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Media Release

August 29 2006

Eminent scientist wins Premier’s Science Excellence Award

John RalstonEminent University of South Australia scientist, Laureate Professor John Ralston has been named winner of the 2006 Premier’s Science Excellence Awards under the category of Research Leadership.

The Director of UniSA’s Ian Wark Research Institute and Laureate Professor of Physical Chemistry and Minerals Processing, Ralston was selected for displaying strong leadership within his research team and for his significant success in collaborating across disciplines and sectors in developing the physical chemistry of the mineral flotation process, the surface chemistry of metal sulphides and the static and dynamic wetting behaviour of simple and structured solid surfaces.

Prof Ralston provided the inspiration and the motivating force for the establishment of the Ian Wark Research Institute, known worldwide for its fundamental research in interfaces. The Wark™ is the Australian Research Council Special Research Centre for Particle and Material Interfaces. It performs a special blend of fundamental and applied research that is published in respected international journals and may appear as patents.

Through Prof Ralston’s vision and leadership, The Wark™ was named the lead institute for a new multi-million dollar Australian Mineral Science Research Institute (AMSRI), comprising a consortium of world-class Australian university research centres and a global network of 24 collaborators. AMSRI is supported by the largest ARC Linkage grant ever awarded, with a cash value of more than $22 million, comprising ARC, industry, university and state government contributions.

Elected to the Australian Academy of Science in 2005, Prof Ralston was recognised for a career that has significantly advanced and continues to advance the world’s scientific knowledge. He heads a team of 70 research staff and 70 research students, supported by a strong administrative team.

UniSA’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Denise Bradley congratulated Prof Ralston on winning the award.

“Laureate Professor Ralston has brought honour to the University of South Australia in activities which lie at the very core of our mission – working with industry partners to find innovative solutions. We celebrate his achievements and acknowledge our pride in all he has done for Australian science. This additional recognition, winning the Premier’s Science Excellence Awards for Research Leadership, is very well deserved,” Prof Bradley said.

UniSA’s Foundation Professor of Environmental Remediation, Prof Naidu was also named as a finalist in the Premier’s Science Excellence Awards for Excellence in Research for Commercial Outcomes. An international leader for research in his field, Prof Naidu was recognised for his outstanding contribution to scientific research into environmental contamination and the management remediation of contaminated environments for both commercial and public good outcomes. Prof Naidu established two leading centres of research – the Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR) and the CRC for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CARE) in SA, winning funding of $115 million for the commercially focused CRC that created jobs for 55 technical staff and postgraduate students.

In addition to the Premier’s awards, the Minister for Science and Information Economy, the Hon Karlene Maywald, recognised three UniSA winners of Science and Innovation Strategic Projects to support the formation of an innovative Centre for Drug Formulation and Delivery (part of the Sansom Institute); a Facility for Advanced Materials Surface Engineering; and the Applied Centre for Structural and Synchrotron Studies.

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