Dear ASCers,

In 2011 Australia will hold one of the world’s largest meetings of earth scientists. They will explore all the physical aspects of our planet, from deep in the Earth’s core to our place in space.

Given recent natural disasters-such as the Pakistan floods, Black Saturday bushfires, Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, 2010 Chile earthquake, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano-the Earth seems ever more restless and destructive, and the impact on human life and infrastructure is increasingly heavy.

So it is important to understand how the Earth works-which means the 25th General Assembly of the International Union of Geophysics and Geodesy in Melbourne from 28 June to 7 July 2011 will be a focus of attention, not only for the 3,000 delegates expected to attend, but for many others besides.

We want to extend the conversation from the conference, bringing earth science to the wider community. We’d welcome your thoughts and support to achieve this.

We’re helping the conference team create a public and media outreach program to bring the ideas of the speakers to the widest possible audience and to engage the community in discussing the hot issues in earth science-from water security to climate change; from natural disaster warnings to tracking the best surf waves.

This email is intended to start that conversation. Over the next two months we want to identify:

· Groups interested in hosting public events in association with the conference;

· Opportunities to reach students and teachers;

· Potential supporters and sponsors of public and media outreach; and

· Any other ideas that will engage a wide audience in Australia and internationally.

To get you thinking, here are notes on some of the conference speakers, and a list of potential topics.

Speakers already committed to the conference include:

· Thomas H. Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Center, who has helped redefine plate tectonics and how our continents ‘sail’ across the surface of the Earth;

· Greg Ayers, director of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology;

· David Vaughan from the British Antarctic Survey who is leading the efforts to measure ice fields and deliver global sea-level rise projections for the next 200 years;

· Demetris Koutsoyiannis, a hydrologist at the National Technical University of Athens. His work in modelling water resources is challenging the assumptions behind global climate change models. He has also written on the history of water resource development during antiquity. Who invented the bathroom and when?

· Daniel Baker leads the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He is working to access data from the nuclear explosion detectors that are built into every GPS satellite and which could reveal much about powerful lightning strikes, space hazards like meteoroids and man-made debris, and severe solar and space weather events;

· Stephen Self, from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who has published widely on the impact of large-scale volcanic eruptions on the environment and society;

· Brian Kennett, chair of the Australian Academy of Science Committee on Earth Science, has conducted a systematic study of the seismic properties across our continent; and

· Anny Cazenave from the French space agency CNES whose work on ocean topography suggests that sea levels are rising faster than predicted.

The conference will cover practically everything physical about our planet including:

· natural disaster warning systems;

· remote sensing and satellite measurement;

· climate change;

· earthquakes, tsunamis and tectonic plate movement;

· seamounts, life, and geological activity of the deep ocean;

· deep sea drilling and mining;

· hot rocks and geothermal energy;

· underground water resources;

· radioactive elements;

· space weather and cosmic radiation;

· icebergs, glaciers and polar science;

· snow and avalanches;

· mountain formation;

· evolution of the earth;

· volcanoes;

· new remote exploration technologies, such as magnetotellurics;

· Earth’s magnetic field, its reversal, and the wandering magnetic poles;

· geoengineering and renewable energy;

· interplanetary comparisons; and

· mineral formation.

For further information on the Public and Media Outreach program, please contact me:

Niall Byrne (niall@scienceinpublic.com.au) +61 3 9398 1416

Or Simon Torok (Simon.Torok@csiro.au). Simon chairs the Media and Community Liaison committee.

For further information about sponsorship representation or participating in the IUGG 2011 industry exhibition, contact:

Nick Cadey (ncadey@arinex.com.au) or phone +61 2 9265 0812

Kind regards,

Niall Byrne,

Creative Director, Science in Public, for the organising committee of the 25th IUGG.

________

Science in Public

82 Hudsons Road (PO Box 2076), Spotswood VIC 3015

Office: 03 9398 1416 Mobile: 0417 131 977 niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Twitter scienceinpublic

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115

Sent on behalf of Samantha Selinger-Morris of the Sydney Morning Herald

Dear ASCers,

In 2011 Australia will hold one of the world’s largest meetings of earth scientists. They will explore all the physical aspects of our planet, from deep in the Earth’s core to our place in space.

Given recent natural disasters-such as the Pakistan floods, Black Saturday bushfires, Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, 2010 Chile earthquake, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano-the Earth seems ever more restless and destructive, and the impact on human life and infrastructure is increasingly heavy.

So it is important to understand how the Earth works-which means the 25th General Assembly of the International Union of Geophysics and Geodesy in Melbourne from 28 June to 7 July 2011 will be a focus of attention, not only for the 3,000 delegates expected to attend, but for many others besides.

