Three out of 13 projects celebrated at the NSW Government’s inaugural Research Impact Showcase came from Macquarie University.

A plan to improve financial trading developed at Macquarie Business School by Professor Michael Aitken, Professor Andrew Lepone and Professor Vito Mollica was among those featured in the showcase.

From the School of Natural Sciences, Professor Kirstie Fryirs’ river management scheme was also featured as well as a plan to protect the oyster industry developed by Associate Professor Melanie Bishop, Professor David Raftos, Professor Paul Haynes and Associate Professor Adam Stow.

A further 10 projects from other NSW universities were showcased at the event.

“The strong representation of Macquarie University projects in the showcase is testament to the University’s accelerating research impact,” says Associate Professor Bishop.

The Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer organised the showcase at NSW Parliament House on Monday 28 March on behalf of the Waratah Research Network and it was hosted by NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte

The Waratah Network is a state government initiative designed to facilitate university, government and industry partnerships to deliver impact-driven research, innovative ideas, and evidence-based policies to improve social, economic and environmental outcomes for NSW and its communities.

 “Participation in this event highlights the progression that Macquarie University is showing in ensuring its research outcomes make a real impact outside of the academic community,” says Professor Lepone.

“The increased emphasis on engaging with the government and private sector will continue to accelerate this type of impact and participating is a great way of showcasing Macquarie’s strengths in this area.”

In addition to demonstrating their research at the event, Professor Aitken took part in the showcase’s panel discussion and Professor Fryirs presented the video Improving the Management of Rivers.

“The showcase is an important opportunity to profile the external impact of our research in river science and management over many years. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the long and strong collaboration and partnership between Macquarie University and NSW Department of Planning and Environment – Water Division, other government agencies, the private sector and community groups on the River Styles initiative,” says Professor Fryirs.

“Participating in the Showcase provided us with the opportunity to highlight the impact and outcomes of our research with the wider Waratah Research network. Macquarie researchers have built the system (known as SMARTS) which ensures the fairness and efficiency of a financial market, the engine room of the economy. Given that the SMARTS system is now in operation in over 5O countries around the world, Macquarie researchers have not just had a significant impact on the economy of Australia but the economies of over 50 countries representing more than 80% of the world’s financial markets,” says Professor Aitken.

The Research Impact Showcase draws on the Engagement and Impact Assessment conducted by the Australian Research Council and will be held annually. The 2023 application date will be released mid-year.  For more information visit the Waratah Research Network.

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Congratulations once again to all the Macquarie researchers involved in the showcase. The three impact case studies promoted at the 2022 NSW Research Impact Showcase were:

Improving the management of NSW rivers – Professor Kirstie Fryirs, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering. Read more about this project in The Lighthouse.

Improving trading behaviour in Securities Markets – Professor Michael Aitken, Professor Andrew Lepone, and Professor Vito Mollica, Department of Applied Finance, Macquarie Business School.

Protecting the NSW oyster industry – Associate Professor Melanie Bishop, Professor David Raftos, Professor Paul Haynes, Associate Professor Adam Stow, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering. Read more in The Lighthouse to find out how this research significantly protected the oyster industry in NSW.

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Pictured in feature image: The Macquarie staff who attended the Showcase – Prof David Raftos, Jessica O’Hare, Prof Paul Haynes, Prof Tom Smith, Assoc Prof Melanie Bishop, Prof Michael Aitken, Prof Andrew Lepone, Prof Vito Mollica, Prof Kirstie Fryirs