News - Innovation Campus

‘Wollongong is IT’ at CeBIT 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 -1000

Illawarra ICT sector launches new campaign

Wollongong’s growing ICT sector is making an unconventional bid to attract more technology-enabled companies to the region and achieve the aim of becoming Australia’s answer to Silicon Valley.

Wollongong-based ICT companies within the Information and Communication Technology Illawarra (ICTI) cluster have joined forces with the University of Wollongong, Wollongong City Council, and NSW Trade & Investment to launch the ‘Wollongong is IT’ campaign at CeBIT, Australia’s largest ICT business event, from May 22-24. Wollongong is the only regional centre to be exhibiting at CeBIT.

During CeBIT, Wollongong’s business attraction initiative, Advantage Wollongong, will also be announced as a sponsor of the inaugural NASSCOM Innovation Students Award. The Award will honour innovative technology solutions being developed by graduate and post-graduate students across Australian universities.

According to Tony de Liseo, President of ICTI and Asia Pacific Manager for Wollongong-based Bond International Software, the campaign is designed to promote the competitive advantages of Wollongong to ICT businesses and large organisations looking to reduce costs by establishing shared services centres outside capital city CBDs.

“With high-speed communications, a world-class university and close proximity to Sydney, Wollongong is the ideal location for businesses looking to reduce costs and benefit from access to highly-skilled staff. ICTI is working closely with the University of Wollongong to develop programs to retain their highly-skilled ICT graduates through internships and work experience programs,” Mr de Liseo said.

Wollongong is also hoping to attract emerging technology businesses to the area and retain entrepreneurial students and graduates through the University of Wollongong’s iAccelerate initiative. iAccelerate has a strong commitment to entrepreneurial education and includes an incubator, StartPad, now operational in the Wollongong CBD and UOW Entrepreneur Club which is attracting over 100 attendees to its meetings.

The centrepiece of the iAccelerate strategy is a planned 3,500sqm accelerator centre to be built on the University of Wollongong’s award-winning research and business precinct, Innovation Campus, which already houses IT companies Mphasis a HP company, CommScope, iTree and Tickets.com.

Elizabeth Eastland the Director of Innovation and Commercial Research at the University of Wollongong said: “Despite producing the most ICT graduates in Australia, the majority of our graduates have to leave Wollongong to pursue their careers. Through iAccelerate and the Wollongong is IT campaign, we hope to change that and, at the same time, diversify and grow the local economy.”

Companies looking to establish a base in the Illawarra may be eligible for government assistance through the Illawarra Region Innovation and Investment Fund (IRIIF). The $30 million Fund was launched last year in response to the restructure of BlueScope Steel at Port Kembla and aims to support the economic diversification of the region. It is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments and BlueScope Steel. Over $15 million in funding was committed in the first round of the IRIIF announced on 2 April. Applications for the second round of funding close on 25 May.

Wollongong is Australia’s eighth largest city, located 80km south of the Sydney CBD and one hour from Sydney International Airport. It offers an enviable quality of life, competitive business costs, and extensive business and industry networks and support services. Over 4,500 people are currently employed in the knowledge services sector across Wollongong according to NSW Trade & Investment (October 2010). For more information, visit http://advantagewollongong.com.au/

Ends

Media Contact:

Jennifer Parker, Sage Communications

M: 0403 296 864

E: jennifer@sagecomms.com.au

Craig Peden, Director, Corporate Relations

University of Wollongong

P: +61 2 4221 5407

E: cpeden@uow.edu.au

UOW iC and India’s premier research organisation join forces

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -1000

The University of Wollongong (UOW) and India’s premier industrial research and development organisation, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will work together to advance research collaborations and establish a dedicated CSIR Research and Development Centre at UOW’s Innovation Campus.

CSIR was established in 1942 and is India’s largest research and development organisation with nearly 40 laboratories and 50 field stations throughout India. It has a collective staff of more than 17,000.

