The Royal Society of Tasmania

The advancement of knowledge

.

Advance notice – RST Northern Branch Science Week event

Virtual presentations by three University of Tasmania PhD Candidates.

1.30 pm, Sunday, 23rd August, 2020, by Zoom webinar, contact details to follow later.

Three University of Tasmania PhD Candidates will inform us about their research in a Zoom Webinar

23rd August 2020 1.30 pm

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

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.

Indika Fernando – A Bumpy Road to Perfect Fruits

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.

Christelle Auguste – Tidal energy is coming to 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.

 

Peter Smith Medal for an outstanding early-career researcher – Nominations close August 31

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Nominations close 31 August.

Call for nominations for the Peter Smith Medal

Nominations are now open for the Royal Society of Tasmania Peter Smith Medal. This medal is awarded biennially to an outstanding early career researcher in any field. The recipient receives a medal and will be invited to deliver “The Peter Smith Lecture” to the Society.

For the purpose of the medal, “early career” means within the first seven years since the award of a PhD, at the time of the nomination deadline. Extensions to the seven years post-PhD eligibility requirement will be offered to applicants whose career has been interrupted to accommodate carer responsibilities, illness or other circumstances.

Further conditions of the award are:

  • The research should have been largely carried out in Tasmania or under the aegis of a Tasmanian-based organisation and within the Society’s purview; and
  • Nominations may be made by anyone although no self-nominations will be accepted.
  • Nominations must be received before COB, August 31.

Nomination guidelines

On the first page of the nomination, give (1) the name of the candidate, contact address and email, and (2) the name of the nominator, contact address and email.

On the second page, provide a concise description of the nominee’s achievements relevant to the Peter Smith Medal in language that is widely understood outside the nominee’s field of research. The nominee’s research or other scholarly contributions to science, history or other field of learning, industry or society should be clearly stated.

Provide the nominee’s curriculum vitae in full. Include the nominee’s education history, the date/s of receipt of degrees and a list of published works. The most significant publications should be highlighted (e.g. with an asterisk). For co-authored papers, provide a percentage estimate of the nominee’s contribution. The Honours, Medals and Awards Committee has limited ability to seek additional information and therefore depends entirely on the nomination submission.

All matters pertaining to the Society awards are confidential until the public announcement of the awards at the Society’s Annual General Meeting each year. Confidentiality must also be observed by both the nominator and nominee.

Please send nominations as a single Word or PDF file by email to the Secretary at [email protected] before COB, August 31. Please enter “Honours Committee” in the subject line of the email message.

Professor Jocelyn McPhie (Chair) on behalf of the RST Honours and Awards Committee

That’s What I Call Science!

Want to learn something new while stuck at home?

Tune in to “That’s What I Call Science”, a weekly radio show and podcast featuring interesting and relevant science happening in Tasmania and across Australia.

.

Niamh Chapman, one of our new Royal Society of Tasmania Council members, is the founding director and regular host of the show.

Led by an all-woman team of scientists from the University of Tasmania, the show chooses a topic each week and interviews a knowledgeable local guest in a conversational style interview.

 

 

 

 

 

The podcast can be found on major streaming services or at http://bit.ly/ThatsScienceTAS  

Entomology GO by Bug Girl (aka Shasta Henry)

 

 The Royal Society of Tasmania Entomology Go challenge – what will you spot?

 

With nearly ten quintillion insects on earth you can’t catch em all!! But you may have a photo of an unknown insect on your phone, a dead one on your windowsill or a live one in your backyard?

Royal Society Entomologist, Shasta Henry, wants you to GO and discover some of the unique insects in your world; don’t worry She will help. Submit photos (or drawings) of your catches for the opportunity to receive Entomology Go ID cards and learn some wonderful facts about your insects.

*Safe for scientists aged 1-100+

Submit insect ID enquiries to [email protected] or send a Facebook message to Shasta Henry aka Bug Girl https://www.facebook.com/TasBugGirl/

Submissions should include the: LOCATION, DATE, SIZE (try including a coin in your photo)

WARNING: Some insects bite and some sting! Search respectfully – look but do not touch.

