Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

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

ELS Prize Giving Night
Small report from our night of nights...

Opportunities
- Job Opportunities in Contaminated Land Management
- Art Meets Science @ the Sydney Aquarium
- ANU College of Science Seeks Lecturer in Science Communication

Events
- Biological Science Seminar on Migrant Proteas...(or are they really?)
- Physical Geography Seminar on Meteorology and Oceanography
- Sydney Shove Debate on Electricity Privatisation
- ELS Seminar Series

News from the Dean

Dear Colleagues

Following on from the Prize Giving night held on the 8 May, Tanya has been working on a web photo display, list of winners etc which is displayed on the homepage of the Division. See the news story below for an extract.

Outside Studies Programs (OSP) - 2009
This is a follow up reminder to the note included in the March 31 issue of Science News - i.e. staff intending to apply for OSP for 2009 should start thinking about their applications now. The first step should be to consult the HR OSP Policy Document: http://www.pers.mq.edu.au/policy/develop/1904.pdf

It is essential to inform yourself of OSP Policy/Principles and Procedures. Applications for 2009 OSP need to be submitted to the Dean's office by Monday 14 July 2008 to allow time for applications to be considered and recommendations forwarded to Human Resources and the DVC (Research) by the end of that month.

A Faculty of Science Forum was held on Friday, chaired by Stephen Thurgate, the new Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science. The item under discussion was the development and construction of the policy the university will be implementing in 2010 on Majors in degrees. This was in fact the inaugural meeting of the new Faculty and was well attended by ICS and ELS as well as having representation from Statistics and CISAB.

Stephen Thurgate also met with the ELS General Staff (Administration) last Friday afternoon to introduce himself and to discuss the implications of the restructure and formation of the Faculty of Science.

Finally, you will all have seen my email last week sadly reporting the death of one of the Division's stalwarts - Margaret Dudgeon. Margaret's funeral service was held last Thursday and the enormously high regard in which she was held was witnessed by the large number of Macquarie people who attended. Over the years Margaret worked as Executive Officer in the Climatic Impacts Centre and the Department of Human Geography, and then most latterly in the ELS Centre. Professor Ann Henderson-Sellers delivered one of the eulogies and beautifully summed up Margaret's contribution across many fronts at Macquarie. She was a friend and colleague we treasured and will miss enormously.

Till next week
Kevin

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ELS Prize Giving Night

The ELS Prize Night was an exciting and entertaining night for all attendees. Held on 8 May 2008 in the stunning University Art Gallery, the evening was a great success and was well attended by students receiving prizes, their proud family and friends, and academics from each Department in ELS.

Kevin McCracken, Acting Dean of Division writes the following as a welcome and congratulations:

"Congratulations to all recipients of awards and prizes, and congratulations and thanks to your teachers, family and friends who have contributed to the successes we are celebrating at this year's prize night. We are particularly grateful to the generous donors who have made these prizes possible. They represent companies, groups and individuals who have a strong discipline based relationship with the Departments of the Division. Thank you to all of you for your ongoing support and your valued role in recognition of our student stars!

This is also the first year that we have had staff awards for learning and teaching excellence, and I would like to congratulate all our staff prize winners. Their ongoing committment to learning and teaching within the ELS Division is invaluable and greatly appreciated by all."

Associate Professor Kevin McCracken
Acting Dean
Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

Prize Night Information

• View the Prize Night Program , which includes details of all prize recipients and their awards.
• Start a slideshow of photographs taken on the night. (To return to this page at any point during the slideshow, please click the 'back' button in your web browser)
• We would also like to thank all the donors for making this night possible. To view the full list of donors, please click here .

Please scroll down to view a full list of prize winners, or click on the desired link below to go to a particular section:

• Division of Environmental and Life Sciences
• Department of Biological Sciences
• Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences
• Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Department of Health and Chiropractic
• Department of Human Geography
• Department of Physical Geography
• Graduate School of the Environment
• ELS Staff Learning and Teaching Awards

For further information, please see http://www.els.mq.edu.au/2008 Prize Night

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Opportunities

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Contaminated Land Management - Principal Consulting Group, Australia Wide, Australia Wide, due by 30th May 2008.

Opportunity to join a world class Consultancy who has opportunities across several Australian locations. This organisation prides itself on its relaxed yet professional atmosphere. The culture is vibrant and dynamic and there is a real appreciation for work-life balance. Entrepreneurial, can-do attitudes do well in this business. The environment team is growing rapidly and the contaminated land practice is building a dominating presence across Australia. Due to an aggressive growth strategy there are now several openings for contaminated land specialists.

If you have relevant experience as a Team Leader, Project Manager or Consultant in contaminated land projects and if you are keen to reinvigorate your professional passions and your long-term career opportunities, we would love to hear from you.

An attractive salary package will be offered commensurate with level of experience. Visa and relocation assistance is available for suitable overseas applicants.

To find out more about Principal or subscribe to our job updates by RSS or email, please visit our web site www.principal.net.au

Please forward your resume `in confidence` (quoting job title and code KHEJN399) to: contamland@principal.net.au for a confidential discussion on +61 3 9596 1765 (direct line).

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Art meets science @ Sydney Aquarium

"The World of the Seahorse"

Sydney Aquarium Conservation Fund is hosting another Art Meet Science in the spectacular reef theatre. This event combines an informative lecture by a marine biologist with a stunning exhibition of marine-themed images by an Australian artist. This month, the topic is sea horses. So come and find out why scientists and artists alike are besotted with these magical little creatures.

