Welcome to the June issue of the Newsletter.
Website: http://www.anatomy.su.oz.au/ASB/

ITEM (1) Professor G. Milburne, R.I.P.
 It is with sadness that I report the recent death of Professor Milburne.
He died two weekends ago as a result of a crash of an ultra-light aircraft.
I have sent the condolences of the Society to his department, his friends
and relatives.
 

ITEM (2) Arrangements for the 1997 Annual Conference of the Society
(October 3-5) are now available through the ASB website.  Registration
details will also be mailed to all members of the Society within the next
few weeks. The website address (http://www.anatomy.su.oz.au/ASB/)

Associated Conferences in Melbourne:

The Australian Electrophoresis Society will meet in Melbourne on August
25-26. The special attraction of this meting is that registrants will be
eligible to publish full papers (up to manuscript 20 pages) in the journal
Electrophoresis (1995 impact Factor 2.73). For further information consult:
http://www.bio.mq.edu.au/APAF/aes.html

ASBMB will meet in the same city on August 29 through September 4
 

ITEM #3:  FASTS sends the following messages about the populatity of
science as a newsworthy item.
An AGB McNair poll commissioned by CSIRO has confirmed that Australians
would rather read about science and technology in the media than any other
subjects - including sport, politics and crime. FASTS and CSIRO will both
be issuing media releases on this matter on th night of Saturday June 14.
As well as being an interesting story in itself, we see this as a chance to
persuade media outlets to boost
coverage of S&T.
 

ITEM #4: The National Committee for Biophysics (NCB) met on May 9. The
following items were the major recommendations of that meeting:
       (i) The NCB Committee resolved to recommend to that Australian
Academy of Science that it propose a initiative to the ARC. The proposal is
that a series of 30-50 summer vacation scholarships be initiated for
undergraduate (science 3 or 4) students to offered by the ARC.  A stipend
of $2500 for an 8 weeks scholarship) would be funded on a 50:50 basis by
the ARC and the host institution. The National Comittees could assist in
the evaluation of applications and make final recommendations to the AAS
for final approval.

COMMENTS PLEASE: I would like to hear your opinions on the proposal that
"The AAS urge the ARC to fund a national program of research experience for
final year undergraduates."

       (ii) As Chair I write to the Minister for Science (Peter McGauran to
urge him to upgrade the Science and Technology agreements with teh USA and
Japan. Current there is no S & T agreement between Australia and the USA
where the Government saysthe sticking point is agreement on intelectual
property. Regarding Japan, universities and research institutes are
excluded from this agreement which in 1996 was funded by the Australian
Governmetn to a total of $1.238 million.
       (iii) Dr. Tony Collings undertook to collect graphics for a colour
poster to promote biophysics to undergraduate students on Australian
campuses. If you have an eye-catching colour graphic, email/send it to Tony
. His contact address is:
email is: tonyc@dap.csiro.au
OR by mail to: Dr. A. Collings, CSIRO Div. Applied Physics, POB 218,
Lindfield 2070
        (iv) The ASB is proceeding to be incorporated in Victoria. Dr.
Brett Hambly, Treasurer will liaise with Dr. Cyril Curtain.
 

ITEM #5:  Is your membership to the ASB current? The annual fee is $26 per
annum or $100 for FIVE years (a bargain). If you are not a financial
member, registration for the 1997 Annual Conference will cost an extra $30
as a non-member, so there is a small incentive for you to RENEW NOW.

Membeship application/renewal forms are available on the ASB website
(http://www.anatomy.su.oz.au/ASB/AppForm.html) or you can retain your
membership by sending your cheque ($24) to:
Dr. B.D. Hambly,Treasurer,
Department of Pathology,
The Universitiy of Sydney, Sydney 2006.

Enjoy a well-earned mid year break, and good luck with your experiments
 
 

Cris dos Remedios
President

Cris dos Remedios. D.Sc.
Institute for Biomedical Research
The University of Sydney, F13
Sydney 2006 Australia
Phone +61 2 93513209;  Fax +61 2 93512813