Australian National University

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Government Popularity, Political Responsiveness and Democracy in Australia. This project aims to understand what affects government popularity and how this shapes the health of democracy. What citizens are concerned about and how their concerns are satisfactorily addressed is central to an effective democracy and to responsible government. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the operation of democracy by identifying the factors that shape government popularity and how and in what ways governments respond to them. Expected outcomes include a comprehensive understanding of how democracy in Australia functions, which should provide the benefit of insight into how Australian democracy might be reformed to better meet the expectations of the public at a time of declining public trust in politics. Field of research: 4408 - Political Science The two-way flow of information between citizens and their government is central to a healthy democracy but has come under pressure in Australia in recent years. As democracy experiences stress around the world, understanding what most concerns citizens and how governments respond to those concerns is crucial to ensuring an effective democracy in our nation. By matching public opinion polls from the 1970s to the present with a wide range of social, economic, and political information, this project will identify how events, crises, and economic performance affect the popularity of governments, and, in turn, how they develop and implement policies in response. Through public presentations and accessible reports, this project will share with members of parliament and the general community, a series of actionable recommendations and strategies for democratic reform. It will help to influence and guide changes to the way Australia’s political institutions work, supporting the development of a clear pathway for citizen dialogue, and improved flow of information between everyday citizens and their government. This will further strengthen the confidence of Australians in the capacity of our nation’s democratic political system to respond to their concerns and ensure future government approaches better reflect the will of the people.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Harnessing Interlayer Biexcitons in Atomically Thin Heterostructures. This project aims to investigate the generation of high-quality quantum light sources by harnessing interlayer biexcitons in atomically thin heterostructures. This research expects to expand our understanding of fundamental physics of photon pair generation in atomically thin heterostructures. The expected outcome is demonstration of a prototype light-weight and intense quantum photon source based on novel materials, which can be readily integrated with photonic circuits for quantum communication technologies, enbling the developments of light weight portable devices, such as mobile phones, displays, and wearable photonics. This research could strengthen the development of new industries and lead to job creation in Australia. Field of research: 4018 - Nanotechnology Australia competes globally in a range of critical sectors for our economy, from smart sensing to quantum computation and communications. However, to ensure they remain competitive in future will require innovation in novel light-weight and high-performance quantum light sources, which Australia does not currently possess. This project addresses this problem: it will investigate the generation of high-quality quantum light sources by harnessing interlayer biexcitons in atomically thin heterostructures. The novel light-weight quantum photon sources are important for many quantum technologies and applications, such as quantum imaging, quantum communication and future quantum computation. These devices are expected to play an enabling role in the future developments of light weight portable devices, such as mobile phones, displays, distributed sensors, and wearable photonics. Through application in new devices, the outcome of this project will allow Australian manufacturers and designers to make and exploit novel materials, advanced light sources, and communication technology. This will help Australia lift productivity and economic growth in these sectors, maximising Australia’s competitive advantage in smart sensing, information processing, computation and communications.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Targeting the host lipid environment to disrupt malaria transmission. This project aims to characterise host molecules (in particular lipids) that are crucial for the transition of malaria parasites from one host to another. Malaria parasites encounter different environments upon their transition from human to the mosquito host. This project expects to generate new knowledge on physiological changes that are triggered by particular differences in micronutrient abundance that allow the parasites to survive in the new host. Anticipated outcomes include the identification of new intervention strategies and improved transmission model systems for vector-borne diseases. This gained knowledge could provide benefits to future biomedical applications by informing diagnostics or treatment of lipid associated diseases. Field of research: 3207 - Medical Microbiology Malaria has a global economic impact of over $17 billion per year. Australia is surrounded by countries where malaria is very common and poses major health, societal and economic challenges. In order to find new and more efficient cures for malaria, we need to know how malaria parasites take up the lipids from their human host that allow them to grow and survive. This project will identify lipids essential for the transition of the malaria parasite from the human to the mosquito host as well as how they function. We will uncover weaknesses in the parasite and provide specific mechanisms and molecules, which can be targeted by industry and NGOs to develop new malaria medications and intervention strategies. This new knowledge will also be relevant for preventing other mosquito-borne diseases and will lead to cheaper and more efficient ways to grow malaria parasites in laboratories. Combatting malaria will benefit Australia by economically and socially stabilising malaria-endemic countries in the Asia-Pacific, prevent disease in Australians abroad and halt a reintroduction of malaria to Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Topological insulators and free fermions: from Hermitian to non-Hermitian. This project aims to develop and fully understand a class of mathematical models describing fundamental interacting systems of particles of central importance in the physics