THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Subcortical control of human reaching? This project will test a radical new hypothesis about how the human brain generates visually guided behaviour. Conventional thinking assumes that visuomotor control of limb movements occurs exclusively within the cerebral cortex. However, the project team’s recent observations of extremely rapid visually guided muscle activity strongly imply that the human brain controls reaching movements via more primitive midbrain and brainstem structures. The project’s hypotheses challenge long-standing ideas about the functional organisation of the human brain and may have wide-ranging implications for the design of human-machine interfaces as well as training protocols in rehabilitation, industry, and sport. Field of research: 5202 - Biological Psychology Accurate visually-guided body movements are crucial for success in industrial, defence, sport, and health settings, so knowledge about how the brain produces these behaviours has potential for wide-ranging application. The cerebral cortex, which is the newest part of the brain in evolutionary terms, is currently assumed to directly control visually guided limb movements in humans. However, more primitive animals, such as frogs and fish, are capable of impressive vision-to-motor performance despite lacking this brain structure. This project tests the exciting hypothesis that primitive parts of the human brain are important for producing visually guided behaviour. Outcomes stand to revolutionise thinking about the most fundamental principles of human vision-to-motor behaviour and, by extension, the basic organisational principles of the human brain. The work is especially relevant to tasks that require fast reactions (e.g. sport), and tasks that seek alternative sources of inputs to muscles that do not rely on the motor cortex (e.g. rehabilitation). Thus, the knowledge derived from this project should benefit Australia by advancing multiple scientific fields, and by opening avenues to revolutionise best practice across many real-world settings.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Emergent organocopper complexes as robust catalysts for electrosynthesis. The capture and stabilisation of highly reactive chemical species is critical to making advances in the synthesis of novel materials, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. Metal-bound carbanions are essential components of carbon-carbon bond forming reactions. This project aims to develop an unprecedented family of copper catalysts and deliver an innovative and versatile chemical reactivity platform. Expected outcomes of this project include methods of tempering and unleashing the high reactivity of these species by controlling the oxidation state of the copper ion. Benefits of these outcomes include fundamental understanding of the reactivity of a new class of copper complex that has potential commercial applications in catalysis. Field of research: 3402 - Inorganic Chemistry The pursuit of innovative chemical technologies for the efficient preparation of pharmaceuticals, plastics and pesticides is demand-driven by society. All practitioners of synthetic chemistry rely on a toolbox of methods to produce chemicals that feed commodity supply chains and Australia’s economy. The formation of bonds between carbon atoms is central to these chemical syntheses and requires carefully chosen methods to bring together typically unreactive components to form new chemical bonds selectively and rapidly. Reactive carbanion species play a fundamentally important role as building blocks in chemical production as they lead to new carbon-carbon bond formation, but they are highly sensitive, difficult to stabilise and decompose in the presence of water, which limits their application. Breakthrough research by the applicants has revealed a new way to overcome this stability problem using copper as a reaction partner. The proposed research using electrical current instead of chemical reagents opens new frontiers in catalysis, which offers novel routes to materials and bioactive molecules, while focusing on lowering energy consumption and limiting environmental impact. Achievement of the goals in this application will maintain an Australian competitive edge in this new research area and open longer term opportunities for applications in the industrial synthesis of fine chemicals.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Embracing Changes for Responsive Video-sharing Services. Video-sharing platforms are a critical information channel for the public. Increasing scale and shifts in user base, with Generation Z now as the dominant user, have resulted in an unprecedented amount of ubiquitous changes in the content and users of these platforms which greatly challenges the responsiveness and quality of the services provided. This project aims to design innovative algorithms to effectively predict and leverage changes, optimise the value of changes, and extract insights from changes for diverse downstream applications of video-sharing platforms. The expected outcomes will create new-generation representation learning techniques, and provide practical tools to amplify the socioeconomic values of video-sharing platforms. Field of research: 4605 - Data Management and Data Science Video-sharing platforms have become an integral part of our daily lives, providing a wealth of information to the public. Meanwhile, ubiquitous changes in how the video content is presented, how the users are engaged, and how the interactions between users and content evolve, have arisen partly attributable to the fact that Generation Z has now become the major user community of those platforms. Representation learning, the backbone technique behind multiple downstream applications of video-sharing platforms, is hence challenged in its responsiveness when faced with constant changes, whereas existing solutions only passively adapt to changes and are suboptimal. This project aims to leap from the mere adaptation to changes to effectively leveraging changes, predicting changes, optimizing the value of changes, and ultimately extracting insights from changes for diverse downstream applications on VSPs in a proficient manner. The expected outcomes of this project are a series of new responsive representation learning methods that can proactively embrace the changes at the content-, user-, and interaction-level, which will generate new knowledge in the intersection of data mining, machine learning, and data management. Furthermore, this project will integrate all technical components into a unified framework, which will not only benefit the users of video-sharing platforms, but also contribute to the development of a more change-resilient, enjoyable, and secure online environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Business and democracy: Power, profit and participation. The project aims to explain how business influences democracy. While business and democracy are mutually reinforcing domains in any healthy and vibrant society, there are concerns about the way corporations may unduly influence or even curtail democratic processes. This project expects to generate new knowledge on how industry translates economic power into political influence. This includes the development of a new theory of power and a methodology for examining political connections. This should provide significant benefits to public dialogue and policymakers concerning the task of strengthening citizen voice and decision-making in Australia and globally. Field of research: 3507 - Strategy, Management and Organisational Behaviour Trust in Australian democracy has weakened over the last two decades. Part of this erosion of trust stems from the increasing spending on political donations, the growing amount of lobbying, and the movement of individuals between positions of public office and jobs in the same private sector. This influence is not simply corruption, which would be illegal and dealt with through current campaigns for a federal anti-corruption body and political donations reform. Rather, the influence is of a more subtle and unobtrusive nature. This project addresses these concerns by examining how these counter-democratic practices function and providing possible remedies to restore trust in Australia’s democracy. This project aims to benefit the economic capacity of Australian industries by safeguarding their legitimacy as well as strengthen civil society through a collaborative effort with industry and government agencies. The research outcomes will be promoted through policy recommendations and submissions of evidence to Governmental inquiries, collaboration with civil society groups, industry, and government agencies by promoting responsive and representative law-making, and active participation in media to strengthen the knowledge used in public deliberations.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Closing the Gap Between Theory and Data in Macroeconometrics. This project aims to bring econometric models (the empirical vehicle for inference) and economic models (the theory) closer together. A new model is intended to be proposed that will address a significant issue with the interpretation of the outputs of the econometric models. As a first contribution, the project is expected to develop the model and an inferential framework for this model using probability theory on manifolds. In a second contribution, it is expected to construct an algorithm to permit inference leading to outputs useful to policy analysts. The model is intended to be parsimonious, which facilitates the development of a time-varying version to allow the model to evolve with the economy and provide better policy guidance. Field of research: 3802 - Econometrics Understanding how un-anticipated shocks are transmitted throughout the economy at both the theoretical and empirical levels is crucial to carrying out efficient and effective macroeconomic policy. Australian institutions (eg RBA), inline with best practices worldwide, rely heavily on complex theoretical models to understand transmission mechanisms and policy implications. Unfortunately, the theoretical models are sensitive to assumptions and difficult to estimate, which makes incorporating empirical evidence very challenging. On the other hand, data-driven empirical models are robust to assumptions and provide policy-relevant inference from the data. However, a key assumption of currently existing empirical models greatly undermines their reliability in practice: the number of shocks is assumed to be at least as many as observed variables. This assumption is in fact the direct opposite of what holds in theoretical models, where the number of shocks is always less than the number of variables. By developing a methodology for empirical models with fewere shocks than number of variables, this project will close a tantamount gap between theory and empirics. As such, it will open a new direction for developing empirical policy tools to guide Australian institutions in carrying out better monetary policy, fiscal policy, energy policy, etc. Research outcomes from this project will be promoted beyond academia by organising a workshop that brings together academics and policymakers.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Geometric evolution of spaces with symmetries. Symmetries underpin numerous laws of nature and mathematical constructions. This project aims to develop a comprehensive theory of the famous Ricci flow equation in the presence of symmetries. Previous study of this equation has led to many ground-breaking results, such as Perelman's celebrated proof of the century-old Poincaré conjecture. Outcomes are expected to fill major knowledge gaps in mathematics, opening doors to applications in quantum field theory, relativity and other fields. Anticipated benefits include strengthening Australia’s leadership in mathematical innovation, advancing the internationalisation of the Australian research scene, and increasing the involvement of women in STEM. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics The project aims to answer fundamental open questions in the overlap of the mathematical fields of geometry and differential equations. Knowledge from these fields provides theoretical underpinning for many areas of science and industry, while results from their overlap enjoy applications in biological modelling, bushfire modelling, image processing and elsewhere. Thus, the outcomes of the project would help lay the groundwork for new technological developments significant to many industries in Australia, such as disaster management, software design and intelligent manufacturing. The project would increase the involvement of women in STEM through advocacy and the provision of a female role model for aspiring researchers. The challenges we intend to address are of prime interest to the international mathematics community. Therefore, the project would help internationalise Australian researcher networks and attract students to Australian universities, thus contributing to the country’s economy and intellectual capacity.