Staff Notices: 23 - 27 February 2009

Table of Contents

• Uni in the News
• General Information for Staff
• Events
• Training and Development Opportunities
• Information for Researchers

Uni in the News

Research aims to prolong oil reserves

A University of Adelaide petroleum geologist heads an international project to tap into more oil and gas from known reserves. Associate Professor Bruce Ainsworth from the Australian School of Petroleum is a principal investigator of the WAVE Consortium, an industry-sponsored global group that hopes to improve the average extraction rate of 60 per cent from oil and gas fields. He said petroleum companies leave behind 40 per cent of reserves, in rocks deep below coastal regions. Extracting it more efficiently from hydrocarbon reservoirs would prolong the amount of oil and gas we have actually available into the future.

Source: ABC News & The Age (16 February 2009)
Uni full story: Global effort to extract more oil and gas

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General Information for Staff

Prime Minister's Prizes for Science 2009 - Call for nominations

The Prime Minister's Prizes for Science are a national tribute to excellent and dedicated work in Australian science, and run by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

Nominate by Friday 8 May 2009, 4:30pm - SA time!
Award categories include: The $300,000 Prime Minister's Prize for Science; The $50,000 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year & The $50,000 Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year.
Refer to 2009 Nomination Guidelines (pdf).

Further information is available from the Secretariat, phone (02) 6276 1264 or email: pmprize@innovation.gov.au.
Science Prizes website: www.innovation.gov.au/scienceprizes

The University of Adelaide's Professor Tanya Monro received the 2008 Physical Scientist Prize for her research in developing potential uses for optical fibres in agriculture, defence and medicine.

NHMRC Fellowships & Scholarships announced

Four University of Adelaide staff were recently awarded NHMRC Training (Postdoctoral) Fellowships: Dr Michael J Stark, Dr Sarah Linke, Steve Paltoglou and Jason M Armfield.

The Fellowships aim to provide opportunities for Australian researchers to undertake research that is both of major importance in its field and of benefit to Australian health.

Two people have been awarded NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarships: Lisa K Akison and Dr Rishi Puri.

Congratulations to our researchers who were successful in the current round, and for which funding will commence in 2009.
Outcomes of funding rounds at: www.nhmrc.gov.au/fellows/funded/outcomes/

Council News - 16 February meeting

Council news from the 16 February 2009 meeting is available at:
www.adelaide.edu.au/governance/council/meetings/2009/

University Policy Framework

At its 16 February meeting, Council approved the revised "University Policy Framework".

The University of Adelaide's Policy Framework governs the development, implementation and review of University policies and related documents. The Policy Framework's purpose is to ensure that University policies are established, applied, monitored and reviewed consistently and appropriately across the University. All University policies are subject to a formal approval process and are stored in a centrally maintained Policy Directory.

www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/

Caring for your personal treasures

We have all been distressed to hear of the lives lost as a result of the Victorian bushfires. But many who were lucky enough to survive must now cope with the heartbreaking loss of their family and personal treasures. While only a fire-rated safe would have protected these items under such extreme conditions, it is a timely reminder that there are strategies for caring for the things you value the most.

The US Library of Congress Preservation website provides details on 'Protecting Your Family Treasures Every Day' and can be viewed at: www.loc.gov/preserv/familytreasures/ftprotect.html. Further information or advice on preservation matters is available from the University of Adelaide Archives, phone 8303 5184.

Sue Coppin - Collection Archivist
Corporate Information

Special Studies Program (SSP)

Special Studies commencing January - December 2010
Applications are now invited for programs of Special Studies for the period January 2010 - December 2010.

Application forms can be downloaded from the HR webpage at: www.adelaide.edu.au/hr/forms/dev/ and must be returned through the Head of School/Area, to your Special Studies Program Coordinator (as below) no later than 31 March 2009.

Your entitlement for Special Studies can be found on your payslip. For further information regarding SSP, please see the online SSP information at: www.adelaide.edu.au/hr/career/ssp/ or contact Julie Raeck on ext 31111, Human Resources.

