Welcome to my monthly bulletin with news and events for September 2010 and beyond.

This month the AIP is stimulating neurons in Canberra, exploiting colour in Sydney, illustrating the history of computers in Brisbane and talking about radiation–free nuclear energy in Melbourne.

Don’t forget the CSIRO Lindfield and NMI (National Measurement Institute) open day where you can find out how modern movies such as Avatar use science, technology, engineering and lots of complicated maths. Follow it on Twitter: @NMIOpenDay or Facebook: NMI Open Day.

And pencil in 11 November as the 2010 Physics in Industry Day, at CSIRO Lindfield in Sydney, where physicists will discuss how science and technology will determine the urban transport infrastructure of the far future.

These and many more events are listed below.

Don’t forget that registrations for the AIP congress have now opened; the links are below.

And don’t forget our online calendar of physics events. It’s at http://www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/aip-events. You can use the calendar to book events into your outlook or internet calendar, and you can submit events to the calendar.

This month I am seeking a new books review editor for “Australian Physics”. Let me know if you are interested. You are also welcome to contact me regarding other AIP or general physics matters; just email aip_president@aip.org.au.

Please note that replies to this email go to Niall Byrne, Science in Public, whose team compiles and manages the bulletin on my behalf, and also handles corrections, updates and bounces. If you have news or other information for the bulletin, email Niall by the 23^rd of each month.

Kind regards,

Brian James,

AIP President

In this bulletin:

1. AIP events across the country

2. Other activities: for the general public, students and teachers

3. Seeking books review editor for “Australian Physics”

4. AIP 2010 Congress – Special Sessions

5. Competitions for school students

6. Science Prizes

7. Seminars

8. Conferences

9. Submission deadlines for the bulletin and journal

AIP events across the country

Australian Capital Territory

22 Sep 2010, 6:00 PM, refreshments available from 5:30 PM

AIP ACT branch meeting

TITLE: Dynamic microscopy: From optical micro-manipulation to neuron stimulation

SPEAKER: Dr Vincent Daria, The Australian National University

VENUE: TBA

For more info click here.

New South Wales

21 Sep 2010, 6:00 PM

AIP NSW Branch meeting

TITLE: Photonic crystals: light’s playground (Felix Lawrence) and Exploiting the colour variable in scientific imaging (David Coutts)

SPEAKER: Felix Lawrence, University of Sydney

VENUE: Slade Lecture Theatre, School of Physics, University of Sydney

• 5.30-6.30 pm lecture by Felix Lawrence, University of Sydney.

• 6:35-7.00 pm refreshments, Slade Lecture Theatre.

• · 7.00 pm lecture by David Coutts, Macquarie University

• 8.00 pm dinner with the speaker at Buon Gusto (Italian), 368 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale.

E-mail Dr Fred Osman (fred_osman@exemail.com.au) for more info, and if you will be able to join us for dinner.

Upcoming branch meetings:

11 Nov 2010, registration opens at 8:30 AM (for 9:00 AM start) to 5:00 PM

2010 Physics in Industry Day: The future of urban transport

VENUE: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bradfield Road, Lindfield

How will science and technology (and society and psychology?) determine the urban transport infrastructure of the far future? How will our urban transport infrastructure appear in a couple of decades or more from now? At the very least, the choice to speed will have been taken away with electronically governed cars, but will they fully drive themselves? The program will explore the range of possible futures for cars as well as all forms of public transport.

For more information visit: http://physics-industry.com/index.html

Queensland

17 Sep 2010, 3:00 PM

AIP Queensland Branch committee meeting

VENUE: University of Queensland, Physics Annex

21 Sep 2010, 6:00 PM

TITLE: An illustrated history of computing in Australia

SPEAKER: Max Burnet, Burnet Antique Computer Knowhow Pty Ltd

VENUE: University of Queensland, Parnell Building (7), R. 222

For more info visit http://qld.aip.org.au/meeting-archive.php

South Australia

30 Sep 2010, 7:30 PM

TITLE: Laser Applications in Medicine

SPEAKER: Jim Piper, Macquarie University

VENUE: Chapman Lecture Theatre, N158, Engineering North Building, University of Adelaide

Victoria

14 Sep 2010, 5:00 PM- 7:00 PM

TITLE: AIP education committee (Victoria) meeting

VENUE: Kew High School, Kew

All teachers are welcome to attend this or any other meeting. If you would like to attend, please contact the chair, Sue Grant, at susanmgrant1@bigpond.com

