Coming Dean's Lectures
Dean's Lecture Series
Friday 25 November, 2011
Soil scientists and technologists can make an important contribution to water resource planning and management. The most obvious contributions relate to improving the water-use efficiency of rain-fed and irrigated agriculture, refining the measurement and prediction of landscape water-balance, and anticipating the impacts of climate change. This presentation will outline rapid evolution of systems for water resource observation and forecasting.
Dr Neil McKenzie is Chief of CSIRO Land and Water. Neil has 27 years of research experience in soil science. His research has focused on quantitative methods for mapping soil and land resources. Neil is actively involved in shaping public policy on scientific aspects of land and water resource management in Australia. more
Tuesday 25 October, 2011
Barbara is a field ecologist who investigates aquatic ecosystems, including regulation of species diversity, limits to population numbers, and the effects that human beings have on riverine environments. Her research spans an unusually wide variety of species, from insects, other invertebrates, to fish and plants, and she has an international reputation for her capacity to find solutions to knotty scientific problems.
Barbara has served on the editorial boards of several international journals including Austral Ecology, Ecology, and Ecological Monographs and currently serves on the board of Oecologia. She has been invited to speak at multiple international conferences in the US and UK and served as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Umeå (Sweden). more
Professor Tim Fletcher on 'Urban stormwater: Public nuisance or precious resource?'
Wednesday 21 September, 2011
Urbanisation results in major disturbance to the water cycle, with infiltration and evapotranspiration greatly reduced and the volume and rate of runoff greatly increased. Resulting pollution and degradation of receiving waters is one of the major threats to waterways in Australia and around the world. At the same time, water shortages in cities have resulted in stormwater being considered seriously for the first time as an alternative water resource.
Tim Fletcher is regarded internationally as an expert in the impacts of urbanisation on hydrology, water quality and receiving waters. He is highly published in the area and has been a leading contributor in many Australian research initiatives, including the Facility for Advancing Water Biofiltration and the CRC for Catchment Hydrology (and its successor eWater). Tim was also a key member of the team that developed the Model for Urban Stormwater Improvement Conceptualisation (MUSIC), which is now the standard stormwater modelling tool used throughout Australia and across many countries. more
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Dr John Innes on 'Sustainable forest management in the International Year of Forests and beyond'
Wednesday 27 July, 2011
Celebrating the International Year of Forests and raising awareness of sustainable forest management, conservation and development, the MSLE Dean’s Lecture Series proudly presents a lecture from Dr John Innes, Dean of Forestry at the University of British Columbia, Canada.
John is also of ‘Resources for the Future’ Task Force Coordinator at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations, and Chair of the Commonwealth Forestry Association. more
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Professor Pamela Matson on 'Transitions to Sustainability in Agriculture' - Miegunyah Lecture
Tuesday 24 May, 2011
Earth is undergoing rapid population growth, urbanization, industrial growth, and consumption of natural resources, with concomitant changes in the global life support systems. How can we meet the needs of the 9 billion people while at the same time sustaining the ecosystems, air, water and climate systems on which we rely for our and future generations’ well-being and survival?
Pamela Matson is an interdisciplinary Earth scientist who works to reconcile the needs of people and the planet in the 21st century. Her research addresses a range of environment and sustainability issues, including sustainability of agricultural systems; vulnerability of particular people and places to climate change; the consequences of tropical deforestation on atmosphere, climate and water systems; and the environmental consequences of global change in the nitrogen and carbon cycles. With multi-disciplinary teams of researchers, managers, and decision makers, she has worked to develop agricultural approaches that reduce environmental impacts while maintaining livelihoods and human wellbeing. more
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Professor Mike Hulme on 'Why We Disagree About Climate Change'
Tuesday 3 May, 2011
Climate change is not “a problem” waiting for “a solution”. It is an environmental, political and cultural phenomenon that is reshaping the way we think about ourselves, about our societies and about humanity’s place on Earth. Based on some of the ideas contained in my recent book, Why We Disagree About Climate Change, this lecture dissects this idea of climate change – where it came from, what it means to different people in different places and why we disagree about it.
