Royal Society of NSW News & Events

  “Cereal killers: how plant diseases affect food  security”  Professor Robert Park  School of Life and Environmental Sciences  University of Sydney Date: Wednesday, 14 August 2019, 5.30 for 6–7 pmVenue: Level 5 Function Room, Building F23, University of Sydney (new building on left entering from Ci...

  “Democracy under challenge:  how can we restore a sense of citizenship?”  Professor Peter Shergold AC FRSN  Chancellor, Western Sydney University Wednesday 7 August 2019Gallery Room, State Library of NSW As in many liberal democracies, there is an increasing sense of concern in Australia that representative...

  “Computer modelling of epidemics”  Professor Mikhail Prokopenko Thursday 15 August 2019, 6pm for 6.30Venue: Tom Keneally Centre, Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt St, SydneyCost: $15 for RSNSW Fellows and Members and SMSA members, $20 for othersBooking: here or call 9262 7300 Complex systems – including...

  “Machine aesthetics of the human  body”  Dr Josh Harle Thursday 15 August 2019, 12.30pm to 1.30Venue: Mitchell Centre, Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt St., SydneyCost: freeClick here for more information It’s natural for us to see through a human lens. When we look out into the world we see it populated by...

  “Unexpected results - Australian  science to 1950”  Emeritus Professor Robert Clancy  AM FRSN Tuesday 13 August 2019, 6pm for 6.30Venue: Tom Keneally Centre, Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt StCost: $15 for RSNSW Fellows and Members and SMSA members, $20 for othersBooking: here or call 9...

 “Aboriginal astronomy” Dr Ragbir Bhathal FRSN Monday 12 August 2019, 6pm for 6.30Venue: Tom Keneally Centre, Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt St, SydneyCost: $15 for RSNSW Fellows and Members and SMSA members, $20 for othersBooking: here or call 9262 7300 For over 60,000 years the Aboriginal peoples of Australia have ...

  “Visual perception in Aboriginal art”  Emeritus Professor Barbara Gillam  FASSA FRSN  School of Psychology, UNSW Thursday, 18 July 2019Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney Aboriginal painting now has a world-wide reputation.  However it has largely been regarded as conceptual rathe...

  “The telomere effect”   Professor Elizabeth Blackburn   AC FAA FRS DistFRSN   Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics   University of California San Francisco Friday 16 August 2019, 6.30pmCity Recital Hall, 2 Angel Place, Sydney Cost: $35 without discount, $25 for RSNSW Members and Fellows, and for U...

   “Past, present and future of polymers:    is the plastics age over?”   Emeritus Professor Robert Burford FRSN   UNSW Wednesday 3 July 2019Gallery Room, State Library of NSW The search for synthetic alternatives (including polymers) to scarce natural materials is not new, and substitution occurred well befo...

   “Climate change and our    life support system”   Professor Lesley Hughes FRSN   Dept. of Biological Sciences   Macquarie University Thursday, 20 June 2019Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney Our climate system is changing rapidly as a result of the burning of fossil fuels. I...

      “Nothing goes faster than light - usually!”   Professor Lene Vestergaard Hau   Harvard University Date and time: Tuesday 23 July 2019, 6–8pm Venue: Tyree Room, John Niland Scientia Building, UNSW Sydney Cost: free Reservations: here This year’s lecture will explore how Lene and her team have slowed, sto...

Sci-Fi Series - The future is here.  Date: Thursday, 19 September 2019 Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm Venue: Australian National Maritime Museum (Tasman Light Gallery and Theatre)             2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, Sydney This series of lectures, Sci-Fi Series – Future Planet  was presented by a panel of le...

   “This talk may cause side effects:      nocebo effects in medicine”   Dr Kate Faasse   School of Psychology   UNSW Wednesday 5 June 2019Gallery Room, State Library of NSW Almost everyone has experienced unpleasant side effects from a medical treatment. But what if I were to tell you tha...

Guest of Honour:  The Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC                               Governor of New South Wales   Distinguished Fellow’s Lecture:   “The new field of atomic electronics”  Michelle Simmons FRS FAA FTSE DistFRSN &n...

This is the second in a series of lectures about Women and Science presented jointly by the Royal Society of NSW and the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts. The series examines the huge changes we have seen in the roles women have played in science, and the view science has held of women.    “Ada Lovelace, without whom   we might ...

The Women and Science lecture series is co-hosted by the Royal Society of NSW and the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts. It examines the huge changes in the roles women play in science, and the view science has of women. Prohibited for much of history from having a serious interest in such a ‘masculine’ domain, women now abound in science, mathemati...

   “Measuring what we can:    or how to lose weight on May 20th”   Emeritus Professor Brynn Hibbert   School of Analytical Chemistry   UNSW Wednesday 3 April 2019 Gallery Room, State Library of NSW Galileo said “Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so”, which is a statement of...

Mechanisms by which the Royal Society of NSW can collaborate with the University of Newcastle for the benefit of the Newcastle region Thursday 7 March 2019 Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights The purpose of the meeting was to explore possible collaboration between the Royal Society of NSW and the University of Newcastle in establ...

    “Using genomics to conserve      Australia’s biodiversity”    Katherine Belov    School of Life and Environmental Sciences    University of Sydney There was also a 3-minute thesis (3MT) talk: “Pee-cycling: transforming our urine into valuable fertiliser” by Federico Volpin, University of Te...

     “Legal considerations pertaining to     nuclear energy as an option for Australia”   Helen Cook    GNE Advisory Monday 25 February 2019 Allens, Level 28, Deutsche Bank Place, 126 Phillip Street, Sydney This presentation gave an overview of international approaches to the development of nuclear power...