Three Nobel Laureates at Wollongong's largest scientific conference

Jun 21, 2004

The University of Wollongong is preparing to stage the biggest scientific conference ever held in Wollongong - and one of the largest in Australia.

The University of Wollongong outbid the United States and Brazil to conduct the International Conference on the Science and Technology of Synthetic Metals (ICSM 2004) from June 28 to July 2.

The conference titled "The role and impact of nanoscience and nanotechnologies" is expected to reap about $5 million in financial input into the Wollongong region.

About 800 scientists from 36 countries - including the presence of three Nobel Prize winners - are converging on Wollongong for the week-long conference. Conference organisers said it has been estimated that as a result of indirect expenditure at least $5 million could be channelled into the Wollongong region. The University of Wollongong's Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (with the assistance of UOW Conference Convener, James Cook, and Professor David Officer from Massey University in New Zealand) mounted the successful bid.

The Director of the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI), Professor Gordon Wallace, said the conference was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Illawarra businesses either to participate in or sponsor in some way.

The program was to feature a special symposium on "Business opportunities from synthetic metals and nano-technology" addressed by scientists and entrepreneurs who have been involved in commercialisation in the area of science and technology in the US, Europe and Asia. This session is a 'first' in the conference's 28-year history. At the close of the Business Opportunities session, a young Australian research scientist or student presenting an Australian innovation/technology with potential commercial value, was to be selected for the opportunity to have his or her research or Intellectual Property evaluated and developed. The prize, provided by SciVentures, comprises a two-day on-site workshop on Intellectual Property evaluation and development with the intent to commercialise.

ICSM brings together scientists to discuss the latest advances in Synthetic Metals (such as conducting polymers and carbon nanotubes). These materials are finding application in areas as diverse as artificial muscles, electronic noses, plastic solar cells, corrosion inhibition, biosensors, electronic textiles and nerve cell communications.

Ten plenary lectures from eminent international scientists are among the highlights of the scientific program. This included talks from the three Nobel Prize winners, Professor Alan Heeger (University of California), Professor Alan MacDiarmid (University of Pennsylvania) and Professor Hideki Shirakawa (University of Tsukuba, Japan) in a special one-off session. Selected school students from the Illawarra have been invited to meet the three Nobel Prize winners at a special event to be held at the Wollongong Science Centre.

The plenary talks are being supported by 20 keynote speakers, 180 oral presentations and 500 poster presentations. A conference dinner has been set down for the Wollongong Entertainment Centre with the 800 delegates and their partners expected to attend.

Final year students from Wollongong - and around Australia - have been invited to apply for financial assistance to attend this prestigious scientific event. Students were being selected on a competitive basis.

ICSM has previously been held in Siofok (1976), New York (1977), Dubrovnik (1978), Helsingor (1980), Boulder (1981), Les Arcs (1982), Abano Terme (1984), Kyoto (1986), Santa Fe (1988), Tubingen (1990), Goteborg (1992), Seoul (1994), Snowbird (1996), Montpellier (1998) Gastein, Austria (2000) and Shanghai, China (2002).