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Structure-guided optimisation of light-driven microalgae cell factories. Every two hours Earth receives more solar energy than is required to power our entire global economy for a year. This project aims to engineer advanced single cell green algae for high-efficiency solar light capture, to power next-generation light-driven bio-manufacture. The significance is to advance industry-scale production of sustainable products using microalgae. This is economically, socially and environmentally beneficial. Project outcomes are designed to advance the technology from high-value bio-manufacture in microalgae, such as pharmaceuticals (e.g. biologicals), to mid-value products (e.g. fine chemicals) through to low-cost products, such as renewable fuels to help deliver key UN Sustainable Development Goals. Field of research: 3106 - Industrial Biotechnology This project focuses on tapping into the huge energy resource of the sun to power advanced light-driven bio-manufacture and provides economic, commercial, social and environmental benefits for Australia. Every 2 hours Earth receives more solar energy than is required to power our entire global economy for a year. To drive its CO2 emissions down to net zero by 2050, Australia and the broader international community is focused on scaling technology to harness this huge solar resource to generate CO2 neutral electricity (e.g. via photovoltaic systems), fuels (e.g. via renewable fuels) and heat (e.g. via solar thermal). This project advances a new technology front; high-efficiency direct light-driven bio-manufacture using single cell green algae. The knowledge gap addressed by this project is to enhance the efficiency of the first step of the process; light capture. This is economically and commercially beneficial as it advances the technology from high-value bio-manufacture (e.g. large scale pharmaceutical production in microalgae), through to mid value products (e.g. nutritional plant based protein) and low-cost renewable fuels (e.g. sustainable aviation fuels and hydrogen), expanding Australia’s economic security and export potential. Social benefits of light-driven bio-manufacture include the creation of significant numbers of high quality, sustainable regional jobs. Environmental benefits include new technologies to deliver Australia’s net zero CO2 emissions commitments.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Reaching new frontiers of quantum fields and gravity through deformations. This project aims to reach new frontiers in quantum field and gravity theories. These underpin systems ranging from semi-conductors to particle collisions and the quantum behavior of black holes. An obstacle is that these theories are notoriously hard to solve. This project proposes to tackle this longstanding problem by using new deformations, symmetries and dualities that have attracted widespread attention. Expected outcomes will include innovative techniques that will greatly enhance and interconnect our knowledge of field theories and quantum gravity, together with new discoveries in quantum-corrected geometries. A new network of domestic and international experts will largely benefit the fields of theoretical and mathematical physics. Field of research: 4902 - Mathematical Physics In the last century, quantum field and gravity theories have been remarkably successful in shaping our understanding of the universe, from its subatomic constituents to cosmological scales. However, the mathematics necessary to unify quantum physics and gravity remains unsettled. Building upon results developed by our team, we will employ innovative ways to deform and solve the equations governing these theories on which Australia’s focus has recently seen an expansion. With the recent arrival of new academics from overseas and collaborations with leading scientists in the USA and Italy, the outcomes of this project will forge a new international reputation for Australia in these fundamental fields of research. The long-term progress of this research will help to solve open mysteries of our universe, including understanding the mathematics of quantum gravity, but it is also vital for the development of new quantum technologies in which Australia is largely investing to become a world leader. Additionally, quantum gravity and string theory are hot topics among the general public constantly attracting bright students who often leave to study abroad. Working in universities of major cities and regional Australia, but also in contact with school teachers and local communities, this project aims to inspire and train new generations of homegrown Australian scientists in STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) areas that will certainly continue to grow.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Decoding the brain network of memory formation. This project aims to uncover how the brain network supports the formation of long-lasting memory using cutting-edge imaging, intervention and computational modelling. The project is anticipated to generate new knowledge of the neural activity and circuitry that facilitate memory formation, and targets for modulating network activity and behaviour. This will have significant benefits for neuroscience, engineering and imaging, as well as future applications in humans with technology for detecting, predicting and modulating cognitive performance. Field of research: 3209 - Neurosciences This project will determine specific brain network and its activity that facilitate memory formation using cutting-edge multimodal imaging with verification by targeted intervention and computational modelling. The outcomes will advance knowledge in brain science, engineering and imaging fields. It will benefit Australia in several ways. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the brain circuitry involved in memory formation, this study will enhance our comprehension of this essential cognitive process and provide new opportunities for monitoring and intervening to improve memory. The techniques utilized in this project for decoding brain activity and modulating behaviour have the potential to advance the engineering of brain-computer interfaces. Furthermore, knowledge of the neural activity underlying widely used magnetic resonance imaging techniques will lead to improved precision in human brain imaging. By understanding how neural networks form and store memories, we can facilitate the development of brain-inspired artificial neural network designs and next-generation learning machines. The culmination of these results will provide a foundation for the future development of new devices to detect, predict and improve memory function in children, aging adults, and individuals with dementia. These developments will lead to significant economical, social, and commercial benefits.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Structure of the essential Commander protein trafficking complex. This project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the structure and function of Commander, a large protein complex that controls export and recycling of internalised receptors. Commander is highly conserved throughout evolution and is essential for maintaining the homeostasis of hundreds of transmembrane receptors required for cell function and survival, regulating processes as diverse as lipid metabolism and cell adhesion. Despite advances in the understanding of Commander function, little is known about how Commander is assembled and interacts with other essential proteins. This project will use multidisciplinary cellular and structural biology approaches to reveal the architecture of Commander at an atomic level. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology This proposal aims to provide a breakthrough in understanding the biology of a protein complex that is essential for normal cellular function and organismal development across species as diverse as humans and single celled amoeba. The immediate impact of this discovery science will be to advance our understanding of the fundamental biological process of membrane trafficking, which is essential for the transport and turnover of cellular receptors and channels involved in lipid homeostasis, cell adhesion, and synaptic function. The project combines state-of-the art technologies, including highly sensitive mass spectrometry and atomic resolution cryoelectron microscopy, and will advance these disciplines and provide cutting edge training for Australian Scientists to enable studies of increasingly complicated protein structures. Membrane trafficking is an emerging target in diseases including infection and neurodegeneration, and in the long term the comprehensive knowledge generated from this project has potential to lead to new genetic approaches or therapeutics that can treat these major health burdens.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Unravelling immune signalling networks that protect vertebrates from attack. This Fellowship aims to understand how the linings of the gut and lungs, known as the epithelium, protect the body (e.g. against microbes or wounds) by triggering immune responses or repairing damage. The project will use innovative methods developed by the Fellow to generate new knowledge about the ways that cells function at the epithelial barrier to preserve life. Expected benefits include new workforce capabilities in cell-immune research and advancing Australia’s international collaborations. By exploiting project discoveries to create novel platform technologies for drug and vaccine development and delivery, the outcomes of the project will translate for profound impact on Australian society, biomedical technology sectors and economy. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology The lining of the gut and lungs, known as the epithelium, protect the body by constantly responding to the environment, repairing wounds and defending against germs. It remains a mystery as to how this remarkable organ defends the body and this knowledge gap has blocked developing new ways of delivering medicines, vaccines and other drugs effectively into the body. This project aims to reveal, for the first time, how the cells of the epithelium translate and deliver cues to immune cells. This knowledge will enable the Australian biotechnology sector to develop a completely unique suite of biopharmaceuticals and platform technologies for nutrient and drug uptake and deliver novel vaccines. In doing so, it will build new sovereign capabilities in Australia, new workforce capabilities for advanced health and medical manufacturing and help reduce the burden of disease central to Australia’s ambitious National Preventative Health Strategy.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Scaling Disk-Resident Learned Indexes For Database Systems. This project aims to investigate new disk-resident learned indexing algorithms to store and process data in database systems by advancing the state-of-the-art in memory-resident learned modeling. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of digital storage technologies utilising novel and efficient techniques in learned indexing for big data. This should provide significant benefits to enable modern database systems to scale with the massive growth of data, improve the efficiency of data processing, improve the effectiveness of projects that utilise big data, and dramatically reduce energy costs in Australian data centres when storing and retrieving data from databases and lower their carbon footprints. Field of research: 4605 - Data Management and Data Science The amount of data being generated is expected to reach 163 zettabytes by 2025, which is double the amount of data generated in 2022. That is, every single internet user generates around 2 megabytes of stored data per second. Australia is the sixth largest country in terms of the number of data centres in operation, accounting for about 1% of all data being stored worldwide. Australia can expect to be storing 1.63 zettabytes of data, and the associated energy costs to store this amount of data are estimated to be $22.1 billion dollars. This project aims to create new algorithms for storing and manipulating data. These algorithms have the potential of reducing the total amount of data stored by a factor of 10, and at the same time be a factor of 3 more efficient. Together, the total estimated energy costs would drop from $22.1 billion dollars to $730 million dollars, providing an enormous reduction in the carbon footprint in Australian data centers as well as reducing pressure on energy suppliers in Australia. We aim to disseminate our findings through both academic and industry related conferences, and to make open-source prototypes of all algorithms created freely available, allowing researchers to extend our results, and allowing industry and government agencies to adopt these new approaches into current data center software.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Heat regulation by the fibre types in muscle. Mammals maintain a constant core body temperature by generating heat in resting muscles in response to changes in the environmental temperatures. This project aims to show how the fibre types that make up skeletal muscles regulate heat generation against other muscle function, to maintain core body temperature and the normal movement and posture of the mammal. Project outcomes include defining, for the first time, how heat generation in the muscles of the body is regulated. This should provide critical knowledge of mammalian evolution and ways to manipulate metabolism, which may provide ways to assist with achieving a desired meat quality and yield in beef and other commercially important animals. Field of research: 3109 - Zoology Mammals, which includes humans and commercially important animals, maintain their body temperature by generating heat in their resting muscles. How the muscle can do this is not clear. Additionally, the process of generating heat in muscles can decline with age. This project will use the latest technology, developed in Australia, to identify