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Today's date is Friday, March 29, 2024
School of Agricultural and Resource Economics
 August 2012
Monday 20
15:00 - VISITING SPEAKER - New and Complementary Approaches to Equality : Guest lecture regarding alternative ways to achieve equality policy objectives More Information
The presentation is concerned with alternative ways to achieve equality policy objectives - drawing upon unrelated areas such as dietary health or workplace health and safety. It is based on current inter-disciplinary work with the UK Government to generate practical insights to inform policy and institutional design. It begins by assessing how well - and why - interventions work to mitigate public harm or detriment in other unrelated spheres (such as public health, food safety, professional standards and financial regulation). Citing the public interest, government and regulatory agencies are able to utilise such knowledge to deliver safer homes, more punctual pupils, healthier diets, cleaner streets, and so on. It then looks at how far attitudinal change and behavioural change are interconnected, and specifically the degree to which attitudinal change serves as a pre-requisite to behavioural change. For instance, securing a legal framework that creates minimum standards of fire safety in workplaces or homes may be influenced by public attitudes but is certainly not dependent on such settled public attitudes to start with. Indeed, legislation, and what this requires of employers and households in practice, can have a demonstration effect, normalising behavioural change in the process. And attitudinal change alone is unlikely to drive behavioural change and may be unwanted or unnecessary in any case, particularly where the potential citizen detriment is hard to spot by individuals themselves. Finally, it considers the implications for policymaking in three regards: first, optimally blending incentives and sanctions to sustain behavioural change relevant to equalities outcomes; second, mapping relationships between background factors that indirectly shape decision-making and choices and foreground factors that can be influenced through policy; and third, targeting policy instruments at hard-to-move individuals, groups and interests.
Tuesday 28
13:00 - EVENT - SIFE Information Session : Find out more about SIFE UWA and our latest projects Website | More Information
SIFE is a global network of university teams competing in over 40 countries, creating change in the lives of others through the positive power of business.

Being the 2012 National Australian Champions, SIFE UWA will be travelling to Washington D.C in September to represent Australia at the SIFE World Cup. SIFE UWA has projects in areas including financial literacy, environmental sustainability and economic development whilst simultaneously impacting communities across Australia and beyond.

Want to help make a difference and gain invaluable business experience?? SIFE UWA is looking for talented, switched-on students from a range of disciplines to help us make a difference.

If you are interested in getting involved, we would like to invite you to the SIFE UWA Information Session WHEN: 1pm, Tuesday 28th of August, 2012 WHERE: Law Lecture Room 1, G.31

For more information – please contact [email protected]
Thursday 30
16:00 - SEMINAR - CMCA Seminar Series: Tools to better understand soil phosphorus - a finite and scarce resource. More Information
Phosphorus - a non-renewable resource - is a key element in food production and maintaining sustainable ecosystems. Predictions suggest global P fertiliser production may peak around 2030’s and will be one third of that peak level by the end of the 21st century. This will have a major impact on agriculture, especially heavily fertilised low P sandy soils of Western Australia.

 September 2012
Wednesday 19
12:00 - SEMINAR - Soil&Water Seminar, Sept19: : "Nitrogen - future challenges for agricultural science" More Information
All welcome!

Title: “Nitrogen – future challenges for agricultural science”