We want to extend the conversation from the conference, bringing earth science to the wider community. We’d welcome your thoughts and support to achieve this.

We’re helping the conference team create a public and media outreach program to bring the ideas of the speakers to the widest possible audience and to engage the community in discussing the hot issues in earth science-from water security to climate change; from natural disaster warnings to tracking the best surf waves.

This email is intended to start that conversation. Over the next two months we want to identify:

· Groups interested in hosting public events in association with the conference;

· Opportunities to reach students and teachers;

· Potential supporters and sponsors of public and media outreach; and

· Any other ideas that will engage a wide audience in Australia and internationally.

To get you thinking, here are notes on some of the conference speakers, and a list of potential topics.

Speakers already committed to the conference include:

· Thomas H. Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Center, who has helped redefine plate tectonics and how our continents ‘sail’ across the surface of the Earth;

· Greg Ayers, director of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology;

· David Vaughan from the British Antarctic Survey who is leading the efforts to measure ice fields and deliver global sea-level rise projections for the next 200 years;

· Demetris Koutsoyiannis, a hydrologist at the National Technical University of Athens. His work in modelling water resources is challenging the assumptions behind global climate change models. He has also written on the history of water resource development during antiquity. Who invented the bathroom and when?

· Daniel Baker leads the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He is working to access data from the nuclear explosion detectors that are built into every GPS satellite and which could reveal much about powerful lightning strikes, space hazards like meteoroids and man-made debris, and severe solar and space weather events;

· Stephen Self, from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who has published widely on the impact of large-scale volcanic eruptions on the environment and society;

· Brian Kennett, chair of the Australian Academy of Science Committee on Earth Science, has conducted a systematic study of the seismic properties across our continent; and

· Anny Cazenave from the French space agency CNES whose work on ocean topography suggests that sea levels are rising faster than predicted.

The conference will cover practically everything physical about our planet including:

· natural disaster warning systems;

· remote sensing and satellite measurement;

· climate change;

· earthquakes, tsunamis and tectonic plate movement;

· seamounts, life, and geological activity of the deep ocean;

· deep sea drilling and mining;

· hot rocks and geothermal energy;

· underground water resources;

· radioactive elements;

· space weather and cosmic radiation;

· icebergs, glaciers and polar science;

· snow and avalanches;

· mountain formation;

· evolution of the earth;

· volcanoes;

· new remote exploration technologies, such as magnetotellurics;

· Earth’s magnetic field, its reversal, and the wandering magnetic poles;

· geoengineering and renewable energy;

· interplanetary comparisons; and

· mineral formation.

For further information on the Public and Media Outreach program, please contact me:

Niall Byrne (niall@scienceinpublic.com.au) +61 3 9398 1416

Or Simon Torok (Simon.Torok@csiro.au). Simon chairs the Media and Community Liaison committee.

For further information about sponsorship representation or participating in the IUGG 2011 industry exhibition, contact:

Nick Cadey (ncadey@arinex.com.au) or phone +61 2 9265 0812

Kind regards,

Niall Byrne,

Creative Director, Science in Public, for the organising committee of the 25th IUGG.

________

Science in Public

82 Hudsons Road (PO Box 2076), Spotswood VIC 3015

Office: 03 9398 1416 Mobile: 0417 131 977 niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Twitter scienceinpublic

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115

Dear ASC’ers

Here is the latest physics bulletin, sent on behalf of Brian James, President of the Australian Institute of Physics.

The full bulletin is too long to post on the list – below is a brief summary of some of the events and the table of contents.

To view the full bulletin, visit http://www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/bulletins/aip-presidents-blog/physics-in-december-2010

Kind regards,

Niall

Dear ASC’ers,

The Council of Australian Museum Directors and the Ecological Society of Australia are holding a reception and free public forum in Canberra next Tuesday 7 December.

ASC members are invited.

The Council of Australian Museum Directors invite you to a reception and public forum for the International Year of Biodiversity

To be held on Tuesday 7 December at the CSIRO Discovery Centre, Clunies Ross Street, Black Mountain, ACT from 7 pm.

The reception will celebrate the achievements of the International Year of Biodiversity activities coordinated in Australia by the Council, and introduce you to keynote speakers from the 2010 Annual Conference of the Ecological Society of Australia.

Then join us at 7.30 pm for a free public forum Biodiversity and You presented by the Ecological Society.

The discussion will be facilitated by Tony Peacock, CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre Association.

