Griffith University

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Discerning China’s Foreign Policy Playbook: Goals and Strategies. This project aims to unpack China’s foreign policy decisions and policy making through exploring the agency of Chinese scholars. By conceptualising a new theoretical model of Chinese scholars’ perceptions, signals and debates, this project expects to generate new knowledge on the goals and strategies of China’s foreign policy in the economic, trade, political, and security dimensions through elite interviews, textual analysis, and focus group research. The outcomes will include analyses for use by Australian policy, academic and business communities. During times of difficult communications, attaining a realistic understanding of China’s current and future policy orientations can enable more constructive and effective China policy. Field of research: 4408 - Political Science This project is an exploration of a new approach to the study of China's foreign policy. Whether China is seen as a strategic partner or a strategic competitor, Australia needs to "get China right" to protect the rules-based international order in the Indo Pacific. The need for comprehensive, systemic, and original unpacking of China’s goals and strategies is more critical than ever. Built on a new theoretical model, this project will analyse Chinese foreign policy through a systematic examination of the perceptions, signals, and debates of Chinese scholars. This research produces new knowledge and a new pathway to understand and predict Chinese behaviours in the key areas of economy, trade, democracy and human rights, and military alignment. The outcome is a series of theory-driven, evidence-based, and policy-relevant research and policy reports for Australian policymakers e.g., DFAT, in guiding a more constructive and effective China policy.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Mapping & Harnessing Public Mistrust: Constitutional Values Survey 2023-27. Declining public trust is well recognised as a problem of democratic government, including in Australia. However solutions are more elusive, confounded by the reality that mistrust and distrust play not just negative, but positive roles in our existing political and constitutional traditions. This project aims to be the first to comprehensively map the positive values of mistrust in citizen political attitudes and experience, building on previous Constitutional Values Surveys (2008-21) to test new measures of the content of trust including a first-ever longitudinal study of changing trust over time. The results will inform concrete solutions to three key policy reform dilemmas, providing better answers for sustaining public trust overall. Field of research: 4408 - Political Science Healthy democracy and the effectiveness of all public services hinge on maintaining trust by our communities. This project will benefit all Australians by providing the evidence governments and other stakeholders need to comprehensively address declining public trust in public institutions. We will provide more useful, world-leading measures of trust's different dimensions (e.g., performance, probity, process) across the community, establishing how mistrust and distrust can be better harnessed, institutionally, to support greater trustworthiness in our political system. Our national survey research will inform concrete responses to key concerns and policy challenges for citizens, notably through reforms to combat the rise of disinformation in politics, ongoing trust conflicts between federal and state governments, and questions over the honesty and integrity of officials, also reflected in current anti-corruption reforms. The project will extend valuable time-series data collected by the Australian Constitutional Values Survey since 2008, adding new longitudinal studies of changing trust. The project benefits Australians socially and economically by helping rebuild and sustain trustworthiness in the constitutional and policy systems on which all prosperity depends.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Determining principles for successful episode retrieval of repeated events. This project aims to develop the first-ever set of explanatory principles for how people successfully retain and retrieve individual episode memories from repeated experiences (e.g., one occurrence of a routine social encounter or job-related activity). By deepening our understanding of how memory works, this new knowledge is expected to lay the foundation for interview guidance and ongoing research aimed at enhancing the proficiency of investigations into matters that rely on detailed and accurate accounts of specific episodes. This includes workplace or traffic accident investigations, infectious disease contact tracing, as well as prosecution of repeated sexual offences. Field of research: 5201 - Applied and Developmental Psychology Repeated events are fundamental human activities. Recalling individual episodes of such events is challenging but often critical. Poor episode memory can profoundly impact societal and individual wellbeing. For example, sexual assault victims suffer the lowest prosecution rates of all indictable offences due to difficulty particularising these offences. Reducing the spread of infection relies on accurate reports with contaminated patients to identify contacts. Teachers, police, customs officers and corruption officials all interview people about repeated events as part of investigations into harm and wrongdoing. Achieving accurate enquiries would benefit all Australians, yet there is no guidance around how episode retrieval is optimised. This Discovery Project addresses that knowledge gap by generating a set of principles on how best to augment memory performance. The production of guidance documents will directly enable trained interviewers (even those without human memory expertise) to modify their interview techniques, while a short animation will allow the broader public to engage with the new knowledge.