The Royal Society of Tasmania

The advancement of knowledge

.

2014 Doctoral Award Nominations now open

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TASMANIA

For the Advancement of Knowledge

DOCTORAL (PHD) AWARD, 2014

The Royal Society of Tasmania has instituted an annual award for a recently-graduated doctoral (PhD) academic, who has made significant advances in the course of his/her doctoral research.

• The Award shall be in any field – sciences, medicine, arts or humanities – within the purview of the Society.
• The Award shall be made no more than three years after graduation (PhD degree).
• The work must have been largely carried out in Tasmania or under the aegis of a Tasmanian-based organisation.

The value of the award is $2000.

The conditions of the Award are:

• The Award shall be made no more than three years after graduation (PhD degree);
• To be awarded in any field – sciences, medicine, arts or humanities – within the purview of the Society;
• The Award to be for work leading to significant advances based on the PhD research as evidenced by published or in press peer-reviewed papers in national/international literature;
• The work to have been carried out largely in Tasmania or under the aegis of a Tasmanian-based organisation;
• The nationality of the recipient is not to be considered in making the Award; that is the Award is not restricted to Australian nationals;
• The nominee is developing a career in the field of study;
• The award is to be available annually, but will not be awarded if there is no candidate of sufficient quality;
• Expressions of interest are to be sought widely from all relevant institutions on an annual basis, and must include a nomination from the candidates supervisor or Head of Department;
• The recipient will be encouraged to address the Society;
• The value of the Award shall be $2000.

Nomination Process

All applications must include:

1. A letter of nomination from the candidate’s PhD supervisor or Head of Department. Nominations will not be considered without this document.
2. The letter of nomination (1) must include a statement of the new and original contribution to the field of research.
3. A full academic CV including the date of PhD graduation – which must have been after 14 November, 2011.
4. An abstract (not more than one page) of the PhD study, including the thesis title.
5. One copy of each relevant published or in press paper on which the nomination is based.
6. A copy of the candidate’s PhD thesis – this will be returned.

Note: Candidates may not nominate themselves.

Applications should be address to:

Dr John Thorne
The Convener, Honours Committee
The Royal Society of Tasmania
GPO BOX 1166
HOBART TASMANIA 7001

Applications must be received no later than 5th December 2014

 

The Library at the end of the World: Natural Science and its Illustrators – An upcoming new Royal Society publication – Editors and Authors whet your appetite! Tuesday 2nd September 2014 8.00 pm

Dr Margaret Davies, Dr Stephen Harris and Dr Anita Hansen, editors and authors of  The library at the end of the world, The Royal Society of Tasmania’s latest publication, will discuss the creation of this fascinating new book.

 

Margaret Davies retired in 2002 from the University of Adelaide after 30 years where she spent 28 years researching the Australo/Papuan frog fauna. She has discovered and named 35 species of frog and authored/co-authored/edited or coedited over 120 publications. She gained her PhD for a study on Uperoleia, a genus of small burrowing frogs that was poorly known (three recognised species when she began working on them – 27 currently named and still increasing!). She is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of South Australia and a Life Member of the Australian Society of Herpetologists. She received a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2014 for her contribution to science in the field of herpetology.

Anita Hansen has been an artist all her life, working in Tasmania, interstate and overseas. She holds a Master of Fine Arts, a Graduate Diploma in Plant and Wildlife Illustration and a Bachelor of Fine Art degree. She recently completed her PhD at the University of Tasmania, School of Art, examining the significance of nineteenth century natural history art and belonging. Examination of the collections of major museums, libraries and galleries in Tasmania provided the basis of the study. She is now concentrating on her art practice that is based on natural history and the environment.

Stephen Harris is currently the Principal Research Advisor in the Invasive Species Branch of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. He was previously the department’s Senior Botanist for over twenty years. He has a Master of Science for ecological studies of Callitris tree species and was awarded a PhD in environmental policy. He has contributed to many national committees and working groups over the years. Dr Harris is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland and has published many scientific papers and books, especially on island ecology. He has a long-standing interest in early scientific exploration and is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London.

Tuesday 2nd September 2014, 8.00 pm
Royal Society Room, Customs House Building, TMAG,
19 Davey St. Hobart

All welcome and admission is free

 

 

 

 

The Virtues of Local History: the Case for Launceston – Dr Tom Dunning – 24 August 2014

The Royal Society of Tasmania – 2014 Launceston Lecture Series

 

Dr Tom Dunning, PhD (History, University of California) will present The Virtues of Local History: the Case for Launceston

in the Meeting Room, QVMAG at Inveresk
2.00 pm Sunday 24th August 2014
Admission: $5 General Public, $3 Friends of the Museum, $2 Students
Free for members of The Royal Society of Tasmania

To assist us with the organization of this event
RSVP by Thursday 21st August 2014:
Email bookings@qvmag.tas.gov.au or telephone 6323 3798

Local history is the basis for all historical studies, as the unique characteristics of one small place helps us to understand all places. Launceston is an excellent example of this axiom. With this in mind, Dr Tom Dunning, in collaboration with Paul Richards and Barbara Valentine, aim to facilitate and edit the first new history of Launceston since 1969. This publication, to be titled The Fabric of Launceston, will weave together thematic threads to demonstrate the diversity, difference and enterprise of the local Launceston community. The authors want this history to be owned by members of the community in a collaborative effort. This lecture will be the public launch of this project.

