Official opening of $12m Centre of Excellence

Feb 15, 2006

The Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Research Council (ARC), Professor Peter Hoj, will officially open the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science based at the University of Wollongong on Thursday 16 February.

Other guests at the official opening will be the NSW Minister for Regional Development, Mr David Campbell; the Executive Director of the ARC's Engineering and Environmental Science, Dr Ian Mackinnon; UOW's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Margaret Sheil (representing the Vice-Chancellor); UOW's Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Lee Astheimer; and the Director of the new ARC Centre of Excellence, Professor Gordon Wallace.

The Centre draws its core expertise from its partners: the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (UOW), the ARC, the NSW Department of State and Regional Development, Monash University, the Bionic Ear Institute, and St Vincent's Health. The Centre has already attracted 21 visiting scientists from eight different countries since the Federal Government announced plans for its introduction in 2005.

This combination, with the input of other distinguished collaborators, brings together some of the foremost researchers in chemistry, materials science, physics, biology and mathematics in Australia.

The Centre aims to create the electromaterials required for a new generation of artificial muscles and nerve repair systems, and the bio-batteries and bio-fuel cells to drive them. The Centre will carry out collaborative research with four different Co-operative Research Centres -- CRC Polymers, CRC Smart Print, CRC Intelligent Manufacturing and CRC Cochlear Implant and Hearing.

Centre Director, Professor Gordon Wallace, said his area already had established links with industry and attending Thursday's opening would be representatives from Cochlear, Quantum Technology, Schefenacker Vision Systems, Aqua Diagnostics, CAP-XX, Australian Surgical Design, BlueScope Steel and Boston Scientific (from the USA).

Coinciding with the opening, the new ARC Centre will host the first international symposium on electromaterials science held at UOW involving researchers from the world's leading scientific institutions including Germany, Italy, France, USA, Canada, The Netherlands, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand (see attached release).

The symposium, to be held from 15 to 17 February, will provide a forum for the discussion of recent advances in this research area, particularly the role and impact of nanostructure -- structures that are minute or micrometer-sized.

MEDIA PLEASE NOTE:

Time for official opening: 10am, Thursday 16 February

Where: Foyer of the Sciences Building (Bldg 41). A plaque will be unveiled.

Further information: Contact Professor Gordon Wallace on (02) 4221 3127

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128