What's On at UWA

Wood & Grieve Engineers is a leading national multi-discipline consulting engineering firm, providing consulting engineering services for building and land development. We employ over 320 staff located in 6 offices throughout Australia. Our offices are in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Busselton and Albany.

Our success is based on the philosophy of committed staff focused on providing quality service and building long-term professional relationships with our clients.

WGE is a privately owned company, where the owners of the company work alongside everyone else. We are non-bureaucratic and foster a flat management structure with a young, enthusiastic, vibrant and professional working environment.

Wood & Grieve is actively seeking motivated and talented Graduates, so come along and see for yourself why Wood & Grieve is a great place to work.

The aim of this course is to give the participants an introduction to the facilities available in MS Excel from a statistical point of view. As well as an introduction to Excel, spreadsheet functions and graphics, we concentrate on performing basic statistical methods, producing charts and tables, and discuss the limitations of Excel when it comes to more complex statistical analysis.

Semiparametric regression is concerned with the exible incorporation of nonlinear functional relationships in regression analyses. Assuming only a basic familiarity with ordinary regression, this short-course explains the techniques and benets of semiparametric regression in a concise and modular fashion. Spline functions, linear mixed models and Bayesian hierarchical models are shown to play an important role in semiparametric regression. There will be a strong emphasis on implementation in R and BUGS.

Registration for the course is available online at http://scg.maths.uwa.edu.au/?id=347

In this talk, Jenni draws on more than a decade of education research and teaching in chemical engineering to focus on the central issue of improving student learning in engineering education.

Illustrating these points through a range of innovations at the 2nd year level in chemical engineering, she contrasts the knowledge obtained through education research with that obtained through the scholarship of teaching. The central questions that guide this talk are the following:

- What are the big challenges in teaching in the disciplines? What questions should we be researching?

- What knowledge is needed to practice scholarly teaching? Can education research provide this knowledge?

- What kind of teaching is needed to support high quality student learning?

To register your attendance please RSVP to Ilse Lorenzen by 3 April 2012.

In this highly interactive masterclass, participants who are relatively new to engineering education research (although they might be experienced researchers in science or engineering) will engage closely with some of the key foundational issues in this research field.

Key questions around which the masterclass will be structured include:

-What do I really want to research and how do I go about it?

-Why do I need to bother about theory?

-Can qualitative research generate rigorous findings?

-How should I engage with the education literature?

-Do I have any chance of getting published?

To register your attendance, please RSVP to Ilse Lorenzen by 3 April 2012.

Microalgae Energy Farms for Low Cost Biodiesel Production Presented by Dr Peer Schenk

ABSTRACT: From start to finish, biodiesel production from microalgae requires optimisation of all steps towards cost effectiveness and energy efficiency, as current limitations exist mainly in the industrial feasibility of microalgae systems. Our team is developing improved non-GM Australian microalgae strains, as well as low cost algae cultivation and harvesting systems to provide a cost & energy effective biodiesel production module. This module utilises microalgae's potential as zero-waste biorefineries, producing not only bioenergy, but also protein-rich animal feedstock and high-value products such as Omega-3 fatty acids. Our research group maintains a growing collection of marine and freshwater microalgae from Queensland, whereby high lipid yielding strains are screened and selected for improvement. We use adaptive evolution methods incorporating mutagenesis and high throughput selection for high-lipid yielding strains. These are then used in especially engineered "Split-System" cultivation units that incorporate both, a low cost photobioreactor (PBR) coupled with several extensive raceway ponds. In the PBR, optimal culture conditions are maintained with daily culture harvested into the raceway ponds to stimulate lipid biosynthesis. Several harvesting and lipid extraction.

