“Job Reference Number: 1767

The University of Adelaide invites applications to a tenurable position of Chair of Experimental Physics in the School of Chemistry & Physics, Faculty of Sciences.  Experimental physics at Adelaide was initiated by Professor W.H. Bragg in 1886.  The Chair of Experimental Physics will fall vacant on 1 January 2012.  Over the past few years the School has experienced a significant growth in its undergraduate teaching load and in the number of higher degree research students.  As a member of the prestigious Group of Eight Australian universities, the University of Adelaide is committed to research excellence.  Research within the School involves national and international collaborations and receives extensive external funding from the State of South Australia, industry, defence, national and international sources.   Physics at Adelaide has recently been given the top ranking in the Excellence in Research Australia review of research quality.   Research areas in Physics include atmospheric physics, high-energy astrophysics, geophysics, medical physics, optics and photonics, particle physics, nuclear theory and computational physics.  The University’s new Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing (IPAS) is based in the School.  IPAS operates extensive facilities including infrastructure for fabricating optical materials, optical fibres, sensors and laser devices.  The School also hosts a node of the new ARC Centre of Excellence in Particle Physics at the Tera-scale.

Further information, position requirements, salary information and how to apply…”

“Last week over 130 people attended the Waite Research Institute’s inaugural Debate @ the Waite, on the motion “Increasing agricultural production is the only sure way to feed 9 billion people by 2050”.

The event, held at Lirra Lirra Cafe at the Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide was moderated by Dr Paul Willis, Director of the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus). The debaters on the evening were:

On arrival the audience was invited to vote on whether they were for or against the motion. Speakers for each of the two teams had 5 minutes to present their team’s case, followed by questions and comments from the audience. Each team member then had two minutes to provide a final point before the audience was invited to vote again.

The affirmative team argued that increasing food production, in particular in less developed countries expecting the highest rates of population growth, is the only way to feed 9 billion people by 2050. They gave examples of how existing knowledge could be used to increase on-farm productivity. They argued that redistribution of food through trade, or targeting wastage would not increase food availability in the hunger hot spots.

The negative team argued although hunger is real, food scarcity is not. We produce enough calories to feed the population currently, but it is international trade policies and an inefficient food system (in particular post-harvest) that cause hunger. They also argued that wastage is a big problem and that overcoming this will further contribute to alleviating food shortages. They argued that without addressing these issues, increasing agricultural production alone will not feed 9 billion people by 2050.

The initial vote showed that 60% of the audience intended to vote in favour of the motion. However, at the conclusion of the debate, 73% of the audience voted for against, indicating the negative team had argued their points persuasively…”

“Guest Post by Luke Weston. Luke is a Melbourne-based physicist and occasional freelance electronic engineer, with a strong interest in educating the community about nuclear energy and related issues.

It is often said by the anti-nuclearists that the commercial nuclear energy industry “can’t get insurance” against the risks of nuclear or radiological accidents, or that it is “uninsurable”. This is simply garbage, a myth, a load of baloney that gets exclaimed backwards and forwards between the anti-nuclearists, without any of them ever bothering to actually check the facts or do the research. It’s simply a meme, one of many nonsense pseudo-fact memes that persist in the community of people who are really just devout believers that nuclear energy is bad.

The Price-Anderson Act in the United States is often bought up by anti-nuclear activists as some sort of damning evidence of preferential government treatment for nuclear energy, but it’s actually quite the opposite – it’s legislation which imposes exceptional demands on nuclear energy above and beyond any other industry; demands which are completely out of proportion to the reality of the demonstrably low risk of nuclear energy, especially relative to other energy sources.

This should be compared with the risks associated with other important energy generation systems, where the industry is not insured in any such way against significant impacts on society and the environment…”

“The Water Research Centre in conjuction with Australian Water Association SA Branch
would like to invite you to our next Water Wednesday

• Wednesday 27th July, 2011
• 5:30pm – 6:50pm
• Florey Lecture Theatre
• Medical School North building, University of Adelaide, Frome Road

Desalination: Future directions for Australia’s world class facilities
This special joint Water Wednesday forum will feature presentations from two leading experts in Desalination, followed by time for discussion and an opportunity for networking with AWA members after the forum.

