Welcome back to PRISM, the SCISOC newsletter! In this week's newsletter, we take a look at some influential scientists and how they've helped shape the modern world as it is today in our Scientist Spotlight. In our Fun Corner, we try spread more awareness about the Paralympics, which, while little known and little watched, is just as inspiring competition as the Olympics. Come join us today as we take you through this fortnight's edition!

Happy holidays everyone! On behalf of SCISOC, we hope you guys are giving yourself a well-deserved break after Term 2 and exams. We've got a special event coming up that you should definitely look forward to!

UNSW SCISOC x MathSoc: STEM Industry Mentoring Program

In collaboration with MathSoc, SCISOC will be running an Industry Mentoring Program for STEM students through a 9-week period where you will have the opportunity to learn more about future career pathways, gain valuable advice from industry experts, and get to know like-minded students. There will be weekly check-ins with your paired mentor, as well as extra-curricular opportunities that are both social and developmental to provide further insight and knowledge on university and industry life. This program is a brilliant opportunity to understand the fundamentals of your degree/major while also gaining a rare opportunity to work with industry professionals and network with fellow individuals within the program!

Location: Online

Dates:

- Program Applications: 27th August - 10th September

- Program Start Date: 22nd September

PhD Opportunities: Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre

Are you a science student finishing Honours this year and want to do a PhD that has a strong industry focus? The Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins (CCeMMP) have some exciting PhD positions which are $33, 413 p.a. The centre is made up of Monash University, The University of Melbourne, University of Wollongong and WEHI and you will have the opportunity to complete a 1-year industry placement. In this placement, you will build strong networks and learn from the best leaders in cryo-EM and drug discovery. This opportunity is most relevant to students with backgrounds in biochemistry, chemistry, biophysics, physiology, etc.

ARC will also be holding a virtual Centre HDR Information Night at 5:30pm on Tuesday 28^th September for anyone interested in this rare opportunity. Sign up here if you want to find out more and ask questions.

Download the flyer here and submit an EOI via the QR link to join. EOIs will close 31^st October 2021.

Remember to follow us on our SCISOC Facebook page to keep up to date with our upcoming events!

Einstein, Newton, Darwin … are names that come to mind when we think of the most acclaimed scientists of all time. In our history of time, many scientists have contributed to inventions, discoveries and developments that have made world-changing impacts on humanity. But some names get lost despite their revolutionary contributions to mankind... so here are some lesser-known scientists who were truly influential.

Tim Berners-Lee

In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee became the inventor of the World Wide Web (WWW), an Internet-based hypermedia initiative for global information sharing. The World Wide Web has changed the way we communicate, connect, work, and it has never been easier to share and access information. Tim Berners Lee introduced the concept of nodes, hypertext, and the idea of domains which all contributed as critical elements of the World Wide Web.

The prime element of the WWW aimed to make it easier for people to view hypertext web pages anywhere in the world. In order to achieve this, a universal system to recognize the location of the webpage was required; this was known as the URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) which is now known as the URL (Uniform Resource Locator). A standard language for published websites was also needed by the system, known as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). Finally, the system further required a method to ‘serve up’ web pages, such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). Tim Berners-Lee’s role in bringing these elements together in a coherent system developed the WWW, revolutionising the way we share and communicate information with each order.

The WWW is considered the catalyst for the current phase of the Information Age. It freed up information exchange between people around the world, accessing information, and opened up new industries and business opportunities. Tim Berners Lee, and the web, has changed the world.

Dr Mansukh Wani

During the screening of natural products for anticancer drugs in 1966, Dr. Mansuch Wani discovered Taxol and Camptothecin which have both served as the standard of many drugs used in chemotherapy today for the treatment of numerous cancers. Prior to this discovery, the medical world didn’t see much promise in turning natural ingredients into useful medicinal compounds. Camptothecin originated from the Chinese tree Camptotheca Acuminata and worked by inhibiting cell growth and killing cancer cells. Taxol was derived from the Pacific yew tree Taxus brevifolia, which fights cancer by inhibiting cell division.

21 years after the landmark paper and structural determination were published on Taxol, it received the FDA’s approval and was able to be widely marketed as an ovarian cancer treatment. Taxol is typically used with other medicines after surgery to :

Reduce the risk of early-stage breast cancer returning
Treat advanced-stage breast cancer after it stops responding to standard chemotherapy

Mansukh's contributions to anticancer treatment have been described as “the bar, the brass ring, the ultimate goal”. Ultimately, his life shone a light on using natural products as an essential source of anticancer drugs.

The hype of the recent Tokyo Olympics is dying down, but after the Olympics, we always have the Paralympics. This year, the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics runs from the 24th of August all the way to the 5th of September. Although this event may not get the full attention it deserves compared to the Olympics, it is just as nail-biting, exciting, and inspiring.

The Paralympics Games follow the Olympics in a very similar fashion, allowing for athletes with impairments to compete at the highest professional standard every four years. Unfortunately, the Paralympics Games lack much-deserved recognition compared to the Olympic games, with the Rio Olympics peaked at 30 million viewers whilst the Rio Paralympics peaking at just two million. Moreover, many athletes are often paid less and have less media coverage despite winning more gold medals than some athletes in the Olympics.

The design of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics medals features a traditional Japanese motif of a spread-out oriental hand-fan, signifying the event as a source of refreshment worldwide. The fans curve downwards into a common pivot point, with multiple asymmetrical designs on different blades. This is symbolic of the Paralympic games uniting all different ethnicities and nationalities, rejoicing in a common interest.

The ribbons for the medals are just as meticulously designed. They are marked with a checkered, traditional Japanese pattern (ichimatsu moyo) which is a reflection of Japan’s belief of “Unity in Diversity”. Silicon convex lines are applied to the ribbon such that anyone can recognise the type of medal given (gold, silver, bronze) just by touching the ribbon. Such choice of materials allows for both vibrant colours and durability.

The cases for the medals themselves are handcrafted by traditional Japanese expert craftsmen and made out of tamo wood (Japanese ash). This allows for a jet-black modern design and unique wood fiber patterns encasing all medals.

Despite the fact that the Paralympics get a lot less attention than the Olympics, it is important to recognise that a tremendous amount of effort is put into organising such an event. Hence, be sure to support your favourite Paralympics athletes and watch them not only win the stunning medals, but even just pour their heart and soul out for a chance to display the results of their hard work. If interested, you can futher check out the official website for some really inspiring stories from our very own Australian athletes!

https://www.paralympic.org.au/athletes/

UNSW Science Society is proud to announce our continued partnership with GradReady through 2021. GradReady provides GAMSAT Preparation courses for anyone looking to pursue Medicine after they graduate.
This process starts earlier than you think, so if you’re studying medical science or just have that passion, check out what they have to offer!