Research and Innovation Grants Awarded

The Territory Government has awarded $300,000 in grants to promote further research and innovation work across the Northern Territory.

Minister for Business, Dr Chris Burns, said 18 grants have been awarded as part of the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board grants program.

“We want to develop more home-grown research and innovation, so it’s important to deliver incentives to encourage people to pursue projects and ensure Territorians benefit from their work,” Dr Burns said.

“This is the second year the Territory Government has awarded the Research and Innovation Grants as part of a $1 million three-year program.

“The Territory Government is committed to helping grow local businesses, and supporting work that will provide economic and social development outcomes.

“This year we’ve awarded seven research grants, six post-graduate scholarships, three innovation grants and two proof of concept grants.

“I congratulate all the recipients and wish them well with their bodies of work and look forward to seeing some of the benefits they will pass on,” he said.

The grants and Research and Innovation Awards are part of the Territory Government’s Backing Territory Research – Research Priorities for the Northern Territory 2008?2015.

To be considered for a Research and Innovation Grant, the project must be of benefit to the Northern Territory and meet specified criteria.

“This is an important program that supports local business, researchers and innovators and I encourage interested people to look into the opportunities they present,” Dr Burns said.

For more information on the Research and Innovation Grants visit www.nt.gov.au/innovation

Contact: Nicole Manison 0448 693 279

2009 Research and Innovation Grant Recipients

Research Grants

·         Improved mango quality and yield through optimised irrigation; Sean Bithell –

$30 000

·         A Better Future: preconception reproductive health for Indigenous women; Dr Jacqueline Boyle - $30 000

·         High-throughput SNP-based molecular typing of Burkholderia pseudomallei; Associate Professor Dennis Shoesmith - $25 000

·         Experimental protocol for cutting propagation of two Top End grevillea species; Sue Guilfoyle - $20 000

·         Potential for NT pastoralists to engage in ecosystem service markets; Professor Romy Greiner - $24 000

·         Women’s Views: moving forward on mandatory reporting of domestic and family violence in the Northern Territory; Nfanwy Welsh - $26 250

·         Karrabing: mixed-reality technologies for keeping country live; Professor Elizabeth Povinelli - $69 000

Post-graduate Scholarships

·         Understanding education reform in the Northern Territory: lessons learned from the implementation of the National Accelerated Literacy Program; Claire Bartlett - $2500

·         Assessing ecosystem processes in regrowth: lessons from landclearing in the tropical savannas; Veronica French - $2500

·         Investigating populations, habitats and evaluating control efforts for mosquitoes and biting midges for a reduction vector-borne diseases in humans and cattle; Susan Jacups - $2500

·         Staphylococcus aureus; Jacklyn Wei Sze Ng - $2500

·         Ecology, population and genetics and traditional knowledge of giant clams in the Arafura and Timor Seas region; Shane Penny - $2500

·         Identity in a sporting community; Susanna Ritchie - $2500

Proof of Concept Grants

·         Mango root DNA detection: a new tool for applied research; Sean Bithell - $7500

·         Integrated pest management to enhance development of the date palm industry; Dr Raghu Sathyamurthy - $7500

Innovation Grants

·         Three grants were made, the details of which will be announced when patent and intellectual property matters are finalised.


Dr Chris Burns MINISTER FOR BUSINESS