UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Characterising satellites using un-resolved optical observations . Space situational awareness is a critical priority for Australian national security and the commercial space sector as the economy is investing in space. Space debris is a growing international threat to all major economies that rely on space for communications and defence. This project will understand how defunct satellites degrade over time to produce space debris. To accomplish this the project will collaborate with the Polish Space Agency to employ low resolution spectroscopy to measure the surface degradation of geostationary satellites. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences Australia is investing strongly in space related industries and commerce. As Australia continues to extend its commercial footprint in space, monitoring and understanding the space environment is critical for its economic future. Every rocket, satellite and object sent into Earth orbit inevitably produces debris. Space debris can collide with and disable functioning space assets, and is an increasing threat to commercial activities in near Earth space. The threat includes critical national space assets, including communications, military and research satellites. This research seeks to expand our knowledge of the threat from space debris by characterising and identifying satellites from the ground using low resolution spectroscopy. It will develop software tools that use Artificial Intelligence to detect space debris along with their precise orbits and identify collision risks in advance. The software will be adopted by commercial/government space agencies, including our partners, and will additionally allow monitoring satellite surface degradation for timely maintenance and to avoid generating more debris.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Unsaturated zone functioning in a semi-arid flash flood driven climate. Groundwater is the only perennial water source in arid and semiarid zones, which encompass 1/3 of the global landmass and 70 % of Australia. We still do not fully understand how the unsaturated zone contributes to groundwater recharge in semi-arid zone floodplains. We will study the dynamics of soil moisture, and its contribution to groundwater recharge respective to hydrological regimes and weather patterns. We will measure direct responses to flood events using loggers and compare them to indirect measurements inferred from hydrochemical and isotope tracer models to better understand recharge patterns, evaporative losses, and interactions between surface runoff, floodplains, and aquifers at different positions in the landscape. Field of research: 0402 - Geochemistry Groundwater reliance in semiarid inland regions is rapidly increasing, driven by uncertainty in water resources availability and exacerbated by climate change. Simultaneously, infrequent but large-scale flooding constitutes a risk for infrastructure and mining. Thus, water resource security and sustainability are directly within the national interest, ensuring that future economic development can succeed. This project focuses on the most challenging hydrological budget components in the semiarid zone: infiltration in the unsaturated zone and groundwater recharge. We will address knowledge gaps in predicting soil and groundwater responses to periodic flooding in inland Australia. The results will quantify uncertainty by estimating how floodwater contributes to groundwater recharge and allow us to assess how renewable and secure our groundwater assets are. The project outcomes will be shared with government policy makers and used to improve groundwater management and foster development through our working partnership with industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Unveiling the mass of the Universe: stars, gas, plasma and dark matter. Using unique Australian-built fibre-positioning technologies, the Fellowship will measure the distances to 2 million galaxies, transforming our understanding of dark matter on the scales of galaxies, galaxy groups, and filaments – the largest structures that exist. There are two specific goals: (i) to test precise predictions of the leading cold dark matter model by constructing dark-matter halo catalogues based on the motions of galaxies measured to unprecedented accuracy; and (ii) to solve the long-standing "missing mass" problem by measuring the extent of the plasma, neutral gas, and stellar contents within these halos. Both programs will capitalise on our strategic engagement with the European Southern Observatory. Field of research: 5101 - Astronomical Sciences Dark matter cannot be detected with current scientific equipment but is known to make up most of the mass of our universe. This project is an opportunity for major advancements in our understanding of dark matter, and the role it plays in the growth of galaxies and the production of starlight and the impact on the earth. Beyond the potential to be a world leader in addressing one of the most important questions in modern physics (what is dark matter?), this project will also showcase the capability of Australian-built technology installed at the European Southern Observatory in Chile, and fast-track the establishment of a new space-telescope data centre in Perth. The national benefit for Australia will be realised through new partnerships with international space agencies, potentially translate into multi-million dollar contracts for Australian designed and built astronomical equipment, and place Australia at the forefront of dark matter studies worldwide.