Inclusive growth – creating new pathways out of deep poverty 

by Scott Rankin, Tasmanian Australian of the Year for 2018

Date: 5 March 2019

Place: Central Gallery, TMAG, Dunn Place, Hobart

Time: 8.00 pm

The five Domains of Change which must be tackled together if we are to create sustained positive change in our communities, rather than spinning wheels, more welfare ghettos, and the dulling of potential amongst those in our communities who experience the effects of diminished opportunity. The For Profit sector and the Not For Profit sector must work together, bringing together shared values and practices.

Scott will call on examples of the work of Big hART a Cultural Justice organisation which began in Burnie 25 years ago and continues to expand nationally and internationally. Scott will also speak to themes in his recent Platform Paper “Cultural Justice and the Right to Thrive” (Currency Press) and from an unusual childhood growing up on a Chinese Junk. 

Scott Rankin is a nationally renowned public speaker, cultural commentator and founder of Big hART – Australia’s leading arts for social change organisation (www.bighart.org). His theatre, documentary and television projects have won multiple awards. He was the 2018 Tasmanian Australian of the Year and Big hART won both the 2017 Telstra Business Awards Tasmanian Small Business and Charity of the Year.

Dinosaur “bling” at Lightning Ridge and dinosaur tracks in “Australia’s Jurassic Park” are just some of the fascinating subjects covered by internationally renowned speakers at our upcoming Dinosaur Symposium (23-24 March) hosted by the University of Tasmania.

Here is a sneak preview of the program – 

Savannasaurus is part of the sauropod family | Image credit: Travis R. Tischler and Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Museum of Natural History

Winton – home of the Big Dinosaur

Dr Stephen Poropat, from Swinburne University, will talk about the dinosaurs of the Winton Formation in Queensland. One recent discovery in Winton proved to be the most complete sauropod ever found in Australia.

Sauropods include among their ranks the largest terrestrial animals that ever lived: some were more than 30 metres long, others more than 13 metres tall, and still others tipped the scales at more than 50 tonnes.

The eventful Precambrian Era

Stromatolites, Shark Bay, Western Australia. Image by Martin Barnes

Dr Indrani Mukherjee, from Earth Sciences at the University of Tasmania, will talk about life on very early Earth, the Precambrian Era. This period, spanning from 4500 million years ago to 540 million years ago, is known to record some of the most significant transitions and breakthroughs in the evolution of life. What shaped the course of evolution has always fascinated us. Whether it was the concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere and ocean, nutrients in the ocean, or supercontinent cycles, or a combination of all these factors, the question is being thoroughly investigated.

Dr Indrani Mukherjee inspecting drill cores of very ancient rocks.

This talk focuses on some of the key biological events in the Precambrian, particularly between (3500 to 800 million years ago) and provides a geological explanation for the cause of these events. The talk ties the geochemical conditions of the ocean and the atmosphere with evolution and diversification of complex microscopic life that facilitated macroscopic life on Earth, including dinosaurs!

Dampier Peninsula: “Australia’s Jurassic Park”

Goolarabooloo Law Boss Richard Hunter (left) and Steve Salisbury (right) alongside tracks of a small theropod (3D track model and trackmaker silhouette inset, right), near Walmadany, on the Dampier Peninsula, WA. Photo Damian Kelly.

Dr Steve Salisbury, from The Queensland University Dinosaur Laboratory, will talk about the discovery of spectacular dinosaur tracks in the Kimberley region of north Western Australia. An unprecedented 21 different types of dinosaur tracks have been identified on a 25-kilometre stretch of the Dampier Peninsula coastline dubbed ‘Australia’s Jurassic Park’.

According to Dr Salisbury, “The dinosaur track fauna of the Broome Sandstone is extremely significant, forming the primary record of non-avian dinosaurs in the western half the continent and providing our only glimpse of Australia’s dinosaur fauna during the first half of the Early Cretaceous Period”.

The Right Lower Jaw of Weewarrasaurus Showcases the Rainbow Hues of Opal in the Fossil. Photograph by Robert A. Smith

Fiery dinosaur fossil at Lightning Ridge

Dr Phill Bell, from University of New England, will talk about the amazing opalized dinosaur bones unearthed at Lightning Ridge in NSW, including the recent discovery of the jaw bone of a small ornithopod. The dinosaur has been named Weewarrasaurus pobeni – a name that recognises the fossil’s unearthing in the Wee Warra opal field, and honours Mike Poben, an Adelaide-based opal buyer who donated the specimen for research.

