RACI WA Branch Newsletter SEPTEMBER 2019 In This Issue: p1 President Corner p2 Peel Call for Speakers p2 Retiree Lunch/Morning Tea p3 Chemaraderie Schedule p3 Young Chemists p4 Automation Seminar p5 Lord & Co p5 Women in Chemistry p6 National Science Week Dinner p8 Rowe Scientific p9 RACI Committees Nomination Form p10 Rowe Calendar of Events p10 Newsletter Advertising & Deadline p11 September Noticeboard Contact the RACI WA Branch: www.raci.org.au/branches/wa- branch Branch Co-ordinator: Ben Fletcher 0403 022 968 [email protected]ABN: 69 030 287 244 IRN: A0040386D ARBN: 102 726 429 Follow RACI: Facebook at facebook.com/RACInational, Twitter at @RACINational Instagram at @racinational President Corner Dear RACI WA Branch members and readers National Science Week - 10- 18 August 2019: Festivals, Activities, Events and more all across Australia. The theme for the National Science Week 2019 is “Science for People and People for Science”. The word science comes from the Latin word “Scientia” meaning knowledge. Galileo Galilei (15/2/1564 – 8/1/1642) has been called the father of observational astronomy, modern physics, scientific method and modern science. Jabir ibn Hayyan living in the 8 th century was a Persian alchemist who applied scientific principles to his studies is the father of chemistry. The very first scientist is Thales of Miletus of Greece, who lived from 624 B.C. to 545 B.C. The mother of all science is mathematics because it is a tool which solves problems of every other science. National Science Week refers to a series of science-related events which are held in specific countries during a designated week of the year. In Australia, it is held in August, funded through the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, with a collaboration of events involving universities, schools, libraries, teachers, researchers and students. We celebrate Science Week welcoming an audience of over million and hosting more than 1000 events across the nation. Science Week provides an opportunity for all Australians to participate and encourages an interest in science pursuits among the general public, inspiring young(er) people to become fascinated by the world we live in and to consider continuing studies in science. The ultimate aim of this effort is that hopefully will have the most engaged and scientifically informed public in Australia. RACI WA Branch - 60 members and partners attended our annual National Science Week Dinner function on 16 th August to celebrate Continued next page
Transcript
RACI WA Branch Newsletter SEPTEMBER 2019 In This Issue: p1 President Corner p2 Peel Call for Speakers p2 Retiree Lunch/Morning Tea p3 Chemaraderie Schedule p3 Young Chemists p4 Automation Seminar p5 Lord & Co p5 Women in Chemistry p6 National Science Week Dinner p8 Rowe Scientific p9 RACI Committees Nomination Form p10 Rowe Calendar of Events p10 Newsletter Advertising & Deadline p11 September Noticeboard Contact the RACI WA Branch: www.raci.org.au/branches/wa-branch Branch Co-ordinator: Ben Fletcher 0403 022 968 [email protected] ABN: 69 030 287 244 IRN: A0040386D ARBN: 102 726 429 Follow RACI: Facebook at facebook.com/RACInational, Twitter at @RACINational Instagram at @racinational
President Corner
Dear RACI WA Branch members and readers
National Science Week - 10-18 August 2019: Festivals, Activities, Events and more all across Australia. The theme for the National Science Week 2019 is “Science for People and People for Science”. The word science comes from the Latin word “Scientia” meaning knowledge. Galileo Galilei (15/2/1564 – 8/1/1642) has been called the father of observational astronomy, modern physics, scientific method and modern science. Jabir ibn Hayyan living in the 8th century was a Persian alchemist who applied scientific principles to his studies is the father of chemistry. The very first scientist is Thales of Miletus of Greece, who lived from 624 B.C. to 545 B.C. The mother of all science is mathematics because it is a tool which solves problems of every other science.
National Science Week refers to a series of science-related events which are held in specific countries during a designated week of the year. In Australia, it is held in August, funded through the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, with a collaboration of events involving universities, schools, libraries, teachers, researchers and students. We celebrate Science Week welcoming an audience of over million and hosting more than 1000 events across the nation. Science Week provides an opportunity for all Australians to participate and encourages an interest in science pursuits among the general public, inspiring young(er) people to become fascinated by the world we live in and to consider continuing studies in science. The ultimate aim of this effort is that hopefully will have the most engaged and scientifically informed public in Australia.
