Hi ASCers

Some people were disappointed when this year’s budget failed to provide funding for the recommendations of “Inspiring Australia”, the report into science communication.

The Government has now provided $21 million to implement some recommendations from the report, in an election policy announced on 10 September.

Among other things, it will fund: * the PM’s Prize for Science * the Eureka Prizes * National Science Week * Science events and activities around Australia * Promotion of science through the media

The three-page policy is at:

http://www.alp.org.au/agenda/more—policies/science-for-australia-s-future/

The money is coming from cuts to other activities, such as the CRC program. There is no new money.

The Liberals have not yet released their science policy, but Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Sophie Mirabella MP, has said they will do so before the election.

Toss Gascoigne

************ Toss Gascoigne and Associates 56 Vasey Cres CAMPBELL ACT 2612

P. 02 6249 7400 M. 0408 704 442 E. director@tossgascoigne.com.au W. tossgascoigne.com.au Skype. tossgascoigne

ABN: 31 068 557 522 *************

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Dear ASC members (and those thinking of becoming members),

Early last year we made 1 September the annual renewal date for all ASC members. This meant some members’ annual subscriptions would expire at various dates before 1 September 2010.

To speed the renewal process we recently offered members who needed to renew between July and 1 September a special inducement; by renewing their annual subscription promptly they would get the period between their expiration date and 1 September 2010 for free.

Unfortunately glitches happen and this offer went to most members instead of just those whose renewal date was between early July and 31 August. Understandably this caused some confusion for those whose subs were due on 1 September and a few members thought they may have been missing out on a free deal.

Our annual membership fee is a low $88 and we manage a tight budget. I apologise for the confusion but this offer is only for those whose subscription renewal falls in the early July – 31 August period.

I hope this explains the nature of this one-off offer and that it wasn’t meant to give all members up to two free months on the annual subscription. Instead we are working on other means to provide value and meaning of an ASC membership this coming subscription year. One such example is the professional development workshops in Sydney which offer a very favourable members’ discount (see http://www.asc.asn.au/2010/07/climate_change_workshops/ ). Check the website for news of other upcoming plans.

Remember that annual subs for most members become due on 1 September.

Cost of membership:

* Individual membership is $88 per annum (incl. GST) * Student membership (with appropriate ID) is $35.20 (incl. GST) * Associate membership (with explanation) is $35.20 (incl. GST) * Corporate membership is $528 (incl. GST).

As always I appreciate your feedback and put effort into making your great suggestions a reality.

Cheers, Jesse

Jesse Shore

President, Australian Science Communicators

http://www.asc.asn.au/

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Dear ASC’ers,

Sent on behalf of Teresa Belcher and Valerie Gregory

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.

There are so many events we can’t list them all here (it runs to 14 pages). Visit www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/category/bulletins/biodiversity-bulletin and find out what’s happening in your state during National Science Week.

Kind regards,

Teresa and Valerie

Coordinators, International Year of Biodiversity (Australia)

Teresa Belcher (teresa.belcher@museum.wa.gov.au | tel: 08 9212 3760) Valerie Gregory (valerie.gregory@austmus.gov.au | tel: 02 9320 6342)

http://www.biodiversity.org.au

This bulletin has been sent by Science in Public, on behalf of CAMD and the International Year of Biodiversity Coordinators.

IYOB is an initiative of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors (CAMD), funded with assistance from the Science Connections Program within the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

Keep up to date with biodiversity events by visiting www.biodiversity2010.org.au.

Find out about more National Science Week events at www.scienceweek.gov.au.

The full bulletin is too large to post to the list. You can read it online at http://www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/category/bulletins/biodiversity-bulletin

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Australia’s number one selling author Matthew Reilly is at the Shine Dome, Canberra tomorrow for the Australian Science Festival event: Sci Fi to Life at 4.30pm. He is just one of the amazing people at tomorrow’s Geek is Chic day. Come on down to see:

10.45am – Paper Plane Pilots

Do you know how to make the perfect paper aeroplane? Join the Paper Plane Pilots to learn how!!!!

Learn about flight in nature, lift drag gravity and propulsion.

