The Research Impact Series showcases some of our key research and discoveries. Come and learn about the problems we are working on, and how we've used research to create change in our community.

UWA's COVID-19 response is changing dynamically and can be accessed here.

Subscribe to the Research Impact Series

event gallery

Filter by area:

    Filter by audience:

      • Community

        Effective Communications Workshop

        2-Day Workshop designed to provide key tools and know-how to have confidence in engaging communication and best approach for future impact.

      • Academic

        Pawsey Supercomputing Centre - Perth training

        This training introduces Pawsey supercomputing and cloud resources and presents how to use those resources to aid researchers’ work. There is a minimal charge for each session. This event is suited to UWA researchers (staff and postgraduate students).

      • Community

        Foster Care: is our model of care outdated and unsustainable?

        Recruitment and retention of foster carers is an increasing problem for agencies in Western Australia, nationally and internationally. Of particular concern is our inability to recruit Aboriginal foster carers. Join Dr Stephan Lund in learning from international research and disrupting the status quo to explore possible new solutions to this social issue.

      • Community

        Social Media for Scientists

        This seminar, explores how social media can be used to effectively promote your research, engage others in the process, and develop new funding and publication opportunities. Registration is essential.

      • Community

        Physically Distanced, Socially Connected

        The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work and live. Our panel of research experts will share their insights on how to manage your mental wellbeing, tips for keeping socially connected and advice for living under physical distancing restrictions.

      • Community

        In the Splash Zone Competition - series

        Want to create your own ocean science content? Enter the weekly video competition for your chance to win amazing prizes and even feature on our YouTube channel. A new topic is announced every week following the In The Splash Zone Livestream.

      • Community

        Pawsey Friday: Why Quantum?

        Is Quantum Computing for you?
        What is needed to get there?
        Why should you prepare?
        What are the benefits of using Quantum Computing?
        Join Quantum Computing experts, Jingbo Wang, UWA Physics and Lloyd Hollenberg University of Melbourne, to answer these questions, and more.

      • Community

        Comic book contracts

        Comic Contracts? Is that a real thing? Yes, teams from UWA have been turning complex legal agreements into comics for several years now, to ensure transparency and simplicity. Hear Prof Andersen discuss her work in this field, and the impact it has had.

      • Community

        AnArchaeology of graffiti and homelessness

        Archaeology is a powerful way to understand how people today use the world around them to shape their lives. It also gives voice to the people we sometimes choose not to hear – homeless/houseless people, and those who make graffiti. This research throws some light on these urgent and contested issues of modern day life. Two case studies from Perth show how a contemporary Archaeology contributes to understanding issues that are not conveniently going to go away.

      • Community

        DNA zoo

        Our planet is losing animals at an alarming rate of one species every six hours. We are in the midst of earth’s sixth mass extinction with currently ~11,000 endangered species. With the climate emergency exacerbating natural disasters, as evidenced by the Australian wildfires having killed an estimated over one billion animals, we have a very short time to catalog and record our unique biodiversity.

      • Community

        AstroQuest

        Become an Astro Quester and help astronomers explore galaxies billions of light years away from the comfort of your lounge room. Open to the community, as well as teachers and school groups.

      • Community

        How did we get here: a tour of the Universe from the Big Bang to the present day

        This talk delves into how the universe began. The dark night sky and the Big Bang - The emergence of matter and the elements that we’re made of. Our key successes and key failures and why Perth is front and centre in what is coming next.

      • Community

        Astronomy Wednesdays - series

        Join ICRAR live every Wednesday to hear from an astronomy researcher. With a new topic and researcher each week, you’re sure to find something you’re interested in!

      • Community

        Sunlight, sleep, snores, and the silent thieves of sight

        There is an ongoing epidemic of short-sightedness; by 2050, half of the world population will be short-sighted and 10% of these will be at increased risk for visual impairment. Are iPads and video games to blame for your need to wear glasses? We bring you through the recent findings in the associations of eyesight, including sunlight, sleep, and snoring.

        This webinar may be eligible for CPD

      • Community

        Well behaved women seldom make history

        This talk introduces three feisty women from history; one from the US, one from England and one from New Zealand. Theirs is a historical tale that will inform, delight and entertain.