Click on this link for ideas from Shasta speaking in an interview with the ABC about catching and identifying bugs at home.

Welcome to the new Council Members

In this update the Royal Society of Tasmania introduces:

our new Vice President – Professor Jocelyn McPhie, 
Niamh Chapman – Councillor,

Shasta Henry – Student Councillor, and
Peter Manchester – Councillor

Vice President – Professor Jocelyn McPhie – Volcanologist

Jocelyn McPhie is a geologist and for most of her career (1990 to 2015), held an academy position at  the University of Tasmania. As an academic, she conducted fundamental and applied research in volcanology, and taught volcanology as well as other undergraduate geology units. Since retiring from the university, she has consulted to the minerals industry, providing technical advice and professional training in volcanology. She maintains an adjunct position with the University of Tasmania, continuing to supervise PhD students and participate in research projects.

Niamh Chapman – Councillor – Medical research

Niamh Chapman is a passionate medical researcher and science communicator. She is based at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in the Blood Pressure Research Group. Niamh’s research is focused on the role of health policy and digital technology for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Niamh is the Founding Director of radio show and podcast That’s What I call Science, which won the national award for Best New Program 2019 from the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia. That’s What I Call Science is run by a team of women in STEM that aims to deliver accurate, accessible and engaging content on areas of public interest with expert guests from across the state of Tasmania. The podcast can be found on major streaming services or http://bit.ly/ThatsScienceTAS

Niamh is a member of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance Emerging Leaders Committee, the Australian Society for Medical Research Tasmania state committee and the Tasmanian National Science Week Coordinating Committee.

Shasta Henry (aka Bug Girl) – Student Councillor


Shasta is completing her PhD in 2020, investigating the impact of wildfire on Tasmania’s smallest alpine residents, invertebrates. She is a passionate entomologist and educator, having transitioned to science and science communication from ecotourism in 2009. During her time at Utas Shasta has completed a Bachelor of Science and Honours in zoology/entomology, worked as a tutor for Riawunnah and junior lecturer in the Geography department, volunteered as a Young Tassie Scientist and completed an internship at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington DC, “that’s how I got a species of beetle named after me.”

She also maintains a public presence as the Bug Girl via ABC Radio (also on Facebook), The Gourmet Farmer and Libraries Tasmania to name a few. While interpreting insects for the Tasmanian public, Shasta often talks about insects as food, introduced pests, native pollinators, ecological adaptation and how to identify insects for kids. From her days working as a white water rafting guide and rock climbing instructor Shasta still loves to travel and explore nature “but collecting insects is much easier on the knees.”

Peter Manchester – Councillor – Geochemist, photographer, orchid grower

Peter S Manchester B.Sc. (Hons), B.Ed. TTC.. Photographic Honors (AFIAP, AAPS, FAPS , FTPF)

Peter is Launceston born, educated at the University of Tasmania in geology, geochemistry and education. Apart from a short period at the Mines Department, then in ocean mining, he served National Service in Vietnam and Papua New Guinea. On return he served 40 years lecturing at TAFE, University and Colleges in geology, chemistry, still and video photography, multimedia (former Head of a Department) and recently geotourism to Australian and overseas to clients of all levels of experience. He is an accredited international judge in digital imagery and has conducted seminars, field trips and weekend getaways on Tasmanian geology, photography and astronomy throughout Tasmania and mainland Australia. He was Australian President of the Australian Photographic Society in 2002 – 2006.

In 2010 Peter self-published a book on Tasmanian geology Created from Chaos – 100 geological sites in Tasmania which has been distributed Australia-wide. (now out of print but in process of writing the updated edition). In June this year Peter was given the challenge to photograph, write and publish a book and poster on Tasmanian fossils taking over from the late Dr. Max Banks.  He is also producing a booklet on “30 Tasmanian Geotrails” as a source of use for tourism.

Peter is a much sought after lecturer and educator in geology, geotourism, and mineralogy, while also lecturing at places like U3A on various topics as scientific toys, inventions, meteorites and orchid growing. As an orchid grower he collects and presents at his place at Oakdowns.

