Queensland University of Technology

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Boosting power grid resilience by leveraging distributed energy sources Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Multiphase droplet chemistry shapes dynamic survival of airborne viruses Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Multiphase droplet chemistry shapes dynamic survival of airborne viruses Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Working to the TOP-of-Scope of Registered Nurses Practice to Enhance... Category: Medical Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Working to the TOP-of-Scope of Registered Nurses Practice to Enhance... Category: Medical Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Effects and Immune Regulation Mechanisms of... Category: Medical Research

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

Queensland University of Technology and Fundação Getulio Vargas (a... Category: Overseas Advocacy

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

Unraveling Coronial Inquests into Indigenous Deaths in Custody Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Unraveling Coronial Inquests into Indigenous Deaths in Custody Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Assessing the operation of voluntary assisted dying laws in Australia Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Assessing the operation of voluntary assisted dying laws in Australia Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Electrolyte engineering for CO2 reduction by machine learning force... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Electrolyte engineering for CO2 reduction by machine learning force... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Safe and environmentally friendly perovskite photovoltaic technology Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Safe and environmentally friendly perovskite photovoltaic technology Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Uncreative Australia: impacts of declining participation in arts... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Advancing fluid separation via engineered 3D-printed porous media Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Navigating Deformable Spaces "“ How to Localise in a Shifting World Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Lighting the Path to Recovery: Addressing Delirium Risks in ICU Design. Access to circadian lighting significantly improves quality of life, particularly for critically ill patients in ICUs, who often experience disrupted circadian rhythms and sleep deprivation, increasing their risk of delirium. Current ICU lighting often fails to meet melanopic equivalent daylight illumination (m-EDI) thresholds needed to promote circadian entrainment. This project addresses these gaps by engineering dynamic lighting solutions tailored to critically ill patients’ needs for sleep, and recovery. By establishing patient-centered, evidence-based m-EDI recommendations and evaluating energy-efficient, tunable lighting systems, the research aims to enhance ICU luminous environment, fostering better sleep to reduce delirium risks. Field of research: 3302 - Building Circadian lighting can improve quality of life by promoting sleep, which is essential for good health and recovery. Yet, ICU conditions often hinder normal sleep due to constant bright lighting and lack of window access, disrupting circadian rhythms and increasing the risk of patients developing delirium. This project aims to discover how circadian lighting can improve sleep in ICU patients. The appropriate intensity and spectral composition of lighting levels to entrain circadian rhythms for critically ill patients in ICUs have not been fully resolved. For the first time, lighting and sleep will be assessed in a real ICU at a Queensland hospital to develop evidence-based circadian lighting solutions that promote a comfortable, safe, and efficient environment for critically ill patients. This project will enable clinicians to monitor sleep and alertness patterns throughout the day, quickly adjusting the lighting configuration of ICU rooms to optimize the circadian response of patients of different ages, thus promoting sleep and recovery. The economic, commercial, and social benefits of this project will extend beyond traditional scientific outcomes, with research and innovation outputs benefiting the lighting industry, architects, clinicians, hospital managers, and the government. An interdisciplinary dissemination plan will raise awareness of circadian lighting to combat the critical issues of sleep and delirium in Australian hospitals.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Multiphase droplet chemistry shapes dynamic survival of airborne viruses. When airborne viruses are exhaled, they are embedded in a droplet of human respiratory fluid. These droplets are not just carriers of viruses but are complex microenvironments containing a mixture of salts, proteins and other substances that dynamically change over time depending on the environment where they have been exhaled. We aim to improve our fundamental understanding of the physicochemical dynamics of exhaled respiratory droplets in order to understand what drives the virus survival in indoor environments. This is essential for developing effective public health strategies, such as optimising indoor air quality and controlling environmental conditions, to create an environment less conducive to virus transmission. Field of research: 3701 - Atmospheric Sciences This project directly supports Priority 2: Supporting healthy and thriving communities, particularly in anticipating and responding to future pandemics and infectious disease outbreaks. Airborne virus transmission is a key driver of respiratory disease spread, yet the role of exhaled respiratory droplets in virus survival remains poorly understood. By investigating the physicochemical properties of these droplets, this research will identify the environmental factors that influence virus viability in indoor settings. The findings will inform strategies to optimize indoor air quality and environmental controls in hospitals, aged care facilities, workplaces, and public spaces. This knowledge is crucial for reducing airborne virus transmission and protecting vulnerable populations. Australia faces ongoing threats from emerging infectious diseases, making proactive research essential for pandemic preparedness. This project will improve understanding of airborne virus survival, leading to evidence-based interventions that minimize risks. The outcomes will support public health policy, guide building design for safer indoor environments, and strengthen national resilience against future outbreaks. Findings will be shared through media, talks, and social platforms, ensuring broad dissemination. Collaborations with health organizations, policymakers, and industry will translate results into practical guidelines, enhancing public safety and national resilience.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

