The 20th of August 2010 marked the first official meeting of the new Board of Directors for the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures (CRC-ACS), signalling the commencement of a five-year international research program based in Australia.
This extension of the highly successful CRC-ACS is supported by $14 million from the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centre Program, and over $50 million in cash and in-kind support from 28 participating organisations.
A major feature of the extension is the high level of international participation: nine of the 28 participants are located outside Australia.
The CRC-ACS Board is chaired by Dr Bill Schofield, AM, and consists of four other Directors, two of whom are independent: Paul Barratt, AO, and Prof. Grant Steven.
Also joining the Board is Fabrice Rochereau, CEO of EADS Australia Pacific Pty Ltd, and Dr Colin Wong Hee Huing, Vice President of Technology and Engineering at PETRONAS, Malaysia’s national oil and gas company.
The CRC-ACS Extension Program will:
• focus on international development of composites and related technology in Australia, using a highly successful collaborative research model;
• facilitate the integration of Australian composites manufacturing, materials supply and engineering support enterprises into international value chains; and
• bring a range of new technologies to market, including breakthrough aircraft structure assembly technology, low-cost infrastructure repair, and sustainable plant-fibre biocomposites.