ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Closing the data gap: Systematic monitoring of PFAS remediation in soil. Extensive past use of perfluorinated chemicals (PFASs) has resulted in soil and waterway contamination, damaging human and environmental health. The best option for treatment is often soil remediation with sorbents to immobilise PFASs, but the long-term fate of PFASs in treated soil is poorly understood. This project aims to generate new insights into PFASs and sorbent behaviour in soils over time, and re-design analytical methods to better mimic field conditions. Expected outcomes include strategies and methods to allow industry and government agencies to tailor remediation strategies to each site’s environmental and chemical profile, and effectively monitor progress to create longer lasting benefits to human health and the environment. Field of research: 4104 - Environmental Management Contamination of soil and water supplies by per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances chemicals (PFASs) is near ubiquitous. The adverse effects of PFASs on human and environmental health are becoming increasingly well recognised—and expensive. These ‘forever chemicals’ are extremely stable; ongoing clean-up costs exceed $100M per year, while treatment of related health issues is estimated to exceed $1B per year. Immobilisation of PFASs in contaminated soils using sorbents, e.g., activated carbon, is an efficient, cost-effective option but its effectiveness over time is not well understood. This project aims to establish the first toolbox of strategies and methods that allows remediation managers to select tailored options for each site’s unique profile—soil type, PFAS species, sorbent types—to generate optimum outcomes. Redesigned methods that explore new aspects of PFAS chemistry and enable soil testing under field-like conditions will facilitate monitoring of progress. These results will support Australia’s Strategy for Nature, Soil Strategy, and the goals of the Australian Government’s PFAS Taskforce.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

A Solar Photoelectrochemical Cell for Unbiased Hydrogen Production. This project aims to develop a photoelectrochemical cell for photoelectric conversion and green hydrogen production by using solar power as the only energy input. This project expects to generate new knowledge in photoelectrode material design by combining low-cost semiconductors with natural or synthetic molecular catalysts. Expected outcomes are to generate a sustainable solar hydrogen technique with no electricity consumption, high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency and long-term stability, promoting the development of green hydrogen industries in Australia with zero carbon emissions. This should provide significant benefits to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, achieve environmental sustainability and meet renewable energy demand. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Green hydrogen requires better production ways to shift from the current fossil fuel-involved production methods in the industry to approaches that utilise renewable energy sources only. This project will develop cost-effective, efficient, and stable photoelectrode materials to construct an unbiased and scalable photoelectrochemical platform that can solely exploit abundant solar light to produce sustainable hydrogen from water. This project will enhance Australia's global competitiveness in green hydrogen production and help Australia develop its future solar hydrogen economy, bringing predictable commercial and economic benefits. It will also support Australia’s strong action on climate change and help Australia meet the net-zero emission target, by avoiding fossil fuel usage during hydrogen production and replacing fossil fuels with clean hydrogen for energy supply, bringing tangible social and environmental benefits. This project is expected to underpin valuable technological and intellectual property that can be licensed to the local industry sector for advanced manufacturing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Integrated slab-mode beam engineering for handheld terahertz systems. Current dominant system architectures for terahertz waves are adapted from other ranges, leading to critical bottlenecks. This project will address this with a new integration platform that is tailored to the particular needs of terahertz waves. This requires advances in the emerging field of micro-scale integrated optics, combined with antenna-theory principles, semiconductor science, and advanced microfabrication to incorporate active devices. Novel spatially-dependent dispersion engineering techniques will also be pioneered for phased-array-free beamforming. This will enable a broad variety of all-in-one handheld systems for practical applications of terahertz waves such as noninvasive standoff sensing and self-aligning wireless links. Field of research: 5102 - Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Electromagnetic waves have a vast range of everyday uses like low-frequency microwaves for mobile phones, and high-frequency light waves for fibre optics. Radio- and light-wave technology are two ends of the same spectrum, and between them lies the less-well-known terahertz range, which has potential to cause another fundamental leap forward, but is held back by the unimaginative way that we have built terahertz devices up to this point; simply combining pre-established radio- and light-wave devices together. This leads to critical bottlenecks in implementing proof-of-concept lab demonstrations on a larger scale. In contrast, this project will re-think terahertz systems from the ground up, pioneering new techniques and structures to target the particular needs of terahertz waves, with the end-goal of hand-held terahertz devices and modules that are innately suited to practical applications of terahertz waves. Through this project, Australia will become a trailblazer in what is projected to be a multi-billion dollar global market by 2029, and furthermore, Australians’ quality of life will be improved by applications of terahertz waves, including noninvasive medical imaging e.g. to contactlessly screen for skin cancer, which is a serious issue due to Australia’s high solar intensity. This project will also develop hand-held modules for real-world uses such as high-speed, ~100 Gbit/s wireless systems for interconnected cities, and safe, non-damaging security screening of hidden weapons and dangerous items in public places. We will actively share the outcomes with researchers and industries via journals, conferences, and media. The success of this project will advance knowledge in the field, positioning Australia at the forefront of commercial applications of terahertz waves—a projected multi-billion-dollar global market by 2029.