The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science were presented by the Prime Minister and the Innovation Minister at the Prize Dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House on Wednesday 12 October. Read the full article →
education
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science were presented by the Prime Minister and the Innovation Minister at the Prize Dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House on Wednesday 12 October 2011. Read the full article →
The Prime Minister is pleased to announce this year’s Prize for Science has been awarded to Professors Ezio Rizzardo and David Solomon from the CSIRO and the University of Melbourne. Read the full article →
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science for 2011 were presented by the Prime Minister and Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research at the Prize Dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House on Wednesday 12 October.
Below is the text of the minister’s speech.
Read the full article →
Puppets break the science language barrier
In 2003, Mrs Brooke Topelberg—only three years out from an education degree and just back from two years’ teaching in inner London—was appointed science coordinator of Westminster Primary School. The school is set in a high immigrant, low socio-economic suburban area in northern Perth. Science was a low priority at the school.
A part of her students’ lives
Students at Adelaide’s Loreto College have been investigating extra-sensory perception, finding the best way to neutralise spills of household cleaners, and testing the antibiotic effects of Manuka honey. They present their results not just by writing reports, but using talks, videos, role-plays and stories. Their activities are typical of the practical, can-do attitude of their science coordinator, Dr Jane Wright. It’s an attitude she’s also applied in her leadership of her chosen profession.
From Marc Duldig, President of the Australian Institute of Physics
Welcome to my bulletin covering physics news and events for September 2011 and beyond.
This month Tamara Davis (right) is talking to the public and school students about the dark side of the universe in NSW, the ACT, Tasmania and South Australia in her 2011 AIP Women in Physics lecture tour.
Read the full article →
From Marc Duldig, President of the Australian Institute of Physics
Welcome to my bulletin covering physics news and events for August 2011 and beyond.
This month sees the AIP learning about the Universe from the Large Hadron Collider in Hobart, seeking “dark” gamma-ray sources in Adelaide, demonstrating Einstein’s contribution to medical diagnosis in Sydney, and discovering Wilhelm Wien and his 1911 Nobel Prize in Brisbane. Read the full article →
From Brian James, President of the Australian Institute of Physics
Welcome to my February bulletin to people with an interest in physics. On Monday we have the AIP AGM in Melbourne, as well as meetings of the AIP Council and Executive.
Other activities this month include talks on Ruby Payne-Scott’s role in founding modern radio astronomy in Perth, the diversity of planets and the distribution of metals in galaxies in Melbourne, and X-ray analytics in Sydney.
I have news on some important conferences coming up.
Read the full article →
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Today’s stories from the physics conference in Melbourne include:
Tomorrow’s technology pioneers recognised today
- From the laser to quantum optics
Prof Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov (Kostya.Ostrikov@csiro.au), a CSIRO scientist who set the ground rules for constructing new materials atom by atom using collections of charged particles known as plasmas; - Teleportation
Prof Hans-Albert Bachor (hans.bachor@anu.edu.au) from the Australian National University (ANU) whose work on the graininess or particle nature of light is leading to new technologies such as quantum encryption and teleportation; - Laser controllers
A/Prof Robert Scholten (scholten@unimelb.edu.au), a University of Melbourne physicist who has established a thriving and profitable business which makes and exports laser controllers; and - Acoustics of music
Prof Joe Wolfe (j.wolfe@unsw.edu.au) of the University of New South Wales, an expert on the acoustics of music whose multimedia learning resources are accessed about 60,000 times a day.
Also:
Diamond dust adds sparkle to medical imaging
Electronic paper makes itself
Bionic valves without the batteries
Invisible fibres disappearing soon
Acquiring a better feel for disease
Healthy and unhealthy brain states – what role does electrical conductivity play?
Is that a diamond in your eye? Read the full article →
Welcome to my monthly bulletin for people around the country with an interest in physics. It contains news and events for December 2010 and beyond.
The AIP National Congress begins in Melbourne on Sunday, and is chock full of interesting research papers as well as opportunities to get together with your peers. I particularly encourage those attending the congress to also attend the gala dinner. At the dinner the AIP and the Australian Optical Society will present a number of awards. I have details of the AIP award winners below. Read the full article →
Next Wednesday evening the Prime Minister will present her Prizes for Science. The embargo is 5 pm on Wednesday 17 November 2010.