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Decoding Bacterial Epigenetic Regulation. This project aims to characterise bacterial epigenetic regulation by determining the mechanism of action and impact of bacterial DNA methylation. This project expects to generate new knowledge about fundamental aspects of bacterial gene regulation, using a novel combination of cutting edge DNA and RNA sequencing, proteomic and bioinformatic approaches. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new tools to facilitate the integration of epigenomic analysis into genomic studies, exponentially increasing the volume and value of data gathered. This would provide significant future benefits to all academic, biotechnology, agricultural, veterinary and pharmaceutical applications that involve bacterial genomic analysis. Field of research: 3105 - Genetics Bacteria are a fundamental part of all aspects of life, and have a significant impact on the environment, agriculture and health. Our understanding of bacteria has been revolutionised by genetics and DNA/RNA sequencing. However, the impact of epigenetics (changes that alter the physical structure of DNA but not its underlying sequence) on genes products (proteins) being switched on and off is only now being appreciated. This research project will provide new information to facilitate routine epigenetic analysis to allow a bacterial protein to be produced reliably with an optimal yield, which is crucial for commercial production of proteins for vaccines, therapeutic and protein products. The use of genetic and genomic information is widespread, and this research will add a new layer of valuable information that is currently invisible and will significantly contribute to Australian scientific and commercial interests. We will communicate this information through scientific publications and new, publicly available databases and software tools that will insure rapid uptake of the new technology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Human use of early tropical forest ecosystems. This project aims to investigate the earliest records of tropical forests occupied by modern humans. This project expects to reconstruct ancient tropical ecosystems through time and in unprecedented detail by applying interdisciplinary methods including analyses of fossil mammals, carbonates, and pollen records. Expected outcomes of this project include novel ecological techniques of reconstructing the tropical forests that people first inhabited, and advancing our understanding of modern human behaviour, environmental adaptation, and past exploitation of key ecosystems. This should provide significant benefits such as better understanding of the long-term interaction between tropical forests, their faunas, and people. Field of research: 3705 - Geology Tropical forests are powerhouses of many ecosystem services. Their clearance is the leading cause of animal extinctions and their exploitation exposes people to novel viruses. Yet we do not understand the nature of tropical forests first occupied by people nor people's impacts on those forests. By reconstructing tropical forest ecology through time, using novel chemical and fossil data, this project will provide accurate measures of the impact of environmental change caused by climate and human factors. This information is critical for conservation and in sustainable growth initiatives of neighbouring Asian countries. In Australia, rainforests are strong drivers of tourism and are of biodiversity and cultural significance but are at risk from environmental change and urbanisation. This project will benefit Australia by providing data used in predicting the effects of environmental change, helping safeguard the natural, cultural, and economic benefits of rainforests. The outcomes will have practical applications in planning of rainforest protection, contributing to the conservation and land management sector.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Novel source of excited metastable atoms for Atom Trap Trace Analysis. This project aims to understand and to control light-induced processes in atoms by using finely shaped and tailored laser pulses, focusing on efficient production of excited metastable atoms. This is critical for efficient Atom Trap Trace Analysis, the most advanced technique for dating ground water and geological samples. Expected outcomes of this project include new and enhanced knowledge of physics of light-matter interactions, developing an efficient, clean source of excited metastable atoms, and integrating that source into the Australian National Facility for dating geological samples. This should provide significant benefits, such as significant improvement of operational efficiency and productivity of that facility. Field of research: 5102 - Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Being able to prepare specific types of atoms in particular long-lived excited states is the key to being able to detect very small numbers of such atoms. This has many applications, including determining the age of ground water samples. With our advanced laser technology, we can do this preparation with high efficiency. This project aims to design and build this preparation device and integrate it into Australia’s most advanced ground water analysis facility in Adelaide enabling a tenfold increase the efficiency over the current process used at the facility, with information provided to hydroelectric, mining industries and agriculture industries. As ground water is a national asset, and an increasingly scarce resource, it is important to know how old ground water samples are. Their age is a prime indicator of the time required for natural replenishment of the underground water reservoirs. Precise knowledge of the replenishment rate will allow more effective management of water resources and prevention of overuse and depletion and contribute to our understanding of water circulation in the planetary crust, facilitating evidence-based efficient water management in Australia and worldwide.