Research Infrastructure
The objective of the SIEF Research Infrastructure (RI) Program is to support the creation or enhancement of nationally significant research infrastructure facilities or equipment. The Program comprises two elements:
- Major Research Infrastructure Program
- Medium Equipment Program
Major Research Infrastructure (RI)
The Major Research Infrastructure Program facilitate the creation or development of nationally significant for the conduct of research, including investment in national scale scientific equipment and special purpose facilities for the conduct of scientific research. (Further information can be found in the SIEF Research Infrastructure Guidelines). All funds allocated to this Program have now been committed. The funded Major Research Infrastructure activities are:
- ARCF: Advanced Resource Characterisation Facility
- BMTF: Biomedical Materials Translational Facility
- NAESP: National Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Precinct
Medium Equipment Program (MEP)
IMPORTANT: Applications to the MEP will only be accepted from the eligible Lead Applicant Organisation (CSIRO). CSIRO will undertake an internal review process to determine applications which will be put forward to SIEF for consideration. Potential collaborators are advised to contact the relevant CSIRO Business Unit Director or Deputy Director.
The SIEF Medium Equipment Program (MEP) is designed to address a gap in funding for equipment in the medium range ($500k-$4m). This Program aims to enhance capability and capacity, and encourage collaboration – national. international and with industry.
The objectives of the program are to:
- Facilitate leading-edge innovation in Australia in areas of greatest strategic impact, based on scientific research;
- Encourage a coordinated approach to investment in research infrastructure, creating greater collaboration both between organisations and researchers, stimulating multidisciplinary research and fostering linkages and
- Grow both capability and capacity of the equipment stock available to researchers.
SIEF MEP Eligibility Criteria
- Lead applicant must be CSIRO
- Proposed equipment must be located at CSIRO
- Equipment must be for ‘scientific research’; and
- Minimum 1:1 ratio of SIEF to applicants cash investment for purchase of equipment (in the range $250k-$2m SIEF funds); operating, maintenance and laboratory refurbishment are not eligible co-investments; and purchase and commissioning to be a completed within 24 months.
SIEF Medium Equipment Program Round 1 Projects
| Project title | Location | Collaborators | Total investment |
| Geoscience Drill Core Laboratory | Kensington, WA | CSIRO, The University of Western Australia, Curtain University | $2,000,000 |
| Acoustic Liquid Handler (Liquid Handler) | Black Mountain, ACT | CSIRO, Australian National university | $520,000 |
| Boorowa Digital Agriculture Research Facility | Boorowa, NSW | CSIRO | $1,600,000 |
| Triaxus Towed Sensor (Triaxus) | Hobart,TAS | CSIRO | $700,000 |
| Agile Flow Chemistry Production System for Chemical Manufacture (FlowWorks) | Clayton, VIC | CSIRO | $1,740,000 |
SIEF Medium Equipment Program Round 2 Projects
| Project title | Location | Collaborators & Co-Funders | Total investment |
| Argo Floats | Hobart, TAS | CSIRO, Department of Defence, Bureau of Meteorology, Integrated Marine Observing System, ACEC Research Centre | $4,233,000 |
| MNF Heavy Ocean Towing System (HOTS) | RV Investigator, TAS | CSIRO | $1,500,000 |
| Pilot-scale cGMP Protein Facility | Clayton, VIC | CSIRO, Telix Pharmaceuticals, Sementis, Monash University, GE Healthcare ANZ | $2,200,000 |
| High Resolution Noble Gas Mass Spectrometer (NGMS) | Waite, SA | CSIRO | $1,100,000 |
| 4D Micro-CT Upgrade | Kensington, WA | CSIRO, The University of Western Australia, Curtain University | $900,000 |
| Virtual Laboratory for Cybersecurity Research | Clayton North, VIC | CSIRO | $1,000,000 |
| CubeSat Platform Satellite | Marsfield, NSW | CSIRO | $1,130,000 |
| Food Ingredient Process Innovation Platform | Werribee, VIC | CSIRO | $1,500,000 |