UQ engineering research tops the charts

The University of Queensland's reputation for outstanding engineering research has been given another boost with the release of the Excellence in Research for Australia survey.

The national research survey ranked UQ as one of the three top engineering universities in Australia.

All nine fields of engineering at UQ were ranked at well-above world standard (level 5) or above world standard (level 4), with the University above world standard in more fields of engineering than any other Australian university.

The four specialised engineering research areas at UQ classified as well-above world class (level 5) were Environmental Engineering; Materials Engineering; Mechanical Engineering and Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy.

Nanotechnology was also assessed as being well-above world standard.

The five specialised engineering research areas ranked at above world standard (level 4) were Biomedical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Civil Engineering; Food Sciences and Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

UQ’s engineering research is conducted across the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, the Sustainable Minerals Institute and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.

The Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology (EAIT), Professor Graham Schaffer, said the results supported UQ’s reputation for excellence in engineering research and as one of Australia’s leading institutions in the field.

“The University has more than 1000 academic and research staff and students who conduct applied and fundamental engineering research in areas of critical importance – from renewable energy and medical diagnostic technologies to smart machines, metallurgical processes, power systems, hypersonics and light alloys," he said.

“The University’s capacity for quality research has enabled significant research success and a very high level of industry collaboration, and is testament to the first-class academic and research staff and students involved in engineering research across UQ.

“I congratulate UQ’s engineering researchers and look forward to continuing to grow our research capacity by investing significant resources in attracting and retaining the best staff and students, and ensuring they are provided with the right infrastructure and support for their work,” Professor Schaffer said.

Professor Chris Moran, Director of the Sustainable Minerals Institute, said successful partnerships with industry were a key attribute of UQ’s research.

“These results indicate that strong industry engagement and research excellence are compatible,” Professor Moran said.

The full listing of the 2011 ERA ratings is here. Media: Ms Izzy Koh, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, 3346 7696, i.koh@uq.edu.au