Media Release

Friday, 21 September 2001

TODAY'S announcement of the latest Australian Research Council (ARC) funding grants has seen an increase in research funding for new projects at Adelaide University.

Adelaide has reaffirmed its position as a leading national research university, with $11 million in total for research projects and infrastructure over the next three years.

Funding announced today for Adelaide University includes:

• $8.9 million in large "Discovery" grants for 39 research projects (an increase on last year of $1.8m)*
• $1.1 million towards new infrastructure, equipment and facilities based at Adelaide University
• $927,000 for 9 research projects linked to industry partners
• $124,000 for 3 research projects linked with overseas universities
  

• This year's Discovery grants are a combination of the former ARC Large grants and Research Fellowships. Last year, the combined funding in these areas for Adelaide University was $7.1m.

At a State level, Adelaide University received 39 of the 56 Discovery grants awarded in South Australia.

"Adelaide University continues to perform strongly on a national level for major research funding," said the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cliff Blake AM.

"It is pleasing to see an increase in our large grant monies, particularly when public funding for research is so tight. The University's reputation for quality research has been strengthened by today's funding announcement," he said.

Projects funded at Adelaide University in this latest round of grants cover many of the University's areas of strength: science (including genetics, chemistry, physiology, geological and agricultural sciences), mathematics, engineering, computer science and telecommunications, psychology, architecture, and humanities and social sciences.

Infrastructure money received by the ARC will be used to develop the University's very high energy gamma-ray telescope at Woomera in partnership with Japan, and to establish a new facility for surface and micro-structure analysis.