Cerebrity of the Week #1: Andrew Merchant
These days it seems that much of the media is saturated with "celebrity news". Reports of births, deaths, marriages, affairs, and general gossip about people who, were they not so spotlighted by the media, would be otherwise relatively unimportant to the world at large. Actors, musicians, models, and people who are just obscenely rich may have no actual influence on the lives of anyone but for media reports flooding our senses on a daily basis. That politicians and increasingly other actual professions are now compelled by necessity to "market" themselves, their ideas, or their organisations in order to "compete" for attention is somewhat disturbing.
So, in my own small way, I have decided to award a weekly prize to the person who I feel has the most to offer the world on account of who they are, what they think, and what they have achieved. It is the reverse of celebrity in a way, as these faces may not be known to the masses, but in their own way, they have contributed more to the world than all the hotel heiresses, former game show hosts, reformed child actors, celebrity brothel keepers and other miscellaneous media spakfilla combined.
This week, in order to highlight the cumbersome-but-descriptively named (the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry don't like acronyms, because it makes them look daffy) Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry entries for which close on July 14th, I wanted to name one of last years winners as cerebrity of the week. Please, put your virtual hands together for Andrew Merchant!
Andrew's project involved trying to figure out what cellular processes allow Australian tree species greater tolerance of their harsh environmental conditions. He hopes to use this information in order to breed tougher trees, more capable of withstanding future climatic extremes, and current marginal environments.
Congratulations, Andrew, for being the Survival of the Fittest Cerebrity of the Week, Number 1.
So, in my own small way, I have decided to award a weekly prize to the person who I feel has the most to offer the world on account of who they are, what they think, and what they have achieved. It is the reverse of celebrity in a way, as these faces may not be known to the masses, but in their own way, they have contributed more to the world than all the hotel heiresses, former game show hosts, reformed child actors, celebrity brothel keepers and other miscellaneous media spakfilla combined.
This week, in order to highlight the cumbersome-but-descriptively named (the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry don't like acronyms, because it makes them look daffy) Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry entries for which close on July 14th, I wanted to name one of last years winners as cerebrity of the week. Please, put your virtual hands together for Andrew Merchant!
Andrew's project involved trying to figure out what cellular processes allow Australian tree species greater tolerance of their harsh environmental conditions. He hopes to use this information in order to breed tougher trees, more capable of withstanding future climatic extremes, and current marginal environments.
Congratulations, Andrew, for being the Survival of the Fittest Cerebrity of the Week, Number 1.
Labels: australian native trees, Cerebrity, drought tolerance
posted by The Last Scientician at 9:17 AM
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