THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The Moral Emotions Inside Initiative. There is a lack of meaningful education and personal development opportunities for Australian women in prison. This project will investigate the implementation of an innovative humanistic education program with incarcerated women in NSW. Employing participatory action research methods, this project will generate new knowledge about the experiences and needs of women in prison and the impact of humanistic education on their wellbeing. Other expected outcomes include an expanded evidence base for gender-responsive programming and lived-experience informed strategic and policy recommendations and resources for correctional centres. This project will provide substantial benefits to prison reform for women at a national level. Field of research: 4402 - Criminology Humanistic education programs are internationally recognised as a key solution in prison rehabilitation frameworks. In Australia, we face a dearth of humanistic education programs, and a lack of evidence on which to develop them for incarcerated women. In partnership with Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW), this project investigates Australia’s first humanistic prison education program, “Moral Emotions Inside” (MEI), which has been co-designed with incarcerated women. The project will investigate the implementation and impact of MEI and establish mechanisms for ongoing CSNSW policy and program evaluation alongside incarcerated women. This research has social, cultural and economic benefits. The number of women in prison is increasing. More than half of these women are mothers and current gaps in research are perpetuating cycles of incarceration with harmful intergenerational impacts, particularly on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Co-designed programs can increase incarcerated women’s wellbeing and workforce capability in gender-responsive and trauma-informed service provision. Incarceration is costly, and humanistic education delivered via university prison partnerships is cost-effective. This project will inform CSNSW policy and research frameworks and generate research and teaching resources for corrective services nationally. A project website and symposium with learning resources will promote the research findings to a broad range of stakeholders.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Extracting steady renewable energy via enhanced geothermal systems. To secure the future energy supply while minimising the carbon footprint, new energy that is clean, steady and scalable is needed. With inexhaustible supply and ability to constantly produce clean energy, enhanced geothermal systems hold promise as a major contributor to our future energy supplies. The project aims to develop a novel multiscale framework that captures the complex thermal–hydraulic–mechanical interactions and reservoir uncertainty for accurately predicting and optimising the long-term heat production and to enhance the viability and reliability of enhanced geothermal systems. The outcomes will help us maintain a secure and sustainable energy supply while meeting our emissions reduction targets. Field of research: 4019 - Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy To secure the future energy supply while minimising the carbon footprint, new energy that is efficient, clean and scalable is needed. It has been estimated that in Australia, using just one per cent of the geothermal energy stored in hot dry rock shallower than five kilometres and hotter than 150°C could supply the nation’s energy requirements for 26,000 years. With an almost inexhaustible supply and the ability to constantly produce clean, scalable energy, enhanced geothermal systems hold promise as a major contributor to Australia’s future energy supplies. Despite potential, cost-competitive electricity generation from enhanced geothermal systems has been hindered by the current inability to accurately predict long-term heat production and reliability caused by the poor understanding of complex thermal–hydraulic–mechanical processes in deep reservoirs. This project will develop a novel multiscale framework that fully captures coupled thermal–hydraulic–mechanical interactions with fracture network evolution and reservoir uncertainty for accurately predicting and optimising the long-term heat production, thus ensuring the economic viability and reliability of enhanced geothermal systems in Australia. The outcome of the project will not only help Australia maintain a secure and sustainable energy supply while facilitating a competitive and productive industry, but also help the Australian Government fulfil its resolution in reducing nation’s long-term greenhouse gas emissions.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Geometric methods to detect rate-induced tipping events. This project aims to develop a novel geometric framework for rate-induced tipping (R-tipping) events. In ecosystems, R-tipping occurs when an environmental change is too fast for the ecosystem to adapt. Detecting these critical rates in such multi-timescale systems is paramount to society for tackling the problems of the climate crisis. Expected outcomes will be the development of a new powerful mathematical theory including the creation of diagnostic tools to identify key parameters for controlling rate-induced tipping events. Benefits include advancing remediation strategies for critical transition intervention, and national and international collaborations will promote research excellence and enhance the next-generation student training. Field of research: 4901 - Applied Mathematics Our world is facing a critical challenge: rapid environmental changes are causing ecosystems to collapse suddenly. Think of coral reefs bleaching from sudden heat waves, or forests vanishing in explosive wildfires. These 'tipping points' happen because nature cannot adapt to the 