23 Sep 2010, 6.30 PM

TITLE: Nuclear Energy without Radioactive Radiation

SPEAKER: Heinrich Hora, University of New South Wales

VENUE: Old Geology Building South – Theatre 2, Melbourne University

10 Sep 2010, 3:00 PM – 7:30 PM

TITLE: Photonics workshop for VCE students

VENUE: La Trobe University, Bundoora campus

The free program will include:

3:00pm         Lecture on theory of photonics by Prof Laurence Cahill, La Trobe University

4:00pm         Round robin through over 12 practical activities plus demonstrations of photonics pracs by the Dept of Electronic Engineering. Check www.vicphysics.org/photonics.html for the range of practical activities available.

6:00pm         Pizzas and Coke dinner

6:45pm         Lecture on applications of photonics by Mr Darrell Elton, La Trobe University

7:30pm         Finish

To book please contact the AIP at danok@bigpond.com with subject “Registration: Photonics workshop” giving school details and number of students.

Tasmania

16 Nov 2010, 5:00 PM

TITLE: Tasmanian branch AGM

VENUE: Physics Theatre 3, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay

Other activities: for the general public, students and teachers

New South Wales

19 Sep 2010, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (note: postponed from original date of 15 August)

TITLE: CSIRO Lindfield and NMI (National Measurement Institute) open day

VENUE: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering Lindfield, Bradfield Road, West Lindfield, NSW 2070

Learn how important accurate measurement is to everyday life.

Hear about our research in measurement, physics, engineering and materials science.

Chat with our scientists about their work. Discover pathways to a career in science.

If that’s not enough …

Find out how modern movies such as Avatar use science, technology, engineering and lots of complicated maths.

Be entertained by ‘The Excited Particles’, Questacon’s theatre troupe, as they explore all things measurement.

Follow it on Twitter: @NMIOpenDay or Facebook: NMI Open Day.

Queensland

Marcelo Gleiser at the Brisbane Writers Festival, 2-5 Sep 2010

Marcelo Gleiser is Professor of Natural Philosophy, Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College. His lectures are as popular with literature students as they are with science students. He is the multi-award winning author of The Dancing Universe: From Creation Myths to the Big Bang and The Prophet and the Astronomer: A Scientific Journey to the End of Time.

He is appearing in four sessions at the Brisbane Writers festival:

20 Sep 2010, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

TITLE: Engineering a quantum future

SPEAKER: Gerard Milburn, University of Queensland

VENUE: Long Room, Customs House at Riverside

Doors open at 6pm.  There will be complimentary drinks and nibblies following the talk, and Prof. Milburn will be available to answer any questions. Contact Andrew Stephenson at a.stephenson@uq.edu.au for more information.  Further information on UQ Research Week can be viewed here.

Victoria

2 Sept 2010, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Talks for VCE physics students (Melbourne University)

TITLE: Hi-fi and surround sound

SPEAKER: Roger Rassool and Andrew Bowen

VENUE: Laby Theatre, School of Physics, University of Melbourne

The topics are relevant to the VCE Study Design, and practising physicists have agreed to deliver them. The lectures, of about 1 hour duration, will be held on Thursdays at 6 pm in the Laby Theatre of the School of Physics. Some light refreshments will be available.

Upcoming talks:

15 Sep 2010, 09:30 AM – 4:30 PM

TITLE: Going South: Phillip Law commemorative Antarctic science symposium

VENUE: Room 219, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf

COST: $100 / $75 for students

This event will commemorate the career and contribution of the late Dr Phillip Law, Director of the Australian Antarctic Division from 1949 – 1966.

CAS public lectures (Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University)

The Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing holds regular free public lectures on the Hawthorn campus (usually in room EN313) at 6.30pm.

DATE: 17 September 2010, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

TITLE: Gravitational lensing: Einstein’s unfinished symphony

SPEAKER: Richard Ellis, Caltech

VENUE: Room BA201, Swinburne University, Hawthorn campus

Free, but booking required

Contact: Elizabeth Thackray on ethackray@swin.edu.au or (03) 9214 5569

Upcoming public lectures:

For more info go to the Swinburne public astronomy lecture website.

