The RMIT Platform Technologies Research Institute’s mission is to lead in the integration of smart materials and systems into technologies for the future. To this end, the key operational aims of the Institute are:

• to be recognised as a pre-eminent and relevant applied research entity, among the best in Australia;
• to support project teams able to deliver critical research mass.

Smart materials are those with properties that change in measurable ways in their operational environment. Change can be evident (for example) via shape (eg. shape retentive alloys) or optical/electronic characteristics (eg. nanoparticulates). For RMIT these materials will be the foundations for new devices across a range of machine, environmental and biological systems. Smart systems pre-process, correlate, compare and analyse data intelligently within distributed environments. They will enable rapid and multiple diagnoses and prognoses and thus provide for faster response times and decision-making. The integration of smart materials and systems will deliver Platform Technologies that drive enhanced operational capability across a range of needs in global industry sectors including automotive, aerospace, energy, environment and security.

The key research expertise of the Institute encompasses a wide range of discipline areas in science and engineering, including engineering (aerospace, electrical, electronic, mechanical, manufacturing, chemical), information systems and technologies, materials science, mathematical sciences.

The four research programs are:

• Nano Materials and Devices
• Security and Safety
• Sport Engineering Technologies (Sportzedge)
• Intelligent Industrial Information Technologies

Platform Technologies Research Institute PhD Projects 2010

The Platform Technologies Research Institute is seeking high quality research students to engage with the key project areas of the four research programs. Browse the careers section to view the research themes available.

Contacts

Director: Professor Xinghuo Yu

Executive Officer: Frank Yardley

Administrative Officer: Petra Van Nieuwenhoven