What's On at UWA

UWA Wind and Brass students - Old Wine in New Bottles.

Wind and Brass students present colourful arrangements of classic works.

Winthrop Professor Mohammed Bennamoun from Computer Science & Software Engineering, University of Western Australia will provide a brief introduction to the area of computer vision (with an emphasis on 3D). He will also talk about the related work in this field that has been done in the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Western Australia. The objective is to explore opportunities of eventual future joint projects with researchers using CMCA. A couple of applications and their motivations will be briefly described including 3D object recognition and 3D face/ear biometrics.

This information session is designed for the parents or guardians of current year 10 and 11 students who are considering studying at UWA in the future. The session will include information about UWA's New Courses, admission requirements and study options.

To reserve a place at this session, please register your attendance online at: www.studyat.uwa.edu.au/yrs10-11 .

Professor Wang's talk examines the role of education policy in China through the lens of human capital and human development approaches. It makes use of China’s urban-rural education divide to analyze how policies promote or hinder students’ capability development. The analysis unfolds at three levels, including the individual, societal and structural levels.

Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is a network of 16 research-led universities that helps to build global research communities by supporting collaboration. UWA is an active member of this network.

These 'virtual seminars' are video-conferences involving a 40 minute talk, followed by an online discussion spanning continents. All are welcome, particularly researchers and their students.

Alien Agencies: Performance, Science and Experimental Practice

Speaker: Chris Salter, PhD Concordia University/Hexagram Montréal, Québec Canada

What is “performance” in a scientific context? Who or what is performing? How do we articulate such performative practices that take place in hybrid studio-lab environments such as SymbioticA? What kind of knowledge arises and why is it important? Early microstudies from scholars like Bruno Latour/Steve Woolgar, Karin Knorr-Cetina, Michael Lynch, Andrew Pickering and others exposed the ways that laboratories were sites for what Hans-Joerg Rheinberger labels the “local, technical, instrumental, institutional, social, epistemic and aesthetic/experiential aspects” of scientific practice. By examining the manner in which human scientists are intertwined with what Latour famously labeled the “non-humans” (such as instruments of observation and measurement or materials such as cells, particles, electrical charges, etc), many of these studies sought to “study science as it happens” in its performative context rather than as a fixed object. Now some thirty years later, what could the lessons of this pioneering work in laboratory ethnography offer new hybrid art-science practices, particularly in understanding how artists work with new performative materialities or what Andrew Pickering calls “material agencies?” Could the so-called “performative turn” in science studies offer new ways of doing laboratory ethnographies that acknowledge the peculiarities of the epistemic and experiential cultures of artistic practice.

Chris Salter is an artist, Director of the Hexagram Institute for Research-Creation in Media Art and Technology at Concordia University in Montréal and Associate Professor, in the Department of Design + Computation Arts (Concordia). He studied economics and philosophy and received his PhD in Theater Sciences and Computer Generated Sound from Stanford University. He collaborated with Peter Sellars and William Forsythe and co-founded the collective Sponge. Salter’s performances, installations and research has been presented at numerous festivals and conferences around the world, including the Venice Architecture Biennale, Ars Electronica, Exit Festival-MAC Creteil, V2, Elektra-Montréal, Dance Theater Workshop, Transmediale, Attakkalari India Biennial and many others. He is the author of Entangled: Technology and the Transformation of Performance (MIT Press, 2010).

Learn from and discuss with UWA's Experts: 'Tolkien's world and work' (Andrew Lynch) 'Tolkien and History' (Caroline Finander) 'Tolkien's Politics' (Rob Stuart) 'Tolkien and medieval myth and legend' (Anne Scott) 'Tolkien on the screen' (Alice Davies)

Registration: General $75 Concession $50 Contact: [email protected]

In this lecture-performance, renowned soprano Julianne Baird, Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University, will discuss and perform music from the Jane Austen Songbook, reflecting from her research on what they tell us about the great English novelist’s musical tastes and the cultural milieu of her time.

Julianne Baird will be accompanied in her performance of songs from Jane Austen’s special collection of 18th- and 19th-century popular music by Stewart Smith, piano and Paul Wright, violin.

This event is free, however places are strictly limited.

RSVP is essential to [email protected] or 6488 1340 by 20 May.

The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences will be hosting an evening for university students and graduates interested in studying medicine. Booking is not required.