26 Nov 2010, 9:30 – 10:30 AM

SPEAKER: Free public talk by former NASA Astronaut, Jan Davis

VENUE: Victorian Space Science Education Centre, at Strathmore Secondary College, 400 Pascoe Vale Road, Strathmore, Melbourne

This is likely to fill up quickly. Book a seat on bookings@vssec.vic.edu.au. School groups are welcome.

More info: http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/events/public-talks/former-nasa-astronaut-dr-n-jan-davis/

Western Australia

Gingin Observatory, Gingin

Gingin Observatory runs a variety of public events, many suitable for families, as well as regular stargazing tours. More info is available at the Observatory website or by contacting Carol Redford or Donna Vanzetti on (08) 9575 7740 or stars@ginginobservatory.com. Contact Carol or Donna to book into events.

The Gravity Discovery Centre is open every day of the school holidays, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Special events include:

Seeking books review editor for “Australian Physics”

We are seeking a new books review editor for “Australian Physics” as the current books review editor, Dr John Holdsworth, is stepping down. If you are interested and want to find out more, please contact me at aip_president@aip.org.au.

AIP 2010 Congress – Special Sessions

A variety of special sessions will take place in and around the AIP/ACOFT 2010 Congress including a symposium of invited talks, entitled Lasers in Australia: Technology, Applications and Future Directions, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the laser as well as a short course on nanofabrication techniques, which is designed to assist researchers in choosing the appropriate nanofabrication techniques for their particular project, as well as information on how to access these capabilities within Australia. For more information on these special sessions, please visit the Congress website.

Registration for the Congress is now open and we encourage you to register prior to the early bird closing, Friday 24 September 2010.

Competitions for school students

Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest

Open to students in Grades 5 – 12 is an opportunity for students around the world to learn about the Cassini mission to Saturn and earn the chance to ask the scientists working on the mission about their work. Students watch videos of Cassini team members (scientists, engineers, mission planners, science planners, etc.) as they advocate for one of the three proposed targets.

Students are then asked to decide which target they think will yield the most interesting science results, and write an essay of up to 500 words justifying their selection.

For more details visit http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/events/competitions/cassini-scientist-for-a-day/

Applications close Wednesday 27th October, 2010

APRSAF-17 Water Rocket Event

One student between 12 and 16 years of age, and an accompanying teacher will be selected from each Australian state and territory to participate in the APRSAF-17 Water Rocket Event and Educators Workshop to be held in Melbourne 20th – 21st November 2010.

The winning student from each state will be one who has shown the ability to build and launch a water rocket to hit a 4m diameter target at a range of 60m. The winning teacher will be one who has shown innovation in use of water rockets to teach science and who best demonstrates the intention to use their participation in the workshops at APRSAF-17 to advance science teaching both within their own school and in the wider education community.

Applications should consist of a video of the launch (uploaded to the VSSEC Water Rocket Wiki) and a written application, emailed to bookings@vssec.vic.edu.au

For more info and competition rules click here.

Applications close Friday 22 October, 2010.

AIP photo and video contests

The AIP has prizes for the best photos of physics concepts and videos of physics in action, from school students (and teachers for the videos). The prize pool for each category is $1,000.

Details about the competitions are on the VicPhysics website: photocontest and videocontest.

Entries close on the last day of Term 3.

Poster design competition for space agency forum at the Victorian Space Science Education Centre, Strathmore

Students in age range 8 to 11 are invited to design a poster on the theme ‘Space Technology to help the Earth’.  Entries must be in to VSSEC by Monday 11^th October.  A powerpoint presentation is available to assist teachers.  For more details go to http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/events/competitions/aprsaf-poster-design-competition/.

Science Prizes

VSSEC—NASA Australian space prize

This prize allows an Australian university student to participate in a 10-week program, including working directly with NASA scientists and engineers, on a project that relates to their thesis topic.

More information on the Victorian Space Science Education Centre website. Applications close Monday 6th December.

Last year’s winner was Elizabeth Blaber, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, who investigated the influence of microgravity on human cellular function.

The 2011 Reber Medal

The Grote Reber medal is awarded annually for innovative lifetime contributions to radio astronomy. The prize was established by the Trustees of the Grote Reber Foundation to honour the achievements of Grote Reber and is administered by the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston, Tasmania.

Nominations for the 2011 Medal may be sent to martin.george@qvmag.tas.gov.au or mail to Martin George, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, PO Box 403, Launceston, Tasmania 7250.

