Life and Environmental Sciences news

Volunteering to tackle environmental issues

Volunteering is a great way of getting practical experience and an opportunity to ‘give something back’. Lucie Cutting has a strong history of community service and involvement with environmental volunteer work. Lucie says there are a range of volunteer opportunities for students wanting to get involved in the environmental field.

“You have to be very committed and have a passion for the type of volunteer work you are doing. It’s amazing how much time it takes up trying to do something good, you can’t view it as just a few hours a week. But if you can keep your interest in it alive it won’t feel like a burden.”

Lucie has worked with her local Alexandra Roots & Shoots, a youth program of Jane Goodall Institute aimed at positive change for communities, animals and environment and the Oaktree Foundation on their ‘End Child Slavery’ campaign. Her current project involves raising US$5,000 for the Nepalese Wildlife Centre for the construction of the first wildlife rehabilitation centre in Nepal. The project aims to raise funds to build a holding facility for a recently rescued leopard cub.  This is the first project by the Global Youth Council for Wildlife Conservation (GYCWC), of which Lucie is a founding member.  The GYCWC was formed at Jane Goodall’s Global Youth Summit earlier this year. Of the 100 participants from around the world, 29 formed this global network to continue to protect and conserve wildlife.

“The hands on practical experience opens up opportunities for employment and you build up a bit of a network of contacts in your chosen field. It also adds to your experiences in life that you need to have to understand what you want to do in the future as a career.”

There is a wealth of opportunities available to volunteer in environmental organisations. Lucie suggests joining a group or club for those unsure of volunteering alone, Deakin has an environment club.  Participating in one day activities gives a good indication of time commitments required for voluntary work. Internships are available and various organisations offer environmental volunteer work.  Earth Watch Institute’s environmental research and volunteering program gives tertiary students the chance to experience genuine field research. Fully funded places are sometimes available but students can cover costs as well. The Environmental Jobs Network website provides links to a wide range of environmental organisations looking for volunteers.  Deakin’s Jobshop lists volunteer opportunities for students. Jobsites usually have a volunteer section as well.

Lucie is studying a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science.

More information:
earthwatch.org/australia/get_involved/ed_opp/env_res_and_vol_pgm (Earth Watch Institute)
www.environmentaljobs.com.au/volunteerwork/opps.php (Environmental Jobs Network)
www.janegoodall.org.au/ (Jane Goodall Institute)
www.deakin.edu.au/studentlife/aheadstart/ (Deakin Jobshop)
www.volunteer.com.au/ (Seek)

Environmental student attends Australia/India sustainable youth forum

Tom Kelly has recently returned from this year’s Australia India Universities Youth Forum (AIUYF).  Tom was one of 54 students from Australia and India brought together for this year’s forum.  Sustainability was the theme for the two week program, designed to give attendees an increased knowledge of the key issues of sustainability, including sustainability leadership training.

A cruise around Sydney harbour marked the start of two weeks of interactive workshops, events and activities all focused around environmental sustainability. A three day leadership course equipped participants with the tools to become sustainability leaders in their own communities.  During this workshop the AIUYF Protocol was born, the group’s sustainability action plan which was presented at the Australian Association for Environmental Education conference in Darwin. 

One of the highlights of the trip for Tom was visiting the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.  “The ANU has undertaken numerous community projects to create awareness of environmental issues and promote student involvement in green programs.  They have a well maintained organic vegetable garden tended by students, giving them an opportunity to have hands on experience in sustainability,” says Tom.

Attendees also got to experience some great sites, including a tour of the Blue Mountains and a three day eco tour of outback Australia.  “As well as visiting Uluru, Kings Canyon and cattle stations, we explored fossil sites and even managed to fit in a game of outback cricket!  Sleeping in swags under the stars was a unique experience for many of the Indian and Australian students.”

One of the aims of the forum was to create national and international networks between students from a variety of academic and cultural backgrounds.  “Many long lasting friendships and networks were formed between students and universities both around Australia and internationally.  It will be interesting to see how this network we have formed will enable the AIUYF participants to instigate change and awareness in our own communities and universities,” says Tom.

Tom is a third year Environmental Science (Environment Management) student.

25th International SAHANZ Conference

The School of Architecture and Building recently hosted the 25th international SAHANZ (Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand) conference at the Waterfront Campus. Delegates from Australia, New Zealand and the globe attended this milestone conference in the history of the Society. 

Co-convenors Ursula de Jong and David Beynon, School of Architecture and Building, said it was a privilege for Deakin to host this year’s conference, History in Practice, which explored the connections between architectural history and architectural practice. 

Ursula de Jong, also one of the founding members of SAHANZ, says the speakers considered the relationship between critique and intervention, and the links between analysis and creation that lie at the complex intersections of architecture and the writing about architecture.

“They critiqued the practices of architectural history and theory, analysing the gaps, connections and contentions between them and the ongoing history of architectural practice.  These relationships were further framed in terms of exchanges between: old and new; local and global; history and technology; conceptual and visual; centre and periphery; memory and evidence.” 

