2006 CRC funding awarded

Fourteen Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) have won funding under the 2006 round of the program. They include three new CRCs, seven centres to be developed from existing CRCs, and supplementary funding for four CRCs'.

The new CRCs are:

• Australian Seafood CRC, ACT, CRC Programme funding: $35.52 million
The Australian Seafood CRC will undertake research programmes covering value chain profitability and product quality and integrity.
Contact: Mr Peter Dundas-Smith
Email: pds@dundas-smith.net
• CRC for Cancer Therapeutics, VIC, CRC Programme funding: $37.69 million
The CRC for Cancer Therapeutics (CRC-CT) will bring together expertise in cancer biology, translational oncology and drug discovery and link them to expertise in the commercialisation of new cancer therapeutics. CRC-CT will engage with public sector research organisations and Australian SMEs focused on this area.
Contact: Dr Julian Clark
Email: jclark@wehi.edu.au
• In-principle approval for funding has been given to the National CRC for Advanced Manufacturing pending further work on their proposal. CRC Programme Funding: TBA. NCAM is a national industry led CRC that will focus on developing next generation technology platforms, processes and human resource capabilities. The aim is to facilitate the transition of local manufacturing from Traditional to Knowledge Based Advanced Manufacturing. NCAM will help position the industry to be successful through developing and implementing advanced manufacturing process technologies under pinned by materials science.
Email: mark.trigg@csiro.au

CRCs to be developed from existing CRCs include:

• Capital Markets CRC, NSW, CRC Programme funding: $26.68 million
The Capital Markets CRC will focus on the design and operation of crossmarket, real-time fraud detection services in the securities markets. The CRC will examine information technology, security market design/microstructure, compliance systems, experimental markets, corporate governance and securities legislation. This will involve research in the area of data mining, data management, data visualisation and language technology with the disciplines of finance, accounting and the law.
Contact: Professor Donald Stokes
Email: donald@cmcrc.com
• CRC for Biomarker Translation, VIC, CRC Programme funding: $30.59 million
The CRC for Biomarker Translation will develop antibody-based therapeutics and diagnostic tests that target cell surface molecules (biomarkers) expressed by white blood cells or cancers. These antibodies, or “magic bullets”, target the cells involved in major diseases, including autoimmune disease and cancers. These new therapies and tests are expected to transform the management of these diseases and make Australia a competitive force in the rapidly growing, `multi-billion dollar antibody therapeutic market.
Contact: Professor Mark Hogarth
Email: pmhogarth@burnet.edu.au
• CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation, NSW, CRC Programme funding: $35.50 million
The CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation aims to improve wool and meat quality and improve the efficiency of sheep production. The research will focus on improving the genetic makeup of sheep to improve the quality of wool in fine and light wool apparel and the eating quality and nutrition of meat. This research will extend the work undertaken by the Australian Sheep Industry CRC which began in 2001 to explore genetics (wool and meat quality), improve farm and supply processes and animal health (disease/chemical use).
Contact: Professor James Rowe
Email: james.rowe@csiro.au
• Future Farm Industries CRC, WA, CRC Programme funding: $34.12 million
The Future Farm Industries CRC will develop innovative farming systems and new regional industries, based largely on perennial plants, to transform dryland agriculture across southern and eastern Australia. These perennial plant based systems will provide profit advantage over existing systems, substantial natural resource benefits both within and beyond the boundaries
of farms, and greater adaptability to Australian conditions. The research which will be conducted in partnership with producers, will deliver new perennial plant species and cultivars.
Contact: Mr Kevin Goss
Email: kgoss@finasuwa.edu.au
• The HEARing CRC, VIC CRC Programme funding: $32.55 million
The HEARing CRC will focus on strategic initiatives aimed at preventing hearing loss and improving communication through enhanced technology and clinical solutions.
Building on the previous CRC, the HEARing CRC will undertake four research programmes:
1. Bimolecular, genetic and physiological solutions to hearing retention (focused on hearing loss prevention);
2. Intelligent Sound Processing (better technology for individuals with hearing loss);
3. Integrated Bioengineering (improved hearing device performance); and
4. Clinical Tools, Services and Techniques (improved diagnosis, fitting and provision of hearing devices).
Contact: Associate Professor Robert Cowan
Email: r.cowan@unimelb.edu.au
• Rail CRC, QLD/NSW CRC Programme funding: $21.00 million
The Rail CRC will address the challenges of safety, customer service, engineering and other business parameters within the rail sector. Rail CRC will build on the CRC for Railway Engineering and Technologies which was established in 2001.
Contact: Professor Dudley Roach
Email: d.roach@cqu.edu.au
• Smart Services CRC, NSW CRC Programme funding: $30.80 million
The Smart Services CRC research will focus on increasing productivity and global competitiveness in media, finance and government sectors. It will establish the Services Innovation Foundry, a physical and virtual environment to enable fast, low-risk prototyping of new services by teaming expert skills and resources from industry and universities.
Contact: Professor Darrell Williamson
Email: darrell.williamson@smartinternet.com.au

