Astronomy Australia Ltd (AAL)
Astronomy Australia Ltd (AAL) is an NCRIS funded program which was established for the purpose of liaising with the Australian astronomical community and managing investments in world-class astronomy infrastructure to enable Australia to continue to perform high-impact research and develop cutting-edge technologies. AAL, a not-for-profit company, directs NCRIS funding toward a variety of projects/facilities as guided by the AAL Board of Directors and its Advisory Committees. These bodies assess all current and future investments based on how they align with the criteria set out by the Decadal plan for Australian astronomy (2016-2025).
Australia at the forefront of tracking our universe in real time
Australia is helping track millions of new asteroids, exploding stars, and other real-time changes in the night sky. The NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a revolutionary new imaging system located in Chile’s Atacama Desert, has issued its first ~800,000 scientific alerts documenting every visible change it captures with the world’s biggest digital camera. Rubin will […]
Australian Access Federation (AAF)
The Australian Access Federation (AAF) is Australia’s leading provider of identity and access management services to the education and research sector. We make it easy for people to securely access education and research services nationally and internationally, by providing single sign-on. It allows individuals from different organisations to collaborate and access online resources within a trusted environment.
Australian technologies on the path to real-world use
The Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) works with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as they develop new technologies and devices and move them beyond the lab. For many SMEs, this is the stage where ideas become physical, functional and repeatable. Access to the right tools, facilities and hands-on expertise makes the difference between something that […]
Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF)
ANFF owns and provides access to micro and nanofabrication capabilities for Australia’s researchers and industry. We can assist in both the development of new products and improvements to current production methods. Each Node provides expertise in a specific area, including advanced materials, nanoelectronics & photonics and nano-bio applications. The ANFF commitment to providing a world-class, open-access user facility is underpinned by the sharing of best practice in service provision across the network.
Australian Plant Phenomics Network (APPN)
The Australian Plant Phenomics Network (APPN) delivers national research infrastructure and expertise to accelerate the development of improved crops for sustainable agriculture and food security in a changing climate.
Heavy Ion Accelerators (HIA)
Our $150M world-class accelerator facilities for high-energy ion beam research represents decades of strategic investment by the Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, our industry partners and the Australian Government. With R&D capabilities unparalleled in Australia and matched by few globally, we support research activities in sectors of national priority, including quantum computing, space and astronomy, advanced materials, environment and climate, cancer therapies, minerals exploration, and fundamental nuclear science.
Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS)
IMOS is a national collaborative research infrastructure, undertaking systematic, sustained and scientifically-robust observations of our vast and valuable marine estate. All IMOS observations are made discoverable and accessible via the Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) platform, using FAIR data principles. Additional data is incorporated into the AODN from a wide range of partner organisations including research institutions, federal and state government departments, and private industry.
Marine National Facility (MNF)
From ice edge to equator, the Marine National Facility (MNF) is Australia’s dedicated ocean research capability which enables world-leading research to increase our understanding of Australia’s vast and valuable marine environment. The MNF is funded by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and operated by CSIRO on behalf of the nation.
The unseen engine
How Australia’s investment in research and infrastructure is forging global quantum leadership Over the past 20 years, Australia has quietly secured a position at the forefront of the quantum revolution. Not only are we building some of the world’s first commercial quantum computers but quantum science is being employed in a new generation of sensors, […]
Microscopy Australia (MicroAu)
Microscopy Australia provides researchers and industry with open access to the nation’s largest range of high-end microscopes, microanalysis tools, and specialists. It consists of university-based microscopy centres around the country. Our instruments have dedicated experts to deliver high quality training and support to ensure you get the best research outcomes.
Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre (Pawsey)
Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre is home of Setonix, Australia’s fastest and most energy-efficient supercomputer, delivering the nation’s most advanced AI research infrastructure through massive GPU power.
Our integrated platform combines cutting-edge GPU acceleration with AI frameworks, real-time analytics, and advanced remote visualisation services and expertise. This gives researchers nationwide access to the scale, speed and expertise needed to accelerate discovery and innovation across every field, from climate modelling and drug discovery to quantum research and astronomy.
The Australians helping uncover the blue universe
Australian researchers and engineers are helping design and deliver a new instrument for one of the world’s most productive telescopes. Australian researchers and engineers are helping design and deliver a new instrument for one of the world’s most productive telescopes. The Blue Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (BlueMUSE) is an integral-field spectrograph destined for the European […]
AARNet
AARNet is Australia’s national research and education network, a not-for-profit organisation equally owned by 38 Australian universities and CSIRO. AARNet provides essential high-speed internet and advanced network services tailored to meet the specialised needs of researchers in Australia.