Like all fossils from the Lightning Ridge opal mines, the lower jaw—the only piece of the animal recovered—is preserved in opal. Precious opal gives off a rainbow of colours, in this case shimmering green and blue. Lightning Ridge is the only place in the world where dinosaur bones are commonly replaced by precious opal.

The exquisitely preserved 3D skull of Onychodus, a bony fish predator on the ancient Devonian reef of the Kimberley (Gogo site). Such fossils help us understand the evolution of vertebrates before the dinosaurs.

Evolution: Life on Earth

Professor John Long, from Flinders University, will give us the history of evolution of life on Earth, from single celled bacteria to fishes, then dinosaurs, birds and finally humans. He is an internationally acclaimed exceptional speaker and has led fossil digs all over the Earth. He is currently in Antarctica on a dig, but will be back in time for our symposium.

PaleoArt 

A Symposium: Dinosaurs and Evolution of Life.

Hobart, Tasmania

23-24^th March 2019

Supported by The Royal Society of Tasmania, Geological Society of Australia (Tas. Div.) and  The University of Tasmania

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CLICK here FOR LINK TO SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION and TICKET PURCHASE

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The Organizing and Scientific Committee of DEL2019, invites you to participate in a 2 day symposium to highlight recent advances in understanding the evolution of life on Earth, with a focus on Dinosaurs.

The conference is organized by The Royal Society of Tasmania as part of their 175^thAnniversary celebrations, with support from the Tasmanian Division of the Geological Society of Australia and the University of Tasmania. The venue is the Stanley Burbury Theatre, University of Tasmania, Churchill Avenue, Hobart. (Scroll down for directions to the venue).

The Symposium will run in parallel with an exhibition at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) called “Dinosaur rEvolution; Secrets of Survival” prepared by Gondwana Studios.

Themes of Symposium

• Recent research on dinosaurs

• Evolution of dinosaurs and birds

• Proterozoic evolution of life

• Phanerozoic evolution of life

• Mass extinction events

The Royal Society of Tasmania has put together a once-in-a-lifetime program of talks on the latest discoveries about dinosaurs and evolution. We have invited the top dinosaur experts from around Australia to present their recent research on these amazing animals that lived for 165 million years on Earth. You will also hear the latest theories on evolution of the species and the discoveries that Charles Darwin made when he visited Tasmania in 1836.

Participants will benefit from hearing Plenary Session Keynote talks by several distinguished scientists on dinosaurs, evolution and mass extinction.

• Professor John Long – Flinders University, will give an overview on the origin of the species, including dinosaurs.

• Dr Steve Salisbury – University of Queensland Dinosaur Lab, will talk about the recent discovery of dinosaur tracks in northwest Western Australia.

• Dr Stephen Poropat – Swinburne University of Technology will talk about Australian dinosaurs through the Mesozoic period and the Triassic fossils found in the Hobart area – _are they dinosaurs?

• Dr Phil Bell – University of New England, will talk on recent opalized dinosaur discoveries from Lightning Ridge, NSW.

• Professor Ross Large – University of Tasmania, will talk about research on past ocean chemistry, evolution and mass extinctions over the last 600 million years.

• John Pickell – a well-known author has published several books on dinosaurs will run a Q & A session on dinosaurs, fielding all sorts of questions from the audience.

go to … SPEAKERS FOR THE DINOSAUR SYMPOSIUM for more

PROGRAM

Symposium on Dinosaurs and Evolution of Life

The Royal Society of Tasmania and GSA Tasmanian Division

The morning program is designed for the general public, educationists and students older than 10 years, interested scientists and young aspiring scientists. It is delivered by experts in their field.

The afternoon program is more technical in nature, mainly for geoscientists and biologists, but will be of interest to others wanting to learn more about dinosaurs, dinosaur art and evolution.

Further information from the Royal Society of Tasmania website or Convenor – Professor Ross Large 0418352501 or the Hon. Secretary David Wilson 0409854101.

