The Royal Society of Tasmania

The advancement of knowledge

ABN 65 889 598 100

RST Northern Branch Science Week Forum: Breaking New Ground

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

When: Sunday 23 August 2020 at 1:30 PM Launceston

Three University of Tasmania PhD Candidates will inform us about their research in a wide variety of topics – Diabesity, perfect bananas, and renewable energy from the sea.

Open this post to get instructions for participation. You will need to register in advance.

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“Diabesity”: a new opportunity for reducing the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in the Obesity epidemic

Duyen Tran (PhD candidate, Pharmacy @University of Tasmania)

Duyen is a Pharmacy PhD candidate investigating the causes of insulin resistance in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Her project aims to determine whether the abnormal accumulation of toxic fats in skeletal muscles contributes to the elevation of glucose levels. Duyen’s findings will offer a novel prospective biomarker to predict the incidence of insulin resistance in the current “diabesity” (diabetes + obesity) epidemic.

A Bumpy Road to Perfect Fruits

Indika Fernando (PhD candidate, Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre for Innovative Horticultural Products @University of Tasmania)

Indika is attached to the Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre for Innovative Horticultural Products. His research is focused on understanding the compound forces that create fruit damage in the long road trip between the growing areas and markets, and an experimental approach to help industry deliver perfect bananas.

Tidal energy is coming to Tasmania

Christelle Auguste (PhD candidate, Australian Maritime College @University of Tasmania)

Christelle has a passion for renewable energy and the ocean. Her research at AMC focuses on how tidal turbines could influence sediment transport in highly energetic sites. She spent 17 days at sea to collect data northeast of Tasmania. The aim of her PhD is to assess the sediment dynamics at tidal energy sites in Australia and predict the environmental response to the extraction of energy.

 

2018 Northern branch lectures

FEBRUARY 25 Jim Palfreyman “2016 Glitch of the Vela Pulsar” – In a world first, the only ever pulsar glitch observed in action with a large radio telescope. Right here in Tasmania.

** ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 1.15 pm March 25 **

MARCH 25 Prof Pat Quilty “Highlights of Tasmania’s Antarctic Exploration – Scott (why Scott?) and others” – Tasmania has long been a major location for Antarctica explorers. Researching their history has revealed some eye-opening surprises.

APRIL 22 Prof Hamish Maxwell-Stewart “Height, Health and History in Victoria and Tasmania 1850-1920” – How human stature can be used to explore early life disadvantage.

MAY 27 Dr Alison Alexander “Jane Franklin – the Real Founder of the Royal Society of Tasmania?” – The woman who organised, dominated, persuaded and commanded the men around her to co-operate in forming a scientific society.

JUNE 24 Dr Karin Orth “Mega Volcanic Eruptions and the Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time.” – Can Earth’s own internal heat engine driving volcanism be the harbinger of mass extinction?

JULY 22 Dr Caitlyn Vertigan “Shoot. Catalogue. Eat: Interacting with Nature at a Tasmanian Penal Station” – The early history of the Port Arthur penal station (1830-77) was filled with scientific exploration that today might be considered somewhat outside the accepted scientific regime.

** SCIENCE WEEK: AUGUST 11-19 **

AUGUST 26 Assoc Prof Jonathan Binns “Why Does an Engineer Need a PhD?” – Real problems in industry, defence and sport tackled with research and innovation, in Tasmania, Australia and the World.

SEPTEMBER 23 Dr Patsy Cameron “Voices From the Other Side of the Colonial Frontier” – A story of the social, cultural and spiritual survival of a unique people who lived on the Bass Strait islands from 1810.

OCTOBER 28 TBA “Breaking New Ground” – PhD students from the University of Tasmania will be presenting synopses and answering questions about their current research and progress. Topics TBA.

** The Annual QVMAG Staff Lecture**

NOVEMBER 25 David Maynard “Tasmania’s Forgotten Emus” – Before the thylacine there were other less well-known extinctions, including the Tasmanian emu soon after European arrival.