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Today's date is Thursday, March 28, 2024
Events for the public
 May 2017
Wednesday 10
17:00 - FREE LECTURE - Dance Dance Evolution: How humans found their groove Website | More Information
Humans are really good at moving in time. Our knack for rhythmic synchronisation sets us apart from much of the animal world, aside from a few notable exceptions (parrots, sea lions, dolphins and possibly some other primates). Evolution is a tough business, and specialised cognitive abilities tend not to survive for long without a purpose. So, why can we dance? The answer may be in how we socialise.

Through this talk, I will explore contemporary theories which aim to explain the evolution of music and dance in terms of the social needs of our species. Coordinated, synchronised activity makes us like each other more, and may serve to bind groups together. Studies by myself and others are now trying to identify the neural-cognitive mechanisms involved in this synchrony-bonding effect, using a variety of methods: from motion capture to hormonal measurements.

In a world that is increasingly divided, understanding ways in which humans have traditionally bound groups together has never been more important. If we developed a capacity for rhythmic synchronisation as a mechanism for building positive feelings of affiliation between individuals in large social groups, then we would do well to learn from our ancestors and remember how to boogie.

Joshua Bamford grew up in Perth, with his biologist parents and a variety of native fauna. He completed a B.Mus.(Hons), B.Sc. combined degree at UWA in 2013, while working as a singer (WA Opera), circus skills instructor, and venue assistant (UWA School of Music). In his final year at UWA, Joshua won both the Lady Callaway Medal, and Cruickshank-Routley Award. He has since been studying in the Music, Mind and Technology Master’s Programme at the University of Jyväskylä, including an exchange semester and research internship at the Cognitive Biology department of the University of Vienna. Joshua edits the Australian Music & Psychology Society Newsletter and sits on the council for the International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology. Having received a D.Phil. offer from the University of Oxford, he is now raising funds for the next stage of his research. If he had spare time, he would be out swing dancing.
Friday 12
13:00 - PERFORMANCE - UWA School of Music Presents - Free Lunchtime Concert : The Winthrop Singers Website | More Information
Be transported from the everyday in our free lunchtime concert series, featuring the finest musical talent locally, nationally and within the School.

Now in their 10th year, the Winthrop Singers, under the direction of Dr. Nicholas Bannan perform in this free Lunchtime Concert.

Entry is free, no bookings required.

13:00 - SEMINAR - Asian Studies Seminar Series, Seminar 1 2017 : Peace Building and Literature in Indo-Pakistan Relations More Information
The heritage of the novel as ‘the dominant form of narrative literature in the West’ was instrumental in the seminal work entitled ‘The Nature of Narrative’ by Robert Scholes and Robert Kellogg published in 1966. Their exploration of the meaning, character, plot and the point of view in narrative marked the start of narratology as a field of study. Since then this field has expanded to include studies, among others, in feminism, religion, art, political science and public policy. The approaches to narrative as an ideological tool and rhetoric that initially existed as independent strands have come to benefit from the diversity of views on the purposes served by narratives. This has occurred as global and local have also increasingly become intertwined with ideas moving across the globe with ease and contributing to multiple narratives that serve both literary and political purposes. Literary narratives have emerged both as the site for contested ideas as well as locale for peacebuilding. This paper explores the peacebuilding potential of literature with reference to the assumed conflict in the Indo-Pakistan conflict since 1947. It is premised on a notion of agency that is not necessarily intentional: writers do not always write to inculcate an agentic capacity among their audience. The process of writing could simply reflect their views on the directions they wish their world to take. But the impact extends beyond the intentionality of the authors and could result in shifting views among at least some of the audience. This view underpins the study of selected writers in India and Pakistan. The case study of Indian and Pakistani writers draws upon books, poems and columns written about the need for peace between the two countries since their independence in 1947. The paper argues that while intentionality of peacebuilding may not be directly claimed, these writers have contributed to a narrative that plays a role in transcending the boundaries of assumed differences and conflicts.

