Queensland University of Technology

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

In Silico Design of New Catalysts for Nitrate Reduction to Green Ammonia Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Next Generation Hybrid Columns to Mitigate Vehicular Impacts Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Solar-Driven Biotransformation of CO2 into Renewable Energy Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Toward phonologically aware language models Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Uncreative Australia: impacts of declining participation in arts education. Australia’s arts and cultural sector has faced significant changes due to the post-COVID environment, cost of living crisis, and workforce reform. Despite increased demand for arts activities, there has been a reduction in creative arts courses at universities, affecting training and innovation. This research investigates factors influencing young people's decisions to abandon creative arts studies and examines long-term impacts on Australia’s cultural landscape. The mixed methods approach includes in-depth interviews and co-design workshops with young people to uncover motivations behind education choices, providing a nuanced understanding of the decline in creative arts education and solutions for the sector's future. Field of research: 3699 - Other Creative Arts and Writing Uncreative Australia examines the impact of shrinking creative arts degree programs in Australian universities. The project will provide an evidence base for education and arts policy makers for informed and strategic decision making about the future of creative education and training. A strong creative workforce drives innovation, strengthens national identity, and supports Australia’s global cultural influence. Despite contributing $63.7 billion to the economy in 2022–23, the creative sector faces declining university enrolments and workforce challenges. This research fills critical gaps in understanding what drives young people's study training, the subsequent influence of program cuts on young people’s study choices and the sustainability of Australia’s creative industries. By centering the voices of young people the project will advance scholarly understanding of the economic, social, and cultural contexts in which creative higher education training is delivered in Australia ensuring better investment in the sector. Findings will be communicated in policy briefs, public reports, media engagement, and industry forums for effective research translation. Additionally digital platforms, podcasts, and community discussions will make the research accessible to students, parents, and industry stakeholders. By bridging academia, industry, and policy this project aims to reprioritise a thriving creative sector that benefits all Australians.

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

Promoting low-income parents’ digital media literacies Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Mobile-Energy-as-a-Service: Delivering Sustainable Electromobility Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Building a Black Justice Journalism Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Interfacial engineering advances high-performance thermoelectric devices. The low stability, high contact resistance, and suboptimal performance of thermoelectric interface materials (TEiMs) are critical barriers to the efficiency of thermoelectric devices. This project aims to overcome these challenges through innovative interfacial design, targeting record-high device performance. Expected outcomes include a rapid and reliable workflow for designing advanced TEiMs by optimizing electrical and thermal resistances, with the goal of improving thermoelectric device efficiency by over 25%. This project may enhance scientific understanding and drive commercialization potentials in microelectronics and energy, positioning Australia as a global leader in renewable energy and environmental innovation. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Thermoelectric technology plays an important role in Australia’s net zero emission future because it can convert the ambiguous waste heat to useful electricity without emitting noise or pollutions. Significant breakthroughs in developing thermoelectric materials have been made over the past decade, with devices now reaching an efficiency around 15%. However, further performance enhancement is currently restricted due to the poor stability, high contact resistance, and suboptimal figure-of-merit of thermoelectric interface materials (TEiMs); factors that can also jeopardise device’s structural and operational integrity. This project aims to overcome these challenges through innovative interfacial engineering, targeting record-high device performance. In particular, efforts will be devoted to forming a high-throughput workflow for the design of TEiMs and exploring effective strategies to optimise contact resistance to minimise energy loss. Expected outcomes include high-density thermoelectric devices with an efficiency approaching 20%, and stability under large electric fields and a steep temperature gradient, paving the way for realistic prototypes and pilot-scale products. Through public engagement programs and collaborations with industries, this will place Australia at the forefront of green energy technologies and create employment for markets valued at over US$32.5 Billion in wearable electronics, hybrid vehicles, and 5G communication.