of topological insulators. This will include the extension of exact solutions to more complicated models and the development and application of topological data analysis for detecting topological phase transitions in these and more general materials. The project will also apply diagrammatic methods to address a long-standing challenge in solving a particular model. The project aims to contribute to training researchers in an area of the mathematical sciences of benefit to the future development of new concepts for next-generation electronic devices and smart materials. Field of research: 4902 - Mathematical Physics The development of smart electronic devices and materials is a major challenge for the growth of Australia’s technology sector. Particularly important among electronic devices are topological insulators, which are materials that are insulating in their interior but can support the flow of electricity on their surface. This project aims to develop new mathematical models for topological insulators. The project will also develop the application of powerful data analysis techniques to detect transitions between insulating and non-insulating phases. When fully operational, the data analysis approach can be applied to fully understand and explore a wide class of topological insulators. The project will build on Australia's outstanding international reputation in the mathematical sciences and provide a unique training ground for students and young researchers of relevance to emerging quantum technologies. In particular, the project outcomes have the potential to be of future national benefit to the development of new concepts for next-generation electronic devices and smart materials.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Autonomous Discovery of Green Inhibitors. The project aims to develop autonomous material design by integrating evolutionary algorithms and robotic experimentation. The project expects to pioneer a new method of materials discovery that could cut discovery times to 20% of traditional methods. Its expected to have significance through its discovery of new classes of corrosion inhibitors that are safe to both humans and the environment. The expected outcomes of this project will be a rapid discovery methodology that can be used across materials science and new classes of safe corrosion inhibitors. This should provide significant benefits to workplace n safety and the environmental impact of the coatings industry while also increasing the rapid of innovation of new materials. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Innovation in new materials is very slow and in fact large, engineered structures, aircraft, industrial equipment are often designed and developed in shorter times than the materials to be used in them. This mismatch can mean that by the time a new material is developed it is no longer needed. Further as development time and costs are high only a fraction of the possible material designs is explored. The project has two main aims; to develop new rapid methods for discovering novel materials, and to develop a fundamental understanding of metal corrosion. The research will benefit the Australian community as the development of faster discovery methods will lead to shortened development times in such applications as protection of metal surfaces, battery electrodes and catalysts for both environmental protection and new energy sources. New understanding of corrosion will enhance corrosion protection across the automotive, infrastructure, mining, defense and energy industries. This is critical as government regulation and concerns for human safety and the environment are leading to the phasing out of traditional corrosion protection methods based on toxic compounds. The work will be disseminated to the scientific and industrial communities both through RMIT’s extensive network of partners and through scientific publications while it will be made known to the general public through virtual media posts.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Investigating the world's first maritime network in Pleistocene Wallacea. This project will investigate the world’s first maritime exchange network located in the islands to Australia’s north. From ~16,000 years ago, tools made from exotic obsidian (volcanic glass) appear in the archaeological assemblages of three southern Wallacean islands, as do standardised items of personal decoration and fishhooks. Where the obsidian was acquired and how far the network extended are currently unknown. This project hopes to resolve this and determine how the network relates to other aspects of culture and changing sea levels. Through geological sourcing, geo-chemical analysis and multi-island excavations we will reveal the intensity and reach of this remarkable network to understand the origins of trade in our region. Field of research: 4301 - Archaeology Indonesia is one of Australia’s most important economic and cultural partners today, yet our knowledge of the origins of trade across our region is unknown. This project will investigate the world's earliest maritime network in islands to Australia’s north where volcanic glass began to be traded at least 16,000 years ago. Through an examination of the age and source of stone tools the project will uncover the origins of ancient trade, how far tools were moved over the sea, and the social and environmental factors that influenced early seafaring. The project benefit is to document and preserve significant cultural heritage sites in our region. By sharing results with the Indonesian and Australian public's, trade and cultural institutions – through media outlets and exhibitions – the project will deepen appreciation of how past maritime movements and cultural connections have influenced Australia and Indonesia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Tuning catalyst reaction environments towards photoreforming of wastewater. This project aims to combine high-throughput computation and machine learning to screen photocatalysts more thoroughly for photoreforming of wastewater. The reaction environments effects on surface active units will be tailored for COx-emission-free selective organic synthesis with hydrogen production from organic-contained wastewater at ambient conditions. The project expects to expand our knowledge on the fast, reliable screening strategies, and the relationship between electric field (or lattice strain) and reaction pathways. This project will develop a photoreforming system for selective co-production of organics and hydrogen from wastewater, benefiting sustainable technologies development for chemical synthesis and hydrogen economy. