Our evidence for the existence of the different dinosaurs that lived in prehistoric Australia comes from fossilised animal remains and other records of life, such as fossilised footprints. Specific conditions are required for fossilisation to occur, which means that not all life-forms from the Mesozoic Era are preserved, but they are all we have to determine the types of animals that existed during this time. As Swinburne University palaeontologist Dr Stephen Poropat puts it, ‘we need the right rocks!’.
Nominations for the 2018 RSV Medal for Excellence in Scientific Research are now OPEN. The Medal has been presented over 59 years to the highest achieving Victorian scientists in research fields across four award categories.
Submissions are invited for high-achieving candidates in Category II: Biomedical and Health Sciences.
This canvasses the disciplines of Genetics, Immunology, Human Physiology, Human Anatomy, Pathology, Neurology, Epidemiology, Endocrinology, Radiology, Microbiology, Medical Parasitology, Nuclear Medicine, and related human sciences.
Dr Duane W. Hamacher’s work seeks to understand how the first Australians developed and embedded scientific information into their knowledge systems. Working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders, students, and knowledge custodians across Australia, he listens to their stories, songs, and traditions to learn about Indigenous astronomical and geological knowledge, and understand the connections between sky, land, and sea.
Prizes across four categories of science are available to doctoral candidates who are in the final year of their PhD (or equivalent). Thanks to the generosity of Dr Max and Mrs Margaret Richards, the value of our four first prizes are now valued at $1250 each. With an opportunity to present your research work to Victoria’s oldest learned society, you should start planning your application today!
Finalists will present to the Society during National Science Week, on the evening of Thursday, 16 August 2018.
The journey of La Trobe University’s Dr Courtney Ennis has been complementary to the journey of Cassini. Using the skills and insight learned throughout his journey, he has been able to use the data sent back to Earth by the Cassini space probe to develop experiments that aid our understanding of the chemistry of Titan. From telescopic observations, spacecraft missions, and experiments on Earth, he can piece together a picture of how life came to be on Earth 3.6 billion years ago.
