- This event has passed.
Women in STEM seminar
March 27, 2019 @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Free – $25.00Women in STEM seminar
Celebrating Women in STEM, the Hunter Environmental Institute is proud to present three outstanding women in their field.
Volcanoes, Water and Life under thick Antarctic Ice
Professor Silvia Frisia is an expert in all things carbonates…because carbonate minerals and Life are strictly associated!
Silvia has a Master of Science from UC Berkeley and a PhD from Milano (Italy). She has worked as researcher in an oil company (AGIP) for three years, and also has a Post-Doctoral scholarship at the University of Milano, Italy. Silivia has been on the UoN staff since June 2007, coming from a 14 year experience as researcher and educator at a Science Museum in Trento. Her greatest contribution to advancing Earth Sciences is the use of ultra high-resolution microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to investigate nucleation and growth of carbonate minerals under diverse, natural environments. She has introduced sets of criteria that enable using these minerals to extract precise records of how environments responded to climate change in the past, and she uses the past as a key to the future. It was from the microscopy and spectroscopy analysis of calcite crystals from Antarctica that she reconstructed “a Song of Ice and Fire”….
Smoking gun: Mount Erebus, active volcano in the Trans Antarctic Mountains volcanic province
Description of talk (excerpt of the Nature Communication article, Frisia et al., 2017):
Synchrotron-radiation based X-Ray fluorescence map of the Antarctic calcites I am studying to look for volcanic eruptions.
The most important elements are S (Sulphur) and P (phosphorous), because these two are associated with the volcanic activity of Mount Erebus.
Red = highest concentration; Dark Blue = lowest concentration.
The map shows that there is a band within the crystals that is rich in S and P. This band marks a subglacial eruption.
The photo also shows that one of the samples can be classified as a conglomerate (it has rounded pebbles). This suggests transport by waters under the ice.
“Here I present petrographic, geochemical and microbial DNA evidence preserved in precisely dated subglacial calcites from close to the East Antarctic Ice Sheet margin, which together suggest that volcanically-induced drainage of Fe-rich waters during the Antarctic Last Glacial Maximum (from circa 27,000 to circa 17,000 years ago) could have delivered nutrients to the Southern Ocean, with implications on ocean productivity and C sequestration. “
“I will talk about our Science in Antarctica and our commitment as women in STEMM to study the effects of climate change in the Southern Hemisphere and globally.”
Presentation:
To view or download a copy of the presentation click on the link below.
A related article published by Silvia Frisia and colleagues:
Women Leaders’ STEM Expedition to Antarctica
A month ago Mary-Ellen Feeney returned from a month-long expedition to Antarctica to promote Women Leaders in STEM. An expedition of 80 female leaders in different disciplines and from 28 different countries set sail for Antarctica on 31 December 2018 to welcome the New Year with a message to the world about the urgency of strengthening female participation in the decisions defining the planet’s future. The program’s goal is to promote women’s leadership in order to confront the looming threat of global warming and to boost sustainable development as an alternative to the current production models causing enormous damage to the biosphere. Mary-Ellen will discuss some of the key learning initiatives of the expedition, the role for spatial as well as the amazing environmental context of completing this year long collaboration in Antarctica.
About Mary-Ellen:
Mary-Ellen Feeney is Global Technology Leader Geospatial and Technical Director GIS Asia Pacific Middle East at Jacobs, and a passionate advocate for STEM education, who is actively involved in promoting women in the surveying and spatial information professions. Feeney is on the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information for the NSW Government, Chairs Jacobs’ Diversity & Inclusion Committee in Sydney and is an Ally Champion for Jacobs’ Colours-LGBTIQ+ Network. She believes spatial enablement and digital transformation offer such opportunities to undertake our global stewardship more effectively.
Presentation:
To view or download a copy of the presentation click on the link below.
2019-HIE _Antarctica_Presentation
How does ‘where’ fit into the future of the environment?
Roshni is excited to talk with you about how the Australian geospatial industry is an integral part of the work that you do every day, and how the developments in the next few years may evolve the way you think about the world and your work as an environmental consulting professional. She was recently invited to attended the United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress in Deqing, China, and has brought back many insights, ideas and thinks to think about. Roshni is very keen to start a conversation with you about how these will impact the way our industry shapes and changes in the next few years.
About Roshni:
Roshni Sharma is a GIS Specialist with a background in both research and industry in environmental science and management and spatial information. She is enjoying working at Umwelt (Australia), and also volunteers her time as Chair of the National Young Professionals for the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI). She studied at the University of Newcastle before undertaking further studies and work in Sydney, and is excited to have returned to the Hunter and to be a part of the innovation and positive changes that are happening here.
Roshni is passionate about making a difference and creating value, and believes that the Australian spatial industry is a very exciting place to be in. She recently attended the United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress in Dequing, China, and is involved in the strategic planning of the future of the industry in Australia and the Asia Pacific at the state, national and international level. Roshni is also involved in the organising of Locate19 (Melbourne, April 2019) and the South East Asian Survey Congress (Darwin, August 2019).
Presentation:
To view or download a copy of the presentation click on the link below.
How does ‘where’ fit into our future – Roshni HEI
Please book using the system below if you intend on coming as seating is limited and to assist in catering. Book below by selecting the number of attendees and completing your contact details below and click “Add to Cart”, If you are not a student member then click on “Checkout with Paypal”, “Pay with debit or Credit Card” OR Pay with PayPal.
This event will be held at the University of Newcastle NewSpace City Campus (details below) is brought to you by the Hunter Environmental Institute and sponsored by gold sponsor Umwelt (Australia) and The University of Newcastle, Australia.
Event Photos:
