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September 16, 2015

Challenge-led funding for research of global importance

Projects to design smart garments for mining and emergency workers, develop new cancer drugs and create a multi-sensory room for people with disabilities have been awarded funding in the latest round of seed funding from UOW. 

Nearly $112,000 has been awarded to UOW researchers under the ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s Global Challenges program; a strategic research initiative that is focused on transformative interdisciplinary research that touches people's lives and changes worlds.  

Director of Global Challenges Professor Chris Gibson said the program, which has been designed to harness the expertise of UOW’s world-class researchers to address complex, real-world problems, is one of the first ‘challenge-led’ funding schemes in Australia to aid researchers in search of new funding sources outside the traditional government channels. 

“There are multitudes of ways to orchestrate interdisciplinary research. The Global Challenges approach is all about the people and projects.  What we’ve discovered since launching the program in 2013, is that by empowering researchers at all stages of their careers to stretch beyond their disciplinary comfort zones to work on a shared challenge, often translates into truly remarkable research that has the power to effect change.”  

Now in its third year, Global Challenges saw a 50 per cent increase in the number of seed funding applications this year, with nine new projects funded. 

Professor Gibson said several of the successful projects were focused on improving the health and wellbeing of Australians, including an investigation into how Australia cares for its prison population, which will inform public debate around the idea of the privatisation of prisons and policies for the future. 

A pilot study into the relationship between interaction of the caregivers and care recipients, of dementia and their anxiety in Residential Aged Care will also start, as will an investigation into a community based multi-sensory room for people with developmental disabilities and dementia in the Illawarra. Another project explores the redesign of food and beverage packaging in hospitals to assist older patients and those under going physical rehabilitation.

A project that looks at the legal issues surrounding new drugs developed from organisms found in the deep sea will also commence. This will also inform ongoing chemistry research at  (Dr Danielle Skropeta from this project pictured above). 

Teams of social scientists, engineers and biomechanical scientists will work with local surf board manufacturers to develop 3D printed surfboard fins inspired by whale fins that are customisable to individual surfers to improve performance, while materials scientists and philosophers create and evaluate a smart textile for the use of embedded communication and tracking systems for personnel working in mines or other hazardous situations.

Another project will look at integrated approaches to enhancing marine and coastal governance in the South Pacific Ocean island country Niue, which is poised to be one of the most severely affected by the impacts of climate change.