RACI WA Branch - 60 members and partners attended our annual National Science Week Dinner function on 16th August to celebrate Continued next page
President Corner (Continued) Science Week 2019. The dinner was held at the Bentley Pines Restaurant where the food was great.
We presented the 2019 Wilf Ewers Citation to Dr David Ralph for service to chemistry by organising state finals of the Titration Stakes since 2006. Honourary life memberships (50 year memberships) were presented to Dr Harry Linge, Dr John Bromly, Errol Tovey and Sheila Palmer. 25 year memberships were presented to Dr David Henry, Prof Gordon Parkinson and Prof Mark Buntine. A gift was presented to Jess Murdock for her presentation of the seven 2019 Bayliss Youth Lectures in venues from Perth UWA / Curtin Uni.to Margaret River all the way to Darwin. Congratulations to all awardees!
On behalf of the committee and myself, I thank all the members and their families for attending the annual dinner and honour our awardees and members for their contribution to chemistry. I also thank the Pines Management and their student and staff for the service they provided us; and Ben Fletcher (our WA Branch coordinator) for organizing the event.
Chemaraderie: Our speaker for the Tuesday 17th September Chemaraderie is Dr Justin Whitely, general manager HSEQ & Risk, Compass Group (Australia). The title of his talk will be “The Current Challenge of Effective Food Safety Management in the Food Service Sector”. If you are concerned about the Food Safety or Allergens you can’t afford to miss this talk.
Retiree’s Lunch (morning tea): On Wednesday 23rd October at Mondo Nougat, Herne Hill, for morning tea with an Italian desserts collection and Nougat freshly made by Alfonso the Great! These Italian desserts are the perfect way to start the morning.
Ferdie Ferrante Here with you, working for you. RACI WA Branch President
Are you a scientist who is comfortable talking to community members with a range of backgrounds, and able to an provide entertaining/engaging science talk?
The Peel regions Science Hub, Peel Bright Minds (www.peelbrightminds.com.au), undertakes STEM / lifelong learning outreach and hold a number of science cafés aimed at the community adults and older children. In this International Year of the Periodic Table, they are interested in getting 1 or 2 engaging speakers to promote awareness and interest in Chemistry. It is anticipated that the talks will be held in early December. If you are interested, contact Sarah Curran Ragan, Peel Bright Minds Program Coordinator, 0475 855 649
Retiree Lunch (Morning Tea) Wednesday 23rd October
Mondo Nougat, 640 Great Northern Highway, Herne Hill
Enjoy a super tasty morning tea with freshly made Italian cakes, biscuits, chocolates and nougat. Please RSVP Ferdie Ferrante so a booking can be made. [email protected] 0419 282 999
Please come to the RACI Chemaraderie. This is a great chance to meet fellow members and be entertained by guest speakers. All welcome – membership is not a prerequisite to attendance (so please bring a friend).
Date: Usually 3rd Tuesday of every month Time: From 5.30pm. Seminar/presentation commences at 6.15pm. Refreshments prior and at seminar conclusion Venue: Exhibition Area, Building 500, Curtin University Cost:: $5 charge to cover refreshments (limited drinks and snacks) (receipts can be provided) RSVP: [email protected] to assist with catering purposes Or register online (preferably by Friday before meeting)
SEPTEMBER 2019 Tues 17th
“The Current Challenge of Effective Food Safety Management in the Food Service Sector” presented by Dr Justin Whitely, General Manager HSEQ & Risk, Compass Group (Australia). Register at: Sep-Chemaraderie
OCTOBER 2019 Tues 15th
“Patenting Chemical Inventions: What You Should Know” presented by Dr Zhi Ling Zeng Trans-Tasman Patent & Trade Mark Attorney, Partner, Lord & Company Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys. “40 Years of RACI and Lord & Company” reminiscences of Kelvin and Oana Lord. This Chemaraderie will be sponsored by Lord & Company.
YCSWA is a special interest group for early career chemists
(students, graduates, post graduates etc under 35) in Western Australia. Our monthly events at the Cheeky Sparrow aim to
providing a networking platform with talks that cover interesting scientific topics, career development and things you didn’t learn at
The RACI Analytical Chemistry Group will be presenting a one-day
Automation Seminar
We’ve all used autoloaders, but what happens when we take laboratory automation further? Come and listen to vendors talk about projects and systems they work with as
well as the clients who use these systems.
