University News

They might look like random poles in a gallery, but an art and science collaboration between UWA’s SymbioticA and a US neuro-engineering laboratory has drawn praise from one of the world’s foremost forums for digital media.

The ‘Silent Barrage’ installation has won an honorary mention for hybrid and transdisciplinary projects in Prix Ars Electronica (PAE).

PAE is one of the most important festivals for creativity and innovation in the field of digital media, with artists from more than 70 countries participating.

‘Silent Barrage’ recently went on show at the Exit Art Gallery in New York. It is the work of SymbioticA’s Guy Ben-Ary, fellow WA artist Phil Gamblen, and scientists from Steve Potter’s Laboratory for Neuro-engineering at Georgia Technical College, Atlanta, which investigates epilepsy treatments.

David Coall
Research Fellow, University of Western Australia
BPsych 1994; BSc (Hons) 1999; PhD 2005

My interest in research began with my Honours year where I applied evolutionary theory to understanding the factors that influence a woman's reproductive development and timing. An Australian Postgraduate Award gave me the opportunity to extend this research during my PhD and examine factors throughout a woman’s life that influence the birth weight and placental weight of her children.

The bizarre controversy over the existence of a dwarf ape-like creature dubbed the ‘hobbit’ of Flores has drawn attention to the very real tragedy of iodine deficiency which still affects millions of people.

The controversy surrounding the discovery of the fossilised remains on a remote Indonesian island in 2004 has led to one of the most heated anthropological debates in recent history.

The Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences has been celebrating since the last issue of Science Matters with the opening of two new research centres.

On the 23rd of May Faculty staff gathered in the foyer of the MCS Building in May to celebrate the achievements of our undergraduate students in the annual Faculty Prize Giving Ceremony.

Four bright young students are being nurtured as research scientists under the guiding eye of Professor George Stewart.

Susan Hayes, a doctoral student with the School of Anatomy and Human Biology, ran a two day public workshop in April at the WA Museum called Art, Anatomy and the Skull.

The School of Anatomy and Human Biology celebrated its 50th anniversary in November. The celebrations included tours of the building and its facilities and afternoon tea followed by a cocktail party in the Memorial Garden.

A number of pharmaceutical companies are interested in a blood vessel growth inhibitor discovered by UWA Professor Arun Dharmarajan and collaborator Suvro Chatterjee. Their find has implications for the treatment of a range of diseases including cancer, arthritis and diabetic blindness.