Success Stories

Tall Poppies in Their Fields

Three University of Adelaide researchers have been named Young Tall Poppies of Science for 2010-2011 for their work in fighting obesity and chronic neurological diseases.

Associate Professor Leonie Heilbronn, Dr Gabrielle Todd and Dr Mark Hutchinson from the University’s Health Sciences Faculty are among eight young South Australians to be recognised today for their outstanding contributions to scientific research.

The eight were presented with their awards by His Excellency, Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce, Governor of South Australia, and the Hon. Jack Snelling, Minister for Science and Information Economy, at a breakfast ceremony as part of National Science Week.

Scopus Young Researcher of the Year Awards

Our researchers have won two of five Scopus Young Researcher of the Year Awards, and were selected for their research impact, output, esteem contribution and their impact on the lives of everyday Australians.

Professor Corey Bradshaw was awarded the Life Sciences and Biological Sciences category. He is a conservation biologist who uses mathematical modelling to understand the complex interactions between plant and animal species within an ecosystem. Professor Bradshaw has published 140 scientific papers and book chapters since completing his PhD just 10 years ago, is Senior Editor of the journal Conservation Letters, and established the world's first major blog site on conservation research, ConservationBytes.com. He is currently Director of Ecological Modelling at the University's Environment Institute.

Professor Prash Sanders was awarded the Medicine and Medical Sciences category. He is Knapman-National Heart Foundation Chair of Cardiology Research at the University of Adelaide, is an internationally recognised heart specialist and Clinical Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH). Professor Sanders established South Australia's first dedicated clinical and experimental Electrophysiology Group, which is recognised as a world-leading training centre for electrophysiologists. He has published 160 papers in his field, has won numerous awards, and takes an active role in the development of health care services in the developing world.

Adelaide University's 2010 Fulbright Scholars

The Fulbright Program is the largest and one of the most prestigious educational scholarship programs in the world.
[Read more]

Matthew Lee is one of two winners of the prestigious Fulbright Postgraduate Alumni (WG Walker) Scholarship, which is funded through donations by Fulbright Alumni and awarded to the highest ranked scholar each year. Mr Lee will study at Harvard Law School focusing on American approaches to water regulation, water dispute resolution and natural resources management.

Lewis Tunstall is the inaugural winner of the Fulbright South Australia Scholarship, which is supported by the South Australian Government and the SA-based universities. A PhD candidate with the University of Adelaide's School of Chemistry & Physics, Mr Tunstall will undertake research in theoretical particle physics at the University of California (UC), Berkeley.

Simon Gamble is the Fulbright Tasmania Scholar, sponsored by the Tasmanian Government and the University of Tasmania. He will study the integration of renewable energy technology in modern power systems, to support the development of a renewable energy power system and research facility for the Bass Strait Islands.

Steven Lapidge has won the 2010 Fulbright Professional Business/Industry Coral Sea Scholarship. Associate Professor Lapidge will spend three months at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Wildlife Research Center in Colorado. He will conduct further research in the area of developing sodium nitrite (a common food preservative) for control of feral pigs.

Our Researchers Making a Difference in the World

The impact to help the world with a growing problem
According to the United Nations, 850 million people across the world are hungry and this problem is growing. According to Professor Mark Tester, we can make a difference. Professor Tester and his team are part of a global effort to help people feed themselves. A major problem is that the level of salt in the world’s rivers is increasing at an alarming rate. Our own Murray River, for example, is becoming increasingly saline.

The impact to turn cancer from a sentence into a word
A cure for cancer may be a long way off but Professor Shaun McColl and his team are working towards preventing 90% of cancer related deaths. Imagine the impact of being able to prevent the growth of secondary cancers. A key to combating these insidious complications lies in understanding what controls cell movement through the body - a long term project of Professor Shaun McColl.

Australia's cultural revolution
In June 2005, the University of Adelaide and the Australian Ballet signed a memorandum of understanding, the aim of which was to increase collaborative endeavour and relations between the two organisations. The Memorandum follows the receipt of a major ARC Linkage Project grant awarded to the University of Adelaide, the Australian Ballet and the National Library of Australia.

Commercialising insulin-like growth factors
Insulin-like Growth Factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) are small, highly-related proteins which stimulate the growth and differentiation of a wide variety of cell types. Professor John Wallace from the School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, is an expert on IGFs, which are produced by the liver and circulate in the blood.

Increasing road safety, preventing injuries
Research in road safety and injury control at the Centre for Automotive Safety Research at the University of Adelaide, contributes to the reduction of the human and economic costs of road crashes. The Centre began life in 1973 as the Road Accident Research Unit (RARU) with the planning and undertaking of an in-depth study of road accidents in the Adelaide metropolitan area.

Reducing the risk of complications in late pregnancy
The Roinson Institute, through Dr Claire Roberts and Professor Gus Dekker, is receiving $2.37m from the Premier's Science & Research Fund to further their work on Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SA SCOPE).