2007 Science Prizes awarded

The 2007 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science, worth $300,000, has been awarded to Dr Peter Waterhouse and Dr Ming-Bo Wang, researchers at CSIRO Plant Industry, for their work over more than a decade on gene silencing.

While investigating how plants respond to virus attack, the research team discovered a new way to control plant genes-by using the plants own viral defence mechanisms. The work has generated more than 100 patents and is making important contributions to understanding the workings of both plant and animal genomes.

Other winners of this year’s Federal science prizes, each worth $50,000, include:

• Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year – Dr Elizabeth Fulton, CSIRO Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research (Hobart, Australia), for her work in developing simulations of marine ecosystem dynamics.
• Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year - Professor Mark Cassidy, University of Western Australia, for his work in modeling and designing offshore oil and gas platforms to withstand extreme conditions.
• Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools - Cheryl Capra, Science Coordinator at Albany Hills State School.
• Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools, Francesca Calati, programme manager of Accelerated Curricula and Nanotechnology at St Helena Secondary College, Eltham North, Victoria.

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NHMRC grants

Grants worth $561.4 million have been awarded for health and medical research projects beginning in 2008 through the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The breakdown by state and institution for the grants is as follows:

Victoria - $244.5 million

• University of Melbourne – 131 grants totalling more than $67 million;
• Monash University – 71 grants totalling more than $49 million;
• Baker Heart Research Institute – 30 grants totalling more than $28 million;
• Walter and Eliza Hall Institute – 26 grants totalling over $22.7 million;
• Murdoch Children’s Research Institute – 20 grants totalling over $12 million;
• Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research – 7 grants totalling more than $7.7 million;
• La Trobe University – 8 grants totalling $more than $4.5 million.

New South Wales - $138.8 million

• University of Sydney – 90 grants totalling more than $55 million;
• University of New South Wales – 50 grants totalling more than $30 million;
• University of Newcastle – 21 grants totalling almost $14 million;
• Garvan Institute of Medical Research – 20 grants totalling more than $15.7 million;
• Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute – 8 grants totalling more than $3.7 million;
• University of Wollongong 5 grants totalling almost $1.5 million.

Queensland - $87.4 million

• University of Queensland – 66 grants totalling more than $44.6 million;
• Queensland Institute of Medical Research – 28 grants totalling more than $32 million;
• Queensland University of Technology – 7 grants totalling almost $4 million;
• Griffith University – 6 grants totalling almost $2.5 million
• James Cook University – 3 grants totalling $635,051;

South Australia - $33.3 million

• University of Adelaide – 47 grants totalling over $24 million;
• Flinders University – 16 grants totalling more than $7.3 million;
• University of South Australia – 5 grants totalling almost $2 million.

Western Australia - $26 million

• University of Western Australia – 47 grants totalling over $23.3 million;
• Curtin University of Technology – 4 grants totalling more than $2.4 million;
• Murdoch University – 1 grant totalling $33,080

Tasmania - $12 million

• Menzies Research Institute – 12 grants
• University of Tasmania – 2 grants

ACT - 4.7 million

• Australian National University – 24 grants totalling over $13.8 million;
• University of Canberra – 3 grants totalling almost $1 million.

Northern Territory - $2.6 million

• Menzies School of Health Research – 4 grants.

More information is at www.nhmrc.gov.au

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ARC Linkage projects funded

Two hundred and two new collaborative research projects to be conducted over the next five years will receiving funding of $62.3 million under the first round for 2008 of Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Linkage Projects scheme.

The successful projects, selected from 424 applicants, also attracted commitments of more than $95 million from more than 400 partner organizations.

The projects, funded under the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Linkage Projects scheme, also attracted commitments of more than $95 million from more than 400 partner organisations, including businesses, community organisations, industry bodies and other public sector agencies.

The University of Queensland was the most successful institution in the selection round, winning $13.7 million in ARC funding for 25 projects. This was followed by the University of Sydney which won $5.5 million to support 18 projects.

Application for Round 2 of the Linkage Projects scheme for projects commencing in 2008 is available on the ARC website.

More information about the awards is at www.arc.gov.au.

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LIEF funding for 2008

$33.3 million over five years has been awarded to 67 research projects under this year’s round of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme.

The LIEF scheme provides funding for large-scale cooperative initiatives so that expensive infrastructure, equipment and facilities can be shared by researchers in partnered organizations. The successful projects were selected from a total of 155 proposals.

