The University of Sydney Plays a Key Role in Collaborative Research

The University of Sydney will play a key organisational role in two new collaborative research networks as part of a $42m government initiative announced by the Minister for Education, Science and Training today.

Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Networks have been set up to coordinate leading edge research across Australia in areas identified by the Government as national Research Priorities, an initiative of the Backing Australia's Ability program.

The University of Sydney is lead organisation in two of the 24 successful networks announced today with funds awarded totalling $4m over five years. Its researchers will also be participating in 13 additional networks.

Jointly funded by the ARC and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the networks will help build connections between people, disciplines, organisations and countries, bringing together more than 3,400 participants from Australia and overseas.

ARC Research Networks approved for funding in 2004, with the University of Sydney as the lead institution are:

ARC Research Network on Ageing Well : Led by Professor Hal Kendig, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. This project will receive $2.5m over five years to support interdisciplinary, high quality research into ageing and will link researchers from areas such as nurture development, and social and health disciplines. It will foster research which responds to the aspirations and needs of older Australians and inform action that can improve experiences of individual and population ageing. This project will help to advance the National Research Priority of Promoting and Maintaining Good Health.

Molecular and Materials Structure Network : The Network will build powerful e-science resources for the structural sciences. Collaborative remote access will be developed for sophisticated instrumentation, including instruments planned for the Replacement Research Reactor and Australian Synchrotron. Encompassing physics, computer science, applied mathematics, chemistry and biochemistry, and catalysing interaction across these disciplines, the MMSN will impact all five National Research Priority 3 goals towards developing Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries. The program will receive $1.5m over five years, with Dr Cameron Kepert, Senior Lecturer at the University's School of Chemistry acting as convenor for the network.

Further information is available online at:

http://www.usyd.edu.au/

http://www.usyd.edu.au/news/newsevents/articles/2004/aug/26_networks.shtml