KEY POINTS
The Super Science Initiative (SSI) provides a $1.1 billion boost for critical areas of scientific endeavour, including space science and astronomy, marine and climate science, and future industries (including biotechnology and nanotechnology).
These investments involve collaboration between universities, government research agencies, independent research institutes and business. Collaboration of this sort helps to ensure that research outcomes are translated into new and improved products that increase productivity and drive economic growth.
$901.0 million is being invested in cutting-edge research infrastructure to give Australia’s top researchers the tools they need to get on with the job in three areas of our world-leading scientific capability:
- Space and astronomy;
- Marine and climate; and
- Future industries.
This investment will stimulate economic activity, supporting new jobs and building the platform for high-skill, high-wage careers in the future.
The SSI includes funding for 100 Super Science Fellowships across three targeted disciplines.
The infrastructure projects funded under the Super Science Initiative were identified as priorities in the Strategic Roadmap for Australian Research Infrastructure in September 2008.
FACTS AND FIGURES
The Super Science Initiative is supporting:
Space and Astronomy - $160.5m - a new Square Kilometre Array science and high performance computing centre in Perth; additional funding for the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO), the world's leading 4-metre optical telescope; and funding for the Australian Space Research program and a Space Policy Unit, which provides advice to the Government on civil space matters.
Marine and Climate - $387.7m - a state-of-the-art marine research vessel to replace the 38-year-old RV Southern Surveyor; extensions of the Integrated Marine Observing System network; new tropical marine infrastructure investments at the Australian Institute of Marine Science; an upgrade to Australia's peak high-performance climate change computing capacity; distributed infrastructure for terrestrial ecosystems, groundwater depletion, sustainable energy, and water and energy use in built environments.
Future Industries - $504.0m - new facilities for cutting-edge biological discovery and biotechnology development including funding for a European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Australia Partner Laboratory; new National Enabling Technologies Strategy; nuclear science facilities for ANSTO; facilities to support nanotechnology research; and advanced ICT platforms.
Super Science Fellowships - $27.2m - offered across the targeted disciplines, the three-year post-doctoral fellowships will allow our most promising young researchers to work in areas of national significance. The Australian Research Council (ARC) will administer the Super Science Fellowships, with 50 fellowships to commence in 2010 and 50 in 2011.
Support for Questacon - $11.3m - will strengthen and improve Questacon's science and education facilities, including a boost for the highly successful outreach and communications program. Additional funds will enable this popular national institution to continue taking the wonder of science to children and adults in remote and regional areas.
All the projects are highly collaborative, with infrastructure to be developed at many of the nation's universities, the CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine Science, ANSTO, and other publicly funded research agencies.