THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Regional decarbonisation transitions: an inclusive place-based approach. The program aims to investigate how decarbonisation impacts Australian regions, and develop a novel place-based approach to empower communities and industries during a transformation that poses a significant risk of leaving many energy-intensive regions behind. New evidence of decarbonisation’s global patterns and local impacts will be uncovered, along with on-the-ground skills, initiatives, First Nations enterprise and employment opportunities and lived experience of structural change. Expected outcomes include new methods, an evidence base to better govern transitions, and more inclusive approaches to sustainable regional development. The program will underpin national unity and fairness as Australia meets its emissions reduction targets. Field of research: 4406 - Human Geography It is vital to national unity and fairness that decarbonisation empowers, rather than leaves behind, regions that have been historically reliant on fossil fuels. International research is yet to solve the problem of how to achieve this, because decarbonisation research has predominantly been conducted by technical or economic specialists. Social, cultural, and geographical dimensions are lacking. The leading models are European-derived, too narrowly focussed, and limited in their relevance to Australian conditions. This research will support a decarbonised future that reduces regional disadvantage, by developing a novel, inclusive place-based approach that understands regions within national and global contexts, and connects economic geographical analysis to social and cultural insights. It will track where investments in renewables and clean manufacturing hit the ground, and with what effect. It will also uncover otherwise overlooked regional skills and initiatives, and First Nations perspectives, through this period of unprecedented change. Mapping technology will integrate findings, visualising trends for government, community, and industry stakeholders to plan for more inclusive transitions. Evidence will evolve in real time, as decarbonisation accelerates, and be disseminated via policy briefs, workshops, story-maps, and podcasts, to stimulate debate and support decisions that deliver more equitable outcomes for regional residents, stakeholders, and the environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Algorithms for Future-Proof Networks. This project will design algorithms to construct, augment and route on geometric graphs in the presence of obstacles. Such graphs have many real-world applications, including transport networks. This project aims to give solutions with hard guarantees on the timeliness of the delivery of the people, goods, or information being transported in these networks. Expected outcomes of this project include efficient and innovative algorithms for realistic geometric graphs, which both advances the knowledge in this field of computer science and make our existing networks more reliable. This should provide significant benefits in the maintenance and utilisation of the communication and transport networks we use every day. Field of research: 4613 - Theory of Computation Real-world networks, such as digital or transport networks, are commonly modelled as graphs. Typically, one needs to build and maintain networks to effectively transport people, goods or information between nodes. The networks should be cost-effective and easy to navigate, and must avoid obstacles, such as buildings, parks, and lakes. As these networks form an integral part of our everyday lives and query operations on them need to be executed on large graphs (for example, Melbourne's transport network alone has almost 20,000 stops and more than a million connections), it is imperative that the algorithms operating on these networks function efficiently and effectively. Unfortunately, currently many of these operations are handled in an ad-hoc manner, or without giving hard guarantees on the performance. This project aims to develop algorithms to construct such efficient networks, maintain them, and design algorithms to find paths in them that allow us to give hard guarantees on the timeliness of the delivery of the people, goods, or information being transported. Such guarantees are of vital importance to real-time systems, such as delivery of medical supplies, where events need to occur within a given timeframe. The group will work with international experts and transport engineers to guarantee practical relevance and impact.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

High-Efficiency, Modular and Low-Cost Hydrogen Liquefaction and Storage . Australia’s first modular hydrogen liquefaction and storage. This project aims to develop a novel multi-faceted cooling system and software to increase efficiency, lower cost, and improve the safety of hydrogen liquefaction and storage. The project will establish a new multi-disciplinary research capability in Australia and expand our fundamental knowledge to model, design, and build modular liquefaction and zero-boil-off storage systems, allowing widespread distribution and usage of hydrogen. It will create a paradigm shift from traditional scale-up to modern number-up approaches. This level of innovation is crucial for Australia to lead the world in hydrogen and also enable accessible and sustainable clean energy sources for Australians. Field of research: 4004 - Chemical Engineering Australia aims to become a world leader in the export of hydrogen as a renewable energy source by 2030, but this hydrogen should be converted to a liquid form to enable its shipment in large export-scale amounts. The technology needed to accomplish this is currently only available in the US, and is expensive and inefficient. This project will design and develop novel cooling technology to liquefy, store and transport hydrogen that will be more efficient, cheaper, and safer. Doing so will deliver economic benefits to Australia with a predicted hydrogen export value of $5 billion annually by 2030, commercial benefits through the intellectual property generated, and environmental benefits from a zero-emission energy source. Energy companies will easily and quickly be able to adopt this new technology, creating hundreds of highly-skilled jobs as well as increasing Australia’s manufacturing capability.