Annual Conference media releases
Each year in May the CRC Association hosts a major conference and actively assists CRCs in issuing media releases.
Swimming with the desert fishes good news for Murray Darling
18 May 2011
The desert is probably the last place on Earth you’d expect to see a fish. But Dr Adam Kerezsy of the eWater Cooperative Research Centre knows better; he has recorded more than 40,000 desert fish and says the information gleaned may bring good news for the wildlife of the Murray Darling Basin. The Mulligan River Read More...
Virtual crash test takes crash out of landing
18 May 2011
Mathew Joosten crash tests several helicopters a day, but he’s not daunted by this daring pastime – he uses computer simulation. As a research student of the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures, Mr Joosten has designed a ‘virtual crash test’ that will help accelerate the development of next-generation safety systems. Recent helicopter accidents Read More...
Measuring up for a sustainable future
18 May 2011
PhD student Jie-Lian Beh is using a surprisingly simple tool to help improve the productivity and sustainability of Australia’s plantation forests. With the help of a measuring tape, she has developed a quick and easy new way to help manage this important Australian resource. Most wood used to build and furnish Australian homes comes from Read More...
New invention to protect iPod Generation ears
18 May 2011
How loud do you have your iPod? If you couldn’t hear the question, you may be interested in a new way of processing sound invented by Dr Jorge Mejia of the HEARing Cooperative Research Centre (HEARing CRC). ‘Binge Listening’, a recent report by the National Acoustic Laboratories found that many young people are at risk Read More...
Aboriginal public servants undervalued
18 May 2011
Many Aboriginal public servants feel they are under-recognised and under-valued, according to recent research by the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre. Dr Elizabeth Ganter, who interviewed 76 current or former Aboriginal employees of the Northern Territory Government about their experiences representing their people through employment, says her research yields some important messages for government. “While Read More...
Asbestos identification for better public protection
18 May 2011
The current way we measure asbestos in the air may be inadequate to protect the public from long-term, low-level exposure, says Mr Mike van Alphen of the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE). The key to allowing more accurate identification of the public health risks posed by asbestos Read More...
Enviro-metal solves helicopter corrosion
18 May 2011
PhD student Parama Banerjee at the CAST Cooperative Research Centre has developed a cheap and environmentally friendly alternative to the toxic coating currently used in Australian naval helicopters. The magnesium alloy used to house the gearbox of Royal Australian Navy SeaHawk helicopters is prone to severe corrosion in marine environments, costing millions of dollars in Read More...
Milk may help prevent gum disease
18 May 2011
Current treatments for gum disease are expensive and painful. But now Dr Elena Toh of the Oral Health Cooperative Research Centre has discovered in milk the key to a new low cost, pain-free solution that may help prevent the disease. Up to 30% of Australians experience serious gum disease. This nasty bacterial infection causes bleeding, Read More...
Citizen science initiatives to beat rabbits
18 May 2011
Rabbits cost Australian agriculture over $200 million a year and impact on 156 threatened native species. This war has challenged farmers and researchers for generations and the battle continues. One of the success stories in the battle has been the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). At the CRC Association Conference, the Invasive Animals CRC Read More...
SmartCap manages fatigue at mine sites
18 May 2011
Drivers of trucks, dozers, graders and excavators will soon be wearing a new ‘SmartCap’ which detects their level of fatigue. Fatigue related incidents on mine sites are a major cause of injuries and deaths, and cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars in lost production and accidents each year. Invented by Dr Daniel Bongers Read More...