The last three months has been a busy time for joint scientific research exchanges between Australia and Japan under the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Program for Japan where Australian and Japanese researchers are focusing on cooperating in chemical engineering, medical and biological research.
Some recent activities include:
- A Curtin University researcher and the Earthquake Research Institute of the University of Tokyo have established an ongoing joint research project on the dynamics of volcanic eruption and rock friction.
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Miyagi University researchers are working on a bacterium that has the potential to clean up radioactive waste from the environment.
- The Centre for Eye Research at Melbourne University and the Tokyo Medical and Dental University are establishing new guidelines for the assessment of eye disease.
- A University of New South Wales researcher is working with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and Nihon University to develop new materials as replacements for flammable or toxic organic solvents used in many industrial processes.
The Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Program for Japan was announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard in April 2011 as part of a package of educational support for institutions affected by the earthquake and tsunami. The Program is fully subscribed and has supported over 100 students, academics and researchers to undertake joint-research and two-way exchanges between Australian and Japanese institutions.