Fresh Science

2015

In 2015 Fresh Science ran in each of the mainland states, with support from research organisations and universities in each state. For the first year, there were two Queensland events: North Queensland (Townsville) and Southeast Queensland (Brisbane). Out of the 180 nominations, here are the finalists from each event:

Fresh Science North Queensland (Townsville)

• Geoffrey Collins, James Cook University + Australian Institute of Marine Science
• Jeremy Goldberg, James Cook University / CSIRO
• Carly Kenkel, The Australian Institute of Marine Science
  Can corals cope with change?
• Samantha Munroe, James Cook University
• Yui Sato, Australian Institute of Marine Science
• Michael Sheridan, James Cook University
• Patrick Tucker, Central Queensland University
• Phurpa Wangchuk, James Cook University
• Sue-Ann Watson, James Cook University

This was the first year that Fresh Science ran in North Queensland. Fresh Science North Queensland was held at James Cook University (training) and Molly Malone’s Irish Hotel (public challenge event) and was supported by James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Fresh Science NSW

• Heba Al Khamici, University of Technology, Sydney
  Gatekeeper proteins moonlighting as antioxidants
• Sabrina Beckmann, UNSW
  “Magic” crystals and microbes – making the most of biogas wells
• Si-Chong Chen, UNSW
  Extinction of large animals damages a greater diversity of plant species than we thought
• Trevor Chong, Macquarie University
  Remembering what you didn’t have time to see
• Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani, UNSW
  New device taking cancer for a spin
• Elizabeth Hinde, UNSW
  Tracking the team that repairs DNA and prevents cancer
• Heba Khamis, UNSW
  Interpreting the language of touch
• Natalie Lister (nee Blanch), The University of Sydney
  Protecting our blood vessels damaging salt with avocados and dried apricots
• Robert Pfeifer, Macquarie University
  Mexican wave for quantum computing
• Jessica Stanley, UNSW
  Planes won’t fly on batteries
• Alex Thomson, University of Technology, Sydney
  Yabbies are digging up our carbon stores

Over 50 early-career researchers nominated for Fresh Science NSW, which was held at the Australian Museum (training) and Three Wise Monkeys Hotel (public challenge event) and was supported by the Australian Museum and the University of New South Wales.

Fresh Science South Australia

• Justin Chalker, Flinders University
  Red to yellow, and toxic mercury is gone
• Aidan Cousins, University of South Australia
  Follow that tumour! Magnetic particles to track cancer
• Julie-Anne Fleet, University of South Australia
  Long overdue: new pain relief for women in labour
• Zlatko Kopecki, University of South Australia
  Rare disease therapy will help everyone
• Lachlan McLeay, SARDI (Aquatic Sciences)
  Tern for the better in sardine health
• Ashleigh Paparella, University of Adelaide
  Golden Staph tricked by vitamin mimic
• Tullio Rossi, University of Adelaide
  Baby fish lost in an acidified ocean
• Rebecca Sharp, University of South Australia
  Bloody good idea: stopping clots saves cancer patients
• Vicki Thomson, University of Adelaide
  Trail of rat carcasses reveals human migration
• Daniel Trewartha, University of Adelaide
  To be is not enough: for mass, it’s interactions that count
• Marnie Winter, University of South Australia
  Checking baby with a blood sample and a chip

Fresh Science South Australia was held at the South Australian Museum (training) and Lion Hotel (public challenge event) and was supported by the South Australian Museum, Flinders University, the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia.

Fresh Science Southeast Queensland (Brisbane)

• Emma Gee Kee, Child Health Research Centre (Formerly QCMRI) and the University of Queensland
• Katarzyna Koziara, The University of Queensland
• Jia LI, University of the Sunshine Coast
• Sheng Li, Griffith University
• Porun Liu, Griffith University
• Indira Prasadam, Queensland University of Technology
• Linda Rehaume, The University of Queensland
• Adam Taylor, Griffith University
• Pegah Varamini, The University of Queensland
• Vera Weisbecker, The University of Queensland

Fresh Science Southeast Queensland was held at the Queensland Museum (training) and at the University of Queensland (public challenge event) and was run by eConnect.

Fresh Science Victoria

• Ye Chen, Swinburne University of Technology
• Alexander Davenport, Peter Mac Cancer Centre
• Daniel Drumm, RMIT University
• Adrian Lai, The University of Melbourne
• Fatemeh Malekipour, The University of Melbourne
• Sahar Naghashian, Deakin University
• Philipp Reineck, RMIT University
• Ebonie Rio, Monash University
• Marta Rubio Martinez, CSIRO
• Hosna Tashakkori, The University of Melbourne

Fresh Science Victoria was held at Scienceworks (training), Melbourne Museum (schools forum) and the Kelvin Club (public event) and was supported by Museums Victoria, Bio-Medical Research Victoria and the Office of the Victorian Lead Scientist.

Fresh Science Western Australia

• Zoe Richards, Western Australian Museum
  Kimberley coral reefs are ready for climate change
• Julie Ardley, Murdoch University
  Bacteria to make the desert bloom
• Hezekiah Babatunde, Edith Cowan University, Australia
  What plant is that? – There’s an app for that
• Bruno Buzatto, University of Western Australia
  Strong frogs win the fight, but not the mating game
• Paola Chivers, University of Notre Dame, Australia
  Tackling clumsiness may help improve bone health
• Sofie De Meyer, Murdoch University
  Greener pastures for Australian sheep industry
• Stephanie Godfrey, Murdoch University
  Social networking for lizards – when neighbours don’t become good friends
• Amir Karton, University of Western Australia
  2D carbon set to speed up our smartphones
• Joyce Ong, University of Western Australia
  Mangrove Jack is all ears for warming oceans
• Claire Ross, University of Western Australia
  Rottnest Island: a safe-haven for tropical coral

Fresh Science Western Australia was held at the Western Australian Museum (training) and Brisbane Hotel (public challenge event) and was supported by the Western Australian Museum, Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, the University of Western Australia and the University of Notre Dame, Australia.