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

Promoting low-income parents’ digital media literacies Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The Mismatch between Photochemical Reactivity and Molecular Absorptivity. It was a long-held belief in photochemistry that the color of a photoactive compound was the best guide to achieve the most efficient photochemical reaction. For example, if a molecule appeared blue, then complementary orange light was the optimum excitation source. Recently, our team has upended this paradigm. Our findings that maximum absorptivity (color) and maximum reaction efficiency are not necessarily congruent has far-reaching consequences for all production process that involve photochemical reactions, from 3D printing to surface curing, as much milder light sources can be used than previously thought. This project will investigate the underpinning cause of the mismatch and enable us to predict photochemical reactivity. Field of research: 3406 - Physical Chemistry Photochemistry is at the cusp of a paradigm shift. For the past 200 years, the ideal colour of light to progress a photochemical reaction was determined by inspection of the colour of the photoreactive chemical compound. We have demonstrated that this correlation is incorrect. Understanding why this paradigm is incorrect - as proposed herein - will unlock the possibility to predict the optimum (colour) wavelength for a photochemical process. Knowledge and prediction of the ideal wavelength for photochemical processes has enormous impact on our ability to use photochemical reactions that a ubiquitous in manufacturing, ranging from the curing of coatings to biomedical materials to light-driven 3D printing. Australia has the unique opportunity to position itself at the forefront of not only understanding which colour of light is required for a specific chemical reaction and application, but also exploit the effect. Critically, exploitation of the mismatch effect will allow for photochemical curing and production processes to proceed with less energy and more efficiently, making a critical contribution to sustainable manufacturing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Navigating Deformable Spaces – How to Localise in a Shifting World. This project proposes novel methods that will enable robotic systems to navigate safely and precisely within deformable environments, where current technologies fall short due to assumptions of static world models. These limitations often lead to unintended collisions, poor navigation behaviours, and increased uncertainty in robotic actions. By advancing the ability to model and interact with a deformable world through machine learning, vision-based foundation models, and rule-based explanations, this project will open new avenues for deploying robotic systems in unconventional scenarios, from environmental disaster recovery to advanced healthcare applications such as robotic-assisted arthroscopy. Field of research: 4603 - Computer Vision and Multimedia Computation Robots equipped with embodied Artificial Intelligence systems are rapidly becoming essential tools that Australians use to complete industrial and everyday tasks. However, enabling such systems to operate autonomously in complex, real-world environments—particularly those that deform or shift over time—remains a critical challenge. Our research will enable autonomous robots to complete complex tasks by developing approaches that allow them to act correctly when their world changes shape either briefly or permanently. Our research addresses this gap by developing new approaches that empower autonomous robots to act correctly when their world changes shape - whether transient or permanent. It will allow AI agents to understand and anticipate the best course of action and navigation through a combination of modelling, pattern recognition and planning coupled with explanations of the best action selection to build trust and enhance teamwork with humans. By incorporating uncertainty directly into the decision-making process, our work allows AI agents to maintain performance in unpredictable conditions, where traditional static plans would fail. This research has wide-reaching applications across the natural world from robotics navigating inside humans, to ecological monitoring in fragile landscapes, to agile robotic systems used in search & rescue or responsive mining operations. Our novel methods will become increasingly important as robots and AI agents become commonplace.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Advancing fluid separation via engineered 3D-printed porous media. This project aims to advance fluid separation processes by harnessing inherent differences in how immiscible fluids like oil and water interact with the structures of 3D-printed porous materials. Combining numerical modelling, experiments and theoretical analyses, design principles will be derived from fluid properties, porous structures, and surface characteristics that drive spontaneous separation. Fluid separation is critical in wastewater treatment, food and pharmaceutical processing, and petrochemicals. Yet current methods remain energy-intensive, chemical-heavy, and inefficient. By designing porous materials that naturally separate fluids without extra energy or chemicals, the project offers a sustainable alternative for industries. Field of research: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering An essential step in industries like biofuel production and vaccine purification is separating fluid droplets from another fluid (e.g., oil from water). Heating or centrifuges use significant energy, and membranes are prone to clogging. Inspired by natural filtration of fluids in porous rocks, we propose 3D printed porous materials to separate fluids based on the different interactions between pore surfaces and each fluid, directing the fluids into separate paths. Identifying the most effective pore structure will require a combination of new, more realistic computer simulations, the most advanced 3D printing techniques, and an innovative use of machine learning to explore a broader design options while accounting for limitations in the accuracy of 3D printing. These advanced separation technologies will support sustainable fuel production from local waste such as agricultural byproducts and used cooking oils, growing a national low-carbon liquid fuels economy. They will also enable local production of lipid nanoparticles for new vaccines. Both are crucial to Australia's sovereign capability in energy and therapeutic security, and are likely to attract interest in our research outcomes from various media outlets. Through our established partnerships, including those providing real-world use cases and links to Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector, we will create pathways to translate our research into industry-specific applications.