Central Queensland University has become a member of a successful bid for a CRC in Integrated Engineering Asset management (CIEAM).

Professor Elizabeth Taylor (Dean of Engineering and Physical Systems), Associate Professor Peter Wolfs (Associate Dean Research, Engineering and Physical Systems) and Professor Peter Smith (School of Management) have been pivotal in facilitating CQU's cross-Faculty partnership in CIEAM.

The Faculty of Business and Law will be working in partnership with the Faculties of Engineering and Physical Systems, Arts, Health & Sciences, and Informatics and Communication for CIEAM.

The bid secures research funding of $17.5 million from DEST and $7.91 million from our industry partners in addition to in-kind support.

The CIEAM research program is vertically integrated across four technical and one people dimension: strategic human dimensions of integrated asset management; models and decision systems; systems integration and systems technology; advanced sensors; intelligent diagnostics and life prediction.

In addition to Central Queensland University the CRC members include four other universities (QUT, Monash, UniSA, and Newcastle) and CSIRO, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Comalco Ltd, Industrial Research Ltd, Sunwater, Shell Ltd, Mincom Ltd, Pacific Power International, Queensland Manufacturing Institute and Queensland Rail.

CIEAM will develop and implement world leading edge technologies in sensors, information processing and management support systems in a leading edge integrated environment.

The research and commercialisation activities of CIEAM are complimented by an innovative Education and Training Program to support “industry ready” graduates and PhDs and the delivery of professional and para-professional training to industry at all levels as a key mechanism in the transfer of technology and knowledge to users.

The Strategic Human Dimensions program, to be based at our Gladstone campus, will be led by Professor Peter Smith working with CQU researchers Dr Christine Murphy, Professor David Gadenne, Associate Professor Paul Hyland, Ms Prue Howard, Dr Lee Di Milia, and Ms Yvonne Toft, as well as researchers from QUT, UniSA, and Comalco Ltd. CQU will also be appointing Senior Research and Post-doctoral Research Fellows as part of the research team. Other CQU academic staff working across the CIEAM programs include Professor Anthony Kelly, Mr Bryan Horton, Dr Coll Greensill, Associate Professor Russel Stonier and Professor Warren Thorpe.

This success demonstrates another return on investment from the strategic partnership strategy for research and teaching development made possible by the appointment of full-time professors and research active staff to the Faculty since 2000 and the support of CQU's Executive Staff team.