The genesis of science education research in Australasia

Although the sciences were being taught in Australian schools well before the Second World War, the only evidence of research studies of this teaching is to be found in the report, published by ACER in 1932 of Roy Stanhope’s survey of the teaching of chemistry in New South Wales and a standardized test he had developed. Roy Stanhope was a science teacher with a research masters degree in chemistry. He had won a scholarship to go to Stanford University for doctoral studies, but returned after one year when his scholarship was not extended. He went on to be a founder in 1943 of the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA), which honours this remarkable pioneer through its annual Stanhope Oration. In his retirement Stanhope undertook a comparative study of science

Marx as critical discourse analyst : the genesis of a critical method and its relevance to the critique of global capital.

In this paper we identify elements in Marx´s economic and political writings that are relevant to contemporary critical discourse analysis (CDA). We argue that Marx can be seen to be engaging in a form of discourse analysis. We identify the elements in Marx´s historical materialist method that support such a perspective, and exemplify these in a longitudinal comparison of Marx´s texts.

Differential roles of the pRb and Arf/p53 pathways in murine naevus and melanoma genesis

We report on a systematic analysis of genotype-specific melanocyte (MC) UVR responses in transgenic mouse melanoma models along with tumour penetrance and comparative histopathology. pRb or p53 pathway mutations cooperated with NrasQ61K to transform MCs. We previously reported that MCs migrate from the follicular outer root sheath into the epidermis after neonatal UVR. Here, we found that Arf or p53 loss markedly diminished this response. Despite this, mice carrying these mutations developed melanoma with very early age of onset after neonatal UVR. Cdk4R24C did not affect the MC migration. Instead, independent of UVR exposure, interfollicular dermal MCs were more prevalent in Cdk4R24C mice. Subsequently, in adulthood, these mutants developed dermal MC proliferations reminiscent of superficial congenital naevi. Two types of melanoma were observed in this model. The location and growth pattern of the first was consistent with derivation from the naevi, while the second appeared to be of deep dermal origin. In animals carrying the Arf or p53 defects, no naevi were detected, with all tumours ostensibly skipping the benign precursor stage in progression.

Genesis and role of standards : theoretical foundations and socio-economical model for the construction and use of standards

A key issue in the economic development and performance of organizations is the existence of standards. Their definition and control are sources of power and it is important to understand their concept, as it gives standards their direction and their legitimacy, and to explore how they are represented and applied. The difficulties posed by classical micro-economics in establishing a theory of standardization that is compatible with its fundamental axiomatic are acknowledged. We propose to reconsider the problem by taking the opposite perspective in questioning its theoretical base and by reformulating assumptions about the independent and autonomous decisions taken by actors. The Theory of Conventions will offer us a theoretical framework and tools enabling us to understand the systemic dimension and dynamic structure of standards. These will be seen as a special case of conventions. This work aims to provide a sound basis and promote a better consciousness in the development of global project management standards. It aims also to emphasize that social construction is not a matter of copyright but a matter of open minds, collective cognitive process and freedom for the common wealth.

Genesis and role of standards : theoretical foundations and socio-economical model for the construction and use of standards

A key issue for the economic development and for performance of organizations is the existence of standards. As their definitions and control are source of power, it seems to be important to understand the concept and to wonder about the representations authorized by the concept which give their direction and their legitimacy. The difficulties of classical microeconomics of establishing a theory of standardisation compatible with its fundamental axiomatic are underlined. We propose to reconsider the problem by carrying out the opposite way: to question the theoretical base, by reformulating assumptions on the autonomy of the choice of the actors. The theory of conventions will offer us both a theoretical framework and tools, enabling us to understand the systemic dimension and dynamic structure of standards seen as special case of conventions. This work aims thus to provide a sound basis and promote a better consciousness in the development of global project management standards, aiming also to underline that social construction is not a matter of copyright but a matter of open minds, collective cognitive process and freedom for the common wealth.

The genesis of 'the new geography and the new imperialism : 1870-1918', or 'how I came to Jamaica and joined the UWI Geography Department

In this article, Brian Hudson relates how he came to write the paper published in the journal Antipode, for which he gained recognition as a radical geographer in the late 1970's. It is a tale of a journey in which the loves of his life, geography, history, travel and his wife of over 40 years, came together through living in a number of different places: the United Kingdom, Ghana, Hong Kong, and Jamaica. After leaving UWI, Brian and his family settled in Brisbane, Australia where he taught at Queensland University of Technology until his retirement.

In the Wake of Cyclone Yasi : Facilitation and Evaluation in Community Narrative-Driven Projects

On 3 February 2011, Cyclone Yasi struck the coast of North Queensland, causing widespread damage. The cyclone destroyed the small coastal town of Cardwell, about 165 kilometres north of Townsville, Queensland. This chapter serves as a case study of a collaborative outreach project mobilised in response to this disaster in North Queensland. A public history research team, consisting of practitioners from the Queensland University of Technology’s Creative Industries Faculty, with the support of the Oral History Association of Australia, Queensland branch, partnered with the Cardwell and District Historical Society to support the society to collect community narratives in the wake of Cyclone Yasi.