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Green hydrogen generation from high-current-density electrocatalysis. While green hydrogen has been listed as national strategy and priority for reducing carbon emissions swiftly and meeting sustainable energy transition, significant knowledge gap exists between the lab-scale investigations and the industry-scale production. This project aims to address the challenges in large-scale hydrogen production through mechanism understandings and electrode innovations for high current density electrocatalysis. The outcomes of this project will provide direct knowledge advances and technological readiness toward real-world hydrogen production at high current densities, reduce environmental impact, diversify economic foundation for Australia, and contribute to the global hydrogen economy. Field of research: 3402 - Inorganic Chemistry This project on high-current-density hydrogen production aims to address Australia's urgent need for sustainable and clean energy solutions. By performing atomic and molecular investigations in improving efficiency and reducing costs, this research will provide tangible solutions for bridging significant knowledge between lab-scale studies and industry scale production. The outcomes will enhance Australia’s global competitiveness in green hydrogen production, supporting industries in transport, manufacturing, and energy storage. By advancing scalable and cost-effective hydrogen production, the project supports Australia’s ambition to become a world leader in clean hydrogen exports, securing long-term economic and strategic benefits. Environmentally, it will contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with national and global climate goals. Socially, the project will promote energy security and independence, ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply for future generations. This project will also strengthen Australia’s scientific capability in electrochemical engineering and renewable energy, remaining knowledge and expertise at the forefront of global advancements. To promote the outcomes beyond academia to maximize understanding, translation, use, and adoption, multi-pronged engagements and dissemination strategies targeting industry, policy stakeholders, and the broader public will be employed via tailored workshops, collaborations, and public lectures.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Mobile-Energy-as-a-Service: Delivering Sustainable Electromobility. This project proposes a novel concept of Mobile-Energy-as-a-Service, a comprehensive mechanism utilising the transport, power, and infrastructure aspects of electric vehicle mobility. It uses electric vehicle batteries as mobile energy sources and eases the pressure on the grid during peak times. The proposal incorporates an evidence-based, user-specific, & flexible incentivised pricing scheme to handle the impending wave of electric vehicles on our roads. With the help of appropriate digital platforms, users can plan their travel in an economically optimal way while passing through differentially priced energy zones. This research helps Australia to achieve its energy sustainability and carbon neutrality targets. Field of research: 4008 - Electrical Engineering Australia is facing increasingly severe climate challenges, including destructive floods and bushfires, which highlight the urgent need for sustainable solutions. Renewable energy resources (RER) and electric vehicles (EVs) are essential in combating environmental degradation and achieving net-zero emissions. Emerging technologies offer opportunities to enhance renewable energy systems, which currently face reliability issues due to the intermittent nature of renewable sources. EVs, through Mobile Energy-as-a-Service (MEaaS), can act as mobile energy storage systems, providing the power buffering needed to stabilize electricity supply. However, careful planning and operational strategies are required before deploying MEaaS widely. This project aims to explore these opportunities and address challenges to integrate MEaaS into Australian smart cities effectively. The tools developed will be adaptable for existing and future distribution networks, benefiting both industrial and residential users by improving renewable energy adoption and EV integration. To ensure the broader impact of this research, results will be communicated effectively to policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the general public. By presenting findings in a shareable and relatable format, this project can inspire action, influence policy decisions, and promote widespread adoption of sustainable energy solutions.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-12

Human-Machine Teaming in a Communications-denied Environment Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-12

Human-Machine Teaming in a Communications-denied Environment Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-11

Prime Minister's Prize for Science 2025 Category: Science

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-11

2025 Equipment Grants Category: Health and Medical Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-10

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities: Our Future for Ageing in... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-10

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities: Our Future for Ageing in... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-10

New mathematical models for brain tissue microstructure imaging Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-10

New mathematical models for brain tissue microstructure imaging Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-10

ARC Research Hub in the Internet of Things for Water Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-10

ARC Research Hub in the Internet of Things for Water Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research