Presentation by Mr Barry Waining

QVMAG – Inveresk

Sunday, 28th April 2013 Commencing 2.00 pm until

Please RSVP by Thursday 25 April 6323 3798

 

About the Speaker

MR WAINING won an Engineering Cadetship in 1960 to attend Sydney University and graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering. He worked in the Electricity Commission of NSW until 1981 before becoming Chief Engineer of Mitsubishi Australia Ltd. In he 1986 moved to position of Chief Engineer Mitsui & Co Australia and to General Manager Commercial in IHI Engineering Australia Pty Ltd in 1993. He was appointed as Director & Chief General Manager in 2000 until retirement in September 2008. Mr Waining worked his entire professional career on heavy engineering projects including Power Stations Steelworks and shipping amongst other smaller projects.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

Australia’s electricity consumption is growing at about 2% per annum. 75% of this supply is generated using coal as a fuel. With the total installed coal fired capacity in excess of 40,000MW replacement costs in the power generating equipment would be in excess of $80 billion without considering the newly developing and expensive low emission technologies. To address the growing concern of carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas, something needs to be done to clean up the emissions from existing generating plants. The presentation will focus on one of the ‘clean coal’ technologies – that of firing black coal in oxygen which produces combustion products of carbon dioxide and water vapour. After removal of the water vapour, the carbon dioxide can be conveniently compressed into a liquid form for geosequestration underground.

Presentation by Mr Paul A C Richards, MSc

QVMAG – Inveresk

Sunday, 24th March 2013 Commencing 2.00 pm until 3.00 pm

AGM at 1.45 pm followed by lecture at 2.00 pm

 

About the Speaker

Mr Richards is a Nuclear Medicine Scientist, University Lecturer, researcher, author, and artisan and has, for 50 years, worked and researched within the Tasmanian health system, overseas medical institutions and universities in the UK and USA. In more recent times he was senior lecturer at Charles Sturt University where he inaugurated and developed an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in Nuclear Medicine. Since 2001, he has written several books on medical history and co-ordinates and tutorsMasters subjects in Radiation Sciences at Sydney University

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

Mr Paul Richards is a Launceston-based Nuclear Medicine scientist with a passion for geology and caverneering, which drew him to explore the subterranean world of the Mole Creek karst system at the base of the Western Tiers. Karst is terrain with distinctive landforms and drainage characteristics resulting from the relatively high solubility of certain rock types in natural waters. It often drains through natural subterranean conduits, some of which have become caves, large enough for humans to enter. The Mole Creek area is renowned for its spectacular caves, including Marakoopa, through which a karst stream flows allowing glow=worms to survive. Mr Richards will describe his experiences as a caverneer in this region in the 1960’s

Presentation by Mr Kevin Chilman

Sunday, 24th February 2013 Commencing 2.00pm until

 

About the Speaker

Kevin joined the navy as a Shipwright Apprentice and trained at a naval facility in Sydney. After serving 9 years in the Navy and after 7 years owning a farm in South Australia, he went back to his trade at Port Lincoln Ship Construction. During this time, as Fitting-Out Manager, a trawler for Petuna Seafood’s was built. When the shipyard closed down, he moved to Tasmania and worked for Petuna as the Hatchery manager, living onsite at the hatchery on Brumby Creek near Cressy. Kevin is currently the Infrastructure Manager and manage projects on all sites owned by Petuna Aquaculture.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

An overview of Salmon Production by Petuna Aquaculture ranging from the Hatchery located at Cressy, the sea site at Strahan and the processing factory at East Devonport.Inclusions will be the life cycle of Atlantic Salmon and how that is enhanced for farming, how they are prepared for sea water, how they are harvested and how they are transported around the State.

