UNSW@ADFA Geography Seminar Series
A link to the 2007 program seminars is placed here for those interested in looking at last years' activities.
Monday 16 June, 11:10am
Place: SL1 Building 21
Presenter: Mr Stephen Smith, PEMS, UNSW@ADFA
Title: Painting the electorate green: The geography of the Greens in Australian cities
Abstract: The emergence of the Greens as a participant in the Australian political landscape has been one of the most significant electoral barometers of recent times. The Greens emergence in Australian politics has been part of the increased global prominence that has been received by this political movement, and has helped to direct attention towards minor parties. The emergence of the Greens has been highlighted by an increased level of electoral presence and voter support across Australia. Some of the most significant growth for the Greens, both in terms of electoral performance and presence, has occurred in electorates based in Australian cities. This paper examines the geography of the Greens electoral performance and presence in Australian cities at federal elections held between 1998 and 2004. The case studies of Sydney and Melbourne highlight how the Greens have increased their primary vote, constituency base and electoral presence in Australian cities. Findings on the Greens electoral performances and presence point towards distinct geographies of strengths and weaknesses in the party's primary vote and candidate standings in these two cities. This paper will highlight how the electoral geography of the city can be a barometer of the electoral performance and presence of minor parties in an urban electoral setting.
Biography:
Stephen Smith is PhD candidate- Geography, School of PEMS, UNSW@ADFA. His main research interests are Australian electoral geography, minor political parties and urban geography. His doctoral research is investigating the geography of minor party performances at Australian state and federal elections held between 1997 and 2006.
Monday 16 June, 10:10am
Place: SL1 , Building 21
Presenter: Ms Sarah Ritter, Department of Geography, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Cologne, Germany
Title: Potential and limitations of Electron Spin Resonance dating of Pleistocene aeolian sediments
Abstract: ESR dating in earth sciences and archeology refers to the effect of accumulated radiation in a mineral relative to time and belongs to the category of radiodosimetric dating methods. The number of paramagnetic centers that can be detected by ESR spectroscopy is relative to the radioactive radiation the mineral has received since the last time the paramagnetic centers were zero. For natural quartz, geological events such as the zeroing of paramagnetic centers by pressure (fault gauge), by mineralisation (volcanic events) and by optical bleaching (sedimentation time) can be dated. For the last, the same principles apply as for the luminescence dating method with the exception that the ESR-active light-sensitive centres in quartz [Al and Ti] are only bleachable by the UV-content in natural sunlight with a relatively larger bleaching response time: from 20-1400 h. Nevertheless, due to their saturation characteristic, the use of these centers has the potential to date, beyond the limits of luminescence, over the range of the Quaternary period. As it is most resistant to erosion, quartz as a sediment is widespread throughout the Quaternary and the dating of sedimentation ages by ESR spectroscopy could contribute valuable information to studies such as (palaeo-) climatology, geomorphology or geology.
Recent investigations on the ESR dating of the Ti- and Al-centre from aeolian sediments of three different study areas (1. Murray Basin, SE Australia; 2. Coorong, SE Australia; 3. Veldwezelt-Hezerwater, Belgium) will be presented. All ESR ages will be compared to results from independent dating methods. Potential and limitations of ESR dating of sediments will be discussed.
Biography:
Ms Sarah Ritter completed her degree – 1. Staatsexamen, Sekundarstufe II – in Geography and English at the University of Cologne, in December 2005. She then worked as a research assistant at the Geography Department of the University of Cologne, Germany, since January 2006 and commenced her Ph.D. in November 2006 on the "ESR dating of aeolian sediments from Pleistocene desert environments." She aims to finish in November 2009.
Monday 7 April, 11:10am
Place: SL1 , Building 21 (Old Geography and Oceanography Building )Presenter: Professor Anthony Capon, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, ANU
Title: HB=HP3 The case for “place” in sustainability discourse .
