UNE Sci Flicks: Recent Episodes
TuneFM
The Sci Flicks show on TuneFM is the companion piece to the collaborative program run by Belgrave Cinema in Armidale and UNE. Run and hosted by Dr. Marissa Betts, each month she will sit down with some of UNE's lecturers and researchers to discuss the scientific themes and concepts featured in some of the most popular films to hit the big screen. Sit back and listen as we delve into the science of your favourite flicks!
Marissa is joined by NERAM Art Director Rachel Parsons for this episode of Sci Flicks - a fitting choice, considering we're looking at Night at the Museum!
In preparation for the Belgrave Cinema's special screening of Jurassic World Dominion as part of our Sci Flicks program, Marissa interviews UNE Honours student Kai Allison and PhD candidate Timothy Frauenfelder about their interest in palaeontology and dinosaur anatomy, diet, and behaviour. They also touch on the science behind the concept of Jurassic World and the ramifications in the real world.
The fifth chapter in our collaboration between TuneFM, UNE, and the Belgrave Cinema sees Marissa joined by Associate Professor Melissa Parsons to enlighten us with her knowledge of rivers and river assessment.
If you take a trip to Detroit in the near future, you might just stumble across the Robocop... The famous crime-fighting cyborg made an enormous impact when he hit the big screen back in 1987. Since the film leans in heavily to the themes of computer science and artificial intelligence, we couldn't resist asking Dr. Eddie Sadgrove to participate in this month's program. Dr. Sadgrove is part of the School of Science and Technology here at UNE and lectures in computer science, focusing on introductory programming. As he is currently exploring neural based machine learning, he took quite an interest to the sci-fi elements of Robocop, and all of us involved with Sci Flicks are extremely lucky to benefit from his expertise!
Don't forget that Dr. Sadgrove will be present at the screening of Robocop at Belgrave Cinema here in Armidale on Thursday May 26 and will be presenting a pre-film mini lecture about the movie and a post-film Q + A with audience members, so if you've ever wondered how plausible Robocop was; now is your chance to find out!
You can discover more information (and purchase your tickets) from the Belgrave Cinema website found here!
April's Sci Flicks is none other than the hit science fiction film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The Steven Spielberg classic dropped jaws across the world when it was released and still delights and entertains audiences to this day, including our special guest for this episode; Dr. Stephen Bosi. Dr. Bosi is a senior lecturer in Physics here at UNE in the School of Science and Technology and his distinguished career includes approximately a decade researching solar energy and sustainable technology and four years of medical research in the Radiation Oncology Department of the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. Dr. Bosi's extensive knowledge within the field of physics made him the perfect academic partner for Sci Flicks this month, and he was only too happy to lend his insights into the film to Marissa Betts in this episode of UNE Sci Flicks!
Dr. Bosi will also be present at the special Director's Cut screening of Close Encounters of the Third Kind at Belgrave Cinema here in Armidale on Thursday April 28 and will be presenting a pre-film mini lecture about the scientific themes present in the movie and a post-film Q + A with audience members!
You can discover more information (and purchase your tickets) from the Belgrave Cinema website found here!
For this month's Sci Flicks Marissa is joined by Dr. Christopher Goatley, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow here at UNE, to talk about his research in marine biology and how it relates to the marine ecosystems featured in Finding Nemo. Coining himself Australia's most inland marine biologist, Dr. Goatley's research interests centre around marine ecology, reef fishes, and the effect of sediment on reef function. Listen in to his conversation with Marissa and you'll come away with more knowledge about marine biology, and a few little facts about clownfish!
Drs Chris Guppy and Richard Flavel joined the screening of The Martian to deliver a mini lecture before the film commenced, and then held a question and answer session with members of the audience after the film concluded. Patrons had the opportunity to ask the two academics all about the scientific validity of the agricultural ideas present throughout Mark Watney's interplanetary predicament. You will hear the introduction from the two lecturers along with the questions and insightful answers delivered after the film.
Please be aware that due to sound issues, we were unable to record the questions as asked by the audience on the night and therefore our Clubs and Experience Coordinator, Nick, recorded the questions again post-screening.
In the first instalment of Sci Flicks for 2022, Marissa Betts sits down with Dr. Chris Guppy, Associate Professor in Soil Fertility, and Dr. Richard Flavel, Lecturer in Crop Science; to talk about the themes present in the 2015 film The Martian. From crop production and soil resilience to the difficulties of using human waste as fertilizer, you will hear about all of the challenges present in trying to produce crops on the surface of Mars and whether or not the agricultural science present in the Martian is feasible and accurate. Along with critiquing Hollywood's, ahem, creative liberties with the realms of possibility, Chris and Richard will also talk about the science behind agronomy and crop science. Pop this episode on and get ready to hear all about agriculture from some of UNE's leading academics!