Applications close 15 October 2010.

More info here: http://www.qvmag.tas.gov.au/?articleID=539

Eurekas

Congratulations to AIP member Amanda Barnard, who was awarded the 2010 University of New South Wales Eureka Prize for Scientific Research, for her research into the properties of nanoparticles in sunscreen. Amanda is leader of the Virtual Nanoscience Laboratory at the CSIRO in Victoria, and her work provides crucial guidance for the design of sunscreens, protecting outdoor-loving Australians.

And congratulations also to Martin Green, Executive Research Director of the ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence at the University of NSW, who has won the 2010 CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science for his leadership and research on photovoltaics.

More info on all the Eureka winners: http://eureka.australianmuseum.net.au/enter.

Seminars

New South Wales

Australian Telescope National Facility

The Australian Telescope National Facility holds regular colloquia on Wednesdays at 3.30pm (coffee at 3.15pm) in the ATNF Marsfield Lecture Theatre. More info here or contact Bjorn Emonts on Bjorn.Emonts@csiro.au or (02) 9372 4368.

School of Physics, University of Sydney

The School of Physics holds regular colloquia on Mondays at 3.15pm (refreshments from 3pm) in the Slade Lecture Theatre, School of Physics A28, University of Sydney. More info here or contact Bruce Yabsley (02) 9351 5970 or colloquium_chair@physics.usyd.edu.au.

School of Physics, University of NSW

The School of Physics holds regular colloquia on Tuesdays at 3-4pm in the School of Physics Common Room, Room 64, Old Main Building, University of NSW. More info here or contact Julian Berengut on jcb@phys.unsw.edu.au or (02) 9385 7637.

Queensland

Physics Department, University of Queensland

The Physics Department holds regular colloquia on Fridays at 4pm (refreshments from 3.30pm) in Room 222, Parnell Building, University of Queensland. More info here or contact Chao Feng on uqcfeng1@uq.edu.au or (07) 3346 7719.

Victoria

Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University

The Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing holds regular colloquia, usually on Thursdays at 11.30am, in the Swinburne Virtual Reality Theatre (Room 104, AR Building). More info here or Jonathon Kocz on colloquium@astro.swin.edu.au. This event will be specially catered so please RSVP at http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/colloquium/?p=306

Western Australia

School of Physics, University of Western Australia

The School of Physics, UWA holds regular seminars on Tuesdays at 3.30-4.30pm in Room 2.15 (and also other times and locations, where noted). More info here or contact Gay Hollister on ghollis@cyllene.uwa.edu.au or (08) 6488 2738.

Conferences

2nd UNTREF International Congress on Acoustics 2010

Buenos Aires, Argentina

08 Sep – 11 Sep 2010

NEW International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications

Sydney Masonic Centre, NSW

20-24 Sep 2010

10th Conference of the Asian Crystallographic Association

BEXCO, Busan, Korea

31 Oct – 04 Nov 2010

NEW 17th Session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-17)

The Crown Conference Centre, Melbourne

23- 26 November 2010

Joint Australian Physiological Society/Australian Society for Biophysics meeting

National Wine Centre, Adelaide, SA

28 Nov – 02 Dec 2010

2010 AIP Congress

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Vic

05 Dec – 10 Dec 2010

4th IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics (ICWIP 2011)

Western Cape, South Africa

05 Apr – 09 Apr 2011

XXV International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) General Assembly: Earth on the Edge

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Vic

06 Jun – 08 Jul 2011

Register your expression of interest on the website to receive updates

XXII General Assembly and Congress of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)

Madrid, Spain

22 Aug – 31 Aug 2011

IQEC/CLEO Pacific Rim 2011

Sydney, NSW

29 Aug – 02 Sep 2011

2012 Queensland Astronomy Education Conference (QAEC)

Details to be on website early 2011

3 Mar 2012

Submission deadlines for the bulletin and journal

Our next bulletin, to be sent out at the end of June, will cover events in July 2010. We welcome contributions about activities, conferences and announcements. Our next submission deadline is Wednesday 25 August. Please send your submissions to Niall Byrne or Margie Beilharz from Science in Public on margie@scienceinpublic.com.au or call (03) 9398 1416.

