Professor Sarah Harmer was among the first scientists observe a new, state-of-the-art program in Melbourne, while other successes include a TEDx talk discussing discovery, a FUMA colleague makes the news for her waste management and an alumni was awarded an Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Fellowship.
Unis support $100m BRIGHT facility
Professor Sarah Harmer, director of the Flinders Microscopy and Microanalysis facility, was among the first scientists to observe the new $100 million BRIGHT Program’s state-of-the-art beamlines at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in Melbourne this month.
She was part of the Australian Synchrotron event, attended by representatives from 20 funding organisations, which celebrated the design, installation and commissioning of eight new beamlines which will meet the growing demand for these sophisticated technologies by Australian and international researchers and industry partners.
ANSTO says more than 5,000 researchers use the synchrotron instruments each year, and the facility has been directly involved in the development of more than 6700 publications in refereed journals.
“These new and innovative beamlines will enable ground-breaking experiments in ways that never existed before in Australia, helping researchers to address complex issues such as climate change, developing new energy technologies, food science, and disease detection and treatment,” says ANSTO’s Australian Synchrotron director, Professor Andrew Peele.
TEDx discusses discovery
Evolutionary biologist Bruno Alves Buzatto’s recent TEDx talk, where he discusses “Lessons from discovering the world’s leggiest animal”, has been an online hit, recording more than 30,000 views. Mr Buzatto discussed how the discovery of the world’s first “true” millipede deep underground in Western Australia reminds us of the thousands of species that disappear before we even know about them. To watch the talk, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w67I_9a02QU
It’s bin a long time between shifts
Flinders University Museum of Art’s Alice Clanachanhas been making the rounds on various media channels this week as she chatted to radio hosts and journalists about taking her bin out for the first time in over two years.
After making a concerted effort to reduce her level of waste, Alice’s bin spent 26 months in her yard before she put it out for collection earlier this month.
Read the full article here, and listen to Alice’s interview on ABC Radio here.
Alumni honoured with Fellowship
Distinguished Flinders University alumni Professor Anne Kavanagh (BMBS ’87) has been recognised among 31 health leaders from across the nation who have been announced as Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Each year, the Fellowship elects the best and brightest minds in Australia to join the Academy in recognition of their outstanding achievements and exceptional, ongoing contributions in the field of medical and health sciences.
Professor Kavanagh, an epidemiologist and Professor of Disability and Health at the University of Melbourne, was presented with a Convocation Medal from Flinders University in 2019 “for outstanding leadership and the advancement of research and knowledge on health inequities, particularly the health of people with disabilities”.
This year’s new Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Fellows include 15 women and 16 men from around the country, across a wide range of fields and specialties – and the new President of the Academy is Professor Steve Wesselingh, a Flinders University graduate, distinguished alumni and current Executive Director of SAHMRI.