Nerdy Science Blog

The Age (22/5/2008):

AUSTRALIAN research giant the CSIRO has been forced to slash about 100 jobs and close two laboratories after large funding cuts in last week’s federal budget.

The announcement, made yesterday, will result in the closure of a horticultural research laboratory near Mildura, with the loss of up to 30 jobs, and a beef research laboratory at Rockhampton.  Some staff from the Victorian laboratory will be moved to Adelaide.

The move was denounced by the CSIRO Staff Association, which said work at the two laboratories contributed to Australia’s food quality and security.

The Federal Opposition was also scathing, with Senator Eric Abetz, accusing the Government of breaking a promise.  “Labor promised to revitalise the CSIRO, but have done the complete opposite,” he said.

The CSIRO’s budget was effectively cut by $63.4 million over four years.  Science and Research Minister Kim Carr said the Government had to take “tough decisions” in the budget as part of its “war on inflation”.

He described the CSIRO as “a great Australian institution” and said the Government had boosted its funding in areas such as researching “clean coal”, but difficult choices had to be made.

CSIRO chief executive Dr Geoff Garrett conceded the cuts would have an “adverse impact on research”, but said the organisation was moving funding away from “incremental research” in food production and supply.  Instead, the CSIRO would boost its investment in areas including energy, water and climate.

But the president of the CSIRO Staff Association, Dr Michael Borgas, said closing its laboratory at Merbein near Mildura would hurt the local horticultural industry.

Dr Borgas described the closures as “lazy, knee-jerk management” and attacked the budget cuts.

“If Australia is to meet the many challenges we face in relation to global warming, water and food security and quality, we should be boosting — not cutting — support for the CSIRO,” he said.

I feel bad for those 100 people who will lose their jobs.

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The Age:

The Intersuisse Biotechnology Index has posted its worst yet quarterly drop since its inception 12 years ago, falling by 23.9 per cent because of the continued decline of the stock market.

The result, for the three months to March 31, was the worst quarterly drop since the index’s inception in 1996.

By comparison the NASDAQ Biotechnology index fell 2.7 per cent and the All Ordinaries index fell by 14.3 per cent over the same period.

I don’t think it’s the end of biotechnology in Australia, as there are still some companies having increased index price.  However the majority of the biotech companies had their index dropped.

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When I was in Australia, I barely slept.  These are the reasons:

1. Online.
2. Assignments.
3. Friends
4. Weather.
5. Sun.
6. I slept during the lectures.

Australians dangerously sleep deprived

With 11.7 per cent experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness and 18.4 per cent reporting sleeping less than 6.5 hours per night. the study warns the impact of sleep and sleepiness on the public health could be
large.

Online and assignments are the major causes that I didn’t sleep well.  Assignments often required the use of computer, and also information searchings.  It can be said that 80% of the time when I was doing assignments, I was distracted to do other things online, such as facebook, chatting, web surfing, blogging, etc.

Friends also play as an important role of sleep deprived.  Although Australia has boring night life, but there are 24/7 McDonalds, KFC, pool, etc.  We can also hanging out at the beach, and it’s freaking cold but fun.  You might ask why should we hang out at night.  It’s simply because we can’t sleep.  With friends around, there are so many things to do.

Australian weather is like a woman’s mood.  It’s constantly changing.  Sometimes it was really hot at night, and sometimes I was freezing.

Sun, the primary source of power.  There are 4 seasons in Australia, which is unlike Malaysia.  Different season has different length of daytime.  When it was summer, I was so active hanging out till late night until I realize it’s not day time anymore.  During winter, I tend to laze around.  Without sunlight, everything seems to be in resting phase, and we feel sleepy but don’t want to sleep.

Lectures are not the best time to sleep, but they are strong lullaby.  I think I was cursed to sleep during lectures.  Some people suggested me to drink coffee, but I not very fond of caffein.  Caffeine made me feel uncomfortable.

The consequences of not sleeping well throughout the year did deteriorate my health.  Luckily I still exercise everyday.

[via]

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I’ve been thinking of working in Australia in the future.

Australian Visa Bureau:

Qualified science workers are finding many job opportunities in Australia at the moment, according to research by employment consultant Kelly Services. Scientists considering Australian immigration may find their specialist skills in high demand.

People with chemistry degrees are in high demand due to the mining boom and the expanding pharmaceuticals industry, Online Recruitment reports. Environmental scientists are also finding many job opportunities as ,climate and water issues become a priority. Geologists and mining industry professionals are also needed.

The highest salaries are being paid in Perth, where there is a shortage of experienced laboratory technicians and chemists, especially people with laboratory skills such as wet chemistry skills, instrumental analysis and quality systems. Older workers are finding themselves more popular than ever before as a source of skills and experience.

Hmm…. Damn! I’m majoring in biotechnology and immunology. Am I marketable in Australia?

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The Australian:

THE Rudd Government’s budget axe will fall on the technology behind self-cleaning windows and stain-resistant clothes, after unions expressed concerns over the safety of the emerging field of nanotechnology.

As Treasurer Wayne Swan seeks to make savings of more than $10 billion, it has been decided that one of the casualties will be the four-year, $21.5 million National Nanotechnology Strategy launched by the Howard government. It is to be cut short by two years, saving Treasury almost $12 million.

Mike Ford, associate director of the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Nanoscale Technology, said the surprise decision could leave Australia “out of the game” on nano-technology.

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In my opinion, science and politics are something that should be co-existed. Without the help of politics, the development of science will be slowed down a lot. However, politicians will choose which “science” to develop for their own favor, which I think is bad.

“What these scientists say publicly should not be vetted through the science minister’s and the prime minister’s offices to ensure they contain the government’s key messages,” said Eric Abetz, industry and science spokesman for the opposition. “This is politicization of science.”

(news)

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This article written by Dr. Rowan Gilmore is worth to read.

Where is research in the list, one might ask? It’s buried in there, but many businesses appear to have forgotten to ask the question. Evidence presented by the ABF at the discussion forum indicated that levels of collaboration between innovating businesses and the research sector in Australia are only 2 per cent, compared with 6-7 per cent in similar economies like Ireland, Sweden, and Denmark, and a phenomenal 26 per cent in Sweden. With only one Australian firm in fifty working with the research sector, the question of relevance needs to be raised. Levels of collaboration with customers are no better in Australia and stand at only 12 per cent, compared with typical values of 25-28 per cent for similar economies. Collaboration with suppliers is equally poor.

(link)

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Recently equine flu outbreak spread in Australia and more than 700 horses are infected. This has heavily hit Australia’s horse racing industry and Australian government ban any horse movement until Friday.

This equine flu is very contagious to horses only but not human but it has the same effect as influenza on human. It is suspected that the flu may come from Japan.

(pic: http://www.goatstar.org/transitional-horse-fossils-2/)

Equine flu give horses the symptoms are high fevers, coughing, sneezing and lack of appetite. There are several viruses that can cause equine flu in Australia, which are Equine Herpesvirus, Equine Rhinovirus and Equine Adenovirus. Equine flu can be spread if the horses are not cared properly as the virus can be spread via droplets, nasal discharge and also the infected brushes and rugs.

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