WHAT'S NEW?

Congratulations Jann Williams – 2011 ESA Member Service Award

Professor Jann Williams has been recognised for over 20 years service to the Ecological Society of Australia with the awarding of the 2011 ESA Member Service Award. A brief history of her very valued contribution follows:

Council positions

1991:              Public Officer

1992-1996:      Regional Councillor for the ACT

1997-1999:      Vice President

2000-2001:      President

2002-2004:      Past-President

2005-2010:      Chair, Editorial Board, Ecological Management & Restoration (EMR)

One of Jann’s most important contributions as President of the ESA (2000-2010) was to oversee the development of the first Business Plan for the Society, which was ratified in 2002. This was a significant step, leading to the employment of paid staff and providing both strategic and practical directions for the Society.

During Jann’s period as Chair of the Editorial Board of EMR (2005-2010), the journal celebrated its 10th anniversary, finalized a new contract with Wiley-Blackwells and underwent a major review which led to a number of operational changes. In 2009 a panel set up by EMR, of which Jann was a member, identified 25 outstanding restoration projects across Australasia. These projects, as well as 18 that were highly commended, are listed on the Global Restoration Network website. Dr Tein McDonald, the Editor of EMR, played a vital role supporting Jann during her period as the Chair.

ESA Conferences

Jann has attended every ESA conference and special symposia since 1987, apart from 3 meetings when she was overseas at the time. She has given spoken presentations at many of the conferences and also co-convened several symposia, most recently in 2010.

Jann was a member of the Local Organising Committees for the five ESA conferences listed below. In addition, at various times and places she was a member of the Scientific Review Committee, reviewed conference abstracts and was Chair of the Volunteer Coordination Committee (in Albury).

1991:            Canberra, ACT

1993:            Canberra, ACT

1997:            Albury, NSW

2000:            Melbourne, Victoria

2011:            Hobart, Tasmania

Examples of other (recent) ESA Committee roles

2011 (and ongoing):    Indigenous Support Working Group

2011 (and ongoing):    TERN Working Group (chaired by Carla Catterall)

2010:                        Chair, EMR Survey Working Group

2009:                        EMR ‘Global Restoration Network’ Panel

2008-2010:               Steering Committee member, Ecoinformatics Initiative, Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN).

Other contributions

2011: Working in partnership with the Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation to organize a field trip on Indigenous culture and conservation associated with the ESA conference in Tasmania.

2000 (and ongoing): Editorial Board member, Ecological Management & Restoration

1995 to present: Taken an active role in the updating, maintenance, analysis and accessibility of the Societies Long Term Ecological Research database.

1995 to 2000: Editorial Board member, Australian Journal of Ecology (now Austral Ecology)

1999: Jann developed ‘A protocol for the development of ESA position statements’. (See the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of Australia. 29(4): 12-15).

1997: Jann led the development of the first ‘ESA Position Statement on the Use of Fire in Ecosystem Management’. (See the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of Australia. 27(1): 12-14).

Invasive Species Research Chapter Launch at ESA11

The ESA will be launching the Invasive Species Research Chapter at the ESA2011 conference in Hobart. The aim of the ISRC will be to facilitate a greater level of interaction among ESA members who share an interest in the ecology and management of invasive species. Participation in the ISRC will provide ESA members with the opportunity to engage with people who share similar intellectual passions for understanding invasive species and their impacts on Australian landscapes, develop vibrant collaborations, be part of a group of engaged experts within ESA who can contribute to policy debates on invasive species management, and participate in regular thematic events as part of the ESA.

As ISRC convenor for 2011/2012, I would appreciate if each of you could disseminate this advertisement and flyer amongst your local contacts, asking them in turn to send it around to interested parties in their institutions, and invite all interested members to come to our launch in Hobart – check your conference program for details! Please contact me if you would like any further information: Ben Gooden email: NSW@ecolsoc.org.au.

Nominations for STA Executive Committee positions

The election of office holders to the STA Executive will take place at the upcoming AGM. The constitution provides for a steady renewal of the Executive with 4 positions becoming vacant each year. This year the positions available are Vice President (2 year term), Treasurer (2 year term), Ordinary Member (1 year term), Early Career Researcher (1 year term).

The Executive Committee meets on a monthly basis, generally by teleconference. The Board meets at least three times a year, with two of those meeting being face to face meetings. If you would like to discuss the roles and responsibilities of various Executive positions please feel free to contact me or any of the current executive members. Their contact details can be found at http://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/about-science-australia/governance-and-board/. The successful candidates will join Michael Holland (President 2012 & 2013), Peter Adams (Secretary), Rebecca Ritchie (Chair of the Policy Committee) and Anna-Maria Arabia on the STA Executive.

