Welcome to my monthly bulletin with news and events for September 2010 and beyond.
This month the AIP is stimulating neurons in Canberra, exploiting colour in Sydney, illustrating the history of computers in Brisbane and talking about radiation–free nuclear energy in Melbourne.
Don’t forget the CSIRO Lindfield and NMI (National Measurement Institute) open day where you can find out how modern movies such as Avatar use science, technology, engineering and lots of complicated maths. Follow it on Twitter: @NMIOpenDay or Facebook: NMI Open Day.
And pencil in 11 November as the 2010 Physics in Industry Day, at CSIRO Lindfield in Sydney, where physicists will discuss how science and technology will determine the urban transport infrastructure of the far future.
These and many more events are listed below.
Don’t forget that registrations for the AIP congress have now opened; the links are below.
And don’t forget our online calendar of physics events. It’s at http://www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/aip-events. You can use the calendar to book events into your outlook or internet calendar, and you can submit events to the calendar.
This month I am seeking a new books review editor for “Australian Physics”. Let me know if you are interested. You are also welcome to contact me regarding other AIP or general physics matters; just email aip_president@aip.org.au.
Please note that replies to this email go to Niall Byrne, Science in Public, whose team compiles and manages the bulletin on my behalf, and also handles corrections, updates and bounces. If you have news or other information for the bulletin, email Niall by the 23rd of each month.
Kind regards,
Brian James,
AIP President
In this bulletin:
1. AIP events across the country
2. Other activities: for the general public, students and teachers
3. Seeking books review editor for “Australian Physics”
4. AIP 2010 Congress – Special Sessions
5. Competitions for school students
9. Submission deadlines for the bulletin and journal
AIP events across the country
Australian Capital Territory
22 Sep 2010, 6:00 PM, refreshments available from 5:30 PM
AIP ACT branch meeting
TITLE: Dynamic microscopy: From optical micro-manipulation to neuron stimulation
SPEAKER: Dr Vincent Daria, The Australian National University
VENUE: TBA
For more info click here.
New South Wales
21 Sep 2010, 6:00 PM
AIP NSW Branch meeting
SPEAKER: Felix Lawrence, University of Sydney
VENUE: Slade Lecture Theatre, School of Physics, University of Sydney
• 5.30-6.30 pm lecture by Felix Lawrence, University of Sydney.
• 6:35-7.00 pm refreshments, Slade Lecture Theatre.
- · 7.00 pm lecture by David Coutts, Macquarie University
• 8.00 pm dinner with the speaker at Buon Gusto (Italian), 368 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale.
E-mail Dr Fred Osman (fred_osman@exemail.com.au) for more info, and if you will be able to join us for dinner.
Upcoming branch meetings:
| Date | Speaker/s | Title |
| 26 Oct | Richard Newbury, University of New South Wales | Every thing you wanted to know about quantum transport but were afraid to ask |
| 23 Nov | Annual General Meeting, Postgraduate Day & Annual Dinner | |
11 Nov 2010, registration opens at 8:30 AM (for 9:00 AM start) to 5:00 PM
2010 Physics in Industry Day: The future of urban transport
VENUE: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bradfield Road, Lindfield
How will science and technology (and society and psychology?) determine the urban transport infrastructure of the far future? How will our urban transport infrastructure appear in a couple of decades or more from now? At the very least, the choice to speed will have been taken away with electronically governed cars, but will they fully drive themselves? The program will explore the range of possible futures for cars as well as all forms of public transport.
