The Acting Chief Scientist & Engineer, Dr Chris Armstrong, has today announced a multi-million dollar funding injection for the state’s strategic research infrastructure, including a significant boost for our space research capabilities.
A total of $6.8 million from the NSW Government’s Research Attraction and Acceleration Program (RAAP) has been invested in cutting-edge research and development facilities, including the awarding of over $1 million in funding to Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO), for its newly established node at Macquarie University.
“AAO telescope instrumentation has enabled major astronomical discoveries, including the confirmation of the discovery of dark energy. This new node at Macquarie University positions NSW as a key player as Australia turns its research attention to space.
"This is a win for local R&D, but it will also attract leading international research projects to NSW, which will benefit from access to our world-class facilities,” said Dr Armstrong.
“This support ensures we can continue to build world-class optical astronomy instrumentation, while developing a new focus on transferring our technology to other key areas of the NSW economy, including environmental and biomedical monitoring, communications and defence applications,” said Professor Michael Steel, Interim Director of AAO-Macquarie.
Grants were also awarded to the following NSW-based research infrastructure, with separate facilities or nodes as indicated:
- AuScope (University of Sydney, Macquarie University)
- Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering (ANSTO)
- Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility (USyd, UNSW)
- Australian National Fabrication Facility (MQU, UoW, UNSW)
- Bioplatforms Australia (MQU, UNSW, Garvan Institute)
- Groundwater Infrastructure Project (UNSW)
- Integrated Marine Observing System (Sydney Institute of Marine Science)
- National Imaging Facility (USyd, UNSW, Western Sydney University)
- NSW eResearch Nexus (Intersect)
- Secure Unified Research Environment (The Sax Institute)
- Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (WSU).
This funding is provided to NSW-based institutions currently or previously funded under the Commonwealth’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
MEDIA:
Bruce Ritchie, Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer, 0429 412 426