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Illuminating Dark Fibres for Smart Water Asset Monitoring. Smart water networks formed by fleets of acoustic sensors to detect developing cracks in water networks have grown rapidly in the past decade but are costly to install and maintain. This project aims to overcome this challenge by exploiting unused underground optical fibre cables that are ubiquitous in cities. The result will be low-cost and ready-made distributed sensing systems that protect critical water supplies, supported by intelligent data analytic algorithms that can translate real-time data into valuable information to optimise water asset monitoring. The research outcomes will stimulate a technological revolution in smart water networks, accelerate water digitalisation globally and bring significant economic and social benefits. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Australia has $160 billion worth of urban water assets which are 80 years old on average and suffer from regular failures. Smart water networks formed by fleets of acoustic sensors are used to monitor our water systems, however, their development reaches the bottleneck due to high capital and ongoing costs. The project will use existing telecommunication optical fibre cables to monitor underground water networks and detect pipe cracks before evolving into failures. Australia has 250,000 km (6.5 circles around the equator) of unused optical fibre cables underground. Translating a small part of them into numerous valuable sensors to monitor water assets by this project represents a huge amount of saving compared with the current multi-million dollar smart water networks. With new systems and technology adopted, Australia’s aging water assets can be extensively protected. Cities will see fewer pipe breaks, meaning less interruption to service and traffic, less property damage and less water loss. Australia will become a leader in this transferable technology which has commercial potential globally.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Developing Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Batteries for Safe Energy Storage. To overcome safety issues intrinsic to the prevalent solid metal anodes in battery technology, this project aims to develop room-temperature liquid metal batteries by employing liquid Sodium-Potassium alloy. Innovations will span the development of the electrode concept, interface-oriented electrolyte design guided by theory and experiment, and prototype battery cell examples to illustrate how high round-trip efficiencies at fast charging can be achieved over a prolonged time. The anticipated outcomes would transform battery technology concepts while providing a critical scientific basis for commercialisation. Further, the success of this project would help Australia realise its shift from traditional to emerging sustainable energy systems. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Australia’s energy industry is experiencing a transition from fossil fuels to renewables, where diverse energy storage technologies are required to mitigate the problem of grid reliability. This project aims to establish room-temperature liquid metal batteries as scalable devices to efficiently store intermittent energy sources (e.g. solar, wind, geothermal power) for off-grid applications. It will do so via interdisciplinary research starting from rational materials science, electrochemical analysis, and advanced characterisations, through to device engineering–addressing key gaps between the fundamental science of liquid-metal-based energy storage systems and their practical application. The new battery technologies enabled by this project would benefit: the Australian community with options for responding to the impacts of decarbonisation; energy-conscious consumers with reduced upfront battery costs; and the battery industry with accelerated onshore manufacturing. Here, the project’s collaborative end-user design elements will leverage Australian industry expertise and open up translation pathways.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Mathematical models for actin scavenging and biofilm removal. The project aims to develop mathematical models for actin scavenging and biofilm removal, processes that combine to alleviate tissue damage and inflammation. Actin scavenging eliminates the protein F-actin which is released during cell death, but this process is not fully-understood. Biofilms are colonies of micro-organisms, for example bacteria, that are highly resistant to antimicrobial treatment. This project expects to generate new knowledge, using an innovative combination of mathematical modelling and cell biology experiments. Expected outcomes include new theory and software, yielding the benefits of increased understanding of cell biology, and potential to enhance development of smart materials that eliminate biofilms. Field of research: 4901 - Applied Mathematics Biofilms are communities of bacteria enclosed in a naturally produced semi-solid structure. They play a role in the development of antibiotic resistance in humans and animals, corrosion of industrial equipment, such as oil and gas pipelines, and cause contamination and waste in food and beverage production. This project will develop mathematical theory and simulation tools to investigate (1) how nanotechnology can help remove bacterial biofilms and (2) improve our understanding of the cellular interactions involved when cells experience stress. The combination of the technology and a greater understanding of the fundamental biological processes which occur when cells experience stress may have widespread applications in the future, including wound healing. This can also provide the fundamental knowledge required for our collaborators and their industry partners to advance the development of wound healing technology in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Next Generation Terahertz Materials. We will investigate novel tuneable terahertz (THz) metamaterials, based on the exploitation of phase change materials. Tunable metamaterial-based terahertz devices, such as modulators and filters, will potentially generate significant downstream IP for short-path wireless applications. This fills a critical need to meet the increasing demand for greater bandwidth. Elucidation of the fundamental science underlying the interaction between terahertz signals and phase-change materials will enable tuneable metamaterials. A major leap will be devices that can steer and modulate terahertz signals with unprecedented agility and compactness; enabling future high-bandwidth desktop data transfer. Field of research: 4009 - Electronics, Sensors and Digital Hardware Terahertz systems show wide potential and will be critically useful