The arrangement between UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings, and Director - CSIR National Physical Laboratory Professor Ramesh C Budhani on behalf of CSIR, was entered into today (1 May) as part of a two-day visit to Wollongong by the high-level delegation from India led by the Director-General of CSIR, Professor Samir K Brahmachari. It also included Director CSIR - National Metallurgical Laboratory, Dr S Srikanth and Director CSIR – Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Dr Vijayamohanan Pillai.

Over the coming months the University and CSIR will develop research and development collaborations in areas including advanced steel metallurgy, lithium-ion batteries, super capacitors and polymer-based nano-composites.

Both organisations will also negotiate arrangements for the establishment of a CSIR Research and Development Centre on the Innovation Campus to work closely with the University’s research groups housed in the Australian Institute for Innovative Materials and to develop an academic exchange program for staff and students.

The attraction of India’s premier research organisation to the University’s Innovation Campus is welcomed and enhances its reputation as a global centre for world-class research collaborations.

Professor Wellings said that the relationship between the University and CSIR will make a substantial contribution to the future success of both organisations.

“This is a very exciting partnership that will allow the University and CSIR to advance our areas of mutual research interest through collaborations and through CSIR’s presence on the Innovation Campus.

“It adds to the University’s growing relationships with India, providing a strong research relationship with India’s premier research organisation to build on our relationships with Indian businesses, students and researchers,” Professor Wellings said.

Professor Brahmachari said that CSIR scientists from various laboratories already have ongoing collaborative research projects with other Australian research institutions. The partnership with the University of Wollongong, with a focus on innovation, would contribute to CSIR’s long standing vision to provide affordable health, low cost energy solutions and sustainable development for millions of people in India and in the world who need affordable science and technology solutions.

“When the delegation from the University, led by UOW Ambassador and former Australian cricket captain Mr Adam Gilchrist, visited CSIR in December last year we highly appreciated the academic strength of the University and the state-of-the-art facilities that were available on the Innovation Campus,” Professor Brahmachari said.

“We strive for global scientific impact and an important part of that is the development of a CSIR presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The Innovation Campus, the strength of the research staff and the University’s multi-disciplinary approach to research provide an excellent base to strengthen our long-term scientific objectives ,” Professor Brahmachari said.

Mr Gilchrist, who helped initiate discussions between the two organisations, said that the agreement would mark the start of a great transnational research partnership.

“This partnership will bring world-leading scientists from both organisations together in the exciting area of future materials – with a partnership of this strength the future is limitless,” Mr Gilchrist said.

Click here to view more photos of this CSIR Delegation.

iC signs Joy Global as tenant and R&D partner

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -1000

The University of Wollongong’s award-winning research and commercial precinct, Innovation Campus, today announced Joy Global has leased 1332 sqm of floorspace in its A Grade commercial building, iC Enterprise 1 (iCE1), and entered into an agreement with the University to collaborate on engineering research and development.

Joy Global is a worldwide leader in the development, manufacture, distribution and service of mining systems for the extraction of coal and other bedded materials.

According to Brad Neilson, Managing Director, Joy Australasia, the Innovation Campus provides the ideal combination of state-of-the art commercial office space and the competitive advantage of collaboration with the University of Wollongong:

“We were looking for premises that would allow us to consolidate a number of existing offices and undertake R&D and the Innovation Campus presented the ideal solution. In addition to fantastic office space, it gives us the opportunity to align with one of the most progressive schools of engineering and mining in the country, presenting opportunities for R&D as well as internships and scholarships.”

David Campbell, Director of the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus, commented: “We are delighted to secure Joy Global as both a tenant of the Innovation Campus and a partner to the University. Engineering is one of our core research strengths and this agreement will provide opportunities for both students and researchers to benefit from Joy Global’s rich 125-year history in the mining industry.”

iC Enterprise 1 is a $40 million A Grade commercial building completed in 2011. It features a 4.5 Star NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) rating and large floor plates of up to 2,600sqm. In addition to Joy Global, tenants of iCE1 include BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal, Cancer Council NSW, Tickets.com, CommScope Inc, and theSydneyBusinessSchool.