Supplementary grants for existing CRCs include


• CRC for Greenhouse Gas Technologies: $6.14 million
To undertake the world's most comprehensive geosequestration monitoring and verification programme. The project will focus on safely injecting and geologically storing CO2 in the deep subsurface and then monitoring and verifying the behaviour of the injected CO2.
Contact: Dr Peter Cook
Email: pjcook@co2crc.com.au
• CRC for National Plant Biosecurity: $13.00 million
For research to develop technologies that control biosecurity threats to stored grain. The research will also help ensure the continued supply of quality grain to growing export markets and reduce the risk of a biosecurity incident.
Contact: Dr Simon McKirdy
Email: s.mckirdy@crcplantbiosecurity.com.au
• CRC for Advanced Composite Structures: $3.62 million
For research programmes to improve techniques for the manufacture of advanced aerospace composite structures for helicopters and deliver novel and costeffective repair and maintenance technologies for its components.
Contact: Professor Murray Scott
Email: m.scott@crc-acs.com.au
• CRC for Spatial Information: $2.70 million
To deliver high quality spatial information services to the vast rural and regional areas of Australia through a combination of emerging spatial technologies on existing corporate information systems. It will complement and expand the CRCSI’s current research programme.
Contact: Mr Peter Woodgate
Email: pwoodgate@crcsi.com.au

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New four-year funding arrangement for AIMS and ANSTO

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) are to be funded under a new four year funding agreement that covers 2007-08 to 2010-11. The new funding arrangement replaces the previous three year funding period.

AIMS will receive a total of $106.1 million over the next four financial years, its largest budget ever, while ANSTO's budget is $507.9 million over the next four financial years.

The new funding follows the announcement by AIMS in November last year of seven redundancies. AIMS CEO Dr Ian Poiner said at the time that the redundancies, which affected both scientific and support positions, were the "only option to allow AIMS to operate within its current budget and to avoid larger scale problems in the future".

"Unfortunately, AIMS is not alone in facing this challenge. The past five years have seen a struggle by scientific research providers across the country to keep pace with the rising costs of operations.

"The reality is that there is a cost associated with science. We have carefully weighed our options and are taking into consideration the skills required to ensure that we are best able to address Australia’s growing research needs into the future," Dr Poiner said.

In other news, Professor John Dodson has been appointed the new head of ANSTO’s Institute for Environmental Research. Prior to joining ANSTO, Professor Dodson was Head of the Institute for the Environment, Brunel University, West London, UK. Before that time he was based at the University of Western Australia.

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Australia and China form clean coal advisory group

Australia and China have announced the formation of a joint advisory group focussing on clean coal technology development in the two nations.

The ‘Australia-China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology’ will provide strategic guidance, oversight, and impetus to a range of clean coal activities in Australia and in China. The aims of the Group include:

• Sharing knowledge gained through clean coal, and other relevant projects, in Australia and China – including those projects undertaken under Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6), Australia-China Climate Change Partnership (ACCCP) and other major clean coal initiatives;
• Identifying areas where cooperation on the development, demonstration and use of clean coal technologies can be enhanced; and
• Identifying and implementing joint clean-coal technology projects, including where appropriate through the AP6 and ACCCP.

The first meeting of the Group, the membership of which is yet to be announced, is scheduled for early April.

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Queensland Climate Change Centre funded

The Queensland government has allocated $9 million to establish a Queensland Climate Change Centre that will provide policy advice and scientific information on climate change and its impact on the community, the economy and the environment.

The centre, which will be a specialist unit within the Department of Natural Resources and Water, will also provide advice about measures to further reduce and offset the State’s greenhouse gas emissions. It will bring together 54 staff from the Departments of Natural Resources and Water, Primary Industries and Fisheries and the Environmental Protection Agency and will be located at the Indooroopilly Science Centre and also in Toowoomba.

