POSTGRADUATE NEWS September 2006
WELCOME
Andre Taylor,
PhD
(external) working with Chris Cocklin and Rebekah Brown, Thomas
Richards, PhD
working with Ian McNiven, Bruno David and Tim Denham, Usman Shah,
MA and
Alyse Weyman, MEnvSc, both Usman and Alyse are working with Priya
Rangan and Christian Kull.
CONGRATULATIONS
Ellyn Cook who has submitted her PhD thesis "Late
quaternary environments and climate history at the Lakes Bolac and
Turangmoroke, Western Australia, Australia".
Wendy Stubbs, was a runner up for the Academy of Management's Organizations and the Natural Environment (ONE) Doctoral Dissertation Award.
CONFERENCE
EARTH SYSTEM
SCIENCE
Kenichi Kurioka
A Winter School on Earth System Science organized by the ARC Network for Earth System Science ( ARC NESS) was held at Monash University from the 10th of July to the 14th of July. Many students including some from interstate attended the lectures. Lectures were given on topics of geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, the ocean, impact of climate change, modeling and IT. Lecturers included Dr. Jason Beringer (Monash Uni), Assoc. Prof. Stephen Wilson (Uni of Woolongong), Prof. Nigel Tapper (Monash Uni), Dr. Richard Matear ( CSIRO ), Dr. Scott Power (BMRC), Dr. Jason Roberts (Uni of Tasmania), Dr. James Risbey ( CSIRO MAR), Dr. Lynda Chambers (BoM), Prof. Andy Pitman (Macquarie Uni) and Dr. Glenn Hyland (Uni of Tasmania).
We had two lectures in the morning and two lectures in the afternoon and also had hands on exercises using the model "Stella". It was very enlightening to hear from researchers who are experts and working first hand in their fields. Running the model also gave us a good opportunity to actively participate and to better understand the geochemical processes. A comment by Dr Andy Pitman left a strong impression on me, that he recommends people in the social science field to study basic physics as it is the fundamental of science, and people who are in the physical science field to study economics. Finally we would like to thank Jason, for his hard work in making the Winter School possible.
EARTH
SYSTEM FEEDBACKS: VULNERABILITY OF THE CARBON CYCLE TO DROUGHT AND
FIRE
Ian McHugh
The conference took place between the 5th and 9th of June 2006 at Australian National University in Canberra. My travel and accommodation costs were generously met by the ARC Network for Earth System Science (ARCNESS). The conference was attended by many of the leading researchers - both nationally and internationally - in a variety of relevant disciplines, including plant and fire ecology, climatology and micrometeorology, earth-system modelling, remote sensing, and land management. It was very useful to be able to talk to and get advice from people with such expertise in these fields between sessions.
The 'earth system' focus acknowledged the need for more effective integration and connection of the research findings in these fields in order to develop a more holistic understanding of the feedback processes both driving and driven by climate change. The program began with presentations on observational evidence of carbon cycle changes associated with climate change, then moved through carbon cycle processes and controls and the modelling of future changes, before finishing with key ecosystem vulnerabilities. Facilitated discussions throughout maintained a good sense of integration between the different research areas and different scales of analysis, as well as addressing the research shortfalls that need to be addressed.
I am in the early stages of a research project addressing the impacts of climate change on the carbon cycle in alpine grasslands. The conference helped me to gain a better understanding of how the various scales of process fit together and to place my own work into the broader context of carbon cycle interactions between terrestrial ecosystems and climate. It was also useful and motivating because it highlighted the gaps in my own conceptual and intellectual understanding of the broader field and gave me a better sense of the potential benefit of my own project.
OzFlux
meeting 3-4 July
Musa Kilinc
OzFlux is a network of micrometeorological eddy covariance flux stations located at various sites within Australia and New Zealand, and is part of a global network of over 150 sites where exchanges of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, water vapour, and energy between the terrestrial ecosystem and atmosphere are measured continuously over long time scales. Its main purpose is to understand the mechanisms controlling exchanges of carbon, water vapour and energy between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere over a range of time and space scales, as well as operating as a validating tool for remote sensing and modelling techniques. My PhD project involves the measurement of these fluxes at an old growth Mountain Ash site in Kinglake, and is part of the Ozflux network. Ozflux meetings are held bi-annually, and one was held recently on 3-4 July 2006 at Monash University. The first day involved presentations by prominent scientists such as Dr. Leuning, Dr Cleugh, Dr. Beringer, Dr. Hutley and others who gave insights into their latest findings, approaches, as well as concerns on their projects. Although, I could only attend the morning seminars, it gave me an opportunity to liaise and find out more about flux research conducted in and around Australia. The second day involved a field trip to the Kinglake flux tower site, where an introduction to the site and other on-going projects were made. Many were amazed by the sheer size of one of the tallest tree species in the world and the tower itself, which measures 110 metres, and were encouraged to climb the tower, though not many did. The meeting was invaluable to myself and other participants who are newly involved with Ozflux.
SEMINARS
Seminars in September
Tricks
of the Trade TUESDAYS 5-6.30pm in E457
5
September The research process
19 September Confirmation of candidature
SGES Lunchtime Seminars WEDNESDAYS 1-2pm in SGO2
6 September To Be Advised Please note venue: SGO3
13 September To Be Advised.
20 September Geomorphology, sediment delivery and carbon fluxes in large Asian rivers Dr. David Higgitt, National University of Singapore
27 September Mid Semester Break
Details of other research
seminars in related disciplinary areas can be
found at:
SCIENCE FACULTY
http://www.sci.monash.edu.au/postgrad/seminar.html
BIOLOGICAL
SCIENCES
http://www.biolsci.monash.edu.au/research/seminars/index.html
ATMOSPHERIC
SCIENCE
http://www.maths.monash.edu.au/research/seminars/