Dienstag 22.10.2024 – Science & Innovation Day / Community Fundraiser Trivia Night

Science & Innovation Day

This event will provide contemporary insights and credible, first-hand experiences on how to secure not only significant grants within the EU and DAAD funding schemes, but also how to connect with the Australian German Research Network (AGRN) and other German-speaking industry partners.

Two panel discussions will give stage time to the next generation of academic leaders, each a critical and inspirational discussion with the following research topics:

1. Technological advancement and disease management
2. Bilingualism: The importance of the German language and culture

Finally, we will get to know the new important stakeholders in the German-Australian research scene and learn from the German Embassy and local university partners in terms of new initiatives and support opportunities available.

This day aims to catalyse new friendships and lasting connections, an experience that will emerge when all attendees enjoy light entertainment and networking after the official proceedings at NFSA.

Start time: 1:00 pm

Finish time: 4:00 pm

Location: National Film and Sound Archives, McCoy Cct, Acton ACT 2601

RSVP here!

Speakers

Prof Alex Maier, DAAD Research Ambassador, ANU Research School of Biology

Professor Alex Maier’s passion for Molecular Parasitology was ignited during his studies at the University of Tuebingen (Germany) and Southern Colorado (USA). In 2000 he was awarded a Post-doctoral fellowship from the German research council (Deutsche Forschungssgemeinschaft) to join the Walter and Eliza Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), Melbourne. Here he established and headed the WEHI Malaria Functional Genomics Facility from 2002-2008 focussing on the mechanism of how malaria parasites invade red blood cells and the transport and display of malaria molecules on the surface of infected red blood cells. Prof. Alex Maier joined the Division of Biomedical Sciences and Biochemistry at The Australian National University in 2012. His research activites have been recognised by several awards including being a finalist at the Eureka Awards and a Laureate of the Khwarizmi International Award. He is an Alexander-von-Humboldt Fellow, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Australian Society for Parasitology.

Prof Elke Stracke, DAAD Research Ambassador, Faculty of Education, University of Canberra

Elke Stracke is a professor in applied linguistics and TESOL in the Faculty of Education at the University of Canberra. She serves as a DAAD Research Ambassador. She is the President of the Applied Linguistics Association of Australia (ALAA). Elke is an experienced educator and researcher with international work and research experience. She is an applied linguist who brings her expertise to solving language-related problems in contexts such as language education, cross-cultural curriculum development, and postgraduate supervision and assessment practice. While at the University of Canberra, she held several senior leadership positions, including Associate Dean International, Head of School, HDR Convenor, Program Director TESOL, and Associate Dean (Research & Development).

Ms Julia Kaute, Head of Science and Innovation Section, German Embassy Australia

Julia Kaute leads the team that supports bilateral cooperation between Germany and Australia in research, innovation, and higher education. These include greements between Germany and Australia on priority science topics (including Green Hydrogen, Bioeconomy, and Health Research). She also promotes collaboration between German and Australian research institutions and facilitate the exchange of scientists. This is done through initiatives such as the Australia-Germany-Research Network (AGRN). The Science and Innovation Section also serves as a point of contact for inquiries related to Germany’s research landscape and opportunities for bilateral research funding through institutions such as the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation or the German Research Council (DFG).

Dr Hilary Howes, ARC DECRA Fellow, ANU Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies

She is an Australian Research Council (ARC) DECRA Fellow based in the Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies at The Australian National University (ANU). She holds a PhD in History, completed in 2011 in the School of Culture, History and Language at ANU, as well as a Master of Arts in History and Philosophy of Science, a Bachelor of Arts (Degree with Honours), a Bachelor of Science, and a Diploma in Modern Languages (German), all from the University of Melbourne. From 2011 to 2015 she was employed as Executive Assistant to the Ambassador at the Australian Embassy in Berlin, where her responsibilities included bilateral research collaboration and the repatriation of Australian Indigenous ancestral remains from German collecting institutions.

