Canberra, Australia
July 31, 2008
A unique
Australian plant research centre designed to help tackle major
global challenges such as climate change, sustainable
agriculture, biodiversity conservation and future food
production was launched in Canberra today by Senator the
Honourable Kim Carr, Australian Minister for Innovation,
Industry, Science and Research, and Mr Jon Stanhope, MLA, Chief
Minister, ACT.
Co-located at CSIRO’s Black
Mountain site and The Australian
National University, the High Resolution Plant Phenomics
Centre will attract plant scientists from across Australia and
the world to Canberra by providing them with access to the next
generation of robotic and imaging plant research tools.
“This Centre will put Australia at the forefront of global plant
phenomics,” Senator Carr said. “It will be the first
publicly-funded, publicly accessible facility of its kind in the
world.
“Plant phenomics is a science that has the power to transform
our lives. It can help us tackle the most pressing challenges of
our time – including global food shortages, the demand for
alternative fuels, and climate change.”
The High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre is part of an
initiative of the Australian Government’s National Collaborative
Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) supported by the ACT
and South Australian governments, CSIRO, The Australian National
University and The University of Adelaide.
“This world leading facility shows what can be achieved when
governments and the research community work together. It shows
the immense power of collaboration in maximising Australia's
innovation capacity,” Senator Carr said.
Mr Stanhope said the ACT Government recognised that the
‘research hotel’ environment of the Centre would bring students,
scientists and high-profile projects to Canberra, building on
the world-class research carried out already in CSIRO and the
ANU.
“This hub of scientific collaboration and innovation will serve
as a source of new opportunities in digital imaging and computer
science for Canberra business and forges strong links between
the CSIRO, the ANU and ACT Government to foster innovation in
the nation's capital,” Mr Stanhope said.
According to CSIRO Plant Industry Chief Dr Jeremy Burdon, the
Centre will house sophisticated growing environments, glasshouse
automation technologies, and leading edge digital imaging
technologies and sophisticated software to measure plant growth
and development.
“This equipment, resources and associated expertise and services
are currently not available in Australia, but the Centre will
make them readily available and affordable,” Dr Burdon said.
“The Centre will lead to the development of new and improved
crops, healthier food, more sustainable agricultural practices,
and improved maintenance and regeneration of biodiversity,” he
said.
The Centre is Canberra’s node of the Australian Plant Phenomics
Facility located at CSIRO Plant Industry and the ANU. The Plant
Accelerator will be the Adelaide node of the Facility located at
the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus. |
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