National Science Week: Research institute offers rare glimpse inside

Events and installations are being advertised around the country this week as part of National Science Week 2015, an initiative that aims to highlight the importance of scientific projects to everyday Australians.

In line with these activities, Victoria’s Department of Environment, Land Water & Planning (DELWP) is inviting the public to an open house at its Melbourne CBD office on Wednesday 19 August, offering people a chance to see how the department generates and applies scientific research in partnership with the Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI).

The Arthur Rylah Institute is the department’s research base for biodiversity, conducting important research in various issues related to biodiversity, ecology and wildlife.

“We’re trying to raise the profile of science within the department, as well as the important work of the Arthur Rylah Institute undertakes,” said a spokesperson for DELWP. “A lot of what we do as a Department is guided by the scientific research we undertake in its various forms.”

The open day will include the latest technology in electrofishing, a comparison between contemporary tracking and monitoring equipment of the mid-20th century with modern tools, a thermal imaging camera display, as well as several videos.

One of the videos presented depicts the ARI’s ‘ecological time machine,’ which combines satellite, climate and ecological data to create a map of environmental change going back to pre-European settlement.

Scientists from the ARI and DELWP staff will also be present to answer any questions people may have about their work.

“The display itself will be open to the public from 11am to 3pm on Wednesday, and Professor Andrew Bennett – who works at both LaTrobe University and ARI – will be on hand from 11.30am to 1pm to answer any specific questions about the challenges for biodiversity, both now and into the future,” the spokesperson said.

The DELWP CBD office is located at 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne. The display will be conducted in the building foyer.

For further details, prospective attendees are encouraged to contact Gerard Clark, project officer for DELWP on (03) 9637 9262, while details for other National Science Week events can be found via its website.

UPDATE: While the DELWP’s Science Week exhibit has now concluded, organisers have said they considered it a success, with “many people coming along to look at the displays”.