SAHANZ provides a forum for the open discussion of architectural history and historiography of the region and setting from which to reflect on the status of the architecture, landscape and cities of Australia and New Zealand in the wider world.  Throughout the last quarter century there has been an evolution of the discipline reflected within the society:

“When we started our work was ‘simple’.  We focused on gathering information, documenting our architectural history, establishing an archive of architectural knowledge.  Over time that has evolved, as we reflect on and interpret that information, as we begin to explore who we are and how we connect to place; how we understand our place, and consider it within the wider regional context of the Pacific and South East Asia,” says Dr de Jong.

Science student chosen Jane Goodall Summit

Lucie Cutting recently returned from a life-changing five-day trip to Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA. Lucie was one of 100 youth from six continents and 28 countries brought together to attend world-renowned primatologist, Jane Goodall’s Global Youth Summit. The first annual event, which took place at Walt Disney World Resort®, mobilised the young leaders to address the critical issues facing the planet. At the Summit’s end, the attendees headed home with a commitment to make positive change happen and the hope that – together – they can make the world a better place.

Lucie was hand-picked by Dr Goodall, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and partner organisations to take part in the all-expenses-paid, first-of-its-kind event. All attendees shared a strong history of community service and demonstrated leadership qualities. Lucie had worked with her local Alexandra Roots & Shoots (youth program of JGI aimed at positive change for communities, animals and environment) group in helping to organise part of Dr Goodall’s visit to Australia in 2006 and is currently working with the Oaktree Foundation on their ‘End Child Slavery’ campaign.

Attendees shared cross-cultural ideas, strengthened their leadership skills and created messages through digital media. They identified key issues and developed self-led workshops and discussions to tackle the topics that concerned them. They decided what they wanted to focus on whether it be species conservation, conflict resolution or some other pressing issue.

Each of these young leaders left the Summit equipped with a “toolbox for changing the world” and individual action plans for protecting the future. Over the next year, they will work to implement their plans within their communities.

Lucie’s action plan entails raising urgently needed funds for projects which support wildlife and the conservation of their habitats through the foundation of a Global Youth Council for Wildlife Conservation with 29 of her fellow participants from over a dozen countries. Projects chosen for fundraising have to demonstrate a high level of commitment and involvement to the local community in which they are located.

Dr Goodall found the Summit stimulating and moving. “I know I speak for everyone involved when I say we left the Summit energized, inspired and filled with a new hope for the future and new ideas for encouraging others to bring about a more peaceful world,” said Dr Goodall.

Lucie is studying a double degree, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science.

For more information:
www.globalyouthsummit.org  
www.janegoodall.org
www.rootsandshoots.org

Undersea treasures discovered off Victoria’s Surf Coast

A breathtaking array of marine life on Victoria’s seafloor has been discovered off Victoria’s Surf Coast by Deakin University scientists. The discovery includes previously unknown ‘gardens’ of magnificently coloured sponges, seaweed forests and seagrass meadows, and submerged river systems and lagoons that would have supported Aboriginal communities over 10,000 years ago.

The findings were captivating and would redefine the way the Victorian’s see their marine environment, according to Dr Daniel Ierodiaconou, Deakin researcher and the principal scientist overseeing the project. "For the first time we have an accurate and comprehensive picture of life and the diversity of marine habitats along the Surf Coast, including hotspots for marine plants and animal communities,” Dr Ierodiaconou said.

“The findings also present a picture of what our region looked like prior to sea-level rise that occurred 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. “These results will redefine conservation planning, improve fisheries management, and improve infrastructure planning to limit impacts on the environment. More than ever before we will be better informed about ways to conserve these areas and the life they contain for future generations to enjoy.”

The research project, which received $700,000 funding from the Australian Government, mapped seafloor habitats from Anglesea to the 12 Apostles - a massive 600,000 hectares of the State’s coastal waters. Research was done by sonar technology, towed video cameras and remotely operated vehicles.

A joint initiative of Deakin University, Fugro Survey P/L, the Australian Maritime College and the Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing, the work forms part of an ambitious undertaking to eventually map all of Victoria’s marine environment. Victoria's marine environment is home to an estimated 12,000 plants and animals, the vast majority of which are unique to the waters of southern Australia.

“The significance of this work is immense,” Dr Ierodiaconou said. “For some areas, this is the first information that has been obtained since Matthews Flinders took depth readings from his boat, the Investigator, in 1803.”

Starling’s song hitting the right tune with the birds

Male Starlings are singing more and their songs are more complex as a result of eating polluted worms.  Rather than being deterred, female Starlings are being drawn to those birds with this diet.   

Dr Katherine Buchanan, new School of Life and Environmental Sciences Senior Lecturer, has recently published results in PLoS ONE showing that male Starlings feeding on worms contaminated with environmental pollutants sing more complicated songs.

The paper (Markman et al 2008 PLoS ONE 3(2):e1674. doi 10.1371/journal.pone.0001674) shows that invertebrates on sewage treatment filter beds accumulate contaminants from agricultural and human waste, including estrogen and estrogen mimics. 

The results also show that birds experimentally dosed with the chemicals in these invertebrates sang more and sang more complex songs.  A male’s song is one of the key traits in attracting a female mate for reproduction. 

“This is the first evidence that environmental pollutants not only affect, but paradoxically enhance a signal of male quality such as song,” says Dr Buchanan.

Although females are seeking out these males, there is a downside to their current diet.  These male Starlings were also found to have immune deficiencies, making them less physiologically fit. 

