Bacterial Proteomics: From Cell Division to Novel Antibiotic Targets. When a cell divides it is essential that each newborn cell gets a complete copy of the DNA. To ensure that this happens, cell division must be tightly controlled. It is not known how this occurs in bacteria. However, if we knew what molecules were involved in this control, we could target them to kill harmful bacteria. This project aims to identify such regulatory molecules as candidate targets for antimicrobial agents, with a ....Bacterial Proteomics: From Cell Division to Novel Antibiotic Targets. When a cell divides it is essential that each newborn cell gets a complete copy of the DNA. To ensure that this happens, cell division must be tightly controlled. It is not known how this occurs in bacteria. However, if we knew what molecules were involved in this control, we could target them to kill harmful bacteria. This project aims to identify such regulatory molecules as candidate targets for antimicrobial agents, with a view to developing powerful, novel antibiotics to protect us from the imminent threat of bioterrorism and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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Tertiary education and social capital in Victoria: the effects of the new economy courses in Business and IT. Over one third of tertiary students are enrolled in the fast-growing new economy disciplines in business studies and IT. In partnership with the Victorian government, this project studies the contribution of business and IT courses to social capital, the collaborative networks that underpin economic innovation and sustainable community. The research will survey and interview Victorian 15 ....Tertiary education and social capital in Victoria: the effects of the new economy courses in Business and IT. Over one third of tertiary students are enrolled in the fast-growing new economy disciplines in business studies and IT. In partnership with the Victorian government, this project studies the contribution of business and IT courses to social capital, the collaborative networks that underpin economic innovation and sustainable community. The research will survey and interview Victorian 1500 graduates from 12 higher education and VET institutions (6 rural); and survey and interview employers and community leaders. The research will inform Victoria's education policy and Growing Victoria Together strategy, and encourage tertiary institutions throughout Australia to strengthen their contribution to social capital.Read moreRead less
On-line training for small business: Creating a best practice model. By evaluating the current training delivery methods used to inform small business managers this project will provide a best practice model to meet the specific training needs of those working in this sector. This model will encourage increased training participation by small business managers and provide the impetus for development of new on-line learning options. The project outcomes offer the opportunity for growth and deve ....On-line training for small business: Creating a best practice model. By evaluating the current training delivery methods used to inform small business managers this project will provide a best practice model to meet the specific training needs of those working in this sector. This model will encourage increased training participation by small business managers and provide the impetus for development of new on-line learning options. The project outcomes offer the opportunity for growth and development in small businesses. In turn, small business expansion offers Australia greater economic growth and at the local level also increases employment opportunities.Read moreRead less
Ethnographies of housing: exploring the role of housing officers in public housing service provision. This research examines the everyday practice of public housing officers working in the Victorian Office of Housing. It aims to analyse the ways that workers exercise discretion, and the patterns of meanings that they construct, through their interactions with clients, departmental managers and other human service providers. It is the first ethnographic study of front-line work in housing servi ....Ethnographies of housing: exploring the role of housing officers in public housing service provision. This research examines the everyday practice of public housing officers working in the Victorian Office of Housing. It aims to analyse the ways that workers exercise discretion, and the patterns of meanings that they construct, through their interactions with clients, departmental managers and other human service providers. It is the first ethnographic study of front-line work in housing services in Australia and builds on comparable work done in the United Kingdom and America. The knowledge generated will inform innovation in public housing services, housing policy debates and emerging programs designed to integrate housing with other human services.Read moreRead less
Developing a creative ecology as a community of practice: The pathway from training to profession in the digital content industries. The findings of this study, will provide valuable insight and an anticipatory framework to help sustain the Australian government's declaration that Australia is strongly committed to knowledge creation, innovation and economic growth and that we need to build a culture within Australia that applauds innovation and ensure that research, education, business and gove ....Developing a creative ecology as a community of practice: The pathway from training to profession in the digital content industries. The findings of this study, will provide valuable insight and an anticipatory framework to help sustain the Australian government's declaration that Australia is strongly committed to knowledge creation, innovation and economic growth and that we need to build a culture within Australia that applauds innovation and ensure that research, education, business and government work together to harness the potential innovation offers. The project will also assist both industry and community to better understand the social and cultural implications of media and digital technologies and lead to an awareness of socially responsible and innovative applications within education and training contexts.Read moreRead less