Presentation by Professor Paulo de Souza

QVMAG – Inveresk meeting room

Sunday, 26th August 2012 Commencing 2.30 pm until 4.30 pm

FREE for Royal Society Members. Small charge for others. RSVP6323 3798

 

About the Speaker

Professor Paulo de Souza from UTas has been a collaborating scientist of NASA’s Mars Exploration program for more than a decade. His contribution to the program has been recognised with two NASA Achievement Awards. He is a physicist by training, and has a broad background having worked in industry as a researcher for seven years and published over 200 peer-reviewed papers. He is a co-author of a series of papers identified as the Breakthrough of the Year by Science magazine in 2004. Paulo is the Chief Scientist of SenseT Program, a cutting-edge scientific endeavour aiming at bringing social, economic and environmental benefit to Tasmania by supporting informed decision-making in real-time through sensor data sharing. This program is a partnership between UTas, CSIRO, NICTA, IBM, Aurora, among other collaborating organisations.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

The robotic exploration of Mars started in 1997 with Sojourner, a microwave oven size rover that navigated 104m around the lander. The Mars Exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity (2004) were as big as a golf cart, and worked much beyond the warranty of 3 months. Eight years after, Opportunity is still exploring the landscape of Meridiani Planum. These rovers confirmed that water not only was present on Mars, but has been present in many different forms. Like on Earth, our red neighbour had oceans, lakes, fresh water wet lands and hot springs. All registered in very clear geological evidences. However, we were still unsure about how long water was present there and if it was there long enough for life to be formed, to flourish and evolve. Curiosity is there to shed new light on these questions and to tell us more about the evolution of the Solar System and if life could have existed beyond Earth.

Presentation by Special Forum

QVMAG – Inveresk meeting room

Sunday, 1st July 2012 Commencing 2.30 pm until 4.30

Moderated by Dr Owen Ingles

 

About the Speaker

Amanda Locatelli – The Tamar Estuary and Esk Rivers (TEER) Program. Andrew Fullard – Launceston Flood Authority. Robin Frith – Tamar Lake Proposal

Presentation by Dr Andrew Osborn

QVMAG – Inveresk

Sunday, 6th May 2012 Commencing 2.30 pm until 4.30 pm

 

About the Speaker

Dr Osborn gained his PhD at the UNSW in zoology and entomology. He worked for CSR, and later became head of Biology and Chairman of the School of Science at Capricornia CAE. He was Science Liaison Officer in the Research Department of the Reserve Bank. He came to Tasmania to become Head of School of Applied Science in the TCAE/TSIT where he later also became Head of Department of Aquaculture, the establishment of which led to very important developments in aquaculture in this State. Dr Osborn is currently Emeritus Professor, University of Tasmania and Honorary Research Associate, QVMAG.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

The talk will describe research initiatives to date on Lake Pedder by Prof. Nigel Forteath and Dr Osborn in conjunction with several other researchers. These studies span more than twenty years. Two genera and seven species of invertebrates will be discussed, all of which are new to science. The crucial importance of maintaining relatively stable water levels in the lake on populations of many invertebrate species will be discussed. The biology of a lacewing, Sisyra pedderensis, with aquatic larvae is to be elaborated upon. In addition the talk will focus on the fates of a number of invertebrates that have not been seen since the expansion of Lake Pedder in the 1970s or have been seen only once. A preliminary long-term ecological study will demonstrate how essential it is for a regular sampling programme to be undertaken as opposed to infrequent snapshots for a species.

Presentation by Dr Michael Powell

QVMAG – Inveresk

Sunday, 1st April 2012 Commencing 2.30 pm until 4.30 pm

FULL TITLE : Musquito: Black warrior on the Hawkesbury and catalyst for the

 

About the Speaker

Dr Michael Powell is a lecturer at the University of Tasmania in Launceston and has taught in World History, Australian and Colonial history, South Asian and Southeast Asian Colonial history and Aboriginal Studies. He is the author of several books including FL Woodward, a Buddhist Scholar in Ceylon and Tasmania which again looks at the complex story of colonial intrusion and people caught in cultural transition.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

Musquito first led Aboriginal resistance on the NSW Hawkesbury frontier before capture and exile to Norfolk Island. After further exile in Van Diemens Land he first colluded with white occupation then turned again to resistance along side the Tasmanian Aborigines in a surprising pan-Aboriginal alliance, launching a tirade of attacks on settler occupation. His infamy led to a price on his head similar to that placed on Howe and after his capture and execution he passed into the fabric of vandemonian folklore as a potent symbol of savagery and fear, repeatedly blamed as a catalyst for the Black War. Beyond the character constantly re-invented by writers from that time to the present, who was this person and what were his motives? A complex character of the “people in-between” culture, his is a personal struggle for identity. He was no simple savage, two-dimensional heroic warrior or base wanton criminal but a man straining for meaning in a collapsing world. Translating that action into a language fathomable to the present is the task of this paper. It is not the story of particular Aboriginal exceptionality but one within the common stream of human response.

