News Alerts

French-Australian S&T program renewed

The French-Australian Science and Technology Program (FAST) has been renewed under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in December by Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research and the French Ambassador, Mr Michel Filhol.

FAST is jointly managed by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, and its French counterparts, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

The Australian component of FAST funding is provided under the International Science Linkages program, which aims to promote and support scientific and technological cooperation between Australian and international researchers.

To date the FAST program has funded 65 projects. Amongst these is research by the Australian National University and France's National Centre for Scientific Research that could lead to a renewable source of hydrogen fuel, the creation of cheaper nano-biomaterials and modelling the dynamics of renewable resource systems to help combat climate change. 

A call for expressions of interest for the 2009 round of funding inder the FAST program is expected to be published mid-year. More information on previously funded projects is at https://grants.innovation.gov.au/ISL/Pages/Outcomes.aspx or phone (02) 6276 1617.

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Funding boosted for Australian Postgraduate Awards

Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research announced late last year that an additional 1000 Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) would be offered as part of the higher education research block grants in 2009.

APA scholarships are awarded by institutions to students of exceptional research potential undertaking a PhD or Masters by research degree, to assist with students' living costs.

The Labor Government made an election commitment to increase the number of Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship places offered each year to 3,500 by 2012. In 2009, an additional $20.4 million is being provided to fund 1000 additional postgraduate awards through the Government's Scholarships for a Competitive Future. This will take total spending to $52.8 million for 2584 new APA scholarships in 2009.

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New appointments to ACIP

A new chair and four new members have been appointed to the Advisory Council on Intellectual Property (ACIP).

The new council chair, Mr Leon Allen, is a partner of the patent and trade mark firm Davies Collison and Cave, and vice-president of The Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia.

The four new council members are:

• Associate Professor Elizabeth Webster, Director of the Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia and principal research fellow at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research.;
• Mr Adam Liberman, General Counsel and General Manager of Intellectual Property at CSIRO;
• Dr Tracie Ramsdale, Non-executive Director of Alchemia Ltd and a member of a number of other advisory boards involved with innovation and research; and
• Dr Noel Chambers, Director of Centuris Pty Ltd.

Appointments to the council are for three years commencing on 1 January 2009. Further information regarding ACIP is available at www.acip.gov.au

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Victorian call for advanced internet projects

The Victorian Government has called for applications for grants under the first round of the $15 million Collaborative Internet Innovation Fund (CIIF).

Grants of up to $500,000 are available for collaborative projects involving multiple partners or organisations undertaking innovative work in ‘web 2.0’ applications. These include wikis, blogs, social networking sites, image-based interfaces, video sharing sites, information mash-ups and virtual worlds.

Web 2.0 also involves a range of new capabilities, such as user-generated content, collective intelligence, reusable and remixable data, and open access sharing and collaboration.

The program is in addition to the Broadband Innovation Fund (BIF), which provided $15 million towards new uses of broadband technology by Victorian Government agencies in health, education and environmental management.

Applications close on Thursday, 5 March, 2009. For details and to access the online application toolkit, visit www.mmv.vic.gov.au/CollaborativeInternetInnovationFund.

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WA reappoints Chief Scientist (correction to item, 20/1/2009)

The Western Australian Government has re-appointed its Chief Scientist, Professor Lyn Beazley.

Professor Beazley is the Professor of Zoology at The University of Western Australia, and former leader of the WA Neurotrauma Research Program. She has served as Chief Scientist since 2006.

As part of the Chief Scientist’s role, Professor Beazley will also be a member of the Western Australian Science and Innovation Council and the Technology and Industry Advisory Council.

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WA targets SKA project

The WA government has announced a number of initiatives to progress WA’s bid for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio-astronomy project.

Funding of $4 million has been approved for the purchase of Boolardy Station, 300 kilometres north-east of Geraldton to house the facility, and the Office of Native Title has been authorised as lead negotiator in the establishment of a Boolardy land use agreement.

The state government has also completed negotiations with the University of WA and Curtin University of Technology to jointly establish an International Radio Astronomy Research Centre (IRARC) in Perth with a branch at Geraldton. The government will contribute $20 million towards the establishment and operation of IRARC.

