[Aqualist] expressions of interest to be part of the National Committee for Quaternary Research

[Simon Haberle]

Dear colleagues,

Last week on the 29th April 2009 a meeting was held at ANSTO to discuss 
the potenial of re-vitalising the National Committee for Quaternary 
Research (for last committee activites see 
http://www.science.org.au/natcoms/nc-quaternary.htm). National 
Committee's are supported by the Australian Academy of Science and the 
Academy has 21 National Committees which are widely representative of 
its disciplines. The broad aims of the committees are to foster a 
designated branch or theme of natural science in Australia and to serve 
as a link between Australian scientists and overseas scientists in the 
same field.

As you may know the National Committee for QR has been pretty well 
silent for a while. If the Australian Quaternary community wants to be 
heard through the Academy of Science and therefore taken seriously by 
the Australian Government, the Australian Research Council etc, it needs 
to be heard. The minutes of this meeting are below though the broad 
points are

1) There was a strong opinion that we need an active National Committee 
for Quaternary Research.
2) The committee should continue its role as the interface with the 
International Union for Quaternary Research, including providing an 
Australian perspective for the INQUA executive.
3) This committee should be work towards the production of document 
setting out a strategic plan for Quaternary Research and teaching in 
Australia and to raise the profile of Quaternary Science in government 
and the community.

To achieve these aims we need enthusiastic membership of the committee. 
This email is to call for expressions of interest from individuals in 
the AQUA membership to be part of the National Committee for Quaternary 
Research. If you are interested in being involved and be able to commit 
to developing the key documents outline above then please send and email 
to John Dodson (jdd at ansto.gov.au) at ANSTO.

Cheers, Simon

_____________________________________________________________

NCQR Discussion Minutes


Attendees:

Allan Chivas, John Dodson, David Fink, Simon Haberle, Henk Heijnis, Paul 
Hesse, Quan Hua, Geraldine Jacobsen, Helen McGregor, Jeanette Mill, 
Scott Mooney, Colin Murray-Wallace.

Apologies:

Ian Goodwin, Greg Skilbeck, Jody Webster.


1.    Role of a NCQR nationally and internationally.
i.     AAS
.    Committee consisting of up to 8 people.
.    AAS provides some funding for committees to meet annually.
.    Minutes of committee meetings to be submitted to Council.
.    Written annual report submitted by Chairman to Council.
.    AAS to provide secretarial support to National Committee.

ii.     ARC
.    Committee to move towards setting strategic plan to enable the 
committee to apply for funding through research schemes.
.    Raise the profile of Quaternary Science.

iii.     INQUA
.    To interface with the International Union for Quaternary Research 
including providing an Australian perspective for the INQUA executive.

iv.     Regionally and link to AQUA
.    Strong link to AQUA.
.    Quaternary community to raise profile of Quaternary Science within 
schools and universities.
.    Strategy for attracting new scientists and obtaining new equipment.

2.    Contributions of QR to National Research Priorities.
.    Some missed opportunities due to inactive National Committee.
.    New committee to work on document to allow submission to research 
grants.

3.    Quaternary Science Institutions in Australia. To review, collate 
and make recommendations on the following for the future development of 
the science.
i.     Main groups and people
ii.     International standing of QR in Australia
iii.     Infrastructure, present, planned, future


4.    Function of a NCQR.
i.     Potential membership
.    Representatives from across the country.
.    Diversity in disciplines.
.    Diversity in gender and seniority.
.    Ask for expressions of interest.

ii.     Election of a chair

iii.     Rotation of membership
.    Retain 2-3 people from most recent committee to provide direction 
to new committee.

5.    Actions.
.    Simon Haberle to send email to AQUA to inform them of the committee 
reforming.
.    Minutes of discussion to be emailed to AAS.

6.  Meeting closed 2.20pm
______________________________________________________________

Dr Simon Haberle,
Senior Fellow, Archaeology and Natural History,
Director of the Centre for Archaeological Research,
College of Asia and the Pacific
Australian National University
Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
Telephone (02)61253373, int'l 61-2-6125 3373
Mobile 0424 453 861, int'l 61-424 453 861
Fax (02)61254917, int'l 61-2-6124917.

website:   http://palaeoworks.anu.edu.au/
PalaeoWorks