Lumen Winter 2023 - Flipbook - Page 5
population: the challenge of attracting and
maintaining talent in our State. Humans
cause anthropogenic impact, and we are
also ultimately key to its solution. We must
build the knowledge base to turn challenge
into opportunity. This requires the talent to
do so.
I think we should also point out what we are
very good at in our State. We have a globally
leading position in variable renewable
energy as well as the circular economy. The
University of Adelaide is the most hydrogen
intensive research university, and the State
is building the largest green hydrogen
electrolyser in the world.
One of the challenges for any jurisdiction
or organisation is the impact of their supply
chain, and at the University we are creating
knowledge through our own operations and
also research to positively address this.
Can you please explain the role of ISER
– the Institute for Sustainability, Energy
and Resources?
Sustainability is a value and an ethos that the
University of Adelaide embeds into our daily
actions, our choices on campus, and in our
research. Sustainability guides the decisions
we make, the way we interact, and what we
stand for.
We have three institutes directly addressing
sustainability issues: ISER, the Environment
Institute and the Waite Research Institute.
ISER is the brand champion of University
of Adelaide-wide initiatives and key portal
of research capabilities within sustainability,
energy and resources. We coordinate the
University’s Sustainability Research Strategy
and lead large-scale collaborative research
efforts across our academic ecosystem.
ISER leads globally transformative research
that overcomes complexity, drives change,
and creates value for a more sustainable
future. We want to accelerate solutions that
deliver sustainability, equity and prosperity
for the planet and its people, underpinned
by breakthrough research.
ISER has 110 affiliate researchers across
the University as of January 2023: 28 in
the Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and
Economics; 12 in the Faculty of Health and
Medical Sciences; and 70 in the Faculty of
Sciences, Engineering and Technology.
Obviously there are many areas of
research need. How is the University
deciding which areas to prioritise?
The Sustainability FAME Research Strategy
and the University sustainability strategy
2030 – Here for Good, build upon the
University’s Strategic Plan, Future Making.
The University consults with internal and
external stakeholders to align areas of
research excellence, relevance and societal
impact with our capacity and capability to
deliver on these together.
“The planet, where it can
be impacted by humans,
has never been in such a
dire state.”
If you had to pick just two really big
problems, some big research the
University is working on to help the
planet, what would you say they are?
Future Energies such as green hydrogen:
production from seawater and from
photovoltaic cells, storage at near ambient
temperature and pressure and scaling its
utilisation.
The work we are doing with the primary
sectors: sustainable agriculture and land and
seascape management together with carbon
and biodiversity markets as well as more
sustainable mining.
LUMEN – WINTER 2023 5
