Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has announced the creation of a new eResearch center in Brisbane, Australia, with $2.7 million Australian dollars (US$2.1 million) in initial funding.The eResearch lab is said to be one of only 12 in the world and will provide scientists with advanced technologies to accelerate scientific research and discovery of sustainable resources. The lab will specifically focus its research efforts on water management, urban planning and climate change.The seed funding comes from a three-year collaborative agreement between the Queensland government, QUT and Microsoft Australia, each of which is contributing A$900,000.Microsoft officials claim the eResearch lab is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Scientists at the lab will combine the processing power of computers and the Internet to support research through the large-scale collaboration of people, data and other resources. QUT’s deputy vice chancellor of research and commercialization, Professor Arun Sharma, said the lab’s computing power will let the scientists use their minds for what they do best—research. Intellectual property (IP) will be owned by QUT, but Microsoft will be granted a license to commercialize any IP generated. Microsoft Research Asia’s university relations manager, John Warren, said the new lab represents the next chapter in a six-year relationship between QUT and Microsoft.“By establishing the new eResearch lab together, we can leverage each other’s strengths to achieve better outcomes, both in terms of innovation and in generating greater economic benefits for the state,” Warren said. “In providing this grant, one of Microsoft’s main aims is to encourage research and development and to help Queensland embed a culture of innovation that will lay the groundwork for the state as a leading knowledge economy.”Microsoft claims to have provided about A$6 million in grants and resources over the past four years to help Queensland establish itself as an innovative state.-Staff, Computerworld Today (Australia)This article is posted on our Microsoft Informer page. For more news on the Redmond, Wash.-based powerhouse, keep checking in. Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content News Amazon to lay off 9,000 more workers, including some at AWS The latest round of Amazon layoffs will impact AWS, Twitch, advertising and PXT, CEO Andy Jassy said. By Jon Gold Mar 20, 2023 3 mins Technology Industry Cloud Computing BrandPost What’s next for network operations Broadcom: 2023 Tech Trends That Transform IT By Serge Lucio, Vice President and General Manager, Agile Operations Division Mar 20, 2023 8 mins IT Leadership Networking BrandPost Digital transformation obstacles: Stubborn challenges, what to do about them Value Stream Management is an increasingly essential approach to strategic transformation initiatives. To help teams more fully capitalize on the opportunities it presents, Broadcom is holding its third annual VSM Summit. By Marla Schimke, Head of Product and Growth Marketing, Broadcom's Enterprise Software Division Mar 20, 2023 3 mins Devops Software Development Feature CEO directives: Top 5 initiatives for IT leaders As organizations change course with economic gyrations, collaboration between IT and business becomes priority No. 1 for CEOs. By Stacy Collett Mar 20, 2023 7 mins IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe