Developments in research

A message from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Wayne McKenna.

At this time of upheaval and uncertainty, it is a pleasure to be able to bear good news in reporting growth for research at ACU.

Following the appointment of Professor Joy Damousi FASSA FAHA as Director of the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences earlier this year, two further appointments - internationally renowned historian of modern Russia, Professor Sheila Fitzpatrick FAHA, and leading early modern scholar of gender and emotions, Professor Susan Broomhall FAHA - bring together three of Australia’s most eminent historians in this central area of the liberal arts.

Australian-born Professor Fitzpatrick is Bernadotte E. Schmitt Distinguished Service Professor Emerita at University of Chicago, where she received a Mellon Foundation Distinguished Achievement Award in 2002 and the American Historical Association’s Award for Scholarly Distinction in 2012. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Professor Broomhall is a fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and Australian Research Council Future Fellow for which she is currently completing the project 'Emotions, power and the correspondence of Catherine de Medici'. Professor Broomhall will lead the Centre for Gender and Women’s History, one of seven research centres recently established.

The research centres are yet another great achievement for research at ACU in previous weeks. As announced recently by the Vice-Chancellor and President, these centres build on our research intensification strategy, functioning to develop further our culture of research excellence in Institutes and Faculties, produce high-quality research outputs, and attract external funding.

In the current disruptions to research and external funding submissions, I especially want to commend our researchers and research services staff. ACU has consistently improved the quality of grant applications over recent years, and this round was no exception. The ARC and NHMRC have extended some deadlines in response to COVID-19.   Please see our FAQs, and also follow our new Research Updates group on Workplace for more news and upcoming opportunities.