- Selwyn Symposium 2007 Program
- Dates for your Diary
- Earth Sciences History Group Conference
- D.E. Thomas Medal awarded
- Frank Canavan Award announced
- Contribute to TAG!
- GSA Endowment Fund
- Forthcoming GSAV Talks
- UMESPG Talks
- Who we are!
Next General Meeting
Thursday 28 June at 8:00 p.m.
JOINT MEETING OF
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA
and
THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA VICTORIA DIVISION
A.W. HOWITT LECTURE
Australia’s ancient landscapes: Lessons for an uncertain future
Prof Mike Sandiford
ARC Professorial Fellow
University of Melbourne
The Royal Society of Victoria Hall, 9 Victoria Street, Melbourne
Cost: $15 (Includes light refreshments following the lecture)
Bookings are essential – download booking slip here.
Abstract
Australia’s ancient landscapes provide important clues as to the nature of past changes in climate and hydrological regimes, and the potential for alternate energy sources such as geothermal energy. As such, our landscapes provide valuable insights, the understanding of which should help us to navigate the uncertain future posed by the issue of global warming. In this talk I will illustrate just a few examples of how the understanding of our landscapes informs some of the predicaments raised by the ‘great unplanned greenhouse-gas experiment’.
Please note special venue, booking requirements, and time of meeting.
The meeting will be preceded, at 7 p.m., by the GSA AGM, to be held in the Library at the Royal Society Hall.
All members are welcome.
The Geological Society of Australia Victoria Division presents the
Thursday 27 September 2007
the Copland Theatre
at the University of Melbourne
Australia's megafaunal extinction
Ever since farmers began pulling bones of what they thought were rhinos, hippos and elephants from wells and creek banks during the earliest days of European settlement of Australia, we've been intrigued by the question of what caused the extinction of the megafauna. Some blame humans, suggesting that the first Aboriginal hunters swept across the continent killing off all the giant animals or that bushfires started by these hunters destroyed the habitats of the megafauna. Others contend that climate change of the last Ice Age was responsible. Indeed, the cause of this extinction is subject to much debate in the current scientific literature. This Symposium brings together many of the researchers in this field from around Australia to present their views on what caused the megafaunal extinction. Talks will be presented covering all aspects of the debate, including: palaeontology, palaeoclimate, dating techniques, bone taphonomy, sedimentological and archaeological evidence.
PROGRAM
(Download a pdf copy here)
| 8.00-9.00 | Symposium registration: Full delegate price: $100 Retirees: $50 Students: Free. Selwyn Lecture: Free |
|
|---|---|---|
| 9.00-9.15 | Introduction: Dr Stephen Gallagher & Dr Matt Cupper (contact: sjgall@unimelb.edu.au to RSVP) | |
| 9.15-9.30 | Opening address: Prof Peter Rathjen, Dean of Science, University of Melbourne | |
| 9.30-10.30 | Plenary Address: Dr John Long Museum of Victoria | The Australian Prehistoric Megafauna: an overview of discoveries and controversies |
| 10.30-11.00 | Morning Tea | |
| Chairs of session: Dr Gilbert Price & Prof Gifford Miller | ||
| 11.00-11.30 | Dr Stephen Wroe, University of New South Wales | A review of the evidence for a human role in the extinction of Australian megafauna and an alternative interpretation |
| 11.30-12.00 | Dr Gavin Prideaux Flinders University | Megafauna, caves and climate: records from southern Australia |
| 12.00-12.30 | Dr Judith Field University of Sydney | Contextualizing Chronologies for the Human Megafauna Overlap in Australia |
| 12.30-1.30 | Lunch | |
| Chairs of session: Dr Stephen Wroe & Dr John Long | ||
| 1.30-2.00 | Dr Gilbert Price University of Queensland | Climatic forcing for Pleistocene megafaunal extinction: evidence from eastern Australia |
