World-leading waste and agricultural research in Melbourne
The Morrison Government is funding research to reduce waste going to landfill and transform reclaimed waste.
The Government is providing:
$5 million to a team of researchers led by RMIT University to transform waste into new materials for use in construction and other manufacturing sectors.
$4.95 million to a team of researchers led by the University of Melbourne to transform agriculture by delivering a new class of nitrogen fertilisers.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the research would have environmental and commercial benefits for Australia.
“These projects will focus on improving the environmental impacts of waste production and increased efficiency of nitrogen use,” Mr Tehan said.
“Our Government wants universities to be even more entrepreneurial and engaged with industry.
“As part of our Jobs-ready Graduate reforms we provided an additional $900 million to establish the National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund – with a strong focus on investment in STEM industries – to support universities to produce job-ready graduates for their local industries and communities.
“We will provide a further $48.8 million for regional universities to partner with industry and other universities to boost their research capacity.”
Senator for Victoria David Van said the hubs would position Victorian universities as world-leaders in their research fields.
“RMIT University’s research in reducing and reusing waste will address ten challenging waste streams, and significantly contribute to addressing the environmental impacts of waste production, management and re-use,” Mr Van said.
“The University of Melbourne estimates its research will lead to 20 per cent gains in the efficiency of nitrogen use in fertilisers, while improving productivity and leading to decreased environmental impacts.
“The outcomes of this research could lead to commercialisation opportunities for the hubs and their partner organisations, supporting jobs and economic growth across Australia.”
More information on the Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Research Hubs can be found on the ARC website.
