Alert Newsletter 694

Posted: Thu, 10 Nov 2011 under Alert Newsletter

On this page:

1. Talking Heads series 2011: “Inside Out: the chemistry of food, sex and ageing”, Kim Hill discusses with scientists how chemistry underpins our everyday lives

Join us over the next few weeks to hear broadcaster Kim Hill in conversation with chemists as she examines some of life’s complex questions.  What exactly are free radicals?  How does UV light affect our skin?  Is there a chemical difference between males and females?  And is the saying “you are what you eat” correct?

The 2011 Talking Heads series is produced by the Royal Society of New Zealand in association with Radio New Zealand. These interviews are being recorded by Radio New Zealand for broadcast, so latecomers will not be admitted.

The format of each event is different. With the first event in Wellington on 24 November, Kim Hill will be interviewing Professor Joe Schwarcz from McGill University, Canada, a best-selling author and TV personality.  Joe Schwarcz is well-known for his entertaining public lectures and has received numerous awards for science communication.  He is brought to New Zealand courtesy of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.

  • Wellington – 24 November, 6pm, Soundings Theatre, Te Papa
  • Christchurch – 1 December, 6pm, Jack Mann Auditorium, Dovedale Campus, University of Canterbury
  • Auckland – 8 December, 6pm, The Auditorium, Auckland Museum

2. 2011 President’s Award for outstanding science benefiting New Zealand

The Royal Society of New Zealand’s 2011 President’s Award has been presented to Dr Greg Bignall and the Geothermal Geology Team at the Wairakei Research Centre, at GNS Science.

The Society’s President, Dr Garth Carnaby, presented the award in Auckland this week. The award is “for research-based technology enhancing renewable geothermal energy used in New Zealand”. Read more …

3. Speech by Dr Garth Carnaby at Royal Society of New Zealand President’s Forum

Read the address by Dr Garth Carnaby, President of the Royal Society of New Zealand, at the Society’s President’s Forum held in Auckland last week. Read more…

4. Students selected for Bayerboost scholarships and Realise the Dream event

BayerBoost scholarships - Five BayerBoost Scholarships have been awarded to two secondary school students and three undergraduate students undertaking environmental research with host organisations over the summer holidays. Read more …

Realise the Dream - Nineteen top secondary students from all over New Zealand have been selected by the Royal Society of New Zealand to attend Genesis Energy’s ‘Realise the Dream’, a prestigious annual national event from 3-10 December. Read more …

5. Upcoming announcement of the 2011 Prime Minister’s Science Prizes

The recipients of the Prime Minister’s Science Prizes for 2011 will be announced at an awards ceremony in Auckland on Friday 16 December.

The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes combine recognition and reward, with total prize money of $1 million. Presented annually, they are New Zealand’s most valuable science awards and were introduced to raise the profile and prestige of science. The prizes celebrate scientific achievement, highlight the impact science has on New Zealanders’ lives, and aim to attract more young people into science careers.

There are five prizes with the top award, valued at $500,000, recognising a transformational science discovery or achievement which has had a significant impact on New Zealand or internationally.

The prizes are:

  • The Prime Minister’s Science Prize: $500,000
  • The Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize: $200,000
  • The Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize: $150,000
  • The Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize: $50,000
  • The Prime Minister’s Science Media Communication Prize: $100,000

Refer to http://www.pmscienceprizes.org.nz/ for further updates.

6. New editorial appointments to NZ Journal of Botany

Two new Associate Editors have been appointed to the NZ Journal of Botany. Dr Phil Novis and Dr Eric Mckenzie are both currently working at Landcare Research. Dr Novis is a leading authority on the taxonomy and ecology of New Zealand algae and Dr McKenzie is a highly experienced mycologist.

