Much of our work is now promoted in many international scientific forums. Additionally, our work is reaching into more commercial areas and becoming sought after in various business circles.

A wide diversity of audience interest is ensuring that our researchers maximise their exposure to peer groups, and the commercial significance is being recognised for the researcher and our CRC. From our point of view this is quite significant, in terms of recognition of our work and helping us meet our obligations to the CRC Program.

Finding the best path forward

The next twelve months will see a fair amount of work on our wind up arrangements. Wind up issues are sometimes quite complex and require significant commitment by all the participants to the CRC to find the best path forward for our work. Not only does this require support from participants and researchers, but our Board is charged with the responsibility to the CRC Program to ensure that the Wind Up also adds value to the Australian economy as set out in our Commonwealth contract. 

Items we must take care of include not only our IP and other project outcomes, funding of students to the completion of their work and providing whatever support is possible to ensure the human capital of the CRC is provided with the best possible opportunity for securing further funding options.

The CRC has received nearly thirty enquiries to date, with most of the interest originating from the United States and the United Kingdom.  Commercialisation discussions with these organisations are going well, and the CRC is exploring further options for developing and commercialising this technology.

A number of individuals and research teams were granted financial incentives for their work. If you are one of those lucky recipients but haven't yet claimed your prize, please contact Suzanne at the CRC Office on 07 3346 8884 ASAP.

Prizes need to be finalised by the end of June 2009.

ASSCT is a three-day event that attracts sugar industry representatives from across Australia. Mackay Field Day runs over two days and is an event targeted more specifically at canegrowers.

Along with general CRC SIIB information and latest project updates, visitors to the display got to see a wide selection of 'home made' bioplastics made using glycerol and gelatin. A special 'make your own bioplastics' handout outlined what bioplastic is and its many benefits over petroleum-based plastic.

The display attracted a lot of interest at both events. Some visitor comments included "why haven't we heard about bioplastic" to "why can't it happen overnight". All up, comments were positive and supportive of the work by our CRC.

A big thank you to everyone who helped man our display.

During the Emerging Technologies Workshop, Kalani, Harry and Annette presented aspects of their CRC-funded research to a group of Biology and Science-21 teachers.
 
Workshop presentations focused on laboratory-based biotechnology experiences. In the introductory session, Kalani spoke about the benefits and opportunities of teachers working with scientists. Harry presented on inquiry-based learning materials and his research findings in this area. Annette spoke about ways to help students address alternative conceptions in science by using digital visualisation tools.

According to teachers' feedback on the day, it was "a big success". The Education Team hopes to hold similar workshops later this year.

The unique site provides a step-by-step guide to using authorder^®, the CRC SIIB's trade-marked process for determining author order.

For more information, go to www.authorder.com or contact Suzanne Morris (suzanne.morris@crcsugar.com).

In other news, Wendy Chen submitted her thesis and Mark Jackson’s thesis has been accepted.

The symposium provided the opportunity to find out what's going on across the broad spectrum of Australian research in all areas of science.

On the first day, AAS medal winners' present lecturers and new Fellows of the Academy presented short talks on their research. Two plant scientists were admitted: Professors Marilyn Ball and Peter Waterhouse, who described their research on the effects of frost damage in an increased CO₂ atmosphere and gene silencing in plants, respectively.

The highlight of the second day was the afternoon Early Career Researchers' Workshops. Claudia attended a workshop on Cognitive Biases. The workshop was essentially an overview of Darwinian reasoning behind the 'apparent' in-built biological biases that affect the way we conduct research and interpret our results (apparently we cannot avoid these biases!).

The third day was the annual symposium; this year titled 'Evolution of the universe, the planets, life and thought'. In the first session participants were taken on a journey from just before the Big Bang through formation of the planets, an explanation of the expanding nature of the galaxy, evolution of life, and hypotheses on how behavioural traits and thought evolved.

In the second session (Evolution of the planets), Prof. Euan Nisbet (University of London, UK) highlighted that the Earth is essentially a biological construction, in that the atmosphere's oxygen and carbon dioxide result from optimised photosynthesis. This he said is "a response to the evolution of photosynthesis". Hence, almost nothing would exist as we know it but for the activity of photosynthetic organisms. Something Claudia said, "You might consider slipping into your next grant application!"

Finally, Prof. Kim Sterelny (Victoria University of Wellington, NZ), a science historian and philosopher, proposed that management of cooperative behaviour is a driver for the evolution of human intelligence!

Claudia said SATS was an opportunity to indulge her scientific interests and be immersed in stories about cutting-edge research delivered by some of the best scientists across Australia.