for advanced new Bluetooth-like connectivity for sharing data between desktop mobile devices, such as phones and laptops. However, a number of critical technical hurdles with terahertz systems currently limit their ability. This project will exploit the use of advanced new materials, enabling tuneable devices that can control and manipulate terahertz radiation (T-rays) for short-path ultra-high-speed wireless data links. The lack of suitable tuneable devices is the gap we will address, building upon Australian excellence in the photonics arena. The ability to electronically tune these devices will result in very compact practical multifunctional solutions that will not only impact future high-speed Bluetooth-like transfer, but will also benefit applications in security and biosensing. The outcomes of this project will maintain Australia's knowledge in this cutting-edge area and provide an opportunity for new advanced tuneable devices that will benefit Australia for downstream potential IP in a large international market. This will benefit Australia by creating new materials and technologies and by training the next generation of scientists in photonics, which will position them for valuable roles in Australia’s future workforce. We will disseminate our research findings through both scientific publication in leading journals as well as through public announcements on social media.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Defining how cells relay mechanical signals to changes in cell architecture. Mechanical signals play crucial roles in shaping organs and entire organisms during development, though how these signals are relayed to changes in cell architecture is a major unanswered question. Within vascular networks, mechanical signals including fluid flow, tension and stretch play key roles in vessel patterning, identity and maturation. This application aims to employ cutting-edge technologies to determine how the atypical cadherin FAT4 relays mechanical signals including flow and tension to the lymphatic endothelial cell skeleton, thereby enabling changes in cell shape important for building lymphatic vessels. This project will increase our understanding of how cells sense touch and may be applied for tissue engineering purposes. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology During development, mechanical signals including fluid flow, stretch and tension play important roles in shaping organs and entire organisms. There is a major gap in our knowledge however, regarding the mechanisms by which these signals are received and relayed to changes in cell shape that are needed for building organs. Through interdisciplinary national and international collaborations, this project will address this knowledge gap by investigating how a cell surface molecule called FAT4 transmits mechanical signals to changes in cell shape that underpin the construction of functional lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels play crucial roles in regulating tissue fluid levels, carrying immune cells through our bodies and regulating the activity of multiple populations of tissue stem cells. Revealing new insight to the processes by which mechanical signals shape lymphatic vessels during development has implications for the many other tissues in which FAT4 plays important roles. Knowledge generated from the project will be applied to the development of stem cell programming and tissue engineering approaches to generate organs ex vivo and therefore has potential to yield future economic benefits for Australia. This project will also facilitate the world class training of postgraduate research students and fellows in state-of-the-art technologies, building Australia’s skill base and international research standing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Fatigue Life Assessment of Structures under Realistic Loading Conditions. The project will develop a new methodology for the assessment of fatigue life of structures subjected to realistic loading conditions. This new methodology is based on recent advances in experimental techniques which make possible, for the first time, the investigation of the crack opening/closure mechanisms and the crack driving force for large numbers of fatigue cycles (>1 million) of variable amplitude, representative of real-world applications. The project will expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capabilities in structural life prognosis. It will increase the competitiveness of domestic products and industries, fostering international collaborations and leadership of Australia in this strategically important area of research. Field of research: 4017 - Mechanical Engineering Fatigue is the leading failure mechanism of mechanical components and imposes a significant socio-economic burden on nations worldwide, including Australia. A notable example is the fatigue failure of the overhead high-voltage conductor, which ignited the Kilmore East fire in September 2009 and led to the tragic loss of 173 lives. This research project will develop a new methodology for the fatigue life assessment of structural components, which will help to reduce the risk of catastrophic failures, improve reliability, efficiency and international competitiveness of Australian industries and products, and foster public trust in technological advances. Project outcomes will contribute to the Australian Government priority areas of Transport, Energy and Advanced Manufacturing, by adding value to advanced structural design, integrity assessment and reduced-cost maintenance of high-value assets. Project outcomes will be disseminated to a wide range of government agencies and research organisations through high-impact journals, conferences and workshops to help expand the knowledge base and Australia’s research capabilities in structural life prognosis, fostering international collaboration and leadership of Australia in this strategically important area of research.