RACI WA Branch Newsletter May 2016

THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN CHEMICAL INSTITUTE INC (WA BRANCH)

A.B.N. 69 030 287 244 A.I.R.N. A00 403 86D A.R.B.N. 102 726 429

PO Box 114, North Beach WA 6920 Telephone: 0403 022 968 E-mail: wabranch@raci.org.au http://www.raci.org.au/branches/wa-branch

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello All Once Again, If you have been thinking of making a complaint about the length of my articles this will one may tip you over the edge – boot up your email software now! So before talking about a really important issue to the WA RACI, a few “catch up” items to let you know what has been happening (stay with me please, this could be more important than my “Iceman” article – difficult to believe I know). So first thing is that it is awards season. As listed in last month’s Newsletter there are a multitude of awards on offer, please consider nominating someone – if you think you are worthy and can’t find someone to nominate you, contact me I can consider helping you out. Please spend some time thinking about our Branch awards, the Wilf Ewers and the Alton McAllan Batty Medal. A recent email from National Office (NO) also outlined the National Awards on offer. The Chief Scientist’s office asked me to highlight the Premier’s Science Awards which are the State Government’s leading awards for WA’s science researchers and communicators. They are quite substantial awards - applications close on 19 May so be quick, and cover researchers at all stages of their career.

See https://www.dpc.wa.gov.au/science/AwardPrograms/ScienceAwards/Pages/Default.aspx A few other things:

NO has announced a reduction in fees for Postgraduate students, it is now $70 per year. They are also in the process of streamlining joining processes. Go for it!

Organisation of the 2017 Congress is well under way. The Book of Events has been released (see your monthly Newsletter from NO). I really encourage your contributions and attendance.

I am still ploughing through the Decadal Plan (I’ve been busy!). It’s a great overview of the importance of Chemistry in our Society and sets up some huge challenges for us e.g. what is the Chemical Origin of Life and can we make elements of atomic numbers greater than 137 (calculated maximum)? I am up to the implementation section which I report on hopefully next month.

Continued next page

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 2

FROM THE PRESIDENT (Continued)

The WA Branch is in the process of organising a commemorative dinner for the Centenary next year. It is a bit difficult to plan as we don’t how many would be willing to attend; we will put a proposal together soon and ask for Expressions of Interest – please let us know your thoughts as soon as it is released. The other thing is that we are looking for presenters for the evening to give short or longer talks at the dinner on RACI-related topics e.g. a look back, or forward, issues that face us etc. It’s really important that if you are interested to let us know ASAP.

I’ve also been busy out in the “hustings”. I presented Jeffrey Sloan the RACI award for the best academic performance of a graduating Chemistry student from Murdoch University (see below). In the audience photo, spot our Mr Reg Rowe who was sponsoring another award – he had a great night!

I also spruiked the benefits of RACI membership to Curtin University Higher Degree students (left below). Our April MMM on Nanocellulose Fabrics went terrifically well with the ladies present being very keen on the dresses, none so than one of our new members (certificate presented on the night) Ms Melissa Narbey. Congratulations Melissa and welcome to the RACI!

So all in all a pretty busy month! And under two pages which is better than I expected (close email software!). So lastly the very important thing that I want to tell you about – I have discovered social media! I’ve begun with Twitter which one of its founders Jack Dorsey (when an undergraduate student) described as the SMS of the internet. So I encourage you if you haven’t done so already, to join the big birdcage! I plan to tweet WA RACI events and news regularly to keep everyone in touch – more importantly you can tweet back! How to start if you haven’t a Twitter account? Easiest way is to do a “how to” search on the internet, but here is a heavily edited compressed version (no liability taken for crashing the internet or any embarrassing mistakes!):

Continued next page

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT (Continued) 1. Go to www.twitter.com

2. Click on “Sign up” and go through the steps which are very straight forward. You need an email address –

you may want to set up a separate web email address for social media.

3. So then you are into your home page; mine looks like this:

4. In the “search twitter” field type RACI as I have done and you can see all the RACI twitter groups; click on

RACI @RACI_HQ.

5. So now you are in the RACI_HQ twitter site, which is the main national RACI site; feel free to have a look

at the other accounts. @RACI_HQ looks like this:

Continued next page

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 4

FROM THE PRESIDENT (Continued)

6. So in the top right hand corner the blue sign displays “following”; if you are new to the site it will display

“follow”. If you click on that you will then be following @RACI_HQ. So when they tweet, you will be

included. Note Nikki has been quick to tweet pictures of the April MMM! Thanks Nikki.