The STA Annual General Meeting which will take place on Thursday 24 November 2011 at The National Library of Australia (Level 4 Conference Room), Parkes Place, Parkes Canberra from 9:00am – 2:00pm. Nominations close 14 days prior to the AGM. This year the closing date is 5.00pm, Thursday 10 November 2011.

Nomination requirements and processes
Candidates
candidates wishing to stand for election to the STA Executive must be a financial member of an ordinary member of STA.
 
Persons who are members of affiliate members cannot stand for the STA Executive or Board. Current affiliates are APESMA, ACDA, ACDS, ACEDD, ACDICT, CAPA, CRC Assoc, CSIRO Staff Association, NTEU, SIA, ARMS, CORE.   However a person who is a member of an affiliate organisation is not precluded from standing for election if they are also a member of an ordinary member in which case they can nominate on the basis that they are a member of the latter.

Nominations
Candidates need to be nominated by two persons who are financial members of an ordinary member of STA. Nominees are not required to be from the same society/association as the candidate.
 
Nominations need to be made in writing signed by the two nominees and accompanied by the written consent of the candidate and any supporting material. The constitution does not define ‘writing’ or ‘signed’ and therefore email advice of nominations and acceptances is the default method of notice.
 
The constitution does not contain a pro-forma notice for nominations nor specify the words. You may wish to adopt words to the effect:
I, xxxx current member of xxxx Society, do nominate xxxx as candidate for the position of xxxx  signed name, Address, Ph, Email No.

Nominations close 14 days prior to the AGM. This year the closing date is 5.00pm, Thursday 10 November 2011.

The constitution requires that nominations are sent to the Secretary, however it is both acceptable and convenient practice to send nominations to the Chief Executive Officer and I will collate and organise the documentation.

Supporting materials
The constitution provides for candidates to provide supporting materials for their application. These materials are not defined. Practice has been to suggest that candidates provide a brief CV (1 page) and a brief (1 page) written statement to support their application outlining one or more of:

• their interest in taking the position; and /or
• their interest in participating in STA; and/or
• additional relevant comments on their background/skills/interests.
  

Statement of Concern - NSW Government cuts to DPI Ecology Unit

The Ecological Society of Australia has submitted a statement of concern to the NSW Premier following significant staff reductions within the DPI forestry section and the marine research facility. This statement was submitted from the perspective of advocating the need for good science in policy development and recognising the central importance of research in informing strategic management.

The letter is provided here for the information of all members.

NT Student Travel Award Winner - ESA11 Conference

Congratulations to Lauren Young, CDU, winner of the 2011 NT Student Travel Award. Lauren will present "‘The influence of invasive buffel grass on bird behaviour in semi-arid central Australia’ at ESA11 in Hobart.

Read Lauren's abstract here

The award is an NT regional initiative, specifically aimed at student members.  The aim of the award is to support and encourage ecologists working in the NT, and promote their engagement with other NT members of ESA and the wider ESA community. The award will assist the successful applicant with the cost of attending the annual ESA conference. 

The Award of up to $1000 is open to ESA student members and may be used for travel costs, accommodation, conference registration, or a combination of these.

Jill Landsberg Trust fund scholarship

The 2011 winner of the Jill Landsberg Fund is Dejan Stojanovich, ANU. Dejan's PhD topic is “Life history, spatial ecology and population viability of the migratory swift parrot". Dejan will receive his award at ESA11 in Hobart and return in 2012 to present his research at ESA12 in Melbourne. 2010 winner, Clay Trauernicht, will be presenting at ESA11.

The Ecological Society of Australia Inc has established the Jill Landsberg Trust Fund, which now funds an ongoing postgraduate scholarship in the field of Applied Ecology. The scope of research is open to terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecology.

Each year a grant of $6,000 will be awarded to support the field-based research of a Postgraduate Student working in applied ecology.  The successful applicant also attends the annual conference to receive their award and the following annual conerence to present their research- travel, registration and accommodation costs are covered under the award.

Congratulations Dejan!

Dr Malcolm Gill - 2011 ESA Gold Medallist

As President of The Ecological Society of Australia, it is my pleasure to announce that the 2011 Ecological Society of Australia Gold Medal is awarded to Dr Malcolm Gill. The ESA Gold Medal is awarded in recognition of an ecologist who has made a substantial contribution to the study of ecology in Australia over the course of their career and is presented annually as a Plenary at our annual conference, this year in Hobart, November 21-25.

This year’s medal recognises Malcolm’s notable contribution as ‘the father of contemporary fire ecology’ in Australia. This status can be justified in many ways but first and foremost through his seminal contribution of the fire regime concept. Malcolm originally articulated the fire regime concept in a widely cited review paper (Gill, 1975.). The concepts in the review were expanded and further explored in a number of subsequent articles but most notably in the book “Fire and The Australian Biota”(Gill, Groves, and Noble 1981): the first synthesis of Australian fire ecology.  