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Finding Australia’s Disabled Authors: Connection, Creativity, Community. This research project aims to explore disabled writers and disability more generally in Australian literature. As there is little awareness of the contribution that Australian authors with disability have made to literary culture, the project expects to generate new knowledge about how disabled people have forged their writing careers, and how their disability shapes their creative practice. The expected outcomes include a greater understanding of the diversity of Australian writers and literature, community engagement with disability, and support for emerging disabled writers. The project will provide significant benefits including a greater awareness of disability and the capacity to combat ableism and discrimination. Field of research: 4705 - Literary Studies Disabled people in Australia not only face poorer education, employment and health outcomes, and experience sustained forms of neglect and mistreatment, they are also missing from our national literature. This project aims to address this problem by investigating who Australia’s disabled authors are, how they have forged their writing careers, and how their disability shapes their creative practice. Expected outcomes include a greater understanding of the diversity of Australian writers and literature, and of the creativity and adaptability that disability engenders, and support for emerging disabled writers. Shining a spotlight on disability in literature can provide cultural and social benefits by challenging stereotypes about disabled writers, which assists with changing attitudes towards disability in the community. To help achieve these outcomes the project will contribute to the expansion of the ‘Writing Disability in Australia’ database in AustLit (the Australian literature database), promote research findings in scholarly and non-scholarly publications, and create an accessible public-facing web resource.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Flame-Retarding and Mechanically Resilient Elastomer Composites. This project will develop a new generation of flame-retarding and mechanically resilient elastomer composites by taking advantage of nanoscale effect and synergy. The outcomes will be two types of flame-retarding additive pellets and their elastomer composites; these pellets also suit other polymers such as thermoplastics. The elastomer composites are expected to have excellent flame retardancy, mechanical properties, and fatigue performance, to meet the demands from industrial partners. The project will provide a platform for elastomer manufacturing industry to develop flame-retarding, high-performance products for domestic applications and for export. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Manufacturing industries are vital to Australia in terms of national independency and trade surplus. Working with a wholly Australian-owned manufacturing company, supported by two overseas partner organisations, this project aims to develop two types of environmentally friendly, flame-retarding additives . It will then use the additives to develop flame-retarding and mechanically resilient rubber products. The products can be used in varying applications, such as window and door seals for houses, vehicles, aircraft and trains, that can be used domestically and exported. The technology would revolutionize the elastomer processing industry by establishing a world-record fire safety standard , contributing to a new era of advanced manufacturing . Such translational research can also support small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing high value-added products, which can help alleviate the impact of rising labour costs.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Advancing the Frontiers of Detection: Ultrasensitive Terahertz Sensing. This program aims to transform terahertz biosensing, creating next-generation sensors for rapid detection down to the sub-nanogram level. Terahertz radiation lies between microwaves and infrared - it can uniquely ‘fingerprint’ or identify substances. This ground-breaking program will investigate terahertz-matter interaction together with sensor design based on advanced materials, breaking current terahertz detection limits. This will enable rapid substance identification with exquisite precision at trace levels. This will revolutionise applications in security, healthcare, forensics, and space exploration. It will educate a new generation of research leaders in engineering and science, building sovereign capability in terahertz photonics. Field of research: 4009 - Electronics, Sensors and Digital Hardware Imagine a laser-based technology that, with a rapid scan, can accurately identify trace substances. Exciting possibilities include detection of viruses and pathogens in the environment, detection of trace amounts of water for space missions, identification of trace contaminants in industrial processes, and health monitoring by detection of biomarkers in a single exhaled breath. This Laureate program will build on our world-class terahertz laboratory at the University of Adelaide. Bridging current technology gaps will potentially generate significant intellectual property for Australia, and train a future workforce with cutting edge skills in photonics and biophotonics. Laser generated terahertz radiation is ideal for these applications, however, a quantum leap in the technology is required for rapid sensing at trace levels. We will implement technology and further research with the expected outcomes being breakthroughs in non-invasive sensing of biomolecules via research into advanced terahertz devices. Due to the widespread applications of this technology and possibilities for intellectual property spin-offs, research translation through a number of existing companies in our network will maximise the opportunity and share risk. This new enabling technology for a post-pandemic world, will provide fundamental advancements with impact on future applications including the forensics, biomedical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, and security industries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Unravelling the neutron lifetime puzzle with lattice quantum chromodynamics. This project will perform supercomputer simulations to confront one of the outstanding puzzles of nuclear and particle physics, the neutron lifetime. New knowledge will be generated through the development of novel theoretical and numerical techniques to increase the precision of the leading theoretical inputs required to predict the neutron lifetime. The outcomes will provide crucial theoretical guidance into understanding the neutron; helping to guide the next-generation neutron experiments, from particle physics to applications in advanced materials science. The results will have immediate benefit by resolving the neutron lifetime puzzle, while enabling Australian scientists to take a leadership role in this area of fundamental science. Field of research: 5106 - Nuclear and Plasma Physics Fundamental research in nuclear science has led to breakthrough discoveries in a wide range of areas, including energy production, medical applications, materials science, and nuclear safety. This project will further contribute to this important area by generating new knowledge about the most elementary nuclear decay – the decay of the neutron. The insights gained from this research will have far-reaching benefits, including advancements in fundamental particle physics, cosmological evolution, and advanced materials science. By gaining a deeper understanding of this fundamental nuclear process, scientists can build a foundation for future discoveries that can be adopted by national priority industries in the energy, security, and defense sectors. This project will also build national expertise in fundamental nuclear physics, maintaining the talent pipeline in Australia to contribute to the global effort and secure Australia’s reputation in this field. To promote research outcomes in fundamental science beyond academia, this project will actively engage with the public and key stakeholders. This will be achieved by communicating research findings through public lectures and outreach activities in combination with conference presentations and journal publications. By doing so, this proposal help bridge the gap between academic research and real-world impact, while also promoting public understanding and support for science.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

