The year that was!

The year 2011 was another one of both growth and achievement for Deakin University's research and its researchers.

Highlights included:

• Professor Maria Forsyth, a prize recruit from 2010, becoming an Australian Laureate Fellow.
• Professor Jo Salmon, one of the many talented researchers in the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research (CPAN) being honoured by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
• Dr Tania de Koning-Ward's research into malaria being recognised by the Federal Government.
• Professor Wei Duan winning the Smart Geelong Researcher of the Year Award.
• The Barwon Psychiatric Research Unit, a new partnership between Deakin and Barwon Health, figuring prominently among NHMRC grants for 2011.

The results from the Federal Government's ERA survey also placed the University at above world standard in a number of areas of research.

“We received the top ranking of 5, defined as well above world standards, in Materials Engineering, Medical Physiology and Human Movement and Sports Sciences and Zoology,” said DVC (Research) Professor Lee Astheimer.

“We also received rankings of 4, defined as above world standards, in the Engineering and Medical and Health Sciences clusters, and in the specific fields of Analytical Chemistry, Fisheries Sciences, Manufacturing Engineering, Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, Pharmacology, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Commercial Services, and Curatorial Studies.”

Deakin is performing at world standard - with a rank of 3 or above - in 40% of the broad discipline areas for which the University had sufficient outcomes to be assessed (8 of 20; 25 in all) and 44% (27 of 62, 131 in all) in the more specific fields. Importantly, Deakin was assessed primarily in the areas where we have had strategic research focus in the past 4-8 years, notably in research directly aligned with our Institutes and Strategic Research Centres—our identified research strengths.

“This is an excellent result for Deakin, particularly given that ERA is a retrospective process, with ERA 2010 evaluating our performance from 2003 to 2008,” Professor Astheimer said.

“We can only expect that performance to improve in ERA 2012.”

Since the last census date in March 2009, Deakin University has appointed over 200 Research-only staff and a large number of excellent researchers into Teaching/Research positions.

Their stories and more can be read in the related stories section of this page or by clicking on the Deakin Research Showcase pages.

And from everyone at Deakin Research, have a safe and happy holiday season.