        Each may not have been historically well known, but has become memorable because of their actions and outspoken views. While each may not have intentionally misbehaved, nonetheless neither did they necessarily conform to prevailing expectations. Each lived an unconventional life and their letters and diaries contain fascinating insights into their thoughts, motivations and resistance.

      • Community

        When antimicrobial resistance gets personal

        Antibiotic resistance seems very dry and technical to most people. It is usually interesting to a small clique of scientists, doctors and other healthcare workers. But when a doctor get's an infection, antibiotic resistance takes on a completely new meaning.

      • Community

        After the Lockdown: Workplace Flexibility & Fluidity

        The impact of COVID-19 on the global economy has been enormous, with businesses shuttered and employees using technology to work from home in unprecedented numbers.

        Our panel of UWA researchers with expertise in organisational/workplace behaviour, architecture, virology and psychology will share insights on how business will need to change and adapt to meet requirements for workplace safety and employee wellbeing.

      • Community

        Unlocking knowledge buried within technical records

        Technical records such as safety logs and maintenance work orders contain a wealth of critical information, yet they are seriously under utilised. We demonstrate how "technical language processing" can be employed to unlock this buried knowledge and provide significant benefit to industry professionals.

      • Community

        The why and how of publishing in Nature or Science: UWA researchers share their experiences

        Ever wanted to publish in Nature and/or Science but not sure whether your article is suitable, or how to go about it? Join us for a panel discussion on publishing in Nature and Science with UWA authors sharing their insights This event is suited to UWA researchers (staff and HDR students).

      • Community

        Ask an Astronomer

        Teachers and parents can Zoom with an ICRAR Outreach Officer each Thursday. Jump into video chat and ask us questions about space science or the universe that can help teach your class. Event suited to teachers and parents.

      • Community

        Spirit 101

        Are you a year 9-10 teacher? Sign up for a Zoom professional development session to learn about our online SPIRIT remote telescope program. You’ll gain access to everything needed for your students to run a long-term project using world-class internet accessible telescopes.

      • Academic

        Introducing the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre

        In this webinar, Australian university researchers can find out about The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre, who they work with, how they can meet your research needs and how to request their resources for your project.

      • Community

        Using Nimbus Research Cloud

        This webinar provides greater technical knowledge to Australian university researchers on using Nimbus Research Cloud.

        Note - prerequisites exist for attendance and numbers are strictly capped at 10.

      • Academic

        Agricultural Biotechnology and feeding the future

        At this virtual masterclass, learn about how agricultural biotechnology is breaking barriers - from conventional to next generation genetics, and how this can help in feeding the future.

      • Community

        Pawsey User Forum

        Australian university researchers, join the Pawsey User Forum for an update on the $70 million upgrade to Pawsey Supercomputing Centre’s infrastructure. This is an opportunity to discuss your experiences using Pawsey services.

      • Community

        Pawsey User Forum

        Australian university researchers, join the Pawsey User Forum for an update on the $70 million upgrade to Pawsey Supercomputing Centre’s infrastructure. This is an opportunity to discuss your experiences using Pawsey services.

      • Community

        Using Pawsey Supercomputers - Part 1

        The first of a two part training session for Australian university ressearchers whose research is compute or data intensive and need to understand more about using Pawsey supercomputers.

        Note - prerequisites exist for attendance and numbers are strictly capped at 30.

      • Community

        Using Pawsey Supercomputers - Part 2

        The second of a two part training session for Australian university ressearchers whose research is compute or data intensive and need to understand more about using Pawsey supercomputers.

        Note - prerequisites exist for attendance and numbers are strictly capped at 30.

      • Community

        Science Exchange Series

        Watch our ask-a-Scientist style webinars and find out what impact some of our research has across the wider community.

      • Community

        Science Exchange

        Watch our ask-a-Scientist style webinars and find out what impact some of our research has across the wider community.

      • Community

        HPC COVID-19 Australian Response Showcase

        During this event you will hear updates from ‘hands-on’ researchers working on understanding the lineage of the coronavirus, making statistical inference about potential treatment outcomes, COVID-19 targets molecular modelling and more. There will be an opportunity to network with presenters in a relaxed online environment, and a Q&A session will be held at the end of the discussion

      • Community

        ICRAR monologue competition

        In partnership with National Science Week 2020, ICRAR welcomes new writers, emerging writers, established writers, creative writers, and science writers to engage with ICRAR research and researchers to produce a Creative Nonfiction monologue for performance. The only limit is your imagination.

