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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-04-11 Daily Xml
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SCIENCE RESEARCH FELLOWS

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee) (15:00): Can the Minister for Science and Information Economy inform the house about the recent appointment of three internationally-renowned scientists as research fellows at our major South Australian universities?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (15:00): I thank the member for this question. Mr Speaker, the government's economic statement makes it very clear that science and innovation go to the heart of our state's long-term prosperity.

Science underpins the advances, whether in manufacturing, or growing food, or in mining, that we believe are at the heart of South Australia's economic future. That is why this government is working in partnership with South Australian universities to add to our local research capacity in areas, in particular, of strategic importance.

An outstanding example of this is the recent appointment of three new research fellows to each of our public universities, supported by a $3 million state government investment for the three fellows, and additional cash and in-kind contributions worth around $3 million from each of the host universities. This initiative is designed to attract some of the very best international research talent to South Australia, and we have certainly achieved that with these appointments.

For instance, Professor Bart Follink is appointed to the University of South Australia. He is a minerals processing expert. His appointment complements our state's economic priority of South Australia as a mining services hub. Professor Andre Luiten at the University of Adelaide complements existing work at the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing with Professor Tanya Monro—a fine physicist—with his work having broad implications across a number of fields, including medical diagnostics and advanced manufacturing.

Our third research fellow is Professor Colin Raston at Flinders University. Professor Raston is an expert in the fields of clean technology and nanotechnology. His work has applications in fields including energy, medicine and materials technology. By bringing this capacity into South Australia, we are better positioned to developed high-tech, high-value products locally. Together with our many fantastic and outstanding researchers, I believe the new fellows will contribute to South Australia's position as a place of innovation, discovery and the creation of new technology.

I think this initiative demonstrates how targeted investment in research and innovation by government can support not only the creation of new knowledge but also—and this is very important—improved commercial and economic outcomes for our state. I wish the fellows and their research teams—and I have had the pleasure of meeting all of them—every success in their work, and I also applaud the universities for their leadership in these fields of endeavour.

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