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Hydrogen fuel produced from water splitting has the potential to replace fossil fuels in a sustainable economy. However, Australia's supply of clean water is vulnerable to droughts and may worsen due to climate change. To address this, this project aims to produce higher-value organics and hydrogen fuel from a more accessible and sustainable water resource, namely wastewater. The project will use high-throughput computation and active machine learning to screen multifunction-integrated photocatalysts efficiently. By designing catalyst reaction environments to tailor surface active reaction units, the project will develop triple-functions from one zero-emission process based on the photoreforming of wastewater. This will result in selective organic synthesis and hydrogen fuel production while suppressing carbon dioxide evolution. The project will leverage Australia's abundant solar resources to become a key green chemicals and renewable energy exporter. By developing patentable and commercially valuable intellectual property, the project will create new industry opportunities in the future. Overall, the project aims to couple hydrogen fuel production with environmental decontamination and global warming mitigation, leading to a sustainable future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Atomic sensors for dark matter, rotation and magnetic fields. This project aims to develop ultra-high-performance sensors. The research will explore new methods for using the magnetic and optical properties of atomic gases to enable multi-parameter sensing without crosstalk between measurements. It is expected that techniques will be developed to allow simultaneous sensing of rotation and magnetic fields using devices that are compact, ultra-precise and energy efficient. It is also anticipated that these new atomic sensors will support a global network looking for dark matter, which although never seen, is thought to make up 85% of the mass of the universe. The outcomes are expected to benefit medical science, geo-exploration, high-tech manufacturing, navigation and our understanding of the universe. Field of research: 5102 - Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics According to our current understanding, 85% of the universe’s mass is made up of “dark matter”, which has never been detected. Our project aims to develop ultra-high-performance atomic sensors that could find the missing dark matter and reshape our understanding of how the universe is made. Australia is the only country in the southern hemisphere that is part of a global collaboration called GNOME seeking evidence of this elusive mass, making our sensor station crucial for the network. Playing a role in this project means that Australian science will help shape humanity’s understanding of the cosmos. The same atomic technology used in our dark matter sensor can be translated for the detection of rotation and magnetic fields. Ultra-high-performance sensing of these quantities is essential for geo-exploration, medical imaging, autonomous vehicle systems and navigation without GPS. Atomic sensors that harness methods developed for dark matter sensing could be more compact, cheaper and more energy efficient than currently available systems. The new techniques emerging from our research would be of great value to Australian high-technology manufacturing and defence industries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Interactions of Human and Machine Intelligence in Modern Economic Systems. Much of modern economic systems are driven by machine-machine and machine-human interactions that happens rapidly at large scale. But such interactions are often opaque and can have negative or catastrophic consequences, such as market plunges with no apparent economic reasons in financial trading, content recommendations that promote extremism, algorithms in gig economy leading to worker exploitation and wasted resources. This project aims for new theoretical results and algorithms at the intersection computational economics, game theory, and dynamical systems, that establish conditions under which the economic systems are stable, propose mechanisms that make the interactions more fair, transparent and aligned with human values. Field of research: 4602 - Artificial Intelligence Large-scale rapid interactions between algorithms and people are common place, such as financial trading, online ad auctions, ride-sharing and delivery services. Behaviours of these large economic systems are poorly understood, which has led to stock market flash crashes, delivery workers feeling dehumanised by algorithms, and large platforms gaining unfair advantages for their own products. This project aims to establish new theory and algorithms for promoting the stability and efficiency of online economies, and incorporate human values such as fairness, accountability and transparency. This project will build software tools to demonstrate and diagnose potential issues in online economic systems. With between 7% and 13% Australians participating in flexible employment including the gig economy, healthy and stable online economies will create jobs and help the long-term future of Australia. Through software demonstrations and dialogue with business and policy makers, this project will apply the new knowledge to help businesses responsibly design and use apps for online economy, and enable government to cultivate and regulate these important economic activities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Finding equivalence between natural and artificial intelligences. This project aims to investigate the ways in which artificial intelligence is equivalent to human intelligence. Computers outperform humans in many domains, yet it is clear that computers often don’t perform tasks the way humans do. Developing innovative methods for evaluating claims of equivalence by drawing on simpler, well-understood model systems like the honeybee brain, the project expects to fill this existing knowledge gap. Expected outcomes include a framework that provides powerful, nuanced criteria for comparison of natural and artificial intelligences. Benefits are expected to include enhanced guidance for the development of AI systems both in everyday contexts and as exploratory tools in comparative and cognitive neuroscience. Field of research: 5003 - Philosophy Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize many Australian industries and sectors, including healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, and education. However, AI systems do not make decisions in the same way that humans do. Without a detailed understanding of the capabilities and limitations of AI, we risk both trusting AI when we shouldn’t, and failing to use AI when we should. By combining