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Staff Notices: 17 - 21 May 2010
Table of Contents
- Uni in the News
- General Information for Staff
- Events
- Training and Development Opportunities
- Information for Researchers
Uni in the News
Genetics key to lamb survival rates in Australia
University of Adelaide research into sheep genetics aims to identify and select genes relating to cold resistance to improve lamb survival rates. PhD student Kate Lennon, from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, is working on a collaborative experiment to identify a practical indicator of cold resistance using two breeds - Merino and Border Leicester - with known differences in cold resistance and survival rates. "The genes relating to cold resistance are passed on in more than 70 per cent of cases, so if we can indirectly select this trait in the breeding process we will go a long way towards improving survival rates," Ms Lennon said.
Source: Stock Journal, 7 May 2010
Uni full story: Genetics could hold the key to lamb survival
Self-pollinating almond shows promise
Australian plant breeders are getting good results in tests as they try to breed a self-pollinating almond. At the moment, almond plantations rely on millions of bees to pollinate the flowers. University of Adelaide researcher Dr Michelle Wirthensohn, from The Australian Almond Breeding Program, said a self-pollinating almond could mean less dependence on bees. "From last year's results, from where we have bagged branches where we exclude all insects ... we've gained better than 57 per cent fruit set within those bags," she said. "So that proves you don't need a bee to get excellent fruit set."
Source: ABC Rural, 10 May 2010
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General Information for Staff
Council News - 10 May meeting
Council news from the 10 May 2010 meeting is available at:
www.adelaide.edu.au/governance/council/meetings/2010/
Introduction to Molecular Techniques DVD
Launched by the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide, Professor James McWha, and the Chief Executive of DFEEST, Raymond Garrand, a new DVD is the first resource of its kind to help teach university and TAFE students the practical techniques and applications of molecular biology.
The DVD - called Introduction to Molecular Techniques: Theory & Practice - is designed as a "visual textbook" for tertiary students.
The DVD contains more than two hours of video footage and animations, helping students to understand theoretical concepts, and demonstrating complex techniques step-by-step in the laboratory. Medical, veterinary and agricultural examples are all included. The DVD also contains a printable manual.
It can be used both by lecturers to introduce practical work and theoretical concepts and by students as revision or resource material.
Scientists from industry, university and the vocational sector collaborated to produce the commercial DVD. It is a joint initiative of the University of Adelaide, the Molecular Plant Breeding Cooperative Research Centre and TAFE SA Veterinary and Applied Science Centre.
The DVD costs $215 (plus postage) and is available at the discount price of $95 for staff and students of the University of Adelaide and TAFE SA. It can be purchased from: www.moleculartechniques.com.au.
Download: Molecular Techniques flyer (pdf)
2010 South Australian Science Excellence Awards - Nominations now open
The South Australian Science Excellence Awards recognise and reward excellence in science and acknowledge commitment and skill in raising public awareness of science.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide are encouraged to nominate for these prestigious awards.
Categories for the 2010 Awards include:
- South Australian Scientist of the Year
$50,000 prize money - Excellence in Research
- Commercialisation
- Public Good
- Collaboration
- Science Educators of the Year
- School
- Tertiary
- Community
Nomination forms and further information are available from: www.scienceawards.sa.gov.au or contact Award Secretariat: scienceawards@sa.gov.au, phone 8431 7131.
Closing date for nominations: Friday 21 May 2010
Legal and Risk Newsletter
The May edition of the Legal & Risk newsletter - Unilink - is now accessible from our webpage: www.adelaide.edu.au/legalandrisk/newsletter/.
In this issue of Unilink, we discuss the intricacies of Whistleblower Protection and let you know the most effective way to go about making a report. Also in this edition, we give some tips on how to avoid accidentally spamming, introduce you to a number of great new resources, including our Contract Management website, and tell you why Risk Management is more than just a buzzword.
We hope you find this edition informative and we look forward to receiving your feedback and suggestions.
Prospective Students Office e-news
Staff are encouraged to get involved with Uni student recruitment activities. To find out more about the Prospective Students Office and how you can become involved, see the PSO e-news May 2010.
Launch into ORBIT!