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Engaging Outsiders in Sport: Transforming Sport Event Legacy Planning . The project aims to investigate intersectional inequities in sport participation for girls, women and non-binary people in Queensland by working with them to envision legacies for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Using a co-creation approach this project expects to identify how and what benefits can be achieved through legacy planning that engages with end-users who have historically been marginalised in sport. In doing so, the expected outcomes of the project include the development of evidence-based resources to improve engagement in sport and to build capacity and sustain meaningful change for communities and organisations. Field of research: 4410 - Sociology Girls, women and non-binary people face a range of social, cultural, and economic barriers to sport participation. This has huge implications for health and wellbeing, community cohesion and the economy. Mega sport-events such as the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games have the potential to break down these barriers, catalysing positive change and providing higher inclusion benchmarks as part of their legacy. We aim to work with people who are disengaged from sport to create a legacy plan that speaks directly to their needs and wants. We will engage girls, women and non-binary people across the life course (teenagers, parents of young children, older people) to develop a methodology for sport legacy planning that addresses questions of disadvantage. We will also engage key stakeholders in sport, government and community. The evidence-base developed through this project will directly benefit sport professionals working in diverse community settings to develop gender responsive practice and plans. The work will also demonstrate Australia’s leadership, informing future planning processes globally with the goal of increasing sport participation, ensuring equitable investment and engaged communities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Understanding the emerging threat of conspiracy-fuelled extremism. This project aims to address the emerging threat of conspiracy-fuelled extremism in Australia. The project expects to produce new knowledge by identifying the unique factors driving this new form of extremism and the social harm it causes. Through three studies, the project will test a new theoretical model of conspiracy-fuelled extremism, will explore the threats and social harms this form of extremism creates, and will develop evidence-based insights into how it can be mitigated. The research should produce benefits for Australia by providing policymakers with a risk-assessment tool to identify individuals most 'at-risk' of violent extremism, and by providing knowledge about the services families may require to de-radicalise loved ones. Field of research: 4402 - Criminology This project examines the emerging threat of conspiracy-fuelled extremism in Australia, which has been recognised as an emerging and increasing threat since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. By identifying the factors driving conspiracy-fuelled extremism, the project will directly offer policymakers the insights required to identify and target those most at-risk of violent extremism. Specifically, both policymakers and intelligence agencies can use the risk assessment tool created in this project to identify ‘at-risk individuals’ and prevent conspiracy-fuelled extremist behaviour. The knowledge gained about the social harms caused by this type of extremism will also have direct application for services that families may require when seeking help to de-radicalise their loved ones. This research contributes towards creating a more socially cohesive, law-abiding, and safer society for all Australians.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Re-Theorising Employee Voice in Times of Change. This project aims to generate new knowledge of the concept of employee voice as a part of organisational realignment throughout and following the CoVid-19 pandemic. The project aims to build a better theoretical modelling of efficient, effective “employee voice pathways” for the first time, including a understanding how voice changes over time. When confronted with a major external calamity, employee voice can play a critical role in any organisation's success, as well as the employee wellbeing. Expected outcomes include rigorous empirical evidence and theoretical developments to inform new policy and support organisations' capacity to survive and thrive, as well a support employee wellbeing. Field of research: 3505 - Human Resources and Industrial Relations Employee voice refers to workers having a say over matters that affect their working lives. Voice can improve organisations’ problem-solving and dispute resolution while also contributing to employee dignity and wellbeing. However, how best to implement it in times of significant organisational change, such as the recent Covid pandemic, is less known. Through Australian and international case studies and through interviews with employees, unions and management, this project will identify the workplace conditions and processes that support employee voice. The findings will then be ‘mobilised’ for policy makers and industry practitioners, including via industry workshops and toolkits for managers.  This will provide organisations with a practical evidence base of how employee voice can be used in decision making processes as well as ensuring employee wellbeing and organisational success, which in turn will deliver both social and economic benefits for Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Every Day Matters: Reducing School Non-Attendance in Autistic Students. Autistic children miss one day a week of school, three times more than their peers. This significantly impacts their learning, wellbeing and later, their vocational outcomes. This project aims to identify the factors that put autistic children at increased risk of missing school and map the supports and interventions used to reduce school non-attendance. Expected outcomes include an autism-specific model of the how and why school non-attendance is elevated for autistic students. It is anticipated that this model make the important step of enabling teachers and professionals to identify which autistic children are most at risk of absenteeism and select the best strategies to support a positive and beneficial return to school. Field