Mike Hulme is professor of climate change in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia (UEA). He was the Founding Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research from 2000 to 2007. His work explores the idea of climate change using historical, cultural and scientific analyses, seeking to illuminate the numerous ways in which climate change is deployed in public and political discourse. more
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Thursday 14 April, 2011
It is often said that climate change imperils the small islands of the Pacific Ocean, and will drive waves of refugees towards Australia. This lecture presents and then interrogates this popular narrative about climate change and migration from the Pacific Islands. It draws on a range of theories and evidence to make sense of the issue, arguing that while much of the popular narrative is theoretically and empirically unsubstantiated, there are nevertheless some reasons for concern. A more constructive way of understanding the issue is offered, and some ways forward for Australian policy are proposed.
Jon is a political geographer whose research investigates the impacts of and responses to environmental change on social systems, with a focus on risks to human security, hunger, conflict, and water stress. He has been conducting research on the social and institutional dimensions of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change since 2000. This has included field based research in the South Pacific, China, and Timor-Leste. more
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Professor M.S. Swaminathan on 'Keys to the next Greener Revolution'
Monday 14 February, 2011
Professor Swaminathan coined the term 'Evergreen Revolution' to highlight the pathway of increasing production and productivity in a manner such that short and long term goals of food production are not mutually antagonistic. He wants to produce more from less, less land, less pesticide, less water to achieve sustainable agriculture.
Prof Swaminathan is considered the ‘father’ of the Green Revolution in Asia. He has been acclaimed by TIME magazine as one of the twenty most influential Asians of the 20th century and one of the only three from India, the other two being Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore. more
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Wednesday 29 September, 2010
This expert panel discussion explored the intricacies of human dependence on forests. Panellists included:
- Professor Tim Flannery on ‘Climate change and the impacts of changing forests on humans’
- Dr William (Bill) Jackson, Deputy Director General, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on ‘The importance of species and diversity and the impact of changes to humans’
- Dr Kevin Tolhurst, Melbourne School of Land and Environment on ‘Living with forests and bushfires’
- Veronica Tyquin, Conservation Planner, Forestry Tasmania - ‘Industry perspective’
This Dean’s Lecture celebrated the centenary of professional forestry education in Australia, and set the scene for The Future of Forestry and Forest Science Conference, held from 30 September to 2 October.
Thursday 2 September, 2010
The application of nitrogen fertiliser in agriculture is essential for world food production – about half of the world’s population would not survive without it.
In his inaugural Professorial Lecture, Deli Chen outlined the main reasons for the poor efficiency of fertiliser nitrogen use in agriculture, and discussed options for improving its efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Deli is the discipline leader in Soil Water, Nutrients and Greenhouse Gases, Melbourne School of Land and Environment, University of Melbourne, and Deputy Director of the Australia-China Centre on Water Resource Research. more
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Asa Wahlquist on 'Communicating complex science in the era of Masterchef'
Wednesday 4 August, 2010
We have never been so dependent on science, yet instead of being high on the media agenda, scientists are largely absent. Debates about critical issues like climate change and genetically modified food are being led by people motivated by ideology rather than the communication of good science.
Multi-award winning radio, television and print rural journalist, Asa Wahlquist discussed the importance of communicating good science to the media and interest groups, and the influence of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.
Asa has been a rural journalist for over 20 years, and currently works as the rural writer for The Australian. more
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Professor John Freebairn on 'Markets, governments and agriculture'
Tuesday 20 July, 2010
Australian producers and consumers have the most significant influence on the quantities of food and fibre produced and consumed across the country. The government plays a significant role in the market and its use of a range of instruments to influence efficient outcomes and correct market failures.
Professor John Freebairn discussed reasons for market failure and the effectiveness of government instruments to support our challenged agricultural sector in the global context.
John holds the Ritchie Chair in the Department of Economics at the University of Melbourne. He received his tertiary education in agricultural economics from the University of New England and the University of California, Davis. John is an applied microeconomist and policy analyst, with current research interests in taxation reform and environmental economics. more
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Professor John Mullen on 'Maintaining support for agricultural research and development'
Wednesday 2 June, 2010
In the last decade, cropping productivity growth has slowed. Part of the slowdown can be attributed to the run of bad seasons, but recent econometric analysis confirms that stagnant investment in agricultural research and development has also played a part.
Professor John Mullen discussed trends in public investment in agricultural research and development, and evidence of the continuing high returns on investment.