CO2-coupled photothermal catalysis on superlattice structures. This project aims to develop a structure-tailored platform of superlattice materials for photothermal catalytic conversion of natural gases to valuable fuels and chemicals. Innovations lie in engineered atomic and bulk scale nanocrystals for high-efficiency sunlight harvesting to drive CO2-coupled catalysis of C-H bond activation. Advanced characterisations and multiscale computations will enable mechanistic insights into the synergy of photo and thermal catalysis in hydrocarbon conversions. The projects will result in next-generation intelligent materials and clean technologies for solar fuels production and CO2 recycling. Outcomes will benefit Australia’s long-term energy security and sustainability toward a carbon-neutral society. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Australia is blessed with substantial reserves of natural gas resources and strong solar radiation over the majority of Australia’s lands. In an effective leverage of these resources, this project will provide a next-generation technology for catalytic chemical reactions using advanced materials in a periodic structure of layers to harvest sunlight for natural gas conversion to fuels and chemicals. These advanced materials will efficiently drive different reactions under sunlight for reforming low-cost natural gas with carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals and feedstocks such as ethene and syngas with minimal energy input and in a sustainable manner. The products will help empower Australia’s chemical industry for green production of polymers, oil fuels, and pharmaceuticals. The expected outcomes of the project will be disseminated to Australian gas and coal industry for process upgrading and secure Australia’s leading role in advanced manufacturing high-performance materials, minimising carbon footprint, and cutting-edge technologies for carbon dioxide and natural gas utilisation to clean fuels and chemicals, promoting gas energy sector and coal mining industry toward carbon neutralisation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Seawater Electrolysis for Hydrogen and Commodity Chemicals Production. This project aims at sustainable production of hydrogen and chlorine-containing chemicals via development of revolutionary electrocatalysis that uses abundant seawater to replace scarce freshwater as feedstock. Fundamental science will be developed for addressing the knowledge gap between well-developed purified water electrolysis and emerging saline surface water electrolysis. Outcomes will include new knowledge of complex reaction mechanism(s), new electrode materials design, and relative device development for seawater electrolysis. This project will significantly benefit renewable energy use and commodity-chemicals manufacturing, together with reducing pressure on Australia's freshwater scarcity. Field of research: 4018 - Nanotechnology The development of green energy technologies is essential to Australia achieving net zero emission goals, while still fulfilling energy demands. One approach involves the generation of hydrogen through a chemical process known as electrolysis, where a renewable electrical current is used to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in purified fresh water. This project will exploit Australia’s abundant natural solar and seawater resources in a novel electrolysis system. The proposed new electrolyser will have greater efficiency and be more sustainable than current ones by using seawater as feedstock. Using advanced instrumental techniques, we will design and produce new materials that will be suitable for seawater electrolysis. Project outcomes will grow scientific and technological knowledge in Australia by providing advanced technological solutions to conversion and storage of intermittent renewable energies and seawater sources with high energy density, that are safe and readily stored and transported, and that are, importantly, socially acceptable. Communication of results will be through workshops with industry partners and media releases on social media. This technology and its commercial development through the hydrogen industry will position Australia as a key player in the green hydrogen industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Finding the targets of natural products in complex botanical extracts. Many plants are used for nutritional and traditional medicine purposes and have demonstrated, evidence based effects. However, standard methods to identify single chemical compounds responsible for the observed effects fail as they rely on a single compound having a single target and ignore the overall effects of many interacting compounds on many targets. In this application we propose a new method to simultaneously identify the molecular targets of many compounds in complex plant extracts, along with their subsequent validation by responses in gene expression to the plant extract. This research will revolutionise understanding of the nutritional and medicinal effects of plants and will allow our partners to accelerate commercialisation. Field of research: 3405 - Organic Chemistry Indigenous Australians have long known the therapeutic benefits of many plant species in Australia. However, there is a critical gap in the characterisation of the complex mixtures of natural chemicals found in these plants. Where a mixture has demonstrable biological activity, but no single compound in the mixture accounts for all of the activity, there are no viable means to purify and test all combinations of chemicals in the mixture. This project will develop innovative processes to profile these compounds. By analysing how genes are expressed, studying the structure of natural products, and using high-speed technology to study the protein involved, this project will develop a world-first integrated method for the identification of active