Other science news coming up includes: a black comedy on biodiversity staged in the skeleton gallery of the Australian Museum; Chinese science leaders in Australia marking 30 years of collaboration; CERN director here soon for physics congress; the end of the world; the future of transport and more.
Here’s the details: Read the full article →
Welcome to our November bulletin celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity (IYOB).
October saw the launch of the crocheted coral reef, the discovery of science, policy, leadership and action in Wellington, New Zealand, and discussion of the politics of biodiversity in Canberra.
Here’s a taster of what’s on in November:
- The Melbourne performance collective ‘The Masters of Space and Time’ are performing at the Australian Museum: Swamped is a razor-sharp black comedy demonstrating how the universe twists good intentions into disastrous consequences.
- There are more than 25 events taking place around the country over the month including asparagus fern eradication in NSW; biodiversity photography in the Murray Darling; the Dunstan dialogues in SA, discovering Victoria’s marine sanctuaries; and butterfly study in WA.
- And have you visited the biodiversity website lately? You can find out what would you look like as a snail, fish or bat with Monkey Me! www.biodiversity2010.org.au/?monkeyme.
- Next month The Ecological Society of Australia will be holding their annual conference ‘Sustaining biodiversity: the next 50 years’. Read the full article →
From Brian James, President of the Australian Institute of Physics
Welcome to my monthly email to people around the country with an interest in physics. It has with news and events for November 2010 and beyond.
The AIP National Congress is almost upon us. I’m pleased to say that we have over 700 registrants, and I encourage those who have not yet registered but intend to come, to do so soon. There is going to be lots of great physics discussed in Melbourne from 5 – 9 December, as well as public events, exhibitions and excellent opportunities for networking and socialising. Read the full article →
Welcome to our October bulletin celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity (IYOB).
This month Biodiversity Year gets serious, and fun.
- Two weeks ago the UN General Assembly debated the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Secretary General announced that the world isn’t meeting the 2010 targets.
- Later this month all 193 parties to the Convention are scheduled to meet in Nagoya, Japan, to adopt a strategic plan on biodiversity and a 2050 biodiversity vision.
- And the Sydney Moring Herald reports that the Australian government’s biodiversity plan will be released later this month – more on this below in ‘News’.
- Meanwhile, back at the grass roots…there are more than 45 events taking place around the country over the month.
- And what would you look like as a snail, fish or bat? Try Monkey Me and find discover your inner animal. Read the full article →
This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about why pierced ears became inflamed; how the physics of skipping stones can improve flying; boosting your brain; using your home computer to find heavenly bodies; and more…
We’ve identified 135 Science Week events around Australia with a biodiversity connection. So we thought we’d share them with you in this special Science Week edition of our Biodiversity Year bulletin.
You can learn how to keep bugs alive, immerse yourself in flora and fauna on a walk through the forest, hear about the unique environment of Barrow Island in Western Australia and discover how a genetic disease in the Royal Family relates to biodiversity.
In two weeks Australia will play host to a major UN conference focusing on global health and the Millennium Development Goals. More than 70 countries and over 300 organisations will be represented. There will be many compelling stories that matter to Australia and our region. I’m holding briefings for ABC staff at Ultimo today at 3.30 pm and at Southbank on Monday at 12.30 pm. I’m happy to do the same for other major media.
Welcome to July’s biodiversity bulletin with news and events throughout Australia—and also to Mr Blobby (see right, more details below). 
In the next few weeks you can contribute to a sculpture serpent in Sydney, meet Adelaide’s river dolphins; follow Burke and Wills to Castlemaine; build a bat box in Perth; come face to face with a supercrocodilian in Darwin; and build environmental resilience at the Caloundra Gallery—all as part of the International Year of Biodiversity.
“Our failure to act on climate change could encourage an underground movement to take action and fix climate change through geo-engineering. It’s a real threat according to leading academics. And the ethics of geo-engineering were explored at a Victorian government backed conference in California earlier this year,” says science commentator Tim Thwaites.
Shock? Horror? Why should we be surprised? As climate provocateur, Bjorn Lomborg pointed out to Robyn Williams recently on the ABC’s Science Show, many geo-engineering possibilities are inexpensive enough to be with the reach of a billionaires like Bill Gates and Richard Branson —and Governments seem hamstrung about coming to agreement on any other action. This makes the ABC online drama project Bluebird timely, as it explores these very issues. Read the full article →