“Females are choosing them as they sing better songs, but those males are not as physiologically fit as mates, as they have immune deficiency.”
  
“These results may have consequences for the population dynamics of an already declining species,” says Dr Buchanan.  The potential effect of pollutant exposure may be to decrease their fertility or the proing of  their offspring.   

Starling population numbers have already decreased dramatically in the UK, making them a listed species. 

What is the next step in research?  Studies along the same lines but this time looking at the females.  Although females do sing occasionally, it is not really known what the function of the female’s song is.  Those females that have been exposed to the same environmental pollutants have already been observed to be singing more. 

Coverage of this work by the international media includes BBC Radio, New York Times, MSNBC and Fox News, Medical News Today, Environmental Science and Technology and Discover Magazine.

Conservation in developing countries:
Reflections on north Sumatra

In November 2007 a team of staff and students from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Melbourne Zoo participated in a trip to North Sumatra, Indonesia. With the recent focus on climate change and carbon emissions (i.e. Bali 2007) this area will be one of the environmental battlegrounds. This initial trip was focussed on establishing long-term research links in the area to examine wildlife conservation.

North Sumatra faces many problems, making conservation a very difficult prospect for the local people. Large-scale deforestation, encroachment from palm oil plantations and poverty are just a few of the challenges to overcome.

We were based in the Tangkahan region where Fauna and Flora International has been running conservation programs with Zoos Victoria. Until recently one of the primary sources of income for these local people was from illegal logging of the jungles. However, several years ago the community came together and decided to stop logging the National park and try to build an income based around ecotourism. The ecotourism is managed by the community with revenue returning to the community. Whilst the income from ecotourism will never replace the income from logging, it is hoped that the community will not need to return to logging in the future.

Very quickly we witnessed that conservation in developing areas like Sumatra is not as straight forward as in developed areas. The major issues surrounding conservation include limited knowledge of the need for conservation, and more concerning is the poverty faced by rural communities. For conservation to work we must acknowledge these limitations and plan conservation strategies accordingly.

First we need to develop alternative income streams that negate the need to overexploit the natural resources of the area, and at the same time enter into environmental education for the community. The Deakin and Zoos Victoria trip focused around both these areas. We were involved in developing VIP ecotourism strategies to bring in western tourists who want to visit remote natural locations in the world.

Another aspect of our trip was to run training for different community groups. Our two student volunteers under Zoos Victoria guidance focussed on training rangers in the use of GIS and GPS technologies in their day to day work. Using these technologies has several advantages, one is that the rangers can more safely guide ecotourists into the jungle, and they can also record sightings, tracks and traces of wildlife while in the jungles. The information on wildlife sightings etc will be important in future research in the area. The Deakin staff also worked with Zoos Victoria to deliver environmental education training courses to primary school teachers in the region. The courses were great fun for all involved but did highlight a lack of knowledge. Starting with the teachers will have some long term benefits, and hopefully the Zoo and Deakin will continue to further develop environmental programs for teachers in the future.

Currently we are examining long-term research strategies. We are hoping to establish research examining biodiversity throughout the area, looking specifically at mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. We also want to examine how jungle wildlife returns to areas after logging, and how ecotourism can be used to facilitate conservation in developing countries.

Student helps save lives in East Timor

A DEAKIN University student has gained an extraordinary introduction to his medical degree by helping save lives in East Timor over the summer break.

Noble Park resident James Xavier, 20, provided much-needed medical care to city and rural East Timorese communities during for two weeks in November and December.

He used skills he gained in nine years of St John’s Ambulance training and the three-year Biomedical Science course at Deakin to treat illnesses including dehydration, malnutrition and road trauma.  He was also in the country with his parents to mark the first anniversary of his East Timorese grandmother’s death.

“When I arrived at the house in the countryside where I was staying, there were heaps of people who had heard that I would be there waiting to ask me about their illnesses,” he said.

“They just kept coming and coming.  Some were suffering from injuries from road trauma such as bruises, wounds and closed fractures as they didn’t wear seatbelts and hung outside their cars and others had flu-like symptoms that wouldn’t clear up.”
 
He also assisted his cousin, who is a doctor, in a hospital emergency department in Dili.  There, Mr Xavier’s patients included refugees whose children were often acutely ill as a result of dehydration and malnutrition.  He found the conditions in the hospital to a far cry from those in hospitals in Australia.

“It was back to basics as the hospital didn’t have much equipment and the medicines they were using were stored in bottles with no lids that looked like Pepsi bottles.

“It was really chaotic and so different from here; the surgeon turned up wearing an apron, a showercap and kitchen gloves and the doctors wore sandals because it was hot.”

Mr Xavier said that although he had enjoyed the opportunity to provide some medical help to people in East Timor, he was looking forward to contributing more after starting his medical degree.

Mr Xavier completed his Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Deakin University in 2007 and in December discovered he had achieved his dream of gaining a position in the new postgraduate medical degree at the Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds.  He said that he was pleased to have the opportunity to become a doctor through the new Medical School.
 
As part of his involvement role as a Youth Development Coordinator, Mr Xavier has trained young people in CPR and first aid and competed in the St John’s Ambulance Competitions, in which he has enjoyed international success.

“It [medicine] is something that I’ve always wanted to do and that’s one of the reasons I have been involved with St John’s since I was 11.

