352##1993

No. 352 Apr i I 1 993 CSIRO's s t a f f newspaper CS I RO AUSTRALIA Silmll,flldparty; SlJmllllllWhats Well, it's all over, and we even know who's going to be doing the shouting for CSIRO and the rest of the science community. It's Senator' Chris Schacht. He's 47, an ex-school-teacher, a Australia's manufactured expolts. South Australian, and a Keating He docs not, however, hold man, having supported Paul with hclping individual Keating against Bob Hawke companies, but believes the during their battle for leadership government should provide of the Labor Party. financial help for specific His political specialties arc industries. human rights, foreign affairs, and When it comes to science itself the media. Senator Schacht believes the best He has alrcady shown his retums for investment come frolll interest in communication as it purc research. relates to his new portfolio­ 'But you have to explain this in Science and Small Business. the budget proccss to people who Several times during the demand to see immediate Australian Science Festival in results,' he said. Canberra last month he publicly Initially a school teacher, urged scientists to spend more Senator Schacht became a time blowing their own trumpets. temporary organiseI' for the ALP They should put as much effort in South Australia when he was into communicating the results of 23, was for a time press secretary their work as they did into for the South Australian Minister producing them, he said. for Agriculture in lhe Dunstan He even suggested that science communication should be made a compulsory patt of all science courses in Australia. As might be predicted from his pOltfolio,Senator Schacht is also committcd to helping small business in Australia, He is convinced [hnt sector will be crucial to the nation's economlc future. He referred to a recent McKinsey study that claimed some 700 smnllnnd medium exporting companies were responsible for more than half Not bad. with a bit less energy ... Think globally; act locally, That's what the environ­ mentalists are always saying, Well, there's a CSIRO Division that might qualify, in that respect, for a place in their list of green achievers. The Division of Atmospheric Research in Melboume is probably best known for its work on the greenhouse effect. That's about as global as a research area gets, and now they've matched it with an impressive little bit of local action. The stafT have spent the past year doing everything they could to reduce electricity consumption. And they've got it down by JO pel' cent. That 10 per cent translates to about 70 tonnes of carbon dioxide that wasn't added to the earth's load of greenhouse gases last year. According to the Division's Chief, Dr Graham Pearman, it has mainly been a matter of simple things like switching off lights and equipment after use. Having done so well so far is going to make it hard to do better, The Intemational Grassland Congress held in Australia and New Zealand in February this year but the Division's staff are aiming for a further five per cent cut in attracted some heavyweight grassland gurus. Above, l~fi to right, Dr Malcolm Hadley Ii'om energy consumption during the coming year. UNESCO, Professor Kevin O'Connor Ii'Oln Lincoln University, New Zealand, and Mike Young CSIRO's Chief Executive, Dr John Stockel', said the Division from CSIRO. Scientists at the congress weren't just sitting around watching the grass not grow. offered an example to the whole Organisation of what could be AccD/yling to many of them the world's grasslands may not last 10 years. Politicians, they .lay. done with co-operative action. must work with scientists and the community to reverse land degradation trends. From that point 'This Division,' he said, 'has reduced its annual energy bill by ofview, the situation may have improved since they spoke (see story page 3). more than $5,000. That money is now going into research.' So, you buy onc local event with a global consequence, and you STOP PI~ESS: April 21. The CSIRO Division of Water Resources has won the Australian Water and Wastewater get one I'ree, it seems. Has to be a bargain.·:· Association's Peter Hughes Water Award for its contribution to water conservation. Details next issue. commissioned by the Organisation's Human Aspendalf]:and the Resources Branch and produced by Gibson Marlow Consulting. Letters The repmt was an analysis ­ Atmosphere·of based on interviews with people the electorate at the highest leadership levels to the unannounced so as to avoid in CSIRO, Government and elaborate preparations, formal industry - of the qualities that Editor presentations, and facing groups should be demanded of a ofpeople in suits. I told him CSIRO Divisional Chief. That that from my experience in the is, in PPE terms - and tlle Bntfirst, a letter from Organisation he wouldn't have report was in PPE terms - a the Editor ... too much to worry about on the report on what the people sartorial front! interviewed thought should be I'm sorry it's been so long since He's interested in a broad the new competencies for the last CoResearch, though not range of issues. Human rigilts CSIRO Chiefs. entirely sorry to have had so were prominent, and his recent It was very interesting to note many calls about it. I had a work on a parliamentary tbat in the last four years, since couple of months off in a row committee on telecommunica­ the original competency model because of a bit of surgery, and tions has increased his for Chiefs was produced, much when I returned, of course, it knowledge of - and interest in greater emphasis is being was to a pile of work even higher - the directions in which placed on the ability to interact than after a normal holiday. Laziness did come into it 100. as l~ft. policy-making and the industry with stakeholders, on Above. Paul Keating campaigning at CSIRO's Division of I was sternly advised to take it b~lore might be going in that area. On entrepreneurial skills, and on Atmospheric Research at Aopendale just the election. 1993. easy for a while, and did, but aU Right. Bob Hawke, the same. 1990. this topic, I told him about a those competencies the report very successful recent liaison called 'client orientation' and that is behind me now ... -Ed. You could hardly call the recent election unexciting, I meeting at the Division of 'commercial orientation'. That is, on commitment to a culture Dear Editor, suppose, but there was a lot of disappointment within Radiophysics in Epping. I and some CSIRO colleagues in which emphasis is placed on I think there are good grounds CSIRO ranks at the almost total lack of attention - Colin Adam, John Brotchie, del ivery of results to someone for complaint about the recent paid to science and technology. The 1990 cam[>aign Dennis Cooper, Bob Fraler, outside the Organisation. introduction of the new five­ had a strong focus on science, but this time jobs, and John O'Caliaghan and Lyndal Several participants in the tiered PPE Stage 3 fonns. First. there is the well pubIicised, other quality-of-Iife issues, tool, over the whole stage. Thorbum - met and talked leadership course reminded me willI Mr Graham Evans, forcefully that we are going to obvious lack of final, or fmther. So science, which surely should Aspendale. Departmental Secretary, and have to recognise these qualities consultation with tile CSIRO have been a prominent player, The election has also delivered other senior personnel from the not just in words but in deeds, Division of the PSU, before remained stuck in the wings, us a new Minister, and I had the Department of Transport and and especially in our promotion introduction of the new Stage 3 with nobody effectively making pleasure of a first meeting with Communications. That meeting criteria. I was able to point to forms (everyone seems to agree the connection between Chris Schacht soon after his was highlighted by the identifi­ the recent promotion of Phil the old Stage 3 forms needed innovation, technology, and appointment. He is a direct, cation of a number of opportu­ Jennings from within the changing). jobs. vigorous man, clearly deeply nities for joinl research. It Organisation across an Institute Second, and less well Apparently. no one was interested and engaged. He ended with a splendid and into a position as Chief of publicised, is the abysmal timing noticing that during the expressed great enthusiasm spirited set of presentations Tropical Animal Production as and mismanagement of the recession small business was about the portfolio he now frOln.CSIROs.cientists on the a r~aqgnWon qf a ,strong. introduction of these new forms. starting to emerge very strongly, IrolCls, whichJlicltides ho(prtly site ... communication at its leadership performance Stage 3 was under way particularly in the manufactur- science and technology but very best! demonstrating just these sorts of throughout CSIRO, and ing areas. It is interesting now small business and customs. Our new Minister's portfolio competencies. completed in my project group, to ask how these so-called Already at that first meeting falls under the Cabinet Ministry Another example is Adrian before new Stage 3 fOIl11S arrived 'born-to-export' companies he has spoken of his keenness of Industry, Technology and Williams. He was promoted for in the Divisions. Surely revision acquire their technology. to explore links between Regional Development, for exactly the same reason to the and introduction of the forms CSIRO will be paying close technology and small business, which Alan Griffiths has been position of Chief of the new should have occuned by January attention to that in a new study and that fits very well with given responsibility. Alan Division of Petroleum 1993. Even costed at one times at the initiative of the CSIRO CSIRO's efforts to build Griffiths is already an old Resources. salary (not to mention extra Board. productive links with industry. acquaintance of CSIRO's The same thing can be seen in printing costs and tile felling of a It is also worthy of note that He also expressed a great through his frequent contact recent appointments of Program few extra trees) the cost to there's one tiling you absolutely interest in scientists as with us while he was Minister Leaders, many of whom I CSIRO of staff time to re-do have to do if you want to win an communicators. He said he had for Resources under the mentioned in my December Stage 3 is immense. Perhaps a election, and that is to go and noticed CSIRO doing a lot more portfolio of Primary Industries column last year, when I spoke three times multiplier should be take the waters at the CSIRO in this regard in the past few and Energy. I'm looking about multi-Divisional used to account for staff Division of Atmospheric years - though stillmore could forward keenly to an active programs. malcontent. Research at Aspendale three be done - but he thinks that working relationship with him, All of Ihese Program Leaders I find it ironic that HRB are days before the election. many other research groups and particularly in those areas were chosen for their skills in spending large sums of money Bob Hawke did it in 1990, organisations are still quite where CSIRO can help to achieving results through their on 111anagement training courses releasing his election policy at a unable to communicate what strengthen industrial leadership of groups of people for staff, and yet seem time when the opinion polls they do and why they do it. He performance and where the rather than for scientific stature detell11ined to tough out a gave him no chance, and won urged CSIRO to continue Government can help to alone. situation that need not have the election. emphasising communication; to stimulate industrial investment CSIRO has long provided a happened, but did through their This time Prime Minister and keep training people in media in research. In early April I was national warehouse of brilliant own bad management. Mrs Keating, the Minister for skills and encouraging them to pleased to deliver thc latest in scientists. What we need now as One might ask, who within Science tmd Technology Ross get involved in explaining our the series of D1TARD Industry well is to foster an HRB had as one of their PPE Free, and the Minister for the reason for existence. It will not Policy Seminars. Organisational culture around objectives 'to release the revised Environment Ros Kelly all be enough to say to Minister All this leads me to a final effective delivery of technology prE Stage 3 version by March turned up three days before the Schacht that a Division is point. I recently spent half a day to the people who need it. 1993'. and who were the election at Aspendale. Mr employing 25 PhDs on a with a very important CSIRO Manager and the next-level Keating gave an excellent, very particular site; it will be critical group - men and women Manager who agreed to such confident speecil. looked every to explain what they're doing, nominated by their Directors to ludicrous timing? One might inch a winner as he stood on the why they're doing it, and who attend CSIRO's Leadership also ask'Did all three people get podium, and confounded the benefits from their presence Development Program. I always their increments?' - that would pundits by winning the election. there. find this group stimulating and be the least of the costs to I think it's going to be a very Chris Schacht said he would our discussion at Woodend was CSIRO. brave candidate who ever again be a regular visitor to Divisions. no exception. Yours sincerely faces the Australian electorate I-Ie's very keen to see our work That discussion was mainly Greg Davis John Stoc!,er without first having taken tea and meet our people. He told focused on a new report Division of Water Resources (or tested the Atmosphere?) at me he likes to turn up Chief Executive continued on page 8

352-1993 International Grassland Congress calls for action - and the grass is looliing greener on this side of the election When Paul Keating announced four days before the Federal election that and the need to preserve 'There is a new vitality among he would allocate $20 million to Australia's degraded grasslands and biodiversity. scientists who have attended the 2. The need to move faster and Congress. rangelands the answering cries from conservationists were glad but faint. further in using the world's vast 'They have been challcnged to They, like every other group, expected him to be out of work, and out of wealth of knowledge and look at the relevance of their public money, within the week. technology to produce farming rescarch and to influence systems that work. policy-makers around the world But he was re-hired, and that casts a new and brighter light on much of 3. The impact that new to address the needs of what was said at afortnight-long international grasslands conference held technologies will have on the grasslands and grassland in New Zealand and Australia in February this year. Communication maintenance and productivity of farmers. ' Manager for CSIRO's Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, lenni grasslands. 4. The need to make current Metcalfe, was there, using her communication skills to help make the scientific research and conference a success. She offers CoResearch readers this report. technology relevant to the needs of farmers and graziers, other More than 80 CSIRO staff members from seven more than 8 billion people in less than 30 years. beneficiaries and policy­ different Divisions made the joumey to Palmerston makers. 'This is placing enormous North in New Zealand and to Rockhampton in pressure on the earth's 5. The wodd-wide trend Queensland for the Seventeenth International resources, including the towards decreased investment in research on grasslands, just Grassland Congress. grasslands,' he said. when the need for that research The first highlight of the Brougham, told delegates at the The themes and concerns of was increasing. Congress was its official Congress they should debate the the first afternoon were echoed 6. A new vitality among the opening by the Governor­ issues surrounding the good throughout the Congress during world's grassland scientists. General of New Zealand, Dame management of grasslands and sessions dealing with a range of Catherine Tizard. provide some real recommenda­ topics from plant resources to Dr Clements said that the Dame Cath gave a stirring tions and conclusions. technology transfer and Congress had been particularly welcome to the 1,300 scientists 'Make them good and education. important in motivating at the Congress from over 100 meaningful,' he said, 'because grassland scientists around the countries. perhaps the world has not got Dr Bob Clements, Chief of the world. 'We broke new ground She challenged scientists to much time left to ensure the Division of Tropical Crops and in the organisation of this make their research relevant to sustainability of its grasslands.' Pastures and Vice-Chairman of Congress,' he said. 'We opened the policy-makers of the day. His words were echoed by the the Australian Organising the Congress up to the 'Scientists need to work to keynote speakers who Committee, summed up what he developing world in a way that influence politicians more challenged scientists to work saw as the main issues had not previously been meaningfully than in the past,' with sociologists, economists, highlighted at the Congress ~ attempted. she suid. farmers and politicians to I. Worry over the sustain(\bili­ .At the same time, we moved 'Politicians will never be develop productive and ty of the world's grasshmd away from a previous preoccu­ influenced to action unless there sustainable grassland systems. ecosystems underpressureti:om pation with scientific disciplines is an informed public pressing The first speaker, Professor population to focus allenlion on the urgent them.' Hal Mooney fron, Stanford issues confronting the world's President of the International University, said tllc\¥()rI4S\?11Id grassJ and ecosystems. Grassland Congress, Dr Ray expect a global population of Trevor McDoug ns Rivett Medal Dr Trevor McDougall of the CSIRO Division of Oceanography has won the 1992 David Rivett Medal for ten years of outstanding research in oceanography. 'Australia's regional oceans playa vital part in our economic future, as well·as being the key to understanding our climate,' Dr McDougall said. The 1982 EI Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) caused the death of 71 Australians, made 8,000 people homeless and cost the nation an estimated $2.5 billion. Other ocean changes are also costly. 'For a 0.5 degree Celsius rise in the surface temperature of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, the nett value of Australia's crops decreases in the order of $1 billion,' said Mr Doug Shears, CSIRO Board Member and Executive Chairman of ICM Australia, who presented the Medal. Mr Shears said the ki'1d of research Dr McDougall was doing was vital for Australia's agricultural industries, who needed to plan for variations in climate, droughts and floods. Dr McDougall is recognised as the world's leading authority on many aspects of how the waters of the oceans mix. Mixing in the deep layers of the oceans plays a critical role in global heat balance and climate change. Over the past len years Dr McDougall has made important contributions to many aspects of ncean mixing, and has discovered four previously unknown mixing processes. The David Rivett Medal was begun in 1962 by the CSIRO Officers' Association to honour Sir David Rivett, Chief Executive Officer and later Chairman of CSIR, the organisation that evolved into CSlRO. Notably, this is the first and last time the Medal will be presented by the CSJRO Staff Association. Until recenil y it was Above, CSIRO Board Member Doug Shears prsents the 1992 Rivett Medal to Trevor McDougall given by the Officers' Association, and now it will go over to the CSIRO Division of the PSU. ,,(rhe CSlRO Division 0(Ocew1OIiraphy.

352-1993 Media skills A MaUer 01 ... a scientific approach to the media?

CSIRO's Corporate Public Affairs has organised a two-day course designed to help scientists make better use of the media to Opi.ion get their message across. It brings them into contact with· working journalists from television, radio and newspapers, and discusses the practice of getting exposure in the media.

This month's opinion comes from GeoffLane ofthe CSIRO Division of What makes a good news story? How do you contact journalists? Exploration and Mining (formerly Exploration Geoscience) in Sydney. What is a good time to approach the media? How are the needs of a newspaper journalist .different from those of a television Mr Lane also manages the North Ryde site's Visual Resources group. journalist? How should a scientist handle awkward or potentially Announcement of the final round of Co­ draftsman actually shows embarrassing questions? What preparation needs to be done? the graphic designer a thing How do you stop the media from getting the facts wrong or operative Research Centre selection suggests misrepresenting the story? What should you wear for television? that attention to the quality of research or two and hey, I'll be damned if you don't have a proposal presentation is warranted in some bit of a cohesive group Scientists and journalists come from different worlds with quarters. This is particularly so in the dog-eat­ working here. different pressures and deadlines, but in producing a good story, dog funding decline we are forced to endure, And just so Management often their interests come together. Once the scientists understand but it should be stressed that these views are feels involved with it all, how the journalists work, and the conventions and forms of their finished products, it gets easier to make the media work for them. driven by the realities rather than ideals. you could ask It to set up As I write, a Labor right, you may just win best some sort of funding Specific topics covered include- campaign promise from the paper. arrangement for this • a compm'ison of the priorities and needs of the different media; recent election dangles the So where does one obtain emerging asset of presenta­ • what makes a news story, and how it should be phrased; carrot of another ten CRCs this holy grail of presenta­ tion technologists. On • how to make a launch or big announcement; in front of a punch-drunk tion technology? Chances second thoughts, work it all • what to do when a journalist knocks on your door; scientific community. The are it is right there, out yourself and then tell • how to prepare for the television cameras; 1990 CRC money bucket somewhere in your Management how it all runs. • writing a media release, and why scientists need the l1elp of now allocated, these Division. However, you may There will be a free lunch trained communicators; established programs and have to look pretty hard and the moment a dollar is • handling the hot questions. others in the future will it is quite likely to be earned. OK, morning tea, at need to be supplemented, suffering from a lack of least ... The courses are run in a friendly atmosphere, with participants enhanced, expanded and effective management. You Believe it or not, all this drawn from a number of CSlRO sites and other institutions. They promoted - all possible might be lucky enough to be actually works. All that is are held away from CSIRO sites, so that participants are not only with an adequate in one of those areas which required is a little lateral distracted by normal business. A folder of notes and tips is given commitment to excellent has access to a disciplined thinking, flexibility and a out. presentation. group. commitment fr0111 a few The somewhat.preynl(jnt AI.teplariY(jJy,.yot! mi,ght ..be peopleto\¥(jrlc together attitude - 'a glossy presen­ producing your ownpresen­ productively rather than in tation gives the appearance tation resources (you know selfish isolation. A higher of not needing the funds'­ - bringing in your own degree in creative is naive at best, stupid at Pentax or running that accounting is certainly worst. In this competitive bootleg copy of Harvard useful, and, frankly, easily environment, everything Graphics on your PC). If so, found in the new, economi­ must be professional, don't let on to the Chief, cally rationalised CSIRO­ especially the science, of who certainly wouldn't the budgetary obligation course, beginning with a approve of highly paid sans-uppel [without appeal] properly presented argument scientists doing the work of to devolve every minuscule for that dirtiest of skilled technicians ... would expense and 'overhead' to commodities - money. The he? projcct level leads to some professional ism continues You might be in a Division bizarre practices as we all with properly presented lImt purchases its presenta­ know! It will help to be able reporting during the tion needs from commercial to communicate with more research, thus justifying the sources, in which case you tl1an one Division, but that granting of the money. The must be awash with funds. is not nearly as difficult as end of the process is a But you stilI don't get quite getting one Division to talk properly presented final what you want because to another. That's report and/or commerciali­ science really isn't their impossible, so don't waste sation plan. Good presenta­ bag. time trying. tion need not be costly but But wait, there's that 'M' The bottom line is that you the best scicnce in the world word back there ­ may actually start to impress· is useJess if it does not management - that thing people sufficiently to fund impress someone. It must be for which this Organisation your latest idea (as long as it well presented. now exists, rather than for is strategically targeted of DlI1'ing the work you may science as once was the course). You migl1t also join wish (indeed you may have case. Perhaps what is the ranks of those who been invited) to tell your required is a little bit of regularly gain best paper or colleagues and peers what m... m...management applied meritorious slide show you are up to. If you are still to those technical ski lis in awards at 'Conference projecting pages of the presentation technologies. Internationale'. Even if you phone book to support your Get a few people talking to are very, very shy, you will theories and discoveries, the one another, perhaps doing a feel a little bit proud. The chairman ought to throw bit for one another ... the debilitating quest for the you out - assuming he/slle illustrator from Division X ever-elusive research dollar and the audience arc still helps out the photographer might actually begin to be awake. If you are doing it from Division Y; the fun ... and successful !.:.

352-1993 Pinjarra Hills - open atlast! New Chief for Soils by Jenifer North, Manager, Corporate Communication 110 people already work there. The headquarters of the Co­ On a hot February 5th, Queensland Premier Wayne operative Research Celllre (CRC) for Mining Technology Goss officially opened the new CSIRO Centre at and Equipment is located at thc I'injarra I-Iills, just outside Brisbane. Centre, and II substantial The Queensland Centre for Dr Alan Reid, Director of CSIRO project in light metal Advanced Technologies CSIRO's Institute of Minerals, casting, part of a new CRC for (QCAT) is ajoint venture Encrgy and Construction Alloy and Solidification between CSIRO and the (IMEC), had thanked the many Technology (CAST), will also Queensland State government. people involved with getting be established there. These two It takes on research and this projcct off thc ground at a CRCs provide strong research development in all aspects of dinner thc previous evening. links between CSIRO and the the minerals, energy and However, he did specially University of Queensland. manulilcturing industries. Its single out at the opening Chiefs The Centre also hosts the goal is to increase the inten1H­ Ming Leung andBruce Hobbs Queensland Supercomputing tional competitivencss and for the initial impetus, IMEC's Laboratories, which makes a efficiency of Queensland's and Resource Manager, Peter Bosci medium supercomputer Austral ia 's resource-based and Corporate Property's available to CSIRO, as well as industries, and the industries General Manager, George to academic and industrial related to them. Harley, for their help with the users. Mr Goss said he saw the realisation of the idea. After the formal opening Centre as a vital link in his The first planned opening, in ceremony, guests were invited State's strategy to become a Septemberl992, had to be to join extensive tours. It was a world leader in mining, mineral postponed at the last minute bit like a package holiday - so processing and manufacturing. because a State election was much to see and so little time. A

It was, he said, I a milestone to a called, but the wait has been lot of staff had put a lot of effort new fnture'. worth it. Most newly opened into well thought-out displays In what may be a record for an laboratories are rather skeletal that wheltedthe appetite for opening, the Premier also in staff and equipment, but not more information. At the end of January this year Dr Roger Swift took announced a $1.3 million this one. The wait had enabled I was uncharacteristically over as Chief of the CSIRO Division of Soils. He extension to the Centre, funded it to build up its staff and silent - conscious that asking brings to the Division not only an impressive research by the Federal and Queensland resources, so we saw a complex too many questions would delay career but a good deal of administrative experience. governments. humming with activity. our group - but there's a lot of CSIRO Chief Executive Dr The Centre is now the interesting work going on there He has come te SSl)~.Ofrom Later he moved to Edinburgh John Stocker, in welcoming Mr headquarters of the Division of in mine design, mining hispostaslkofeSSprofBoil University as a Senior Lecturer Goss, said he saw QCAT, with Geomcchanics and houses staff methods, mine-site rehabilita­ Scien?eandlIeaq()fthe ... •... in $()ilScience. His next post its joint projects reaching out from the Divisions ofCoal and tion, oil and gas engineering, Departl1l?ntof~()il~fie~ce at w~sa~ProIessor ofSoils beyond Divisions and beyond Energy Technology, . mineral processing and waste the UniVersity ()f§e~dil)g.,. .• • Science and Bead of CSIRO, as a symbol of the Manufacturing Technology, management, coal preparation, England;Whilein that post he Department of Soil Science at Organisation's new outward Mineral and Process and metal castiug ... to name but was also Dean of the Faculty of Lincoln University in New focus. Engineeering, and Soils. About a few. I'll be bUck, folks!-:- Agriculture and Chairman of Zealand: While there he was theCentreI()rd;la[tlr~nd also made Vice-Principal of Science: Lincoln University. It was in non a 1989 that he moved to Reading. 11lJJ1)per~f§pe~illnst Dr Swift is a chemistry qm~§ultallC~as§igl1lnentsfor graduate from Birmingham ind~lst\'Wlal1dotherorganisa- University, and his research li911§,w.orkedas an adviser and expertise is largely in the area llivellTefresher courses for of soil chemistry. technical e)(perts in the fertiliser He has been elected to a and agro-chemical industries. number of national ane! interna- He first came to Australia as a tional soil science posts, and is post-doctoral fellow with the a member of the Council of the University of Western Australia. British Society of Soil Science. Leon Smith wins Comcare award for seeder safety If an ounce of pl'evention is worth a pound of cure, Leon Smith's new combine-loading platform must be worth about six state-of-the-art adjustable hospital beds complete witlt heavy traction gear and mature, well marbled surgeons (junior surgeons and anaesthetists assisting), five of the best heavy-duty wheelchairs and a couple of solid oak coffins, with metal trim. Because it used to be a dangerous business at CSIRO's Ginninderra Experiment Station, loading and unloading combine seeders. A spokesperson at the station, which is part of the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry in Canberra, said, 'Whilst we are assured that suitable loading ramps are available at particular properties, the reality is that they are often makeshift and dangerous.' Well, not any more. In broad daylight Leon Smith, overcome by Necessity, conceived an invention. The idea was to make a low platform onto which the combine could be backed and secured. The platform is on wheels, so that it clln then be winched up the sliding tray onto the truck and Ahove, NUMBAT, the remote-controlled mine rescue vehicle developed hy CSIRO, gets an airing at again securely attached. Unloading is the same thing in reverse. It·s the official opening ofthe new Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies at Pinjarra Hills. L~ft to very safe. right, Wayne Goss, Premier of Queensland; Dr David Hainsworth, Project Leader, Mine Late last year Mr Smith's invention won Comcare Australia's Communication and Automation, Division of Geomechanics; Joanne Stocker and Dr John Stockel; 1992 Prevention Award for Commonwealth Seclor Occupational Chi~f Execntive ofCSIRO, and Dr Graham Price, Acting Chief, Division ofGeomechanic.l'. Health and Safety in the ACT.•:.