UWA’s Professor Peter Quinn, a Premier’s Fellow in Astronomy has been appointed centre director, together with deputy directors Professor Steven Tingay and Professor Peter Hall, both leading radio astronomers based at Curtin and Professor Lister Staveley-Smith, also a Premier’s Fellow in Astronomy at UWA. 

Australia and southern Africa have been identified as the most likely suitable sites for the project, with WA’s Murchison region offering a good location because of its rare and exceptional radio quietness. The Federal Government is funding the construction of the new Pathfinder telescope in the Murchison region, which will provide a test-bed for SKA technology.

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New Queensland centre for prostate cancer research

The Federal Government has announced funding of $7.5 million to establish a Prostate Cancer Research Centre at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, to be hosted by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

The funding is part of an election commitment for $15 million over five years for the establishment of two dedicated Prostate Cancer Research Centres, as part of the Rudd Government's $249 million National Cancer Plan. The other centre, announced last November will be located at the Epworth Hospital in Richmond, Victoria.

The Brisbane centre will relocate to dedicated research and clinical space in the Translational Research Institute in Brisbane when it is completed in 2012.

The Prostate Cancer Research Centres will develop improved diagnostic and screening tools as well as new treatments for prostate cancer.

The Federal Government is also providing funding to the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group to support clinical trials in prostate cancer and testicular, bladder, renal and other urogenital cancers. A total of $7.5 million, administered by Cancer Australia, is provided each year to support cancer clinical trials groups.

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Announcements

Call for Applications — $75,000 Dr Paul Brock Stem Cell Scholarship

The NSW Government is inviting applications for the Dr Paul Brock Stem Cell Scholarship. This new scholarship will provide up to $75,000 cash over three years to support PhD research in the emerging field of Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells.

iPS cells show similar properties to embryonic stem cells and while recent international developments are at an early stage they show promise for a range of therapeutic areas being pursued in NSW.

The Scholarship aims to:
• Support PhD students working with adult as well as embryonic stem cells;
• Expand the knowledge base and research capability to see advances made in adult and embryonic stem cell research in NSW, nationally and internationally through the use of iPS cell techniques; and
• Encourage the development of research that is of benefit to the community.

The application deadline is 5:00 pm AEDT, 13 February 2009.

Dr Paul Brock AM
The scholarship has been named in recognition of Dr Paul Brock AM for his significant and ongoing contributions to public debate on stem cell sciences.

Assessment
To be eligible, applicants must: provide evidence of Australian citizenship or permanent residency; meet the requirements for admission to PhD candidature at the administering NSW University; and propose a project that will expand the knowledge base and research capability to see advances made in adult and embryonic stem cell research in NSW, nationally and internationally through the use of iPS cell techniques.

For further information please visit: www.osmr.nsw.gov.au  

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Conferences & Events

2009 AIRG Conference : Picking Winners in the Australasian landscape

AUSTRALASIAN INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH GROUP

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2009

RENDEZVOUS HOTEL, 23rd/24th FEBRUARY, 2009.

The Australasian Industrial Research Group (AIRG) invites you to attend the 2008 AIRG Annual Conference on 23rd & 24th February, 2009 at the Rendezvous Hotel in Melbourne.

Globalization and the rise of the “new economies” is creating a changing business environment where a focus on innovation is increasingly a key factor in the creation of competitive advantage. Innovation, in all its forms, has become a major driving force in economic growth and in social development. This trend has not been limited to the traditional developed nations.

With the global technology landscape changing rapidly, new products and services are emerging from competitors in new economies. Product lifetimes are shortening with some new technologies being rapidly copied and/or superseded. Increasingly, entrepreneurial companies have more choice about how to source new technology enabled products and services. They expect that their technology suppliers will show a high degree of innovation and work to provide outcomes quickly, ingeniously and with an outward looking approach to the sourcing component technologies as needed.

