Labor to boost research fellowships

A Labor government will introduce a new research fellowships program, Future Fellowships, that will offer 1,000 four-year Fellowships valued at $140,000 a year to Australia’s top mid-career researchers.

In addition, each researcher’s institution would receive a $50,000 grant to support the purchase of related infrastructure and equipment for their research project.

The Future Fellowships program will be funded with $174.8 million over four years. It will be targeted at areas of national priority such as renewable energy, manufacturing technologies, the sciences, medical research, and education. Preference will be given to those researchers who can demonstrate a capacity to build collaboration across industry, research institutions, and with other disciplines.

Labor also plans to double the number of Australian Postgraduate Awards available by 2012.

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Labor to invest in renewable energy and energy innovation

A Labor Government will implement a Clean Energy Plan as part of its target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.

New elements of Federal Labor’s Clean Energy Plan are:

• $500 million Renewable Energy Fund - to develop, commercialise and deploy renewable energy in Australia.
• $240 million Clean Business Fund – to help business and industry deliver energy and water efficiency projects, with a focus on productivity and innovation.
• $150 million Energy Innovation Fund – to keep leading scientists and researchers in Australia, rather than losing them overseas.

The initiatives are in addition to a $500 million Clean Coal Fund that will fund the deployment of clean coal technologies, a $20 million Clean Energy Innovation Centre; and investment in a Green Car Innovation Fund to develop and build green cars in Australia.

Labor has also announced three new commitments under the National Clean Coal Fund including $50 million for a pilot coal gasification plant in Queensland, $50 million to demonstrate carbon capture and storage in New South Wales, and $5 million to undertake mapping and testing of potential carbon storage sites in Western Australia.

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Coalition to invest in Centre for Groundwater Research and Training

The Coalition has announced it will invest $30 million in a Centre for Groundwater Research and Training to build knowledge and skills to support groundwater policy and management.

Under a Coalition government, the Centre will be funded jointly by the National Water Commission and the Australian Research Council, which would each provide $15 million over five years to the project. It would be housed at a university, or shared between two or three locations to enable universities to combine expertise. Hosting of the Centre would be decided on a competitive selection round, and it would begin operating by mid-2008.

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Turnbull announces $10 million grant for unproven rain technology

The Federal Environment Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has announced that $10 million will be invested in investigation of an unproven Russian rainmaking technology, despite advice that a more careful assessment of the science was necessary.

The investment, approved by the National Water Commission, will be made through a grant to a company called the Australian Rain Corporation, 75% owned by Swiss interests, and part-owned by Rupert Murdoch’s nephew, Matt Handbury. The Australian Rain Corporation owns the intellectual property to the rain enhancing technology. Funded from the Australian Government’s Water Fund, trials will be conducted in Queensland in conjunction with the University of Queensland and independent scientific experts.

The University of Queensland team will be led by Professor Jurg Keller, Director of the Advanced Water Management Centre and supported by Dr Hamish McGowan, Senior Lecturer in Climatology, along with other experts in scientific fields, including statistical science and atmospheric physics.

The technology involves sending electric charges into the ionosphere, which supposedly causes the formation of clouds and, consequently, rain. The trials will include a rainfall enhancement field trial by the Australian Rain Corporation, rainfall and meteorological assessments by the University of Queensland, and a technology validation test of the rainfall enhancement technique by independent scientific experts.

According to the National Water Commission, a demonstration trial of the technology by the Australian Rain Corporation, assisted by the University of Queensland, was conducted in the Wivenhoe catchment of south-east Queensland in May-June of this year. Rainfall in the area was significantly above average, but there is insufficient evidence to prove it was enhanced by the trial.

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Former Chief Scientist calls for "good engineering" to fight climate change

Former Chief Scientist of Australia, Professor Robin Batterham, says the world will need every option available – from energy efficiency and renewable energy to nuclear power and carbon capture and storage – to turn the tide on climate change.

Professor Batterham, who is Group Chief Scientist Rio Tinto Ltd, delivered the 17th lecture in the Zunz series at UTS on Thursday 15 November: Climate change and the appetite for technical risk – observations from a process industry.

Professor Batterham said the need for action on climate change was pressing, but he believed "good engineering" and "some new public-private partnerships" would see positive results.

There was scope, he said, for Australia to lead the world in adopting a model of corporate funding of climate initiatives with the support of the public sector.

He said estimates of the total cost of abatement measures as a percentage of global GDP were significantly less than what the world spent in 2005 on insurance and defence in that order.

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Report on Queensland’s Smart State Strategy

The Queensland Government has released a progress report on the Smart State program since 1998.

According to the report, since 1998, the Queensland Government has committed approximately $536 million towards health and medical R&D infrastructure, skills and commercialisation initiatives including the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the Queensland Brain Institute, the Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Smart Therapies Institute and the Smart State Medical Research Centre.

A further $100 million has been added to the existing $200 million Smart State Innovation Funds.

Other major investments include the $290 million investment in the establishment of the Ecosciences Precinct and the Health and Food Sciences Precinct that will bring together the research capabilities of a number of Queensland Government agencies and CSIRO.