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Categorification and KLR algebras. AIMS This project will solve three problems at the forefront of representation theory: the centre conjecture for graded Hecke algebras, concretely connecting crystals with KLR algebras and describing the grading and radical filtrations Specht modules. SIGNIFICANCE Solving any of these problems will represent a serious advance in the field and have a lasting impact and creating new areas of research. EXPECTED OUTCOMES We will remove major bottlenecks in our understanding of KLR algebras. BENEFITS In addition to the mathematical benefits, the skills and expertise that are required for, and will be enhanced by, this project are readily transferable and highly sought after by industry, including the financial, IT and education sectors. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics Mathematics is essential to our society. It is the language that underpins science, engineering and all of our technological advances. The benefits that mathematics bring to society range from forming the basis of the knowledge economy, to enabling the information technology, to underpinning pivotal advances in engineering, and being a vital component of the world’s financial markets.. The project will strengthen our international collaborative links by bringing high profile international mathematicians to Australia to work on this project and to give seminars. By training postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers we will add to Australia’s research expertise and capabilities. This project addresses fundamental unsolved problems about the cyclotomic quiver Hecke algebras, which are a new class of algebras that are central to modern developments in mathematics.. We expect to reveal deep connections between these algebras and crystals, to use Rees deformation techniques to understand their centres and to exploit these tools to better understand their representations,. This project will further cement Australia's reputation as a world leader categorification, algebraic combinatorics and representation theory. Finally,we will forge new links between research teams in Australia and Germany, which will boost our productivity.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Creating Hybrid Exponential Asymptotics for use with Computational Data. Asymptotic analysis is a vital tool for studying small influences with critical effects. This project aims to create an innovative fully-automated asymptotic framework for studying phenomena which are invisible to classical approximation methods, using new ideas from asymptotics and numerical complex analysis. The outcome will be the first framework that can be used on data from numerical simulations or real-life measurements, and which can be applied automatically without hands-on expert input. It will be used to design submerged structures and efficient vessels with minimal energy loss from surface waves. Expected benefits include making powerful methods accessible to scientists, and new paths for energy-efficient industrial design. Field of research: 4901 - Applied Mathematics Many physical systems, including water wave calculations, quantum interactions, and gravitational waves, are driven by important "hidden" behaviour, which currently requires sophisticated mathematical calculation to uncover. This project will create a new automated method for computing hidden behaviour which does not require mathematical expertise; it will be automatic and accessible to nonmathematicians, and designed to be used with real-life data. No such method currently exists. This will provide a new cheap, effective tool for scientists, engineers, and designers to make mathematical predictions without expensive lab experiments, providing direction for innovation and design. The economic and commercial benefits for Australia will arise due to having accessible tools available for using algorithmic methods in industrial design. An example of this benefit is that this project will boost Australia's maritime industry by letting Australian engineers design submerged structures and streamlined vessels with minimal detectable surface signature and wave drag. The translation of the benefits of this project to Australia will complement the an innovative engineering and design sector that is eager to use modern approaches such as machine learning and optimisation algorithms in their design processes. The outcomes of this project will be used in a pre-existing industrial partnership, which will enable the advantages of the tool to be quickly tested and applied to industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Electrocatalytic green ammonia synthesis using reactive dinitrogen. This project aims to advance electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction for green ammonia production using renewable electricity, water, and reactive dinitrogen feedstock. The project expects to generate new knowledge in catalysis using advanced in-situ spectroscopies and real-time electrochemical analysis, high-throughput catalyst screening, in-situ imaging, and multiphysics modelling. Expected outcomes include new structure-activity relationships and novel catalyst and reactor designs with breakthrough in energy efficiency for green ammonia production. This will enable a transformative way for green hydrogen storage and transport, providing significant benefits for Australia’s net zero targets, sustainable manufacturing, and exports. Field of research: 4004 - Chemical Engineering Ammonia lays the foundation of present-day agriculture as a fertiliser, and it has recently also been identified as a safe and efficient approach to store and distribute hydrogen, a clean fuel underpinning net-zero future. Current route for ammonia production is not sustainable, accounting for 1-2% world energy consumption and nearly 2% carbon dioxide emission. This project will address this challenge by developing a sustainable