IUBS Ethics Commission 2011 Achievements
An online ethics course was developed and may be accessed at:
http://its-wn-web1.its.rmit.edu.au/faculty/resources/ethics/
Much of the year has involved the development and running of an indigenous outreach programme in the biological sciences. Encouraging indigenous children to become proactive in their interest to help conserve the natural environment is seen as a moral imperative. This was was addressed in 2011 by the successful delivery of a special course on Elcho Island, situated in the Arafura Sea, some 2.5 hours flight NE of Darwin. The three day course was accompanied by a purpose designed course manual that hopefully extended the scientific knowledge whilst still finding an important place for traditional indigenous knowledge. A report of the project has been written and will be published in a special issue of Biology International (by the Northern Hemisphere spring). In addition, a poster, highlighting the Support for the project has been printed with government support, and is being circulated to schools in the Northern Territory.
Achievements
Conferences organised: 0
Workshops organised: 2
Publications: 0
Impacts on education: Yes
Relevance for the scientific community: high
Development of partnership: Yes - with BioEd
Innovation: Yes - with Indigenous outreach programme