352-1993 Do-it-YOJlrself Caption .. Competition cross-fertilisation Two CSIRO scientists, Dr Ken Yap from the Division of Information Technology and Dr Grant Griffiths from the Division of Radiophysics, recently took part in a management course at Little Bay in Sydney with about 40 others from Divisions anoss the O."ganisation. They were struck by what Dr depends on getting the right Griffith called 'the amazing people. It will not appeal to breadth of expertise and talent' everyone.' they saw at the course, and The two doctors handed out a equally by how little interaction questionnaire at the Little Bay really goes on between course, and the response was Divisions. generally good. They were particularly Encouraged by this, they impressed by the powerful enlisted the Human Resources Bungee jumping was the most popular theme for t!lis one, but the winning entlY came from John creative potential ofconversa­ Branch to help them with a Bums of Canberra's Division of Water Resources - 'Stop your bloody tantmms. There ore only tions between scientists from more detailed list of questions. three more transepts to do'. Another Ilice one came from Pat Francis of Materials Sciellce and widely different backgrounds. This they sent out to about 280 Techllology in Clayton: 'Dung beetles buried Ted here in 20 seconds'. Brad Sherman, Centre for As an example of this creative CSIRO staff of CSOF level 6 Environmelltal Mechanics, was a close t!lird with 'You wallt me to shorten the bllllgee cord lIext potential, Dr Griffiths cited the and above. time?' (even though it isn't related, at least as far as I know, to CSIRO work). use of millimeter-wavelength The staff to be surveyed were Bev George, from Food Science and Technology in Sydney, sent 'You must show me your job radio-waves to measure the fat chosen at random - Dr Yap description some time' alld Lynn Pulford ofEducatioll Programs ill Callberra suggested 'The effect content of leather, and the received a questionnaire, and so oftoo much Bundy'. ROil Chatelier of Chemicals and Polymers in Clayton had a similar idea, with control of some insect pests by did one retrenched employee­ 'Another victim ofthe latest Australian craze ." Blllldey Jllmping'. Ron also suggested 'All Institnte magnetic fields. and the sample represented Director being trained to cany the world on !lis shoulders'. From the same Dil'ision, and apparently On the less glamorous side, he about 10 per cent of the after some collusion, Alastair Hodges submitted 'John Stocker discussing science policy with Ross pointed out, such exchanges can Organisation. Free'. (I know we've got a new Minister 1I0W, but still ". ) also provide a wealth of useful The results of the survey are B.G. HUlltfrom Atmospheric Research sent 'Now,for the secolld part ofyo III' PPE ." " alldfrom information on such things as too detailed to cover here, but Jenny Goode of Forest P/'(Iducts in Clayton came 'Good Heavens! I don't kllow why tlley drink it, work practices, sources of most respondents found the that BUlUley (Centro) rum'. supply, Divisional administra­ scheme interesting and thought Geny Sheltinga from the Illformation Network in Melboul'lle SlIbmitted 'A del'otee pays his tion and management structures. their program or project could respects at the memorial ofbungee-jumper extraordillaire Mr B. Centro'; from Noelene McCormack This potential for cross-fertili­ benefit from it. of the Divisioll ofApplied Physics in Sydney came 'Well that didn't work too well; now will you by sation prompted Drs Yap and They all believed, in greater or the ferret?'; M. Mullett ji'om Mineral Products in Floreat sellt 'In this plot we are attempting to Griffiths to put forward a lesser degree, that Divisions had grow the perfect male scielltisf; alld this totally different elltly came from Karen Perera ofMilleral simple scheme to try to ideas that ~ould be usefulto and Pr.09~sS Enliine~ring "'f.¥1no~qilJ.qrydrillkj/lg straw,;i,fstab~ed illto a raw potato in a certabl captialise on what they saw asa other Divisions. way, will go stmight through it. CSIRO scientists ill Australia are now testing the theOly that ifyou virtually undiscovered resource One and two-day visits, once did the same to the earth with YOUI' head, you should Sltlface ill Guatemala'. within CSIRO. or twice a year, was the average Ross Hansell, Division of Tropical Crops alUl Pastures ill St Lucia, sellt 'Just look around dowll The essence of the scheme, in preference. there. DOII't yor. agree these are the best /'(lot systems we have developed for pastures yet?' its present form, is that it allows However, it wasn't all From HOllorary Research Fellow T. Patrick Maler at Coal alld Ellergy Techllology ill Sydlley, came scientists to visit other agreement. Among the 'Come 011 AIU/cllow thatyou're married with childrim, /Jut it iSIl't the elld ofthe world! Divisions for one or two days to comments offered were'too Thallk you all,.Qllq here's allother. Fairly promisillg, I think share ideas about projects, busy doing PPE and earning 30 methods of problem-solving per cent'; 'you can't organise and, generally, how things serendipity'; 'contradicts shou Id be done. intellectual property ethos'; 'if The visitor gives a short talk we don't talk locally, why fund on the activities of his or her it nationally?; 'group visits own Division and provides a morc efficient'; and 'I'nl a brief written report after the sociologist so I can help event. everyone and no one can help 'It is important,' said Dr me'. Griffith, 'that thcre is a specific host for each visit. also a Dr Griffiths said that several member of the schcme, who has useful suggestions were offered, a genuine interest in sharing most of which have now been information. incorporated in the scheme. 'The success of the scheme Second Madsen Medal for Trevor Bird The 1992 John Madsen Medal has been awarded to Dr Trevor Bird and Mr Christopher Sroka of the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics for their paper Design of Ku-BalUl Antellllas for the Galllxy HS601C Satellites. This is the second time Dr Bird has won the Madsen Medal. The first time was in 1988, for a paper called Earth Statioll Antellnasfor Mnltiple Satellite Access. The medal is awarded annually by the Institution of Engineers, Australia, in honour of Sir John Madsen, foundation professor of electrical engineel'ing at the University of Sydney from 1920-1949.';'

352-1993 The rainbow connection, and China's increased ginseng harvest How's your Yin-Yang balance? Ifyou're getting On in years, or if you'd like to be alignment of complex forces, working well. Purple, she says, resulting in greater well-being. has been the most successful a hard-driving, career-obsessed corporate competitor, but can't seem to drum up Madam Liu is no herbalist, of colour, but her nearly 10 per the enthusiasm, you might consider a little Chinese ginseng to warm up the whole course. Her concern is in cent yield increase has come system and stimulate your failing Yang. increasing the yield of the ii'om a plastic sheet with a Traditional Chinese medicine crop, and her group has Chinese ginseng is in the valuable plant, and in this she carefully researched defines its remedies with terms managed to increase the annual warming category, she said. It has been remarkably successful. combination of all the colours like 'cool' and 'warm', 'female' yield by 8 - 10 per cent, enhances the positive, the By studying the effects of light in various intensities. and 'male', or 'Yin' and 'Yang', without causing the plant to lose masculine, the Yang. American of differing quality on Drs Jan Anderson and Fred rather than by reference to their potency. ginseng is in the cooling photosynthesis in ginseng she Chow, with whom she is specific effects on localised Her work has been focused on category, increasing the balance has been able to establish the working at Plant Industry, are maladies. Chinese doctors treat the effects of light on two in favour of the Yin forces, the best quality of light for interested in trying out her the person rather than attacking varieties of the ginseng plant ­ feminine, the negative. Older optimum growth. findings on shade plants here. the disease; they placate the Chinese and American. (There people, she said, 'might like to One of her triumphs has been Shaded cloths and plastics, says body rather than chastising it. is a long history on the take' the Chinese variety, while the development of a multi­ Dr Anderson, have been used Here in the West (well, American continent, too, of the anyone might use the American. coloured plastic cover for the before, in the middle east, for culturally speaking ... ) we still medicinal use of ginseng by And neither variety would ginseng plants. The plants grow example, but in these cases seem to think in terms of both Indians and settlers. (One properly be called a 'medicine'. best in shade, but the exact there were no scientifically casting out devils, be they of its relatives with which we It reminded me of another effects of different colours and arranged bands ofcolour; a tumours, vil'llses or diseased are more familiar, if only from conversation, with anotller intensities of shade have been lower light intensity was aimed organs; so we poison, irradiate, Anlerican nl0vies, is sarsaparil­ Chinese woman, years ago. She unknown up till now. Normally at, not the subtlety of the natural liposuck or cut off bits of la, a popular soft drink with had said that the great thing the very rare, very delicate, very shade of trees and mountain ourselves in order to become reputed tonic properties.) about Chinese medicine, the valuable ginseng has been slopes. more healthy. Both varieties of ginseng, she thing that made it superior to found at the bases of mountains, Madam Liu, in her turn, is The Chinese tend to aim at said, act as tonics for the whole western medicine, was that it under trees. impressed by what she has something more Iike peaceful system; both tend to help the had'no effects'. It had s,eemed But not under most trees, and found here. She is particularly co-existence among their devils; body fend off infections. obvious that she meant no bad not at the bases of aU taken by the vastly better going in less for redundancies, Nevertheless, Madam Liu says effects - no unwanted side mountains. opportunities for training here, as it were, and more for that they are, in the temlS of effects. But maybe she really Andjus[planting it in spots including equipment and strategic corporate restructures. Chinese medicine, virtual did mean no effeCts, oratleast that looked like the spots where libraries, and would dearly love At least, that was one opposities in the way they none on particuJal' internal it grew naturally hasn't worked to do her PhD in Australia. (She impression I got from a brief work. organs,just arehalancitlg, are- out veryweII. gained her MSc in Plant interview with a fascinating Madam Liu's treatment is Biophysics in 1988.) She says it young Chinese scientist who is makes her feel very lucky to be spending six months working in working in CSIRO, where she the Canberra Division of Plant is able to do research Industry. Madam Liu Li-xia is a experiments all day long. plant biologist on loan to Considering the daunting CSIRO from China, where she nature of the obstacles in her has won awards as one of the path, Madam Liu is already '25 Best Young Scientists of the doing impressively well in Chinese Academy of Sciences', China. Aside from all her in 1991, and as one of the '10 prizes, she is an Associate Best Young Scientists of Jilin Professor in the Laboratory of Province', in 1993, for her work Bioluminescence in the on increasing the yield of Changchunlnstitute of Physics ginseng, both Chinese and of the Chinese Academy of American, among other Science. The Academy is the triumphs. counterpart of CSIRO, except Ginseng is one of China's that it has 60,000 employees most important crops, and a compared to our 7,000. Madam very difficult one to cultivate. Liu's husband is also an Traditionally too expensive for Associate Professor, at the any but the wealthy, it has come Northeast Normal University in down dramatically in price, but Changchun, and they have a remains very much a luxury six-year-old son. crop, and very popular. The She says it is more difficult for Chinese have great faith in its women to succeed in science in rejuvenating powers. China than it is for men, as Apparently it was common in women have also to look after old China to call together the 'the children, the family and the family when an ancient was hnsband'. On the other hand, dying. In those days travel was she says, young scientists like slow, and the relatives looking herself are being encouraged after the ancestor-to-be would, and rewarded much more than if they could afford it, place an the older ones by the current entire ginseng root in the old Chinese Government. person's mouth. It was believed this might delay death long .rhows Dr John Stocker the rainbow-coloured plastic sheet she has developed for Well, one wonders, with all enough to allow the whole optimising growth of ginseng, one of China's most precious plants domestically, and one qf its those accomplishments behind family to be present. most lucrative exports. By carefid experimentation with combinations of colours that mimic the her, is she really as young as In Madam Liu's province­ natural shade lighting the plant prefers, she and her group have managed to increase yields by 8-10 she looks? Might there have Jilin, in the north-eastern region per cent. Ginseng is the main product qfJilin, Madam Liu's province. She is working at the Divisian of been some secret ginseng­ of China - ginseng is by far Plant Industry as part qf the CSIRO/Chinese Academy ofSciences Exchange Program, having been nibbling in the lab? the most important commercial Judged to be one ofthe most promising young Chinese scientists afthe Academy in 1991.

352-1993 Letters to the Editor continuedfrom page 2 Dear Editor. 'very good' on the four-point sky, and plants produce an about, some from CSIRO, some I would like to respond to the scale. atmosphere for us to breathe. from AWTA, as a result of issues raised by Greg Davis The Decision to revise the All this at no charge. Such experience. An important factor about the introduction of the PPE Stage 3 for this cycle was natuml processes can be thought in maintaining the accuracy of five-point rating scale in PPE the Executive Committee's. The of as analogues of an automated the measurement is the conduct Stage 3 and the timing of the Human Resources Branch's role economy. of round-trials by an change. was to assist the Organisation to Rather than use science to independent international IntroductiOlI ofthe five-point implement that decision. engage in a global trade war, we organisation (Interwoollabs) rating scale Yours sincerely should use science to create a based in Brussels. A similar The CSIRO Division of the Dob Marshall world of abundance and leisure. assurance scheme will be PSU and other unions who have Acting General Manager David Erskine necessary in the case of represented CSIRO staff were Human Resources Branch Division of Water Resources SIROLAN-LASERSCAN. consulted before changes were Griffith The main limitation of the airflow method is that it gives made to PPE. They were Godism exposed involved in the PPE Review and History distorted no measure of fibre diameter Dear Editor, its presentation to the Dear Editor, distribution; that measurement, You somehow manage to find Consultative Council. The 1am prompted to write to you if required, initially had to be ever lower moral depths to sink done by means of the tedious recommendations were then put by the article in the December to, don't you! To racism and manually operated projection to the CSIRO Executive 1992 CoResearch 'Crean opens sexism you've now added microscope. This situation Committee which approved the new wool lab' in which blasphemy. stimulated the search, that has change to a five-point rating attention is drawn to the new In the December issue of extended over a number scale. Despite the support for SIROLAN-LASERSCAN of CoResearch (No. 351) your the five-point scale by the instrument for measurement of years, for an automated version majority of managers (63 per cartoon entitled 'Read My of the projection microscope Rainbows' depicted God as the distribution parameters of ccnt). implcmentation teams (83 fibre diameter of a sample of procedure culminating in the incompetent, untrustworthy and. development per cent). human resource wool. of worst of all, bald! SIROLAN-LASERSCAN. managers (82 per cent) and staff Unfortunately, but perhaps But you have hoist yourself The ingenious application of (53 per cent) surveyed in the inadvertently, the imprcssion is PPE Review. the PSU proposed with your own petard. In your the latest technology in the new strenuous attempts at given in the mticle that the new a three-point scale (prefelTed by instrument has filled a vacuum instrument is worthy of seven per cent of stafl). Given defamation you have inadver­ emphasis but I believe it is not tently represented Her as a man! and that here, at last, is the first the restricted time frame. the means of measuring mean fibre necessary to distort history in expressed desire of staff for a Prudence Goodbody order to achieve that emphasis. Division of Psychobotany diameter, a characteristic that is five-point scale and the quite rightly described as Yours sinccrely, apparent gulf of difference important in determining the H.G. David (Retired) between CSIRO staff and the Too cleverfor our processing and end-use Formerly Division of Textile Physics/Wool Technology PSU. the Execulive Committee own good? potential of a parcel of wool. decided to implement the five­ Dear Editor, The impression is a misleading point scale. We are being urged to become one; measurement of mean fibre More pictures please! The timing ofthe change diameter of semi-processed Madam Editor, In most Divisions the PPE cycle the clever country. Cleverness today means living a life wool (tops) was made possible CanlIMainplease use your for 1992/93 began on 1 April of leisure, sustained by an from about 1954 by the work of columns to askfor pictures to J992 and finished on 31 March automated economy. Yet our Anderson and others in the be sent to me for the CSIRO 1993. The replacements for political leaders think that Leeds laboratories of WIRA Christmas card? Both of last pages 7 and 8 were available in cleverness means working long and by the work of Monfort and year's cards used pictures that Ii me for the end of the cycle and hours exporting goods and his associates in Belgium. A were sent in as a result of my the majority of staff will not services. Is this cleverness or fonn of 'airflow' apparatus was Coresearch request. have to 're-do' their PPE Stage developed on each side of the So if any of the readers have 3. A few Divisions, including world-class stupidity? Science makes it possible to Channel with only minor attractive photographs or the Division of Water hand much production and differences between the two. In computer images relating to our Resources, chose to align the distribution over to automatic 1968 James and Bow, at the work, I'd love to see them. The PPE cycle dilferently and the procedures, but too many CSIRO Division of Textile photographer gets credit on the replacement pages were not people are still stuck in the Physics (now the Division of card. available for their staff who had stone age. The owners Wool Technology) showed that, Could I have them by the started to do Stage 3. Since the of capital want to expand their business with some preparation, samples beginning of June please? only changes to pages 7 and 8 of raw wool can be measured by Send (preferably) duplicates to were the rating scale and the activity, just for the sake of it. If this is clevemess, who needs it? the airflow method. Since then me at Corporate section outlining the potential the method has been used by Communication, PO Box 225, reward options, the additional The natural world is full of automation. The sun shines AWTA and other laboratories as Dickson, ACT 2602. action required is a reconsidera­ part of the pre-sale Jenifer North tion of the rating for those staff down indiscriminately, cubic kilometres of rain fall out of the measurement system. A number Manager, Corporate whose performance was rated as of improvements have come Communication

352-1993 Governor-General International astrono tours Brisbane sy osium in dney Divisions CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility and to create an artil1cial star. the University of Sydney got together recently to host This'star' is used to guide the Australia's Governor-General, Bill Hayden, sought telescope optics, allowing an international astronomy symposium on campus. specialist advice from CSIRO's rural research sites astronomers to correct for the in Bdsbane on April 5. The University runs one of the astronomers (working with effects of the atmosphere, which Visiting the Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures and the world's most interesting telescopes that collect light) and otherwise limit the performance Division of Tropical Animal Production, Mr Hayden was telescopes - a world-class half radio astronomers. As of large optical telescopes. introduced to research for the broad-acre tropical crops and northern instrument for measuring the teclmology has developed the This new technique will allow cattle industries. sizes of slars. the techniques used in the two large optical telescopes to Highlights of this researcll included advances towards cattle tick It's called SUSI (Sydney fields have begun to overlap. perform much better, control and butIalo fly vaccines. University Stellar The meeting discussed a People camc to the The visit provided Mr Hayden with an insight into how CSIRO Interferometer), and it lives diverse range of subjects, thJm symposium from observatories tackles problems for farmers and grnziers in areas similar to Boonah alongside the Australia telescopes in orbit (both around the world, and were where he owns a property. Telescope at CSfRO's Paul existing and planned) to ways interested to compare The latest technology was on show during the visit and Mr Wild Observatory, near Narrabri of making images of the planets Australian observatories with Hayden had a sneak preview of CSIRO's multi-million dollar in New South Wales. using radar (making pictures by their own. Controlled Environment Laboratory at St Lucia, due for completion The week-long symposium bouncing radio signals off the After the symposium about 75 in September this year. was about making highly planets' surfaces). of the 200 attendees went on a detailed pictures and measure­ One new technique was tour up to the Paul Wild ments ofobjects in space ­ developed as Star Wars Observatroy, to see the which is the function of both the technology and has only Australia Telescope and SUSf, Australia Telescope and SUSI. recently become available for and then went on to see the The purpose of the meeting astronomy. telescopes at the Australian was to discuss new techniques The technique consists of National University's Siding and recent results. firing a laser beam into the Spring Observatory near About half the astTonomers at upper atmosphere and focusing Coonabarabran. the conference were optical it at a distance of J0 kilometres 0510 and CSIROto strengthen links Australia's two largest research and development considerable interest in much of bodies, CSIRO and the Defence Science and the Division's work More visits are planned, with Technology Organisation (DSTO), are moving to the next to be a visit by CSIRO increase their level of collaboration. research staff to the Defence On the formal side, a research liaison and co- Surveillance Laboratory at memorandum of understanding ordination committee is Salisbury in South Australia in on collaboration was signed just working on ways of getting the September. before Chirstmas by CSIRO project moving. Any CSIRO scientist Chief Executive Dr Jolm The committee met in March interestcd in having a look at Stocker and the retiring Chief at CSIRO's Division of Applied the work going on in Salisbury Defence Scientist, DrBob Physics in Sydney. Apart ti'om should ring Malcolm Robertson Ward. The agreement will be the business of the meeting at CSIRO's Corporate Services reviewed in two years' time. itself, DSTO visitors were given Dcpartment, Canberra, on On the practical side, a a tour of the site and expressed 06/276/6222.

Above, Governor·General /vIr Bill Hayden tours the CSIRO Division ot Tropical Animal Production with its new Chief; Dr Phi/Jennings (/~ti). Rickard elected to Academy Professor Mike Rickard has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. This is just the latest in a long Professor Rickard - BVSc string of awards and honours (Hon), PhD, DVSc, FASP, FrS accumulated by Professor - has concentrated most of his Rickard. To pick out a few ­ research on tapeworms, both the recent inaugural Clunics those that infest livestock and Ross National Science and those that can be passed from Technology Award; his animals to humans. Fellowship of the Australian He is the author or co-author Society for Parasitology and his of more than 120 scientific Professorship at the University publications, of Melbourne; a University of He was elected to the A gathering of Australia's two research giants, CSIRO and DSTO, at the CSlRO Division of Queensland Medal and the Executive Board of the World Applied Physics in Marcl1. Left to right, Barry Inglis. Program Manager. Applied Physics; Bancroft-Mackerras Medal of Federation of Parasitologists in Malcolm Robertson. Corporate Services Department; Colin Adam. Director, Institute ofIndustrial the Australian Society for August 1986 and is now Technologies; Achim Leistner, Division of Applied Physics; Chris Walsh. Program Manager. Parasitology; and, of course, his chairing the World Health Applied Physics; Ian Heigan, First Assistant Secretary, Science Policy, DSTO; Wyn Connick, Chiefship of the CSIRO Organisation's working group Director, Aeronautical Research Laboratories, DSTO; Geoff Horne, DSTO Central O.lfice; Arthur Division of Animal Health. on hydatid disease.•:. Blewitt, DirectOl; Corporate Services Department.

352-1993 CSIRO signs up for $9­ Rizzardo wins million agricul,tural Polymer Medal research facility

Above, Dr Ezio Rizzardo, winner ofthe Australian Polymer Medal fi)r1992. Dr Rizzardo, a Program Managa in the CSIRO Division ~/ Chemicals and Polymers, also led the polymer research team that was awarded a CSIRO Medalfor outstanding achievement in 1990 and won the Chairman's Medal in 1992. Dr Rizzard" joined CSIRO in 1976 and is now a Chi~/ Research Scientist at the Ian Work Laboratory in Clayton, Victoria. He was recently appointed Director ~/ the Co-operative Research Centre for Polymer Blends.

Above, Dr John Radcliffe, newly appointed Director ~t" CSlRO's Institate 0/ Plant Production and Processing, signs a contract for the construction (l/ major new facilities at the Waite campus in Adelaide. (Le/tto right, John J(,kals, CSllW Property Unit; John Radcliffe, mrectOl; IPPP; Derek Hough, Manager, Buildings, Baulderstone Hornibrook; Gary Dare, Pr~iect Managel;"Baulderstone Hornibrook. Photo by Philip Martin,) The facilities will be shared by researchers from CSIRO, the newly created South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDl), Primary Industries SA, the SA Animal and Plant Control Commission, the Co-operative Research Centre for Soil and Land Management, and the Soil Science Department ~/the University ~t'Adelaide. The centre will bring together the soil science and land managemelll resources ofmajor participants in South Australia ond will provide a national focus through CSlRO and the Co-operative Research Centre,' Dr Radclijfe said, 'This co-location will generate the biggest synergistic agricultural research effort in the nation'. The contract formally initiates a $9-million works program expected to be completed by mid-1994. The signing, which took place on March 19, was Dr Radcliffe's first public duty since taking ~fjlce as Director ~l!PPP on February 8, Formerly Director-General ofAgriculture in South Australia, he is also Chairman 0/ SARDI, and has played a major role in developing the Waite Institute CampI's as a joint initiative between the South Australian Government, CS1RO and the University a/Adelaide.

PLEVIN & ASSOCIATES PTY LTD A.CN. 008163 657 ADDRESS: CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT P.O. Box 54 Burnside Plevin & Associates provides a Plevin & Associates can provide any, or all comprehensive and professional of the following services to augment your SA 5066 management service for semInars, organisatlonts resources. meetings and conferences. TELEPHONE: • Draft program and budget. We can prOVide objective advice (08) 379 8222 • Conference Secretariat. and assistance, reduce your • Delegate processing and registration. administrative burden and ensure FACSIMILE: all aspects of the event are cost~ • Uason with accommodation, (08) 379 8177 effectively and professionally conference and function venues. managed. • Travel and exhibition arrangements. DIRECTORS The Company has been involved • Marketing support. with the staging of national and Irene Plevin • Conference staffing. international conferences, seminars B.Ec.(Hom.) Dip, Ed. • Social program and technical tours. and business meetings. References PhlJlp Plevin are available 0.0 request. • Editing and publishing proceedings. 8.Ec.(tlons.)

352-1993 t A There were some disappointments, but on the whole the recent inaugural Australian Science Festival was a great success. The Festival Co-ordinat01; Lynette -CSIRO'snatural Williams, is very pleased with the result. She said that during the nine days of the BIOTA 93 event more than 70,000 people showed up for its 65 activities at 30 separate venues science and environment festival around the national capital. 'The first Australian Science Festival has now set the CSIRO wasn't officially part of the Australian Science Festival, stage for an annual Science Festival in the National Capital,' she said, 'thanks to but of couse we did things during it, and the biggest thing we did support from the Commonwealth and ACT Governments, the science community was BIOTA 93, at Canberra's Black Mountain site. BIOTA was certainly one of the most successful activities and the many individuals who participated.' throughout the Festival. In its three days, from April 2-4, it attracted an estimated 33,000 visitors. (Tile estimated total for the whole festival was 70,000.) That figure was based on the numbers attending the Spiders and Termites exhibit, on the reasonable assumption that everyone who could would visit that (they always do). However. the queue this year was so long, so J;onstantly, that many gave up and missed the exhibit. So the numbers of visitors were probably quite a bit larger. Perhaps it just goes to show that experience counts for a lot. CSIRphad already had one BIOTA, in 1990, and knew some of thel·op~s.. Even that event had been firmly grounded on the experi.~llC~ of past Black Mountain Open Days. .:!\

352-1993 Public honours for lRO's young achievers

Grant PotIer, suri'Ounded by his colleagues, displays his 2nd Level Apprenlice Award, the first ever awarded by CSIRO. (Left to right, .folltl Anderson, Alan Cook, Todd Crandell, Grant Paller, .Ioe Miksch and Bob Thomas.) Mr Potier, who works in the Sydney Laboratory ~f' CSIRO's Division (

Warren Preston. an apprentice drafisperson at the CSJRO Division ~f Radiophysics, sports the silver medal he won at the Australian Work Skill Tilles held in Sydney jimn February 8th to 13th, CSlRO had one other competitor in the Titles, Mr Richard Schuhmannji'Olll Materials Science and Technology at Clayton, competing in the Computer Numerical Control Machining section. Mr Preston said it CSIRO LABORATORIES CREDIT UNION ANNUALLY AWARDS 6 TERTIARY was a 'jillltastic experience' to meet and compete with other young SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS WHO WERE CANDIDATES OF THE HIGHER SCHOOL people fi'Oin all over Australia. He and Mr Schuhmann wanted to CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION, encourage all olher CSIRO apprentices who had not competed THE STUDENTS NEED TO BE MEMBERS OR THE CHILDREN OF MEMBERS OF L.C.U. before to enter the next i'Ound of Work Skill, which begins about a AND INTEND TO ENROL IN AN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY TO GAIN A QUALIFICATION yearfrom now. RELEVANT TO A POSITION OF EMPLOYMENT WITHIN CSIRO.

