…and
outcomes
“Knowledge transmission
is teaching, knowledge
creation is research,
and the two go
hand in hand in a
university environment.”
Professor Roland De Marco
Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research
In its first decade USC established its
reputation for excellence in teaching.
The next 10 years featured a particular
focus on research.
Research income doubled between 2011
and 2012 to more than $7 million and last
year, the University celebrated a record in
Commonwealth investment in its research.
Some of the groundbreaking research
undertaken at USC includes the Centre for
Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems,
which identifies potential dangers in road,
rail and aviation networks, and workplaces
or outdoor activities. The Centre’s head,
Professor Paul Salmon, says the Centre
is already known for taking innovative
approaches to research.
“The individual driver-focused road safety
approach just isn’t working,” Professor
Salmon said. “We need to understand how
the road system is creating trauma, how it
shapes behaviour, rather than blame drivers.
We expect our research to produce a whole
raft of tested modifications to the road
transport system, to improve performance
and safety.”
Research into detection dogs
(or conservation canines)—already used
in innovative ways in wildlife ecology
to help preserve threatened species and
their habitats—is another example of
finding fresh applications for established
knowledge.
USC’s detection dog research, a first for
Australia, will build evidence on existing
knowledge into using dogs for disease
detection including epilepsy and cancer.
Researchers at USC are heavily invested
in the next generation. With more than
200 Higher Degree by Research students
studying areas as diverse as the antibacterial properties of honey and rethinking
standard nursing practices, innovation and
creating new knowledge are fast becoming
USC’s stock in trade.
“If you’re teaching out of a textbook you’re teaching
old material. It’s critical to have researchers generating
new material and having their finger on the pulse
of the latest developments in their field.”
Professor Roland De Marco
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