What's On at UWA

R is a free and extremely powerful language and software environment for statistical computing, data analysis, and graphics. The course is designed for those who have no experience with R, but have a basic understanding of statistics. The course will include: Introduction to R: How to install R on your computer; basic R commands, how to use and understand the R help pages. Data: Reading in data and data manipulation; summarising data; basic statistical analysis and fitting linear models. Graphics and output: Basic plotting commands and how to customise your plots; how to export your plots and output in a user-friendly format. Functions: Writing simple functions and flow control structures.

Heritability is often used by plant breeders and geneticists as a measure of a trial’s precision, or the precision of a series of trials. For computing its main use is the response to selection.

Most formulas proposed for calculating heritability implicitly assume balanced data and independent genotypic effects. While both of these assumptions are often violated in plant breeding trials, equations assuming balanced data are still in common usage.

This talk reviews various approaches to assessing heritability and derived quantities for unbalanced plant breeding trial data. Furthermore, Professor Piepho will also discuss the related problem of assessing predictive accuracy in genomic selection.

The low molecular weight thiol antioxidant, reduced glutathione (GSH) is a multifunctional metabolite in plants. GSH is an important redox gatekeeper that maintains redox homeostasis. It also participates in oxidative signalling pathways that regulate gene expression and determine the outcome of plant responses to stress. GSH is synthesised in chloroplasts, from thence is transported to all the compartments of the cell including the nucleus. Mutants lacking the chloroplast GSH transporters have a low cytosolic GSH poor and have impaired responses to pathogens. Inhibition of glutathione synthesis leads to decreases the redox potential of the cytosol and the nuclei and to marked changes in gene expression. Low GSH availability leads to failure of the apical root meristem because of an arrest of the cell cycle at G1. GSH is recruited and sequestered in the nucleus early in the cell cycle by mechanisms that remain to be identified. Interestingly, mutants in candidates for GSH binding on the nuclear pore complex show very strong repression of photosynthesis, especially under high light. This talk will consider the functions of glutathione in cellular redox homeostasis and possible roles in signalling between the chloroplast and nucleus.

In February, iVEC will offer the following short courses on supercomputing topics:

Introduction to iVEC: 11:00am - 12:00 Tues 4th February

Introduction to Linux: 1:00 - 2:00pm Tues 4th February

Introduction to NeCTAR Cloud Computing: 3:00 - 4:00pm Tues 4th February

Introduction to Supercomputing: 10:00am - 4pm Wed 5th February

Developing with MPI and OpenMP: 10am - 4pm Thurs 6th February

Epic to Magnus Migration: 10am - 4pm Fri 7th February

Further details of the courses are available at http://ivec.org/services/training

Courses are delivered in a face to face classroom style. Attendees are encouraged to bring and work on their own laptops. Staff from the Supercomputing Team will be facilitating so you can meet and chat with them.

Courses are free of charge and open to all, however places are limited. Light refreshments and lunch will be provided on each day. Any queries, please contact Dr Valerie Maxville – [email protected]. Please complete the form to register for this training. Note that places are limited. If you are needing additional training before the end of the year, please contact Valerie to organise a small group session.

The AgLTAS project aims to develop a National Academic Standards Statement for agriculture – representing what a student in Agriculture and related disciplines should know, understand and be able to do on graduation.

You are invited to attend an upcoming workshop, led by Dr Tina Acuna from the University of Tasmania, to provide your valuable input on the Statement.

LATE RSVPs will be accepted (until the day prior to the workshop)

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). The statistical package SPSS will be used to illustrate the ideas demonstrated. The course will be held in a computer laboratory allowing participants to immediately apply the material covered through a series of practical examples.

UWA Health & Rehab Clinic - Running Club 13 week program working towards a 5 or 12km fun run (i.e. HBF Run for Reason - May 25th)

All levels welcome. Perfect for those returning from injury or running for the first time and needing a little extra feedback and coaching.

WHEN: Monday 3rd March - Friday 30th May

Running Sessions = Mon & Fri 6am. Plus "Fit-R" Strength & Mobility Sessions = Wed 6am & Thurs 6pm

WHERE: UWA Health & Rehabilitation Clinic - Parkway Entrance #4, Crawley Campus. Runs will take place around campus, along the river and into Kings Park.

COST: $12 per week (up to 4 sessions/week) for 13 weeks = $156

^Private health rebates may apply for Fit-R sessions

Adult & Over 50's Exercise Sessions combining 40min gym based strength and functional training, plus 40min swimming training (incl fitness and stroke technique).

12 WEEK SEMESTER 1 PROGRAM: Mon 3rd March - Saturday 31st May (Break 18th - 25th April)

SESSION BLOCKS: Adults [Tuesday 6pm-7.30pm &/OR Thursday 7am-8.30am] Over 50's [Monday 8am-9.30am &/OR Saturday 8.30am-10am]

COST: $18 per class = $216 for 12 week program (1 day/week) *20% discount off total price if attend 2 days ^ Private health rebate may apply for gym session

A public lecture by Dr Peggy Fiedler, Director of the Natural Reserve System at the University of California.

