Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Rapid Profiling Of Laser-Induced Photochemistry In Single Microdroplets Using Mass Spectrometry, Phillip J. Tracey, Bartholomew S. Vaughn, Brendon J. Roberts, Berwyck L. J Poad, Adam J. Trevitt

Adam Trevitt

Rapid assessment of laser-induced photochemistry in single microdroplets is afforded by on-demand microdroplet generation coupled to a commercial ion-trap mass spectrometer. Single microdroplets (diameter 50 μm, 65 pL) fall on a steel needle held at +2 kV where they subsequently form a spray that is directed toward the inlet of an ion-trap mass spectrometer. It is demonstrated that single microdroplet mass spectra are recordable, one at a time, for methanol droplets containing 100 μM 4-iodoaniline. Extending on this, to probe laser-initiated photochemistry in single picoliter volumes, a UV laser pulse is timed to intercept the droplet before hitting the needle. …

Product Branching Fractions Of The Ch + Propene Reaction From Synchrotron Photoionization Mass Spectrometry, Adam J. Trevitt, Matthew B. Prendergast, Fabien Goulay, John D. Savee, David L. Osborn, Craig A. Taatjes, Stephen R. Leone

Adam Trevitt

The CH(X2Π) + propene reaction is studied in the gas phase at 298 K and 4 Torr (533.3 Pa) using VUV synchrotron photoionization mass spectrometry. The dominant product channel is the formation of C4H6 (m/z 54) + H. By fitting experimental photoionization spectra to measured spectra of known C4H6 isomers, the following relative branching fractions are obtained: 1,3-butadiene (0.63 ± 0.13), 1,2-butadiene (0.25 ± 0.05), and 1-butyne (0.12 ± 0.03) with no detectable contribution from 2-butyne. The CD + propene reaction is also studied and two product channels are observed that correspond to C4H6 (m/z 54) + D and C4H5D …

Photodissociation Of Tempo-Modified Peptides: New Approaches To Radical-Directed Dissociation Of Biomolecules, David L. Marshall, Christopher S. Hansen, Adam J. Trevitt, Han Bin Oh, Stephen J. Blanksby

Adam Trevitt

Radical-directed dissociation of gas phase ions is emerging as a powerful and complementary alternative to traditional tandem mass spectrometric techniques for biomolecular structural analysis. Previous studies have identified that coupling of 2-[(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl)methyl]benzoic acid (TEMPO-Bz) to the N-terminus of a peptide introduces a labile oxygen–carbon bond that can be selectively activated upon collisional activation to produce a radical ion. Here we demonstrate that structurally-defined peptide radical ions can also be generated upon UV laser photodissociation of the same TEMPO-Bz derivatives in a linear ion-trap mass spectrometer. When subjected to further mass spectrometric analyses, the radical ions formed by a single laser …

Observation Of Nondegenerate Cavity Modes For A Distorted Cavity Modes For A Distorted Polystyrene Microsphere, Adam J. Trevitt, Philip J. Wearne, Evan J. Bieske, Michael D. Schuder

Adam Trevitt

Nondegenerate azimuthal morphology-dependent resonances are observed for a distorted, fluorescently labeled polystyrene microsphere levitated in a quadrupole ion trap. Modeling the individual resonances by using perturbation theory allows a determination of quadrupole and octupole distortion parameters. The particle’s shape changes slowly over the course of the measurement and eventually becomes spherical. The morphological changes are facilitated by laser heating of the particle above the polystyrene glass transition temperature. We demonstrate a method of transforming a trapped particle to a sphere and rendering its azimuthal modes degenerate.

Isomer-Specific Product Detection Of Gas-Phase Xylyl Radical Rearrangement And Decomposition Using Vuv Synchrotron Photoionization, Patrick Hemberger, Adam J. Trevitt, Thomas Gerber, Edward Ross, Gabriel Da Silva

Adam Trevitt

Xylyl radicals are intermediates in combustion processes since their parent molecules, xylenes, are present as fuel additives. In this study we report on the photoelectron spectra of the three isomeric xylyl radicals and the subsequent decomposition reactions of the o-xylyl radical, generated in a tubular reactor and probed by mass selected threshold photoelectron spectroscopy and VUV synchrotron radiation. Franck-Condon simulations are applied to augment the assignment of elusive species. Below 1000 K, o-xylyl radicals decompose by hydrogen atom loss to form closed-shell o-xylylene, which equilibrates with benzocyclobutene. At higher temperatures relevant to combustion engines, o-xylylene generates styrene in a multistep …

