Travel grants open up new links

by Katrina Phelps

Receiving an Early Career Research Travel Grant from UniSA has helped two researchers establish new links that will benefit not only them but also the University.

Dr Adam Simpson (pictured right), a lecturer with the School of Communication, International Studies and Languages, and Dr Akira Otsuki (pictured below), a Research Fellow in Mineral Processing at the Ian Wark Research Institute, have returned from overseas with new ideas, collaborations and inspiration.

Both were awarded the grants last year, with Dr Otsuki undertaking his travel in November, while Dr Simpson completed his travel in April-May this year.

Dr Simpson spent three weeks at the Research Centre for the Study of Politics, International Relations and Environment at Keele University in the UK as a Visiting Lecturer.

“The ECR International Travel Award allowed me to establish useful research linkages and collaboration with key individuals in my field throughout my trip,” Dr Simpson said. “It also contributed to developing my international research profile.”

Dr Simpson used the opportunity at Keele University to meet with the series editor for a book he is currently writing - Energy, Governance and Security in Thailand and Myanmar (Burma): a critical approach to environmental politics.

As founder and co-convenor of the Australian Political Studies Association’s Environmental Politics and Policy Standing Research Group, Dr Simpson met with people from similar research groups in the US, Europe and the UK.

Other highlights of his travel included convening a panel and presenting a paper at the British International Studies Association Conference, and presenting a paper at a workshop at the National University of Singapore with the paper subsequently invited by the workshop coordinators to be included in a journal special issue and book.

Meanwhile, Dr Otsuki spent three weeks at the University of Tokyo, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Dr Otsuki actually graduated from the University of Tokyo in 2007 and was able to work with his old supervisor on new collaborations. Following this visit, he has continued collaborating with other researchers from NIMS and JAEA to undertake experiments and discussions.

Dr Otsuki’s work focuses on understanding the behavior of particles in highly concentrated suspensions. Out of his visit to the University of Tokyo, NIMS and JAEA, there is a possibility of working on joint publications and research proposals, for the benefit of both universities and institutes.

“It has enhanced future developments of this work, and significant knowledge obtained through this visit will greatly contribute to basic sciences and industries, for example scientific instruments, ceramics and mineral processing,” Dr Otsuki said.

Dr Otsuki’s manager at UniSA, Associate Professor Daniel Fornasiero, said that these international collaborations are significant for The Wark™.

“It is very important for The Wark™ to have international collaborations in research and education with key research institutions around the world to remain at the forefront of our research by exchanging ideas, staff and students, sharing equipments and strengthening our grant application,” Associate Professor Fornasiero said.