Scientist: Dave Harasti (Fisheries DPI)
Artist: Steve Morenos

Time: 6:30pm
When: Wednesday 11 June
Where: Sydney Aquarium – reef theatre
Cost: Adults $12; Concession $7; Kids under 16 $5
RSVP: Monday 9 June

To Book Tickets call: (02) 8251 7875 or Email: conservation@sacf.org.au

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ANU College of Science
Centre for the Public Awareness of Science
Lecturer in Science Communication
Academic Level A or B

Salary Range:
Level A $48,978 - $65,467 per annum plus 17% superannuation
Level B $68,767 - $81,135 per annum plus 17% superannuation

Reference: CS4865

The Centre for Public Awareness of Science seeks a lecturer in Science Communication. The appointee will work as part of a team of staff engaged in research and teaching in the area of Science Communication and will also assist in administrative duties of an academic nature. The position is based in Canberra.

The successful applicant will be employed as an ANU Lecturer Level A or Level B (depending on experience and qualifications), within the appropriate salary range plus generous superannuation contributions.

Applications should address the selection criteria and include a CV covering both educational qualifications and relevant experience.

Selection documentation can be obtained from College of Science HR T: (02) 6125 9250; E: cos_hr@anu.edu.au

Selection Criteria: http://info.anu.edu.au/hr/jobs/ or from College of Science HR T:(02) 6125 9250, E: cos_hr@anu.edu.au

Enquiries: Mary Hooper T: (02) 6125 0498 E: cpas@anu.edu.au
Closing Date: Friday, 6 June 2008

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Events

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Biological Science Seminar

"Drifting Proteas or Drifting Continents? Historical Biography of the Proteaceae"

Dr. Peter Weston, National Herbarium of New South Wales 

Summary. The alternative historical biogeographic models of vicariance and long distance dispersal can be traced back to the work of Joseph Hooker and Charles Darwin, respectively. Long distance dispersal became the prevalent model for all but a few biogeographers until the late 20th century when the triumph of plate tectonics provided an explanatory geological hypothesis for the general distributional patterns that had so impressed Hooker. The prevailing biogeographic paradigm switched from dispersal to vicariance. The Proteaceae, which is almost restricted to Gondwanic continental blocks and fragments, and which includes numerous, overlapping, transoceanic distributions (16 at last count) had been problematic for dispersal scenarios. It soon became an exemplar of vicariance. I became interested in using the new analytical method of cladistic biogeography to test the vicariance model with the Proteaceae. This approach struck success in its first application but further progress was frustrated by limitations of the method. Recently developed molecular dating techniques have provided a powerful new toolkit for testing historical biogeographic hypotheses. Their results have provoked a theoretical stampede from vicariance back to dispersal. What do these methods tell us about the history of the Proteaceae? What are their limitations?

Wednesday 28th May, 1:00pm, Building E8A room 290 (Biology tearoom)

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Department of Physical Geography Seminar Series

Date: Thursday 29th May
Time & place: 1pm, E5A143
Title: Investigations into the predictability of global and limited area ocean models, using the BLUElink ocean forecasting system
Presenter: Commander Robert Woodham
Affiliation: Director of Meteorology and Oceanography from the Royal Australian Navy and ADFA

Abstract:
Small errors in the initial conditions of an oceanic model can grow rapidly, and destroy the model's forecasting skill. A deterministic forecast must therefore be considered incomplete unless accompanied by an estimate of the flow-dependent predictability. In order to introduce this concept of predictability, the seminar will begin with a review of stability theory, and its application to error growth in, and predictability of, global and limited area numerical models of the ocean. Expected error growth characteristics will be presented, and methods for identifying the fastest-growing error patterns explained.

Results will then be presented from an application of one such method, using Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) to approximate the Jacobian matrix, and hence identify the fastest growing singular vectors, to a limited area model set up over an oceanic domain in the vicinity of Perth. The dependence of the method on the norm used to measure error growth will be presented. The limited area model used for these studies is the 'Sparse Hydrodynamic Ocean Code' (SHOC), which is in routine use by the Royal Australian Navy to provide high-resolution ocean forecasts over areas of interest to the Australian Defence Force. SHOC is forced at its open boundaries by the 'BLUElink' global ocean model. The seminar will conclude with some intended avenues for future study.

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Electricity Privatisation - John Kaye and Brad Row
John Kaye, NSW Greens and Brad Row, a Sydney Shove regular, debate the pros and cons of electricity privatisation in NSW. What has happened elsewhere ? How is the NSW Government currently running electricity in NSW ? Is privatisation necessary ? What results can we expect ?

Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm May 27 Cost: $3
Venue: Humanist House, 10 Shepherd St, Chippendale
Enquiries: John August www.sydneyshove.org 0419 683 353

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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

Heart risk prediction improved
Prediction of patients at high risk of further problems after a heart attack can be improved by monitoring the relaxation capacity of the heart, research has found.

Tension release motivates gambling
Tension release is an important motivator for problem gamblers, contrary to the popular assumption that desire for money is the main driver, according to research.

Tiny barcodes could aid diagnosis
Scientists have developed fluorescent "barcodes", known as nanostrings, that could revolutionise both clinical diagnoses and research.

Teenage mothers feel judged
Young mothers and pregnant teens feel self conscious of being judged as having done something wrong, making them hesitant to go out in public, research has found.

How sustainable is your suburb?
A new website has been launched that allows users to enter their postcode and discover the impact their suburb has on the environment.

Online daters lack caution
Online dating makes meeting people easy, but can lead to emotionally investing too fast or building fantasies about the other person, according to an expert.

Technology improves crops faster
New technology that predicts plant breeding outcomes is putting improved crop strains in the field faster, and could aid the dwindling global food supply.

New mousse repairs tooth decay
Scientists have invented a mousse that contains a potent fluoride formula, which can not only protect teeth, but repair existing decay too.

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