with student presentations and audience participation quickly becoming more than the sum of their parts. Kevin McCracken's welcome to Macquarie set the stage with Darryl Macer promoting student "engagement" in advance of his keynote address. The forum then provided varied youthful perspectives promoting lively audience feedback. Presentations were provocative, confronting as well as persuasive and above all great fun!

Environmental law students empowering the audience

Professors Kevin McCracken and Richie Howitt communing with visiting students

Since biology and law students worked on the energy project over and above their ongoing commitments, something of lasting value has been offered by Macer - to publish the proceeding of this youth forum in the Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics . The joint initiative provided valuable experience for our undergraduate students (all years were represented) in planning a program of international significance and carrying it out via the powerful medium of a series of co-operative presentations across differing disciplines. The event was made possible through UNESCO's initiative and realized by the interdisciplinary collaboration of Macquarie staff from biology and law.

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Opportunities

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The National Measurement Institute Scholarship

The ELS scholarships page has recently been updated, one new scholarship featured is an interesting one from the National Measurement Institute.

The NMI is the national centre for measurement in Australia, bringing together physical, chemical, biological and legal metrology. It disseminates measurement standards through calibration services and chemical and biological reference materials.

To support industry and to assist with technology transfer, the NMI provides training in many areas of measurement (please visit www.measurement.gov.au/training). These courses are suitable for chemists, biologists, physicists and engineers. The NMI is keen to ensure that young graduates have a sound understanding of measurement issues and are suitably skilled to apply this knowledge practically in their future work context. To this end, the NMI is offering a scholarship to one postgraduate research student currently studying at Macquarie University, comprising a complimentary registration to an NMI training course of the student's choice during 2008.

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Fulbright Scholarships for study or research in the United States in 2009

Who should attend: Honours, Postgraduate researchers, Academic staff, Professionals (public/private)
Date: 14 May 2008
Time: 10-11 am
Venue: Senate Room, level 3, Lincoln Building

Fulbright Scholarships for Australian Citizens available in 2009 include the following types of scholarships:

Professional – up to A$25,000
For mid-career professionals in the private and public sector to undertake training or research programs in the U.S. The scholarship is open to people in academic institutions whose primary research focus is professional or industry based. This scholarship supports a 3-4 month program.

Senior Scholars – up to A$30,000
For academics (at Associate Professor or Professor level) to undertake research or teaching at U.S. institutions. This scholarship supports a 4-6 month program.

Postgraduate – up to A$40,000
For postgraduate students to undertake research towards Australian postgraduate studies or to enrol in a U.S. postgraduate course. This scholarship supports an 8-12 month program.

Postdoctoral – up to A$30,000
For researchers who have completed their PhD in the last 5 years to undertake postdoctoral research in the U.S. This scholarship supports a 3-12 month program.

If you are keen to attend, please email Sandra.mangan@vc.mq.edu.au to RSVP by 9/05/2008

Fulbright Applications for 2009 will open on 1 June and close 31 August 2008.

Further information and application forms are available at www.fulbright.com.au

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Events

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Genes-to-Geoscience Seminar: “Significance of Microbial Activity in
Coal Seam Gas Reservoirs

by Dr Mohinudeen Faiz, CSIRO Petroleum

Wednesday 14th May, 1-2 pm in E8A 290 (Biology tea room).

Seminar abstract:
Coal seam methane (CSM) is rapidly growing as a significant source of clean energy along the eastern seaboard of Australia. Australia, with ~70 PJ produced in 2006, is the second largest CSM producer in the world behind the USA.

Geologic and geochemical data indicate that methane in coal seams in Australian Basins is a mixture of biogenic and thermogenic gases. CSM exploration and production in the Surat, Sydney and Bowen Basins to date have indicated that most ‘sweet-spots’ for methane production are confined to areas involving secondary biogenic gas generation. Gas isotope analyses indicate that in Australian coals CO2 reduction is the main process of biogenic CH4 generation. The CSIRO is currently studying the microbiology of Australasian CSM reservoirs and investigating processes of biogenic gas generation in deep coals, including the ability of indigenous microflora in a variety of coals to generate methane under laboratory conditions. A DNA-based survey of the prokaryotes associated with selected CSM reservoirs in NSW, Queensland and Victoria has indicated the presence of a diverse range of indigenous bacteria and archaea. Preliminary results of this study suggest that the microbial consortia associated with these coal samples are distinctly different to that in the associated formation water.

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Naldo Rei - Resistance Launch

Tuesday 13th March
Naldo Rei was just nine when he began his extraordinary journey fighting for East Timor's freedom. Naldo was imprisoned and tortured regularly for his covert opposition to the brutal Indonesian regime. Join Naldo and the ex Timorese PM, Estanislau da Silva at the launch of Naldo's book Resistance.

Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm May 13 Cost: Free
Venue: Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe
Bookings: Gleebooks www.gleebooks.com.au/events/ 02 9660 2333

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Sydney Democracy Forum: Where to from here?

Friday 16th May
By interpreting Australia as a settler society, the place of the Aboriginal population is marginalised. Is the democratic political process capable of delivering a just resolution of issues such as integration, or can this occur only by acting outside that process? Speakers: Tim Rowse (ANU) and Gaynor Macdonald (University of Sydney)

Time: 3:00pm-5:00pm May 16 Cost: Free
Venue: Professorial Board Room, Quadrangle Building, University od Sydney, Professorial Board Room, Quadrangle Building A14,, University of Sydey NSW
Enquiries: Sydney Democracy Forum www.arts.usyd.edu.au/school/sophi.. (02)9351 2028

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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

TERRA On-line Science Series
The first online science and nature film series, TERRA lets us enjoy the compelling documentaries produced by the grad students in the Science and Natural History Film Program at Montana State University. Through multiple seasons of programming, TERRA introduces us to the nature of our world.

Platypus venom could relieve pain
The dangerous venom found in male platypus spurs could potentially be valuable in pain relief and antibiotic medication, according to research.

New Zealanders active and happy
Physical and mental activity and happiness are had by most New Zealanders, who would also like more leisure time and often less body fat, according to a survey.

Mechanism of cell death uncovered
Researchers have revealed how proteins are able to puncture a cell's power supply, the mitochnodria, triggering cell death that can prevent tumour growth.

Heat energy abundant in Australia
Australia has a belt of heat-producing rocks just below its surface, which could potentially provide unlimited amounts of geothermal power, according to an expert.

New maths improves sleep monitoring
A researcher has invented a new way of monitoring breathing during sleep using a formula based on chaos theory, making the process cheaper and simpler.

BlackBerry cuts into downtime
BlackBerry users can't decide whether they love or hate the device, but they all agree that they now have a lot less corporate downtime, research has found.

Platypus could solve mammal mysteries
An international team of scientists have sequenced the platypus genome, which could aid conservation efforts and explain mysteries of human evolution.

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