Public Forums

NASA: A Presentation

4 April 2012

The United States considers the sustainability, stability, and free access to, and use of, space vital to its national interests. In July 2011, NASA launched its final space shuttle mission and turned the page in a remarkable period in America’s history in space, while beginning the next chapter in America’s extraordinary story of exploration. American leadership in space will continue to at least the next half century because the US has laid the foundation for success. NASA is not ending human space flight but rather recommitting itself and taking the necessary steps to ensure America’s preeminence in space exploration for years to come. President Obama has given NASA a mission to focus again on the big picture of exploration and the crucial research and development. NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden spoke about how NASA plans to carry out this Mission, followed by Q&A with the audience.

Entrepreneurship and human rights: Knights Apparel’s ethical business model

27 March 2012

Founder of Knights Apparel, Joe Bozich, shared how Alta Gracia, a brand of Knights Apparel, is replacing what has been seen as a sweatshop model of manufacturing with a new model of ethical business through its factory in the Dominican Republic. Formed in 2001, Knights Apparel is the largest supplier of college licensed apparel in the United States, a position previously held by Nike. Knights Apparel also holds exclusive apparel rights with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) in America.

Super Tuesday Trivia Night

7 March 2012

On Wednesday 7 March the Super Tuesday excitement kicked on into the evening with a trivia competition. Twelve teams flexed their grey matter with three rounds of questions focused on the US elections past and present.

Super Tuesday Results - Live Coverage

7 March 2012

On Wednesday 7 March the large crowd at the Manning Bar watched the results unfold on the most important day of the US primary calendar.

Live coverage of the results was followed by a panel discussion moderated by ABC NewsRadio host John Barron. The audience heard a panel of US Studies Centre experts deconstruct the results as they came to light. Panel members included CEO Professor Geoffrey Garrett, Chair in US Media and National Correspondent of The Atlantic Monthly Professor James Fallows and Research Associate and Editor of The Spectator Australia Tom Switzer.

Unconventional gas production and water resources: Lessons from the US on better governance

27 February 2012

As part of the US Studies Centre's Australia and United States Climate, Energy and Water nexus project guests were invited for an afternoon of expert presentations on unconventional gas production and water resources in Brisbane. This event brought together Australian policy makers and relevant interest groups with three experts from the United States to explore and learn from that country’s experience with the challenges that unconventional gas production poses for water resources.

Pacific 2012 International Maritime Conference

31 January 2012 - 1 February 2012

As part of the Pacific 2012 Maritime Conference, Dr Susan Pond chaired a forum on Sustainable Maritime Fuels, co-sponsored by the United States Studies Centre and Maritime Australia Limited.

This forum included Australian and International speakers. Topics discussed included drivers and demand for fuel diversification, advanced maritime biofuels and maritime fuel infrastructure. The Sustainable Maritime Fuels Forum also had a dedicated Sustainable Maritime Fuels Showcase for exhibitors wishing to participate in this event.

TEDxDubbo

19 August 2011

The aim of TEDxDubbo was to bring attention to FACETS – Food, Agriculture, Climate, Energy, Topsoil and Sustainability. These FACETS are actually potent ideas shared by everyday people with an interest in these disciplines. TEDxDubbo allowed the sharing of these ideas amongst 100+ inspirational thought leaders at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. One of the experts speaking at the conference was Dr Susan Pond, Adjunct Professor in the Dow Sustainability Program at the US Studies Centre. She spoke on the topic "Small Farmers: Enabling Heroes".

TEDxDubbo:The Good Carbon Story

19 August 2011

Ichsani Wheeler was one of the many speakers at the TEDxDubbo event. Ichsani is a young scientist as well as a mad keen gardener, lover of worms, fungi, and all lowly compostable things. With a succinct soft spot for home made aquaponics systems and soil that smells good enough to eat she has a long standing passion for agriculture, the environment and pragmatic approaches to the challenges of sustainability. After graduating from a Bachelor of Land and Water Science she worked as an environmental consultant to the design and development industries. Her project experience primarily focused on designing natural storm water treatment systems, waterway rehabilitation and urban design.

TEDxDubbo:The Complexity Imperative For A Sustainable Food System

19 August 2011

Professor John Crawford spoke at the TEDxDubbo event about the complexity imperative for a sustainable food system. John Crawford was awarded the prestigious Judith and David Coffey Chair in Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Sydney in 2008. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Philosophy from the University and Glasgow and a PhD in Theoretical Astrophysics from the University of London. He switched fields to theoretical biology about 20 years ago and studies the factors that regulate the structure and function of ecological communities and particularly the soil-plant-microbe system.

Powering Ahead? Meeting our energy needs in the 21st Century

18 August 2011

Dr Jamie Pittock, the US Studies Centre's Program Leader for the Australia and United States Climate, Energy and Water Project, was a keynote speaker at this seminar in Darwin hosted by Charles Darwin University and The Australian National University.

A growing population and changing climate change are putting enormous pressure on governments and industry to find new, innovative ways to power our lives. Drawing on research from Australia, Europe and the United States, this seminar explored the complexities of the 'climate-energy-water' nexus, with a particular focus on meeting Darwin's needs for the coming decades.