7. If you hit the home button (top left) you get back to your site. So then you can search someone or

something else and follow them e.g. sporting teams, cooking sites, anyone who is anything has a twitter

account. Usually when you follow someone, they start following you; it’s all about tweeting, following and

being followed! You can follow me on @AlfLarcher.

8. Apologies if my outline is condescending to anyone, teenagers work this all out in 5 minutes; but my

generation (I’m a 1958’er) finds it more difficult. I really encourage everyone to try this so we are a more

united network. Now I was hoping to give you a few tips on how to how to tweet but I don’t feel qualified as

my single tweet seems to have disappeared into the internet miasma! I hope to sort this out for next

Newsletter (or tweet).

Need a rest now. So have a great May and I would like to add that I hope Paula’ jokes in this issue aren’t as funny as in last’s; I will split my other side!

Alf Larcher President RACI WA Branch (feedback/ideas welcomed on wa-president@raci.org.au or @AlfLarcher)

If your experimental result needs a statistician, then you should design a better experiment.

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 5

RACI Monthly Meetings

Please come to the RACI Members Monthly Meeting. This is a great chance to meet fellow members and be entertained by guest speakers. All welcome – membership is not a prerequisite to attendance (so please bring a friend).

Date: Usually 3rd Tuesday of every month Time: From 5.30pm. Seminar/presentation commences at 6.15pm. Refreshments prior and at seminar conclusion Venue: Exhibition Area, Building 500, Curtin University Cost:: $5 charge to cover refreshments (limited drinks and snacks) (receipts can be provided) RSVP: wabranch@raci.org.au to assist with catering purposes Or register online (preferably by Friday before meeting)

MAY 2016 Tues 17th

Dr Kateřina Lepková Research Fellow at Curtin Corrosion Engineering Industry Centre will give a presentation on corrosion rate comparisons between the wrecks of the Sydney and the Kormoran. Venue: Exhibition Space Curtin Chemistry Building 500 Refreshments from 5.30pm and presentation at 6.15pm

Register here: http://www.raci.org.au/events/event/may-mmm

JUNE 2016 Tues 21st

No meeting. Titration Stakes being held at Curtin Uni.

Don’t trust atoms, they make up everything.

RACI WA Branch National Chemistry Week Dinner 2016 Friday 29th July

6.30 pm at the Bentley Pines Restaurant

A dinner to celebrate Chemistry Week and present the 2016 Batty Medal and Wilf Ewers Citation.

The price below is inclusive of drinks and seating is limited so please register ASAP to avoid disappointment

Members and Partners: $40 Retirees and students (members): $35 (retirees please register by email ben.fletcher@raci.org.au) Retirees (non members): $40 (retirees please register by email ben.fletcher@raci.org.au) Non members: $50

Register now at: http://www.raci.org.au/events/event/national-chemistry-week-dinner-2016

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 6

How can the RACI help YOU ?

The resource sector downturn has affected many people in WA, and RACI is aware that numerous RACI members are facing earlier-than-anticipated retirement, or unemployment. RACI is your profession association and looks to support all affected members in any way it can.

For any member who is not already aware, RACI offers reduced cost membership to those members who are not employed. Membership renewal will occur May/June so this may be particularly relevant to those already affected by the downturn. Unemployed and retired members are entitled to concessional membership rates, being about half of the normal rates. Concessional rates are shown on the RACI website (www.raci@org.au). To access these rates, provide a copy of your concession card to the membership officer.

RACI organises services which may assist/support unemployed/underemployed/retired chemists.

Members Monthly Meetings provide a regular chance to talk to others in similar situations, and to network with a range of chemists which might lead to further opportunities.

The National Chemistry Week Dinner and the What’s New in Laboratory Instrumentation events being held in July are further excellent networking opportunities.

Are there any other practical ways in which your professional body can help you at this time?

Are there specific chemistry development courses that could help?

Are there particular employment-searching courses that you want?

Would a special networking event focussed on mid-career employment be useful?

Some other states have “retired chemists” groups. Would a ‘newly retired’ or ‘currently unemployed’ group or meeting/lunch be helpful?

All suggestions welcome. Please contact Ben at wabranch@raci.org.au

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 7

WILF EWERS AWARD 2016

Nominations from RACI (WA) members are now required for the W E Ewers Citation Award. The citation recognises contributions made to furthering the profession of chemistry. It is expected these contributions will normally be made by virtue of the nominee’s activities within and for the RACI Western Australian Branch. The Wilf Ewers citation is not meant to cover achievements in chemical science and technology since these are recognised by other RACI awards such as the H G Smith and Applied Research Medals.