Presentation by Capt. Ron Riley

QVMAG – Inveresk

Sunday, 6th November 2011 Commencing 2.30 pm until 4.30 pm

 

About the Speaker

Capt Ron Riley is a Senior Pilot for Tasmanian Ports Corporation. He joined BHP in 1964 as a Marine Deck Apprentice and obtained a 2nd Mates Certificate in1967, a 1st Mates Certificate in 1969 and Masters Certificate in 1978. From 1972 to 1979 he spent time overseas with P&O Bulk Shipping and Bank Line sailing as 2nd Mate and 1st Mate. Captain Riley commenced piloting on the Tamar in 1980 and currently hold licences for the Tamar River and Devonport. he was called up for National Service in 1966 and joined RANR in 1969 and spent 28 years in Naval Reserve rising to Lieutenant-Commander. he was awarded IHO Category B Certificate in Hydographic Surveying in 1987 and accredited as Hydrographic Surveyor Level 1 in 1995. He was awarded the Australian Defence Medal and Reserve Force Decoration. His main interests are bee keeping, gardening, sailing and reading, with particular reference to early maritime explorers and methods of navigation and surveying. He sailed as navigator on replica sloop NORFOLK during the 200th anniversary re-enactment of Flinders’ voyage from Sydney to Hervey Bay in 1999.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

The aim of the talk is to look at the changes to pilotage on the Tamar over the last 4 decades.

Inside the Black Line: Three Startling New Documents That Change Everything.

Presentation by Nick Clements

QVMAG – Inveresk

Sunday, 2nd October 2011 Commencing 2.30 pm until 4.30 pm

Public lecture – Northern Tasmania

 

About the Speaker

Nick was born in rural northern Tasmania, but has lived in Launceston for the past seven years. He currently teaches history, philosophy and Aboriginal studies at the University of Tasmania where he is also completing the final year of his PhD looking at the experiences of both whites and Aborigines during Tasmania’s Black War (1825-31).

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

The Black Line, as it came to be called, was Australia’s largest military operation prior to the defence of Darwin in WWII. It cost the Colonial Government half its annual revenue and detained 2,300 men in the field for eight weeks during October and November, 1830. An epic undertaking for an infant Colony like Van Diemen’s Land, the details of the campaign have long been mired in obscurity. Government records which give us a basic idea of the movements and key developments, but what about those who participated in this historic event? Why did they join? What happened day-to-day? What was it like? Until recently, the only sources that spoke to such questions were two brief and embellished accounts by George Lloyd and Jorgen Jorgenson. This was before the discovery of three exciting new sources written by civilian party leaders. In this lecture I examine these tantalising documents in an attempt to come to terms both with what happened on the Line and how it was experienced.

Presentation by Dr Bob Mesibov

QVMAG – Inveresk

Monday, 1st August 2011 Commencing 7.30 pm until 9.30 pm

 

About the Speaker

Dr Mesibov will discuss a curious feature of two millipede species in the State’s northwest. The range of the widespread millipede Tasmaniosoma hickmanorum (Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae) has a 400 sq km ‘hole’ which is filled with the range of T. compitale. The boundary between the two species is 200km long, does not follow habitat boundaries and in places is only 100 m wide. In this presentation Dr Mesibov will report the latest results from fine-scale mapping of this boundary and will discuss other strange features of the biology of these two millipede species

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

Dr Mesibov has been an Honorary Research Associate of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery since 1994. He was the editor of the Museum’s Invertebrata newsletter (1997-2002) and is currently president of the Society of Australian Systematic Biologists. He has a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin in the USA. Since migrating to Tasmania in 1973 he has worked as a mine assayer, high school teacher, forester, forest ecology/zoology/forest management consultant and museum-based zoologist. Now retired, he lives in Penguin and studies millipedes and other litter invertebrates.