14:30 - EVENT - ANTHROPOLOGY / SOCIOLOGY SEMINAR SERIES, SEMESTER 1, 2017 : Relational losses in South African migrant families: Can communication technologies help fill the void? More Information
Emigration from one’s country of birth is an inherently life-changing event which requires uprooting from all that is familiar. It is a complex and far-reaching phenomenon affecting all members of a specific social network – both those who leave and those who stay behind. The bulk of migration research has focused on the experiences of the migrant person and/or family; whilst, by comparison, little attention has been given to the experiences of those left behind. A transnational perspective on migrant families – which acknowledges the systemic and interconnected nature of family life in a global world – allows us to give equal recognition to the experiences of those who leave their country of origin and, importantly, those who stay behind. South Africa offers a unique context within which to examine these migratory phenomena. Historically, it is a country characterized by various migratory practices – both internal and external. Moreover, it has witnessed considerable emigration, most often in response to specific political events both during the Apartheid years and since the inception of democracy in 1994. In this paper I will briefly discuss the historical context of South African emigration before focusing on some of the findings which have emerged from two qualitative research projects examining various psychological aspects of South African emigrant families. The focus of the discussion will be primarily on the experiences of those left behind, especially the elderly. My findings suggest that this group experiences significant relational losses as a result of the disruption in their social networks following the departure of their loved ones. Finally, I will look at how the most recent communication technologies can play an important role in maintaining transnational relationships, but also highlight the challenges that people may experience in maintaining a sense of intimacy and connection through these means.

15:00 - PUBLIC TALK - The Square Kilometre Array and How it Will Work : Public Talk with Kevin Vincen Website | More Information
Kevin Vinsen is helping solve the extraordinary computational challenges facing the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). A Senior Research Fellow with the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), Vincen is a computational astronomy polymath - expert in numerous coding languages, artificial intelligence, genetic algorithms, high performance computing, data intensive astronomy, data mining, business analysis, games development, and command and control systems.

The data requirements for the SKA are astronomical, quite literally. When complete, the amount of data flowing from the SKA’s 10s of thousands of antennae will be measured in exabytes per day. Just one exabyte contains as much information as 2,000,000 Bluray Disks, a stack of 12km high each day.

Vincen enjoys talking about his passion for big science projects and speaks often at schools, community groups and for industry audiences. When he’s not dealing with super computers Kevin works on on a citizen science project called the PS1 Optical Galaxy Survey (POGS), a part of the SkyNet initiative. Using the collective processing power of home computers POGS is helping astronomers and astrophysicists to calculate the spectral energy distributions from optical infra-red and ultraviolet images to produce the first public catalog of its kind. This will require 10’s of millions of CPU hours to calculate and 100’s of TBytes of storage.

Vincen considers himself one of the luckiest astronomy geeks on the planet. He is paid to do what he loves - astronomy and computing with some of the biggest baddest computers on the planet. No wonder he is always smiling.

17:00 - PERFORMANCE - UWA School of Music Presents - Fridays@5 : New Studies for Piano: Nicholas Bannan Website | More Information
Now in its third season, Fridays@Five is the ideal way to kick-start your weekend! Each session offers a unique musical experience to delight all music lovers, from young artist led concerts to informal musical drinks on the famous grassy knoll, behind the scenes workshops to lectures and masterclasses. Join us each week for a delightful musical surprise!

This week, Dr Nicolas Bannan introduces New Studies for Piano.

The twelve studies that will be introduced at this session were originally piano improvisation that were employed in the classroom to encourage discrimination between the different musical intervals within the octave. Their presentation at this session by Graeme Gilling, Gaby Gunders and Adam Pinto will be prefaced by an illustration of their pedagogical potential both as material to aid discrimination in listening, and as technical studies for the young pianist.

Entry is free, no bookings required.

19:00 - PERFORMANCE - UWA School of Music Presents - Voice! Salon Series : Frauenliebe und -leben Website | More Information
In a collaboration of performance and research, Head of Vocal Studies Andrew Foote leads staff and students, in presenting a series of intimate and cozy salon style performances to delight every concertgoer.