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Saturday 23^rd  March

Morning Session – General public, students above 10 years and scientists

Chair: Prof Ross Large (Royal Society of Tasmania)

9.00 – 9.15  Welcome & Introduction

9.15 – 9.45  Why evolution matters – reflections on deep time and the history of life – Prof John Long

9.45- 10.15  The story of Early Complex life before Dinosaurs – Dr Indrani Mukherjee

10.15-10.45  Morning Tea – appearance of Rosie and Rex Dinosaur replicas

10.45- 11.15  Australia’s Dinosaurs and their World – Dr Stephen Poropat

11.15 – 11.45  Exciting Dinosaur Trackway Discoveries from Kimberley region, WA – Dr Steve Salisbury

11.45 – 12.15  Dinosaur expert panel Q & A

12.15 – 1.30  Lunch (provided free for those with a full day or 2 day ticket)

Afternoon session – aspiring scientists, geoscientists and biologists

Chair: Dr Karen Orth (GSA Tas. Div.)

1.30-2.00  Spectacular Dinosaur Trackways from South Korea – Andy Spate

2.00-2.30  Beyond the ‘mid’ Cretaceous; new insights into the nature and composition of Australia’s dinosaurian fauna – Dr Steve Salisbury

2.30-3.00  The Winton Formation: A Window into a Lost Dinosaur World – Dr Stephen Poropat

3.00-3.30  Afternoon Tea

3.30-4.00  The Rise of Vertebrates in Australia – Where the Dinosaurs came from – Prof John Long

4.00-4.30  Darwin’s visit to Hobart – Impact on his evolution theory – John Davidson

Sunday 24^thMarch

Morning Session – General public, students above 10 years and scientists

Chair: Prof John Long (President. Royal Society of South Australia)

9.00 – 9.15  Welcome & Introduction

9.15 – 9.45  Can you dig it? Digging for Dinosaurs through time – Dr Phil Bell

9.45- 10.15  What Wiped out the Dinosaurs, a Story of Mass Extinctions – Dr Karen Orth

10.15-10.45  Morning Tea – appearance of Rosie and Rex, Dinosaur replicas

10.45- 11.15  Dinosaurs in Tasmanian Triassic? – Phil Sansom and Dr Clive Calver

11.15 – 11.30  What Dinosaurs Looked Like – a brief history of dinosaurs from the earliest illustrations to the present – Dr Brita Hansen

11.30 – 12.00  Augmented Reality and Rebuilding Dinosaurs – David Shering

12.00-12.15  Panel Q & A

12.15 – 1.30  Lunch (provided free for those with a full day or 2 day ticket)

Afternoon session–Citizen scientists, earth, biological sciences as well as educators

Chair: Dr Anita Hansen

1.30-2.00  Ocean chemistry and Mass Extinction events – Prof Ross Large

2.00-2.30 Images of Science – constructing scientific and cultural visualisations of dinosaurs – Dr Brita Hansen

2.30-3.00 Dinosaurs and Opals from Lightning Ridge, NSW – Dr Phil Bell

3.00-3.30 Afternoon Tea

3.30-4.00 The rise and fall of stromatolites: the influence of trace elements and temperature – Dr Ross Corkrey

4.00-4.30 Atmosphere Oxygen and Evolution of Life – Prof Ross Large

4.30-5.00 Wrap up

Register on line before 10th March for a morning session, or for a full registration to be in the draw to win one of two copies of the book DINOSAURS: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopaedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages illustrated by Luis Rey.

Registration Ticket Options

$15.00 – $250.00 Registration is for either the full program of two morning and two afternoon sessions, including morning, afternoon teas and lunch; OR Individual morning sessions.

Full 2 day registration (inc lunches)                                             ($250)

Full single day registration (inc lunch)                                         ($130)

Saturday Morning Student                                                            ($15)

Sunday Morning Student                                                               ($15)

Saturday Morning Adult                                                                ($25)

Sunday Morning Adult                                                                   ($25)

Saturday Morning Family Ticket (2A & up to 3C)                         ($50)

Sunday Morning Family Ticket (2A & up to 3C)                           ($50)

Note: Student / Child age 10 years up to senior secondary, grade 12.

LINK TO SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION and TICKET PURCHASE

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