ammonia production approach that is fully powered by electricity—which can come from renewable sources such as solar and wind—and operates under environmentally friendly conditions, emitting zero carbon dioxide. The project draws on successful proof-of-concept studies and breakthrough in energy efficiency is expected with the aim to make this new route economically competitive. Further outcomes will be shared with leading Australian ammonia manufacturers in agriculture and energy sectors to identify opportunities for industries to adopt this new, sustainable manufacturing technology. This way, Australia will be able to phase out the currently unsustainable ammonia production industry and establish new green chemical sectors. This project will therefore contribute to Australia’s transition be a global leader in sustainable agriculture and renewable energy production and export in the net-zero future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Strong light-matter coupling: a new direction in optical computing. Light can strongly couple with organic semiconductor molecules and materials to form polaritons at room temperature that can immensely modify excited energy states and exhibit nonlinear optical properties. This project aims to leverage the strong interparticle interactions between polaritons, which are significantly higher than weakly interacting photons used in conventional photonics, to deliver a new capability for multidimensional optical computing. This project has a distinctive approach to harnessing photon degrees of freedom via strong light-matter coupling enabling novel avenues for enhancing the capacity of optical computing, benefiting various applications that require pattern recognition, such as artificial intelligence. Field of research: 3403 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry In this era of big data, the need for content creation has grown significantly as our requirements expand and technologies evolve with the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). This poses a major challenge that is clearly outlined in the 20-year R&D NSW roadmap. Even though electronic computers continue to become more powerful and can solve complex computational problems, they are inept at pattern recognition, a vital component of AI systems. Optical computing and neural networks offer a paradigm shift due to their intrinsic ability to perform pattern recognition problems and handle large datasets but suffer from weak interactions between light signals to carry out computations efficiently. This project will deliver an innovative method to enhance these interactions, demonstrating resourceful information encoding and processing operations. Research findings will be published or protected by patents, as appropriate, and will pave the way for new partnerships in information technology across materials chemistry, nanophotonics, and computing science. The proposed project is a significant step towards the advancement of emerging technologies, and discoveries made and capabilities developed will enable Australia to maintain its position at the forefront of innovation in advanced computing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

The Future of the Middle Class. This research program will shed new light on the declining accessibility of the middle class, especially for younger generations, and it will propose solutions to counter a growing problem of social integration. The research program aims to 1) determine how property ownership came to function as the core pillar of social integration 2) show how the high cost of property interacts with other factors to shape the financial constraints and strategies of Australian households and 3) identify new policy pathways and work with stakeholders to reshape the public debate. The program will result in enhanced research capacity and an improved ability to address socio-economic problems in an area of vital importance to Australian society. Field of research: 4410 - Sociology The growing difficulty that younger generations experience in accessing the middle class represents a major challenge to Australian social cohesion. The problem receives considerable attention, but suitable and viable solutions have yet to be identified. Often, proposed solutions are localised or temporary, solving the problems of one group at the expense of another's. Social scientists have analysed some of the causes of affordability problems, but they have not been able to develop a framework commensurate with the complexity and depth of the problem. This research program aims to provide a new framework of analysis and to work closely with relevant stakeholders to reshape the terms of public debate. It will elucidate the foundations of existing policies by examining how property ownership came to be a central pillar of social integration and what problems arose from this role over time. It will analyse how the high cost of property has affected household strategies, and show how this dynamic has taken shape in the current cost-of-living crisis. Through close collaboration with key societal and policy stakeholders, the program will design new policy solutions and map sustainable pathways to broaden the integrative capacity of the Australian middle class. In this way, the program will enhance Australia’s capacity to secure social integration, broad-based economic prosperity and political stability.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Quantum algebras with supersymmetries. The project aims to make fundamental advances in the theory of quantum algebras. It will develop explicit structure and representation theory of major classes of quantum algebras which are of great importance to quantum field theory and integrable models with supersymmetries. The intended outcomes include a solution of the outstanding classification problem for representations of quantum algebras with supersymmetries, which has remained open for the last two decades. It will involve newly-developed methods within the theory of quantum groups, and both the methods and classification will bring new mathematical instruments for the advance of supesymmetric conformal field theory and soliton spin chain models. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics Modern advances in mathematics and physics have underpinned many recent breakthroughs in information technology. This project will fill a long-term gap in our knowledge of physical systems by employing mathematical framework of enhanced symmetries. Researchers and engineers in the computing and telecommunications industries will be able to make use of the results of this research to develop new high-tech computers and information systems. Additionally, the quality of research and education in science and mathematics is one of the pillars of a competitive economy. The project will add to Australia's achievements in excellent, cutting-edge research and provide opportunities for higher-level mathematics students to gain experience with contemporary research in pure mathematics. It will maintain Australia's prestigious international standing in representation theory and mathematical physics, enhance ties with the research network by bringing high-profile international leaders and promoting Australia's research strengths in the areas.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Assembling the building blocks in the blueprint of the embryonic head. This project aims to profile and impute the genome activity and validate the cellular and molecular mechanism underpinning the generation, in time and space, of diverse types of tissues that constitute the building blocks of the embryonic head. The knowledge gain enriches our understanding of the early steps of head formation during embryogenesis in the context of the niche conditions associated with the acquisition of progenitor state, enhancement of lineage propensity, and driving early lineage differentiation. Expected outcome of this research on the developmental biology of a model organism provides a framework of the mechanism of establishing a blueprint of development that may be conserved across multiple mammalian species. Field of research: 3105 - Genetics Orchestration of the development of major body parts of the embryo underpins a healthy start of life. This multidisciplinary program delineates the molecular and cellular mechanism underpinning the emergence of diverse tissue types during development of the mouse, a road-tested mammalian model organism. The outcome of this research will enrich our understanding of the developmental process of the mammalian embryo and fills a gap of the knowledge of the blueprint of embryo development. The new Information provides insights into the cellular and molecular mechanism of the formation of a major body part, the head of the mouse embryo. The text-book knowledge of the blueprint of mouse development will inform how development of other mammalian embryos, including those of the primates, is regulated, and guide the strategy of discovery research on human development in health and diseases, such as the elucidation of the biomarkers for monitoring fetal health and the identification of casual mechanistic factors leading to birth defects. The computational research enables the development of bioinformatics methodology and pipelines for the integrative analysis of single-cell multi-omics datasets across many biological disciplines. These analytics tools will enhance the data analytics capability of the genome research community and the data science industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Political Conflict, Inefficient Markets, and Food Crises. This project aims to investigate the effect of political conflict on food markets in low- and middle-income countries across Africa and Southeast Asia by utilizing granular data on ethnopolitical conflict, prices, and institutions. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of conflict studies using an innovative approach that allows eliciting disruptive effects of conflict by examining price relationships in spatially and temporally connected food and agricultural markets. Expected outcomes of this project include improved techniques to examine market inefficiencies in the wake of political conflict. This should provide significant benefits, such as creating an early warning platform for food crises in times of conflict. Field of research: 4408 - Political Science Foreign policy heavily relies on a good understanding of internal socio-political affairs in recipient countries. Australian policymakers have struggled to gauge the political and economic situations in low- and middle-income countries with high levels of conflict and poor governance. A lack of access to accurate data has been the main reason for this. The benefits of the project will be seen in improved data-driven assessments of political and economic situations, which will allow the Australian government to better target foreign aid and strategic investments, particularly in Southeast Asia and Africa. The project will provide greater insight into potential export markets in these regions, particularly for major cereals of which Australia is one of the world's leading exporters. The project will contribute to Australia’s science and research priority of “Food” and help to drive economic growth opportunities for primary producers, particularly cereal exporters. The spatiotemporal market integration framework will measure how a country’s institutions facilitate storage and trade in internal and external markets. The project will develop a forecasting tool to generate a real-time outlook on food affordability, particularly in the wake of internal and external conflicts. This tool will become an effective platform to promote research outcomes beyond academia, which includes informing policymakers of the risks of food crises and famines in historically susceptible regions.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2023 · 2023-06

Australian Corneal Bioengineering: Novel Therapies to Fight Blindness Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Child Wellbeing in the Context of Parental Detention. This project will investigate the consequences of parental detention for children living in the Australian community. It will use qualitative sociological methods to document and theorise children’s experiences of a parent’s detention, with a focus on the factors that shape children’s social, emotional and material wellbeing in these situations. Expected outcomes include new knowledge concerning the lives and welfare of these potentially vulnerable children, as well as evidence-based insights regarding the social supports they need to thrive. The project will deliver internationally relevant recommendations to help policymakers and service providers improve the lives of children and families navigating the incarceration of a parent. Field of research: 4410 - Sociology In 2016, the Australian government released most children from immigration detention facilities, markedly improving their wellbeing in the process. This project seeks to further improve outcomes for children in Australia by examining the challenges faced by minors with a parent in detention. The project will provide detailed evidence and practical recommendations to help safeguard these children’s welfare. It will thus contribute to Australia’s Science and Research Priority of ‘Health’, which seeks to improve outcomes for disadvantaged communities. It will also help Australia to meet its international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which affirms that children have the right to remain with their parents and requires that children separated from their parents receive special support. Key project findings will be disseminated to policymakers and service providers, and incorporated into the Australian Human Rights Commission’s 2024 report to the United Nations on the rights of children in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Cultural Practices in Indigenous Community-Owned Organizations. This project aims to equip Indigenous community-owned organisations with the practices needed to meet the goals of community development and organizational sustainability. The project aims to identify how to effectively combine Indigenous knowledges and culture and western management concepts, generating new knowledge about the distinctiveness of Indigenous organizations and extending theories of hybrid organizations. The project expects to provide an evidence-based framework that captures strategies for generating hybrid organizational practices. This should be of significant benefit to Indigenous community-owned organizations assisting them to deliver the services needed to close the gap on a range of economic, health and social measures. Field of research: 3507 - Strategy, Management and Organisational Behaviour Community-based and locally controlled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organizations can play a crucial role in reducing inequality between Australians, as acknowledged in the 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap. Yet, too often Indigenous community-owned organizations fail to survive. To close the gap, we need to ensure the success of Indigenous community-owned organizations. This project will assist Indigenous community-owned organizations balance the twin goals of financial viability and community development. The research will developing a new framework that assists Indigenous community-owned organizations integrate western business concepts models with Indigenous knowledges and culture, helping to ensure the success of Indigenous community-owned organizations. Successful Indigenous organizations will ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are determining their futures and will generate jobs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, while also benefiting the Australian economy more broadly.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Reconnecting Warlpiri communities with cultural heritage materials. The projects aims to reconnect Warlpiri communities with past documentation and recordings of their cultural heritage. Centred in Yuendumu, the project expects to unpack the significance of past documentation of cultural heritage for present day Warlpiri people who live in vastly different social worlds from their forebears. Through collaborations with Warlpiri families, and Partner Organisation, Pintupi Anmatyerr Warlpiri (PAW) Media and Communications, the project will see the set up of activities to engage with these materials and the production of resources for use by future generations. Field of research: 4302 - Heritage, Archive and Museum Studies The project is centred on reconnection of Warlpiri communities with documented materials including audio/visual recordings, photographs and notes taken with previous generations. It will uncover the contemporary relevance of these cultural materials to present day Warlpiri families through identifying materials connected through lines of cultural authority to particular groups. Previously inaccessible to appropriate families, the project will set up opportunities for these families to engage with the materials and will produce a video documentary film as well as a series of short training videos. The project team will also produce a co-authored book and articles with details on the localised and context specific aspects of the return of particular materials, as well as the surrounding processes, discussions and politics. These activities will contribute to enhanced self-esteem for Warlpiri people through deeper connection to and knowledge of their cultural heritage, as well as through the development of research and archival management skills in younger Warlpiri researchers.