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Desert People: Australian Perspectives . This project will bring innovative science and Indigenous knowledge together to develop new understandings of the 60,000 year custodianship of Australian deserts. The archaeology will focus on the Ningaloo coast, Pilbara and Western Desert. This region is experiencing expansion in resource extraction, energy production and tourism, key to Australia's post-COVID recovery. This globally significant human record is poorly documented and at risk, as seen in the recent loss of Juukan Caves. The Desert People programme will work with Traditional Owners and use novel techniques to document places of the highest value for their management and protection. This will result in vastly improved planning outcomes and underwrite new regional economies. Field of research: 4501 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture, Language and History Future prosperity in the mining and resources industries, and the ongoing protection of 60,000 year old Aboriginal sites are often conflicting and public battles. In the North-West Australian regions of the Ningaloo coast, Pilbara and Western Desert, mining and tourism contributes significantly to the regional economies, estimated as being worth over $100B/annum to the Western Australia economy. In parallel however, the cultural heritage value is not as well documented, and as a result the culturally significant heritage sites within these regions are at risk of being lost. By working with Traditional Custodians and using state of the art archaeological techniques including satellite surveys and ground-penetrating radar, this large-scale program will provide critical knowledge to Traditional Custodians, land managers and industry to guide future developments in these areas. The ultimate goal is to avoid another incident and loss like the Juukan Caves, enable heritage protection and future developments within the resources and green energy industries to co-exist, and provide a blueprint for regions where cultural heritage and industry can be co-managed and prosper, preserving the world's oldest continuing culture.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Virtual Minds in the Real World: Mind-Uploading in the 21st Century . This project aims to investigate the potential and the consequences of mind-uploading (i.e. transitioning a person from a biological hardware to an artificial one). It will use the methods of analytical philosophy to contribute to, and integrate, three different fields: philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and artificial intelligence. Expected outcomes include a theoretical and normative framework for mind-uploading, and a much-improved understanding of its implications. This should provide significant benefits, such as fostering exchange between philosophy and computer science, providing directions for scientific research and technological development, as well as informing legal guidelines for artificial intelligence development. Field of research: 2203 - Philosophy Artificial Intelligence already has a great impact on societies and economies in Australia and around the globe. This trend will accelerate within the next decades. The rapid progress in this area may provide access to mind-uploading technology within this century. This project will generate new and improved philosophical and interdisciplinary understanding of mind-uploading and generate new knowledge on central issues in philosophy, and artificial intelligence research. It will have social and cultural benefits by helping the public to understand mind-uploading, via academic articles, media reports, public lectures, blog posts, and podcasts. Its results will contribute to an informed discussion of ethical and legal guidelines concerning artificial intelligence research.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

The Australian Preventive Justice Project . This project aims to generate the first account of Australian preventive justice. Through original legal, historical and critical research, the project will create new knowledge by mapping, for the first time, the legal architecture of preventive justice in the Australian Federation since colonisation, and analysing these laws and their impacts through settler colonial and coloniality theories. Outcomes include the first legal history of preventive justice in the Australian settler colonial context, and enhanced understanding of the role of race in preventive injustice. Benefits include publications and guidelines to inform preventive policy and lawmaking, research training and increased capacity for Australian preventive justice research. Field of research: 1801 - Law Preventive law and policy are central to governmental responses to a range of social harms confronting Australia, from public health to terrorism. This project will develop the first account of preventive justice in the Australian settler colonial context. It will generate new knowledge by comprehensively mapping the legal architecture of preventive justice since colonisation and analysing these laws and their impacts through settler colonial and coloniality theories. The outcomes will assist governments to identify and eliminate racism in preventive law and policy (in furtherance of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (2019) Priority Reform 3), and contribute to law and policy reform through the development of Best Practice Guidelines to strengthen preventive justice in Australian jurisdictions. The project will increase Australia's capacity for international disciplinary collaboration, and be an exemplar for other countries facing similar challenges. The project will serve the national interest by better positioning Australia to respond to threats to our communities requiring preventive action.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Equipment for research on future gravitational wave detectors. Five years ago Australia played a key role in the first detection of gravitational waves, that opened a brand new form of astronomy and detected the most powerful energy outbursts ever observed in the universe. The 70 gravitational wave signals now detected tell us there is a huge population of black holes to be discovered if sensitivity can be increased. This project builds on Australia’s investments in measurement science by providing special lasers and cryocoolers that will allow development of revolutionary new techniques for amplifying gravitational wave signals and reducing noise by manipulating the ways that sound and light interacts. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences Gravitational waves have allowed us to hear the dark universe, and make unexpected discoveries. Cryogenic techniques promises dramatic sensitivity improvement which will result in more surprising discoveries. This facility will provide a testbed for technology required for this leap in sensitivity. White light signal enhancement and high power cryogenic silicon optics will be demonstrated using these facilities. Our frontier research will generate high impact results and global interest from scientists and industry. To succeed, challenging components will be custom-built using advanced manufacturing in local industries, industry partners and universities. Quantum opto-mechanical devices, cryogenic and nanolayer coatings and characterisation of high purity cryogenic silicon will generate commercially interesting results. Gravitational-wave research has a long enduring history of producing spin-off technology that provides benefit to the economy. The facilities will provide training opportunities with world-class instruments, and prepare young researchers in Australia to compete on the world stage.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Understanding the impact of heat stress on cognition in a changing world. Our research will determine how anthropogenic climate change effects the ability of animals to process information in their environment. This research is significant because it directly addresses the growing issue of wildlife adaptation to climate change. If heat stress, reported widely in wildlife both in Australia and globally, impairs an animal's ability to respond to stimuli in its surrounding environment, then this may cause lower reproductive success (eg lower predator detection rates) and population declines. We aim to identify critical temperature points beyond which the cognitive responses of animals decline rapidly - a significant finding for effective wildlife management priorities in the face of rapid climate change. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology The heatwaves and catastrophic bushfires that we experienced over the last few years has brought to the fore the climate change crisis that Australia, and the world, is facing. It is estimated that millions of animals perished from heat stress during the heatwaves of the 2019/20 austral summer, and tens of millions more are estimated to have been impacted by sub-lethal heat stress effects. Cognition, defined as how an animal processes and responds to external stimuli, is a fundamental aspect of adaptation to social and environmental conditions. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to understand how heat stress impacts an animal's ability to respond to its environment. Our research focuses on using cognition measures to investigate the impact of heat stress on an animal's ability to (a) respond to external stimuli, and (b) flexibly adjust their behaviour. This research combines behavioural, cognition and demographic data to understand the impact of high temperatures on animal behaviour and adaptation to prevailing conditions, and thus directly addresses an important aspect of future wildlife management.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Anomalous Structural Response in Porous Framework Materials. This project targets a key missing link in understanding the host-guest properties of porous framework materials, namely, the dynamic response of host lattices to their external environment and to the inclusion of molecular guests. By combining advanced chemical, physical and structural measurements the project expects to provide the first concerted picture of materials behaviour across an array of scientific and technological settings, with particular focus given to industrially relevant ‘real world’ conditions. This promises to greatly inform the on-going chemical design, formulation and process engineering of these materials, in turn accelerating their development in gas separation, energy storage and device componentry applications. Field of research: 0306 - Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural) This Project will generate several new classes of tuneable porous functional materials worthy of commercial development. Profound economic benefits are anticipated in the development of materials-based technologies for high precision smart devices and in applications such as gas separations, drug delivery, sensing and gas storage technologies. The energy efficiency of gas separation technologies additionally promises considerable environmental benefits, while the development of cutting-edge materials design and manufacture will lead to a step-change in the methods used to manufacture porous framework materials. Commercialisation will proceed via patent protection and subsequent co-development of new technologies and spin-offs with local hi-tech industries, giving them a leading edge over international competitors. Cultural benefits will include high level research training that fosters creativity and leadership, in turn promoting an innovative national research culture.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Engineering self-assembled intracellular biological condensates. Cells depend on proteins linking together to build cellular structure, but how weak interactions build stable structure is a mystery. New evidence suggests proteins come together and then change state, employing liquid-like behaviour that builds vital nanoscale structure, such as nuclear bodies called paraspeckles. This project will unlock the secrets of this mysterious behavior of proteins, using paraspeckles as a model. We will use this information for nanotechnology application to build a synthetic paraspeckle inspired structure with bespoke function. Benefits will include new concepts in how vital cell structure is assembled and disassembled, and nanotechnology and synthetic biology tools to manipulate cellular processes. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology The new cell biology phenomenon of “liquid phase condensation” helps to explain the aging of cells and neurodegeneration, which affect 15% and 1% of Australians, respectively. Our project lays the fundamental groundwork for a search for new effective pharmaceuticals against these important conditions. The research will explain how these important liquid phase condensates form, and generate new tools to build and study novel condensates inside cells. The tools and principles being developed in our research will contribute to Australian growth in Synthetic Biology: a future-focussed part of our nation’s Advanced Manufacturing endeavours. The Synthetic Biology industry in the US is valued at $40B, and Australia is investing in systems to facilitate the flow of new Synthetic Biology products. Our project will lead to new methods and concepts for controlling living cells, supporting the production of biology-inspired devices and high-value molecules for this Synthetic Biology market and contribute to training the next generation of scientists at the cutting-edge of these future-focussed areas.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Behavioural resilience to climatic variability. Despite Australian biota being adapted to high natural climate variability, modern climate change is leading to population collapses and shifts into novel ecosystems. This Project, which studies a unique native mammal in the Pilbara, aims to uncover whether changes in behaviour are effective for dealing with environmental extremes and unpredictable climatic conditions. It will integrate laboratory- and field-based investigations to examine behavioural responses to climatic variability and establish how these responses influence individual fitness and future population resilience. This research will advance knowledge on climate-driven behavioural adaptation and improve understanding of how species will cope with Australia’s changing climate. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology This research will benefit the nation by advancing knowledge on how Australia’s fauna will adapt to contemporary climate change. Australia’s future climate is expected to be drier, with a projected 10% arid expansion over the next 80 years. Australia is also set to experience an escalation in the frequency of extreme events. It is predicted that the dispersal capacities of most species will eventually be outpaced by climate change, in which case a change in behaviour(s) may be the only alternative to local extinction. Despite this, our current understanding of the context in which animals modify their behaviour in response to climate-driven environmental variability is far from complete. To address this important knowledge gap, we will study a native mouse that lives in the Pilbara, a unique region of Australia known for its climatic variability. This Project will provide new information on the limitations, demographic effects and fitness implications of climate-related behavioural responses and will therefore aid in securing a sustainable future for Australia’s biodiversity in the face of climate change.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Establishing Design Principles Of Polymers For Intracellular Delivery . Engineered polymers have played a central role in the field of bionanotechnology by enabling targeted nanoscale cell interactions. Progress in the field of intracellular delivery is currently affected by a major bottleneck due to the absence of effective polymers that is applicable across the range of bimolecular cargoes. In essence depending on the type of cargo: DNA, RNA or protien, the polymer needs programmability. The limited tunability of traditional polymers agents makes them unsuitable for this particular application. The multidisciplinary project addresses this significant problem by engineering novel sequences of defined polymer based nanoscale agents to achieve efficient delivery in cells. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology Technologies that enable efficient intracellular delivery of nucleic acids is essential for the latest innovative biotechnology applications. This multidisciplinary program brings together world experts in polymer science, nanoscale-cell interactions, state-of-the-art imaging and cell biology to achieve this overarching goal using sequence defined polymers. The team will develop technologies for programmable intracellular delivery of DNA and RNA. The project will advance both fundamental and practical knowledge by providing training to the research community at the cutting edge of cross-disciplinary science. The outcomes from the project will boost Australian capability in polymer chemistry and nucleic acid based technologies by delivering intellectual property, which will position Australia at the forefront of industrial biotechnology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Inequality, Trade, and Technology. This project aims to improve our understanding of the causes of rising income inequality in the world economy and in Australia since the early 1980s. We focus on the increasing building costs and imports of machinery as significant contributors to the increasing inequality. We hypothesize 1) that the increasing costs of buildings have reduced the demand for workers that are complementary to non-residential building capital; thus, reducing real wages; and 2) that the marked increase in imports of machinery since the 1960s has reduced the demand for unskilled labour and widened the employment and wage gap between skilled and unskilled labour. Both factors may have driven the increasing inequality in Australia. Field of research: 1402 - Applied Economics Increasing inequality, flat real wage growth, increasing housing costs, and reduced employment opportunities for unskilled workers since the 1970s have reduced the standard of living of many Australians. This project aims to investigate and identify the key causes of this trend. Increasing real building costs have reduced building investment, employment, and wages and increased the cost of housing. We will use long data to examine this relationship and identify the role of regulation, market forces tax policy and trade policy, on housing markets and inequality. Furthermore, the increasing imports of machinery to Australia during the last globalization wave have replaced unskilled labour and their real wages. The project gives insight into the causes of the increasing housing costs and income inequality in Australia and will provide insight into how tax and trade policies can be improved to address the increasing inequality without jeopardizing productivity growth.