7. FUSIONZ website for science, technology, humanities jobs

This week, Fusionz has 5 vacancies for jobs. The latest jobs are:

  • Post-Doctoral Fellow / Research Fellow – Physical Chemist: The University of Auckland
  • Research Manager – Centre for Brain Research: The University of Auckland
  • PhD studentship in Plant-Fungal Symbiotic Interactions: Massey University, Palmerston North
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow: The University of Auckland
  • Rock Mechanics Scientist/Soil Mechanics Scientist: GNS Science, Wellington

For more information and to list your vacancy – http://fusionz.royalsociety.org.nz/

8. NZCCRI Seminar Series, “Solar radiation management through stratospheric aerosol enhancement”, by Greg Bodeker,6 December, Wellington

There is growing pressure to consider stop gap measures that would mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere while alternative low‐carbon technologies are developed. This presentation will discuss some of the methods proposed for geo‐engineering, but will focus primarily on solar radiation management through stratospheric aerosol enhancement, which is currently the only economically/technologically feasible approach.

Greg Bodeker specialises in research related to the stratosphere and climate. He is currently co-chair of the GCOS working group on atmospheric reference observations and is co‐chair elect to SPARC (Stratospheric Processes And their Role in Climate), one of the four core projects of the World Climate Research Programme. Greg was a co‐ordinating lead author on the 2006 and 2010 WMO/UNEP ozone assessments and a contributor to the IPCC 4th assessment report. He is an adjunct professor with the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute at Victoria University of Wellington and he runs his own research company based in Alexandra.

Date: Tuesday 6 December

Time: 12:30-1.30 pm

Venue: Old Government Buildings, Lecture Theatre 1

9. National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee appointments

The Minister of Agriculture has appointed Dr Karen Booth, Mr Ian Buchanan and Hon Robyn Kippenberger to the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee. Dr Booth replaces Dr Robert Dempster who resigned from the committee earlier this year. Mr Buchanan and Ms Kippenberger replace retiring members David Peart MNZM and Mr Peter Mason respectively. 

10. University of Otago, Wellington Public Health Summer School – 7-24 February 2012, enrolments now open

Short courses (1-3 days long) are offered by an international faculty of public health academics and practitioners. You can read full course descriptions and enrol on the website:  www.uow.otago.ac.nz/summerschool.html

Courses are for anyone wanting to acquire or update public health knowledge and skills or get a taste of what public health has to offer. They are ideally suited to academics and those working in public health services, primary care organisations, district health boards, government departments, non-governmental organisations and local authorities.

Courses vary from small group computer lab classes to interactive lectures and multi-speaker seminars.  A 25% discount is available to people who register and pay before 23 December.  All courses and workshops will be held at the University of Otago, Wellington campus. Enquiries to: kerry.hurley@otago.ac.nz

11. Our Changing World, Thursday 9.00 pm, Radio New Zealand National

Alison Ballance, Veronika Meduna and Ruth Beran http://radionz.co.nz/ourchangingworld email ourchangingworld@radionz.co.nz Tel (04) 474 1910.

Bruce Hayward from Geomarine Research takes Alison Ballance on a tour of the Auckland volcanic field to show her some exciting new discoveries.

Veronika Meduna meets a group of greenhouse gas scientists at Baring Head, the first station in the Southern Hemisphere where carbon dioxide and other gases have been monitored since the early 1970s.

Matthew Stott of GNS Science is a microbiologist with a special interest in thermophiles – microbes that thrive at high temperatures – and Alison Ballance joins him on a microbial treasure hunt in geothermal waters near Wairakei.

Last month, over 50 postgraduate students from Victoria University’s science and engineering faculties competed in the Tell us a Story challenge. Ruth Beran went to check out the ten finalists in a special edition of Nerd Nite held at Bar Ivy in Wellington.

Shorter science, health and environment features also air during Afternoons with Jim Mora at 3.35 p.m., Monday to Thursday. The programme is repeated at 1.10 a.m. on Sunday mornings.

You can download a podcast or listen to streaming audio of programmes you’ve missed in the complete programme archive at: http://radionz.co.nz/ourchangingworld

12. Follow the Royal Society of New Zealand on Facebook and Twitter

Get timely updates from the Royal Society of New Zealand team via our Facebook and Twitter channels.

 
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