11.30am – Chess Contest

Chess champion and winner of the first Australian TV series Beauty and the Geek, Jeremy Reading will be playing speed chess, and giving away ‘how to win a beauty’ tips to anyone that beats him.

12pm – Hard on the Thumbs – Science of Gaming

Gaming is big business with profits almost equaling the movie industry. This talk features Tony Oakden of Bioshock and others outlined below, answering questions on what goes into these games.

Panel:

· Lea Bartlett – Physics in games

· Tony Oakden – a brief history of gaming hardware and what the future holds

· Jay Kyburz (/The Cloud/) – how games will be made and played in the future

· Adam Clark – Making None player characters behave like real people

1.45pm – Paper Plane Pilots (see above)

3pm – Cartoon Workshop

CSIRO’s Mike McRae will teach kids of all ages how to make a cartoon that is scientifically accurate.

4.20pm – Costumed Avengers –Announcement of the winner the best dressed super hero from the general public. See you all there dressed up.

Sci Fi to Life – 4.30pm

How do you use science to make the Unimaginable Tangible?

Australia’s number one selling author Matthew Reilly will join fellow science fiction and fantasy authors and producers to discuss their inspirations etc.

Panel

· Matthew Reilly – author of The Five Greatest Warriors.

· Jack Heath – local author of the Third Transmission.

· Katie Taylor – local author of the Griffin.

· Moderator Ché Baker – local author of the Journalist.

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>From the tiniest human cells to the greatest volcanoes, from the milky way to computer vision and chicken talk, six top Australian scientists are in the running for this year’s Eureka Prizes People’s Choice Award and it’s time to cast your vote.

The People’s Choice Award goes to the scientist who receives the most online votes during the voting period.

The six scientists to vote for are:

Professor Chris Evans and Dr K-lynn Smith – a team of Sydney animal behaviouralists who have studied chickens and learned they can communicate in complex ways never known before.

Dr Clinton Fookes – a Brisbane signals processor who has harnessed the power of computer vision to recognise and report on people and actions to improve our security in public places.

Professor Naomi McClure-Griffiths – a Sydney astrophysicist who has made a giant map of hydrogen in the Milky Way that gives us insights into how our galaxy was created.

Dr Clare Parish – a Melbourne stem cell scientist who has found new ways to rewire the injured brain by improved cell transplants.

Dr Wouter Schellart- a geophysicist/geologist from Melbourne who created a new theory of Earth dynamics to answers to the big questions like what creates mountain ranges, ocean basins, volcanoes and earthquakes

Ryan Taft – a Brisbane geneticist who has found the smallest known keys to turning genes on and off and discovered that what was once considered ‘junk’ DNA is actually essential to our humanity

To find out more about the finalists and vote, visit http://eureka.australianmuseum.net.au/vote. Hurry, voting closes midnight AEST Sunday 15 August.

Everyone who votes has the chance to win great prizes, including Microsoft software, New Scientist subscriptions, Abbey’s book vouchers, ABC merchandise and a chance to have their DNA sequenced by Australian Museum scientists.

Presented by the Australian Museum with support from the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, ABC, Microsoft, New Scientist and Abbey’s Bookshop, Sydney, the People’s Choice Awards winner will be announced at a black tie gala dinner in Sydney on August 17.

Ruth Carr Coordinator, Australian Museum Eureka Prizes

Australian Museum 6 College Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia t 61 2 9320 6230 f 61 2 9320 6074 www.australianmuseum.net.auwww.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka

Inspiring the exploration of nature and cultures

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ALIVE UNTIL 19 SEPTEMBER 2010 A dynamic program of events celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity TALKS

What is it about cartoons that our brains just love so much? Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder, but art is all about the brain. Come join CSIRO writer and illustrator Mike McRae at the Shine Dome for the Australian Science Festival as he explores the psychology and neurology behind art, looking at how optical illusions tell us a lot about how our senses work and why a few squiggles and lines on a page can tell a story that makes us laugh and cry.

