There are now 27 clusters established from the first six rounds of funding proposals.

A summary of the six rounds of clusters follows:

Round 1 clusters

Flagship	Cluster Name	Cluster Leader	Launch
Energy Transformed	National Hydrogen Materials Alliance	Dr Andrew Dicks, University of Queensland	October 2006, Newcastle
Food Futures	Concentration and separation of bioactives in food science	Professor Milton Hearn, Monash University and Dr Muthupandian Ashokkumar, University of Melbourne (merged)	December 2006, Melbourne
Food Futures	Learning the principles of olfactory pattern recognition from invertebrates	Professor Mandyam Srinivasan, University of Queensland (moved from ANU)	August 2006, Canberra
Light Metals	Australian partnership in Light Metals research	Professor David St John, CAST CRC and Professor Barry Muddle, Monash University	August 2006, Melbourne
Preventative Health	Detecting and preventing Alzheimer's disease	Professor David Ames, University of Melbourne	November 2006, Melbourne
Water for a Healthy Country	CLAMMecology (Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth)	Dr Mike Geddes, University of Adelaide	August 2006, Adelaide
Wealth from Oceans	Human uses and impacts on Ningaloo reef	Professor Neil Loneragan, Murdoch University	November 2006, Perth

Round 2 clusters

Flagship	Cluster Name	Cluster Leader	Launch
Food Futures	Redesigning grain polysaccharides	Professor Mike Gidley, University of Queensland	July 2007, Canberra
Water for a Healthy Country	Advanced membrane technologies for water treatment	Professor Stephen Gray, Victoria University	May 2007, Melbourne
Wealth from Oceans	Subsea pipelines for reliable and environmentally safe development	Professor Mark Cassidy, University of WA	October 2007, Perth

Round 3 clusters

Flagship	Cluster Name	Cluster Leader	Launch
Energy Transformed	The 'intelligent grid' – modelling distributed generation and interruptible load [external link]	Professor Stuart White, University of Technology Sydney	August 2008, Sydney
Light Metals	Breakthrough technology for primary aluminium	Professor Geoff Brooks, Swinburne University	September 2009
Preventative Health	The ASPREE healthy ageing cohort biobank	Professor John McNeil, Monash University	February 2010

Round 4 clusters

Flagship	Cluster Name	Cluster Leader	Launch
Climate Adaptation	Human health and climate change adaptation	Professor Anthony Capon / Keith Dear, ANU	April 2011
Climate Adaptation	Regional adaptation to climate change - a case study in SE Queensland	Professor Jan McDonald / Darryl Low Choy, Griffith University	June 2009
Minerals Down Under	Future sustainability of Australia's mineral industry	Professor David Brereton, University of Queensland	October 2009
Minerals Down Under	Preconcentration and agglomeration to enhance heap leaching of nickel laterite	Professor John Ralston, University of South Australia	October 2009
Future Manufacturing	Sensor systems for analysis of aquatic environments	Professor Justin Gooding, UNSW	October 2009
Preventative Health	STroke imAging pRevention and Treatment (START)	Professor Geoffrey Donnan, University of Melbourne	September 2010
Wealth from Oceans	Institutional and social barriers to science impact	Professor David Wood, Curtin University of Technology	April 2010

Round 5 Clusters

Flagship	Cluster Name	Cluster Leader	Launch
Water for a Healthy Country	Ecological Response to Altered Flow Regimes Cluster	Professor Stuart Bunn, Griffith University	March 2011
Food Futures	Healthy complex cereal carbohydrates	Professor Geoff Fincher, University of Adelaide	April 2010
Energy Transformed	Biological solutions for energy and greenhouse challenges	Professor Chris Easton, ANU	October 2010
Food Futures	Sex ratio and sterility for commercial animal production	Professor Michael Holland University of Queensland	March 2011

Round 6 Clusters

Flagship	Cluster Name	Cluster Leader	Launch
Minerals Down Under	Organic-inorganic interactions in mineral systems	Kliti Grice, Curtin University	February 2012
Future Manufacturing	Novel electrode materials	Paul Burn, University of Queensland	April 2012
Sustainable Agriculture	Measuring methane	Deli Chen, University of Melbourne	May 2012

Round 7 Clusters

Flagship	Cluster Name	Cluster Leader	Launch
Climate Adaptation	Climate adaptation technology and engineering for extreme events	Mark Stewart, University of Newcastle	TBC
Energy Transformed	Future Grid	Tony Vassallo, University of Sydney	TBC
Wealth from Oceans	Marine and Coastal Carbon Biogeochemistry	Peter Ralph, UTS	TBC

Round 8 Clusters

Applications for Round 8 Clusters will close on 22 February 2013.

Read more about the Flagship Collaboration Fund and National Research Flagships.

What makes a successful cluster?

• A strong proactive Cluster Leader - skilled at scientific, management & administrative leadership - and who can foster a strong relationship with the Flagship Director.
• A manageable number of partners.
• Open & honest communication across the partners with a good understanding and commitment to their collaborative agreement.
• Awareness that a Cluster formally lives for only 3 years but longer term opportunities might be possible i.e. Other sources of funds etc. Note: Clusters represent a minimum 50:50 co-investment partnership between CSIRO & Cluster partners (full cost basis).
• A well thought through research program
  • consisting of integrated & focussed projects
  • with sufficient depth & originality in the science appropriately responding to the specifications
  • that compares to national/international efforts
  • with deliverables that are realistic and practical for a 3 year timeframe
  • that has effective and complimentary links to the Flagship Research Program.
• A team of skilled researchers who will commit time & effort, including the Cluster Leader.