A rare opportunity to talk to major suppliers and hear users’ experiences in the one venue at one time.
Presentations by:
IMP, Scott Automation, Galactic Scientific Labfit, and PanAnalytical RioTinto, BHP, Roy Hill and more!
Date: Wednesday 2nd October Time: 8:30 am to approx..3:00 pm Where: Exhibition Space (Level 1)
Resources and Chemistry Precinct South Wing, Building 500 Curtin University South Entrance Drive (off Manning Road) Curtin University Bentley WA 6102
Cost: RACI Members $100
Non-Members $130 Student/ Retirees $50
The closing date for registration is Wednesday the 25th September.
Lunch, morning and afternoon teas are included in the registration fee. The fees include GST.
To register please e-mail [email protected] or call Peter Anstis on 0409039605.
Note that vegetarians are automatically catered for but we will need to be notified of any additional dietary requirements (such as gluten free or halal).
An engineer, a logician and a mathematician are on a train in Scotland. They see a black sheep. “Oh look!” says the engineer. “Sheep in Scotland are black.” “No,” says the logician. “There are sheep in Scotland, of which at least one is black.” “No,” says the mathematician. “There is at least one sheep in Scotland, of which at least one side appears to be black.”
RACI WA Branch Newsletter: September 2019 5
I’ve been working to combine relativity and quantum mechanics into a single unified theory. So far, I’ve discovered coffee is good.
RACI WA Branch Newsletter: September 2019 6
Harry Linge (50 yr member) with Ferdie Ferrante
John Bromly (50 yr member) with Ferdie Ferrante
David Henry (25 yr member) with Ferdie Ferrante
National Chemistry Week Dinner Fri 16 Aug at The Pines Restaurant in Bentley
Sixty-odd enthusiastic people battled through a serious storm with howling winds, driving rain and flooded roads to make it to the Dinner on Friday August 16. Even the short 50m trek from the carpark to the restaurant venue was an experience as the wind drove the rain horizontally, rendering umbrellas less than fully successful. Nevertheless, happy RACI people kept blowing in through the restaurant doors and the foyer was soon lined with umbrellas and the bar did a good trade as people sought a drink or two to warm up after the journey. A mixed group shared drinks and chatted animatedly – there were young new members and long retired members, academics and business people and students. Lots of catching up with old friends and networking with new contacts. After 20 minutes or so we were invited into the seating area and chatting, drinks in hand, people selected tables and dining companions for the evening. There was a brief welcome from RACI WA President Ferdie Ferrante and dinner was served. The Pines is a training restaurant, but the food was excellent (caramelized onion tart, chicken on ratatouille, orange syrup cake, coffee) and the servers put their training to good use. With hunger pains sated, the official part of the evening was hosted by Ferdie Ferrante. Certificates were presented to the two attending 50 year membership honourary life members Dr Harry Linge and Dr John Bromly. Certificates were presented to the 25 year members Dr David Henry, Professor Gordon Parkinson and Professor Mark Buntine. Mark Buntine could not, of course, not give a brief speech and he outlined some of the opportunities and experiences that his RACI membership had enabled him to have over the years, and emphasised to all (and particularly the younger members) that you can get far more from a RACI membership that you put in. The prestigious annual RACI WA Branch award, the Wilf Ewers Citation, was awarded to Dr David Ralph from Murdoch University for his efforts in running the RACI National Titration Stakes WA Finals over many years.
Continued next page
RACI WA Branch Newsletter: September 2019 7
Gordon Parkinson (25 yr member) with Ferdie Ferrante
Mark Buntine (25 yr member) with Ferdie Ferrante
Jess Murdock with Ferdie Ferrante
National Chemistry Week Dinner (Continued)
A gift was presented to Jess Murdock for her presentation of the seven 2019 Bayliss Youth Lectures. There was time for more conversation and laughter over coffee before the restaurant turned up the lights in a subtle hint for us to leave. Happily chatting people drifted off into the cold but less stormy night. Gradually the umbrellas in the foyer vanished, leaving only a large table of friends talking and laughing and reminiscencing.
Paula McLay FRACI Photo credits Michael Ferrante
David Ralph, recipient of the 2019 Wilf Ewers Citation, with Ferdie Ferrante
Continued next page
RACI WA Branch Newsletter: September 2019 8
National Chemistry Week Dinner (Continued)
Attendees at the 2019 RACI WA National Science Week Dinner
If debugging is the process of removing software bugs, then programming
must be the process of putting them in.