Autotrophic Production of Algal Biofuel: What is the best technology line-up Presented by Dr Skye Thomas-Hall

ABSTRACT: Microalgae have the potential to produce 10-20 times more biofuel feedstock per unit area than any terrestrial bioenergy crop. However for this to be economically viable, three important technology stages need to come together: i) cultivation of high lipid species must be relatively contamination free and highly productive (ideally AFDW in excess of 30 g m-2 d-1); ii) the biomass needs to be harvested quickly using energy efficient technology; and iii) the harvested algae should be processed into stable products before value is lost. Cellana LLC was formed in 2008 with the primary aim of developing the technology pathway to make algal biofuels economically viable. Cellana’s 2.5ha Kona Demonstration Facility (KDF) is located on the Big Island of Hawaii and has been producing high quality algal biomass since 2009. The production can be tailored to customer needs for different fractions of the algal biomass, including lipids for biodiesel, protein for animal feed, essential fatty acids (i.e. EPA, DHA) and accessory pigments (e.g. lutein, ß-carotene, lycopene etc) for the nutrition and cosmetic industries. Cellana’s KDF is primarily a research facility, designed to test many algal species simultaneously (up to 12) in realistic outdoor conditions. The large scale hybrid system can grow 2 species simultaneously and has excellent flexibility that enables cultivation conditions to be optimized for each individual strain. The facility is also set up to test a variety of harvesting and dewatering techniques on each species grown at demonstrations scale (up to 780,000 L). Presented is an overview of strain selection at small scale (lab <1 L) and mid scale (outdoor 200 L). Growth parameters that can be altered for optimizing cultivation at mid scale and large scale (60,000 – 130,000 L). The majority of the presentation is on harvesting and processing techniques used by Cellana and in the wider algae industry, focusing on cost versus efficiency of methods trialed at Cellana’s Kona Demonstration Facility (KDF). Best handling and storage practices are also presented along with data analysis specifically focusing on lipid quality.

Many contemporary concerns in higher education focus on the student experience of learning. With a larger and much more diverse intake than ever before at the same time that funding for higher education is being cut back in some parts of the world and at least limited elsewhere, questions are being asked afresh around the purposes of higher education. This talk puts forward a social realist approach to researching student learning, illustrating its potential value by an exploration of student learning in engineering education. Employing Margaret Archer’s social realist theory, student narratives are employed towards developing a realist understanding of the underlying mechanisms that constrain and enable student success.

To register your attendance, please RSVP to Ilse Lorenzen by 3 April 2012.

Clough will be on campus to talk about graduate opportunities for: • Civil/Structural Engineering • Construction Management • Electrical/Instrumentation Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Process/Chemical Engineering Please book through http://uwa.careerhub.com.au

An evening of inspirational speeches and invaluable networking opportunities with industry representatives and women in engineering spokespersons. Enjoy a decadent high tea and discover what the workforce is like for a young female engineer.

Representatives from: SKM, BHP, MONADELPHOUS, HATCH, ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA, ROBOGALS, and UWAYE

Open to all engineering and new course science students.

Tickets on sale outside engineering building 1-2pm everyday. Only $5 for UWAYE members, $10 non members.

Linfox Logistics will be on campus to talk about graduate opportunities for engineering, maths and business/commerce students. Please book through http://uwa.careerhub.com.au

Water Corporation representatives will be on campus to talk about graduate opportunities for all students. (engineering and science highly desired) Please book through http://uwa.careerhub.com.au

The Soil&Water seminar at 12pm on Weds, May 2nd, will be given by Richard Allcock, with an introduction by Tony O'Donnell, Dean of Science. All welcome!

TITLE: "Application of next-generation DNA sequencing to the analysis of long and short PCR products"

Richard Allcock is the Scientist-in-Charge of the LotteryWest State Biomedical Facility – Genomics (LSBFG) based at Royal Perth Hospital. He is also a member of the School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Western Australia and a Founding Fellow of the Faculty of Science of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. He has expertise in the analysis of DNA and detection of sequence variants. Under his direction, LSBFG performs next-generation sequencing (FLX/454, SOLID, Ion Torrent) Sanger sequencing and a host of other genetic and genomic analyses. Richard Allcock has analysed many DNA sequence variants and their affect on function, haplotypic arrangements and role in disease susceptibility/resistance. He has published widely in this area, collaborating with many researchers across Western Australia and internationally.

