Congratulations to the 2023 Excellence in Science and Industry Collaboration finalists

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ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production

Professor Vladimir Jiranek, Associate Professor David Jeffery, Professor Kerry Wilkinson, Mr David Wollan and Dr Jean Macintyre, The University of Adelaide 

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Across two successful bids in 2013 and 2017, the ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production unites 20 collaborating organisations: universities; research providers; state and federal government; small, medium and the world’s largest winery; suppliers; retailers; biotech start-up accelerators and funders.

The Centre’s industry-ready researchers are entering the sector and positively changing practices. Its 40 PhD and postdoctoral projects are enhancing SA wine's efficiency, sustainability, quality and profitability, while its publications and industry workshops are helping guide alcohol/flavour/quality management through an innovative, multi-step approach developed through coordinated 'grape to glass' projects.
 

 

Forensic Science Team

Professor Adrian Linacre, Professor Paul Kirkbride, Associate Professor Martin Johnston, Associate Professor Duncan Taylor and Mr Andrew Camilleri, Flinders University

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The successful and longstanding collaboration between researchers at Flinders University and Forensic Science SA (FSSA), a key organisation in the state’s justice system, is driving innovation in forensic science and educating the next generation of scientists and investigators. Forensic science teaching has both an academic and operational focus, ensuring that practical methodology is continually developed as new discoveries come to light, and that students graduate with a suite of practical, work-ready skills.

This partnership has harnessed artificial intelligence to read DNA profiles more effectively, delivered new and more efficient ways for crime investigators to locate, record and collect DNA, as well as producing DNA profiles faster than ever before, has developed a unique way to link gunshot residues on a shooting victim to the ammunition used in the shooting, and has identified signatures in illicit drugs showing how they are made, allowing authorities to proactively legislate to reduce supply. This collaboration is driving innovation, increasing public confidence in criminal investigations, and developing new techniques used by forensic agencies worldwide.

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Science to revive lost oyster reefs

Professor Sean Connell, Ms Sandy Carruthers, Dr Dominic McAfee, Ms Anita Nedosyko and Mr Alan Noble, The University of Adelaide

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This collaboration between The University of Adelaide, conservation organisations and the government has revived an extinct ecosystem to restore fish production and water quality for the enjoyment of people, and to provide economic opportunities.

 

Oyster reefs once carpeted our gulfs to provide food and shelter for fish and clean the coastal waters with their filter feeding but had been dredged to extinction. Drawing on knowledge from marine biologists and marine engineers that baby oysters can hear underwater sounds and use them to navigate, the team played underwater music that is attractive to baby oysters and provided them with highways of sound to navigate to reefs being built for them. 

 

Part of this work involved building homemade speakers to play the most attractive sounds for oysters, so that the oysters can rebuild their reefs far quicker than nature would normally allow. This journey created a eureka moment in science with the discovery that marine life can be so fundamentally influenced by sound that their entire life cycles can depend on the natural production of healthy soundscapes.

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