Adelaide onLION

Staff are invited to join Adelaide onLION, the University's exclusive online community - it's fun, it's free, and it's a fantastic opportunity to engage with the wider alumni community! Visit: www.alumni.adelaide.edu.au/adelaideonlion

Vacant Positions

www.adelaide.edu.au/jobs/

Events

Ben Lee and the ASO

Through Development and Alumni, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is offering a special ticket price to University of Adelaide staff, students and graduates for Ben Lee (ASO Showcase Concert 4) on Friday 13 March & Saturday 14 March 2009, 8:00pm-10:00pm at Festival Theatre. A Reserve tickets are available at the reduced price of only $70. Bookings can be made through BASS - call 131 246 - quote "Ben Lee" and "Alumni".

Take advantage of the Alumni Privilege Package at Adelaide onLION.

Ethics Centre of SA - Central Seminar Series

Some ethical issues in the confrontation of Israel and the Palestinians
Presented by: Emeritus Professor Robert Crotty, Director of ECSA

Date/Time: Tuesday 10 March 2009, 3:00pm-4:00pm
Venue: Scots Centre (next to Scots Church), cnr North Tce and Pulteney St.
FREE public seminar. All welcome.

This paper will consider some of the issues at stake in the present turmoil that engulfs Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East.

Emeritus Professor Robert Crotty has been involved in the teaching of Religion Studies at the tertiary level for the past forty years. He has been a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies at Oxford and is presently involved in a research project studying religious toleration among the Abrahamic religions.

Download: ECSA flyer
The content expressed does not necessarily represent the views of the University of Adelaide.

RSVP to the Centre Coordinator, Vicki Hattam.

School of Population Health & Clinical Practice - Professorial Seminar

Closing the Knowledge to Action Gap: Making Research Count
Presented by Professor Alison Kitson, new Professor of Nursing and Head of Discipline of Nursing.

Date/Time: Tuesday 3 March 2009, 3:30pm-5:00pm; afternoon tea provided.
Venue: Robson Lecture Theatre, Level 1, Eleanor Harrald Building, Royal Adelaide Hospital

This seminar looks at the science behind knowledge translation or getting research evidence into practice.

Download Alison Kitson flyer.
RSVP to Gabriele Matzke, phone 8303 3884.

Training & Development Opportunities

English Language Conversation Classes

The CLPD offers a weekly class for students to practise their conversational skills in English and at the same time build their social networks on campus.

Download Communicating With Confidence flyer.

Can a Virtual Classroom help learning?

Today the use of synchronous online learning technologies has come of age. One of the main driving forces has been the desire to enable remote learners using online technologies to experience more of the advantages of face-to-face teaching. To this end Virtual Classroom (VC) has exploded globally onto the eLearning scene. However, many educators who have used this powerful web-based tool have found unexpected benefits to using a VC in their face-to-face teaching. The University of Adelaide is evaluating different Virtual Classroom software and CLPD wants to work with faculty members interested in exploring how to use a VC to help socialisation, content archiving, student engagement, group project management or constructivist knowledge building.

If you are interested in understanding how a virtual classroom works and can be used, then book one of the limited seats for this seminar. You will also have the opportunity to register scheduled VC sessions in your teaching during 2009.

Date/Time: Friday 27 February 2009, 1:00pm-2:00pm
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Building West

RSVP via email to Allan Carrington.

Peer Review of Teaching for Promotion Purposes

This ALTC-funded project of the University of Adelaide, Griffith University, University of Wollongong and University of New South Wales is holding a Dissemination workshop.

Date: Friday 13 March 2009
Venue: Equinox Room, Level 4, Union House

Session 1: Internal Peer Review of Teaching

Presentation, 9:00am-9:45am
Workshop, 9:45am-12:30pm

This session will present protocols and tools for summative peer review of classroom teaching, and give participants the opportunity to try them in a workshop setting.

Session 2: External Peer Review of Teaching

Presentation, 1:30pm-2:15pm
Workshop, 2:15pm-5:00pm

This session will present the protocols and tools developed for summative peer review of written applications for promotion, and give participants the opportunity to try them in a workshop environment.

Download workshop flyer.

RSVP via email to Kerrie Le Lievre or phone 8303 6923 by 4 March 2009.

HDR Supervisor Induction Workshop

If you wish to be registered as an HDR supervisor at the University of Adelaide, in either principal or co-supervisor capacity, you MUST attend an HDR Supervisor Induction Workshop. The induction workshop provides an essential introduction to the policy, practice and strategic context of HDR supervision at the University.

