CQUniversity Annual Report - Central Queensland University

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REVIEW OF OUR ACTIVITIES
ENGAGED RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
OUR AIM: CQUniversity will conduct both fundamental and applied research in selected priority areas. We will aim to help improve the
economies of regions and nations by collaborating in research projects, developing knowledge, promoting innovation and being entrepreneurial.
ACHIEVING RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
CQUniversity will develop new knowledge and innovation through
fundamental and applied research in priority areas that contribute
to the resource industries, community health, social viability and
education, and meet the needs of the communities we serve.
Throughout 2012, CQUniversity implemented and expanded its
Engagement Strategy and long-term vision to become the most engaged
university in Australia in research and innovation. CQUniversity has
increased involvement with industry, funding agencies, government,
regional communities and other higher education institutions. With the
growing importance of the mining industry and associated export industries
in the region, CQUniversity has developed important strategic relationships
with coal seam gas (CSG), coal extraction and export companies that
are developing major export facilities. These relationships build upon
existing long-term collaborative engagement with other major industries
such as the aluminium industry, shale oil and power generation, and port
development. A number of projects in this area are evolving to include
interdisciplinary research in the areas of environmental management and
the effects associated with long-distance commuters sometimes defined as
‘fly in – fly out’ (FIFO) and ‘drive in – drive out’ (DIDO) workers.
Throughout 2012, the Engaged Research Chairs have continued to
demonstrate their strategic leadership roles to mentor and encourage
researchers and promote research activity aligned to the University’s
research priorities, while continuing high levels of research
performance. The success of the new focus on research is evident
through CQUniversity researchers attaining several distinguished
research grants.
In 2012, CQUniversity was successful in receiving several National
Competitive Grants (Category 1):
• A prestigious National Health and Medical Research Council
(NHMRC) Project Grant to the value of $697 086 over three years
was awarded to Dr Corneel Vandelanotte and Dr Mitch Duncan.
The project will investigate the effectiveness of tailored videos in
promoting physical activity via the internet to commence in 2013.
• An Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career
Researcher Award (DECRA) to the value of $371 622 awarded to Dr
Kirrilly Thompson of the Appleton Institute for her work on natural
disaster preparedness and survival through animal attachment.
• An ARC Discovery Project Grant to Associate Professor Greg Roach,
Dr Xuan Zhou and Professor Drew Dawson of the Appleton Institute.
The three-year project valued at $302 000 will look at the impact of
split work–rest schedules on sleep and cognitive performance.
• Professor Bronwyn Fredericks is a co-investigator on another
prestigious grant from the ARC. The grant is a special research
initiative for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers’
Network which aims to establish a signifi cant cohort of skilled,
qualified Indigenous researchers. The project worth $3 198 392
will run over four years.
• CQUniversity was also a partner investigator in a successful
ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) Grant
valued at $150 000. This project will develop an integrated facility
to support a collaborative research centre of government and
university partners for research to better address priority issues
in the fi elds of health, education, policing, and community services.
• Dr Claire Sellen of the Centre for Environmental Management
(CEM) received an Australian Coal Association Research Program
(ACARP) Grant of $325 945. The two and a half year project aims
to improve the management of the mine site environment by
developing a biological monitoring tool that can be used to detect
the effect of mining on aquatic ecosystems specific to Central
Queensland.
The Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) exercise conducted
across the Australian higher education sector by the ARC in 2012
collated data regarding the volume and academic quality of research
activity at all eligible higher education institutions. ERA assesses
research quality within Australia’s higher education institutions
using a combination of indicators and expert review by committees
comprising internationally recognised experts. In line with the
Vice-Chancellor and President’s strategy for research resurgence.
CQUniversity is now ranked in the highest tier ‘well above world
standard’ in Applied Mathematics; Agriculture, Land and Farm
Management and Other Medical and Health Sciences. CQUniversity
is also ranked ‘at world standard’ for Nursing and Medical and
Health Sciences. Other areas that improved in ranking from the 2010
evaluation were Environmental Science, Economics and Language
Communication and Culture. The ERA submission included information
on over 2400 research publications, 400 academic staff, external
research income (grants) and innovation (patent) information.
The strategic approach to building research capacity has resulted
in an outstanding outcome for CQUniversity. The results from the
ERA evaluation highlight the exceptional, world class research
undertaken by a regional university and will benefi t both the
University and the community.
CQUniversity has a commitment to increasing its research intensity
across the campuses through the development of programs to
encourage and support Early Career Researchers. An Early Career
Researcher Mentoring Program was established through the Offi ce
of Research in 2012. This program provided an intensive and
focused opportunity for researchers to hone their career planning
and writing, and provided a peer group for further collaboration.
In addition, the Higher Education Division established the new
Researcher Career Development Program designed to provide Early
Career Researchers with mentoring and support to develop their
skills in grant applications, writing publications and developing
collaboration opportunities.