About IPAS

IPAS brings together physicists, chemists and biologists to pursue a new transdisciplinary approach to science. We are developing novel photonic, sensing and measurement technologies that will change the way science is done within traditional discipline areas, stimulating the creation of new industries, and inspiring a new generation of scientists to be engaged in solving real-world problems. IPAS research targets applications in five key market areas:

• Defence and national security
• Environmental monitoring
• Preventative health
• Food and wine
• Mining

IPAS LAUNCH VIDEO PRODUCED BY PROF ROB MORRISON

The Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing has been founded on the success of the Centre of Expertise in Photonics, a joint centre of the University of Adelaide and DSTO and the recognition of the importance that new forms of Advanced Sensing will play in the world.

Part of this recognition has been the award of $29M from EIF for the construction of a new facility to house IPAS. This has been further supplemented by $5M from Government of South Australia and other monies from DSTO and NCRIS schemes.

IPAS Mission

To bring together researchers from different disciplines focused on developing new platform technologies with those who traditionally use commercial measurement tools.

To build sustainable critical mass in research capacity and capability in photonics and sensing to deliver outcomes and provide support and a rich experience for researchers, postgraduates and undergraduates.

IPAS Vision

The vision of IPAS is to pursue a transdisciplinary research agenda, working at the boundaries of physics, chemistry and biology to create knowledge and disruptive new technologies, and solve problems for health, the environment, defence, food and wine.

What is transdisciplinary research?

A transdisciplinary approach brings discipline specialists from different areas together to work side by side with the common purpose of evolving new research methodologies and frameworks that span the discipline boundaries. This goes beyond simply contributing different disciplinary techniques or viewpoints to a problem at hand, as is done in multidisciplinary research, or bringing the tools of one discipline to bear on another a problem in another discipline, as is done in interdisciplinary research. A transdisciplinary approach aims to provide solution to challenging real world problems that cannot be tackled with the tools of any one discipline alone.

Role of the Institute

To provide support to its Centres and Members in order to maximise their research outcomes and their contributions to the Objectives by

• Providing access to leverage and seed funding schemes (for equipment, feasibility studies, etc)
• Provision of administrative support - Group and IPAS supported travel organisation, Meeting co-ordination, Recruitment support, Video/tele-conferencing systems, customer relationship management systems, inventory management etc.
• Publicise the achievements of the Members of the Institute, to internal and external audiences via the web, newsletters, media and PR activity.
• Provide research grant support - awareness of programmes, grant development, and finance planning.
• Help the Centres and members get the best support from the central University systems - IT, Finance, Marketing, HR.
• Provide accurate research statistics to Members and ensure that their research metrics are accurate and optimised.
• Provide commercial support for commercial interactions, contract research, collaborative research, patenting and spin out activities.
• Provide a new building as the focus for the Institute activities with meeting rooms and other facilities. Research and office space for constituent Centres and Members will be agreed on a case by case basis.
• Organise workshops and conferences.