ScienceNetwork WA

IN HIS new role as Minister for Science, Premier Colin Barnett took time to brief ScienceNetwork on his vision for science in WA.

AN INTERNATIONAL research project involving a local scientist has presented the results of a study which used the first non-destructive, three dimensional method of documenting binding attachments in fossil vertebrates.

UNIVERSITIES have welcomed Premier Colin Barnett’s move to raise the profile of science within government by taking ministerial responsibility for science policy.

AUSTRALIAN wheat is stepping into an exciting future as the Australia-China Centre for Wheat Quality, located at Murdoch University, aims to map the remaining half of the grain genome relating to protein.

TECHNOLOGY developed by CSIRO is providing an unprecedented level of information about the stability of Australia’s forests and greenhouse balance.

WA RESEARCHERS are employing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to get new insights into oil mallee trees, which could become the primary resource for the state’s growing biofuels industry.

A LOCAL company is spearheading the development of anaerobic digestion technology, which could provide an answer for companies seeking a climate friendly way to reduce energy costs.

COMMUNITY spirit and ingenuity have helped the Shire of Woodanilling successfully complete a rainwater harvesting project for a fraction of the cost estimated by consulting engineers.

NATIONAL Science Week 2012 in gearing up in a fortnight with Western Australia boasting the highest number of events happening in the country.

CURRENTLY used in remote communities to regulate the unreliable electricity supply, the Grid Power Support System [GPSS]—designed and produced by Perth-based Magellan Power—could also promote the implementation of renewable energy generators in Australia.

A WESTERN Australian academic is aiming to maximise learning outcomes from primary to tertiary level by increasing the use and effectiveness of internet-based learning technologies in schools.

LOCAL researchers have set the stage for a carbon-friendly form of wastewater treatment in WA, with the completion of a review into Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors.

SOCIAL networking technology is empowering protesters to spread their messages further, organise rapidly and frustrate police attempts to control them.

WA TEACHERS, industry professionals and scientists were reminded of the thrill of hands-on engineering as American ‘Science Evangelist’ Dr Ed Sobey led them through his inspiring Learning in the 21st Century: Hands-on Innovation Masterclass.

THE Young Innovator of the Year Program 2012 is set to be the most impressive yet as the initiative branches out with exciting events and more supporters jump on board.

WIRELESS fire monitoring sensors which could be a vital early warning system against fire in bush areas have been developed by researchers from Edith Cowan University’s Centre for Communications Engineering Research, to aid in bushfire prevention.

A WEST Australian classical musician has used her PhD to apply physics and human biology to one of the world’s most loved instruments, the French horn.

THE experience of bringing furniture home from the store only to discover it doesn’t fit or doesn’t match the rest of the room will be a thing of the past.

A NEW application (app) developed by students from Edith Cowan University turns ordinary smartphones into a survival and rescue device, allowing users to send crucial GPS information directly to the WA Police Air Wing with the touch of a button.

THE lost grave site of Albany’s historically significant Indigenous man Mokare, has been at the centre of a study using a non-invasive geological technique originally used in building and construction projects.