Swinburne Research Centres
Swinburne University of Technology has 15 designated Research Centres. The Centres cultivate strength in specific areas by concentrating resources (both human and instrumental). The Centres consist of groups of researchers that collectively have a demonstrable national or international profile. All of Swinburne’s Research Centres can demonstrate an excellent record of scholarship, publication and research funding. These areas provide an outstanding environment for the training of postgraduate research students. The Research Centres are:
Brain Sciences Institute
The Brain Science Institute (BSI) conducts high quality research in human neuroscience. The Centre houses a multi-disciplinary team of researchers across several different disciplines and areas of expertise, including physicists, psychologists, psychophysiologists, biophysicists and neuroscientists. BSI focuses its research in areas of human neuroscience: in particular, in the areas of cognitive neuroscience, psychopharmacology, clinical psychology, and psychological assessment.
Centre for Advanced Internet Architectures
The Centre for Advanced Internet Architectures (CAIA) has three primary goals: perform industrially relevant, innovative and critical research into new IP networking architectures; provide a world-class, stimulating and flexible research and teaching environment; and establish collaborations with leading industrial and academic research groups within and outside Australia.
Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing
The Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing (CAS) is dedicated to inspiring a fascination in the universe through research and education. Established in 1998, CAS is the largest astronomical research group in Victoria, and one of the largest in Australia. Specific areas of research interest include astronomy visualisation (with CAS playing a major part in constructing an innovative virtual reality environment - VROOM - currently housed at the Melbourne Museum), star & planet formation, pulsars, globular clusters, super massive black holes, galaxy evolution and Big Bang cosmology. An active program of research and development includes involvement in the planned Square Kilometre Array project, regular telescope time at major observatories including the Anglo-Australian Observatory, Australia Telescope Compact Array, W.M. Keck Observatory, the Gemini Observatory, and the Hubble Space Telescope Treasury Program.
Centre for Atom Optics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy
The Centre for Atom Optics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy (CAOUS) hosts nodes of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum-Atom Optics (ACQAO) and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-Ray Science (CXS). CAOUS is structured around four groups: Integrated Atom Optics; Ultracold Molecules; Ultrafast Spectroscopy; and Applied Optics.
Centre for Complex Software Systems and Services
The Centre for Complex Software Systems and Services was established as a new Tier 1 centre in 2008. The Centre aspires to become an internationally recognised Centre of Excellence, distinctive for its world-class capabilities and significant research contributions in Complex Software Systems and Services.
Centre for Enterprise Performance
The Centre for Enterprise Performance (CEP) conducts research to investigate how organisations can enhance their creation of economic, public, social and/or environmental value. The Centre conducts publicly-funded thought-leadership and research activity to advance Enterprise Performance knowledge and practice. The Centre delivers an academically rigorous contract-research capacity for parties seeking customised investigations into how they can enhance their Enterprise Performance. CEP provides research training and supervision for doctoral students wishing to work in the area of Enterprise Performance.The Centres partners comprise enterprises across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors of the economy.
Centre for Micro-Photonics
The Centre for Micro-Photonics (CMP) is an international leader in biophotonics and nanophotonics, providing a world-class laboratory for training Australian and international research students. Its mission is to develop innovative nanophotonic devices for all-optical information technology; to develop novel optoelectronic imaging methods for biological studies and industrial applications; and to understand mechanisms for light interaction with biological materials.
Centre for Molecular Simulation
Established in 1999, the Centre for Molecular Simulation (CMS) provides a focus for research in molecular simulation, providing fundamental insights into natural phenomena at the atomic level. CMS utilises Monte Carlo, equilibrium molecular dynamics and non-equilibrium molecular dynamics techniques which are used to explore a wide range of phenomena such as phase equilibria, transport phenomena and nanotechnology.
Centre for Software Analysis and Testing
The mission of the Centre for Software Analysis and Testing is to promote quality pure and applied research in the software engineering fields of software analysis and testing, which have significant impact to the software industry and the community. Aims and Objectives include: To conduct internationally recognised research in software analysis and testing; To provide high quality research training and education; To engage in collaborative research both nationally and internationally; and To engage industry-based research through collaborations, consulting and other commercial activities.
Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure
The Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure (CSI) provides a focus for multi-disciplinary research in the field of sustainable civil infrastructure, which is a topic of national importance in the 21st century. CSI has three major research programs consisting of Advanced Structural and Geotechnical Systems, Transportation Systems and Water Resources Modelling with a focus on applied practical research linked with industry. CSI leverages off the existing strengths of a growing academic base supported by strong undergraduate and postgraduate coursework student numbers, a strong research performance measured in terms of grants and publications, growing PhD student numbers, a new $15M structures strong cell laboratory under construction, an advanced geotechnical laboratory and a range of existing infrastructure performance databases maintained by industry.
Environment and Biotechnology Centre
The Environment and Biotechnology Centre promotes the development of both applied and industrial research in both environmental science and biotechnology. The Centre currently has 16 academic staff and over 30 research students, possessing expertise in fields as diverse as bioactive compound production and extraction, surface and colloid science, molecular biology, bioremediation and composting, public and environmental health, biosensors, enzyme technology, heavy metal removal, tissue engineering, nanotechnology and pulp and paper bioprocessing.
Industrial Research Institute Swinburne
The vision of the Industrial Research Institute Swinburne (IRIS) is to enhance the international competitiveness of Australia’s manufacturing industry in both traditional and emerging areas of biomedical instrumentation and devices through applied research and technology diffusion to industry. IRIS provides leveraged research and development capacity to industry through a range of different mechanisms including postgraduate research students, collaborative research programs and industry training. IRIS has a research turnover of more $6,000,000pa, and is a member of numerous cooperative research centres (CRCs). Areas of research concentration for IRIS are: biotechnology; intelligent manufacturing systems; laser technology; micro-technology; robotics; and non-contact inspection.
Institute for Social Research
The Institute for Social Research (ISR) has nearly thirty years of experience in social science research and education and has a reputation for independent, innovative and timely work of high quality. Areas of research expertise include housing markets and policy; citizenship, politics and democracy; immigration and refugee policy; social policy; media and communications; information policy; public administration and finance; youth policy; and gender, cultural diversity and work. ISR has substantial links with researchers and policy-makers in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
Swinburne Psychological, Clinical, Health and Evaluation Centre
Swinburne Psychological, Clinical, Health and Evaluation Centre (SwinPsyCHE) aims for excellence in psychological science and practice, embracing innovation and skills development, with an emphasis on well-being. SwinPsyCHEs mission is to promote contemporary psychosocial research designed to impact on the welfare of individuals, groups and the community. This theory-driven research is guided by the scientist-practitioner model. The Centre promotes: (a) basic and applied psychological research; (b) education and training in psychological research; and (c) collaboration and partnership with research and community agencies. SwinPsyCHE has four main foci: (1) basic psychological research identifying psychological processes and factors relevant to understanding the human condition; (2) clinical research identifying psychological processes and factors relevant to understanding clinical conditions and their management, and the application of such knowledge; (3) health-related research identifying psychological factors associated with medical illnesses and the application of such knowledge; and (4) evaluation of practical applications, programs and policies, especially with respect to service delivery and care.
The Business, Work and Ageing Centre for Research
Established in 2001, the Business Work and Ageing Centre for Research is an international leader in researching the economic and social consequences of workforce ageing. The Centre undertakes research and provides specialised consultancy services to industry.
Other Research Groups
Other Research Groups comprise:
- Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship
- Information Security Research (iSECURES) Laboratory
- Sensory Neuroscience Laboratory