GEMOC ARC National Key Centre

Director's preface

This report summarises GEMOC’s 2006 activities including research, technology development, strategic applications and industry interaction, international links and teaching (at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels). The report is required as part of GEMOC’s formal annual accounting to the Australian Research Council (ARC). The ARC acknowledges GEMOC as a continuing ARC National Key Centre while GEMOC attracts sufficient income to fund its activities and achieve its annual goals, and submits an Annual Report fulfilling ARC reporting requirements.

This is the third year of a fully electronic GEMOC Annual Report available from our website as a downloadable pdf file or in html format and by mail as a CD on request. A consolidated version of all GEMOC’s Research Highlights over 10 years can be downloaded from our website.

Early in 2006, Macquarie’s new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Steven Schwartz, announced that GEMOC was designated one of Macquarie’s CoREs (Concentrations of Research Excellence) at Macquarie University and allocated 5.5 new academic positions (ranging from Level B to E) to extend and enhance our research profile. Advertisements were placed in late 2006 for applicants in the fields of rheology of rocks and minerals; geochemical analysis, lithosphere and Earth dynamics; geophysical imaging of Earth’s interior; dynamic modelling of Earth’s mantle; isotope and trace element geochemistry; and cosmochemistry and meteoritics. Selection is taking place through 2007. As this report is being finalised, offers have been made to 5 outstanding candidates, and we anticipate reporting on the successful recruitment in the 2007 Report.

GEMOC was successful with ARC Discovery and Linkage Projects commencing in 2007 (reported in Appendix 5 and in the section on Industry Interaction). Collaborative research with industry partners is increasing and providing invaluable access to data on global localities relevant to mantle and crust evolution projects. The combination of funding from conventional government competitive schemes, collaborative projects with industry partners, strategic alliances with technology and instrument manufacturers, commercialisation ventures (such as the marketing of GLITTER software), and international links and alliances provides a diversified portfolio of income and resource sources.

GEMOC has been highly visible throughout 2006 in its representation at peak relevant conferences and specialist workshops with many Keynote and Invited lectures (see Appendix 4 and Communications), convening many sessions and symposia and organising the 2006 Goldschmidt Conference in Melbourne. The high participation rate of postgraduate students in international conferences evidences the vigorous postgraduate environment that continues to grow and attract students worldwide.

Our interaction with industry significantly enhances our research capabilities: in addition to funding for our research, the interaction with industry project and research leaders provides access to an enormous fund of intellectual property and stimulating concepts. Advice from, and participation by, industry colleagues significantly augments our research resource base and broadens our international networking.

2007 will be a challenging year - the beginning of a new phase and new directions as the CoRE appointments are made.

 

Suzanne Y. O'Reilly

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