Guest speakers will be:

* Dr Peter Bridgewater, Chair of the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee will discuss “Who moved my magic pudding? Seven steps to sustainability”

* Professor Charles Krebs, Retired Fellow, University of British Columbia will tell us “What ecologists know that now underpins sustainability”

* Dr Lorrae van Kerkhoff, Lecturer, Australian National University will explore “Science in the age of democracy, or democracy in the age of science”

Please RSVP for the reception and forum to Niall Byrne, niall@scienceinpublic.com.au, ph 03 9398 1416.

For more information visit http://www.biodiversity2010.org.au/2010/10/biodiversity-and-you/

Kind regards,

Niall

________

Niall Byrne

Science in Public has moved to:

82 Hudsons Road, Spotswood Vic 3015 Our postal address is PO Box 2076 Spotswood VIC 3015 Our landline stays the same – 03 9398 1416

Niall’s mobile: 0417 131 977 Sarah’s mobile: 0413 332 489

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Twitter scienceinpublic Full contact details at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/blog

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115

Dear ASC’ers,

Here is a rundown on the December bulletin celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity (IYOB) and sent on behalf of the Council of Australian Museum Directors.

You can view the full bulletin online at http://www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/bulletins/biodiversity-bulletin/december2010.

If you are in Canberra next week, join us at CSIRO’s Discovery Centre for a reception and public forum to celebrate the achievements of the International Year of Biodiversity.

The key news stories from the bulletin are:

Sustaining biodiversity: the next 50 years – Public events Join the Ecological Society of Australia at its conference, Sustaining biodiversity: the next 50 years, at the Australian National University, Canberra. If you can’t make the public forum there is also a film night on Thursday 9 December. More details and registration at http://www.esa2010.org.au/publiclecture.html

Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010-2030 released Released by the Australian Government on 27 October, the strategy is a guiding framework for conserving Australia’s biodiversity. It outlines the current crisis of declining biodiversity, and sets priorities for actions which will:

· engage all Australians in biodiversity conservation;

· build ecosystem resilience in a changing climate; and

· produce measurable results You can read or download the strategy from http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/strategy/index.html.

Update: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities In September 2010, the Commonwealth department responsible for biodiversity had its name changed and received a new Minister. It’s now the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPC), and is responsible to The Hon. Tony Burke, Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and Senator The Hon. Don Farrell, Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water. Find out more at http://www.environment.gov.au/index.html.

Margaret Wertheim – Live 21 December 2010, The Age Theatre, Melbourne Museum Margaret Wertheim, science writer and co-creator of The Melbourne Reef-a satellite of the worldwide Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project created in 2005-will be presenting a public talk at the Melbourne Museum. For more information visit http://melbournesatellitereef.blogspot.com/

UN Climate Change Conference Mexico is hosting the 16th Conference of the Parties for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 29 November to 10 December. Among key issues being discussed will be the challenge of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation by rewarding developing nations for protecting, restoring and sustainably managing forests. This may be one of the cheapest ways to cut global greenhouses gases and is also important for biodiversity. More information at http://unfccc.int/2860.php

Forest Day Forest Day 4 will take place on 5 December 2010, alongside the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 16th Conference of the Parties in Cancún, Mexico. More than 1800 participants will attend the day which is themed Time to Act. Forest Day 4 aims to highlight the urgency of ensuring the survival of the world’s forests, the biodiversity they embrace and the hundreds of millions of people who depend on them. The event will serve as a bridge between the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity and the 2011 International Year of Forests. More information at http://www.forestsclimatechange.org

XVIII International Botanical Congress (IBC) 24-30 July 2011, Melbourne, Australia Australia has a vibrant scientific community active across all botanical disciplines and its researchers play a prominent and highly collaborative role in international biological sciences. Australia’s botanical community is eager to welcome colleagues from around the world to the 2011 IBC for an intellectually stimulating and socially memorable occasion. For further details see http://www.ibc2011.com/. Registration is now open.

Biodiversity events around the country In total, there are 21 events taking place around the country over the month including the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand’s end-of-year party in Sydney (non-members welcome); an exhibition of mammals, birds and reptiles from around the world at the Melbourne Museum; biodiversity at sea and the Port River dolphins at the South Australian Maritime Museum; and more.

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! Try it out at www.biodiversity2010.org.au/?monkeyme.

Thank you for supporting the International Year of Biodiversity. We hope you have had the opportunity to participate in a range of events over the year.

For full details of events and activities near you, and visit www.biodiversity2010.org.au. The website is open for events, blogs, essays, photos and more. Please use it to promote your own events and ideas. It is the only source of event listings for this bulletin.

We are keen to communicate with anyone with an interest in biodiversity. Please pass this bulletin on to others you think might like to receive it.

