ALP to abolish the Research Quality Framework

The ALP has announced that, in government, it would abolish the Howard government's Research Quality Framework, and replace it with a metrics-based research quality assurance framework.

Speaking at the Science in Parliament event hosted in Canberra on March 27 by the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS), the Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, said that the RQF process was " cumbersome, costly and threatens to become incredibly time-consuming", and that the planned `impact' measure would skew funds away from quality research and distort outcomes.

Senator Carr pointed out that the Productivity Commission's recent report on Science and Innovation had warned that the costs of implementing the RQF may well exceed the benefits.

"Labor will work hand in hand with researchers, and their institutions, to develop a research quality assurance framework that is world’s best practice. It will be metrics based. It will be transparent. It will take due account of differences between disciplines and discipline groups so that measures are fair, and funding can flow equitably," Senator Carr said.

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ARC seeks new CEO

The Australian Research Council is recruiting a new Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of Professor Peter Høj take up the position of Vice-Chancellor at the University of South Australia in June this year.

Applications for the position close on 27 April. More information is atwww.arc.gov.au.

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CSIRO report calls for action on marine climate change impacts

CSIRO has released the report of a major study of the impacts of climate change on Australian marine life, warning that Australia can expect changes that will have social and economic implications in particular for the fisheries and tourism industries.

The report, produced by the CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Research Flagship and the Australian Greenhouse Office, ranks the vulnerability of marine life in each of seven Large Marine Domains around Australia's coast, and reviews the literature on the climate impacts on thirteen groups of marine life and habitats around Australia.

The rating system indicated that the Eastern-central and South-east domains were the most vulnerable to both climate impacts and overall exposure, although all seven domains tested were rated as moderately vulnerable to climate change.

The report finds that the most affected marine groups are likely to be tropical coral reefs, cold water coral reefs, rocky reefs and kelps, plankton and species that live on or near the sea floor.

However, one of the key conclusions is that there are major information gaps about the biology and ecology of the marine groups examined and the ways in which they might respond to environmental changes. The report calls for a strategic program that includes a combination of monitoring and modelling of potential impacts.

" Without this, we cannot progress far beyond the conclusion that climate impacts are occurring in Australia, and that some of the impacts might prove severe. Concommitently, we will be unable to predict the full character, magnitude, and the breadth of community and ecological impacts and implications."

The report sets out three general findings:

• First, although particular factors such as temperature stand out as prominent drivers of observed changes in Australia’s marine flora and fauna, it is the combined effects of multiple climate and oceanographic factors that will shape Australia’s marine life in the future.
• Second, Australia’s marine life is currently affected strongly by non-climate related stressors such as fisheries, coastal runoff and pollution, and the ecological effects of these stressors will serve to reduce ecosystem resilience to climate change. An integrated and adaptive management approach is required to deal with these combined effects.
• Third, both monitoring time series data and modelling of climate change impacts in Australia’s marine ecosystems are extremely limited at present, and represent crucial components of a strategic national assessment of climate change impacts so that intelligent policies and management strategies can be developed.

Detailed recommendations are provided in the report to address issues identified for each of the thirteen marine groups studied.

The report, Impacts of Climate Change on Australian Marine Life, is edited by Alistair J. Hobday, Thomas A. Okey, Elvira S. Poloczanska, Thomas J. Kunz and Anthony J. Richardson. It is available here

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Legislation for new forest and wood R&D body introduced

Legislation has been introduced into Parliament which provides for a new industry owned R&D and marketing company that will replace the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation (FWPRDC).

Under the Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services Bill and Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill , a new company, Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) will continue the current investment in research and development in addition to the new role of promoting forest and wood products.

FWPA Implementation Committee Chair and A3P CEO Mr Neil Fisher said, “For the first time, our industry will have the capacity to deliver a coordinated, national marketing program for Australian forest and wood products.