Dr Tom Dunning has lived in Launceston since 1985, teaching at the Newnham campus of the University of Tasmania. From 2007 to 2012, he was head of the cross campus School of
History and Classics. He retired at the end of 2013. With Paul Richards and Barbara Valentine, he has edited two previous works. He has a doctorate from the University of California.

Designing a Low-Emission, High-Speed Ferry for Argentina (Science Week Lecture) – Mr Tim Roberts – 10 August 2014

Mr Tim Roberts, Research and Development Manager, Revolution Design, Hobart

will present

Designing a Low-Emission, High-Speed Ferry for Argentina

in the Meeting Room, QVMAG at Inveresk
2.00 pm Sunday 10th August 2014
Admission: $5 General Public, $3 Friends of the Museum, $2 Students
Free for members of The Royal Society of Tasmania

To assist us with the organization of this event
RSVP by Thursday 7th August 2014:
Email bookings@qvmag.tas.gov.au or telephone 6323 3798

Incat is a Hobart-based company providing optimal lightweight ships for ferry operators, special service providers and militaries. It specialises in catamarans, from fast and flexible vehicle-passenger ferries to high-speed military support vessels and crew ships. The catamaran “Francisco” was built in Incat’s Prince of Wales Bay shipyard in Hobart, and delivered last year to the Argentinia company Buquebus, and will operate on the River Plate, between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay. It is the first high-speed Ro-Ro ferry to operate with liquefied natural gas (LNG) as one of the primary fuels, and accordingly it has one of the lowest emission levels in the word. Incat was awarded the construction contract for this ship in November 2010. The design works were carried out by Revolution Design. The vessel was launched in November 2012, with sea trials commencing in March 2013. The energy-efficient vessel was named in June 2013. Tim Roberts will talk about some of the challenges faced by Revolution Design to produce the design features of this unique vessel.

Mr Tim Roberts has been an executive Director of Revolution Design, the design arm of Incat in Hobart, since 2003 and is currently the Research and Development Manager. He first became involved with ship design as a consultant in noise and vibration, and in 1984, completed a Master’s Degree using a wind tunnel study to quantify flow forces on underwater winged appendages. He then spent four years in Asia consulting in noise and vibration, wind engineering and small boat design. Prior to his appointment with Revolution Design, Tim worked at Incat, and was responsible for research into all facets of high speed ship design and building, and the application of this research into the production of fast ferries and cargo vessels. Particular areas of research have included tank model testing, computer modelling performance prediction of catamaran hull shapes, fatigue analysis of catamaran structures, and full scale monitoring of vessel motions, stresses and sea conditions for the prediction of sea

Bookending Tasmanian Education from Antarctica to Thailand – Presentation by Niall Doran Tuesday 5 August 2014

The Royal Society of Tasmania invites you to celebrate National Science Week with a special lecture by Dr Niall Doran:

Bookending Tasmanian Education from Antarctica to Thailand

Tuesday 5 August 2014, 8.00 pm
Royal Society Room, Customs House Building, TMAG,
19 Davey St. Hobart

Dr Niall Doran will explain the work of the Bookend Trust, a
philanthropic education initiative that uses multimedia and film to
inspire students and assist them to build their own careers.
Dr Doran is a zoologist with an extensive background in
environmental management in both government and the private
sector.

All welcome and admission is free

The Library at the End of the World – Media Update

cover_webComing soon!

The Library at the End of the World: Natural Science and its Illustrators will be available from bookshops from 17  October 2014. The Royal Society of Tasmania is offering you the chance to pre-purchase the volume at a discount. Both hard and soft cover versions will be available – the 1000 hardcover copies will be numbered and signed by the editors.

Science and Art come together in this lavishly-illustrated (over 200 high- quality pictures), 240 pp book which explores the natural history art to be found in The Royal Society of Tasmania’s Rare Book Collection.

Order on-line from our Publications page.