For more information visit: http://physics-industry.com/index.html
Queensland
17 Sep 2010, 3:00 PM
AIP Queensland Branch committee meeting
VENUE: University of Queensland, Physics Annex
21 Sep 2010, 6:00 PM
TITLE: An illustrated history of computing in Australia
SPEAKER: Max Burnet, Burnet Antique Computer Knowhow Pty Ltd
VENUE: University of Queensland, Parnell Building (7), R. 222
For more info visit http://qld.aip.org.au/meeting-archive.php
South Australia
30 Sep 2010, 7:30 PM
TITLE: Laser Applications in Medicine
SPEAKER: Jim Piper, Macquarie University
VENUE: Chapman Lecture Theatre, N158, Engineering North Building, University of Adelaide
Victoria
14 Sep 2010, 5:00 PM- 7:00 PM
TITLE: AIP education committee (Victoria) meeting
VENUE: Kew High School, Kew
All teachers are welcome to attend this or any other meeting. If you would like to attend, please contact the chair, Sue Grant, at susanmgrant1@bigpond.com
23 Sep 2010, 6.30 PM
TITLE: Nuclear Energy without Radioactive Radiation
SPEAKER: Heinrich Hora, University of New South Wales
VENUE: Old Geology Building South – Theatre 2, Melbourne University
10 Sep 2010, 3:00 PM – 7:30 PM
TITLE: Photonics workshop for VCE students
VENUE: La Trobe University, Bundoora campus
The free program will include:
3:00pm Lecture on theory of photonics by Prof Laurence Cahill, La Trobe University
4:00pm Round robin through over 12 practical activities plus demonstrations of photonics pracs by the Dept of Electronic Engineering. Check www.vicphysics.org/photonics.html for the range of practical activities available.
6:00pm Pizzas and Coke dinner
6:45pm Lecture on applications of photonics by Mr Darrell Elton, La Trobe University
7:30pm Finish
To book please contact the AIP at danok@bigpond.com with subject “Registration: Photonics workshop” giving school details and number of students.
Tasmania
16 Nov 2010, 5:00 PM
TITLE: Tasmanian branch AGM
VENUE: Physics Theatre 3, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay
Other activities: for the general public, students and teachers
New South Wales
19 Sep 2010, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (note: postponed from original date of 15 August)
TITLE: CSIRO Lindfield and NMI (National Measurement Institute) open day
VENUE: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering Lindfield, Bradfield Road, West Lindfield, NSW 2070
Learn how important accurate measurement is to everyday life.
Hear about our research in measurement, physics, engineering and materials science.
Chat with our scientists about their work. Discover pathways to a career in science.
If that’s not enough …
Find out how modern movies such as Avatar use science, technology, engineering and lots of complicated maths.
Be entertained by ‘The Excited Particles’, Questacon’s theatre troupe, as they explore all things measurement.
Follow it on Twitter: @NMIOpenDay or Facebook: NMI Open Day.
Queensland
Marcelo Gleiser at the Brisbane Writers Festival, 2-5 Sep 2010
Marcelo Gleiser is Professor of Natural Philosophy, Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College. His lectures are as popular with literature students as they are with science students. He is the multi-award winning author of The Dancing Universe: From Creation Myths to the Big Bang and The Prophet and the Astronomer: A Scientific Journey to the End of Time.
He is appearing in four sessions at the Brisbane Writers festival:
| Date | Title |
| 2 Sep, 2pm | Just What Makes Scientists So Sure? We don’t see many galaxies with the naked eye and much less a carbon atom. How do we know that they exist? Marcelo Gleiser discusses how reality is based only on what we can measure of it. |
| 4 Sep, 10am | Creative Science Theories: Understood Marcelo Gleiser has a theory that there is no theory of everything, because the universe is in fact driven by the fissures in the fabric. The universe, it appears, is gloriously messy. The skill of science communicating is convincing those around you to share your theory. Marcelo discusses his theories and how he communicates them with Robyn Williams |
| 4 Sep, 1.30pm | Science Writing is about You and the World You Live in: Marcelo Gleiser What does it take to be a good science writer? Yes, it’s important to know the material. But science writing also encompasses context, language, style, translating the technical into the palatable and the correct use of metaphor. How do you engage the reader? Come prepared with some recent writing samples or write new ones during the workshop. You will leave with a very different idea of what science writing is all about. |
| 5 Sep, 3pm | ABC Café Scientifique: Imperfect Creation – The Gloriously Messy Universe Paul Willis, ABC Catalyst; astrophysicist, Tamara Davis (UQ); physicist, Andrew White (UQ) and Marcelo grapple with some amazingly contradictory theories about how we happen to exist. |
20 Sep 2010, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
TITLE: Engineering a quantum future
SPEAKER: Gerard Milburn, University of Queensland
VENUE: Long Room, Customs House at Riverside
Doors open at 6pm. There will be complimentary drinks and nibblies following the talk, and Prof. Milburn will be available to answer any questions. Contact Andrew Stephenson at a.stephenson@uq.edu.au for more information. Further information on UQ Research Week can be viewed here.