“The marketing function of the FWPA will be used to promote the many outstanding qualities and environmental values of wood and increase our access to both domestic and international markets.

“Under the new structure, levy-paying members including forest growers will have a greater influence over the company’s activities allowing us to maximise our competitiveness against timber alternatives such as steel, concrete and aluminum."

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South Australian Scientist of the Year award

The South Australian government has created a new $25,000 award for South Australian Scientist of the Year.

The South Australian Scientist of the Year will become the leading category of for South Australia’s Science Excellence Awards.

The SA Science Minister, Paul Caica, said the new prize had been created to throw a spotlight on the scientific discovery and research and encourage its dynamic growth in SA.

The new prize takes the total prize money for the South Australian Science Excellence Awards to $125,000 a year.

Nominations are also now being sought for:

• Excellence in Research for Commercial Outcomes -
• Excellence in Research for Public Good Outcomes
• Science Education and Communication Excellence
• Science Leadership and Management Excellence

The winners of each of these categories will receive $15,000 to use for their research project or program. The two other finalists in each of the categories will receive $5,000.


The awards are open to current SA residents working in all fields of science, including the natural, medical, physical, applied and technological sciences, engineering and mathematical sciences.


Nominations are now open and close at 5:00 pm on 21 May 2007. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner at the Hyatt Regency Adelaide on August 22, during National Science Week.


For more information on the awards program and to download a nomination form, please visit: www.scienceawards.sa.gov.au

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SA appoints innovation expert as Thinker in Residence

The South Australian Government has appointed Dr Geoff Mulgan, an expert in innovation, as Adelaide's next Thinker in Residence.

Dr Mulgan is the former Head of Policy for British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and established and directed the Blair Government’s Forward Strategy Unit. He is currently the Director of the Young Foundation, known for its work in social innovation including research on unmet social needs and developing initiatives to address them. Dr Mulgan founded and directed DEMOS, the UK’s most influential think tank. He is a World Economic Forum Global Leader of Tomorrow, and was ranked in 2004 as one of the UK’s 100 leading public intellectuals. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.

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Queensland hosts Urban Water Security Research Alliance

A $50 million Urban Water Security Research Alliance has been formed between the Queensland Government, CSIRO, the University of Queensland and Griffith University with the objective of more than doubling the water recycling capacity of Australia’s capital cities.

The Queensland Government is contributing $25 million to the five-year alliance which will be the largest urban water research program in Australia.

Premier Peter Beattie said that the project will look at best-practice engagement and management of recycling and help develop a coordinated system of water management for SEQ, by addressing the total water cycle from upstream catchments to Moreton Bay.

“In the short term, the Alliance’s goal is to build reliability and safety in recycled water systems providing up to 90 GL per annum to South East Queensland.

“In the long term, the Alliance will work towards delivering water security by recycling wastewater and stormwater through the innovative treatment, storage and use of aquifers to provide up to 20 percent of the total water supply," Mr Beattie said.

The participants will share information and work with agencies such as the International WaterCentre, Healthy Waterways and the Queensland Water Commission’s expert panel.

The operation activities of the Alliance will be managed by a seven-member committee include an independent Chair, two Queensland Government and CSIRO representatives and a representative from Griffith University and the University of Queensland.

CSIRO will also employ a Program Director to manage the day-to-day activities of the research and development program, with the officer to be hosted by the Queensland Water Commission.

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Redevelopment of Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre

The Queensland Government is undertaking a $4 million redevelopment of its Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre.

The redevelopment will comprise a 650 m2 tank and aquarium building and office accommodation to be used by fisheries scientists from the Southern Fisheries Centre at Deception Bay.

The new building will have room to house up to 64 tanks with up to 10,000 litres and 30 glass aquaria, two temperature controlled experimental rooms, a wet laboratory, a cold room and walk in freezer, a quarantine area and other features to ensure strict bio-security is maintained between projects on site. It will also include high technology built-in recirculation systems and portable systems allowing re-use of both seawater and freshwater. Plant operations will involve ozone treatment of wastewater before discharge, and as a means of reducing operating and other costs, a roof designed to house a future installation of solar collectors or other renewable energy equipment.

Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said research would continue on fisheries resource sustainability, stock assessment and breeding and grow-out technologies for aquaculture species and fish stocking.

Construction of the new facilities is expected to begin by the end of the year with tenders for the first stage of construction to be called later this year.

The BIARC redevelopment is being conducted in conjunction with the Government’s Knowledge Based Research and Business (KBRB) project which involves construction of a major Ecosciences precinct at the old Boggo Road jail site and other smaller projects at Coopers Plains and Gatton.

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Australian Tissue Engineering Centre launched

The $11.6 million Australian Tissue Engineering Centre (ATEC) based at the Bernard O’Brien Institute in Fitzroy, Melbourne, has been officially opened.

The Centre undertakes research into the regeneration of new body parts from manufactured matrices and cultured cells and will provide preclinical research and testing facilities for cell therapies to tackle chronic and degenerative diseases such as leukaemia, diabetes, heart attack and stroke.

ATEC will also provide contract services to other biotechnology research institutes and companies as well as a platform for further research work in tissue engineering by Melbourne’s Bernard O’Brien Institute of Microsurgery.

ATEC Limited is the result of collaboration between the Bernard O’Brien Institute of Microsurgery, the Australian Stem Cell Centre Limited, the University of Melbourne and St Vincent’s Hospital. The Victorian Government has provided $5.2 million towards the Centre through its Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Infrastructure Grants program.

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Funding to stage strategically significant international conferences in Australia

The Sir Mark Oliphant Conferences - International Frontiers of Science and Technology provide financial support to stage strategically significant international conferences in Australia on high priority, cutting edge, multi-disciplinary themes.

A Sir Mark Oliphant Conference must be a stand-alone event and not be part of an existing series.

The Conference series is supported by the Australian Government under the International Science Linkages Programme, and managed on behalf of the Department of Education, Science and Training by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

The Academies are seeking expressions of interest for conferences to be held between 1 January and 31 December 2008. Each conference can be supported to an amount of up to $90,000. Guidelines, information and expression of interest form can be found at: http://www.oliphant.org.au/.

Applications close on Friday 18 May 2007

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R&D Tax Concession closing 30th of April

The deadline for R&D Tax Concession registration is Monday 30 April 2007 for companies with a standard fiscal year for 2005-06.

The Australian Government's R&D Tax Concession is a broad-based, market driven tax concession which allows companies to deduct up to 125% of qualifying expenditure incurred on R&D activities when lodging their corporate tax return. A 175% Incremental (Premium) Tax Concession and R&D Tax Offset are also available in certain circumstances.

Click here to see if you are eligible, or call the hotline on 13 28 46

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2007 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes to reward outstanding Science Research

ENTER NOW

Of the 20 prizes on offer this year over half specifically reward Scientific Research, Innovation and Leadership with over $90 000 of prizes including:

• Ethics Research
Sponsored by the Australian Catholic University
• Innovative Solutions to Climate Change
Sponsored by Insurance Australia Group
• Water Research and Innovation
Sponsored by Land & Water Australia
• Medical Research
Sponsored by the NSW Office of Science and Medical Research
• Environmental Research
Sponsored by the Sherman Foundation
• Scientific Research
Sponsored by the UNSW
• Research which Replaces the Use of Animals or Animal Products
Sponsored by Voiceless
• Leadership in Business Innovation
Sponsored by the ATSE Clunies Ross Foundation
• & Leadership in Science
Sponsored by the CSIRO.

For more information on the prizes and how to enter visit: www.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka or contact 02 9320 4683, eureka@austmus.gov.au

Entries close 5pm AEST 4 May 2007.

