Impact
Research can lead to real benefits for the economy, the environment, animal and human wellbeing, and health. It may help to address humanity’s biggest challenges, such as social inequity and climate heating. Or it may solve a problem for a local community. Here is some of the impact arising from research by the University of Melbourne and its collaborators.
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Designing better learning environments
LEaRN is changing the way schools and learning environments are designed, leading to a new peak body and informing government policy.
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Preserving Gallipoli battlefield artefacts and features
Digital archive captures landscape features and artefacts from the 1915 Gallipoli battlefield, providing perspectives from both sides of the World War I campaign.
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Improving health and wellbeing through music therapy
Music and singing have the power to change our moods. They can also improve the health and wellbeing of people living with Parkinson’s.
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Addressing the global challenge to conserve irrigation water
Rubicon Water’s automated irrigation system saves billions of litres of water each year, helping farmers survive drought and increase crop yields.
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Making work fairer for millions of workers
The International Labour Organization used evidence from Australian labour reform to help improve work conditions in India.
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Pig vaccine Cysvax prevents a form of epilepsy in humans
Cysvax, a vaccine for pigs, stops the spread of a deadly parasite that is a leading cause of epilepsy in people in the developing world.
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Preparing for and managing pandemics using mathematical modelling
A mathematical model is helping countries prepare for and manage infectious disease pandemics.
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Tools to help teach students with additional needs or disability
The SWANs assessment and teaching tools are improving education for children and young people with disabilities or additional learning needs.
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Using history and theatre to build a just future
Testimony from an 1881 Parliamentary Inquiry in Victoria, Australia, has sparked public conversations about Indigenous justice and reconciliation.
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What 20 years of data tell us about Australia
The annual HILDA Survey helps improve life in Australia by informing government policy in areas including health, employment and social services.
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Reaching stroke patients in time to give life-saving treatment
Stroke patients in the Mobile Stroke Unit are ten times more likely to be treated in the ‘golden hour’ than patients who go to hospital by ambulance.
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Ethical guidance to help doctors navigate disagreements with parents over their child’s healthcare
Doctors and parents sometimes disagree about the best medical treatment for a child. The Zone of Parental Discretion helps healthcare professionals navigate decision-making with families.
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Reducing the impact of zoo visitors on little penguins
Melbourne Zoo changed its enclosure for little penguins after studies showed that visitors can have unintended negative effects on the animals.