John is an Adjunct Professor at Charles Sturt University in the Institute of Land Water and Society.
He is a Distinguished Fellow and Past President of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, co-editor of the Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, and worked for 42 years with NSW Agriculture. more
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Wednesday 5 May, 2010
The Honourable John Kerin AM presented an overview of Research and Development Corporations established in the 1980s, and discussed the ongoing rationale for agricultural research, development and extension.
Kerin discussed ways to improve the current structure, addressing critical problems of funding, how to ensure the best Boards are chosen, and other challenges – within the constraints of political reality.
John has significant government experience and has held high level positions in a range of organisations and sectors, and has had a significant parliamentary career, holding Ministerial and Federal Government positions. more
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Julian Cribb on 'The Coming Famine: risks and solutions for global food security'
Wednesday 28 April, 2010
In coming decades the world faces the risk of major regional food crises leading to conflicts and mass refugee movements. This is driven primarily by emerging scarcities of all the primary resources – land, water, oil, fertilizer and R&D - required to produce food, at a time of changing climate. The lecture outlined key factors in emerging global food insecurity and proposed some solutions.
Julian Cribb is an author, journalist, editor and science communicator and principal of Julian Cribb & Associates, who provide specialist consultancy in the communication of science, agriculture, mining, energy and the environment. more
The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and What We Can Do to Avoid It, by Julian Cribb was released in April 2010.
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Friday 27 November, 2009
Through case studies, this presentation demonstrated how advanced pedotechnology information has been critical in developing coherent models of soil information, from microscopic observations to the landscape scale.
This information is utilised to develop strategies for managing both spatial and temporal soil-landscape changes, to solve practical soil problems for a broad range of stakeholders.
This work provides value among the jurisdictions of the environment, agriculture, industry, mineral exploration, engineering, military and forensic science.
Dr Rob Fitzpatrick is Chief Research Scientist and Group Leader of Soil Biochemistry in CSIRO Land and Water. Rob is also Director of the Centre for Australian Forensic Soil Science and Professorial Fellow at Flinders University. more
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Professor David Pannell on ‘Linking science to policy’
Monday 12 October, 2009
In the context of land-use policy, Professor David Pannell discussed various aspects of the research-policy nexus, including the various influences of research and policy on land use, the adoption of research results by policy makers, differences between policy and research, and the roles that researchers can play in policy.
David is Professor in the School of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Western Australia, Director of the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, and an ARC Federation Fellow. He has been a prominent commentator on environmental policy within Australia, arguing for policies that better reflect scientific, economic and social realities. more
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Wednesday 7 October, 2009
For over a century, water from Melbourne’s forested catchments have quietly and consistently fed the city with a flow of high quality and high energy water.
An expert panel explored catchment area growth, compared to population growth, along with related critical issues including fire impacts, water management, and old-growth and regrowth forests.
Panellists included:
- Associate Professor Leon Bren, Melbourne School of Land and Environment
- Dr Grace Mitchell, Manager, Water Accounting Section, Water Division, Bureau of Meteorology
- Dr Pat Lane, Melbourne School of Land and Environment
- Dr Kevin Tolhurst, Melbourne School of Land and Environment
- Professor John Langford, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Associate Professor Chris Walsh, Melbourne School of Land and Environment
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Professor Alan Robson on ‘What is leadership in universities and research organisations?’
Tuesday 22 September, 2009
Universities and publicly funded research organisations are complex institutions. How can leaders within these organisations achieve the required outcomes? What are the personal qualities required? In this lecture, Professor Alan Robson reflected on the basis of a long career and its associated challenges.
Prior to his appointment as Vice-Chancellor in 2004, Alan was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the University of Western Australia from 1993.
Previous positions include Foundation Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA), Dean and Head of the Faculty of Agriculture, and Professor of Agriculture (Soil Science) at the University of Western Australia. He is currently the Hackett Professor of Agriculture. more
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Thursday 20 August, 2010
Humans have impacted the Earth on the scale of major geological processes, and as such the term Anthopocene refers to the current period of human influence. Climate change is a notorious example of this; however there are several other major perturbations.
