ARC awards $38.6 million for 50 Future Fellowships

The Australian Research Council has splashed out $38.6 million to 50 new research projects via the latest round of the Future Fellows scheme. The scheme allocates money to provide four-year fellowships to mid-career researchers. The federal education minister, Simon Birmingham, said this funding would build on the Turnbull Government's $2.3 billion innovation agenda. He said Australia must have a strong research sector if the ideal of the innovation nation is to become a reality. “To be an innovative nation, we must support our outstanding researchers to ensure we retain a strong research workforce for many years to come,” Birmingham said. Projects funded include $812,460 to Dr Timothy Dargaville from Queensland University of Technology to develop a 3D moulding process for tissue transplants. Dr Mark Waters from the University of Western Australia has received $689,052 to investigate new ways of improving crop productivity. And Monash University’s Dr Qiaoliang Bao received $824,960 to engineer new technologies for the electronic and energy industries. Monash University received the most cash in this round of funding, a total of $6,065,659 for eight projects. This was followed by the University of Melbourne, which gained $4,441,702 for six projects. The University of Queensland came third, with $4,172,843 for five projects. ANU was fourth – $3,751,315 for five projects – closely followed by Macquarie University, with $3,683,068 for five projects. ANU vice-chancellor professor Ian Young welcomed the result for his institution. “To win five fellowships in such diverse areas shows the breadth of world-class research leadership at ANU,” Young said. “I congratulate the recipients [of the fellowships] and look forward to the contribution they will make to ANU and to Australia.” The next round of Future Fellowships will be announced December 16, 2016.