Did you know that you can find details of the scholarships awarded to students in your area in the ORBIT Student Profiles Module? Just click on the Scholarships tab/link to display details such as stipend amount, funding source and scholarship dates.
For further assistance, contact the ORBIT helpdesk at: orbit@adelaide.edu.au or phone 8303 1391.
Vacant Positions
Events
National Career Development Week
The Careers Service will be hosting National Career Development Week on North Terrace Campus from Monday 17 May until Friday 21 May. A launch will be held on Goodman Crescent Lawns on Monday 17 May from 12:00pm to 2:00pm and a speakers program will feature seven organisations presenting on a range of topics relevant to the Australian workplace throughout the week.
BANGARRA and BUBBLES
Don't miss internationally acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre's new double bill 'Of Earth And Sky' at the Adelaide Festival Centre from 8 - 11 September. Staff who purchase a ticket to the Adelaide premiere 'Of Earth And Sky' by 31 May 2010 will receive a voucher to redeem for a FREE glass of bubbles (or wine!) at the Adelaide Festival Centre bars. For details on how to access this offer, and to check out the full Alumni Privileges Package go to: www.alumni.adelaide.edu.au/privileges.
For more information about the show 'Of Earth And Sky', visit their web site: www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/afc/whats-on/dance.php.
Professor Charles Pearce: 'Galileo Galilei at the Barr'
The Friends of the University of Adelaide Library invite you to a FREE author event with Professor Charles Pearce.
Date/Time: Thursday 27 May 2010, 1:05pm
Venue: Ira Raymond Exhibition Room, Barr Smith Library
Find out where Galileo's book on two new sciences - Discorsi - fits into his life and work, what the book is about and its significance.
Bookings by Tuesday 25 May to Robina Weir, phone 8303 4064.
Full details are on the University Library web site.
WPDN Book Club - Meet the Author: Christine Harris
Christine Harris lives in the Adelaide Hills. She has written over 50 books for readers aged 5-15 years. Her work includes short story collections, speculative fiction, historical fiction, plays, poetry and humour. Christine's books are published in many countries around the world. She was the recipient of the Carclew Fellowship 2006, and many of her books have been shortlisted or won awards.
Come and meet Christine and hear her speak about her work on Thursday 3 June, 12:00pm - 1:00pm, BankSA Room, Level 1, Professions Hub.
For more details, contact Sue Coppin on 8303 5184.
Barr Smith Library Book Sale
The Barr Smith Library's annual sale of pre-loved books will take place on Wednesday 2 June and Thursday 3 June, 9:00am - 5:00pm, in the Ira Raymond Exhibition Room, Level 3 South, just at the library entrance.
Many subject areas and languages will be represented.
Most items $2.00 unless marked otherwise (cash only).
Sorry, no listings or previews.
Enquiries to the Book Resources Librarian: Margaret Hosking on 8303 3706
Email: library-brl@adelaide.edu.au
The Bob Symons Lecture 2010
School of Agriculture, Food & Wine Named Lecture Series: The Bob Symons Lecture 2010
Speaker: Professor Dieter Söll, Yale University (USA)
Date/Time: Monday 24 May 2010, 4:00pm
Venue: Plant Research Centre Auditorium, Waite Campus
The evolution of the genetic code: a work in progress
Synopsis: At the time of its elucidation the genetic code was suggested to be universal in all organisms, and the result of a 'frozen accident' unable to evolve further even if the current state were suboptimal. How do we see the genetic code today - 40 years after the familiar 'alphabet' with 20 amino acids was established? Of course, the 'genetic code' is the product of its interpretation by the translational machinery and it is only static as long as the components of this machinery do not evolve or are strictly conserved between organisms. Professor Söll, with over 470 scientific publications, has led the team which discovered selenocysteine and pyrrolysine, the 21st and 22nd amino acids which are directly inserted into growing polypeptides during translation. Based on the realization that protein plasticity is a feature of living cells, man-made expansion of the genetic code has begun by adding non-standard amino acids to the repertoire of the cell. Professor Söll will discuss these present evolutionary developments and how they underpin the creation of new organisms in the realm of synthetic biology.
The 3rd Bob Symons Lecture is named in honour of the former Emeritus Professor in Plant Science at the Waite, Professor Robert Henry Symons (1934-2006).
Contact Dr Amanda Able, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, phone 8303 7245.
