Young adults’ accounts of scientific knowledge when responding to a television news report of contested science

This paper reports one aspect of a study of 28 young adults (18–26 years) engaging with the uncertain (contested) science of a television news report about recent research into mobile phone health risks. The aim of the study was to examine these young people’s ‘accounts of scientific knowledge’ in this context. Seven groups of friends responded to the news report, initially in focus group discussions. Later in semi-structured interviews they elaborated their understanding of the nature of science through their explanations of the scientists’ disagreement and described their mobile phone safety risk assessments. This paper presents their accounts in terms of their views of the nature of science and their concept understanding. Discussions were audio-recorded then analysed by coding the talk in terms of issues raised, which were grouped into themes and interpreted in terms of a moderate social constructionist theoretical framing. In this context, most participants expressed a ‘common sense’ view of the nature of science, describing it as an atheoretical, technical procedure of scientists testing their personal opinions on the issue, subject to the influence of funding sponsors. The roles of theory and data interpretation were largely ignored. It is argued that the nature of science understanding is crucial to engagement with contemporary socioscientific issues, particularly the roles of argumentation, theory, data interpretation, and the distinction of science from common sense. Implications for school science relate primarily to nature of science teaching and the inclusion of socioscientific issues in school science curricula. Future research directions are considered.

Stability of hydrotalcites formed from Bayer refinery environmental control processes

Bauxite refinery residues (red mud) are derived from the Bayer process by the digestion of crushed bauxite in concentrated sodium hydroxide at elevated temperatures and pressures. This slurry residue, if untreated, is unsuitable for discharge directly into the environment and is usually stored in tailing dams. The liquid portion has the potential for discharge, but requires pre-treatment before this can occur. The seawater neutralisation treatment facilitates a significant reduction in pH and dissolved metal concentrations, through the precipitation of hydrotalcite-like compounds and some other Mg, Ca, and Al hydroxide and carbonate minerals. The hydrotalcite-like compounds, precipitated during seawater neutralisation, also remove a range of transition metals, oxy-anions and other anionic species through a combination of intercalation and adsorption reactions: smaller anions are intercalated into the hydrotalcite matrix, while larger molecules are adsorbed on the particle surfaces. A phenomenon known as ‘reversion’ can occur if the seawater neutralisation process is not properly controlled. Reversion causes an increase in the pH and dissolved impurity levels of the neutralised effluent, rendering it unsuitable for discharge. It is believed that slow dissolution of components of the red mud residue and compounds formed during the neutralisation process are responsible for reversion. This investigation looked at characterising natural hydrotalcite (Mg6Al2(OH)16(CO3)∙4H2O) and ‘Bayer’ hydrotalcite (synthesised using the seawater neutralisation process) using a variety of techniques including X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. This investigation showed that Bayer hydrotalcite is comprised of a mixture of 3:1 and 4:1 hydrotalcite structures and exhibited similar chemical characteristic to the 4:1 synthetic hydrotalcite. Hydrotalcite formed from the seawater neutralisation of Bauxite refinery residues has been found not to cause reversion. Other components in red mud were investigated to determine the cause of reversion and this investigation found three components that contributed to reversion: 1) tricalcium aluminate, 2) hydrocalumite and 3) calcium hydroxide. Increasing the amount of magnesium in the neutralisation process has been found to be successful in reducing reversion.

Extensible software for research data capture

Projects funded by the Australian National Data Service(ANDS). The specific projects that were funded included: a) Greenhouse Gas Emissions Project (N2O) with Prof. Peter Grace from QUT’s Institute of Sustainable Resources. b) Q150 Project for the management of multimedia data collected at Festival events with Prof. Phil Graham from QUT’s Institute of Creative Industries. c) Bio-diversity environmental sensing with Prof. Paul Roe from the QUT Microsoft eResearch Centre. For the purposes of these projects the Eclipse Rich Client Platform (Eclipse RCP) was chosen as an appropriate software development framework within which to develop the respective software. This poster will present a brief overview of the requirements of the projects, an overview of the experiences of the project team in using Eclipse RCP, report on the advantages and disadvantages of using Eclipse and it’s perspective on Eclipse as an integrated tool for supporting future data management requirements.