how the muscle regulates heat generation and will also identify the key factors that lead to this decline with age. This project will provide fundamental information to potentially manipulate the rate that energy is burned in muscle, providing economic benefit. Beef and pig muscle for human consumption must meet quality standards. Meat quality is affected by fat content and maximizing lean carcass content is desirable for commercial viability. This project will provide fundamental knowledge that could be applied to manage cattle and pigs to burn or maintain fat, as desired, by manipulating the rate of energy use in the resting muscle (energy use by the resting muscle could be manipulated to go up or down, as desired). After significant research into such approaches, such technology may even be useful for weight loss in obese or for elderly people to maintain body temperature. We will publish the new knowledge in scientific and lay format and expect media outlets to also adapt for general audiences. This will promote interest in Australia and the research community to explore the commercial potential in manipulating muscle metabolism.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Hydrodynamics of quantum fluids. Since the 19th century, the governing equations of classical fluid dynamics or hydrodynamics have been an indispensable tool for transformative applications in aeronautics, medicine, and climate science. However, the applicability of hydrodynamics to the realm of quantum matter and quantum fluids is not well understood. This project intends to fill in this knowledge gap by developing new hydrodynamic theories of quantum fluids formed by ultracold quantum gases. The expected outcomes are the knowledge and theoretical tools required to underpin Australia’s advances in quantum technology applications, such as the design of quantum heat engines, control of heat transport in quantum nanowires, and fabrication of new energy efficient materials. Field of research: 5108 - Quantum Physics Hydrodynamics or fluid dynamics is an incredibly successful theoretical framework that underpins our fundamental understanding of flow properties of classical fluids, from oceanic and atmospheric currents to blood flow through capillaries. It also enables us to predict extreme weather events, design aerodynamically efficient aircrafts, and control drug delivery. Unlike classical fluids, however, the applicability of hydrodynamics to quantum fluids is not well understood. This project intends to develop new hydrodynamic theories of quantum fluids that will provide such understanding and fill in this knowledge gap. Quantum fluids or fluid-like states of quantum matter are formed in strongly interacting quantum many-particle systems, and new hydrodynamics theories of such systems have the potential to provide significant benefit to Australia’s nascent quantum technology sector: CSIRO forecasts quantum technology could provide $2.2billion revenue and 8,700 jobs by 2030. Project outcomes will enable Australia’s growth by providing industries (e.g., defence, health, mining, energy, communications, finance) with the theoretical underpinning and mathematical tools needed to develop and utilise quantum technologies like powerful quantum computers, high-precision sensing and navigation systems, and advanced medical imaging instruments.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Understanding marine migratory connectivity for more sustainable oceans. Ocean basin-scale migrations of iconic sea turtles, marine mammals, seabirds, and fish expose them to multiple stressors and governance regimes, leading to gaps in management and population declines. The project aims to deliver the methods and evidence base of cross-taxa migratory connectivity that is essential to support the conservation of these species. Expected outcomes include comprehensive and integrated models of migratory connectivity, conservation theory development, and new methods that allow incorporation of migratory connectivity in conservation planning. Benefits include: a cross-taxa baseline that will enable Australia to measure environmental change in marine migratory connectivity for the first time. Field of research: 3103 - Ecology Migratory marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, and fish play critical roles in delivering ecosystem functions, linking their conservation to broader habitats and the well-being of humans. Yet management strategies for migratory species have proved inadequate, and fish stocks that cross a border experience twice the rate of overfishing as those within a single country. Management is hampered by a lack of coordination and single-species approaches that focus on individual stages of a migratory cycle. Conservation of these species requires better understanding of their habitat use and migratory patterns. This project will create an evidence base of marine migrations that will help us understand trends and ways to include migration patterns in the siting of protected areas. Industries and government managers will use this new knowledge to underpin more effective planning and management, leading to recovery of threatened species and thereby supporting Australia’s commitment to halting biodiversity loss, and protecting the wildlife-watching and scuba-diving tourism industries in Australia, worth >$2.5 billion.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Porous Two-Dimensional Inorganic Semiconductors for Optoelectronic Devices. This project aims to develop new highly porous two-dimensional (2D) inorganic semiconductors for advanced photodetectors. The key concept is to combine electrochemical deposition and post-growth plasma treatment to tune the optoelectronic properties of these materials. This project expects to generate new insights into the correlations between different pore parameters and plasma treatment conditions for 2D inorganic semiconductors and new advanced materials with high sensitivity and broad spectral range for photodetectors. The project is expected to provide significant benefits by advancing Australia’s capability in the manufacturing of inorganic semiconductors and photodetectors for application in optical communications and sensors. Field of research: 3403 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry Photodetectors work by converting information carried by light into an electrical signal and are used in optical communications, biomedical imaging, security, and environmental monitoring. Traditional semiconductors used in photodetectors have several drawbacks, including lack of mechanical flexibility, limited operating range, and complex processing, thus limiting their application in developing cost-effective and energy-efficient photodetectors. As the global market for photodetectors is expected to rise to $1.8 billion by 