AGM (Northern) 22 March – CANCELLED

The committee of the Royal Society of Tasmania Northern Chapter regrets to inform you that we need to defer the AGM and lecture which were to have been held on Sunday 22 March 2020.

We have made this decision reluctantly, but it has been made following the best medical advice. The health and well-being of our members and the community in general is of the utmost importance; we do not want to put anyone at risk of coronavirus Covid 19 infection.

We will resume our program as soon as it is safe to do so.

 

April in Hobart – CANCELLED

The Council of the Royal Society has taken the decision to cancel this lecture. We will resume our program as soon as possible and hope to re-schedule the lecture at a later date. Thank you for your understanding.

The Royal Society of Tasmania

invites you to a lecture by

Susannah Fullerton

“Dr Johnson and his Dictionary”

 

Sunday 5th April 2020, 3:00pm

Royal Society Rooms, Customs House Building, 21 Davey St, Hobart
(Enter via Dunn Place)

Admission is free for Royal Society of Tasmania members (membership forms available)

$6 general admission; $4 for students and Friends of TMAG

♦

The idea for a comprehensive dictionary of the English language first arose with the Royal Society in 1664 – a committee was formed and there was considerable enthusiasm for the project. However, finding the right person

proved difficult and the idea was shelved. It was not until 1746 that a group of London booksellers approached Samuel Johnson and asked him to begin work on a dictionary. Johnson thought he could complete the task in three years – it took him seven, working single-handedly! But the result was a masterpiece and it made Johnson’s name.

Susannah Fullerton tells the extraordinary story, in an illustrated talk, of how the great dictionary was written, its quirks and errors, its method, reception and influence.  Get to know ‘Dictionary Johnson’ and his remarkable achievement.

Susannah Fullerton, OAM, FRSN, has been president of the Jane Austen Society of Australia, this country’s largest literary society, for the past 22 years. She is the author of several books on Jane Austen and gives many talks around the world about her favourite novelist.

Susannah also gives talks at libraries, schools, the Art Gallery of NSW and State Library of NSW on many other famous writers, such as Pepys, Oscar Wilde, the Brontës, Dickens, Trollope and many more.  She has written Brief Encounters: Literary Travellers in Australia about famous authors visiting Australia, and has also written and recorded two audio CDs, Finding Katherine Mansfield and Poetry to Fill a Room.  Susannah also leads literary tours to the UK, France, Italy, Scandinavia, NZ and America for Australians Studying Abroad.

 

 

The Royal Society of Tasmania Council Election

A new year begins for the Royal Society of Tasmania

 

At the Annual General Meeting held on 1 March, the following office bearers and Council members were elected:

 

PRESIDENT: ​   Mrs Mary Koolhof

VICE-PRESIDENT: ​   Prof. Jocelyn McPhie

SECRETARY: ​   Mrs Marley Large

TREASURER: ​   Mr David Wilson

 

COUNCIL POSITIONS:       Dr Greg Lehman

​                                       Mr Peter Manchester

​                                       Ms Niamh Chapman

Early Career Researcher: Dr Robert Johnson

Student Councillor:          Ms Shasta Henry

 

Congratulations to all those elected, and a very warm welcome to the new members of Council. A warm welcome also goes to our new Editor, Dr Sally Bryant, and Mr James Crotty who has accepted the appointment of Honorary Solicitor. It is very much appreciated when members commit their skills and experience to furthering the aims of our Society in the advancement of knowledge.

Grateful thanks are extended to all those who worked hard behind the scenes in the organisation of the Annual General Meeting and the preparation of the Annual Report.

The Annual General Meeting was very well attended, with 90 members and guests, and many positive comments on the new venue.  Warm thanks were extended to outgoing President, Prof. Ross Large AO, and the 2019 Council who worked so hard on behalf of the Society.

The lecture by Prof. Jean-Philippe Beaulieu was heard with great interest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Royal Society of Tasmania coat of arms carved by Nellie Payne in 1930