ARC Centres of Excellence research showcase

Kylie Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Science Technology Australia

ARC Centres of Excellence research showcase

Leaders from Australian Research Council (ARC) research centres highlighted their stories of outstanding science and research to Australian Parliamentarians and key policy makers at an ARC Centres of Excellence Research Showcase held in the Australian Parliament House on Thursday, 7 September 2017.

Co-hosted by the ARC and Science and Technology Australia (STA), the research showcase involved representatives from 28 ARC Centres of Excellence, as well as several Special Research Initiatives and ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs.

Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, presented the opening address for the showcase at Parliament House and acknowledged the ground-breaking research of the ARC Centres of Excellence that has a real-world impact in Australia and across the world. The Minister then toured the research showcase, speaking with Centre Directors who described and demonstrated their Centre’s research and its outcomes.

The research showcase also provided Centre Directors—our leading Australian researchers—with the opportunity to listen and engage with representatives from the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Humanities, the Commonwealth Science Council and elected representatives in Parliament to hear about broader strategic issues and visions shaping Australian research.

Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham engaging with ARC Centre Directors.

Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham engaging with ARC Centre Directors.

Dr Chris Hatherly, Policy Director, Australian Academy of Science

Dr Christine (Tina) Parolin, Executive Director, Australian Academy of Humanities

Professor Nalini Joshi, ARC Australian Laureate Fellow and member of the Commonwealth Science Council

Kylie Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Science Technology Australia

Dr Chris Hatherly, Policy Director, Australian Academy of Science

Dr Christine (Tina) Parolin, Executive Director, Australian Academy of Humanities

Professor Nalini Joshi, ARC Australian Laureate Fellow and member of the Commonwealth Science Council

“ARC Centres of Excellence are prestigious foci of expertise through which high-quality researchers maintain and develop Australia’s international standing in research areas of national priority and build Australia’s research capacity,” said Chief Executive Officer of the ARC, Professor Sue Thomas.

“ARC Centres of Excellence are undertaking highly innovative and transformational research. They are also building new capacity for interdisciplinary, collaborative approaches to address our most challenging and significant research problems.

“The research showcase highlighted how these Centres are informing social and cultural research policy; tackling environmental challenges, agriculture and food security; delivering industry and health applications; and undertaking fundamental science and mathematics research.”