Tall Poppies at work

 

These vodcasts profile some Tall Poppies at work, talking about and demonstrating their scientific research on sustainable energy, climate change, artificial intelligence and chronobiology (sleep).

 

All these videos and more can be found at the Rediscovering Science website or to obtain a free DVD of these scientists please contact us.


Dr Leigh Sheppard 

Centre for Materials Research in Energy Conversion, University of Western Sydney

 

Leigh’s work directly addresses climate change through the development of a clean and sustainable new fuel, called solar hydrogen, as an alternative to fossil fuels. Solar hydrogen is generated by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using a semiconductor. As part of a research team, Leigh is developing better semiconductors, a crucial step in making it possible to mass-produce solar hydrogen and reverse climate change in the future. 

 

Download more information on Leigh Sheppard

 

 

Dr James Curran 

School of Information Technologies, University of Sydney

James is developing computer software that can understand human languages. His work is in the discipline known as artificial intelligence, or training machines like computers to ‘think’ and do things by themselves. He aims to enable computer search engines to give an intelligent answer to a question that a person types in, and to enable language translation software to give accurate translations. His programming work is expected to form part of the infrastructure for the computer language technology of the future. 


Download more information on James Curran 

 

Associate Professor Naomi Rogers 

The Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney

As a chronobiologist (or sleep researcher), Naomi’s work is focused on what happens when people don’t get enough sleep, or when their sleep is disrupted. This is increasingly important as more people in our society are working shift work and unusual hours. Naomi is currently conducting research with people who suffer jet lag, asthma and sleep apnea. 


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Dr Tracey Rogers 

School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales

 

Tracey researches the impact of climate change on the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Tracey makes regular trips to Antarctica and studies changes in the leopard seal population, including their eating, breeding and migration habits, that are a result of climate change. Having seen the rapidly melting polar ice caps first-hand, Tracey is more passionate than ever about her work.

 

Download more informatin on Tracey Rogers