This body of work crystallized the notion that the ecological ramifications of fires need to be understood as recurrent disturbances, not solely as ‘events’. Thus the cumulative characteristics of fires play a role in determining the response and persistence of species. This concept was timely as it coincided with an era of intense re-evaluation of the nature of community dynamics in response to disturbance. It directly led to an invigoration and blossoming of the field of fire ecology, because it stimulated an awareness of the importance and explanatory power of the intricacies of life-history, species dynamics and common patterns of response among species in fire-prone ecosystems.  

Malcolm has enjoyed a distinguished career with diverse interests conducting an extraordinarily varied research program that not only covers most Australian ecosystems, but many facets of fire science, and establishing wide-ranging research collaborations in North America, Africa and Europe, where his work remains influential. Retirement in 2000 did little to diminish this career, which remains vigorous as he enters his eight decade. A hallmark of Malcolm’s career has not only been his service to ecological science but his dedication to the development of systems for fire management based on scientific principles.

Malcolm has worked with managers of all stripes in most Australian jurisdictions, earning deep respect and many enduring friendships along the way. His service has been recognized with two important awards: in 1998 he was awarded the Unsung Hero of Australian Science award (Australian Science Communicators) and in 1999 the Order of Australia Medal for research on bush fires and the environment.

The Gold Medal of the Ecological Society of Australia is a fitting complement to these previous awards and represents a well-deserved recognition of his immense contribution to our understanding of Australian ecosystems, and to the development of systems for their wise management.   

Please take the time to read more about Malcolm’s nomination, career, and contribution to ecology on our website http://www.ecolsoc.org.au/malcolmgillgoldmedal.htm

For more information on the Gold Medal or to nominate a future recipient visit http://www.ecolsoc.org.au/prizes.html For more information on Malcolm's work visit http://www.bio.mq.edu.au/piccel/hughes. For more information on ESA11 see http://www.esa2011.org.au/.

Kris French President

Freshwater Biodiversity Climate Change Adaptation Research
Masterclass – call for participants

When: 14th - 18th November 2011
Where: University House, ANU, Canberra

The Water Resources and Freshwater Biodiversity Adaptation Research Network is calling for applications from people interested in attending a technical masterclass on topics relating to the research, management and communication of climate change adaptation for Australian freshwater biodiversity. Specific topics to be covered include:
• Climate projections and future water scenarios (CSIRO Land & Water)
• Modelling climate change impacts on freshwater species (Drs Yung En Chee, Nick Bond & Mark Kennard)
• Bayesian networks for impacts modelling (Dr Carmel Pollino)
• Science to policy (Dr Fiona Dyer)
• Science communication (Prof. Julian Cribb)
Applications to attend the Masterclass are sought from researchers or managers currently working in areas relevant to climate change adaptation for freshwater biodiversity. PhD students and early career researchers are encouraged to apply. Up to 15 participants will be selected based on merit and responses to the selection criteria. All travel, accommodation, food and training expenses associated with attending the masterclass will be provided to successful applicants.

To apply, please submit a 2 page c.v. and a statement addressing the following selection criteria:
1. Understanding of broad issues associated with climate change impacts and adaptation with respect to Australian freshwater biodiversity
2. Aptitude for and willingness to learn new technical skills, e.g. using unfamiliar
software
3. Relevance of current employment or studies to climate change adaptation for
freshwater biodiversity
4. Capacity to use knowledge gained at masterclass to further research and/or
management activities
5. Availability to attend masterclass
Please submit applications by email to Samantha Capon by 5pm Thursday 14th July at s.capon@griffith.edu.au.

Fresh Science 2011Tech on Tap:

L’Oréal Australia For Women in Science Fellowships 2011

The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science

Mollusc Course – University of Wollongong

A comprehensive course on molluscs will again be held at the University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia from the 5th to the 16th Dec. 2011. The course covers the biology, diversity, conservation, classification, relationships and importance to humans of the second largest animal phylum. It includes field work and practicals and can accommodate 21 students. For undergraduate Australian university students it is an 8 credit point course. Overseas and interstate participants are welcome and student accommodation is available.

The course is organised by Assoc. Prof.  Andy Davis and run with staff from the AustralianMuseum (Winston Ponder, Don Colgan, Mandy Reid). Details can be found at http://www.uow.edu.au/science/biol/UOW009845.html

International Year of Chemistry Program of Events

The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is delivering a host of exciting events for International Year of Chemistry (IYC 2011).  

Please see the link to the program of events below.  
http://www.shaccommunications.com/FTP/IYC/IYC2011%20Launch%20Invitation_agenda.pdf