Curtin University of Technology delivers high-impact research across four areas of strength:
• Resources and energy
• ICT and emerging technologies
• Health
• Sustainable development
These areas capture the multidisciplinary nature of Curtin’s research programs, which are accessible across all of the University’s four academic faculties – Science and Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities and Business.
THE AUSTRALIAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
Curtin recently launched its new multi-million dollar Australian Sustainable Development Institute (ASDI). Sustainable development is becoming increasingly important to individuals, communities, business and industry, and policy-makers at all levels. Recognising this, Curtin has stepped up its commitment to sustainable development as a research priority.
Combining the resources and brainpower of 16 research centres, ASDI’s programs will target issues associated with climate change, resource scarcity and population growth. ASDI comprises a range of expertise necessary for high-impact and interdisciplinary research in environmental, social, economic and governance areas. ASDI’s research capabilities are more comprehensive than any other sustainability institute in Australia – and include the highly regarded Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute that was established in 2008.
Guided by the Chair of ASDI Mr Keith Spence (formerly Woodside’s Executive Vice-President, Enterprise Capability) Curtin will be a major research provider in sustainable development, providing the best possible scientific and policy advice to government, industry and the wider community.
RESOURCES & ENERGY
Curtin’s leading role in resources and energy research is clearly demonstrated by its most important initiatives: the Resources and Chemistry Precinct.
The Resources and Chemistry Precinct is funded by Curtin, BHP Billiton, ChemCentre (WA’s flagship chemical science facility) and both the Federal and Western Australian governments. Advanced laboratories are being outfitted for research teams preparing to move into the $116 million development during 2009. These include the Nanochemistry Research Institute, the WA Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, the Curtin Water Quality Research Centre, and the WA Corrosion Research Group. ChemCentre will relocate to the precinct this year, adding to the hub of expertise for collaborative research across these disciplines. Ultimately, more than 300 professional scientists, engineers and staff will occupy the Precinct’s state-of-the-art facilities for chemistry and energy-related research.
Curtin’s research capabilities in resources and energy-related fields are well utilised by industry. Expertise within the WA Corrosion Research Group, for example, is in demand by oil and gas companies that require solutions in the assessment and control of corrosion. For that reason, Woodside Petroleum and Chevron Australia have jointly funded a Chair in Corrosion Research at Curtin.
Curtin’s capability to establish partnerships with major international companies is further illustrated by the Rio Tinto Centre for Materials and Sensing in Mining, which is undertaking strategic research for optimising open-pit mining operations.
Excellent prospects for industry-supported projects are also found in minerals exploration and processing. The Centre for High Definition Geophysics, for example, is developing new seismic technologies to detect mineral resources. The mining industry also maintains high demand for innovations in hydrometallurgy that enable the viability of low-grade ores or untapped mineral deposits.
ICT & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
The International Year of Astronomy is an ideal time to commend Curtin’s Institute of Radio Astronomy for the pace of its progress and achievements on major international projects.
The December launch of the Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy (CIRA) was a highlight for the University. Combining physics and engineering in the field of astronomy, CIRA became the first cross-disciplinary research centre of its kind at an Australian university – and demonstrated Curtin’s determination to position radio astronomy as a science and technology strength for Western Australia.
CIRA is jointly led by WA Premier’s Research Fellow Professor Steven Tingay (astrophysics and technical astronomy research) and Professor Peter Hall (engineering research and industry collaboration), who is the only Chair in Radio Astronomy Engineering in Australia.
Tingay and Hall have been capacity-building Curtin’s expertise in radio astronomy since joining the University within the past two years. CIRA will soon have about 25 researchers focusing on the development of pathfinder technologies for the proposed international €1.5 billion Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.
Australia’s case for hosting the SKA project has been strengthened by the Federal Government’s budget announcement that $80 million will be allocated to a new Australian National Centre for SKA Science to be established in Perth. This follows a recent $20 million investment by the WA Government into the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). Hall and Tingay are Deputy Directors of ICRAR, which is an equal joint venture between Curtin and UWA that is focused on technical astronomy, science and engineering aspects of the SKA.
Tingay is also Project Manager for the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) project under development at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. The MWA will be a completely new type of radio telescope. Rather than an array of dishes, the MWA will be a configuration of ‘tiles’ each consisting of 16 antennas. The project is a major international collaboration between a number of US, Indian and Australian research teams.
Curtin’s advances in radio astronomy demonstrate the University’s ability to identify progressive research areas, and embark on strategies for research forays into areas of opportunity.
The development of next-generation information and communication technologies remains an area of exciting opportunities for researchers. Curtin maintains excellent research programs in pattern recognition, spatial science, wireless telecommunications, e-business and digital ontologies.
The Institute for Multi-sensor Processing and Content Analysis, for example, undertakes cutting-edge research that continually attracts industry and government funding. In collaboration with Digital Technology International, new technologies that were developed in projects supported by the Australian Research Council are now being deployed in intelligent systems that improve industrial efficiency and enhance security in complex environments such as public transport.
At Curtin Business School, research in ICT and emerging technologies is also intensifying. In particular, the Digital Ecosystems and Business Intelligence Institute (DEEBI) is advancing novel technology infrastructure, including web services, new ontologies in data mining, text mining and cyber security. DEEBI’s work is in demand in areas as diverse as commerce, transport communications, logistics planning, mining, healthcare and education.
HEALTH
Chronic conditions now dominate health-care spending in Australia. Accordingly, health research must look closely at preventative care and long-term health maintenance. To address the issue, Curtin is building a bold, integrated and relevant health research institute – the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI).
CHIRI’s programs respond astutely to the shifting health care patterns of ageing populations, and of societies that suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Curtin is providing more than $60 million for new infrastructure, and research programs for evidence-based solutions to contemporary health challenges. CHIRI’s outstanding capabilities are drawn from respected research groups in the Faculty of Health Sciences. These include the Centre for Research into Ageing, Centre for Developmental Health, Centre for International Health and the National Drug Research Institute.
EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
These examples demonstrate Curtin’s commitment to providing outstanding opportunities for researchers seeking to engage in and advance both academically rigorous and internationally relevant research. This commitment attracts many high-calibre researchers to Curtin’s centres and institutes. The University’s vibrant research culture is continually enhanced by the quality of its researchers, programs and partnerships.
Curtin understands that high-impact research is multidisciplinary in nature, and it promotes collaborative projects that will contribute to the sustainable environmental, economic and cultural development of communities worldwide.