insights from philosophy and neuroscience, this project will create the first set of principles for comparing natural and artificial intelligence. It will develop and disseminate best practice guidelines for determining how and where artificial intelligence might be applied. Through workshops that bring together government policy makers and industry working in AI, these tools will help to guide and inform future approaches to AI, reducing potential risks, and enabling the development of more cost-efficient and accurate artificial intelligence in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Molecular fossils, mass extinctions and the rise of complex algae. This project aims to illuminate the fate and role of phytoplankton during the Permo-Triassic crisis, the most severe mass extinction event in Earth's history. Despite being the vital driving force of the carbon cycle, these microscopic yet essential organisms have largely evaded fossilization and their precise history remains unknown. Leveraging innovative molecular fossil technology, this project seeks to unlock this critical information, generating insights into the mechanisms behind climate-driven mass extinctions and the subsequent recovery of marine life. By doing so, this study aims to reveal how current disruptions to the base of the food chain may escalate through all levels of marine ecosystems, causing extinction. Field of research: 3703 - Geochemistry We live in a period of dramatic ecological change. Rising temperatures, nutrient discharge into the oceans and removal of important species from ecosystems already have massive impact on Australia’s marine life. Yet, we lack knowledge about the role of one of the most essential drivers of ecosystems collapse, microalgae and cyanobacteria. These small but critical organisms form the base of the foodweb, generating all energy and carbon that flow through marine ecosystems. However, rising water temperatures can lead to the collapse of this phytoplankton, resulting in blooms of disaster species that produce toxins and deplete oxygen levels. The collapse at the base of the food chain may drive oceans towards tipping points and cause animal extinction. This project aims to illuminate the role of these carbon fixing organisms during the most severe mass extinction event in Earth’s history that was triggered by global warming 252 million years ago. The project endeavours to benefit Australia by bridging a massive gap in knowledge about how its marine ecosystems may respond to current and future perturbations, raising the public’s understanding how even small disruptions at the base of the foodweb may escalate through all levels of marine ecosystems. Ultimately, this research will contribute information for policymakers and industry to make informed decisions towards safeguarding Australia's environment and preserving its marine life for future generations.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Protein Structure and Dynamics by Electron/Nuclear Paramagnetic Resonance. This interdisciplinary project aims to establish new magnetic resonance methods for the analysis of protein structure and motion at low concentrations and in physiological conditions that are otherwise difficult or impossible to study. It brings together four different research groups with expertise in advanced biochemistry, modern magnetic spectroscopy and high-performance computing. The project expects to develop tools to study protein structure, protein-protein association and protein-ligand interactions of established drug-targets. Expected outcomes include new techniques that quickly inform how drugs work, providing significant benefits to many researchers studying biomolecules, and supporting Australia’s growing biotechnology sector. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Pharmaceutical research routinely employs nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to verify the binding of drugs to their intended targets. This project aims to develop better magnetic resonance techniques to accelerate the early stages of drug discovery. It will combine innovative biochemistry, modern magnetic resonance spectroscopy, in particular electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and high-performance computing to accelerate the detection of drug candidates with their target, both inside and outside cells. Results will inform medicinal chemists on the activity and possible side effects of drug candidates and how they can be improved. This project will support Australia’s fast growing biotechnology sector by accelerating the rate with which these companies can secure intellectual property and help to establish a sovereign capacity in the development and manufacture of drug therapies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

The carbonate geology of the critical metal niobium. This project aims to understand how pyrochlore, the major ore mineral of the critical metal niobium, forms in Earth’s crust. Niobium is exclusively mined from carbonatite magma bodies in Brazil and Canada, despite proven Australian resources. It is used in high strength steel alloys in the construction and transport industries. Expected research outcomes include understanding how pyrochlore forms in carbonatites, development of exploration tools to locate niobium ore bodies which are unexposed at the surface, and investigation of environmentally and economically sustainable technologies for metallurgical extraction of niobium from ore. The research is intended to benefit Australia’s critical metals exploration and mining industries. Field of research: 3705 - Geology The project aims to determine how the critical metal niobium is concentrated in the Earth's crust to levels sufficient for economically viable mining. It will have significant economic benefits to Australia’s critical metals exploration, mining and manufacturing sectors. Niobium is an important commodity, used in the transport, pipe-line and construction industries, as well as in medical imaging equipment. Australia has known but unexploited niobium resources. Studies of Australia's geology indicate that it is highly likely more, undiscovered niobium deposits exist. This research will generate better understanding of how niobium deposits form in the Australian crust. New experimental data will allow development of exploration vectors, which will indicate the likely proximity of, and general direction to a niobium deposit buried deep in the crust, even in the absence of exposure at the surface. This will improve the chances of success in niobium exploration programs. It will also benefit the metallurgical extraction industry by investigating new, cheaper and environmentally more sustainable chemical technologies to extract