Named Australia’s Best Business & Industrial Park in the 2011 Property Council of Australia Innovation & Excellence Awards, the Innovation Campus offers close proximity to public transport, the University of Wollongong, and the Wollongong CBD and beachfront, as well as on-site facilities including a health club and cafe.

About Innovation Campus

The University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus is a 33 hectare research and commercial precinct inNorth Wollongong. Innovation Campus aims to drive partnerships and collaboration between the research and business communities by co-locating commercial and research organisations in state-of-the-art facilities.

The iC currently houses commercial tenants including BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal, Tickets.com, CommScope Inc, and the Cancer Council, as well as the Sydney Business School, Australian Institute of Innovative Materials, Institute of Transnational and Maritime Security and the Universityof Wollongong’s Digital Media Facility. In 2011, the Innovation Campus was awarded Best Business and Industrial Park in the Property Council of Australia’s Innovation and Excellence Awards. Wollongongis Australia’s eighth largest city, located 80km south of the Sydney CBD and one hour from Sydney International Airport. www.innovationcampus.com.au

For further information:

Media Contacts: Innovation Campus Contact:

Jennifer Parker, Sage Communications David Campbell, Director, Innovation

On behalf of the Innovation Campus Campus, University of Wollongong

M: 0403 296 864 P: +61 2 4221 4240

E: jennifer@sagecomms.com.au E: david_campbell@uow.edu.au

Jennifer Sailer, Joy Global

P: 02 4861 3987

E: jsailer@joy.com

$4.7 million Laureate research program seeks medical bionics breakthroughs

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -1000

The University of Wollongong’s newly appointed Australian Laureate Fellow Professor Gordon Wallace has launched a new $4.7 million medical bionics research program to develop ways to regenerate damaged nerves and muscles and ground-breaking brain implants for epilepsy patients.

Professor Wallace leads the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science at UOW’s Innovation Campus.

His team is already recognised as a world leader in the field of materials and bionics, by creating specialised three-dimensional structures made from ‘smart’ materials which are accepted by the human body and can enable regrowth of damaged nerves and muscles.

Professor Wallace’s team is working with senior clinicians at Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital on the medical bionics project. The hospital’s Chair of Medicine, neurologist Professor Mark Cook, and Associate Professor Rob Kapsa attended the launch on Friday (27 April).

“In the last couple of decades a whole new area has been developed in organic materials that conduct electricity,” Professor Wallace said.

He said the pioneering research that developed cochlear ear implants to help people overcome hearing loss had sparked interest among clinicians, who had started looking for new applications for the electrodes.

He said the new research program will focus on building better organic materials to conduct electricity through the body, to “improve lines of communication” between electronics and biology to stimulate nerve, muscle and bone regeneration.

“Cochlear implants stimulated the imagination of researchers, and now the challenge is to make 3-D structures that can be a muscle regeneration platform to facilitate and stimulate re-growth,” he said. “We will also be developing the machinery to put these three-dimensional structures together.”

The epilepsy project with Professor Cook at St Vincent’s aims to develop nanostructured materials that can be implanted in the brains of epilepsy sufferers to monitor electrical signals. The device would pre-empt an epileptic seizure and then release medication to reduce or eliminate the effects of the seizure.

Professor Wallace said the research program was a multi-disciplinary, high collaboration effort. His team of researchers and PhD students will be working with other faculties at UOW and researchers at the University of Tasmania and Deakin and Monash Universities in Victoria, as well as the clinicians at St Vincent’s and researchers overseas.

“This is a rare alignment of the planets, where we have the funding (from the Laureate Fellowship) a cracking research team and cracking people involved (from partner organisations),” Professor Wallace said.

Professor Cook said St Vincent’s Melbourne greatly valued its strong relationship with Professor Wallace and his team. He paid tribute to the team’s ability to produce the 3-D bionic materials needed for their clinical research at short notice.

“The quick turnaround in getting these materials makes all the difference,” Professor Cook said. “We have a dynamic relationship with Gordon’s team. There is a lot of interaction during production, and we are up and down (between Melbourne and Wollongong) regularly. My team really enjoys coming to UOW.”

