National roadmap for research infrastructure released

The Australian Government has released a comprehensive roadmap outlining the research infrastructure priorities essential for building Australian research excellence into the future.

Releasing the 2016 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap, Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, and Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator Arthur Sinodinos, congratulated Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, and the expert working group on a thorough analysis of Australia's research infrastructure priorities.

"The Roadmap provides comprehensive advice and highlights the success of Australia's current research infrastructure system in supporting research excellence," Minister Sinodinos said.

"These facilities underpin great research that benefits Australians in their everyday lives in areas as diverse as treating chronic diseases like melanoma and increasing yields in key crops to improve our food security."

The 2016 Roadmap has identified nine focus areas for infrastructure investment:

1. digital data and e-research platforms
2. platforms for humanities arts and social sciences
3. characterisation (techniques for understanding the properties of materials)
4. advanced fabrication and manufacturing
5. advanced physics and astronomy
6. earth and environmental systems
7. biosecurity
8. complex biology
9. therapeutic development.

Minister Birmingham said that the 2016 Roadmap was developed through extensive consultation with the research community, universities, research institutes, state government and industry.

_{Source: Australian Government}