Senior representatives from the University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Forrest Research Foundation recently spent two days in Durham to further enhance our long-standing research collaboration.
Professor Jennifer Howell, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement), UWA, Professor James Arvanitakis, Director of the Forrest Research Foundation, and Dr Neil Robinson, Forrest Fellow, met with our Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global), Professor Claire O’Malley and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Colin Bain.
First on the agenda was the implementation of the September 2023 Australia-UK Strategic Alliance on Research and Innovation, signed by the Russell Group of leading UK research intensive universities, including Durham and the Australian Group of Eight.
The breadth of our research engagement with UWA was reflected during the visit by meetings with representatives from the Durham Energy Institute, the Institute of Advanced Study, the Durham Centre for Crop Improvement Technology, the Institute for Medical Humanities, and the Departments of Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, and Geography.
As fellow members of the Matariki Network of Universities, researchers from Durham and UWA are collaborating to tackle global challenges, including Antarctic research and climate change, space applications, satellite technology, and digital humanities.
During their visit, the delegation recognised Durham’s research excellence, including in quantum science, space and advanced instrumentation, advanced materials, polar studies, and the management of critical mineral supply chains.
They learned about our contributions to the new Square Kilometre Array Observatory, which will become the largest radio telescope in the world over the next decade, with 130,000 antennas located in Western Australia, and about our leadership of a £21.3 million national research partnership aimed at decarbonising the UK maritime sector.
During a tour of Palace Green Library, the delegation heard more about the collaboration between Durham and UWA to digitise the papers of Henry George Grey and John George Lambton, which are kept in Durham, and they had the opportunity to see Durham’s solar car, DUSC2023, designed and built by a team of 50 Durham students for the 2023 Bridgestone World Solar Car Challenge in Australia.
The visit coincided with the launch of the Matariki Seedcorn Fund, to encourage research partnerships among Matariki Network members.
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