Professor Cook and St Vincent’s head of Surgery Professor Peter Choong, along with UOW’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Health) Professor Don Iverson form a high-level advisory group for the research.

Professor Iverson said medical bionics was one of three key themes in modern medical research.

“This work would have been considered almost science fiction 10 years ago, but when we look at it 10 years from now we will be astounded by what has been achieved. Over the next 10 years this centre will produce research that will resonate around the world,” Professor Iverson predicted.

University researchers and BlueScope partner to pioneer new solar technology

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -1000

The University of Wollongong and BlueScope Steel have joined forces with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, one of the world’s leading renewable energy and sustainable building research organisations, in a new solar technology research and demonstration project with the support of $477,000 from the Australian Solar Institute.

Research will be undertaken into optimised configurations for a unique arrangement of solar cells that will not only provide solar electricity but also assist in heating and cooling the buildings they are fitted on.

The focus of the partnership will be the development of Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal (BIPVT) configurations suited to existing buildings, which aligns with retrofitting as the major focus of the University’s Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC).

The BIPVT retrofit system involves refurbishment of an existing roof by adding a new roof deck above the existing roof surface. The new roof deck incorporates solar cells, and air then flows in the duct created under the new roof surface.

This air flow will not only help cool the solar cells during warm weather, improving generation efficiency, but it will also help to heat and cool the building. Warm air generated in winter is used for heating, and as heat is radiated from the cells on summer nights, cool air is then supplied to the building, increasing overall energy efficiency.

“The ultimate goal of the collaboration with BlueScope Steel and the Fraunhofer Institute is to develop design and decision-support tools to optimise the system for retrofitting to a wide range of building types and climates,” Director of the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre, Professor Paul Cooper said.

“We will also be studying ways in which we can incorporate new phase-change materials to further improve the efficiency of these BIPVT systems.

“We are focussing on retrofitting because less than 2 per cent of existing building stock in Australia is replaced in any given year.

“New system configurations will not only be tested in laboratory settings but will also be demonstrated on the roof of our new Research Centre and other buildings in the Illawarra region as part of our Living Lab project to work out the best way to install the newest of technologies on older buildings,” Professor Cooper said.

“The Sustainable Buildings Research Centre building, which is under construction on the Innovation Campus, is targeting net zero energy use and we will be using the BIPVT technology to help us achieve that goal.”

The University of Wollongong’s Sustainable Buildings Research Centre will play a major role in the national research effort required to develop new technologies that help to reduce carbon emissions from existing homes and buildings.

Last reviewed: 29 March, 2012

Conference focuses on importance of wellbeing

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -1000

The 3rd Australian Positive Psychology and WellBeing Conference which concluded this week is a reflection of the popularity and awareness of the role of wellbeing in health, business and education.

The Australian Institute of Business WellBeing (AIBWB), a new interdisciplinary institute within the University of Wollongong’s Sydney Business School, hosted the conference.

The conference brought together delegates who shared a common interest in positive psychology and wellbeing and challenged them to think about their relevance and application across diverse sectors of society -- government, business, education and health.

The theme of the conference, ‘Spotlight on the Future’, reflected the emerging nature of the subject matter that was explored in the workshops, keynote presentations and other conference activities. Pre conference workshops were held on March 22 and a ‘Good Mood Safari and Emerging Researchers Symposium’ held on March 23. 23).

Topics covered by the conference included: Leadership development; people development through strengths building; responding to change; re-energising workforces; positive organisational scholarship; emotional intelligence; linkages between wellbeing and economic progress; the development of fairer, more egalitarian societies; and coaching for wellbeing and performance.

The conference was designed to allow people to share knowledge that can be used to construct solutions to a diverse range of societal concerns and to explore how the study of positive psychology and well-being may be best used to support positive change.

Keynote speakers included Eva Cox, Hugh Mackay, Richard Eckersley, David Clutterbuck, Todd Kashdan, Jennifer Garvey Berger, Kim Cameron, Don Iverson, Jenny Fox Eades, Hans Henrik Knoop, Paul Wong, Richard Ryan, David Drake and Felicia Huppert.

