GEMOC ARC National Key Centre

Director's Preface

This report is the annual formal accounting required by the Australian Research Council of GEMOC's achievements and activities for 2001, and addresses specific items.  GEMOC has a wide brief that includes activities in teaching (undergraduate and postgraduate), research and strategic applications with industry.  Therefore this report fulfils a multiplicity of functions and we hope that you find some sections of interest.

2001 was a turning point for GEMOC as the Commonwealth Centre funding ceased at mid-year.  The 6-year term, with no extension of Centre funds, was an original condition for this round of Key Centres.  At the short-list stage, we had to provide a business plan for continuation of the Centre and its activities beyond the 6-year Commonwealth Centre funding term.  This business plan provided a successful blueprint guiding GEMOC's funding strategies and has exceeded predicted outcomes for most areas.

Funding for continuation has been assured in the basic research program through a 5-year ARC Discovery Program Grant; in the technology development programs by strategic partnerships with manufacturers of advanced technology instrumentation and collaborative projects; in industry interaction by active and substantial collaborative projects with major mineral exploration companies; and in an ongoing funding base by continually increasing income from value-added consulting activities, primarily based on GEMOC's effectively managed array of advanced technology geochemical analytical instruments.

In addition, GEMOC was awarded a grant of $5.125 million over the next three years under the DEST Systemic Infrastructure Initiative, part of the "Backing Australia's Ability" program of the Commonwealth Government.  The grant is titled "Advanced Technology for a Clever Geoscience Future in Australia" and reflects the standing of the research achievements of GEMOC over the past five years in geochemistry.  Macquarie University also provided formal guarantees of ongoing support (including funding, staff and space) that have been pivotal in GEMOC's continuation.

The details of GEMOC's impressive infrastructure of instrumentation for  state-of-the-art geochemical analysis, with emphasis on high precision in situ analysis of trace elements and isotopic ratios, are given in this Report and at www.es.mq.edu.au/GEMOC/.  Some of the novel applications developed by GEMOC are described in the Research Highlights in this Report and in previous Reports (also available at our website).

GEMOC has again been very visible nationally and internationally through 2001 with over 40 presentations at 13 conferences, including many keynote and invited papers.  International collaboration is increasing with many international visitors and postgraduate students undertaking collaborative projects during visits of 3-6 months.  Postgraduate programs are vigorous and undergraduate teaching goals are being maintained.  GEMOC continues to benefit from the strong support of the Vice-Chancellor and the University Executive at Macquarie.

During 2002 we are looking forward to the next phase of self-funded frontline research and increasing industry interaction in our quest to understand how the Earth works.
 
 
  Suzanne Y. O'Reilly