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From the Director
2006 closed on a high note for IWERM. In October we held our Open Day, which combined the annual External Advisory Committee meeting, seminars on the theme “Catchments to Coast…” and a jolly fine party. Professor Peter Cullen congratulated the Institute on its progress, a commendation reiterated by our Pro-Vice-chancellor, Professor Sue Rowley. The seminars high-lighted the new IWERM research program structure and the work of several post-doctoral researchers.
IWERM has initiated performance-based membership and “well done” awards for the period 2004-2005 were presented at the Open Day to our most productive researchers - Derek Eamus, Vigi Vigneswaran, Richard Lim, David Booth, Peter Ralph, and Huu-Hao Ngo, and early career researchers - Cate Mcinnis-Ng and Melanie Bishop. Derek had a bumper 2006 with his book, the special Australian Journal of Botany issue, being part of 5 successful ARC grants, and leading both his research group and research in the faculty of Science.
In November the ATN International Trial Research Quality Framework reviews were announced. IWERM performed extremely well and is demonstrably a leading research group within the University.
I have high hopes for 2007, along with a keen sense of the work it will entail to realize them. Things to look forward to include the appointment of a Sustainability Partnership Development Manager jointly with the Institute for Sustainable Futures and a new plant eco-physiology researcher; fruits from 2006 should include more streamlined reporting; better integration of SHIMS and the CRCS with IWERM; and getting to enjoy being in the new building.
We have a good governance structure and a fantastic team and I end the year with sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone who is part of or associated with IWERM.
Tally Palmer
IWERM Special Event :
Professor John Rice, Dean of the Faculty of Science hosted a function to celebrate the 21st birthday of the Centre for Ecotoxicology (CET). Speakers Professor Sue Rowley and Dr Klaus Koop paid tribute to the quality and scope of the contribution made by the CET to natural resource protection in New South Wales, and to the research profile of UTS. The CET is part of IWERM and is the result of a long-term joint-venture between UTS and the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation.
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Congratulations to…
Dave Booth who is now the Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Committee at the Sydney Harbour Institute for Marine Science (SHIMS)
** IWERM for winning 842K in ARC funding across engineering & environmental science. This funding will facilitate the research of membrane filtration in wastewater reuse (Hao Ngo & Vigi Vigneswaran), pre treatment technology for reverse osmosis desalination (Vigi Vigneswaran), the assessment of pesticide impacts on Australian waterways (Tally Palmer, Richard Lim, Grant Hose, John Chapman & Michael Warne) & modeling sea ice algal photosynthesis (Peter Ralph). Dave Booth & Derek Eamus are on ARC projects awarded through other universities.
** IWERM PhD student Daniel Taylor was awarded an ANSTO grant - he will be measuring C13 content of leaves to estimate plant water use efficiency
** Mel Bishop, Peter Biro & HoKyong Shon who were awarded UTS Chancellors Postdoctoral Fellowships. Shon was also awarded a UTS Early Career Research Grant to develop a novel flocculation process with multi-functional synergistic effects in wastewater AND a UTS Partnership Grant. He will be working with Photo and Environmental Technology Co.
** James Ball, Isa Yunusa & Robert McLaughlan were also recipients of UTS Partnership Grants. James will be investigating Phosphorous release in gross pollutant traps with Copa Water and Robert & Isa will be working with Weathertex to investigate the environmental sustainability of pulp mill effluent re use for irrigation purposes
** Jaya Kandasamy is first CI representing a huge team that were awarded a UTS Challenge Grant. The team includes members from Engineering, Science and IWERM and will be looking at estuarine dynamics and management in a multi-disciplinary framework
** Heather Brown was awarded a 2006 Australian Society for Ecotoxicology Honours Award for her thesis on the assessment of EDCs in sewerage contaminated waters within Sydney
** Wenshan Guo, Paul Gribben, Cate Macinnis-Ng & Melanie Zeppel have been short listed for the 2007 UTS Chancellors Postdoctoral Research Fellowships.
** Hao Ngo received the Faculty of Engineering - Excellence Award research support; and is travelling to India in January to the International Cleaner Technologies & Environmental Management conference where he will be an International Advisory Committee Member, will speak as the International Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony, will give a plenary lecture, will lead the conference final discussion panel and will make two oral presentations.
Welcome to…
Kale Christopher Armstrong born on 2nd December, the newest & cutest addition to the family of Gemma & Dan Armstrong. |