The Australian National University, University of Sydney and University of Queensland were the top-ranking institutions in the funding round, receiving totals of $6.9 million, $4.36 million and $4.24 million respectively.

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Industry Cooperative Innovation projects funded

Eleven grants totalling $8.8 million have been awarded through the Federal government’s $25 million Industry Cooperative Innovation Program. The ICIP program aims to encourage business-to-business cooperation on innovation projects both within Australia and internationally that enhance productivity, growth and international competitiveness in Australian industries.

The supported projects are:

• Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Ltd – LYNX project - $2,383,344. Contact: Mr Greg Chalker (03) 9800 3666

• Wine Industry Tasmania Ltd - Improving Australian Sparkling Wines and Pinot Noir ($900,000). Contact: Mrs Allison Williams (03) 6223 3770

• healthlinks.net Pty Ltd - a new standard in consumer medicine information access ($880,238). Contact: Mr Ross Gallagher (02) 6229 1706

• OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd - realising community benefits from improved building regulations ($844,300). Contact: Mr Anthony Ng (02) 9792 9078

• Outdoor Media Association (Measurement of Outdoor Visibility and
Exposure) –first "eyes-on" measurement tool for outdoor media ($827,299). Contact: Ms Helen Willoughby (02) 8356 9000.
• Building Products Innovation Council Ltd - Buildings and the Environment: Full Life Cycle Assessment ($803,000). Contact: Mr Tony McDonald (02) 6234 8072.

• Dayang Electronic Manufacturing Pty Ltd - Total Engineering and Manufacturing Working, TEAMwork ($650,121). Contact: Mr Robert Peacock (02) 8568 0999

• ITS Australia - Establishing an Australian Traffic Message Channel (TMC) location table ($610,000). Contact: Mr Adam Game (03) 8415 9000

• Welding Technology Institute of Australia - Design, Maintain and Repair Critical Road and Rail Bridges ($367,282). Contact: Mr Christopher Smallbone (02) 9748 4443.

• Water Services Association of Australia - Expanding markets for re-use water by innovative treatment ($299,954). Contact: Associate Professor Justin Brookes (08) 8303 3747.

• ACYTE Biotechnology Pty Ltd - Rapid expression and production of monoclonal antibodies ($234,465). Contact: Professor Peter Gray (07) 3346 3899.

More information about the ICIP program and the funded projects is at www.industry.gov.au

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Committee to oversee SKA project

An inter-governmental Australian Square Kilometre Array Coordination Committee (ASCC) has been formed to oversee Australia’s Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project and progress the Australian bid to host the SKA core site.

Australia is one of 17 countries collaborating on the SKA project and a site in the Murchison Shire of mid-west Western Australia has been shortlisted as one of two potential locations for the core site SKA. The core SKA site will comprise between 60 and 120 ‘array stations’, each composed of a large number of closely grouped antennas.

Principal collaborators in the Australian SKA project are the Australian Government, the State of Western Australia and CSIRO.

Expert advice on astronomy and the SKA will be provided by ASCC member Professor Brian Boyle, Director of the CSIRO’s Australia Telescope National Facility, Director of the ASKAP project and Chair of the International SKA Steering Committee (ISSC), and Professor Peter Quinn, Premier’s Fellow in Radio Astronomy at The University of Western Australia and member of the ISSC.

It is expected that the ASCC will also be advised by a scientific advisory committee, an industry committee and a body representing stakeholders in the Mid-West region.

The 2007-08 Federal Budget provided $56.7 million, primarily for the CSIRO, to design and build the new Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope, taking the Federal funding commitment to SKA to $117 million. The main Pathfinder array will be built at the same location as the proposed SKA core site, and will consist of up to 45 dishes. The facility will be linked by optical fibre to a smaller group of dishes in NSW.
A new website for the Australian SKA project has been launched at http://www.ska.gov.au/.

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Funding for Victorian medical research institutes

The Victorian Government has allocated grants totalling $25.7 million for Victoria’s 15 major medical research institutes through its Operational Infrastructure Support (OIS) scheme which provides annual funding for the day-to-day operations of the institutes .