As a sequencing tragic, Richard has established links with Tony O’Donnell and Andrew Whiteley to see how these sequencing technologies can be routinely and cheaply applied to the analysis of agricultural and environmental samples. As part of this collaboration FNAS have funded an ion Torrent PGM sequencer housed at Royal Perth Hospital and it is this device that he’ll be talking about today.

Sponsored by Chevron, Subsea7, Baker Hughes, Schlumberger, Wood Group Kenny and Santos, aims to connect UWA students with companies from the oil and gas industry. Please forward your CV by Tuesday 15th May with a brief (less than 200 words) description of why you would like to join the SPE - UWA Chapter Committee.

This is a fantastic prospect for enthusiastic students to become a part of a rapidly growing student organization that presents opportunities to network with over 100 industry representatives and like-minded peers.

A public lecture by Donna Riley, Associate Professor of Engineering Picker Engineering Program, Smith College.

Professional ethics for engineers as traditionally conceived focuses narrowly on the decisions and actions of individual professional engineers, leaving little room for meaningful public participation. A social justice framework is helpful for opening up the conversation to the public and to the ethics of organisational or societal level questions about engineering and technology. Questions such as who benefits and who bears the cost of technology in society come to the fore, and create a reflexive moment for engineers to critique and re-imagine our own practices.

As an example of this critique and new directions that might be created through the social justice lens, we will consider the case of the Grand Challenges of Engineering put forth by the United States’ National Academy of Engineering. By examining the process of how these global priorities for the profession were identified, how they were justified, and the proposed processes for meeting the challenges, we might envision a new set of processes for determining more socially just ends for engineering, as well as more just means for achieving those ends.

Reframing the issue of participation in engineering as issue of public ethics in a social justice frame similarly leads to a critique of current discourse around underrepresentation of women and minorities and points to direct conversation and action to dismantle exclusionary systems of power and privilege in the profession of engineering.

This lecture is a part of the Institute of Advanced Studies 2012 lecture series ‘Global Transformation and Public Ethics’. This series of free public lectures aims to stimulate considered debate about urgent issues in public ethics and policy as well as reflecting on ways we can improve public discourse about such issues. For more information, visit: http://www.ias.uwa.edu.au/lectures/ethics

The Energy and Minerals ECM research theme covers areas from fuels and energy utilisation, exploration, mining and mineral extraction, to environment and policy development.

This workshop will be convened by the Theme Leader, Winthrop Professor Andy Fourie. Potential speakers are now invited to contact Ilse Lorenzen as soon as possible.

For full details about this seminar, and to register your attendance, please visit the URL below.

Find out more about the Deloitte Dream Team, an annual inter-university competition where students compete in university teams to solve realistic business problems and scenarios.Book through Careerhub.

Prospective students are invited to attend one of our info sessions to learn more about how to achieve an engineering career with UWA. These sessions will explain course details, career opportunities, prerequisite subjects and how to apply, as well as providing the opportunity for attendees to ask questions and meet Faculty staff.

Whether you're coming to the end of your time at high school and are considering your university study options, or you already have an undergraduate degree and are looking to re-skill or complete postgraduate study, our 'Becoming an Engineer with UWA' information sessions will provide you with the information you need to get your career in engineering headed in the right direction.

If you can't make it to this session, further sessions will be held July - November.

Please visit the website for more information and to register your attendance.

The Three MInute Thesis (3MT) is a fun and challenging event that encourages the communication of research to a wide audience. The UWA 3MT competition finals will be held on 25th July and this presentation is a comprehensive guide to the preparation and presentation of a compelling 3MT talk. The presenter, Simon Clews,is an experienced 3MT judge who has championed the 3MT competition in Australia and internationally.