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REE Asia 2007 Conference - Travel Scholarships

Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) hosts four annual conferences for entrepreneurship educators. These conferences are called Roundtables on Entrepreneurship Education (REE). They are designed to stimulate communication and collaboration between business, science, and engineering faculty who teach high-technology entrepreneurship in universities around the world.

REE ASIA 2007

June 20 – 22, 2007

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST South Korea)

Macquarie Institute for Innovation encourages all academics in the field of Entrepreneurship and Innovation to attend the REE ASIA 2007 conference at  KAIST, Seoul, South Korea

Registration opens April 1, 2007

http://ree.stanford.edu/
 
For early career academics in the field of entrepreneurship Macquarie Institute for Innovation is awarding

TWO TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIPS to attend the REE Asia 2007 conference in Seoul, South Korea

For a copy of the Scholarship and more information visit:
http://www.mii.mq.edu.au/announcement/reeasia2007.htm  

The REE Asia 2008 will be held at Macquarie Institute for Innovation
Macquarie University, Sydney

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2007 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science - Closing 27th of April

Closing Date: Friday 27 April 2007, 5.00 pm AEST

We are seeking nominations for any of the following five (5) prestigious science and science teaching annual awards:

- Prime Minister's Prize for Science 
-  Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year 
-  Malcolm Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year 
-  Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools 
-  Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools

Information about the Prizes and the online nomination process is available on website here.

Contact Information: Science Prizes Secretariat, Department of Education, Science and Training, Tel: (02) 6240 5066, Fax (02) 6123 6168, email: pmprize@dest.gov.au  

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R&D researchers to share innovation experience

Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs), key purveyors of Australian Research and Development, will open their doors at the 2007 Cooperative Research Centres Association (CRCA) Conference to share experiences in innovation.

Each year, the Conference brings together representatives from 56 CRCs across Australia to share their latest collaborative research results, insights and experiences.

However, in this year’s Conference will look beyond CRC-based research and feature eight highly-regarded international and national speakers to present their own invaluable perspectives on science and technology innovation.

2007 CRCA Conference Chairman, Mark Woffenden, said these eight speakers fit perfectly into the Conference’s overarching theme of Driving Innovation Through Cooperative Research,” Mr Woffenden said.

“Some of the keynote speakers include Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Jim Peacock; Retired Chairman and CEO from Lockheed Martin Corporation, Norman Augustine; and Professor Anil Gupta, Executive Vice-Chairman of India’s National Innovation Foundation – the charismatic leader of the Honeybee Network for rural invention,” Mr Woffenden said.

“The Conference will also feature a free public expo: Science in Action showcasing the latest in Australian science and technology research.”

Since its inception in 1990, the CRC Programme has delivered tangible benefits to the Australian economy across a broad range of sciences, technologies and industries through strategically focussed and successful collaborative research between industry and government.

A 2006 study by Insight Economics showed that as a result of CRC research, training and commercialisation activities, Australian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been increased by nearly $2.7 billion.

To register for the 2007 CRCA Conference, please visit www.crca.asn.au/conference.

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Celebrating creativity and innovation – World Intellectual Property Day on 26 April

Thursday 26 April is World Intellectual Property (IP) Day.

In the spirit of this year’s World IP Day theme ‘Intellectual Property: Encouraging Creativity’, IP Australia is encouraging everyone to recognise and celebrate those in our community whose creativity and innovation provide the starting point for all of the inventions, products, designs and brands which surround us in our day-to-day lives.

This year, World IP Day will celebrate the contribution intellectual property makes in supporting researchers and entrepreneurs. Acknowledge the effort and investment it takes to see creative ideas through to reality. Recognise how IP benefits everyone by encouraging and stimulating creative ideas to make our lives more enjoyable, easier and healthier.

As our Intellectual Property system supports all Australians, from backyard inventors and small business owners to researchers, artists, entrepreneurs and large corporations IP Australia is running free events that will be held in each of the states. To register for World IP Day events, or read more information on protecting your business’ intellectual property, visit the IP Australia website today.