of research: 3904 - Specialist Studies In Education Autistic students miss three times more school than their peers, but we don't know why. This will be the world's first study to ask autistic children and adults, their parents and teachers what makes it so hard for autistic students to attend and what helps get them back into school. We will use this to inform a model of prevention and intervention which can be used by educators and policymakers to improve attendance, thereby allowing immediate translation into policy and practice. We will hold translation events, including a national symposium, to ensure key stakeholders are informed of outcomes. Improving school attendance for autistic students is critical. High rates of nonattendance impact learning, wellbeing and vocational outcomes, all of which have social and economic impacts for Australia. This is why Australia set school attendance as a national goal and school attendance in students with a disability as an area of key importance. With 43% of autistic students attending below the national target of 90%, there will be at least 32,000 Australian autistic students who will benefit from this work.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Resolving surface nanobubbles as cavitation nuclei. This project aims to investigate the onset and control of cavitation, a challenging problem for over half a century. Cavitation is a process of bubble growth and subsequent collapse, and causes noise and damage to adjacent surfaces, e.g. the failure of ship propellers and valves. This project expects to unravel the mystery of cavitation nuclei, and to develop cavitation-free designs to mitigate the cavitation caused damage to propellers and valves, and noise. The anticipated outcomes will significantly advance existing fundamental knowledge at the forefront of fluid physics and provide Australia with a significant advantage in the marine, pump and valve industries, and significantly benefit the Australian industry and economy. Field of research: 3406 - Physical Chemistry When mechanical parts like propellers spin in liquids, turbulence produces areas of greatly reduced pressure near the machinery’s surface.  Minute amounts of liquid vaporises as a result, creating tiny “cavities” which then implode due to higher pressure liquid surrounding them. This process of formation and collapse, called “cavitation”, releases highly destructive shockwaves (over miniscule areas). Cavitation causes significant damage to machinery, costing billions of dollars in repairs each year in the maritime and manufacturing industries. It can also hinder the operation of prosthetic heart valves. This project aims to discover where cavitation originates and how it develops, so that novel technology can be developed to minimise or entirely prevent cavitation occurrence and damage. Through the development of cavitation-resistant technologies and commercialisation, this project will deliver significant cost savings to Australian marine and manufacturing industries. Further, enhancements to implanted medical devices will benefit thousands of Australians whose lives depend on their safe functioning.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Intelligent pattern recognition of water end uses enabling recommendations. This project aims to develop a hybrid machine learning method for autonomously disaggregating high- and low-resolution water flow data received from smart meters into discrete end-use events, and a customised recommender system for efficient resource demand management. Project novelty and significance relates to this coupling and autonomous disaggregation of datasets from advanced sensors, enabling more efficient utility services delivery and lower customer utility bills. Project benefits include enabling utilities to better manage and plan resources in the information age, while empowering customers with real-time water end-use data and behaviour changing consumption recommendations. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Residential smart metering systems are now available to measure water usage at point of use. The project employs innovative approaches for harnessing and analysing data collected from smart water meters for use by consumers and providers. The analysed water end-use data (e.g., shower, toilet, outdoor, etc.) can reduce citywide water demand by up to 20%, as well as reduce the cost to supply water to customers. Residential water customers will benefit from easily understood and customised information on their household water usage. This information will empower households to make consumption choices that reduce their water bills and instil long-term resource consumption behaviour change. In addition, it will enable the water utility grid to operate more efficiently and at a lower cost. Substantial benefits will be realised in the management of strategic Australian water infrastructure assets, and environmental benefits including reduced greenhouse gases.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

A new catchment gully erosion model for a healthier Great Barrier Reef . Sediment impacts Great Barrier Reef water quality and coral health. Erosion of gullies within a river catchment are the dominant source of sediment. This project aims to develop a novel catchment level modelling tool, allowing land managers to compare rehabilitation options and identify optimal actions. The project will generate new knowledge in applied mathematics, using innovative model emulation techniques to bring process insights to the catchment scale. Expected outcomes include a validated land rehabilitation decision making tool, benefiting both natural resource managers by increasing ability to meet Reef 2050 policy targets and landowners though development of Natural Capital Markets. Field of research: 4901 - Applied Mathematics Gully erosion within catchments is the major source of sediment input to the Great Barrier Reef, degrading water quality and coral health. The Reef 2050 Water Quality Plan targets a 25% reduction in sediment input to the reef by 2025. Gully remediation as soil treatment, revegetation and flattening slopes to reduce erosion, is essential to meet reef sediment reduction targets. Computer modelling can help identify the best location and intervention type for managers to focus gully remediation. This project will develop a scientifically robust, decision-making tool supporting on-ground actions to remediate gullies and address sediment reduction targets. The research provides direct environmental benefits by improving the quality of decisions and optimising investments made by land managers. Long-term, this supports various market-based approaches to create large-scale nature restoration. Working with our Government partners and industry stakeholders, and informed by end-user workshops, we will co-design the tools that meet their needs. Newsletter updates, presentations at industry events, and open-source access and training for the tools will promote broad adoption by end-users.