THE 1993 TERTIARY SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO:

LUCY JOHNSON DAUGHTER OF R.JOHNsON FOOD RESEARCH NORTH RYDE, ROWENA HAYNES DAUGHTER OF R.HAYNES RADIOPHYSICS MARSFIELD. JANET DEANE DAUGHTER OF J.DEANE RADIOPHYSICS MARSFIELD. LISA LE VAN DAUGHTER OF R.LE VAN MINERALS RESEARCH LABS. NORTH RYDE. JULIETTE DROBNY STEPDAUGHTER OF J.STEEL McMASTER LAB. GLEBE. ELIZABETH SCOTT DAUGHTER OF K.SCOTT MINERALS RESEARCH LABS. NORTH RYDE,

PLEASE CONTACT MICHAEL SINCLAIR 1021 867 6609 FOR ANY ADDITiONAL INFORMATION

Above, Nick Goldie, media journalist with Corporate Communication, (,[fers a suggestion for u possible atlroction for BIOTA 93. (See story page lJ.) Nick was one of many CSIRO stqffers, fi'om Divisions around the co/.II1liy, who gave up a lat of their spare lime to help make the evenI a success. He co-ordinated the wasle-manageme11l theme (}f the festival. Other co-ordinators were Lena Melero-Nichele, Rob Wiseman, Robyn Turner, Mick Crowe and Sandy Smilh,

352-1993 353##1993

I~ 0 . newspaper CSI RO AUSTRALIA Peter CD/man's flu NlSllB1oll: a/igMat tile end ofa very oongeslBlltunne/ The influenza research of Drs Peter Colman and Jose Varghese of CSIRO's and the USA. Biomolecular Engineering. Division of Uiomolecular Engineering featured in a front-page story in the If all goes very well, II drug About to years ago they first could be on the market before discovered the common featurc authoritative British science journal Nature this month, and has attracted a great 2000, and there are hailes, based in all flu strains, and realised its deal of publicity ever since. With good reason: influenza, 'The Flu', La Grippe, on animal tests, that it wi II be potential for designing a cure. has been a great scourge of man and other animals throughout history, and any not just a prophylactic, but a Nature publishcd a detailed promise that we might finally be beating it is news indeed. And not just because 'morning-after' pill. That would dcscription of it in 1983. be a huge advantage, not only in Using this research, Dr von of aches and shakes and time off W01·k. offering a second chance to Ilzstein of the Victorian College The First World War brought science has come up with are shape of that pocket to design a those for whom advance of Pharmacy ~ funded by Biota people from all over the world some hel p, but not mnch, and matching molecule that can protection had failed, but in Holdings, who bonght the into close contact with each not for long; they offer the lock into it. This can incapaci­ offering the option of using the intellectual rights to the olher, and killed about nine immune system a sort of tate the virus and stop the drug only on those who needed discovery from CSIRO ~ was million of them. Immediately Identikit picture of the current disease spreading, whatever it. This would be especially able to tailor a molecule that arter that a wave 01' influenza attacker, but by next week he's new or old strain it may be. At useful if the drug turned out to could lock on to this comtant swept across that smaller, grown a beard, put on 20 kilos, least, that's the theory. have side-effects, or a price­ feature and stop the virus in its chastened world and wiped out and changed his race, age and And it's not just theory. The ticket,lhat made it a bad bargain tracks. four times as many in a quarter licence plates. The immune drug has already proved for (he healthy. Glaxo Australia has now of the time ~ 20 million system has to scI to work to completely sllccessful in The development of the drug is joined Biota in developing the directly, and another 20 million fashion new defensive weapons protecting ferrets against all the culmination .of 15 years of drug, but CSIRO and the from secondary infections. With against this mutated virus, and strains of thc disease, and will research by a teanl led by Drs College of Pharmacy share a a world population of two that takes time. During that time be. tested this year on human Pe,ter OJlnlan and Jose Varghese interest in royalties billion at the time, that W,IS one the body may sicken and die volunteers in Australia, Europe Division of discovery, split 75:25.':' person in 50. under the assault. ft wasn't the Iirst time the flu More than [0 years ago, virus had turned really nasty; it however, CSIRO scientists was jusUhe m8stdran)atic in st'llted4Q.'W!1 a tntckqll]te recent times. In fact influenza is diffeJ:entfromth

From the Editor - a plea for letters, and all assurallce I was again told recently. with the uwal quiet confidence. that it is widely knOl,vn that letters /() the Edito}" in CoResearch are censored by management. The Editor is always the last to know! Well, in this case, since 1 am the only persoll involved i11 the censorship or otherwise (If lellers sent to CoResearch. {do kl/o", They are not censored, not even to the exten! Iha{ thev H'ould he in ordinary newspapers, (I wish I had such a Jlow o(controversial letters that ( had to r~ject all but the most interesting and best­ written. sil11[Jly./iJr lack l!fspace. but I haven't,) As far as I know. and I can speak with certaintv only l!{ the three years J have been EditOl; /1.0 letter has ever been om;tted or even cut in the interests of Inanagerial peace (~t' mind. There have been letters critical (!f fohn Stocker. th" Minisler. and several top mwwRers. which I have alw(lys published in ji(l!. There have even been (many) lellerscritical (!{ me as EditlJl; which I have also published injidl. thouRh Imust admit that is an exercise loftenfind Above. Ni-(farnl Managing Director DOUR Rathbone (l~ft). and CSIRO Chi~fExecutive fahn Stockel; at disaRreeable t" the point (j{ perversion. (II/ the old days vou could the launch of ManufacturinR Month. examine a Ridget developed jointly by the two at least shudderingly pass sitch (![j'ensive material to the'typesellel; organisations. but the wonders (jj' desk-lOp publishing have tumed it to a sort (j{ At the time of writing, we've just rolled up the Big neglecting the small companies, sel.Ff/ageliation. where you actually have to type up the insults with Greenspan Technology, I'or your own hands and place them, attractively on the page. takinR Top after OUI' second successful Manufacturing example, employs only nine especial care not to mispelllhe name ofyour attacker. It goes with Month, a special CSIRO season designed to improve stalT'. The linn has been working the territol)', howeve,; and my own taste makes me personally more our links with important stakeholders in the business with the Divisions of commirted to the open forum role (jf CoResearch than to ils other community. Geomeehanics and Water functiollS. important though they are.) The Month involves breakfasts. and we want new recruits to join Resources for Some years now, In the interests ojfaimess. I did early on introduce a new policy of seminars, and meetings all over their ranks, That 700 could ancl has commereialised a showing critical or abusive lellers to the people being attacked. Australia, With eminent become 7,0001 number of developments. One is qffering them the right qf reply in the same issue. But apart ./hJln speakers brought in from The McKinsey study ronnd the 'Greenspan Sap Flow Ihat the letters are veiled only by me, and ifI want to shorten one or outside, CSIRO and industry that next to quality. our Sensor'. and another is leave it out I conUlct the writer. (I've done that only I!'hen I thought representatives get together to successful exporters listed "Minifrac' ,. which lneasures the writer might sufferfrom its publication. In almost evelY case mv focus on the best meal1S of technology as their most rock stress in bore-holes. advice has been rejected. tl/ldso I've published tlie leller infull.) - combining forces in the interest' important competitive Greenspan had its first CoResearch does allract a high proportion of lellers critical (!t' of Australian development. advantage. overseas sale of the sap-flow CSIRO's leadership and policies. certainlv '1lOre than other hiluse issn~ At the launch of Overseas experience shows sensor a year back: sales now journals. as reading of almost any will reveaL It must be Manufacturing Month in that if these companies are to total just over $250.000, adrn.itted, howevel; that there is more critidsm voiced than lvritten. Melbourne the Minister for maintain this advantage they MCI (Mineral Control and this leads some to the temptinR conclusion that there is Science and Small Business, will need access to external Instrumentation) was set up in censorship at work. 71,e truth is. I suspect. apart from Rood old Senator Chris Schacht. spoke sources of expertise, 198 I and employs 40 people. It human apathy. that most people are not aH:fitlly keen to have their enthusiastically on this, He Like us, sells a range of products based names appear in bold type under leiters, remarks, articles or particularly stressed the CSIRO recently commissioned on original CSlRO research and cartoons that might annoy the people in chwge q{ their careers. important and growing role of McKinsey and Company to developed jointly with us, especially in these times. VelY understandable. too, When it comes small and medium enterprises in produce a tai lored report on how including SIROTEM, to sledging new corporate policies I've certainly fwd a lot more building the Australian we can help the Magnificent 700 IRONSCAN. and COALSCAN. artempts to put words into my mouth than signed lellers into 1111' i/l­ t~J economy, and the importance of - and others that are so far The company has an annual tray, I lI1ust say. howevel; that I have never known anyone be CSIRO as a source of technolo­ falling short of full magnifi­ turnover of $10 million and penalised for 0 leiter in CoResearch that was disagreeable to gies for this dynamic sector of cence - to improve their access exports globally, including to management, (If anyone was really worried. I would. I suppose. the economy, to the expertise they need, the dillieult US market. consider publishing an anonymous lertel; thOlIRh the writer's nall1e In my speech I too raised these That report is now complete MCI is eonl1dent of its future would have to be proVided to me. in cO/lfidence.) issues: I'll repeat some of the ancl was presented to the prosperity because - ancl I So please. feel free! Let's hal'e lots oj' crisp. intelligent a/ld points 1 made, Organisation's Executive quote from its own prospectus ar!(umentative letters. as befits 011 organisation 'with so many people A recent and much-quoted Committee on June IL It was a - .... through its close aftilia­ so thoroughly trained to lise their critical./itculties, Times have report by McKinsey and Board initiative. and of course tions with the technical cfwnged. certainly. It may be true Ihat IVe /lOW need to please Company identified a band of the Boarcl's latest triennial brilliance of CSIRO and univer­ industry with value-added. customer-oriented. hiRh-cash-return small and medium-sized priority-setting exercise has also sities, [MCI] has a technical discovelies and management with quantifiable outpuls. uPRlYl

353-1993 Don McDonald's Some ironic facts about people Stress Project (explaining, among other things, why athletes can't win, why some people might as well be drunk as the way they are, and why we get sick how are we coping? from eating healthy food ...) Inadequate iron in the blood can cause fatigue and statistics, which show that CSIRO employees proportional­ listlessness, and, as we all know, sometimes anaemia. ly put in far fewer claim, This effect is much more common with women than related to stre" than do most men. On the other hand, too much iron in the body public servants throughout may contribute to heart disease, and this is more Australia. (Of course, we may common with men. However, in both sexes, having have a higher proportion of too little iron is more common than having too much, those people encountered in the and CSIRO's Division of Human Nutdtion has test who didn't know they were l'ecently released a report on iron intakes amongst stressed, and in times of high redundancy rates many people Australians that offers a guide to the complex who do know they are stressed 'business of who is at risk and why. may think it unwise to draw The at-risk groups identified by pregnant women, though it was attention to the facl.) the report were people on low mentioned that tllis could be Stress i_ one of the most incomes, home]e~s men, dangerous. as it may increa~e expensive areas of compensa­ migrants, Aborigines, athletes, the risk of infcction. (It also tion (more than a third of all pregnant women, vegetarians seems that women may be costs nationally) which is why and adolescents. But there were better at absorbing iron when CSIRO has recently been able complicating factors. pregnant, so that they need to to reduce its COl11care insurance Many homeless men were consume less to achieve healthy premiums. We simply don't cost supplying a high proportion of levels, like the alcoholics.) as mucll in siclOless as most their energy needs with alcohol, Vegetarians werc in dangcr not organisations do. which enhanced their so much because they weren't Even in Victoria, which is absorhtion of iron, even though consuming iron in their food as notorious for its high numher of they were eating very little because much of the iron in stress compensation claims, food. vegetables is poorly absorbed CSIRO scores very well in Athletes, another very high- by the body, unlike that in meat. relation to national figures. risk category {because of Female vegetarians or athletes However, there were some internal bleeding during training were especially at risk, as they areas in which CSIRO peoplc or racing), were also found to also lost blood with menstrua- were suffering relatively high be improving their iron levels tion, and this factor of course Don McDonald was a physicist when he joined work-related stress, Mr by the taking of iron applied to women in general. McDonald said, and one of supplements, as were some ·H..:· CSIRO 25 years ago. Now he's a psychologist, and these was in working with or working as a health and safety officer for three(lfille obtaining fundingfronlindustry. Organisation's Melbourne sites. His latest project, He said many higher level just completed, included a study of the stress levels of staff had trainillg for this, but a cross-section of 250 staff of various Division~ati~e many lower down did not, though they stilLbore consider­ won'tendther~, Clayton site. He hopes it but eyen able responsibility for attracting the information he has collected so faris fascinating. funds. These people often felt inadequate and stressed. Mr McDonald created for the that sort of thing in the past, but Mr McDonald said there had study a sort of software psychi­ it does not correlate very well been quite a culture change in atrist: a floppy disc that asks with the results that you get CSIRO in recent years, and it you probing qucstions, notes from applying questionnaires, had brought problems we your answers, and like all the tests and so on to measure the shouldn't ignore. best psychiatrists, says nothing symptoms and signs of stress. 'Il was always my perception but 'hmmm'. 'We also ask them how well in the past,' he said, 'that The next stage, analysis and they are coping. That is rated on people, when asked who they diagnosis, needs a bit of help a scale from zero to nine as worked for, were very proud to from humans, but the initial well. Zero means they are not say CSIRO. consultation is just between you coping at all and nine means 'We now find that a lot of and your computer screen. that they are coping completely, people seem to work for their Mr McDonald said that the so that their stress is no projects. If you ask them what new set of questions he incorpo­ problem. sort of work they do, they will rated into thc study along with 'By combining those two tell you about their project. Thcy more established ones provided numbers we get what we call seem to have the idea that their a diagnosis of stress that the NSSI. That does correlate whole future depends on the \natched very well against very well wi th measures of survival or success of the accepted symptoms of stress. stress that we get from Ol\l' tests. He calls it the NSSI, or Mr McDonald said that quite a project. That is quite a big change. normalised scI f-assessed stress few of the people tested 'Our idea is to address this index, and he describcd how it reported they were coping well issue by having people attend works: when in fact the psychologists meetings where they are told 'Basically,' he said, 'we ask agreed they were coping so about the changes in the culture people to rate on a scale from badly that they needed to be of CSlRO, that it is not quite the zero to nine how stressed they referred for urgent counselling. way they think it is, that some of are at the moment. Zero means On the whole, however, the the changes have been necessary there is no stress and nine CSIRO staff tested seemed to be and that CSIRO is still basically equals as much stress as they less stressed than the average in a good place to work.' can imagine. the work force. 'Now, other people have done This is backed up by Comcare

353-1993 Less salt, more justice Water Resources wins Hughes Award for water conservation Social l'esearch may be at the trailing edge of CSIRO's national priorities graph, decision-making process as fair. Australia's water systems, but the Division of Water Resources has just won an important national award­ They also found most people especially the Murray-Darling, consistent in elleir judgements. where various pumping strategies and been nominated for an international one - for research into the social Dr Syme's team is now have now been set up to justice issues raised by the shadng of scarce water resources, as well as for its developing a model, based on their ameliorate the worst elTeets of salt work on salinity in arid regions, research, to make allocations of loadings. The award is the Australian Watcr rcsearch on dryland salinity conflict. This seemed especially so water to communities and Some of the techniques the team and Wastewater Association's carried out nndcr Dr Graham in the USA. individuals nlirer. developed are simple, cheap and Petcr Hughes Water Award, and Allison, and the research into In light of cl1e increasing concern easy to use, a booII for under­ winning it automatically makes perceptions of fairness and social that the next world war might be Dr Allison's team (Walker, developed countries, and their the Division a nominee for the justice in the allocation of water fought over water, they wanted to Bames, Jolly, Lemley and Hughes) resem'ch has heen applied in sites international StockhoJm Water resources carried out under Dr I1nd a better method of allocating devised a variety of tech-niques across Africa, Israel, China and Prize. GeolT Syme. that, and any othcr, limited natural for investigating ground-water Saudi Arahia. The Division won the awmd for Initially Dr Syme's team 11ad resource. behaviour. Using these, they found The detailed knowledge of low two separate projects, recognised noted that legal models of connict Dr Syme and his colleague Blair that changing from native rates of underground water as jointly contributing to water resolution are seJdom successful in Nancarrow found that conflict vegetation to pasture often led to movement made possible by the conservation. The two projects natural resource alJoca\ion, management is successful only severe environmental degradation. new techniques may also be were the appl ied hydrology tending to polarise and escalate the when stakehoJders perceive any This work has been important for useful in nuelear waste disposal. ,;. PLASCON: an ideal cleaning tool for a polluted Europe? PLASCON, a toxic-waste disposal process developed to which so many environmen­ jointly by CSIRO and the Australian company SRL talists have objected, but there's an important difference. High Plasma, may soon become one of t\le tools used to temperalure incinerators clean up Europe's environmental messes. .produce lmrmful by-products It was recently put on display PLASCON destroys through oxidation, and by. Austrade. at IFAT, the dangerous liquids or gases by PLASCON doesn't need international environmental injecting them into a plasma arc oxidation to do its work. technology fair in Munich, and at temperatures between 10,000 John Hallett, Austrade's some companies have already and 15,000 degrees Celsius. Senior Bus1I1ess Development expressed interest in using it for This sounds like good old Manager in Frankfurt, said that specific jobs. high-temperature incineration, the European market for environmental technology is huge - representing 35 per cent of the world's total expenditure in this field in 1989 compared with .lust 8.5 per cent spent by Asia. It is expected to increase to 40 per cent by the year 2000, largely as a legacy of 40 years of environmental devastation in eastern Europe. This year's IFAT was attended by a record crowd of more than IOO,OO{) industry specialists. Most came from Germany hut 84 other countries were also represented. Germany is by far the largest market for environmental equipment in Europe, accounting for around 30 per cent, or more than $A30{) billion. Much of that will be spent trying to clean up the despoiled water, soil and air of the former East Germany. Mr Hallett said environmental technuJogy was one higilly specialised sector where Australia could be said to be a world leader. 'These are very large technologies: he said, •for which there is an enormous demand in Europe:

353-1993 Manufacturing the Science and the future Dirty Dollar National Science Forum reportjhJ1n Nick Goldie by Karen Robinson 'CSIRO has a long and honourable record of advice on issues of public importance,' says Professor Ian l'iJrHlIU~I~~ Lowe of Griffith University. 'How likely is it that scientists who have to obtain funding from the private sector will feel inhibited in criticism of their industrial snpporters?' Professor Lowe has a deserved especially, Sewdl May 1993 for reputatlon as a critic of society a ful1 report of this issue.) and of science, and has the Ian Lowe's quotations. and his priceless gift of communication. own expressed views, were At the May meeting of the challenging: National Science Forum, held in ', .. deceit and lies are being the CSIRO Conference Centrc routinely employed as a at Limcstone Avenuc, he gave a technique of advocacy on issues Canberra audience full valuc. where science i~ crucial lO Professor Lowe took several policy".' (Prof. Clark). texts: an article by Professor 'While ccnsorship by others" W.C. Clark in the April issue of undesirable, self-censorship is New Zealnnd Science Monthly, more insidious, When SCientists and papers published by the feel they have to watch what Australian group United they say for fear of alienating Scientists for Environmental those who support their Responsibility and Protection research, it is no exaggeration to (USERP). In particular, he say their Silence has heen looked at the US ERP bought ".' (Prof Lowc). Last month was Manufacturing Month in CSIRO. A in developing strntegies to give allegations or 'doctoring, Professor Lowe's plea 1'01' the series of breakfasts and seminars was held all over Australia's tnannfacturers the competitive edge, Keynote misinformation and censorship' 'integrity of public scicnce' Austmlia, focusing on how scientitlc research and speakers included the Honorable by the West Australian raised important questions 1'01 development could make Australian business more Mike Rann, South Australian Department of Conservation the universities and research profitable, both hel'e and overseas. Minister of Business and Regional and Land Management. (See, institutions, ':. Speaking at the breakl~lSt launch of there's money to be made from Development, Mr Rick Allert, the event at the Grand Hyatt. Australian science and technology', Chainmlll of SA Brewing Holdings Melbourne, Science Minister Chris the Minister said, and Dr Colin Adam, Director or the Schacht praiscd the CSIRO init- Other events included a two-day CSJRO Institute of Industrial iative. 'It memlS business can keep series of seminars, tours and Technologies. The CSIRO up with what's becoming techno- exhibits at the CSIRO Division of organisers of the Adelaide logically feasible and scientists can Manufacturing Technology in breakfast reported lively discussion kcep up widl what the market place Preston, VictOlia. The Preston event and many requests for copies of the is demanding: he said. had two themes: 'Technology in speeches. Around 140 people attended the the Workplace' mld 'Materials m1t1 Rae Robinson, a member of the hreakfast. a goo,1 proportion of Processes in the work- working party for Manufactllring dlem from the private sector. The place' .Visitors totatled around lOO Month, said the events they breakfast took as its theme over the two days. organised had snccessfully 'Australian 'I'eellllDlogy: the Adelaide's Manul;lcturing Month showcased some or the work Direction for Australian breakfast also attmcted close to J(XJ CSIRO was doing with companies Manul~lcturing'. people. in specific industry sectors, 'Business is heginning to realise lis theme - 'Manufacturing: especialty in the automotive that CSIRO is serious about Making Australia's Future' - industry, pharmaceuticals and working with industry and that focused on the role of technology WH~le management.·:·

CSIRO salaries: what's the drum? Resources Branch officer who Mr Tarbolton said that since CSIRO is about to enter into negotiations with its major The differences between the carried out the study, said it had that time, however, science and been difficult to make even these union, the CSIRO Division of the PSU, in response to a salary packages offered under tile engineering positions in hoth the new Australian Public Service general comparisons hecause of public and private sectors of the new wage claim lodged by the union on June 7. award and those of comparable the different increment ranges wider community had gained The claim is for a tive per cent has just conducted a survey on research-related pOSitions in and optional entry points of the lower increases than had increase for all members, to be how wages and conditions in CS IRa can be summarised as two awards. positions in areas stich as phased in through 1994, The CSI RO compare with those in rollows: At the time of the 1990 CSIRO finance\ administration and increase would be in return for the Australian Public Service as a • at CSOF Level 4 we lag by award case, which traded more human resources luanagemenL productivity improvements either whole. about $2,000 in base salary; demanding conditions of 'Wage relativity,' said Mr already in place or to be agreed Broadly, CSIRO's award • at Level 5 the gap widcns to employment (such as the Tarbntton, 'is like a perishable between the part ies. restructure in 1990-91 gave us $4,034 (about $2,000 in base lightening up of what had been commodity: you need to nurture The union is also asking for an the lead, the APS quickly caught salary plus $2,034 in virtually an automatic yearly it to keep it fresh. undertaking thut there wi II be no up, and, '" of March this year, allowances); increment) for increases in real 'The real problem, when an starf reductions directly resulting we're behind. • Level 6 has the greatest and potential rewards, base organisation is on a fixed buclgel, 1'1'0111 an enterprise agreement. (The study was of research­ disparity, at $5,051 (about $2,000 salaries jumped up considerably is the fact that one person', Deputy General Manager of related jobs, not administrative in base salary plus $3,05l in as compared with the Australian increase in salary may mean CSIRO,s Human Resources ones, hut the Branch said the allowances); Public Service, This was particu­ another person's job. Branch, Gary Knobel, said the relativities were abollt the some • at Level 7 the difference drops larly so ror CSIRO's senior 'On the other [land, to recruit negotiations should begin within in the two areas. Only Levels 4 again to $2,000; and scientists and other senior dle best people, CS1RO needs to dle next couple ol'weeks, and above were covered in the • at Level 8 it's about $3,000, managers, some or whom were be able to offer competitive In the meantime, the Branch smdy,) Noel Tarbolton, the I-luman granted up to 17 per cent rises. salary packages.' .:.

353-1993 Letters to the Editor (from page 2) Caption with other people at the same response to the specific points Pinjarra Hills - llsed lel'el.' made by Greg Davis. To accuse at last! Thio alters the whole criterion him of trivialisation therefore COlUpetition for accelerated advc.mcemcnt, in seems a little unfair. Dear Editor, that it abandons merit Mr Sharp makes some I was interested to read of the promotinn in favour of additional points about the opening of the CSIRO Centre at comparative promotion. changes. The tlrst is about Pinjarra Hills (CoResearch. Previously, at least in theory, accelerated advancement April) and pleased to know tbat evcrybody could have qualified criteria. Accelerated the land known earlier as for accelerated advancement if advancement means multiple CSJRO Kenmore has an all performed sufficiently well. increments withill a level, and is occupant at last. Now, no malleI' how well people different from promotirm to the In 1963 the Division of perform, only a minority can next level. The additional Entomology was faced witb qualify for accelerated wording simply reflects tbe acquiring a property in advanccment. Indeed, according processes currently used by Queensland to ensure continua­ to the current wording, even if I Divisional Reward Review tion of its work on cattle tick perform poorly in absolute Committees to distinguish and biological control of weeds. terlm, I will still qualify for between achievements of This was thc result of: being accelerated advancement if individuals. forced to vacate the facility at othero perform even less well, His sccond point is about Yerrongpilly; the reluctance of because I would still be better salary implications or reward tbe Division of Animal Health than 'otber people at the same options. The box containmg this to give up any of its property at level'. information has been moved Indooroopilly (Long Pocket, Reading the PPE form for from the PPE form to the Queensland); and tbe unavail­ I expected to be trampled under by captions for the foot 1993-4 makes the matter even explanatory booklet. The ability to CSIRO of any further photograph, but in fact there were fewer than usual. (Probably more seriouo; the box headed information itself has not been land adjacent to the because, as someone remarked, it was so good it didn't need a 'Salary Implications', which changed other than to reflect the Indooroopilly site. caption.) The entries that did come in were good quality, howel'el: defines the meaning of the modifications in the rating As a result the CSIRO Angela Gackle Fom the CSIRO lt~lormation Network in South various assessments, has been scale. A rating of 'etTective' still Executive agreed in August Australia takes out.first prize with the neatly imaginatil'e 'Siamese droppcd altogether! Whereas guarantees an inCrClTICnl where 1963 to a proposal from the twins, joined by the sales oftheir feet since birth, greet each other the PPE process was originally one is available. Any proposals Division of Entomology for ajrer their recent separation. HI glless we just grew apart," they said sold to staff on the basis that a to change reward options would CSIRO to purchase 33 acres of sim.ultaneously.' Almost as deligh(lul was the entry fhJln Judy rating of Satisfactory would be negotiated with unions. land at Kenmore from tbe Sprent ofForestry in Hobart: 'Iftlzis is EEO in action, why does he guarantee all incrc.luent Of The tbird point is about tbe Commonwealth Repatriation get to wear the protectil'e clothing?' Lynn Pnlfordfi'om Education possible), the PPE form no explanatory booklet. I agree tbat Commission. This land was Programs in Canberra introduced a multi-cultural Illite with longer makes any direct it would have been desirable to tlnally purchased for $9,920! 'French scientists demonstrating a well known French folk dance connection between level of have the explanatory booklet However, in July 1964 the to a group of interested Australian scientists', and internal politics assessment and reward. available at the same time as the Premier of Queensland rclented reared its head with 'The only two lmown Grand Masters ofSi-Ro And why, on 6 May when all revised forms. Following the and offered CSIRO seven acres Fu show some interested students the fate of IlRB staJ] should the rules ofPPE change again this year'from Warrick Dawes ofWater 1993-4 forms should have been Executive Committee's decision of land adjoining its submillcd, has Human lndooroopiJJy site so that the Resources ill Canberra. External politics also got a guernsey, with on the changes to PPE, our fm;t 'Wel~ rid~ral/.other Resources Branch stll! not Division of Entomology could tbat's got bloody Minister jill' Science' ji'tlln priority was to produce and B.G. Hllnt ofAtmopheric Research. I had my first-ever enilY from distributed its explanatory establish itself there instead of distribute the new forms to a IlOn-CSIRO person, one Matthew Reid. After much soul­ booklet explaining the revised at Kenmore. Kenmore was then avoid disruption to Division's searching, I allowed him in all the grounds that his fatllel; Peter PPE form'! PPE cycles. The explanatory used only to run cattle for the Reid, works at CSIRO's Cotton Research Unit at Myall Vale. No, Mr Marshall! To dwell on booklet was finalised as &Oon as Division's cattle tick work. It Matthew's enuy was 'Look Mistel; I don't care who you are; just the number of levels of possible after the forms were remained under Divisional remOl'e that double-strengtb Araldite from m), (oot.~ies! Next assessment as the key to the completed and it was sent to control until 1983 whcn, month's challenge appears beloll'. Go for it. discontent over the unilateral Divisional Personnel Oftkers in without prior consultation with changes to PPE seems to me to early May. the Division. a proposal was be a deliberate policy to distract Finally, Mr Sharp refers to advanced by CSIRO to develop attention from more important discontent. Our feedback tbe Kenmore property as changes. indicates overwhelming support 'Pinjarra Hills' for the Divisions Yours sincerely from staff for the changes, of Tropical Crops and Pastures, Alister K. Shurp which reflect the wishes of the Soils, Computing Research. majority of people surveyed in Mathematics and Statistics and Dear Editor. the joint CSIRO-Staff Forest Research. This proposal Thank you again for the Association review of PPE. did not eventuate either. opportunity to respond to Yours sincerely Yours truly concerns about PPE. this time Carmel Macpherson Murray S. Upton from Alister Sharp. Human Resources Honorary Fellow Mr Marshall's letter was a Division of Entomology CSIRO donates electron microscope It seems we had this old electron microscope we didn't tory outcome, with the need any more, so we gave it to someone who did. University acquiring a consider­ able asset at a fraction of its Dr John Radcliffe, Director of transmission electron replacement cost,' said Dr the CSIRO's Institute of Plant microscope with a capacity to Anthony Woods, a senior Production and Processing, and magnify specimens some lecturer at the School, who co­ Dr Elizabeth Williams, Chief of 280,000 times, will be used in ordinated the transfer of the its Division of Horticulture. the University's School of machine. formally presented the Pharmacy and Medical Dr Woods said the University microscope to the Vice Sciences. had previously had to conduct Chancellor of tbe University of CSIRO donated the its high-resolution electron South Australia, Professor microscope, which was surplus microscopy at outside laborato­ David Robinson, at an on­ to its needs. to the University, ries. campus ceremony on April 30. and the University paid for He praised CSIRO for its co­ The instrument, a high­ moving it. operative spiril. resolution Philips EM400 'This has been a most satisfac-