      • Community

        Introducing Remote Visualisation

        This webinar suits Australian university researchers who wish to learn more about using Pawsey's web-based remote visualisation for their research.

        Note - prerequisites exist for attendance and numbers are strictly capped at 15.

      • Academic

        Comprehensive Literature searching

        Ensure that your literature searching is effective, efficient and thorough. Learn how to:

        • Develop a search strategy
        • Identify relevant, scholarly information sources
        • Use tools and techniques to track the literature related to your research.

      • Academic

        Optimising your online research profile

        Your profile in the UWA Profiles and Research Repository is an essential tool for promoting your research and yourself, within and beyond the University community. Learn how to optimise your profile to potentially attract internal and external collaborators, future students, and highlight your expertise, publications and achievements to the wider community and media.

        This workshop will be held via Zoom. A link will be emailed to attendees the day prior to the event.

      • Community

        From Cradle to Golden Years: A happy, healthy life

        Join us during National Science Week to hear from some of our shining lights in medical innovation about how philanthropically funded research is having an important impact within the community.

      • Academic

        Promoting Your Research

        Paper published? Don’t stop there. Sharing and promoting your research is an important way of fostering the exchange of information in your field of research and the wider academic community, and can lead directly to increased citations and new collaboration opportunities. Well-publicised research can also be the key to forming a bridge between you and the general community, resulting in higher engagement levels with your work and the chance to inform and shape public debate. Promoting your research will help you establish a strong reputation and assist you when applying for a promotion or research grant!

      • Academic

        Capturing your research engagement and impact activities in your UWA Profile

        Engagement with stakeholders and beneficiaries of your research is key to achieving impact, and an important aspect of your research impact strategy should be to document your engagement activities in your UWA profile.

        Your UWA profile will ensure that your engagement and impact pathway is visible to industry, funding bodies and potential collaborators, which can lead to future research opportunities.

      • Community

        Department of Mathematics and Statistics Public Forum

        The forum features two talks: Professor Michael Small presents: What can networks tell us about disease transmission - in cities and in the outback. Professor Enrico Valdinoci presents: The maths behind pandemics.

      • Community

        Pacific Pioneers - Archaeology in the "Sea of Islands" and the first women in the field

        Dr Emilie Dotte’s research focuses on the first women who practised archaeology in the Pacific. This event rediscovers their stories and their works in the history of science in the largest Ocean of the world.

      • Academic

        Showcase your UWA profile and expertise

        This session will highlight the areas within the UWA Profiles and Research Repository where you can showcase your teaching, research and engagement activities.

      • Community

        Mentally Healthy and Resilient Workforces

        Join this UWA and industry panel of experts as theyl reflect on their experiences and the insights that their research has generated on mental health in mining.

      • Community

        Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Semi-finals

        Join us for the semi-finals of the University of Western Australia’s Three Minute Thesis as Doctoral and Masters by Research students from across the University outline their research topic and it significance in 3 minutes or less, using language anyone can understand. Ten finalists will be selected by our judging panel.

      • Academic

        Keeping your research current

        Your profile in the UWA Profiles and Research Repository is an essential tool for promoting your research and yourself, within and beyond the University community. Learn how to optimise your profile to potentially attract internal and external collaborators, future students, and highlight your expertise, publications and achievements to the wider community and media.

        This workshop will be held via Zoom. A link will be emailed to attendees the day prior to the event.

      • Academic

        Measuring your research performance session

        This session will highlight the areas within the UWA Profiles and Research Repository where you can showcase your teaching, research and engagement activities.

        This event is suited to UWA researchers (staff and HDR students).

      • Community

        Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Final

        Ten speakers will inspire you with their dynamic, engaging and accessible 3-minute account of their doctoral research topic and its significance. The winner will represent UWA at the Asia-Pacific 3MT in early October. Audience members will vote for their People’s Choice.

      • Community

        WA BioInnovation Showcase

        The two-day showcase will provide industry and investors with intimate access to promising WA life sciences research projects nearing translation and provide entrepreneurs, clinicians and researchers the chance to receive vital feedback and learn about industry sector requirements.