The AIP’s journal, Australian Physics, welcomes your articles. The deadline for the Aug-Sep issue is 30 September. Email your articles and ideas to the editor, Paulo De Souza on Paulo.Desouza@csiro.au.

_________________________

For more information on physics events go to the AIP Events Calendar.

If you know of anyone who would like to receive these updates, please feel free to forward this to them.

Kind regards,

Brian

——————————————————————-

Assoc. Prof. Brian James

President of the Australian Institute of Physics

Phone: +61 (2) 9351-2471

Email: aip_president@aip.org.au

Released on behalf of the Australian Academy of Science.

We know more about the surface of Mars than we do of the earth beneath our feet. Australian earth scientists are calling for a national program to map our country – 300 metres down under.

By mapping the surface of the continent last century, Australia’s geologists helped to locate the minerals that underpin our economy today. Now most of the surface deposits have been discovered and are being mined. To find more, researchers argue that we need to go deep into the Earth to understand where ore bodies are formed.

A long-term national project to map the crust of Australia in three dimensions down to more than 300 metres is needed. This ambitious initiative emerged from a Think Tank involving 60 of the nation’s brightest young earth scientists held at the Australian Academy of Science in Canberra last week. The plan is to provide information which will boost exploration by helping to predict where to look for natural resources all over the continent.

‘In effect, it is all about providing the essential data to help us understand our continent, so that we can manage it better’ says Dr Jon Hronsky, Director of Western Mining Services and Chairman of the Board of the Centre for Exploration Targeting in Western Australia.

‘Not only will this initiative assist the mining industry, but it will also allow us to discover resources such as new supplies of ground water and hot rocks for energy.’

‘The next Australian Government needs to face this issue of where the mineral deposits which will grow our future economy are to be found. At present we know more about the surface of Mars, than we do about what lies 10 metres under our feet.’

Some of the important elements of the initiative include:

•             a national map of the loose, weathered material which covers solid ore-bearing rock

•             the development of innovative new technologies for mapping the rock

•             a strategic deep drilling program to verify the results

•             a national program of technology transfer from research into exploration companies

The multidisciplinary discussions that led to these conclusions will be summarised along with further details of the initiative in a report of the proceedings of the Think Tank.

For further information contact:

Dr Jon Hronsky on 0417 992 518 or jon.hronsky@wesminllc.com

or Mona Akbari, Australian Academy of Science on (02) 6201 9452, 0447 679 612, or mona.akbari@science.org.au

The three L’Oréal Australia For Women In Science Fellows received their awards on Tuesday night at the Melbourne Museum. Here are some photos from the night.
All the images are available for use in the context of the L’Oréal Australia For Women In Science Fellowships and should be credited to SDP Photo.
To view the full citations [...]

This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about tracking and recovering meteorites; liquefying your body; chlorophyll that works with low energy light; ancient zombie ants; and more…

1. Desert fireballs—An intelligent camera system has been set up to track and recover meteorites in the Nullarbor. It is expected to detect about three or four of them a year. Many of these will be recovered. As debris left over from when planets were constructed, they carry a unique record of the birth of the Solar System.—Australasian Science.

This story can be found in the latest issue of Australasian Science.

2. Solar system slips back in time—A meteorite found in the Sahara Desert by American researchers has helped to pin down the age of the Solar System. It’s a little older than previously thought, and that means it may have formed in a slightly different way.—Nature Geoscience

A Nature report can be found at http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100822/full/news.2010.423.html

3. Infrared chlorophyll could boost solar cells—Sydney researchers have found chlorophyll that absorbs red and infrared light—in ancient form of marine bacteria still living in rock-like structures in Shark Bay in Western Australia. The new type of chlorophyll could be harnessed to help solar cells convert more light into electricity.—Science

A New Scientist report can be found at http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19338-infrared-chlorophyll-could-boost-solar-cells.html

4. Earth’s green carbon sink on the wane The capacity of green plants to soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere could be declining, according to US scientists. The researchers used satellite data to estimate net primary production of plants between 2000 and 2009. While carbon uptake increased in the Northern Hemisphere, it dropped sharply in the Southern Hemisphere. The researchers attributed the decrease to drought—Science

A Nature report can be found at http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100819/full/news.2010.418.html

