THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Poly(amino acids) as immune stimulators. This project aims to develop nanoparticles built from natural hydrophobic amino acids as an immune stimulatory delivery system for peptide antigens. Currently available immune stimulants (adjuvants) are often toxic and/or are poorly chemically defined fragments of bacteria or toxins and vary from batch-to-batch. New adjuvants are in high demand; especially to facilitate the use of optimal, but weakly immunogenic, peptide antigens. It is expected that the proposed project will develop a novel efficient, safe and notably biodegradable self-adjuvanting delivery system that can be fully customised to match an antigen of choice. This foundational research should provide important advances for commercial immune stimulatory applications. Field of research: 0304 - Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry The newly developed chemical immune system stimulator (adjuvant), based on self-assembling and self-adjuvanting nanoparticles, is expected to be widely attractive to the pharmaceutical industry due to its efficacy, biocompatibility, simplicity, and cost-effective production. As such, it is expected to provide significant economic benefit, in addition to scientific repute, to Australia. The innovative new adjuvant will be utilised as a tool to investigate fundamental immunoreactions in mammalians, and has unmatched potential to underpin the development of effective veterinary and human vaccines. The novel adjuvant is expected to provide an antigen delivery system for future vaccine development that is easily modifiable to any antigen and notably safe for use in humans, with the end result of facilitating protection against debilitating and destructive infectious diseases.The created adjuvant will have positive socio/economic impact and will enable long-term outcomes of broad successful, safe vaccine development.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Beyond global discourses of data: Storying learning in marginalised schools. Globally, Australian school education is seen as under-performing. Consequently, attention to data, particularly numeric and standardised test data, in schools have become pervasive. This project aims to understand how teachers and educators in schools and school systems actually engage with a broader conception of data for enhanced learning, on a truly global scale, particularly in schools serving struggling communities. This project will reveal the myriad ways educators in diverse settings - England, Australia, Singapore and Bangladesh - engage with data. The project will re-conceptualise how data are understood globally, and will provide significant benefits including informing education policy-making and improving teaching practices. Field of research: 1605 - Policy and Administration In Australia, national and international standardised measures of student performance are used to criticise lower performing schools, typically in marginalised communities. In the name of enhancing global competitiveness, school improvement is construed as premised on more and better engagement with student performance data. However, what such engagement looks like, especially for marginalised students, is an area for further inquiry. Through sharing detailed empirical stories about system and school-based use of data in different national, regional and local contexts, the research will benefit Australian educational policymakers and practitioners by informing them about the most effective ways system and school personnel work with a broad range of data in schools serving marginalised communities. At state and regional levels, the research will benefit systems by providing policymakers with information about the system levers that contribute to enhanced learning in schools. At the school level, the research will provide examples of productive ways teachers use data in classrooms to enhance student learning.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Decentralised Collaborative Predictive Analytics on Personal Smart Devices. This project tackles the challenging problem of personalised predictive analytics with resource-constrained personal devices and massive-scale data. The knowledge to be generated concerns privacy, fairness, and resource efficiency in the era of Internet of Things. The expected outcomes include a collaborative learning paradigm for building personalised models on personal smart devices in open and fully decentralised settings. Privacy and model fairness are core tenets of the paradigm. Personalised predictive analytics is frontier research that will position Australia at the forefront of AI and give business the tools needed to deploy innovative business systems for market exploitation with a secure, equitable and competitive advantage. Field of research: 0806 - Information Systems The major challenges facing humankind from big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are trustworthiness and energy consumption. AI has produced startling achievements and is deemed to shape the future of business and society, but all these advances require staggering amounts of computing power and energy to build big machine learning models. In addition, recent news about AI safety (e.g., privacy leaks and cyber-attacks) and discrimination is causing great concern among governments and the general public. This project aims to establish a novel low-power machine learning architecture to provide trustworthy intelligence on personal smart devices. The new architecture will significantly reduce the energy footprint required and provide individual users with strong guarantees on safety and fairness, positioning Australia at the forefront in enabling AI and cybersecurity capabilities in the era of the Internet of Things. It will translate to applications in smart healthcare, digital economy, online services, and manufacturing, representing significant new market advantages and economic benefits for Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Drivers and consequences of novel marine ecological communities. Marine ecological communities are exhibiting rapid change in response to human actions. This project aims to apply a newly developed statistical framework, and expects to uncover historical patterns in the emergence and persistence of new community states of two sets of marine taxa: reef-building coral, and marine plankton. Understanding how often marine communities shifted into these novel states in the absence of human activities, as well as the relative contribution of environmental and biological factors, will provide significant foundational knowledge. In addition, this project aims to provide flow-on benefits to environmental management to ensure ecosystems continue to provide beneficial services, which include fisheries and tourism. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology Marine ecosystems provide valuable benefits to support human societies. Corals forming Australian reefs mitigate storm damage, support fisheries and are a key tourist attraction. Plankton communities are the foundation of open ocean food webs and sequester vast amounts of atmospheric carbon. Unprecedented changes to the composition of these communities has the potential to alter or reduce the value of these benefits, as well as how people enjoy the oceans. The research should provide information on the patterns, drivers and potential consequences of novel community emergence, providing clear benefits to understanding response to environmental change in the ocean. The results from the project will assist with tracking environmental impacts to Australian marine communities, as well as aiding ecosystem managers to better manage human-impacted systems and identify priority regions for assistance or conservation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Evolution of environmental regulation of cell states in animal life cycles. This project seeks to understand how the environment influences the fate of cells over an animal's life, and how this influence originated in animal evolution. Using a homegrown Australian model, a sea sponge from the Great Barrier Reef, and advanced multi-omic approaches (genomics plus cell biology), this project aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying global cell state changes that are induced through the interplay of environmental and endogenous signals at metamorphosis. Because of the evolutionary position of sponges, outcomes of this project expect to reveal the cardinal rules governing environmentally-induced cell state changes that are obligatory for most animals to complete their complex life cycles. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology This project focuses on uncovering fundamental truths about the biology of cells, the building blocks of life that underlie the development and health of humans and all other animals, plants and microbes. Using a home-grown Australian model from the Great Barrier Reef - a sea sponge - this project will get to the heart of how healthy and stable animal cells can suddenly change (at metamorphosis) upon receiving an influential signal from the outside environment. Some of these signals are essential for animal survival (e.g. plant signals that induce beneficial insect metamorphosis), while others can lead cells down undesirable pathways (e.g. toxic environmental substances). By understanding how cells respond to different environmental situations, new technologies can be developed to promote healthy environments and humans. Ultimately this knowledge and understanding can translate into emerging regenerative technologies for mitigating threats to our natural environments, and thus create advanced manufacturing jobs for Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Mobile DNA activity in the mammalian primordial germline. Early in pregnancy, a handful of cells in the embryo become primordial germ cells (PGCs). These PGCs will eventually give rise to sperm or egg cells, representing a critical inter-generational genetic link. Mobile DNA sequences target PGCs to create new heritable genetic changes. This proposal aims to analyse the activity, regulation, and consequences of mobile DNA activity in PGCs. This project expects to generate significant knowledge about the origins of mammalian genetic diversity. Expected outcomes include enhanced national and international collaborations across disciplines and new experimental systems. The expected benefit is an enhanced understanding of the mutational processes underlying genetic diversity and disease in mammals. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics The research outlined in this proposal will increase our understanding of the processes underpinning genetic diversity and harmful mutations in mammals. The program will raise Australia's reputation as a world leader in the germ cell biology, genomics, and mobile DNA fields. It will illuminate the spectrum of mutagenic threats during animal and human embryonic development, so that policy and practice around fertility interventions and care during pregnancy can be better informed. This initiative will bring to Australia innovative methodologies for creating “germ cells in a dish”. Building Australia’s research capacity in this area could allow eventual adaptation of this technology to multiple species beyond traditional model organisms. For example, the ability to create germ cells of Australian endangered species could revolutionise conservation efforts, helping to protect Australia’s unique natural heritage. Further economic benefits could arise through commercialisation of know-how and methodologies to Australian livestock breeding efforts to preserve and propagate commercially important bloodlines.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