School of Molecular and Biomedical Science
School Seminar Series
"Multiple Personalities in Quaternary Structure and Regulation of a Novel Antibiotic Target"
Speaker: A/Prof Matthew Perugini, Reader & ARC Future Fellow, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne
Date/Time: Friday 4 June 2010, 1:00pm; lunch provided from 12:30pm
Venue: Seminar Room 5.01, Level 5, Molecular Life Sciences Building
All Welcome.
This seminar will describe recent discoveries that demonstrate differences in quaternary structure and regulation of an antibiotic enzyme target from common bacterial pathogens and bacterial extremophiles that live in cold, hot and high salt environments.
Download: Perugini Seminar flyer (pdf)
If you would like to meet with A/Prof Matthew Perugini - contact: Dr Briony Forbes, phone 8303 5581.
ATEM Central Region 2010 Annual Conference
Future Directions for Tertiary Education
Thinking big and making it real: challenges and opportunities beyond 2010
The region has been fortunate to secure a number of nationally recognised speakers who will take attendees on a journey from the current tertiary education context to a range of possible futures. The conference program will also offer tertiary education managers and staff the opportunity to reflect on how we respond to the current challenges as well as possible futures.
Date/Time: Wednesday 26 May 2010, 9:00am - 5:00pm
Venue: Adelaide Pavilion
Download: ATEM Conference flyer (pdf)
Training & Development Opportunities
NEW Executive Briefing Series - Executive Education Unit
The Executive Briefing Series has been designed to build on your management experience to ensure your skills remain relevant in a changing environment.
We're pleased to offer two Briefings in June in an intensive half-day format from 8:00am - 11:30am.
Topics include:
- Organic Change, How viewing organisations as living systems is making change initiatives actually work
- Corporate Clairvoyance, Using Scenario Planning to predict and prepare for your Faculty, Division or School's future
Registration Fee: $285 for University staff
For further information, please contact: Kateryna Katsman (phone 8313 3268).
FREE Staff Learning and Development Programs for May and June 2010
The following FREE programs are currently available in May and June to support your development, attendance at programs should be linked to your PDR. Please discuss programs with your manager or supervisor prior to enrolling for a program online at: www.adelaide.edu.au/hr/development/. Please bookmark the web site, as new programs will be added regularly.
| May 2010 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Workshop | Overview | Who Should Attend |
| 26 May | Coaching in Challenging Situations - for Heads of School/Institutes Workshop 1 |
Learn to maximise the potential of others by applying workplace coaching techniques. This workshop focuses on providing the skills and tools to enable Heads of School/Institutes to tackle challenging situations and conversations. | Head of Schools / Institutes |
| 31 May | Creating Safe Workplaces | This workshop will provide managers with the information and skills needed to create a safe workplace. | Managers and supervisors |
| June 2010 | |||
| 1 June | Demystifying Equity and Diversity and the Resources Available to Support You | Recent changes in legislation has resulted in new responsibilities for managers / supervisors regarding equity and diversity practices. Learn about the key changes and how they apply to your role. | Managers and supervisors |
| 9 June | Coaching in Challenging Situations - for Heads of School/Institutes Workshop 2 |
This workshop follows on from Workshop 1 (26 May) and provides the skills for applying effective workplace coaching techniques. | Head of Schools / Institutes |
Preparing for Exams
Three seminars for students on preparing for exams, and one on editing your assignments, are being presented in the week beginning Monday 17 May. The seminars, run by the CLPD Academic Learning and Language (ALL) team, will be held in the Ira Raymond Room, Barr Smith Library, at lunchtimes from Monday to Thursday.
During the weeks leading up to the exam period, students will need to prepare in an intensive way. These ALL seminars provide exam preparation techniques designed to help students maximise their results in the different exam formats.
Dates: Monday 17 May - Thursday 20 May, 1:10pm - 2:00pm
Venue: Ira Raymond Room, Level 3, Barr Smith Library
For further information please see the CLPD web site.
The Writing Centre
The Writing Centre is staffed by Academic Learning & Language (ALL) lecturers who offer individual consultations to students currently enrolled at the University of Adelaide. They can help students to develop their essay and report writing skills.
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Building West
Visit the CLPD web site for more information and details of opening hours.
