April 26, 2016

Growth prospects excite NSW Treasurer after iC visit

Growth and opportunity on show at Innovation Campus.

NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian was excited by the prospects for jobs and economic growth in the Illawarra region following her visit to UOW’s Innovation Campus recently.

Ms Berejiklian toured the facility accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward MP, UOW Chancellor Ms Jillian Broadbent AO and UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings CBE.

The party received demonstrations on some of the key research and business activities underway at the beachside campus.

Professor Shi Xue Dou provided a presentation on his and his team’s work researching battery technologies for electric vehicles and renewable energy at the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM).

Professor Gordan Wallace explained the biopen that looks set to revolutionise orthopaedic surgery, which he and his staff has produced at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials Science (ACES).

Professor Paul Cooper briefed the Treasurer, Parliamentary Secretary and Chancellor on the new research into domestic energy efficiency underway at the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC).

The Treasurer and Parliamentary Secretary then visited start-up companies working in the iAccelerate Hub before getting a preview of the new iAccelerate building, which is due to open soon.

The comprehensive visit also included visiting the new Servcorp services offices and co-working space set to open in May and the newly established NEC Transport for NSW service delivery centre, which is expected to start operations in the coming weeks, supporting the entire NSW public transport network.

The Innovation Campus tour was followed by a business leaders’ forum to discuss local economic issues.

The visit came just days before the release of official figures confirming regional NSW was responsible for half of the state’s job creation progress in the year to March 2016.

The Greater Illawarra ranked among the state’s stronger regions with an increase of 6.2 per cent.

In public comments following her visit Ms Berejiklian said: “It was great to be in the Illawarra today with the Parliamentary Secretary for the region Gareth Ward, talking jobs and economic growth.

“It was great to hear from the Illawarra community about challenges and opportunities for more economic growth in regional NSW.

“It was especially exciting to get a sneak peek at the iAccelerate Centre at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus.

“After it opens next month it will be home to more than 280 start-up companies!

“I’m proud that a $16.5 million grant from the NSW Government helped make it possible.”

 

 

 Professor Wallace explains his revolutionary biopen to Ms Berejiklian during her Innovation Campus tour.

 

Ms Broadbent, Ms Berejiklian, and Mr Ward hear from Professor Cooper about the SBRC’s energy efficiency research.

 

iAccelerate Chief Operating Officer, Deon de Saldanha, describes the many opportunities offered to start-up businesses in the iAccelerate Hub.

 

Ms Broadbent, Professor Wellings, Ms Berejiklian, Mr Ward and Mr Saldanha hear about one of iAccelerate’s start-up businesses.

 

 

Dr Khay Wai See (far left) and Professor Shi Xue Dou explain his electric car battery research to Ms Berejiklian, Mr Ward, Ms Broadbent, Professor Price and Professor Wellings.