How do Changes in Institutional Memory Affect Public Policy Processes? . This project will analyse how changes in institutional memory inside government impact on the effectiveness of public policy processes. Institutional memory changes as ministers, public servants and public agencies come and go, but we don’t know what effect these changes have over the quality of public policy. This project will therefore analyse how changes to institutional memory have influenced public services and policies in Australia and the UK. Expected outcomes include best practice recommendations for government - about how to address memory loss to improve public policy - and novel academic findings about how institutional memory influences the character of public service delivery, lesson-learning and long-term reform. Field of research: 1606 - Political Science Good government requires good memory. The national interest is served by ensuring that Australia’s Public Service has a strong institutional memory that can be put to good use when ministers are deciding upon public policies and officials are implementing them. Institutional memory can help prevent failures from the past being repeated in the present, enhance the departmental advice given to ministers, help produce more consistent public service delivery, and ensure that long-term reforms stay on track. This research, quite simply, supports the national interest by supporting these outcomes. By exploring how institutional memory changes inside the public agencies of Australia and what effects this has over policy, and by benchmarking Australia against the UK in this regard, this research will be able to enhance the quality of public policy processes and outcomes in this country. This is our principal objective.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Optimal Fundraising Design in a Competitive Market: A Unifying Framework. Increased competition from over 57,000 registered charities and a recent 6% decrease in individual donations, have increased the need for charities to improve their fundraising strategies. This project aims to develop a comprehensive framework – based on theories from marketing, psychology, economics, sociology, and philanthropy— and develop novel methodologies to determine effective charitable fundraising strategies in a competitive marketplace. Key outcomes will include the theoretical model, and tests using conjoint choice-experiments, controlled field experiments and 10 years of giving data from 4 million Australian donors. These outcomes will enhance fundraising practice, ensuring charities can better serve the Australian public. Field of research: 1505 - Marketing Australian charities and not-for-profits fulfil essential missions in society, including caring for people in need, educating children, protecting animals and the environment, researching causes and cures of diseases, and disaster relief e.g. due to forest fires. These organisations rely on financial donations to support their essential work. The aim of this research is propose a theoretical framework and develop novel methodology that will help charities in developing better fundraising strategies to ensure that they can deliver their essential community services. With over 57,000 Australian charities competing for decreasing individual donations (ACNC, 2019), it is more than ever essential for charities to improve their fundraising strategies. Yet little is known about how donors choose which causes to support. The proposed research aims to study successful fundraising strategies in a competitive environment. Furthermore, novel research methods will be developed that will have important applications for big data, combining choice data with survey responses and text-based data.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Technologies for Southeast Queensland. This project aims to establish an advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance capability and capacity at two of Queenslands' leading research intensive universities. The project expects to enhance the scope and productivity of hundreds of research projects spanning natural products, synthetic, medicinal, materials and environmental science. Expected outcomes include smarter science, more productive collaborations and superior research training, leading to innovative solutions to challenging problems that confront science and society. This investment should provide significant benefits in the form of new knowledge across multiple disciplines, informing the design of future medicines, agrochemicals, materials and other products. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is the definitive molecular analysis tool for organic chemicals, polymers and materials, and is pivotal to the international competitiveness of a wide array of scientific research. NMR informs our understanding of the structure, function and properties of natural and synthetic chemicals, from small molecules to peptides to proteins, and of new materials, critical to modern societies. This knowledge in turn informs the design, development and production of new scientific tools, as well as safer, more effective and environmentally sustainable medicines, agrochemicals and materials. The NMR facility will inform the future design of a broad range of high value chemical products for polymer and materials production; for example for better batteries and solar panels to improve energy security; to create chemicals for better crop and livestock protection and new engineering methods for the manufacture of advanced materials. These will, in turn, deliver new commercialisation opportunities, improving economic outcomes for Australia in the form of new investments, industries and jobs.