Evaluation of an Australian solar community : implications for education and training

1.1 Background What is renewable energy education and training? A cursory exploration of the International Solar Energy Society website (www.ises.org) reveals numerous references to education and training, referring collectively to concepts of the transfer and exchange of information and good practices, awareness raising and skills development. The purposes of such education and training relate to changing policy, stimulating industry, improving quality control and promoting the wider use of renewable energy sources. The primary objective appears to be to accelerate a transition to a better world for everyone (ISEE), as the greater use of renewable energy is seen as key to climate recovery; world poverty alleviation; advances in energy security, access and equality; improved human and environmental health; and a stabilized society. The Solar Cities project – Habitats of Tomorrow – aims at promoting the greater use of renewable energy within the context of long term planning for sustainable urban development. The focus is on cities or communities as complete systems; each one a unique laboratory allowing for the study of urban sustainability within the context of a low carbon lifestyle. The purpose of this paper is to report on an evaluation of a Solar Community in Australia, focusing specifically on the implications (i) for our understandings and practices in renewable energy education and training and (ii) for sustainability outcomes. 1.2 Methodology The physical context is a residential Ecovillage (a Solar Community) in sub-tropical Queensland, Australia (latitude 28o south). An extensive Architectural and Landscape Code (A&LC) ‘premised on the interconnectedness of all things’ and embracing ‘both local and global concerns’ governs the design and construction of housing in the estate: all houses are constructed off-ground (i.e. on stumps or stilts) and incorporate a hybrid approach to the building envelope (mixed use of thermal mass and light-weight materials). Passive solar design, gas boosted solar water heaters and a minimum 1kWp photovoltaic system (grid connected) are all mandatory, whilst high energy use appliances such as air conditioners and clothes driers are not permitted. Eight families participated in an extended case study that encompassed both quantitative and qualitative approaches to better understand sustainable housing (perceived as a single complex technology) through its phases of design, construction and occupation. 1.3 Results The results revealed that the level of sustainability (i.e. the performance outcomes in terms of a low-carbon lifestyle) was impacted on by numerous ‘players’ in the supply chain, such as architects, engineers and subcontractors, the housing market, the developer, product manufacturers / suppliers / installers and regulators. Three key factors were complicit in the level of success: (i) systems thinking; (ii) informed decision making; and (iii) environmental ethics and business practices. 1.4 Discussion The experiences of these families bring into question our understandings and practices with regard to education and training. Whilst increasing and transferring knowledge and skills is essential, the results appear to indicate that there is a strong need for expanding our education efforts to incorporate foundational skills in complex systems and decision making processes, combined with an understanding of how our individual and collective values and beliefs impact on these systems and processes.

Sustaining a healthy workforce

The changing demographics of the mining workforce and the increasing demand for skilled workers increases the importance of sustaining a healthy workforce now and for the future. Although health is strongly related to safety, the two areas are not well integrated and the relationship is poorly understood. As such there is an important need to raise the profile of health within the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) domain. The mining industry carries health and safety risks, often greater than other occupations. Whilst the mining industry is regulated by stringent OH&S controls, the very nature of the work and environmental influences expose employees to a greater number of injury risk factors than many other industries. In contrast to its excellent safety record, compared to most other industries, the mining workforce has a high proportion of chronic health problems. These problems can be exacerbated by the ageing of the workforce, regional location of sites and organisational issues influencing work demands. A major focus has been on the treatment of these conditions with relatively limited attention to prevention strategies. An important prevention strategy is the raising of awareness among the workforce of health issues and the significant increase in the volume of health related information has provided an excellent opportunity to access relevant information. Unfortunately, this information is of varying quality, may not be evidence based, and may provide the wrong guidance to the development of interventions designed to improve health. Limited time of most employees and potential lack of knowledge of ability to differentiate quality information presents additional problems or barriers to increasing awareness of health issues...

Mapping of shallow coastal groundwaters, their hydrology and environmental geochemistry : Pumicestone catchment, Southeast Queensland

