Resistant starch could transform our breakfasts, our gut health and help us lose weight.
Paul MacLean has shown that replacing simple sugars and digestible starch with starch that is resistant to digestion in the small intestine can have big consequences.
IUPAC Symposium 1A – Formulation: Efficacy and the Environment
Ingo Fleute-Schlachter, Cognis, Germany
Friendlier pesticides are on the way. Every pesticide contains an active ingredient. But there is more in the can. The formulation may need additives and adjuvants which boost performance: working as emuslifiers, wetters, dispersants, or sticking agents to deliver the pesticide to where it’s needed – the surfaces of leaves for example.
IUPAC Symposium 3B – Changing Pesticide use and Risk Scenarios with the Introduction of GM Crops Monday 3:30pm
Gary Fitt, CSIRO Entomology
GM cotton was released in 1996, as part of the fight back against Helicoverpa – arguably the most destructive agricultural pest in the world. Bollgard II varieties now make up 90% of the Australian cotton industry. What difference have they made?
Gary Fitt from CSIRO Entomology in Queensland will report that farmers have reduced pesticide use by up to 90% providing on-farm benefits and greatly reducing environmental disruption.
John Pickett and his British colleagues are creating new kinds of perfumes or attractants for pest insects.
They’re employing farnesyl diphosphate—the ‘parent’ molecule that insects use as the starting point for many chemical signals such as sex pheromones—to create new, more powerful attractants that will be cheaper and easier to make.
IUPAC Symposium 4B – Formulation, Efficacy and the Environment
Monday 4:30pm
Heping Zhu, United States Department of Agriculture
“Current label-recommended levels of pesticides for spray application technology, pest pressure and crop growth structure are vague, frequently resulting in excessive use of pesticide,” says Heping Zhu from the USDA in Ohio.
A wood extract has been registered as the first natural termiticide in Australia by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Administration.
David Leach and his colleagues from Southern Cross University and the University of Western Sydney identified the active extract in Eremophila mitchellii also known as budda, false sandalwood.
The achievement illustrates the potential to learn new tricks from Australia’s native plants and animals.
IUPAC Symposium 3A – Chemical Ecology and Crop Protection, Thursday 9:30am
Peter Gregg, Cotton CRC
A plant perfume that attracts female moths—a world-first attractant invented by the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC and its partner Ag Biotech Australia—is already reducing pesticide use by Queensland and NSW cotton growers.
Peter Gregg and his colleagues have developed a ‘moth magnet’ that attracts Helicoverpa, the cotton boll worm moth which causes billions of dollars of damage to agriculture world-wide.
Hilary Ranson, The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Pyrethroid insecticides are the front line weapon of choice against malaria-carrying mosquitos.
These are the only class of insecticide that can be used to treat bednets and they are being used extensively for indoor spraying (replacing DDT in many areas). These two interventions are being rolled out on a massive scale across Africa (the goal is to achieve 80% coverage).
UK scientist Paul Miller will be presenting his work on modelling and thus minimising spray drift.
His work with field trials, wind tunnels and simulations have shown that boom height and the droplet size distribution from the nozzles are the most important variables influencing drift risk with changes in boom height having a greater effect than changes in wind speed.
We are a team of science writers, publicists, communicators and editors.
We help you communicate complex ideas simply to the public, media, government and industry.
We work on all platforms from social media, to media, pitches, publications, events and conferences.
Scientists: if you need help with your research communication;
Journalists: if you’re looking for talent for your next story; you’re in the right place.
Media and communication training
Full day hands-on workshops in small groups. Practise interviews with journalists. Find your key messages. Handle tricky questions. Learn how to ensure your research is reported accurately.
Sarah's structure of the course, specific insight and understanding of science, her contacts and common mistakes made in communication were great and furthered my skills in this area.
Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020
Science In Public
2020-01-28T15:04:28+11:00
Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020
Sarah's structure of the course, specific insight and understanding of science, her contacts and common mistakes made in communication were great and furthered my skills in this area.
This is one of the best science communication courses I have ever encountered. It teaches all research to think out of box and really simplify their research in lay man's language. I will highly recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about science communication.
Shwathy Ramesh
Science In Public
2020-02-24T09:29:55+11:00
Shwathy Ramesh
This is one of the best science communication courses I have ever encountered. It teaches all research to think out of box and really simplify their research in lay man's language. I will highly recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about science communication.
Sufficient time given to work one-on-one with each participant. TV, radio and newspaper given sufficient weight. Practical, informative and professional
Anonymous - Gold Coast May 2021
Science In Public
2022-09-05T12:59:42+10:00
Anonymous - Gold Coast May 2021
Sufficient time given to work one-on-one with each participant. TV, radio and newspaper given sufficient weight. Practical, informative and professional
Good mix in terms of topics covered, people invited and media coverage. This course will make me more comfortable and I believe it will improve my confidence about myself and how I talk about my work in front of media.
FEnEX CRC, December 2021
Science In Public
2022-09-05T13:01:49+10:00
FEnEX CRC, December 2021
Good mix in terms of topics covered, people invited and media coverage. This course will make me more comfortable and I believe it will improve my confidence about myself and how I talk about my work in front of media.
Sarah is an amazing instructor. She has looked after each of the participants very well. I really like her style. Thank you to all team for a valuable training session.
Seyhan Yazar, Garvan Institute of Medical Reseearch
Science In Public
2022-09-05T13:02:58+10:00
Seyhan Yazar, Garvan Institute of Medical Reseearch
Sarah is an amazing instructor. She has looked after each of the participants very well. I really like her style. Thank you to all team for a valuable training session.
Pushed me to finesse/develop a pitch, find an edge that will facilitate communicating my research findings. The real world experience/opportunity for interviews was exceptionally helpful
Megan Bater
Science In Public
2022-09-05T13:06:38+10:00
Megan Bater
Pushed me to finesse/develop a pitch, find an edge that will facilitate communicating my research findings. The real world experience/opportunity for interviews was exceptionally helpful
The day was a great balance of topics and presented in an approachable and friendly style that was very inclusive. It was a fantastic and informative session that will really help me day-to-day in the communications work I do.
Ben Westmoreland, 2022
Science In Public
2022-09-05T13:07:28+10:00
Ben Westmoreland, 2022
The day was a great balance of topics and presented in an approachable and friendly style that was very inclusive. It was a fantastic and informative session that will really help me day-to-day in the communications work I do.