1	Alcoa Foundation participant contributes to fourth Brazilian Tree Canopy Course, held in Atlantic Rain Forest. The Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil is one of the most threatened tropical ecosystems in the world. It once occupied about 1 million square miles (About the area of Western Australia) Today less than 12% of this ecosystem remains. This is similar to the Western Australian Wheatbelt.
2	Whose Sea-Change? Some Reflections on transformations in the City of Albany WA. Albany on the South Coast of WA along with other Australian coastal communities have been experiencing rapid population change. This has impacted on local development decisions and focused thinking on the vision that communities have for their future in the context of drought, climate change, and other environmental issues.
3	The theory and practice of Ecomimicry. Biomicry is the practice of mimicking nature in order to imagine and design new technologies for the benefit of the human community.
4	Beyond Conceptual Elegance:local participation and the 'model' Fitzgerald Biosphere Reserve. Conservation objectives are better achieved with the participation of local community members. This concept has generated some divergent views. This paper reports on a study which adopts a frame of reference recognising the importance of 'Place' as an essential aspect of social identity, attachment and sense of community.
5	The potential of groundwater recharge plantations in the Lake Warden cacthment, Esperance, to encourage diversity of invertebrates and birds. This study investigates the establishment of two different tree plantations (eucalypts and conifers) and if these enhance the abundance of invertebrates (insects) in the trees and on the ground compared with the existing cleared agricultural landscape.
6	Influence of farmland revegetation on the abundance and diversity o surace-active invertebrates. This paper reports on the preliminary investigation to evaluate how current rehabilitation of farmland is contributing to the return of surface-active invertebrates (insects)
7	Interdisciplinary technologies contribute to a new model of urbanisation for the south coast of Western Australia. This paper reports on the use of advanced computer modelling to address three of the five highest ranking environmental issues in Western Australia-Invasive Species, Habitat loss and Population growth. The modelling enables unique analyses contributing to the sustained biodiversity of the region.
8	Towards a Western Australian model: building innovation and capacity in the design and craft industry though the Designing Futures Cluster Program. The Designing Futures Cluster Program was designed to build capacity in the craft and design community in Western Australia. The program provides design, production, management and marketing mentoring to groups of practitioners.
9	Participative Enquiry using a "Community as Researcher" Approach: The Balingup Model. The inrceasing demand in the past decade to understand more effective community consultation processes within shortened time frames has challenged traditional Participant Action Research (PAR) processes. This paper describes a breakthrough technology-named the Balingup Model after the Community in which it was first trialled.
10	Climate Variability and Social Vulnerability: A Brief Statement of the Issues. Determination of the impacts of climate variability on vulnerable populations have tended to focus on the environmental and economic rather than on the social impacts. This paper provides a brief context to these issues from existing literature

Curtin Update:
University highlights Centre Research Project

Welcome to the Alcoa Research Centre for Stronger Communities.

The establishment of the Alcoa Research Centre for Stronger Communities represents an important milestone in the University's development, as it is the first research centre for Stronger Communities in Australia and is aligned with the strategic direction of the University, which identifies as one of its core values:

The cultivation of responsive and responsible links with the wider community, emphasising service, practical relevance, social justice and ethical behaviour.

What are stronger communities?

	Stronger communities invest in community capacity to solve community problems, to grasp opportunities, and to develop community leadership.
	Stronger communities include a wide variety of businesses, industries and institutes that are financially viable, flexible, ethical and committed to diversity.
	Stronger communities utilise and retain capital, value sharing resources and encourage all stakeholders to work together for a sustainable future.
	Stronger communities celebrate and support inclusion and diversity.

Our Research and Development Core Programs are desgined to investigate the many aspects of developing stronger communities. These include:

	Program 1 Community/Industry partnerships - towards becoming 'neighbours of choice.'
	Program 2 Strengths-based Community Practice Models.
	Program 3 Social, Cultural and Environmental Futures
	Program 4 Place and Community Resiliency.
	Program 5 Creative Industries and Creative Environments
	Program Archive

The Centre has also established a research methods framework which encourages community capacity building through participative partnerships and action research models.

The Centre is committed to increasing community resiliency and community capacity through multi-disciplinary research partnerships.