EMBL Australia PhD Course celebrates 10 years of training Australia’s future research leaders
More than 60 PhD students from across the country came together in Adelaide for the 10th EMBL Australia PhD Course – a unique, two-week residential program designed to equip emerging researchers with the skills and confidence needed for modern scientific careers. Co-hosted with the South Australian Immunogenomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI), this year’s course focused on future-ready […]
Ten years on the radar: How Australian infrastructure is supporting space agencies around the world
Over ten years ago, a curious network of triangular aluminium structures was erected across the quiet paddocks of Queensland’s Darling Downs region. Scattered amongst grazing livestock, these radar corner reflectors sit idly, without using power, collecting data or transmitting signals. But despite their seemingly simple design, these metal structures play a critical role in Earth […]
Strengthening international research relations and showcasing Australian capability
Driving global collaboration through the Prato 2025 Health Research Infrastructure Symposium The 2025 Australian & European Health Research Infrastructure Symposium, held from 16-18 September at the Monash University Prato Centre in Italy, united leaders from major Australian and European research infrastructures to strengthen international partnerships and tackle shared challenges in health and life sciences. The three-day […]
Better connecting people who power Australia’s innovation
A new national platform, ARDC Research Link Australia (RLA), is helping connect researchers, industry and government by making expertise and collaboration information easier to find and use. A recent pilot project with RLA shows how verified, accessible insights into Australian researchers’ capability can drive partnerships, innovation and productivity across the nation. Connecting People, Capability and […]
Binar CubeSats pioneer radiation detection technology
CubeSats – small satellites roughly 10cm in size – punch above their weight when it comes to space research. Their low weight and affordable components make space research cheaper and more accessible, and they are especially popular for Australian research institutions. The Binar Space Program, based at Western Australia’s Curtin University, specialises in CubeSats running […]
Unlocking the power of Australia’s Tier 1 supercomputer
Through a national framework for trusted identity, accessing one of Australia’s Tier 1 supercomputers will become easier. The Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre (Pawsey) is one of two Tier-1 high-performance computing facilities in Australia. Its primary function is to accelerate scientific research for the benefit of the nation. Pawsey’s service and expertise in supercomputing, data, cloud […]
Liquid lenses for better satellite monitoring
Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility’s Space Irradiation Beamline (HIAF-SIBL), hosted at the Australian National University, has played a vital role in an exciting first for the Australian space industry: the first time that Australian space radiation testing has been done on an Australian space payload. The occasion? Testing innovative liquid lenses that enable a satellite to […]
Unlocking the Secrets of Galactic Bars: A Cosmic Quest
Astrophysicists from the Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA) at the University of Sydney are using the computing power of the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) to create virtual cosmic playgrounds, offering insights into our Galaxy’s past, present and future. By constructing a model of a galaxy and allowing a small satellite to pass by, called a […]
Record-breaking fast radio burst discovery highlights synergies between ESO and SKA
A global team led by Macquarie University’s Dr Stuart Ryder and Swinburne University of Technology’s Associate Professor Ryan Shannon have discovered the most distant fast radio burst ever detected, and one of the most energetic. The team determined its location and distance from Earth by using a combination of the world’s best optical and radio […]
Associate Professor Lee Spitler – AAO and Advanced Navigation, Moon to Mars Initiative
Associate Professor Lee Spitler – AAO and Advanced Navigation, Moon to Mars Initiative As part of a Moon to Mars Initiative, Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO) at Macquarie University will build a new optical multi-beam laser collimator that will land on the moon. The project is part of a collaboration between AAO and lead partner, Advanced Navigation, […]
A true partnership to improve position, navigation and timing services in Australia
What do precision agriculture, weather predictions and synchronising financial transactions all have in common? They rely on geodesy, the science of measuring the Earth that enables all Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) applications that are used in everyday life. This exact science underpins the global geospatial economy, which has a value of at least US$1 […]
Analysing asteroids to prevent collisions
Researchers have used advanced microscopy at our Curtin University linked laboratory to understand the longevity of rubble pile asteroids, revealing important findings for planetary defence. Rubble pile asteroids are made up of the rubble left behind after a single, giant asteroid, called a monolithic asteroid, is broken apart by a collision. Evidence points to monolithic […]
Major upgrade to outback telescope a resounding success
Last year, a $1 million Australian Government grant enabled the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) to undergo ‘brain surgery’ – its resulting processing capability is being hailed as a significant technological achievement and feat of software engineering. The project might seem simple in concept: replace the insides of the MWA telescope’s computing racks. Of course, this […]
Monitoring algal blooms in a changing climate: IMOS collaboration
Researchers have used IMOS’s Ocean Gliders along with Microscopy Australia’s microscopes to better understand Western Australia’s major algal blooms in 2021. South West Western Australia experienced an exceptionally wet winter in 2021, with significantly higher than average rainfall causing an increased outflow of water from many rivers along the south west coast during the period […]
ADACS gives astronomers a vital boost in their effort to make a gravitational map of the southern universe
In the era of big data, Australian astronomers have a powerful strategic advantage to help them extract insights from the immense data volumes that characterise modern astronomy. Astronomy Data and Computing Services (ADACS) – delivered jointly by Swinburne University of Technology and Curtin University – was established by AAL in 2017 to remove the computational […]
Associate Professor Julia Bryant – The Hector instrument and Nicholas Hacko Watchmaker
Associate Professor Julia Bryant, Astralis-USyd – AAT’s Hector instrument and Nicholas Hacko Watchmaker A major new instrumentation project for the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) has led to a partnership with one of the most specialised watchmakers in Australia. The instrument, Hector, is a multi-Integral Field Unit spectrograph built for the AAT by the Astralis Instrumentation Consortium. The […]
Mysterious Lithium-Producing Stars Analysed on Nectar
Dr Simon Campbell, ARC Future Fellow at Monash University, is unravelling the origin of the elements in the universe, one ARDC Nectar Research Cloud processor at a time. Here on Earth, Lithium is used in electric cars, giant solar-storage batteries, medicine, mobile phone batteries and heat resistant glass, but little is known about how the […]