The course is designed for people with little or no knowledge of statistics. It will be spread over three days covering material ranging from means and standard deviations to simple linear regression, and basic ANOVA. Some basic categorical data analysis will be included with the emphasis throughout being placed on applications rather than theory. The statistical package SPSS will be used to illustrate ideas demonstrated, however this course is aimed at enabling an understanding of basic statistics.

This lunchtime seminar will be a series of 5-7 minute presentations facilitated by Assistant Professor Rita Armstrong, followed by a thirty minute question and answer session. A light lunch will be provided.

More about the speakers:

James Trevelyan's career spans nearly 4 decades, the first two of which were devoted to engineering practice in aerospace and subsequently robotics and automation for the Australian wool industry. He and his research students developed technology for remote internet control for robots and also for providing remote access to laboratory equipment, technology that has now been widely adopted worldwide.

Dr Roberto Togneri received the B.E. degree in 1985, and the PhD degree in 1989 both from the University of Western Australia and is a Senior Member of the IEEE. He has published over 80 refereed journal and conference papers in the areas of signals and information systems and is the chief investigator on two Australian Research Council Discovery Project research grants from 2010 to 2013. Dr Togneri’s commitment to teaching is exemplified by six Faculty nominations for excellence in teaching, a 2008 Faculty team teaching award, and a 2007 School highest student satisfaction survey. He is a member of the Faculty Academy for the Scholarship of Education and a member of the Foundation Curriculum Development Team. He has co-authored a textbook and various publications in education engineering research.

Dr Andrew Guzzomi (School of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering) became in 2006 the first PhD candidate from the School of Mechanical Engineering to be awarded a Postgraduate Teaching Internship. Since this time, his interest in engineering education has grown. During his postdoctoral studies at the University of Bologna he became fascinated by the history of engineering and what we can learn today from revisiting ancient sources. He is currently exploring how a society’s grasp of thresholds may be demonstrated by marked leaps in architectural/industrial/warfare technology. He has published 7 conference and 1 journal paper related to teaching and learning in engineering, was a member of the International Advisory Board for ICERI 2009 and a Session Chair for INTED 2009. Andrew has won multiple awards related to both teaching and research excellence; most recently being the sole recipient of the 2011 Faculty Teaching Excellence Award.

Associate Professor Chris McDonald currently holds the appointments of associate professor in the School of Computer Science & Software Engineering at UWA and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. Chris has recently taught in the areas of computer networking; security & privacy; mobile & wireless computing; software design & implementation; and operating systems. Together with these areas, his research interests include wireless, ad-hoc, & mobile networking; network simulation; and Computer Science Education.

R. Nazim Khan B.E. (electrical, 1986), BSc. (Maths and Stats,1992), PhD (Stats, 2004), all from UWA, Teacher’s Certificate (1982, Fiji Institute of Technology). Nazim has taught at several institutions, including Fiji Institute of Technology, UWA (1986-1989 in School of Electrical and Electronic Eng, 1989-2002, 2004- in Maths and Stats, 2002-2003 at UQ, QUT and Griffith University). He is particularly interested in student learning and motivating students to engage with learning. He has been nominated for the Faculty teaching award several times, and received a commendation in 2007. He has presented his ideas on teaching in conferences. He is currently looking at student performance and class attendance, the effect of online learning, and student learning habits with a view to adapting teaching methods accordingly.

Winthrop Professor Hui Tong Chua is a Winthrop Professor of the School of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering and the Program Chair for the Chemical Engineering Program. Hui Tong has been very much involved in the design of the Engineering Foundation units, and coordinates the Engineering Thermodynamic part of the Energy Unit. He is currently part of the research team to evaluate how well students learn under the new pedagogy for the foundation units. Hui Tong was the recipient of the Faculty 2010 Commendation Award and 2010 Award for Teaching Excellence (Individual Teaching).

Please RSVP to [email protected] as early as possible to assist with catering.