It’s National Science Week (16-24 August). To celebrate NSW2008, EAGG ventured out into the fresh air for a live outside broadcast at Queen Victoria Market as part of the ‘Living Science at the Queen Victoria Market’ event.
Our outside broadcast show theme was how science is meeting the challenge of the world’s growing food and energy needs. Our special guests were:
Dr. Richard Roush – Dean of the Melbourne School of Land and Environment at the University of Melbourne (formerly the Faculty of Land and Food Resources). Rick spoke about the natural evolution and development of food crops and how genetic technology will play a critical role in meeting the world’s future crop needs.
Dr. Scott Watkins – Molecular Technologies, CSIRO. Scott works on light-emitting polymers and flexible photovoltaics that are organic (ie. carbon based) rather than silicon based. Such energy absorbing and emitting materials will be incorporated into all sorts of everyday items.
We also chatted with mathematics populariser and author Dr. Clio Creswell about mathematics and its applications, such as the maths of dating.
Dr. Andi played ‘vegetables’ with the panel and addressed the age-old question: “Is it a fruit or a vegetable?” Here’s a clue – think ovaries.
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Direct podcast download: Einstein-A-Go-Go-20080817.mp3
Tags: flexible photovoltaics, fruit or vegetable, GM crops, light-emitting polymers