Ms Anne McNaughton, Director and Senior Lecturer, ANU Centre for European Studies

Anne McNaughton is a comparative lawyer who researches at the intersection of international and comparative law.  She was appointed as Director of the ANU Centre for European Studies (ANUCES) in March 2020 (having been its Deputy Director since 2015). Supported by a DAAD scholarship, Anne completed her first LLM at the Eberhard-Karls University in Tübingen (Germany) in 1991, writing her thesis The incorporation of the territory of former East Germany into the European Union entirely in German.  Following her return to Australia, Anne worked as a commercial lawyer while establishing the undergraduate course on European Union (EU) law at University of New South Wales (UNSW) and commencing her second LLM at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), specialising in International Law. Since becoming a full-time academic, Anne has been particularly interested in the complex issues associated with how global economic integration affects the local legal framework at various levels.  Anne researches the concept of mutual recognition as developed in EU jurisprudence and its migration into international trade treaties and agreements. Her current research examines the nature of legal transplants between new and emerging legal systems of international law. Most recently, Anne has been a panel member for a PhD candidate writing on international investment law and the normative leverage of the EU in respect of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) reform (awarded, with no revisions, in November 2020).

Mr Lucas Medcraft, DAAD Alumnus, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Lucas Medcraft is a language and cultures professional with over ten year’s experience working across the translation, interpreting, language education and multicultural engagement sectors. This includes providing language acquistion and cultural training services to DFAT and Defence personnel as well as coordinating annual language programs, major cultural events, linguistic research conferences and international visits for The University of Queensland before moving to Canberra to pursue a Master of Public Policy at ANU specialising in foreign and media policy. He currently works full-time in the Protocol and International Visits branch of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet supporting the official Guest of Government programs as well as Prime Minister’s overseas visits.

During his undergraduate and postgraduate studies Lucas received DAAD immersion and research scholarships to support his studies twice at Humboldt University in Berlin. His research interests include prosthetic memory practices of groups and individuals from Weimar Germany and how authentic lived experiences are depicted in modern German screen media. Lucas completed his Bachelor of Arts in German at The University of Queensland and Screen Production studies at Griffith Univeristy and has previously completed marketing training whilst working for Google in Sydney and as a member of the Association for Data-driven Marketing Australia. In his spare time, Lucas volunteers in the multicultural and social justice community and is currently the Vice President of Das Zentrum Australian-German Institute Inc, Chair of the ACT German Language Roundtable and is the Founder and Festival Coordinator of Canberra German Week after previously supporting the establishment of German Weeks in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne since 2016.

Ms Katelyn Czubara, ANU German student and exchange student to Germany

Katelyn Czubara is a fourth-year ANU student who is studying a double degree of arts and languages, majoring in German and International Communication. Her studies focus on linguistics and cross-cultural communication. In 2023, Katelyn went on exchange to Freiburg, Germany, where she was able to improve her German language skills by attending classes taught in the German language, as well as travelling across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Since returning from exchange, she has been heavily involved in the ANU and Canberra German-speaking community and dedicated to keeping German culture in Canberra alive.

_____________________________________________________________

Community Fundraiser Trivia Night

Join us for our annual fun-filled, community fundraising bilingual Trivia Night! Learn some fun facts about the German speaking regions and Australia. Practice your vocabulary and grammar skills, and learn some German words by reading along with the questions which will be presented in both German and English.

Enjoy a night out while all along supporting the German speaking community in Canberra!

Topics to be discussed include various general knowledge topics that are typical for an Australian pub trivia, general knowledge questions concerning the German speaking regions of Europe, and some specific facts about German/Austrian/Swiss people who contributed to Australian society or vice versa.

Some additional details: 

• Maximum group of 8
• Don’t have a team to join? We have got you covered! Just register individually and we’ll help you find a team on the night
• Dinner is optional at own expense from 6pm onwards

Start time: 7 pm arrival for 7:30 pm trivia start (optional dinner from 6pm)

End time: 9:30 pm

Location: Harmonie German Club, Canberra. Limited parking available, with public transport options nearby

Get your tickets here!

Date: 22 October, 2024