5. Where has all the plastic gone?—The amount of plastic trapped in a North Atlantic current system hasn’t increased in the past 22 years, American researchers say, despite more and more plastic being thrown away. They think the plastic may well be degrading into pieces small enough to pass through the nets used in their study, or it is sinking out of reach to the bottom. And they are very concerned it might be harming fish.—Science

A Science report can be found at http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/08/where-has-all-the-plastic-gone.html

6. Dissolving your earthly remains will protect the Earth—A Gold Coast company has developed a burial technology it calls “aquamation”, which decomposes bodies leaving only the bones. The company claims the process can provide the same result as cremation, but uses only 10 per cent of the energy, and releases no toxic emissions. And the decomposing liquid can be used as fertiliser.—New Scientist

A New Scientist report can be found at http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19333-dissolving-your-earthly-remains-will-protect-the-earth.html

7. Attack of the ancient ‘zombie’ ants—American researchers claim to have found cuts characteristic of ‘zombie’ ants on a 48-million-year-old fossil leaf. Zombie ants are infected by a fungus which manipulates their behaviour to bite into the very part of a leaf which provides optimum nutrients for fungal growth.—Biology Letters

A Nature report can be found at http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100817/full/news.2010.415.html

8. “Terror bird”: The Muhammed Ali of predators—An international team including researchers from Sydney has used sophisticated computer modelling to reveal that the ancient terror bird used an agile attack-and-retreat fighting strategy. The flightless bird stood 1.4 metres tall and used hatchet-like jabs of its hawk-like beak to bring down its prey.—Public Library of Science, ONE

A New Scientist report can be found at http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19334-ancient-terror-bird-stabbed-its-prey-to-death.html

9. Insect aerobatics—Fruit flies are formidable flying machines. They can evade human swats with split-second aerobatics, and have more moves than your average jet fighter. Now, US researchers have worked out how they set their cruising altitude, which may well assist in the design of robot aircraft.—Current Biology

A Science report can be found at http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/08/you-are-now-free-to-move-about-t.html

10. Wasps punish fake fighters—If you are a wasp with the face of a fighter, but can’t handle yourself, look out! The same goes if you really are tough, but don’t look the part. Wasps don’t like fakers, American researchers have found, and they make them suffer.—Current Biology

A New Scientist report can be found at http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19336-wasps-punish-fake-fighters.html

How does breast cancer start?
Capturing and releasing gases with smart crystals?
Giving malaria a kick in the gut

L’Oréal Australia For Women in Science Fellows announced
The 2010 L’Oréal Australia For Women in Science Fellows are (click on links to see full citation, videos and photos):

Marie-Liesse Asselin-Labat, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne – [...]

Deanna D’Alessandro
University of Sydney
A sponge that filters hot air and captures carbon dioxide
We need better ways of capturing carbon dioxide emissions from power stations and industry. And we won’t be using hydrogen cars until we’ve developed practical ways of carrying enough hydrogen gas in the fuel tank. Deanna D’Alessandro’s understanding of basic chemistry has led [...]

Rowena Martin
The Australian National University, Canberra/The University of Melbourne
In the 1950s it seemed as if medical science was winning the fight against malaria with the help of the ‘wonder drug’ chloroquine. Over the past half century the drug has saved hundreds of millions of lives.
But now the parasite that causes malaria has fought back. Chloroquine-resistant [...]

Marie-Liesse Asselin-Labat
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Most women in Australia who have breast cancer recover.  But many then relapse years later.
Marie-Liesse Asselin-Labat wants to know why.  If she can solve this mystery, her work will open up opportunities for new drugs and treatments. Her achievements to date suggest that she is well placed [...]

In two weeks Australia will play host to a major UN conference focusing on global health and the Millennium Development Goals. More than 70 countries and over 300 organisations will be represented. There will be many compelling stories that matter to Australia and our region. More details and downloads below.

Also, in Canberra today the Australian Academy of Science Think Tank is tackling questions regarding Australia’s mineral deposits. Will we run out of minerals? How much more mineral wealth is still to be found? Do we have the technologies to find it and extract it safely? The media releases are online at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/blog

These issues are being discussed in Canberra at a forum on 19 and 20 August. The media are invited to day one and the speakers are available for interview. The findings will be published later in the year.

2009 L’Oréal For Women In Science Fellow, Sarah Pryke, has a paper in Nature this week – embargoed to Friday. In 2009 she had a paper in Science reporting that your hair colour can determine your child’s sex – if you’re a Gouldian finch. The paper is available for preview on the Science pre-publication list.

