No Images? Click here
Hi there,
Thank you to everyone who took part in Science Festival events last week, to celebrate National Science Week 2016. We hope you had a great week! Highlights included Tim Flannery’s Keynote talk, the liquid nitrogen ice cream pop up, Future of Food talk, the Maths arcade, and many more!
Did you attend Science Festival this year? Or didn’t make it along? We’d like your feedback to help make next year’s event even better. Submit your feedback here.
Our next exciting program on the radar is Next Steps! It’s a great time of year to be thinking about where your studies are taking you, and to reflect upon the skills you are developing and how they might be best deployed in the future. The Next Steps program designed to help you choose what direction to take in your undergraduate studies, potential graduate study, and career. The events will arm you with information so you are ready to tackle decision making at any stage of your degree. Key sessions for the Bachelor of Science include:
- Planning your BSc - Tues 6 Sept, 1pm - 2pm, Lyle Theatre, Redmond Barry. More here.
- Graduate Pathways - Wed 7 Sept, 1pm - 2pm, Rivett Theatre, Redmond Barry. More here.
- Going on Exchange: Options for Science – Mon 5 Sept, 1pm - 1:30pm, Medley Theatre, Redmond Barry. More here.
- Gender Diversity and Science: Busting the Myths and Opening Doors - Fri 23 Sept, 1pm - 2pm, Melbourne School of Design building. More here.
Census Date
Next Wed 31 Aug is the last day to withdraw from Semester 2 subjects, apply for leave of absence or course withdrawal, without financial liability. If you are planning to make any changes, make sure you do so before Wednesday to avoid having to pay for the subject. You still have until the end of week 9 to withdraw without incurring a fail grade. If you have any questions or need advice, chat to the friendly staff at Stop 1. Further details on the Census Date can be found here.
More news and opportunities below. Enjoy!
IN THIS ISSUE
Next Steps
Events
Top Job
Opportunities
Tips and Advice
R U OK?
Science Entertainment
Science in the Media
Next Steps
BioSciences: Master of Science (BioSciences) / Honours Info Session
Tues 6 Sept 12:30pm -1:15pm, Lower Theatre, FVAS Building 142.
BioSciences: Meet and Greet with Research Supervisors
Pizza and soft drink provided. Tues 6 Sept 1:15pm - 2:00pm, Room G26/G27, BioSciences 1, Building 123
Physics: BBQ and Course Advice Information Session
Tues 6 Sept, 12:00pm - 2:00pm, Laby Ideas Centre, Ground Floor David Caro, Building 192
Physics: One on one course advice (by appointment)
Tues 6 Sept, 2:00pm - 5:00pm, Laby Ideas Centre, Ground Floor David Caro, Building 192
Chemistry: One on one career advice drop in sessions.
Tues 6 Sept - Thurs 8 Sept, 2:00pm - 5:00pm, Chemistry Learning Centre, Chemistry Building.
Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
A wide range of sessions will be held from next Wed 31 Aug until mid-Oct. These sessions will cover topics such as GAMSAT preparation, and a day in the life of a Clinical Audiology, Speech Pathology or Nursing Science student, as well as Honours, Biostatistics and Public Health information sessions. Registrations essential, via the website.
Maths and Stats: Master of Science and Graduate Diploma (Advanced) in Mathematics and Statistics: General Information Session
Thurs 15 Sept, 1:00pm - 2:00pm. Lyle Theatre, Redmond Barry, Building 115.
Engineering: Graduate Study in Engineering and IT Info session
Wed 7 Sept, 1:00pm - 2:00pm. Brown Theatre, Room 106, Electrical Engineering, Building 193, register online.
Events
Graduate Study Expo
Thinking of Graduate Study? Come along to the Graduate Study Expo. This event is a great opportunity to come and talk with admissions staff about entry to Graduate Programs in the Faculty of Science. Hear about our new programs in Data Science and Environmental Science, or talk with us about existing programs like the Master of Science. Tues 20 Sept, 4pm - 7pm.