The last few years have seen some catastrophic natural disasters: Hurricane Katrina; the SE Asian Tsunami; earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Japan and Christchurch; and floods in Eastern Australia. This lecture and conversation will explore how we think, talk about and find God in the midst of natural disasters. This is part of a series of occasional theology lectures offered by St. George’s College and the Anglican Chaplaincy at UWA.

Roger Herft is Anglican Archbishop of Perth. He was born in Sri Lanka and educated at Royal College in Colombo. He completed his BTh and a BD from the University of Serampore through the United Theological College in Pilimatalawe. He served as Chaplain to prisons and several parishes in Sri Lanka. Roger Herft was elected to be Bishop of Waikato in 1986. He was the youngest Bishop in the Anglican Communion at the time. His commitment to reconciliation with the Maori people and his passion for social justice marked his time in New Zealand. He was awarded the Queen’s Commemorative Medal for his service to the community.

Bishop Herft was elected Bishop of Newcastle in 1992 and Archbishop of Perth in 2005. He has served as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s representative on L’Arche since 1998. His commitment to reconciliation with indigenous people, his stance against racism and his comments on government policy on the Iraq war and refugees has brought him criticism from State and Church authorities. He is deeply committed to the inclusion of women at every level of church life. His fervent desire is for the church to engage fully with society. The Archbishop currently serves as Anglican Co-Chair of the International Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue Commission.

Please note that parking is not available on the college grounds

Theatre students in English and Cultural Studies present Webster's provocative play of love, lust, and revenge involving a vengeful malcontent, a wilful Duchess and her two scheming brothers. Directed and designed by Steve Chinna. Five nights only in the Dolphin Theatre, Tuesday May 24 to Saturday May 28 at 8pm. $15 full; $10 concession - tickets at the door.

The UWA Co-op Bookshop’s Book Sale runs until Tuesday May 31st

UWA Hoodies on sale from $39.95

Extra 50% off the Sale Price of all books until May 31st. Novels, non fiction, reference and selection of UQP titles available.

Co-op members also receive Member discount off Sale Prices.

Opening Hours: 8.45am-5.30pm Mon – Fri and 10.00am-4.00pm Sat

The University Co-operative Bookshop Limited Guild Village, UWA, Nedlands Campus

The Venue details are as follows and tickets will be available for $5.00 to come and join us on the day. Check Uninews for the next few editions for information. All proceeds will go to the Cancer Council and you will get a treat and a cuppa!

Don't forget to bring a donation and a cup (or if you have purchased a ticket, please bring along).

Visit my web page (see below) to find out all of my Morning Tea details and make a donation if you cannot make it on the day to help fight cancer. (Or contact Cindi direct)

You can do it securely online, right now.

You will receive a Cancer Council tax receipt immediately by email once you have made your donation. And you will be able to see your donation added to my online fundraising if you go to my personal page.

As people become an increasingly valuable organisational asset in Western Australia and other parts of the world, high-impact strategies for developing and retaining world-class talent are required. The presenters will draw on their experience and expertise to provide an overview of evidence-based practices in talent management that also have a high degree of relevance to leaders and their respective organisations. David V. Day is the Woodside Chair of Leadership and Management at The University of Western Australia Business School. David’s key areas of research include leadership and leader development, personality and individual personality in organisations and performance management. Patricia O’Connor is the General Manager, Leadership Development and Talent Management, at Wesfarmers Limited. In this capacity, she is responsible for designing and deploying executive development and succession planning practices that anticipate the needs of the business.

Members $45 / Guests $55 / Table of 10 $450 Price includes a two-course sit down breakfast and presentation by UWA Professor David Day and Patricia O'Connor of Wesfarmers Limited.

Lyric Soprano Zoe Kikiros performs regularly as a Principal Artist with West Australian Opera. In this recital she will present a song cycle.

Cat Hope is the artistic director of Decibel, a new music ensemble based in Perth, Western Australia devoted to performing works that explore the nexus of acoustic and electronic instruments. Pioneering unique electronic score formats and giving electronic music instruments a voice in the acoustic space, Decibel also arrange electronic works for live performance. Decibel are committed to Australian music and emerging Western Australian composers, as well as sharing important international works with Australian audiences. Decibel¹s annual program 2009-2010 (their first) won the 2011 AMC/APRA Art Music Awards Inaugral Award for Excellence in Experimental Music.

In this presentation she will discuss the various approaches to the practice led research this group has undertaken, how it came to be and the challenges they have undertaken since they formed in 2009.

