May 5, 2016

UOW launches new scholars database

New database makes it easier to explore world-class research, search for a supervisor and connect with experts.  

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Judy Raper, together with leading independent research strategist Dr Thomas Barlow, today launched a new online platform that showcases the research and expertise of academic staff. 

UOW Scholars provides a comprehensive and integrated view of the University’s expertise, allowing individual staff members an intuitive interface to share their achievements and life’s work, as well as providing a space where potential Higher Degree Research (HDR) students can search for a supervisor. 

Professor Raper said UOW Scholars also allows the public, industry and media to explore research papers and grants and connect with experts who are solving some of the world's most pressing problems – from climate change to cancer. 

“Scholars is a powerful tool for our academics and will be critical in helping them build their profiles and provide data for reporting, among other things.

“This will also be an excellent resource for the media to find our experts in particular fields of research.”

Associate Professor Peter Innis, from UOW’s Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, said the site provides a uniform way to publicise his research profile.

“The ability to seamlessly pull together publications, funded research grants and other research based activities with minimal effort is highly attractive.

“Significantly, the ability to see how my research activities relate to co-authors and collaborators in the form of a visual network is a compelling feature. This unique capability helps to identify other avenues for potential collaboration that otherwise may be overlooked.” 

The site draws on data from the University’s enterprise information systems, with each profile containing pre-populated information that has been carefully curated by the University Library, the Information Management Unit within IMTS and the Research Services Office.

Individual academic staff members are encouraged to login to the site using their regular UOW username and password to update and add information to their profile.