This is a snapshot of the innovative research and creative ability that underpins the deep intellectual knowledge that is inherent in our research students in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Each year we ask our students to create a poster, a 'visual feast' if you will, to explain some aspect of their theses to as wide an audience as possible. At the same time we ask students to prepare an accessible three-minute talk to discuss what it is that they actually do, and why their research is important to society.

These two tasks are brought together at an annual Poster Day which is open to the public and to which our sponsor, The Canberra Business Council, invites all its business members. This year the ANU Office of Commercialisation also sponsored a special prize for the project that best expresses the commercial potential of the research.

Why do it?

Explaining the intricacies of the science that lies behind the engineering and computing products and services that research aims to ultimately provide is no mean feat even for those of us with a background in the discipline.

In the College, we believe that creating opportunities for people to understand the role of engineering and computing to help to build a better and more prosperous world can only do good. And our students can only benefit from being able to communicate what they do.

In the end, if we are to prosper, socially, economically and environmentally, or even if we are to add value to the myriad of tasks and lifestyle choices that we all make every day, then we rely on the kind of research that helps that to happen, and the funding that allows that research to occur. Our philosophy is that the more people that understand why research is important, the better it is for the research.

This year’s poster winners demonstrate the role of research very well.

Congratulations to the winners, and to all the students that participated in the 2011 HDR Poster Day; and thank you to our event sponsors, The Canberra Business Council and the ANU Office of Commercialisation.

Professor Alistair Rendell, Interim Dean