New scientists present their findings
3 November 2010
Public Symposium on the WA Marine Environment
A group of 20 of the 35 young marine scientists sponsored by the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) will present their work at Edith Cowan University in Joondalup for the first time tomorrow.
It will be the culmination of four years of meticulous higher degree research work that has allowed them to study in regions as diverse as the Swan and Peel-Harvey estuaries, offshore Perth, Rottnest, Ningaloo Marine Park and the Kimberley.
WAMSI, a not-for-profit organisation, undertaking public-good research in the “Marine State” of WA, provided them with additional tertiary degree funding in association with the four WAMSI member universities: The University of Western Australia, Curtin University, Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University.
“Their studies have covered an enormous range of marine and coastal critical questions of direct use in the management of our precious marine resources and I’m proud to say that we helped to support their careers in this way,” Dr Peter Rogers, Chair of the WAMSI Board, said at the opening of WAMSI’s Young Career Researchers’ Symposium.
“It can only be of benefit to the marine managers and policy makers in this State. Better Science means Better Decisions. They’ve worked on matters of national and international interest and are emerging with qualifications which will enhance their future careers.”
He said WAMSI strongly promoted supporting postgraduate students and post-doctoral fellows for the future benefits to Western Australia, building a strong home-grown research capacity and to bring fresh new thinking to address the marine science challenges of the day.
He said many of the students’ research had taken place at Ningaloo Marine Park on topics as varied as: Marine habitat discovery, deep and shallow ocean water movements, manta rays, humpback and bottlenose dolphins, whale sharks, corals, sponges, climate change, ocean temperatures and the human use patterns of the Ningaloo Marine Park.
“They’ve also been in other areas of the SW studying the spawning habits of the western rock lobster and scallops, looked at changes to the Swan-Canning, Peel-Harvey and Leschenault estuaries, studied how seagrass protects our coastline and looked at the effect of human behaviors on the marine environment,” he said.
A panel of senior marine managers and scientists will give the students advice about new careers as part of the Symposium.
This public symposium starts at 9am at Edith Cowan University’s Joondalup Campus, Joondalup Drive, in Lecture Theatre 7.102, building seven, at 9am on Wednesday November 3. The WAMSI Chairman, Dr Peter Rogers and CEO, Dr Steve Blake will also be on hand to answer questions on the Symposium.
WAMSI is a Major Research Facility established by the WA State Government in mid 2006. The focus is on public-good, not-for-profit research in WA’s marine and coastal environments.
Pictured above are the Chairman of the WAMSI Board, Dr Peter Rogers, and the students who presented at the symposium.
Pictured below are members of the panel which provided career advice from the panel. They were (from left) Premier's Fellow, Shaun Collin; Department of Environment and Conservation science coordinator, Kelly Waples; Director General of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Ian Poiner; and CEO of WAMSI, Dr Steve Blake. In the front is Shaofang Weng, from ChemCentre WA, who was not part of the panel.
For more information contact Sue McKenna, the WAMSI Communications Manager on 6488 4574 or 0424 196 771