An induction workshop is held at the beginning of each semester.
SEMESTER 1: Wednesday 11 March, 1:00pm-3:30pm, Equinox Room, Union House, followed by the Cocktails & Connections session.

Register online at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/enrolment/

More about the program at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/hsw/

Further enquiries: Dr Ian Green on 8303 6035, Dr Cally Guerin on 8303 3043, or email: researchereducation@adelaide.edu.au.

Cocktails & Connections

Want to meet some new fellow researchers? Want to get some new ideas for research collaborations? Want to hear from some of the University's research leaders? Then this session is for you. Come along and get connected.

SEMESTER 1: Wednesday 11 March, 4:00pm-6:00pm, Equinox Room, Union House.

This is a relatively informal event, with a series of activities designed to get like-minded researchers talking to each other. It is aimed at researchers new to the university as well as established researchers looking to reinvigorate their networks. All researchers welcome!

Register online at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/enrolment/

More about the program at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/cc.html

Further enquiries: Dr Ian Green on 8303 6035, Dr Cally Guerin on 8303 3043, or email: researchereducation@adelaide.edu.au.

This session also functions as the orientation workshop for the Future Research Leaders Program, but is open to all members of the university's research community - enrolment in the FRLP is not necessary.

Future Research Leaders Program

The Go8 Future Research Leaders Program is delivered in full each semester for the benefit of the research community of the University of Adelaide. The program is aimed at current and aspiring research leaders, and seeks to build a range of skills and knowledge critical to successful research leadership and management.

There are eight modules in the program, together with a researcher orientation module. Modules are undertaken by a combination of online study, independent research and a face-to-face workshop. Do just one module, or do as many as you like. It's FREE!

Research Strategy & Planning
Module 1: Wednesday 18 March, 12:30pm-4:30pm, AGC Seminar Room, Level 6, 115 Grenfell Street.

More about the program at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/frlp/

Register for workshops at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/enrolment/

Further enquiries: Dr Ian Green on 8303 6035, Dr Cally Guerin on 8303 3043, or email: researchereducation@adelaide.edu.au.

Exploring Supervision Program

The Exploring Supervision Program provides professional development for HDR supervisors. Each semester we present a series of three interactive workshops, together with a range of tools, techniques and resources, covering key topics in HDR supervision. In addition, completion of the full module of the program leads to registration as a principal HDR supervisor.

Exploring Supervision Program #1
Working from the same page: Wednesday 25 March, 1:00pm-4:30pm, AGC Seminar Room, Level 6, 115 Grenfell Street.

More about our workshops: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/esp/

More about the full module of the program at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/fullmodule.html

Register for workshops at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/rep/staff/enrolment/

Further enquiries: Dr Ian Green on 8303 6035, Dr Cally Guerin on 8303 3043, or email: researchereducation@adelaide.edu.au.

Professional & Continuing Education

Upcoming Professional Development Courses

Improve Your Business Writing Skills
Thursday 26 February

Supervisor Development Program
Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 March

Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
Thursday 5 March

Publishing Newsletters and eNewsletters
Tuesday 10 March

5% discount for University of Adelaide staff.

For further information or to enrol please email Jo Carrick or phone 8303 4777, or visit our website at: www.adelaide.edu.au/pce to view our extensive program offering.

Information for Researchers

Fresh Science 2009 - Call for nominations

Nominations are now open.

Now in its 12th year, Fresh Science is supported by the Federal and Victorian Governments, New Scientist and Museum Victoria.

A total of 16 early-career researchers will be selected to go to Melbourne where they will receive media training and then present their work to the media, schools and the public.

If you fit the criteria of:

• early-career researchers with an upper limit of five years post-doc and no lower limit
• a peer-reviewed result which has had no media coverage
• some ability to present ideas in plain English

... Nominate by Thursday 19 March 2009!

This national event brings together scientists, the media and the public to:

• enhance reporting of Australian science
• highlight and encourage debate on the role of science in Australian society
• provide role models for the next generation of Australian scientists

This year Fresh Science will take place in May/June. Researchers may also have the opportunity to present in their home state during National Science Week, 18-24 August.

Enquiries to Tim Thwaites on (03) 9383 4600 or Niall Byrne on (03) 9398 1416.

Adelaide Research & Innovation

The latest commUNIcate RESEARCH news is available online.

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.