Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences
Polar-Palooza is an education and outreach initiative supported by the US National Science Foundation.
In honour of the 50th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty, Polar-Palooza is bringing leading American polar researchers to Australia.
They will team up with Australian scientists for a series of entertaining and informative events in Perth, Sydney and Canberra.
General public event
Polar Science for Planet Earth
- Date: Wednesday 18th November 2009
- Time: 6pm - 7.30pm
- Location: Winthrop Hall, The University of Western Australia
- This is a free event and no booking is required.
This informative and entertaining event will show how Earth’s changing Poles affect weather, climate and the environment everywhere on our planet.
For the past two years, 50,000 researchers from more than 60 nations have been exploring the Poles as part of the 4th International Polar Year, risking frostbite and avoiding dangerous crevasses in order to gather Nature’s secrets.
They have studied polar bears and penguins, glaciers, and the Southern Ocean surrounding the Antarctic. Using satellites and underwater robots, they have discovered incredible biodiversity within the polar waters and a plethora of new species.
In honour of the 50th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty, American polar researchers and Australian scientists will share some of the discoveries of the recently completed International Polar Year.
Hear of their adventures and find out more about the polar research, discovery and exploration occurring across Earth’s nations.
Features
Polar-Palooza has four distinctive features:
- Lively presentations by a team of working researchers representing different disciplines, including biology, geology, oceanography, climate studies and the indigenous peoples of the Arctic
- High definition video clips showing the wildlife of both Poles - penguins, polar bears, seals, and birds
- Visualisations generated by NASA's satellite views of Earth showing key processes, such as shrinking Arctic sea ice
- Authentic polar artifacts, such as ancient ice cores, fossils and cold weather clothing which audiences can touch.
This event is proudly sponsored by The University of Western Australia, The Australian Antartic Division, Scitech, U.S. National Science Foundation, and Polar Palooza.