niobium from its ore. There will be further benefit to the minerals industry and to Australian scientific research by training young, future research leaders in critical metals geology and metallurgical extraction, who will help translate research outcomes from academia to industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Planet Chicken: Chemical Entanglements in Asia's Poultry Boom . This project aims to study the effects of Asia’s rapidly expanding chicken meat industry on environmental degradation, social inequality, public health and animal welfare. Agricultural chemicals and veterinary drugs saturate this industry, with little regulation or data on types, quantities and applications. Deploying interdisciplinary methods at key nodes of the chicken value chain in India, Thailand and Vietnam, this study will 1) examine practices and market structures that shape chemical use and 2) uncover chemical presence and socio-ecological impacts. The project intends to expose how toxicity, biodiversity, and health interact with global food systems and to propose interventions for effective governance of factory farming in Asia. Field of research: 4499 - Other Human Society Asia has undergone a boom in chicken farming in the last decade - it provides 38% of the world’s chicken meat for consumption. However, Asia’s chicken farming industry uses drugs and agricultural chemicals that are largely uncontrolled which makes their export chicken meat a potential source of unsafe food, and a source of 'superbugs' and animal-borne diseases that may drive the next global pandemic. Focusing on three important producers (India, Thailand and Vietnam), this project will use social research and scientific assessments to understand which chemicals and drugs are used in maize farming, feed mills and factory chicken farms, and the risks that these chemicals and drugs pose for the safety and wellbeing of consumers and the chickens that are factory farmed. Through outreach activities such as workshops and accessible communication products, the project will engage the livestock industry and policymakers in Australia, India, Thailand and Vietnam to support them to design and implement viable and effective policies to better manage Asian meat production. Improved regulation of chicken farming and export in our region will benefit Australia by reducing livestock disease risks and economic loss, and protecting the health of Australians.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

What determines plant sensitivity to heat?: Individual to lifetime impacts. Temperature is a major determinant of the distribution of species and yet the capacity to predict the thermal sensitivity of plants is extremely limited. How vulnerability varies as a plant grows from seed to adult and produces more seed is a key question. Whether chronic warming exacerbates or ameliorates effects of extreme events, e.g. triggering the plant to enlist defensive strategies, is also an open question. This project will advance fundamental understanding of how thermal tolerance varies across species and over the plant life cycle and how it scales demographically to lifetime vulnerability. The work will yield a significant advance in our capacity to predict impacts of extreme heat events on plant performance and distribution. Field of research: 3108 - Plant Biology It is difficult to predict the effect that increasingly frequent extreme heat events will have on Australian plants, though we know temperature can define where a species can survive. To manage Australian biodiversity in the face of rapid climate change natural resource managers and policymakers need good predictions of how extreme heat will affect plant species. The Australian National Botanic Gardens, with its thousands of seed collections and living plants provides a fantastic resource to study how extreme heat affects plants as they grow from seed to seedling to adulthood. We will assess the sensitivity of these different stages to extreme heat and will develop models to assess how Australian plant species will respond to a warmer, more variable climate. Our work will help natural resource managers to predict which species will be most sensitive to extreme heat events and where in Australia those impacts will occur. This will lead to informed policies and management plans to aid conservation of threatened species and will help Australia reach its biodiversity conservation targets. Effectively managing Australian plants under increasingly warm and variable weather conditions will have broad environmental and economic benefits. It will improve capacity to retain biodiversity and maintain health of our natural systems. Our work will assist Australian natural resource managers and policymakers to plan and manage native plant species in a time of rapid environmental change.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Modern statistical methods for clustering community ecology data. This project will develop statistical methods and software for clustering community ecology data, and use them to analyse systematic survey and citizen science program data collected along the Great Barrier Reef. By doing so, the project will address the dearth of statistical classification techniques for high-dimensional, multi-response data with complex relationships. When the resultant clustering methods are used to construct bioregions and characterise species’ environmental responses, they should significantly enhance evaluations of the impact of human activity and environmental change on coral diversity. Ultimately, these evaluations can underpin future decisions in the conservation and management of the Great Barrier Reef. Field of research: 4905 - Statistics The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem on the planet, contributing an estimated $6.5 billion in annual revenue and 64,000 jobs to the Australian economy. Climate change is responsible for an unprecedented decline in the health of the Reef’s coral, posing the single most significant threat to its survival. Policymakers and practitioners currently struggle to make evidence-based decisions and interventions for the Reef’s survival due to the limitations of existing statistical techniques used to analyse large, complex multi-species datasets. This project will create cutting-edge statistical methods to help practitioners identify how coral communities will evolve over space and time in response to climate change. The knowledge and translational tools developed will be shared with conservation managers and environmental policymakers in the form of user-friendly software to help them improve Reef health monitoring, evaluation, and resource planning, and more effectively respond to critical conservation and biodiversity concerns. These outcomes will enhance the development and implementation of Reef monitoring programs and management policies, leading to the improved long-term sustainability of one of Australia’s ‘wonders of the world’ and vital economic assets.