Archived News for Research Sector Professionals
The Victorian Auditor-General, Des Pearson, has release a report into public sector investment in biotechnology in Victoria, finding that the state government had spent more than $722 million to support the biotechnology industry over the last decade without adequate performance data on whether strategic aims had been met.
The report found that the primary focus of performance measurement by the Department of Business and Innovation had been monitoring the impact of short-term stimulatory activity in the sector, without evident attention to the delivery of longer-term and strategic benefits.
“As a result, after more than ten years of active investment and ‘market intervention’ in the biotechnology sector, DBI is not yet able to objectively demonstrate the development of a cause and effect relationship between its investments in the biotechnology sector and the results achieved in that sector.”
New US Solar Power Research Centre to be established
Arizona State University (ASU) will spearhead a new Engineering Research Center (ERC) aimed at creating high-efficiency solar technologies and manufacturing methods to increase solar energy uptake.
Conference to investigate new health research funding models
Senior medical researchers and those responsible for sourcing private medical funding will meet later this month with community and business leaders to discuss new ways for health and medical research to be funded.
Go8 opens European Fellowships
The Group of Eight (Go8) has opened applications for its 2012 European Fellowships that will be open to early career researchers from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, and, for the first time in the program’s history, Russia.
New centre to explore biomass production and use
The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls has been launched at the Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide.
Research into wastewater heat conversion
The University of Newcastle and Hunter Water have announced a series of wastewater research initiatives under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Report finds universities struggle for commercial benefit from research
A report on university commerciallisation in Australia has found that university commercialisation activities are mostly an exercise in cost recovery with insufficient deal flow to support large Technology Transfer Offices.
Go8 research leaders to exchange ideas with China Nine Research Universities
The Group of Eight (Go8) has called for applications under the new research leadership executive shadowing program between the Go8 and Consortium of China Nine Research Universities (C9).
Conference to investigate new health research funding models
Senior medical researchers and those responsible for sourcing private medical funding will meet later this month with community and business leaders to discuss new ways for health and medical research to be funded.
Call for applications for Australia-India Strategic Research Fund
The Australian Government has called for applications under Round Six of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund, which provides support to Australian and Indian scientists for the conduct of joint research projects and workshops in specified research areas.
Eighteen Australian universities make top 500 list
Shanghai’s Jiao Tong University has published its annual Academic Ranking of World Universities (AWRU), finding that American and British universities continue to dominate global rankings of tertiary education quality.
Arctic melt could pause
The American National Science Foundation (NSF) has published research that indicates that Artic sea ice melt could temporarily stabilize or expand at times over the next few decades.
ANU light research turns a corner
ANU scientists have successfully bent light beams around an object on a two dimensional metal surface, opening the door to faster and cheaper computer chips working with light.
MDBA supports cotton research centre
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has announced its support for the creation of a co-operative research centre (CRC) for Cotton Regions.
Australian Laureate Fellows for 2011 announced
Australian Laureate Fellowships worth over $44 million have been awarded to 17 Australian and overseas researchers.
Call for applications for WA Research and Innovation grants
The Western Australian Government has called for expressions of interest in a suite of new programs under the Research and Innovation Fund.
Wind tunnel launched at University of Adelaide
South Australia's first industrial-scale wind tunnel has been launched by the University of Adelaide.
Deakin Uni project seeks partners for new concept in city driving
Engineers at Deakin University are looking for research, manufacturing and funding partners to further develop a new car design that combines the best features of a car and a motorbike.
Researchers call for large-scale restoration of native vegetation to counter climate change impacts
Native vegetation must be restored to protect Australia’s unique ecosystems from the impacts of climate change, according to scientists from the Australian National University.
New Centre for Social Science Innovation for Queensland
A new Queensland Centre for Social Science Innovation (QCSSI) is to be established with funding of $5 million from the Queensland Government over the next five years matched collectively by The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University, James Cook University and the Central Queensland University.
Space project to boost weather and climate change monitoring
The Federal Government has announced a ‘world-class’ space research project which aims to improve weather forecasting and understanding of climate change, to be funded by the Australian Space Research Program (ASRP).