Science conference puts focus on region’s assets

A new conference specifically for the South West with a focus on water, land and education will be held in October.

The South West Science Council is holding a two-day conference on The Ocean, Waterways and Landscapes: Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in action, at the Sanctuary Golf Resort on October 20 and 21.

Council chairman Adrian Egan said economic, social and environmental pressures demanded a strong response, with science a primary tool in that endeavour.

“Science and technology underlie all we can do to protect the environment and our natural resources, while we also stimulate agricultural productivity, innovate in business, create employment and protect our amenities,” he said.

Keynote speaker Professor Stephen Hopper will provide an early framework through which, naturally occurring challenges inherited from past change on geological and evolutionary scales can be understood.

Twelve speakers from a collection of organisations will focus on the origin and nature of the South West region, seas and landscapes as well as the importance of STEM education and community engagement.