Nobel Prize winner to give talk
Sir John Gurdon was told by previous school teachers that he wasn’t smart enough to study science, but ended up defying all odds by winning a Nobel Prize in 2012.
Sir John is coming to Nelson to give a lecture on stem cells at Nelson College hall on Sunday August 28 at 6:30pm as part of the annual science conference Queenstown Molecular Biology. The conference will be held in Rutherford Hotel in Nelson due to the usual venue in Queenstown being refurbished.
Sir John, from the United Kingdom, won the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology in 2012 together with Shinma Yanamaki from Japan, for their pioneering work on cloning.
More than 800 scientists will attend the event which also features several public science events and talks. On Saturday August 27 speakers Professor Chris Jackson from Dunedin and Professor Rod Dunbar from Auckland will give a talk on new breakthroughs in cancer therapy at the Rutherford Hotel at 7pm.
Jackson is an oncologist and chief medical officer for the NZ Cancer Society and Dunbar is a scientist researching new cancer therapies and who is Director of the Maurice Wilkins Centre. A talk about the science of sugar and fat will be held at Nelson Girls College on Tuesday August 30 at 6:30pm.
Professor Peter Shepherd from the University of Auckland will discuss the science of sugar and Prof. Dave Grattan from the University of Otago will cover the science behind obesity.
Professor Peter Shepherd from the University of Auckland will discuss the science of sugar and Professor Dave Grattan from the University of Otago will cover the science behind obesity.
They are both members of the Maurice Wilkins Centre, a national grouping of researchers with a focus on metabolic diseases.
They will also update the audience on the centre’s New Zealand focussed research plans, amongst these a school based study to look directly at the affect of sugar on school children.
There is a local angle to this as some Nelson schools have indicated an interest to be part of the pilot project for this ground breaking study.
All of the public lectures are free to attend, but registration is necessary. Tickets via www.queenstownresearchweek.org/index.php/public-outreach/ A new course to help migrants with professional speaking has started at the English Language Centre.
The course is for migrants developing their listening skills in New Zealand English or wanting to speak with confidence and clarity.
It is also suitable for migrants who are preparing for job interviews or wanting to gain promotion at work, or those who are interpreting between their first language and English.
English teacher Helen Tyson will teach participants how to speak in front of an audience about different subjects, such as experience, skills or a job.
Social speeches will be made, introducing a speaker or farewelling a colleague and the use of PowerPoint will be explained.
The course also includes learning listening skills, providing constructive feedback and being able to add to discussions.
There will also be work and social-related role plays to practice skills. The course is held Saturday mornings or afternoons until October 1 at the English Language Partners’ rooms on Bridge Street.
For more information contact call Soheil Ighani on 03 539 0030 or email info@nelsonmulticultural.co.nz.