In a collaboration between Music and German Studies, UWA students and their mentors will explore Schumann’s Romantic song cycle.

Tickets Standard $20 Concession $18 Friends of UWA School of Music $15 trybooking.com/OWZH
Tuesday 16
18:00 - PUBLIC LECTURE - 'Bite-Sized Austen: New interpretations in doctoral research' : A UWA Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies/Institute of Advanced Studies Public Lecture Website | More Information
This event consists of two lectures:

1) Parody and Prejudice: Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and the Literary Gothic Tradition

A public lecture by Colin Yeo, Doctoral student, English and Cultural Studies, The University of Western Australia.

"Novels are so full of nonsense and stuff..." - Mr Thorpe, Northanger Abbey.

"Here they are, in my pocketbook. Castle of Wolfenbach, Clermont, Mysterious Warnings, Necromancer of the Black Forest, Midnight Bell, Orphan of the Rhine, and Horrid Mysteries. Those will last us some time." - Catherine, Northanger Abbey

A tone of self-awareness is a core aspect of the literary Gothic tradition. Writing within the paradigms of the eighteenth century Enlightenment's values of reason and rationality, writers of Gothic fiction ran the risk of alienating their audiences if their creations were too extravagant. At the same time, Gothic novels proved to be popular with the reading public. The late eighteenth century saw a proliferation of popular women writers of Gothic fiction. In the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death, it is worthwhile meditating on Northanger Abbey, a parody of Gothic fiction that is arguably one of Austen's 'lesser known' works. Austen's contribution to the Gothic as a textual mode that is self-aware cannot be understated. Northanger Abbey was one of the first of Austen's novels to be composed and was only published after her death. The novel satirises the Gothic, featuring a protagonist who is a fan of Gothic novels and imagines that she is a heroine in a Gothic novel. This presentation aims to reflect on Austen's parody of established tropes and conventions of the Gothic. It also aims to situate Northanger Abbey within its historical context as an important part of the Female Gothic tradition that emerged in the late eighteenth century. As evidenced by the 2007 filmic adaptation of the text, interest in Austen has been a constant aspect of contemporary popular culture, an important point to note as we move into the 200th anniversary of her death.

Colin Yeo is a PhD candidate from English and Cultural Studies. Like Catherine Morland, he maintains a fervent interest in the literature of terror and horror, so much so that he decided to write his PhD thesis on the subject. His research interests are early modern literature, Gothic novels and contemporary horror film.

2) The Tale of the Two Janes

A public lecture by Dr Peta Beasley, English and Cultural Studies, The University of Western Australia.

Born less than six months apart, both christened Jane, both from the same class, pseudo-gentry, both share a deep friendship and intimacy with their sister, both remain unmarried, both are in Bath at the same time and both novelists. However, to one, Jane Austen, literary history has been kind, the other, Jane Porter, unfortunately now virtually unknown. Ironic, given Jane Porter knew great success during her lifetime, dubbed by twentieth-century critic Robert Tate Irvine, as “the Margaret Mitchell of 1803,” while Jane Austen knew only slow-growing success during her lifetime. Although Porter, and her sister Anna Maria, admired Austen’s work enormously, it is unclear if Austen had reciprocal admiration for Porter’s work. But, there are two interesting intersections, both Porter and Austen had a professional scepticism (jealousy?) for the work of Sir Walter Scott, and both met, and were invited by the Royal Librarian, James Stanier Clark, to dedicate one of their novels to His Highness, the Prince of Wales. This presentation will tell the tale of the how the two Janes responded to the request.

Peta Beasley’s PhD explored the issues of nationalism and heroism in the novels of Jane Porter (1776-1850). Peta’s publications include, a chapter titled “Transporting Genres” in Victorian Traffic, published by Cambridge Scholars in 2008, and a paper in Victorian Network (2009), entitled “Georgiana Molloy, Jane Porter and the Significance of Exploration Narratives for New Beginnings in a Strange Land”. She also co-authored a paper with Professor Andrew Lynch on Sir Thomas Malory, published in The Encyclopedia of British Medieval Literature in 2014 by Wiley-Blackwell, and contributed an article review for Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature journal in 2015. Peta is a sessional teacher at The University of Western Australia and Edith Cowan University.