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Safe Emulsion Explosives for High Temperature Deep Level Mining. This project aims to develop a new class of emulsion explosives, which are not susceptible to hot and reactive rock conditions in very deep-level ore mines. These emulsions will contain a tuneable polymer network to prevent collapsing of the emulsion columns in hot upholes in high temperature mines, along with additives to eliminate the exothermic reaction with the rocks. If not prevented the reaction can cause premature detonation or deflagration of the emulsion causing fatal injuries and generation of toxic NOx gases. Increase in economically and safely extractable deep-level ore volume that generates greater export earnings and more jobs are expected project outcomes, as is reduced atmospheric pollution. Field of research: 3402 - Inorganic Chemistry Mining contributes significantly to Australia’s economy. As economically extractable near surface deposits continue to diminish in number and value, a current key priority of the mining industry is the development of new efficient technologies to mine deep-level deposits. In this project we will develop new rock blasting agents, which will enable the safe and efficient extraction of deep level deposits, not currently accessible using existing blasting agents. This technological advancement will enhance the industry’s productivity, as it will contribute to expanding the volume of our economically extractable ore deposits. The flow-on positive impacts will be seen in jobs created, increased export earnings, a reduction in atmospheric pollution and the strengthening of Australia’s reputation as a major advanced mining technology supplier.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Hunting high and low: mapping ancient topography to find copper. Transitioning to a decarbonised society requires significant amounts of copper; however, preventing a systems-based exploration approach for copper is the lack of a first-order dataset of the Earth’s surface evolution, known as palaeogeography. This project aims to unearth potential areas of porphyry copper through deep time by developing innovative global palaeogeography reconstructions. Expected outcomes of this project include new quantitative palaeogeography reconstructions, as well as the first well-constrained reconstructions of copper preservation potential. This should provide benefits such as an improved understanding of the porphyry copper lifecycle, with significant impacts for resource exploration and decarbonisation efforts. Field of research: 3704 - Geoinformatics Copper is essential for the functioning of modern society; however, the global supply of copper is projected to fall short of the increasing demand driven by decarbonisation technologies. Finding new copper sources is urgently required yet hindering a systems-based exploration approach to find more copper is our understanding of Earth’s surface evolution, known as palaeogeography. This research will develop new reconstructions of palaeogeography and associated probabilistic uncertainties through deep time using machine learning. By combining these innovative palaeogeography reconstructions with surface evolution models, this project will uncover new regions favourable for both copper formation and preservation. This will ultimately allow Australia to expand its capacity in copper exploration, with hugely beneficial impacts for resource industries and the economy. It will also allow for resource industries to incorporate a systems-based and targeted approach in copper exploration, with the goal of increasing copper supply as governments around the world seek to achieve ambitious decarbonisation targets.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

A Varied Diet, Ageing, and the Evolution of Life Histories. This research aims to understand how nutritional environments affect lifespan and its evolution. The expected outcomes are improved knowledge around the biology of ageing including the identification of diet-responsive genes and biological pathways. These elements will comprise targets for future applied studies on ageing, metabolic dysfunction and personalised nutrition. This study will also inform as to how lifespans evolve. Because lifespan is a fundamental demographic trait, this knowledge will improve ability to predict how populations adapt to environmental change. Lastly, through methodological innovation this project will also provide new statistical tools for studying how treatments affect the risk of death age specifically. Field of research: 3104 - Evolutionary Biology Currently 1 in 6 Australians are aged 65+, and this demographic is expected to increase. Ageing brings reduced function and is the major risk factor for most non-communicable diseases. Improvements in diet can slow ageing, improve health, and maintain function into late life, offsetting the societal and economic costs of an ageing population by delaying the onset of increased care requirements. This project will identify how nutrition interacts with genes to determine lifespan and generate new knowledge about the diet-responsive pathways that underpin the ageing process itself. The outcomes of this research will form the basis for pre-clinical nutritional trials on ageing and age-related diseases, and targeted epidemiological studies on late-life health and lifespan in Australians. As well as biological knowledge, this research will develop new statistical tools that can be used to better study the effects of many anti-ageing interventions. Declining health with age is a burden faced by all Australians, which the results of this program will help to alleviate by improving quality of life in old age.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Programming physical and biological cues to promote vessel growth . This project aims to engineer new hydrogel-based biomaterials that allow spatio-temporal modulation of physical and biological cues to direct blood vessels growth, as well as compatible with advanced bioprinting platforms. It will generate new knowledge in biomaterials, biofabrication and advanced material processing. Expected outcomes include new knowledge in biomaterial-vascular interaction, novel vascular bioinks, cross-disciplinary, international collaboration and research training. This project will provide significant benefit to Australia's scholarly output and reputation, as well as long term benefits to biomedical, veterinary and cosmetic through new materials and cutting-edge manufacturing platforms. Field of research: 4003 - Biomedical Engineering The performance of implantable biomaterials is currently limited by their poor integration with the host, mainly due to ineffective blood vessel growth which hinders their long-term function. This project will engineer biomaterials to direct blood vessel growth, by designing materials with specific properties to control how cells react to them, in order to address this unmet challenge. The project outcomes will catalyse the development of next generation biomaterials that are not limited to blood vessels, but also have other applications including tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, tissue models, disease modelling and drug discovery. As the demand for biomaterials usage has increased globally, with a market size poised to reach $249 billion by 2028, this is a key area of investment for Australian research and materials industries. This project is expected to lead to future commercial benefits in economic priority areas of high-value advanced manufacturing and high-performance materials, through technology licensing and transfer to existing and new industry partners.