ABSTRACT: Fertilisers currently represent 15-20 per cent of the cost of production wheat grain. This cost will rise with the shortage of raw materials used to make fertiliser, the increasing costs in energy to mine and produce fertiliser, raising concerns as to the cost effectiveness of fertilisers, as observed following the spike in fertiliser prices in 2008/09. Over use of N can lead to eutrophication of waterways and to greater release of nitrous oxide, a key greenhouse gas, through unnecessary cycling of N through the nitrification and denitrification processes known to produce nitrous oxide. While most understand the concept of direct nitrous oxide loss, less is understood about the concept of indirect nitrous oxide release that is presumed to occur after fertiliser N leaves point of application on farm. Loss mechanisms that are factored into the indirect estimate N2O release include ammonia volatilisation, runoff of mineral and organic N and nitrate leached into groundwater. Because of the difficulties in determining indirect nitrous oxide emission these are likely to be based on estimates of on-farm N efficiency. For productivity including profitability, and improved environment outcomes the challenge is to better tailor fertiliser N inputs to ensure that soil plus fertiliser inputs more closely match crop demand for N. The talk will discuss new knowledge on a key nitrogen transformation that may have implications for managing N. It will consider recent developments in characterising soil organic matter that are expected to provide more robust estimates of net N mineralisation. The challenge is get new approaches for assessing properties of soil organic matter used as part of routine soil testing. In the case of N loss processes, a challenge is to produce simple calculators
Saturday 22
8:00 - WORKSHOP - Prevention is Better than Cure: the Causes, Consequences and Control of Soil Erosion in Mine Rehabilitation Website | More Information
This one day workshop held prior to Mine Closure Conference will be presented as a series of interactive presentations and participatory exercises. On successful completion of this workshop, participants will be able to: Understand the role of soil erosion and its control in landscape reclamation and restoration; Understand the drivers, mechanics and processes of erosion of slope forming materials; Undertake erosion risk assessment using a range of techniques, including the use of erosion prediction models (practical exercise; Recognise the on-site and off-site impacts of erosion and sediment production; Understand the principles of soil erosion control and soil conservation; Select, design and evaluate appropriate techniques for the protection of soil and other slope forming materials, using vegetation, inert materials and/or engineering structures (case study exercise).

8:00 - EVENT - Sustainable Mining Now and Landform Design Course Website | More Information
This workshop, held prior to Mine Closure Conference, will teach participants how they can help mines transition to sustainable mining now. Participants will learn why it is both in a mine’s business interest and society’s interest to be mining sustainable now. During the workshop the presenters will outline the concrete steps and efforts required for a mine to transition to sustainable mining over a three-year period. Attendees will be given a chance to work through two examples – starting sustainable mining with a new mine in the exploration stage, and transitioning a mine that is reaching midlife.
Sunday 23
8:00 - WORKSHOP - Working with Communities Facing Closure Workshop : Workshop held prior to the Mine Closure Conference Website | More Information
Community engagement or community enragement? Good community engagement is the cornerstone of collaborative planning and a key feature of successful transformation and regeneration initiatives, yet community consultations can often be more confrontational than conversational. Recognising that the way in which we approach the conversation around post-mining legacies can set the tone and scope of the entire closure programme. Successful community engagement doesn’t make assumptions about its audience; instead, it ensures that everyone participates in some way, not necessarily the same way. Community-led initiatives across the world are developing techniques and approaches that can provide useful insights when planning for post-mining outcomes. Join the Post-Mining Alliance in a one day workshop to explore learning from within and outside the sector about how we can hold better conversations with local communities about the future.
Monday 24
8:00 - WORKSHOP - Designing for Closure: Appropriate Design Criteria and Methods of Analysis Workshop : Workshop held prior to the Mine Closure Conference Website | More Information
Review of ANCOLD guidelines on designing using risk-based methodology, choosing an appropriate design earthquake, characterising seismic design parameters for tailings, methods of analysis, field testing to determine liquefaction potential.

8:00 - WORKSHOP - Delivering Effective Rehabilitation: Monitoring and Manipulating the Soil Biota for Success Workshop : Workshop held prior to the Mine Closure Conference Website | More Information
This is a one day workshop designed for environmental mangers, regulators and consultants who wish to understand more about how the biology of the soil functions and how it can be used in the monitoring and management of mine site rehabilitation. Workshop objectives: On the successful completion of the workshop the participants will be able to: understand the size, composition and activity of the soil biological community and its control on plant community assembly and growth, understand the roles of different trophic levels of the soil biota and their roles in nutrient cycling and decomposition processes, recognise the importance of plant-microbe symbioses and how these can be manipulated, know what is required to monitor soil ecological development in context.