“I think my experience in Timor has also given me a great start and I learnt a lot on my feet.  Now, I’m looking forward to getting started on the course,” he said.

Mr Xavier is also grateful for the grounding he gained in Biomedical Science before entering the medical course.

“It’s a good way of moving from an undergraduate course into Medicine, and it means that I’ve got some life experience first,” he said.

Interview:  James Xavier is available for interview on 9562 3043.  Photographs are available

Biodiversity on the agenda at workshop

ENVIRONMENTAL leaders will come together in Melbourne next month in a bid to develop a new approach to conservation in Victoria.  Deakin University will bring up to 100 representatives of academia, government and science and environmental agencies together in the workshop on December 6.

The Ecological processes in Victoria: Policy priorities for sustaining biodiversity workshop is part of a two-stage project that started with a scientific report by 19 senior ecologists, in which it is proposed that greater emphasis needs to be given to ecological processes in the state’s approach to nature conservation.

In the second stage, these proposals will be developed further into practical recommendations to put forward to the State Government’s Land and Biodiversity White Paper, which is currently being drafted. 

Scientific review chair Associate Professor Dr Andrew Bennett said new ways of thinking were needed in order to sustain Victoria’s ecological diversity.

“Victoria has a great record of establishing national parks and reserves and it’s also been a leader in developing innovative programs such as Landcare and Land for Wildlife, but more needs to be done,” Dr Bennett said.

“We need to extend our current focus on protecting ‘natural assets’ such as national parks or reserves or threatened species, to improving our knowledge and management of the processes that sustain them,” Dr Bennett said.

In short, the new approach will involve giving greater attention to the ecological processes on which the ‘natural assets’ that we value, depend.  It would involve steps such as long-term monitoring to understand how species and ecosystems are changing through time, and scenario planning to envisage how ecosystems are likely to be affected by major threats such as the impact of climate change, degradation and loss of habitats, altered hydrological flows, nutrient and chemical additions to ecosystems, unsustainable harvesting of natural resources, and introduced species.

Representatives from academia, non-government organisations, the CSIRO and government aim to identify methods of tackling these issues through government policy at the workshop at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons on December 6.

Deakin University Associate Professor Geoff Wescott said the project could provide valuable information to the government in its approach to biodiversity.

“The project aims to identify policy directions and priorities to sustain biodiversity in Victoria by translating the findings from the ecological processes project and other advances in environmental policy, ecology and ecological management into the policy arena," Associate Professor Geoff Wescott said.

"This project is timely because the Victorian Government is currently preparing a White Paper on land and biodiversity.  A report that provides a suite of policy, planning and program measures to maintain and restore the ecological processes that sustain biodiversity has the potential to be a valuable input and stimulus for the White Paper process," he said.

The project was commissioned by the Victoria Naturally Alliance consisting of leading environment groups including the Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Victoria and Greening Australia and led by the Victorian National Parks Association.

The workshop will be held between 9.45am and 4pm at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Spring St.

Deakin hosts international sustainable building conference

VIRTUAL design and digital architecture will be among the new tools in sustainable building to come under the spotlight at an international conference at Deakin University this week.

Researchers from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Qatar and Malaysia will be among the delegates at the 41st Annual Conference of the Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) between Wednesday, November 14 and Friday, November 16 at the Geelong Waterfront Campus.

Conference convenor James Coulson said the “Towards Solutions for a Liveable Future: progress, practice, performance, people” conference would address new approaches to sustainable building including three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) and computer driven reporting of weather conditions.

“This conference is about the role of the built environment within the global sustainability and climate change debate.  We aim to discuss the way that buildings contribute to and provide solutions for the environmental problems that we are facing or will face in the future,” Mr Coulson said.

“The papers that will be presented range from general climate change issues and expected building performance to the way practitioners can best evaluate and develop more sustainable built environments.”

Research from Deakin University’s Built Environment Research Group (BERG) will be among the papers presented at the conference.  Some methods that BERG is investigating in creating more sustainable building include reducing construction waste and better utilising existing buildings.

Group member Professor Mark Luther said the conference provided built environment experts with the opportunity to discuss taking the next step in fighting climate change.

“This conference is about advancing sustainable building systems for the future, which is a huge issue at the moment,” Prof Luther said.

“We’ve gotten past the breakfast table of Al Gore’s work building awareness of climate change and now that we know what the problem is, we need to do something about it.  That is what we will discuss at this conference.”

BERG is focussed on finding renewable, adaptive and recyclable forms of building to reduce the impact on the environment.  Through its research, the group of multidisciplinary researchers aims to develop new processes and practices to help society realise its goals for sustainable development and learn more about the ways facilities and the technologies within them can help the people that use them perform at their best.

Deakin students saving endangered wildlife

Deakin University students are heading to Indonesia this month to teach local villagers how to protect the forests and wildlife of Sumatra.

Wildlife and conservation biology students, Ben Gaylard and Jake Urlus, will spend a month in Sumatra working on a variety of projects with staff from the Melbourne Zoo and Fauna and Flora International.

Both students have had an interest in the wildlife for many years. They welcomed the opportunity to spend time in Sumatra and put into practice what they have been learning through their Deakin course.

“Jake and I had an interest in the wildlife of south east Asia before we got involved in the Deakin course,” Mr Gaylard said.