The report sets out details of other programs and initiatives, including those under the Biotechnology Strategic Plan, international collaborations, and primary sector R&D. It summarises progress in innovation, including the $60 million Innovation Projects Fund, venture capital investment, commercialization of Queensland research, and growth of knowledge-based industries.

The report seeks feedback on information and questions raised to assist in developing the next stage of the Smart State Strategy, to be released in mid-2008.

For further information, see www.smartstate.qld.gov.au.

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Griffith Uni to host National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility

Griffith University will host the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) announced by the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull.

The 2007–08 Budget provided $26 million for the establishment of the centre and $100 million in programme funding.

Griffith University and the Queensland Government, through its Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence and Department of Emergency Services, won the Australian Greenhouse Office’s competitive bid through establishing a consortium with Macquarie University, Murdoch University, Queensland University of Technology, the University of Newcastle, University of Southern Queensland, James Cook University and the University of the Sunshine Coast.

The collective expertise of these institutions spans disciplines including climatology, hydrology, ecology and conservation biology, statistics, engineering, psychology, urban planning, architecture, law and policy, community development and social research.

Griffith University Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian O’Connor said that Griffith University has already demonstrated national leadership in climate adaptation research by establishing a Climate Response Program led by Professor Jan McDonald that examines the social, economic and environmental dimensions of climate adaptation.

“We recognise the importance of involving the end-users of adaptation research — the decision-makers in government, industry, the private sector and the community — in the identification of research priorities and design of research projects to meet these priority needs.

“Our commitment to collaboration is reflected in the broad research networks in which our individual researchers are involved, and in the impressive number of consortium partners.”

South-East Queensland is a strategically important location for the NCCARF, being the only region identified by the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council as a vulnerability hotspot for each of the priority areas of natural systems and biodiversity; cities and coasts; water; health; infrastructure; and agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

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Postdoctoral and Invitation Fellowships in Japan 2008

The Australian Academy of Science, in association with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), invites applications from Australian researchers to undertake Postdoctoral and Invitation Fellowships in Japan. Postdoctoral Fellowships are for a period of 12 to 24 months, Invitation Fellowships short-term for a period of 14 to 60 days and the Invitation Fellowship long-term is for 2 to 10 months.

Researchers in any field of natural sciences, including technology, engineering and medicine can apply.

Applications in the humanities and social sciences are also accepted BUT ONLY for the Postdoctoral Fellowships. Please see website for information and guidelines.

Applications close Friday 8 February 2008.

Postdoctoral Fellowships: http://www.science.org.au/internat/jspspd.htm  

Invitation Fellowship short term: http://www.science.org.au/internat/jspsfst.htm  

Invitation Fellowship long term: http://www.science.org.au/internat/jspsflt.htm  

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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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Spruson&Ferguson: patent and trade mark attorneys

With over 115 years experience, Spruson&Ferguson is a leading intellectual property firm in Australia which provides a fully integrated service for the protection, commercialisation and enforcement of your intellectual property.

Spruson&Ferguson is one of the largest intellectual property firms in Australia, with a team of over 220. Our 60 plus patent and trade mark attorneys and lawyers work in specialised practice areas; Chemical/Life Sciences, Mechanical, Electrical/Information & Communications Technologies (ICT) and Trade Marks, together with Spruson&Ferguson Lawyers which provides intellectual property commercialisation, enforcement and dispute resolution services.

Spruson&Ferguson’s patent and trade mark attorneys and lawyers have extensive intellectual property and industry experience in science and engineering including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, electronics, phototonics, transport, telecommunications, mining, publishing, consumer products, ceramics, chemistry and mechanical/medical technologies.

The depth of our industry experience is an attribute that many of our clients hold in high regard. Spruson&Ferguson is a recognised as a market leader with multinationals and many of Australia’s foremost research institutions entrusting to us to protect and assisting with the maximisation of returns on their intellectual property assets.

Our comprehensive range of services includes patents, trademarks, designs, domain names, IP audits, due diligence, dispute resolution and litigation and intellectual property commercialisation services including licensing, joint ventures and research and development collaborations.

For more information about our comprehensive range of intellectual property services, please contact one of the following relationship principals:

Chemical: Dr John McCann BSc (Hons) PhD FIPTA
Life Sciences: Dr Andrew Blattman BScAgr (Hons) PhD GDipIP FIPTA
Electrical: Robert Miller BE BLegS FIPTA
ICT: Scott Berggren BSEE MSEE LLB FIPTA
Mechanical: Greg Turner BE FIPTA
Trade Marks: Annette Freeman BA LLB (ANU) LLM (UTS)
IP Commercialisation: Rob McInnes BSc (Hons) LLB (Syd)
IP Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Simon Williams BA LLB (Syd) LLM (Lond)
Managing Principal: David Griffith BE (Hons) FIPTA

Telephone: (02) 9207 0777
Fax: (02) 9261 5486
Email mail@sprusons.com.au
Website here 

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