      • Academic

        Google for researchers

        Everyone Googles... but do you really know how to get the best out of Google for your research? This hands-on workshop will demonstrate the best tips and tricks to use Google to find scholarly material.

      • Community

        Smash or Save?

        Tropical cyclones make big waves that can smash coral reefs. But did you know that cyclone waves can also create a ‘cool wake’ to prevent reefs from bleaching during warm periods? Hear from guest speaker Marji Puotinen from the Australian Institute of Marine Science during this talk.

      • Academic

        Benchmarking your research with InCites

        Learn to use InCites to benchmark your research against your peers, your area of research and even the whole world.

        This event is suited to UWA researchers (staff and HDR students).

      • Academic

        Data storage and sharing for researchers

        Your research data is very valuable to you and potentially to others.

        It is essential to store this data appropriately, and there can be huge benefits to sharing the data alongside your published research.

        The University Library provides a range of services to help researchers manage their research data and to meet funder and publisher requirements. This online presentation will give a brief overview of the data storage options at UWA, and discusses the benefits of sharing your research data for increasing your contribution to knowledge in your research area.

      • Academic

        Pathways to open access publishing

        Discover the variety of ways to make your research open, and the benefits of publishing Open Access. Hear how the UWA Profiles and Research Repository and Article Processing Charge (APC) Fund may enable you to meet funder mandates and increase the reach of your publications and data at no cost. This event is suited to UWA researchers (staff and HDR students).

      • Community

        Little penguins of Perth

        Join us to learn more about the ecology, conservation and management of the little penguin in the Perth Metropolitan Region.

        Come along and hear about everything you ever wanted to know about this charming little seabird. From its general biology to breeding behaviour, diet, population estimates, threats and the impacts of climate change. And find out why little penguins have a 40% divorce rate!

      • Academic

        Creating impact through Intellectual property and commercialisation

        Everything you need to know about Intellectual Property and Commercialisation at UWA (in 45 mins or less!)

      • Academic

        Developing a robust systematic review search strategy

        A systematic review requires a rigorous and systematic search of the literature. In this introductory seminar we will overview a comprehensive approach to systematic searching, key sources and tools available to you.

      • Academic

        Pitching and writing for The Conversation

        Find out how you can share your research expertise with the readers of The Conversation, one of Australia’s leading independent news media outlets, by joining its global virtual newsroom of over 25,000 authors. Written by academic experts and edited by professional journalists, The Conversation’s news and current affairs analysis is now read by in excess of 35 million people a month worldwide.

      • Academic

        An introduction to the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre

        The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre delivers nationally recognised high-performance computing and data services to enable high impact research; accelerating science and discovery through technology, expertise and collaboration. Join this presentation to learn about the Centre’s systems, services and how to access them for free. This event is suited to UWA researchers (staff and postgraduate students).

      • Community

        Authenticating honey from the apiary site to shelf

        Paddock to plate’ is the mantra for tracing the authenticity of agriculture produce. For honey, the paddock is difficult to define; honey bees cannot be fenced so their forage is diverse bush and their range is defined by weather conditions and available flora.

      • Community

        A deep dive into the world of ocean giants

        How does a changing climate impact the migration of the world’s largest fish?

        Migratory marine megafauna are among the world’s most charismatic species. One of these is the world’s largest fish — the whale shark. Whale sharks are found in most tropical and subtropical waters around the world, including at the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. What is influencing the movement of whale sharks and what impact does a changing climate have on the future of this ocean giant?

      • Community

        In the Splash Zone - series

        Join us for a series of live chats with ocean scientists in corals, climate change, whales and more! You can also browse through our livestream history. New episodes featured every Wednesday.

      • Academic

        Can your research be patent protected?

        As a university researcher you have almost certainly created new knowledge … but have you also invented something that’s patentable? For a patent to be granted, the invention must pass the hurdles of “Novelty” and “Inventive Step”. This seminar will utilise real-life case studies drawn from Engineering and Physical Sciences to illustrate the concepts of novelty and inventive step. The intention is to provide a clearer understanding of these concepts and thus help you understand if your research outcomes are patentable. There will be sufficient time for Q&A as well as opportunity to provide opinion on individual situations.

        This event is suited to UWA researchers (staff and postgraduate students).

