BRIDGES, Bikes, Weeds and Gas is the title of the next Thursday Forum, to be held by Sustainable Living Armidale (SLA).
People are aware that graduate students do research at UNE, but it’s rare to get a taste of the range of topics investigated, so SLA has invited four postgraduate students to give short presentations of their research, all with relevance for a sustainable future.
John Moore has just completed his PhD on timber bridges, investigating how their structural reliability can be monitored and maintained. This is of great relevance to financially-stretched rural councils.
Local government provision and support for bicycles was the subject of Tom Fisher’s Masters’ research, which surveyed city and country councils across NSW, and revealed a wide range of responses.
Fieldwork on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island is a bonus for Laura Williams, who is part way through a PhD studying the ecology and management of invasive wintergrass, a common Armidale weed.
The resilience of farmers coping with coal seam gas companies, and their attitudes to chronic man-made stressors, is the subject of psychologist Methuen Morgan’s PhD research.
Bridges, Bikes, Weeds and Gas will be held on Thursday 1 August at 7pm, at Kent House, 141 Faulkner Street (opposite Central Park).
SLA Thursday Forums are open to all, gold coin donation appreciated, light supper to follow.
SLA website: www.slaati.org