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Passive Positioning and Tracking of Flying Objects Using Satellite Signals. Along with the deployment of low Earth orbit satellite constellations for global satellite Internet services, such as Starlink, Ku/Ka/V band microwave signals from space will be available anywhere on Earth 24/7. Utilising the microwave signals, this project aims to investigate a high-resolution cost-effective solution to position and track un-cooperative flying objects, and expects to generate new knowledge in the area of remote sensing and to make Australia the leader in passive flying objects positioning and tracking. This should provide significant benefits, such as enabling new applications for future drone delivery systems or aerial taxi services, and benefiting the air transport industry, the defence industry, and bird conservation. Field of research: 1005 - Communications Technologies Utilising microwave signals from existing Low Earth Orbit satellites originally designed for global Internet services such as the SpaceX Starlink constellation, this project enables a low-cost high-resolution solution to flying objects positioning and tracking in a passive manner. Current methods either require the active cooperation from the flying objects or are prohibitively costly. Leveraging existing Low Earth Orbit satellites such as Starlink and cloud computing of today, the proposed solution can be easily scaled up to position and track thousands of airplanes and drones, thereby enhance the safety of the air transport industry and allow the safe expansion of the future drone delivery systems/aerial taxi services. By utilising the obstruction and diffraction of microwave signals by flying objects, rather than back-scattering and reflection like radars, the proposed solution is immune to stealth technology, thereby benefit the defence of Australia. The proposed solution can also be used to monitor birds in the sky, benefiting bird conservation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Reading facial expressions from real and virtual humans. This project aims to advance understanding of human emotional communication and improve human rapport with the virtual humans and avatars that are rapidly infiltrating our social world. Using two unique stimulus sets - naturalistic human expressions and highly realistic virtual faces - together with powerful genetic, experimental, and individual differences designs, the project expects to answer previously intractable questions in emotion science, as well as deliver tangible outcomes, such as new psychological tests to better understand human social connection. This should provide significant benefits, by improving emotion communication and offering a new perspective on how artificial intelligence can best serve human social needs. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology Humans communicate via their facial expressions, and this emotional decoding has critical social consequences, influencing our day-to-day interactions as well as legal judgments, government policy, educational curricula, the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric illness, and more recently, the development of artificial intelligence. Despite intense research interest, the focus of past research has used facial expression stimuli taken in the lab and unlike those seen in everyday life. This project uses the novel datasets we have created to answer important questions about genuine facial expressions, such as: why do people vary in their ability to recognise naturalistic facial expressions?, what makes an emotional expression appear genuine?, why do some people differ in their perceptions of genuineness? Knowing how individuals interpret real-world facial expressions will help humans communicate, and is crucial for the development of virtual humans, with which people will increasingly interact.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Molecular Thermoelectric Materials: A New Hot Topic. This project aims to use the principles of chemistry and molecular electronics to synthesize and study molecules able to directly convert waste heat into electricity through the Seebeck effect. This project expects to generate new knowledge concerning the wire-like properties of molecules and conditions that lead to a high Seebeck coefficient, together with interference effects to suppress thermal conductance. Expected outcomes of this project include a deeper understanding of chemical structure - molecular electronic property relationships, and enhanced international collaboration with the UK. This should provide benefits in terms of low-cost conversion of waste heat to electrical energy. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology Molecular electronics is a fast developing field of science leading to an emerging materials technology in which Australia has opportunity to build leadership in key areas. In particular, this proposal seeks to develop molecular systems with thermoelectric efficiency to enable waste heat to be converted to electrical energy. Such thermoelectric materials are an emerging hot topic, with global interest driven by the fact that some 70% of global energy production is ultimately wasted as heat. The potential economic and societal benefits from being at the forefront of such an emerging frontier technology are compelling, with molecules offering features that can overcome limits of conventional solid state thermoelectric materials. Success will advance fundamental science and signpost directions for innovative molecular technologies. Increased Australian research capacity through integrated training and knowledge transfer activities will ensure a skilled future workforce with opportunities within and beyond the field of the proposal and may also contribute to future energy efficiencies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Blue carbon potential of the Great Southern Reef. As one of Australia’s largest vegetated coastal ecosystems, kelp forests provide substantial climate mitigation opportunities. Although kelp carbon is ubiquitous in the deep ocean, the mechanism of transport and amount of kelp carbon reaching deep sinks remains largely unknown, significantly hampering their inclusion in ocean carbon budgets and mitigation action. We will use Australia-wide field data on kelp export, cross-shelf measurements of transport and decay, coastal ocean circulation and future distribution models to vastly improve estimates of kelp carbon transfer to deep ocean sinks. Our comprehensive data-driven assessment of kelp carbon sequestration aims to uncover the carbon sink capacity of seaweed forests now and in the future Field of research: 0602 - Ecology Securing natural carbon sinks is key to confronting our current climate crisis. Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems are emerging as areas of enhanced ‘blue carbon’ storage. Despite potentially accounting for 30% of the total blue carbon in Australia, kelp forests are currently not being recognised for their role in binding and sequestering carbon. This project will uncover the transport and fate of kelp carbon as it travels from the coast to the deep ocean sinks now and in the future. Confronting this key knowledge gap will vastly improve confidence in the carbon sink potential of the Great Southern Reef, a unique marine ecosystem of growing interest to Australia, and a recent Mission Blue Hope Spot. This new knowledge will be important information for Australia’s ocean management actions and conservation priorities. It also provides opportunities for new carbon sequestration projects, improving Australia’s capacity to meet its emissions reduction target of 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, and helping mainstream an oceans agenda into climate change initiatives

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Maintenance of high plant diversity in phosphorus-impoverished ecosystems. This project aims to determine the role of soil-inhabiting pathogens and symbiotic fungi in the maintenance of plant diversity in Australia’s hyperdiverse shrublands. These are among the world’s most species-rich systems, yet occur on extremely poor soils. This project tests the hypothesis that plants that are best adapted to acquire phosphorus in these extremely infertile soils are most susceptible to soil pathogens. This trade-off would equalise differences in competitive abilities among plant species and promote high plant diversity. The project will help elucidate how pathogens and symbiotic fungi together drive plant diversity in a globally significant biodiversity hotspot in Australia, with relevance to other biodiverse regions. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology This project will contribute significantly to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant diversity maintenance in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions: south-western Australia. That understanding will be pivotal for the managements of national parks and reserves in this biodiversity hotspot, and any other biodiverse landscapes that are similarly nutrient-impoverished. It will provide novel insights into the potential role of soilborne pathogens in combination with mycorrhizal fungi in maintaining plant species diversity in phosphorus-impoverished landscapes. Such understanding is pivotal to improve biodiversity conservation strategies which is important, because biodiversity conservation and restoration incur tremendous costs. The project focuses on south-western Australia’s kwongan, which harbours some of the most species-rich plant communities in the world, holding considerable biodiversity values. They also hold significant economic values as important contributors to the apiculture and tourism industry. Better understanding of its functioning is important for conservation and management.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Redesigning Landcare policy to better coordinate across landholders. This project aims to study how landscape-sensitive economic incentives and social norms can be leveraged to enhance the short- and long-term effectiveness of conservation programs. It will yield new knowledge for innovative designs in conservation contracting that is urgently needed to address worsening environmental threats in Australia and worldwide. In collaboration with Nobel laureate Vernon Smith’s team, new methods and protocols will improve our ability to generate better data and better understand how social and incentive mechanisms can constructively interact to facilitate collaborative environmental action. Results will help make the achievement of environmental targets and the use of public funds more cost-effective. Field of research: 1402 - Applied Economics In spite of substantial efforts and billions of dollars spent over the last 20 years, including the current $1 Billion for the National Landcare Program (2017-2023), Australia’s land and water quality, natural habitat, and wildlife have faced rising challenges. This project will test in the lab and the field novel policy instruments that, by achieving greater spatial coordination among landholders, increase the effectiveness of incentive payments and boost the value-for-money from investment in Landcare and similar programs. Will benefit: farmers’ soil health in line with National Soils Strategy; rural communities from healthier landscapes and strengthened social capital; the Australian economy from more efficient use of public funds. Applying our project’s innovations to National Landcare Program’s four Strategic Objectives could create $60m in extra value. Even with half the benefits, the project’s estimated benefit-cost ratio could still reach 30:1. Collaboration with Nobel laureate V. Smith’s team and training 3 PhDs will build strong capacity, tooling up Australia to export its expertise.