353-1993 Don't forget to do asave before you go. Andhere'show ••. Politicians and others keep telling us we oughtto be saving more, for our own sakes andfor the sake of a regular basis, for example monthly. will build to a handy the countly. For around 20 per cent ofthe population this advice is idle: living takes the lot. For many amount. These funds have an CSIRO staff; however, there is a chance to save, ifonly small amounts, since we are, for the moment, in entry fee but the costs are work. generally less than in life ofncc savings plans. Investors in these But what is the best way to do it? Most ofus pay into the Organisation's superannuation fund, and funds usually have the amount can now choose, within limits, how much. That's a good bargain for many, as the government supports deducted from a savings deposit it. But in less obvious ways the government also supports investment in housing. Should we be paying as a sort of 'painless extraLtion' less into our super and more into our houses, by building extensions, for example? Should we be If required, a life cover on a term basis may be taken taking out insurancepolicies, andifso, whatland? separately, The increasing threat ofredundancies, in CSIRO as elsewhere, and the decreasing prospects ofjobs Share investments in quality for our children, has made these dull questions unpleasantly interesting. Arthur Anderson, Financial companies sbould provide a growing dividend income that Services Manager for CSIRO's credit union, SIROCREDIT, offers his expert and detailed analysis of underpins the growth in Ihe the options. Ifreaders find it useful, we could make it a regular column, an occasional item, orperhaps asset value over time. a question and answer section. RSVP-Ed. Shares may be bought on a drip-feed basis and investments SUPERANNUATION, as most readers will know, is a amounts paid from super funds Savings and insurance in a share trust may be bought very effective means of wealth creation. It enjoys as lump sums and that these Savings plans should be used usually in amounls of $1.000 or very attractive 'concessionaI' taxation treatment. concessions will be varied to especially whcre there is a goal 1110re at a time. encourage people to accept a such as a child's education or The term concessional implies should all be saving for pension payment rather than a where savings discipline is Hidden extras something better than appies to retirement. lump sum for the major part of lacking or difficult. Traditionally As in all markets there are costs other forms of investment. You pay a lower rate of income the benefit. insurance companies have involved whenever you buy or These concessions are intended tax on earnings of superannua- A pension income may not suit offered savings plans, generally sell. Depositors incur a fee to to encourage people to use tion funds than on earnings from everyone. For example, a person with a life assurance component enter, and sometimes to leave. superannuation to llnance their other funds, bank deposits, or with a short life expectancy may so that much of the contribution People often imagine that there own retirement rather than salary. be better off with a lump sum, in the early stages is used to buy is no entry fee for a simple bank depend on the public purse. Most, but not all, contributors some of which can be passed on a life cover instead of savings, savings account. The truth is Because of our aging to super funds also receive some to dependants. Some may want but as the fund builds up the that the bank deducts the costs population, social security form of tax deduction for the lump sums to pay 011' debts or insurance component declines. or operating the account before pensions will absorb a larger amounts they pay in. mortgage loans as they enter Thus, within the t1rst few years paying the interest. percentagc of government We can expect that with the retirement. There may be a these policies may show a In superannuation savings revenue than the remainlng greying of the population, there spouse who already has a 'negative result' if you pull out. plans, share funds and managed taxpayers can afford. So we will be restrictions on the pension large enough to make a That is, you will actually get funds, there is also usually an second one unnecessary. back less money than you put in. entry fee. Where there is no In such cases it could well be High agency commissions have entry fee, yon should look to see desirable to case back reliance been cited as the main rcason for if an exit fce, or a penally for 'IOrganise ... your on super and build wealth this, early withdrawal, is payable. outside of the superannuation Over the life of the plan, The level of ongoing system. finances with your however, these investments may management expense is vitally prove of great value. They can Homemakingforprofit importanl. because the amount SIROCREDIT'I come in very handy for funding the manger and trustee take as n Alternatives. to. super might education expenses, for fee may seriously cnt back your include partly funding your example, or an overseas trip, or investment return. It is the task retirement through the family the wedding of a son or of the independent adviser to home (as the principal residence daughter. recommend funds that do not is n9t subject to capital gains Friendly society bonds are have excessive administration tax) - improving it by often used where conh'ibutors fees or take excessive renovations, extensions, or have a regular saved amolint commissions from clients. You landscaping, for example. available, You Erst have to save should challenge your adviser if You migllt sell the home and a minjrnun1 amount, usually you think that costs and move into something smaller on $500 or $1,000. commissions quoted are retirement, using the amount It is important that you excessive. The law requires freed up as a retirement nest increase contributions over time these to be fully disclosed in egg. to ensure that the end result is writing when a recommendation A second or holiday home, a prntected from the erosion of is made. small business, a prnperty or inflation. The non-super, or non­ Obviously, you should also share investment, an insurance life, investmcnt does not have select a fund management firm savings plan or a diversified the automatic or inbuilt increase that will outlast the life of the managed grnwth fund may be a to the contribution that super, investment, have a solid record suitable alternative investment to which is based on salary, has. of past performance, be sound SlROCREDITs illtimate A=unt offers you the b3sI: way super. and reliable and provide a to orgcmise your finances in one oombined cheque and You don't have to borrow Investment quality service to you, the money to invest, but if you do VISA/A1M =da=unt, sc why not re-Drgcmise tcday! A property investment is usually investor. -:. you can generally get a tax (You'd re surprised how many banks charge made in one single lump sum deduction for the interest paid amount. A benefit of borrowing Art/IIII' Andersol/ is the youfor the privilege of saving with them and Final/cial Services Manager for howoomplex they makeyour financeS) on the borrnwed amount. That for property is that some forced tax deduction usually enhances saving results through the SlROCREDI1; (CS1RO's co­ operative credit society) and an Where you can find us.... the rate of return on the regular repayment of the loan authorised representative of investment, because less of your amount. In the case of a rental MELBOURNE OFFles CANBERRA omes SYDNEY omes Securitor Financial Grol/p, a own money is used to provide property the rent is usually 69 H

353-1993 Bradley comes in from the cold for the Frost Award by Alex Wallace Twenty-one-year-old Patrick Bradley, a litting and Henry, 'has shown test results machining apprentice from the CSIRO Division of that are 100 per cent accurate compared with test results from Atmosphel'i(~ Research, is this year's winner of the the original probe. He has now Arthur Frost Award for Most Improved Apprentice. been asked to design a four-hole aCSlRO's Chairman, Professor functioning in spile of the harsh nose probe for future Adrienne Clarke, presented Mr Antarctic conditions. He also experiments.' Bradley with an inscribed helped the team with the Mr Bradley has also built a plaque and a $500 cheque on labelling and analysis of the ice- sophisticated device called a April 21 this year. core samples. multi-wave length-scanning Mr Bradley was on Heard Mr Bradley's supervisor, Reg laser radar, which allows the Island when he first learned of Henry, said that his apprentice's operator to make rapid three­ his win. He was on his way ability to find innovative dimensional profiles of moving back from the Antarctic where solntions to difficult problems smoke plumes. It also measures he had been the one-man had made him an obviolls the height, thickness and optical mechanical support crew for a candidate for the Antarctic job properties of clouds and other Anyone walking past the CSlRO site at Highelt on Mondav Mal' 17 CSIRO research team. as well as for the Award. gaseous layers in the might have been excused j(Jr thinkillg a new CSIRO Divfsion'lwd The team, which apart from Once, Mr Henry recalled, an atmosphere. been formed. 77te usual Divisional silillS at the rnain liate hod been him consisted of CSIRO expensive aircraft nose probe 'Another project Patrick has replaced by a neyv sigll proclairnitlg 'Division of Orp,ouic scientist David Etheridge and had been damaged beyond undertaken,' said Mr Henry, Chem.isfry', two French scientists, was repair. The Division was faced 'was to modify a very complex Indeed a new division had been formed, but only in the mind (!j' a collecting ice-core samples with the harsh ncws that a detector for an atmosphcric from a place called Law Dome replacement would cost them at pressure sensor whicll we hope television. scrip/writel: The placement (!j'lhe new sign was the signal for an inwision oj' in the Antarctic. (Air trapped in leasl $10,000, and the even will eventually be sent into the Graham Road site by swarms (!!' people, truch and equipm.('/lt the core samples can be dated harsher news that no such space.' to .film a se/imentfor the new ABC mini-series 'Secrets '. vcry precisely, which allows the replacement was in fact The pial (~j' the episode being Jllmed involved marital relation­ scicntists to analyse changes in available, at any price. The Frost Award commemo­ ships, investi/iatioll,I' by ASIO, and the leakin/i cuttin/i-edlie climatc and atmospherc over Mr Bradley used his own rates Arthur Frost, a CSIRO 0/ science. time.) initiative to solve the problem. tool. maker and workshop The drarna series, Jinf/'1, the .'wuu' team thaI produced Phoenix, is Mr Bradley said hc had been He sectioned the probe, made supervisor with a special expected to !to to air in Septembel: keen to tackle the huge respon- sketches of the components and interest in the welfarc lind sibility of making sure that the constructed a complete new development ohlpprentices. He expedition's high-tech ice-core probe. died in 1972, at 45, and the drilling equipment kept 'That new probe,' said Mr Awmd was instituted in 1974.-:-

CSIRO Chairman Adrienne Clarke presents Patrick BrodieI' with the Arthur Frost Award 1;1/' his ou(sfanding achieJ.'em.ents as an apprentice in the trade {~ffilting and machining. .

353-1993 354##1993

CSIRO resists amputation a / implant: Democrats offers At the annual National Science Forum's post·budget debate in Canberra on August may linally be in the national Senator Schacht's proposal to 20, Australian Democrat SenatOl' John Coulter declared that the Democrat SenatOl's interest to do so. Cabinet includes as an option would vote against Science Minister Chris Schacht's recent pmposals to reshape the On the question of the removal (though not his own lavourite) the of the mw-ine Divisions, however, taking of AIMS into CSIRO. CSIRO by adding ANSTO and removing two Divisions. there is appwently almost According to an information paper Dr David Kemp, Shadow Minister completed by Professor Ken Institute of Matine Science, unanimous opposition. The prepm'ed by intetested staff, tllis is for Science, wouldmuke no such MacKinnon of Wollongong (AIMS), to form a new Marine Organisation's College of Chiefs the option now preferred by undertaking when asked, but did University. Institute. He believes tills will voted overwbelmingly against the CSIRO in the event that Cabinet say that the Coalition would do its As a result, the mi\ior decisions give greater focus and political proposal. does decide on a new combination own thinking on the matter on CSIRO's budget allocation clout to mat'ine science in It isn't known exactly how many ofmmine I'Csearch bodies. regardless of the lind ings of the have also been put 011' till then, mld Australia. or tile shorter poppies agree Witll The paper says' ... if there is a reviews the Government is will possibly not be made until He also wants to put the these Divisional leaders, but a merger; the most elfective one will currently having conducted. 1994. Australiatl Nuclear Science and survey Wtc\ done in Hobart in the be AIMS into CSIRO, basically 1-le said he believed the Schacht Senator Schacht has in the past Technology Organisation last week of June, just after staff because of the Iotherwise] severe plmls would not be able to proceed few weeks been spending long (ANSTO) into CSIRO, where he there Jirstlound out about the disruption to our greatest strengths without new legislation being hours on the phone to mmlY of the thinks it will be managed more Schacht proposal, which showed as a Im-ge, mulli-disciplinat·y passed. eminent CSfRO scientists, and eft'edively. 95 per ceut or them opposed to tl,e Ot-ganisation which has lesponded Science Minister Schacht is still eminent journalists, who have CSIRO sees little merit in eitller idea. Hobmt stall' also staged an powerfully and elfectively to pushing forwm'd with his proposal, attacked his proposals in public, proposal, particularly the all-night work-in and a march in national needs.' which he had lirst intended to have challenging tI,em on points offact removal of the mat'ine Divisions. protest atl Wednesday July 14 (see The paper offers !U-gLunents passed as patt of the recent budget. and defending his case for the On tile question ofCSn~O's story page 3). against the setting up of a separate In ti,e face of a velY public changes he proposes. taking over ANSTO, there is CSfRO staff in Cmlberra had institute, amongst which is that il outcry, however, Cabinet put otT The Minister wants to take the some feeling within CSfRO that staged a protest olltside Parliament would mean high dollar cost for its decision on his plan until late Divisions of Fisheries and although it would be difficult to House the day before (see page 8) tile Australiml taxpayer­ October, when an independent OceatlOgraphyout ofCSIRO and accommodate ANSIO witlllr' ti,e !U1d both event.s attmcted media currently estimated at $7 miBion repOlt they ordered will have been combine tl:em with tile Australian existing sttllctures wld culture:it - coverage. tor eSITtblishment of the institute

But taking . CSIRQ .anyt~lng from the b . .... IS a bit like onOWIng a bone from a Rottweiler.

JUlian Cribb Th 14 JUly 1983' e AUstralian Service with a wintry smile? On Ii/'iday, August 6, the staff at CSIRO's Limestone Avenue site in Canberra, the Letters to old headquarters, held a mid-winter Christmas party, ,and Chief Executive John Stocker gave a speech. There are cold, steely winds blowing in Canberra at the moment, and his speech had ice, and metal, in it. The following is all edited extract. that the activilies of the last few the Editor weeks and months indicate that this organisation, in its delivery of service, wants to have its The Schacht debate voice hcard, and is able to have Dear Editor, its voice heard, when it's I think CoResearch is the right place to record my admiration for nccessary. the great commitment shown by CSIRO staff during the recent In Basel the power of servants public debate on the possible loss of two of our Divisions. working together was manifest It was a grass-roots driven campaign, and I hope the government in the sixteenth century. realises this. Many of the old, beautiful The work-ins and protests could never have been management­ houses of that city were built on driven- it was the fire in the belly of the rank andlile that really the banks of the Rhine, rising had the impact we needcd, and sli II need. straight up out of the river, and Wendy Parsons all of them, of course, cmployed Institute of Natural Resources and Environment servants. In the sixteenth century those Dear Edi (or, servants were getting pretty Canberra-based CSIRO staff - non-union and union members browned off. Not perhaps for alike ~ have been active in opposing the recent AIMS and ANSTO the reasons you might think of, proposals, or at least the way in which the proposals have bcen but because the poor people had propounded. I would like to outline here two concerns which go to eat salmon four or five times beyond direct impacts on individual members of stafr. a week. In the lirst place, the proposals were put forward as if they were So they got together, and fails accol11plis: the normal science-policy process was bypassed, there's a statute of the city of and there wfis no more than token consultation with CSIRO Basel, which, the way the Swiss management or sta1f. go about things, is probably in The concern for CSJRO is that Senator Schacht and his advisers force to this day. It decrees that have ignored the emphasIs which CSIRO itself places on the no landlord, or person hiring outward-looking aspects of research planning. Some readers may servants, may serve salmon t11ink it perverse to celebrate CSJRO management's never-ending more than three days a week. chewing-over of the Organisation's role in relation to Australian I think we've probably, in the industry and environmental affairs, but that masticatory process is in last few weeks, demonstrated elfect CSIRO's way of thinking for itself - and I would suggest that we can cffectively convey that thInking for ourselves is our best guarantee of institutional 'When icicles hang by Anyway, what we used to do our views about just how much independence and an essentlalunderpinning of excellence in our the wall, as a famiIy was go down from salmon is healthy in support of research. It is very worrying to see this capacity ignored. our house, with a sled, to the our quest to serve Australia. Secondly, many people have been disturbed by what appears to be And Dick the shepherd village to pick up the Christmas blows his nail, From a personal perspective, a serious misapprehension of the naturc of careers in scicnce and tree. The atmosphere was it's been immensely gratifying engineering. And Tom bears logs into fantastic on those early just to see the support Senator Schacht was keen to asslll'e CSIRO staff that the AIMS the hall, mornings, crisp and bitIng. We throughout our Organisation, and ANSTO proposals would leave the Organisation on balance And mill, comes fl'Ozen would drag the sled back up the and around it, for what people larger rather than smaller. hill, the sled weighed down thought was a reasonable and Did any CoResearch reader take comfort from that statement? home in pail, with the tree, the tree weighed When blood is nipp'd, due process in these matters. The point here of course is the threat which any re-organisation down with the snow, and our I think what we say as an poses to existing research staff, given the specialised nature of and ways be foul, feet slipping on the icy road. It organisation is important.What scientific education and experience. Then nightly sings the was great. people say about us, and around Some unkind things have been said about Senator Schacht in the staring owl, So that winter song from us, in terms of industry groups past few months, but as the proverbial curate might have said, the Love's Labo

354-1993 A CSIRO diary from the front line David Edwards works, for the moment, for CSIRO, as an Electronics Engineer with tireless media man Christian Coates' ollice to deliver more the Division ofOceanography in Hobart. He is also the President ofthe Tasmanian Peterson organised an 8:00 p.m. petitions. All the time I'm out in Subdivision ofthe CSIRO Division ofthe Public Sector Union, and has been in the phone conlerence. Almost all staff front with what seems to be a (union members, prospective IOO-kilo megaphone slung round thick of the current battle to keep Ollr two marine Divisions, Oceanography and members and non members) just my neck. and a lot or vcry vocal Fisheries, as part ofCSIRO. Indeed, he has been one ofthe principal thickeners. He stayed on at work after the normal scientists behind me. It's only has written this personal account of events so far specially for CoResearch readers. knockoff time. We setup a desk at when we gct back to the Marine For the sake of space, it has been radically shortened, but the longer version is Ille li'ont door, with copies of the Labs that I'm able to look back petition lor members of the public available from CoResearch for anyone who would like it. and see how big my tail of to sign. andlelters to take away marchers is. At least a kilometre! Wednesday, June 23 1993 proposed changes. Nervous. Most the attached 110at, and is now in and post. There was great interest When we got back we learned Heard about the proposed changes ofour knowledge is still based storage ready to be recycled. (Or in the TV news at6:30 p.m. and that 1l1e cabinet decision had been to Mm'ine Science by Senator mainly on rumours, can't get hold kept for the next time they 7:00 p.m., as we all wanted to see delayed till alter the weekend, but Schacht when our oceanographic ofany union colleagues to get threaten to take Divisions away how much coverage our funeral were all too tired to do anything research vessel. the RV Franklin, approval, neither of us has ever from us?) had got (lots!). At 8 p.m. we all else, apatt from mnlnging for our berthed in Cairns after a three been interviewed lor TV beJore, 'IFte 'Work:in trooped into the auditorium, and hanner to be displayed on the week cruise to Papua New and we are both wOlTied about Organisation of the work-in then 10 and behold, we could talk to all Franklin as it berthed on Guinea. Greeted with 'So you're making commitments! [n spite of proceeded at high speed. The our colleagues throughout Saturday morning. moving to Townsville!'. Tasmanian two-headed jokes, canteen staff worked-in. and the Australia, including John Stocker, decided that if we both did the union agreed to pay the cost of who was at the Division or Friday, July 16, and on ... Monday, Junc 28 interview we would at least be in ingredients, so that dinner, all Atmospheric Research in 'llu 'Enef An'ived back at the Marine Labs it together. night coftee and snacks, and Melbourne. Local politicians of - IlLlnOUn; tlying thick and 111St. When cabinet finally did consider breakfast could be provided for all tlavours stm·ted to arrive, along the Marine Science issue, our Brought up to date on the union Monday, July 12 with members. Pam Powell organised a the public. Tbere was much protests. allied with those of position by my colleague Paul Relief! It's Monday, we still have roster to staff the phone and Ille intense lobbying, from the chiefs Boult, Federal Councillor for the our jobs, and the Divisional others throughout Australia. reception desk. I wrote a petition, and from staff at all levels. proved to have bcen successful. union. Union meeting already Secretary I'TOm the union is still Members with help from Prue Bonham mld of thc public were still Senator Schacht's plan has been organised lor tomOlTOW to discuss talking to us! Inter-union Vivienne Mawson. Stuatt Swan lU'living at the front door at the issue, so Paul and I drafted a discussion, with colleagues li'om put on hold, while a review hired a megaphone, then planned midnight, and our pile of process is cmTied out. I motion expressing concern over Mannion, Cleveland, CSIRO­ and obtained official approval lor completed petitions was growing .the proposals and supporting Public Service Union head office understand that one or the a mm'Ch into town on Thursday. nicely. I managed to conduct a decisive elements was tbe contri­ Chiefs in their effOlts to oppose it. in Melbourne, as well as potential Graham Wells organised a roster scientilic experiment involving new colleagues fTOm AIMS: no bLllion of the Public Scctor Union of informative videos for bean bag, sleeping bag and bright nationally, and the ACTU. At this 1\.esday, ,June 29 definitive ontcome. Piece of good screening in the auditOlium. Mark tluorescent lights lor about 2 Motion passed unanimously. news - Canbeml members are stage, I thought that the active Raynor produced two standard bours. Then, a quick shower, and involvement of Paul and myself planning industrial action. off letters, one to the Prime Minister to relieve Phil Morgan at the wonld end. but then we weren't Wednesday, Junc 30 and one to Senator Schacht. All door. Arter yet another interview Paul Boult, Nick Elliott (Division TI.esday, July 13 counting on having to prepare the you had to do was add your name on the phone, followed by CSIRO-PSU submission to thc of Fishelies delegate), and I met CSIRO Board met with Senator on the back, and stick a stamp on breakfast. it was time to finish 1l1e with Senator Schacht [or over an SChacht in Cnnbeml. review, were we? the front. Ray (Santa Claus) work-in at 8:40am, and stmt work With hindsight. I guess it was all hour. Very interesting, but not Demonstration organised by Saunders even rang up and again. very productive: seemed to be at Robyn Foster (Canben'a branch of worth while. Union membership volunteered to come out of has increased, and everybody is cross purposes much of the time. the union) at very short notice. retirement and be night watchman Thursday, July 15 Paul and I have been leming lack Industrial style demo, with convinced that joining the Public for us. His after was gratefully 'IFte :Jvf.arcfi Service Union was a great idea. of interest in issue except among placm'd-waving demonstrators in accepted. In between co­ local members, but Things Have white coats. The press loved it. Police permissionlUTived for our However, every time I walk ordinating all Illis, I was march, so we picked up our through town, I worry about being Been Happening! Divisional Paul and I hem'd that a decision on repeatedly interviewed by TV, banner and walked. Our first stop accosted US 'that radical scientiilc OtTlce has been organising a the Marine Science issue was to radio and print media joumalists. phone conference for Monday, be made by the Expenditure was at Parliament House, where unionist who organises work-ins', Simi 1m' work-ins were planned for local MHA John White joined us. and all the Albuern Street PrimlU'Y .Iuly 12, with participants from Review Committee on Friday .Iuly Mm111ion, Cleveland and the around Australia, including some 16. Committee meeting decided Then it was 01'1' to lederal MP School soccer players keep saying Division ofAt1110sphetic Duncan Kerr's ollice to deliver 'I saw you on TV. Mr Edwlll'lls'. IromAIMS. on a work-in for Wednesday Resem'ch in Melboul11e, and our night. This was endorsed petitions, and then to Senator Tuesday, July 6 unmlimously by a general meeting Strong mmour that a cabinet of members. meeting at which our 11lte will be decided is about to take place, and Wednesday, July 14 that it would enhance our cause if 'IFte 'Buria{ at Sea we were to generate some Fisheries research vessel SOl/them publicity. Morning tea meeting set Surveyor leaving on a research lor tomOiTOW. cruise early this moming. Managed to delay the sailing a Wedncsday, July 7 little, and put our 'HELP KEEP Morning tea meeting ran for two CSIRO AFLOAT' banner on it! hours. Motion condemning the Christian Peterson organised Marine Science Amalgamation media, the workshop knocked up passed and 111xed to influential a coffin, a CSIRO flag was found, Labor pollies. the members were told to gather on tile wharf, and, hey presto, we Saturday, July 10 were able to 'BIUY CSIRO at Things have been a bit quieter on Sea'. After several practices [01' the Schacht front. Soccer with the the cameras. the deceased kids, about to go oft· to the shack boarded, 1l1e vessel sailed, and the for the weekend, when got call funeral commenced. The coffin from Paul saying local pollies was duly launched down the stern have been on the news talking ramp, and proceeded to sink, about the Mmine Science slowly. The media interviewed proposals. We've both been asked everyone in sight. After they left. to do an interview tor ABC TV the coffin was duly recovered via Above. staU' Cit' CSIRO's marine Divisions il1 Hobart march in pmlest against Science Minister Chris Schacht's news on members' attitudes to the pmposed changes fa the Organisation. including removal qt'lhem into a new marine institule. Photo by Thor Cartel;