Skilling Indigenous Australia: Effective numeracy learning for employment by regional and remote Indigenous students in vocational education and training courses. Increasing levels of Indigenous VET certification will enable Indigenous inclusion in local labour markets, which are currently experiencing skills shortages in education, health, construction and mining. This will reduce welfare dependence and the need for intervention programs, in turn improving Australia's economic activity. This pr ....Skilling Indigenous Australia: Effective numeracy learning for employment by regional and remote Indigenous students in vocational education and training courses. Increasing levels of Indigenous VET certification will enable Indigenous inclusion in local labour markets, which are currently experiencing skills shortages in education, health, construction and mining. This will reduce welfare dependence and the need for intervention programs, in turn improving Australia's economic activity. This project is a significant collaboration between schools, TAFEs and Industry representatives that service remote areas, which aims to develop a theory about effective numeracy instruction. This theoretical framework will provide strategies for VET teachers and supervisors to facilitate Indigenous student's numeracy learning in a manner that is culturally empowering, builds pride and sustains community linkages. Read moreRead less
Conceiving Connections: Increasing industry viability through analysis of audience responses to dance performance. The development of audiences is identified by the Australian dance industry as vital to the future of the sector. The current project will investigate how audiences respond to highly evolved dance-works. It will explore the kinds of meaning communicated by such works, and the value assigned to them by tutored and untutored audiences. Methods for enhancing audience engagement will be ....Conceiving Connections: Increasing industry viability through analysis of audience responses to dance performance. The development of audiences is identified by the Australian dance industry as vital to the future of the sector. The current project will investigate how audiences respond to highly evolved dance-works. It will explore the kinds of meaning communicated by such works, and the value assigned to them by tutored and untutored audiences. Methods for enhancing audience engagement will be tested through studies in both metropolitan and regional centres. Dance-scholars, artists and cognitive psychologists collaborate with three industry partners to identify and address significant concerns for artists, presenters, advocates and funding bodies, and to train postgraduate reserachers in inter-disciplinary modes.Read moreRead less
Numeracy, Youth and Employment: A study of numeracy demands in contemporary workplaces in regional Queensland. In contemporary workplaces, the numeracy demands are varied, yet little is known about their form or skill requirements. In order for schools and other agencies to better prepare Australian youth for the demands of contemporary work, a clearer understanding of the intersection of numeracy and work is needed. This project seeks to identify the numeracy demands across a range of industr ....Numeracy, Youth and Employment: A study of numeracy demands in contemporary workplaces in regional Queensland. In contemporary workplaces, the numeracy demands are varied, yet little is known about their form or skill requirements. In order for schools and other agencies to better prepare Australian youth for the demands of contemporary work, a clearer understanding of the intersection of numeracy and work is needed. This project seeks to identify the numeracy demands across a range of industries in the Gold Coast region of Queensland. As well as examining the types of numeracy demands, the project identifies some of the best ways in which numeracy skills can be improved to meet the demands across those industries.Read moreRead less
Developing a data-based system for competitor analysis, performance monitoring, and decision-making within the disability employment service industry. There are three aims: to implement a database that would assist business decision-making and improvement of professional practices; to provide the peak body means for reporting to members, representing members to the funding body, and promoting the industry; to develop a system relevant to micro and small businesses across industries. Disability ....Developing a data-based system for competitor analysis, performance monitoring, and decision-making within the disability employment service industry. There are three aims: to implement a database that would assist business decision-making and improvement of professional practices; to provide the peak body means for reporting to members, representing members to the funding body, and promoting the industry; to develop a system relevant to micro and small businesses across industries. Disability employment services currently do not have means for competitor analysis even though it is recognised as integral to business planning. We expect that organisations will use the system, making more informed decisions, improving their performance, and improving their influence in discussions with the funding body.Read moreRead less
Reconnecting Disaffected Youth through Successful Transition to Work. According to the ABS (2006) more than 15% of Australia's youth receives employment benefits at a cost that the Department of Family and Community Services (2000) estimated between $44 000 and $46 000/person/year. High rates of offending and repeat arrests are prevalent within the group at a cost to the youth concerned and to the nation. The Productivity Commission estimated in 2004 that outlay to keep someone in prison was bet ....Reconnecting Disaffected Youth through Successful Transition to Work. According to the ABS (2006) more than 15% of Australia's youth receives employment benefits at a cost that the Department of Family and Community Services (2000) estimated between $44 000 and $46 000/person/year. High rates of offending and repeat arrests are prevalent within the group at a cost to the youth concerned and to the nation. The Productivity Commission estimated in 2004 that outlay to keep someone in prison was between $67,000 and $85,0004 per year. We seek to short-circuit the human and economic costs of the failure cycle by improving individuals' capacities to gain and retain work, and to have healthy lifestyles and positive self-concept, and thereby to contribute to their positive participation in society. Read moreRead less