Listen to the radio interview with Ryk Goddard, Dr Margaret Davies and Dr Anita Hansen by clicking on the link below.

https://soundcloud.com/936-abc-hobart/the-royal-society-library-is-a-treasure-trove

 

See the Mercury Newspaper liftout of the book by clicking the link below.

http://www.mercurynie.com.au/documents/RoyalSocietyMERCURY27Aug2014p25COPYRIGHT.pdf

A Public Forum on the Diagnosis and Management of Colorectal Cancer – An Update – Dr Scott Fanning, Dr Hung Nguyen, and Dr Mark Bell – 27 July 2014

in the Meeting Room, QVMAG at Inveresk

Admission: $5 General Public, $3 Friends of the Museum, $2 Students
Free for members of The Royal Society of Tasmania
To assist us with the organization of this event, RSVP by Thursday 24th July 2014:
Email bookings@qvmag.tas.gov.au or telephone 6323 3798

Colon cancer is one of the most commonly occurring forms of internal cancer, and the second most common cause of cancer-related death, after lung cancer. Around 80 Australians die of the disease each week. It will affect one in twenty people in their lifetime, and currently has a mortality rate of 50%. Colon cancer is a serious disease, but if cancer or precursor colonic polyps are diagnosed early, it is often curable. Surgery offers the only chance of cure in detected cancers, while chemotherapy and radiotherapy may offer both cure and symptom control in more advances cases.

Dr Scott Fanning: Colonic Polyps and Cancers – A Gastroenterologist’s Perspective
Dr Fanning will provide an overview of colonic polyps and cancer, a brief summary of genetic pathways, and will discuss endoscopic assessment, classification and treatment options.
Dr Fanning runs a busy practice based at St Vincent’s Private Hospital, and is Visiting Gastroenterologist at the Launceston General Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Dr Hung Nguyen: Surgical Treatment of Colorectal Cancer
Dr Nguyen will present some rationales and historical perspectives on the surgical treatment of colorectal cancer, looking also at current research and future directions in surgical techniques.
Dr Nguyen has been a colorectal surgeon in Launceston since 1996. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and has acted as an Examiner for RACS Fellowship examinations.

Dr Mark Bell: Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer
Dr Bell will outline the evolution of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for both cure and symptom control in colorectal cancer, particularly in relation to patients presenting with more advanced disease.
Dr Bell is a Radiation Oncologist working at Launceston General Hospital, Mersey Community Hospital and St Vincent’s Private Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Radiation Oncologists.

Exercise Hypertension: Physiology and Clinical Consequences – Tuesday 1 July – Martin Schultz – Doctoral Award Winner 2013

All are warmly invited to the lecture on Tuesday 1 July at  8 pm in the Royal Society Room, TMAG (entry from Dunn Place off Davey Street).

Dr Martin Schultz is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Menzies Research Institute Tasmania. Martin began PhD studies at the Menzies Research Institute Tasmania in 2009, joining the blood pressure research group. He completed undergraduate study at the University of Ballarat, Victoria in exercise science and has a Master of applied science (exercise rehabilitation). Martin is also a full member and accredited exercise physiologist (AEP) with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). His research interests include cardiovascular physiology, hypertension and exercise haemodynamics. In 2014, he was awarded a prestigious Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to continue his research into clinical and physiological aspects of exercise hypertension.

Dr Schultz’s PhD thesis (awarded in 2013) focused on physiological and clinical aspects of high blood pressure (BP) or ‘hypertension’. Hypertension is a leading risk factor for premature death relating to cardiovascular (CV) disease. Traditionally, CV risk associated with high BP is assessed via measurement of BP at rest in the clinic. However, although some individuals may have normal BP at rest, they may experience excessive elevation in BP with exercise; a condition termed ‘Exercise Hypertension’. This presentation will outline the primary findings of Dr Schultz’s thesis, which highlighted the prognostic importance and underlying CV risk associated with exercise hypertension, as well as its fundamental physiological determinants.

WINTER SERIES LECTURE – TUESDAY 15 JULY – POWER OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE

Session Two: Solar, Hydro and Shale Gas Energy Futures

Tuesday, 15 July, 7.30 – 9.30 pm Sir Stanley Burbury Theatre, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay
Solar Power – Bruce Godfrey – ATSE

Hydro Power & the Tasmanian Power Scene – Marian Piekutowski – Chief Engineer System Integration, Hydro Tasmania

Shale Gas – Vaughan Beck – ATSE

 

Forum: Q&A

WINTER SERIES LECTURES – TUESDAY 17 JUNE – POWER OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE

Session One:  Wind, Coal and Nuclear Energy Futures

Tuesday,17 June, 7.30 – 9.30 pm – Sir Stanley Burbury Theatre,  University of  Tasmania, Sandy Bay

Chair: Alan Finkell, President of Australian Academy  of  Technology, Sciences and Engineering (ATSE)

Coal Power – Barry Waining

Wind Generation – Andrew  Halley –  Transend, Tasmania

Nuclear Power –  John Soderbaum – Australian Academy of Technology,  Sciences  and Engineering (ATSE)

Forum: Q&A

 

COAL-RST-ATSE Presentation   Slides from Barry Waining

Nuclear Power for Australia Final  Slides from John Soderbaum

Power Options Lecture Series 2014 – Wind_Final  Slides from Andrew Halley