Victoria
2 Sept 2010, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Talks for VCE physics students (Melbourne University)
TITLE: Hi-fi and surround sound
SPEAKER: Roger Rassool and Andrew Bowen
VENUE: Laby Theatre, School of Physics, University of Melbourne
The topics are relevant to the VCE Study Design, and practising physicists have agreed to deliver them. The lectures, of about 1 hour duration, will be held on Thursdays at 6 pm in the Laby Theatre of the School of Physics. Some light refreshments will be available.
Upcoming talks:
| Date | Title | Unit |
| 16 Sep | Mark Boland: The synchrotron: how and why | VCE Unit 4, study 3.1 |
| 7 Oct | The broadband network: optics and fibres | VCE Unit 2 study 2, Unit 4 study 3.2 |
| 21 Oct | Michelle Livett: Sustainable energy…. really? | VCE Unit 1 study 3.5 |
15 Sep 2010, 09:30 AM – 4:30 PM
TITLE: Going South: Phillip Law commemorative Antarctic science symposium
VENUE: Room 219, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf
COST: $100 / $75 for students
This event will commemorate the career and contribution of the late Dr Phillip Law, Director of the Australian Antarctic Division from 1949 – 1966.
CAS public lectures (Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University)
The Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing holds regular free public lectures on the Hawthorn campus (usually in room EN313) at 6.30pm.
DATE: 17 September 2010, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
TITLE: Gravitational lensing: Einstein’s unfinished symphony
SPEAKER: Richard Ellis, Caltech
VENUE: Room BA201, Swinburne University, Hawthorn campus
Free, but booking required
Contact: Elizabeth Thackray on ethackray@swin.edu.au or (03) 9214 5569
Upcoming public lectures:
| Date | Speaker | Title |
| 15 Oct | Yuri Levin, Leiden Observatory | Black holes in astronomy |
| 5 Nov | Robert Crain, Swinburne | Galactic fireworks |
| 19 Nov | Charles Lineweaver, ANU | The search for extra-terrestrials |
For more info go to the Swinburne public astronomy lecture website.
26 Nov 2010, 9:30 – 10:30 AM
SPEAKER: Free public talk by former NASA Astronaut, Jan Davis
VENUE: Victorian Space Science Education Centre, at Strathmore Secondary College, 400 Pascoe Vale Road, Strathmore, Melbourne
This is likely to fill up quickly. Book a seat on bookings@vssec.vic.edu.au. School groups are welcome.
More info: http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/events/public-talks/former-nasa-astronaut-dr-n-jan-davis/
Western Australia
Gingin Observatory, Gingin
Gingin Observatory runs a variety of public events, many suitable for families, as well as regular stargazing tours. More info is available at the Observatory website or by contacting Carol Redford or Donna Vanzetti on (08) 9575 7740 or stars@ginginobservatory.com. Contact Carol or Donna to book into events.
The Gravity Discovery Centre is open every day of the school holidays, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Special events include:
| Date | Time | Event |
| 5 Sep | 7:00 – 9:00 PM | Fathers’ Day Milky Way Stargazing |
| 10, 11, 26 Sep | 7:00 – 9:30 PM | Dark Night stargazing |
| 17, 18, 25 Sep | 7:00 – 9:30 PM | Marvellous Moon stargazing |
| 19 Sep | 6:00 – 8:30 PM | BYO Telescope Class |
| 28, 30 Sep | 7:00 – 9:00 PM | Holiday Stargazing night |
Seeking books review editor for “Australian Physics”
We are seeking a new books review editor for “Australian Physics” as the current books review editor, Dr John Holdsworth, is stepping down. If you are interested and want to find out more, please contact me at aip_president@aip.org.au.
AIP 2010 Congress – Special Sessions
A variety of special sessions will take place in and around the AIP/ACOFT 2010 Congress including a symposium of invited talks, entitled Lasers in Australia: Technology, Applications and Future Directions, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the laser as well as a short course on nanofabrication techniques, which is designed to assist researchers in choosing the appropriate nanofabrication techniques for their particular project, as well as information on how to access these capabilities within Australia. For more information on these special sessions, please visit the Congress website.
Registration for the Congress is now open and we encourage you to register prior to the early bird closing, Friday 24 September 2010.
