Research strengths
La Trobe's research strategy encourages innovation, specialisation and collaboration.
The following research strengths are La Trobe's designated areas of research focus.
These areas have been identified on the basis of outstanding performance of La Trobe staff against a number of criteria such as: academic publications, success in the receipt of competitive grant funding, national and international research collaborations, prizes, conference participation, public commentary and intellectual leadership.
In the Excellence for Research in Australia (ERA) assessment of research strengths across the sector, La Trobe University was rated at or above world standard in 29 specific disciplines.
Agribioscience and the Environment
In the areas of Agribioscience and the Environment La Trobe is above world standard in Plant Biology and Soil Sciences. The University is at world standard in Ecology, Genetics, Physiology, Crop and Pasture Production.Affiliated centres include AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience, Plant Biosecurity CRC, Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, Centre for Sustainable Regional Communities, Murray Darling Freshwater Research Centre and the Centre for Water Policy and Management.
Health and Society
In the areas of Health and Society, La Trobe is well above world standard in Human Movement and Sports Science and at world standard in Nursing and Social Work.Faculty research centres and programs include the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, Mother and Child Health Research, Australian Institute for Primary Care and Ageing, Physical activity and Rehabilitation, Living with Disability and Musculoskeletal and Gait Research. Affiliated centres include the National Stroke Research Institute and the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
Human Behaviour and Thought
This research strength includes research in mathematics, neuroscience, mind, logic and language, environmental ethics and policy and European philosophy. The University is above world standard in Philosophy and at world standard in Applied Mathematics and Neurosciences.Affiliated organisational areas include the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematics and Statistics of Complex Systems, Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics and the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre.
Human Communication
La Trobe is above world standard in Performing Arts and Creative Writing, Language, Communication and Culture, Cultural Studies and Linguistics and is at world standard in Literary Studies, Film, Television and Digital Media and Specialist Studies in Education.
Affiliated organisational areas include the Centre for Research on Language Diversity (formerly RCLT), Research Centre for Contemporary Greek Studies, Centre for Creative Arts and the Trendall Research Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies.
Human Society and Organisation
This research strength includes research on the way society is organised and functions from a variety of areas including politics, sociology, business, the economy and law. Tourism research is rated as above world standard. The disciplines of Accounting, Auditing and Accountability, Law and Political Science are at world standard. Affiliated organisational areas include the Institute for Human Security, Centre for Dialogue, Centre for Sport and Social Impact and the Research Centre for Computers, Communication and Social Innovation.
Molecular Science
This research strength includes a variety of research that involves the study of molecules, their functions and ways to image them and encompasses parts of traditional disciplines of microbiology, biochemistry and physics.
The University is well above world standard in Biochemistry and Cell Biology and Condensed Matter Physics; above world standard in Microbiology and at world standard in Analytical Chemistry and Physical Chemistry (including Structural).
This strength encompasses La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), the Centre of Excellence in Coherent X-Ray Science and the CRC for Biomarker Translation.
Studies of the Past
This research strength includes a wide variety of research broadly in the disciplines of history and archaeology. In Archaeology and Historical Studies the University is above world standard.