"I also got the opportunity to meet and network with Fellows of the Academy and other Early Career Researchers. It was a very stimulating and rewarding experience, and I am most grateful to the CRC SIIB for sponsoring me to attend," she said.

Funding for additional PhD students may also be possible through their respective institution's Commercialisation Training Scheme.

The Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialisation, delivered by the ATN, meets the career needs of researchers and postgraduate students in Cooperative Research Centres. It has been shaped in line with priorities developed by the Cooperative Research Centres Association.

The course provides skills, knowledge and accreditation in research commercialisation and in the associated areas of research project management, leadership and workplace communication and principles and practice of research management.

Each unit is online, facilitated by expert moderators for 13 weeks, with discussions, readings, and activities around the topic.

To find out more about this initiative go to (http://www.egradschool.edu.au/whategsaoffe/awardlevelqu/gradcert/CRC_researchers.jsp ). To apply for one of the CRC SIIB supported places, please contact Suzanne (suzanne.morris@crcsugar.com).

Applications are open to Postgraduates (to do research related to their Australian PhD or enrol in a US degree), Postdoctoral, Professional and Senior Scholars from any field of study. There are also many new sponsored Fulbright Scholarships in particular every state now has its own dedicated Scholarship and details of these are available on our website.
 
For further information and application forms navigate to the section 'Fulbright Scholarships/For Australian citizens'  at www.fulbright.com.au

 
Applications close 31 August 2009.

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Other Awards that we would like to highlight include:

The 2009 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Applications close 5pm Friday 3 July 2009! For more information and to download an application form, visit: www.daff.gov.au/scienceawards

Young Tall Poppy Science Awards. The closing date for applications is midnight, 31 July 2009. For more information and nomination details go to:  http://www.aips.net.au/203.html

Queensland – Smithsonian Fellowships. Applications close 5pm Friday, 14 August 2009. For more information go to: www.premiers.qld.gov.au/awards.events

The Sixth Annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocessing Montreal, Quebec 19-22 July

The World Congress aims to bring together individuals with diverse experience to share knowledge that will speed the development and growth of a sector that is vital for value creation and sustainable industrial development. This conference will foster the exchange of ideas and will provide "real world" scenarios that can be applied in daily practice, and it will present an overview of the latest technological developments.
For further information go to http://www.bio.org/worldcongress .

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Tropical Crop Biotechnology

The second Tropical Crop Biotechnology Conference will be held this year from 22 to 25 July at the beautiful Kruger National Park, South Africa. This event, with the theme 'New Horizons for the Tropics',  is a follow-up to the very successful first conference held in Cairns, North Queensland, in 2006. The Conference is a must for researchers working on the biotechnology of tropical crops and public and private sector managers interested in the business side of tropical plant biotechnology.

This year’s Programme encapsulates a wide range of speakers from across the globe, and a choice of networking tours. Detailed information is available at the official web site. Go to http://www.tcbc2009.com . Alternatively email cobusz@sun.ac.za .General information on Kruger National Park can be found at www.wildafrica.com.au .

NOTE: For the cost benefits of early registration, make sure you book by 1 June!

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SABRAO 2009

The 14th APB and 11th SABRAO Conferences will be held at the Cairns Convention Centre this year from 10 to 14 August. The aim of these events is to bring together international experts, key decision makers and opinion leaders in the areas of: Environmental challenges and opportunities; Food securities; Education and training; and Research and development – all within the field for plant breeding.

For more information or to register, go to: http://www.plantbreeding09.com.au.

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Agricultural Technologies in a Changing Environment

The 2009 CIGR International Symposium of the Australian Society for Engineering in Agriculture
13-16th September 2009 - Brisbane Australia

Third Announcement
You are invited to register for the 2009 CIGR International Symposium of the Australian Society for Engineering in Agriculture which is titled 'Agricultural Technologies in a Changing Climate'. The symposium will be held in Brisbane, Australia.

Registration for the symposium can be undertaken through the web address
http://www.seag2009.com.  Please note that Earlybird registration closes on the 30th April 2009.

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OECD-GenomeAssociation-OZ09 - Nov 9-12, 2009

The University of Western Australia, Perth. Towards the application of association mapping to plant genetic improvement.

The challenge of this conference is to provide plant breeders with a clear path towards the application of association mapping to plant genetic improvement. OECD invited speakers are international experts in molecular marker discovery, plant genetic mapping, new biometrical approaches to plant breeding, human genetics and animal breeding.
 
For more information go to: http://www.oecd-genomeassociation-oz09.com