SoMS Newsletter - October 2005
Staff
Jenny McLoughlin On Leave
From 5 October I will be on maternity leave and there are a number of items that Wendy Wartho will be managing whilst I'm away. Andrew Lloyd will chair the Space Committee with Wendy's assistance. If you have items for the meeting would you please forward to Wendy one week before the scheduled meeting to enable her to finalise the agenda. The dates for Space Committee in 2006 are: 16 February 30 March, 25 May, 27 July, 28 September, 30 November. With regard to Security and Access could you please forward all requests for access and problems relating to freezers, to LG09 (-80 Freezer Room) and G29 (PC2 Lab) directly to Wendy for approval and action. All major works and renovations will be coordinated by Wendy and she will liaise directly with Facilities and the Faculty Office. Wendy will also resume her role as HR Co-ordinator and Manager for the School. I hope you have a productive 6 months while I'm away and I look forward to seeing you again in May 2006.
Research
SOMS Honours Scholarships 2006
To encourage top students to undertake Honours in our School, 4 scholarships to the value of $2000 each will be available to students enrolled in an Honours degree next year. One scholarship will be awarded in each of the following areas: Neuroscience, Inflammatory Diseases, Cardiovascular research and 'other' topics in Anatomy, Pharmacology, Physiology, Pathology or Sports Medicine. Awards will be on academic merit. To apply for an Honours scholarship, students must submit their supervisor's name, honours topic and a copy of their academic transcript to Pam Parker by 28th February 2006
Vacation Scholarships
The Research Committee is proposing to offer 4 Vacation Scholarships for December 2005 - February 2006, one to each research group (CVR, IDRU, Neurosciece and 'others'). Each will be to the value of $2000 and students will be expected to undertake 4-6 weeks work in the lab. If any staff would like to have a vacation student in their laboratory, please send the title of their project to Pam Parker by Friday 7 October. Students will be asked to give their first and second preferences, along with their academic transcript and a letter of acceptance from the proposed supervisor (as we did for 2004/2005). Selection will be on academic merit for the best student in each research group.
Honours presentations
These will be held on 9th -10th November. We'd like to see a good turn out to support our students so please note these dates in your diaries.
Grants and Awards
UNSW Vice Chancellor's and NewSouth Global Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
A number of Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships are offered to attract outstanding post-doctoral scholars to conduct full time research at the University in any of its disciplines. Applicants must hold a doctorate at the time of application and must not have been awarded their doctorates more than three years ago. Salary will be within the Level A (steps 6-8) range ($56,818 - $60,770) for a period of three years. An annual allowance is also available for research materials and conference expenses.
Deadline: 14 October 2005.
Website: http://www.ro.unsw.edu.au/funding/vcpdf06.shtml
Cancer Institute NSW Clinical Research Fellowships
The Fellowships are aimed at strengthening and supporting clinical research in hospitals by providing opportunities for cancer clinicians to develop and sustain long-term careers in clinical research. Fellowships will provide support for: outstanding clinician researchers to consolidate their research skills and make the transition from postgraduate or postdoctoral research and training to independent investigation; and proven outstanding independent clinical researchers. The funding provided will consist of the salary of the Fellow, and up to $100,000 to support the research project. Fellowships will provide support for up to 3 years and will commence March 2006.
Internal Deadline: 21 October 2005
Website: http://www.cancerinstitute.org.au/cancer_inst/research/funding.html
Cancer Institute NSW Translational Program Grants
Program Grants are focused on supporting multi-disciplinary approaches to cancer research that will translate research discoveries into clinical programs or policy. Applicants will be judged on their current and potential ability to move basic research findings into a clinical or population setting. Program grants are focused on teams of researchers and will include at least two Chief Investigators, one from biomedical research and one from a different discipline of cancer research including but not limited to clinical, behavioural, psychosocial, epidemiological, health services, and health promotion research. Program Grants will be valued up to $750,000 for each of 5 years.
Internal Deadline: 07 November 2005
Website: http://www.cancerinstitute.org.au/cancer_inst/research/funding.html
Asthma New South Wales Research Grants
Asthma New South Wales will be seeking to award research projects in 2006 that improve understanding, prevention or treatment of asthma. The awards will be made to projects which were submitted to the NHMRC in 2005 and which achieved a high score but were not funded for 2006.
Internal Deadline: 07 November 2005
Website: http://www.asthmansw.org.au/Research/Asthma_Research_Awards.htm
OHS
Evacuation of Wallace Wurth Building on 22/9/05
This was due to a person activating the “Break Glass Alarm” in the Wallace Wurth area. All staff and students are reminded that under the NSW OHS Act there are significant penalties for tampering with emergency equipment or causing an OHS hazard. Students are subject to Academic Misconduct as well as prosecution under the OHS Act if it is found they have been setting off these alarms. Please assist the Emergency Management Unit by reporting suspicious activity or a sighting of the person activating alarms - phone ext 52829 (EMU) or 56666 (Security).
Asbestos containing villaboard found in Ground floor “M” wing, Wallace Wurth
Testing for asbestos has been undertaken prior to proposed refurbishment of the MCSU area on the ground floor "M" wing of Wallace Wurth building. Positive test results for chrysotile asbestos were obtained for four of five samples taken from "villaboard" material in walls. This information has now been added to the UNSW asbestos register as required by clause 44 of the OHS Regulation 2001. The asbestos is in a stable condition and poses no risk to health or safety provided it is not drilled, sanded, sawn or crushed. Asbestos-containing material (ACM), if stable, should be left in situ until demolition, partial demolition or renovation is required, as per the Guide to the Control of Asbestos Hazards in Buildings and Structures [NOHSC:2002 (1988)] and Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces [NOHSC:2018(2005)].
The following controls and actions were adopted at the last OHS Committee meeting, held on the 22 September 2005:
- Based on the asbestos test results and the inference that asbestos is present in similar material throughout the M wing, a risk assessment has been carried out. This is available in the Facilities Zone 1 office.
- The Facilities Zone 1 office will arrange for all asbestos containing villaboard in the 'M' wing to be labelled as per the Code of Practice. This is to prevent any inadvertent drilling, sanding or sawing in the future without appropriate controls in place to prevent exposure.
- The asbestos register has already been updated, and this is accessible in the Zone 1 office.
- Air monitoring will be required if any ACM is to be removed in any renovation work in the future. Any removal will take place according to the Guide and Code of Practice.
- All "occupiers" be informed of the presence of asbestos on the ground floor of the M wing, and its inferred presence in "villaboard" wall linings on other floors of the M wing. They be reassured that since the ACM is in a stable condition, any risk of health effects is insignificant.
Labelling Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods
Please consult with either ChemAlert (UNIpass and UNIpin required) or Merck Chemical Database if you require labels for mixtures you make up. Not all chemicals are catered for on these databases and our OHS committee is working to develop a generic label proforma for producing your own labels. This will be available on the SoMS website shortly.
SoMS Christmas Party
To celebrate the successful and productive year that we have had I would like to invite you to the SOMS Christmas Party at 3.30pm on Thursday 15 December. Drinks and nibbles will be located in the Wallace Wurth Foyer. The party will follow our Awards Presentation in the Athol Lykke at 2pm. More information about both events will be emailed to you soon.