Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

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

Have PhD Scholarship, will travel...
Deanne Bird and her co-tutelle agreement between Macquarie University and the University of Iceland.

Opportunities
- Job Opportunity, Project Manager - Pioneering Clinical Trials, Roche Australia
- University of Sydney Position Vacant: Marine Ecologist
- 10th International Conference on the Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions (EMAPi 10)

Events
- Monday 16 June 2008 Bodies in Motion - Rethinking Classical Physics
- Monday 16 June 2008 Bloomsday Talk
- Wednesday 18 June 2008 - Grand Challenges in Health & Medicine
- ELS Seminar Series

News from the Dean

Dear Colleagues

The new Faculty of Science will be holding a Research Conference for all Faculty of Science staff and postgraduate students on the 15 th of July. This will be the first Faculty of Science event, bringing together Departments and Research Centres from ICS and ELS together with Statistics and CISAB to find out about the research being undertaken within the new Faculty. The aim of this conference is for us to get to know each other and learn about the diverse research undertaken within the Faculty.

The format of the day long conference will be a series of short invited talks in the morning ( Mason Theatre ) followed by a Poster session in the afternoon (E7B courtyard). The aim of the morning talks is to provide an overview of the major research areas of the Faculty of Science, with more details provided in the afternoon poster session where it is anticipated that student research posters representing the full range of Science Faculty research will be presented.

All staff and postgraduate students are encouraged to attend. The number of poster boards is limited to approximately 100 posters for a Faculty with approximately 500 postgraduate research students. We anticipate inviting each research area to nominate a given number of student posters for presentation at the conference. Note that students do not need to produce a new poster specifically for this event. A poster which has already been presented at a conference (eg ICS LUCID posters) will be suitable for the Faculty Conference. A book of poster and speaker abstracts will be provided to all attendees.

A conference web site will be up and running soon, where we will invite you to register your intention to attend (for catering purposes, and so we can provide badges). Please put the 15th of July in your diary now. Further details are available from David Coutts, Chair, Organising Committee, email:- dcoutts@physics.mq.edu.au

Congratulations to Tom and Louise Roberts on the birth of their baby daughter, Juliette in the early hours of Thursday, 5 June.

Finally, please note the ELS End-of-Semester BBQ is to be held on Friday, 20 June at 12:30 in the Biology Garden . Please RSVP to hodels@els.mq.edu.au by today, Monday 16 June. All welcome.

Till next week
Kevin

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World-class research began on Icelandic exchange

Throughout her education, Macquarie PhD student Deanne Bird has always been linked to Iceland.

Deanne spent two semesters at the University of Iceland during her Bachelor of Environmental Science degree. She has also studied there as part of her Master of Philosophy in Environmental Science and co-tutelle PhD.

“I fell in love with the country, culture and people, but most importantly, the dynamic landscape which is literally forming before your eyes,” says Deanne.

“It seemed obvious that I should focus my studies on such a remarkable place.”

Deanne Bird has been researching public perception of volcanogenic hazards in southern Iceland as part of a co-tutelle agreement between Macquarie University and the University of Iceland.

During 2007 Deanne conducted face-to-face survey interviews with 116 tourists in the popular national park Þórsmörk (southern Iceland), in order to determine their knowledge of the Katla volcano, the hazards it presents during an eruption and the proposed evacuation procedures.

Deanne presented the results of her research from 2007 at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly which was held in April.

The EGU is one of the premier venues for the presentation of geoscience research with 8,000 participants at this years Vienna meeting.

“This was an excellent opportunity for me to gain critical feedback on my PhD research in addition to valuable networking with many academic and industry professionals,” believes Deanne.

Deanne’s Macquarie supervisor Associate Professor Damian Gore (Physical Geography) and her Icelandic supervisor Professor Gudrun Gisladottir (Earth Science Institute) also attended to witness her presentation on ‘Natural hazards education and communication to students, government officials and to the public’.

Deanne’s attendance at the EGU was financially supported by Macquarie International. Deanne has received several travel grants throughout her academic career, beginning with her undergraduate exchange.

“Any student that has the chance to take part of their degree as an exchange student should seize the opportunity. The exchange programs run by Macquarie International are a fantastic experience.”

Contact Deanne Bird at dbird@els.mq.edu.au for further details on her research.

Deanne with Icelandic supervisor Gudrun Gisladottir (Earth Science Institute) in the field

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Opportunities

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Job Opportunity, Project Manager - Pioneering Clinical Trials, Roche Australia
Sydney - Northern Beaches Location

Experience it for yourself. You will be managing a number of Phase 1-1V clinical studies throughout the Asia Pacific/Africa Region. Forming part of a global project team you'll enjoy a unique level of exposure - working on our strong pipeline of medicines across a broad range of therapeutic areas, including: Oncology, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Anaemia, Central Nervous System and Diabetes.