RACI WA Branch Newsletter: September 2019 9
RACI ANNUAL WA BRANCH COMMITTEE ELECTIONS
Nominations are invited for the following positions on the RACI Western Australian Branch Committee for the year 2019/2020: PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, HON SECRETARY, HON TREASURER, AND FOUR BRANCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS. Nominations are also invited for the positions of: Chair (Ex Officio Branch Committee member), Secretary, Treasurer and Committee Members for the following Groups: Analytical Chemistry; Chemical Education; Management and Career Development.
A candidate for the Branch Committee must be nominated by two Corporate Members and indicate her/his willingness to accept office by signing as nominee on the nomination form below. Nomination forms can be emailed to [email protected] by Friday 18th October 2019. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (Please detach here)
WA NOMINATIONS FOR 2019/2020 BRANCH COMMITTEE
BRANCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND EX-OFFICIO MEMBER GROUPS – ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; CHEMICAL EDUCATION; MANAGEMENT AND CAREER
for the position of….......................................................………….......................... (specify office)
for the 2019/2020…... WA Branch Committee…or…..............................Group (if not Branch, specify Group)
…………............................................................................... (Signature of Nominators) …....................................................................…………........ (Signature of Nominators)
I consent to this nomination ….........................................................…………….. (Signature of Nominee) Date: ….................................
RACI WA Branch Newsletter: September 2019 10
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR 2019 Presented by Rowe Scientific Pty Ltd
www.rowe.com.au 17.09.2019 Chemaraderie Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI 2.10.2019 Automation Seminar Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. Analytical Group 8.10.2019 Branch Committee Meeting Room 500.3101 “pod”, Building 500, Curtin Uni WA Branch RACI 15.10.2019 Chemaraderie Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI 23.10.2019 Retiree Lunch (morning tea) Mondo Nougat, Herne Hill WA Branch RACI
Oct 2019 Crystal Growing Competition Judging Venue TBA WA Branch RACI
5.11.2019 AGM/Chemaraderie Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI Nov 2019 Hackers Golf Afternoon Collier Park Golf Course - TBC Analytical Group 23.11.2019 National Assembly Meeting Brisbane RACI National 10.12.2019 Branch Committee Meeting Room 500.3101 “pod”, Building 500, Curtin Uni WA Branch RACI
Enquiries to Branch Coordinator Ben Fletcher: 0403 022 968, [email protected]
The joy of work:
• My resume is basically a list of things I hate to do.
• Be nice to your co-workers – they’ll plan your retirement party.
• Anyone can overcome adversity. But it takes real strength to complain and then give up.
• All work and no pay makes Jackie a minimum wage employee!
• Don’t worry about money. It will go away.
• The hardest part about going to work is finding something fun to do while I’m there.
• I never met a boss I couldn’t blame.
• Dying broke and alone with no achievements is taking a lot longer than I expected.
• We are all someone else’s weird co-worker.
• 90% of all workplaces are dysfunctional – the other 10% are in denial.
• Counting to ten only makes it premeditated.
• Getting anything done around here is like nailing Jello to a tree.
• I like to do my part in helping maintain the positive atmosphere at work by never showing up.
E-MAIL ADVERTISING RATES
Three-quarters of the total RACI WA Branch membership and Environmentalists (totalling about 500 of a select and highly targeted group) are registered to receive e-mail notices from the Branch Committee. Those RACI members who have a need to circulate an urgent message or advertisement of general interest to WA Branch members can request approval ([email protected]) to have the advert (sans attachment) circulated free of charge. If the advert is of a revenue producing nature then a charge of $120 +GST will be made.
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING RATES
SINGLE ADVERTISEMENT: $120 +GST for one-quarter A4 page, $160 +GST for one-third A4 page, and multiples thereof, for print ready artwork or a print ready MS Word file.
MULTIPLE ADVERTISEMENTS: for three or more consecutive newsletter issues, a discount of 25% applies.
PAYMENT for all issues must be made in advance and within 7 days of receipt of invoice.
Branch Newsletter Deadlines For 2019 Month of Journal Deadline Date October 2019 Friday 20 September November 2019 Friday 25 October
Deadline is close of business (5 pm) on the nominated dates. Please submit all articles to [email protected]