“Sumatra has wildlife unrivalled on the planet for such a small area. Where else can you find orangutan, rhino, elephant, tiger and tapir in the one place? It is simply a conservation biologist’s paradise!

“Nearly all the skills we have learnt from our course will be used in Sumatra. Skills such as the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), field techniques and the ability to teach ecology have all been learnt through Deakin University.”

Mr Gaylard and Mr Urlus will be teaching ranger staff new skills, such as GIS, basic ecology and photography. They will also be building a vegetable garden to help improve the diets of the elephants used by the Mahouts and teach ecology in the schools.

While poaching is still an issue in the region, habitat destruction is more of a problem.

“There is a lot of encroachment into the national parks in south east Asia where the local villagers continue to chop down trees to set up their farms,” Mr Gaylard said.

“We will be able to show them other ways of making a living without damaging the forests.”

The students have been raising money to support their work in Sumatra.

“So far, $10,000 has been raised, mainly through a charity auction held recently. We hope that this will increase to $12,000 before we leave,” Mr Gaylard said.

“The money will be spent on establishing the elephant garden as well as on equipment for the ranger staff, such as laptops and GIS units.”

Anyone interested making a donation can send cheques payable to the Zoos Victoria-Sumatran Elephant Conservation Project to Chris Banks, PO Box 74, Parkville, Victoria 3052

Plant disease research a winner for student

DEAKIN University student Jane Cullum tackled a plant disease that has made a negative economic and environmental impact around the world in an award-winning poster.

Ms Cullum’s poster addressed the responses of native plants to the disease.  She was awarded the student poster prize at the 16th Biennial Australasian Plant Pathology Society Conference in Adelaide in September as a result of her work.  The prize included $300 prizemoney and membership to the society.

“It [the poster] basically covered the cellular responses of native plants to the pathogen and the optimisation of a Zea mays (corn) pathosystem which will enable future molecular analysis,” she said.

Ms Cullum drew on knowledge of plant species that were resistant to the disease in her research, comparing their responses to infection with highly susceptible plants.  In her poster, Ms Cullum explained that the research provided a fundamental step towards the preservation of vulnerable species.

Ms Cullum is currently undertaking her PhD in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at Deakin University.

Peter Cullen joins Deakin academics in quest for sustainable future

Professor Peter Cullen, one of Australia’s most eminent thinkers, will head a stellar line-up of speakers as Deakin University explores new ways to create a sustainable future.

Professor Cullen, a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, will join with Deakin's own Professor Geoff Wescott and Dr Anne Wallis in the public forum entitled:

YES IT IS UNSUSTAINABLE BUT IT IS NOT MY FAULT

To be held at St Michael's Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne at 6pm on Tuesday, October 9.

"We are thrilled that Professor Cullen has agreed to take part," said Professor David Stokes, Deakin's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).

"He has become an important voice, not just in Australia but globally, as we try to grapple with issues like climate change, the lack of water and creating industries that are sustainable.

"Quite obviously, and as the title of the forum suggests, much of our current lifestyle in Australia is unsustainable.

"The big thing for us all now, from individuals to major corporations, is to come up with new ways of thinking so that we can enjoy our current way of living, but without it costing the earth."

Admission is free and bookings are not essential.

For further information about the forum, ring (03) 5223 2918

Deakin University research finds diesel exhaust kills throat cells

Researchers at Deakin University have found that diesel exhaust is far more damaging tour health than exhaust from biodiesel, the plant-based fuel.

Associate Professor Leigh Ackland, Associate Head of Deakin’s School of Life and Environmental Sciences, led a team of researchers who compared the effects of diesel exhaust and biodiesel exhaust on human airway cells.  They found that diesel exhaust damaged and killed the cells, while biodiesel exhaust had little effect.

“Australia’s escalating need for fuel is posing a major health problem,” Associate Professor Ackland said.

“The fumes from burning fuels, including diesel, contributes to pollution and can cause heart disease, bronchitis and asthma.  Efforts are underway to replace petrol and diesel with cleaner biofuels, such as biodiesel, but there is considerable resistance to this.

“This study provides clear evidence that diesel exhaust is more harmful tour health than biodiesel exhaust.”

As it is not possible to study in real time what happens in the real human airway, the researchers conducted their research on human airway cells grown in a culture.  The cells were exposed to the particulate matter emitted in diesel and biodiesel exhaust fumes.

“Particulate matter is the burnt material, including carbon particles, emitted into the air.  This particulate matter is part of biodiesel and diesel fumes but the particles produced from biodiesel were much less damaging to the cells than particles produced from diesel,” Associate Professor Ackland explained.

“Our research found that the particulate matter from diesel exhaust stimulated a ‘death pathway’ response that the body uses to dispose of damaged cells.  This response caused the airway cells to fuse together and die.

“We saw hardly any cell death after treatment with biodiesel particulates.”

Associate Professor Ackland said that the results of the study provide support for calls to move towards replacing petrol and diesel with cleaner biofuels.

“It is clear that breathing in diesel fumes is going to have a far more detrimental effect on our health than biodiesel.  Given the level of cell death we have found, diesel exhaust could be the cause of respiratory disorders such as asthma and could even be implicated in cancer,” she said.

The study has been published in the latest edition of the international journal Immunology and Cell Biology.