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Australian Environmental Specimen Bank: advancing specimen bank capability. The aim of this LIEF is to advance Australia’s specimen banking capabilities through a new, enhanced national facility, the Australian Environmental Specimen Bank (AESB). The AESB would be founded on a unique current archive of human and environmental samples established by the partners to the LIEF. Importantly, the AESB would be managed as a nationally available (to all public sector researchers), operationally self-funded resource for integrated exposure research into the future. The archive is expected to support longitudinal and cross-sectional studies to assess trends in exposure to chemical and biological hazards in the Australian population, identify emerging hazards, and provide a scientific basis for policy and regulatory actions. Field of research: 1117 - Public Health and Health Services The Australian Environmental Specimen Bank (AESB) aims to deliver a national sample collection that is relevant to a large sector of the Australian research community, including exposure science researchers and diverse allied disciplines, from public health to antimicrobial resistance and ecology. Shared access to archived environmental and human samples enables multidisciplinary longitudinal and cross-sectional studies to understand exposure pathways and assess short- and long-term chemical and biological hazard exposures. In turn, this benefits Australian government through delivery of robust scientific evidence for policy making to protect environmental and human health. Thus, the AESB represents an enduring national resource that enhances Australian exposure research capabilities, and enables effective management and regulation of chemical and biological hazards in Australia. Retrospective mapping of hazards from source to exposure in our communities and environment also leads to social, environmental and economic benefits through focused and timely intervention strategies to mitigate adverse exposures.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

An Advanced Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility in Queensland. The project aims to establish a world-class ultrafast laser spectroscopy facility to investigate how molecules interact with visible or ultraviolet light. Light-matter interactions are key to energy generation in nature through photosynthesis as well as everyday technologies including optical communications and displays. This project expects to generate new knowledge in on how light interacts with matter at the molecular level. Expected outcomes of the ultrafast spectroscopic measurements will be understanding the fate of light absorbed by or generated in different materials. Application of the knowledge gained will enable the design of materials for more efficient technologies such as solar cells, lighting, and sensors. Field of research: 0306 - Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural) Australia has world-leading technology development programs in areas including green materials synthesis, flat panel displays and lighting, solar cells, imaging, sensors, and lasers. A feature common to each of the technologies is that they either absorb or generate light. It is therefore critical to be able to elucidate a detailed understanding of the light-matter behaviour of molecules (or atoms) that are used in these technologies if their performance is to be enhanced. Ultrafast spectroscopic methods are critical for gaining that understanding by providing almost instantaneous information about what happens when a material absorbs or generates a photon (packet of light). The knowledge gained could lead to more efficient solar cells and lighting, leading to a decrease in Australia’s carbon footprint and more cost-effective electricity generation and usage. Such techniques have already been utilised in the creation of an Australian commercial sensor technology, with implications for homeland security and hence societal benefit.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

A customised triple-beam microscope for precise fabricating/characterising . This project aims to establish a customised triple-beam microscope to enable precise fabrication and polishing (using ion beams) and characterisation (using electron beam) of a wide range of advanced materials. It will provide solutions to prepare ultra-high quality and artefact-free specimens for transmission electron microscopy studies, and allow fabrication of unique nanostructures and nanostructured templates for high-performance applications. The customised features of the proposed instrument are the first of its kind in Australia. The new knowledge developed through this project will significantly impact on scientific insights and practical applications of new materials related to physics, chemistry, biology, geology and engineering. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology The proposed customised triple-beam microscope with two vacuum and cryogenic transfer systems will provide Australia a new-generation and unique tool for preparation of ultra-high quality and artefact-free specimens for high-end scanning/transmission electron microscopic investigations. It also allows the fabrication of fine and unique nanostructures and nanostructured templates for high-performance applications, such as new renewable energy generation and storage, novel electronic materials, and advanced biological applications. The customised features of the proposed instrument are the first of its kind in Australia and the first outside semiconductor industry worldwide. Consequently, this project will enable Australia to remain in its leading position of international research in these areas. Importantly, through developing new sustainable and energy efficient technologies, this project will deliver new solutions to Australian industry, ultimately benefiting Australian economy and society, as well as maintaining Australian’s health and wellbeing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Development of a market relevant DNA nano-vaccine platform. DNA vaccine technology can potentially provide a rapid response to existing or new pathogens, but its market success has been limited. By addressing key scientific and technical challenges, this project aims to develop a new and cost-effective DNA nanovaccine platform using a multiscale engineering approach. It is anticipated that novel nanoparticles for DNA delivery and an end-user-driven DNA vaccine technology with enhanced immunogenicity, stability and safety will be generated. Expected outcomes include new knowledge in nanomaterial science and a market ready technology platform, improving Australia’s capabilities in nanobiotechnology and vaccine development, as well as delivering a new value-added product for the Industry Partner. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering This project aims to develop a cost-effective nanoplatform for DNA vaccine delivery with enhanced immunogenicity and stability. The new technology developed in this project will not only possess high delivery efficiency and potent effectiveness, but also have the potential to avoid cold chain management, thus greatly reducing costs in manufacturing, transportation and storage of DNA vaccines. The short-term benefit of this project will be the generation of new intellectual property by developing a versatile nanoplatform for veterinary DNA vaccines that can be rapidly adapted to treat emerging pathogens. In the mid-term, this project is expected to attract substantial commercial interest, as there is a huge market opportunity for an improved DNA vaccine delivery platform with the global DNA vaccine market forecasted to reach revenue of US $9.43 billion by 2025. In the long-term, this new technology will benefit Australian agriculture by providing cheap animal vaccines which will increase the international competiveness of our livestock industries by reducing production costs and improving food quality.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Digging deeper to improve yield stability. This project aims to provide innovative breeding solutions that harness the ‘hidden’ part of the plant, roots, to support the development of more productive crops in the face of climate variability. The project expects to generate new insights into the biology and genetics of root development in barley, a model cereal crop, by applying cutting-edge genome editing, phenotyping and genomics technologies. Anticipated outcomes include novel methodologies to accelerate breeding for diverse production environments, with direct applications in barley, and other major cereals including wheat and oats. This should provide significant economic and social benefits to the Australian grains industry through yield stability amidst climate variability. Field of research: 0703 - Crop and Pasture Production The Australian barley industry – valued at $3 billion per annum – is renowned globally and prized by domestic markets for producing grain with high malt and feed qualities. Australia is a major player in the global barley export market, contributing 30-40% of the malting barley trade and 20% of feed barley. However, barley production in Australia is highly variable and dependant on seasonal rainfall, with some Australian varieties failing to meet stringent product specifications. While barley has many characteristics that are well-adapted to ‘harsh’ Australian conditions, this project will deliver new, genetically-enhanced cultivars via selection of the grain’s most optimal traits. New breeding approaches developed in this project are expected to improve barley productivity over the next 5 to 10 years and could provide a yield increase of up to 8% in some environments, leading to a more stable supply of high-quality grain for domestic and export markets. Importantly, new insights realised in this project are expected to be transferrable to other high-value crops such as wheat and oats.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Wind Tunnel Testing of a Hypersonic Plasma Engine. This project intends to evaluate an electric engine that is capable of speeds in excess of 10000 km/hr, for access to space and responsive surveillance in our region. The expertise of Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Australia, the University of Qld and DST Group are to be combined to complete experimental and theoretical evaluations of an air-breathing plasma engine that is capable of out-performing rockets and scramjets. US Air Force Research Laboratory results will also be compared and shared. This project provides opportunities for young Australian researchers to be participate and lead an exciting new field of propulsion. It is anticipated that the program will be the foundations to future flight demonstrations from Woomera, Australia. Field of research: 0901 - Aerospace Engineering The image of a plasma engine is the brightly glowing exhaust of a plane in a science fiction movie, but this image will soon no longer be science fiction. By bringing to bear Australia’s world-leading hypersonics expertise in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and Lockheed Martin Australia, we can create a new kind of plasma engine. It has the potential to change the face of hypersonic flight and space access. It will be a new direction that broadens Australia's hypersonic community which is responsive to the Force Structure Review requirements. It is a gateway to technologies that provide the speed and coverage advantages of satellites with the cost effectiveness of aircraft. Thus, provides the Australian Defence Force and environmental scientists with capabilities for wider surveillance in diverse locations such as Antarctica and the southern oceans and therefore greater leverage in international negotiations. The project brings substantial funding with exciting opportunities for 10 early career graduates in a 5 year program that has a path to commercialisation with $1B in potential investments.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Novel Propagation and Conservation Technologies for Australian Macadamia. Australia’s $850M macadamia industry is a booming contributor to regional growth with a strong domestic market niche. However the industry is threatened by a severe plant supply bottleneck. Also wild germplasm for breeding is threatened with extinction. This project aims to innovate world-first tissue culture technologies for macadamia propagation and secure cryo-storage of germplasm, aided by cutting edge genomics. Expected outcomes of these new, cross-disciplinary techniques are on-demand supply of superior trees to growers and the protection of invaluable germplasm. This should provide significant benefits for industry growth, food security and conservation de-risked from global change. Field of research: 0706 - Horticultural Production Macadamia is Australia's most profitable native crop worth >$850M. Global demand for the nut is growing at 7%/year. This project expects to break down