Collaboration across boundaries : a cross-disciplinary conference (2017)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1885/138053
The Early Career Academic Network of ANU (NECTAR) and the Joint Colleges of Science Early Career Academic Development Committee hosted the first Collaboration across boundaries: a cross-disciplinary conference.
Solutions to the world’s intractable problems are more likely to come out of collaborations across disciplines, such as between industry, government and academic institutions, than out of isolated disciplines (ANU Strategic Plan 2017).
This event offered an opportunity to network and build collaborations across these boundaries. It showcased the future leaders: early career researchers and academics of ANU as well as potential collaborators from invited industry and government bodies.
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Item Open Access How do proteins in our body achieve muscle movement?(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University) Shishmarev, Dmitry; sundararaj, Srinivasan; Aditya, Shouvik; Casarotto, MarcoThis poster provides an introduction into the studies of proteins, involved in muscle movement and contraction, that we are undertaking at the ANU's John Curtin School of Medical Research. We study interactions between these proteins on a molecular level, with the aim of better understanding of physiological processes that take place in our muscle cells under normal conditions and in disease states. The outcomes of our research might pave the way for the treatment of pathological conditions, associated with skeletal and cardiac muscle disorders.Item Metadata only Symbolic play and language development: A longitudinal study.(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Creaghe, Noelie; Quinn, Sara; Kidd, EvanThere is a well-attested empirical relationship between language acquisition and symbolic play (e.g., Bates, 1979; McCune, 2010). However, the underlying nature of this relationship still needs exploration. Here we report on a longitudinal study that examined the play-language relationship, with a specific focus on parent-infant interactions across different play contexts. Fifty-four (N = 54) parent-infant dyads were followed between the ages of 18 and 24 months. At 18 and 24 months the dyads participated in a 20 minute play session. During each session, the dyads played with toys facilitating symbolic play for ten minutes, and with toys facilitating functional play for another ten minutes. Play sessions were then coded for conversational turn, vocabulary, and syntax. Parents also completed the McArthur-Bates CDI at 18, 21, and 24 months During symbolic play, parents were more likely to ask questions which led to greater conversational turns between dyads. During functional play, parents were more likely to use imperatives and declaratives, and fewer conversational turns were observed between dyads. Unique characteristic properties of symbolic and functional play predicted children�s language growth 6 months later: the number of conversational turns and the use of questions, which were more common in symbolic play, had a positive impact on children�s vocabulary, while the use of declaratives and imperatives, which were more common in functional play, negatively impacted syntactic complexity and vocabulary development. The results suggest that symbolic play provides infants with more opportunities to participate and engage in interactions than functional play, which positively predict children�s language growth. Specifically, symbolic play supports language acquisition because it provides a social and explorative environment in which the parents invite language production. References Bates E., B. L. (1979). Cognition and communication from nine to thirteen months: correlational findings. In E. B. Bates, The emergence of symbols: cognition and communication in infancy. (pp. 69-140). New York: Academic Press. McCune, L. (2010). Developing symbolic abilities. In B. Wagoner, Symbolic transformation: The mind in movement through culture and society (pp. 173-192). London: Routeledge Press.Item Metadata only New molecular and atomic chemistry enables sustainable energy technology(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Zongyou, YinItem Open Access Making a difference with citizen deliberations(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Settle, CatherineA deliberative meeting is a particular way of bringing people in a community together so they can exchange information with their government or other decision-making body. These meetings may also be part of a larger engagement process that is designed to learn from many different people in a community. This poster highlights what you can expect when you participate in one of these deliberative meetings.Item Open Access Beyond satisfaction: Optimising the visual attractiveness of routes(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Gretton, CharlesFollowing recent studies of visual attractiveness in vehicle routing, we investigate the inclusion of shape and compactness penalties in computing solutions to the Vehicle Routing Problem using the Adaptive Large Neighbourhood Search. Visually attractive routes are sought predominantly for two reasons. First, operators are reluctant to implement solutions that exhibit overlapping routes, or unacceptable shape. Second, the visual compactness of routes is indicative of the operational robustness of solutions. We are the first to investigate the concept of bending energy as a solution penalty in this setting. We are also the first to investigate a search that leverages the geographic center of every route encountered during search.Item Metadata only Graphene-polymer composite ultrafiltration membranes(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Hossain, Umme HabibaGraphene is a two-dimensional carbon as the lightest and strongest material, compared with its ability to conduct heat and electricity better than anything else, is integrated into a huge number of applications. Recent study has shown Nano pores single layer graphene membranes with extremely narrow pore size distributions can be fabricated using high-energy heavy ions as a highly selective membrane material, suited for ultra-filtration applications. Developing mechanically stable and scalable graphene-composite membrane systems, however, remains a major challenge. We are currently seeking to develop such membranes based on embedded graphene flakes in polymers combined with high-energy ion irradiation and chemical etching. Graphene-polymer membranes were fabricated using solution grown technic and irradiated with 185 MeV 179Au ions at the ANU Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility. Using small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) combined with advanced electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy, we seek to study the track process and determine how it is influenced