354-1993 New travelling exhibition for CSIRO - fast take-away knowledge of food Nancy Mills, for some years Communication Manager for the CSIRO Institute of in food safety, health and display, and assistance from Animal Production and Processing has just left us, to become Public Relations nutrition, food quality and other areas of CSIRO expertise costs; and concerncd about will be keenly sought. Central Managerfor the NSW Coal Association. Her last big project was the organising of chemicals and food additivcs, co-ordination wi II be provided publicity, inte1'1lal and exte1'1lal, for CSIRO's next big travelling display. As a loss of nutrients and what by BeryI Morris, head of parting g{ft, she offers CoResearch readers this account ofthe planned display. happens generally in the CSIRO's Information Network, processing of fooels, Display ideas are currently expanding economies of the Food is basic to our survival. It is a source of endless We also like to hear about being collected from Divisions fascination to many people, and a topic of conversa- Asian region is strongly backed import-replacement initiatives, by Malcolm Paterson of the by government and industry tion to rival sex, politics and religion. It is also the initiatives. particularly where Australian Film anel Video Centre, subjcct of a major CSIRO travelling display now in Also relevant are CSIRO's food products can increase Once the steering group has employment decided on the linal thcmes, the pl·cparation. own deliberations on small to Fresh food is considered very dcvelopment and construction The main aim of this display CSIRO Divisions of Human medium sized enterprises, a dcsirable, and we are currently of the displays will go ahead will be to show consumers that Nutrition and Food Science and signilicant number of which are experiencing a revolution in full-stcam (if we linish ahead of CSIRO rcscarch is directly Technology. in the food business. And yet packaging - to prolong shelf schedule we can claim to have relevant to their everyday lives Down on the farm another hot issue that could be life, for example - and in good the fastest food display in 'llld to l'eassul'e tile 111 ',lblll1t tllC tacklcd in the display is thc use , , What happens down on the farm r ' . , qnality, safe convenience foods. town!) security of the Australian food determines the quality of the 0 geneltc engineering (We want our food good and Still hungry? chain, It will be basell on the tcchniques in food production, food products that linally reach Wh d ? safe, and we want it now!) All intercsted parties will be fed ditTerent stages of the food the consumer. It also has at 0 we want. Who's doing what? regularly with progress reports chain, 'from paddock to plate', implications for the So what do Australians want, as The display is being developed on the display. For further and will addrcss school environment _ just how 'clean far as food is concerned? by a steering group with information, please contact thc curriculum issues, It will also and green' can we be? Food Whether our eating habits are members representing most steering group co-ordinator. supply answers to the questions processing is Australia's largest dictated by our palates or our areas of CSIRO. All members Beryl Morris, CSIRO people most often ask about manufacturing industry; its pockets, we all want a delicious, have specific responsibilities in Information Network. Sydncy, food - according to an analysis further potential for increasing nutritious and varied diet of addition to their contribution to by phone on 02 413 7527, or of enquiries received by the our exports to the rapidly food that is safe to eat - and the overall shaping of the fax on 02413 763S.{' cheap to buy. We are interested CSIROs Australia Real scientists never complain ... The Fcdet"al body in chargc of paying out on shorter pcriod. Telescope hits the airwaves workers' compcnsation claims, Comcarc Australia, The bulk of Comcarc payouts has reduced thc annual insurance premium it will arc for stress, repetitive strain and charge CSIRO for this financial year to about half back injuries, a\\ arcas in which CSJRO employces makc thc public service average. relativcly few complaints and The national science organisation per cent since 1988, when the take relatively lillIe time off had already been paying below- compensation body underwent a work. average premiums because of its massive overhaul because of CSIRO's Deputy General low number of claims. A further unacceptable cost incrcases. Manager of Human Resources, 25 per cent rcduction in these COl11care head Ms Jenni Neary Gary Knobel, was pleased with over thc past financial year has attributed the scheme's success 111 the new Comcare assessment. now brougllt the premium down this rcgard to increased cmphasis 'We've had a big return on our to 0.87 per cellt of total salary. on rehabilitation, and especially occupational health and safety comparcd to a Commonwealth to getting people back to work investment.' he said. average of 1.6 pcr cent. quickly after sickness or injury, 'When the 'hidden' costs of lost This Commonwealth average is Ms Neary said the scheme's 8S productivity, retraining. and itself much lowcr than JJ1 past per cent return to work rate was replacing staft' are taken into years, Comcare recently the best in Australia. account, ourlinaneial analysts announced an over-all rcduction The picture in CSIRO is tell us, the potential savings for in its premiums from 2.6 per cent similar, but with an even stceper CSIRO are close to $S million of total salary to the present 1,6 percentage improvement over a for this coming year alone.'.:' New research into lead in unborn babies CSIRO's Division of Mining and Exploration is lead from environmental sources searching for minerals. Not surprising, but this timc such as food. water and air, they're exploring in uncharactcristic terrain Because thcy need test subjects with isotopic fingerprints totally womens' bodics. differentli'om those of the current rr you were frying to publicise a radio telescope, which medium The technique they'll be using, of Adelaide. Funding is being Australian population, the team is would you choose 10 do ;t Ihmugh? however, is tilC same as they've provided mainly by the National seeking women from Bulgaria, A local lour;SI radio syslem has been installed ;n the IOWIl of been using for prospecting in the institute ofEnvironmental Health the fonner Czechoslovakia, CIS. Narrabri, NSW, 10 draw visitors' a/tent;on 10 CSlRO's Australia Australian outback. Not picks and Sciences in tile United Stales, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Telescope and other local a/traclions. shovels, but the sophisticated lead The team will use the isotoping Poland, Portugal, Spain, the The Imwdca"t, Iwwered by a 10-wall Iransmi/lel~ can be heard up isotope 'fingerprinting' technique technique to find out whether lead (ormer Yugoslavia, and the USA to fO Ion oWl'ide Narrabri. already successfully developed by is leached from womens' bones and Caoada, They want] 00 'The response has been very good: sufd Roxanne Edwards. the Division's Dr Brian Gulson and passes to their children during women, aged between 18 and 35, Manager or the telescope's Visitors' Centre at Narrabri. 'People and his team. pregnancy andlaclation, Research who are settling in Sydney and have heen ('O/'ning out oj'their WilY, or stopping rvhen they otherwise Dr Gulson is Project Manager of by CSIRO and olhers has intend 10 have children. wouldn 'I have SlOpped. a consortium involving CS1RO, established tilat even small If you know anyone who lits the 'And they comment on the message. The)' like the fact that it's not the Garvan Resem'Ch Foundation amounts of the mineral can retard bill and might bc willing to take repetitive CInd ii's not too cOJntneretal.' at St Vincent's Hospital, the intelligence. The resem'ch will part in this velY important study, A similar svstem, will be installed in Ihe Parkes area to draw Queensland University of make it possible to distinguish ask them to contact Brian Oulson allelltion to CSIRO's Parkes Telescope and other sites around Technology, Ihe Hunter Area hetweenlead that comes from or Karen Mizon on 02 887 8666. Parkes.·:- Health Service and the University long-term stores in the body and

354-1993 David Smiles wins Farrer Medal Friendly funligants Dr David Smiles, former by Sue Killgslalld Chief of the CSIRO Last month scientists at the CSIRO Division of Division of Soils, has Entomology's StOI'ed Grain Research Laboratory been awarded the Farrer (SGRL) patented a potential replacement for the Memorial Medal for ozone-attacking fumigant methyl bromide, cun'ently 1993. in use arounu the world. Announcing the award earlier CSlRO's new fumigant. bromide for some time. For this 11I0nth, .Farrer Memorial carbonyl sulphide, is plentiful, certain uscs, such a, stored Trust Chairman and NSW bio-degradable and will not products, they have effectively Agriculture Director-General, cause the problems methyl developed the use of nitrogen Dr Kevin Sheridan. said the bromide has caused. and carbon dioxide as Trustecs were most imprcssed Although it occurs commonly, fumigants. by Dr Smiles' outstanding even in the backyard compost However, up till now they had contributiou to agricultural heap, and has been extensively been unable to lind a gas tbat science in research and studied, the gas has always been could be used as a substitute lunnagelllCnt. overlooked as a possible quarantine fumigant, which 'Dr Smiles is recognised as fumigant. It was Dr Jonathan would make it possible to an internatioual authority for Banks, head of the SGRL, who reduce the use of ozone­ his pioneering coutributions first saw its potential a couple depleting chemicals world­ to soil physics,' Dr Sheridan of years back. wide. Carbonyl sulphide has said. 'His work is charac­ Since then, a team led by the many properties that make it tcrised by mastcrly laboratory's Dr Jim more suitable for such a role. integration ofsound Desmarchelier has been looking Last month's patenting madc mathematical theory and into and developing that carbonyl sulpbide the first new precise experimentation.' potential. Their tests have fumigant to be registered since The Medal will be (Iresented shown that carbonyl sulphide the 1940s. to Dr Smiles at a ceremony at will control a wide range of Developmcnt of the new the University of Sydney on pests such as beetles, fruit flies, fumigant was funded by September 30, after which he moths, termilcs and nematodes. CSIRO, tile Australmn Wheat will deIiver the 1993 Fan'er CSIRO scientists have been Board and the srate Bulk Memorial Oration. He will conscious of the need to Research Scientist, but he working on finding substitutes Handling Authorities. speak about the obligations manage land sustainably as stood down as Chief about a for the destructive methyl and opportunitics facing well as prolilably. year ago for personal and agricultm'al scientists as Dr Smiles is still with the health reasons. society becomes more Division ofSoils, as a Chief CSIRO marine scientist wins Pew Scholarship Dr Bob Johannes, a 'mal"ine biologist with the CSIRO 'Without their strong support Division of Fishel"ies in Hobart, has become the first and active collaboration Australian ever to be chosen as a Pew Scholar. government resource managers have little hope of succeeding in The awards are given annually of them - about 25 times as this task. by the Pew Charirable Trusts, many as there are engaged in 'Time is of the essence. The based at the University of largc-scale tishing·. modern world has put thc Michigan in the United States. 'One doesn't hear much about traditional ecological Their purpose is to honour thcm, however, because they are knowledge, as well as leaders in conservalion and usually poor, live in small third traditional natural resource research, whose careers reflect a and fourth world villages, and rnanagement systems, under commitment to both scholarship lack the political clout to call siege. ano environmental action. attention to their needs: Dr Johannes said he found the Dr Johannes said, 'the I-Ie said that it was some of work exciting especially c'ollision of traditional cultures these people, rather than the becanse of its inter-disciplinary with the modern world is large-scale !ishers, who were nature. 'Tt transcends the resultlllg in a progressive loss to putting most of the harvesting boundaries between the the world of invaluable pressure on coral reefs. biological and social sciences, traditional ecological 'We must work with them,' he between western scientitic and knowledge', said, 'if we are to sustain the indigenous cultures and ,[ work to help stem this loss biodiversity, beauty, biological knowledge bases, and between in tropical small-scale Jishing yield and ecological integrity of government and village institu­ communities in the South these and other tropical marine tions. Above, Dr Jim Desmarcheliel' o{ the STored Grain Research PacifiC and SoutheaSi Asia communities.' Laboratory TeslS CSIRO's new ozonefriendlyfumiga11l. where such knowledge abounds. training programs produced by and to help put this knowledge AAHL, are now being used lo better use in marine resource CSIRO training film wins international award around tbc world and have management.' Wbo would think tlmt a training Educational Film and Video Wain Fimeri, uses imaginative received wide commendation Dr Johannes dcfines small­ tilm for vets would woo the Festival held in California during graphics, imagery and scripting to ii'om vets, vetetinary training scale fishers as those whose critics? Well, CSIRO's Australian May this year. Now it has been explain the dangers of screw­ schools and animal health average investment in boats ami Animal Health Laboratory has voted Australia's best instmction­ worm l1y to the Australian authorities. lishing gear is less than $2,500. won national and international al and training video for the year livestock industry, It ensurcs that Screw worml1ies are parasites 'It surprises many people,' he recognition for its new video with the Australian Teachers of vets and animal health workers of warm-blooded animals. The said, 'to learn that these Jishers 'Screw Worm Fly'. Media awarding it the highly know how to identify the tly and maggo(s eat live meat, causing account for almost half the The video won an American regarded 'Atom' award, prevent it from becoming large gaping wounds that can lead world's catch of food fish, and 'Gold Apple' award in the Health 'Screw Worm Fly', produced by establisbed. to dramatic loss ofcondition and that there are roughly 12 million category at the National Sonya Pemberton and directed by This video, and other vet death among livestock. <.

354-1993 Caption Matter of Opinion COJllpetition No prize for guessing the topic of this month's Matter of Opinion. The writer is John Finnigan, Head of CSIRO's Centre for Environmental Mechanics, who has been a vocal critic ofSenator Chris Schacht's plans to rearrange CSIRO'sfeafures. Deeper lessons for CSIRO from the Schacht fight Many of the problems facing dismembered, not only The Ministel"s proposed Australia, particularly those thnmgh natural inertia, but rearrangements betray an to which scicntific research also becanse it is widely ignorance of four key things: and development can perceived as greater than the the fact that science, pm'ticu­ contribute, require a long­ sum of its parts. This larty environmental science, is term view, often as long as ten perception !lows largely from organised, more and more, to twenty years. Ifwe require onr ability to harness the vast around problems with groups convincing of this we need range of skills we possess in of researchers coalescing into All of the best entries came ji'Oln Barrie Hunt of the Divisiou of only look at the strategies of project teams or mnlti­ the cross-disciplinary teams Atmospheric Research in Melboul'lle. Perhaps ii's a case (If the threat our economically successful Divisional programs, with that the problems dictate; that of separation from CSIRO concentrating the mil/d wOl/delfully. Asian neighbours. A long­ minimal administrative cost any structnre that erects Anyway, he sent five, and they're all lovely, so I'm breaking a term perspective joins with or cultural conflict. barriers to this process is a precedellt tmdprinting them all. Here they are: other essential ingredients like Horizontal cross-linkages are backward step; that both 'I don't care what you say, I still think this is a stupid way to make the via ble strands of basic the necessary counter-balance commonality of culture and love.' reseal'ch that underpin to the neat vertical cleavage conditions strongly foster the 'When I started 011 this llOl7IlOnal treatmel/t you didll't tell me a sitle strategic work and the planes that the sectoral crucial process of team­ ~fJect was that I'd gl'OW a pail' ofhol'lls.' fostering of excellence, to alignment of Institutes building; aud that mutual 'All I call hear is 'moo'.' define a healthy R&D culture introduced into CSIRO. They respect, common standards 'My regular hairdresser never did this.' in which application and are among our greatest and esprit de corps are not 'O,K., it's removed my beard. Stop it before it geL' at my hail:' innovation can thrive. This is sll'engths and our best optional extras but essentials. But there were lots ofnice ones. Kris Jm:obsen, ji'om the Division of the nature ofscience; it is not argument fill' remaining Among the many cogent Forestry, sent 'Thatfeared al/d hated device, the 'Brain Drain' claims the nature of politics. unified. reasons to oppose Minister yet another CSIRO stqfJ member'. Morgie EI!{ield of the COl1JOrate As the national !lag carrier At a time when CSIRO's Schacht's Marine Institute is Library and Informatioll Service sent 'A certain member of for R&D, CSIRO has the management structures are that it will erect barriers to Education Programs using her mental floss' and LYlln Pu(ford responsibility to take the long­ again being examined at many this free exchange. herself submitted 'Feeling stressed? Off-load some tensions with term view, recognising what is levels, we should keep these The arguments against his SIROPUFF'. essential for the national R&D considerations at the forefront proposed arrangements and There were a lot ofentlies 011 brains - 'With brain dialysis, writer's bloek and otherforms ofcerebral,/ailure are a thing ofthe past',ji'Oln effort. This is a responsibility of our minds. My personal the precedent they set have David Briese of Entomology; 'Research indicates that there is it has accepted in the past and view is that the most hardly begun. Ifit and future excellent correlation between intelligence, size ofbrain, and ait:lTow will in the future, but one it important management arguments arc to be won it pressure differellce between the ears', from Arthur Williams of can only carry if it remains a question to address is how to will require all CSIRO staff Building, Construction and Engineering; 'NEWSFLASH: Aliens viable and unified body. minimise or remove barriers who value the unity of our captured CSIRO scientists to obtain vital technology it!formation. CSIRO has remained ujlitied to fl'ee movement ofstaff atld organisation to fostel' and Method used to obtain this illformation was a brain-sucking so far while similar bodies like expertise between Divisions promote the v.t1ues that machine'. DSIR have }leen and Institutes. reinforce it. .:. Others were on what the brain does rather tflan the organ itself, like the one from Nick Goldie ofPublic Affairs, 'III one ear and 01lt the Letters to, and irom, the Editor, continued from page Z other? NO NO NO! It's in both ears at once!', ami the one ji'O/lI letter of enquiry. to get my share, or can I petition article, and the initiative to run Vasanthe Vrthanage ofHorticulture, 'At last, the extel'l1al.f1oppy tube Page 5 of the last CoResearch my Chief and request under the article in the first place, to enhance memOlY'. Sue Pacers ofMalll!factllring Technology sent 'Telecom? Optus? I really can't tell the d(f.ference', and Kathy contained a blue box entitled EEO that my share be delivered were wholly mine. (I would MacKendrick ji'O/n Illformation Services sent 'Excuse me, Darling ­ 'PPE: some good news, and direct to my back garden at gladly claim the pun as 'wholly what did you say? My genetically engineered ears don't fit "ely welf'. some bad news' which I feel mine' too, but in fact it first home? Here's anotherphoto to work on,fi'O/n David Edwards, (see page 3), raised more questions t1Jan it Awaiting a response, Carme]7 appeared in the CoResearch answered. The suggestion is Regards Caption Competition in 1991, at that, should you score below Wendy Jacobs which time it gave, so far as 1 'effective' as your PPE gradiog I)ersonal Assistant to the know, no offence and some for two years in a row, you will Chief deJight. 1 stole it to leaven an 'not only lose your increment. Division of Mineral and otherwise dull though important but stand to have quite a large Process Engineering item.) excrement imposed on you'. So A second misunderstanding my questions are: PPE, some good news came from a statement made in • Were lender rrocedures and some bad news ­ the same issue in a letter to the correctly carriecl out for the Editor from Carmcl provision of this excrement? and some false Macpherson, head of CSIRO's • 1s there a separate charge code impressions? Human Resources Branch­ for excrement to facilitate The June issue of CoResearch and cmphasised by my tracing through corporate carried a blue box with some repetition of it in tbe blue box. accounts'? information on the recent In that letter Ms Macpherson • Have HRB perhaps purchased changes to the PPE process. had said 'The explanatory in bulk, or is this itcm reccived While I am assured by the booklet was ... sent to on consignment at Corporate Human Resources Branch that Divisional Personnel Officers in Centre as required? all of that information was early May.' • How is excrement then correct, there were apparently a Some readers mistakenly took delivered to Divisions? couple of ambiguities. this to mean (as indeed I did) • Or perhaps this excrement will First, some readers thought that the booklets would be made be produced corporately? that the pun on the possibility of available to staff. Maybe later this duty could be receiving excrements instead of Ms Macpherson has told devolved to Divisions who increments in their future pay CoResearch, 'this copy was 'A PPE information kit is through their Human Resources could then be responsible for packets had originated with the madc available to Human currently being publislled and a Manager 01' library. producing thcir own? Human Resources Branch. This Resources Managers and number of copies will be 'Should Divisions wish to • On a morc personal note, do 1 is incorrect: the decision to use Personnel Officers for distributed to each site. These purchase extra copies they will have to score below 'effective' the joke, the writing of the information' . will be accessible to staff be able to do so.'

354-1993 Research priorities decided for 1994 The CSIRO Board has decided on research priorities for special circumstances, exercise, in 1990, minerals and differences. for the Organisation for the next triennium, which bringing the total pIiority the environment were tllC two For example, on the national begins on July 1, 1994. fund ing to a maximum of $ I] areas to attract internal priority priorities scoring, Environmental million a year, or $33 million funding. This time, the BDard Knowledge has taken a nose­ The specific projects to reccive Environmental research will over the triennium. said that CSIRO cDntinued to dive, but CSIRO has maintained priority funding will not be retain it's present level of In addition, the Board is intent rate minerals, environmental and its intemal funding for this area. decided on until Deccmber, but allocation from the Priorities on making sure that priority­ rural research highly, but that tlle The natiDnal research priorities the areas of research and the Fund, $1 million a year, under selling by Institutes and manufacturing and infDnmatiDn arc decided on the basis of their amount~ they will receive have tlle two headings of Divisions will lead to much and cDmmunicatiDns areas had attractiveness and feasibility in been decided. Environmental Knowledge greater amounts being directed inadequate rescarch reSDurces in respect of the retums they at'e From the $5.5 million Priorities (basic and strategic environmen­ to these priority research areas. relatiDn tD their importance to likely to offer the nation Dn its Fund (raised annually across the tal research), and Environmental During the current budget Australia. investment dollar (see tlle two Organisation) tllfee of the Aspects ofEconomic negotiations, CSIRO will also be CSlRO's Executive Committee, axes of tlle graph below left; the designated research areas will be Development (environmental stressing to government that any which catTies out the priorities numbers alDng the vertical and given $1.5 million each. Thcsc management and pollution extra recuo'ent funding for the sCDring exercise, has also again horizontal axes show the SCDres areas are Mineral Resources, problems, mainly). second triennium will be produced a detailed assessment assigned to the various research Manufacturing Industries, and The chosen priority projects allocated according to the of what it believes shDuld be the areas by the Executive Infomlation and will be required to find matching Board's priority decisions. order of research priorities for Committee). Communications. funds, with limited exceptions In CSIRO's first pIiority-setting the nation as a whole. TIle shifts in those priorities since the 1990 A fu Jl report on the 1994 assessment are shown in the priorities is available from the Shifts in CSIRO's national graph below left. off1ce of Dr DOll MacRae, CSIRO's own priDrities, while Corporate Planner, at CSIRO, not identical to tllese, are mainly Box 225, Dickson ACT 2602, Dr priorities between 1990 and 1993 driven by them, with notable phDne 06 276 6177.(' Return to Australia from R&D, 1990 and 1993 New Tropical

OO.D Beef Centre for

70.0 RookhaRlpton (0 1990 .1993)

60.0

50.0 ; c w ~ 40.0 ~

30.0

20.0

Nl.mbefl along axes show .cores O$Ngnod by CSIRO Executive Comm"," to each of the leseach aroos 10.0

0.0 Above, CSlRO Chairman Prolessor Adrienne Clarke slJeaks at Ihe 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 opening ~llhe new Tropical BeefCenlre in Rockhamploll 011 August 3. Feasibility The Cenlre will draw logelher $50 millioll worlh {dIacilities "'iii Ihe staffs of three organisations in an a11lbUious joint venture aimed at Key to CSIRO's research areas ('Research Purposes') shwl'elling Auslralia's competilive edge inlhe he~f"induslry. CSlRO's 1 Plant Production and Primary Products 9 Envlronmen1al Aspects of Economic Development Dr 101m Veny)e, Director ofthe Ilew Centre, said Ihat the concepl had 2 Animal Production and Primary Products 10 Envlronmen1al KnolNledge developed from CSJRO's review of allimal productioll ill the lropics, 3 Rural-Based ManUfacturing 11 Transport parI of its Divisiollal Revie,v. CSIRO stafl' at Rocklw/11plOn had pul 4 Mineral Resources 12 ConstructIon forwanl the pmposition ill 7991, the Review had endorsed iI, alld Dr 5 Energy Resources 13 Commerclal Servlces Donald, Director ol the Inslitute of Allimal Production alld 6 Energy Supply 14 Hea~h Processing, had pUl~'ued the idea wilh the olher partners wilh gre(/{ 7 Manufacturing 15 Defence vigour ever since. 71,e upshot is. the 7/tlpical Beef Cel'l/re, with a staff' 8 Informatlon and Communlca1lons 16 Community ServIces of more than 80 and all anllual budgel of around $10 millioll. The three organisatiolls joining forces are CSIRO, the Queensland The above graph is taken .Ii"om 'CS7RO Research Priorities: 7994-9510 1996-97', if paper produced Departmenl (~r Primary Industries and the Ulliversit)' of Celltral by CSlRO's COllJUrllte Plallning Office, alld avai/aMeji'1/11 them. (See article above.) Queellsland. More 0/1 the work orthe BeefCel'l/re in later issues. •:.

354-1993 CSIRO - sky t rae kin g Chernobyl kids spend a across the universe and our day at Belmont television screens by Alex Wallace Filming began in June on Sky Trackers - a new children's television series and a new television concept, aimed at mal,ing science more appealing to childl'en. Starring in the series will be the enormous radio telescope antenna at CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility at Narrabri in NSW. In one early constant and vital episode young role in the viewers will get creation of Sky to see what it's Trackers. Apart like to roller­ from lending the blade in the world-class Above, Vera, one of the victims of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, giant receiving facility to the is helped down by Jim Davies after a horse ride at CSIRO's dish of the production team, Belmont Held station, just outside Rockhampton in Queensland. Six telescope itself. they made of these radiation-affected children from Chernobyl were recently In reality the themselves given a six-week trip to Central Queensland by the Emu Park Lions telescope is available as Club families. dedicated to consultants During their trip, they spent a day at the Belmont station, wllere radio throughout the they petted the cattle, rode the horses and romped in the hay. astronomy, but development of Russian translator. Mr Stan Wozniak. who was with the children in Sky Tmckers the scripts, as did during their stay, said he could not believe (lOW much they had it will also do NASA, America's improved in health and attitude to life since they had arrived. duty as a station space organisa­ They had stepped off the bus as pale, sick children, he said, and for tracking tion, now were happier, healthier kids with smiles and sel f-conl1dence. satellites and Ms Edgar said He pointed out, however, that while many of them now look fairly space probes. that recent healthy, most of them are in fact very ill from the effects of The 26-part government Chernobyl radiation in 1986. Mr Wozniak said many of the children adventure series reports had would not last long once they returned to their homes, but the trip to revolves around shown that Australia had enriched their lives. ,~ two families students believed living illld science to be working at the boring and 'for CSIRO's Student Research Scheme Kaputar nerds'. 'There is Tracking also the Station. The perception,' she kids are said, 'that the scientists' science world is a children. going male world: to school in a 'The series space probes, search for aliens, country town nearby. They face seeks to break down these solve mysteries through the ordinary problems of negative views and to encourage computer technology, fly into growing up. but lead extra­ children to think about jobs in space. livc, love, fight and laugh ordinary lives at the telescope, science areas as a positive together.' which offers them a window to option for the future: The series also olTers interna­ the universe. The series. which will go to air tional interest. Many overseas 'The series takes the exciting 1I1 1994, is being produced by high-school students come to qualities of science and creates the Australian Children's the tracking station and board in story lines that are fantastic, Television Foundation. It has a nearby homestead while mysterious and thrilling: said been soJd to the Australian conducting space-related Ms Patricia Edgar, Executive Seven Network and to Spain experiments. Producer of Sky Trackers. and Portugal CSIRO staff have had a 'The characters follow deep (Photo by Da!'id JOl11es) ':.

Abo!'e is one iJf'the cartoons thai wil/feature on the new drinking I11UI{S Canberra rally against Schacht proposals thot CSIRO's Education Pml{l'oms team will be presenting to all the Opposite, Canberra CSIRO scientists who take part in the Ol;~anisotions '.I' Student Research Scheme. staffrally outside Parliament House on July I3 in opposition to Senator Chris Schacht's proposal to make massive changes to the structure ofCSIRO, The mlly was organised at ,'ely short notice by the ACTBra/lch of the CSIRO Division ofthe Public Sector Unio/l. There were much larger demo/lstra­ tio/ls by staffill Hobart, home ofthe threatened marille Divisions. See stories pages 1, 2,3, alld 6,

