CSIRO gets the razor

CSIRO

Fairfax Media   |    8 November 2013  The Coalition government's commitment to science is being questioned after its failure  failure to nominate a dedicated science minister  (for the first time in 80 years) and subsequent decisions, including the closure of the global warming advisory body the Climate Change Commission, and revelations  that Australia will not be sending its environment minister, Greg Hunt, or any ministerial stand-in to international climate change negotiations starting on Monday in Warsaw - and the failure of the Prime Minister to attend the Prime Minister's  Awards for Science.   Now it emerges that Australia's premier scientific research and development agency is … [Read more...]

Australia’s super computer

ANU super computer

ANU Media    |   31 July 2013 Australia’s most powerful computer has been officially launched at the opening of the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) high performance computing centre at The Australian National University (ANU). Named after the Japanese god of thunder, lightning and storms, Raijin can perform the same number of calculations in one hour that would take seven billion people armed with calculators 20 years. The supercomputer is the largest in Australia, and reputedly the 27th  largest in the world, and will enable researchers to process vast volumes of data that would otherwise take years to complete, and simply not be possible using desktop … [Read more...]

The Scan Main Edition 3 May 2013 # 115

Mojo

EIF “loses its buzz” Following excoriating criticism by Phil Clark, chair of the Education Investment Fund (EIF) advisory board, that the EIF has “lost its way”, higher education minister Craig Emerson has indicated through a spokesperson  there would be a “major announcement” related to the Education Investment Fund this week.  Earlier this week, Clark said government inertia and media-driven policy had derailed the EIF, which was set up to fund large-scale, nation-building tertiary education and research infrastructure....[READ MORE].... Federal funds for each uni student to fall Figures released by the government show federal funding for each university student … [Read more...]

Life changing research (2): Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's

CSIRO Media    |    30 April  2013 One step closer to a blood test for Alzheimer's Australian scientists are much closer to developing a screening test for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease. They identified blood-based biological markers that are associated with the build up of a toxic protein in the brain which occurs years before symptoms appear and irreversible brain damage has occurred. "Early detection is critical if we are to make any real difference in the battle against Alzheimer's, giving those at risk a much better chance of receiving treatment earlier, before it’s too late to do much about it," said Dr Samantha Burnham from CSIRO’s Preventative Health … [Read more...]

The Scan Main Edition 11 April 2013

stethoscope2

# 113 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Schools do matter... ....as does funding Schools matter when it comes to students’ tertiary entrance rankings and university enrolment, according to a new National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) report, The impact of schools on young people’s transition to university.  Based on the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), the report examines the factors over and above a student’s individual background that impact on university entrance rankings and enrolment.  The study finds that a schools’ sector, whether the school is single sex or not, and … [Read more...]

Government “raids CSIRO coffers” – Mason

csiro

Opposition news    |    13 February 2013 Following the always entertaining - in a dry sort of way - Senate Estimates Committee hearings, the opposition claimed the viability of the CSIRO’s highly successful wireless technology research division is under threat.  CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Megan Clark revealed at the hearing of the Economics committee that a portion of wireless licensing revenue would be siphoned off to the government, with further job cuts in the wireless division also possible. Senator Brett Mason, Shadow Minister for Universities and Research decalred that The government has once again been caught with its hand in the till.  CSIRO research output and CSIRO researchers … [Read more...]

The Scan Main Edition 13 September 2012

CQU logo

CQU promises to be different sort of dual sector uni With the Newman Government having given in principle support to the merger of Central Queensland University (CQU) and Central Queensland Institute of TAFE (CQIT) CQU vice-chancellor Scott Bowman is promising a new type of tertiary institution.  He said that while vocational students would be able to pathway into higher-level courses, higher education students would also be encouraged to browse vocational qualifications.  “Competence-based skill packages” could be built into degrees, with engineering students picking up skills in welding or boiler making and theatre students obtaining power tool certificates. [Continue … [Read more...]

CSIRO chief astronomer to head SKA project

Phil Diamond

Australian Financial Review    11 September 2012 The construction of  the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) , a ground-breaking radio telescope capable of scanning the darkest depths of the universe, will be headed by one of Australia’s top astronomers, Dr Phil Diamond, chief of astronomy and space science at CSIRO. He will bring 30 years of experience in radio astronomy to his new post and will manage the critical pre-construction phase of the world’s biggest telescope project. The SKA, to be built in Australia and South Africa, is a $1.9 billion international radio telescope. When finished, it will allow scientists to survey tens of millions of distant galaxies and collect vast … [Read more...]

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