2024, the development of new semiconducting materials with broad spectral range and easy processing is a commercial necessity. This project aims to develop new two-dimensional inorganic semiconductors with high responsivity, sensitivity, and wide operating spectrum for next-generation photodetectors. The project will generate fundamental knowledge in materials science and optoelectronic device fabrication and provides a feasible and cost-effective approach for realising significantly improved photodetectors. Through industry partnerships and licensing of IP, the project will provide a new route for scale-up production of new semiconductors and high-performance photodetectors which can be adopted by the Australian optoelectronics, biomedical and defence industries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Mapping the psychology of accent-based discrimination. Accentism is commonplace, but our understanding of why people discriminate against certain accents is limited. This project will develop a Global Database for Accented English, an archive of piloted speech samples that dramatically reduces interpretational difficulties plaguing existing research. This resource enables the most robust test to date of what causes accent bias in schools and workplaces. Experiments will also examine the conditions under which accent bias is most pronounced, and why its effects are particularly strong for women. Understanding mechanisms underpinning accent bias is a precondition for reducing a problem that threatens Australia’s status as a successful and economically vital multicultural society. Field of research: 5205 - Social and Personality Psychology Accentism has been described as the last remaining socially acceptable prejudice. Schoolchildren with non-standard accents are more likely to be socially excluded, students with non-standard accents are more likely to be discouraged at university, and job applicants with non-standard accents are less likely to get the job. Anecdotal research shows that it a major reason for people to leave countries and for students to drop out of universities. Indeed, experimental research suggests that the effects of accent on one’s ability to advance through life are considerably bigger than equivalent effects of race and sex. This represents a threat to the economic and social wellbeing of a multicultural country like Australia, particularly given our high levels of immigration and talent shortages in skilled industries. The current program combines a series of methodological innovations to provide the most robust test to date of what causes accent bias, insights that will help inform strategies for reducing the problem. Operating in parallel with the research program is an awareness-raising program designed to reduce accent-ism, and in turn shape a fairer and more economically competitive Australia. A legacy of the program will be an open-access Global Accent Database, one that can provide a step-change in researching and understanding accent bias in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Atomic-Scale Engineering of Bioactive Organic Molecules on Surfaces. Advances in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) have enabled the precise engineering of matter at surfaces. The ability to image and track changes at surfaces is simply staggering, but the frontier of molecules with pharmaceutical and agrichemical importance remains unexplored. This interdisciplinary project aims to synthesise fundamental molecules and reveal molecular rearrangement pathways utilising SPM. Expected outcomes of this project include new methods to couple molecules otherwise unobtainable by traditional means and fundamental knowledge of molecular manipulation and chemical structure. This aims to provide significant benefits, such as the translation of new chemical principles to academic and industrial laboratories. Field of research: 5104 - Condensed Matter Physics Australian researchers have shown that chemical substitutions can lead to better pharmaceuticals and agrichemicals. By using these chemical substitutions, they have unlocked a vast library of bioactive compounds with the potential for improved efficacy. Through cutting-edge molecular imaging and single-molecule chemistry, this project aims to uncover the reaction pathways of these molecules and how they change shape under external stimuli. Understanding the path these molecules take as they change shape is the key to developing new applications and more efficient methods of synthesis. The ultimate goal is to develop new methods of synthesising complex, functional molecules from simple precursors, leading to a wider range of applications for these compounds.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Limiting False Positives in Empirical Asset Pricing Tests. The project aims to address the issue of data mining in asset pricing tests using innovative interdisciplinary approaches that mitigate the occurrence of false positives. The expected outcomes include extended options in finance for alleviating data mining, as well as new guidelines for rigorously evaluating the explanatory power of risk factors on expected returns. The project findings are expected to significantly advance our understanding of the pricing of risk. Additionally, the proposed tools are anticipated to have broad applications, such as corporate finance and fraud detection, and offer significant value to finance research and its stakeholders, such as the Australian asset management industry and government regulatory bodies. Field of research: 3502 - Banking, Finance and Investment This project aims to develop a range of novel tools that improve empirical asset pricing tests and decision-making in the face of increasing occurrence of false positive results. The goal is to provide market participants with a better understanding of the various factors that influence asset prices so that they can make informed decisions. An important outcome from the project is a set of new methodologies and guidelines to identify investment opportunities and skilful funds that deliver performance. This will provide benefits to the Australian asset management industry and government bodies, who regularly rely on financial research to guide their capital allocation and regulatory decisions. To deliver these benefits, we aim to engage in a variety of outreach and communication activities including mainstream newspaper articles, podcasts, and public talks/workshops though the Australian Asset Management Council and to a number of specific business entities in our network, such as UniSuper, Queensland Investment Corporations, Investors Mutual Limited, Mercer Australia, and Schroders. We also aim to develop policy briefs, provide input to expert groups, participate in consultations and select committees for the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), particularly relating to the superannuation fund performance test, which is currently one of the focuses of ASIC's work in the superannuation sector.