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Thwarted Identity: The Missing Link Between Psychopathology and Prejudice. Prejudice and the extremist violence that arises from it are typically explained either by the psychopathology of individual perpetrators, or by their membership of extremist groups. This project will seek to reconcile these competing explanations and resolve this impasse that has obstructed progress in combating prejudice. This project develops a new framework specifying causal and reciprocal links between the novel concept of thwarted identity, psychopathology, ideology, and prejudice. Expected outcomes are new policy solutions and novel targets for interventions to reduce prejudice and extremist violence, which will deliver significant benefit by addressing these pernicious social problems. Field of research: 5205 - Social and Personality Psychology Prejudice is estimated to cost Australia >$38 billion per year. Until now, efforts to manage and alleviate the effects of prejudice have been largely unsuccessful, as policymakers lack a model that can explain how psychopathology (e.g., paranoia) and membership in extremist groups interact in ways that lead to and maintain prejudice and the violence that can arise from it. To address this need, our project will develop a novel model that introduces the concept of thwarted identity – a state in which people feel excluded from a group to which they feel entitled to belong. This new approach will allow us to develop predictive models that can identify people at risk of extremist group membership, as well as design innovative evidence-based interventions to prevent radicalisation. We have established pathways to impact through partnership with frontline services (e.g., police, community sector, intelligence) that will facilitate the application of these innovations in future policy to help tackle prejudice, increase social cohesion, and prevent radicalisation and extremist violence. Due to the large scale and ubiquity of the problem, even modest improvements to programs and policies will deliver outsized social, health, and economic benefits.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Mixed-Metal Clusters for Catalysis and Optical Applications. This project aims to afford new heterometallic molecular materials as precursors to catalysts and as new optical materials, exploiting oxophilic and carbophilic transition metal atoms for synergistic cooperation in certain catalytic processes, and using the polarity of heterometallic bonds to achieve strong optical limiting. Expected outcomes of this project include cluster structure/composition - catalysis/optical properties correlations that will signpost the route to efficient catalysts and optical limiters. This Project should provide significant benefits such as chemoselective catalysts needed for pharmaceutical drug and agricultural chemical production, and broad temporal range optical limiters needed for optical device protection. Field of research: 3402 - Inorganic Chemistry Australia has amongst the world’s largest reserves of certain critical metals used in the creation of chemicals in the medical and agricultural industries. However, we currently import many of these chemicals at high cost and with related supply risks. This project seeks to develop new chemicals by combining particular metals that are found naturally in Australia. It will develop these technologies ‘at home’ in Australia to boost commercial gain by domestic chemical manufacturers who can add value to our natural resources. These new chemicals will speed up chemical reactions, resulting in faster development times of medicines and agricultural chemicals. Given Australia’s unique reserves of these strategic metals, our new technologies will support Australian chemical manufacturers to develop their commercial potential, and in turn enable home-grown industries to provide a lower-cost and local supply of key materials needed in our modern economy.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

The Rare Earth Potential of the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia. The Gascoyne Region of Western Australia is an emerging Neodymium-rich rare earth district in its early stages of development. The mineral occurrences of the region are complex and their geological distribution and source(s) remain unclear. With the support of all the active explorers in the region, a better understanding of the entire mineral system is sought to maximise exploration efficiency. This project aims to undertake a full assessment of the minerals, their processing and the environmental impact of production to determine the potential of the region. The expected outcome of the project is to develop a world-class rare earth mineral district in Australia, to ensure future supplies of these strategically important metals. Field of research: 3705 - Geology The transition from fossil fuels to ‘green’ energy, the development of modern technologies (such as communication, computing, healthcare, aerospace), and the robust functioning of our national security will require a dramatic increase in the supply of critical elements. For modern economies this will require a shift towards commodities with high risk of supply chain disruption, particularly the rare earth elements (REE), for which we are mainly dependent on a single global monopoly. Fortunately, Australia has identified large REE prospects, including those of the Gascoyne Region of WA, that must be developed to keep up with expected future shortages. For example, the looming supply gap for the rare earth elements is immense, because each offshore wind turbine uses 500-700 kg of Neodymium permanent magnets to produce 1 MW of electricity and every electric vehicle requires 0.2 kg of Nd as well. Domestic supply of critical minerals is a national priority of growing urgency for Australia and domestic REE production provides an unprecedented opportunity for future generations. The proposed multidisciplinary project will evaluate the Nd-rich REE prospects of the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia across the fields of mineral exploration, extraction and environmental impacts to promote formation of a regional REE camp. Ultimately, this could provide future economic security for the region and nation and contribute to global low-carbon efforts.