Presentation by Dr Peter McIntosh

Royal Society Room

Tuesday, 5th April 2011 Commencing 8.00 pm until 10.00 pm

 

About the Speaker

Dr Peter McIntosh is a geologist working with the Forest Practices Authority

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

The geological record indicates that in the last Glacial period the Tasmanian landscape was cold and dry in many areas, and locally subject to severe erosion. Nevertheless there is evidence that the marsupial megafauna survived until about 40000 years ago, when humans first occupied Tasmania by walking across the Bassian Plain. Fire frequency is likely to have increased after human arrival, and as a result of increased fire frequency the fragile Glacial period ecology is likely to have been drastically altered. The Quaternary geological record provides evidence for increased erosion after 40000 years before present, and supports the hypothesis that humans were indirectly responsible for the demise of the megafauna.

Presentation by Don Kay

Royal Society Room

Tuesday, 1st March 2011 Commencing 8.00 pm until 10.00 pm

AGM and SGM

 

About the Speaker

Don Kay was born and educated in Tasmania before completing his music degree at the University of Melbourne. During his several years in London (1959-1964 he studied composition privately with Malcolm Williamson, currently Master of the Queen’s Music. Since returning to Hobart he has composed much music for professional individuals, ensembles, young performers, amateur groups, theatre, concert and public occasions. Over time, his musical language has increasingly developed from responses to Tasmanian landscape, ecology and history. His compositions include two one-act operas, four concerts, two concertos, two symphonies, vocal, choral, chamber and film as well as theatre and puppet theatre music. His music has been performed in all Australian states , New Zealand, Asia, the UK., European countries and the U.S.A. Orchestral, chamber and piano music is represented on commercial C.Ds. Works to have received special awards include: The Golden cane – an Opera for Young Peopl’s Theatre (Libretto, Gwen Harwood) (1985); Tasmanian Symphony – The legend of Moinee – for ‘Cello and Orchestra (1989); Dance Concertante – for String Orchestra (1990). In 1991 he was appointed a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia for his service to the Arts, particularly in the field of composition. Don Kay was on the staff of the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania, where he was Head of Department from 1990-1993. He retired in 1998.

Presentation by Patrick Quilty

Royal Society Room

Tuesday, 1st March 2011 Commencing 7.30 pm until 10.00 pm

Presentation by David Warren

CSIRO Theatrette Christmas function- Dinner

Tuesday, 7th December 2010 Commencing 6.00 pm until 10.00 pm

Lecture at 6.00 pm followed by dinner RSVP 21 November

 

About the Speaker

David Warren graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1979 majoring in physics.He went on to complete an honours year in x-ray astronomy in 1980. During the course of the next few years he worked and studied variously in science, gaining valuable experience in software and electronic design. He then went on to create or assist a string of electronic design and software related companies during the decade 1984-1994. The most significant of these early involvements is Altium Ltd (formerly Protel International Pty Ltd) which David joined as shareholder, and part of the management team in 1987.David was president of Altium’s USA operation during 1994 and 1995 during which period he resided in California. He has served on the board of Altium Ltd since 1991, has worked in the areas of mergers, acquisitions, sales and corporate development, and has served on remuneration and audit committees. As a then Executive Director, he was instrumental in the process of listing Altium Ltd. on the ASX in 1999, before becoming a Non-Executive board member in 2004. David now serves on a number of company boards both public and private. He is currently involved in the search for exo-planets, and is an active promoter of physics and mathematics. He resides in Tasmania with his family.

Presentation by Chris Sharples

The Royal Society Room

Tuesday, 2nd November 2010 Commencing 8.00 pm until 10.00 pm

 

About the Speaker

Chris Sharples is a geologist who graduated from the University of Tasmania with an Honours degree in geology in 1979, and subsequently obtained a Master of Science degree in geology in 1990. However after working in coal and oil shale exploration for only a couple of years during the early 1980’s he soon decided that wasn’t to be his future, and gradually shifted his focus to geomorphology and its relevance to environmental management issues. Chris has worked on a wide range of landform conservation and hazards issues since about 1992, initially as a project officer for the Forest Practices Unit and subsequently as a consultant to Forestry Tasmania, as well as consulting for numerous other public and private sector clients. Since about 1998 much of his work has focussed in particular on coastal erosion and sea-level rise issues, and in 2009 he completed a major contract for Geoscience Australia and the Department of Climate Change during which he and Richard Mount co-ordinated a team compiling a detailed nationally-consistent coastal landform map for the entire Australian coast. Whilst it will have many other uses, this map was a key dataset used in the Australian First Pass National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment completed in 2009 for the Department of Climate Change. Chris has been based at the University of Tasmania since 2007, initially as an Honorary Research Associate and currently as a Research Fellow, however despite this he continues to successfully resist overt and covert pressures to do a Ph.D.