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Clinical Research Excellence 2007

Clinical Research Excellence 2007 will bring together leading medical, clinical and allied health professionals, including internationally recognised speakers, in a program that will inspire participants to achieve even greater national and international recognition for Australia’s excellence in clinical research.

SAVE $110 ON YOUR REGISTRATION - BOOK NOW

By registering for CRX07 before 30 April 2007, you will save $110.00 on your registration fee. Tell your fellow clinical research colleagues today to ensure they also save. Don’t miss the chance to be involved in excellence at this special rate.

Early Bird Registration $440
Normal Registration $550

Register NOW: www.crx07.com  

When: 17, 18, 19 August 2007

Where: School of Enterprise, The University of Melbourne, Hawthorn- Melbourne

• Build your clinical research expertise
• Work with outstanding local and international speakers
• Network with key influential decision makers
• Contribute to developments in national and international excellence

Under the guidance of Professor Peter Ebeling, a team of leading professionals have developed an educational and thought provoking business and scientific program.

The trade exhibition, business partnering event, an enjoyable social program, and pre and post conference workshops will complement the scientific program, ensuring that participants leave the conference with valuable tools, knowledge and contacts to expand their ability to undertake good clinical research.

For more information or to register go to: http://www.crx07.com/Registration.htm
 
Contact CRX07 Conference Secretariat on (+61 3) 9682 0500 or email: info@crx07.com    

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Intellectual Property (IP) Management and Commercialisation for Hospitals

BioMed North Limited, Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service and Sydney West Area Health Service are pleased to announce their Inaugural Conference focusing exclusively on ‘Intellectual Property (IP) Management and Commercialisation for Hospitals’.

When: Wednesday 23rd May 2007

Where: Centenary Lecture Theatre,
Royal North Shore Hospital,
Reserve Road,
St Leonards, Sydney, NSW

The program is an exciting one with a number of case studies including Commercialisation of PAPP-A; From Clinical Need to Medical Device – The Laryngoscope Story; and Commercialisation of Stem Cells – the Journey so far, as well as presentations on the importance of IP, insights into the process of establishing an Office of Commercialisation within a hospital environment and other vital elements of commercialisation.

Importantly, staff from Northern Sydney Central Coast Health, Sydney West Area Health Service and South East Sydney Illawarra Area Health Services in NSW, and staff from their Offices of Commercialisation will share experiences from their IP commercialization efforts with conference attendees.

Who Should Attend:
Hospital-based executives, medical researchers, clinicians, support staff and policy makers. From industry: IP investors and advisers, lawyers, patent attorneys, and health commercialisation professionals. 

REGISTRATION DETAILS: One day Conference Registration
(includes lunch and refreshments) is $185.00 per person

FOR PROGRAM & REGISTRATION DETAILS, and SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES VISIT:
http://www.officeofcommercialisation.com

For Further Information Contact:
Lindy Ferris on Ph: (02) 9926 8348

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NICTA Short Course: Introduction to Linux for Embedded Developers

Presenter: Dr Peter Chubb, NICTA
Date: May 17-18, 2007
Venue: Seminar Room, Level 1 (West), NICTA, 223 Anzac Pde, Kensington, NSW

Linux is becoming a leader in embedded operating systems. This two-day course will teach enough of the basics to get a quick start for a developer already familiar with other operating systems. Attendees will build a cross-compiled embedded system using Linux as both development platform and target, and run it under an emulator. Attendees will bring their own laptops, capable of booting from a CD. Live CDs will be provided containing all course material, exercises, useful software and a complete Linux distribution.

The course will suit developers who are competent computer users and have some programming experience, but who are not necessarily familiar with Linux. The course is focused on developing skills applicable to embedded Linux, and on the tools available in and for that environment. The basic concepts however are applicable to any Linux environment (and indeed to Unix as well).