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Membrane-based real-time ammonia monitoring system for sewage treatment. This project aims to develop a real-time, calibration-free, low-maintenance ammoniacal nitrogen monitoring system to assist in optimised wastewater treatment control. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of sensing technology using a self-developed membrane-based analytical principle, which overcomes the challenge of directly and accurately determining ammonia in a harsh wastewater environment. Expected outcomes include new theories in membrane-based sensing techniques and a market-ready field-based ammonia analytical system. This should provide significant benefits, such as a new technology for optimising wastewater treatment and reducing emissions and a valuable analytical tool to safeguard effluent quality. Field of research: 3401 - Analytical Chemistry The ammonia level in treated sewage is a key indicator of how well sewage treatment plants are working. Current sewage treatment techniques are energy intensive, inefficient, and costly and cannot reliably monitor ammonia levels. This project aims to develop a reliable sensing system capable of accurately and continuously monitoring ammonia concentrations in sewage in real-time. Access to this system will enable plant operators to monitor ammonia levels in real-time and take corrective action to maintain ammonia at acceptable levels. This will create significant economic and environmental benefits for Australia by saving more than 30% of plant electricity costs, providing better control over the nitrogen removal process to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce the use of harmful reagents, thus minimising potential risks to public health and local environments. Working with our Australian industry partner, these sensors will be trialled by Queensland water utilities and further developed into a viable commercial product ready for use by sewage treatment plant operators.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

A miniaturised laser manipulator for ultra-precise and pain-free dentistry. This project aims to develop a miniaturized high-precision laser robotic device that can fit comfortably in the mouth to perform pain-free, vibration-free dental operations by utilising silicon-carbide on silicon technology to create a millimetre-sized two-axis controllable, highly-reflective mirror robust to high-power ultra-short laser pulses. This project expects to generate new knowledge in micro-mirror control using optically excited piezo-resistive sensors, and cold femtosecond laser ablation of hard dental tissue. Expected outcomes include a working prototype for laser removal of tooth materials at speeds exceeding dental drills, providing benefits in miniaturized laser devices and ultimately removing pain from dental procedures. Field of research: 4017 - Mechanical Engineering Dental caries affect almost half of the world’s population. For millions of people, dental phobia is a health-altering problem as delayed checkups and treatments can lead to diseased teeth. While robotic assistance is widely adopted in the medical field, its application in dentistry remains very limited. This project will exploit the unique capabilities of ultrafast lasers to deliver a miniaturised robotic device that fits comfortably in the mouth of the patient and performs dental treatments with no pain and no anaesthesia. Dentists will be able to realise precise, repetitive, or delicate operations with the assistance of a computer, lowering human errors and avoiding the proximity of patients and thus the risk of infection from infectious saliva splatter. Early-stage diagnosis and intervention will become possible through units installed at Australian health centres and aged-care facilities. By introducing a new advanced technology in dentistry, this project will improve the oral healthcare of the Australian’s population and facilitate its access to Australian communities in remote settings.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Advanced geotechnical sensing and early warning system for smart highway. This project aims to develop an advanced sensing system with interactive analytical road health monitoring for smart highways. The project expects to provide potential savings of millions of dollars and improved road quality through targeted, optimised, value-for-money highway maintenance, identified by deployment of cost-effective, energy-efficient miniaturised electromechanical sensors. The expected outcome of this project is the development of a fit-for-purpose and evidence-based early warning system for smart highway construction and maintenance. This should provide significant benefit through foreseeing potential geotechnical risks before they happen and enabling early intervention to enhance road safety and mitigate economic losses. Field of research: 4017 - Mechanical Engineering Geotechnical risks are ubiquitous and of paramount significance, as they can result in cost and time overruns and impact maintenance costs in infrastructure projects. There is an increasing maintenance backlog in Australia’s road network nationally, including 885 km listed as ‘high priority’ for maintenance in Queensland alone (Infrastructure Australia, 2021). This project will address the problem of identifying geotechnical risks and prioritising highway maintenance by developing cost-effective, energy-efficient, robust sensors suitable for deployment under highways, and the necessary data analysis system for interpreting the collected data. Substantial commercial benefits are expected, since there is a huge market opportunity for infrastructure works totalling $11B/year for the next 10 years (DITRDC, 2021) of which geotechnical works, including the sensor market, forecasted to reach $500M/year through to the Brisbane Olympics 2032. The geotechnical sensor prototypes will be installed on project sites to monitor the performance of roads to improve construction safety and road network resilience.