Previous Wilf Ewers award winners are: 1990 Dr David Phillips, Curtin University (Editor, Branch Newsletter) 1991 Mrs Margaret Martin, Aquinas College (BYL activities) 1992 Mr Reg Wray, Wray Associates (WA Branch President) 1993 Mr Chris Dodd, CCWA (Analytical Chemistry Group activities) 1994 Mrs Jan Hosking, CSIRO (12AC/3EC Chair and organiser) 1995 Dr Armand Zurhaar, Zedcon Scientific Services (NCW activities) 1996 Mr Harry Douglas, E&DG Consultancy (WA Branch Coordinator) 1997 Professor Mel Sargent, UWA Chemistry Dept. (SAC Chair for WA) 1998 Mr Ian Sills, Curtin University (Chair, Analytical Chemistry Group) 1999 Dr Steve Errington, Curtin University (WA Branch activities) 2000 Mr Roger Schulz, CCWA (Health, Safety & Environmental activities) 2001 Dr Mauro Mocerino, Curtin University (Chair Chem. Ed. Group) 2002 Mr Stewart Jones, Aust. Govt Analytical Labs (WA Branch activities) 2003 Mrs Oana Chirila, Aust. Govt Analytical Labs (WA Branch activities) 2004 Mr Peter McCafferty, CCWA (WA Branch activities) 2005 Mr Mike Rowe, Dept of Industry and Resources (Services to the WA Branch) 2006 Dr Paula McLay, National Measurement Institute (Branch Newsletter Editor) 2007 Mr Rick Staker, SGS Australia Pty Ltd (Chair, Analytical Chemistry Group) 2008 Mr Reg Rowe, Rowe Scientific Pty Ltd. (WA Branch Committee, Treasurer, Sponsor) 2009 Mr Kelvin Lord, Lord & Co (WA Branch Committee, Treasurer, Sponsor) 2010 (not awarded) 2011 Dr Maree Baddock - St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls (Chemical Ed Group activities) 2012 Dr Kathryn Linge, Curtin Uni (WA Branch Activities) 2013 Mr Shane Koenig, Nufarm (WA Branch Activities) 2014 Professor Simon Lewis – Curtin Uni (WA Branch & Chemical Education Group activities) 2015 Mr Peter Anstis, NMI (Analytical Chemistry Group)

Nominations must be submitted to the RACI WA Coordinator, wabranch@raci.org.au, before COB Friday, 17 June 2016. All nominations will be considered by a selection committee consisting of the Past President, current President and two non-Branch Council RACI members. The award is a cheque for $250 and an official scroll which will be presented at the National Chemistry Week Dinner in July 2016.

You might be a chemical engineer if... You've actually used every single function on your graphing calculator.

You stare at an orange juice container because it says CONCENTRATE.

You can name six Star Trek episodes.

You've ever considered installing a scrubber on your chimney.

The only jokes you receive are through e-mail.

Your idea of good interpersonal communication means getting the decimal point in the right place.

You automatically associate the words "sexy," "beautiful" and "new butterfly valve".

You've used coat hangers and duct tape for something other than hanging coats and taping ducts.

Your ideal evening consists of fast-forwarding through the latest sci-fi movie looking for technical inaccuracies.

You have any of the following personalized items: hard hat, safety goggles, calculator case or slide rule.

You have "Dilbert" comics displayed anywhere in your work area.

You carry on a one-hour debate over the expected results of a test that actually takes five minutes to run.

You've ever taken the back off your TV just to see what's inside.

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 8

The Analytical Chemistry Group will be presenting a one-day seminar:

What’s New in Laboratory Instrumentation/ Expo 2016

Are you up to date on the latest laboratory instruments? Come hear about the latest innovations and ask the difficult questions of the manufacturers first hand.

There will be presentations in the morning and displays from the instrument manufacturers in the afternoon.

This popular event is only run every second year. A rare opportunity to hear from and talk to most major suppliers in one venue at one time.

Presentations by: Andrew Young and Co, Claisse, IMP, In Vitro Technologies, John Morris Scientific

Laboratory Analysers Australia, Labfit, LECO Australia, MEP Instruments

Rowe Scientific and Scitek Australia.

Date: Tuesday 12th July Time: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Where: Exhibition Space (Level 1)

Resources and Chemistry Precinct South Wing, Building 500, Curtin University, Bentley South Entrance Drive (off Manning Road)

Cost: FREE Registration is required for catering purposes. The closing date for registration is Wednesday the 6st July. Lunch and morning tea is provided. Vegetarians catered for, other dietary requirements please advise.

