Newsletter #19. AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY FOR BIOPHYSICS
WELCOME to the September edition of the ASB email newsletter.
Please visit our WWW site and send me your comments. The address is:
http://www.anatomy.su.oz.au/ASB/
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NEWS ITEMS
(1) Greg Ralston dies
(2) Congratulations Glenn King
(3) Melbourne conference on track
(4) Incorporation: Read this document.
(5) A new National Science Forum
(6) Young biophysicists seeking positions:
(7) Report from FASTS
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(1) It is my sad duty to inform the membership that Greg Ralston (aged
53)died on August 20 after losing a long and hard
battle with cancer. His funeral was held on August 25 at the Northern
Suburbs Crematorium in Sydney. Greg was
passionate about analytical ultracentrifugation, was a terrific teacher
and a good friend to so many of us. He will be missed
by all who knew him.
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(2) After that depressing news, it is a pleasure to be able to report
that Glenn King (our President-elect) has just been
promoted to Associate Professor. Congratulations Glenn!!
He is currently on study leave at the Department of Microbiology, University
of Connecticut Health Center 263 Farmington
Avenue, Farmington CT. He can be contact by email at: gfk@panda.uchc.edu
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(3) The ASB conference in Melbourne will be held on October 3, 4 and
5. If you still wish to register (there is no penalty for
late registration) please do so. More detailed information about the
arrangements for this meeting are provided in the
attachment (ASB Mtg Info)
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(4) Incorporation of the ASB.
Plans are now well advanced for the incorporation of the Society. The
purpose of the incorporation is to provide a clear set
of rules for conducting the business of the Society and to provide
a degree of protection for the officers of the Society.
The incorporation document is attached and I urge members to look it
over. The document was prepared by the Treasurer,
Brett Hambly (bretth@blackburn.med.usyd.edu.au),
and the actual incorporation will be handled by Cyril Curtain
(CCURTAIN@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au).
Both will be happy to receive your comments and suggestions regarding this
document. The members at the AGM in Melbourne will be asked to ratify
the document in principle before we proceed.
Attachment name: Incorpn Doc 13/09/97.
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(5) National Science Forum and ANZAAS
National Science Forum.
ASC (Aust. Science Communicators) proposed the formation of a new National
Science Forum to work productively and
amicably towards providing Australia with a top-class event for science.
ANZAAS' will proceed with its Congress scheduled for Tasmania in September
1998 with ASC members assisting
ANZAAS.
A pilot Science Forum for 1998 will be a relatively modest event serving
as a forerunner to a full Science Forum in 1999.
ANZAAS and ASC will work together on the pilot event, at a location
to be determined.
A new body - "National Science Forum Inc" - has been proposed to allow
the involvement by the various science groups,
and to provide a proper legal framework for employing people and entering
into contractual arrangements.
Alison Leigh has been invited to act as convener. Other members of the
Forum are: Peter Cullen Toss Gascoigne Peter
Jeffrey Don Tier Peter Vallee
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(6) Three young biophysicists seek positions in Australia:
In Melbourne: Rosa Rios (BSc) worked in molecular biology at Manchester
Metropolitan University. Her skills include
membrane extractiosn, 2-D SDS PAGE and associated software, antibody
production and use of radio-isotopes. She is
presently in Melbourne and can be contacted at 68 Adelaide St, Sunshine,
Vic.
In Sydney: Mu Yao will soon complete his PhD and seeks a post-doctoral
position in Australia (preferably in Sydney). Dr
Yao has considerable experience with a range of techniques for investigating
programmed cell death (Western blots, TUNEL
assays, zymograms, DNA gels, electron microscopy) and has a strong
interest in mammalian heart failure. He can be contact
at: muyao@anatomy.usyd.edu.au;
or by phone (02) 998898269 or Fax (02) 93512813.
An Irish science graduate, Mr Gavin Ryan (15 King Edward Lawn
Bray, Co.Wicklow, Ireland; Tel: 00353 1 286 0688, Fax: 00353 1 295
4727). Gavin is a cell biologist with experience in a
wide range of analytical techniques. He is seeking a suitable position
in Australia. He recently completed his MSc in
Cologne, Germany and is currently in Ireland.
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(7) News from FASTS: The complete FASTS Newsletter is appended. In brief:
The fate of CRCs: FASTS has been having discussions with Minister McGauran
regards the Government's approach to the
CRC. Further information can be obtained from Toss Gacsoigne (email:
fas555@anu.edu.au).
FASTS is calling for submissions for changes (including broad statements
on the general direction and shape of the
Document) to the FASTS' Policy Document. The timing of the revised
document is end of October and the new doc should
be ready by January 1998.
The document is to be reviewed and a new version issued in mid-January,
in time to influence the pre-election Budget
released in May 1998. All suggestions and comments should be sent to
Dr Ken Baldwin, Chair of FASTS' Policy
Committee email: kgb111@rsphy1.anu.edu.au
Items in the FASTS circular include:
The Stocker Review; The Mortimer Report, the New Science Forum (also
see above).
The FASTS Council will meet on November 20. If members have issues they
would like me to raise at that meeting, please
contact me by email.
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If you have news items please send them to me at "crisdos@anatomy.su.oz.au"
Cris dos Remedios
President
Australian Society for Biophysics