Bob Muir’s career as chemometrician; part analytical chemist, part statistician has spanned over 16 years. He is the Senior Chemist and Research Officer for ChemCentre, Perth. Previously Bob worked for DSTO, part of the Australian Department of Defence and prior to that the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory, UK. Bob obtained a BSc (Hons) degree in Chemistry in 1995 followed by a PhD in 2000. Arrive at 12noon for a light lunch, session starts at 12.30pm.

In November 2010, Ross Garnaut was commissioned to provide an update to the 2008 Climate Change Review for the Australian Government and community. Since then, the Garnaut Climate Change Review—Update 2011 has released a series of papers addressing developments across a range of areas including climate change science and impacts, international mitigation progress, carbon pricing, land, innovation, and the electricity sector. Professor Garnaut will deliver his final report to the Prime Minister on 31 May 2011 and during this lecture, he will discuss the key findings of his update, and present his recommendations for action on climate change in the national interest. Ross Garnaut is one of Australia’s most distinguished and well-known economists. He has held senior roles in universities, business, government and other Australian and international institutions. He is Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow and Professorial Fellow in Economics at the University of Melbourne. He is also Distinguished Professor of Economics at the Australian National University. He is an Officer of the Order of Australia for services to education and international relations. Separately to his work on the Climate Change Review Update, he is an independent expert adviser to the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee. From 1985-88, Professor Garnaut was the Australian Ambassador to China, and he served as principal Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Bob Hawke from 1983-85. He is the author or editor (alone or jointly with others) of 37 books and numerous articles in scholarly journals and books on international economics, public finance, and economic development.

A lecture by Professor Gareth Stratton,a Healthway sponsored Visiting Fellow in Paediatric Exercise Science from Liverpool (UK).

This presentation will summarise Professor Stratton’s experiences in WA during his Healthway Fellowship. He will address the potential for world leading research in Paediatric Exercise Science emanating from WA, with The University of Western Australia as a hub.

His talk will be informed by his extensive experience in the development of research-driven population-based strategies to improve the health of young people in Liverpool, a European city of health inequality.

Professor Stratton is a World leading expert in paediatric health, specialising in the impacts of physical activity and exercise. He Chaired the UK government’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) committee responsible for the formulation of guidelines for physical activity and exercise in young people. He established and leads the largest longitudinal fitness assessment survey of children in the UK (Sportlinx n=60,000). His laboratory and applied research work around physical activity interventions has included twin studies, impacts of school playground design, active computer gaming and in schools. This work has had global impact.

In this talk Paul Thomas will discuss his current processes and references looking at silver and the refraction of light. The talk will look at art historical connections with Silver which was the selected substrate researched at a nano level for structural and metaphorical reasons exploring its potential for absorption, reflection, refraction, pattern and randomness.

Dr Paul Thomas, has a joint position as Head of Painting at the College of Fine Art, University of New South Wales and Head of Creative Technologies at the Centre for Culture and Technology, Curtin University. Paul has chaired numerous international conferences and is co-curting a show of Australian artists for ISEA2011. In 2000 Paul instigated and was the founding Director of the Biennale of Electronic Arts Perth.

Paul has been working in the area of electronic arts since 1981 when he co-founded the group Media-Space. Media-Space was part of the first global link up with artists connected to ARTEX. From 1981-1986 the group was involved in a number of collaborative exhibitions and was instrumental in the establishment a substantial body of research. Paul’s research project ‘Nanoessence’ explored the space between life and death at a nano level. The project was part of an ongoing collaboration with the Nanochemistry Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology and SymbioticA at the University of Western Australia. The previous project ‘Midas’ was researching at a nano level the transition phase between skin and gold. In 2009 he established Collaborative Research in Art Science and Humanity (CRASH) at Curtin http://crash.curtin.edu.au

A free public lecture by Dr Margaret Henderson, senior lecturer at the University of Queensland and a consultant to the National Museum of Australia, advising on a modern Australian women’s movement collection.

For the last two decades or so Western women’s movements have been engaged in the project of constructing the history of second wave feminism, while asking how we can adequately, indeed authentically, represent a women’s movement now in decline and confronting a generalised climate of feminist amnesia.

In looking for a politically efficacious feminist language of the recent past, Dr Henderson has been a consultant for the National Museum of Australia to propose a collection of ‘feminist objects’ to be part of the nation’s history in this premier institution. One of the unexpected consequences of this work was the extent to which such objects bear emotions and memories for their owners, and one of the challenges is how these personal histories can be translated into collective institutional memories.

This event is free and open to the public, no RSVP required.