Hydroxyl Radical Formation In The Gas Phase Oxidation Of Distonic 2-Methylphenyl Radical Cations, Matthew Prendergast, Phillip A. Cooper, Benjamin B. Kirk, Gabriel Da Silva, Stephen J. Blanksby, Adam J. Trevitt

Adam Trevitt

The reactions of distonic 4-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)-2-methylphenyl and 5-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)-2-methylphenyl radical cations (m/z 149) with O 2 are studied in the gas phase using ion-trap mass spectrometry. Photodissociation (PD) of halogenated precursors gives rise to the target distonic charge-tagged methylphenyl radical whereas collision-induced dissociation (CID) is found to produce unreactive radical ions. The PD generated distonic radicals, however, react rapidly with O2 to form [M + O2]•+ and [M + O2 - OH]•+ ions, detected at m/z 181 and m/z 164, respectively. Quantum chemical calculations using G3SX(MP3) and M06-2X theories are deployed to examine key decomposition pathways of the 5-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)-2-methylphenylperoxyl radical and rationalise …

Characterisation Of The Ionic Products Arising From Electron Photodetachment Of Simple Dicarboxylate Dianions, Benjamin B. Kirk, Adam J. Trevitt, Berwyck L. Poad, Stephen J. Blanksby

Adam Trevitt

Much of what we currently understand about the structure and energetics of multiply charged anions in the gas phase is derived from the measurement of photoelectron spectra of simple dicarboxylate dianions. Here we have employed a modified linear ion-trap mass spectrometer to undertake complementary investigations of the ionic products resulting from laser-initiated electron photodetachment of two model dianions. Electron photodetachment (ePD) of the [M-2H]2- dianions formed from glutaric and adipic acid were found to result in a significant loss of ion signal overall, which is consistent with photoelectron studies that report the emission of slow secondary electrons (Xing et al., …

Bioregional Assessment Project: Sydney Metropolitan, Southern Rivers And Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchments: Data Collation Phase To Study The Impact Of Mining Activity And Coal Seam Gas On Environmental Assets, John Bradd, Tim Cohen, Sam Marx, Sol Buckman, Emma Burkhardt, A Clarke, Nicole Cook, Stephen Cullen, James Daley, Alexi Gavin, Ren Hu, Emma Kiekebosch-Fitt, Matt Lemcke, Andrew Lowe, Thomas Mcmahon, Luke Mcneilage, Kaitlyn O'Mara, Garth Nagle, Sam Robson, Carolyn Silveri, Joe Stammers

John Copeland Nagle

This study was commissioned by the Hawkesbury-Nepean (HNCMA), Sydney Metropolitan (SMCMA) and Southern Rivers (SRCMA) Catchment Management Authorities and undertaken by the University of Wollongong to collate existing data and to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential impacts of coal seam gas (CSG) and coal mining activities on environmental assets within the three CMA regions, where environmental assets were defined under three broad themes; water, land and biodiversity. This study formed part of the Australian Federal Government’s Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC) Bioregional Assessment initiative within regions potentially affected by CSG and coal mining activities. …

Simultaneous Nitrification/Denitrification And Trace Organic Contaminant (Troc) Removal By An Anoxic-Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (Mbr), Hop Phan, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, Hoa Dam, Ren Zhang, William Price, Andreas Broeckmann, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

Simultaneous nitrification/denitrification and trace organic contaminant (TrOC) removal during wastewater treatment by an integrated anoxic-aerobic MBR was examined. A set of 30 compounds was selected to represent TrOCs that occur ubiquitously in domestic wastewater. The system achieved over 95% total organic carbon (TOC) and over 80% total nitrogen (TN) removal. In addition, 21 of the 30 TrOCs investigated here were removed by over 90%. Low oxidation reduction potential (i.e., anoxic/anaerobic) regimes were conducive to moderate to high (50% to 90%) removal of nine TrOCs. These included four pharmaceuticals and personal care products (primidone, metronidazole, triclosan, and amitriptyline), one steroid hormone …