 October 2012
Wednesday 03
12:00 - SEMINAR - Soil&Water Seminar, Oct3: : "The Staples Economy and Regional Development in Western Australia” More Information
The next Soil&Water Seminar will be Prof. Matthew Tonts from SEE, at 12pm on Weds, Oct 3rd. All welcome!

Title: “The Staples Economy and Regional Development in Western Australia”

Abstract: In the 1930s, Canadian historian Harold Innis developed his 'staples thesis' to explain the ways in which a high level of dependence on primary industries (notably agriculture, fishing, forestry and mining) had led to a distinctive form of regional development within Canada. Innis was particularly concerned with understanding why staples dependence is often associated with a volatile and often truncated form of economic development. Given some of the economic, political and geographical similarities between Canada and Australia, it is perhaps surprising that the staples thesis has not been applied to systematic assessment of regional development in Australia. This seminar draws reflects on the experience of two regions, the Goldfields and Wheatbelt, to examine the relevance of the staples thesis to understanding the pattern of regional development in Australia.
Thursday 18
12:00 - SEMINAR - Accomplished Education Researcher Seminar Series : Sliding Doors in Academe: Idiosyncrasies of autobiography and controversy in psychometrics Website | More Information
***NOW RESCHEDULED TO 18 OCTOBER***

“Individual(s) ….embrace a new paradigm for all sorts of reasons ... . Some of these … lie outside the sphere of science entirely. Others depend upon idiosyncrasies of autobiography….” (Kuhn, 1970, p.l52). I will highlight some “idiosyncrasies of autobiography” that have led to enjoying an academic life – the opportunity to research and teach, to construct and communicate knowledge. I plan to illustrate how psychometrics, a field in which I had the opportunity to ignore or embrace an emergent, non-standard statistical paradigm, has lead beyond mathematical modelling to areas such as the philosophy of science, the sociology of knowledge and academic controversy. I plan to also illustrate the challenges in negotiating the complex world of academic research and communication.

 November 2012
Monday 05
8:00 - WORKSHOP - WAIMOS Science Meeting : The Western Australian Integrated Marine Observing System - Science Meeting. For any enquiries and registration contact Agi Gedeon, Manager WAIMOS on [email protected] or x2022. More Information
The Western Australian Integrated Marine Observing System - Annual Science Meeting will present the collaborative and cross-disciplinary uptake of freely accessible coastal and open ocean datastreams. Marine scientists, modellers and engineers, oceanographers and biologists will find this meeting of interest. For any enquiries and registration please contact Agi Gedeon, Manager WAIMOS on [email protected] or x2022.
Monday 12
11:00 - WORKSHOP - Unlocking soil's secrets to open the door to agricultural productivity gains : Soil Biology Workshop with international, national and local speakers Website | More Information
As the world population grows and we are facing a 70% increase of food demand over the next four decades,the need to retain versatile and productive soils for food production and to maximise the output from the land is one of the most important issues of our time. This symposium will bring together world leading soil scientists to highlight the importance of soil health, from a national and global food security perspective. They will examine the role which science, technology and innovation can play in supporting Australian farmers in maintaining and developing healthy soils to achieve productivity gains and sustainable agricultural production. To participate in this workshop register online via www.soilhealthwa.eventbrite.com.au
Tuesday 27
9:00 - COURSE - R Basics : An introduction to the statistical package R Website | More Information
This course will take you through the basics you need to do statistical analyses in R, a powerful freeware statistical package.

The course will cover basic statistics such as t-tests, regression and ANOVA as well as producing high quality graphics.

The course is hosted by the Centre for Applied Statistics and we offer discounted rate fees to UWA Graduate Research Students.

Fee information is available on our website http://www.cas.maths.uwa.edu.au/courses. Please register online.
Wednesday 28
8:00 - CONFERENCE - Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia Conference : An essential international forum for scientists and practitioners who look to restoration as a means to conserve the planet's dwindling biodiversity and failing ecosystems. Website | More Information
Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia (SERA) meetings aim to provide an essential international forum for scientists and practitioners who look to restoration as a means to conserve the planet's dwindling biodiversity and failing ecosystems. These meetings provide a critical platform to assist us in defining the principles of restoration, understanding goals and milestones, debating what ecosystem functions to measure and closing the gap between the science of restoration ecology and the practice of ecological restoration.

