Archived News for Research Sector Professionals - October, 2011
The Prime Minister’s Prize for Science has been awarded to Professors Ezio Rizzardo and David Solomen from the CSIRO and the University of Melbourne for their work in the field of polymer science.
The $300,000 prize recognises their work in reinventing polymer science by devising a means of custom building plastics and other polymers for plastic solar cells, drug delivery, paints, adhesives, lubricants and everything in between.
Their techniques are employed in the laboratories and factories of DuPont, L’Oréal, IBM, 3M, Dulux and more than 60 other companies. Their work has been cited more than 12,000 times in the scientific literature and is integral to more than 500 patents.
Cotton researchers receive top CSIRO award
A team of researchers responsible for developing a variety of cotton, which now constitutes 80 per cent of the country’s total cotton crop, was presented CSRIO’s most prestigious award – the Chairman’s Medal for Research Achievement.
New DSTO facility to develop protective clothing
A new $4 million environment test facility has been opened at the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) in Melbourne which will enable scientists to develop protective clothing for ADF personel suitable for a range of hazardous and toxic environments in temperatures ranging between -20° to +50° Celsius.
Think tank addresses stressed ecosystems
A team of sixty physical, natural and social scientists from around Australia have participated in the Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank aimed at assisting in policy generation for managing the country’s most stressed ecosystems.
Donation for prostate cancer research at University of Sydney
Tthe University of Sydney’s Medical School has received a donation of $2 million for research into prostate cancer from philanthropist and former managing director of Microsoft Australia, Daniel Petre.
Australian academic elected Secretary General of ICSU
Professor David Black, Chair of Organic Chemistry at the University of New South Wales, has been elected to the post of Secretary General of the International Council for Science (ICSU).
Construction of Hobart's Marine and Antarctic Studies research centre set to begin
Construction of the new $45 million Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) development on Hobart’s waterfront is set to proceed, with the demolition of the Princes Wharf No. 2 Shed (PW2) expected to be completed next month.
Industrial air-conditioning technology awarded cleantech prize
An industrial air-conditioning technology that stands to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption by up to 85 per cent has won the Australian Clean Technologies Ideas Competition
Hendra Virus research funded
The Queensland Government has announced the allocation of $7 million in funding for new Hendra Virus research projects.
ACIP calls for input on IP impacts on collaboration
The Australian Council on Intellectual Property (ACIP) is calling for submissions from representatives and staff of Australian publicly-funded research organisations (PFROs) to its investigation of how intellectual property (IP) acts to enable or disable collaborations between PFROs and private sector stakeholders.
UWA joins supercomputing ranks
The University of Western Australia has joined the global supercomputing ranks after the purchase of the new Fornax supercomputer.
CCS centre gets state funding
The Victorian Government has announced $500,000 in funding for the creation of the new centre for Geological Carbon Storage in a bid to support the emerging Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) industry.
WA opens grain research facility
The Western Australian Government has opened a grain research facility aimed at better understanding genetic modification.
Genetic testing facilities opened in WA
A new integrated field and laboratory complex at Merredin in Western Australia has been launched as part of the WA Government’s $9 million contribution to the New Genes for New Environments project.
Victorian program to support healthcare innovation
The Victorian Government has announced a new $15 million program to promote demand-driven innovation in Victoria's healthcare system.
The Health Market Validation Program (Health MVP) is a competitive grants program that will leverage the power of government-as-customer to support the development of innovative health technology solutions to identified problems facing Victoria's health sector.
Minister for Technology Gordon Rich-Phillips said the program aimed to support the growth of innovative small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in order to deliver economic benefits for Victoria including job creation, export and investment opportunities, and increased productivity.
"We are seeking innovative solutions to identified healthcare challenges to achieve better health outcomes, improve healthcare service delivery and provide economic benefits for Victoria," Mr Rich-Phillips said.
The Health MVP will follow a three stage process. In the first stage, health-focused public sector agencies will be the 'customers' who can specify their needs and the benefits expected to be achieved from addressing the problem. In the second stage, SMEs (and collaborating partners) will be invited to submit technology solutions to selected healthcare problems.
Successful projects will receive funding of up to $100,000 for feasibility studies to investigate the viability of the proposed solution. Projects will then be assessed for further funding of up to $1.5 million to develop the technology and undertake validation activities.
"This is the first time in the world that this model will be piloted targeting the use of innovative technology to improve healthcare and productivity in healthcare service delivery," Mr Rich-Phillips said.
For further information and to register for updates, visit www.business.vic.gov.au/hmvp
Neural Engineering Centre launched
The University of Melbourne has launched its new Centre for Neural Engineering, aimed at building a more complete understanding of the human brain and the diseases that affect the central nervous system.
ANU astronomer awarded Nobel Prize for Physics
Australian National University astronomer Professor Brian Schmidt has received the Nobel Prize for Physics, sharing the prestigious award with two US scientists for their studies of exploding stars that revealed that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.
New global photosynthesis findings published
A team of US, Dutch and Australian scientists have published a paper that estimates the global rate of photosynthesis, the chemical process that governs how ocean and land plants absorb and release carbon dioxide.
QUT finds haphazard decision making in grant funding
The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has conducted research into government grant funding mechanisms in the medical and health fields of research, finding that the selection of research projects is significantly affected by chance.
Arthritis research breakthrough
Researchers at Melbourne’s Murdoch Children’s Research Institute have announced a research breakthrough that could lead to a new approach to the treatment of arthritis.
South Australian universities showcase research
The Technology Transfer Offices of the three South Australian universities - University of Adelaide, Flinders University and the University of South Australia - are jointly presenting research achievements at the first OpportUNIty S.A. Innovation Showcase.