Research Update

Major ARC Discovery Grant announced

Samer is the founder of the The Centre for Asian and Middle Eastern Architecture (CAMEA), a research centre established to address the demand for new cross-cultural understanding of architecture in the context of shifts in peoples’ attitudes towards the built environment.

Interdisciplinary studies investigating trade and work in Australia and Europe

Professor Christopher Findlay from the School of Economics and Hussain Rammal from the Business School are participants in a 2009 ARC Linkage project: “Approved Australia and the European Union: A study of a Changing Trade and Business Relationship”. The project is led by ANU with $175,000 over three years.

Professor Findlay is also a participant in “Australia’s Baby Boomer Generation, Obesity and Work: Patterns, Causes and Implications”. This University of Adelaide study will receive $641,000 over three years, in conjunction with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Research Foundation and Workcover SA Council on the Aging and SA Health.

Qantas Research Travel Support Grant

Congratulations to Indrit Troshani and Cate Jerram, both from the Business School, who were awarded a Qantas Research Travel Support Grant in round 1, 2008.

ARC Funding Successes

Congratulations to Professor Kym Anderson from the School of Economics, and Professor Adrian Bradbrook and Professor Judith Gardam, both from the Law School, for collectively securing almost $650,000 in ARC Discovery Grant funding.

Professor Anderson will investigate “Political economy of distortions to global agricultural markets” with funding over three years:

• 2008: $  98,095
• 2009: $  95,195
• 2010: $  95,195

Farmers, agribusiness and governments in Australia and other food‑exporting nations have put enormous efforts into seeking reductions in agricultural protectionism, particularly in the past two decades via the Cairns Group in GATT/WTO negotiations but also in bilateral and regional integration initiatives. Yet levels of protection have fallen little for agriculture relative to manufacturing in high‑income countries, and in some newly industrializing countries that indicator has been rising. Improving our understanding as to why that is the case will ensure Australia gets a better return from its investment in that area of commercial diplomacy.

Professor Gardam and Professor Bradbrook's four-year project is titled “Creating a Comprehensive International Law of Sustainable Energy: The Contribution of Law to Sustainable Development and Climate Change”.

This project provides a legal initiative that will contribute to the achievement of a sustainable energy future. Australia is already experiencing the impact of the failure to achieve this goal through climate change, threats to energy security and increased destabilisation of international peace and security. All sections of the community must respond to these challenges and the project provides a contribution from the law. The realisation of the project may also lead to increased demand for energy efficiency and sustainable energy technologies and infrastructure that could result in the development of commercial opportunities for Australian companies.

• 2008: $ 130,000
• 2009: $ 120,000
• 2010: $  90,000
• 2011: $  21,000

Carrick Institute Grant success