Date: Saturday, 14 August

Time: 3pm (1 hour)

Venue: Shine Dome, Australian Academy of Science, Gordon Street Canberra ACT

Age: All ages

Cost: Free, No bookings required

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Ever wondered why some people are scared of heights, men with beards, or the number 13?

Or why we cross our fingers or knock on wood to keep evil at bay?

The Australian Science Festival is celebrating Friday the 13th with a lecture on the science of spooks at the Shine Dome, Australian Academy of Science tonight from 6pm.

Dr Annukka Lindell from the School of Psychological Science at Melbourne’s La Trobe University will explore the psychology of fears, phobias and superstition, and discover what’s happening in your brain when you’re frightened.

If you’ve ever wondered why people avoid walking under ladders, throw spilled salt over their shoulders, or worry about a black cat crossing their path, this talk is for you.

Combining the history of psychology with modern neuroscience, we’ll investigate how fears develop and explore the roles your mind and brain play in sustaining phobias and superstitions.

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*Nano measure for measure – sizing up Nanotechnology*

Seminar by Nanotechnologist Jan Herrmann

Wed 18th August 6pm for 6.30 start

Nano particles can physically penetrate our brains, our bodies and our phones. They are revolutionizing many aspects of modern life – from sunscreen to computers. They can even be used to cure us of alcoholism! But do we fully understand the risks associated with such tiny technology. Jan and the NMI Nanometrology team are currently designing and building an ultra precision atomic force microscope which will be able to make images of objects at the nanoscale and measure their dimensions accurately. Jan Herrmann talks about how we can use these images to better understand nanotechnologies and gauge the risks.

Presented by the Australian Science Communicators and National Science Week

Luck door prize to be won and may be followed by nibbles.

*Where:* Westpac Auditorium, Level E, the Bancroft Centre *Queensland Institute of Medical Research*

300 Herston Road, Herston, next to the Royal Children’s Hospital. ** *Map:* http://www.qimr.edu.au/page/Map_of_Location/

*Parking:* The nearest parking complex is the Wilson Parking station opposite the Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre on Herston Road. ** *Public transport:* *Bus:* The nearest bus stop is the Royal Children’s Hospital bus stop on the Northern Busway. The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital bus stop on the Northern Busway is a 10 minute walk from our entrance. Train: Bowen Hills or Brunswick Street (Fortitude Valley) train stations are a 20 minute walk from the Institute.

*Map:* http://www.qimr.edu.au/page/Map_of_Location/

Any questions please contact Sophie Baker. *Sophie.L.J.Baker@gmail.com*

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*Posted on behalf of Brains Matter*

The Brains Matter Podcast and the Monash Science Centre have joined forces to bring to the public a special National Science Week event on Sunday the 15th of August.

PhD student Corin Storkey will give a presentation on the Chocolate, brazil nuts, antioxidants and the fight against free radicals – you may know Corin from television’s “Beauty and the Geek Australia”.

Clive Weeks will be providing live music for a great atmosphere

Internationally renowned palaeontologist Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich will then be interviewed by the OG from Brains Matter. Join the live audience to ask questions, win prizes and enjoy a wonderful and lively discussion.

This exciting event is followed by “Lunch with the Palaeontologists” in which you will have to opportunity to informally discuss palaeo research, dig sites, field trips and more.

11:00 am Centre Opens. Screening of Monash University Science Communication Documentaries. 11.30 am Corin Storkey – Chocolate, brazil nuts, antioxidants and the fight against free radicals 12:00 pm Podcast Interview with Patricia Vickers-Rich 1:00 pm Lunch with the Palaeontologists 3:00 pm Centre closes.

Throughout the day visitors will be able to explore the exhibitions and children will be able to participate in hands-on activities.

Bookings for The Lunch are essential and will cost between $12-14 per head.

The event will be held in the main hall at Monash Science Centre, Building 74, Normanby Rd, Monash University, Clayton Campus, VIC 3800.

Contact (03) 9905 1370 via phone, or email msc@sci.monash.edu.au

Full details here: http://www.brainsmatter.com/?p=283 or here: http://www.sciencecentre.monash.edu.au/natsciwk.html _______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115