354-1993 355##1993 oResea hOCS I RO NO.355 October 1993 CSIRO's AUSTRALIA Sir Ian McLennan award t an Banks for safer, cheaperpest control Dr Jonathan Banks of' the CSIRO Division of' Entomology has taken out this year's Sir Ian McLennan Achievement for Industry Award. The award was presented by Mr sealed storage has been so Alex Dix, Chairman of the NSW successful in Western Australia Science and Technology Council, that in 1992 and 1993 none of its at a lunchtime ceremony at grain was treated with chemical Sydney's Park Lane Hotel on protectants.' September 29. As pmt of the Award Ceremony, Mr Dix said that Dr Banks and plaques were also presented to Dr his team at the CSIRO Division Max Whitten, as Chief of the of Entomology's Stored Grain parent Division of Entomology, Research Laboratory had and to Mr John Lawrenson, succeeded magnificently in Managing Director of the keeping grain free from insect Australian Wheat Board, as attack after harvest, thus helping representative of CSIRO's to keep the Australian grain industry partners. storage industry in the forefront Mr Lawrenson said that Dr of world technology. Banks had brought tremendous 'Part of the premium price benel1ts to the grain industry. Australian wheat obtains on the 'We operate in a very difficult international market is due to its international market: he said, freedom ii'om insects,' he said, 'and so evety competitive adv1mt­ 'and this has come about almost age we can get is impOitant to us. entirely as a result of the work of 'Being able to sell grain ti'ee of Dr Banks' team. pesticide residue is an en0I1110US 'Since its inception ill 197 t the advantage to us. Laboratory has aimed to reduce 'Without it we would be industry's reliance on the use of missing out on k~y markets like chemicals for grain protection. Japan. We simply wouldn't be in They've been doing this by the race. developing alternative physical The Laboratory's work is and biological techniques.' funded partly by CSIRO and The Stored Grain Research partly by its industry partners. Laboratory has developed several These are the Australian Wheat non-pesticide methods of Board and five bulk handling protecting grains. authorities - Grainco in Dr Banks said that the team had Queensland; NSW Grain identified worrying pesticide COlporation Ltd; Grain Elevators residue levels in the Australian Board of Victoria; SA Dr Max Whit/en, Chief of the CSIRO Division of Entomology, displays the Division's 1993 Sir Ian diet in the 1970s, but that these Cooperative Bulk Handling Ltd McLennan Achievement for lndusfly Award Plaque, while Dr .Ionathan Banks, on his right, di'plays levels had been continually going and Co-operative Bulk Handling the Medal. Dr Banks a/ld his Stored Grain Research Laboratory teal11 won the award for their down as the team's new technolo­ in Western AustraHa. contrbutions to the grain export industry. Photo by Maria Basaglia. gies were increasingly adopted. In the past few years Certificates Grain had been the main con­ of Commendation have also been tributor to these pesticide levels. presented as part of the Sir Ian ASTEC to review 30 per cent On the financial side, the work McLennan Achievement for of the Laboratory team has been Industry Award Ceremony, and worth more than $8 million extra this yemo's Certificate went to Dr external earnings target a yem to the export wheat market. Robin Bedding, also of the The various storage techniques CSIRO Division of Entomology, ASTEC (Australian Science and Technology unintended consequences.' developed have also saved the for his work on nematodes. Council) has been asked to conduct a review of The Minister said that in response to these concerns the grain industty at least $ to million Sir Peter Derham, Chairman of the operation of the 30 per cent external earnings a year over the LaboratOlY's 20­ the Board of Management for the Government had asked ASTEC year IlistOlY. Sir Ian McLennan Award, said target set several years ago by the to review the impact of the Mr Dix said that Dr Banks had that Dr Bedding had led the Commonwealth Government for its research operations of the 30 per cent been quick to predict the change world in the use of parasitic agencies CSIRO, ANSTO (Australian Nuclear ex ternal earnings target on ­ ·the level and quality of in market attitude away from nematodes to control a wide Science and Technology Organisation), and chemical protectants and to help range of insect pests. interaction between the research develop to commercial reality the 'His work has had a major AIMS (Australian Institute of'Marine Science). organisations and industry; science of controlled impact on dIe productivity of the The announcement was made government research agencies "the performance of core atmospheres. national forestry industry,' said by Science Minister Senator with industry. research responsi bililies and the 'He was also successful in Sir Peter, 'and has led to the Chris Schacht on August 25. 'However: he said, 'dis- balance of research effort within persuading bulk handling auth­ establishment of a new indnstry Senator Schacht said the cussions with researchers and the research organisations; and orities to embark on programs of - the export of nematodes for external earnings targets had small business people have "the effective management of sealing existing storages,' he said. the control of overseas insect been very successful in highlighted the fact that these staff and other resources within 'The conversion to properly pests.' .~ improving the links of targets have had some the research organisations.-;. CSIRO's commercial practice throughout the Organisation, that will dictate how we enter, Letters to or for that matter refrain from entering, contractual relation­ ships, and how wc behave once in them. tbeEditor Progress on this has been rapid and careful. From reports prepared by the task force, the Dear Editor, Board has now approved a Your front-page article (CoResealt:h, August 1993) dealing with the revised statement of CSIRO Government's proposed changes to the CSIRO considerably policy on the eonunercialisation understates the Coalition's position on this issuc. of technology, as well as a The Liberal and National Parties totally opposed the Schacht revised statement of the proposals to incorporate ANSTO within the CSIRO and to strip the respective roles and responsibil­ Organisation of at least two divisions to form a new national ities, accountabilities and institute of marine science. delegations for each of the While supporting the need for a greater focus on marine science principal line management and technology to ensure not only a strong national capability in positions in CSIRO. This this area, but also the sustainable expansion of what is already a includes those of the Chief successful mm'iculture industry, the Coalition believed the Schacht Executive, the Directors, the scheme was ill-conceived and developed without consultation with Chiefs, the Program Managers, the CSIRO nor the broader community. and all the key positions In fact, when addressing the CSIRO protest rally outside supporting these line managers Parliament House last July (ref. the photograph on page 8 of in the various functional areas. CoResearch), 1 made it clear that the Coalition felt the Schacht The Board has also agreed that scheme would severely damage the Organisation's world-wide CSIRO should adopt a 'quality reputation for excellence and outstanding achievement in scientil1c management' approach to its research. On the day of writing this column I hosted a activities, in particular com­ Following visits to the Divisions of Fisheries, Oceanography and luncheon and had the chance to talk with the mercial practices, based on the Atmospheric Research and discussions with CSIRO senior Secretaries of some of the principal Commonwealth international quality manage­ management, I announced the Coalition's determination to oppose Government Departments, and to brief them on ment standard IS0900 I, whose the original Schacht proposal in the Senate. This decision was Australian equivalent is CSIRO's current issues. certainly a major reason behind the Government's backdown and AS3901. the subsequent establishment of the McKinnon Review. have to get street-wise. One of the most important of Though the code numbers We will announce our decision on the results of this Rcview after If 1 had any residual doubt these, and one on which the make it sound rather bureauerat­ its findings are handed down in late October. about the need to move with the Board and Executive ic, all we're really doing is In relation to the proposed merger of ANSTO (as it currently demanding times it was Committee have spent a lot of getting in step with the interna­ exists) into the CSIRO, the Coalition is not satisfied tbat the Inter­ dispelled by my recent trip to time and effort recently, is tional business community, as Departmental Committee process has provided the CSIRO with an Taiwan, where 1 attended the commercialisation. we did with metrication, and for adequate opportunity to assess the impact of any merger. 20th birthday party of our sister Of course, CSIRO is not the same good praclical reasons. The CSIRO is a unique Australian institution and the Coalition organisation, ITRI, the intending to cOlllmercialise Many of om main clients and will continue to oppose poorly considered and unwise decisions Industrial Technology Research everything it does; far from it. customers now work to these which may damage its operations. Institute of Taiwan. I was able We have important - in fact standards, and some of them m'e Yours sincerely, to compare notes with the heads crucial - obligations to the already stipulating that any Dr David Kemp of national R&D agencies from nation in a number of public outfit providing research for [Federal Shadow Minister for Science] interest areas of research. But IO major countries, and it was them must do so too. even these increasingly involve very clear that the track we're So, again, we really haven't us in commercial practice when now on in Australia ­ any choice - it is an we cnter into contracts with emphasising external delivery, imperative; but it is also an clients who fund research. So if accountability and transfer of opportunity for us to get right we define commercial practice results as our reason for up there with the world's best in the broad sense to encompass existence - is very much the practice. We have to be careful all areas in which we incur main road in all these countries. that we don't treat this standard contractual obligations, this And, in the distance, Same of as an add-on responsibility but becomes an issue for everyone. the paving has the gleam of rather as a useful set of steps to The Board has asked me to gold. ensure a rigorous approach to take steps to make sure that in To address various eommercial commercial dealings. such cases CSIRO's own practice issues, I convened a 1've been impressed by the commercial practices are above task force, whieh has been swift, sure work of the task reproach, and lead to outcomes operating now since May, with force, whose nndings have been of benefit to the client and to the job of examining and endorsed by our new Director of CSIRO. reporting back to me on Corporate Business, Peter There are many pitfalls! For CSIRO's commercial practices, Bradfield. These findings will example, not many scientists and recommending improve­ soon be widely distributed in realise that you can be ments. Dr Colin Adam, Director the form of a 'commercialisa­ construed to have entered into a of the CSlRO Institute of tion manual' and detailed binding contract merely by Industrial Technologies, has statements of our prescribed having a chat, or by exchanging been in the chair. practices. To complement these, documents as yet unsigned. I particularly wanted to look at training courses will be While I believe that dev­ our compliance with legal provided, of various sorts eJ oping new skill in this area requirements, but I also wanted depending on your needs. will offer us the chance to play to look at the best commercial a more important and effective practices in other private and role in the community, and is public organisations around the therefore a very positive move, world. A number of interesting it's not really something about and important findings have which we have a choice. Our already emerged. society, along with the rest of One basic one is the critical the world, is becoming more need to have in place a set of litigious, and we're just going to policies, known and understood

355-1993 CSIRO, ANSTO, AIMS ..• but could AMISC spell the end of the acronymy between us? At the time of going to llress there is still no information on whether CSIRO will The alternative proposals be losing its two marine Divisions, Fisheries and Oceanography. Nor is there yet a before the Review - a new, decision on whether the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology stand-alone institute or an expanded AIMS - would be Organisation, ANSTO, will be incorporated into CSIRO. expensive and would go against The latest word on both is that Dr McEwan's report also says incorporation of AIMS into the Governmcnt's own long­ breath-holding may be that 44 of the submissions CSIRO. Least popular by a long standing science policy of hazardous to your health. There specifically expressed the view way is the removal of the two brcaking down barriers between has been a five-week delay on that removing the marine CSIRO Divisions into either institutions and disciplines, the the ANSTO review report, Divisions from CSIRO would be AIMS or n newly created subrnis~ion argues. pushing its likely annuuncemcnt damaging or disadvantageous to institute. The Chief Executive of dale into early November, and Australian marine science. Professor Ken McKinnon, who CSIRO, Dr John Stocker, said the end-of-October date for the The submissions included is head of the Marine Science that the proposal was designed marine review is also said to be many from acadcmie groups and Review, as well as the review to meet the imperatives facing leaning forward perilously. industry as well as from CSIRO, into the I'easibility of incorporat­ all Australian science over the There is one substantial piece AIMS, aud other major ing ANSTO into CSIRO, has next decade - cost etTiciency, of news, however. According to Australian science interest becn travelling around Australia national co-ordination and an analysis prepared by Dr groups, aud 15 submissions consulting interested partics priority-selling, the targeting of Angus McEwan, Chief of the canlC from overseas. from various sections of the problems and client service. CSIRO Division of Dr McEwan's report was community, as well as studying He said that marine science Oceanography, only 10 of the weighted to allow for bias. the formal submissions. wa~ emerging as a key national 112 submissions received by the where known, towards CSIRO CSIRO's own submission to intcrest, but that it should not be Marine Science Review support or AIMS, but offers both the the review, also prepared by Dr viewed in isolation from other Science Minister Chris weighted and unweighted McEwan, calls for the creation national interests, or from other Schacht's preferred option of statistics. of an Australian Marine Science scientific disciplines and moving the two CSIRO Overall, the figures show that and Industry Council (AMISC), business sectors. 'It is inextrica­ Divisions into the Australian the most popular option is to to drive federal marine science bly linked,' he said, 'to coastal Institute of Marine Seience keep things as they are, and only policy, and a new nutrine zone management and land use; (AIMS). slightly less popular is the science Institute within CSIRO. to climate research; to issues of The new Institute would biodiversity; to minerals combine the two present CSIRO exploration; and to the emerging Divisions of Fisheries and information and cOlllmunication Oceanography with AIMS, and sciences'. would have the proposed new 'CSIRO is structured so that marine council, AMISC, as its multi-disciplinary teams can be formal advisory body. marshalled to address national The submission argues that problems,' DrStocker s'\id. Australia's marine sectors are 'Australia needs an internation­ marked by a wide diversity of ally recognised research body interests and requirements, and large enough to be a signiticant that the best way to bring player in international terms. It science to bear on such diverse has one in CSIRO. requiremellts is not by isolating the marine disciplines, but by integrating thcm within a broader scientilic community. It says the new institute 'would !

355-1993 New rabbit virus passes early tests Afirst from Water According to AAHL, CSIRO's Australian Animal integrate the virus into existing Health Laboratory, the European rabbit is rabbit control programs: Resources Symposium Australia's most serious vertebnlte pest and New If RHO passes tlle next round of Dr Wayne Meyer, Senior Principal Research Scientist Zealand's second most serious (after the brush-tail rigorous evaluation, that will and Progl"am Leader from the CSIRO Division of trigger n complex regulatory possum). There are at least two hundred million process involving broad Water ResoUl'ces, has been appointed by CSIRO and rabbits in Australia, and the damage caused by them, community consultation through a Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South and the cost of controlling them, accounts for range of government Acts in both Wales, as the first Professor of Irrigation in between $75 million and $90 million every year. countries. Australia. They compete with livestock for AAHL's early results, which it The workshop, held in Geelong The appointment was speeches. the key-note address nvnilnble pasture. They graze and presented at the workshop, from September 16-18, wns announced at the Division or being delivered by a CSIRO kill young trees and shrubs. They indicate that RHO is highly organised by the BRS (Bureau of Water Resources' 1993 McMaster Fellow, Professor cause soil erosion by removing infectious, but among rabbits only, Resource Sciences) and CSlRO symposium - 'The Future of Gerald S\anhill of the Institute vegetntion nnd disturbing soil to and that it kills them quickly nnd with the support of the New Irrigation in the Murray-Darling of Soil and Wnter, Agricultural buiId their burrows. They have quietly. Zealnnd Government. Many Basin', held .in Griffith, New Research Organisation, Israel. contributed to the extinction of Morgan Williams of New Australian and New Zealnnd South Wales, in August. Or Professor Stllnhill spoke about many native plant and animal Zealand's MinistlY of Agriculture agencies were represented, Meyer will tnke up his Israel's experience in agricultur­ species. lUld Fisheries snid, 'Now we need including the RSPCAs of both nppointment in Febnwry 1994, al irrigation and its relevance Now, at a recent internationnl to investignte how the virus countries, ANZFAS (the and will be bnsed nl Grirfith, for Austmlin. workshop, Australian and New behaves outside the laboratory, Austrnlian New Zealnnd where irrigntion students will be The symposium covered a Zealand scientists, regulntors and perhaps on an island or in collabo- Federation of Animal Societies), able to take advantage of his range of broad but topicnl community groups have given a ration with European countries farmer organisaLions. rural extensive industry experience concerns for the MOB men. cautious thumbs-up to control of wllere RHO is endemic in wild research funders nnd government nnd CSlRO laborntory facilities. Areas of discussion included ­ regulators.•~ rabbit numbers by the haemor- rabbits.' Dr Meyer was the chairman of a • environmental impacts of rhagic disease virus, RHO. Dr Keith Murray, hend of steering committee that irrigation on the riverine aquatic Over the past two years Austmlia AAHL, reflected the sentiments of organised the successful ecology and waler qunlity: and New Zealand have funded the meeting. 'RHO appenrs to be symposium Ihnt brought • managing agricultural produc­ high security tests of RHO at the more humane than cun'ent control Murrny-Oarling Bnsin (MOB) tivity and the environment: Australian Animal Health measures.' he said, 'but we need stakeholders together to look nt • applicntion of marketing Laboratory to see if the virus more in!(Jnnation to nllow animal ways of creating morc principles in land and water might offer an effective means of welfnre representatives to make a profitnble and sustainable management planning; biological control. full assessment. And we need to agricultural irrigation. • salinity and its efrccts: Irrigation in Australia is • irrigation development and concentrated in the MOB in how the environment can be Information leaflets on PPE terms of both water volume and protected: and land area. The Basin catchments • how environmental regulation in Queensland,New South and irrigation can co-exist. Wales, and Vietorin extend Although the symposium through to South Austmlia. The focused on these nnd similarly rwtional importance of the serious issues, a lighter moment symposium was recognised in was thrown in with the guest letters from the Federnl Minister appearance of the 'Prickle for Primary Industry and Farmer', M ike Hayes, at the Energy, Mr Simon Crean, nnd official Symposium Dinner at the Federal Minister for the the Griffith Ex-Servicemen's Environment, Sport and Club. Territories, Ms Ros Kelly, as Support for the symposium well as a number of State was given by many large Ministers. irrigation-dependent industries A total of three hundred such as sligar cane, cotton. wine delegates from Australia and grape, rice, oilseed, dairying, overseas attended the three-day livestock, and canning fruit. All symposium. A wide rnnge of have a stake in the MOB's eminent speakers del ivered survivnl and well-being.•:.

CSIRO's Human Resources Branch has just released a series of information leaflets on different aspects of the Organisation's Pcrlormance Planning and Evaluation process, or PPE. PPE was introduced These topics include objcctive- • Performance Planning for throughout CSIRO two years sctting in Stage I, use of Stafr Members; ago to provide a framework competencies in PPE, and the • Performnnee Planning for for managing staff Stage 3 appraisnl interview. The Managers: performnnee in a way that information contained in the • Performance Indicators in would align each person's lcallels is flexible enough to be Objective-Setting: work objectives with those of used by CSIRO stall' in a wide • Handling the Appraisal the Organisation. The PPE vnriety of jobs nnd should prove Interview (as Staff Member); process is aimed at a vnluable resource. • Handling the Appraisal promoting communication Some leaflets have been lnterview (as Manager); and and feedback between staff written from the poiut of view • Competencies. and managers, identifying of a staff member, and others training and devclopment from the point of view of a Your Divisional Personnel needs and linking achieve- manager. though obviously or Human Resources ments with rewards. many people will II II both roles. Manager call order any of The new leaITets range The leaflets have been kept these through the Corporate from the Guide Booklet, simple to nwke them easy to Services Department Store. which offers step-by-step digest. For more information phone instructions on how to till in There nrc seven leallets in the AnHlna Morriss on 06 276 the PPE form, to guidance on 6317 or Oonl1n Simotas on 06 more speci IIc PPE topics. 2766316.

355-1993 CSIRO SNAPSHOTS Stll/fish threat to Australian waters Earthworms Downunder CS[m'rs Division ofFisheries is sending a scientific team to Japan to conduct emergency research on an introduced slm·nsh, the Northern Pacific Seastar, which is threatening Australian Ilsheries. The Seastar was probably introduced to Australia through ships' ballast watcr in the em'ly 1980s and now threatens Tasmania's $85 million shelltish industry. It also poses a much wider threat to marine life, as it has no natural predators and can reproduce in staggering numbers. lis potential marine habitat could extend from Sydney to Perth. UN conference 011 clean production CSIRO, at the request of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIOO), is organising an intemational conference called 'Economic Growth with Clean Production', to be held at Melboume's World Congress Centre in February next yem·. The keynote speaker will be Germany's Minister for the Environment, Professor Dr Klaus Topfer. Dr Topfer's oflicial responsibilities also include Nuclear Safety, as, by that time, so might ours, if plans to incOlvorate ANSTO into CSm.O go ahead. US abandons searcilfor aliells in space The United States has decided to withdraw funding for a NASA program that was to have involved CSIRO in a world-wide radio­ telescopic scan of space for signals that might indicate the presence of other intelligences in the universe. NASA has so far paid CSIRO $300,000 for equipment designed and built by the Division of Radiophysics, and was to have paid a further $1.4 million for use of its telescopes at Parkes and Coonabarabran if the program had gone ahead. New top st((lr CSIRO recently commissioned a report from McKinsey's on how to improve its relationship with industry, and as a result of their recommen­ dations the CSIRO BOlU'd is now taking steps to strengthen its business acumen and contacts. One of Ulese is the acquisition to top-level staff of three prominent industry ligures, Mr Peter Bradfield, Mr LatTy Little, and Dr Chris Mallett. Bradlield, whose experience is in international marketing, business development and contract negotiation, has taken up a newly created position 'L~ Director ofCorporate Business at CSIRO Head OHke in Melbourne, immediately responsible to ChiefExecutive Dr John Stocker. He will be a member of the CSIRO Executive Committee. Little, whose background is in the Canadian building and construction industly, becomes Chief of the Division ofBuilding, Construction lUld Engineering. Mallett will begin as new Chiefofthe Division of Food Science and Technology in December, bringing experience in basic science, food industry research and innovation and food retailing in Europe. Phonecl/rds tofeatllre SEM illlages Telecom Australia will be leaturing CSIRO resem'ch in its next series of Phonecards, which have become popular collectors' items alongside stamps and coins. The CSIRO technology chosen for the cards is colour Scanning Electron Mic1'llscopy, or SEM, which produces clear, detailed images ofminute objects such as marine plankton, butlert1y eggs and Above, Linda Meisel {)(CSIRO's Education Programs helps a couple ofDouble Helix members coullt pollen gmi ns. and cla.I·,·i!y their worms. Children all over Australia took part last year ill Eorthworms Dowllulld,,; a Big Chine~'e 1Ill/l'ketforAustralian food CSIRO pn~iect desiglled to hell' soil scientists by providing them with ir!!rJr/l1arion Oil the loca/ioll. Dr Graham Bell, head of CSIRO's Sensory Research Centre in Sydncy, numbers ami types (

355-1993 International nutrition Caption congress highlights COlDpetition CSIRO research Every four years there is an International Congress also influenced cognitive of Nutrition. It's regarded as the biggest event on development, the deleterious cnect of lead appeared to be less.' the wodd nutrition calendar, a sort of Nutrition An analysis of all the research Olympics, and this year Adelaide was chosen as the studies in humans, together with venue. This is the first time in the 40-year history information from animal studies, of the Congress that Australia has been the host pointcd to 'a modest but real effect of lead on intelligence.' country. CSIRO played an important part in 'An important issue is whethcr organising the conference and supplied many of there is a 'safe' level of lead the speakers, sending information about the cxposure, at which there is no research Australia is doing in nutdtion back to apparent effect on development. Unfortunately there is no scientific communities around the world. convincing evidence of a Dr Richard Smith, recently nutrients, so not evcryone will tl1Ieshold, and health officials may retired from the Division of beneITt from standard advice,' Dr have to be content with goals I'll have to be more careful with my photographs; I'm a.linid a lot of Human Nutrition in Adelaide, and Nestel said. which m'e pragmatically attainable the enllies were unsuitable for geneml exhibition on tMs one. Some Secretary General of the rather than absolutely 'safe',' he As an example of this were libellous, some obscene, and some an impressive blend ofboth, Congress, spoke about his complexity, one point brougllt up said. Not so the will/leI; hmveveJ; which is 'David Edwards has .finally findings on the health effects of at the Congress was that while mastered his three-wheeler' from Lynn Pu(ford in Education white settlement and culture on obesity is a risk factor for heart Dr Barrie Pittod" of the CSIRO Progmms in CanbelTa, the Aborigines of the Kimberley disease. and alcohol consumption Division of Atmospheric Resem'ch A near runner-up came .Ii-om H'ed de Silva of the Division of region in Western Australia. may add to obesity, moderate in Melbourne, spoke on the elTects Atmospheric Research in Aspendale: 'Macho Gelletic EngineeJ", He told his audience that alcohol consumption also seems of Greenhouse on the world's H'ed also sent 'l1wsejean shears really work!' AbOligines in this area have made to be protective against heart food supply. Barrie Hunt from the same Division sent 'Are you sure this is the the transition from a long­ disease, The gleenhouse effcctmay make way you use this shoe polisher?' and 'You'rejoking, There aretl't any standing, active and successful e1,e world weller and warnler, and makes on board this ship', hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a Dr Ivor Dreosti, also of CSIRO's provide more carbon dioxide for From Jeffrey Tapping, Division ofApplied Physics in Adelaide, largely sedentary and partly Division of Human Nutrition, plants, but the overall effect on came 'The picture shows a demonstmtion ofSIROREM, the CSIRO urbanised existence, with a mainly chaired a symposium on anti­ food production will not Reptile Evasioll Machine. -''" and if the snake looks like catching Western food supply. oxidants. necesslU'ily be favorable. up, youjustpull 011 the reversing switch like this, andback over it!' He spoke of the intervening Anti-oxidants havc been much in Dr PiUock said that current Gail Veal Q,fthe DMsion ofBuilding, Constmction andEngineering period whcn many Aborigines the news lately for their possible scenm'ios suggest future increases in Highett sent 'You've heard ofreinventing the wheel? At CSIRO we were associated with cattle use in combating heart disease, in rainfall, and problems with put in a lot ofR&D aud reinvented three Q,f them. (But we still don't stations, where the main elements cancer mld mthritis. They work by flooding, in northern India, know wOOt it does!) of the diet were fresh meat, !lOlli', countering the action of oxygen­ Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Anyway, here we go again; by your bmin 011 the one below", tea, sugar, potatoes and salt. He free radicals, which are formed as contrast, the massive production said that this experience still exerts part of the body's normal of gmin in the mid-western USA a strong in!luence on their eating metabolism and also as a result of may bc threatened by a decline in pattenls. pollution, X-rays and ultra-violet rainfall in that area. Australia is Their diet today still lacks liesh mdiation. likely to become slightly wetter, fiuit and vcgetables,' he said, 'and Dr Dreosti said that laboratory with a rainfaU incmase of up to 20 botb quality and quantity are studies supported the idca that per cent in the next 30-40 yem·s. limited by economic circum­ there were health benefi ts from Dr Pillock has compared five stanccs. The combination of a higher than average intake of anti­ different computer modcis for changcd lifestyle and alterations to oxidants, and studies of disease simulating climatic change, and diet has resulted in a very high patterns in humans were adding the results have been, in general, prevalencc of diabetes. high blood additional weight to the eIICOlY. quite consistent. He said this pressure and heart disease.' Green and orange fruit and reflected the rapid increases in e1,e vegetables m'e known to have anti­ skill and accuracy or climatc Dr Paul Nestel, Chief of the oxidant effecLs. as are onions and models and regional forccasts, Division of Human Nutrition. garlic. which make it possible to assess chaired a symposium at the Dr Dreosti said it was possible climate pattenlS in sub-continents Congress on the prevention of that plants such as garlic included rathcr than whole continents, he cardiovascular disease by not only the protective anti­ said, ... I tion Programs are taking the I nutritional means. oxidants but other compounds that He warned, however, or the tion very seriously - they've He issued a warning against may, for example, help the eell to many traps in forecasting the I people with the money, and hit over-simplificd information on repair damage already caused by exact implications of the hcart disease. Many questions oxidation. greenhouse effect on food Michelle Deaker and Ross I remained unanswered, he said, production. For example, wanner hizzing and popping sCI'ence and the answers when found were Dr Peter Baghurst of the same weather may make wheat grow I nee and Treasury, throwing in often extrcmcly complex. Division spoke to the Congress on raster, but it can recluce the yield IRO's research between the Because of this complexity, the contamination of food with of grain. When the increase in public health mcssages often lead and its effects on intelligence. almophcric cm'bon dioxidc is also became conllJsing, mKI seemed to Dr Baghurst said that studies added to the equation, it bccomes 19j 01 carry self-contradictions. Even conducted from the late j 970s even more complicated. Two out when this was not the case, what onward largely agreed that there of three varieties of wheat was truc for onc person may be was pOOler cognitive development examined by the CSIRO did falsc, and dangerously false, for among childrcn with the highest worse in a welter, warmer another. levels of lead exposure. cnvironment with more carbon 'Peoplc respond ditTerently to 'However,' he said, 'after taking clioxide, but a third varicty did dietary fats, sodium and other into account other factors which better..:.