Abstract: Most of the big challenges facing the peoples of the world – epidemics, environmental degradation, climate change, conflict, overpopulation – are grounded in "place". When confronted with these big challenges it's not uncommon to feel overwhelmed and disempowered. And yet, there are practical actions we can take in our places – our homes, workplaces, neighbourhoods, cities, farms, nations – at whatever scale we have a say. Perhaps a sharper focus on "place" would enable effective action on these big challenges?
Biography:
Professor Anthony Capon MBBS PhD FAFPHM
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
The Australian National University
Tony is a public health physician with expertise in environmental health. He has research interests at the nexus between urban sustainability and population health. He leads the Oxford Health Alliance's international healthy environments initiative. He holds concurrent appointments with Macquarie University and CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, and was recently elected to the executive board of the International Society for Urban Health. He is a life member of Nature and Society Forum. Tony is a medical graduate of the University of Queensland (1983). He completed his PhD at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in 1989, followed by post-doctoral work at the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin. He was director of public health with Sydney West Area Health Service from 1991 to 2006. Tony has held National Health and Medical Research Council and World Health Organization Fellowships.
Monday 31 March, 11:10am
Place: SL1 , Building 21 (Old Geography and Oceanography Building )Presenters: Dylan Horne and Elspeth Rae, PEMS, UNSW@ ADFA
Title: Modelling Beach Ridge Responses to Small Sea Level Fluctuations (Ellie Rae)
Abstract: Despite the long standing view that Holocene sea level along the NSW coast was stable, recent literature suggests that sea level was fluctuating. Previous research was quick to dismiss the possibility of such an influence on the development of coastal features. For example, several breaks in progradation/periods of erosion were found at Moruya which were ascribed to either sea level fluctuations, storminess periods, or interruptions in sediment supply, whether as a result of the previous mechanisms or not. Recent examination of this evidence suggests the dates of these breaks appear to correlate with suspected small sea level changes, both along the NSW coast, and world wide. The present study is aimed at exploring the possible causes of these breaks. Dating of the ridges was carried out to increase the spatial and temporal precision of the progradation breaks (results not yet received).
Keywords: Coastal behaviour, beach ridges, sea level rise
Title: Chenier Plain Formation in Princess Charlotte Bay, North Queensland (Dylan Horne)
Abstract: Chenier plains record changes in the mode of coastal progradation between periods of mudflat progradation, and periods of beach ridge formation. There are potentially a number of environmental force(s) responsible for controlling these changes. A history of chenier research worldwide has led to a great understanding of these force(s) in some settings. In Australia however, despite a long history of chenier research the causes of these changes are still not well understood. Several conflicting theories have been proposed in the past to explain the evolution of a chenier plain in Princess Charlotte Bay on the eastern coast of northern Queensland , Australia . These include climate fluctuations, variations in shellfish populations, and storm activity. Since these were introduced, both methods and understanding of Holocene environmental processes have been improved. Improvements to methods include the replacement of radiocarbon dating with thermoluminescence techniques. Improvements to knowledge include a new body of research regarding the existence of (minor) sea level oscillations following the (major) transgression that occurred ~6000 B.P. These have allowed a reexamination of the mode of evolution of the Princess Charlotte Bay chenier plain. Some cheniers in the bay appear to have formed up to ~400K B.P., meaning the plain may have recorded changes occurring over several glacial cycles. Although the dating error associated with such old cheniers would be too large to link to known processes, a Holocene sequence is being examined for possible links to sea level oscillations or climate fluctuations.
About the Presenters:
Ellie Rae is a PhD student studying coastal geomorphology at the school of physical, environmental, and mathematical sciences UNSW@ADFA. Her research focuses on breaks in beach ridge sediment deposition at Moruya, on NSW South Coast.
Dylan Horne is PhD candidate- Geography (supervisor Prof. Brian Lees) School of PEMS, UNSW@ADFA. His main research interests are coastal geomorphology and Holocene environmental change.
Dr Scott Sharpe
Lecturer
School of Physical , Environmental and Mathematical Sciences
University College
University of New South Wales
Australian Defence Force Academy
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
Tel: +61 2 6268 6296
Fax: +61 2 6268 8002