Yue Chin again - this time with my third and final post about the Australia trip. Apologies for this being so long overdue!
In the morning of the 2nd we headed off to the University of Wollongong after bidding the remote beauty of Kioloa a reluctant goodbye. On the way, a quick restroom stop turned into a doughnut pilgrimage. The town of Berry is home to the Donut Van (or more specifically, The Famous Berry Donut Van). Thanks to Prof. Yokoyama for generously treating us all to doughnuts! These were piping hot, brushed with icing sugar and cinnamon. Seriously one of the best doughnuts I've eaten, and I've had quite a few.
After getting to the University of Wollongong at around lunchtime, we were given a brief introduction to the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences by Dr. Zenobia Jacobs, the head of the department. We then had a look into the various laboratories where the main geochemical work is done. Dr. Florian Dux took us around the clumped isotope lab. Clumped isotope work is based on the principle of differentiating isotopologues (molecules which have the same chemical composition but not isotopic composition), and requires extreme caution in order not to contaminate the end results.
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| Florian explains that the room temperature must be kept constant |
Dr. Allen Chivas then took us around the other geochemical laboratories, giving us an overview of the mass spectrometers peppered around the facilities and the samples that go into these powerful machines. The suite of labs has massive analytical capabilities that allow scientists to answer palaeoenvironmental as well as archaeological questions.
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| Dr. Chivas explaining about the mass spectrometer |
The University of Wollongong is home to one of the world's leading Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating laboratories and has produced many answers to significant archaeological questions, and we were privileged enough to be able to step inside. You enter through a revolving door, and once in the lab your eyes take a few seconds to adjust to the darkness and seeing everything in shades of red. Similar to a darkroom, the entire lab has to be kept free of all light except red wavelengths in order not to disturb the measurements. No pictures unfortunately, it was a bit too challenging to take any.
The group trooped down to the ground floor and had a look at the extensive field equipment owned by the department. With mountains and the sea almost at their doorstep, the field is just minutes' away.
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| Prof. Yokoyama with a Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) device |
A walk through the school grounds with Dr. Chivas concluded the tour and we said our goodbyes before heading off to Sydney.
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| Thanks to the staff and students of the University of Wollongong! |
Before we knew it we had arrived. Dinnertime was free and easy so the Yokoyama lab members headed off to explore, walking through the streets of a city all abuzz. I'd been in Sydney before but somehow the place had taken on a much more vibrant and high-paced persona and it was interesting to retrace old footsteps and see places both familiar and foreign. As the sun set over pizza and drinks in Darling Harbour, Prof. Yokoyama told us about his days as a Ph.D. student in Australia.
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| Sydney sightseeing |
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| Dinner at Darling Harbour |
Bright and early the next morning we stepped onto the grounds of the University of Sydney, heading straight for the Madsen Building which houses the School of Geosciences. Prof. Jody Webster gave us an overview of the work his Geocoastal Research group does, following which each member of his group gave us a more in-depth look at their research.
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| Introduction of earth science research at USyd by Prof. Webster |
After a tour of the campus by Prof. Webster's students, we had lunch at one of the school cafés before heading to the Madsen basement, where Mr. Tom Savage gave us a tour of the geoscience facilities. In the Sedimentary Lab, we began a practical on how to log fossil reef cores. The ones we looked at were collected from all over the Indo-Pacific. At the start it was really tough to pick out the characteristics and link them to their formational history but with some help from the student demonstrators we gradually developed a bit of an eye for it. After having been at it for a few hours we trooped over to Herman's, where the two groups from UTokyo and USyd had enlightening conversations about coral research over drinks.
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| Looking at coral cores |
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| Going through the samples |
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| Drinks just minutes away |
The next day we left with all our packed bags to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, where our journey began. We had come full circle. The trip had lasted for just over a week, yet we had learnt such a immense amount. Many of us had never been overseas before, and it was a great eye-opening opportunity to explore universities, landscapes and cultures different to our own.
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| Debriefing by Prof. Yokoyama |
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| Final photo before flying home to Japan |
For us students, this Australia trip left an indelible mark on our memories. We were invited to peer into the geochemical laboratories at the very cutting edge of science, and were privileged enough to learn from scientists who have made significant findings and are continuing with their good work. On top on all this, we got a chance to incorporate field geology into the mix, giving us a holistic perspective of the real science being done. Every edition of the trip promises something different, fresh and undiscovered - like in science. Thanks so much to Prof. Yokoyama, without whom this trip and the ones preceding it wouldn't have been possible.