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Identifying the goals and strategies people use to make others feel worse. This project aims to identify the goals and strategies people use to make others feel worse, the situation factors affecting goal formation, and the relative impact of different strategies. The project will develop a novel theoretical framework by applying emotion regulation theory a new area (worsening others' emotions), testing predictions through intensive longitudinal methods, experimental studies and a cross-national comparison of 15+ countries. Expected outcomes include new knowledge of the universal psychological processes that underpin aversive interactions, enhanced capacity for international collaboration, and policy guidance. Benefits include the potential to improve programs to decrease workplace bullying and domestic violence. Field of research: 5205 - Social and Personality Psychology This project aims to understand why and how people try to make others feel negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, or irritation. The basic processes people use to regulate their own and others’ emotions for the better are well known, and this knowledge forms the evidence base for many mental health interventions, leadership programs, and group/family therapies. But there is no equivalent knowledge base for attempts to regulate others’ emotions for the worse. By closing this knowledge gap, the project will inform the improvement of programs targeted at reducing the social and financial cost of pressing issues such as workplace bullying and domestic violence. The research will produce an online repository of multi-language resources, offering accessible information and tools that will enable organisations and individuals to apply the findings. A stakeholder advisory group will also facilitate evidence-based interventions and an ongoing dialogue for positive change based on the research findings, leading to safer environments and stronger relationships in the Australian community.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Categorical representation theory and applications. Symmetry is everywhere, and nature is designed symmetrically: Snails make their shells, spiders design their webs, and bees build hexagonal honeycombs, all based on the concept of symmetry. Symmetry is a general principle which plays an important role in various areas of knowledge and perception, ranging from arts to natural sciences and mathematics. The 21th century way of the study of symmetries is categorical representation theory. The project aims are to strengthen this young field by advancing the theory and by finding applications from where its significance arises. The outcome will be new results on categorical representations and this will have benefits within mathematics, cryptography and also in physics/chemistry in the long run. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics Representation theory is one of the most applicable fields of mathematics, and widely used in the finance, business, health and defence sectors. The aim of this project is to advance categorical representation theory by addressing the two most crucial problems: strengthening the abstract framework and finding sought-after applications in key technologies. It will lay the theoretical foundations for the next generation of applications, such as in cybersecurity, by developing a better understanding of the limitations of traditional cryptography and improving on it. Firms will be able to utilise this enhanced cybersecurity capability to ensure the security of the critical systems that support Australia’s financial, health, transport and defence industries. This project will place Australia at the forefront of the global race in key technology sectors including cybersecurity, increasing our capacity to train researchers in the leading mathematical methods needed to solve the technical problems of tomorrow’s pivotal industries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Energy Source Durability for Electric Vertical TakeOff and Landing Aircraft. This project aims to address energy source durability for electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft by optimising a fuel cell/battery/ultracapacitor triple hybrid energy system. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of energy source durability using interdisciplinary approaches that combine energy source degradation models, hardware-in-the-loop simulations, aero-propulsive flight mechanics models, and accelerated degradation testing. This should provide significant benefits, allowing to fast-track the improved longevity needed for cost-competitive long-range rapid response air ambulance eVTOL operations. Field of research: 4001 - Aerospace Engineering Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft could provide cost-effective rapid response air ambulance, passenger transport, and medical delivery services to rural Australia. However, battery-powered eVTOL aircraft have a limited range, and the fuel cells that enable long-distance flights break down too quickly to be cost-competitive. This research program seeks to improve energy source durability for eVTOL operations by optimising a fuel cell-based triple hybrid system. The triple hybrid system aims to reduce fuel cell degradation to enable cost-competitive long-distance eVTOL flights. This research will benefit the Australian economy by giving our aerospace industry a competitive advantage in a market predicted to reach USD 115 billion by 2035 in the USA alone. A long-range, cost-effective eVTOL aircraft will furthermore help unlock the economic potential of regional and rural Australia and make health care more affordable for Australians living in remote regions.