Õ¬Äе¼º½

30 October 2015

The has given the green light today to more than 100 University of Queensland research projects, and will back them to the tune of almost $42 million.

Cumulatively over the last five rounds, Õ¬Äе¼º½ has received more funding for Discovery Projects and Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRA) than any other Australian university.

Õ¬Äе¼º½’s combined result in these two schemes for 2016 also tops the country, with more than $39.7 million awarded.

Õ¬Äе¼º½ Vice-Chancellor and President said this reinforced Õ¬Äе¼º½’s position among the nation’s leading research-focused institutions, and recognised Õ¬Äе¼º½’s excellence in developing the next generation of world-class researchers.

“Our consistent success in attracting competitive research funding is evidence of our high-calibre researchers and the direct relevance of their projects to solving pressing global problems,” Professor Høj said.

Õ¬Äе¼º½ attracted funding across three ARC schemes:

  • In , 78 Õ¬Äе¼º½ proposals share a total of just over $30 million. Õ¬Äе¼º½ enjoyed a 23.56 per cent success rate across its Discovery Project applications, well ahead of the national average of 17.7 per cent.
  • A total of 27 Õ¬Äе¼º½ researchers share more than $9.7 million under the scheme, with Õ¬Äе¼º½ a clear leader in Australia.
  • Three projects were funded for a total of almost $3.3 million.

“It’s fantastic to see the breadth of research that will proceed at Õ¬Äе¼º½ in coming years as a result of this new funding, in areas such as engineering, social sciences, biochemistry and climate change strategy,” Professor Høj said.

“As a former head of the ARC, I know how tough the competition is, and how truly impressive the research proposals need to be to succeed.

“It’s a great delight again to congratulate a group of Õ¬Äе¼º½ researchers who have attracted funding for their work, which is independently seen as the nation’s best in their respective areas.”

Significant highlights of today’s funding announcement include:

  • In Õ¬Äе¼º½’s largest Discovery Project grant this round, (IMB) secured $650,000, for a four-year project to develop novel, sensitive, inexpensive and flexible electric biosensors to potentially monitor any molecule.
  • from Õ¬Äе¼º½’s and and from the TC Beirne School of Law secured $628,000 for a project to address how to better manage the flow of public finances and people across international borders.

The Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Queensland Brain Institute at Õ¬Äе¼º½ enjoyed success rates of 55 per cent and 50 per cent respectively for Discovery Project grants, reinforcing their position as leading Australian research institutes.

A full list of Õ¬Äе¼º½ projects funded by the Australian Research Council is available

Media: Õ¬Äе¼º½ Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, +7 3346 7086