To register please e-mail peter.anstis@measurement.gov.au or call Peter Anstis (08) 9368 8421.

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 9

Australia’s most comprehensive science prizes - the Eureka Prizes The $160,000 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes recognise research, science communication and journalism, leadership, and students. The 16 prizes will be announced and presented at a gala dinner on 31 August. Nominations close 6 May. More at australianmuseum.net.au/eureka

What will you do for National Science Week? This year’s National Science Week will take place from 13-21 August. It’s the key week for science on Australia’s cultural calendar. National Science Week 2016 is still months away, but now is the time to plan events and activities that bring science to the people, raise the hot topics, challenge the stereotypes, and inspire the next generation. Consider getting involved. More at scienceweek.net.au

WA Science Hall of Fame - nominations now open This is the tenth year of the WA Science Hall of Fame, which recognises exceptional, lifelong contributions to science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) in Western Australia. The 2016 inductee will be selected from nominations submitted by members of the public. Posthumous nominations will be accepted. Applications close 10am Thursday 19 May. More information and nomination forms at:www.dpc.wa.gov.au/science/AwardPrograms/HallofFame/Pages/2016-WA-Science-Hall-of-Fame-Nominations.aspx

Fresh Science 2016: helping the next generation of scientists find their voice Join us to watch ten fresh young researchers present their work at the pub. And help them put their story in haiku and limerick. The ten up-and-coming scientists will describe their scientific discoveries in the time it takes a party sparkler to burn out. It’s about a minute – sparklers are wonderfully variable. The Perth pub event will be: Wednesday, 8 June 2016 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at The Brisbane Hotel - 292 Beaufort Street, Perth. It’s free to come along, but you’ll need to book. Perth

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 10

Bayliss Youth Lecture 2016

Kari starts her talk at UWA.

Kari telling how it isn’t.

What the best dressed forensic chemist really wears to the scene or in the lab.

Large and enthusiastic audiences enjoyed Dr Kari Pitts (ChemCentre) give a fascinating insight into the work of forensic chemists in the first presentations of the 2016 Bayliss Youth Lecture "Zombies, Cars and Shoes: Case Studies in Physical Evidence”. The first lecture was given at UWA on the evening of Tuesday 8 March, with that at Curtin the following Tuesday. The combined audience for both presentations was around 300, which is one of the best attendances in the recent past. Kari is a chemist and research officer in the Forensic Science Laboratory at ChemCentre. The Bayliss Lecture will be presented with the support of the Kwinana Industries Council Education Partnership at Rockingham Senior High School and Seton Catholic College in May, presenting to around 200 students from many different schools in the Kwinana region. Later in the same month, with the support of the Northern Territory Branch, Kari will travel to Darwin to present her lecture to a variety of schools and the NT Branch. This is the fifth year in a row that the Bayliss Lecture has travelled to Darwin. The Western Australian Branch of the RACI established the Bayliss Youth Lecture Series to pay tribute to the late emeritus professor Sir Noel Bayliss, Kt, CBE, FAA, FRACI for his contributions to chemistry and education and is organised on behalf of the branch by Chemical Education Group. The support of University of Western Australia, Curtin University, Kwinana Industries Council, RACI Northern Territory Branch and Rowe Scientific are gratefully acknowledged. Simon Lewis Chair, Chemical Education Group (Photo credits: Simon Lewis)

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 11

The Alton McAllan Batty Medal for 2016

Nominations from RACI (WA) members are now required for the A McA Batty Medal. The award is made not more frequently than biennially to a member of the Western Australian Branch who has made an outstanding contribution to chemistry, in particular to the field of chemistry applied to industry, commerce, the environment or to the quality of human life.

Other awards made by the RACI are mostly oriented to those who have an academic role in the profession. The conditions of these awards are heavily weighted towards members in CSIRO and universities who have the opportunity to publish much of their research contributions. The intent of the A McA Batty award is therefore to recognise members of the RACI who have not had similar opportunities to publish their work.

CSBP & Farmers Ltd are acknowledged as having made a substantial contribution to the establishment of the medal in 1978. A McA (Bill) Batty died in 1984.

