ANU awarded six Federation Fellowships

A leading computer scientist, a world-class economist, one of the world’s great philosophers, an expert in complex systems, an expert in complex materials and a world leader in nanotechnology will all be conducting vital research at ANU for the next five years.

In June, the six researchers were awarded Federation Fellowships, each worth more than $1 million, to conduct a five-year research program in their chosen area.

Federation Fellowships, awarded by the Australian Research Council, are the most valuable publicly-funded fellowships in Australia and are funded by the Council with matching support from the host institution.

ANU has now been awarded a total of 15 Federation Fellowships over the three rounds; more than any other university and providing further evidence of the University’s pre-eminent role in Australian research. Out of 25 Fellowships awarded this year, six were presented to ANU researchers.

“Federation Fellowships will bring four of Australia’s leading researchers back home to work at ANU, striking an important blow against the brain drain which has too often led some of our brightest researchers to stay too long overseas,” ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Chubb said.

“These Fellowships also recognise the extraordinary work of two researchers already at ANU and will enable them to continue their important research.

“Out of a total of 25 Fellowships awarded across Australia today, six were awarded to Australia’s leading research university, the ANU. These six Federation Fellowships will further enhance the research strength at ANU, enabling us to even more effectively serve the interests of the Australian people through world-class research.”

Announcing the new Federation Fellowships, Federal Education Minister, Dr Brendan Nelson, said: “Almost $38 million will be provided through the Australian Research Council for these new Fellowships over the next five years. This significant investment means that we are able to attract some of the world’s best research talent to Australia, and offer opportunities for our world-leading researchers to continue their work here.”

The 2004 Federation Fellowships to be taken up at ANU are:

• Professor Richard Brent – a computer scientist, currently at Oxford university;
• Professor David Chalmers – a philosopher currently working at the University of Arizona in the USA;
• Professor Simon Grant – an economic theorist, currently at Rice University in Houston, Texas;
• Professor David Hill – working in dynamics, stability and complex systems, currently at the City University of Hong Kong;
• Professor Stephen Hyde – studying the properties of complex materials at ANU; and
• Professor Chennupati Jagadish – a renowned nanotechnology and photonics researcher at ANU.

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