Industry-minded CRCs awarded

Four Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) have been honoured for their effective collaborations with industry.

Federal Science Minister Peter McGauran was at this week's CRC Association annual conference to present the CRC Technology Transfer Awards.

McGauran told the audience of scientists, patent attorneys and venture capitalists that CRCs were breeding a new type of researcher - collaboratively minded to work with industry.

Since the CRC program was set up in 1990 to gain a closer alliance between Australia's R&D effort and end-users in industry, government and the wider community, over 64 CRCs have been established across Australia. This year, the awards received nominations from 24 of them. Four awards were presented this year instead of the usual three.

The applicants were judged on the value and success of their CRCs in developing novel and innovative solutions, products and processes combined with a strong ethics of delivering benefits to end-users.

The four winners announced at the event included:

• The CRC for Tissue Growth and Repair, for technology transfer of its range of growth factors through three spin-off companies,
• The CRC for Cochlear Implant and Hearing Innovation for commercialising SoundShield, a device for protecting users of telephone headsets from acoustic shocks,
• The CRC for Food Manufacture and Packaging Science for technology transfer of its biodegradable starch-based packaging technology that may replace plastics worldwide, and
• The CRC for Eye Research and Technology for commercialising worldwide its soft contact lens that can be worn continuously for a month of day and night wear without affecting the eye.