compounds found in plants. This will open doors to the understanding and commercialisation of plant extracts from indigenous plants used by Aboriginal people. This will have direct benefits for the Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation and for other Aboriginal communities and their commercial and financial partners, and facilitate the traditional cultural knowledge of these plants to be translated into a scientific context with broader impact outside Aboriginal communities. We will promote this research outside of academia through press releases, articles in open access sources such as The Conversation and through our professional networks that currently market and distribute food supplements, cosmetics and over the counter remedies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Targeted electrolyte design for high energy aqueous batteries. The Project aims to develop a new generation, high-energy aqueous battery. A range of new aqueous electrolytes with large working window at low concentration will be designed to replace traditional, flammable and toxic organic electrolytes, and; low-cost and multi-electron reaction materials will be developed as high-capacity electrodes to replace traditional intercalation-type materials. The Project will establish the structure-property relationship for electrolytes and interphases via advanced characterization(s) and computation. The new battery will be safe, energetic and sustainable for the billion-dollar energy storage market for electric vehicle, and smart-grid whilst addressing concurrently battery safety and boosted energy-density. Field of research: 3403 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry This Project aims to increase energy density of inherently safe, aqueous batteries via combined experimental and computational methods at multiple length, and time, scales. It will provide new knowledge and pathways for optimising the design of high-energy density aqueous batteries for energy storage. The proposed Lithium-ion Sulphur battery systems will advance energy storage technology and integrate clean energy into Electric Vehicles and smart-grids in an efficient, safe and sustainable way. Project success will create intellectual property with potential for commercialised products to store renewable energy and improve reliability of electricity, boost capability and generate job opportunities in the Australian energy and manufacturing industries via technology transfer, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and facilitate the practical development for a cleaner and more sustainable Australia. The knowledge and technology generated from this project will be promoted through industry and technology exhibitions, professional seminars for researchers and stakeholders, high school STEM studies, and an active media presence to expand the influence of this exciting research outside academia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Size matters, but at what cost? Role of male sex hormones in the placenta. This project aims to understand molecular pathways regulated by male sex hormones in the placenta that may contribute to sex-specific fetal growth and survival outcomes in response to reduced oxygen and/or glucose. Through this project, we expect to generate new knowledge of the mechanisms that drive sex-specific placental molecular function using interdisciplinary approaches. The application of this advanced understanding of the sex-specific regulation of placental molecular function and fetal growth may be targeted in future studies to improve fetal growth outcomes in placental mammals such as livestock, domestic pets, and humans. Field of research: 3109 - Zoology Early miscarriage and stillbirth are major emotional and economic burdens for Australians. These tragedies affect livestock, domestic pets, endangered species, and humans, and one of the main contributors is reduced fetal growth and poor placental function in response to challenges – be these normal or pathological – within the womb. Although larger, male fetuses of placental mammals are more likely to experience growth and survival challenges than females, the reason for which may be explained by changes to signalling pathways of male sex hormones in the placenta. We will investigate this potential pathway of interest using cutting-edge molecular laboratory techniques paired with big-data analyses. The benefits of our work include new knowledge gained that may be applied to future projects aimed at developing strategies and possible interventions to improve fetal growth, thereby reducing the emotional and economic burden for Australians. We will communicate our findings through multiple media platforms that will target all Australians, key national and international stakeholders, and researchers that may benefit from the knowledge gained.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Serpent sensory innovation in the evolutionary transition from land to sea. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms underlying sensory adaptation, which underpins the behavioural capacity of animals to adapt to environmental change. This research will harness innovative phenotypic imaging and genomic sequencing, to study the coordinated changes among sensory systems in a range of ecologically diverse snakes. Expected outcomes include a large database of 3D digital anatomical models from Australian and international museum collections, and new knowledge on the genetic processes influencing sensory receptor evolution in vertebrates. The should provide significant benefits for conservation by using sensory adaptability as a framework for estimating potential extinction risk for vulnerable species. Field of research: 3104 - Evolutionary Biology Modifying behaviour is one of the first 'lines-of-defense' animals have against environmental and climate change, but what determines how animals behave? To generate new knowledge in behavioural adaptability, this project aims to study how serpent senses (such as eyes, ears, tongues) evolve together in response to past and ongoing environmental change. The project will create 3D models of snakes archived in Australian and international museums. These vast collections are an invaluable asset for tracking how species respond to changing environments, and will ensure that natural treasures are not lost to degradation over time. By making digital replicas free online, and through outreach with school children, this project will increase accessibility and longevity of Australian museum collections, providing significant social and environmental benefits.