Deakin research first in dyeing wool that changes colour in the sun

Wool clothes that change colour in the sun and provide protection from harmful UV rays could be the next fashion trend thanks to new research at Deakin University.

Tong Cheng, a PhD student with Deakin’s Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation, has developed for the first time a way of colouring wool with photochromic dye.

Photochromic products undergo a colour change when exposed to UV radiation. Photochromic dyes and wool are incompatible when applied by traditional dyeing methods.

Miss Cheng, under the super of Deakin’s Drs Tong Lin and Rex Brady, has created a polymer that holds the photochromic dye and is then applied to the surface of wool fibres.

“Tong Cheng had to solve some very challenging technical issues to get to this stage,” Dr Brady said.

The special polymer contains a huge number of tiny pores for trapping the dye. 

“Tong Cheng had to ensure that the pores in the polymer were just the right size—if they were too large, for example, the dye would seep out. It was also important that the polymer allowed the colour change for the dye to take place quickly—this she has achieved,” Dr Brady explained.

To ensure marketability of any clothes produced with this technique, the polymer should not interfere with the feel of the wool and must be durable and colour fast.

“It is impossible to notice the difference between normal wool fabric and fabric coated with the polymer,” Miss Cheng said. “The fabric maintains its softness and drape and the colour is preserved when washed.”

Wool fabrics are both luxurious and comfortable. Gone are the days when wool garments were regarded as traditional and old-fashioned items.

“It is exciting to be able to work on new techniques to extend the range of possibilities for wool garments,” Miss Cheng said.

“We could soon be seeing wool T-shirts that only reveal their patterns when worn outside or in a disco with black lights. Having patterns appear this way also opens up novel marketing and fashion opportunities.”

Miss Cheng said that an unexpected bonus with the polymer coating was its UV protection quality.

“We have found that the polymer absorbs harmful UV rays in sunlight,” Miss Cheng said. “When applied to wool, these polymers enhance the natural UV absorption of the fibre, further increasing the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) afforded by wool garments. Initial tests have shown these rays are almost totally blocked.”

Miss Cheng’s research has been funded by the China-Australia Wool Innovation Network (CAWIN) program — a partnership between Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Deakin University.

The significance of her work has been recognised with two recent awards—Materials Australia’s prestigious 2006 Borland Forum Award and the 2007 AWI/DWI Award for Excellence in Wool Science.

Deakin Researchers Tackle Pollution in China

DEAKIN University researchers aim to use science to reduce the impact of pollution and improve quality of life in China.  Deakin’s Professor Frank Stagnitti and Associate Professor Leigh Ackland have developed a collaborative partnership with the Institute of Applied Ecology at the Chines Academy of Science in Shenyang.

They visited China in June to meet with colleagues and formalise their working arrangement.  The group will work on soil remediation and study the health effects of pollution.

During their visit to China, Professor Stagnitti and Associate Professor Ackland also visited Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Shenyang University to present research seminars, tour laboratories and field sites and explore new joint research programs.

Associate Professor Ackland said the visit enabled the researchers to see first-hand the effects of pollution.  “We made visits to several field sites to witness the consequences of environmental pollution, caused by human activities,” she said.

This included a trip to Inner Mongolia, plagued with desertification, where winds blew topsoil all the way to Japan and a field site where soil was contaminated by cadmium, a by-product of sewage and industrial effluent.

The Deakin research team will work with Chinese researchers to determine how cadmium is processed by plants and find the most effective means of using plants for bioremediation.

Assistant Professor Ackland said the collaborative partnership offered an opportunity to help use science in a practical way to tackle pollution.  “As the pollution problem is so great in China, there is a great sense of being able to use science to improve peoples’ lives,” she said.

Test Tube Dog at Deakin

LEXIE the test-tube corgi is a popular special guest in Deakin University’s Physiology classes.  The four-year-old is an example of a relatively rare breed resulting from an international exchange of genes using frozen semen, with her father from Southern California and her mother from Melbourne.

Lecturer Jan West takes her dog, Lexie, to classes once a year to illustrate the reproductive process in an unusual, real-life application.  She said the visit helped reinforce students’ understanding of reproduction principles that they have learnt with the human system.

“There are a lot of differences between a human and a dog’s reproductive systems, but basically it is the same.  This “live” example of test tube reproduction gets the students to revise what they have learnt about human ovulation and the development process,” Dr West said.  “We compare the dog’s reproductive system to that of humans and then track the development of the puppies.”

Dr West explains the process of producing a “test tube” corgi was a complex one that required a detailed knowledge of reproduction, as well as abiding the quarantine laws for importing into Australia.  Before Lexie was born, her mother’s progesterone levels had to be monitored regularly to determine when ovulation has occurred.  Semen, which has been shipped from America, and stored at Monash Veterinary Clinic, was then surgically implanted.

The corgi was one of a litter of three puppies born in Melbourne four years ago. Since then, she has become accustomed to taking centre stage, having attended the lecture for the past three years.  Lexie’s mum has been named Grand Champion at dog shows and appeared on the tele program Harry’s Practice.

Dr West said the students had enjoyed Lexie’s visits in the past three years that she had been a guest in the classes.

“I always tell them that there’s going to be a guest in class, but I don’t tell them who, or what, it is,” she said.  “The students get a bit of a kick out of it.”