'speed of climate change'. Australia is particularly vulnerable to those events and will benefit from a novel innovative approach to analyse such tipping events in ecosystems. This project aims to deliver powerful new geometric methods to predict when these collapses will occur, particularly focusing on how the speed of change affects ecosystems. By creating these predictive tools, this project will be able to identify the key factors that trigger these rate-induced events, detect early warning signals and suggest intervention strategies. Therefore, the outcomes of this project will help build the foundation for effective next-generation environmental management and, hence, protect vital natural resources and advance remediation strategies to safeguard Australia. Furthermore, this project will foster collaboration among scientists from around the world, sharing expertise and accelerating progress, and it is also committed to training the next generation of scientists, ensuring that Australia will have the skilled workforce needed to address the challenges of the future. Ultimately, this research will empower us to build a more resilient and sustainable Australia.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

First Real-Time Assessment of the Mitochondrial Membrane Potential in... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Mapping the neural architecture of human memory with advanced... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Boosting Algorithm Performance with Imperfect Advice Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Genes, Germs & Gender: The reach and impact of bioessentialism. Scientific misconceptions are enabled by simplistic explanations, such as bioessentialism: beliefs that biological agents (e.g. genes) dictate meaningful categorisations (e.g. gender) by determining traits and behaviour. Bioessentialism about genetics, microbiology, and sex and gender has significant social costs, yet how it is perpetuated is unresolved. Combining philosophical analysis with AI classification models, this project will establish when and where bioessentialism arises, and which interventions are likely to mitigate such misunderstandings. National benefits include new strategies to combat costly scientific misconceptions in various domains inlcuding public health messaging and science communication. Field of research: 5002 - History and Philosophy of Specific Fields Scientific misconceptions set in when simplistic, yet psychologically appealing, explanations take hold. An example is bioessentialism: beliefs that biological factors dictate meaningful categorisations by determining traits and behaviours. As the Australian Human Rights Commission recognises, bioessentialism has significant social, cultural and economic costs when applied to categories like gender and race. It can also result in misinformed health behaviours. Currently, we know little about how bioessentialism is perpetuated. This interdisciplinary project addresses this research gap by leveraging recent innovations in AI classification models to investigate how widespread bioessentialist ideas about genetics, microbiology, sex and gender are in the media and scientific literature. This will be combined with philosophical analysis to determine the social impact of bioessentialist communication, and to develop strategies to reduce its negative effects. Findings will be developed into resources for scientists and journalists to improve science communication and reduce bioessentialist misconceptions. This will benefit the Australian public by improving scientific literacy through more accurate science communication, providing social and cultural benefits by addressing prejudices based on bioessentialist thinking, and has the potential to provide economic benefits by reducing healthcare costs linked to misinformed health behaviours.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Controlling injection-induced seismicity in enhanced geothermal systems. Injection-induced seismicity has become a barrier to developing enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) because the complexity of the fault activation and lack of physical fundamentals make it extremely difficult to predict and control. This project aims to develop a hybrid statistical model and advanced 3D numerical tools for a better understanding of fault activation and more accurate forecasting of induced seismicity in EGS. The expected outcomes include advanced combined methods for precise forecasting fault activation and induced seismicity in EGS, incorporating pivotal factors. This should provide significant benefits in geothermal energy development and utilization hence shaping a clean and sustainable energy supply. Field of research: 4019 - Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy Geothermal energy in Australia is an emerging renewable energy source with significant potential, although it is currently underutilized compared to other renewables like solar and wind. Australia has vast geothermal resources, primarily located in h enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). The most promising regions are in South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory. The Cooper Basin in South Australia is one of the most explored areas, with high temperatures found at relatively shallow depths due to the region's geology. Geothermal energy has the potential to play a significant role in Australia's transition to a low-carbon economy, particularly as a source of baseload power. However, the development of geothermal reservoirs is associated with some risks, and the most significant risk is induced seismicity, which has led to delays or closures of some reservoirs across the world. It is still a mystery what the real mechanism of such induced seismicity. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop and propose controlling measures to forecast and avoid induced seismicity. This project aims to develop robust and novel statistical and numerical tools to understand better the mechanisms associated with induced seismicity and propose controlling measures. The proposed project has the potential to contribute significantly to Australia's renewable energy targets, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure the nation's bright future energy supply.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Improved trip generation forecasting using the TRIPS database Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The Maslov Index for non-Hamiltonian systems Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Project Governance and Governmentality as Collaborative Challenges. This project aims to investigate governance and governmentality practices in major complex projects, focusing on enhancing social integration and fostering efficiency, inclusion, and sustainability. It seeks to generate new knowledge by positioning governmentality as a central lens, advancing beyond traditional contract-based governance models. Expected outcomes include effective strategies and solutions for governance and governmentality, fostering non-contractual stakeholder engagement, and achieving societal and environmental objectives. These outcomes will benefit Australia by improving project efficiency, fostering social cohesion through equitable partnerships with indigenous communities, and supporting national sustainability goals. Field of research: 3507 - Strategy, Management and Organisational Behaviour This research tackles a pressing challenge in governing Australia’s major infrastructure projects, vital to national prosperity. Traditional governance, reliant on contracts and formal rules, often fails to manage complex relationships, meet community expectations or deliver value. This project explores how shared norms within organisations as well as collaboration with non-contractual actors, such as local communities, can be cultivated, developed and better integrated into project governance. The potential benefits are significant for all Australians. Economically, streamlined governance could save millions in taxpayer funds by reducing delays and disputes, delivering more efficient infrastructure that boosts productivity. Socially, fostering trust between project teams and communities mitigates conflicts over issues such as noise or land use, ensuring projects align with public needs. Environmentally, inclusive governance encourages greener outcomes, responding to calls for sustainable urban development. These outcomes directly serve citizens who depend on reliable infrastructure daily. Findings will reach beyond academia through public seminars, accessible industry guides, and media engagement, enabling builders, councils, and policymakers to adopt better management practices. By demonstrating how teamwork and community input can elevate project outcomes, this research ensures lasting economic, social, and environmental value for Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Using telomeres to study how DNA repair guides cell death and growth arrest. This project examines biological activities influenced by the homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair pathway. In addition to DNA repair, we discovered that HR also controls cell death, cell cycle arrest, and interferon signalling following genome damage. These are novel HR functions and how they are regulated is entirely unknown. Here we will use cutting edge imaging techniques, whole genome CRISPR screening, mass spectrometry, and cell and molecular biology to study these newly identified activities. Expected outcomes include a mechanistic understanding of how HR regulates cell death and growth arrest, new perspectives on the diverse biology functions influenced by DNA repair, and training of the next generation of scientists. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Double strand breaks are the most dangerous form of DNA damage. This research team identified that double strand break repair pathways exert control over biological functions previously considered to lie outside of DNA restoration. Specifically, they found that double strand break repair regulates cell cycle checkpoints that arrest cell growth following genomic insult. Additionally, they found double strand break repair controls how cells die following genome damage. These findings challenge established paradigms in Nobel prize winnings fields and will be explored in detail. To accomplish this, they will use an innovative method of altering the function of chromosome end protective structures, known as telomeres, and visualizing outcomes with long-duration live microscopy. Benefits from this study will include fundamental knowledge about DNA repair, cell cycle control, cell death, and telomere biology, benefitting the Australian biotechnology and pharma industries. This understanding will also contribute to technological development of tissue engineering and the cellular production of biological materials. Publicly available data sets generated from this study will be an invaluable resource for Australian DNA repair, telomere, and genome stability researchers. Additionally, this project will train next generation researchers in advanced technology, including live microscopy, proteomics, and molecular biology, contributing to Australia’s growing biotechnology sector.