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Dynamic Mechano-Microscopy for use in Mechanobiology . We will develop an innovative microscope that will enable new discoveries in biology. Most microscopes form images of a sample's optical properties, instead we will image a sample's mechanical properties. The reason our novel approach is needed is that cell behaviour depends on the stiffness of it's environment, but current microscopes are unable to image this. Our microscope will provide insights in biology that can improve our understanding of cells, the building blocks of life. We will achieve this by: 1. Developing a microscope that combines microscopic resolution with rapid imaging; 2: Developing the capability to image both within the cell and its surrounding environment; and 3. Using our microscope to make discoveries in biology. Field of research: 0205 - Optical Physics The novel optical microscopy platform we will develop will allow Australia to remain at the forefront of global development of cutting-edge technologies in optical microscopy and tissue engineering. Due to its importance in regulating cell behaviour, mechanobiology is an ever-expanding area, but existing microscopy platforms are not fit for purpose. We will address this to develop an innovative mechano-microscopy platform to enable future breakthroughs in biology. The technology we will develop can become a vital tool for researchers to better understand cell biology, thereby improving clinical diagnosis and, as such, creating a positive impact on the health and well-being of Australians. Given the speed with which new microscopy platforms can be adopted, coupled with the team's track record in translating research to commercial outcomes, this project has clear potential to lead to the creation of new Australian jobs through the growth of microscopy markets.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Choosing to persist: sexual selection in the wild. This project aims to investigate the role of sexual selection in maintaining healthy wild populations. The prevailing story of sexual selection, in which the sexes either compete for or choose the other sex, has been of extravagant ornaments and displays that drive species to extinction. However, an opposing story has emerged, with elaborate ornaments reflecting a healthy genome and sexual selection instead sweeping away damaging genetic material. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the potential for sexual selection to remove harmful mutations in the wild. Expected outcomes include determining if sexual selection can help prevent extinction in wild populations, with direct benefits for conservation programs. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology How organisms remove damaging genetic material from the genome is one of the central questions of evolutionary biology. Our research tests key theories at the cutting-edge of basic science research on how sexual selection may remove damaging mutations from the genome, that also has practical benefits across conservation, social and economic areas. Specifically, our findings are expected to have (i) broad conservation impact for endangered species through potential policy change on the type of rescuers used in genetic rescue programs, (ii) immediate direct conservation impact by attempting genetic rescue of vulnerable populations, (iii) the development of a significant resource for future Australian evolutionary & conservation science research through the continued building of a long-term field model system stretching back 25 years on an Australian endemic species, (iv) economic and social value through media coverage of internationally competitive research of the highest impact, and (v) social and mental health benefits through local community conservation engagement within the farming community.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Carbon-Supported Iron Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO. Nitric oxide (NO) is a major pollutant from combustion systems. This project aims to develop cost-effective and environmentally benign zerovalent iron catalysts supported on carbon material for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO using CO and unburned hydrocarbons as in-situ reductants. By applying differential reactor experimentation, kinetic modelling and advanced material characterisation techniques, the research will unravel complex relationships among catalyst structural features and activity, NO reduction mechanisms, and catalyst performance under practically relevant combustion conditions that underpin the development of an effective yet affordable SCR technology to control NO emission from industrial utilities and automobiles. Field of research: 0904 - Chemical Engineering Australia emits about 2.7 million tonnes of nitrogen oxide (NO) per annum, ranking No. 1 in the world on a per capita basis. Existing technologies for NO emission control are costly and do not suit Australian industries and automobile sectors. This Discovery Project will advance the science that underpins the development of a new and high-performing alternative catalyst technology that is easy to manufacture, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly. The widespread application of this technology has important benefits for Australia’s environmental sustainability, long-term economic prosperity and international reputation. These innovative catalysts will provide an effective and affordable method to significantly reduce the nation’s NO emissions whilst also enabling us to tap into the huge global market for NO control technologies. As such, the research outcomes will enhance Australia’s research and innovation capability and technological competitiveness, stimulate the nation’s manufacturing capacity, support our export industry, and assist with the global efforts to eliminate NO emissions.