Event Organisers:

The Australian Institute of Business Wellbeing (AIBWB) is a new research and development unit at the University of Wollongong’s Sydney Business School. The interdisciplinary unit is led by Dr Lindsay Oades and its main focus is to examine the relationship between employee well-being and organisational performance. The AIBWB team blend academic excellence and organisational experience to offer a comprehensive range of education, training and consulting services. For more about AIBWB visit this site.

Thousands flock to UOW’s festival of Indian culture

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -1000

The University of Wollongong’s week of Bollywood-inspired activities and events culminated in a colourful finale with thousands of people on campus on Sunday for a celebration of Indian culture.

Activities ranged from dance lessons to yoga classes, pottery and cooking demonstrations, fashion, food and film, with an emphasis on family fun.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Professor Joe Chicharo described Sunday’s festival finale as “sensational”.

“The grounds were packed and everyone was having a great time,” Professor Chicharo said. “There were thousands of people on campus so it was a fantastic exercise in community engagement and international cultural exchange. We even had busloads of people down from Sydney.”

The event coincided with the final day of the four-day-long Indian Film Festival, with a range of Bollywood hits and classic Indian films screening in the University Hall.

Bollywood in Wollongong was presented by UOW in partnership with coal company Gujarat NRE, whose chairman Arun Jagatramka took a personal interest in festivities, including choosing some of his favourite films for screening throughout the festival.

At Thursday’s opening night, Mr Jagatramka introduced the first film Band Baaja Baaraat, saying it was “an extravaganza of colour, dance and drama that I wanted to share with the people of Wollongong”.

Speaking at the opening, Professor Chicharo paid tribute to Mr Jagatramka and his wife Mona for the way they supported the Illawarra, saying they were two of the region’s greatest champions.

“The University is very proud to work with Gujarat NRE and our other sponsors to create this iconic event,” he said.

“We are celebrating Indian culture – film, dance and food. It’s about people and relationships … and gaining a greater understanding of each other’s culture.”

Greenhouse gas analyser -- a world first

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -1000

The University of Wollongong (UOW) and Ecotech have announced a partnership to manufacture and distribute a comprehensive greenhouse gas analyser to worldwide markets.

Based on technology developed by researchers at UOW’s School of Chemistry, the new Ecotech instrument, known as the Spectronus analyser, delivers a high precision, real-time analysis of all principal greenhouse gases.

The Spectronus analyser has, according to its researchers, capabilities unmatched by its competitors.

The analyser has applications in background air monitoring and in quantifying the emissions and uptake of greenhouse gases by ecosystems and industries, especially agriculture.

“Policy decisions based on climate change research demand precise, highly accurate and repeatable data for all greenhouse gases, not just CO₂,” according to the Head of the UOW Research Team, Professor David Griffith.

Other gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, along with water vapour, are all important in any comprehensive assessment of atmospheric effects on and by climate change.

The Spectronus analyser offers, for the first time, a single high-accuracy instrument which simultaneously measures important greenhouse gases.

“One of the major benefits of the analyser is its long-term performance stability without the need for frequent calibration,” Ecotech’s Managing Director, Nicholas Dal Sasso said.

The Spectronus hardware is complemented by powerful operating software which results in a flexible, fully-automated system that can be controlled remotely.

“This partnership is a great example of the tertiary education and manufacturing sectors working together on an Australian innovation which will reach global markets,” Mr Dal Sasso said.

Ecotech is an Australian-owned company with more than 35 years’ experience providing environmental monitoring solutions. It specialises in ambient air, emissions, dust, process gas, water and blast monitoring solutions, and exports instruments throughout the world.

iC's ACES drives global water splitting consortium

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -1000

University of Wollongong scientists are behind the establishment of a global consortium which is using sunlight to convert water into important chemical fuels such as hydrogen gas.

The research promises a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by reducing CO₂from fossil fuel use. The process would also have huge commercial benefits given that it would be a renewable and low-cost fuel option.

Leading research scientists from the USA (Rutgers and Princeton Universities) and Germany (University of Stuttgart) have been visiting Wollongong this week in an important step towards establishing a global research consortium to develop effective strategies for water splitting.

