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Director's Message
Dear Colleagues,
<<STOP Press>>
Today your Heads will be coordinating School plans for a potential shut-down. James is about to send out the provisional list of staff/student designation against the ANU Traffic Light access scheme. MakerSpace has info on wearing masks, details of how to make masks and a limited number of mask kits still available.
Welcome back. I just want to start the week with a huge “W-O-W”!! Everyone at the Liquid Instruments (LI) launch last week will know exactly what I mean. The LI team, led by Professor Daniel Shaddock (CGA), have achieved a new standard in the public presentation of translational research. Brilliant stuff! I'll post the promo video when it becomes available.
As a matter of urgency I will echo Professor Hoe Tan’s email from last week about the need to raise our collective voice around Federal funding for major research infrastructure. The 2021 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap survey closes this Wednesday and I urge all students and staff who rely on major facilities to have your say. Thank you.
Very much related to the topic of Federal support for critical National infrastructure is the excellent news that the Heavy Ion Accelerator will receive $1.1M of Australian Space Agency funding to build a dedicated Space radiation testing beam line (Phil Dooley’s story). Above: Dr Joice Mathew, Professor Nanda Dasgupta, Dr Ian Carter, Dr Ed Simpson, ANU Institute for Space director Professor Anna Moore and Eduardo Trifoni at the Mount Stromlo testing site (Picture: Keegan Carroll, Canberra Times). This is fantastic support for a unique and vital facility, congratulations to the InSpace and Physics teams.
It’s been a great few months for research highlights and I wanted to spend a little time on the measurable impact of these events. My thanks to Dr Phil Dooley, who has been at the heart of many of our media announcements. Just remember to contact Phil well in advance of a publication so he has time to work with you on the press release or website story. As you will see, a little effort with Phil can greatly improve your impact.
* “Scientists lead ambitious study to reach infinity and beyond” (EH#22) reached a total potential audience in excess of 3.5 million people.
* “Alien radioactive element find prompts creation rethink” (EH#21) reached a total potential audience in excess of 5.8 million people.
The impact statistics are collected by Insentia, and reported to ANU media who pass the detailed breakdown to the researchers involved.
One last thing. In the first week of next semester we will hold a whole of School celebration to mark the transition to the new Departments. It is a chance to give our vote of thanks to the out-going Heads and to mark one of our most significant periods of change in past 75 years.
Have a great week, and for those who can take some time off in the semester break have a relaxing time.
Cheers,
Tim | 