The inaugural conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia (SERA) will be held in Perth, Western Australia, on 28-30 November 2012. For land managers, scientists and practitioners who work in biodiversity restoration, this SERA meeting will provide a critical international forum at a time of significance for the region's species, ecosystems and landscapes.

16:00 - SEMINAR - CWR Presents : Agricultural land management strategies to reduce phosphorus loads in the Gippsland Lakes, Australia. Website | More Information
A target to reduce phosphorus flows into the Gippsland Lakes in south-eastern Australia by 40% in order to improve water quality has previously been established by stakeholders. This target, like many others worldwide, has been set mostly on the basis of environmental concerns, with limited consideration of issues such as technical feasibility and socio-economic constraints.

This talk will outline an integrated analysis at the catchment scale to assess the agricultural land management changes required to achieve this target, and to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these changes. It appears technically feasible to achieve a 40% reduction in P load entering the Lakes. However, there is little or no chance of investment in a 40% reduction being cost-effective. On the other hand, a 20% P reduction could be achieved at much lower cost.

The major implications of this work for agriculturally induced diffuse-source pollution include the need for feedback between goal setting and program costs, and consideration of factors such as the levels of landholder adoption of new practices that are required and the feasibility of achieving those adoption levels.

Short Bio,

David Pannell is Winthrop Professor in the School of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Western Australia, Director of the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, and a Federation Fellow of the Australian Research Council.

His research includes the economics of land and water conservation; environmental policy; farmer adoption of land conservation practices; risk management; and economics of farming systems. He was President of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society in 2000.

Author of 170 journal articles and book chapters, David’s research has won awards in the USA, Australia, Canada and the UK, including the 2009 Eureka Prize for Interdisciplinary Research.

PS* This seminar is free and open to the public & no RSVP required.

****All Welcome****
Thursday 29
9:00 - COURSE - Design and Analysis of Experiments : A Statistics Short Course using R Website | More Information
The course is designed for people with knowledge of basic statistics who want to learn more about designing and analysing experiments.

It will cover material ranging from a review of simple one-way ANOVA, to more complex designs and analyses including crossed and nested factors with fixed and random effects.

The course is hosted by the Centre for Applied Statistics and we offer discounted rate fees to UWA Graduate Research Students.

Fee information is available on our website http://www.cas.maths.uwa.edu.au/courses. Please register online.

 December 2012
Tuesday 04
9:00 - COURSE - Introduction to Structural Equation Modelling : A Short Course using AMOS and Mplus Website | More Information
SEM is used widely by researchers to test complex relationships among observed (measured) and latent (unobserved) variables. This course will introduce you to SEM and also covers issues relating to model specification, identification and estimation, assessing model fit (goodness-of-fit criteria), and dealing with problem data.

The course is hosted by the Centre for Applied Statistics and we offer discounted rate fees to UWA Graduate Research Students.

Fee information is available on our website http://www.cas.maths.uwa.edu.au/courses. Please register online.
Monday 10
9:00 - COURSE - Applied structural equation models : A Short Course using Mplus Website | More Information
The course is designed as a comprehensive coverage of applied SEM techniques using the Mplus statistical software package. Mplus offers a general modelling framework that allows both the modelling of cross-sectional and longitudinal data using observed variables that are a combination of continuous and categorical variables.

The course is hosted by the Centre for Applied Statistics and we offer discounted rate fees to UWA Graduate Research Students.

Fee information is available on our website http://www.cas.maths.uwa.edu.au/courses. Please register online.

 February 2013
Monday 18
9:00 - COURSE - Introductory Statistics : A short course using SPSS Website | More Information
The aim of this course is to introduce you to basic statistics. It will cover descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations); data exploration; basic categorical data analysis; simple linear regression and basic analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Subsidised rates are available for UWA Graduate Research Students.

Please register online.

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