Premier's science funds for University projects

Friday, 23 February 2007

A world-class wind tunnel and a laboratory for the production and analysis of visual digital media - both at the University of Adelaide - have won funding from the Premier's Science and Research Fund.

A project led by Professor Gus Nathan has been awarded $800,000 under the Fund to build a large-scale wind tunnel that will support SA's defence, aerospace, wind turbine (power-generating) and wind engineering sectors. The wind tunnel - to be used for technology development and commercial testing - will have capabilities not found elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere.

"This will provide local industry and researchers with a competitive edge," said Professor Nathan, from the University's School of Mechanical Engineering. "This facility will support local bids for major contracts in defence and naval projects, micro wind turbines and building design." Industry partners are consulting engineering firm Connell Wagner and Tenix Defence.

A project led by University of Adelaide's Dr Anton van den Hengel, from the School of Computer Science, has been awarded $750,000 for a Visual Technologies Laboratory which will boost technology and workforce development in digital content-based industries.

"The laboratory will provide the infrastructure, focus and leadership in research needed to establish South Australia as the focal point of Australian visual technologies industries," said Dr van den Hengel, who is the Director of the Australian Centre for Visual Technologies. "The work of this laboratory will have valuable application for a variety of industries including defence, film and television, computer games, video surveillance, mobile content and ICT." Industry and research partners are the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Tenix Group and Rising Sun Pictures Pty Ltd.

University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor and President Professor James McWha said: "Congratulations to these two research teams. Both these projects will bring significant benefits for local and national industry and for the State economy - further examples of the University of Adelaide working alongside government and industry for the benefit of the wider community."

In announcing the fund allocations, Minister for Science and Information Economy Paul Caica said: "The government welcomes the opportunity to support projects that stimulate business investment in local R&D and aim to deliver strategic benefits for all South Australians."

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