Presentation by 3 x 20 minute papers details below

Royal Society Room

Tuesday, 5th October 2010 Commencing 8.00 pm until 10.00 pm

Three postgraduates from leading schools in the University of Tasmania

 

About the Speaker

1. Catherine Blizzard PhD Candidate, NeuroRepair Group – Menzies Research Institute. 2. Martin Jutzeler PhD Candidate, Centre for ore Deposit Studies (CODES). 3. Alex Fraser Antarctic Climate and ecosystems CRC.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

1. Regeneration and repair in the brain following injury. Our ability to effectively manipulate the adaptive response of the brain to injury is greatly limited by a lack of fundamental insight into the cell biology of the adult CNS and its capacity for plasticity and remodelling. The studies included in my thesis have demonstrated that mature neurons possess a remarkable capacity for regeneration and plasticity following injury, however the mechanisms that underlie regeneration of mature neurons are fundamentally different to developmental growth. 2. Behaviour of subaqueous explosive volcanic eruptions: What do we know, and what needs to be understood? Contrary to their subaerial analogues, the explosive volcanic eruptions which happen underwater are poorly documented. Our current research is based on uplifted Tertiary deposits that show extremely thick beds, rich in pumice clasts. Study of the physical characteristics of these deposits allows us to reconstruct the type of volcanic activity, and to understand how the clasts were transported away from the submerged vent. We are also comparing these deposits with subaqueous deposits associated with subaerial pyroclastic flows which entered the sea. 3. East Antarctic Landfast Sea-Ice Variability, or How I Wish Clouds were See-Through. Landfast sea ice (more commonly known as fast ice) is sea ice which is”fastened” to the coast, or grounded icebergs. It forms around the coast of Antarctica, and in some regions in the Arctic. Its distribution and variability have profound and far-reaching implications on local and global scales: it forms a habitat and foraging zone for Weddell seals and Emperor penguins, its formation and breakup influences global ocean circulation, and it may be a sensitive indicator of global climate change.

Presentation by Professor David Green FRS FAA

Royal Society Room

Tuesday, 7th September 2010 Commencing 8.00 pm until 10.00 pm

Presentation by Dr Emily Hilder

The Royal Society Room

Tuesday, 3rd August 2010 Commencing 8.00 pm until 10.00 pm

 

About the Speaker

Dr Emily Hilder is an ARC Future Fellow and Research Coordinator for the theme ‘Separation Media’ in the Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS) at the University of Tasmania. She leads an active research group that focuses on the design and application of new ploymeric materials, in particular polymer monoliths, in all areas of separation science.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

Dr Hilder will speak generally about separation science and focus on a couple of interesting problems – portable systems for detection of explosives and new approaches to disease diagnosis, in particular with reference to Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour disease

Presentation by Dr Simon Wright

The Royal Society Room

Tuesday, 6th July 2010 Commencing 8.00 pm until 10.00 pm

 

 About the Speaker

Dr Simon Wright is a veteran of over 30 years’ Antarctic marine science, studying the factors controlling phytoplankton and other microorganisms in the Southern Ocean, with > 2100 citations to published work. He is one of the pioneers of using photosynthetic pigments as markers in biological oceanography and is co-author and co-editor of the SCOR-UNESCO monograph on the subject. His current work is aimed at understanding and measuring microbial processes for modelling co2 flux in the Southern Ocean and modelling food availability fo higher trophic levels.

 

Brief Abstract of the Talk

Phytoplankton (single celled algae), protozoa and bacteria together comprise more than 90% of the biomass production and directly or indirectly support all other creatures in the Southern Ocean. Yet they are under threat from the combined forces of climate change and ocean acidification. This talk will summarise the role of microorganisms in the ocean, how we are studying their processes and predictions of changes and consequences for the future.