355-1993 An interview with Adrienne Clarke, Chairman of the Board is much more fundamental than creative and complex business, that. and often the factors for its 'Japan promotes the growth of success were not readily its science in many ways other appreciated by others. than formal budget allocations,' 'On the other hand,' she said, she said. 'the political process is also very 'There is an impressive amount complex and often very difficult of support behind tlle scenes, and, for the scientists to understand.' importantly, under the spotlight. However, Professor Clarke is a At an international scicnce scientist, and it is not to be congress I attendcd during my supposed that this even-handed trip, the Japanese Royal Family remark means that she thinks the were not only involved in formal two cultures are equal. In fact, she opening ceremonies, but also is sure that scicntists have certain stayed for the whole of the advantages, 'by virtue of their plenmy lectures. That sort of thi ng style of work', in dealing with sends a powerful message about problems generally. the status ofscience. 'We as scientists,' she said, 'are 'Government, industry and used to recognising ancl being technology in Japan are much comfortable with ignorance. I am better integrated and mutually constantly surprised at what an supportive than they are here. enormous advantage this is and There are well-established how few people in other sectors channels, formal and informal, can comfortably admit ignorance between them, and money Hows and then set about acquiring along those channels, sustaining knowledge systematically. economic growth.' 'We also have honesty built into At the more general level of our scientific culture, simply changes in science around the because knowledge can only build world, Professor Clarke spoke of securely on an honest and 'the synergies being generated at disinterested assessment of tlle interfaces between traditional observation.' disciplines' . Professor Clarke also told her 'Providing reseru'ch bodies with audience that what she referred to Professor Adrienne Clarke has just stepped, gratefully, back on to SUpp011 for minimising artificial as 'our existing problems' would Australian soil after a month-long speaking and meeting tour that took structural barriers and improving require them to have another links between different areas of traditional scientific virtue ­ her to Japan, Switzerland and America. scienti11c study has proved to be persistence. She went mainly as scientist, partly as private ness - but we also have a very productive, and is being Asked by CoResearch this citizen, and not at all as Chairman of CSIRO. Still, responsibility to help the smaller fostered. month for a comment on those companies that will be growing 'Back in Ausu'alia, I was struck problems, the Chairman saicl, 'it the observations that she made as scientist and and producing bOtll new jobs and by 'benchmarking' as a current has been a very difflcult time for citizen have not gone away just because she's new export income. buzz-word in the business tlle Orgrulisation, and diverted rul resumed her Chairman's hat. CoResearch asked 'How to do this? There are no community. I was somewhat emonnous amount of energy, but Professor Clarke what she sees happening to science simple answers. We'll have to uy surprised at the importance this cleru'ly evelybody has risen to the in general around the world, and how that applies a number of different approaches has assumed in business, only occasion. and lind the most effective.' because science has always 'We hope the review processes to CSIRO's current situation. Whatever specific approaches operated through international will now lead to some sound One thing Professor Clarke saw entirely new activities. end up being taken, Professor peer review - in reality, interna­ decisions. everywhere in her travels was how 'A recent estimate of the total of Clarke believes tlhe ability to take tional benchmarking. It's just pill1 'One very important issue for much everyone is suffering under such companies for all of a large and long view will be of the way science works, and the people considering the way the recession, and the sort of Australia puts it at about 50. If critical to success. Some we're all very comfortable with it. forward should be maintaining the pressure this puts on science. you subtract the cohort of mining governments, she says, are better It's celiainly no novelty.' cross-disciplinary links that "In S0111e areas,' she said, 'there companies from that, the number tlhan others in this regard; Japan is Professor Clarke believes there CSIRO has been progressively is a budgetary pressure, but is velY small. well known for its capacity to take are many other important cultural building up, and the very strong everywhere tllere is a pressure on 'Another interesting linding is a long view. Professor Clarke was differences between scientists and record of creative work tllat has scientists to be 'useful'.' that the small to medium-sized struck by how much of its budget other groups in tlle community. In come from tllese. 'Governments are responding in enterprises, rather than the giants, the Japanese government was a recent address to CSIRO staff in 'The Boru'd has been very keen the classic way: trying to get ill'C emerging as tlle major source willing to invest in science and Perth, at the height of the debate to see the Organisation tackle the scientists closer to industry. All of new employment over Minister big problems that are impOlirult to the nortllern hemisphere countries in most countries. " h h if' Schacht's Australia, and to bring the are doing it. This is also true in Japan promotes t e growt 0 ltS proposal to creativity of tlle multi-disciplinruy 'Of course we're doing it too, Australia, which science in many ways other than remove the teams to tllOse problems. We have but in our case there's a basic means we should two marine been notching up major successes problem - Australia has very be focusing some formal budget allocations. There Divisions of in, for exmnple, the Coastal Zone few companies with sizeable in­ of our effOli to help • •• 1 Fisheries and Program mld the Climate Change house R&D capabilities, and them thrive. lS an lmpresslve amount 0 Oceanography Program. tllose are the kinds of companies a 'The . big, support behind the scenes and and add the 'We 111 ust now build on our science organisation like CSIRO establIshed ,, nuclear successes and l'Ccognise the value can interact with easily. compani~s rue st~lI importantly, under the spotlight.' agency to Australia of focusing on major 'We speak the same language, Australia's main ANSTO to the problems and opportunities with and there is a good chance of source of export technology, through generous Organisation, multi-disciplinary teams and all incorporating technology, either income, and we have a responsi­ support for universities and new she alluded to some of those the creative synergies that these for process improvement, for bility to use our technology to technology companies, for ditTel'ences. teams can generate.' major changes in products, or for help them maintain competitive- example. But she says tlhe suppOli She said that science was a

355-1993 With a little help from his friends ... by Alex Wallace Profile of an American soil Mr Reg Henry, a mechanical Laboratory Supervisor from the CSIRO Division of Atmospheric Research, scientist in CSIRO has answered a long-standing need in air-sample storage by designing and constructing a new kind of Rae Fry is a scientific editor for CSIRO's Centre for Environmental Mechanics in stainless steel vessel. Canberra. In the course of her work she recently got interested in the work and Mr Henry has been working on complex problcms seem nearer. personality of an American scientist who was visiting CSIRO on a McMaster the project since 1991 - trying 'After testing sample material Fellowship - one Wilford Gardner. She thought CoResearch readers might be to manufacture a vessel suitable by spectrum analysis J found interested in him too, and offers this personal sketch. for the long-term storage of air conclusive proof that I was on Five minutes into a eonversation samples to be used for the the right track. I designed a with Dr Wilford Gardner you Division's future research on vessel that I felt would suit our gct the impression that yon're atmospheric changes. purposes and developed a talking to a man who's not only 'J was trying to develop a welding procedure and the seen it all: he's taken it all in vessel that would be perfect for technique needed for the best and made sense of it. our needs: non-corrosive and results. Sample vessels were Dr Gardner is Dean of the totally clean. 1 also needed to produced and special cleaning College of Natural Resources at eliminate the oeeurence of 'out­ processes were developed with the Univcrsity of California. gassing', or carbon dioxide two co-workers. Dr Roger Berkeley. He is a distinguished leaking from the vessel's Francey and Dr Paul Steele,' soil physicist and scientific welded joints and spoiling the said Mr Henry. administrator, and a former air sample inside. I thought The finished stainless steel Presidcnt of the Soil Science that this was a fairly simple vessels and the designs were Society of America. Dr Gardner process, but each corner turned submitted by Mr Henry to the is a champion of the discipi ine uncovered a thousand new Pressure Vessel Group. a part of of soil science, and he has a problems,' said Mr Henry. the Occupational Health and wonderful sense of its history During a visit to the Safety Authority. Approval was - both his father and his uncle Atmospheric Research labora­ granted for the Division to were also soil scientists. tories. the Chief Executive of prod uce the vessels in tbree Dr Gardner is modest about CSIRO. Dr John Stocker. asked different capacities. his achievements, but ncver Mr Henry if he had ever been to Now that the Division is able complacent. Over his lifetime the Welding Laboratory at the to manufacture its own vessels, he has seen massive changes Division of Manufacturing technicians in the laboratory both in science itself and in the Technology. Mr Henry thought have tighter control over the way science is organised and the trip would be worthwhile construction and testing process funded. Ecology has changed United StateS Department of Fellowship at CSIRO's Centre and so began a three day - guaranteeing a high-quality from a basically descriptive Agriculture (USDA). [or Environmental Mechanics, journey of discovery. final product. The savings to science - where someone who He was sent to University of where he weleomed the chance Dr NaSir Ahmed and Mr the Division are significant­ used any equipment more California Riverside to 'l,arn to enjoy writing again. free Kevin Baughn at the nearby imported American vessels complicated than a metre-rule something about the subject'. from administrative responsibil­ Division were able to discuss used to cost Atmospheric was labelled 'gadget-happy' ­ He stayed at Riverside for 13 ities. the problems Mr Henry was Research $l ,500 each; the to a sophisticated quantitative years, and never made it to When he retires next year he facing at the technical level hc Division now hopes the cost discipline requiring an Washington. When Richards plans to write a history of soil needed. He gained some may drop to as little as $300 for understanding of the interac­ retired he moved on to a science: the StDly of who did insights from the visit that every vessel. tions between land, sea and combined academiclUSDA what, and the personalities suddenly made solutions to the ,~cience. atmosphere at the global level. research team at the University behind the Gardner is During the,course of his career of Wisconsin. and 14 years later well placed to write such a Dr Gardner has encountered a he took up a chair at the history - he has known many companion change in agricul­ University of Arizona - in his of the researchers involved tural science. In the past they words, 'to pay back some of since they were his father's were 'single industry' sciences, what I'd received in research by students. directed entirely towards being an administrator for a Scientific breakthroughs, boosting farm production. Now while. and to test my theories however, are no longer on the they are environmental sciences, on how to build a good research agenda. Gardner is happy at this foreed to respond to escalating group'. stage to let other people do the public concem about the The theories he tested then are cutting-edge work. harmful effects of farming on still being put into place at UC You get the feeling that Dr food and ecosystems. Mueh of Berkeley's College of Natural Wilford Gardner has adapted Gardner's past seven years at Resources, which is currently remarkably well not only to Berkeley have been spent facing (and conveniently, in his changes in scientific research this new challenge. absence, Gardner notes) and funding, but also to changes Dr Gardner grew up in Utah undergoing major restructuring. in his own life. He says that and did his PhD at Iowa State Gardner recently completed a there are now other 1I1ings to do. University, graduating in 1953 three-month McMaster Mr Reg Henry (Iell) anti Dr Palll Steele (right!, both 4 the CSIRO - the beginning of what he Division of Atnwspheric Research, examine one (~r the new air­ sforclRe vessels they recently developed. Photo by D(/vid WhUlas. calls the 'golden era of agricul­ tural funding' (from Ole 1950s 'A'forine science to the 1980s). In spite of his ... is inextricably soil-scientist forebears, he went linked ... to the into agricultural research more emerging from accident than ancestry. He , ill/ormatioll ami , communication had taken a minor in soil sciences' - Dr physics during his PhD, and John Stocker. expressed some interest in the subject. His Professor made a phone call to Washington DC, and Gardner became the first soil physicist appointed by the

355-1993 356##1993

CS I RO AUSTRALIA Chairman's Medal to Graeme Caughley The 1993 CSIRO Chairman's Medal has been won by Awm'ds (see CoResearch 355) disinfestation method in Australia. pulsars.These discoveries me Dr Gl'aeme Caughley, of the Division of Wildlife and and has figured in tl,e news for It has already saved the grain improving understanding of tl,e Ecology, for his outstanding research achievements his work in helping to make the industry millions ofdollm,. nature ofour galaxy, and may and leadership in the field of vertebrate ecology. pesticide industry more environ­ In an entirely different field of lead to eXI1'Cmely accurate new mentally friendly (see page 6 tlus achievement, Dr Dick Manchester standards of terrestrial time. Instituted in 1991, the Chairman's Zealand. His books are standard issue). was given his CSIRO Medal for This yem"s winner from outside Medal honours the velY best in texts for most university courses Dr Bedding's application ofhis work in tl,e discovely and the Organisation was Dr John CSIRO research. Prize money of in advanced ecology. He has done extraordinmy discovelies on tl,e interpretation of pulsars. Cannon of the School of $25,000 and a gold medal are much work with wildlife organ i- biology of one kind of nematode Pulsars m'e tl,e collapsed cores Mathematics and Statistics at the awarded each year to a scientist salions, including helping to ban broke the grip of the sirex wasp of dead stars, a million times University ofSydney. whose resemdl is ofnational or the trade in Africml iVOlY. on Australia's one million heavier than Emih but with Dr Cannon's CSIRO Medal was intemational importance in Four CSIRO Medals are also hectares of pine forest. diameters of only about 20 for his work in tl,e field of advancing scientific knowledge, awarded each year, three to Dr Bob Winks, also of the kilometres. computer algebra. technology application or CSIRO scientists and one to an Division of Entomology, was Dr Manchester is a scientist Witll His main achievement has been commercialisation. outside scientist. another of the medal-winners. In CSIRO's Australia Telescope tl,e development of computer Dr Caughley is a world leader in Dr Robin Bedding of CSIRO's his case tl,e medal recognised an National Facility. He and his languages for abstmct algebra, his field; his contributions to the Division of Entomology, was this impressive contribution to the intemational team (Dr Matthew number theory and geometry. study and management of year awarded a CSIRO Medal for Australian grain indusl1y. Bailes, Dr Nicolo D'Amico, Dr Such developments are likely to veliebrate communities have been his remarkable work on the use of Dr Winks developecl Simon Johnston, Dr Paul Harrison provide some great intelJecwal translated into action in Australia, nematodes to control insect pests. SIROFLO, the grain fumigation and Professor Andrew Lyne) have adventures for the 21st centmy, as Antarctica, Afghanistan, Nepal, Dr Bedding was also honoured at technique that has noW become malle a series ofexciting chaos theOly has almady done. Burma, Africa, Canada and New this yem"s Sir Ian McLennan ti,e major grain protection and discoveries ofand about

A few of the willlle", at this yeor's CSIRO Medals cerel1u:"y hdd at Melbourne's Rialto Hotel.OIl Nove~llber 24. (Because of illness,. Dr Graeme Caughley, winller 0/ the Chairman's Medal, was not at the ceremony.) Back row, l~ft to nght, Dr John Cannon, Dr Bob WlI1ks, Professor Andrew Lyne, and Dr SIl1l01l Johnston. Front row, left to nght, Dr Brian Walkel; Dr Robin Bedding, Dr John Stocker, Professor Adrienne Clarke, Dr Dick Mallchestel; and Dr Nicolo l)'Amico. CSIRO and Changes growth of multi-Divisional reneet the outcomes of reviews, projects. There are now 24 such as the recent review with major Programs of this sort, McKinsey and Company of our making impressive use of interaction with small and CSlRO's unique ability to medium-sized enterprises. That marshal multi-disciplinary showed up some areas where teams to tackle complex we need to change, and so we problems. are changing. We will continue This successful straddling of to review and respond to organisational boundaries is not community demands in this only internal. The way. Government's Cooperative CSIRO will also continue to Research Centres program has walk fine lines between brought together CSIRO, competing interests, especially industrial research groups and where environmental and the universities, with CSlRO developmental goals are seen to involved in 43 of the 51 current conflict. We will jealously CRCs. guard our 'honest broker' This list is far from complete; image, which means not it merely illustrates an almost shrinking from putting forward incredible five or six years of relevant facts and opinions to change, Throughout that help inform the political debate, period, excellent and relevant When it comes to the practical research has kept flowing from applications of our science, we CSIRO. Developments in will acquire a more global polymer products, outlook, and we'll make sure Year's end - a fit time to reflect on just how much change there has breakthroughs in influenza that CSlRO continues to be one been in CSIRO in recent years, and how much is still to come. treatment, environmentally of Australia's best-respected While some institutions change their names and little else, with us friendly pest controls, eoal­ brand names. quality analysis, destruction of More and more, our staff will almost the opposite is true - little remains untouched except our name toxic waste products, and a expect to move around the and what it stands for: the commitment of the staff, the excellence of the family of 'smart packaging' Organisation, in and out of research, and the solid reputation those continue to earn. approaches are only a few specialist, multi-disciplinary examples. teams in response to changing tently, with the number of others, we have been able to priorities; it will become an Changes past ... Divisions now down to thirty­ otIer a practical demonstration ... and changes increasingly common part of a Seven years ago, CS IRO was four, and a reduction in central of just how solid an investment CSIRO staff member's career led by an Executive of three administrative staff of about CSIRO research is. future development to spend time in full-time members, including forty per cent. The Organisation's new Perhaps the only certainty is other organisations, both public the Chief Executive as One of the most striking and priority-setting process. that there will be change, but and private. Chairman, assistcd by five part­ significant recent changes initiated by the CSIRO Board let's be daring and make a few Being a national body, we will time members. There were five shows in the skill profiles of in 1990, has attracted attention predictions about trends. retain an Australia-wide Institutes and somc 42 newly appointed Chiefs and from outside, and is gaining To meet Australia's research presence, but we will keep Divisions. other high-level staff. Where acceptance internally as it and technology needs, CSIRO consolidating and rationalising After the major ASTEC before the emphasis in high increasingly shows its worth as will keep working towards our sites when this is review in 1985 CSIRO was appointments was almost a planning tool. The process greater flexibility, agility and appropriate. considerably re-shaped. entirely on scientific requires, and produces, strong user-focus. So, we end where we began. Broadly, the ncw structure put achievement, there is now a links with our business and Our links with other bodies CSIRO has changed. CSIRO more cmphasis on practical much larger, and growing, community stakeholders. will grow ever more numerous will change. But our dedication applications of research for thc deliberate accumulation of One very recent change has and varied. We will have more to serving Australil\'s broadest Australian community. business and management been the moving of CSlRO's strategic alliances with environmental and economic A new, larger Board was acumen in the top ranks of the headquarters from Canberra to companies large and small, needs through excellent and created, including a full-time Organisation. This has also Melbourne in 1992. The new there will be more staff useful research will not change. Chief Executive. The new body seen the appointment of Head Office is small and secondments to them, high had legal accountability for the commercialisation and business outward-oriented, with a clear levels of involvement with We both wish all of you a Organisation's strategic managers throughout the focus on commercial, legal and CRCs, and even more inter­ refreshing and revitalising leadership, its relationships Organisation and the international Inatters. Divisional work as part of our holiday over the festive season with business, government, and acquisition of more staff with We have appointed a Director commitment to 'doing it - may we all return ready and the general community, and its formal accounting skills, of Corporate Business, Peter better'. eager for the changes the new financial and staff Of course, the Federal Bradfield, who has a strong Some of these changes will year will most certainly bring, managenlenl. Government's requirement that business background. Under his Eminent Labor politician we find 30 per cent of our funds guidance the new Neville Wran took on the from external sources brought Commercialisation Task Force Chairmanship for the first five its own enormous changes, is about to deliver comprehen­ ~. years of the new regime, with some of them very difficult. It sive guidelines for CSIRO's Dr Keith Boardman as the was a challenge that CSIRO has future commercial activity. Organisation's Chief met, and the consequences of The new award and salary Executive. this change are the subject of a structure for CSIRO stalf, won The new structure brought in current ASTEC review. In its in late 1990, was another the present six research May 1989 Science Statement advance, giving managers more Institutes, and this was a deep the Government balanced that freedom to reward high change. Under them, Divisions requirement with additional achievers and thus compete for and their scientific projects research funds. This was life­ talent with the private sector, were aligned to industry blood for our work on such There is now more focus on sectors rather than to the critical programs as Gene career planning and the training academic disciplines that had Shears, where we are now well necessary for it, particularly in defined their scope aud ethos in on the way to delivering leadership and commercialisa­ the past. marketable products from that tion skills. Restructuring has continued, world-leading science. With A particularly striking and on a smaller seale but persis- this project, as with so many pleasing change has been the Adrienne Clarke, Chairman, and John Stocker, ChicI' Executive

356-1993 CSIRO SHORT SHOTS Student Research Scheme Help for sheep farmers On December II researchcrs at CSIRO's Division ofPlant Industry project starts research announced tlle succcssful relcase ofan introduccd plant disease tlmt Research carried out by a Victorian schoolgirl over be at least one research finding by attacks Slendcr 11Jistles. Slcnder TIlistles cost Australian shcep farmers $5 a period of four days has led to an $18,000 grant for tlle student, tlmt ends up being million a year by reducing pasture production and increa~ing fleece published as part of a scientific contamination. TIle Division's Dr Jeremy Burdon said the discase had CSIRO from the Victorian Government's Health paper. been extensively tested to make sure that economically important 01' native and Community Services. 'In fact I have lmother in front pl,mts would not be affected. The program is funded by the Wool The research revealed unexpect­ beginner. However, he said that of me here, also from tIlis year, Research and Dcvelopment Corporation. edly high levels oforganohalo­ he and his team were surprised at where the results have proved to Hope for non-chemical control ofplague locust gens, a group of compounds tllat tlle levels oforganohalogens Ms be so useful tllat tlley are now a TIle CSIRO Division ofEntomology and tlle Australian Plague Locust includes some tllat may causc Czarny found in some of tlle trade secret, and so ofcourse we Commission are conducting trials using a natural fungus to counter one of CaIlcer. In April this year Patricia samples. can't reveal the details. The humanity's greatcst curses, the plague locust. According to tlle Division's Czarny, a year eleven student at TIle initial analysis did not students in tlmt case were doing Dr Richard Milner it may be possible to use the fungus in place ofcertain McKinnon Secondary Collegc in idcntify individual compounds, research in tIle CSR Inkell1lan chcmical pesticides. 'Overseas it has becn tested extensively and shown to Victoria, collected samples of and therefore did not detell11ine sugar mill in far nortll water from 25 pu blic pools and be safe to use: he said. 'Fish and otller aquatic life are not affected and the how mlUlY of them might be tlle Queensland, developing spas and analysed tllem to see if possibly cancer-causing ones, but equipment to measure tlle height fungus can be used in environmentally sensitive areas such as near water they coutaiued tllese compounds. tlle results were enough to of tlle fluid in a Cllile diffuser. courses.' TI1C fungus occurs naturally in locusts and grasshoppers. Her results were not enough to convince Healtll and Community 'There werc 361 projects Appointments to Board establish a health risk, but they Services that tlley should fund completed by tIle students Professor Sir Gustav Nossal has been re-appointed to the CSrn.O Board werc enough to justify further furtller research. tllrough tIle Scheme this yeat·, for one year, and Mr Mike Forshaw has been appointed for four years, study. Mr Pilkington's team havc now involving 278 scientists from 97 from January I, 1994. Mr Forshaw is Joint National Secretary of the Norman Pilkington, a scientist begun this further research and he different scientific institutions.' Australian Workers' Union- Federation ofIndustrial Manufacturing and with tlle CSIRO Division of and his colleagues are already The scheme is supported by tlle Engineering Employees Amalgamated Union, and a Council member of Chemicals aIld Polymers, looking around for funds to keep Institution ofEngineers, tlle ACTIJ. He replaces Mr Laurie Carmichael, who is retiring from tllC designed tlle project for Ms it going when tIle initial grant Australia, and the Science and BOlli\!. Czarny as part of tlle CSrn.O's dries up. Technology AWlli'Cness Program, Computer map to speed up emergency rescues Student Research Scheme, pattly According to Gary Lewis of DITARD. A new mapping system developed jointIy by ARC Systems and tlle because the Division has lUl CSrn.O's Education Programs, Mr Lewis said he welcomed organohalogen lUlalysing who is tlle national co-ordinator suggestions for projects for next CSrn.O Division of InfOlmation Technology should help police, machine, and partly because tIlere of the Student Research Scheme, yelli·. If you have one you should lilllbulllilce and firc rescue workers reach cmergencies more quickly. Dr has been little rescat'Ch in this such dramatic llild useful results contact him (on 06 276 6639) or John O'Callaghan, Chief ofthe Division, said ARC-Dispatch would area. He tllought the project lli'e not uncommon. your state CSIRO Science enable dispatchctl> back at headqumters to see at a glance where tlle would be a good one for a 'Most years: he said, 'tllere will Education Centre. ~. closest vehicle was llild send it to tlle scene. The system displays tlle spatial rclationships ofemergency vehicles to locations on maps complete Witll roadways llild jurisdictional boundlli·ics. Senior Promotions, 1993-sty/e Software tool to assess coastal damage CSIRO's ethos is still changing, and still in the same wheat genes tlmt would allow us to Maps produced from software developed by Neil Hamilton and Doug direction. In the old days it was always scientific skills chllilge tlle dough-forming Cocks oftlle CSIRO Division ofWildlife and Ecology as partoftlle and achievements that won the highest posts. They properties offlour, an event of Organisation's Coa~tal Zone Progrmn have been published in a report considerable importance to the released on November 29. TIle report is called State of01lT Swfllild is the continue to count, but more and more the highest wheat industry. result of 14 montlls ofresearch by volunteers from 40 branches of tlle flyers of all are required to have management, Dr Cecily Neil, of the Division of Surfi'ider Foundation, a non-profit coa~tal conservation llild education commercial and leadership skills. Bnilding, Construction and organisation spread across Australia. SOS reports the startling extent to 11Je push for this comes from tlle So it seems tlle promise made in Engineeting, was also atTIong tllis which our coastline has been affected by development llild pollution. Neil top, so it's a good film push, atld it 1990 tllat tlle new award structure year's senior promotions, but Witll HmTIilton said tlle maps were a good example ofthe capacity ofa tool like shows not only in tIle recent spate would bring greater rewards for work ofa VC1Y diffemnt kind from CAMRIS (Coastal and Marine Resources Information System), which is of top-level appointments to excellence in mllilagement and tlmt ofDr Appels. Dr Neil studies tlle nmne oftIle CSIRO software. 'Our coast is under increasing pressure: CSIRO from outside, which have contributions to inclustry is being tlle social etlects of infrasllUcntres he said, 'but unless we know what is happening on tlle beaches we can't openly and drlUlmtically favoured kept, at lea~t at the highest levels. in different environments. plan for tlle future'. business skills, but in tilC qualities (TIlere are no figures for tllC lower She is intemationally recognised Textbooks for seconda,y students tllat win promotion to high rank levels.) for her work, which has included from within. But science certaitlly hasn't helping form public policy on CSIRO and Cambridge University Press have collaborated to produce a The Organisation has just dmpped off the agcnda. A glance accommodation for homeless new series ofscience textbooks for Austmlillil secondary schools, completed tllis year's round of tilrough the cases for promotion young people. She has also helped launched on November 25. So far tllere are eight books, four to be senior promotions -up to or witllin put forward by those doing tlle foml tlle policies of mining published each year. TIle first four are - Water, by Mitch O'Toole; Levels 8 and 9, or, in Oldspeak, up promoting still reveals a lot mom companies, both on worker Biotechnology, by Beryl Mon1s; Forests, by Tony Sadler; llild to SPRS, CRS and Chief level. words spent on cxcellence in tlmt accommodation at t'Cmote sites atld Atmosphere, by Paul Holper. The next four will be - Modern Materials; TIle HumaIl Resources BraIlch area tllan in aIly otller. And many on tlle management oftrune Foodfor a Hungry World; Energy; andAstronomy. says tllat since Chiefs lli'C promoted promotions are still made purely closures. CSIRO welcomes Cabinet decision on ANSTO proposal on tlle basis of management llild on tlle basis of excellent science. Anotller major mea of her study On November 10 ChiefExecutive of CSIRO DrJohn Stocker llilnounced lcadership skills anyway, tllere is Work tlmt benefits tlle community has been tlle jmpact of technologi­ tlmt the Organisation welcomed tlle Cabinet decision to maintain tlle no change to be expected in tllC is also still one of tlle main criteria cal chllilge on society. Dr Neil has AustraliaIl Nuclear Science llild Technology Orgllilisation as a separate basis oftlleir promotions. in promotion ca,es, along Witll been invited to present her work to research institution. He said tllat CSIRO supported the government's There does seem to have been a science and industry, but tlle virtually all tlle countries of Europe efforts to forge closcr links llild would be prepared to participate in any change in tlle SPRS and CRS figUl'Cs show tllere has been no as well as Canada llild the USA. priority-setting process. 'We have had a strong aIld close relationship Witll levcls, however. A quick analysis chllilge in the proportions tllere. At tlle matmgelial cnd of tlle ANSTO staff in the pa,t: he said, 'and we hope to build on tllis'. shows tlmt of tlle 54 promotions at Still, since tlle gcneral tone and spectrum is Dr Tony Milnes, tllis level in 1991, 42 were mainly empha~is lli'C chllilging, it may be Division ofSoils, who was New weapon against viruses for scientific achievement or WOrtll giving staff a few eXlilllples promoted tllis year to CSOF8 (3). Csrn.o's Divisiou ofTropical Animal Production is developing its 'TrojaIl ability, and 12 mainly for of tlle sorts of work witllin tlle This was mainly for his successf1ll Bullet' technology, originally designed for livestock, to combat human leadership or business skills, OrgaIlisation tlmt are cun'Cntly management ofcomplex reseat'Ch disease. The Trojlm Bullet is a syntlletic vims particle tllat has been including the ability to attract attracting high rewards. networks and tellillS within CSrn.O constructed so tllat it docs not reproduce itself or cause disease. It uses its money to the Organisation for Dr Rudi Appels, Division of - particularly tlle Mincsite natural infective ability to targct and penetrate a diseased or infected tissue. research. Plant IndUStry, was promoted to Rehabilitation Research Program Once inside tlle cell it can produce a vaccine or therapeutic agcnt. TIle TIlis year the score was Science CSOF8 (3) tllis year in recognition - as well as of research involving Division's Dr Peter Walker says tlle inititial focus will be on vaccines 34:Business 31, outofa total of65 of his outstanding reselli'Ch botll CSrn.0 and tlle Australian against tlle humllil papilloma vitus, which causes cancer of the womb, aIld promotions. achievements in plant gcnetics. and international mining induslIy. tlle Epstein-BaJT virus, tlle agent ofgillilduilli' fever. It's a small sllillple, admittedly, His reseat'Ch has uncovered new Dr Milnes also has llil excellent SIROLAN-Laserscan accepted internationally but it seems to show tllat business disease-resistance genes, which are recOl\! on tlle science side, Witll atl A CSrn.O invention for measuring wool fibres, Srn.OLAN-LaserscaIl, and management achievements cUlTCntly being introduccd into intell1ational reputation for his work on weathering processes llild was formally accredited by tIle International Wool Textile OrgaIlisation in have moved, in only two years, Australilm plants. from counting for about a quarter Assistant Chief of tlle Division, Illildscape evolution, aIld a November as all international stllildard for wool trading. It was developed as much a~ straight science to Dr BrylUl Barlow, said Dr Appels' respectable list ofscientific by tlle Division ofWool Technology Witll funds from Australian wool almost level pegging. work would also provide new publications. -> growers tllrough tlle Wool Research llild Development COIporation.