Blooms of the toxic cyanobacterium majuscula Lyngbya in the coastal waters of southeast Queensland have caused adverse impacts on both environmental health and human health, and on local economies such as fishing and tourism. A number of studies have confirmed that the main limiting nutrients (“nutrients of concern”) that contribute to these blooms area Fe, DOC, N, P and also pH. This study is conducted to establish the distribution of these parameters in a typical southeast Queensland coastal setting. The study maps the geochemistry of shallow groundwater in the mainland Pumicestone catchment with an emphasis on the nutrients of concern to understand how these nutrients relate to aquifer materials, landuse and anthropogenic activities. The results of the study form a GIS information layer which will be incorporated into a larger GIS model being produced by Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) to support landuse management to avoid/minimize blooms of Lyngbya in Moreton Bay, southeast Queensland, and other similar settings. A total of 38 boreholes were established in the mainland Pumicestone region and four sampling rounds of groundwater carried out in both dry and wet conditions. These groundwater samples were measured in the field for physico-chemical parameters, and in the laboratory analyses for the nutrients of concern, and other major and minor ions. Aquifer materials were confirmed using the Geological Survey of Queensland digital geology map, and geomaterials were assigned to seven categories which are A (sands), B (silts, sandy silts), C (estuarine mud, silts), D (humid soils), E (alluvium), F (sandstone) and G (other bedrock). The results of the water chemistry were examined by use of the software package AquaChem/AqQA, and divided into six groundwater groups, based on groundwater chemical types and location of boreholes. The type of aquifer material and location, and proximity to waterways was found to be important because they affected physico-chemical properties and concentrations of nutrients of concern and dissolved ions. The analytical results showed that iron concentrations of shallow groundwaters were high due to acid sulfate soils, and also mud and silt, but were lower in sand materials. DOC concentrations of these shallow groundwaters in the sand material were high probably due to rapid infiltration. In addition, DOC concentrations in some boreholes were high because they were installed in organic rich wetlands. The pH values of boreholes were from acidic to near neutral; some boreholes with pH values were low (< 4), showing acid sulfate soils in these boreholes. Concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus of groundwaters were generally low, and the main causes of elevated concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus are largely due to animal and human wastes and tend to be found in localized source areas. Comparison of the relative percentage of nitrogen species (NH3/NH4< Org-N, NO3-N and NO2-N) demonstrated that they could be related to sources such as animal waste, residential and agricultural fertilizers, forest and vegetation, mixed residents and farms, and variable setting and vegetation covers. Total concentrations of dissolved ions in sampling round 3 (dry period) were higher than those in sampling round 2 (wet period) due to both evaporation of groundwater in the dry period and the dilution of rainfall in the wet period. This showed that the highest concentrations of nutrients of concern were due to acid sulfate soils, aquifer materials, landuse and anthropogenic activities and were typically in aquifer materials of E (alluvium) and C (estuarine muds) and locations of Burpengary, Caboolture, and Glass Mountain catchments.

The internetalisation of information, knowledge and interaction components of the firm’s internationalisation process

Transcending traditional national borders, the Internet is an evolving technology that has opened up many new international market opportunities. However, ambiguity remains, with limited research and understanding of how the Internet influences the firm’s internationalisation process components. As a consequence, there has been a call for further investigation of the phenomenon. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the Internet’s impact on the internationalisation process components, specifically, information availability, information usage, interactive communication and international market growth. Analysis was undertaken using structural equation modelling. Findings highlight the mediating impact of the Internet on information and knowledge transference in the internationalisation process. Contributions of the study test conceptualisations and give statistical validation of interrelationships, while illuminating the Internet’s impact on firm internationalisation.

Less but more : weaving disparate disciplines together for learners to construct their own knowledge

This paper reports on a Professional Learning Program conducted in China with 140 general technology teachers. It aimed to integrate robotics technology across and within the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. With the help of university facilitators teachers developed General Technology lessons that seamlessly integrated with rich learning content across disciplines. Teachers engaged in seminars and workshops, which provided the opportunities for them to actively couch sound principles of learning in their daily work. They gained first-hand experience in applying an aligned system of assessments, standards and quality learning experiences geared to the needs of each student. Teachers worked collaboratively in teams to create inquiry, design and collaborative learning activities that aligned with their curriculum and which dealt with real world problems, issues and challenges. They continually discussed and reflected deeply on the activities and shared the newly developed resources online with teachers across the entire country. It is evident from the preliminary analysis of data that teachers are beginning to apply rich pedagogical practices and are becoming ‘adaptive’ in their approach when using LEGO® robotic tools to design, redesign, create and re-create learning activities for their students.

