Adult Education Seminar On Antarctica

Press, Volume C, Issue 29510, 11 May 1961, Page 22

Adult Education Seminar On Antarctica

A three-day seminar on a study of tire Antarctic will be held by the adult education department of the University of Canterbury, on May 13. 14. and 15. The semin: r has been planned to acquaint teachers, lecturers, students, other professional people, and the general public of the latest knowledge of Antarctica.

The organiser of the seminar, Mr I. G. Clark, the department’s Mid-Canterbury tutor, said that the course was expected to prove popular, because of the close association of Christchurch with the United States Antarctic research forces. However. in the seminar, emphasis was to be placed on the work done by New Zealanders.

Six men who are associated with New Zealand activities in the Antarctic will give lectures. Also, there will be films shown, a display of equipment and clothing used in the Antarctic. arid on May 15 a public lecture will be given by the six speakers. On May 13. Mr G W Markham, superintendent of the Antarctic division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, will start the seminar with an introductory lecture. “The Antarctic Today.” The history of Antarctic discovery and exploration will be described in a lecture by Dr. B. Stonehouse, senior lecturer in zoology at the University of Canterbury. On May 14, Mr A. J. Heine, a member of the Geological Survey, will speak on the glaciology of the Antarctic, including’ the geology of the continent's ice-shelves. Mr R. Wheeler, a lecturer In geography at Victoria University. who led university parties in research work in the Antarctic, will lecture on the ice-free areas of the Antarctic.

The meteorology at the region will be described by Dr. J. F. Gabi tee, of the climatological section of the Meteorological office, and Dr. Stonehouse will speak on the flora and fauna of the region.

The final speakers on May 15 will be Mr G. Warren, of the Geological Survey, who will lecture on the geology, history structure, and rocks of the Antarctic, and Mr J. S. BuHivant. who will speak on the oceanography and marine life.

Mr Clark said that the course had been arranged so that it was not merely a series of lectures on technical subjects which would be intelligible only to specialists on the Antarctic. The whole course was designed for the general public whose interest in the Antarctic might have been stimulated by the reports of the work being done in the region.