In this lecture Professor Fiedler will provide context for understanding the role of field stations, marine laboratories and other protected areas by discussing specific examples of the UCNRS’s research programmes in advancing our general knowledge about the natural world, its general education programs with pre-college students, and its conservation partnerships with a large variety of NGOs, government agencies, and private individuals. Potential new partnerships within the five Mediterranean-ecosystem climate regions worldwide, including the Western Australia, will also be explored.

Peggy Fiedler is a plant conservation biologist, best known for her work on defining the nature of rarity in vascular plants. In the last decade, she has served as a senior research associate at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and is currently working in a similar capacity with CENRM at The University of Western Australia Albany campus.

Professor Fiedler is a 2014 UWA Institute of Advanced Studies Short Stay Visiting Fellow.

Cost: free, but RSVP required via http://www.ias.uwa.edu.au/lectures/fiedler

The ZEISS Xradia Versa family and ZEISS Xradia Ultra lab platforms offer a multi-lengthscale solution. State of the art X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning technology combined with highly specialized, proprietary X-ray optics deliver the highest performance lab-based 3D X-ray microscopes, providing a range of imaging modes from ~30 micron resolution all the way down to 50nm spatial resolution. The Xradia Versa uses patented X-ray detectors and a microscope turret of magnifying objective detectors for easy zooming. Scan mode from 30 micron resolution all the way down to 700 nm spatial resolution. The Xradia Ultra nanoscale X-ray microscope is the only commercially available X-ray microscope that utilizes synchrotron quality X-ray optics and provides true spatial resolution down to <50nm

ZEISS Xradia 520 Versa: The flagship product of the award-winning Xradia Versa family provides the most advanced and highest performing non-destructive, 3D imaging and analysis capabilities. Xradia 520 Versa extends the boundaries of non-destructive 3D imaging with advanced contrast tuning capabilities, extensive filtering options, and enhancements delivering greater accuracy and workflow. Xradia 520 Versa frees researchers to push the boundaries of lab-based imaging. With prominent facilities worldwide using non-destructive X-ray microscopy (XRM) to extend the use of valuable samples, the ZEISS Xradia Versa family proves a powerful component of a correlative microscopy solution. Xradia 520 Versa adds a host of innovations to ZEISS Xradia's industry-leading resolution, contrast and powerful advantages for conducting in situ studies under native or controlled conditions. The instrument delivers compositional contrast for better discernment between materials appearing nearly identical, faster time-to-results for time-sensitive applications, and superior ease-of-use for multi-user environments. Xradia Versa solutions are ideal for highly skilled users as well as busy imaging labs with diverse user needs and skillsets. Breakthrough applications for Xradia 520 Versa include compositional contrast in materials science, high aspect ratio tomography for semiconductor failure analysis and 4D studies of material evolution over time. Highlights include advanced contrast tuning capabilities, extensive filtering options, and faster time to results with higher throughput.

Six recent honours graduates (-5 from UWA-) in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management will present their research (15 min each) at the 'Young Professionals in Agriculture Forum', hosted by the Ag Institute Australia (WA Division)and DAFWA. Following the presentations, the Forum winners will be announced. For topics and student details see URL below.

Celebrate sustainability at UWA's premier environmental event. Pat a koala and dingo and, if you're game, hold a wedge-tailed eagle and python. View up-close UWA's bees (in a safe, sealed hive panel) and sample their honey. Create beautiful flower sculptures from upcycled materials. Learn about sustainable initiatives on campus and much more. Staff, students and their families welcome.

There will be presentations by international visitors, games, prizes, a photo booth, treats on offer and lots and lots of information about exchange and study abroad opportunities for UWA students.

Come along to Profectus UWA's Inaugral 2014 AGM on Tuesday April 8. If you are passionate about business and entrepreneurship be sure to drop by at 1pm to learn more about our agenda. We will answer any questions you have about Profectus and events being held this semester!!!

Knowledge about the morphology and chemical composition of heterogeneous materials on a sub-micrometer scale is crucial for the development of new material properties for highly specified applications. However, each analytical measuring technique has limitations, which may be overcome by their combination. Confocal microscopy has been used to reconstruct three-dimensional images of micro-objects by using a spatial pinhole to eliminate out-of focus light in specimens thicker than the focal plane. Raman spectroscopy on the other hand is able to determine the chemical compositions of materials. The confocal Raman microscope combines Raman spectroscopy with high resolution confocal microscopy. The discrimination of out of focus information used in confocal microscopy is particularly beneficial for confocal Raman imaging since it reduces the volume from which the Raman spectrum is collected. Due to the confocal principle, depth information from transparent materials can be easily obtained, leading to full three dimensional chemical reconstructions of the material’s composition. The combination of confocal Raman microscopy with SPM and true surface microscopy permits characterization of materials at submicron resolution, as well as on mm-rough surfaces across large areas. Examples from various fields of applications will be presented.

Multiple environmental changes challenge traditional notions of ecological restoration. One option for the future may be to plant mixtures of native species to achieve desired ecosystem functions such as tightly cycling nutrients, carbon sequestration, resistance against weed invasion and prevention of soil erosion. However, it remains unknown how best to do this.

Are there trade-offs among functions? Do relationships depend on the traits of planted species? In this talk, Mike will present the theoretical and empirical foundations of the Ridgefield Experiment, which aims to shed light on these questions. He will present early results, and a broader meta-analysis of plant species effects on carbon storage led by his colleague Kris Hulvey. He will end by discussing implications for continued provision of ecosystem services into the future, and would be interested to discuss potential hydrological research questions that may be of interest to the Centre.

Bio,

Mike is an ecosystem ecologist interested in how continued system function depends on community composition and environmental change. He joined Richard Hobbs' Ecosystem Restoration and Intervention Ecology Research Group at UWA in April 2010. Together with colleagues, he established the Ridgefield Multiple Ecosystem Services Experiment in August of that year.

Prior to his move west, he looked at modelled grassland response to environmental change in Tasmania, and for his PhD, back at Imperial College London in the UK, the response of phosphorus to increases in nitrogen supply in a coupled plant-soil analytical model. Throughout his work, he aims to build and test theory through experimentation, with the aim of improving management and restoration of ecosystems into the future.

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

****All Welcome****

Science and Faith seem to be arguing a lot lately, so is their long term marriage over? The accusations are not pretty, not even true. Can we afford for them to split? Taking a leaf out of "Life of Brian", this talk will present the key players and principles of faith which pioneered modern science up to today. WXED is a series of data-rich multimedia presentations on the theme "What's Christianity(WX) Ever Done(ED) for Us?"

Crop rotation, where a legume, pasture, fallow or oilseed is grown after a cereal crop to manage soil borne disease and on occasions fix nitrogen, is one of the oldest technologies in agriculture.  However, we are still researching the concept because plant breeding helps some crops resist certain diseases, weed management practices evolve, and fertiliser can provide a comparatively cheap source of nutrition.   Farmers reacted to these changes by growing fewer break crops, but may now need to embrace seemingly unprofitable options like fallow on their farms.  Here we demonstrate how the Land Use Sequence Optimiser (LUSO) can generate optimum land use strategies for various biotic stresses and land use options. We compare the performance of optimal sequences to those local agronomists recommend, and then explore how variable the optimal and recommended sequences are by drawing predicted crop yields from simulated distributions generated by a crop model.  When challenged with variable seasons, the optimal sequence is often suboptimal and often the crop sequence has little bearing on the financial outcome. In other situations, the crop sequence choice will heavily influence the financial outcome for the farmer.  I will discuss the deterministic and stochastic versions of LUSO, and the implications of the above findings.

Roger Lawes is a Senior Research Scientist at CSIRO who works across a range of projects in farming systems.  He has research interests in crop modelling, plant breeding, farming systems modelling, agronomy and applied statistics.  Prior to joining CSIRO 12 years ago he completed a PhD at the University of Queensland.

Scientists have wondered for some time whether plants, like animals, can truly learn from the past and adjust their future behavior appropriately. We adopted the same approach used in studies of animal learning and memory and put the sensitive plant Mimosa to the test.

We found that plants too can learn, and rapidly, when circumstances demand it, but most importantly they remember what has been learnt for several weeks (at the very least). These findings demonstrate that memory is not property special to organisms with a nervous system, inviting us to re-examine the fundamental mechanisms shaping behavior across living systems.

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

****All Welcome****

The Art of Zhen Shan Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance) takes viewers through the story of Falun Dafa - from its introduction to the public in 1992, through the beauty and enlightenment of the practice, to the unjust and unrelenting persecution, moving forward through the peaceful resistance of Falun Dafa practitioners worldwide who seek to bring an end to the persecution, then through themes of karmic retribution, salvation and grace, and finishing with a moment of choice.

Storytelling has long been one of fine art's greatest joys, and this Exhibition's ability to cross cultural, lingual and ethnic barriers is highlighted each time it is shown.

Inspired by tradition and divinity, the artists paint - often collaboratively - stories either experienced by themselves or shared by fellow Falun Dafa practitioners worldwide. Realist oil painting, or Neo-Renaissance, was chosen as the style for its narrative capabilities, accessibility and, above all, its purity.

The Exhibition aims to educate and draw focus to an unjust persecution - to record a moment in time when the universal principles of Truth, Compassion, Forbearance are openly opposed. It also highlights the danger of becoming involved in the persecution through state-run ventures such as forced labour and forced organ harvesting of Falun Dafa practitioners. Outlasting these sombre themes, however, is a steady message of hope and fulfilment, as the enduring courage and belief of practitioners bring positive change in numerous dark settings.

A central hope of founding artist Professor Zhang's mission is to promote, through fine art, the understanding that freedom of belief is a fundamental human right, and to raise awareness.