In this environment, the AIRG has decided that the theme of its 2009 Annual Conference should be “Picking Winners”. Leading speakers from overseas and Australia will discuss themes including:

• Best Practice Frameworks for Picking Winners
• Strategy Setting and choice of R&D Targets
• Breakthrough Technology Development and Innovation
• People Considerations
• Effective Commercialization of Research Outcomes

The conference will provide delegates with a unique forum in which they can:
• Learn more about these key issues and their likely impacts
• Develop their professional networks of peers through sharing experiences and challenges.

To view the brochure please see HERE.

For further details and a registration form, please contact Miss Meg Caffin, AIRG Executive Officer at airg@atse.org.au or telephone her on (03) 9347 1562.

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IP Management in Practice conference

IP MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE conference
The Grace Hotel, SYDNEY, 16th – 18th MARCH 2009

• 21 sessions on key IP issues and emerging trends
• 2 Workshops
• 9 Case Studies

Who should attend:
IP Managers; R&D Managers; Technology Managers; Innovation Managers; Commercialisation Managers

Hear from:
Telstra; IBM; CSIRO; Sun Microsystems; Bionomics; and the Federal Attorney-General’s Dept

R&D INFO READER OFFER: 2 DELEGATES FOR THE PRICE OF 1 BOOK NOW

• Adapting IP management to local conditions
• Avoiding pitfalls in international deal-making
• Exploiting global IP to enhance the bottom line
• Generating new revenue streams through IP
• Creating and fostering an innovative IP culture
• Facilitating collaboration and enhancing innovation
• Targeting IP educational campaigns across your organisation
• Raising the profile of IP in M&A transactions
• Controlling and protecting your digital IP

Endorsed by:
Australian Institute for Commercialisation
Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA)
Product Development Management Association (PDMA)

R&D INFO READER OFFER: 2 DELEGATES FOR THE PRICE OF 1

Download Programme
Book now

Contact Tonkin Corporation at registrations@TonkinCorporation.com or telephone 02 9224 6000

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Further Education

Clinical Research Context and Practice

Clinical Research Context and Practice

Melbourne Consulting and Custom Programs, University of Melbourne, is pleased to announce that we are taking enrolments for our Graduate programs in Clinical Research.

Start your career with the Professional Certificate in Clinical Research (25 point qualification) by enrolling with Clinical Research Context and Practises (12.5 points)

Topics covered include:

• Basic ethics in human research
• Principles of respect, autonomy, beneficence and maleficence
• Balancing harm and benefit
• Balancing the role of physician and researcher
• The convergence of statistical and clinical reasoning in research
• Difficulties in various types of trial
• Case studies of high-profile mistakes and problems in studies
• Need for integrity in trials and studies.
• Principles of recruitment, selection, allocation and randomisation
• The role of blinding and the need for objectivity
• Measurement of exposure and response, including surrogate measures, markers of response, and choice of endpoints.

Cost: $2,100
When: February 9, 10, 12 & 13 2009
Where: The University of Melbourne
Conference Room
442 Auburn Road
Hawthorn, Victoria Australia 3122

For more information please click HERE

Express your interest in this course or related courses by contacting;
Steve Farish on (03) 8344 4986 or email s.farish@unimelb.edu.au
Mary Georges on (03) 9810 3185 or email m.georges@mccp.unimelb.edu.au

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Invest in Yourself: Study Commercialisation at Adelaide

Why choose Science and Technology Commercialisation programs at the University of Adelaide?

• Award programs from Graduate Certificate to Masters.
• Track record spanning over a decade.
• Meeting place of scientific and business minds.
• Effective transfer of technology to market.
• Creation of social and financial well-being.

Vibrant discussion in person and online brings together perspectives from all areas involved in the commercialisation process with a focus on the rapid transfer of technology from research to market.

With participants from across the nation, small classes of like-minded peers from academic, industry and professional backgrounds foster the establishment of valuable networks.
Coursework is delivered in intensive blocks by expert professionals with extensive industry insight.

Assessment is assignment based, allowing direct application of newly acquired skills to workplace opportunities.

