Arts, Science researchers share discoveries in 'vibrant conference'

November 23, 2007

Researchers on topics as diverse as "baroque harpsichord accompaniment" and "blood flow in the human carotid artery" will report on their work during a conference at the University of New England this weekend.

Forty researchers from UNE's newly-formed Faculty of Arts and Sciences will present papers at the Faculty's two-day Postgraduate Conference for 2007.

The conference, titled Global Directions – Regional Futures – Tomorrow's Leaders, will begin this evening with a reception for participants at "Booloominbah". Then, moving to Arts Lecture Theatre A1, the program will proceed with the official opening by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, followed by the keynote address by Dr Adrian Walsh, a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at UNE.

The research papers themselves will be presented (in parallel sessions in the Arts Building and the Oorala Centre) throughout tomorrow and on Sunday morning. Among the many reports on ground-breaking research will be that of the conference convener, PhD student Greg Falzon (pictured here), in a talk titled "The Medical Applications of Synchrotron Radiation".

The two plenary speakers at the conference – UNE graduate Dr Andrew Whitten (now a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) and UNE Senior Lecturer in English and Theatre Studies Dr Anne Pender – are both highly successful professional researchers.

Joanna Drake, the administrator of the conference, said it was designed to provide a supportive environment in which postgraduate researchers could practise the presentation skills required not only in academia but also in many other professions. "While gaining this experience," she said, "they will also obtain valuable feedback from fellow students and supervisors."

Ms Drake said that the level of enthusiasm among the participants promised "a vibrant conference". "We're encouraging students and members of staff from throughout the campus to attend any of the sessions they might have an interest in," she said. "As well as the project reports, there will be 'question-and-answer' sessions with panels of research supervisors, and seminars on writing grant applications and 'Surviving your Thesis'."

"This is a 'pilot' event within the new Faculty," she added, "and we're hoping it will be the first of many such conferences."

Posted by Jim Scanlan at November 23, 2007 09:58 AM