barriers to industry expansion, and address the most pressing industry need of more trees in the ground. This is key to faster positive cash-flow for Australia’s 800+ macadamia growers, and whole value-chain growth. This project should create economic gains to farmers of over $28k/hectare, plus cost-savings from reduced resource requirements, options for mechanisation/smart technologies and less disease/tree loss. New growing regions and production technologies should create regional jobs and business opportunities. Tree-free propagation would eliminate the need for land, water and chemicals and minimise the industry’s environmental footprint. Seednut fields could be reallocated for food trees or reforestation. Cryopreservation of threatened macadamia species would ensure long-term protection against climate change, natural disasters and human impact and safeguard important genetic diversity for a globally competitive, resilient Australian macadamia industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Tuning parallel applications on software-defined supercomputers. Supercomputers are used by many Australian industries and laboratories to make better products and perform critical predictions, and it is essential that codes operate efficiently. This project aims to assist programmers in identifying performance bottlenecks in their code quickly and easily. The project expects to supersede the current methods, which are often complex and time-consuming, by developing innovative software tools and techniques. The expected outcomes include novel software, verified by industry partners in real world case studies, ranging from life sciences to hypersonic transport. This should provide significant benefits, including the capacity for Australian industries to access world-class supercomputing technology. Field of research: 0803 - Computer Software Supercomputers solve complex problems, but the hardware is costly. Software-defined supercomputers offer a high performance computing (HPC) alternative to a wider range of users, but uptake is currently limited by performance issues. By developing the necessary tools to streamline how these issues are resolved, this project aims to make supercomputing more widely available to Australian researchers, industry, and policymakers. The range of applications is vast, making this project a significant value-for-money prospect, but, more specifically, the expected benefits in the shorter term include: a) unique, world-leading intellectual property for XENON Systems, an Australian-owned and operated company offering tailored HPC solutions to Australian industry and customers in the Asia-Pacific region; b) improved uptake of the ARC LIEF-funded HPC facility FlashLite, benefitting Australian research; and c) immediate improvements for multi-scale modelling and data analysis in bioengineering research (in partnership with University of California San Diego) and hypersonic systems (at UQ).

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Hearing, social connectedness, and well-being of ageing adults in Australia. Hearing ability declines with age and hearing loss has a fundamental impact on an adult’s ability to communicate and, in turn, socially connect with others. This benchmark study aims to apply innovative, quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the real-world social connections of adults with hearing loss who use or do not use hearing aids. This project expects to increase understanding of the social impacts of age-related hearing loss and the relationship to hearing rehabilitation. The expected outcomes have the potential to guide research, policy, and practice for ageing Australians. This should provide significant benefits, such as reducing social isolation and enhancing the well-being of millions of Australians. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology Australia has an ageing population and one in six adults experience hearing loss. Hearing loss increases the risk of social isolation and loneliness, and this, in turn, is associated with depression/anxiety, lower well-being, cognitive decline, and reduced workforce participation. The associated financial costs of hearing loss are estimated to be $41.2 billion in Australia. Targeting the largely neglected area of social disconnection in hearing loss and how hearing aids might improve social connections has great potential for reducing the economic burden of hearing loss through improved health and well-being. This also has potential to help relieve GPs, emergency services, and hospitals from the burden of inappropriate service use by individuals experiencing social isolation. The outcomes will meet the Australian Government’s National Science and Research Priority of improving physical and mental well-being for ageing Australian adults. This project will also lead to better targeting of health care models and services that will improve overall outcomes and the management of age-related hearing loss.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Depressing pyrrhotite in copper and gold flotation. The mining industry is processing low-grade ores associated with high amounts of waste minerals. Extracting metals from low-grade ores is very difficult with technical challenges in rejecting waste minerals. This project aims to understand the surface properties and the behaviour of a major waste mineral which is becoming increasingly problematic during the processing of copper and gold ores. New chemistry and chemical reagents will be developed to efficiently and economically reject the waste mineral by manipulating the reactions that take place on its surface. This project expects to have immediate economic and environmental impacts through increasing metal production, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and applying new green reagents. Field of research: 0914 - Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy This research will transform the extraction of copper, gold and other metals by efficiently and economically rejecting commercially worthless material, gangue, from low-grade ores in minerals processing plants. The new chemistry and chemical reagents developed from this research expect to increase the growth and production of copper, gold and other metals, reduce operating costs in the metal extraction chain and cut greenhouse gas emissions from smelters. These technologies will also help unlock Australian base metal and precious mineral resources, especially smaller ones, for which high cost processes are not justified under the current expected tonnage of concentrate. The environmentally friendly reagents developed from this research support the sustainable development of mining operations and provide a new opportunity for the Australian agricultural sector. Close engagement with end-users in this research will lead to establishment of transformational chemistry and chemical reagents for their use.