UQ joins $60 million water centre

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Tags: funding, partnerships, water, winter-2009

UQ will participate in the new $60 million National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training recently announced by the Federal Government.

UQ is a member of a new groundwater research centre

Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, and Minister for Innovation and Research, Senator Kim Carr, said the new centre, led by Flinders University, was an investment in securing Australia’s water supplies.

Hydrology Chair Professor David Lockington will lead the UQ component, with his team focusing on the groundwater dynamics and biogeochemistry of key coastal environments from local to regional scales.

Other key UQ investigators will be Professor Ling Li, Associate Professor Catherine Lovelock, and Associate Professor Massimo Gasparon.

“Australia’s extensive coastline has an incredibly diverse range of terrestrial and shallow water conditions and habitats, which are home to complex and sensitive ecosystems of rich biodiversity, and are subject to major development pressure as well as climate change impacts,” Professor Lockington said.

The $60 million centre has $30 million in joint funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Water Commission, with $30 million in additional contributions from the 20 organisations involved. Partners include the University of New South Wales, the Australian National University, CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, and the governments of NSW and South Australia.

Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor David Siddle welcomed the Australian Government’s recognition of the importance of groundwater research, and said UQ’s inclusion in the successful bid reflected on its high quality research into the coastal and marine interface.

By Jan King

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