Our next bulletin will be in January and will include a wrap of the achievements of the Year.

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year

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.biodiversity2010.org.au

This bulletin has been sent by Science in Public, on behalf of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors (CAMD) and the International Year of Biodiversity Coordinators. International Year Of Biodiversity 2010 is an initiative of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors, funded with assistance from the Science Connections Program within the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

Kind regards,

Niall ________

Niall Byrne

Science in Public has moved to:

82 Hudsons Road, Spotswood Vic 3015 Our postal address is PO Box 2076 Spotswood VIC 3015 Our landline stays the same – 03 9398 1416

Niall’s mobile: 0417 131 977 Sarah’s mobile: 0413 332 489

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Twitter scienceinpublic Full contact details at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/blog

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115

This is a reminder, sent out once a month, about your lists.asc.asn.au mailing list memberships. It includes your subscription info and how to use it to change it or unsubscribe from a list.

You can visit the URLs to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.

In addition to the URL interfaces, you can also use email to make such changes. For more info, send a message to the ‘-request’ address of the list (for example, mailman-request@lists.asc.asn.au) containing just the word ‘help’ in the message body, and an email message will be sent to you with instructions.

If you have questions, problems, comments, etc, send them to mailman-owner@lists.asc.asn.au. Thanks!

Passwords for j84ag4hg8@sonofhut.com:

List Password // URL

Niall and ASC

I run an email list for chemistry teachers in Victoria on behalf of the RACI and am happy to promote International Year of Chemistry events or activities for students and teachers.

Send details to mmoylan@unimelb.edu.au

Also our International Year of Chemistry calendar has just come off the press and is for sale for $10 per copy (inc GST, p&h). The front and back covers are online at www.vicsco.com.au/images/front.jpg www.vicsco.com.au/images/back.jpg

It features research images from the University of Melbourne School of Chemistry including malaria-infected red blood cells, fluorescent mitochondria, bone growing around titanium dioxide fibres, brightly coloured powders and more! The calendars are 21 x 21 cm ­ great for an office wall. Contact me to order.

Regards Mick.

Dear Ascers,

Next year is the International Year of Chemistry and the International Year of Forests.

RACI is coordinating a program for chemistry.

But does anyone know if there are any plans for Forests Year.

And are there any more Years?

We’re not involved in planning for either year but are curious about what’s happening.

Feel free to respond on or off list.

I’ll compile your answers and post them back to the list.

And we will also provide links to major events in our wrap up bulletins for the International Year of Biodiversity.

Kind regards,

Niall

________

Niall Byrne

Science in Public has moved to:

82 Hudsons Road, Spotswood Vic 3015 Our postal address is PO Box 2076 Spotswood VIC 3015 Our landline stays the same – 03 9398 1416.

Niall’s mobile: 0417 131 977 Sarah’s mobile: 0413 332 489

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Twitter scienceinpublic Full contact details at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/blog

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115

Executive Assistant ­ ASC NSW Part time ­ project-based

ASC NSW is seeking a self-motivated and organised person to facilitate several projects with the goal of enlivening the branch.

Reporting to the branch¹s executive committee, the executive assistant will work on projects including the following: * Contacting lapsed members to discuss the branch¹s benefits or shortfalls * Organising and promoting a student-focussed event for prospective science communicators and new members * To build networks with related organisations for the purpose of promoting the ASC¹s offerings. * Facilitate the Branch¹s web and new media presence

The scope of the current position is for 70 hours over approximately 10 months, with a budget of around $2000. The incumbent will work as a contractor, and as such will need to supply their own computer, office space and cover utility charges, insurance etc.

Skills required: * Demonstrated ability to work without close supervision * Demonstrated ability to manage projects through to completion * Willingness to network through email, phone, in person both one-to-one and with large groups. * An understanding of the breadth of science communication careers. * Excellent communication skills * Experience in promoting events

Desirable skills * Experience in event management * Computer skills, experience with new media web page management

Please send brief applications (2 pages max) to ascnsw@gmail.com by 5 PM Friday 10th December.

== Dr Philip Dooley | Manager of Outreach Programs School of Physics | Faculty of Science

THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY T +61 2 9351 3201 | F +61 2 9351 7726 | M +61 414 94 55 77 E Phil.Dooley@sydney.edu.au | W http://sydney.edu.au/science/physics/schools_community Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/School-of-Physics-University-of-Sydney/2482078 02670

CRICOS 00026A This email plus any attachments to it are confidential. Any unauthorised use is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please delete it and any attachments. Please think of our environment and only print this e-mail if necessary

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115