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Reason-giving in the wild: A cross-linguistic study. This project aims to elucidate a unique aspect of human behaviour: the giving of reasons for our actions, decisions, and beliefs. The project will investigate reason-giving – core to critical thinking and cognitive literacy – through an innovative comparison of everyday interactions across diverse cultures, using video-recorded data. The research is expected to advance the science of reasoning in social life, producing the first baseline empirical data on reason-giving, and new knowledge on whether patterns of reason-giving are universal or culture-specific. Anticipated benefits include a better understanding of biased or flawed reasoning, to improve decision-making, reframe public discourse, and develop cognitive literacy. Field of research: 4704 - Linguistics Homo sapiens is often called the “rational animal,” meaning that people use reasons to guide their beliefs and actions. Good decision-making and critical thinking depend on being able to evaluate different reasons for action and choose the best ones. However, research in psychology has shown that reasoning isn’t always as clear as people would like to think. In fact, some scholars argue that when people give reasons, they are often more interested in persuading others than in finding the truth, which can lead to serious error. This could explain why it is so challenging to teach and practice critical thinking today. Most research on reasoning has focused on abstract theories, with little understanding of how people actually use reasoning in their everyday lives. This project will fill that gap by studying how people reason in real-world situations. It will also explore whether different cultures use reasoning in different ways. By comparing how people from diverse cultures, sampled from five continents, give reasons in everyday life, the project will improve the scientific understanding of the natural functions of reasoning, and enable improvements in the teaching of critical thinking. The findings will be valuable for educators and anyone interested in improving how people think and make decisions—helping Australians and others think more clearly and make better choices for the future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Data-driven modelling of dynamical systems: A measure transport framework. The reliable mathematical and computational modelling of complex dynamical systems, such as climate or biomolecular systems, is impeded by high dimensionality, interacting multiscale processes, and unknown physical principles. This project aims to significantly extend measure transport methods to overcome these challenges in a data-driven manner. Expected outcomes include a novel mathematical framework and fast, scalable numerical algorithms for extracting the evolution model of the relevant dynamical skeleton and quantifying associated uncertainties. This project should provide significant benefits to a range of applications, such as climate adaptation, by providing reliable data-driven forecasts and supporting informed decision-making. Field of research: 4901 - Applied Mathematics Modern society faces increasingly complex challenges—from predicting high-impact climate events to understanding biological processes in the human body—that affect Australia's national resilience to climate change and quality of life. Being able to reliably forecast such systems and make quantitative statements about the underlying uncertainty is of utmost importance. This project seeks to develop new, data-driven mathematical tools and fast computer algorithms that better capture the essential behaviour of these systems while also clearly identifying any uncertainties in the predictions. By improving forecasting abilities, this project will support informed decision-making in critical areas like climate adaptation, public health, and energy management, ultimately strengthening Australia's national resilience and economic well-being.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Improved trip generation forecasting using the TRIPS database. Current practice in gaining development approval in Australia requires a traffic impact study for which surveys of the traffic generated by a similar development are necessary. Some states also conduct surveys of trip generation rates for different land uses. An iMOVE CRC project is building the first national database of such surveys, referred to as TRIPS, with nearly 1000 surveys. This project will develop a spatial interaction model to improve the accuracy of trip generation forecasting by taking into account the locations and characteristics of all existing substitute or complementary developments, some of which have been surveyed, along with demographic and accessibility data. The quality of planning decisions will thus be improved. Field of research: 3304 - Urban and Regional Planning Australia’s housing crisis demands urgent new residential development—but equally critical is the need for effective transport planning to support how people move. Existing methods for forecasting travel demand are outdated, car-centric, and poorly suited to today’s diverse travel behaviours. These limitations often lead to overbuilt roads, underutilised public transport, and missed opportunities for sustainable transport. This project will improve how Australia forecasts travel demand from new developments such as housing, shopping centres, and business precincts. It will enable a data-driven shift in transport planning from traditional predict-and-provide methods to a vision-and-validate approach that aligns more closely with government policies on emissions reduction, sustainable mobility, and land use integration. The research will harness entropy maximisation to develop an integrated model that combines trip generation, distribution, and mode choice to offer a more comprehensive view of development transport impacts. It will be powered by real-world data from the newly established TRIPS database, Australia’s first national repository of land use-based trip and parking surveys, led by USYD in collaboration with government and industry. Project findings will be disseminated through peer reviewed academic publications, workshops, and guidance for practitioners, supported by the TRIPS Project Reference Group to ensure broad industry uptake and real-world application.