The $9 million funding includes a one-off allocation of $1.5 million in capital funding next year to assist in setting up the centre. Thereafter, the centre’s annual recurrent budget will be $7.5 million.

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Position Vacant: Principal Research Engineer – Technical Marketing

- Enjoy the lifestyle benefits of a full time career opportunity in Newcastle NSW
- Ferro-alloy Smelting/Manganese focus
- Collaborative/Applied R & D environment

Our client, a global resources sector leader, has a substantial research and development program that focuses on developing and implementing innovative technology. They have a strong track record of working in partnership with internal customers on innovative solutions to technical problems.

We are seeking a seasoned technical professional to lead technology development projects for operations in the area of ferro-alloy smelting. The role will provide strategic leadership to research teams working collaboratively with academia, research institutes and operating plants. Your strong customer focus, technical expertise and communications skills will enable you to work effectively across the business and to establish a constructive internal and external international network. You will be an accomplished manager of people, able to influence and leverage the skills of others to achieve objectives.

Your key accountabilities will include:
- Working closely with the technical marketing leadership team on the development of the Mn Technical Marketing Strategy;
- Partnering with internal customers to identify and develop technology solutions for their operations;
- Managing teams developing technologies from concept stage to adoption by operations;
- Managing resources to ensure delivery of high quality outcomes on time and on budget;

Well connected to University and Government research groups, you will have a track record of achievement in collaboration with scientists and engineers. A higher degree in the Physical Sciences or Engineering is essential. Knowledge of manganese ore geology and mineralogy would be advantageous.

Remuneration packages will be negotiated to reflect the experience and achievements of the successful applicants. Overseas applicants are encouraged to apply.

To register your interest send a resume via e-mail to richard@exec-search.com.au, fax to 61 8 9481 7040 or mail to exec.search pty ltd, PO Box 787, West Perth, WA 6872. Telephone queries can be directed to Richard Hazlewood 61 8 9481 7033.

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AIRG Annual Conference 2007

The AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH GROUP (AIRG) will be holding its 2007 Annual Conference in Melbourne from 18-20th February, 2007 . The venue will be Quay West, Southgate Avenue, Southbank, Melbourne. The theme of the conference will be:

“Challenges and Opportunities for the Next Decade”

Australia faces a changing world – economically, technologically, socially and environmentally. We see the rapid growth in the Asian economies especially in China and India and the decline in manufacturing in western countries and the rapid development of new technologies. The baby-boomers who have powered the world over the past 40-50 years are reaching retirement age presenting the demands of a large elderly population and the loss of considerable skills and knowledge from the workforce. Finally, we have the changing climate presenting potential threats to large regions of the planet. Charles Darwin said that the species that survive are not necessarily the strongest or the fastest but the ones that are most adaptable to change. This changing world represents a significant challenge for Australia and we must use our R&D expertise across all sectors to demonstrate our ingenuity and adaptability and to seize the opportunities to remain competitive and prosperous.

We are fortunate to have leading speakers from Europe, Asia and Australia who will focus on the following topics:

• Development of a perspective of the changes from various regions – Australia, the USA, Europe and Asia.
• Focus on new science and technology likely to have an impact over the next decade
• A view of the changes we might expect
• The changing demographics and the ability to meet the demands and the opportunities that these changes present to both the Public and Private sectors.
• Understanding the environmental changes occurring and our responses to them.
• What Australia has to Offer
• Workshop/Discussion sessions for input from all delegates

The conference will provide delegates with a unique forum to:

• Learn more about these key issues and their likely impact
• Develop their professional network of peers through sharing experiences and challenges.

We invite those people interested in the role that Australian R&D can play in providing Australian industry with a competitive advantage to attend this important conference.


For further information please contact Dr. Errol McGarry, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Industrial Research Group ( Ph. 61 3 9439 0075 or e-mail airg@bigpond.net.au)

We hope that you are able to join us from 18th to 20th February 2007 in Melbourne for this important conference.

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Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Biomedical Research Management)

Thinking of Further Education?

Enrol now for the April 2007 intake in Biomedical Research Management (But hurry as places are restricted to 20 places)

With the longer term goal of creating clinical outcomes for projects in human and animal health, including medical devices and dentistry, this course has been designed for professionals who are involved with running biomedical research projects, those seeking a more senior project management role on such projects and research managers who would like to transfer their project management skills to biomedical projects. This may include staff working in CCRE’s, research organisations, universities, start-up companies, as well as research fellows and postgraduate students.

