New research Training Centre to accelerate transformation of Australia’s automotive industry

20 November 2017

New research Training Centre to accelerate transformation of Australia’s automotive industry

A new Australian Research Council (ARC) research Training Centre will focus on research collaboration to develop new technologies for lightweight materials and advanced manufacturing processes to assist the automotive industry to innovate, create new jobs and prosper.

Senator James Paterson today officially opened the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures (ATLAS),which will be based at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, on behalf of Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham.

The new research Training Centre is receiving $3 million over five years through the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres scheme.

ARC Chief Executive Officer, Professor Sue Thomas, said the Training Centre will develop new lightweight technologies, manufacturing processes and energy storage designs that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions in transportation.

“Working with industry partnering organisations, the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures will accelerate the transformation of Australia’s automotive industry through new research capabilities and commercialisation of new processes and products,” said Professor Thomas.

“This new research Training Centre brings together world-leading scientists and industrial engineers from 16 organisations from Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and will provide an outstanding collaborative network to mentor, train and develop Australia’s next generation of researchers in an industry-focused research training environment.”

Researchers based at RMIT University will work closely with The Australian National University and Deakin University, as well as Imperial College London; University of Bristol, UK; Michigan Technological University; and Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen, Nuremberg. Partner organisations also include: Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd; Australian Rollforming Manufacturers Pty Ltd; Composite Materials Engineering Pty Ltd; Quickstep Automotive Pty Ltd; Capral Aluminium Centres; M.T.M Pty Ltd; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; Data M Sheet Metal Solutions; and Shape Corporation.

The Industrial Transformation Research Training Centres scheme fosters close partnerships between university-based researchers and other research end-users to provide innovative Higher Degree by Research (HDR) and postdoctoral training in research industries that are vital to Australia's future.

For more information about this research Training Centre, please visit the RMIT University website. For more information about the ARC and its grant schemes, visit the ARC website.
 
Media contact:
ARC Stakeholder Relations 
0412 623 056 or communications@arc.gov.au