Institutes receiving OIS grants for 2007/08 are:

• Baker Heart Research Institute $ 2,321,860
• Bernard O'Brien Institute of Microsurgery $ 254,716
• Bionic Ear Institute $ 408,292
• Brain Research Institute $ 235,972
• Burnet Institute (incorporating Austin Research Institute) $ 3,786,176
• Centre for Eye Research Australia $ 395,596
• Howard Florey Institute $ 1,837,396
• Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research $ 1,473,428
• Mental Health Research Institute $ 607,848
• Monash Institute of Medical Research $ 1,603,872
• Murdoch Children’s Research Institute $ 2,381,756
• National Stroke Research Institute $ 366,024
• Prince Henry's Institute $ 875,972
• St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research $ 1,379,420
• Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research $ 7,771,672

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Postgraduate Research Scholarships

University of Ballarat, Ballarat

The University of Ballarat has a number of postgraduate research scholarships available for 2008.The University's research strengths are aligned with regional and rural issues, specifically in the areas of our four Designated Research Centres:

- Centre for Informatics and Applied Optimisation (CIAO) 

- Centre for Environmental Management (CEM)

- Centre for Health Research and Practice (CHRP)

- Centre for Regional Innovation and Competitiveness (CRIC)

The University invites eligible candidates to apply for the following stipend scholarships to support entry into a PhD, Professional Doctorate, or a Masters by Research programs: 

- Australian Postgraduate Awards with stipend 

- International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (course fees) 

- University of Ballarat Postgraduate Research Scholarships 

- University of Ballarat Partial Postgraduate Research Scholarships

Contact: Application forms and further Information are available from the Research & Graduate Studies office tel (03) 5327 9508. Please contact Ms Sarah Murphy for any further details.

Scholarship information: See http://www.ballarat.edu.au/ard/ubresearch/hdrs/scholarships/index.shtml
Applications: See http://www.ballarat.edu.au/ard/ubresearch/forms.shtml 
 
Expression of Interest forms and applications forms for higher degrees must be lodged by the closing date 31 October, 2007.

An equal opportunity employer CRICOS Provider Number 00103D 280UOB Aust

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2007/08 DuPont Innovation Awards - Enter Now

The 2007/08 DuPont Australia & New Zealand Innovation Awards are now open for entry.

Launched in 2004, the biennial awards program is an independently judged competition that recognizes and rewards the introduction of a new and innovative technology, application, product or service.

The Awards are free to enter, and are open to individuals, companies or tertiary students.

The program is an official event of the National Innovation Festival, with each of the seven categories supported by leaders in the fields of science, industry and environmental sustainability.

Winners of these prestigious awards will be announced at the DuPont Innovation Awards presentation in Sydney in May 2008 and gain opportunities to further develop designs and ideas through access to industry and government networks.

2007/08 AWARD CATEGORIES
1. Building Innovation - sponsored by Fletcher Building Limited
2. Medical & Healthcare - sponsored by Invetech
3. Sustainable Energy - sponsored by BHP Billiton
4. Sustainable Services - sponsored by Worley Parsons
5. Agriculture & Food Production - sponsored by Cargill Australia Limited
6. Performance Materials - sponsored by Plantic
7. Tertiary Student Award - sponsored by ABB

KEY DATES
May 1, 2007 - Call for Entry Opens
November 30, 2007 - Call for Entry Closes
March 2008 - Finalists Announced
May 2008 - Award Presentation in Sydney

Find out more and download an entry form here.  

Or contact:

DuPont Innovation Awards, c/- Two de Force, Suite 5 / 50 Reservoir St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Awards Hotline - Tel: +61 2 9923 6144
Email - innovation@aus.dupont.com  

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Mergers & Acquisitions 2007 - Delivering the Deal Workshops

The Delivering the Deal workshops are intensive one-day events focusing on the critical due diligence and integration aspects of Merger & Acquisitions transactions.

A range of experts from KPMG, PKF, Colliers International, Investec, Mercer HR and DLA Phillips Fox will share insights on streamlining the legal functions of M&A deals, recent developments in financial due diligence and tangible asset valuation, pre and post the deal.

There will be a number of case studies to illustrate aspects of M&A deal making.

The one-day workshops will be held in Melbourne on October 11 at Colliers International Offices, Level 32, 367 Collins St, and in Sydney on October 30 at KPMG Offices, Level 15, 10 Shelley St (main entrance 7-11 Sussex St).

The Workshops will run from 8.45am to 5.00pm. For registration details please visit www.capconnect.com.au or contact Simon Davis on (03) 8534 5000 or email simon.davis@capconnect.com.au.

