Spring is here and with it new, exciting developments within the Faculty. We have just had approval for three new Masters Courses, one in Infectious Diseases, another called a Masters of Science and Technology and one in Analytical Chemistry. We also have two new undergraduate BSc programmes, one in Computational Science and also the inclusion of Chinese, Japanese and Indonesian in the BSc (International). Later this year we expand our offshore program in Singapore to include programs in Psychology and Human Performance, and Sport Science.

Science research and industry links were the subject of the day when the Hon Francis Logan, Minister for Energy, Science and Innovation, visited the Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences on 5th July. The Minister had a sneak preview of the sapphire oscillators in the School of Physics and the new gravity gradiometer, a multi-million dollar research project funded by Rio Tinto.

UWA's Academic Council has approved three new offshore programs to be offered in Singapore via PSB Academy. They are the BSc (Psychology and Human Performance), BSc (Sport Science) and from 2008 we expect to offer the BSc (Psychology). The Faculty will welcome its first intake of students on September 30.

These new programs add to the range already on offer in Singapore; Biomedical Science, Genetics, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, and Pharmaceutical Science.

In 2007, the Faculty will be offering three new Master's courses: the Master of Science and Technology, the Master of Infectious Diseases and the Master of Analytical Chemistry. These programs will be available to both domestic and international students.

As physics students know, the subatomic world is described by the Standard Model of particle physics – the modern theory of elementary particles and their interactions. This theory is incredibly successful in the way it captures the structure of Nature.

The results of innumerable experiments, carried out at major particle accelerators world-wide, agree with the predictions of the Standard Model. However, as with other physical theories, the Standard Model has only a certain range of validity.

A brain wave helped create Project KIDS, and now brain waves form the basis of an exciting new study for the group. Professor Mike Anderson, from the School of Psychology, said Project KIDS had received a major Australian Research Council grant to study children's brain waves (technically, brain evoked potentials).

"We are interested to see if the development of different areas in their brains matches the development of their abilities," he said. According to Professor Anderson, Project KIDS is unique, with no comparison anywhere in the world.

Biological scientist Dr Ryan Lister is nurturing his scientific career in California after becoming the only West Australian to receive a 2006 Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) fellowship.

The UWA graduate was one of four Australians and 80 young scientists worldwide to win one of the awards, which allows them to broaden their training in a laboratory in another country.

Trapping mice at the Abrolhos Islands, time for reflection and interacting with researchers are among the highlights for the four recent Teachers-in-Residence (TiRS) at UWA.

Bob Fitzpatrick, from Armadale Senior High School, and Warwick Mathews, from Shenton College, will continue their part-time participation in the SPICE program whilst Brett Boughton (Willetton SHS) and Dawn Smith (Churchlands SHS), have finished their 10-week full-time residencies.

However, all former TiRs continue some participation in SPICE in the hope of seeing their ideas come to fruition.

With champion athletes referred to as heroes or gods, sporting discussions often contain an almost religious fervour. The notion of whether sport can be a religion is just one of the topics students will be able to discuss in a new unit on "Sport and Spirituality".

The Reverend Canon Richard Pengelley, a dual Olympian and UWA alumnus, will teach the course, which will be offered as a third-year option by the School of Human Movement and Exercise Science from second semester, 2007.