About this Series - New Perspectives on Jane Austen: On the two-hundredth anniversary of her death, this UWA Institute of Advanced Studies - Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies Lecture Series presents new perspectives on the life and work of Jane Austen. Drawing upon the latest literary and historical research, UWA researchers tackle key themes in Austen's work and the wider social and cultural contexts in which she created her now world-famous novels.

This is a free event, but RSVPs are required.

18:00 - PUBLIC TALK - Bite-Sized Austen: New interpretations in doctoral research Website | More Information
Parody and Prejudice: Jane Austen's 'Northanger Abbey' and the Literary Gothic Tradition by Colin Yeo, Doctoral student, English and Cultural Studies, The University of Western Australia.

The late eighteenth century saw a proliferation of popular women writers of Gothic fiction. In the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death, it is worthwhile meditating on 'Northanger Abbey', a parody of Gothic fiction that is arguably one of Austen's 'lesser known' works. Austen's contribution to the Gothic as a textual mode that is self-aware cannot be understated.

This presentation aims to reflect on Austen's parody of established tropes and conventions of the Gothic. It also aims to situate 'Northanger Abbey' within its historical context as an important part of the Female Gothic tradition that emerged in the late eighteenth century.

The Tale of the Two Janes by Dr Peta Beasley, English and Cultural Studies, The University of Western Australia.

Born less than six months apart, both christened Jane, both from the same class, pseudo-gentry, both share a deep friendship and intimacy with their sister, both remain unmarried, both are in Bath at the same time and both novelists. However, to one, Jane Austen, literary history has been kind, the other, Jane Porter, unfortunately now virtually unknown. Ironic, given Jane Porter knew great success during her lifetime, dubbed by twentieth-century critic Robert Tate Irvine, as “the Margaret Mitchell of 1803,” while Jane Austen knew only slow-growing success during her lifetime. Although Porter, and her sister Anna Maria, admired Austen’s work enormously, it is unclear if Austen had reciprocal admiration for Porter’s work. But, there are two interesting intersections, both Porter and Austen had a professional scepticism (jealousy?) for the work of Sir Walter Scott, and both met, and were invited by the Royal Librarian, James Stanier Clark, to dedicate one of their novels to His Highness, the Prince of Wales. This presentation will tell the tale of the how the two Janes responded to the request.
Wednesday 17
17:30 - MEMORIAL LECTURE - 2017 Isabelle Lake Memorial Lecture More Information
The annual Isabelle Lake Memorial lecture is an initiative of the Equal Opportunity Commission of Western Australia in partnership with the University of Western Australia. Isabelle was a young trans rights activist and former UWA student and transitioned shortly before she sadly passed away from leukaemia aged 21 in 2012.

Each year we honour her work, achievements and commitment to equality and inclusion through the Isabelle Lake Memorial lecture – further information is attached.

This is a free public event.

17:30 - LECTURE - UWA School of Music Presents : Music - Food for the Brain Website | More Information
“I wish I still played” is a chorus oft heard by those who make music. But recent scientific evidence has demonstrated that you take your music experience with you for your entire life. From a better connected brain, better numeracy and literacy, and increased physical development, we now know that music is one of the best activities you can undertake. Come and hear about the astounding superfood – music!

18:00 - PUBLIC TALK - Time capsules from deep within the Himalayan Mountains: how tiny crystals record the evolution of Earth's largest mountain belt Website | More Information
A public lecture by Stacia Gordon, Associate Professor, University of Nevada-Reno.

