With some of the best and brightest minds and cutting-edge research infrastructure on offer, UWA is well-positioned to help tackle some of the world’s most difficult challenges. Enhancing this capability is the University’s new commercial arm, UWA Consult, which makes it even easier for industry to connect with UWA.

UWA Consult was built after extensive stakeholder consultation to enable a simpler way to engage with industry and community members to meet their expert consulting needs.

Pro Vice-Chancellor Engagement, Samantha Tough, says UWA has streamlined consulting to make it much easier and faster for industry to access its knowledge and increase the impact of its research with more partners.

“UWA Consult provides opportunities for our research community to foster connections with industry, government and not-for-profits through the translation of their research and to advance knowledge more broadly,” Ms Tough says.

UWA Consult helps business, industry and government representatives tap into a pool of more than 1,500 leading subject matter experts in a wide range of disciplines including engineering, law, business, health,education, policy, social sciences, psychology and agriculture. UWA researchers can provide skills and expertise to assist organisations with technical or commercial challenges, patent evaluation and technical due diligence, advice on strategic planning, master classes and professional upskilling, or involvement in scientific and clinical advisory boards.

“UWA Consult helps business, industry and government representatives tap into a pool of more than 1,500 leading subject matter experts in a wide range of disciplines.”Pro Vice-Chancellor Engagement, Samantha Tough

Winthrop Professor Marc Tennant AM recently established UWA Consult contracts for projects relating to oral health for WA Country Health Service and a nationally recognised health insurance business.

“Bringing the wisdom of 25 years of experience to the critical decision point for a major strategic business decision, and to have respect for that wisdom was a complete highlight,” Professor Tennant says. “Consulting enables me to share a little in the ongoing impact that organisations make on society.

“My consulting journey working with hundreds of partners has led to the lives of millions of Australians being better off. That is the nice part of doing consulting; the practical legacy you can leave for the next generation. Seeing our insights of years of research having impact in the real world is a great way to engage with our community.”

A representative from WA Country Health Service acknowledged the impact of these contributions.

Marc has been one of the nation’s driving forces in Rural and Remote Oral Health. The wisdom and experience he has brought to the system continues to make a difference for all Rural West Australians. The collaboration between health system and top level academics is vital to the future of our State.

“Associate Professor Attwell provided deep current insights and knowledge to address a skills gap we would not have been able to source via traditional consultants. She was able to take our executives and senior leaders on a journey to confidently discuss vaccinations with our staff,” according to a WA aged care provider.

UWA has an extensive range of research equipment and infrastructure which isn’t available elsewhere in the southern hemisphere. This includes the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, which provides world-class microscopy and microanalysis facilities such as the electron, ion, light imaging and microanalysis facilities, unique ion probe and MRI facilities used in science, medicine and industrial applications. Expert staff provide support ranging from initial project discussion and planning through to application of cutting-edge techniques and assistance with data interpretation.

UWA Consult also enables the University to ensure its research and knowledge can benefit the widest range of communities in the Indian Ocean Rim and beyond; playing a significant role in commercial endeavours and furthering UWA’s aim to be the university partner of choice for industry.

When researchers work in a consulting capacity it provides an opportunity to build networks and relationships but also helps the University realise its vision to become a more enterprising and engaged institution. Researchers embrace the opportunities to work with business because it helps them inject real-world insights into their teaching and identify new areas of impactful research.

Download a print copy of Uniview Winter 2022 to read the full edition. An accessible version is also available.