$4.3 million boost to industry-linked research

The University of Adelaide will strive to make major advances for industry and the community thanks to new research funding of $4.3 million.

The funding - awarded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) - will go towards 11 new research projects in the fields of animal and human health and wellbeing, energy production, agriculture, computer science, environment, and laser-based sensing systems.

The University of Adelaide received 69% of the research funds awarded in the State in the latest round of the ARC Linkage Projects funding.

"These new projects enable us to match our world-class research skills with the needs of industry and society, and to work in collaboration to deliver real and meaningful outcomes," said the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor James McWha.

"While this research has direct benefits for industry, government and the community, it also greatly benefits our students because the latest innovations in research also inform our teaching," he said.

The 11 new projects that have received funding are:

$750,110 awarded to a team led by Dr Brent Kaiser (Waite Research Institute/School of Agriculture, Food and Wine)
in partnership with Dupont Pioneer
Transport systems that underpin nitrogen-efficient maize;

$750,000 awarded to a team led by Professor Gus Nathan (Environment Institute/Centre for Energy Technology)
in partnership with Petratherm
Investigation of the coupled dependence of concentrated solar radiation and combustion in a novel solar hybrid technology;

$360,000 awarded to a team led by Professor Pavel Bedrikovetski (Australian School of Petroleum)
in partnership with Santos
Novel technology for enhanced coal seam gas production utilising mechanisms of stimulated cleat permeability through graded particle injection;

$348,151 awarded to a team led by Professor Andrew Beer (School of Social Sciences/Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning)
in partnership with Anglicare SA, Benetas, Council on the Ageing Queensland, ECH, Illawarra Retirement Trust, and Silver Chain Nursing Association
Emerging from the shadows: the evaluation of intervention strategies to reduce social isolation amongst the aged;

$139,399 awarded to a team led by Associate Professor Peng Bi (School of Population Health and Clinical Practice/Public Health)
in partnership with the Department of Health (SA)
The unfolding story of the 2009 Adelaide heatwave: risk factors for mortality and morbidity;

$405,222 awarded to a team led by Professor Andrew Lowe (Environment Institute/Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity)
in partnership with the Australian Carbon Biosequestration Initiative, Greenfleet, Greening Australia (SA), SA Water, Trees For Life
Developing best practice approaches for restoring forest ecosystems that are resilient to climate change;

$97,874 awarded to a team led by Dr Megan Warin (School of Social Sciences/Gender, Work and Social Inquiry)
in partnership with ACEDA, Flinders Medical Centre, SA Health Mental Health Unit
Why are people with eating disorders reluctant to engage with treatment services?

$420,000 awarded to a team led by Professor Tanya Monro (Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing)
in partnership with Cook Medical Australia
Nanosampling sensors for real-time embryo monitoring;

$154,070 awarded to a team led by Dr David Ottaway (Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing/School of Chemistry and Physics)
in partnership with BAE Systems Australia
Advanced eyesafe Er:YAG short-pulsed lasers for remote sensing applications;

$428,000 awarded to a team led by Dr Darren Trott (School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences)
in partnership with Neoculi
Characterisation of a new class of antimicrobial agent for multi-drug-resistant infections;

$475,000 awarded to a team led by Professor Anton van den Hengel (School of Computer Science/Australian Centre for Visual Technologies)
in partnership with LemnaTec GmbH
Improving yield through image-based structural analysis of cereals.

Story by David Ellis