The Himalayan mountain belt began to form as a result of the collision of India with Asia ~50 million years ago. This mountain belt continues to grow today, and has resulted in the largest mountains on Earth. As the Himalaya has grown taller, it also has grown deeper. At depth (~40 km below Earth’s surface), pressures and temperatures are so great as to begin to melt and ductilely deform rocks that were originally at the surface of India and Asia. These rocks form the base or the roots of the Himalayan mountain belt. Across the Himalaya, some of the rocks that were buried to these great depths have since been exhumed back to the surface. Tiny, but very rugged minerals extracted from these exposed rocks represent time capsules that preserve a record of the thermal, chemical, and temporal evolution of Himalayan rocks from burial to exhumation.

In this lecture Dr Gordon will trace this evolution through the Bhutanese Himalaya, describing how the tiny crystals reveal the role of melting, deformation, major fault systems, and erosion in the evolution of the mountain belt. The data collected from the active Himalaya are crucial for understanding ancient mountain systems where much of the record of their evolution has been erased.

Dr Gordon is a UWA Robert and Maude Gledden Senior Visiting Fellow.
Thursday 18
12:00 - SEMINAR - Archaeology Seminar Series 2017 : Should I stay or should I go now? Fire, Water, and Intensive Seed Use in the Australian Arid Zone More Information
Contemporary Martu rarely harvest grass seeds but inadvertently foster patches of grass when they burn to hunt burrowed monitor lizards, demonstrating that grass seeds need only be by-products, rather than intended crops, of firestick farming. Nonetheless, repeatedly setting hunting fires in the same area creates mosaics of seed and small game patches that, in the past, ensured that grass seeds were reliably available whenever small game hunting success was poor and distances between hunting patches long. Such circumstances were most likely during the Mid Holocene when ENSO climatic variability reduced the water sources that could support foraging. I suggest that prolonged occupation around those isolated sources that remained triggered both the emergence of anthropogenic fire mosaics and fuelled population growth, leading to seed-based foraging economies. Evidence of Pleistocene seed milling likely accommodated seed distributions created in fire regimes other than the mosaic burning conducted by Martu today, and should have been organized differently than their Late Holocene successors.

16:00 - SEMINAR - Archaeology Seminar Series 2017 : Music, Performance and Heritage Spaces Investigating the Artillery Drill Hall in Fremantle More Information
Music and performance are universal human social activities, yet their ephemerality means they are often invisible in the material record. Even venues associated with performance are quickly repurposed for other uses.The heritage of music and performance is specifically tied to cities and towns, like Nashville, Memphis, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Hollywood. Likewise, Perth and Fremantle comprise a musical metropolis, albeit much of it underground and existing within specific sub-cultures. Recent archaeological work at the Artillery Drill hall in Fremantle provided a priceless chance to investigate a place with a significant link to music and performance. Although first constructed in 1895 as a military building, the Hall was also used throughout the 20th century as a social space, hosting balls, performances and concerts. The Drill Hall was eventually repurposed as the music venue the Fly-By-Night Musicians Club in the early 1980s, and lasting as such for over 30 years. This seminar investigates the Artillery Drill Hall as a social space specifically linked to music and performance and investigates the importance of the musical heritage of Perth. It also investigates how doing archaeology is a highly performative process.

17:15 - FREE LECTURE - Perth USAsia Centre - Impeachment, Assassination and Ballistic Missiles on the Korean Peninsula : Free Public Lecture Website | More Information
This public event, hosted in collaboration with the Australia Korea Business Council of Western Australia (AKBCWA) and the Australia - Korea Business Council (AKBC) will examine the current political climate in the Korean Peninsula. Perth USAsia Centre CEO Professor L. Gordon Flake together with the National Leader of Deloitte's Korea Services Group, Mr Young Yu, will share their insights as they explore the diplomatic, security, and business implications of the impeachment of Park Geun-hye, former President of South Korea, the assassination of Kim-Jong Nam and North Korea's ballistic missile programme. Growing instability within Northeast Asia and the upcoming Presidential Election in South Korea are two reasons why this is an event not to be missed for anyone who wants to understand what is happening on the Korean Peninsula

