[30 Jul 10] Rescuing climate change science from politics

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July 30, 2010

By Professor Rosemary Lyster. First published in the Canberra Times.


Prime Minister Julia Gillard will re-prosecute the case for a carbon price following the elections. But first, she intends to build a community consensus for action. How hard is this likely to be? Earlier in the year, following “climategate” and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s unsubstantiated finding that the Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035, many claimed the case for a carbon price had evaporated.

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[29 Jul 10] Alumni awarded $57 million contract with US military

Three former University of Sydney PhD students have been awarded a $57 million contract with the United States Marine Corp to trial advanced robot technology for training soldiers in live firing exercises.

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[28 Jul 10] What foods give kids a healthy start to life?

An international symposium on the role nutrition plays in the prevention and management of pregnancy complications and early childhood diseases such as autism, asthma, obesity and cancer will be held in Adelaide this Friday, 30 July.

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[27 Jul 10] SUPPORT MUMS OR FACE FUTURE HEALTH BURDEN: STUDY

Historical barriers to breastfeeding in Australia may have contributed to the country’s chronic disease burden, according to research from The Australian National University.


The research, by Dr Julie Smith and Dr Peta Harvey of the Australian Centre for Economic Research on Health at ANU, looked at the public health impact of infants being prematurely weaned during the past five decades in Australia. Using evidence that breastfeeding reduces the risk of chronic disease later in life, and that 90 per cent of current 35-45 year olds were weaned off breastfeeding before six months of age during the 1960s, the researchers measured the legacy for our chronic disease burden.

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[27 Jul 10] Young scientists in the making

Secondary school students will experience the life of a scientist as part of a science education initiative in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry at the University of Melbourne. The students, from Aquinas College, will be performing hands-on activities in the lab as they learn the chemistry behind art conservation. The art [...]

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[22 Jul 10] What’s the best way to keep science honest?

Nature Jobs investigates integrity in science.


Two opinion pieces offer alternate views: formal inspection or peer pressure?


A confidential survey done by Gerald Koocher and Patricia Keith-Spiegel highlights the benefits of the informal approach.


Meanwhile Sandra Titus and Xavier Bosch advocate something more drastic: rewarding responsible institutional behaviour with access to additional competitive funds.

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[22 Jul 10] Toxic trio identified as the basis of coeliac disease

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists have identified the three protein fragments that make gluten – the main protein in wheat, rye and barley – toxic to people with coeliac disease. Their discovery opens the way for a new generation of diagnostics, treatments, prevention strategies and food tests for the 200,000 Australians with coeliac disease. [...]

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[22 Jul 10] Drugs that save infants’ lives

An illustration used to encourage women in Tanzania to take the medication. Researchers at the University of Sydney have found the combined intake of iron-folic acid supplements with World Health Organisation (WHO)-endorsed anti-malarial drugs during pregnancy could reduce early infant mortality in sub-Saharan Africa by a quarter. Worldwide, approximately 247 million cases of malaria each [...]

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[16 Jul 10] New theory on Earth’s foundations

A team of international researchers, led by Monash University’s Dr Wouter Schellart has developed a new global theory of Earth dynamics that explains the motions of the tectonic plates that cover the Earth’s surface and the boundaries between these plates.

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[16 Jul 10] Infinite value of natural environment questioned

The environment is a hot topic in current political debate with views on conservation highly prioritised. But a new study conducted by the University of Sydney and University of California, Riverside says that the environment should not be valued over economics and other competing interests in environmental decision-making.

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[13 Jul 10] Australia in denial over greenhouse

By Professor Rod Tiffen. First published in the Sydney Morning Herald.


One of the ironies of globalisation is that in every country in the world you can probably find a majority of people who think their country is getting a raw deal and the rest of the world is ripping them off.


Even as societies become more cosmopolitan, there is an increasing constituency appealing to parochialism. As the scale and intensity of international interactions increase, so does the potential for frictions and resentments.

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[15 - 20 Aug 10] 12th International Congress of Parasitology – Melbourne (registrations still open)

The XIIth International Congress of Parasitology (ICOPA) will be held in Melbourne, Australia, from 15-20th August 2010 at the new Exhibition and Convention Centre. All are invited to join the parasitology community at this exceptional facility that lies in the heart of Melbourne in close proximity to the scenic Yarra River, accommodation, associated parks, multicultural restaurants, cafes and bars.

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Communicating with decision-makers

A series of articles from Ecoconnect Communication Pty Ltd


How can you maximise the chance of research playing a key role in guiding policy and resource-allocation decisions, instead of gathering dust on a bookshelf?


First you need a clear appreciation of the needs of your audience, the policymaker. What do they want, when do they want it, and what’s the best format?

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