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Boosting Algorithm Performance with Imperfect Advice. This project aims to develop a suite of new methods to design algorithms that perform best with AI-derived advice, even when imperfect. Recent advances in AI show its power and compel its application. This project is a significant and timely contribution to knowledge, with principled methods of integrating AI into algorithms, without sacrificing safety or robustness. Expected outcomes include practical algorithms with provable guarantees that leverage advice to achieve better solution quality and memory utilisation, especially when data is streamed. These new algorithms will provide significant benefits in effectiveness and efficiency gains, and robustness guarantees, for real-world problems arising in transport, energy, and cybersecurity. Field of research: 4613 - Theory of Computation Artificial intelligence is the great revolution of our time. Partnering with artificial intelligence, society can expect to expand its capabilities in communication, in analysis, processing, and inferences from massive datasets, in the development of autonomous vehicles, in remote and AI-supported medicine. In a world that seems increasingly fractured, it is incumbent on Australia, a middle power, to develop sovereign capability in the best application of AI technologies. This project expects to develop a groundbreaking new framework to incorporate advice from not-yet-perfected AI systems into the best operation of fundamental computing algorithms. For the last 60-plus years, algorithm design has necessarily been pessimistic: the robust approach, when the input is largely unknown, is to optimise worst-case performance. With AI models able to rapidly analyse data, and opine on its properties, there is the opportunity to design systems of algorithms that harness this advice, even when the advice is misleading. This project expects to generate new knowledge that can be translated to support Australia's developed industries in finance, health, transport, and mining. The algorithm design methodology, carefully prepared experiments, and prototype code, will be presented to benefit numerous applications of fundamental algorithms for analysing massive high-throughput datasets. In augmenting algorithms with AI inferences, Australia becomes more effective, resilient, and secure.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

First Real-Time Assessment of the Mitochondrial Membrane Potential in Cells. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of organisms, supplying 95% of the energy required for cell metabolism. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) is pivotal in regulating ATP synthesis and cellular respiration. This project aims to develop the first tool for high-resolution, real-time measurement of MMP in living cells by combining cutting-edge innovations in chemical biology and sub-cellular targeting. This technology has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of mitochondrial health and dysfunction in a range of fields from ageing to agriculture. Benefits include the development of new research tools, diagnostic assays, and future contributions to therapeutic strategies for conditions linked to mitochondrial activity. Field of research: 3402 - Inorganic Chemistry Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, and their central role in energy production means that they are key to the function of almost all lifeforms. The central aim of this fundamental research project is to design new fluorescent probes to monitor the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Since many aspects of cellular health are associated with subtle changes in the MMP, there is great interest to measure the MMP in a range of organisms. This project will allow the identification of new mitochondrial-targeting groups and pioneer a new methodology to assess small changes in the MMP in real-time and with exquisite sensitivity. The new intellectual property and technologies arising from this research will ensure international leadership at the cutting-edge of research in this field and also benefit the Australian biotechnology industry which is identified as being of strategic national importance and high economic potential. This research program will also train postdoctoral researchers and graduate students in a multidisciplinary area, resulting in multi-skilled scientists trained in the use of cutting-edge technologies involving synthetic chemistry and biology, thereby providing important future support to the Australian biotechnology industry. The proposal relies on new methodologies discovered in the CIs' laboratories, thus providing a distinctive advantage over international competitors in the highly competitive field of mitochondrial agent design and application.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Understanding, Identifying, and Mitigating Vulnerabilities in LLMs. Large language models (LLMs) are widely used but still suffer from jailbreaking attacks that can elicit harmful responses, raising broad society’s concerns about LLMs’ risks. This project aims to enhance the security of LLMs by understanding, identifying, and addressing the fundamental weaknesses that make them susceptible to such attacks. Expected outcomes include theoretical analyses of LLMs’ weaknesses, developing a universal jailbreaking attack to detect diverse vulnerabilities, and facilitating a reliable defence to mitigate them. This will benefit society by ensuring AI technologies align with human values and uphold positive impacts, enabling a safe deployment of LLM systems with public trust in critical sectors. Field of research: 4605 - Data Management and Data Science Australia’s growing reliance on LLMs across sectors such as education, law, finance, and public services brings significant opportunities but also critical safety risks. This project will directly strengthen Australia’s capacity to safeguard digital infrastructure by developing foundational knowledge