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Deep Adder Networks on Edge Devices. This project aims to empower edge devices with intelligence by developing advanced deep neural networks that address the conflict between the high resource requirements of deep learning and the generally inadequate performance of the edge. Multiplication has been the dominant type of operation in deep learning, though the addition is known to be much cheaper. This project expects to yield theories and algorithms that allow deep neural networks consisting of nearly pure additions to fulfil the requisites of accuracy, robustness, calibration and generalisation in real-world computer vision tasks. The success of this project will benefit deep learning-based products on smartphones or robots in health and cybersecurity. Field of research: 4611 - Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning, is driving the next technology revolution. However, the cost of obtaining state-of-the-art AI models is high, equivalent to five years' worth of emissions from an average car. The computational power these models require also prohibits their use in devices like smartphones and tablets. This project aims to redefine the efficiency of deep neural networks used in AI, reducing the cost of training and deploying them in real-world applications while improving their generalisation and robustness. This increased efficiency will give Australian small to medium enterprises a competitive edge in embracing AI and enhancing automation, allowing them to find new applications in mobile devices such as smartphones, drones, autonomous cars, and robots. Active collaboration with industries, including existing partners in the IT and finance sectors, will enable the findings of this research to be translated into practical applications that drive economic growth and technologically benefit Australian society.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Simulating chemical reactions on quantum computers. This project aims to enable a new capability for simulating practically relevant chemical dynamics and reactivity in regimes where conventional computational chemistry fails. It expects to do so by generating an extensive toolbox of quantum algorithms that would allow quantum computers to carry out otherwise intractable simulations of a wide range of chemical processes using existing quantum devices. As quantum technology matures, these algorithms should enable quantum computers to accelerate computational screening of new chemical processes in a wide range of fields, enabling faster discovery of, for example, improved catalysts, batteries, medicines, fuels, and solar cells. Field of research: 5108 - Quantum Physics This project will enable near-term quantum computers to solve difficult computational problems in chemistry relevant to designing new drugs and advanced materials for clean energy storage. Our novel analog and digital approaches will develop new quantum algorithms that reduce the size of quantum computers needed for chemical simulations, making these calculations possible sooner. Our results will allow chemists and materials scientists to rapidly screen molecules and materials for desirable properties, a current challenge on conventional computers and a high-priority opportunity identified in the National Quantum Strategy. Using quantum computers to accelerate molecular and materials discovery would advance Australian industry and lead to better health outcomes, for example, by discovering better medicines and pharmaceuticals, higher-performance materials for energy conversion and storage, or improved catalysts for the chemical industry. The new algorithms will be translated into commercial use in partnership with quantum-computing firms, giving a competitive advantage to the Australian quantum industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2023 · 2023-01

Mediated Trust: Ideas, Interests, Institutions, Futures. Declining trust in social and political institutions is linked to the rise of populism, misinformation and civic disengagement. Acknowledging the key role of digital media in enabling trust or promoting mistrust, this project explores mediated trust at societal, institutional and interpersonal levels. The research will leverage a novel framework of 'ideas, interests and institutions' applied to major case studies from news media, digital platforms, corporations and the WHO; and develops innovative methods for analysing the relationship between communications and trust. These will deliver world-first integrative approaches for Australian policymakers, industry and regulators to address both crises of trust and our digital futures. Field of research: 4701 - Communication and Media Studies Declining trust in social, political and economic institutions has been identified as a worldwide problem, linked to a crisis of trust in the media. This project will examine the role digital technologies and communications play in building or eroding societal trust, using case studies of news, digital platforms (such as social media), corporations and the World Health Organisation. The research will produce world’s first integrated framework for evaluating the relationship of communications to trust in the age of digital platforms and define a new direction for communication and media studies. Through reports, briefings and major events for the media and digital industries this work will help Australian policy-makers, businesses and opinion leaders evaluate the effectiveness of regulation and governance in a digital age. Trust in applications of digital technologies is increasingly critical to trust in government itself, as seen negatively with the Robodebt scheme, or more positively with digital economy strategies, and this project will provide conceptual foundations for advancing a digital trust agenda.