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Low-cost, Lightweight and Liquid Helium-free Superconducting MRI Magnet. This project aims to develop a liquid-helium-free superconducting technology to address the need for more affordable MRI magnets that currently rely on expensive, limited supplies of liquid helium. This project expects to generate a world-first, much needed MRI systems to be operated in persistent mode without a power supply, to obtain high-resolution images and low-cost operation. The expected outcomes include a novel, lightweight, easy-to-operate magnesium diboride superconducting MRI magnet prototype under persistent mode operation. This should provide significant benefits, including reducing the cost associated with conventional liquid helium-dependent technologies and ensuring Australia at the forefront of MRI development worldwide. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics MRI is an important diagnostic tool but high capital and operating costs means they are only available in major centres in Australia. This can cause delays in diagnosis and treatment leading to poorer patient outcomes. Current MRI systems require a complex combination of power supply and expensive liquid helium based cooling system, resulting in high operational and maintenance costs and increased system complexity. Australia is affected by a world-wide shortage of liquid helium that has increased demand for alternatives. We aim to develop magnesium diboride superconducting magnets for a low-cost MRI system that doesn’t require liquid helium. As there are no superconductor manufacturers in Australia, we are working with Hyper Tech Research, a world leader in this field. This project expects to place Australian researchers and engineers at the forefront of superconductor technology development and applications and create new business opportunities in advanced manufacturing. In the long term the development of inexpensive superconducting magnets will make MRI much more accessible and reduce health care costs.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Understanding third hand exposure of Australian people to methamphetamine. In Australia, there is high community concern around inadvertent exposure to methamphetamine residues in contaminated houses. In this proposal, an interdisciplinary research team aim to engage with public health authorities and public housing industry to conduct collaborative research on total exposure to methamphetamine in contaminated indoor environments. The project will assess exposure pathways (via air, dust, surfaces) and link them with methamphetamine levels in samples from occupants (urine, hair). The project is expected to significantly enhance our understanding of how third hand exposure leads to internal exposure in humans. This knowledge provides evidence for policies on residential indoor exposures and remediation strategies. Field of research: 1117 - Public Health and Health Services In Australia, the use of crystal methylamphetamine (also known as ‘ice’) has been described as an epidemic by the National Ice Task Force. Smoking ice not only causes disproportionate harm to users but also contaminates the surrounding environment, and this may indirectly cause harm to others. This project is expected to deliver critical information on the risk of third-hand exposure to methamphetamine in Australia. A greater understanding of the relationship between contamination levels in the home and the subsequent exposure risk to occupants is crucial to our Partner Organisations as they devise policies to reduce the social, health and economic burden of remediation of contaminated houses, especially when most of the burden currently falls on lower socio-economic groups.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Production of valuable chemicals from gaseous waste. This project aims to develop an innovative biotechnology to enable the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) available in waste gases into liquid chemicals. This will create strong economic drivers for carbon-intensive industries to implement CO2 capture and utilisation, by significantly increasing the value of otherwise wasted CO2. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this project will substantially advance the scientific knowledge in this exciting and underexploited area of biological carbon recycling. The outcomes of this project will enable the establishment of a new CO2-based biotechnology sector creating high-value chemical products from waste gases, while also support achieving national target of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Field of research: 0907 - Environmental Engineering While vital for national wealth and prosperity, the industrial sector takes a significant toll on the environment. More than 50% of greenhouse-gas emissions in Australia derive from industrial activities, with the majority consisting of CO2. For carbon-intensive industries, carbon mitigation options are limited due to a lack of suitable technologies providing economic incentives for waste-CO2 capture and conversion into high-value products. This project will deliver an innovative biotechnology that will provide critical support to such industries to enable this critical transition. This transformational research has a strong potential to create a new biotechnology sector producing high-value chemicals from CO2, which will impact many areas important for Australia’s future sustainable economy, including environmental and industrial biotechnology, and that will place Australia at the forefront of sustainable resources research.