Annual Distributions And Sources Of Arctic Aerosol Components, Aerosol Optical Depth, And Aerosol Absorption, Thomas J. Breider, Loretta J. Mickley, Daniel Jacob, Qiaoqiao Wang, Jenny A. Fisher, Rachel Y.-W Chang, Becky Alexander

Jenny A Fisher

Radiative forcing by aerosols and tropospheric ozone could play a significant role in recent Arctic warming. These species are in general poorly accounted for in climate models. We use the GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model to construct a 3-D representation of Arctic aerosols and ozone that is consistent with observations and can be used in climate simulations. We focus on 2008, when extensive observations were made from different platforms as part of the International Polar Year. Comparison to aircraft, surface, and ship cruise observations suggests that GEOS-Chem provides in general a successful year-round simulation of Arctic black carbon (BC), organic …

Factors Driving Mercury Variability In The Arctic Atmosphere And Ocean Over The Past 30 Years, Jenny A. Fisher, Daniel J. Jacob, Anne L. Soerensen, Helen M. Amos, Elizabeth S. Corbitt, David G. Streets, Qiaoqiao Wang, Robert M. Yantosca, Elsie M. Sunderland

Jenny A Fisher

[1] Long-term observations at Arctic sites (Alert and Zeppelin) show large interannual variability (IAV) in atmospheric mercury (Hg), implying a strong sensitivity of Hg to environmental factors and potentially to climate change. We use the GEOS-Chem global biogeochemical Hg model to interpret these observations and identify the principal drivers of spring and summer IAV in the Arctic atmosphere and surface ocean from 1979–2008. The model has moderate skill in simulating the observed atmospheric IAV at the two sites (r ~ 0.4) and successfully reproduces a long-term shift at Alert in the timing of the spring minimum from May to April …

Bioregional Assessment Project: Sydney Metropolitan, Southern Rivers And Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchments: Data Collation Phase To Study The Impact Of Mining Activity And Coal Seam Gas On Environmental Assets, John Bradd, Tim Cohen, Sam Marx, Sol Buckman, Emma Burkhardt, A Clarke, Nicole Cook, Stephen Cullen, James Daley, Alexi Gavin, Ren Hu, Emma Kiekebosch-Fitt, Matt Lemcke, Andrew Lowe, Thomas Mcmahon, Luke Mcneilage, Kaitlyn O'Mara, Garth Nagle, Sam Robson, Carolyn Silveri, Joe Stammers

Samuel K Marx

This study was commissioned by the Hawkesbury-Nepean (HNCMA), Sydney Metropolitan (SMCMA) and Southern Rivers (SRCMA) Catchment Management Authorities and undertaken by the University of Wollongong to collate existing data and to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential impacts of coal seam gas (CSG) and coal mining activities on environmental assets within the three CMA regions, where environmental assets were defined under three broad themes; water, land and biodiversity. This study formed part of the Australian Federal Government’s Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC) Bioregional Assessment initiative within regions potentially affected by CSG and coal mining activities. …

The Significance Of Carbon-Enriched Dust For Global Carbon Accounting, Nicholas P. Webb, Adrian Chappell, Craig L. Strong, Samuel K. Marx, Granth Mctainsh

Samuel K Marx

Soil carbon stores amount to 54% of the terrestrial carbon pool and twice the atmospheric carbon pool, but soil organic carbon (SOC) can be transient. There is an ongoing debate about whether soils are a net source or sink of carbon, and understanding the role of aeolian processes in SOC erosion, transport and deposition is rudimentary. The impacts of SOC erosion by wind on the global carbon budget, and its importance for carbon accounting remain largely unknown. Current understanding of SOC losses to wind erosion is based on the assumption that the SOC content of eroded material is the same …

A Methodology For The Rapid Assessment Of The Potential Impact And Hazard Of Coal Seam Gas Mining On Aquifers And The Environment, John M. Bradd, Emma Kiekebosch-Fitt, Tim J. Cohen, Sam K. Marx, Solomon Buckman

Samuel K Marx

The potential environmental impacts and hazards of coal seam gas mining in Australia are highly contentious and poorly understood. Concerns have been raised by communities, and the Australian government has incorporated management tools and strategies to address these concerns. The primary environmental issue associated with coal seam gas mining would be on the aquifers above the target coal seam. If the upper aquifers are affected in terms of quantity and quality, then there are cumulative impacts to the surface environment such as groundwater dependent ecosystems and surface waters. This paper will examine the Australian situation with regard to coal seam …