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Vaccination of poultry infected with multiple Salmonella serovars. Salmonella is a zoonotic, foodborne pathogen found on eggs and poultry meat. It is the second largest cause of human gastrointestinal disease, thus, reduction of Salmonella on poultry farms is paramount to public health. This project aims to evaluate the long-term efficacy of a commercial Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine against multiple serotypes, including the emerging Salmonella Enteritidis. This project will generate new knowledge in avian immunology using an innovative approach to evaluate the host response to multi-serovar infection. Outcomes of this project will future proof the Australian poultry industry against exotic Salmonella serotypes benefitting the industry by significantly reducing risks of future outbreaks and economic loss. Field of research: 3107 - Microbiology Salmonella, a foodborne pathogen found on eggs and poultry meat, is the second largest bacterial cause of gastrointestinal disease in humans. Most human Salmonella outbreaks are attributed to the consumption of contaminated eggs or egg products. Current protocols to reduce Salmonella involve strict biosecurity, disinfection, and vaccination of the chickens. Currently, there is no commercially available vaccine in Australia against a new strain of Salmonella called Salmonella Enteritidis (SE), which results in the mass disposal of poultry. This strain was detected in NSW and VIC resulting in closing down of more than 10 egg farms that has resulted in loss of livelihoods for many farmers and farm staff. This project aims to investigate the effectiveness and dosage of a locally manufactured vaccine for poultry against this new strain of Salmonella. Outcomes will benefit and save the Australian poultry industry as well as Australians by overcoming one of the major challenges of producing safe, high-quality food for consumption. Findings will be shared with researchers, health professionals, primary producers, and breeders to develop a prevention strategy against Salmonella and protect the farming business in regional Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Unlocking the potential for winemaking applications of membrane filtration. The methods currently used to achieve clarification and stabilisation of wine are slow, energy intensive, and waste wine. New methods that ‘finish’ wine rapidly, with higher recovery rates, and reduced waste and input costs are therefore needed. This project aims to drive profitability in the Australian wine sector by accelerating the uptake and adoption of membrane filtration as an innovative alternative to unsustainable winemaking practices. A key driver of the success achieved by our wine industry has been the application of modern technology to an otherwise traditional product category. To remain successful, industry requires new knowledge, new technical solutions, and a well-educated workforce – these are key outcomes of this project. Field of research: 3008 - Horticultural Production In winemaking, clarification and stabilisation processes are routinely performed post-fermentation to ‘finish’ wines, ensuring adverse changes do not occur between bottling and consumption. However, conventional methods are not sustainable. They are slow, energy-intensive, and often involve the use of additives (‘fining agents’) that create waste, and result in significant wine volume losses and/or the partial loss of desirable sensory attributes. By accelerating the uptake and adoption of innovative ‘membrane technologies’, this fellowship aims to develop efficient, low-cost, waste-free technical solutions to replace conventional clarification and stabilisation processes. Expected outcomes include new knowledge and innovative practices that will ‘finish’ wines rapidly, with higher recovery rates, and reduced waste and input costs, thereby enhancing wine quality and profitability. This fellowship will unlock the full potential of membrane filtration technology to deliver significant economic and environmental benefits to our wine industry. Roadshows, held nationally with support from regional wine associations, will ensure key findings are disseminated broadly across the sector, and will afford winemakers the opportunity to evaluate research outcomes first-hand, via technical wine tastings. This will facilitate the translation of research outcomes into commercial practice, positioning Australia at the forefront of modern winemaking.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Building public trust in technologies to secure Australia’s water future. This project aims to identify the most workable solutions to the challenge of explaining why new water-related technologies are needed to guarantee the prosperity and health of the Australian community. We expect to understand the key features that drive public trust and acceptance of wastewater monitoring, as well as the purification of recycled water. Both offer important public benefits but carry with them the risk of community backlash. Using leading-edge, economic techniques the project’s outcome will be the development of the first tool for predicting public trust in water technologies. Expected benefits from the project include more affordable and sustainable urban water supplies and protection of community health and wellbeing. Field of research: 3801 - Applied Economics This project will enable Australia to secure the water it needs for growing cities and regions in the face of climate change and increased concerns about water quality and health. Australia needs a range of solutions to its future water challenges, but some – such as the reuse of reclaimed water – are difficult to implement because of public reluctance around its use. The on-going monitoring of wastewater for a range of risks, including infectious disease and illicit substances, is also threatened by rising public concerns about surveillance. This project provides the water sector with the essential knowledge it needs to overcome these hurdles and thereby build public trust that enables surety in the quality and quantity of water. It provides an essential enabler, protecting the health of our communities while reducing the risk of economic and social disruption. This collaborative project will develop a customised tool for measuring and predicting public trust in water-related technologies. It will assist the sector make choices that preserve trust while meeting often-competing health, environmental and economic demands. Working closely with major water utilities, peak industry bodies and regulators, the tool will be translated nationally and drive efficiency gains, while building public support for actions that need to be taken. It will deliver improved economic, environmental and health outcomes while maintaining Australia’s credentials as a leading water innovator.