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An Overview of Research and Development in 2007

Linda Kristjanson, Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Development

Linda Kristjanson, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Development, outlines some notable achievements by Curtin’s research community in 2007.

At Curtin, we are widely recognised by industry for the practical and applied nature of our research, and for our focus on developing mutually beneficial partnerships. Strong, strategic partnerships have proven to be vital to the growth of Curtin’s research activities in the past, and we will continue to pursue these alliances in the future. Major initiatives undertaken in 2007, such as the Resources and Chemistry Precinct, highlight this commitment to collaborative research, while the success of our commercialisation activities highlights the relevance and importance of our research to industry and the broader community.

2007 was an exceptional year for Curtin’s research program. The impact and relevance of Curtin’s research, and the success of the University’s commercialisation program, was highlighted by our success at the Western Australian Inventor of the Year Awards:

  • MillMapper, a technology of the Curtin spin-out company Scanalyse, was the winner of the ready for market category. MillMapper is a tool to capture the internal conditions of large grinding mills on mine sites, increasing both safety and mill throughput, resulting in millions of dollars of extra revenue for mine sites.

  • Runner-up in the same category was the CryoCell Technology from another Curtin spin-out company, Cool Energy. CryoCell Technology extracts carbon dioxide from natural gas, making it available for geosequestration or industrial applications.

  • Finally, runner-up in the early stage category was the Virtual Observer system, developed by Dr Stewart Greenhill and Professor Svetha Venkatesh.

Several major research facilities were launched in 2007:

  • Following the launch of the Resources and Chemistry Precinct earlier in the year, Resources Minister Frances Logan launched the National Gas Separation and Sub-Sea Multiphase Flow Loop Facility at Technology Park. The facility, led by Professor Robert Amin, is the result of a successful collaboration between Curtin and long-time industry partner, Woodside Energy. The facility will address the technical and economic challenges associated with the extraction of offshore oil and gas reserves from deep water, and builds on Curtin’s excellence in strategic research for the resources sector.

  • Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter launched the Curtin-based Western Australian Nanochemistry Research Institute – a collaboration with other universities under the State’s Centres of Excellence program. Nanotechnologies are expected to underpin major developments in the biomedical and resources areas. The Institute is headed up by Professor Eric Bakker; a leader in the development of biosensors and chemical sensors.

Other notable achievements include the installation of the first beta positron emission tomography probe in Australia at Cutin’s School of Public Health under a grant from the Cancer Council WA. One of only four in the world, the hand-held probe can detect tumours less than one centimetre in size, and promises to bring hope to cancer patients faced with the prospect of repeated surgery. Principal investigator Kerryn Butler-Henderson will initially use the probe for women with ductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer, helping to pinpoint cancer cells during surgery thus reducing the need for a second operation.

Individual achievements in 2007 include:

  • Professor Jonathan Majer’s pioneering research in entomology by the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science was recognised with the award of the prestigious Mueller Medal.

  • Professor Dong-ke Zhang’s outstanding contributions at the Centre for Fuels and Energy were recognised by the University honouring him with the well-deserved title, Distinguished Professor.