Mr. Nikolay Voutchkov
President, Water Globe Consulting, LLC, Connecticut, USA
Nikolay is a recognised world leader in desalination technology. He has over 25 years of experience in planning, environmental review, permitting and implementation of large seawater desalination, water treatment and water reclamation projects globally.

National Centre of Excellence in Desalination R&DMr David Furukawa
Chairman of the Research Advisory Board, National Water Research Institute
Mr Furukawa has more than 40 years of desalination technology experience in both public and private sectors, including roles as Past-President and Director of the International Desalination Association and American Desalting Association (now AMTA); and life member of AWWA.

Registration is through the AWA website. To register, click here. Please register by Monday 25 July…”

“Earth Station, WOMAD’s new festival, is an opportunity to receive and transmit ideas, issues and solutions towards a more sustainable planet. This innovative event melds the intellectual and cultural energies of leading scientific minds with a performance program featuring some of the world’s most accomplished and diverse musicians. The festival audience will be inspired by a refreshing and rare combination of discussion and music during a weekend of forums, displays and performances.

Guest speakers at the event include US geology professor Steve Pekar, former US vice president Al Gore’s chief-of-staff Roy Neel, Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton, presenter Robyn Williams, Australian comic Rod Quantock, and Peter Cosier, executive director of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.

THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM – is being developed in collaboration with the Environment Institute and the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.

When: 21-23 October 2011
Where: Long Gully, Belair National Park

To book your tickets…”

“The Environment Institute and The School of Economics present a free public lecture by Professor Stephen Howes, Director of International and Development Economics in the Crawford School of Economics and Governance at the Australian National University.

Stephen previously worked as the Lead Economist for India for the World Bank and as the Chief Economist at AusAID. Professor Howes co-led the 2010 Review of the PNG-Australia Development Cooperation Treaty.

Most notably, he worked on the Garnaut Review on Climate Change in 2008, where he managed the Review’s international work stream. He continues to work as an advisor and consultant for AusAID and the World Bank on issues relating to aid effectiveness and climate change policy.

Stephen serves as a Board Member for the Pacific Institute of Public Policy, and sits on the Advisory Board of the Asian Development Bank Institute.

When: Wednesday 25 May

Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm

Where: Napier G03, Napier Building, The University of Adelaide

Find out More on our website or Register here.”

“A diagnostic test is being developed by the Robinson Institute that will identify couples at high risk of pregnancy problems, helping to alleviate complications that occur in 20% of first pregnancies.

The study sought couples planning to become pregnant, or those less than 12 weeks pregnant.

Couples involved in the study underwent a blood test checking their folate, vitamin B and D levels, hormonal levels and immune system. A confidential dietary and medical health questionnaire was also completed and was able to be provided to the participants GPs on request. The researchers also examined any genes associated with blood clotting, which are known to cause pregnancy complications….”

“Volunteers are required for the 2011 Kangaroo Island Planting Festival to be held in July this year.

The Kangaroo Island Planting Festival is held every year to re-instate large areas of habitat for some of KI’s rarest plant life. The last 3 planting festivals have involved 1000 people and have resulted in 225,000 seedlings being planted over 100 hectares.

This year volunteer planters are needed to help reach an ambitious target of planting 100,000 seedlings in just 3 days. That is a planting rate of 5,100 per hour! Over 100 different species will be planted, many of which are found only on Kangaroo Island.

Volunteers do not require previous planting experience. The only pre-requisite is some stamina, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn and have fun! Lunch is provided each day, bush camping is available on-site and subsidised day trips by bus from Adelaide are being planned….”

“The South Australian Centre for Economic Studies’ gambling database has been updated to include gaming machine expenditure, taxation revenue and gaming machine and venue population data for 2008/09 and 2009/10. The database provides regional level data on gaming machine activity in South Australian licensed venues (i.e. hotels and clubs) based on data published and supplied by the Office of the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner….”