GEMOC ARC National Key Centre

GEMOC's business plan has proved to be a successful blueprint, resulting in viable funding to continue and evolve GEMOC's activities beyond the Commonwealth funding period that ended in 2001.

Key elements of funding continuation include:

•  Recognition as Centre of Concentration of Research Excellence at Macquarie by the new Vice-Chancellor in 2006 and award of six new funded academic positions

•  Macquarie University Postgraduate Scholarships for Australian and international students

•  ARC Discovery Linkage Successes

•  Award of two Federation Fellowships (Professors Simon Turner and Bernard Wood)

•  Industry funding has increased through substantial collaborative ventures supporting basic research

•  Commercialisation of GLITTER software through AccessMQ

•  Independent Research Fellowships to support Postdoctoral Fellows (Australian and International sources)

•  LIEF successes for infrastructure with co-investment by industry and other universities

•  DEST Systemic Infrastructure Initiative Grant ($5.125 million) for 2002-2004

•  Success in Macquarie University competitive funding schemes for research, postgraduate studies, and teaching development for undergraduate studies

•  3 academic staff members (Drs Kelsie Dadd, Simon Jackson and Nathan Daczko) appointed to GEMOC in 1995, 1996 and 2003 have continuing appointments

Strategy for ongoing Geochemical Analysis Unit funding

GEMOC’s outstanding analytical facilities are vital to our innovative research programs and to attracting research and industry income. This technology concentration also represents a high-budget item in terms of maintenance, running costs, replacement and especially for new purchases to maintain frontline developments. Funding strategies in place include:

•  User-pays system for running, maintenance and development costs

•  University annual contributions through competitive schemes and capital equipment allocations

•  Annual contribution from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

•  Macquarie University was designated as one of the National Geochemistry Nodes in the AuScope (www.auscope.org.au) award in the NCRIS round in 2007 and will receive a funding contribution to staff and small equipment items for five years from 2007

•  Macquarie University’s guarantee of a strategic plan to ensure the integrity, maintenance and appropriate staffing of the Geochemical Analysis Unit

•  Collaborative project building with industry partners

•  Delivery of new exploration tools to industry through novel analytical methodologies

•  Research and Development ventures with manufacturers leading to equipment replacement

•  Applications to funding schemes for matching funds for new purchases and with partner co-investment

•  Industry capital investment in return for access equity, negotiated intellectual property and collaborative rates

GEMOC INCOME 2007

This is a summary of 2007 income.  A full audited statement of detailed expenditure and income is prepared by Macquarie University.  No in-kind support is included here.

PIE-CHART OF INCOME SOURCES 2007

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