The “test tube” method (artificial insemination using frozen semen) of breeding rare or endangered breeds or species is gradually becoming more popular as an alternative to sending the animals across the globe.

“It is a rather new technology, but it avoids shipping animals around,” Dr West said.  “As well as protecting these breeds, the process diversifies the gene pool to create greater genetic diversity.” 

Lexie’s litter brother Oliver has produced puppies using the same technology in New Zealand, Southern California and Florida.  An article about Lexie’s story appears in the Year 12 text book Nature of Biology. One of the editors is Prof Marjory Martin, an Honorary Professor here at Deakin

Hot topics at Deakin's Hot Research Breakfast

SUSTAINABILITY and climate change were the hot topics at this year’s Faculty of Science and Technology Hot Research Breakfast.

The annual breakfast on May 4 was held to highlight the innovative research being carried out at Deakin University.

Civic, manufacturing, education and mining leaders in the Geelong community were among the guests at the event.

Associate professor Andrew Bennett, professor Craig Langston and senior lecturer Bronwyn Fox all touched upon environmental issues in speeches about their cutting-edge research.

Mr Bennett from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences drew the audience’s attention to the plight of woodland birds and the impact of landscape change on these species.

School of Architecture and Building professor Langston spoke about his studies of 30 Melbourne buildings and his new method in predicting the amount of energy different buildings would expend over the next 100 years.

Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation senior lecturer Dr Fox spoke about her work with carbon composites and their potential to make air travel safer for the environment.

The Hot Research Breakfast was held as part of the university’s Deakin Week activities.

Presentations:
Bats, birds and bandicoots: wildlife conservation and landscape change in the 21st Century (PDF - 619Kb)
The real cost of Melbourne buildings: a recent study (PDF - 2Mb)
Carbon composites: the way to reduce carbon emissions? (PDF - 1.17Mb)

Students Identify Snake Venom

TESTING venom to identify snakes was one activity that introduced school students to the real-life applications of biological science at Deakin University.

The test is a valuable tool in identifying the type of anti-venom that should be administered to a snake-bite victim.

Students from Bellarine Secondary College and Newcomb Secondary College also tested cow serum to identify the presence of tetanus antibodies as part of the VCE Immunology Workshop.

The workshop was held in cooperation between Deakin and the schools to build students’ knowledge of science and promote science as a career.

School of Life and Environmental Sciences project organiser David Cahill said the workshops aimed to introduce students to the possibilities of science.

“This project brings bright and enthusiastic young people into state of the art facilities at Deakin to see how exciting biological science can be and its relevance to every day life. These students are the next generation of active researchers whom we need to attract to Deakin,” Associate Professor Cahill said.

Bellarine Secondary College teacher Steve Benge said the workshops provided about 60 participating students with the opportunity to see how science could be used in real-life situations, using scientific equipment that they otherwise would not have access to.

“This gives students the chance to see where they could be heading after they have finished their VCE,” Mr Benge said.

“In the workshop they learn from postgraduate students who are just five years older than them, and see what they’re doing.”

The workshop also aims to develop students’ scientific investigation skills, encourage creativity and problem solving and promote higher order reasoning and critical thinking.

The Deakin University and schools initiative has been made possible through a $55,000 grant as part of the Australian School Innovations in Science, Technology and Mathematics program. Mr Benge, a Deakin University honours graduate, said he would like to see the workshops extended to other schools across the region.

 “It is great to be able to link educators in the area with research that is being done at Deakin,” he said.

The event was led by School of Life and Environmental Science (LES) technical staff and honours and post graduate student demonstrators.

Bellarine and Newcomb students will attend another workshop at Deakin University later in the year in which they will learn about DNA technology.

A Promising Future for Deakin Students

Breanne Batten and Scott Chisholm could have a hand in the medical breakthroughs of the future after they gained places in the prestigious Science and Technology Dean's Scholars Program at Deakin University. They are two of six high-achieving students who were awarded scholarships in this year's program at the annual Faculty of Science and Technology Student Excellence Awards at Deakin University's Melbourne Campus at Burwood on Thursday, April 19. Ms Batten was awarded a Dean's Scholarship after achieving an ENTER of 96.45 in her final year at Ivanhoe Grammar School, while Mr Chisholm achieved an ENTER of 96.35, also at Ivanhoe Grammar School.  They will both receive academic mentoring, the opportunity to include an industry-based learning placement as part of her degree and a $5,000 annual stipend .  Ms Batten said the program would give her a head start in her career in medicine or medical research. "I'm interested in the human body and how it works, and I would like a career in medicine or medical research," she said.  "I enrolled in the Biomedical Science course at Deakin so that I can work in that field." She said she had been surprised with her high score after completing her VCE, although she had worked hard throughout the year. "On the morning that I found out my ENTER, I was quite shocked," she said.  "I worked hard in Year 12 because I wanted to do well and get into the Biomedical Science course." Mr Chisholm said the program would help him get a foot in the door in his career. "I applied for the program because I want to get experience working in the industry before I graduate," he said.  "The scholarship's a bonus." An enjoyment of Biology and Chemistry at school steered him towards the course in Biological Science at Deakin University. "I found that Biology and Chemistry were the subjects that I enjoyed the most and this course combines the two." Associate Professor Dineli Mather, Associate Dean (Development) within the Faculty of Science and Technology said the Dean's Scholars Program provided valuable opportunities for students during their degree. "The Dean's Scholars Program was set up to attract high-achieving students to Science and Technology courses at Deakin University," Associate Professor Mather said. "We are delighted to welcome such gifted young students to the Faculty. We will provide students in the program the support and guidance they need to reach their full potential," she said.