This course covers all the important areas that effective biomedical research managers need to be conversant with, and make decisions about, to develop sound biomedical research project plans and budgets. The focus is then on developing skills for the proactive management and communication projects where uncertainty is the norm. Finally, assessment is built around demonstrating the ability to apply skills learned to a real work based project.

PART 1 – April 16, 17, 19 & 20
PART 2 –May 21, 22, 23 & 25

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Check out more information at;

http://www.soe.unimelb.edu.au/biomedicalresearchmanagement  

Express your interest in this course or related courses by contacting;

Elise Strande on (03) 9810 3136 or email e.strande@soe.unimelb.edu.au  

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Pathways to Commercialisation

The School of Enterprise, University of Melbourne are pleased to announce the upcoming 5 day course Pathways to Commercialisation.

Who is this course for?
This program is for anyone working in the technology commercialisation and new product development area that is required to put together effective business cases for investment projects for both internal and external funding. Designed to enhance practical experience gained in the workplace, the principles learned on the program are applied immediately into a team project that runs throughout the week, culminating in each team giving a presentation to an independent panel in a “pitch” for fund.

What will I get out of this course?
- Enhanced ability to commercialise new technologies, products and services 
- Business case development skills and capabilities 
- Enhanced capacity to build a business case to attract investment finance

Numbers are limited, so be quick!

Cost: $2,995 + GST per person
10% discount for 3 registrations from the same organisation when registered and paid for together.
When: 26th to 30th March 2007.
Where: Graduate House, Carlton

NEED TO KNOW MORE?
Click here for more information.

Express your interest in this course or related courses by contacting;
Elise Strande on (03) 9810 3136 or email e.strande@soe.unimelb.edu.au

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Short courses for scientists and engineers

The following upcoming NICTA short courses are scheduled in Adelaide, Sydney and Perth. Further information about these and other courses is available at www.nicta.com.au/short_courses  

Risk Measures and Measures of Risk
Presented by Prof Robert J Elliott, University of Calgary
February 8th Adelaide

Introduction to DSP with FPGAs
Presented by Dr Abbas Bigdeli, NICTA
February 20th Adelaide, April 2nd Perth

Software Engineering Technology for Improving Safety of Medical Processes
Presented by Dr L A Clarke and Prof L J Osterweil, University of Massachusetts
March 6th Sydney

Systems Engineering Introduction
Presented by Mr Herve Rochecouste, EC&S Systems
March 7th Sydney

Validation Techniques for Finding Software Bugs
Presented by Dr L A Clarke and Prof L J Osterweil, University of Massachusetts
March 22nd Adelaide

GPS Receivers: Applications and “Inside the Box”
Presented by A/Prof Andrew Dempster, UNSW
March 28th – 30th Adelaide

Introduction to Sonar Signal Processing
Presented by Mr Graham Mountford, Consultant
April 3rd – 4th Fremantle

For enquiries about customised in-house courses contact:

Anne-Marie Eliseo
NICTA Industry Education Manager
Phone: +618 8 302 3928
Email: anne-marie.eliseo@nicta.com.au  

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Ernst & Young R&D Services

Would you like to receive a tax break or grant from the government to help your R&D investment stretch further? Do you need government R&D assistance but you are too busy to pursue it? We can help you. Ernst & Young helps hundreds of Australian companies to access substantial R&D benefits each year. We have extensive experience helping companies to access:

• R&D Tax Concession and R&D Tax Offset (cash rebate),


• R&D grants, 


•  Export incentives, and


• other State and Commonwealth grants.

Ernst & Young Australia boasts one of the most experienced and multi-disciplined Innovation & Incentives practices in Australia. Comprising specialists with hands-on expertise in developing technology and leveraging government assistance, Ernst & Young’s team is dedicated to helping clients gain maximum value from their R&D investments. Ernst & Young can help you to select the type of R&D assistance that best suits your company, considering your circumstances, your industry and your R&D projects.

For more information on how Ernst & Young can help, please contact an office near you or visit our website at http://www.ey.com.au

Perth: Robin Parsons (08) 9429 2251
Melbourne: Steven Batrouney (03) 8650 7571
Melbourne: Alun Needham (03) 9288 8099
Sydney: Mark Tafft (02) 8295 6987
Brisbane: Murray Graham (07) 3011 3264
Adelaide: Chris Sharpley (08) 8233 1685

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