In Silico Design of New Catalysts for Nitrate Reduction to Green Ammonia. Sophisticated new catalysts will be vital in the transition to environmentally responsible energy and production industries. Through engineering catalyst microenvironment, this project will determine novel theoretical principles on the catalyst design, yielding significant insights for translation into sustainable new catalytic processing in nitrate reduction. Expected outcomes include new sustainable catalysts for nitrate reduction to ammonia, help minimise carbon emissions, reduce energy consumption, and remove nitrate contaminants from wastewater. These outcomes should benefit the Australian economy with potential for new knowledge-based energy and environmental industries and safer generation of energy and production of commodities. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Catalysts are essential in industries that involve chemical processing of any sort, enabling and speeding reactions for efficient and cost-effective production. The project will deliver innovative designs on the finetuned and highly active catalysts for nitrate reduction. They will, for example, enable sustainable nitrate reduction to ammonia, reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in the currently industrial ammonia production processes, and help in removing nitrate pollutants from wastewater. This cutting-edge research will address the National Science and Research Priorities related to achieving a net-zero future and safeguarding Australia’s environment, as well as the National Reconstruction Fund’s priority areas such as low-emission technologies and value-added agriculture. A new generation of technologies for reducing nitrate levels in the environment will bring significant economic and environmental benefit, underpinning new research capability and applied industry-relevant technology for Australia. Additionally, the extensive training of PhD students and early career researchers will be critical for Australian research and development, especially in commercializing new, globally competitive energy and environmental technologies. To amplify its impact beyond academia, the project's outcome will be disseminated through a dedicated workshop for academics and policymakers, targeted social media campaigns, and a specialized website showcasing the research outcomes.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Assistive Robotics for Inclusive Employment. People with intellectual disabilities (ID) often face challenges in finding employment. Even when they do, employers may struggle to find suitable work for them. There are currently no clear solutions to these issues. However, AI and assistive robotics show great promise in fostering the capabilities of people with ID. Our interdisciplinary research team will work with the disability sector using a co-design approach to explore how these technologies can help people with ID transition into sustainable employment and assist employers in creating suitable work tasks. This groundbreaking study aims to produce guidelines on using assistive robots to improve and maintain employment opportunities for people with ID and those employing them. Field of research: 4608 - Human-Centred Computing The project promotes the participation of Australians with intellectual disability in the technology revolution with innovations fostering inclusion and learning for a diverse workforce. By co-designing new types of learning experiences with social robotics and generative AI, we will generate guidelines for future applications supporting engagement and social connection, while continuing to demonstrate that people of all abilities can and should participate in the co-design of their futures within an inclusive society. These goals align with the core principle of Australia's Disability Strategy (2021-2031) and the priorities in the Australian Disability Employment Strategy (Employ My Ability). With the support of key partners in disability employment, this project will position Australia as a world leader in Assistive Robotics and will afford opportunities for workplaces to become more accessible and inclusive, while also supporting Australia's Artificial Intelligence Action Plan in its focus on ``making Australia a global leader in responsible and inclusive AI".

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

Efficient Bayesian analysis by exploiting fast approximate models Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Digitalising with Care to Strengthening Social Connection and Wellbeing. As digitalisation accelerates across Australian service sectors, loneliness is emerging as a critical social issue, particularly among vulnerable populations. This project addresses the unintended social consequences of digital transformation by partnering with an aged care contact centre to develop tools that help staff identify and support lonely clients in service calls. Combining a detection algorithm with simple, human-centred interventions, the project strengthens opportunities for connection in everyday service interactions. The outcomes of this project aim to embed social care into digital service delivery, improving outcomes for clients, supporting frontline staff, and informing responsible digital innovation across the industry. Field of research: 4206 - Public Health This project addresses loneliness as a growing public health and social issue, intensified by the digitalisation of essential services. While digital transformation improves efficiency, it can also erode opportunities for meaningful human connection, particularly in aged care and other frontline service settings. In partnership with a leading aged care provider, this project will co-design scalable, psychologically grounded tools to help contact centre staff identify and support clients experiencing loneliness. Rather than replacing existing interventions, the findings will offer a complementary approach to strengthen the social fabric of service interactions. The project combines AI-enabled detection with human-centred interventions, ensuring that new technologies enhance—rather than diminish—social connection. To maximise use and adoption, outcomes will be shared via practitioner-facing toolkits, staff training resources, and sector-based showcases. This work supports Australia’s commitment to responsible, human-centred innovation, digital inclusion, and improved quality of life for vulnerable populations. Aligned with the Future Made in Australia initiative, it builds national capability in ethical digital service design and strengthens sovereign expertise in health, ageing, and care. It also promotes workforce wellbeing by equipping staff with supportive tools in increasingly digital work environments.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Revolutionising Brickmaking: From Traditional Practice to AI Smart Design. This project will revolutionise the brickmaking industry by integrating mineral science with machine learning to overcome persistent challenges in quality, efficiency, and sustainability. It will systematically uncover how natural mineral phases affect brick performance and develop predictive and inverse design models to optimise formulations. By moving away from traditional trial-and-error methods, the project will reduce material waste, enhance strength and durability, and cut carbon emissions. The outcomes will directly support Australian manufacturers through improved quality control and production efficiency, data-driven innovation, and more sustainable, scalable production of one of the world’s most essential construction materials. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Brickmaking is one of Australia’s most established and energy-intensive manufacturing sectors, producing over 600 million bricks annually for construction and infrastructure. Yet, the industry still relies on trial-and-error methods, resulting in variability in product quality, production inefficiencies, and a 3-5% defect rate even in leading factories. This project addresses a critical national need by integrating advanced mineral science with machine learning to enable predictive, data-driven formulation design. By developing AI-enabled tools to optimise raw clay formulations and firing conditions, the project will improve brick performance, reduce waste, and enable a step-change in production capacity-helping manufacturers meet growing housing and infrastructure demands while lowering embodied carbon. These outcomes align with national priorities in decarbonising industry, advancing low-emissions manufacturing, and enhancing sovereign capability in digital design. To ensure broad impact, research outputs will be actively promoted beyond academia. The inverse design tool and mineral database will be deployed and tested across ten factories in partnership with Brickworks, supported by on-site researchers. Results will be shared through industry conferences, design studio events, and digital platforms, while commercialisation will be managed via QUT’s innovation office. This will fast-track adoption and build national capability in sustainable, smart manufacturing.