What do the following projects have in common?
- Recycling zinc ash to treat wastewater
- Formulating a wound care gel
- Exploring a topical treatment for Buruli ulcers
- Developing a smart solution to stop dragonfruit from spoiling in transit in Vietnam
These locally conceived projects will receive bridging grants from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering’s (ATSE) Global Connections Fund to collaborate with overseas partners to solve problems.
According to the Global Connections Fund rules, projects receiving between $25,000 and $50,000 must be a collaboration between an enterprise and a research institution or organisation.
ATSE chief executive officer Kylie Walker said the funding program enables local and international entities to work together to find solutions for various challenges.
“By increasing links between Australia’s STEM leaders and global partners, we have a unique opportunity to unlock access to international networks that can boost our sovereign capabilities, grow our economy and build our international science and technology reputation,” Walker said.
“It is exciting to facilitate these new connection opportunities, especially after a period of international disconnect stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Associate Professor Duy Ngo from the University of Newcastle is partnering with Vietnamese company Think Alpha to work out how to ensure dragonfruit can be transported from Vietnam to China without spoiling.
Cannenta executive director Iain Ralph is partnering with the University of Sheffield in the UK and COMSATS University in Pakistan to develop a “proof-of-concept topical gel incorporating the applicants’ technology for accelerating healing, in conjunction with a fast-acting analgesic for effective pain relief”.
Professor Ivan Cole from RMIT is working with Indian company Deep Construction to explore how to use galvanised zinc waste to treat wastewater.
The final project funded in this most recent round involves Wintermute Biomedical’s Dr Tony Peacock working in collaboration with John Hopkins University to test if a topical solution he is developing for shingles can help treat a bacterial infection called Buruli ulcer.
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