Professor Vitousek presented an explanation of the scale and nature of human-induced global change, including changes to the Earth’s atmosphere, land, water, biogeochemical cycling and biota. He then discussed options for preparing to face the implications of these changes.
Vitousek is the Clifford G. Morrison Professor of Population and Resource Studies at Stanford. His publications are in excess of 150, and awards include the Award for Scientific Reviewing, National Academy of Sciences (2006) and the Princeton Environmental Prize (2002). more
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Russell Johnstone on ‘The Australian wine industry: Current status and future challenges’
Wednesday 20 May, 2009
In this lecture, Russell Johnstone described the current status of the wine industry and explored our most significant challenges, including climate change, the vagaries of consumer preference, and pressures from retailers and knowledgeable consumers.
Russell is the Environmental Sustainability Manager for Pernod Ricard Pacific. He is responsible for the development and continuing evaluation of environmental sustainability strategy for the business, and for working with the subsidiaries to facilitate the adoption of this strategy in the region.
Russell is President of the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology, the wine industry’s membership body, and Chair of the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research. more
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Professor Ross Garnaut on ‘Climate change and the Australian agricultural and resource industries’
Wednesday 8 July, 2009
In this lecture, Professor Ross Garnaut investigated the likely affect of climate change and its mitigation on Australian agricultural and resource industries, based on comprehensive research from the Climate Change Review (2007-08).
Ross discussed policies which support trade-exposed, emissions-intensive industries prior to the application of a comprehensive global agreement and similar emissions pricing in all substantial economies.
Ross is Professorial Fellow in Economics at the University of Melbourne, and Professor of Economics Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at the Australian National University. more
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Adjunct Professor Roger Leakey on ‘Multi-functional Agriculture for Third World Development’
Friday 24 April, 2009
Multi-functional agriculture aims to achieve economic, social and environmentally sustainable rural development.
Agroforestry can help to achieve sustainable rural development by rebuilding natural capital, restoring agro-ecological function and improving farmer livelihoods through income generation, enhanced food and nutritional security, better health and the creation of employment.
In this lecture, Adjunct Professor Roger Leakey illustrated this through agroforestry examples of multi-functional agriculture in Cameroon.
Roger is an Adjunct Professor at James Cook University, where he previously established a novel crops unit. Prior to that, he was Director of Research at ICRAF in Nairobi, and a long-term lead researcher at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology in Scotland. more
Thursday 23 April, 2009
Darwin famously reminded us that ‘it is not the biggest or the swiftest who survive, but rather those who act to adapt first'.
In this lecture, leaders in water research, policy and climate change explored adaptation progress in the Goulburn Valley after 12 dry years, and future opportunities.
Professor John Langford and Professor Snow Barlow discussed future research needed to assist adaptation, including water resources and allocation, agri-food production trends, and the University of Melbourne’s Farms, Rivers and Markets Project. more
Public forum on ‘The science of bushfire and recovery’
Tuesday 21 April, 2009
The experience of the Victorian bushfires in February 2009 left our community with questions about the science of bushfires. Is this the result of climate change? Can we expect more of these fires? What are the risks to our water supply? How can we understand and manage the risks of these catastrophic fires?
The MSLE Dean’s Lecture Series presented a public forum to discuss these critical issues, with panelists including:
- Professor David Karoly on ‘The recent heatwaves and bushfires: Is there a link to climate change?’
- Dr Kevin Tolhurst on ‘Bushfire behaviour under extreme climate’
- Dr Patrick Lane on ‘Implications for our catchments and streams’
This forum was presented as part of the University of Melbourne’s Bushfire Recovery Initiative.
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Watch: Professor David Karoly and Dr Kevin Tolhurst on Slow TV
Wednesday 4 March 2009
Many researchers and commentators underestimate the length and importance of the time lags between initial research investment, and ultimate impacts on the development and adoption of technological innovations.
This seminar presented evidence on agricultural research and development lags, and timelines for research, development, and adoption processes for mechanical and biological innovations in US agriculture. Results on the rate of return to public research investments support the use of a longer lag than is typically imposed.
