TechNet 2019: The Power of Connectivity

CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) is one of only six high-containment animal research centres in the world.

AAHL is unique – it is a vital part of Australia's biosecurity infrastructure and helps protect Australia's multi-billion dollar livestock and aquaculture industries, and the general public, from emerging infectious disease threats. Its advanced technology and infrastructure allows research and diagnostics that require the highest level of biosecurity and biosafety within a laboratory environment.

The biocontainment facility has extensive laboratories at PC3 and PC4 level, which allows scientific research into the most dangerous infectious agents in the world, as well as offering laboratory services in diagnostics. The visit will be for two hours and will consist of some models, a virtual tour, and some talks about its operation and research.

The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed 'The Cats', are a professional Australian Rules football club based in the city of Geelong. The Cats have been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with three in the AFL era (since 1990).

The Cats play their home games at Kardinia Park (known for sponsorship reasons as GMHBA Stadium). GMHBA stadium has a capacity of 36,000 people, making it the largest-capacity Australian stadium in a regional city.

Join us for a guided tour of Kardinia Park (GMHBA stadium), home of the Geelong Cats AFL and AFLW teams. The tour will showcase the recently upgraded facilities, including the players' gymnasium, change rooms, warm-up area and the oval. Hear from the club's sports dietician who will discuss nutrition for the players and the important/key factors involved in nutrition for elite sport. Hear also from one of the sports scientists who will talk all about their role at the club and how they prepare elite athletes for competition.

Duration: 1 hour
Transport: Yes, provided

We are excited to offer a tour of the Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) located onsite at Deakin University.

Recognised as one of Australia's leading materials research organisations, IFM was established to address some of the major challenges facing society through innovations in materials design and performance. IFM makes use of the University's strong research capability in materials science to tackle complex problems in the areas of energy, health, environment and manufacturing.

On this tour, you will go inside IFM's Electron Microscopy Suite, Micro-characterisation Labs and Carbon Nexus - Deakin’s $34 Million Carbon Fibre Manufacturing Facility.

In association with TechNet, the Health and Exercise Science Technologists Association (HESTA) will be hosted at Deakin University, showcasing our new state of the art Specialised Sport Science building featuring our DCEC (Deakin Clinical Exercise Centre) where masters degree students learn and work alongside accredited exercise physiologists.

They work with real clients and have access to a fully functional strength and conditioning gym dedicated to our teaching program, a biomechanics laboratory with a fully integrated 3D motion capture, force platforms, accelerometer, EMG, instrumented treadmill and running tracks.

Tours of the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences undergraduate and masters teaching facilities and research spaces will highlight why Deakin University currently holds the number one ranking in Sport Science in Australia for the third year running.

Coinciding with tours of the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences laboratories, the School of Nursing will provide demonstrations of lifelike robotic patients within their Clinical Simulation Centre.

Overall duration of this tour is approximately two hours. A packed lunch will be provided as delegates will leave at the start of the lunch break.

In 2017, Deakin University became a formal tenant of the Victorian Government’s Marine Station in Queenscliff. The site, operated by the Victorian Fisheries Authority, is also home to the Victorian Shellfish Hatchery, DELWP, and the Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre, creating a Centre of Excellence for Australian Marine Science.

Located on the Bellarine Peninsula, between World Heritage-listed Swan Bay and Port Phillip Bay, the facility is housed in a six-star energy rated building, boasting a turf roof and an automated Building Management System to control the internal climate of the open plan offices. Purpose-built laboratories are supplied with flowing seawater directly from Port Phillip Bay, which is then filtered and treated ready to be returned to the sea.

The facility is a hub of teaching and research, running several undergraduate marine science units alongside research projects in the fields of aquaculture, fisheries, seagrass restoration, and marine carbon stores.

John Beech, the Facilities Manager, will present on the sustainable design of the building before a tour of the site and Deakin laboratories. You will be introduced to the Victorian Shellfish Hatchery, who provide a steady supply of mussel, oyster and scallop spat to the aquaculture industry. We will finish the tour with a visit to the Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre, providing insight into what lives in Victorian waters.