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Visualising Humanitarian Crises: Transforming Images and Aid Policy. This project aims to draw on the power of images to transform practices of aid. Prevailing visualisations of humanitarian crises are powerful but problematic. They often focus on violence and depict victims in stereotypical and dehumanising ways. The project develops new evidence-based visual strategies through interdisciplinary collaborations with leading industry partners in Australia and internationally. Expected outcomes include best practice guidelines that better equip humanitarian organisations to help people in need and contribute to enduring political solutions. Resulting benefits are more effective aid policies at a time when humanitarian concerns are increasingly central to global stability and Australia’s national interest. Field of research: 1606 - Political Science This project directly contributes to pressing issues of national concern by developing new evidence-based policies that allow journalists, NGOs and government agencies to actively draw on the power of images when enacting Australia’s humanitarian responsibilities. Images are crucial because they influence how policy makers and the public view, debate and respond to suffering and need. Humanitarian crises are becoming more frequent and challenging. They range from bushfires, floods and famines to pandemics, such as COVID-19. In addition to dealing with such issues in its own borders, Australia makes an active and important global contribution, providing over $4 billion in development assistance in 2019-20 alone. By developing new visual strategies and best practice guidelines, the project not only helps to transform policy-making but also builds interdisciplinary research capacity and industry relationships that place Australia at the forefront of global innovation and leadership in the search for enduring solutions to humanitarian problems.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Tracking nanoparticles: from cell culture to in vivo delivery. Understanding how cells function in the ‘real-time’ context of a living organism is a key challenge in the new era of cell biology. Using super-resolution light microscopy and state-of-the-art correlative electron microscopy together with model systems, this Fellowship aims to deliver new understandings of cells in their natural environment. Significantly, the project will elucidate how proteins or nanoparticles pass from the bloodstream into tissues and then into cells, and in doing so deliver much-needed knowledge of protein and particle trafficking in situ. Outcomes and benefits include leading-edge fundamental science into the function of cells, education, outreach and building of Australian capacity in high-demand skill sets. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology The planned research will expand Australia’s knowledge base and leading research capability through the development of a new field of in vivo cell biology and the implementation of advanced technologies, systems and standards in the understanding of cell biology in a whole animal system. In addition, the planned research will have more general benefits for Australian researchers by advancing tools to understand how nanoparticles can be engineered to reach their site of action within the cell, and by establishing new methods to optimise targeting of nanoparticles to precise intracellular targets for future applications. This will have immediate benefits for Australian scientists striving to optimise their nano-therapeutics, and deliver long-term economic benefits for Australia. The project will provide an excellent research training environment to nurture early-career researchers and will forge strong links with international leaders in the field.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Energy-efficient artificial intelligence using quantum technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming society but standard technologies come with significant hidden costs: training even a single, common, learning model can emit 5 times more carbon dioxide than the lifetime emissions of the average car. This Fellowship aims to develop artificial intelligence platforms using Australia’s significant investment in quantum technologies to bypass traditional approaches to AI. The expected outcomes are neuromorphic computers that operate efficiently—with low-energy cost—and rapidly—achieving speeds impossible with conventional electronic approaches. The anticipated benefits are transformative technologies for AI, new applications across society, and new tools for exploring brain function and cognition. Field of research: 0206 - Quantum Physics Artificial intelligence is transforming every sector of Australian society, with the public face ranging from smart assistants in our phones, through credit ratings in finance, to medical technologies. Current artificial intelligence comes with an extraordinary energy cost due to the electronic technology used, which is far short of the energy efficiency of biological systems such as the human brain. This Fellowship aims to change this by using quantum technologies to develop energy-efficient artificial intelligence systems, where the neurons communicate millions of times faster than in biology and so provide a new scientific tool for exploring and understanding cognition. Systems will be able to be built and applied at a scale well beyond the current limits, substantially reducing the costs to install and run systems. Australia will gain a competitive edge globally, and be placed at the forefront of the artificial intelligence sector. It will enable delivery of faster, smarter services at affordable costs, providing new infrastructure that can be delivered equitably to all parts of Australian society.