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Reducing environmental footprint by improving phosphorous use efficiency. While modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of phosphorous fertilizers, most of them are not used by plants and lost in runoff, resulting in a massive environmental damage through contamination of waterways (termed eutrophication). This project takes advantage of an untapped resource - a unique collection of Tibetan wild barley genotypes, to reveal key traits that confer superior phosphorus use efficiency in wild barley and identify appropriate candidate genes and their position on chromosomes for further incorporating these traits into commercial barley cultivars. This will reduce the environmental footprint of modern agricultural practices on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems without compromising food security. Field of research: 0607 - Plant Biology Phosphorous deficiency is considered one of the greatest limitations to agricultural production in Australia. Rock phosphate, the major source of phosphorous fertilizers and one of the cornerstones of modern agriculture, is a non-renewable resource that could be depleted within 50 to 200 years. At the same time, the bulk of phosphorous fertilizers added to the soil end up in the nearby waterways and not used by the plants. This causes major environmental concerns and comes at a massive cost to farmers. This project will contribute to improving plants ability to take up and utilize phosphorous fertilizers thereby reducing the environmental footprint of modern production systems on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It will also greatly reduce the cost of phosphorous fertilizer input into farming systems, reducing the cost of food production to growers. This project will address two National research priorities “Minimizing damage to soil, fresh and potable water, urban catchments and marine systems” and “Enhanced food production”.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Remote sensing techniques to infer fine-scale ocean surface currents. This project aims to develop new technology for measuring ocean surface currents at unprecedented fine resolution using aerial imagery and theory that describes how surface waves are refracted by currents. The project will generate new knowledge on ocean surface current processes and variability across a range of scales, and critically, improve our understanding of surface current uncertainty through application of advanced statistical analysis techniques. The outcomes of this project will deliver Australian capability to leverage the enhanced spatial and temporal resolution of next generation Earth observations to directly benefit search and rescue, offshore industry operations, defence, and pollution response in Australian waters. Field of research: 0405 - Oceanography The Australian Blue Economy had an estimated worth of over $80 billion in 2020 and has a projected value exceeding $100 billion by 2025. Much of this economic activity is underpinned by effective engineering design and safe, yet efficient, operations. This project will develop new technology to measure and characterise surface currents in the ocean which are key inputs to both engineering design and operations across a broad swath of marine industries from offshore oil and gas, marine renewables, and sea search and rescue. Existing techniques to measure surface currents are either prohibitively expensive and/or lack the spatial and temporal resolution required. The technology developed through this project will enable ocean surface current measurements at an unprecedented fine scale using existing low-cost components that can be mounted on platforms ranging from drones to manned aircraft. This new technology, which can be applied by Australian and global marine service providers and industries, and will enhance marine design, operations, and safety at sea.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Alleviating herbicide damage to crops by using fulvate and manganese. Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide, but its drift can cause growth depression in sensitive plants such as wheat by reducing uptake of metallic micronutrients, particularly manganese. In pot and field trials, this project aims to assess the alleviating potential of fulvate and manganese on growth and micronutrient uptake by wheat exposed to glyphosate drift. The influence of land management on the effect of these treatments will also be assessed. The underlying mechanisms will be characterised, eg. by determining metal speciation in soil and assessing soil microbial community composition. The outcome of this project will contribute to sustainable agriculture by giving land managers options to reduce glyphosate damage in sensitive crops. Field of research: 0503 - Soil Sciences Crop growth in many soils is limited by weed infestation. Therefore, farmers regularly apply herbicides such as glyphosate for controlling weeds. Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides, particularly since the introduction of glyphosate-resistant crops such as canola, allowing its application during crop growth. However, glyphosate drift to neighbouring sensitive crops (such as wheat) can cause growth depression. One of the main reasons for this growth decline is reduced micronutrient uptake, particularly of manganese. The aim of this project is to characterise the potential of applying fulvate and manganese before or after exposure to glyphosate to reduce or eliminate damage in wheat. Additionally, the effect of land management (conventional fertilisation or biological based on biofertilisers) on alleviation of glyphosate damage by fulvate and manganese will be investigated. The outcome will provide new management options to reduce damage of herbicide drift to sensitive crops and contribute to profitable and sustainable crop production.