and practical tools for understanding, identifying, and mitigating vulnerabilities in LLMs, with a particular focus on jailbreaking attacks. These attacks pose a real threat to AI safety, enabling malicious actors to bypass safety guardrails and generate harmful, biased, or unethical content. By advancing defense strategies and safety evaluation, this research supports national objectives around responsible AI deployment, cybersecurity, and digital trust. The outcomes will benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including government regulators and industries integrating LLMs into decision-making pipelines. Furthermore, releasing open-source tools and datasets will enhance transparency, encourage collaboration, and create safety standards aligned with Australia’s AI Ethics Principles. This project will also help build sovereign capabilities in AI safety by training the next generation of researchers in trustworthy AI. By strengthening Australia’s expertise and leadership in this emerging field, the project supports job creation, enhances national resilience to AI risks, and ensures Australia remains globally competitive in secure and ethical AI innovation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

From Diversity to Disease: Viral Ecology, Evolution and Persistence in Bats. Bats are a source of diverse viruses that can be fatal in humans, yet we know little about how this diversity is maintained. This project aims to determine how ecological stress and immune strategies in colonial-living bats generate diverse viral communities. We will use phylodynamic and community ecology approaches to construct a novel framework explaining how these ecological and immune factors facilitate transmission of new viruses to humans. Our ecological framework will help shift the paradigm of pandemic prevention research from single viruses to real-world viral communities. This will provide benefits through targeted pathogen surveillance, enhanced global pandemic prevention strategies and stronger One Health capacity in Australia. Field of research: 3103 - Ecology Bats host viruses that can be fatal in humans and other animals. Generally, we expect that closely related viruses compete, with one or the other emerging as the dominant circulating strain. We saw this in COVID-19 as delta, then omicron, overtook the original outbreak strains. But in bats, many closely related viruses can circulate within populations—or even the same individual—at the same time. Our research examines how diverse viral communities are maintained in bats and the implications for spillover to other species. Australia is uniquely positioned to lead this work, using Hendra and related viruses in flying foxes as a model system. Our project builds on a foundation of nearly 30 years of ecological, environmental, climate and virological data and insights that have enabled successful prediction of spillover events. Understanding these processes will underpin development of ecological interventions that could prevent spillover of multiple viruses simultaneously—a fundamentally new approach to pandemic prevention. This will protect Australia's public health, livestock industries, and economy from costly outbreaks while preserving essential bat ecosystems. We will translate our findings into practical tools for disease surveillance and prediction for high priority bat pathogens globally, through collaborations across human, animal and wildlife health government departments, supporting Australia’s strategic positioning as a global leader in One Health.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Symbiotic Synergies: How the Body Became a Chimera (1950-2000) . This project aims to investigate how central concepts in today’s revolutionary microbiome paradigm formed in earlier microbiology. We seek to study how the microbes inhabiting us came to be seen as symbiotic, and how certain concepts of symbiosis led to a new view of human bodies as multi-species chimeras. The project aims to generate historical and philosophical knowledge that can inform the metamorphoses biomedicine is now undergoing in the light of discoveries showing that health and disease depend on our microbes. Expected outcomes are novel interdisciplinary insights into the conceptual transformations that led to microbiome science. Benefits include a public-facing combination of scientific, historical and philosophical knowledge. Field of research: 5002 - History and Philosophy of Specific Fields Microbiome science is expected to bring great health benefits to Australians, which is why the nation has invested so heavily in this research area. This project will help bring about those benefits by addressing conceptual problems that leading scientists of the field have identified as obstacles to achieving microbiome discoveries and applications. These obstacles have arisen from the interaction of foundational concepts with research approaches. Project researchers will apply a novel historical and philosophical analysis of how microbiologists have used key concepts such as “homeostasis” and “normal” in their work on the microbes of human digestive systems over the past three generations. By showing how these focal concepts have shaped technologies and theories, the planned research will reveal the origins of current problems and how to untangle them. The project will also bring Australia cultural benefit by building on its already prominent scholarship in history and philosophy of science, especially around microbiology, by generating a node of expertise in the humanities to match Australia’s world-class microbiome science. In addition to contributing to long-term health benefits through advances in microbiome science, the researchers will engage in multimedia outreach with the broader Australian community by advancing critically informed discussion of the health and environmental implications of microbiome knowledge.