Status of Outburst Research at the University of Wollongong
There has been an ongoing research on coal and gas outburst for the past two decades at the School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong. Research study began with a humble beginning, initially conducting basic laboratory studies on the coal and gas properties, progressing into the determination of gas content of coal by sorption technique and the effect of gas pressures on coal strength. The present laboratory facilities and research interests are extended to include the study of coal permeability and shrinkage properties and their effect of gas drainage characteristics with respect to gas type, and pressures. All the changes are examined with respect to changing in-site geological conditions of the coal deposit investigated. The aim is to provide a long-term support to industry in establishing a data bank for Australian coal deposit characteristics and properties.
Teaching & Learning Highlights 10 What kinds of graduates do universities wish to produce, and how should they go about doing so? Recently, Australian universities have had to grapple seriously with this question in response to the Federal government’s decision to tie the funding of each university to their quality of teaching. This note will present the steps taken by my university and department to embed attributes which are considered desirable in our graduates. Although I shall be mainly describing my experience in the discipline of law, the measures taken are readily applicable to other disciplines.