Technical and Scientific Officers converge on UQ

Air-breathing rockets, ultra-sonic tunnels and glass-blowing waterfalls will be showcased next month at the TECHTRAIN 2001 conference at The University of Queensland.

The conference, entitled Best Practice For Scientific and Technical Services, will involve more than 150 technical and scientific officers from universities throughout Australia.

It will be an opportunity for delegates to share their expertise in areas such as technology management, laboratory best practice, animal ethics, flexible delivery methods, workshop fabrication, infrastructure management, nursing teaching techniques and museum curation.

The conference will include a 'creativity display', in which delegates are given the opportunity to demonstrate examples of inventiveness, artistry, restoration, precision and graphic or visual presentation.

"This unique event is aimed at promoting an exchange of ideas and techniques in addition to creating inter-university networks," said University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, who is opening the July 5-6 conference.

TECHTRAIN 2001 is a joint initiative of The University of Queensland, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology and the University of Southern Queensland.

'It is pleasing to see the four south-east Queensland universities working together to run a national conference and it is particularly pleasing to note the breadth and content of the presentations,' Griffith University acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Dennis Lincoln said.

TECHTRAIN conferences began in 1997 but this will be the first time the event has been jointly organised by four universities.

"These presentations won't be about theoretical discussion. They will give straight-up options on the best suppliers of technology, software, chemicals and display materials," UQ conference site organiser Mr Col Lynam said.

Further information is available at: www.powdercoater.org/techtrain.html

Media: For further information, contact Mr Col Lynam (telephone 07 3365 3197), Organising Chairperson Mr John Urquhart (telephone 07 3875 7427) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 7045).