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Reducing Otherness: Blurring Category Boundaries to Decrease Prejudice. People tend to believe that members of social groups share an underlying essence or nature that makes them who they are. This essentialist thinking often shapes how we navigate our social world, with research identifying a host of (mostly harmful) attitudinal and behavioural outcomes (e.g., prejudice, stereotyping). The proposed research examines the discreteness bias, a neglected aspect of essentialist thinking, to improve our conceptual understanding of its role and modify destructive perceptions of groups stigmatised on the basis of sexuality, mental health, and race. The proposal offers a promising new approach to reducing prejudice and maladaptive, internalised self-beliefs by blurring group boundaries and promoting continuum thinking. Field of research: 5205 - Social and Personality Psychology Psychological essentialism is a group of cognitive biases that lead people to believe that members of a social category (e.g., race) share a basic nature that makes them who they are. Much research indicates that these biases predict mostly deleterious interpersonal (e.g., prejudice) and intrapersonal (e.g., self-rejection) outcomes. Whereas attempts to reduce essentialism as a whole show limited efficacy, the proposal aims to directly target a specific essentialist bias, the discreteness bias, which has been largely overlooked despite evidence identifying it as the most detrimental one. This bias revolves around erroneously perceiving the boundaries of social categories as fundamental and rigid – amplifying alienation from outgroup members and prejudiced beliefs. Recent research demonstrates that challenging the premise of the discreteness bias is possible and can lead to improved outcomes; this proposal will extend this research conceptually, geographically, and temporally. Attenuating the discreteness bias and its unsavoury effects can reduce tensions between different social groups in Australia and save billions of dollars annually in health and productivity enhancements from improved social cohesion and well-being. Thus, the project’s findings will be shared directly with the public using both traditional and new media; it will also be shared with relevant stakeholders (e.g., advocacy groups) directly to initiate real-world implementation in a timely manner.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Frozen frontiers: Exploring Australia's oldest high-altitude occupation. Partnering with an Indigenous team, this project will examine the earliest evidence for high-altitude occupation in Australia to deliver new insights into cultural practices in cool-climate landscapes. High-altitude archaeology remains under-represented in Australia, limiting understandings of First Nations deep-time history. Expected outcomes include novel ice-age cultural and environmental data which will illuminate First Nations history and contribute new perspectives to global understandings of frozen mountain adaptation. Project benefits include increased cultural values recognition in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, strengthened research collaborations and employment opportunities for Indigenous partners. Field of research: 4501 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture, Language and History This inter-disciplinary research project will generate new knowledge critical to understanding early high-altitude occupation in Australia, while also enhancing cultural conservation outcomes and Indigenous and ECR research capacity. Focusing on the upper Blue Mountains, Australia’s most archaeologically significant, yet under-researched, high-altitude region, this project will use archaeological and environmental science techniques to reveal details on occupation from the last ice-age to the recent past. Australia plays a pivotal role in understanding long-term human adaptation to periods of extreme climate change through frameworks of continuous Indigenous practice. By combining contemporary Aboriginal approaches with high-resolution stone artefact and environmental analyses, this project will chart how tools were made, used and traded between groups across this mountain landscape over the last 20,000 years as Aboriginal people responded to the onset and amelioration of the last ice-age. To support UNESCO World Heritage (cultural) values listing, project results will be presented in accessible form to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Indigenous Advisory Board and State (NPWS) and Federal (DCCEEW) managing agencies to maximise their potential for direct translation. On-Country presentations and media outputs will ensure widespread engagement with our research outcomes.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Topology Optimisation for Active Mechanical Structures. The project aims to develop novel design approaches for active mechanical structures capable of responding to diverse external stimuli. It addresses a critical methodological gap in “inverse design” of active structures by creating new topology optimisation algorithms within a nonlinearly coupled multiphysics context, enabling to attain programmable mechanical behaviours. The research will establish a systematic design framework, significantly enhancing our ability to develop advanced active structures. The proposed methodology and novel designs promise transformative applications in soft robots, wearable devices, adaptive actuators, smart implants, with potential to drive technological innovation and deliver broad socioeconomic benefits. Field of research: 4017 - Mechanical Engineering With recent discovery of new active materials capable of reversibly morphing 3D shapes in response to external stimuli such as heat, light, solvent, and electromagnet fields, has led to emergence of active structures, accomplishing desired functional goals. Such programable functionalities largely