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Future of Work: Achieving Efficiency and Productivity through Optimisation. This project's core objective is to address scheduling and resource allocation challenges in service-oriented businesses, in collaboration with SA Pathology. It introduces a novel data-driven optimizer to identify optimal resource allocation in these industries, promising accurate workload forecasting, reduced task duration, and enhanced public well-being. It aligns with digital transformation and Industry 4.0 principles. The project's significance lies in generating new interdisciplinary knowledge, with outcomes including improved collaboration, theory development, refined methods, and shorter task completion times. It offers substantial benefits to SA Pathology and similar organizations, enhancing efficiency and resource management. Field of research: 4605 - Data Management and Data Science The project's central aim is to confront the scheduling and resource allocation encountered by service-oriented businesses with SA Pathology. It addresses a research gap in Australia by responding to the urgent need for a data-driven optimizer that identifies an optimal scheme and resource allocation within service-oriented industries. These solutions not only promise to accurately forecast future workloads, minimize task duration and contribute to public well-being but also align perfectly with the principles of digital transformation and the Industrial 4.0 revolution. This new technique holds the potential to usher in economic benefits for Australia by streamlining task scheduling and resource allocation, particularly in businesses like SA Pathology. Such optimization can translate into cost savings and efficient response, benefiting stakeholders. Furthermore, it strengthens Australia's global leadership in the domains of operational efficiency, positioning the nation for continued growth within the burgeoning AI industry, creating new job opportunities. Beyond academia, SA Pathology will serve as a real-world testbed, allowing us to fine-tune and validate our solutions within an operational business. The project is committed to disseminating its research through conferences, media, and IP commercialization. These concerted efforts aim to ensure widespread understanding and adoption of the research findings, benefiting both SA Pathology and a broader spectrum of businesses.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Conserving caves: Developing tools to safeguard subterranean biodiversity. This project aims to develop innovative techniques to document and protect the biodiversity of the Nullarbor caves, an iconic Australian ecosystem. We will develop standardised methodologies to monitor biodiversity, detect centres of endemism, and identify threats, plus guidelines to inform conservation. Novel techniques will be employed to survey areas inaccessible to humans, thus solving a major challenge to environmental monitoring of caves globally. Outcomes of this project are enhanced capacity to monitor cave biodiversity, prevent extinctions, and protect areas of high biodiversity importance, which we will translate to industry and the community via museum displays, talks, and conservation and sustainable development guidelines. Field of research: 4104 - Environmental Management In 2022 Australia made a global conservation commitment that by 2030 biodiversity loss would be reduced, areas of high biodiversity importance protected, and extinctions of known threatened species halted. These ambitious goals are important, but for most of Australia’s invertebrates the information required to meet them is currently unavailable. We will address these data gaps for an imperilled area of high biodiversity importance, the Nullarbor caves. New and innovative surveillance techniques for sampling environmental DNA and surveying invertebrate biodiversity will be utilised to identify the caves of importance for conservation. These standardised protocols will form an industry standard for environmental monitoring of caves in Australia and globally. Research findings will be transferred into impact through threatened species assessments, and via production of guidelines to inform conservation planning and sustainable development. Involvement of primary invertebrate conservation agencies in Australia and internationally will ensure immediate translational value and ready uptake, through threatened species listings and adoption of protocols. We will produce museum displays, talks, and media releases to communicate research findings to industry and stakeholders. This project will ultimately provide information to enable Australia to protect an area of high biodiversity significance, prevent extinctions, and help it meet its conservation commitments.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Quantum clock for assured global navigation: Global Positioning System 2.0 . This project aims to develop a new high-performance atomic clock suited for operation on a satellite as part of a next generation Global Positioning System. With industry partner QuantX Labs, this project will design and deliver a high-performance clock with low size, weight and power consumption. Expected outcomes include a next-generation clock with 10 times improved performance when compared with current commercial clocks and reduced vulnerability to intentional disruption of next-generation satellite navigation signals. This will provide significant benefits through building sovereign capacity and providing a future of assured position, navigation, timing and robust satellite navigation service for all. Field of research: 4009 - Electronics, Sensors and Digital Hardware Satellite technology is vital for everyday purposes including navigation, communication, defence and finance. Large satellites need large orbits resulting in weaker signal strength on Earth. By reducing the size of satellites, we can reduce orbit size resulting in stronger signal strengths. The next generation of satellites will need smaller and more efficient clocks. I have been able to show that laser interaction with rubidium atoms can significantly improve clock performance, and reduce size, weight, and power consumption. In partnership with QuantX Labs, this project will create the quantum clock required for the next generation of low orbit satellites. The project outcome will be smaller clocks which will enable smaller satellites in lower orbits providing stronger signal strengths. Stronger and more reliable signal strengths will benefit any Australian who uses a Global Positioning System or phone, flies in a airplane, and earns or spends money. QuantX’s strong record of technology translation and commercialisation will see rapid adoption of the technology created. Research outcomes will be further promoted through my outreach activities as a Superstar of STEM. This includes school visits and media engagements as well as wider community communication events.