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Revolutionising Electrolysers for Low-Cost Green Hydrogen Production. This project aims to develop an efficient and cost-effective membrane-free microelectrode (ME) electrolyser for hydrogen production to accelerate the adoption of green hydrogen in global decarbonisation. It expects to pioneer innovative designs to produce compact ME cells that overcome the limitations of traditional electrolysers. Expected outcomes include a commercial-ready electrolyser technology with ultra-high efficiency, rapid manufacturability, and reduced use of crucial metals. The anticipated benefits include affordable green hydrogen at scale, contributing to achieving net-zero emission targets, promoting advanced manufacturing techniques, and establishing Australia as a leader in the global green hydrogen industry. Field of research: 4014 - Manufacturing Engineering The project is focused on developing an innovative electrolyser technology for green hydrogen production in Australia. It addresses challenges associated with existing energy-intensive and costly electrolysers, proposing a disruptive approach to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and improve manufacturability, thereby accelerating the adoption of green hydrogen in global decarbonisation. Successful implementation of this technology could make green hydrogen cost-competitive with fossil fuels, advancing Australia's hydrogen manufacturing capability at a Gigawatt scale. It aligns with the National Hydrogen Strategy, leveraging Australia's abundant solar and wind resources. This research could benefit Australia economically by making green hydrogen affordable, environmentally through decarbonisation, and commercially by fostering a sovereign hydrogen manufacturing capacity. It may capture a substantial share of the global green hydrogen market, estimated to be a multi-trillion dollar market by 2050. Collaborating with Fortescue Future Industries, a key industry player, the project ensures alignment with real-world needs, swift commercialisation, and market penetration, allowing for effective translation into tangible outcomes.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Bioengineering technologies for harvesting rare earth elements from waste. This project aims to optimise the function of components that enable rare earth elements (REEs) to be harvested from waste. REEs are needed for building clean energy technologies and electronics. Demand for REEs exceeds supply and REEs are lost in industrial wastes. This project is expected to provide avenues for recycling the REEs that are currently lost in mining and electronic wastes. The approach involves identifying, testing and engineering selective components derived from REE-accumulating plants and microorganisms. The components will be used to advance separation technologies, enabling differential harvesting of target REEs from complex mixtures. Reuse of REEs from waste is key to energy sustainability in the future. Field of research: 3108 - Plant Biology The uncommon magnetic, luminescent, and electrical properties of rare earth elements make them valuable for manufactured products and industrial applications, specifically in renewable energy generation and storage. Globally the availability of the rare earth elements (REEs) used in manufacturing electronic technologies is insufficient to meet the demand for these critical resources. To meet REE demand new technologies are needed that enable recycling and recovery options for these elements. This project aims to create a separation system for harvesting the REEs that are currently lost in mining and electronic wastes. Working with mining industry and biotechnology companies, we will develop selective proteins for REE recycling systems inspired by nature. This will grow Australian based REE recycling and reuse industries, creating jobs in multiple sectors across the economy, improving the affordability of technologies required for transitioning to net zero carbon emissions, and benefiting the environment by reusing REEs from wastes. The technology could then be further expanded to enable recycling of other valuable elements, further reducing waste and increasing efficiency in many industries. Research outcomes will be translated into commercial element recycling systems and outcomes will be shared through media and magazine articles and industry expos.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Extraction of the critical rare earth elements from mine waste. The transition to a carbon-free economy requires substantial amounts of the critical rare earth elements, for which demand is likely to outstrip supply in coming decades. Vast amounts of rare earths are present in the mine waste of some copper-gold mines, but cannot be economically extracted. This project aims to use molten alkali salts to reprocess mine waste, and transform the rare earths to a readily exploitable form. This project expects to create a scalable industrial separation process to be implemented in existing mines, with the separated ore used as input for extraction. A benefit of this project is the unlocking of a previously inaccessible Australian rare earth resource, comparable in size to the largest deposits globally. Field of research: 4019 - Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy The Australian mining industry has consistently been a pillar of the country’s economy. However, the constant global demand for Australian metals also results in an abundance of mining waste. Importantly, waste from copper-gold mines contains more than 50 million tonnes of rare earth elements, a group of metals with a limited global supply, as their production is dominated by only one country. Currently, these rare earths are not separated from Australian mine waste because of a lack of an economically feasible process resulting from their low grades and complex extraction. This project will develop new concentration and separation processes using environmentally safe chemicals to reprocess existing mine waste and transform the currently inaccessible rare earth elements into an exploitable resource. This process will generate additional economic value by recycling existing waste and substantially increase Australian rare earth resources without establishing new mines, thus positioning Australia among the top global rare earth suppliers. The new resource material will be compatible with other rare earth miners in Australia, leading to commercially optimised extraction operations on a national scale. Australia’s own production of rare earth metals could potentially fast-track the manufacturing of important electronic components like magnets used in emission-free technologies including wind turbines and electric motors without dependency on overseas suppliers.