From the Bush to the Beach

Get your hands dirty!

CLASSROOMS do not always have walls for Environmental Science students at Deakin.  Students have the opportunity to take part in a range of field courses from Phillip Island to the Grampians, where they gain first-hand knowledge about the natural world.

During the field courses, students do not only learn about their chosen field in a fun and interactive way, but also have the opportunity to meet and spend time with their classmates.

In their first year, Wildlife and Conservation Biology and Environmental Management students visit Cape Conran Coastal Park to learn about parks management issues and wildlife conservation. 

In their second year, students have the opportunity to take part in a research methods field trip to the Grampians in their second year, where they carry out experiments they have designed.

In the final year, Wildlife and Conservation Biology and Environmental Management course fieldwork opportunities culminate with a field course to the Great Otways National Park, for which students develop their own program.  This might include small mammal trapping, bird surveys and sand pad research.

Similarly hands-on opportunities are available to Marine Biology students, who travel to Phillip Island to study penguins and seals and learn about managing marine wildlife.  The one-week field course is held in the third year of the course.

In field courses in Marine Biology, second and third year students study a range of marine environments, including rocky shores, mangroves and salt marshes, measure water quality using Deakin’s collection of research and teaching boats and design and carry out their own projects.

Freshwater Biology and Management students contribute to environmental projects across Victoria in their third year field work unit.  In this unit, they work on a specific project for one week to use the practical information they have gained in their classes to assist in the management of water resources.  In the past these have included helping restore Lake Condah and studying the ecology of a wetland near Portland and estuaries in southwest Victoria.

The camps provide students with the practical knowledge and skills for their future careers.

Life and Environmental Sciences Melbourne Seminar Series

On Tuesday 13th March Dr Jenny Martin Lecturer in Zoology, University of Melbourne
will deliver the first seminar in The Melbourne Seminar Series run by The School of Life and Environmental Sciences, entitled:

"A tale of two sites: Behavioural ecology of the bobuck (Trichosurus cunninghami)"

These Seminars will be held regularly on Tuesdays from 1-00pm-2-00pm in Lecture Theatre 10 (LT10) on the Burwood Campus.

Program for upcoming seminars:

Climate Change on the Coast

THE impact of the annual influx of tourists into coastal towns was the topic of Deakin associate professor Geoff Wescott's speech at the Sustainable Living Festival at Federation Square last month (February).

Life and Environmental Sciences professor Wescott said his speech titled Sea Change and Sustainability aimed to highlight the potential impacts caused to the coast by tourists each summer as part of the widely discussed "sea change" phenomenon.  He said the effects of day visitors were potentially more significant than the population movement of permanent residents to the coast.

"A problem is that if we were to build facilities to cater for all of the people who come for a total of, say, two weeks a year, these facilities would be left underutilised for the other 50 weeks of the year," he said.

"We might build car parks, toilet blocks, roads and shops to cope for a short time and it's costing the environment and local councils.  Places like the Surf Coast that are a day trip from Melbourne are particularly confronted by the problem."

Professor Wescott also spoke about the serious issue of rising sea levels.

"Most of the country is preoccupied with the drought, but 85 per cent of Australians are living on the coast and it is predicted that the sea level will rise by half a metre within this century.  In the event of a high tide and an offshore storm, that could become a real problem."

He said courses at Deakin that included Coastal Management units and the national Sea Change Taskforce were helping to address the issues, but more attention was needed.

"Let's hope the discussion of the impacts of climate change last well beyond when the current drought breaks," he said.

He also spoke about the issue of sea change and sustainability on SBS News.

A Centre of Growth at Deakin University

THE creation of a ‘stem cell factory’ is one of the most exciting new projects in the Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation. In partnership with BioDeakin and Barwon Biomedical Research, the researchers aim to create a system for high-volume stem cell proliferation. The work has far-reaching implications and is a sign of the growth and development of the CMFI since it opened. In the past, researches in the CMFI focussed primarily on wool and metals. More recently the areas of research have broadened to include advanced materials for automotive and aerospace applications, functional fibres and technical textiles and biomaterials, including the stem cell factory. School of Engineering and Information Technology Federation fellow Peter Hodgson said he expected the growth the CMFI had experienced in 2006 to continue this year. ``The stem cell factory is one of the really exciting things we’re doing this year,’’ he said. ``We are creating stem cell scaffolds out of titanium so that we can grow the cells really fast rather than harvest them over a longer time.’’ It is not just in Geelong that the centre is growing; it also has a strong and increasing presence internationally, particularly in China and India. In February and again in March, Professor Hodgson will visit India to strengthen two existing research partnerships. ``I’ve been to India eight times in the past three years to explore and develop partnerships in India, which along with China is one of the two fastest growing markets in the world.’’ The international focus will help the CMFI grow further in the future. ``It is essential that Australia thinks globally about research and research training and for a region like Geelong, the research can actually be a gateway to the world,’’ Professor Hodgson said.