| 2.00-2.30 | Dr John Magee Australian National University | Timing and cause of Genyornis extinction, and duration of human-megafauna overlap in Australia |
| 2.30-3.00 | Prof Gifford Miller University of Colorado | Tracking late Quaternary environmental and climate histories using C, O and N isotopes preserved in avian eggshells, and contrasting megafaunal extinctions in Madagascar and Australia. |
| 3.00-3.30 | Julien Louys University of New South Wales | Quaternary extinctions of Southeast Asia's megafauna |
| 3.30-4.00 | Afternoon tea | |
| Chairs of session: Dr Gavin Prideaux & Dr Judith Field | ||
| 4.00-4.30 | Prof Peter Kershaw Monash University | The contribution of long pollen and charcoal records to the explanation of Late Pleistocene megafaunal extinction in Australia |
| 4.30-5.00 | Dr Matt Cupper University of Melbourne | Synopsis: Who (or what) killed the Australian megafauna? |
| 5.00-5.30 | Forum & discussion Chaired by Dr Matt Cupper & Dr Stephen Gallagher | |
| 5.30-6.30 | Drinks & refreshments | |
| 6.30-6.45 | Selwyn Medal presentation to Dr Tom Rich (Museum of Victoria) and Prof Patricia Vickers-Rich (Monash Univ) | |
| 6.45-8.00 | GSAVIC SELWYN LECTURE By Australian of the Year 2007, Prof Tim Flannery Macquarie University | A climate change update to September 2007 |
| 8.15 | Selwyn Dinner | Venue to be arranged ($40 per person, spaces limited) |
| Graeme Pearman | Climate change | 15 Aug |
| Ray Cas | Volcanoes are a diamond’s best friend | 5 Sept |
| Ian Cartwright | Future of water resources with a changing land climate | 10 Oct |
| Rick Squire | The transgondwanan supermountain and the origin of animals | 15 Nov |
When: All talks begin at 7:00 pm and run for about an hour.
Where: Monash Science Centre Building 74 Monash University, Clayton Campus Clayton, VIC 3800
RSVP: Jennifer Monaghan
email: jenny.monaghan@sci.monash.edu.au Phone: +61 3 9905 1370 Bookings essential!
Consider Contributing to TAG!
It is the member contributions which make TAG a member magazine – please keep the contributions coming and assist with informing all of the membership (not just your Division) about your activities. The June TAG is currently with the printer and will be in your letterbox soon.
The TAG September deadline for text is 31 July. Please send your news to: tag@gsa.org.au
GSA Endowment Fund
The GSA has set up an endowment fund. The objectives of the fund are to support Australian students undertaking studies in the Earth Sciences at an approved State or Federal educational institution. Support
will be financial assistance for:
- Field costs
- Laboratory associated costs
- Sponsorship to attend conferences
- Overseas study tours
This fund is fully tax deductible, which means any donation to this fund, can be claimed as a tax deduction.
So if you want to increase tax deductions for this financial year and support students studying Earth Sciences
give now and invest in tomorrow.
The fund is fully tax deductible that means any donation to this fund can be claimed as a tax deduction.Your generosity in supporting this new initiative is highly valued. If you want to know more, please ring the
business office on (02) 9290 2194.
Cheques can be made payable to: Geological Society of Australia Endowment Fund
Please send your payment to:
The Geological Society of Australia Endowment FundC/- Geological Society of Australia
Suite 706 301 George StreetSydney NSW 2000
FORTHCOMING TALKS to be presented at GSA (Victoria Division) meetings are listed on our website here
The University of Melbourne Earth Science Postgraduate Student Society (ESPG)
presents
Earth Science Seminars every Friday at 4:00 p.m.
in the
Fritz Loewe Lecture Theatre
Earth Science Building (cnr Swanston and Elgin Streets)
followed at 4.45 p.m. by drinks and refreshments in the tea-room, 4th floor. $2 per person.
Further information: http://www.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/php/seminars_upcoming.php
Newsletter deadline
First Friday of the month except Dec & Jan
Editor: Marilyn Moore