Competitions for school students
Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest
Open to students in Grades 5 – 12 is an opportunity for students around the world to learn about the Cassini mission to Saturn and earn the chance to ask the scientists working on the mission about their work. Students watch videos of Cassini team members (scientists, engineers, mission planners, science planners, etc.) as they advocate for one of the three proposed targets.
Students are then asked to decide which target they think will yield the most interesting science results, and write an essay of up to 500 words justifying their selection.
For more details visit http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/events/competitions/cassini-scientist-for-a-day/
Applications close Wednesday 27th October, 2010
APRSAF-17 Water Rocket Event
One student between 12 and 16 years of age, and an accompanying teacher will be selected from each Australian state and territory to participate in the APRSAF-17 Water Rocket Event and Educators Workshop to be held in Melbourne 20th – 21st November 2010.
The winning student from each state will be one who has shown the ability to build and launch a water rocket to hit a 4m diameter target at a range of 60m. The winning teacher will be one who has shown innovation in use of water rockets to teach science and who best demonstrates the intention to use their participation in the workshops at APRSAF-17 to advance science teaching both within their own school and in the wider education community.
Applications should consist of a video of the launch (uploaded to the VSSEC Water Rocket Wiki) and a written application, emailed to bookings@vssec.vic.edu.au
For more info and competition rules click here.
Applications close Friday 22 October, 2010.
AIP photo and video contests
The AIP has prizes for the best photos of physics concepts and videos of physics in action, from school students (and teachers for the videos). The prize pool for each category is $1,000.
Details about the competitions are on the VicPhysics website: photocontest and videocontest.
Entries close on the last day of Term 3.
Poster design competition for space agency forum at the Victorian Space Science Education Centre, Strathmore
Students in age range 8 to 11 are invited to design a poster on the theme ‘Space Technology to help the Earth’. Entries must be in to VSSEC by Monday 11th October. A powerpoint presentation is available to assist teachers. For more details go to http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/events/competitions/aprsaf-poster-design-competition/.
Science Prizes
VSSEC—NASA Australian space prize
This prize allows an Australian university student to participate in a 10-week program, including working directly with NASA scientists and engineers, on a project that relates to their thesis topic.
More information on the Victorian Space Science Education Centre website. Applications close Monday 6th December.
Last year’s winner was Elizabeth Blaber, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, who investigated the influence of microgravity on human cellular function.
The 2011 Reber Medal
The Grote Reber medal is awarded annually for innovative lifetime contributions to radio astronomy. The prize was established by the Trustees of the Grote Reber Foundation to honour the achievements of Grote Reber and is administered by the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston, Tasmania.
Nominations for the 2011 Medal may be sent to martin.george@qvmag.tas.gov.au or mail to Martin George, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, PO Box 403, Launceston, Tasmania 7250.
Applications close 15 October 2010.
More info here: http://www.qvmag.tas.gov.au/?articleID=539
Eurekas
Congratulations to AIP member Amanda Barnard, who was awarded the 2010 University of New South Wales Eureka Prize for Scientific Research, for her research into the properties of nanoparticles in sunscreen. Amanda is leader of the Virtual Nanoscience Laboratory at the CSIRO in Victoria, and her work provides crucial guidance for the design of sunscreens, protecting outdoor-loving Australians.
And congratulations also to Martin Green, Executive Research Director of the ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence at the University of NSW, who has won the 2010 CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science for his leadership and research on photovoltaics.
More info on all the Eureka winners: http://eureka.australianmuseum.net.au/enter.
Seminars
New South Wales
Australian Telescope National Facility
The Australian Telescope National Facility holds regular colloquia on Wednesdays at 3.30pm (coffee at 3.15pm) in the ATNF Marsfield Lecture Theatre. More info here or contact Bjorn Emonts on Bjorn.Emonts@csiro.au or (02) 9372 4368.
| Date | Speaker | Title |
| 3 September | Erik Muller, Nagoya University | The unusual molecular Magellanic Clouds; Exploring molecular chemistry in early-universe analogues |
| 6 September | Manuel Aravena, NRAO | Gas and dust in massive disk galaxies and submillimeter galaxies at high-redshift |
| 22 September | Ettore Carretti, CASS/ANTF | S-PASS: a “revolving” dish to map the southern sky polarized emission |
School of Physics, University of Sydney
The School of Physics holds regular colloquia on Mondays at 3.15pm (refreshments from 3pm) in the Slade Lecture Theatre, School of Physics A28, University of Sydney. More info here or contact Bruce Yabsley (02) 9351 5970 or colloquium_chair@physics.usyd.edu.au.