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Highly efficient microscale liquid handling and bio interfacing. The aim is to establish the exciting new field of micro elastofluidics, enabling the development of a highly competitive, sovereign capability in Australia, utilising flexibility and stretchability for efficient and precise handling of tiny volumes of liquid. The program will fill a critical gap in fundamental knowledge in fluid-structure interactions, leading to the development of wearable and implantable devices. The expected outcomes include innovative platform technologies for sample storage, handling and unique device-human interfaces with broad applications in health and defence. Expected benefits include enhanced capabilities in medical diagnostics, defence force protection and Australia’s sovereign high-tech manufacturing. Field of research: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering Current wearable systems such as a smart watch are limited to tracking physical parameters such as heartbeat and movement. More complex analyses with body fluid such as sweat requires fluid handling. This project seeks to establish a ground-breaking research discipline that allows these devices to connect with the body chemically, either by accessing body fluids or by precise delivery of medicines. Currently there is no comprehensive solution for liquid handling in these devices such as utilising flexibility and stretchability for efficient and precise handling of tiny volumes of liquid. This project utilises bendiness and stretchiness to enable storage, transport, manipulation, and analysis of fluids in the microscale, ready for practical implementation. The outcomes will enable devices for continuous monitoring and intervention of an individual’s health conditions, providing real-time feedback on health issues, and enhanced performance in sport and battlefield. Early detection and proactive measures to manage personal health will much reduce Australia’s healthcare costs. Commercialisation of these developed technologies will follow with existing Australian industry able to access lucrative global wearable ($92B) and implantable device ($169B) markets. Expected benefits include enhanced capabilities in medical diagnostics, defence force protection and Australia’s sovereign high-tech manufacturing. Commercialisation of the developed technologies will place Australian industry at the forefront of the lucrative market of wearable, implantable devices, supported by sovereign development and manufacturing capability.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Unlocking the potential of bacterial polymers by defining key determinants. Sugary structures that coat the surface of some bacteria, known as capsules, can be modified by bacterial viruses (bacteriophage) in the environment. For the bacterial genus Acinetobacter, this influences their use as naturally renewable 'green' biopolymers for remediating environments contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. This project aims to characterise crucial capsule polymerase enzymes using a combination of bioinformatics and experimental methodologies to establish how bacteriophage influence Acinetobacter capsules. Outcomes include the development of an innovative genomics pipeline to detect capsule change, improving the use of living bacteria for bioremediation and sustainable rehabilitation of natural ecosystems. Field of research: 3107 - Microbiology The future prosperity of Australia relies on healthy and sustainable natural ecosystems. However, humans are generating a toxic legacy with an estimated 160,000 sites in Australia contaminated with toxic compounds that have devastating effects on health and the environment. To mitigate the expense of cleaning and excavating to rehabilitate these ecosystems, living bacteria that degrade petroleum hydrocarbons or other compounds can be applied to these environments as cheap, naturally renewable, biodegradable solutions. The ability of these bacteria to clean-up oil spills is attributed to the long chains of sugars on their cell surface. However, these structures have a propensity to change in the environment due to interactions with other microbes. This project will employ a cross-disciplinary approach to deliver an innovative computational tool for detection of genetic changes, enabling whole genome sequencing to be used to model and guide bioremediation efforts, improving Australia’s position as a global leader in economically viable and sustainable applications for rehabilitation of natural ecosystems.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Developing a new class of RNA delivery vehicle using synthetic virology. This project aims to develop robust protein cages derived from the empty shells of viruses, or capsids, to protect and deliver sensitive cargo such as RNA in agricultural settings. It will do so by directed evolution of non-infectious capsids in the lab. This will uncover the molecular mechanisms underpinning the response of viruses to chemical and biological signals and create a new class of RNA delivery vehicle. This synthetic biology approach combines virology and protein engineering to establish a platform biotechnology for stable and effective delivery. The project expects to demonstrate the potential of nature’s nanoparticles, virus capsids, to enhance the efficacy of RNA technologies in a wide range of applications. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology We know that RNA molecules can be successfully used as disease control measures but its use beyond human medicines and vaccines is limited as RNA easily breaks down. The goal of this project will be to develop an approach to deliver sensitive RNA molecules in challenging environments such as agricultural settings. A biological “toolbox” will be created to study the ways that viruses move to different hosts, providing vital knowledge to inform pest and disease control strategies. Use of these new tools will enable new bio-pesticides to prevent soil-borne plant diseases responsible for annual vegetable crop losses amounting to $120 million in Australia alone. This project will benefit the nation by creating new preventatives for agricultural pests and diseases, enhancing the competitiveness of Australian primary industries. Alignment of this project with the global need and massive commercial interest in RNA-based technologies will support growth in Australia’s biotechnology industry. The findings will be made widely available through open access publication and licensing agreements with industry partners.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Life in the Shipping Lane; The Cost of Increasing Disturbance to Whales. This project aims to quantify the increasing risk of ship strike to humpback whales in Moreton Bay, and predict the impact of chronic disturbance to nursing calves. The research builds on pilot findings identifying Moreton Bay as a resting area for migrating humpback whales. Using empirical and modelling approaches, this research responds directly to the Federal Government strategy for mitigating ship strike, which explicitly flags Moreton Bay as an 'area of concern'. The project has been developed in collaboration with traditional owners and industry, and is expected deliver optimal mitigation measures for the region. Findings further carry implications for similar functional habitats along Australia's humpback whale migratory corridors. Field of research: 0502 - Environmental Science and Management This project responds to the Federal Government Strategy for Mitigating Vessel strike of Marine Megafauna. It does so by delivering detailed assessment of vessel strike risk in Moreton Bay, flagged by the Strategy as being ‘of concern’ due to the seasonal presence of large whale numbers at the entry of Australia’s fastest growing shipping port. A pilot study between the lead CI and the Port of Brisbane identified Moreton Bay as a resting stop-off for migrating humpback whales. This finding elevates both the risk of species impact, as well as the conservation status of the region, currently subject to a traditional owner-led World Heritage listing bid. The project aims to evaluate disturbance risk and design optimal mitigation measures. Outcomes will provide a basis for evidence-led decision-making on the sustainable growth of marine tourism and commerce in the region. Further, they will guide management of whale-maritime traffic interactions in similar embayments along Australia’s coastlines and improve understanding of the functional role of transitory habitats for this highly migratory species.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Multi-service assessment of intertidal treatment wetlands. This project aims to investigate the use of constructed intertidal wetlands to reduce nitrogen pollution while providing co-benefits including carbon sequestration and biodiversity. This research will generate a holistic assessment of the services, disservices, and cost-effectiveness of intertidal treatment wetlands compared to traditional wastewater treatment approaches. Expected outcomes include a full-scale multi-disciplinary environmental and economic assessment of a constructed treatment wetland in a new urban development, providing industry and government partners the knowledge required to broaden uptake of intertidal wetlands as a cost-effective solution to growing levels of coastal anthropogenic pollution. Field of research: 0501 - Ecological Applications Increasing coastal population in Australia has generated additional nitrogen (N) that requires escalating treatment efforts to meet stringent discharge regulations and avoid waterways pollution. Developers and local authorities are faced with the challenge of achieving economic growth while reducing N, investing in costly, engineered wastewater treatment plants. This project will assess how a “green solution”, construction of intertidal wetlands, can complement traditional treatment approaches, cost-effectively reducing N while providing co-benefits such as carbon sequestration and fish habitat. This project directly addresses a key aim of the National Science and Research Priorities: to develop solutions for the restoration of water resources in urban catchments and marine ecosystems. A multi-disciplinary team including ecologists and economists will undertake a full-scale assessment of integrating a constructed intertidal wetland in a new urban development, giving confidence to broaden the uptake of this green solution as a cost-effective approach to creating resilient and sustainable coasts.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Co-designing a resilient water-energy toolbox with Indigenous communities. The aim is to collaboratively create a toolbox of innovative, community-based approaches for water and energy management in remote Australia. This project will combine digital and cultural approaches to create a novel set of tested and evaluated tools for engaging both community and service providers in transforming water and energy use practises in remote Indigenous communities. The key output will be an empirically-tested and user friendly water-energy toolbox tailored to reduce the currently extreme cost of supplying essential services to remote communities. Application of these outputs will significantly reduce demand on local water sources and diesel-generated energy use while creating a skill base for local employment opportunities. Field of research: 0502 - Environmental Science and Management The project will co-develop culturally and technically appropriate solutions to improve access to safe, affordable and reliable water and electricity in non-urban Indigenous communities. Through