Considering the importance of a systems approach to integrating ESD with campus operations

Society faces an unprecedented global education challenge to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to address emerging 21st Century challenges, spanning climate change mitigation through to adaptation measures to deal with issues such as temperature and sea level rise, and diminishing fresh water and fossil fuel reserves. This paper discusses the potential for systemic and synergistic integration of curriculum with campus operations to accelerate curriculum renewal towards ESD, drawing on the authors' experiences within engineering education. The paper begins by a providing a brief overview of the need for timely curriculum renewal towards ESD in tertiary education. The paper then highlights some examples of academic barriers that need to be overcome for integration efforts to be successful, and opportunities for promoting the benefits of such integration. The paper concludes by discussing the rational for planning green campus initiatives within a larger system of curriculum renewal considerations, including awareness raising and developing a common understanding, identifying and mapping graduate attributes, curriculum auditing, content development and strategic renewal, and bridging and outreach.

Deviant knowledge : criminology, politics and policy

The “political” dynamics and the details of conducting criminological research on a day-to-day basis are examined. The role of government and commercial contracts in contemporary criminological scholarship are explored, as well as the various obstacles that criminologists must negotiate during the completion of a research project. The criminological implications of the ways in which academic environments are changing under new managerialist philosophies are examined. The ways in which notions of “critique” have become subordinate to the politics of existing governing rationalities are also examined. Chapter 1 details the questions, contours, and methods of “deviant knowledge.” Chapter 2 discusses the contours of criminological knowledge, including early criminological developments, international reconstruction and developments in criminological research following World War II, the United Nations, and the rise of critical genres. Chapter 3 explores criminology, government, and public policy, including the policies of the Home Office of England and Wales; the National Institute of Justice in Washington, DC; and the Australian Institute of Criminology in Canberra. The politics and control of criminological knowledge are discussed in chapter 4, along with ethical and legal issues, gathering and accessing data, and publishing results of research. Chapter 5 describes the “War on Terror” and government intolerance and suppression of free speech. Chapter 6 examines the new modes of governance and the commercialization of criminological knowledge. Chapter 7 discusses intellectual independence and collective concern, and the value of critique. 3 appendices, 546 references, index

Regulating coal seam gas in Queensland : lessons in an adaptive environmental management approach?

The current regulatory approach to coal seam gas projects in Queensland is based on the philosophy of adaptive environmental management. This method of “learning by doing” is implemented in Queensland primarily through the imposition of layered monitoring and reporting duties on the coal seam gas operator alongside obligations to compensate and “make good” harm caused. The purpose of this article is to provide a critical review of the Queensland regulatory approach to the approval and minimisation of adverse impacts from coal seam gas activities. Following an overview of the hallmarks of an effective adaptive management approach, this article begins by addressing the mosaic of approval processes and impact assessment regimes that may apply to coal seam gas projects. This includes recent Strategic Cropping Land reforms. This article then turns to consider the preconditions for land access in Queensland and the emerging issues for landholders relating to the negotiation of access and compensation agreements. This article then undertakes a critical review of the environmental duties imposed on coal seam gas operators relating to hydraulic fracturing, well head leaks, groundwater management and the disposal and beneficial use of produced water. Finally, conclusions are drawn regarding the overall effectiveness of the Queensland framework and the lessons that may be drawn from Queensland’s adaptive environmental management approach.

Environmental reporting and its relation to corporate environmental performance

This study examines how both the level and the nature of environmental information voluntarily disclosed by Australian firms relate to their underlying environmental performance. Disclosure is scored using an index developed by Clarkson et al. (2008) based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines and the environmental performance measure is based on emission data available from the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI). The sample consists of 51 firms that reported to the NPI in both 2002 and 2006. The findings are as follows. First, descriptive statistics indicate that while there was modest improvement in disclosure between 2002 and 2006, the highest disclosure score obtained was just slightly in excess of 50% of the maximum available based on the GRI Guidelines. Second, the results consistently indicate that not only do firms with a higher pollution propensity disclose more environmental information; they also rely on disclosures that the GRI views as inherently more objective and verifiable. Taken together, these results suggest that concerns regarding the reliability of voluntary environmental disclosures in the Australian context remain valid and thereby potentially signal a need for both enhanced mandatory reporting requirements and improved enforcement. In this regard, our study also informs regulatory policy on mandatory disclosures of environmental performance.