Course Topics
• The Bourne Shell
• Booting and Initialising
• Linux Editors (vi, emacs)
• Linux File system Standard
• A Tour of the Linux Kernel Sources
• Cross Compilation Basics: Building Cross Compilers, Libraries, etc., Using Snapgear
• Putting it all together: Customising, Building and Running a Complete Linux for ARM

Cost: AU$1320 (incl. GST)

For further information and registration form please visit
http://www.nicta.com.au/uploads/documents/Linux-170507.pdf

Student and group discounts available.

Customised Training

NICTA is able to deliver training courses tailored to the needs of individual organisations. Training can take place in any location.

For all other NICTA Short Courses please go to www.nicta.com.au/short_courses  

Anne-Marie Eliseo
Industry Education Manager
Phone: +61 8 8302 3928
Fax: +61 8 8302 3115
Email: anne-marie.eliseo@nicta.com.au  

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NICTA Short Course: Systems Engineering Management

Presenter: Mr Hervé Rochecouste, EC&S Systems
Date: May 28-29, 2007
Venue: NICTA Seminar Room, Bay 15, Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh, NSW

This 2-day course in Systems Engineering Management addresses all the technical management activities necessary to set and maintain complex ICT projects on a successful path. This includes Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling the technical effort whilst keeping in mind that Systems Engineering activities are recursive throughout the life cycle of the project. The program follows the ISO/IEC-15288 recommendations, with a strong focus on “how” to do the work.

The course is aimed at the more senior Systems Engineers who will have project responsibilities in a role such as Systems Engineering Manager, Design Authority, Project Engineer etc. It is advisable that delegates who attend this course have previously attended the 3-Day Systems Engineering course as the assumption will be that delegates have an advanced understanding of the technical components of the Systems Engineering activities. The course is based on one full day of theory followed by a one day workshop. During the workshop delegates will need to identify and analyse the technical risks associated with a typical ICT project, and develop an appropriate Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) for its implementation.

Course Topics
• Planning;
• Organising;
• Leading; and
• Controlling of Systems Engineering activities on ICT Projects.

Cost: Full Fee AU$1320 (incl. GST)

For further information and registration form please visit
http://www.nicta.com.au/uploads/documents/SE_Manag-280507.pdf  

Customised Training

NICTA is able to deliver training courses tailored to the needs of individual organisations. Training can take place in any location.

For all other NICTA Short Courses please go to www.nicta.com.au/short_courses  

Anne-Marie Eliseo
Industry Education Manager
Phone: +61 8 8302 3928
Fax: +61 8 8302 3115
Email: anne-marie.eliseo@nicta.com.au  

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Commercialisation Training Scheme @ the ECIC

With DEST now funding student HDR places on a certificate in commercialisation, why not take advantage of this opportunity to enroll in
- an award program, with 
- a decade’s track record, that 
-  brings together scientific and business minds, to focus on 
- achieving faster, more effective commercialisation.

The University of Adelaide’s postgraduate programs in commercialisation attract participants from all discipline, functional and industry backgrounds. Vibrant discussion brings together the perspectives of all areas involved in the commercialisation process.

You can meet some of our current and recent participants here:

http://www.ecic.adelaide.edu.au/future/current/commercial/  

Join a group of like-minded professionals, in what has become an important national hub of knowledge sharing, creation and dissemination in the fields of commercialisation, entrepreneurship and project management. Nowhere else will you find this unique combination of capability creation.

Fell free to contact Antonio Dottore, Program Director, for more information: antonio.dottore@adelaide.adu.au Tel (08) 8303 7493 or 1300 660 543.

The ECIC homepage: http://www.ecic.adelaide.edu.au/  

“It’s all about creating wealth
... for you, your organisation, your community.”

