Here’s a copy of Speak Up Launceston's FB today and a reader's comment posted to it and the link to ABC radio interview by Leon Compton with VC Rathjen. Might be something for Lton Concerned Citizens are interested in???
“Speak Up Lton: "Today, 6 June, it is a year since the devastating floods of June 6 2016 across Tasmania. Anyone reading about or hearing all the heart-breaking stories about the floods today and then hearing an ABC radio interview with university vice-chancellor, Peter Rathjen this morning, would be shaking their head.
http://www.abc.net.au/…/pro…/mornings/utas-vc-leaves/8592840
Despite all the reports about the floods, despite the ongoing work as a result of those floods and despite the article on rising sea-levels and Inveresk area being inundated,
http://www.examiner.com.au/…/46…/city-inundation-predicted/… . Mr Rathjen apparently still thinks it is fine to relocate a whole existing university campus to a tidal flat where major flood evacuation work took up so much of the SES work last June, and where traffic and the level of congestion on that day had to be experienced to be believed."
A reader's post on Speak Up Lton (obviously also heard the interview and has low opinion of the VC): "Texted the ABC whilst he was on air being unnecessarily lauded!!! Don't think they read any texts on him but really!!
The Chancellor has locked us into a ridiculous and expensive relocation of the university in Launceston to the flood zone which will often be inundated with raw sewage because the plumbing of Launceston needs fixing more than the university needs moving He has corporatised and put in layers and layers of bureaucracy at the
university with outlandish salary rates whilst the university for students has diminished and it's breadth of courses and quality of the university experience has gone backwards."
Regards, Poppy
A new prison
FROM all I have read and heard we may get a new prison. And why not? Incarcerating people is a growth industry globally, so why not here in Tasmania? A new prison creates hundreds of jobs, both in the building and in the ongoing staffing and supplying of goods and services. I do hope that the powers that be can make a better fit of this new prison than they have at Risdon. I wonder how they will avoid the “cultural issues” at Risdon, identified by Greg Barnes. Perhaps a new building will bring with it new attitudes. In any event the boost to the local economy should ensure that everyone is happy except, of course, the inmates.
Christopher Hayton, Trevallyn.
Climate Action 21
THE Department of Premier and Cabinet recently released Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan 2017-2021, which included six priority actions and 37 in total. Incredibly sea-level rise is not mentioned in the document despite the latest projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and others of 2.7 metres by 2100. Putting this in perspective, Launceston’s flood levees are about 5.1 metres above present mean sea-level and 3.2 metres above mean high Spring tide. So in 2100 we can expect Spring tides at 4.6 metres, or 50 centimetres below the flood levees. It is time to take the threat of sea-level rise seriously. Acknowledgment would be a start, followed by some common-sense planning laws and reality checks by the University of Tasmania and all levels of government.
Dr Ian Kidd, West Launceston.
_________________________________________________________
Peter Rathjen’S Biography
Professor Peter Rathjen has been the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Tasmania since March 2011.
During this period, he has been instrumental in positioning the University as a driver of socio-economic prosperity in Tasmania, including through the creation of vibrant new University precincts and facilities within the CBDs of Hobart, Launceston and Burnie.
Professor Rathjen studied as an undergraduate in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide. As a 1985 Rhodes Scholar, he undertook a DPhil at Oxford University, studying mobile genetic elements in yeast and mammals.
As a biochemist, Professor Rathjen specialised in embryonic stem cell research. With his wife, Dr Joy Rathjen, he established an internationally recognised research programme into stem cell biology and stem cell therapies. Professor Rathjen was a founding member of the Australian Research Council Special Research Centre for the Molecular Genetics of Development and the Australian Stem Cell Centre.
Professor Rathjen is a non-executive director of the Board of Universities Australia. He is on the Board of the Australian Science Media Centre and is a patron of the Australian Institute of Policy and Science Tall Poppy Campaign.
Prior to taking up this position in March 2011, Professor Rathjen was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Melbourne, where he also held the position of Dean of Science from 2006. Before joining the University of Melbourne, he was Executive Dean, Faculty of Sciences, at the University of Adelaide.
Current board positions
- Universities Australia Non-Executive Board Member, the lead Vice-Chancellor Academic, (2017 - )
- Australian Science Media Centre Board (2007 – 2011 and 2017 - )
- University of Tasmania Foundation Director, (2011 – )
- LH Martin Institute Council, (2013 - ),
- Australian Institute for Policy and Science Board, (2009 - )
- Oxford-Australia Scholarships Committee, (2007 - )
- Australian Institute of Policy and Science: Patron of the Tall Poppies Campaign, (2005 - )
- Tasmania University Cricket Club Patron (2016 - )
- Florey Neurosciences Institute Board
- Florey Prize for Medical Research Committee
- International Education Association of Australia Board, (2012 – 2015)
- The Victorian Institute for Chemical Sciences Limited
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Board
- Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia (2003-2006); Finance committee (2004-2006): Gardens 150 Program to renew infrastructure
- Botany Foundation, University of Melbourne (2006 - 2008)
- Victorian College of Optometry Board ( 2006 - 2008)
- Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne (2006 - 2008)
- In2Science (2006 - 2008)
- Patron of the Science Teachers’ Association of Victoria
- Meat and Livestock Association Advisory Board
- External Member, Hanson Centre for Cancer Research
- Chairman, Bresatec/BresaGen International Scientific Advisory Board (1992-1999)
- Chalmers, D., Rathjen, P., Rathjen, J. and Nicol, D. (In press; Jan 5, 2017). Ethics and Governance of Stem Cell Banks. Crook, J. M. and Ludwig, T. (eds.), Stem Cell Banking: Concepts and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 1590, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4939-6921-0_7, (Springer Science+Business Media LLC 2017)
- Rathjen J. and Rathjen, PD. (2012). ES cells. Maloy, S. and Hughes, K. (eds) Brenner’s Online Encyclopedia of Genetics.
- Rathjen, J. and Rathjen, P. D. (2004). Embryonic stem cells; isolation and application of pluripotent cells from the pre-gastrulation mammalian embryo. Sell. S. (ed) Stem Cell Handbook, Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey, 33-44.
- Morris, M., Rathjen, J., Keough, R. and Rathjen, P. D. (2003). Mouse embryonic stem cells. Odorico, J. (ed). Human Embryonic Stem cells. BIOS Scientific Publishers, Oxon UK, 1-15.
- Keough, R., Rathjen, J. and Rathjen, P.D. (2003). Properties and therapeutic potential of stem cells. Kenneally, J. and Jones, M (eds). Aust. Anaesthesia. Ed., 201-212.
No comments:
Post a Comment