Professor Julian Alston is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics of the University of California at Davis, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in microeconomic theory and the analysis of agricultural markets and policies. more
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Wednesday 2 April, 2008
This lecture presented three examples of the important synergy between ecosystem science and forest operations in meeting resource management objectives common to Australia and the USA’s Pacific Northwest Region:
- Forest operation changes for harvesting a growing trend toward a small tree size fibre supply
- Forest fire hazard reduction and biomass utilisation
- Native forest and riparian area structural diversity management
Professor Loren Kellogg is Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne School of Land and Environment, and Lematta Professor of Engineering at the College of Forestry, Oregon State University. more
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Wednesday 7 May, 2008
In this lecture Professor Greg Jones, an eminent atmospheric scientist from Southern Oregon University examined the observed and predicted impacts of increasing temperatures and changing water availability on the major wine industries of the world.
Particular reference was given to the contrasting fortunes of the Australian, American, and French industries. He demonstrated the power of quantitative temporal and spatial analysis to determine the likely impacts of climate change on wine production, and provided insights into adaptive strategies available to the global wine industry.
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Wednesday 4 June, 2008
In this talk, President of the University’s Academic Board Professor Pip Pattison described work with Garry Robins and other collaborators on the important contribution of social factors – especially the social networks that connect human decision-makers to social institutions and to each other – to the management of biophysical systems.
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Dr Elizabeth Finkel on ‘The vexed issue of GM crops: A journalist’s journey through the issues’
Wednesday 6 August, 2008
With the cost of food skyrocketing worldwide and the dire concerns over global warming, the question of how to farm sustainably has never been more acute. It has also never been more contentious. There is enormous opposition to GM crops yet they offer farmers the ability to use less pesticide, less water and less nitrogen. In northern China they have improved yields, reduced costs and slashed pesticide poisonings down to a quarter of what they once were.
The public rely on journalists as intermediaries in this debate. In this Dean’s Lecture, science journalist and author Elizabeth Finkel took the audience along on her journey through the issues.
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Arron Wood on ‘Climate change: A huge opportunity... Finally some good news!’
Wednesday 3 September, 2008
You've heard it all before – the world's going to end, we're to blame and there's not much we can do! But what if Australia truly led local action on climate change? What if we really valued our abilities and reflected this in genuine community involvement? Can what we do in our towns really make a difference to our global climate crisis? The Prime Minister's Environmentalist of the Year Arron Wood answered with a resounding "yes!" in this Dean’s Lecture.
Arron is a Bachelor of Forest Science graduate (University of Melbourne), Managing Director of Fire Starter, 2001 Young Australian of the Year, and won the 2006 United Nations Individual Award for Outstanding Service to the Environment. more
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Wednesday 24 September, 2008
Significant progress has been made in the development and exploitation of plant gene technologies derived from genomic discoveries. These will find applications in food, feed, health, bioenergy and bioindustry and contribute to addressing challenges for global food security. Recent advances and applications were explored of high-throughput methodologies for plant functional genomics – from genome to phenome - in crops and pastures that provide the knowledge base for these developments.
Professor German Spangenberg works with the Department of Primary Industries, Victorian AgriBiosciences Centre.
Dr Geoffrey Smithers on ‘Functional Foods in the 21st Century – Delivering on the Promise’
Wednesday 1 October, 2008
Consumers in the 21st century are demanding 'miracle foods' that are not only safe and nutritious, but also natural, economical, convenient, great tasting, and enhance health and well-being.
The functional foods market, currently valued at >US$70b globally, is growing exponentially. However, food product applications for new and novel bioactives (E.g. omega-3 oils, vitamins and probiotic bacteria) are often restricted due to both their instability and their sometimes undesirable impact on the final food.
Dr Geoffrey Smithers from Food Science Australia discussed how future scientific innovation will impact both consumers and food companies in the 21st century. more
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Monday 13 October, 2008
Landscape and environment are of compelling cultural significance as multi-disciplinary fields of scholarly research, sites of artistic creativity and arenas of public concern.
This lecture focussed on the production and reception of landscape stories in a range of texts and images, in particular times and places, including ones at the interface of land and water. More broadly it raised the question of how arts and humanities perspectives may contribute to wider physical and social science concerns with living with environmental change.
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Dr John Williams on ‘Food or environment - who will be the winner?’
Tuesday 21 October, 2008
The unequal distribution of food and conflict over control of the world’s dwindling natural resources present a major political and social challenge to governments and policy makers. This is likely to reach crisis status as climate change advances and world population expands.
NSW Natural Resources Commissioner Dr John Williams discussed the need for substantial reform to agricultural sciences, coupled with a major injection of both national and international investment. He argued that this would help to avoid the emerging food crisis without further damage to the environment, at a time of rising costs for energy within a spectre of climate change.
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Friday 21 November, 2008
Crop yield loss due to soil constraints in dryland agriculture in Australia amounts to billions of dollars per year. The soil constraints such as sodicity, salinity, acidity, compaction, nutrient deficiency and toxicity occur in both topsoil and subsoil layers.
While some soil management techniques have been successful in solving soil problems involving single constraint, management strategies for solving multiple constraints have proven to be uneconomical. Dr Pichu Rengasamy from the University of Adelaide discussed the gap in our knowledge in identifying the predominant, or a common, factor when different issues cause constraints to plant growth.
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Professor Neil Adger on ‘Adaptation and transformation in response to climate change’
Wednesday 3 December, 2008
Climate change will involve significant transformations of all social-ecological systems dealing with a new climate reality. In this lecture, Professor Neil Adger from the University of East Anglia presented evidence from research in the UK and internationally on risk perception, health, water resources and coastal management.
This evidence suggests that adaptation and transformations are constrained by deep seated economic structures and behaviours and that much adaptation has the risk of being ineffective or unsustainable. Adaptation is further constrained by individual cognition of risk and our limited ability to make collective decisions. In this light, finding the right framework to address who and what is vulnerable is imperative and presents a major research challenge for international and Australian research communities.
Professor Rick Roush on ‘What's the role for GM crops in a sustainable future?’
Wednesday 4 July, 2007
In this lecture, Dean of the Melbourne School of Land and Environment Professor Richard Roush discussed how GM crops are playing a key role in sustainable agriculture and have a promising future.
Genetically modified crops already commercialised or in field trials have helped to address issues including:
- conservation of soil, water and energy
- reduction of the use of fertilizers and so-called bad actor pesticides
- reduction of fossil fuel use
- tillage and nitrogen fertilizers for reducing greenhouse gasses
- ensuring that farmers remain financially viable.
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Wednesday 1 August, 2007
In this lecture, head of the Department of Resource Management and Geography Professor Nigel Stork explored evidence suggesting arthropods and the diversity of these and other small organisms in tropical forests are under threat. Nigel also examined evidence that climate change may be more of an insidious threat to global diversity than habitat loss.
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Jacqueline S. Rowarth on ‘Agriculture, the arts and sciences’
Wednesday 12 September, 2007
This address examined the differences and similarities between the arts and sciences, and considered the role that agriculture has had in allowing the development of both. Initiatives in New Zealand to address the issues were presented. more
Jacqueline S. Rowarth is Professor of Pastoral Agriculture and Director, Massey Agriculture Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, New Zealand.
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Thursday 4 October, 2007
In this lecture, Doug Rathbone AM discusses the future of biofuels. Doug is the managing director and chief executive of Melbourne based and publicly listed crop protection company, Nufarm Limited. A chemical engineer and commerce graduate, Doug joined Nufarm in 1973 as a contract engineer, became general manager in 1977 and was appointed managing director in 1982.
At that time, the business generated an annual turnover of $20m. The group now employs more than 2,500 people with sales of approximately of A$1.7 billion worldwide.
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Professor Frank Dunshea on ‘The ethics and ethos of being a scientist’
Wednesday 7 November, 2007
Scientific research is a wonderful career as it provides the exhilaration of discovery and every now and then the feeling that you have made a difference. It can also be a frustrating job as one deals with changing priorities and the continual search for funding. Professor Frank Dunshea from the Melbourne School of Land and Environment explored some guiding principles for the everyday scientist, including aspects of academic lineage, coping with change, responsible conduct in research, and the need to publish or perish.
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Friday 23 November 2007
Organic agriculture is increasing in popularity in Australia. It depends to a greater extent on biological processes to recycle nutrients in soil than do other forms of agriculture. In this lecture, Professor Lynette Abbott discusses the unique opportunity to use organic agriculture as a model for questioning the relative roles of soil chemical and biological processes in food production.
Lynette is Head of the School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, University of Western Australia.