Register here.
Science Ball
The Science Students' Society (SSS) annual Science Ball is around the corner and it's one event you don't want to miss!
Travel through the ages for one big night on Wed 14 Sept.
Your ticket includes a 2-course meal, and unlimited beer, wine, and sparkling. Entertainment for the night includes a live band followed by a local DJ, as well as photo-booths and roaming photographers.
Check out the SSS Facebook page for more info.
Silver Screen Science: dissecting fact from fiction in popular science films
Screenings of sci-fi blockbuster I Am Legend on Saturday night and award-winning documentary Jabbed: Love, Fear and Vaccines on Sunday night will be followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A with medical researchers and talented storytellers from the Melbourne Writers Festival.
Sat 27 Aug - Sun 28 Aug. ACMI, Federation Square. Book your tickets today.
Public Interest Law Panel and Fair
The Public Interest Law Initiative and the Melbourne Law School Careers Service are holding a lunchtime panel event where young lawyers will discuss their varied career pathways and provide insights into their experiences in the sector.
Tues 6 Sept, 1pm - 2pm, Room 109, Melbourne Law School. Register here.
The Graeme Clark Oration - Science & Technology: New Frontiers for Helping People with Mental Illness
Mental illnesses are some of the most common and disabling disorders in medicine, yet we have a very limited understanding of their medical basis. Dr Thomas Insel will describe recent scientific advances and explore ways research advances can help those suffering from a serious mental illness. Tues 30 Aug. More information and registrations here.
Student Open Days: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Discover your opportunities for medical research training at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, the University of Melbourne's Department of Medical Biology. Students with skills in biological and medical sciences, chemistry, pharmacology, mathematics, statistics and computer science can tackle important problems in medical research
Meet our scientists and students, discover our projects, tour our facilities and learn about our $5000 Alan W Harris Scholarship.
Mon 5 Sept & Wed 14 Sept, 4:00pm - 6:00pm. More information here.
Top Job
System Development Assistant – Internship
Chemical Solutions VIC Pty Ltd
What: Chemical Solutions is looking to develop a custom software application to automate and implement its current processes which includes sales, purchase, production, employee & skill database, etc.
Who: A student with computer systemisation and programming skills, data analysis and reporting.
Where: Melbourne
Remuneration: $21.77
Applications close: Fri 2 Sept
You may also be eligible to undertake this as a subject, see here for more details.
See Careers Online for this job and many others!
Vacation Roles – Hydrogeology, Geotechnical Engineering, Environmental Engineering/ Science
Golder Associates Pty Ltd
What: Working alongside talented professionals of all levels on exciting projects, as well as taking you into the field to get involved in the hands on work that you will do as an engineer/ scientist.
Who: Golder Associates is looking for high achieving students who are passionate about these streams to take part in their vacation program.
Where: Melbourne
Remuneration: Casual rates
Applications close: Fri 9 Sept
You may also be eligible to undertake this as a subject, see here for more details.
See Careers Online for these jobs and many others!
Opportunities
Teach for Australia
Graduating this year? Apply for a grad job that trains you up to be an industry leader of tomorrow while giving you an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the kids who need it the most. Every. Single. Day.
Teach For Australia offers an award-winning two year Leadership Development Program, a Master of Teaching on scholarship, and full salary and benefits as you work as a teacher in a disadvantaged school. Our alumni have gone on to become principals, CEOs, management consultants, engineers, Judge's Associates, political advisors and recipients of prestigious scholarships like the Rhodes and the John Monash.
Applications close Sun 4 Sept. To apply or to find out more, go here.
If you're interested in applying you can also book a coffee chat with the Melbourne University Recruitment Consultant here.
Tips and Advice
Each newsletter we feature tips from our very own science communication extraordinaire in the School of BioSciences, Dr Jen Martin. Follow Jen on Twitter @scidocmartin or check out her blog, Espresso Science.
