RSC News Vol 36 : Issue No. 2

RSC NEWS
1 April 2005

Vol 36 : Issue No. 2

Editors -- Marilyn Holloway and Sue Riches

Welcome to the 2nd edition of the fortnighly-issue of RSC News. In particular, student/staff accommodation has become a critical issue and any notifications of accommodation vacancies would be greatly appreciated. We aknowledge with gratitude contributions on the Cornforth Limericks and other memorabilia from emeritus Professor Alan Sargeson. These will be published in subsequent issues. Contributions to the next issue of the News would be greatly appreciated.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

AWARDS

Mr Mark Mulcair (supervisor Dr Dixon) who won a student poster prize at the 30^th Annual Lorne Conference on Protein Structure and Function (Phillip Island, Victoria, 6-10 February) for his poster entitled: Replication Termination: The End of the Story?

Congratulations to the following completing PhD scholar:

Ms RebeccaTaylor (supervisor Professor Banwell) - Exploiting Ring-fused gem-Dibromocyclopropanes in Novel C-C Bond Forming Reactions: Applications to the Synthesis of Natural Product Frameworks.

MILESTONES

On 1^st April Ms Lorraine Scarr celebrated 37 years of employment at RSC -- congratulations on a super milestone.

Item 1

Lab safety note -- Pipetting and repetitive strain injuries

One of the most repetitive tasks performed in research or medical laboratories is pipetting. Repetitive strain injuries can occur when pipetting for extended periods of time. You may be at risk if you feel the onset of pain in your thumb and/or wrist when you manipulate objects with the hand that was used to operate the pipetter.

Studies have found that there is a significant increase in the risk of hand and shoulder discomfort when laboratory researchers of scientists pipetted for more than 300 hours per year. That is the equivalent of 2 hours per day for a 50-week work year. Many lab workers pipette for longer periods each day. Typical symptoms, which can occur, include pain in the thumb (De Quervain's syndrome), forearm and elbow (tendonitis or tenosynovitis), trigger finger, finger pain (digital nerve injury), and shoulder pain.

There are many steps that can be taken to prevent the onset of repetitive strain injuries associated with pipetting. Changes can be made to your work environment, your work tools, and your personal work techniques and habits. (source : Advanced physical therapy)

For more information on purchasing and use of pipettes in labs, please contact Jian-Wei Liu (E207) on 55061, or jianw@rsc.edu.au

Recent Arrivals

A sincere welcome is extended to the following people who arrived since our last issue:

Ms Kerrie Austin has commenced a PhD Scholarship with Professor Banwell's research group (room 127, extension 54334).

Mr Andrew Beasley has commenced a PhD Scholarship with Professor Welberry's research group (room 39, extension 53579)

Ms Tanya Bradford has commenced Honours with Dr Sherburn's research group (room 211, extension 53763).

Ms Lucinda Carpinelli has commenced a PhD Scholarship with Dr Sherburn's research group (room 211, extension 53763).

Mr Troy Davenport has joined the staff of the Workshop as an Electronics Technician (room W15, extension 53494)

Ms Christine Dietinger has commenced a PhD Scholarship with Professor Banwell's research group (room 235, extension 54032).

Mr Matthew Jones has commenced a PhD Scholarship with Professor Banwell's research group (room 240, extension 50505).

Ms Maria Matveenko has commenced a PhD Scholarship with Professor Banwell's research group (room 203).

Departures

Farewell and best wishes to the following who have left the School since our last issue:

Mr Oliver Hutt who has taken up a Postdoctoral Fellowship with the Medicinal Chemistry Department, University of Kansas.

Dr Andreas Kreipl has returned to Germany, via a holiday in Russia, at the completion of his Postdoctoral Fellowship.

MEMORY LANE

Safety Limerick from RSC News Vol 10 1979 (the Safety Manual was then dubbed "The Word"):

Two fellows named Cramer and Smalls
Thought "The Word" was a load of old balls.
The silly young asses
Disdained safety glasses --
Now they feel their way round the walls

LUSH Notes for Toasting at Bramley's

April 16 1728 Joseph Black, the Scottish chemist, was born in Bordeaux. He discovered latent heat and specific heat.

1838 Ernest Solvay, the manufacturing chemist, was born in Belgium. He made a fortune from NaOH.

April 18 1838 Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran was born in Cognac. He discovered gallium, samarium and dysprosium.

1863 Hugh Longbourne Callendar was born in Gloucestershire. His most important experiments concerned the platinum resistance thermometer and the thermal properties of water and steam.

April 22 1811 Ludwig Otto Hess was born in Königsberg. His books on analytic geometry were widely read.

1893 Wedell Mitchell Latimer was born in Kansas. He applied his low-temperature data to thermo-chemistry and worked on many other chemical topics.

1904 J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist, was born in New York City. He and Born devised a well-known approximation.

April 16	1728	Joseph Black, the Scottish chemist, was born in Bordeaux. He discovered latent heat and specific heat.

	1838	Ernest Solvay, the manufacturing chemist, was born in Belgium. He made a fortune from NaOH.

April 18	1838	Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran was born in Cognac. He discovered gallium, samarium and dysprosium.

	1863	Hugh Longbourne Callendar was born in Gloucestershire. His most important experiments concerned the platinum resistance thermometer and the thermal properties of water and steam.

April 22	1811	Ludwig Otto Hess was born in Königsberg. His books on analytic geometry were widely read.

	1893	Wedell Mitchell Latimer was born in Kansas. He applied his low-temperature data to thermo-chemistry and worked on many other chemical topics.

	1904	J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist, was born in New York City. He and Born devised a well-known approximation.