356-1993 Matter of Opinion

This month's opinion column comes from Dr John Lowke. Chief of the CSIRO Division of Applied Physics until 1988, Dr Lowke is still doing research with the Division. Before becoming Chief he had been a Senior Physicist and then Fellow Scientist at the Westinghouse Research Laboratories in Pittsburgh, USA, and later a Senior Lecturer and Reader in the School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Sydney. This letter, in a slightly different form, has already appeared in the November edition of the monthly newsletter of the Division of Applied Physics, but Dr Lowke thought - and CoResearch agreed - that it might be of more general interest. It deals with the issue of the Organisation's 30 per cent external earnings target, currently under review by ASTEC. The Minister for Science has announced that there is to be a review of the 30 per cent external earnings target that has applied to CSIRO for the past few years. The target has been helpful in orienting our research towards industry, but I believe it has also some severely detrimental effects. The review gives us a much­ CSIRO ChiefExecutive's Study Awards needed opportunity to make suggestions to modify it. The points I want to make are not particularly new to people working in Divisions, but they need to be Applications are now being invited for the Chief Executive's Study brought to the attention of government policy-makers. They are these: Awards. The closing date for applications is January 30,1994. The awards are available to all CSIRO staff on indefinite tenure 1. TIle 30 per cent uU'get is much University reseru'ch is done largely ofAtmospheric Reseru'ch is taking from CSOF levels 1 through 6. Those who are granted them are easier to attain for some Divisions by students; students me just prut in the development ofhuge able to travel in Anstralia and/or overseas to increase their thrul for otllers. For exrunple, ilie students, illld, on completion of computer programs for the knowledge of topics related to their eru·eers. Division ofMrulUfacturing ilieir theses, iliey generally leave prediction offuture changes in Conditions of the awards include continuation of salary, retum Technology, staffed largely by ilie university. 11lUS the creation of climate. Our Division of 'best fare' economy class air fares for the award holder, a grant to engineers, by focusing on short- a pemlanent expertise in universi- Entomology has a role in help with living and incidental costs and assistance with tuition tenn projects wiili rul immediate ties is extremely difficult. compiling illld classifying all fees, books, equipment and similar expenses. improvement to a product. should One of the problems in ttying to Austruliilll species of insecL~. find it easier to reach tlle target extt'act payments from industry for The awru'ds can be held for between two and 12 weeks, but this is thilll would tlle Division of strategic research is tlmt it is not at 3. 'The 30 per cent tru-get has ilie extended in exceptional cases. Applied Physics, statfed lru-gely by all obvious which industry will. practical effect ofdiscouraging For more information contact Jennifer Bean, Human Resources physicists, who have a lru'ger obtain tlle principal benefit from efforts to do reseru'Ch supPOlting Branch, on 06 276 6432. fraction ofstrategic reseru'Ch. iliat reseru'Cll. For eXillllple, our small businesses. The importance reseru'Ch group recently completed ofsmall businesses to the economy 2. Government laboratories have a a combined tlleoretical ruld experi­ has been highlighted by a recent Legal matters most importrult role in crurying out mental study on ru'C-electrode study by McKinsey & Co. New stt11tegic reseru'ch which Cilll never physics. The work was funded by a compruJies that have as a basis a CSIRO and Gerard Cassegrain & Co Pty Limited ('GC&Co') be paid for directly by industry. GIRD grilllt wiili two industrial technological innovation that announce that they have settled the lengthy court proceedings a) An obvious example ofthis is compilllies as prutners; tlley might give them a competitive concerning the relationship that commenced in 1987 and was in tlle establishment illld supported ilie work entirely on tlle edge need all the help they Cilll get. extended in 1989 to a joint venture company, Cassiro Pty Limited. maintenilllce of ilie st[mdards for basis ofpossible applications in When they are small, they The relationship aimed at the commercialisation of two new tlle twenty-odd physical qUillltities using plasmas for mineral generally go tllrough initial yeru's innovative Australian research and development projects, soil (mass, temperature, viscosity, etc) processing. making a loss illld so are incapable slotting and vertical upflow artificial wetlands ('YFW'). The performed by om Division. Our However, iliere has becn a down­ ofproviding external earnings for possibility was also envisaged that the relationship could be equipment needs to be capable of turn in economic prospects for CSIRO. A still greater pl'Oblem is extended to other projects. the most accurate measurements in mineral processing, and one ofthe to provide research help when they The settlement results from a mediation conducted by Sir Laurence the country illld also to cover the companies is now out ofbusiness. need it most - before iliey ru'e Street. The participants included Dr John Stocker, Chief Executive full rilllge from tlle very highest to Research results from the project, actually fonned, On tlle otller of CSIRO, and Mr Claude Cassegrain. tlle very lowest magnitudes. however, won a prize at tlle recent hand,large compruJies Cilll pay for The parties have decided to sever their business relationship on Periodic checks need to be made Aus1Ialiilll Annual Welding large grilllts illld ru'e a much belter mutually agreed terms as part of the settlement. CSIRO will Witll oilier standruds laboratories Conference for being tlle best prospect for illly Division seeking purchase GC&Co's direct and indirect interests in the relevant overseas. paper presented at the previous to reach its external erullings target. technologies and resume sole responsibility for their development in b) I believe it is also imperative year's conference, illld tlle work is the national interest. for our country's futme in ilie now ilie basis ofa furilier 4. Why 30 per cent? I believe tllat CSIRO acknowledges the substantial financial and oilier contribu­ competition ofexports tlmt development in welding in a new for some Divisions the 30 per cent tions made by GC&Co and Mr Claude Cassegrain to the strategic reseru'ch be cmried out by CRCproject. tru-get is too lJigh. Ifindustry is in development of the technologies in question, plincipally the Slotting our government laboratories in as Furtllelmore, results ofilie recession ruld, as has been tl,e case technology and (jle VFW technology. The severance of the relation­ milllY areas as possible tlmt are Oliginal project offer str'ong recently, GIRD grrults demruld a ship is not to be taken as reflecting in any way adverscly on GC&Co relevant to OlU' industries. prospects ofextemal eillllings from velY high percentage conttibution Some ru-gue iliat tlle research illl overseas multi-national for from industry, it Cilll be quite or Mr Cassegrain, and the parties hope the technologies will provide should be done by industry itself, calculations on propelties ofarc impossible to obtain 30 per cent in substantial national interest benefits in the future. but, having worked in illl industtial lrunps. external ernnings. Then ilie whole Slotting is a technology Wllich can be used to ameliorate soils and comprulY myself, I know iliat In yet illlother application, tlle activity of tlle Division can be also has other potential applications. YFW is a waste treatment competition between companies is original project has prospects for spent chasing non-existent external technology with application to treatment of wastewaters from small extremely fierce. A compillly iliat making possible a new design illld earnings, reducing ilie creative communities and mining sites. The Chairmilll of CSIRO, Professor spends resources on strategic new elecuude materials for ilie use output to a ridiculously low level. Adrienne Clarke noted, on conclusion of the settlement, iliat research is likely to lose l1Jis ofplasmas for waste disposal. 'Soil slotting has particular application to the amelioration of poor competition to otller compilllies c) MruJY fultber exrunples of 11lese observations ofdisadvilll­ soils in many parts of Australia, although the extent of its future use who concentrate on product roles ofgovemment laboratOlies tages ofilie 30 percent target me will depend on a detailed long term analysis of its costs and benefits. development. tlmt are not possible to fund I'TOm not pruticularly profmmd. But iliey The vertical upflow artificial wetlands system offers the possibility Otllers ru-gue tlmt strategic extemal industtial sources Cilll be do need to be highlighted so tlmt of an environmentally friendly way of disposing of sewage from resern'Ch is l1le role of universities. given. NIST in tlle USA has judgemenL~ ofperfonnance are not rural and isolated communities, lUral industries, and urban run-off.' Well, I have also been a Reader at compiled a superb data base oftlle unduly weighted by exruninations The relationship has stimulated a number of developments of the a university, illld I know tlmt tlle rate co-efficients of all published ofwhetller a Division has met its two technologies and CSIRO thanks GC&Co ruld Mr Cassegrain for ol1ler role ofuniversities, namely to chemical reactions, which is used external erunings target. the contributions they have made. teach, is tlle dominant one. world-wide. Om CSIRO Division

356-1993 Boardannounces approved Letter to priority programs for new triennium theEditor On December 14 the CSIRO Board made its decision on which research programs will receive internal priority funding over the next triennium, Dear Editor, phone, fax, and email numbers. beginning on July 1 nextyear. It occurs to me that CSIRO has Regrettably, these cards are still The broad areas to be funded, announced in Asia Travel Association; reverted to being an ivory tower too individualistic because they organisation, sort of wedding retain individual names and September, are minerals, manufactnring and the others) cake style, with layer upon layer numbers instead of a common information and communication industries, each Dryland Farming Systems of managers. This enables corporate number. receiving $1.5 million a year over the period. for Catchment Care (Animal CSIRO to really stand out from It would be churlish to Environmental research will be maintained at abont Production; Environmental the crowd of industries we are denigrate the efforts of our high its present level by an allocation of $1 million a year. Mechanics; Forestry; Plant dedicated to serving, most of level divisional managers who Institutes receiving these funds will be required to Industry; Soils; Tropical whom (for some silly reason or gave so unstintingly of their Crops and Pastures; Water other) are trying to achieve as time to attend meetings to find matching funds, bringing the total CSIRO Resources; Wildlife and flat a management structure as design these cards. But let me priority funding to a maximum of $11 million a year, Ecology) possible. suggest an alternative. Why or $33 million over the triennium. In my division, and apparently doesn't CSIRO set up a The specific programs are listed below; participat­ Urban Systems (Atmospheric in many others as well, the job semiotics group in the ing Divisions al'e also shown, but these are still Research; Building, of the project scientist is to Corporate Services area to Construction and define research ideas, get the design cards and other corporate subject to change. Engineering; Chemicals and funding from industry, perform signs and symbols? After all, Minerals with Animal Health; Food Polymers; Coal and Energy the research, and write up the the interpretation of signs and Science and Technology; and World Class Nickel Deposits Technology; Environmental final reports. What then is the symbols is their area. Why Plant Industry) - Prospectivity using Mechanics; Mathematics and role of our management layers? leave it to well meaning Geochemical and Isotopic Statistics; Soils; Water The answer has become quite amateurs at divisional level? Smart Manufacturing Signatures (Exploration and Resources) obvious. Their role is to report Besides, with the Dawkins (Applied Physics; Chemicals Mining) to one another. The good news inspired crack-down on and Polymers; Food Science Climate Variability and is that in doing so, they greatly university humanities and Technology; Information Project AUSTRALIS: Impacts (Animal Production; assist the Australian economy departments, I'll bet we could Technology; Manufacturing Accelerator Mass Atmospheric Research; by keeping the airline industry attract Australia's best semioti­ Technology; Materials Spectrometry for Ultra Building, Construction and and the resort centre industry cians to the group. Science and Technology; Sensitive Trace Element and Engineering; Entomology; profitable. Speaking of interpretations of Mathematics and Statistics) Isotope Studies (Exploration Fisheries; Forestry; Lately, other management signs and symbols, maybe we and Mining) Oceanography; Plant roles have become apparent, I.e. should move with the new age Information and Industry; Soils; Tropical designing corpulent (sorry, and set up a division of Airborne Gravity Crops and Pastures; Water corporate) symbols at all levels. alchemy? After all, we used to Communications Gradiometry (Exploration Resources; Wildlife and For ex.ample, in my division, employ astrologers and and Mining) Telecommunications Ecology) our managers have eliminated necromancers under the title of Engineering (Information individually designed business corporate planners. There is a Technology; Mathematics and Orebody Delineation by Conserving Biodivel"sity for cards and replaced them by a brave new world of excitement Statistics; Radiophysics) Geophysics (Applied Australia's Future corporate divisional business ahead. Physics; Exploration and (Entomology; Forestry; Plant card. These present an air 0 f Respectfully yours Software Engineering Mining; Information Industry; Soils; Wildlife and mystery, that is unless the Art Raiche (Information Technology; .~ Technology; Radiophysics; Ecology) recipient happens to possess a Division of Exploration and Mathematics and Statistics; and the Cooperative Research magnifying glass to read the Mining CSIRO Divisions - in all Centre for Mining Institutes -- undertaking Technology and Equipment software development; (CMTE); the Cooperative CSIRO-Macquarie University Research Centre for Joint Research Centre in Australian Mineral Advanced Systems Exploration Technologies Engineering (JRCASE» (AMET CRC); and AMIRA)

Mine Characterisation and Environmental Optimal Recovery Aspects of (Exploration and Mining; Mineral and Process Economic Engineering; Mineral Development Products) and Carbothermic Smelting Environmental (Manufacturing Technology; Mathematics and Statistics; Knowledge Mineral and Process Environmental Aspects of Engineering) Australian Tourism: Indicators and Processes of Improved Production of SustainabiJity to the Year Synthetic Rutile (Building, 2000 (Atmospheric Research; Building, Construction and Construction and Engineering; Environmental Engineering; Mathematics Mechanics; Fisheries; and Statistics; Mineral Information Technology; Products) Mathematics and Statistics; Soils; Wildlife and Ecology; Manufacturing other CSIRO Divisions; Biosensors (Applied Physics; Bureau of Tourism Research, Biomolecular Engineering; Canberra; Department of Chemicals and Polymers; Tourism, Canberra; Pacific

356-1993 SIROCREDIT Entomology reaches $100 million helps business CSIRO's co-operative credit society, SIROCREDIT, has get lean and achieved an asset base of $100 • million, which represents a mean, In green doubling in only five years. The society has also just The CSIRO Division of Entomology has entered a major appointed a new Chief new collaborative agreement with the pest-control Executive, Mr Richard company Ecogen Australia. Cameron. Mr Cameron said the TI,e agreemcnt, signed in mid-November, covers a world-leading storage main factor in the success of the method that will improve commercial viability for tl,e use of insecticidal credit society was the unusually nematodes as a fonn ofpest control. strong support of its members, The lechnology was developed by tl,e Division's Dr Robin Bedding, and CSIRO staff. 'The success and eamed him one of this year's CSIRO Medals (see page I). He says it is ml spectacular growth of impmtant alternative to chemical pesticides. Nematodes are miniature SIROCREDlT is an roundworms that attack and kill insects. They do not harm plants, the achievement that all members environment, birds or humans, but are able to control some insect pests. should take pride in: he said. 'Nematodes seek out and attack insect larvae in tl,e soil or in pllmt siems. He said that SIROCREDIT TI,ey are considered 1Ul important biological insecticidal tool because 90 per would soon be announcing a cent of all insects live in tl,e soil dl1ling somc pmt of their life cycles: Dr restructuring of its loan rates for Bedding said. mortgage sccured loans, with a A m!\ior factor limiting widespread commercialisation was thut certain substantial reduction in interest species of nematodes m'e velY difticliit to store, even for a shOlt time, ut rates for most mOltgage room temperature. Dr Bedding overcame this hurdle when he hit lIpon a borrowers. method that has tl,e pOlential to extend nematode shelf lile lip to one yem·. 'Future borrowers: Mr The new agreen'lent gives Ecogen exclusive rights world-wide to the Cameron said, 'will be able to fOl1llUlation. take advantage of some of the Ecogen Austtulia expOlts nematode products lium tlleir factmy in Hobmt, lowest mortgage rates in Taslmmia. It is a subsidimy of Beagen Inc., a US-based comlxmy specialis­ Australia.•:. ing in biological control products. {, Open Day for Highett CSIROSEC

"YOU'LL NEVER

GUESS Above, the most popular event at Hlghett's CSIRO Science Educallon Centre Open Dayan Satun/a)' WHAT I November 27 - the PET bottle rocket launch. The open day was for CSJRO staff' CIl!.d./Cllnilies, and about 250 people turned up. There was a workshop on Water (It was Water Weeki and one on BOUGHT Construction, and the travelling Science and Technology Show provided some lighter entertainment. Wendy Lawler, Victorian Co-ordinator for CSJRO's Education Programs, said, 'people were YOU:' captivated by the !unllis-on experiments'. She also put out a plea 10 stqfffor WlY new hiNts for experinlent and show segments. A living gi~ that's not a dead give-awayl "Adopt a Tree" in Gardening Down-under Barrington Taps and help The CSIRO Division ofSoils has overcoming water repellency, Standm'd for Australian potting preserve a wilderness just pmduced a book that looks applying water and feltiliser mixes. area under threat. Your more likely tllanmost scientific etTectively, mld changing soil pH. kit contains photo, certifi­ productions to appeal to ti,e Some of tl,e infOllllation it gives Gan!ening Down-under, (181 cate, 10% discount at The popular mm"ke!. goes against ti,e popular wisdom. pages; 350 fllll-colour illustrations) Wilderness Shop and It's designed tor practical For example, drippers, nu' from is available to CSIRO staff at the morel Only $40. gm'deners who have an interest in saving water, often lead to large usual discount rate, bringing it Call (02) 267 7929 managing mKI improving soils imd excess water bills and leave plants from its mm'ket price of$34.95 for the free brochure. potting mixes (hence tlle 'down­ more vulilerable to dly spells. down to $26. Send your order to: No obligation, of course. under'). The author is Kevin Handreck of CSIRO Bookshop! PO Box 89/ TIle book has a lot of practical tl,e Division of Soils in Adelaide. East Melbollme VIC 3002, or Q"HE 7VILDERNESS SOCIETY information left out of most Mr Hmldreck is one ofAustralia's contact them by phone (03 418 gm'dening books, lUld offers some leading autllOrities on soils ancI 7217) orillX (03 419 (459). Visa, quick and easy recipes for basics soil-less media mld chaired the BankcruTI and Maslercard W'C like making good compost, committee that producecIthe accepted. ':.

356-1993 CSIRO D1VISIO:J OF MINERAI PRODUCTS Mount Haig a supermarket f 8 JUt 1J34 environments for the busy science sh rd!~"-'-'- Roy Green, Director ofthe CSIRO Institute ofNatural Resources and Environment, recently paid a preliminary mapping and site visit to the one of the Organisation's furthest-flung research posts, the Division of Wildlife and selection. The easy access also cuts back Ecology's Tropical Forest Research Centre atAtherton in northern Queensland. While he was there the time spcnt by Held staff Dr Green was also shown over the Mount Haig 'gradsect', an area remarkable for its extraordinary locating sites and collecting range of types of environment. He was fascinated, and CoResearch thought other CSIRO staff data. Some of the projects currently members might be interested too. Peter Trott, communicatorfor the Centre, offers this account. taking advantage of these IT DOESN'T have lots of rare species and it isn't number one on the tourist map, maps, and the database, which aspects of the area are surveys of vertebrate groups (including but the Mt Haig area inland from Cairns is becoming one of the most studied includes a host of biophysical birds, arboreal mammals, spots in North Queensland. information including a digital elevation model, vegetation bettongs, and reptiles) and Scientists from other parts of tolerunt species. animals in it responded to data, aerial and satellite imagery invertebrates (including Australia and overseas are From its high point, at 1,274 environmental change. and soil analysis elata. earthworms and millipedes, joining CSIRO scientists from metres above sea level, the road A set of 77 sites has now been This makes it an ideal area for spiders. ants, termites, and the nearby Tropical Forest plunges down through World- located and mapped lIsing a other researchers to do field beetles), and tield tests of Research Centre, Atherton, in a Heritage-listed rainforest to the global positioning system. Other work without a lot of various methods of modelling plethora of projects ranging shores of Tinaroo Falls Dam. researchers are able to use these such distributions.·:· from survey methods to elistribu- The 20-kilometre stretch of tion models for plants, birds, road, originally a logging access insects, reptiles and mammals. from the days before World The key to Mount Haig's Heritage listing of the Wet popularity is its vast runge of Tropics, is believed to be the environments, hom rainforest to highest formed road in dry sclerophyll savanna Queensland. woodland, squeezed into a 20- Dr Andy Gillison, who kilometre line with road access developed the gradsect survey throughout. methodology in 1985, initially This 'gradsect' - or 'gradient- selected the Mount Haig area as oriented transect' - rises from a research site for work on some the sparsely-wooded, dry gullies aspects of the Tropical Forest in the north-western rain shadow Information System (TROFIS) of the Lamb Range to its cool, project at the Atherton misty peaks where rainforest laboratory. TROFIS is now part thick with spectacular Grey of the Co-operative Research Palms and tree ferns gives way Centre for Tropical Rainforest to stands with Blue Kauri Pine. Ecology and Management, While tIie alll1ual rainfallalollg whicn brings together the gmdsect ranges from 1,200 researchers from CSIRO, millimetres to 3,400 millimetres, universities and other groups the most spectacular change is with a common set of goals. the extreme range of rainfall Dr Gillison said that the rapid seasonality, from places tbat change in environmental stay moist through most of the variables along the short, year to those where the meagre accessible transect through Andy Gillison, ofthe Division ofWildlife and Ecology at Atherton, checks a pitfall trap on the MOlint rainfall occurs mostly in a generally uniform geology made Haig 'gradsect', On his leji is Guy COI]Jenter, ofthe Division's Tropical Foresl Research Cenlre, and limited period and therefore can it ideal for examining how the on his right is Roy Green, Director ofthe CSJRO Institute ofNatural Resources and Environment. support only very drought- distribution of plants and Animal Health and Australian citation rate drops Animal It seems that Australian scientific work is not getting performance over the last 12 equa11ed the world average in quoted as often in the international literature as it years has been at its best in two the early 1980s, rose to a high Production used to be, in spite of the fact that just as much of it fields in which publication of two per cent above world is being published. rates have been comparatively average between 1985 and join forces low - engineering and 1989 and has fallen sharply to scientific journals - our There is to be an $11.6 million Paul Bourke and Linda Butler ehemistry, though even here 3 per cent below in the period 'world citation impact' - had, expansIon of CSIRO's Prospect of the Australian National eitation rates seem to be sinee. The period undel' review was, site in Sydne}"s west. University's research school of declining. The lields in which Bourke and Butler suggest The Division ofAnimal social sciences recently in the case of the American the graphs show us faIling that the decline may point to, study, 198\-1992, and, for the Health's McMaster Laboratory, published an article in the sharply below the world among other faetors, Australian one, 1981-1990, currently locatl'£! at Sydney newspaper Campus Review. In average are computer sciences, 'difl1culty in replenishing the it they compared figures and some of the classifieations University, and the poultry physics, biology, biochemistry, stock of outstanding l'esearch centre at North Ryde, recently released in America and measures used were neurosciences, immunology, performanee in some sub-fields slightly different, but the are to be moved to Prospect in a on how Australian scientific and molecular biology. at the senior and middle level authors said that ovem11 the ] 5-month redevelopment. writing is faring internationally The American data suggest, in recent years' and 'the direction of the two analyses The Prospect site was initially with similar figures eompiled according to the authors, that relative retreat from was still similar. acquired by CSIRO in 1946 as a in Australia. the 'total aggregate decline fundamental science of The authors said that' ... field st:ltion for the Sheep They found that both sets of across the whole period is sections of CSIRO'. unlike the British case, the Biology Laboratory ofthe then figures seemed to indicate a significantly influenced by the However, they offer the Australian story is not a story Division of Animal Production, recent decline in Australia's diminishing impact of caution that while there may be of declining productivity and The redevelopment will include world share of citations. That Australia's biologieal and 'some worries' for Australian impact but of declining impact new laboratories, sheep and is, our share of space in biomedical work, fields in science. 'these are not yet international scientific publica­ alone, as measured by rates of poultry facilities, a lecture which the country has been sufficiently focused to a110w theatre and an expanded Iihrary. tions had not gone down, but citation.' heavily invested.' solutions even to be In fact it appears that Stairnumbers will rise to 230. the number of times Australian Overa11, it appears that considered, much less set in papers were mentioned in other Australia's citation Australia's share of citations train'. -:.

356-1993 Len Chung - ourlink 1Nifh CSIR - refires There are so many retirements in an organisation as big as CSIRO that present could imagine new Chief] the Division will peacemaker Len Chung using achieve all its aims and become CoResearch has had to adopt a general policy ofleaving them entirely such a thing.) a benchmark Division for to the relevant Divisional or site newsletters, but the case ofLen Chung 'I believe the role of an CSIRO. is exceptional, and may be ofinterest to all staf! administrator is to provide 'And for those of you who service,' Mr Chung said at his want music you can really Mr Chung, one of CSIRO's quiet achievers, has made $101,618 was one, and another farewell, 'and that's a dance to,' concluded Mr history in the Organisation. When he retired in was his pay-day delivery philosophy for all of us, no Chung, who is al so the accessory, a Browning .32 matter what our status: to serve saxophonist in a three-piece November, he was the longest-serving staff member to automatic pistol on the front do so, and the ninth longest-serving CSIRO member of othcrs throughout our lives.' band, 'see me afterwards for seat of the Division's black FJ 'I trust that under the my card.' all time - having chalked up 47 years and seven Holden. (Not that staff past or leadership of Larry Little [the months. He joined Head Office in Melbourne in 1946. Dr John Stocker, Chief the 1946 one. Executive of CSIRO, made a 'Your career with the Division special visit to the Division of has been a long and distin- Building, Construction and guished one,' hc told Mr Etlgineering for Mr Chung's Chung. 'Thank you for such a farewell. lerrific innings and for such a He remarked that Mr Chung fine contribution to the growth would have been walking in the and development of CSIRO. door on his first day in 1946 After short stints in the just as discussions were taking Divisions of Animal Health place on whether CSIR, as it and Atmospheric Research, Mr was then, should take on the Chung came in 1950 to the business of nuclear science. Division of Building, Dr Stocker reminded him, Construction and Engineering, and the 150 or so colleagues from which he has now retired there to say good-bye to him, as Laboratory Finance that Cabinet was right now Manager. meeting in Canberra to discuss Younger staff described him the same issue. as 'a good and very patient 'The Executlve Committee work colleague who never pnt minutes of 1946 record your any pressure on people, never appointment,' he said. 'They asking for more than he'd be also show concern for areas of prepared to do himself' and 'a science such as fishing stocks, special person of very even the quality of wool and temperament, who would whether we should be doing always go out of his way to more as an organisation to help'. counter the down-turn in the Len Chung sbared some of wool industry. the memories of his decades at 'They could have been the the Highett site - balancing an Len Chung and his wife Lena show same ofthe gifts they were presented with at his farewell. At right minutes of the last meeting, not appropriation budget of is Lany Little, new ChiefaIM,. Chung's old Division, Building, Construction and Engineering. Why do you neversee a green fridge? hy Karen Robinson media, government, industry, provide assistance to persons engaged in scientific research, Did you know that your home fridge damages the community and educational organisations. and in the training of students ozone layer and contributes to global warming? The professional present­ in scicntifie research'. The That ozone depletion is even worse than scientists ations included a concept from Green Fridge Quest fitted these predicted? That the fridge is the second biggest Wendy Sandilands and critcria well. consumer of electricity in most Australian homes? Christien Tielz, of Argo Involving students in the use Design Co-op, who came up of energy-efficient appliances That CFCs in most conventional fridges are being with a plan for a fridge to be and heightening their replaced by HCFCs & HFCs, both of which are 'built in' as an integral part of awareness on environmentally powerful greenhouse gases, and that HCFCs also the energy efficiency of thc friendly issues was seen as an deplete ozone? And that refrigeration and air­ whole house. effective way to encouragc conditioning are now the main uses of these gases? The heat produced from the young people to take an back of the fridge, for interest in scientific research. At least, that's according to the held at the National Science example, which is normally Australian Conservation and Technology Centre, wasted. is used to air clothes in Foundation (ACF) and the Canberra, which provided a an adjoining compartment, and Centre for Design at the Royal forum for the presentation of the water that runs off is Melbourne Institute of this work. The Workshop was collected in a container for Technology (RMIT). opened by The Honorable Ros various uses. The Green Fridgc Quest is a Kelly, MP, Federal Minister for The fridge is designed not to research project run by the the Environment, Sport and need replacement. ACF and the RMIT. During Territories. A panel of experts 1993 tertiary students and drawn from the consumer CSIRO is a financial sponsor professionals from all over movement. academia and of the Green Fridge Quest Australia have been involved industry gave comments on the under its Science and Industry in developing environmentally work presented, which covered Endowment Fund. friendly domestic fridges. both the tcchnical and the The Fund was established in On Monday Novcmber 22 a social impacts of technology. 1926 under the Science and Master Class Workshop was The audience was madc up of Industry Endowment Act 'to

356-1993