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Academics’ wishes granted to research array of topics

June 28, 2005

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Nine academics from The University of New England have been awarded nearly $800,000 in funding to research topics as diverse as water ecology and Queensland museums.
The money is from the Australian Research Council’s Linkage program, which aims to support research with economic, social and cultural benefits.
The money will fund an array of research at UNE until 2008. Some of the recipients of the funding and their research are:
* Professor Andrew Boulton (Ecosystem Management, UNE) and Dr Ivor Growns (NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources). These researchers will spend their grant on how a river’s water flow affects the food web between fish and aquatic invertebrates. To do this, the researchers will study the impact of human regulation on six tributaries of the Hunter River. Total cost of funding over four years: $144,888.
* Professor Iain Davidson and Associate Professor Russell McDougall, from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. These academics will look at the role played by Queensland Museums in producing knowledge of Aboriginal people. Ultimately, the academics’ work will help in the design of new exhibitions that will show the complex nature of cross-cultural exhibitions in museums’ collections. Total cost of funding over four years: $114.696.
* Professor Andrew Boulton and Dr Peter Hancock (Ecosystem Management, UNE). Working with colleagues from the Western Australian Museum, the scientists will study groundwater fluctuations associated with mining and increased irrigation demands. From this they hope to develop a system of protocols to monitor and protect essential groundwater invertebrates. Total cost of funding over four years: $342.978.
* Professor Len Unsworth, from the UNE’s School of Education. Professor Unsworth will work with the NSW Department of Education and Training to develop a model to assess readers’ comprehension of materials from both images and print. Total cost of funding over four years: $192.764

Professor Peter Flood, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) congratulated UNE’s academics in their success and pointed out the university’s success rate in securing such funding was ahead of the national average and higher than many other institutions, including Canberra, Newcastle and Macquarie Universities.
To interview one of the academics, or for more information,
phone Lydia Roberts on 6773 2779.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at June 28, 2005 10:13 AM