SciComm Tip #8 Be Confident
Giving a talk? Feeling nervous, or anxious? There are many things you can do to ensure you are well prepared: make sure you know who you are talking to, what the purpose of your talk is and how long you’ve got to speak. Prepare your visuals carefully and practice talking without notes as much as you can (don’t memorise your talk, it’s too risky). Thinking carefully about your body language and how it affects your confidence is also important. Watch Amy Cuddy’s famous TED talk about power posing here.
BSci Tips
Thanks to Eileen Lam for the following tips about how to get involved!
Don't just come to uni to study. Immerse yourself in the wonderful atmosphere that is the culture of Melbourne University. Hear the laughter at South Lawn, or the music up at North Court? Take a break from your study and take every opportunity out there to volunteer, join a club, play some sports or music and just to make friends wherever you go. Don't forget to join the many wonderful science events inside and outside of university such as Science Festival, public lectures, tours at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and WEHI's Science in the Cinema events. Don't just study science, live it. - Eileen Lam
Have some great tips to share? Email and let us know! The tips that get published will win a 2GB Science USB and our top tips will receive a UoM Science Hoodie.
R U OK?
Thurs 8 Sept is R U OK? Day - the biggest, best and brightest day of the year. Why? Because it's an opportunity for family, friends and workmates to reconnect, start a conversation and make a promise to be there for each other more often.
Staying connected and having meaningful conversations is something we can all do. You don't need to be an expert - just a great mate and a good listener. So, if you notice someone who might be struggling - please start a conversation.
There will be events happening around campus for R U OK? Day. There is the UMSU Welfare Free Breakfast, 8:30am - 10:30am on South Court - Union House, and the UMSU Arts & Science BBQ, 12noon - 2pm on South Lawn.
Remember, on campus we also have Student Connect and the Counselling and Psychological Services who provide free advice and support to all our students.
We’d like to hear about the ways you look after yourself and how you keep connected with your friends while at university. Please let us know by email, or post to our Facebook page. Our top 10 responses will receive a University of Melbourne varsity jacket.
Featured Scientist
John Morrongiello
I am a quantitative ecologist interested in exploring how fish respond to environmental change on contemporary and evolutionary time scales. I do this to assess the impacts of climate change and fisheries on our marine and freshwater environments. I am also keenly interested in exploring adaptations to natural and human-induced flow variability, fishery activity, and environmental change. I ask questions at different levels of biological organisation, ranging from individuals to assemblages, using field-based and experimental techniques. I am a Big Bombers fan and enjoy fishing and gardening (especially vegies!).
John also recently turned his scientific mind to whether Australia really did as bad in the Rio pool as everyone seems to think. (Spoiler, yes they did). Read about it here.
Find out more about John's work here.
Science Entertainment
National Science Week was celebrated around the country from August 13-21, including on campus through our second annual Science Festival. Don't worry if you missed it though - we've pulled together some of the best science options for reading, watching and listening to and talking about all throughout the year. This newsletter we are sharing the top podcasts to check out.
Science Vs
Science Vs is the new show from Gimlet Media that finds out what’s fact, what’s not, and what’s somewhere in between.
The Infinite Monkey Cage
This podcast is a self-described “witty and irreverent” look at the world through the eyes of scientists. Does not contain monkeys.
The Naked Scientists
An offshoot of Cambridge University, this is science made simple and fun. Check it out here.
Science in the Media
Empty calories no more
In this article, read about the biofortified rice high in iron and zinc that is set to combat hidden hunger in developing countries.
Stories from the Indian Himalayas
Social geographer Dr Jane Dyson has spent years living and working in a remote, high-altitude village. Now she is telling the story of its people through film. Read all about it here.
To stay up to date between editions please like our Science at Melbourne and the Science Student News pages on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
Until next time we hope you enjoy the start of Spring!
Science News