With programs commencing in February and July 2009, discover more about Commercialisation at Adelaide today. Contact Program Director Antonio Dottore on (08) 8303 7512

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Business Services

Spruson&Ferguson: patent and trade mark attorneys

With over 120 years experience, Spruson & Ferguson is a leading intellectual property firm in Australia which provides a fully integrated service for the protection, commercialisation and enforcement of your intellectual property.

Spruson & Ferguson is one of the largest intellectual property firms in Australia, with a team of over 220. Our 60 plus patent and trade mark attorneys and lawyers work in specialised practice areas; Chemical/Life Sciences, Mechanical, Electrical/Information & Communications Technologies (ICT) and Trade Marks, together with Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers which provides intellectual property commercialisation, enforcement and dispute resolution services.

Spruson & Ferguson’s patent and trade mark attorneys and lawyers have extensive intellectual property and industry experience in science and engineering including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, electronics, phototonics, transport, telecommunications, mining, publishing, consumer products, ceramics, chemistry and mechanical/medical technologies.

The depth of our industry experience is an attribute that many of our clients hold in high regard. Spruson & Ferguson is a recognised as a market leader with multinationals and many of Australia’s foremost research institutions entrusting to us to protect and assisting with the maximisation of returns on their intellectual property assets.

Our comprehensive range of services includes patents, trademarks, designs, domain names, IP audits, due diligence, dispute resolution and litigation and intellectual property commercialisation services including licensing, joint ventures and research and development collaborations.

For more information about our comprehensive range of intellectual property services, please contact one of the following relationship principals:

Chemical: Dr John McCann BSc (Hons) PhD FIPTA
Life Sciences: Dr Andrew Blattman BScAgr (Hons) PhD GDipIP FIPTA
Electrical: Robert Miller BE BLegS FIPTA
ICT: Scott Berggren BSEE MSEE LLB FIPTA
Mechanical: Greg Turner BE FIPTA
Trade Marks: Annette Freeman BA LLB (ANU) LLM (UTS)
IP Commercialisation: Rob McInnes BSc (Hons) LLB (Syd)
IP Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Simon Williams BA LLB (Syd) LLM (Lond)
Managing Principal: David Griffith BE (Hons) FIPTA

Telephone: (02) 9393 0100
Fax: (02) 9261 5486
Email mail@sprusons.com.au
Website here 

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Positions Vacant

Deputy Director for CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research

CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research, Aspendale VIC
$124K to $155K + Car, Super & negotiable bonus up to 10 %
Ref.No. 2009/10

The Position

The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research is a partnership between Australia’s leading atmospheric and oceanographic research agencies, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and CSIRO.

The partners’ vision is to create a joint Centre for earth system science recognised for its innovation and scientific excellence nationally and as a world leader in its field. The Centre is being supported for an initial period of 5 years.

We are seeking a Deputy Director (Research Program Leader), one of two roles supporting the recently appointed Director, with a specific responsibility for providing leadership in the development of science capability for the Earth Systems Modelling and Climate Science Program, resource management of Program staff and maintenance of the strong collaborative partnership between CSIRO and the BOM.

The role also encompasses responsibility for science delivery for certain BOM research programs. CSIRO and the BOM aim to leverage and enhance the earth systems science and atmospheric science capability of both organisations for the benefit of Australians, Australian Industry and society and the Australasian region.

The key areas of impact for the Centre are:

• Strategic management of some of Australia’s leading science capability;
• Leadership in Australian earth systems science; and
• Delivery of research outcomes of national significance, through collaboration with complementary activities in the CSIRO, BoM and external agencies.

This senior leadership appointment will be offered for a 4 year period, renewable depending on the success of the outcomes of the Centre, The successful candidate will be offered a substantive indefinite appointment and will be employed by CSIRO.

The position will be located in Melbourne VIC but other locations will be considered.

CSIRO prefers all applications to be lodged via our online careers portal at https://recruitment.csiro.au/asp/index.asp. Email/late applications will not be accepted.

Note that applicants must address the selection criteria. Applicants that do not address the selection criteria will not be considered. To assist with preparing your application please read the information guidelines for applicants on the CSIRO online portal.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply for all CSIRO positions.

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