You will be responsible for the performance of your Asia Pacific/Africa Study Team, achieving goals based on recruitment, timelines, budgets and data management.

Your project management expertise and extensive trial site management experience will help you to ensure your study team's trial data is accurate and complete. Your leadership and support of a high performing team will ensure customer satisfaction.

Your passion for industry leading clinical advancement and service to customers, will find you working with like-minded people looking to make their mark. Knowledge sharing and a collaborative spirit is encouraged.

For more information or an informal discussion about the role, call Fiona Tregaskis on 02 9454 9582. Applications close 5pm EST Sunday, 22nd of June 2008

Who to contact:
Fiona Tregaskis Associate Recruitment Manager 02 9454 9582

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USyd Position Vacant: Marine Ecologist
South East Asia SERPENT
School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Science
Reference No. 131464

This is an opportunity for a motivated early career scientist to be part of a team using state-of-the-art technology to investigate deep-sea biology as part of a global project.

If you're a qualified Marine Ecologist who is experienced in deep-sea/shallow water ecosystems, then the SEA SERPENT global project might be what you've been looking for.

The South East Asia Scientific and Environmental ROV Partnership using Existing iNdustrial Technology (SEA SERPENT) project aims to make cutting-edge ROV technology and data more accessible to the world's science community. It is dedicated to sharing knowledge, progressing deep-sea research, and developing the fundamental deep-sea science that will underpin environmentally sustainable drilling practices in the future. More information is available by visiting http://www.serpentproject.com

As a result of a recent ARC Linkage-Project grant entitled “Effect of Deep-sea Drilling on Sustainability of Deep-sea Ecosystems”, the University's School of Biological Sciences has a unique research role available with the SEA SERPENT project. This is an outstanding opportunity to investigate the impact of deep sea drilling on near-bottom communities, and study the range of organisms living in Australian deep benthic environments.

As a project scientist, you'll enjoy initiating research projects within the scope of the grant. You will be required to work closely with our interdisciplinary team consisting of Invertebrate and Vertebrate Reef/Rock Ecologists, a Physical Oceanographer, Animal Physiologist and Natural Products Chemist across 4 universities. A portion of your time will be spent working in the field and you must be able to go off shore with 24 hours notice. You will manage research activities both on- and off-shore, and be offered plenty of opportunities to use remotely operated vehicles to conduct your research. Consequently, it will be crucial that you are a natural leader who self-manages, can relocate at short notice, and be relied on in remote locations.

With a PhD in a suitable discipline and experience in shallow or deep-sea water environments, you'll have the research expertise required to make a significant contribution to the SERPENT team. It will be essential that you are experienced in project management, data collection, analysis and publication of research findings, and are able to conduct field research in collaboration with the off-shore oil and gas industry.

This is your opportunity to gain invaluable skills and rare experience, and further solidify your career as a leader in this highly specialised field.

The position is full-time fixed term for two years, with the possibility of an extension of up to one year, subject to the completion of satisfactory probation period for new appointees. Membership of a University approved superannuation scheme is a condition of employment for new appointees.

All applicants must eligible to work in Australia. You must have or successfully complete an OPITO accredited Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET) course soon after commencement, pass a medical examination certifying you are fit to conduct field work, and pass a swimming test as a condition of continued employment.

Remuneration package: $76,753 - $83,389 p.a. (which includes a base salary Level A $64,858 - $69,620 p.a., leave loading and up to 17% employer’s contribution to superannuation).

All applications must be completed using the university's online application system accessible from http://www.usyd.edu.au/positions. The Selection Criteria can be viewed by opening searching for position #131464 from this website. Applicants must attach a cover letter and a resume including a list of publications and the names and contact details of three referees. Please respond to selection criteria on a separate word document and attach your responses to your application with your resume by clicking attach files (next to resume in step 2).

For further information contact Dr. Adele Pile on 02 9351 2440 or e-mail: apile@bio.usyd.edu.au General enquiries about the role can be directed to Fabrice Noël on 02 9036 7295.

Closing Date: 2 July 2008

The University is a non-smoking workplace and is committed to the policies and principles of equal employment opportunity and cultural diversity. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment for financial or other reasons.

http://www.usyd.edu.au/positions

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Welcome to 10th International Conference on the Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions (EMAPi 10)

Dear Friends & Colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure to invite you to attend the 10th International Conference on the Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions (EMAPi 10) which will be held near Stellenbosch, South Africa, on 23-27 August 2009.