L’Oréal Australia’s For Women in Science Fellowships will be presented on Tuesday 24 August with a 6 pm embargo – the 2010 winners are from Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. We are briefing individual reporters on embargo – let me know if you would like more information of if you would like to come to the ceremony in Melbourne.

We’ve compiled our Fresh Science stories into feature packages for rural media. Squeezing water from stones, using bacteria in mining, and Aussie lizards revealing cancer secrets are just some of the stories. For full stories and photos visit www.freshscience.org.au. All the Fresh Scientists have been media trained and are available for interview.

But the big one is the United Nations NGO conference from 30 August – 1 September.

The conference, entitled Advance Global Health – Achieve the Millennium Development Goals, brings together more than 300 non-governmental organisations from over 70 countries. Some 1,500 delegates will explore the challenges of meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

The conference comes at a critical time:

• for the Millennium Development Goals which have been set back by the global financial crisis. The UN Secretary-General has called world leaders to a summit in September to accelerate progress
• and for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria which will be seeking a further $20 billion in October.

Officially the Melbourne gathering is the 63^rd Annual UN Department of Public Information Non-Governmental Organizations Conference or 63^rd UN DPI NGO. It runs from Monday 30 August to Wednesday 1 September.

The conference will provide an impressive array of speakers, many issues relevant to Australia and our region, and lots of human stories that bring the Goals to life.

There is now a host of information available online including:

• Information on the Millennium development goals
• A summary of the workshop topics and speakers
• A list of public events

For information on all of the above, and more, visit http://www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/category/global-health

Access to the conference is limited to accredited delegates and media only. Accreditation details are on the conference web. The process is coordinated by the UN Information Centre in Canberra. The deadline for accreditation has been extended to Friday 20 August.

This is a UN conference. The key media contact will be Gail Bindley-Taylor Sainte, the Information officer, NGO relations at the United Nations, Department of Public Information, in New York.

I am assisting her as chief of staff at the media centre in Melbourne, as well as coordinating Australian media requests.

Released on behalf of the Australian Academy of Science

Predicting where Australia’s next mineral boom will come from is serious business. Data collected using satellite sensing, airborne surveys, seismic crews and prospecting teams is immense and is piling up rapidly. But what use are all these data?

‘This is a vast electronic resource and we need new methods to mine it for useful information,’ said Professor Dietmar Müller of the University of Sydney.

Professor Müller and his team are developing electronic tools to access and compile the data so that the changes over geological time in the Earth’s crust can be tracked and simulated. Known as the Virtual Geological Observatory (VIRGO), it is one of the new-generation tools Australia will need for future mineral exploration.

‘Accessing these distributed data sources is essential, bringing it to the fingertips of just about anyone. Infrastructure such as the national broadband network will radically accelerate this,’ he said.

He is a keynote speaker at the Theo Murphy High Flyer’s Think Tank beginning at the Australian Academy of Science in Canberra today.

The High Flyers Think Tank 2010, Searching the Deep Earth: The Future of Australian Resource Discovery and Utilisation, is gathering of about 60 of the country’s brightest early-and mid-career research scientists from a range of disciplines relating to exploration and mining. They will be discussing questions such as: How are we going to find the next giant deposits to mine? What new technologies will we need to exploit them in a low-carbon future?

On the first day leading scientists will speak on a range of highly relevant topics including:

• The challenge of discovering deeply buried ore deposits – Dr Neil Williams PSM FTSE
• Knowledge discovery via a virtual geological observatory – Professor Dietmar Müller
• Giant ore deposits: Why they are important! – Richard Schodde
• Giant ore deposits: How do we get better at targeting them? – Dr Jon Hronsky
• Society and exploration: Considerations for now and in the future – Peta Ashworth
• Current issues for the future of innovation and new technologies in minerals exploration – Dr Tom Whiting.

Further information and program: www.science.org.au/events/thinktank2010/index.html

Event: 2010 High Flyers Think Tank

Date: 19-20 August 2010

Venue: Shine Dome, Gordon Street, Acton, Canberra

Contact: Tim Thwaites at Science in Public on (03) 9398 1416, 0422 817 372, tim@scienceinpublic.com.au

or Mona Akbari, Australian Academy of Science on (02) 6201 9452, 0447 679 612, mona.akbari@science.org.au