Scientists from India (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the Indian Institute of Science) will also engage in the global project.

The consortium, being driven by researchers from the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES), is bringing together the wide range of skills necessary – including the design of molecular catalysts, fabrication of nanostructured electrodes, cell design and practical implementation.

“Advances in our understanding of Nature’s catalytic principles coupled with advances in nanofabrication bring us ever closer to a truly sustainable energy future – but the challenge in delivering practical systems that can be economically implemented remains formidable,” ACES Executive Director Professor Gordon Wallace said.

“It is envisaged that the global consortium will make significant strides forward bringing together synergies that will provide more effective progress through an integrated team approach.

“A global team is essential to tackling complex research challenges that will have an international impact and water splitting is certainly one of those. It makes sense to bring together the best minds on the planet if we are going to progress in a reasonable time frame,” Professor Wallace said.

The UOW team behind recent developments is Professor Gerry Swiegers, Professor David Officer and Professor Wallace. The core technology comprises separate but complementary innovations developed via collaborations between UOW, Princeton University, Rutgers University and Monash University.

Professor Wallace said these innovations can now be packaged together to provide an efficient method of splitting water into its component parts using only sunlight.

Broadly, the technologies involve the use of novel catalytic processes that enhance the efficient production of certain molecules of interest.

Professor Wallace said the first technology uses a highly-efficient chemical process, via novel electrocatalysts, to convert water into hydrogen gas.

The second technology mimics the water-oxidising centre in photosynthesis to produce oxygen gas from water under sunlight (i.e. splitting of water to form oxygen). Fully functional mimicry of this type has not previously been achieved.

“Put together, these technologies offer a cutting edge advance for the splitting of water into its component parts, hydrogen and oxygen, as well as the reverse process -- the production of an electrical current from the combination of the elemental hydrogen and oxygen to form water.

“The combination of these technologies offers a means of efficiently creating hydrogen gas (as a fuel) and then converting it into a powerful electric current by using it in a H₂/O₂ fuel cell.

“The water-splitting application has been demonstrated in simple ‘proof of concept’ devices within the laboratory.

“The research teams are currently performing studies to obtain efficiency data and are working towards engineering a prototype device. The ultimate aim is to develop commercial devices able to spontaneously convert water into hydrogen and oxygen under sunlight,” Professor Wallace said.

New Bionic devices a reality?

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -1000

A revolutionary new approach to creating bionic devices is now possible with state-of-the-art 2D and 3D printing technologies and prototyping facilities at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute's (IPRI) newly established Processing & Devices Facility.

Australian and International scientists, engineers and surgeons attending the latest BioFabrication Symposium at Innovation Campus (iC) last week have recognised the opportunities available at the Facility.

The innovative hardware coupled with the scientific and engineering skills attracted from around the globe have enabled IPRI and its collaborators to be world leaders in medical bionics research and development.

Spinal Cord Repair Breakthrough

A new ink formulation which can print patterned surfaces has been developed for nerve cell regeneration. The regenerative re-sprouting of nerve cells with the first ever printed platform is real a breakthrough for IPRI researchers. IPRI Director Prof. Gordon Wallace said these sorts of bionic devices enable researchers to interface the world of biology with the world of electronics.

"Developments in this area to date have resulted in the cochlear implant (Bionic Ear), nerve stimulators for control of Parkinson's disease and deep brain stimulators for epilepsy.

"Ongoing advances in materials and fabrication methods are bringing the pursuit of regenerative bionic devices (for nerve and muscle repair) a step closer to reality" said Prof. Wallace.

Bone Regeneration

Research collaborator Professor Peter Choong (one of Australia's leading orthopaedic surgeons) stated that developments in fabrication using functional materials will make a real impact in future bionic devices and medical implants. Peter is currently working with Prof. Wallace to develop implants for bone regeneration. Download (mp3) Peter's interview with ABC Radio Illawarra’s Nick Rheinberger.

Read more about the symposium ‘Processing and Fabrication: The Ultimate Challenge for Functional Materials’