by the graphene in the polymer. The research can lead to innovative technologies for the development of energy efficient desalination membranes.Item Metadata only Impactful Internships(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Duncan, AlishaThe Centre [CoE for Translational Photosynthesis] is committed to skilling the next generation of plant science professionals. Industry internships provide a win-win for the organisation and the intern, by offering a fresh perspective for both sides.Item Metadata only Neutrophil activation as a potential biomarker in multiple sclerosis(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Woodberry, ToniaMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease of unknown origin which disrupts communication between the brain and body. There is currently no reliable and easy to measure biomarker to diagnose MS or monitor progression. Innate immune cells called neutrophils are reported as primed in MS and have been connected to disease progression. One mechanism of neutrophil activation is to expel DNA and form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). To better understand neutrophils/NETs in MS we are evaluating methods for their routine clinical assessment. We seek to examine associations between clinical MS relapse or acute demyelination events detected by MRI and measures of neutrophil activation. In whole blood samples collected from MS patients we are measuring neutrophil activation phenotype and production of antimicrobial agents using flow cytometry. NETs are quantified in whole blood smears using microscopy (bright field and fluorescence). Plasma/serum markers of neutrophil activation will be measured using ELISA and LUMINEX. Recruitment of MS patients commenced in October 2017 and is ongoing. Overall this research will contribute towards an improved understanding of the role of neutrophils and NETs in MS and will help determine whether either or both have the potential to be the desperately needed reliable biomarker.Item Metadata only Hope for Kabul my artworks are about Afghan children living and suffering after war.(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Obaidullah, HangamaThe scene in my paintings is based on my own experiences of travelling through my homeland Afghanistan where I saw many children working on the street. More than sixty thousand children are now suffering from almost forty years of war and working on the street of Kabul to survive. Most of them have lost their parents in war. When walking through every city in Afghanistan young boys and girls aged from four up to twelve are selling plastic bags and bottles of water or polishing shoes. Many children have not had chance to get an education and they will become a problem for society in the future. They will have anger in their heart for society. We must bring these children to the attention of the global community and show that they are just asable as privileged children. I want things to change for them and stop this continuing to the next generation.Item Metadata only Conservation Futures(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Munera, ClaudiaCapacity building for protected areas management under climate uncertainty Climate change is bringing new challenges for conservation of biodiversity and the livelihoods dependent upon the environmental services provided by them as ecological conditions change, challenging our traditional vision of conservation and biodiversity management. Managers must be ready to understand, anticipate, and accept the changes in the ecosystems they protect as climate changes. This require building new abilities in order to incorporate long-term change and uncertainty into the planning tools and decision-making processes. Conservation Futures is a largely collaborative process between academy, practitioners, and advocacy organisations that looks to introduce innovative strategies to developacities that help protected area planners and managers mainstream anticipatory climate adaptation thinking in conservation policy and management. Climate adaptation needs governance processes that are prepared for future changes to the climate, focusing on what we can do now to reshape the social, political and practical abilities to anticipate and respond as changes happen. Conceptually, we frame the "decision context" in the values, rules and knowledge that form the foundation from which we make decisions, plan, and manage for conservation. The process is a multi-step, interactive, dialogue-based series of activities that encourages conservation practitioners to anticipate ecosystem transformation and explore alternative management approaches. Here we present preliminary results of the implementation of the methodology in Colombia where we are working collaboratively with WWF Colombia and Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia.Item Metadata only Item Metadata only Resilience offers escape from trapped thinking on poverty alleviation(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Lade, StevenThe poverty trap concept strongly influences current research and policy on poverty alleviation. Financial or technological inputs intended to �push� the rural poor out of a poverty trap have had many successes but have also failed unexpectedly with serious ecological and social consequences that can reinforce poverty. Resilience thinking can help to (I) understand how these failures emerge from the complex relationships between humans and the ecosystems on which they depend and (ii) navigate diverse poverty alleviation strategies, such as transformative change, that may instead be required.Item Metadata only Library screening for metabolic engineering applications(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Benjamin, PouvreauPlant based research is undermined by the lack of plant based systems that allow rapid testing of large gene libraries. Most current screening system are based on technologies that are not transferrable between species and do not allow tissue-specific or cell-type-specific screening. We are currently developing a new strategy using protoplast transformation, cell sorting based on physiological trait, and single cell sequencing, to allow screening of large gene libraries. Our group is focusing primarily on oil accumulation, but once set-up this tool could be used for screening a multitude of physiological trait. In addition, because this technology is based on protoplast, there is strong chances that this technology could be transferable to a wide diversity of plants and tissues.Item Metadata only Striving toward malaria eradication: development of a single drug to kill malaria parasites and the mosquitoes that transmit them(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Spry, ChristinaMalaria is a lethal infectious disease caused by a parasite transmitted between humans by mosquitoes. In 2015 alone, there were 429,000 malaria deaths worldwide. Currently, malaria