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Super-resolution platform to accelerate biological and molecular research. This application aims to establish a new molecular analysis platform integrating a microfluid capillary electrophoresis interface directly to a mass spectrometer with advanced data scanning technology. This enables label-free detection, quantitation and characterisation of intact proteins, lipids and metabolites with unprecedented sensitivity, resolution and throughput. It will enhance ARC projects spanning natural product discovery, biotechnology, agriculture, and animal, plant and marine biology, as well as single-cell proteomics, lipidomics and metabolomics. It will ensure Australia remains at the forefront of molecular and biological research and create new training and collaborative opportunities both nationally and internationally. Field of research: 3404 - Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry Mass spectrometry is a method for analysing molecules' size, structure and amounts. It has been used in chemistry for a century for small molecules, with Nobel prize-winning advances making it possible to use it also in biology to study larger molecules (proteins, lipids, metabolites) in cells and organisms. However, there are still limitations that hinder progress in biological research and application development, such as the need to break down molecules for analysis, the complexity of biomolecules in cells, and the requirements for high detection sensitivity. Filling this technology gap, the requested infrastructure is the first in the world to couple a capillary electrophoresis microfluidic chip to a mass spectrometer with sophisticated new data scanning technology. This enables faster detection of intact biomolecules from cells and organisms with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity. The platform will support >20 ARC-funded research leaders and >200 students and staff in Queensland and Northern New South Wales, as well as Australian and international collaborators, to obtain new knowledge of cells, animals, plants and marine organisms. This new analysis capability will provide a competitive edge for high-impact outcomes and enhance Australia's research and training capacity. It will underpin applications for agriculture, food security and the biotech industry, which will lead to new commercialisation opportunities, stimulate R&D investment, and create new jobs.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

A national network for magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our proposed network of high-end facilities for solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy aims to establish cutting-edge capabilities nationally for molecular and materials characterisation. The new infrastructure will enable advanced studies in chemistry, drug design, materials science, and environmental sciences. The expected outcomes include new discoveries, innovative applications, and potential commercialisation of new products, which will bring significant economic benefits to the Australian economy. Additionally, the network will foster collaborations with international researchers and industry partners in areas of biotechnology, energy capture and storage, and environmental sustainability. Field of research: 3404 - Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry Molecular and materials characterisation is critical in the development of new products, but it is also essential for monitoring changes in complex systems such as human health, food quality, and the environment. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a key analytical technique used ubiquitously in advanced manufacturing, given its non-destructive nature and ability to provide chemical and geometric information on the atomic scale. However, advanced NMR capabilities and expertise are currently limited in Australia, creating a bottleneck for research and innovation in critical areas such as food security, biomedical research, polymer science, energy storage, and environmental sciences. In this proposal, we aim to enhance NMR capabilities in Australia by addressing gaps in existing facilities in key areas of materials and molecular characterisation. We will also establish a virtual network for remote access to these facilities by researchers and private companies. The proposed facilities will provide valuable analytical capabilities in the rapidly growing advanced manufacturing sector, as well as in important areas of research, including biotechnology, environmental monitoring, and energy capture and storage.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Cryogenic Experimental Laboratory for Low-background Australian Research. This project aims to build an open-access cryogenic facility in the only deep-underground physics laboratory in the southern hemisphere. This facility, called the Cryogenic Experimental Laboratory for Low-background Australian Research (CELLAR), will provide extreme shielding from sources of noise, enabling ultra-precise experiments for fundamental science and emerging applications. The expected outcomes include a deeper understanding of astrophysics, alongside technological advances in emerging quantum technologies. CELLAR’s unique capabilities will attract strong international collaborations with multidisciplinary teams, educating the next generation of scientists and advancing the growth of Australian high-technology industries. Field of research: 5107 - Particle and High Energy Physics Over the last 100 years, many of the ground-breaking experiments in fundamental physics were performed in underground laboratories. These facilities provide extreme levels of shielding from external sources of noise and enable the development of advanced sensing platforms. Indeed, four Nobel prizes in Physics have been awarded to discoveries only accessible in an underground setting. The Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL), located within a mine in regional Victoria, was commissioned in 2022 and is the only underground laboratory in the southern hemisphere. This project aims to establish the first national facility, within SUPL, with cryogenic capabilities in an extremely low-noise environment. This unique facility will attract international collaboration and foster multidisciplinary research, generating scientific breakthroughs with the development of advanced sensing technologies. This will directly benefit Australia by contributing know-how and workforce to our advanced manufacturing capabilities, enhancing global competitiveness in high-technology industries. Furthermore, the pursuit of