Science & Nature

Finding balance for dry seasons ahead

Volume 8 Number 5 May 14 - June 9 2012

Emma Clark looks at an Australian-first water efficiency study that has made significant advances in balancing the water needs of farms and rivers.

Protecting crops

Volume 8 Number 4 April 9 - May 13 2012

University of Melbourne scientists have received funding for a collaborative, cutting-edge research project in the priority area of food security through Australia’s largest bilateral science fund, the ‘Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) Grand Challenges program’. By Silvia Dropulich.

Uni lab ‘hands on’ for VCE chemistry students

Volume 8 Number 3 March 12 - April 8 2012

Year 12 Chemistry students from all over Victoria recently visited the University of Melbourne for hands-on practice with state-of-the-art, multimillion dollar research equipment. By Nerissa Hannink.

Werribee Veterinary Science Hospital Open Day

Volume 8 Number 3 March 12 - April 8 2012

Sunday 25 March is Open Day at the Faculty of Veterinary Science’s Hospital at Werribee. Prospective vets and anyone interested in state-of-the-art care of animals is invited to pay a visit to learn about the way vets care for animals, big and small.

Animal hospital: caring for four-legged family members

Volume 8 Number 3 March 12 - April 8 2012

As pets become valued family members, owners are demanding increased standards of care, and calling for complex veterinary medicine. By Hinalei Johnston.

Watering advice in your pocket

Volume 8 Number 2 February 13 - March 11 2012

University of Melbourne researchers have launched a new iPhone app that factors in local rainfall information and plant type to help gardeners determine how much to water and when. By Nerissa Hannink.

Earthquakes interpreted

Volume 8 Number 2 February 13 - March 11 2012

Chris Weaver speaks to alumnus Mark Quigley, a tectonics scientist who has won the NZ PM’s Science Media Communication Prize for explaining the whys and wherefores of the country’s earthquake activity.

Mental health recovery focus for bushfires studies

Volume 8 Number 2 February 13 - March 11 2012

Researchers are working to determine the right kinds of services and the right levels of human resourcing required to maximise community mental health after natural disaster. By Rebecca Scott.

Getting ready to cope with disasters

Volume 8 Number 2 February 13 - March 11 2012

Natural events are difficult to predict and impossible to prevent, but two new research projects aim to make us better prepared for them. By Nerissa Hannink and Annie Rahilly.

Design for a future of extremes

Volume 8 Number 2 February 13 - March 11 2012

University researchers talk to Kate O’Hara about a project letting design lead the way in predicting extreme weather conditions.

Dealing with disaster

Volume 8 Number 2 February 13 - March 11 2012

With the pressure on to mitigate against natural disasters the University of Melbourne’s Natural Disaster Management Initiative in partnership with IBM is harnessing expertise in disaster management from across the University and beyond. By Silvia Dropulich.

Caring for Asia-Pacific’s forests

Volume 8 Number 1 January 9 - February 12 2012

An innovative subject run jointly with the Australian National University is giving Masters students first-hand insight into the complex nature of forest management in the Asia-Pacific. By Katherine Smith.