Communicating climate change data

Nell Law, First emblem design
for ANARE (Australian National Research Expeditions) (1947)

The Going South: the Phillip Law Commemorative Science Symposium further convinced me of the value in combining subjective responses to Antarctica with scientific data.

Law’s response to Antarctica was both scientific and aesthetic (sensory). A potent expression of this is the emblem that he commissioned from his wife, the artist Nell Law, for the Australian National Antarctica Research Expeditions (ANARE) organisation, which he established in the 1940s.

At the symposium, scientists presented their climate change data with stories about Law. By the end of the day, the awesome reality of global climate change had combined in my mind with awe-inspiring memories of being in Antarctica and I wondered how many others in the room responded in this way.

With permissions from each speaker (apart from one researcher who discussed results that are yet to be published), I made sound recordings and was provided with .ppt files of the data sets presented at the Symposium. Now the challenge is to engage more people with this important climate change information. How can this be achieved most effectively and quickly?

To make on-line versions of presentations and connect these to as many people as possible?

Symposium Programme:

Celebrating career and contributions of the late Dr Philip Law AC CBE FAA FTSE, Director of the Australian Antarctic Division from 1949 to 1966, the successful symposium was held on 15 September 2010.

The event provided an overview Antarctic Science and its relevance and importance to Australia.
For enquiries: Phone: (03) 9864 0900

PROGRAM

OPENING AND INTRODUCTION
Chair: John Zillman
9.25-9.45: Welcome: Peter Laver – Vice President of ATSE Official Opening: Minister (TBC)
9.45-10.15 Conquering the Challenges: Phillip Law and Antarctica – Fred Elliott and Ian Toohill (ANARE)
10.15-10.45 Australia and Antarctica – a long and natural association – Patrick Quilty, University of Tasmania

10.45-11.00 Break

ICE, OCEAN AND LAND
Chair: Lyn Maddock
11.00-11.30 The evolution of Antarctic Science – the power of new technology – John Gunn, Australian Antarctic Division
11.30-12.00 Ice in Antarctica – the role of the ice sheet and surrounding sea ice in global climate – Tony Worby, Australian Antarctic Division
12.00-12.30 Vulnerability of Antarctic mosses to freezing injury with climate warming – Marilyn Ball, Australian National University

12.30 -1.00 Lunch

Chair Tony Press
1.00- 1.30 Marine Ecosystem Research in the Southern Ocean – Australian scientific contributions 1981 to the present – Steve Nicol, Australian Antarctic Division
1.30-2.00 From physics to predators: how Antarctic mammals are influenced by the Southern Ocean – Mark Hindell, University of Tasmania
2.00-2.30 Ocean acidification- the other C02 impact – Will Howard, Office of Chief Scientist
2.30 -3.00 The global reach of the southern ocean – Steve Rintoul and Susan Wijffels, CSIRO

3.00-3.15 Break

THE CHANGING CLIMATE
Chair (TBC)
3.15-3.45 Antarctic ice cores and climate: the past as a tool for understanding the future – Tas van Ommen, Australian Antarctic Division
3.45-4.15 Recent changes and future outlooks for Antarctic climate – Ian Simmonds, University of Melbourne
4.15-4.30 Closing – Barry Jones

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Posted on Friday, September 17th, 2010