Creative Industries

Friday, 28 June 2013

A study concerning Creativity and Cultural Production in the Hunter Region was announced today as one of six University of Newcastle projects awarded highly prestigious Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grants worth a total of $1.8 million.

Grants for creativity

 Dr Phillip McIntyre's study, in partnership with Newcastle Now - a coalition of property owners, business and residents of inner city Newcastle - will map local industries' approach to creativity and innovation in a digital society.

"There is significant scope for local industries to take advantage of what is occurring in digital realm in fields as diverse as architecture, design, publishing, public relations, electronic gaming and media production," Dr McIntyre said.

"These are industries that are implicitly creative and innovative, and it is a great opportunity for the University and community to engage, collaborate with existing expertise, and contribute to the ongoing development of these industries."

Linkage grant applications must be made on the basis of strong partnerships with industry or community groups.

Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Nick Talley, congratulated each of the recipients, particularly Dr McIntyre's project and the recent establishment of the Hunter Centre for Creative Industries and Technologies, of which Dr McIntyre is a founding member. Dr McIntyre's project was a prime example of the University's commitment to the application of innovative research to real challenges in the local region.

"Engagement with community and industry is a key theme throughout all of the University of Newcastle's research activities and our achievement in the current ARC Linkage Project round is indicative of this," Professor Talley said.

"Linkage Project grants are essential in securing important research collaborations for industry and community-oriented research, training and applied outcomes. Collaboration for quality research is essential to transforming industries, building communities and strengthening economies."

Professor John Wiggers, a pre-eminent expert in the public health field, was also a successful recipient, receiving $515,000 to conduct a study on a web-based intervention strategies to sustain the impact of an alcohol management intervention in community sports clubs.
One of the University's rising research leaders, Dr Sarah Johnson, already a prestigious ARC Future Fellow, was awarded a grant of $300,000 to continue her research in the field of data communications engineering.

Other University of Newcastle recipients of ARC Linkage Project grants were Professor Kevin Galvin for a project concerning technological improvements in the resources industry, Associate Professor Colin Waters for a study to aid efficiency in Australian electricity networks, and Dr Luke Wolfenden for a project to promote the adoption of healthy canteen principles across NSW.

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