broaden the scopes of advanced structures, offering new opportunities for technological breakthroughs in emerging fields ranging from soft robotics, flexible electronics, wearable devices, and smart implants to energy absorption/impact mitigation. However, existing studies on active structures have largely followed intuitive or bio-inspired trial-and-error procedure, exhibiting considerable geometric similarities in structures and being restrictive in design freedom for realising more complex functional characteristics. This project will develop new topology optimisation methods for inverse design of programmable, smart structures with various active materials and physical stimuli. The new design framework will be applicable to groundbreaking technology, e.g. artificial muscle, wearable sensors, smart stents/implants, impacting on mechanical, space, biomedical, and manufacturing sectors, and benefiting our socioeconomic system. The research training will provide the postdoc, PhD and Hons students with an excellent opportunity to work on an exciting research frontier. It will promote collaboration with leading institutions and develop academic/industrial partnerships in the field.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Computational Framework for Fabricating with Sustainable Living Materials. Fungi and their root network mycelia are our planet’s mass-recycling system and provide a unique, carbon-neutral approach to recycling organic waste into useful products. However, the current approaches used in mycelium-based manufacturing significantly affect scalability and reproducibility, deterring widespread adoption. This project aims to develop a computational fabrication framework that leverages mycelia's living characteristics, particularly hyphal fusion, to enable scalable re-manufacturing with organic waste. The outcomes of the project will lead to significant scientific advances and new methodologies in utilising living materials, along with applied implications for informing processes and tools used in bio-manufacturing. Field of research: 4608 - Human-Centred Computing It is estimated that increasing Australia’s organic waste recycling rate by 16% could generate A$771 million in sales and add A$274 million value to the industry. Fungi are our planet’s mass-recycling system. Fungal mycelium, the root network of mushrooms, consume organic waste and can transform it into useful materials (similar to wood or leather), organically remanufacturing waste into commercial products. This project aims to advance our understanding of how mycelium-based materials, or myco-materials, can be used in manufacturing at a scale that enables adaptation in applications such as furniture, construction, and architecture. The project addresses significant problems arising from mycelia's slow and inconsistent growth that hinder the broader adaptation of myco-materials in the industry by using their growth characteristics to make computational design and fabrication processes faster and more consistent. The knowledge and technologies generated by the project will enable Australia to utilise the local waste streams in manufacturing, improve organic waste management, and develop new, carbon-neutral, local manufacturing capabilities to support a circular economy that will create new business and job opportunities. Research outcomes will be published in scientific literature, press releases, and social, print, and audio-visual media. Target audiences are organic waste management and manufacturing stakeholders, including the local and federal government.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Label-free, Highly Sensitive and Intelligent Wearable Biosensors. This project aims to create fingertip-wearable sensors, known as “Raman Skins,” for rapid, on-the-spot detection of trace chemicals on surfaces like skin, fruit, and banknotes. These sensors will be made from plasmene nanosheets, which are ultra-thin nanomaterials. Through a unique fabrication process, we will develop a scalable method for producing these nanosheets and study how different nanocrystal sizes, shapes, and ligands affect their sensitivity. Powered by artificial intelligence, these wearable sensors will allow for efficient, label-free chemical analysis, offering new tools for enhanced wellbeing, food safety, and law enforcement. This technology has broad implications for public health, intelligent agriculture and safety. Field of research: 4018 - Nanotechnology By harnessing Australia’s world-leading expertise in nanotechnology, flexible electronics, and artificial intelligence, this project will deliver next-generation, non-invasive, label-free wearable biosensors capable of real-time, on-site, and high-precision chemical detection from real-world surfaces, including human skin, fruits, and banknotes. It addresses a critical unmet need: although current lab-grade technologies (such as mass spectrometers and Raman spectrometers) offer excellent sensitivity, they remain bulky, expensive, slow, and impractical for portable, real-world applications. The development of intelligent, label-free wearable biosensors will transform point-of-care diagnostics and real-time chemical identification, with broad benefits across industries including agriculture, healthcare, food safety, manufacturing, and national security. This project directly supports Australia’s strategic objectives of building a secure and resilient nation, enhancing sovereign capabilities by reducing reliance on imported biosensing and bioelectronics solutions. The economic and strategic benefits will extend to medtech and advanced manufacturing, fostering local R&D, industry collaboration, and commercialisation opportunities. This initiative will position Australia as a global leader in materials science and wearable biosensing, driving new market creation, high-tech job growth, export potential, and future competitiveness in advanced biosensor technologies.