17:30 - PUBLIC TALK - The Global Rise of Populism : A public forum and Q&A with academics from the School of Humanities and the School of Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia Website | More Information
Nigel Farage’s Brexit, Donald Trump’s presidency and Pauline Hanson’s comeback to Australian politics have all been labelled examples of populism. What was unthinkable a few years ago has become a reality. The revival of nationalism, xenophobia, economic and political isolationism and the mistrust of the elites appealed to many voters disappointed with traditional politics. The media has compared the new realities to the rise of National Socialism in Europe in the 1930s. However, a truly global perspective that includes the rise of populism in non-Western societies has received less attention. If the analogy to the 1930s is right but the scale of the populist phenomenon is bigger, are we heading for a global conflict that is greater than WWII? What can ordinary citizens do? In this public forum and Q&A, scholars from the University of Western Australia will discus the causes, current forms and possible consequences of populism in Australia, France, India, Indonesia, Turkey, the UK and the USA.
Friday 19
13:00 - PERFORMANCE - UWA School of Music Presents - Free Lunchtime Concert : Intercurrent Ensemble Website | More Information
Be transported from the everyday in our free lunchtime concert series, featuring the finest musical talent locally, nationally and within the School.

Darkened Descent by Intercurrent

Ashley Smith (clarinets), Louise Devenish (percussion) and Emily Green-Armytage (piano) with guest Adam Tan (percussion).

Darkened Descent explores the ominous yet pensive combination of bass clarinet, percussion and piano as handled by composers on opposite sides of the globe. The warm earthy blends of John Luther Adams are set against the music of award-winning Western Australian composer Lachlan Skipworth, including the new work Intercurrent commissioned for this program.

An immersive listening experience like no other.

Entry is free, no bookings required.

17:00 - PERFORMANCE - UWA School of Music Presents - Fridays@5 : Jonathan Fitzgerald: Guitar Masterclass Website | More Information
Now in its third season, Fridays@Five is the ideal way to kick-start your weekend! Each session offers a unique musical experience to delight all music lovers, from young artist led concerts to informal musical drinks on the famous grassy knoll, behind the scenes workshops to lectures and masterclasses. Join us each week for a delightful musical surprise!

Entry is free, no bookings required
Monday 22
19:30 - PERFORMANCE - UWA School of Music Presents - Main Stage : Sensation Website | More Information
The exceptional ability of young emerging artists and their passion for music will always create an extraordinary experience for concertgoers. In 2017 four outstanding orchestral and choral concerts will feature Western Australia’s finest young musicians.

The exceptional ability of our young emerging artists is celebrated as three young performers compete in the finals of the prestigious VOSE Concerto Competition. To complete the program the UWA Symphony Orchestra will be joined on stage by the Symphonic Chorus of UWA and talented school choristers to present Stravinsky’s masterpiece Symphony of Psalms.

VOSE Memorial Prize Finalists Nielson Concerto for Flute and Orchestra - Megan Barbetti (Flute) Abe Prism Rhapsody - Jet Kye Chong (Marimba) Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 - Jeremy Garside (Cello)

Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms

Tickets Standard $25 Concession $20 Friends of UWA School of Music $18

Website Bookings: www.perthconcerthall.com.au Phone Bookings: Perth Concert Hall Box Office 9231 9999 In Person: Perth Concert Hall Box Office Mon – Fri 9.00am – 5.00pm
Tuesday 23
13:00 - STAFF EVENT - Multi-Modal Feedback: New Ways to Engage Students and Enhance their Learning Experience : Presentation Website | More Information
Interested in learning about multi-modal feedback? Now is the time!

Research indicates that written, audio and video feedback on assessments results in a positive impact on engagement, performance and overall perception of the unit and its coordinator.

In this session you will have the opportunity to:

*examine how feedback methods intersect with UWA’s new assessment policy,

*review the results of some recent Australia studies investigating the provision of multi-modal feedback on staff and students,

*learn more about how the Centre for Education Futures strategic “Shooting Stars” Initiative aims to enable staff to adopt new feedback methods, and

*explore possible workflows for integrating audio and video with written feedback, enabling you to provide more feedback in less time.

Register for this event via the Eventbrite link below.

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