U3A BRISBANE WINTER SCHOOL PROGRAM 201 5 6-10 July Proudly sponsored by Odyssey Travel. Bookings and Session Details at u 3 abrisbane . org . au or at U3A office 97 Creek St. Sessions 90 minutes – Cost $5 except unless otherwise indicated. BRING A FRIEND - THE WINTER SCHOOL IS OPEN TO NON-MEMBERS Venues Except for external locations where shown, venues for talks will be at U3A Brisbane premises at 97 Creek St or 344 Queen St. Final venue decisions will depend on bookings received, and will be made available by 3rd July. Booking Instructions Online booking is easy and convenient. No login needed, just quote your Member No. and surname. Book online at: u3abrisbane.org.au If you don't have Internet access, or you are not a Member, book in person at the U3A Brisbane office 97 Creek St, or phone 3236 3055, or email: [email protected] BE FAIR TO OTHERS - PLEASE CANCEL YOUR BOOKING IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND Disclaimer Any opinions and views expressed in these presentations are the opinions of the designated authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the Winter School Organising Committee or of U3A Brisbane. Monday 6 th July 9am Early Australian Cinema Frank Callinan – Monday 9am - 10.30am Frank’s talk will commence with a brief history of Australian film making from its infancy, and will include a look at the early leading lights - Raymond Longford, Lottie Lyell, Ken Hall and Charles Chauvel. Then he will move on to clips from several Australian films through to the 1950s. Movies such as The Story of the Kelly Gang, The Sentimental Bloke, For the Term of his Natural Life and In the Wake of the Bounty will feature. Many people don’t realise just how vibrant Australia cinema was in its early days. This is a bit of a trip down memory lane and is a must for movie buffs. 1 The Anzac Nurses and the Legend of their Service Philip Castle – Monday 9am-10.30am The Anzac Nurses worked under the most appalling conditions on remote islands like Lemnos in the Aegean Sea and in hospitals in Alexandria and Cairo. On Lemnos they initially worked without medical supplies, sanitation, water and general supplies. Eight received the Military Cross and 25 died in service. Their story is only now starting to be told and it is interesting and something we should all be proud of, particularly in this year, the anniversary of the Anzac tradition. Philip will give you an insight into this inspirational piece of our history. 11am The End of the Ottoman Empire and the Making of the Middle East Coral Johnson – Monday 11am-12.30pm This is a fascinating story about an empire that lasted more than 600 years from the 13th to the 20th centuries. Beginning in Asia Minor, the Turks extended their territory into the Balkans and beyond and under Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman Turkish Empire reached its peak in the 16th century. Except for occasional massacres, it was tolerant of its non-Muslim populations who were required by law to pay a special head and property tax. After the Russo-Turkish wars in the 18th and 19th centuries they lost large amounts of territory and became known as ‘The Sick Man of Europe’. The Second World War was the final nail in the coffin as borders were redrawn, regardless of ethnicity or religion, setting the stage for what is happening today. It is an important slice of history and as many of our members know Coral really knows her stuff. Spirituality in Art Rosemarie Schukraft – Monday 11am at Qld State Art Gallery (repeated 1pm Friday) As a long time volunteer tour guide with QAGOMA Rosemarie knows the gallery very well indeed and is well qualified to lead this interesting tour. Spirituality in Art is there if you just know where to look for it and her tour will encompass our wonderful collection of Aboriginal Art as well as the more traditional Australian and European art. Looking at these through the eyes of someone who knows and understands it will open your eyes and give you a new appreciation of some of the great art to be found in the gallery. After this – have some lunch - then wander up to the library for the Keynote Speech. Meet outside the Coffee Shop by the water feature. The Rise of China – Whither the West Martin Stuart-Fox – Monday 11am-12.30pm Since the mid-1980s when the People’s Republic of China began to open up to the world, China’s rise has been inexorable, primarily in economic terms, but more recently militarily and politically. Chinese investment now spans the world, and China competes for influence with the United States, Europe and Japan. He will speak on the strengths and weaknesses of China today in historical perspective, and compare them with those of the West, and will examine Chinese