| Date | Speaker | Title |
| 6 September | Melvin Hoare, University of Leeds | Massive star formation in the Galaxy |
| 13 September | Elaine Sadler, University of Sydney | Radio Astronomy Topic TBC |
| 20 September | Dr Leroy Chiao, NASA Advisory Council | The spaceflight experience and future plans |
School of Physics, University of NSW
The School of Physics holds regular colloquia on Tuesdays at 3-4pm in the School of Physics Common Room, Room 64, Old Main Building, University of NSW. More info here or contact Julian Berengut on jcb@phys.unsw.edu.au or (02) 9385 7637.
| Date | Speaker | Title |
| 9 September | Guido Garay, Universidad de Chile | The maternities of massive stars |
Queensland
Physics Department, University of Queensland
The Physics Department holds regular colloquia on Fridays at 4pm (refreshments from 3.30pm) in Room 222, Parnell Building, University of Queensland. More info here or contact Chao Feng on uqcfeng1@uq.edu.au or (07) 3346 7719.
| Date | Speaker | Title |
| 3 September | Marcelo Gleiser, Dartmouth College | Imperfect Creation |
Victoria
Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University
The Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing holds regular colloquia, usually on Thursdays at 11.30am, in the Swinburne Virtual Reality Theatre (Room 104, AR Building). More info here or Jonathon Kocz on colloquium@astro.swin.edu.au. This event will be specially catered so please RSVP at http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/colloquium/?p=306
| Date | Speaker | Title |
| 7 September | Hilton Lewis, Keck Telescope | Strategic thrusts at WMKO |
Western Australia
School of Physics, University of Western Australia
The School of Physics, UWA holds regular seminars on Tuesdays at 3.30-4.30pm in Room 2.15 (and also other times and locations, where noted). More info here or contact Gay Hollister on ghollis@cyllene.uwa.edu.au or (08) 6488 2738.
| Date | Speaker | Title |
| 14 September | John McFerran, Observatoire de Paris | Aiming for 18 significant figures with a doubly forbidden line in neutral mercury |
Conferences
2nd UNTREF International Congress on Acoustics 2010
Buenos Aires, Argentina
08 Sep – 11 Sep 2010
NEW International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications
Sydney Masonic Centre, NSW
20-24 Sep 2010
10th Conference of the Asian Crystallographic Association
BEXCO, Busan, Korea
31 Oct – 04 Nov 2010
NEW 17th Session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-17)
The Crown Conference Centre, Melbourne
23- 26 November 2010
Joint Australian Physiological Society/Australian Society for Biophysics meeting
National Wine Centre, Adelaide, SA
28 Nov – 02 Dec 2010
2010 AIP Congress
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Vic
05 Dec – 10 Dec 2010
4th IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics (ICWIP 2011)
Western Cape, South Africa
05 Apr – 09 Apr 2011
XXV International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) General Assembly: Earth on the Edge
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Vic
06 Jun – 08 Jul 2011
Register your expression of interest on the website to receive updates
XXII General Assembly and Congress of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)
Madrid, Spain
22 Aug – 31 Aug 2011
IQEC/CLEO Pacific Rim 2011
Sydney, NSW
29 Aug – 02 Sep 2011
2012 Queensland Astronomy Education Conference (QAEC)
Details to be on website early 2011
Submission deadlines for the bulletin and journal
Our next bulletin, to be sent out at the end of June, will cover events in July 2010. We welcome contributions about activities, conferences and announcements. Our next submission deadline is Wednesday 25 August. Please send your submissions to Niall Byrne or Margie Beilharz from Science in Public on margie@scienceinpublic.com.au or call (03) 9398 1416.
The AIP’s journal, Australian Physics, welcomes your articles. The deadline for the Aug-Sep issue is 30 September. Email your articles and ideas to the editor, Paulo De Souza on Paulo.Desouza@csiro.au.
_________________________
For more information on physics events go to the AIP Events Calendar.
If you know of anyone who would like to receive these updates, please feel free to forward this to them.
Kind regards,
Brian