co-design, testing, and evaluation of innovative water and energy management tools, the resultant framework will reduce the high level of water and energy insecurity in regional and remote Australia, building resilience to climate change impacts. This project will provide economic benefit to Australia by directly addressing the National obligation to provide least-cost services to the public and significantly reduce the hundreds of millions of dollars used in remote essential service operations and maintenance. Water and energy service providers will integrate the tools in their daily operations and IT management systems. Co-design with communities and service providers will strengthen engagement, Indigenous voices and knowledge, ensuring greater adoption of project outputs (climate resilient water and energy management framework) while creating local employment pathways in Indigenous communities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Optimising the occupational wellbeing of Australian healthcare workers . This project aims to address the wellbeing of Australian healthcare workers by focusing on the relationship between a manager’s leadership style and the utilisation of wellbeing practices. This project expects to generate new knowledge by moving beyond individual factors and work design to explore more deep rooted and systemic causes, located upstream of the work group. Expected outcomes of this project will be to develop preventative strategies to improve healthcare employees’ wellbeing, and the associated costs of mental health claims and lost productivity. Field of research: 1503 - Business and Management This research will identify and improve the links between leadership behaviours and employee wellbeing and will contribute to employees' improved psychological health, resilience, job satisfaction, and work performance. This will help reduce employees' chronic occupational stress which is an increasingly widespread and expensive problem costing the Australian economy $15 billion per annum, of which $5 billion is attributed to lost performance (PWC Australia, 2014). The current COVID-19 pandemic has significantly intensified work demands for healthcare workers and starkly highlights the persistent workplace risks faced by healthcare workers for their health and wellbeing with many Australian healthcare workers, reporting levels of anxiety, burnout, and depression. This research will help develop preventative strategies to improve healthcare employees’ wellbeing and reduce the associated costs of mental health claims and lost productivity.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Heralded entangled photons to enable quantum networking and computation. This project aims to advance quantum networking and quantum computation by developing the science of new heralded, i.e. nondestructively verified, entangled states of photons. Despite great potential, photonic quantum technologies have been held back by the lack of key resources in the form of heralded entangled states of photons. Expected outcomes of the project include novel experimental capabilities of heralded state generation and powerful new theoretical methods for photonic circuit design. This should enable the realisation of quantum protocols with a genuine advantage, a critical step towards practical quantum technologies underlying the next generation of cybersecurity. Field of research: 0206 - Quantum Physics The proposed research aims to produce key resources for the quantum internet of the future, in which quantum computers are connected to form quantum information networks. These networks promise a level of security and privacy unachievable through any classical means, making them of profound significance to the future technology, infrastructure, and cybersecurity needs of Australia’s information-based society. The outputs of the project are expected to enable a critical step towards harnessing these unique advantages of quantum information in real-life, practical settings. The project will also provide world-class training to grow future leaders in the domestic quantum industry sector, which has the widely recognised potential to become a major economic powerhouse.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

A “Goldilocks” live attenuated poultry vaccine for Infectious Coryza. This project aims to develop a safe and effective vaccine for Infectious Coryza using a live-attenuated vaccine approach. Infectious coryza is an acute respiratory disease of chickens and is caused by the bacterial pathogen, Avibacterium paragallinarum. Infectious Coryza can be controlled by appropriate biosecurity practises and this has been successful in the Australian context to date. However, in the USA, Europe and other equatorial regions, infectious Coryza remains an unsolved problem. The expected outcome of this project is a cross-serovar protective vaccine to prevent infectious coryza for use in endemic countries and to act as a biosecurity measure to protect Australia's poultry industry against an incursion of this disease. Field of research: 1001 - Agricultural Biotechnology Infectious coryza is an acute respiratory disease of chickens and is caused by the bacterial pathogen, Avibacterium paragallinarum. Infectious Coryza can be controlled by appropriate biosecurity practises and this has been successful in the Australian context to date. However, in the USA, Europe and other equatorial regions Infectious Coryza remains an unsolved problem. There is currently no protective vaccine to prevent infectious coryza in endemic countries or to act as a biosecurity measure to protect Australia's billion dollar poultry industry. The aim of this proposal is to develop a safe and effective live-attenuated vaccine for Infectious Coryza. This vaccine will be developed in partnership a leading Australian manufacturer and global supplier of live vaccines to the intensively farmed food animal industry. The successful development of this vaccine will lead to export sales of the vaccine worldwide and the provision of a ready made response to the biosecurity risk of an incursion of Infectious Coryza in to Australia, thereby guaranteeing this important industry and Australia's food security.