GOLD COAST STUDENT SHINES AT SMART WOMEN AWARDS
Published Wednesday, 29 August, 2007 at 12:00 AM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Tourism, Fair Trading, Wine Industry Development and Women
The Honourable Margaret Keech
EMBARGO: 7:30pm August 29, 2007
Premier Peter Beattie has tonight announced Gold Coast student Sally Barrett has won the secondary school student category in the prestigious 2007 Smart Women – Smart State Awards.
The Awards are now in their fifth year and celebrate the achievements of outstanding Queenslanders who are blazing trails in industries including science, engineering, communications and information technology.
The Awards are run by the Queensland Government’s Office for Women and recognise some of the State’s brightest and most innovative women and girls.
“These high achievers like Sally are bringing skills and expertise to the traditionally male-dominated industries of science, engineering and CIT,” Mr Beattie said.
“The Smart Women – Smart State Awards recognise their valuable contributions and provide inspirational role models for other women and girls to follow,” he said.
“I am delighted this year’s Awards have once again uncovered more of Queensland’s hard-working and inspirational women and girls, just like Sally.”
Minister for Women Margaret Keech said Ms Barrett, of Southport, developed a cutting- edge chemistry and biology project on the detrimental effects of climate change on marine organisms, with evidence highlighting the hidden impacts of global warming.
Her research examined the effect of changing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere on the shell thickness of small crustaceans.
The Keebra Park High student discovered that their shells became less resilient and easier to crush as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased.
Small crustaceans, or Ostracods, are considered an important indicator in monitoring carbon dioxide levels, and Ms Barrett’s research has important implications for the potential effects of global warming.
“Ms Barrett clearly has a passion for research and it is great to see someone so young generating such impressive results,” Mrs Keech said
“Climate change is an important issue and I’m delighted that students like Sally are already using their skills to help us battle global warming,” she said.
“The Beattie Government will continue to support programs that encourage women into the fields of scientific research to ensure there are more young women like Sally in years to come.”
There were 13 category winners announced in tonight’s 2007 Smart Women – Smart State Awards, plus an additional Lifetime Contribution to Science Award which was presented to 82-year-old Anne Bourne
Winners came from the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and Brisbane.
For more information on the Smart Women – Smart State Awards and other Office for Women initiatives visit www.women.qld.gov.au or call 1800 177 577.
Background on Sally Barrett follows.
August 29, 2007
Media Contacts: Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Minister’s Office – Peter McCarthy 3225 1005/0439 761 416
Office for Women – Carmen Uzarevic 3006 4188
BACKGROUND ON AWARD RECIPIENT
Winner of the Secondary School Student Category
Sponsored by Griffith University
Sally Barrett – Southport
Keebra Park High
The effects of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) on the shell development of ostracods
Sally’s research examined the effect of changing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere on the shell thickness of small crustaceans. She discovered that their shells became less resilient and easier to crush as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased. She replicated the predicted changes to our atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide in 25 and 50 year stages.
Small crustaceans, or Ostracods, are considered an important indicator in monitoring carbon dioxide levels, and her findings have important implications for the potential effects of global warming.
Premier Peter Beattie has tonight announced Gold Coast student Sally Barrett has won the secondary school student category in the prestigious 2007 Smart Women – Smart State Awards.
The Awards are now in their fifth year and celebrate the achievements of outstanding Queenslanders who are blazing trails in industries including science, engineering, communications and information technology.
The Awards are run by the Queensland Government’s Office for Women and recognise some of the State’s brightest and most innovative women and girls.
“These high achievers like Sally are bringing skills and expertise to the traditionally male-dominated industries of science, engineering and CIT,” Mr Beattie said.
“The Smart Women – Smart State Awards recognise their valuable contributions and provide inspirational role models for other women and girls to follow,” he said.
“I am delighted this year’s Awards have once again uncovered more of Queensland’s hard-working and inspirational women and girls, just like Sally.”
Minister for Women Margaret Keech said Ms Barrett, of Southport, developed a cutting- edge chemistry and biology project on the detrimental effects of climate change on marine organisms, with evidence highlighting the hidden impacts of global warming.
Her research examined the effect of changing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere on the shell thickness of small crustaceans.
The Keebra Park High student discovered that their shells became less resilient and easier to crush as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased.
Small crustaceans, or Ostracods, are considered an important indicator in monitoring carbon dioxide levels, and Ms Barrett’s research has important implications for the potential effects of global warming.
“Ms Barrett clearly has a passion for research and it is great to see someone so young generating such impressive results,” Mrs Keech said
“Climate change is an important issue and I’m delighted that students like Sally are already using their skills to help us battle global warming,” she said.
“The Beattie Government will continue to support programs that encourage women into the fields of scientific research to ensure there are more young women like Sally in years to come.”
There were 13 category winners announced in tonight’s 2007 Smart Women – Smart State Awards, plus an additional Lifetime Contribution to Science Award which was presented to 82-year-old Anne Bourne
Winners came from the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and Brisbane.
For more information on the Smart Women – Smart State Awards and other Office for Women initiatives visit www.women.qld.gov.au or call 1800 177 577.
Background on Sally Barrett follows.
August 29, 2007
Media Contacts: Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Minister’s Office – Peter McCarthy 3225 1005/0439 761 416
Office for Women – Carmen Uzarevic 3006 4188
BACKGROUND ON AWARD RECIPIENT
Winner of the Secondary School Student Category
Sponsored by Griffith University
Sally Barrett – Southport
Keebra Park High
The effects of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) on the shell development of ostracods
Sally’s research examined the effect of changing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere on the shell thickness of small crustaceans. She discovered that their shells became less resilient and easier to crush as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased. She replicated the predicted changes to our atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide in 25 and 50 year stages.
Small crustaceans, or Ostracods, are considered an important indicator in monitoring carbon dioxide levels, and her findings have important implications for the potential effects of global warming.