A conceptual model of capability learning for the 21st century knowledge economy

This chapter proposes a conceptual model for optimal development of needed capabilities for the contemporary knowledge economy. We commence by outlining key capability requirements of the 21st century knowledge economy, distinguishing these from those suited to the earlier stages of the knowledge economy. We then discuss the extent to which higher education currently caters to these requirements and then put forward a new model for effective knowledge economy capability learning. The core of this model is the development of an adaptive and adaptable career identity, which is created through a reflective process of career self-management, drawing upon data from the self and the world of work. In turn, career identity drives the individual’s process of skill and knowledge acquisition, including deep disciplinary knowledge. The professional capability learning thus acquired includes disciplinary skill and knowledge sets, generic skills, and also skills for the knowledge economy, including disciplinary agility, social network capability, and enterprise skills. In the final part of this chapter, we envision higher education systems that embrace the model, and suggest steps that could be taken toward making the development of knowledge economy capabilities an integral part of the university experience.

New modes of governance and the commodification of criminological knowledge

This article explores the influence of new modes of governance on the production of criminological knowledge. In doing so, it examines the rise of discourses on risk and critiques the ways in which academic environments are changing under new managerialist philosophies. The article further explores the increasing 'commodification of criminological knowledge' and analyses its effect on contemporary criminological scholarship. Finally, this article examines the contours of critical criminological scholarship and advocates for a criminology of resistance.

Limestone and speleothem trace element geochemistry as tools for palaeoclimatic reconstruction, Mount Etna region, central-coastal Queensland

This study investigated potential palaeoclimate proxies provided by rare earth element (REE) geochemistry in speleothems and in clay mineralogy of cave sediments. Speleothem and sediment samples were collected from a series of cave fill deposits that occurred with rich vertebrate fossil assemblages in and around Mount Etna National Park, Rockhampton (central coastal Queensland). The fossil deposits range from Plio- Pleistocene to Holocene in age (based on uranium/thorium dating) and appear to represent depositional environments ranging from enclosed rainforest to semi-arid grasslands. Therefore, the Mount Etna cave deposits offer the perfect opportunity to test new palaeoclimate tools as they include deposits that span a known significant climate shift on the basis of independent faunal data. The first section of this study investigates the REE distribution of the host limestone to provide baseline geochemistry for subsequent speleothem investigations. The Devonian Mount Etna Beds were found to be more complex than previous literature had documented. The studied limestone massif is overturned, highly recrystallised in parts and consists of numerous allochthonous blocks with different spatial orientations. Despite the complex geologic history of the Mount Etna Beds, Devonian seawater-like REE patterns were recovered in some parts of the limestone and baseline geochemistry was determined for the bulk limestone for comparison with speleothem REE patterns. The second part of the study focused on REE distribution in the karst system and the palaeoclimatic implications of such records. It was found that REEs have a high affinity for calcite surfaces and that REE distributions in speleothems vary between growth bands much more than along growth bands, thus providing a temporal record that may relate to environmental changes. The morphology of different speleothems (i.e., stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones) has little bearing on REE distributions provided they are not contaminated with particulate fines. Thus, baseline knowledge developed in the study suggested that speleothems were basically comparable for assessing palaeoclimatically controlled variations in REE distributions. Speleothems from rainforest and semi-arid phases were compared and it was found that there are definable differences in REE distribution that can be attributed to climate. In particular during semiarid phases, total REE concentration decreased, LREE became more depleted, Y/Ho increased, La anomalies were more positive and Ce anomalies were more negative. This may reflect more soil development during rainforest phases and more organic particles and colloids, which are known to transport REEs, in karst waters. However, on a finer temporal scale (i.e. growth bands) within speleothems from the same climate regime, no difference was seen. It is suggested that this may be due to inadequate time for soil development changes on the time frames represented by differences in growth band density. The third part of the study was a reconnaissance investigation focused on mineralogy of clay cave sediments, illite/kaolinite ratios in particular, and the potential palaeoclimatic implications of such records. Although the sample distribution was not optimal, the preliminary results suggest that the illite/kaolinite ratio increased during cold and dry intervals, consistent with decreased chemical weathering during those times. The study provides a basic framework for future studies at differing latitudes to further constrain the parameters of the proxy. The identification of such a proxy recorded in cave sediment has broad implications as clay ratios could potentially provide a basic local climate proxy in the absence of fossil faunas and speleothem material. This study suggests that REEs distributed in speleothems may provide information about water throughput and soil formation, thus providing a potential palaeoclimate proxy. It highlights the importance of understanding the host limestone geochemistry and broadens the distribution and potential number of cave field sites as palaeoclimate information no longer relies solely on the presence of fossil faunas and or speleothems. However, additional research is required to better understand the temporal scales required for the proxies to be recognised.