Previous medal winners are: 1978 Mr A McA Batty (CSBP/WAWA) 1980 Mr B Becher (Government Chemical Laboratories) 1982 Mr D T Rigden (BP Refinery/Clean Air Committee) 1984 No Award. 1986 Mr C W Hastie (Western Mining Corporation) 1988 Dr D Koch (CSIRO Division of Mineral Products) 1990 Mr K Thomson (CSBP) 1992 Dr D K Philp (Tiwest Joint Venture) 1994 Mr L C Stonehouse (Alcoa Australia Ltd) 1996 No Award. 1997 Dr G P Power (Alcoa Australia Ltd) 1999 Dr I D MacLeod (WA Maritime Museum) 2001 Dr J E Wajon (Kellogg Brown and Root) 2003 No Award. 2004 Dr Barry Chesson (Alcoa Australia Ltd) 2006 Mr C Eldridge (Ultra Trace Pty Ltd) 2008 Mr Paul Bannister (Ultra Trace Pty Ltd) 2010 Dr Andrew Sierakowski (UWA)

2012 Dr John Bromly (Curtin University School of Chemical Engineering) 2014 Dr John Watling (UWA)

Nominations must be in writing and are to include a CV and background information indicating the candidate’s major contributions. Nominations must be submitted to RACI WA Coordinator, wabranch@raci.org.au, before COB Friday 17

th June 2016. The award will be presented at the National Chemistry Week Dinner in July 2016, or

at the AGM in October.

The Unjust Salary Theorem asserts that scientists can never earn as much as sales people. This theorem is proved as follows. Start by using the physics formula

Power = Work / Time Now you probably have heard that Knowledge is Power and Time is Money. Substitute these tautologies into the formula for power to obtain

Knowledge = Work / Money Solving for Money, one finds

Money = Work / Knowledge Therefore, the less you know, the more you make.

Q: What's the difference between a mathematician and an experimentalist? A: A mathematician thinks that two points are enough to define a straight line while an

experimentalist wants more data.

RACI WA Branch Newsletter: May 2016 12

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR 2016 Presented by Rowe Scientific Pty Ltd

www.rowe.com.au 17.05.2016 Monthly Members Meeting Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI

14.06.2016 Branch Committee Meeting Held in Room 2B01, ARRC Building, Kensington WA Branch RACI

21.06.2016 Titration Stakes Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. Chem. Ed. Group

12.07.2016 What’s New in Laboratory Instrumentation Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni.

Analytical.Chem. Group

17-23.07.2016 National Chemistry Week National RACI

19.07.2016 Monthly Members Meeting Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI

21.07.2016 Aust. National Chemistry Quiz Various National RACI 29.07.2016 National Chem Week Dinner Bentley Pines, Bentley WA Branch RACI

09.08.2016 Branch Committee Meeting Held in Room 2B01, ARRC Building, Kensington WA Branch RACI

13-21 08.2016 National Science Week Various

16.08.2016 Monthly Members Meeting Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI

18.08.2016 Bayliss Youth Lecture Sacred Heart College, Sorrento Chem. Ed. Group 20.09.2016 Monthly Members Meeting Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI

11.10.2016 Branch Committee Meeting Held in Room 2B01, ARRC Building, Kensington WA Branch RACI

18.10.2016 Monthly Members Meeting - AGM Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI

15.11.2016 Monthly Members Meeting Exhibition Space, Building 500, Curtin Uni. WA Branch RACI 13.12.2016 Branch Committee Meeting Held in Room 2B01, ARRC Building, Kensington WA Branch RACI

Enquiries to Branch Coordinator Ben Fletcher: 0403 022 968, wabranch@raci.org.au

Business Quotes: An expert is someone called in at the last minute to share the blame.

Do not underestimate your abilities. That is your boss's job.

He who never made a mistake never made a discovery.

You cannot get to the top by sitting on your bottom.

You should not confuse your career with your life.

Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings-they did it by killing all those who opposed them.

A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost.

A man is not honest simply because he never had a chance to steal.

E-MAIL ADVERTISING RATES

Three-quarters of the total RACI WA Branch membership and Environmentalists (totalling about 500 of a select and highly targeted group) are registered to receive e-mail notices from the Branch Committee. Those RACI members who have a need to circulate an urgent message or advertisement of general interest to WA Branch members can request approval (wabranch@raci.org.au) to have the advert (sans attachment) circulated free of charge. If the advert is of a revenue producing nature then a charge of $120 +GST will be made.

NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING RATES

SINGLE ADVERTISEMENT: $120 +GST for one-quarter A4 page, $160 +GST for one-third A4 page, and multiples thereof, for print ready artwork or a print ready MS Word file.

MULTIPLE ADVERTISEMENTS: for three or more consecutive newsletter issues, a discount of 25% applies.

PAYMENT for all issues must be made in advance and within 7 days of receipt of invoice.

Branch Newsletter Deadlines For 2016

Month of Journal Deadline Date

June 2016 Fri 27 May July 2016 Fri 24 June

Deadline is close of business (5 pm) on the nominated dates.

Please submit all articles to paula.mclay@measurement.gov.au