Maths Drop-In Centre
The Maths Drop-In Centre provides FREE assistance to all students encountering maths and/or stats in their studies.
Opening hours: 10:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday. No appointment required.
See the Maths Learning Service web site for further details.
Developing a Teaching Portfolio
In this practical, hands-on course staff will be assisted in developing and maintaining an up-to-date Teaching Portfolio. Bring your draft portfolio.
Date/Time: Wednesday 19 May, 9:30am - 11:30am
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Building West
Please book online via the University Course Booking System.
For further information please see the CLPD web site.
e-Assessment Webinar - Assessing students' Web 2.0 activities
A FREE 'Transforming Assessment' webinar (web based seminar) on "The assessment of students' Web 2.0 activities: Findings from an ALTC project", to be presented by Dr Kathleen Gray and Dr Jenny Waycott from the University of Melbourne, on Wednesday 26 May.
To participate in the seminar you will need to:
- have an Internet connected computer;
- have a headset (mic and speakers/earphones);
- have run the Setup Wizard prior to the session time.
To run the Setup Wizard please go to: http://192.160.71.198/launcher.cgi?room=transformingassessment.
The live webinar session:
- Will be held at 4:30pm
- On Wednesday 26 May
- Please ensure you plug in the headset, and
- Go to: http://192.160.71.198/launcher.cgi?room=transformingassessment.
- The event will be recorded and an archive made available on the Transforming Assessment web site for reference.
More information about the seminar series can be found at: http://www.transformingassessment.com/events.php.
Strategies for Online Collaborative Learning
This seminar will overview the various collaborative features available within MyUni including groups, discussion boards, wikis and blogs. Embedding collaborative learning into the curriculum and assessment requirements as well as facilitation/moderation techniques and strategies will be the main focus.
Date/Time: Tuesday 1 June 2010, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Building West
You can download the seminar flyer (pdf) from the training page on the MyUni Support web site.
To book for the seminar go to the University Course Booking System.
Professional and Continuing Education
English for Professionals
PCE, through the English Language Centre, offers a 10 week part time course English for Professionals, designed for people from non-English speaking backgrounds who want a successful professional career in Australia. They may be a skilled migrant, a current or past overseas student or working as a professional. The course further develops general language proficiency and focuses on the skills and strategies required to advance in an Australian professional career.
The next course commences:
17 August, 2010
Classes are held on Saturdays, 10:00am - 2:30pm and two evenings, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30pm - 9:30pm each week.
For more information visit: www.adelaide.edu.au/elc/courses/engprof/.
Upcoming Professional Development Courses
The Indispensable Personal Assistant
Wednesday 19 May
Project Management
Wednesday 26 May
Media Edge with Mark Aiston and Christopher Hamilton
Thursday 27 May
The Coaching Team Leader
Tuesday 1 June
Introduction to Policy
Wednesday 2 June
Discount: 5% for University of Adelaide staff.
You can now enrol and pay online! Visit our web site and follow the easy steps.
For further information visit our web site or phone 8303 4777.
Information for Researchers
Exploring Supervision Program ... on the Waite Campus
The Exploring Supervision program is a series of three interactive workshops on key topics in HDR supervision, which we now offer three times a year. The program is open to all academic staff. Completion of the full module of the program can lead to principal research supervisor status.
Towards the end of second semester, on Wednesday 16, Thursday 17 and Friday 18 June, from 9:30am to 1:30pm each day, we are delivering the workshop series at the Waite Campus. All staff are welcome to attend. For staff based at the North Terrace Campus, we will be providing transport to and from the Waite (departing from the city campus at 9:15am and returning just after 1:30pm).
We are also repeating the workshop series at the end of second semester, on Monday 8, Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 November, in the AGC Seminar Room, Level 6, 115 Grenfell St. You can do whatever workshops you like, whenever you like. There's no set order, you don't have to do them all in one go, and it's all FREE!
To find out more about the program, and to link to our enrolment facility go to: www.adelaide.edu.au/red/staff/esp/
For further information contact Dr Ian Green or Dr Cally Guerin.
Research Branch
See the Research Branch Bulletin for the latest news on major grant rounds & information sessions, a selection of competitive grants, prizes & funding opportunities now open.