aspirations, and assess whether they pose any threat to the current world order. Martin studied evolutionary biology at UQ and worked as a marine biologist in PNG before leaving for Asia. He taught science and mathematics in Hong Kong and worked for USAID in Laos as an agricultural extension officer. There he joined the American news agency UPI as staff correspondent and covered the Second Indochina War in Laos and Vietnam, with subsequent assignments in France, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. On his return to Australia he became Head of the History Department at UQ and has written numerous books on the history and politics of South East Asia. 2 State Library Tour Monday 11am - 12.30am (free) A number of people were disappointed to miss out last year so we are running this tour again. The SLQ is much more than just a library. Their activities include research, history, preservation and restoration of priceless artifacts and books. They provide a range of services we can all access, everything from free meeting rooms, special large exhibitions and small lesser known ones, film screenings and lectures. Learn what goes on behind the scenes at our world class library – make a day of it – have lunch and then join us for the Keynote Speech. Meet in the main reception area where you enter to go up to the auditorium. 2.00pm Keynote Address: Professor Ian Frazer Main auditorium, State Library of Queensland, Monday 2.00pm – 3.30pm We are very fortunate indeed to have obtained another great Australian as our Keynote speaker for this year’s Winter School. Professor Ian Frazer AC, FRS, FAA is a lecturer at the University of Queensland and currently leads his research group in the Epithelial Cancer Division at UQDI. Best known as the man who developed the vaccine for cervical cancer, he is responsible for saving thousands of lives today and millions more into the future. He was also the first to confirm that AIDS was common in Australia and Frazer’s work contributed to the growing body of knowledge that identified HIV as the cause of AIDS. This fascination with immunology led him to Dr Jian Zhou, an expert in gene cloning, at Cambridge University. They became friends and collaborators with Dr Zhou finally joining his research group at UQ. They were a formidable team and it is a sad thing that Dr Zhou did not live to see the widespread use of the technology he had co-developed. Their long and difficult journey to get this vaccine into the public domain is testament to their brilliance and their determination to keep going at all costs. And remember folks – this was all accomplished here in Brisbane Queensland. They put Queensland at the forefront on scientific research not only in Queensland, but the world. Thus far Frazer and his colleagues have developed two promising new immunotherapies for HPV associated cancers which are currently in early stage trials. In his search for the immune on/off switch Frazer notes “we have observed that the local factors, particularly inflammation, determine whether vaccine-induced immune responses are locally effective against chronic virus infection and skin cancer”. What a wonderful thing it would be if they could develop a vaccine for Skin Cancer – one of the leading cancer related killers in Australia. A much sought after and inspirational speaker you will not want to miss. U3A gratefully acknowledges the support of the State Library of Qld for this event. 3 Tuesday 7 th July 9 am Odyssey Travel Tuesday 9am-10.30am Odyssey have a great selection of new and educational tours. Travel with a Paleontologist and visit the dinosaur sites in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, immerse yourself in Mandarin in Beijing at the Beijing Chinese Language and Culture College. The Taiwan Lantern Festival is an amazing sight. Discover Myanmar or the Art and Food in Tuscany or how about Scandinavia. Odyssey has a guided tour for everyone and they take care of all the details. Numbers, their Minders and Keepers: good, bad, mad, and sometimes sad. Professor Peter Galbraith – Tuesday 9am-10.30am Common numbers pervade our everyday existence, assure our security, and impact even on the paper we write on. Some have created watersheds in history. This presentation will sample anecdotes from their invention, evolution, and application and of the people associated with them. Bring a simple calculator, paper, ruler, pen and pencil. Professor Peter Galbraith has an outstanding profile in mathematics education. In research, Peter’s major contribution has been in the field of mathematical modelling and the teaching of modelling to secondary school students. Peter is widely recognised for his international leadership in mathematics education.