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Macquarie Institute for Innovation Executive Education Program 2007

Macquarie Institute for Innovation (MII) is launching their Executive Education Program for 2007. Nine programs will be offered in 2007 which will address current thinking and issues relating to entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, and the management of innovation, in an action orientated learning environment.
Registration (http://www.mii.mq.edu.au/executiveprogram/) is open for

Program 1: Managed Innovation and the Quest for Growth will be delivered on 9th & 10th May from 9am to 5 pm at MGSM-CBD Campus, Sydney. See website here.

Program 2: Strategic Management of Intellectual Property will be delivered on 5th & 6th June from 9am to 5 pm at MGSM-CBD Campus, Sydney. See website here.
 
Entrepreneurship and Innovation are increasingly recognised as key drivers of economic growth. This is especially true for technologically based, knowledge-intensive organisations.

Executives in the MII executive education program will be challenged to grow as transformational leaders, to shape powerful ideas into decisive action plans, and to think and manage differently in a changing business world, strengthening the innovative thinking and direction of both the individual and the organisation.

For further information please visit www.mii.mq.edu.au or email Edmund D’Cruz (Director of Executive Education at MII) Edmund.dcruz@mq.edu.au  

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Are you a health care professional working with INFECTIOUS DISEASES?

The School of Enterprise, University of Melbourne, is pleased to announce that we will be holding a 4 day short course on Infectious Diseases on May 14, 15, 17, 18 2007.

NUMBERS ARE LIMITED, so be quick!

Despite medical advances that have produced hundreds of drugs that are safe and effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, infectious diseases are still a major cause of death, disability and social and economic upheaval for millions around the world. This course focuses on clinical research to address diseases that are responsible for more that 90% of deaths from infectious diseases around the world every year.

Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Immunisation and Infectious Diseases)

The 25 points specialist certificate is a Masters level award and is achieved by completion of the two four day subjects, Clinical Immunisation Research and Infectious Diseases, with associated assessment. It provides full credit into the Masters program in Clinical Research.

NEED TO KNOW MORE? CHECK OUT INFORMATION AT:

http://www.soe.unimelb.edu.au/iid

Cost: $2,000 + GST

When: May 14, 15, 17, 18

Where: The University of Melbourne
Graduate House, Parkville. 3010

Express your interest in this course and related courses by contacting:
Brad Atkins on (03) 9810 3185 or email b.atkins@soe.unimelb.edu.au  

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In this week’s issue of New Scientist - HOW TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES

Our lives are full of choices – what to wear, what to eat, who to partner with, what job to take and how to raise children. We jealously guard our right to choose yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help us make better choices? The mental processes behind decision-making are a hot topic of investigation and thankfully, scientists are discovering things that may help us choose more wisely. Pages 35-43

Subscribe for just $220 per year + receive a FREE New Scientist Bag.

The prices (in Australian dollars) are as follows:
2 year subscription: Aus $398 + New Scientist Bag
1 year subscription: Aus $220 + New Scientist Bag
6 month: Aus $130

Subscribe to New Scientist for what’s new in science, what’s new in technology and what’s new each week.

Click here to subscribe.

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Looking for news about environmental management?

Do you and your organisation need to stay abreast of environmental news and issues?

Each issue of Environment Business (22 editions per year) comprehensively reports on Federal and State government legislation and programs, and their impact on local government, business and the community.

The newsletter also examines innovative environmental research and technology deriving from research agencies, universities and the private sector.

Regular columns discuss:

• Federal and State government policies and initiatives
  
• Greenhouse and climate change
  
• Water issues and technologies
  
• Natural Resource Management
  
• State news
  
• Business news
  
• Local government responsibilities and initiatives
  
• Renewable energy technologies
  
• Research and development within the environmental field
  
• Waste.
  
  

One subscription allows 5 people within your organisation to receive Environment Business directly.

To view a sample issue of Environment Business, please go to http://news.envirocentre.com.au/eb/sample.php

For subscription information, please go https://www.halledit.com.au/ssl_subscription/order.php

For further information, call 03 8534 5000.

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