Science Week: Decoding the universe - North Lakes

Next date: Thursday, 14 August 2025 | 06:00 PM to 08:00 PM

This National Science Week, we will hear from three UniSC scientists all passionate about contributing to a better world.

Healthy people and a healthy planet are central to the discussion, with some incredible examples of research happening right here in Moreton Bay as well as further afield both nationally and globally.

Come and hear their unique perspectives on how science might just help save the world we live in.

Free. Bookings required. For adults.

The speakers

Dr Savindi Caldera, Lecturer in Environmental Management at UniSC, who is interested in ways to divert waste from landfills and close the loop through waste recycling. Her research serves to transform construction and manufacturing practices, creating innovative lean, green and circular strategies that enable businesses to operate in ways that are good for both the planet and people.

Professor Mathew Summers, Professor of Psychology and Discipline Lead (Psychology) at UniSC, a registered Clinical Neuropsychologist with in excess of 25 years of clinical experience with children to older adults. Mathew leads a research program in aging and the brain, with a particular focus on non-pharmacological approaches to promoting healthy brain aging as well as in developing early detection and diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, which is a preclinical stage of dementia that may respond to intervention and treatment. Mathew has worked with international research teams across Europe to develop interventions for frailty, co-led the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project with the Wicking Dementia Research & Education Centre in Hobart, and has attracted over $12 million in funded research into healthy ageing, mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Professor Alison Shapcott, Professor Vegetation and Plant Ecology at UniSC, who combines both molecular field and modelling approaches to address questions of plant diversity and its conservation and restoration. In this International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) decade of restoration, Alison has been a leading expert in the use of eDNA and metabarcoding approaches to discover what flowers bees are visiting, document fungal community change during, restoration and after fire, and detect invasive weeds in waterways. Her research team established the South-East and Central Queensland rainforest DNA barcoded sequence reference library. It provides a foundation for eDNA studies and has allowed analysis of regional rainforest diversity. With the use of remote sensing data of fire extent and intensity, it also determine where biodiversity was potentially most impacted by the 2019-2020 fires.

When

Location

North Lakes Library, 10 The Corso, North Lakes, 4509, View map