Nature and genesis of clay minerals of the Rustler Formation in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Souteastern New Mexico

Detailed mineralogical studies of the matrix and fracture-fill materials of a large number of samples from the Rustler Formation have been carried out using x-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, x-ray fluorescence, and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. These analyses indicate the presence of four clay minerals: interstratified chlorite/saponite, illite, chlorite, and serpentine. Corrensite (regularly stratified chlorite/saponite) is the dominant clay mineral in samples from the Culebra dolomite and two shale layers of the lower unnamed member of the Rustler Formation. Within other layers of the Rustler Formation, disordered mixed chlorite/saponite is usually the most abundant clay mineral. Studies of the morphology and composition of clay crystallites suggest that the corrensite was formed by the alteration of detrital dioctahedral smectite in magnesium-rich pore fluids during early diagenesis of the Rustler Formation. This study provides initial estimates of the abundance and nature of the clay minerals in the Culebra dolomite in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Computer simulation of the fatigue behaviour of roof cladding during the passage of a tropical cyclone

This paper describes the development of an analytical model used to simulate the fatigue behaviour of roof cladding during the passage of a tropical cyclone. The model incorporated into a computer program uses wind pressure data from wind tunnel tests in combination with time history information on wind speed and direction during a tropical cyclone, and experimental fatigue characteristics data of roof claddings. The wind pressure data is analysed using a rainflow form of analysis, and a fatigue damage index calculated using a modified form of Miner's rule. Some of the results obtained to date and their significance in relation to the review of current fatigue tests are presented. The model appears to be reasonable for comparative estimation of fatigue life, but an improvement of Miner's rule is required for the prediction of actual fatigue life.

Towards an appropriate fatigue loading sequence for roof claddings in cyclone prone areas

Currently two different fatigue tests are being used to investigate the fatigue susceptibility of roof claddings in the cyclone prone areas of Australia. In order to resolve this issue a detailed investigation was conducted to study the nature of cyclonic wind forces using wind tunnel testing and computer modelling and the fatigue behaviour of metal roof claddings using structural testing. This led to the development of an accurate, but complicated loading matrix for a design cyclone. Based on this matrix, a simplified low-high-low loading sequence has been developed for the testing of roofing systems in cyclone prone areas. This paper first reviews the currently used fatigue loading sequences, then presents details of the cyclonic wind loading matrix and finally the development of the new simplified loading sequence. This simplified sequence should become the only suitable test for most of the cyclone prone areas of Australia covered by Region C which suffers from Category 4 cyclones. For Region D which suffers from Category 5 cyclones, the same loading sequence with 20% increased cycles has been recommended. An experimental programme to validate the new simplified loading sequence has been proposed.

Cyclone intensity categories

The weather forecast centers in Australia and many other countries use a scale of cyclone intensity categories (categories 1-5) in their cyclone advisories, which are considered to be indicative of the cyclone damage potential. However, this scale is mainly based on maximum gust wind speeds. In a recent research project involving computer modeling of cyclonic wind forces on roof claddings and fatigue damage to claddings, it was found that cyclone damage not only depends on the maximum gust wind speed, but also on two other cyclone parameters, namely, the forward speed and radius to maximum winds. This paper describes the computer model used in predicting the cyclone damage to claddings and investigates the damage potential of a cyclone as a function of all the relevant cyclone parameters, based on which it attempts to refine the current scale of cyclone intensity categories.

Anatomy of sand beach ridges : evidence from severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi and its predecessors, northeast Queensland, Australia

[1] Four well-identified tropical cyclones over the past century have been responsible for depositing distinct units of predominantly quartzose sand and gravel to form the most seaward beach ridge at several locations along the wet tropical coast of northeast Queensland, Australia. These units deposited by tropical cyclones display a key sedimentary signature characterized by a sharp basal erosional contact, a coarser grain size than the underlying facies and a coarse-skewed trend toward the base. Coarse-skewed distributions with minimal change in mean grain size also characterize the upper levels of the high-energy deposited units at locations within the zone of maximum onshore winds during the tropical cyclone. These same coarse skew distributions are not apparent in sediments deposited at locations where predominantly offshore winds occurred during the cyclone, which in the case of northeast Australia is north of the eye-crossing location. These sedimentary signatures, along with the geochemical indicators and the degraded nature of the microfossil assemblages, have proven to be useful proxies to identify storm-deposited units within the study site and can also provide useful proxies in older beach ridges where advanced pedogenesis has obscured visual stratigraphic markers. As a consequence, more detailed long-term histories of storms and tropical cyclones can now be developed.