The research travel grant allowed a CRC PhD student to attend a training course on the introduction to the statistical software environment “R”, reading and handling data, graphic analysis and data output analysis, writing simple R-based functions, developing flow control structures, and use of ANOVA and split level designs. The training was conducted as an interactive face-to-face workshop at the Centre of Applied Statistics, the University of Western Australia, Perth (27 November 2012 until 30 November 2012).

The research travel grant improved the student's skills and knowledge for experimental design, analysis of research data and also advanced his technical skills in biostatistics. The student is now using R-based statistical packages to analyse the research data source, because it’s a free and extremely powerful language and software environment for statistical computing, data analysis and graphics. It has become the tool of choice for many statisticians. Understanding of R is extremely valuable for the student’s professional development, data analysis skills, and potentially improves the outcomes of the PhD project.