WA gets $22m in ARC funds

WESTERN Australia’s four public universities have been awarded $22 million in the annual round of federal government research grants, 7.1 per cent of the national total.

The University of WA has been awarded the lion’s share of WA funding, $16 million, or 73 per cent of the state’s total.

“The University of Western Australia has a history of being at the forefront of research that benefits all Western Australians and we are pleased that this continues to be the case,” UWA vice-chancellor Alan Robson said. 

The University of Queensland received the largest amount at $38 million, the bulk of which came from the discovery projectsscheme. 

The Australian National University received $35 million, the University of New South Wales $33 million, Monash University $31 million, and the University of Sydney $30 million.

In WA, the grants will help to fund 67 projects, including better connecting remote WA residents to the National Broadband Network.

Green energy projects, and the study of perinatal mental health and positive parenting in young Aboriginal parents are other areas of focus.

UWA will use its $16 million to fund 42 new projects, including mining-related
science, indigenous health, and climate change studies. 

A total of $1.3 million will be spent on resources industry related research associated with commercial partnerships. The single biggest UWA grant was $700,000 for a national geotechnical centrifuge facility involving 18 scientists. 

After UWA was Curtin University ($5.5 million), Murdoch University ($0.42 million), and Edith Cowan University ($0.22 million). At Curtin, some of its grant will be used to improve cancer-related medical imaging techniques.

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