Public Discussion

Coral Reefs
6.00pm-7.15pm Shine Dome
Everyone is invited to join us at the Shine Dome at 5.15pm (for a 6.00pm start) on Thursday 18 October for a public discussion on coral reef science, conservation and management.

Drinks and canapes will be served from 5.15pm, with the panel discussion commencing at 6.00pm.  The panel of 5 international scientific experts in their field will each present on a topic of critical importance to the future of coral reefs.  The floor will then be open to public discussion. 

Host:

Robyn Williams A superb communicator whose penetrating interpretations are enhanced by his lively wit, Robyn Williams specialises in demystifying science and technology. A successful author, Robyn is also the only journalist to be elected a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Deliberately provocative and sometimes offbeat, Robyn’s unique mix of humour and fact is both stimulating and entertaining. Robyn Williams has presented The Science Show on ABC Radio National since it began in 1975 – this could be a record. His other weekly programs on ABC Radio are In Conversation and Ockham’s Razor.

Presenters:

	Janice Lough Topic: A Changing Climate for Coral Reefs Dr Janice Lough is a Principal Research Scientist leading the Responding to Climate Change Team at the Australian Institute of Marine Science and a Partner Investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Reef Studies. Trained as a climatologist at the Climate Research Unit (UK), her research interests focus on understanding the nature, causes and impacts of climate variability and climate change in tropical marine environments. She also specializes in obtaining historical perspectives on coral reefs and the significance of currently observed changes using the rich archive of proxy environmental information contained in long-lived massive coral skeletons.
	Garry Russ Topic: How do Green Zones on the Great Barrier Reef work? Professor Garry Russ is a Chief Investigator and Program Leader with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.  His research interests focus on use of no-take marine reserves as conservation and fisheries management tools. He has worked on Australian and Philippine coral reefs for 25 years. Russ was a Queens Fellow at the Australian Institute of Marine Science from 1982-1986.  Garry moved to JCU 1988 where he is currently a Professor in Marine Biology. In 1999 he received a prestigious PEW fellowship in Marine Conservation.
	Glenn Almany Topic: Nemo comes home Dr Glenn Almany is a Research Fellow in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. His current research focuses on larval tagging studies of coral reef fishes. The goal of his work is to provide information on how fish populations are connected through the movement of larvae. This information is critically important for the effective management and conservation of fish populations. Originally from Los Angeles, California, Glenn spent six years in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear reactor engineer on a submarine (1985-1991) and has a PhD in Zoology from Oregon State University (2002). He received a Fulbright Scholarship and NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship to join the staff at James Cook University in 2002.
	Sean Connolly Topic: Top predators in peril A/Professor Sean Connolly is a Chief Investigator and Program Leader with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and an Associate Professor at James Cook University. He held a Postdoctoral Fellowship with the Research Training Group in the Analysis of Biological Diversification, University of Arizona, USA (1999-2000). His research interests include marine community ecology, theoretical & statistical modelling, biogeography/macroecology, physiological ecology and paleobiology. Examples of ongoing research includes investigating the causes of patterns in coral reef biodiversity, the effects of no-take zones on fisheries productivity, and the population viability of reef sharks. He has recently been awarded a 5-year Australian Professorial Fellowship by the Australian Research Council, for a project that will use mathematical modelling to understand coral reef biodiversity.
	David Bellwood Topic: Parrot-fish: Lawn-mowers of the reef Professor David Bellwood is a Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. He has held positions in Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (UK), the Natural History Museum (London) and Silliman University (Philippines).  David’s research encompasses biogeography, paleoecology, biomechanics and behavioural ecology.  His primary interests focus on the role of fishes on coral reefs and the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem function at global scales.