Unprecedented Wind Erosion And Perturbation Of Surface Geochemistry Marks The Anthropocene In Australia, Samuel Marx, Hamish Mcgowan, Balz Kamber, Jon M. Knight, John Denholm, Atun Zawadzki

Samuel K Marx

[1] Australia, the last continent to undergo industrial development, is an ideal environment in which to quantify the magnitude of human-induced environmental change during the Anthropocene because its entire agricultural and industrial history has occurred within this period. Analysis of an alpine peat mire showed that rapid industrial and agricultural development (both pastoral and cropping) over the past 200 years has resulted in significant environmental change in Australia. Beginning in the 1880s, rates of wind erosion and metal enrichment were up to 10 and 30 times that of background natural conditions, respectively. Increased dust deposition and an expansion in dust …

Trace Elements And Metal Pollution In Aerosols At An Alpine Site, New Zealand: Sources, Concentrations And Implications, Samuel K. Marx, Karen S. Lavin, Kimberly J. Hageman, Balz S. Kamber, Tadhg O'Loingsigh, Grant H. Mctainsh

Samuel K Marx

Atmospheric aerosol samples were collected at a remote site in New Zealand's Southern Alps. Collected samples were found to be a mixture of New Zealand and Australian sourced sediment, using their trace element signatures. Aerosol concentrations and the relative contribution of different sources was found to be a function of specific air-mass trajectories influencing the study site, dust entrainment rates in source areas and rainfall. Results show that Australian dust is a major source of particulate matter in New Zealand, particularly in remote alpine locations; however, locally derived dust is also important. Metal pollutants, including Pb, Cu and Sn, were …

First Occurrence And Biogeographical Significance Of The Operculate Tetracoral Goniophyllum From The Wenlock (Silurian) Of Baillie-Hamilton Island, Canadian Arctic, Anthony J. Wright

Anthony Wright

Opercula of the Silurian tetracoral genera Goniophyllum and Rhizophyllum are described from early Wenlock (Sheinwoodian) strata of the Cape Phillips Formation, Baillie-Hamilton Island, Canadian Arctic. This is the first record of Goniophyllum in northern Laurentia, emphasising previously recognised faunal connections of this region with Baltica and Avalonia. As the opercula of Goniophyllum belong mostly to very early juveniles, which have not previously been documented, specific identification is impossible.

Using Formative Feedback To Identify And Support First Year Chemistry Students With Missing Or Misconceptions. A Practice Report, Gwen Lawrie, Anthony Wright, Madeleine Schultz, Timothy Dargaville, Glennys O'Brien, Simon B. Bedford, Mark Williams, Roy Tasker, Hayden Dickson, Christopher Thompson

Anthony Wright

Students entering tertiary studies possess a diverse range of prior experiences in their academic preparation for tertiary chemistry so academics need tools to enable them to respond to issues in diversity in conceptual models possessed by entering students. Concept inventories can be used to provide formative feedback to help students identify concepts that they need to address to improve construction of subsequent understanding enabling their learning. Modular, formative learning activities that can be administered inside or outside of class in first year chemistry courses have been developed. These activities address key missing and mis-conceptions possessed by incoming student. Engagement in …

Morphology And Taxonomy Of The Late Silurian Rhynchonellide Brachiopod Notoconchidium, Anthony J. Wright, Michael J. Garratt

Anthony Wright

The distinctive brachiopod genus Notoconchidium is known from late Silurian, mostly sandy, shallow marine strata in Tasmania, Victoria and New Zealand. Material from the Zeehan and Wynyard areas (Tasmania), the Whittlesea-Wallan and Heathcote areas (Victoria), and the Wangapeka River area (New Zealand), permits further insight into detailed aspects of morphology and relationships between the previously named species N. tasmaniense, N. florencense and N. thomasi. We conclude that N. thomasi is a junior synonym of N. tasmaniense, but N. florencense is retained as a separate species. New species described are N. talenti and N. argentium. The diamond-shaped septalium of Notoconchidium exhibits, …

Notes On The Early Devonian Brachiopod Leptaena Ouralensis De Verneuil, 1845, Anthony J. Wright

Anthony Wright

On the basis of the type material, an attempt is made to review the widely reported brachiopod Leptaena ouralensis de Verneuil, 1845, much more commonly known as Megastrophia uralensis (de Verneuil, 1845). Assignment of this species to Megastrophia is still tentative, and many reports of the species, especially those based on crack-out material, must remain doubtful. The species has an established narrow geographic and stratigraphic range to the upper Emsian (upper Lower Devonian) of mostly Siberia, Mongolia and China.