fundamental science will stimulate the imagination of the general public, inspiring our youth to pursue meaningful careers in science and technology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Innovative Double Patterning Strategies for Integrated Circuit Manufacture. The global computer chips industry is predicted to be worth in excess of 1.5 trillion USD by 2030. Despite its success, the industry is under threat due to rising costs of manufacture of the latest chips, in large part because of the complexity of the manufacturing process. This project aims to introduce new polymers for production of computer chips and, in collaboration with our industry partner, develop new methods of manufacture to enable the next generation of chips. The project has potential to generate valuable intellectual property, support new processes and equipment for our partners, and help train the next generation of Australian researchers in the growing field of polymeric nanotechnology. Field of research: 3403 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry Every aspect of our lives depends on computer chips. They are the drivers of our computers, motor vehicles and appliances. The integrated circuit is a core component of these chips and is arguably the most transformative innovation of the past century. Since their invention over 60 years ago, integrated circuits have continually become faster and can carry more information, thanks to impressive advances in materials science and engineering. However, these advances are threatened by increasing complexity of the methods of manufacture and ballooning cost of production. In this project we will introduce, in partnership with TEL Technology Center America, one of the largest manufacturers of equipment for computer chip production, new methods of manufacture of circuits through innovations in polymer chemistry, leading to more cost effective manufacturing processes and enabling continued advances in integrated circuit technology. The newly developed polymer materials and the manufacturing processes will be protected by patenting and incorporated into products produced by TEL. The platform technologies to be developed have broad potential application, for example in memory storage devices and display technologies, and therefore are expected to generate several valuable patent families. The research has further potential to support growing microelectronics and nanotechnologies in Australia, and to support emerging researchers in the critical technologies of computer chip manufacture.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Converting Biomass into Value-Added Catalysts for Water Electrolysis. This project aims to employ agricultural waste to manufacture new highly active and stable non-precious metal catalysts for accelerating hydrogen production from water electrolysis. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the development of low-cost and sustainable catalysts for renewable hydrogen production and new technology for converting agricultural waste into value-added catalysts. The project outcomes are expected to benefit Australia by creating new commercial opportunities in ‘waste-to-catalyst’ conversion and generating a new pathway for managing and recycling agricultural waste, thus providing both environmental and economic benefits while contributing to a sustainable economy. Field of research: 3402 - Inorganic Chemistry Water electrolysis, the process of using electricity to produce hydrogen from water, provides a clean and sustainable way of producing hydrogen with zero emissions. However, the wider adoption of this technology is currently impeded by the high cost of the precious metal catalysts that speed up the rate of hydrogen production, and the relatively low water to hydrogen conversion efficiency. Australia generates several million tonnes of agricultural waste annually, where it is either left in the field, disposed of directly into landfill or combusted to produce power or heat. In landfill, this waste decomposes into methane gas, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is essential to develop new alternative approaches for recycling and adding value to agricultural waste in Australia. This project aims to address this need by using agricultural waste to manufacture new low-cost and high performance non-precious metal catalysts for enhancing hydrogen production in water electrolysis. The project is expected to yield valuable IP in ‘waste-to-catalyst’ conversion which will be licensed to industry partner Schnell Energy for pilot-scale production of these biomass-derived catalysts and manufacturing of improved water electrolysers. These outcomes will support Australia in managing its agricultural waste and reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions, while simultaneously enhancing its position in global renewable energy production.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Time reversed optics. The development of technology to precisely control how light travels through space and time yields the ability to deliver light through objects in ways which would not traditionally be possible and hence opens new applications. This project aims to develop new programmable optical systems for transforming the spatial and temporal properties of light, leveraging recent advances in optical beam shaping. Expected outcomes of this project include the construction and testing of two new types of optical systems. This should provide significant benefits in the areas of biomedical imaging, telecommunications, advanced manufacturing and both classical and quantum optical information processing. Field of research: 5102 - Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Controlling light is foundational to many academic and commercial applications, both established and emerging. These include telecommunications, imaging, high-power lasers for advanced manufacturing, and classical and quantum information processing. What all these seemingly different applications have in common, is the need to control how and when light is delivered from one or many locations at an input side, to a set of locations on the output side. This project, in collaboration with international industry partner Nokia Bell Labs, would focus on the creation of first-of-kind optical systems called ‘time reversed optics’ that compensate for spatial and temporal distortions such that light can be delivered through a scattering object, as if it was never there. The Australian Optical Society’s 2020 industry review estimated the Australian photonics industry outputs 4.3b AUD/year, at a gross value add of 139k AUD/employee. The technology of this project aligns with several established and upcoming Australian businesses, particularly in the areas of LiDAR, telecommunications, and materials processing.