Research Centres provide a focus for research activity and draw together a number of highly qualified staff who share common interests. These staff groupings often cross faculty and discipline boundaries creating a synergy which brings innovative approaches to solving both new and existing research questions.
Centre for Advanced Food Research
Centre for Biostructural and Biomolecular Research
Centre for Research in Primary Health Care
Centre for Systemic Action Research
Horticultural Export Development Centre
Property Research Centre
Water Research Laboratory
The strategic objectives of the Centre are to conduct research and development in conjunction with the Australian Food Industry that will enhance the productivity, efficiency and knowledge-base of food manufacturing in Australia and improve its competitiveness in the World Market. The activities of the Centre are export-oriented and focus on four major areas: development and application of new technologies and bioprocesses for adding value to indigenous raw materials; food processing and the nutritive value of products; research on the senses of smell and taste; sensory evaluation of food and cross-cultural studies of the food preferences of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region; development and application of analytical techniques for process and quality management.
The Centre has been awarded over $2 million in external grants since 1992 and has modern air-conditioned buildings equipped with laboratories for food chemistry and biochemistry, microbiology and sensory research as its headquarters. Directors of the Centre are Professor Paul Baumgartner and Professor David Laing, and it has a membership of 21 scientists and 20 postgraduate students.
The Centre for Biostructural and Biomolecular Research (CBBR), was formed in 1989 to provide a multidisciplinary research focus for staff working in biological, biochemical and chemical areas. This background has given the group a strong commitment to collaborative research which it has pursued both within and outside the University. It has been successful in gaining ARC, industry and University research grants and was formally recognised as a University research centre in 1990.
The research mission of the CBBR is to investigate both macroscopic and molecular structure function relationships in a wide range of biological systems.
For example, the group is attempting to define and objectively measure quality determinants at a molecular level in agricultural products such as melons, tea tree oil and meat using both non-invasive (NMR) and other sophisticated analytical methods (GCMS, confocal microscopy). Another project seeks to explore the synthesis and action of molecules regulating plant development (hormones).
The Centre is concerned with the health of the community through the application of the principles of Primary Health Care, and also with the development needs of health professionals involved in Primary Health Care.
The Centre defines 'health' according to the World Health Organisation's definition as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. In keeping with this, the Centre's philosophy encompasses educational, preventive and promotive aspects.
The ongoing professional development of all staff working in the field is seen as an essential factor in facilitating collaborative endeavour with the community to improve and extend Primary Health Care. The Centre includes a wide range of health professionals and staff from other academic disciplines. The Director of the Centre is Assoc. Professor Ester Chang.
The Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture is an international authority on systemic action research and experiential learning. This reputation has been recognised by its 1989 hosting of the Second International Conference on Experiential Learning, and a major international workshop for UNESCO on Agricultural Education for Subsistence Farming.
The application for this work at Hawkesbury has included the development of unique research and educational methodologies which have been extended to a wide variety of situations concerned with farm community and organisational development. The Director of the Centre is Professor Richard Bawden.
The objective of this Centre, located within the School of Horticulture, is to foster through research, development, education and consultancy, the development of internationally competitive horticultural industries. This multidisciplinary Centre, which incorporates biologists, horticulturalists, food scientists and marketing specialists from the School of Horticulture, Science and Food Technology, takes a systems based approach to the development of integrated horticultural production, transport and marketing systems on a national and international scale. This approach is supported by access to excellent production, postharvest and food processing facilities on the Richmond campus.
The Centre's research is currently supported by more than $1 million of external research grants from government and industry. It has a membership of 15 staff members and more than 40 postgraduate research students.
The Co-Directors of the Centre are: Professor E.W.R. Barlow and Dr Barry McGlasson.
The Property Research Centre was formed in 1989 as the focus for the property research activities within the School of Land Economy. The Centre's research activities cover the areas of property valuation, property market analysis, property investment analysis, urban economic analysis and planning, and computer modelling. The Centre has published numerous research papers in the last 5 years, as well as attracting significant research funding from the property industry and government bodies.
The Water Research Laboratory (WRL) is a multidisciplinary Research Centre within the University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury engaged in studies related to water quality and the management of water resources. The group's research is directed by Dr John Bavor, an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology. Specialist expertise in tropical and subtropical limnology is contributed to the group by WRL Deputy Director, Dr Paddy Osborne, who is recognised internationally for his work in wetland ecology.
The Laboratory's research programs focus on pollutant removal from domestic and industrial effluents and from urban/agricultural runoff. Wider aspects of water resource management, and aquatic ecology are addressed through postgraduate research and consultancy activities, linking the group's research skills and expertise to community environmental concerns. Studies include catchment management programs, recycled waste product issues and innovative waste treatment processes.
UWS Hawkesbury participation in the Co-operative Research Centre Advanced Constructed Wetland Technology Project is co-ordinated by the WRL. This project is one of the largest within the CRC for Waste Management and Pollution Control and is supported by an extensive constructed wetland research facility and research team located at the UWS campus.