Cosmogenic 3he And 21ne Surface Exposure Dating Of Young Basalts From Southern Mendoza, Argentina, Venera R. Espanon, Masahiko Honda, Allan R. Chivas

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Southern Mendoza, Argentina, is characterised by abundant Pleistocene to Holocene volcanism associated with back-arc magmatism, influenced by the subducting Nazca plate. Age determinations in this volcanic area have been improved during the last 5 years. However, there are some volcanic features especially in the Payunia Volcanic Field (PVF) which suggest fairly recent eruptions and which have not been chronologically determined. Recent studies on the Llancanelo Volcanic Field (LLVF) and PVF have determined volcanic activity mainly using K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar as well as cosmogenic 3He. However, K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar fail to produce reliable ages in Holocene basaltic flows. To better constrain …

Earth Is (Mostly) Flat: Apportionment Of The Flux Of Continental Sediment Over Millennial Time Scales: Reply, J K. Willenbring, Alexandru T. Codilean, B Mcelroy

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

We thank Warrick et al. (2014) for the Comment on our recent synthesis of 10Be-derived denudation rates (Willenbring et al., 2013), in which we suggested that gently sloping areas, representing ∼90% of the Earth’s land surface, have sufficiently high rates of denudation to produce a majority of mass fluxes to the world’s ocean.

First, Warrick et al. take issue with labeling our global cosmogenic nuclide denudation fluxes “sediment” and with the inferred comparisons to other sediment yield apportionment studies. We apologize for instances of unclear wording related to the terms: sediment production, sediment to the oceans, and mass flux. Unlike …

Late-Holocene Climatic Variability Indicated By Three Natural Archives In Arid Southern Australia, Luke A. Gliganic, Timothy J. Cohen, Jan-Hendrik May, John D. Jansen, Gerald C. Nanson, Anthony Dosseto, Joshua R. Larsen, Maxime Aubert

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Three terrestrial climate proxies are used to investigate the evolution of Holocene palaeoenvironments in southern central Australia, all of which present a coherent record of palaeohydrology. Single-grain optically stimulated luminescence from sediments supplemented by 14C from charcoal and lacustrine shells was obtained to date shoreline deposits (Lake Callabonna) and the adjacent Mt Chambers Creek alluvial fan. Our findings are complemented by a U/Th-based record of speleothem growth in the Mt Chambers Creek catchment, which we interpret to reflect increased precipitation. Together, these archives shed light on the timing of, and possible sources of water for, Holocene pluvial intervals. We identified …

Distributed Leadership: Building Capacity For Interdisciplinary Climate Change Teaching At Four Universities, Aidan Davison, Paul Brown, Emma Pharo, Kristin Warr, Helen Mcgregor, Sarah Terkes, Davina Boyd, Pamela Abuodha

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Purpose - Interdisciplinary approaches to climate change teaching are well justified and arise from the complexity of climate change challenges and the integrated problem-solving responses they demand. These approaches require academic teachers to collaborate across disciplines. Yet, the fragmentation typical of universities impedes collaborative teaching practice. This paper aims to report on the outcomes of a distributed leadership project in four Australian universities aimed at enhancing interdisciplinary climate change teaching. Design/methodology/approach - Communities of teaching practice were established at four Australian universities with participants drawn from a wide range of disciplines. The establishment and operation of these communities relied on …

Factors Governing The Rejection Of Trace Organic Contaminants By Nanofiltration And Reverse Osmosis Membranes, Hai Q. Dang, Long D. Nghiem, William E. Price

