Pearcey Foundation announces formation of new Research body – the Pearcey Institute (PI) June 2016
Press Release: The formation of the Pearcey Institution, under the auspices of the Pearcey Foundation*, was announced on Tuesday evening, 14 June by the Chairman of the Pearcey Foundation, Mr Wayne Fitzsimmons. The announcement was made in conjunction with Melbourne University's "60th Anniversary of Computing in Victoria" celebration held at the Melbourne Museum, Victoria, where the original CSIRAC computer is located.
The Pearcey Institute (PI) arose from a brainstorming session in July 2015 where some 15 Pearcey stalwarts gathered at Swinburne University to develop a plan to create a new research body focussed on addressing the socio-economic impacts of disruptive technologies in the Australian context. As a not-for-profit accredited private research body, the PI will draw upon existing academic institutions, CSIRO, Industry Associations, CRCs, Industry Growth centres as well as industry expertise to collaborate on this broad high impact topic. Among other things, the Pearcey Institute plans to broker socio-economic research into the impacts of disruptive technologies in the Australian context.
The PI is building directly upon the work undertaken by the Centre for Innovative Industries Economic Research (CIIER)** which for many years undertook the economic evaluation of the Australian ICT sector and published as the Australian Computer Society's Statistical Compendium. The body of research and data created at CIIER over many years will now reside inside the PI.
The PI's first project commenced in March 2016 led by Professor Leon Stirling and Mr Colin Farrelly. The topic is quantifying the impact of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones maybe more familiar terms used to describe these robots). The PI is examining several use case environments across Mining, Petroleum, Energy, Infrastructure, Agriculture and possibly more. The institute will be seeking broad private and government support to undertake this research.
The creation of the PI is a practical realisation of a maturing Australian ICT sector's attitude to openly discussing how we as a nation can positively exploit the opportunities arising from emerging and potentially disruptive technologies. The Pearcey Foundation is building upon Trevor Pearcey's bold initiative back in 1949 when he set to work Australia's first and the world's fourth stored program digital computer.
For more details please contact Ms Kelly Hutchinson on +61 403 803 543
* The Pearcey Foundation was created in 1998 to celebrate the life of Dr Trevor Pearcey who in 1949 led the team which built "CSIRAC", the world's fourth stored program computer. The Foundation celebrates achievements through three national awards including the Pearcey Medal and Hall of Fame as well as the Benson Entrepreneur Award, as well as the Pearcey State Awards for younger entrepreneurs.
** The Pearcey Foundation is indebted to Ian Dennis for transitioning CIIER to the Pearcey Institute. Ian Dennis founded CIIER in 2005 to create a facility, repository, and think-tank for consistent, competently researched, up-to-date, and analysed data on employment, markets, revenue streams, R&D, processes and management methods, specifically focussed on high technology, innovative, and emerging industries.