control predominantly relies on (I) reducing human contact with mosquitoes, e.g. through use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets; and (ii) antimalarial drugs that kill parasites within an infected person. However, as malaria parasites have become resistant to all antimalarial drugs in clinical use, and insecticide-resistant mosquitoes are widespread, our ability to treat and limit the spread of malaria is under serious threat. Striving to find a novel malaria control tool, I have identified a naturally-occurring chemical that kills both malaria parasites and the mosquitoes that transmit them. The chemical acts rapidly to kill malaria parasites while they multiply in human blood, and mosquitoes that have fed on blood containing it. To exploit this dual-activity, I am working toward developing a drug that will cure an infected patient of malaria, as well as kill mosquitoes that feed on that person, thereby preventing transmission of the parasite to healthy individuals. Such a drug would be an invaluable addition to our malaria control toolkit and an ideal candidate for a mass drug administration campaign targeted at malaria eradication.Item Metadata only Estimating the prevalence of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder in the Kashmir Valley, India(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Housen, TambriBackground: The Kashmir Valley has been subject to continual political insecurity and ongoing conflict. We conducted a representative cross-sectional population-based survey of adults to estimate the prevalence and predictors of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the ten districts of the Kashmir Valley. Methods: We interviewed 5519 out of 5600 invited participants, ?18 years of age, randomly sampled using a probability proportional to size cluster sampling design. We estimated the prevalence of a probable psychological disorder using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ-16). Data was weighted to account for the sampling design and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors. Findings: We identified 41% (95% CI 39?2-43?4) of adults with probable depression, 26% (95% CI 23.8-27.5) with probable anxiety and 19% (95% CI 17.5-21.2) with probable PTSD. The three disorders were associated with the following characteristics: being female, over 55 years of age, having had no formal education, living in a rural area, and being widowed/divorced or separated. A dose-response association was found between the number of traumatic events experienced or witnessed and all three mental disorders .Interpretation: The implementation of decentralized mental health awareness programs are needed in the Kashmir Valley.Item Metadata only Emerging bushfire research: Remote Sensing of bushfire(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Yebra, MartaThe first attempt to map bushfires remotely sensed was made in 1906 by George R. Lawrence that took aerial pictures of San Francisco after the earthquake and fires using around 10 large kites that lifted a 22kg camera to a height of approximately 600 m. Since then Technology for fire management is advancing so quickly that today we have access to a vast array of spatial data. Consequently, the question is no longer �can we predict or observe fires�, but rather how can these vast array of spatial data sources we have access be used to inform different phases of fire management? This poster will highlight technological advances made over the last century and how these advances have allowed me to get real-time information on fire danger rating and impacts that can be used in the day to day fire operations.Item Metadata only Engineering solid-state metalloproteins(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Rapson, TrevorThe ability to harness the functional properties of metalloproteins within a solid-state material affords a number of commercial advantages such as stability and recyclability in heterogeneous biocatalysts and biosensors. Our strategy is to employ a recombinant coiled coil silk protein from honeybees as a de novo engineering scaffold. This recombinant protein can be produced at commercially viable levels, the protein sequence can be precisely manipulated using molecular biology, allowing very fine control over the properties of the heme-binding sites, and the protein can be fabricated in a variety of solid-state material forms such as films and sponges. We introduce heme cofactors to the silk materials and they interact through specific binding and coordination sites akin to naturally occurring metalloproteins. To date, we have developed a recoverable heme-silk sponge with peroxidase activity, a nitric oxide-sensing protein film and new metalloprotein materials for use in biofuel cells.Item Metadata only Are YOU on the CuSPP?(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Pertsinidis, SoniaCuSPP is a dynamic interdisciplinary network of researchers, scholars and writers working in and beyond the Australian National University in the cultures of screen, performance and print (CuSPP). From new readings of Shakespeare and Dickens, to studies of Patrick White and Rousseau and analyses of S-Town and French film, our vibrant network is committed to innovative, collaborative and cutting-edge research in literary and cultural studies. The network was formed to foster intellectual engagement and collaboration across the humanities. CuSPP is affiliated with the Humanities Research Centre (HRC) and the French Research cluster. The network�s activities include: �An energetic program of weekly seminars presented by researchers (local and international), scholars, writers and HDR students; �Three reading groups open to the broader community �one group devoted to fortnightly readings of Homer�s Iliad and Odyssey in ancient Greek, a second group devoted to Latin literature, and a third devoted to literary theory; �regular public lectures; �research retreats and workshops; and conferences and symposia. The philosophy of CuSPP is to preserve, promote and investigate literature and culture from different places and times, from the ancient world to the present day. Are YOU on the CuSPP? You should be!Item Open Access Shaping up in structural neuroimaging(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Walsh, Erin; Shaw, M.; Anstey, Kaarin; Cherbuin, NicolasStructural neuroimaging studies provide insight into development and diseases of the human brain. Historically, neuroimaging research has focussed on the volume or surface area of the brain and its components. Now, it is becoming clear that shape is also important. This poster discusses the importance of shape analysis in neuroimaging. It outlines our recent work in drawing across disciplinary boundaries to benchmark and expand a leading-edge shape analysis technique, elliptical Fourier analysis.Item Metadata only TBD(Canberra, ACT : NECTAR, The Australian National University, 2017) Gautam, Vini