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Towards reliable deployment of computer vision systems in the real world. This project aims to enhance the reliability of computer vision models in real-world deployment by quantitatively assessing the environment, facilitating optimal model selection and enabling accurate expression of prediction uncertainty. Current literature falls shorts in extending model choices beyond the training domain or adjusting uncertainty to varied test conditions, posing safety risks. This project is significant for advancing the theoretical understanding of model performance in complex and changing environments and promote practical applicability. Anticipated outcomes include innovative techniques for improving and signaling model reliability, with substantial benefits to computer vision applications such as autonomous vehicles. Field of research: 4603 - Computer Vision and Multimedia Computation Vehicles with autonomous parking, lane detection and distance estimation are common in new cars and of great convenience and safety for drivers and passengers. However, autonomous systems in cars are usually ‘trained’ in common and static environments, so they can malfunction in unusual environmental conditions (e.g., extreme smoke or rain). Car manufacturers need a solution to this safety risk – and that solution lies in adaptive autonomous systems that can adapt to any road conditions. This project will design a novel, world-first simulator and algorithm that minimises the gap between real world conditions and those in the simulated environment and adaptively select the best systems to create a more reliable algorithm for the real world. The computer program we create can be retrofitted to existing cars and embedded in all new cars. Working with our long-standing industry partner, Seeing Machines, and through them, the world’s largest car manufacturing firms, this cutting-edge computer vision research will contribute long-term to greater vehicle safety for all drivers and passengers worldwide.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Multicultural frontiers and human histories on the fringe of tropical Sahul. This project aims to transform our understanding of deep-time human histories on the fringe of eastern Papua New Guinea that contributed to the peopling of Oceania, the Australia-New Guinea continent of Sahul, and the region as a global diversity hotspot. It expects to generate new knowledge about the role of cross-cultural interaction in this process by linking interdisciplinary archaeological and traditional data in preserved coastal landscapes that were key corridors of mobility. Expected outcomes include reframing New Guinea in human history models and development of novel interpretive frameworks. Benefits include enhancing Australia's capacity to manage a shared multi-cultural heritage, and strengthening inclusive Pacific partnerships. Field of research: 4513 - Pacific Peoples Culture, Language and History Australia has a 60,000-year human history that is critical to understanding global human migrations and past strategies of adaptation to environmental challenges. Although Australia and New Guinea were joined as a single continent for much of this time, we know very little about the rich human history of New Guinea – the world’s most culturally diverse region. Past climate changes drastically altered how and where people lived, offering strategic insights into future climate-related social impacts. This project explores a preserved ancient coastline in eastern Papua New Guinea that was a hub for human settlement over millennia. Integrating traditional knowledge with innovative analytical approaches and cutting-edge technologies, such as high-resolution laser drone mapping, it will assess the past roles and effective limits of multicultural social networks in mitigating environmental impacts of climatic change and natural disasters. The findings, presented as research papers, plain language summaries, and policy briefs, will aid national and Pacific-wide climate resilience strategies, with results to be made publicly available through online, in-print and in-person outlets. The project will strengthen Australia’s strategic partnership with Papua New Guinea as our closest neighbour by building capacity between both governments to manage a shared and globally unique cultural heritage and boost cultural relations in the Pacific region amid geopolitical uncertainties.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Mapping the Gas that Drives Galaxy Evolution with Magnetic Dye Tracers. Galaxies evolve by drawing in gas from the broader universe, yet observing this gas directly is challenging. Using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope, this project aims to use magnetic fields to trace pathways the gas takes into galaxies to form stars like our Sun. Expected outcomes include new techniques to detect the gas, detailed maps of the gas in key cosmic environments, and new insights into how galaxies like our Milky Way evolve. This should provide significant benefits, including advancing Australian leadership in radio astronomy to capitalise on investments in ASKAP and the Square Kilometre Array, stimulating science and technology education, and attracting global collaborations to our shores. Field of research: 5101 - Astronomical Sciences Over billions of years, our Milky Way and countless other galaxies have been shaped by unseen rivers of cosmic gas, flowing into them to form stars like our Sun. Our project seeks to unveil these hidden gas flows by measuring the magnetic fields inside them, much like doctors can trace the flow of blood in our bodies with medical dyes. Leveraging Australian telescopes, this project will enable Australian scientists to make significant discoveries about galaxy formation and evolution, addressing major gaps identified in both Australian and international research strategies, enhancing our nation's standing in globally recognised research. Beyond scientific discovery, the project will attract international scientists to visit, work, and live in Australia, bolstering local businesses. It will also serve as a training ground for jobs in high-tech industries and the job market of the future, equipping Australian students with essential, transferable skills in coding, supercomputing, data analysis, visualization, and artificial intelligence. Our project will engage the Australian public and students through direct outreach initiatives, including collaborations with platforms like The Conversation and Australian Sky & Telescope, the Mt Stromlo outreach program, talks at local schools, and our robust online presence. These efforts aim to boost interest in science and technology, fostering an informed and inspired student body ready to lead future research and innovation.