The EMAPI conference series started in April 1992 with the 1st International Workshop on the Ecology and Management of Invasive Riparian and Aquatic Plants at Loughborough University in the U.K. EMAPI 2 was held in the Czech Republic in 1993. Since then, EMAPI conferences have been held every two years (in Arizona, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Florida, Poland, and Australia). They are now well established as the premier international forum for researchers working on all aspects relating to the ecology and management of alien plant invasions.

After a very successful EMAPI 9 in Perth, Australia, in September 2003, EMAPI stays in the Southern Hemisphere, but moves to Africa for the first time.

South Africa has a long history of problems with alien plant invasions. Invasions have also been well studied, and various successful management programmes have been launched, including the well known Working for Water Programme. South Africa is also home to the first government-funded Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology www.sun.ac.za.

The venue for the conference is the attractive Spier Estate www.spier.co.za, situated in the winelands, about 10 km from the town of Stellenbosch and 40 km from Cape Town. The region is situated in the famous Cape Floristic Region, with many opportunities for nature-based tourism.

The Scientific programme at EMAPi 10 will be structured to include invited keynote talks, oral & poster presentations, workshops, and whatever else we can think of to make the event memorable and useful for delegates.

The Conference program will also include various field trips during the meeting, details of which will be provided later.

A tentative list of themes was developed during the closing session of EMAPi 9 in Perth in September 2007 [Click here]. This link will be revised based on comments and suggestions received. We would welcome ideas regarding special sessions, symposia, or workshops for possible inclusion in the programme for EMAPi 10. All suggestions will be given serious attention.

Please spread the word about EMAPi 10 – I can promise you a memorable conference!

I look forward to welcoming you in Stellenbosch in August 2009!

Cheers

Dave Richardson
Chair, Organizing Committee

rich@sun.ac.za

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Events

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Monday 16 June 2008 Bodies in Motion - Rethinking Classical Physics
An 8-week series of lectures exploring the philosophy of how we understand the physical world; via the atomism of Democritus, the kinetics of Newton and Maxwell, the thermodynamics of Boltzmann, and the relativity of Einstein.

Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm Jun 16 Cost: $185
Venue: Centre for Continuing Education, Sydney University, Missenden Road, Newtown
Enquiries: Brainwaves Information Services cce.usyd.edu.au (02) 9036 4789

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Monday 16 June 2008 Bloomsday Talk
Join lovers of literature worldwide to celebrate Joyce's much censored but always sensuous Ulysses. No need to read this classic - hear it instead! Writers and actors read extracts. Irish music and lots of craic. Free!

Time: 7:00pm-10:00pm Jun 16 Cost: Free
Venue: upstairs, Friend in Hand pub, 56 Cowper St, Glebe
Enquiries: Sydney Seminar for the Arts and Philosophy (02) 9590 3826

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Wednesday 18 June 2008 - Grand Challenges in Health & Medicine
Professor Sally Redman CEO, Sax Institute, explains why the use of evidence from research can improve the quality of health policy, programs and services and result in better use of limited health resources.

Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm Jun 18 Cost: Free
Venue: Eastern Avenue Complex, Eastern Avenue, The University of Sydney, Camperdown
Enquiries: School of Public Health, University of Sydney www.health.usyd.edu.au (02) 9036 7552

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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

Phone as dangerous as drink driving
Talking on the phone while driving is a dangerous as being drunk behind the wheel, according to a New Zealand expert on road risks.

Software to cut NZ's emissions
New software has been developed that will allow New Zealand farmers to monitor their emissions and help the country fulfill its Kyoto obligations.

Folic acid protects diabetics' hearts
Folic acid can protect diabetics' hearts from the damage of high glucose levels by reducing the rate of cardiac cell death, research has found.

Aged care residents needing more care
According to a recent report, aged care residents need more care than they did a decade ago - residents tend to stay longer and more of them require high-level care.

Research finds cane toad vulnerabilities
Researchers have found strategies that could reduce cane toad populations, such as releasing a fear pheromone or attacking bacteria that helps the toad.

Media confuse health news
Much of the reporting of complementary and alternative medicine in Australia is inaccurate or incomplete, according to new research.

Astronomers rediscover exploded star
Astronomers have re-examined an old exploded star and discovered that it is one of the youngest and brightest supernova remnants in the Milky Way.

Sleep apnea can raise mortality risk
Moderate to severe sleep apnea can increase the risk of all-cause mortality, according to new Western Australian research.

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