      • Community

        Water for Life

        Join Professor Anas Ghadouani, from The University of Western Australia, as he explores new ways of addressing water issues around the world. He will begin by defining some new parameters, and then extend into solutions for the future.

      • Academic

        Measure Your Research Performance

        Applying for grants, tenure or promotion, or just wanting to monitor your research performance? This session is for you. It will cover:

        • Finding the right researcher profiles for you
        • Citation numbers for your individual publications
        • Your H-index
        • Australian and international library holdings for books
        • Altmetrics for individual publications, such as downloads, social media mentions
        • Media mentions
        • Evidence of quality for journals in which you have published

      • Academic

        Open Access Week

        International Open Access Week is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they have learnt with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research. The theme for Open Access Week 2020 is “Open with Purpose: Taking Action to Build Structural Equity and Inclusion”.

      • Academic

        Publishing Strategically

        It's more important than ever to be strategic about where you publish your research to maximise reach and potential impact, as well as ensure you are working with quality and legitimate publishers. We will cover:

        • Identifying and assessing journals for quality, reach and potential impact.
        • Choosing and evaluating book publishers.
        • Open access publishing - what is it and how can I do it in the best way?
        • Avoiding and identifying predatory publishers.

      • Community

        The life of a baby lobster

        Join us to explore the habitat choices made by the secretive early juvenile western rock lobster.

        The western rock lobster fishery is one of the most valuable in Australia. Currently there is a knowledge gap regarding the early life stages of these lobsters after they have settled onto nearshore reefs. Researchers are investigating the habitat choices that these lobsters are making during this highly vulnerable and secretive stage.

      • Community

        Role of Agricultural & Environmental Biotechnology for a sustainable future

        The protection of genetic resources in agriculture is an important aspect of biodiversity conservation. With the climate emergency exacerbating natural disasters, we have a very short time to catalogue and record unique biodiversity. Recent advances in DNA sequencing and gene editing technology have ushered in a new era of agricultural and environmental biotechnology.

      • Academic

        Find your best performing papers

        Applying for a grant, award or promotion and need to identify your best performing papers? Let us show you how to do this using the Incites database, which uses data from Web of Science to analyse your performance in relation to other publications in your subject area.

      • Community

        Carbon farming to combat climate change

        Globally, the agricultural sector is exposed to acute risks from climate-change impacts through reduced rainfall, temperature changes, and extreme weather events. In Australia, the Federal government has identified ‘carbon farming’ as a potential way to reduce climate-change risks.

      • Community

        Solving global probelms using Remote Sensing

        Since Landsat was launched in the 1970s, many global problems have been answered using remote sensing and spatial data. This technology has demonstrated how human development and a changing climate is impacting ecosystems and economies, and there is global demand for people skilled in spatial analytics and remote sensing who can understand, use and manipulate spatial and remotely sensed data to answer the big questions.

      • Community

        Accidental artifical reefs

        Join us to unveil diverse marine ecosystems, rare sightings of sharks and new fish behaviours around offshore structures. The ocean off north-western Australia is a remote area of the world with a rich diversity of fish species. It is also rich in oil and gas reserves and contains many artificial structures used for their extraction. Normally, these are removed when they are no longer needed, but is this the most environmentally and financially sensible option?

        This talk will explore how scientists research the marine life around oil and gas structures and the importance of these unique ecosystems.

      • Community

        Complex Systems Seminars

        Want to delve deep into complex engineering systems? Link up with engineers, scientists and mathematicians during this technical series.

      • Community

        Cosmos Computing

        How do computers work? What goes on inside the metal box when I start moving the mouse or typing on the keyboard? The Cosmos Computing program helps teachers help students understand these questions through an immersive interactive role play. Bookings essential.

        This event is for teachers of upper primary grade 5+.

      Learn more

      • Announcements

        Subscribe for research Research Announcements

        Subscribe

      • Ask UWA

        FAQs for students, future students, community and staff

        Ask UWA

      • Contact

        For Research Impact Series queries

        Contact us

      • Find an Expert

        Find a researcher via Socrates

        Search Socrates

      • Media Research Experts

        For journalists and media outlets seeking UWA experts

        Media Research Experts
      • Matariki Network of Universities
      • Universities Australia
      • Worldwide Universities Network

      Join the mailing list to receive information on events

      * indicates required