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

This study aimed to elucidate key factors governing the rejection of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) by nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. The rejection of 16 selected hydrophilic and hydrophobic TrOCs by an NF and an RO membranes was evaluated at different solution pH values using a cross-flow NF/RO filtration system. An analytical technique consisting of solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry detection was used for the analysis of the TrOCs. In general, rejection increased in the order of decreasing membrane permeability, increasing molecular weight (or equivalent molecular width) of the TrOCs, and increasing hydrophilicity. …

Environmental Character And History Of The Lake Eyre Basin, One Seventh Of The Australian Continent, Anna Habeck-Fardy, Gerald C. Nanson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

One of the world's largest internally drained (endorheic) basins, the 1.14 million km2 Lake Eyre (hydrological) Basin (LEB), covers nearly 15% of the Australian continent. Palaeoclimatic and associated flow regime variations are recorded in an archive of fluvial, aeolian and lacustrine sediments that are particularly accessible for deposits from the past ~ 300 ka, and are especially relevant for the past ~ 50 ka during which humans have inhabited Australia. Due to its great size, economic resources and diverse latitudinal extent, it has for over six decades been the focus of environmental, scientific and resource-based studies across numerous disciplines. With …

Critical Cartography And The Use Of New Technologies For Conserving The Australian Coastline: A Case Study From Lord Howe Island, Sarah Hamylton

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Maps exert power. In this paper I explore the power of maps in relation to the technical methods employed and the political context of their production. The internal power of maps is realised in the actions taken by cartographers themselves when making maps, while the external power of maps is both realised by the patrons of cartography and wielded through the use of cartographic products as agents for natural resource management, in particular for defining conservation strategies. An Australian case study of coastal mapping is used to examine the methods employed and motivation behind map production through a series of …

Synthesis, Properties, Water And Solute Permeability Of Mwnt Buckypapers, Md. Harun-Or Rashid, Son Q. T Pham, Luke J. Sweetman, Leighton J. Alcock, Anthony Wise, Long D. Nghiem, Gerry Triani, Marc In Het Panhuis, Stephen F. Ralph

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

High power tip sonication was used to prepare dispersions containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), or multi-walled carbon nanotubes functionalised with carboxylic acid groups (MWNT-COOH) or amine groups (MWNT-NH2). The dispersion of carbon nanotubes was facilitated by the presence of a surfactant (Triton X-100) or various macrocyclic ligands (derivatised porphyrin, phthalocyanine or calixarene) in the solution. Vacuum filtration of the dispersions afforded self-supporting membranes known as buckypapers. Microanalysis provided evidence for retention of the surfactant or macrocyclic ligands in the buckypapers, which were also characterised by measurement of their electrical conductivities (24±16 to 58±11 S/cm), contact angles (28±1° to 55±10°) and …

Discordance Between Cosmogenic Nuclide Concentrations In Amalgamated Sands And Individual Fluvial Pebbles In An Arid Zone Catchment, Alexandru T. Codilean, Cassandra R. Fenton, Derek Fabel, Paul Bishop, Sheng Xu

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Based on cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al analyses in 15 individual detrital quartz pebbles (16–21 mm) and cosmogenic 10Be in amalgamated medium sand (0.25–0.50 mm), all collected from the outlet of the upper Gaub River catchment in Namibia, quartz pebbles yield a substantially lower average denudation rate than those yielded by the amalgamated sand sample. 10Be and 26Al concentrations in the 15 individual pebbles span nearly two orders of magnitude (0.22 ± 0.01 to 20.74 ± 0.52 × 10610Be atoms g−1 and 1.35 ± 0.09 to 72.76 ± 2.04 × 10626Al atoms g−1, respectively) and yield average denudation rates of ∼0.7 …

Using Communities Of Practice To Enhance Interdisciplinary Teaching: Lessons From Four Australian Institutions, Emma Pharo, Aidan Davison, Helen Mcgregor, Kristin Warr, Paul Brown

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

We report on the establishment of communities of practice at four Australian institutions and evaluate their effectiveness and durability as a means of building staff and institutional capacity for interdisciplinary teaching. A community of practice approach is a potentially valuable methodology for overcoming dynamics of fragmentation, isolation and competition within universities. The communities we established were anchored by a shared focus on the topic of climate change and they worked collaboratively to build relationships of trust and reciprocity between teachers in a wide range of disciplines. The aim of each community was to improve the teaching of climate change through …