26 July, 2006 - QUT’s new eResearch centre set to accelerate scientific discoveries
A $2.7 million international eResearch centre that will help scientists measure climate change and assess the health of ecosystems was officially opened at Queensland University of Technology today.
The new Microsoft QUT eResearch Centre, which is the first of its kind in Australia and one of only a handful in the world, aims to give scientists more time for discovery and invention by automating the data processes that are necessary to their research.
The lab is jointly funded by Microsoft, QUT and the Queensland Government.
QUT Professor Paul Roe said the centre would allow scientists to research climate change by providing the IT tools necessary to collate, manage and analyse vast amounts of information.
"For example QUT scientists are already involved in a project that uses adaptive sensor networks to collect sound data of bird colonies north of Brisbane," he said.
"The sensors capture data in real time, making it is possible to identify bird species by recognising their calls. However the amount of data collected needs to be managed and indexed in a way that allows scientists to analyse the information"
Professor Roe said while an individual sound bite was not interesting in itself, a bank of sound bites could identify important changes in ecosystems.
"By having the technology to analyse the sound data, scientists will be able to keep track of bird populations and identify factors that maybe linked to the health of the environment or climate change."
Professor Roe said at the moment scientists were “drowning in data".
"The computing power of this new eResearch centre will enable scientists to use their brilliant minds for what they do best – research," he said.
"Research relies on and is limited by ICT technologies. To further science, smarter eResearch tools are required.
"We propose to research a virtual research lab application for scientists, which will enable them to undertake new science through improved collaboration, data analysis and experimentation."
The centre will be funded over three years by $900,000 from the Queensland Smart State Innovation fund (National and International Research Alliances Program), $600,000 from Microsoft and $900,000 in cash and kind from QUT.
"The lab will lead to even more research and development in Queensland and increased training opportunities," Professor Roe said.
"Relying on QUT's real-world research in data visualisation, machine learning, collaborative systems and programming languages, the lab will result in advances in scientific discovery which will translate to advances in the health, well-being and economic prosperity of Queensland."
17 May, 2006 - Microsoft and QUT set up Australia's first e-research lab
A $2.7m e-research lab will be established at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) that will speed up scientific discoveries in Queensland and across the world.
The lab, which is the first of its kind in Australia and one of only 12 in the world, aims to give scientists more time for discovery and invention by automating the data processes that are necessary to their research.
The lab is jointly funded by worldwide technology leader Microsoft, QUT and the Queensland Government and could be the forerunner to an international Microsoft Research Centre being established in Queensland.
QUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Commercialisation), Professor Arun Sharma, said QUT's world-leading IT researchers had worked with Microsoft for many years and were excited about this opportunity to advance international research, particularly in sustainable resources.
He said research undertaken would accelerate research in such areas as climate modelling, urban design and traffic and water simulations.
"Scientists are drowning in data," he said.
"More data is available from a variety of sources than ever before and often it is too much to analyse and manage to its full potential."
"The computing power of this new e-research lab will enable scientists to use their brilliant minds for what they do best - research.
"Research relies on and is limited by ICT technologies. To further science, smarter eResearch tools are required.
"We propose to research a virtual research lab application for scientists, which will enable them to undertake new science through improved collaboration, data analysis and experimentation."
The lab will be funded over three years by $900,000 from the Queensland Smart State Innovation fund (National and International Research Alliances Program), $900,000 from Microsoft and $900,000 in cash and kind from QUT.
Intellectual property will be owned by QUT, enabling it to continue research, and Microsoft will have a licence to commercialise all generated IP.
"The lab will lead to even more research and development in Queensland and increased training opportunities," Professor Sharma said.
"Relying on QUT's real-world research in data visualisation, machine learning, collaborative systems and programming languages, the lab will result in advances in scientific discovery which will translate to advances in the health, well-being and economic prosperity of Queensland".
17 May, 2006 - Microsoft and QUT to set up Australia’s first eResearch Lab in Brisbane
In a major coup for Queensland and with the support of the Queensland Government, worldwide technology leader Microsoft and the Queensland University of Technology will establish an eResearch Lab in Brisbane.
Acting Premier Anna Bligh announced today that the Government was contributing $900,000 over three years to the Queensland University of Technology, under the National and International Research Alliance Program of the Smart State Innovation Funds, to set up an eResearch laboratory in collaboration with Microsoft in Brisbane.
“The $2.7 million QUT Microsoft eResearch Lab will be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere and one of only 12 eResearch labs worldwide,” Ms Bligh said.
“Currently, there is little eResearch in Australia. We lag behind other countries, particularly the United Kingdom and the USA. And this represents a unique opportunity for QUT and Queensland to gain prominence internationally and to give our existing research industries a competitive edge.
“Given that Microsoft has chosen Queensland as its only research centre in the southern hemisphere, this is a coup for Queensland and a vote of confidence in the Government’s Smart State Strategy.”
Scientists increasingly undertake their research using computers, and computers are becoming a limiting factor in their research. The aims of eResearch are to overcome these limitations by using advanced ICT capabilities.
“Once it’s up and running, the new eResearch Lab will focus on sustainable resources and develop tools to accelerate research into water management, something that is becoming quite critical in Queensland, urban planning, and climate change, particularly its impact on agriculture,” Ms Bligh said.
Microsoft Research is investing an initial $900,000 over three years in the eResearch Lab.
“Microsoft has maintained a long relationship with QUT and the development of the new eResearch Lab at the University highlights our commitment to encouraging innovation in Queensland,” said Mr Craig Foster, Microsoft Australia’s Queensland State Director.
“Microsoft’s whole business is built on innovation and this partnership between QUT, the Queensland Government and Microsoft Research is an example of the sectors working together to put Queensland innovation on the world map.”
QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Coaldrake said QUT’s world-leading IT researchers had worked with Microsoft for many years and were excited about this opportunity to advance international scientific discovery particularly in the area of sustainable resources.
“QUT’s long term goal is for Microsoft to establish a Microsoft Research Centre in Queensland which will lead to even more research and development and increased training opportunities,” Professor Coaldrake said.
Today’s announcement is the product of a meeting Ms Bligh had with Microsoft senior executives in Seattle in April this year.
“The eResearch Lab is part of Microsoft’s ongoing investment schedule in Queensland, which has exceeded $6 million over four years. It has the potential to put Queensland at the forefront of innovative research and establish the State as a major hub for research and development in the emerging Microsoft technologies,” Ms Bligh said.
Queensland’s ICT industry employs more than 62,000 people and generated sales of over $21 billion in 2003/04.
Mr John Warren, Academic Relations Manager, Microsoft Research said Queensland was a great choice for the first eResearch Lab in the southern hemisphere
“Between the size of the ICT sector in Queensland and the focus on being the Smart State this is a great opportunity for Microsoft Research, QUT and the Queensland government,” Mr Warren said.
The National and International Research Alliances Program is one of the new funds of the recently announced $200 million Smart State Innovation Funding Program which aims to build world-class research facilities, attract top-quality scientists to Queensland and stimulate cutting-edge research projects.
“The Queensland Government has invested more than $3 billion in innovation, science and research since 1998. I think this demonstrates our deep and ongoing commitment to maintaining Queensland’s reputation as the Smart State,” Ms Bligh said.