Fifty new research projects can get underway immediately, the Turnbull Government announced today, as part of $38.6 million worth of funding through the Australian Research Council.
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the Future Fellows will help the nation innovate, invent and apply new ideas across key research areas, forming part of the Turnbull Government’s Innovation Agenda.
“These 50 Fellows will build on the nation’s innovation efforts and deliver research outcomes that will improve the lives of everyday Australians.
“Like Dr Timothy Dargaville from Queensland University of Technology, whose $812,460 Future Fellows funding will help him develop a 3D moulding process that could be used for tissue transplants.
“We know the important value of the Future Fellowships scheme but the previous Labor government left a funding cliff for this vital research program. This Government is committed to making Future Fellowships an ongoing program by awarding 100 four-year fellowships a year.”
“To be an innovative nation we must support our outstanding researchers to ensure we retain a strong research workforce for many years to come,” Minister Birmingham said.
This announcement builds on the $2.3 billion of funding for national scale research announced in the Turnbull Government’s Innovation Agenda.
Some of the other 2015 Future Fellows and their four-year funded projects include:
• Dr Mark Waters from The University of Western Australia who will receive $689,052 to investigate new ways to improve crop productivity.
• Dr Fiona Barlow from Griffith University will receive $802,615 to investigate the harmful effects of racism and develop solutions to promote social cohesion.
• Dr Qiaoliang Bao from Monash University who will receive $824,960 to engineer novel two-dimensional nanomaterials, with the potential to help with high-power conversion efficiency for the electronic and energy industries.
More information on the 2015 Future Fellowships announcement is available on the ARC website.
A snapshot of funding by state and university is attached.
Minister’s Media Contact: James Murphy, 0478 333 974 / Nick Creevey, 0447 644 957
ARC Media: 0412 623 056 or communication@arc.gov.au
| Administering Organisation | Total number of projects | Total ARC funding |
| Australian Capital Territory | 5 | $3,751,315 |
| The Australian National University | 5 | $3,751,315 |
| New South Wales | 13 | $10,385,527 |
| Macquarie University | 5 | $3,683,068 |
| The University of New South Wales | 1 | $903,625 |
| The University of Newcastle | 1 | $690,352 |
| The University of Sydney | 3 | $2,477,935 |
| University of Wollongong | 3 | $2,630,547 |
| Queensland | 9 | $7,129,434 |
| Griffith University | 3 | $2,144,131 |
| Queensland University of Technology | 1 | $812,460 |
| The University of Queensland | 5 | $4,172,843 |
| South Australia | 2 | $1,724,012 |
| The Flinders University of South Australia | 1 | $919,052 |
| The University of Adelaide | 1 | $804,960 |
| Tasmania | 1 | $660,751 |
| University of Tasmania | 1 | $660,751 |
| Victoria | 18 | $13,390,272 |
| La Trobe University | 2 | $1,518,207 |
| Monash University | 8 | $6,065,659 |
| Swinburne University of Technology | 2 | $1,364,704 |
| The University of Melbourne | 6 | $4,441,702 |
| Western Australia | 2 | $1,606,689 |
| The University of Western Australia | 2 | $1,606,689 |
| Total | 50 | $38,648,000 |