Queensland Academic Supercomputing Garners More Support with Fresh Injection of State Funding. (September 17, 2008)

The Queensland universities supercomputing consortium, the Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF), comprising James Cook University (JCU), Central Queensland University, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the University of Queensland and the University of Southern Queensland is to receive $8.5 million in State Government funding for supercomputing to resource "research projects ranging from breast cancer detection and boat design to the digital reconstruction of an Egyptian Mummy" according to BYM Marine & Maritime News.

Queensland's Industry Minister Desley Boyle said the new funding followed on from a previous State Government investment of $16 million in the QCIF from 2002-2007. In addition the minister pointed to the fact the $8.5 million would leverage at least $5.1 million of funding under the Australian Government National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and a further $16 million cash and in-kind support from the QCIF's member universities.

"Since 2002, the QCIF has supported around 60 research projects involving 340 researchers across the six universities," Ms Boyle said, and added: "Those projects cut across areas like nanotechnology, drug design, security, biosecurity, mining and environmental engineering and medical imaging.

One of the projects the minister singled out for comment was the computer reconstruction of an Egyptian mummy using medical imaging.

The new QCIF funding will go towards upgrading advanced computer infrastructure, expanding its Industry Outreach Program, creating a program to tackle infrastructure challenges like urban congestion and water management, and supporting NCRIS research.