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Seminar: Inventorship and Patent Entitlement

Arranged by Tech IP Professional Development
– October 2007 Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane

Tech IP Professional Development has arranged a half day seminar on "Inventorship and Patent Entitlement" in Melbourne (Thursday 11 October), Sydney (Wednesday 17 October) and Brisbane (Tuesday 30 October).

Speakers are Katrina Howard (Senior Counsel) and Mark Roberts (Partner, Davies Collison Cave). In Melbourne there will also be a presentation by Professor Steven Prawer (School of Physics, University of Melbourne).

Chairs are: Bruce Caine (Senior Counsel) in Melbourne; Anthony Franklin (Senior Counsel) in Sydney; and Andrew Crowe (Senior Counsel) in Brisbane.

A copy of the Seminar Brochure (including Registration Form) is available at http://techip.com.au/inv2007  

For further information please:

phone: 03 9523 7207
email: information@techip.com.au  

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A Practical Guide to Managing Intellectual Property Effectively

Friday, 5 October 2007, Rydges South Park, Adelaide

Spruson&Ferguson, together with Learning Network Solutions will be holding a one day seminar on managing and understanding the dynamics of IP within an organisation. The seminar is highly interactive and will look at key issues including developing strategies to create an IP framework within your organisation to manage IP effectively, the practical considerations in identifying, recording and managing IP, and the issues arising in IP commercialisation. This is another in the successful series of seminars already conducted by Spruson&Ferguson in Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne. The seminar is based on Spruson&Ferguson's work with the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department to develop an Australian Government 'IP Better Practice Manual' for use by all Commonwealth departments and agencies.

For more information or to request a seminar brochure, please contact Learning Network Solutions on (02) 9585 2304 or email info@learningnetworks.com.au

For more information about Spruson&Ferguson please see website here.

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Writing Clear Science Workshops

Writing Clear Science workshops greatly improve your ability to design and write high-quality science documents: research reports, peer-reviewed papers, industry reports, fact sheets, media releases and theses.

We teach you how to write science accurately, clearly and concisely. Writing Clear Science workshops involve interactive group exercises, short lectures and discussions.

Our writing workshops are relevant to individuals from all science backgrounds and with different levels of academic achievement.

Day 1: The Nuts & Bolts of Writing
Day 2: Writing Reports & Articles
Day 3: Writing Your Thesis

Writing Clear Science workshops are regularly held throughout Australia as:
- Open Workshops – We visit most capital cities at least once a year. Individual and group bookings are welcome
- In-House Workshops – 1-to-3 day workshops are tailored to your needs and held at your institution.

After registration, participants are encouraged to submit samples of their writing for review and to complete preliminary surveys so that we can gauge individual needs.

For further information regarding Open Workshops (brochures, course outlines, costs & registration forms), please go to www.writingclearscience.com.au  

For further information regarding In-House Workshops please email info@writingclearscience.com.au or phone Dr Marina Hurley on 0416-097979.

2007-2008 Calender for Open Workshops

CANBERRA: CSIRO Discovery Centre, Clunies Ross Street, Acton.
Wednesday 7th-Friday 9th November 2007;
Monday 17th-Wednesday 19th March 2008.

ADELAIDE: The Seminar Room 1.2 7, Plant Genomics Centre, Hartley Grove, Urrbrae.
Tuesday 19th-Thursday 21st February 2008.

SYDNEY: Unilinc Meeting Room, Level 9, 210 Clarence Street, Sydney.
Wednesday 16th-Friday 18th April 2008.

BRISBANE: Auditorium 2, DPI&F Conference Centre, 80 Ann Street, Brisbane, QLD.
Wednesday 14th-Friday 16th May 2008.

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Graduate Diploma in Drug Evaluation & Pharmaceutical Sciences: 2008

University of Melbourne, Australia

Today’s potent drugs, combined with the complex issues of their production and use has created a growing need for evaluation of their safety and efficacy.

For such evaluation, wide ranging expertise is required in the areas of Chemistry, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Legal and Ethical Considerations.

This diploma course gives a systematic overview of these areas and how they affect the very practical issues of drug evaluation and is aimed at Pharmacists, Research Nurses, Scientists, Medical Practitioners and others involved in regulatory affairs.

For more information please contact Mrs Nicola Cash Ph: +61 3 9496 3420, Fax: +61 3 9459 3510 or Email: njcash@unimelb.edu.au  

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