The Parker Centre recently recognised the collaborative research efforts of the Centre’s “Biohydrometallurgy of Sulfides” project team and the PhD research of former student Dr Silvia Black.

The Biohydrometallurgy team won the Centre’s inaugural Award for Research Collaboration for the most effective demonstrated collaboration within the Centre in a Core Capability research project during the last two years. The Core Capability projects are the Centre’s projects that are funded by the CRC Programme monies.

Dr Black was the winner of the Centre’s inaugural Award for Best PhD Project, which recognised the best PhD thesis submitted by a Parker Centre PhD student during the 2006-2007 financial year.

CEO Mr Mark Woffenden presented both awards at the 2007 Parker Centre Science Day on 14 November 2007. The awards are not only about the honour and the glory; the Research Collaboration Award also came with a A$5000 prize to be shared equally between all the members of the Biohydrometallurgy team, while Dr Black won a laptop computer.

The criteria for judging submissions for the Research Collaboration Award were i) demonstration of enduring collaboration by Centre staff that contributes to achieving or exceeding the expected outputs of the project and ii) the quality of the science.

The multidisciplinary “Biohydrometallurgy of Sulfides” project team is led by Dr Helen Watling (CSIRO Minerals). The project incorporates the collaborative activities of Parker Centre researchers from Curtin University of Technology’s School of Biomedical Sciences (led by Dr Elizabeth Watkin and also including Dr Lesley Mutch, two PhD students and an Honours student) with those of a group of Centre researchers based at CSIRO Minerals (led by Dr Watling).

Dr Helen Watling (left) and Dr Elizabeth Watkin accepting the Award for Research Collaboration from Parker Centre CEO Mr Mark Woffenden on behalf of the entire Biohydrometallurgy team.

The team’s submission said that the collaboration had brought together complementary skills in leaching and leaching mechanisms, microbiology and bioleaching, and laboratory and pilot scale test work, with expertise in complex molecular biology methods adapted for use within biomining environments.

"The combination of leaching, environmental microbiology and molecular biology gives added substance to the team’s research,” the submission said.

CSIRO Minerals and Curtin University researchers from the Biohydrometallurgy team have also jointly supervised two Honours student; currently co-supervise two PhD students; have published four journal papers together (with another two in preparation) and jointly contributed to technology transfer activities.

Submissions for the Best PhD Project Award were judged on the quality of the science presented in the PhD thesis, including the originality of the research and the quality of the insights drawn.

Dr Black said she had thoroughly enjoyed doing her PhD project, “The Thermodynamic Chemistry of the Aqueous Copper-Ammonia-Thiosulfate System”, through the Parker Centre and Murdoch University. She felt privileged to have worked with her supervisors, Centre researchers Professor Mike Nicol and Dr Gamini Senanayake, who were inspirational as well as challenging. “And being part of the Parker Centre facilitated networking with other scientists and organisations which allowed easier access to expert knowledge and equipment off site,” she said.

CEO Mr Mark Woffenden congratulating Dr Black, the winner of the Award for Best PhD Project.

The Award for Research Collaboration and the Award for Best PhD Project are both expected to be annual awards.

The members of the "Biohydrometallurgy of Sulfides" project team who were
present at the 2007 Parker Centre Science Day to hear their team announced
as the winner of the Centre's inaugural Award for Research Collaboration.