Celebrating National Science Week with a bang
by Vincent Ciccarello
With a major prize in the South Australian Science Excellence Awards and another trio of Young
Tall Poppies, UniSA researchers celebrated National Science Week with a bang.
It was a dream come true for sleep researcher, Professor Drew Dawson.
The Founder and Director of the UniSA’s Centre for Sleep Research (CfSR) took out the top honour for Excellence in Research for Commercial Benefit in this year’s South Australian (formerly Premier’s) Science Excellence Awards.
This award is open to individuals or teams who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in conducting scientific research and development including the transfer of knowledge to achieve outcomes of commercial and/or economic benefit.
A regular commentator on sleep and health issues in the international, national and local media, Prof Dawson has worked tirelessly to promote the importance of sleep and fatigue as health and occupational safety issues.
His research has resulted in the significant reduction of fatigue-related risk and the incidence of fatigue-related accident and injuries in many companies throughout the transport, mining, health care and manufacturing industries.
Since joining UniSA in 1992, Prof Dawson’s research has received major funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council. Last year, he was awarded a prestigious US National Institute of Health grant to study the effects of recovery sleep on cognitive performance.
Two other distinguished UniSA scientists were also named as finalists at the South Australian Science Excellence Awards ceremony.
Professor Ravi Naidu, Managing Director of CRC CARE at UniSA, was a finalist for the title of South Australian Scientist of the Year.
And Associate Professor Libby Roughead, senior researcher in UniSA’s Sansom Research Institute was a finalist in the Excellence in Research for Public Good Benefit category.
UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Høj said the award was an important recognition of Prof Dawson’s pioneering research and his outstanding ability as a communicator.
"As a result of the impressive research track record of Prof Dawson, his colleagues and students, the CfSR – which is the largest group of its type in Australia - ranks among a handful of elite sleep labs internationally," Prof Høj said.
"This award is a fitting acknowledgement of how Prof Dawson’s scientific leadership and work, especially in minimising the consequences of sleep loss in a variety of industries, are making a very real, practical difference to the lives of workers, their families and their employers at State, national and international levels.
"It’s a shining example of UniSA’s industry-focused research and community engagement, and we congratulate Prof Dawson on receiving this honour."
Just the day before, three dynamic early career researchers at UniSA were presented prestigious Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.
Health
scientist Dr Alison Coates, bionic ear researcher Dr Mark McDonnell
and pharmacist Dr Michael Sorich join a trio of other Tall Poppies
and UniSA colleagues - Dr Beverly Muhlhäusler, Dr Emma
Parkinson-Lawrence and 2007 South Australian Young Tall Poppy of the
Year, Dr Craig Williams – who were recognised last year as
Australia’s outstanding young scientists.
UniSA Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research & Innovation, Professor Caroline McMillen, said Drs Coates, McDonnell and Sorich were all excellent ambassadors for science and scientific research.
"All three are not only enthusiastic and highly-accomplished researchers, they are also passionate advocates for science and outstanding communicators," Prof McMillen said.
"And
they join the illustrious roll call of Young Tall Poppy scientists
at UniSA that includes Director of the Sansom Institute, Professor
Ross McKinnon and Director of the ITR, Professor Alex Grant."
Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Høj said the solution-focused research of UniSA’s latest Tall Young Poppies epitomises the real-world approach that informs much of UniSA’s research.
"The University congratulates Alison, Mark and Michael and celebrates this great honour with them," he said.