Australian National University

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Designing Organocatalysts to Achieve Hyperpolarised Magnetic Resonance. Magnetic resonance techniques (such as MRI scans) suffer from an inherent insensitivity problem. In medical imaging, this can hamper diagnosis and mean long scan times for patients. This project aims to chemically develop catalysts which dramatically increase sensitivity, producing a signal that is thousands of times more visible. This project is significant as these catalysts can turn common, harmless molecules in the body - even water - into visible tracers. The expected outcomes of this project include the synthesis and understanding of these catalysts which will be chemically fine-tuned to maximise their effectiveness. Potential benefits include translation to MRI applications to improve diagnosis and treatment, or chemical monitoring. Field of research: 0305 - Organic Chemistry One of the most prominent uses of magnetic resonance is for clinical imaging (MRI), essential for diagnosis and treatment. This research project focuses on an untapped method to improve magnetic resonance techniques. It will develop a process to achieve dramatic increases in the sensitivity of existing MRIs whilst simultaneously reducing the scanning time, with little to no modification to current setups. The results will ultimately have the potential to be transferred into these clinical contexts, increasing throughput and efficiency and providing social and health benefits to the Australian community. This technology would be applicable to all magnetic resonance applications, not just medical. Uptake of this technology in preexisting industrial processes will extend the economic and commercial benefit to Australian manufacturing and business. Inventing this process in Australia would generate commercial benefits through application in hospitals and process plants on a global scale, making Australia a world leader in this technology and providing an opportunity for business and innovation to work together.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Indigenous Sustainable Development Indicators: Closing the data gap . This project aims to demonstrate how Indigenous peoples can contribute to our understanding of and production of indicators to monitor sustainable development. Working with Indigenous communities in Australia and Indonesia as equal partners, the project hopes to address a significant gap in developing innovative methodologies which weaves Indigenous and Western knowledge to produce policy-relevant research. Expected outcomes of this project include a set of sustainable development indicators that embed Indigenous worldviews and in a manner that policymakers can utilise. This should provide significant benefits to Indigenous communities in Australia and internationally through enhanced capacity in Indigenous policy design and evaluation. Field of research: 1699 - Other Studies In Human Society As we enter a challenging decade, Australia has the opportunity to lead by example through charting a path to transform the relationship between Australia’s First Peoples and the nation state. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has outlined the necessity to recognise expressions of Indigenous self-determination, which includes the right to pursue alternative development pathways. Yet, the process for achieving this and the shape it would take remain unclear. Drawing on equal research partnerships with Indigenous communities in Australia and Indonesia, this project will generate important new insights into achieving sustainable development that is framed and measured through Indigenous peoples’ perspectives. These insights and methodology will contribute to the longer term social and economic wellbeing of Indigenous Australians by shifting the Indigenous policy debate from a deficit dialogue to one that is strength-based and locally driven, co-creating Australia’s future through shared decision-making.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Decrypting chloroplast signalling in C4 photosynthesis under heat stress. This project aims to fill a critical knowledge gap in how photosynthesis, chloroplast signals, metabolism and cell specialisation are coordinated for stress acclimation in plants. It aims to dissect the complex interactions between a) cellular distress signals produced by chloroplasts with b) reactive radicals and c) plant metabolism during heat stress. It expects to provide the first insights into chloroplast signalling critical for heat-tolerant C4 photosynthesis which is active in two specialised leaf cell types in cereals such as maize and sorghum. Expected outcomes include an unprecedented cell-level resolution map of chloroplast signalling, which will benefit the engineering of improved photosynthesis into crops. Field of research: 0607 - Plant Biology Heat stress decreases crop productivity by up to 80% in important broad-acre crops such as wheat and canola, costing Australian agriculture $1.1 billion annually. Between 20-36% of the heat-induced yield loss is due to impaired photosynthesis. With conditions in Australia forecast to become hotter and drier during the growing season of these crops, this project is timely and strategic. This project will provide critical insights into the regulatory molecular framework of heat-tolerant photosynthesis currently only found in a minority of land plants such as sorghum and sugarcane, which are themselves important Australian crops. Results from this project will facilitate the fine-tuning and engineering of this specialised heat-tolerant photosynthetic mechanism into major cereals including wheat and rice. With a 5% increase in photosynthetic efficiency projected to enable yield rescue worth $500 million annually, this research contributes to safeguarding the viability of Australian agriculture and food security against environmental challenges.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Navigating justice systems: how Pacific women secure their property rights. This project aims to investigate the strategies that Pacific women use to challenge gender inequality, and improve understanding of the pathways to justice in Pacific legal systems. Using an innovative socio-legal approach, the project will collect, analyse and disseminate data on the strategies used by women to advocate for stronger property rights, and develop a framework for understanding those strategies. Expected outcomes include an improved empirical and conceptual basis for development organisations to design and implement gender equality programs. This should provide significant benefits including enhanced understanding of women’s engagement with legal systems, and better-informed and more effective development assistance. Field of research: 1801 - Law The project aims to contribute to Australia’s national interest in at least four ways. Firstly, Australia is the leading aid donor in the Pacific region, with significant investments in advancing the rights of Pacific women. The project will strengthen the evidence base underpinning the design and implementation of this development assistance, with the potential to improve both the economic efficiency and social effectiveness of Australia’s gender equality work. Secondly, the project’s focus on gender inequality and property rights has the potential to contribute to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction, with economic and social benefits for both Australia and recipient countries. Thirdly, the project addresses key priorities of the international community as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals, and supports Australia’s stated objective of providing global leadership in the gender equality field. Fourth, the project has the potential to deliver cultural benefits by increasing shared understanding between Australian and Pacific peoples.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Standardising Halal: interpreting the tension between global and local. This project aims to advance understanding of how halal standardisation has been reimagined in the context of global Muslim cultural diversity. It investigates the halal cultural economy—finance, food, travel, fashion, media, and cosmetics—in Malaysia and Indonesia. Using innovative interdisciplinary approaches, in particular anthropology and Islamic textual analysis, this project expects to generate a new level of understanding of halal industries. Expected outcomes include identifying major players and unpacking local cultural responses to the global move to homogenise halal practices. Australia is the world’s second-largest halal food exporter: this research should benefit its businesses’ expansion into contemporary halal industries. Field of research: 1601 - Anthropology Deepening understanding of current trends in halal industries will contribute to Australia’s economic, commercial, social and cultural interests. Australia is a major player in the global halal economy as evidenced by: a) The Global Islamic Economy index ranked Australia the fourth-largest halal food industry in 2019; b) Indonesia and Malaysia are major trade partners for Australia. In 2019, Indonesia was Australia’s largest trade partner, especially for halal meat and live animals; c) Domestically, Australia has witnessed the growth of the domestic halal market due to an increase in its Muslim population. The 2016 census recorded that Muslims constituted 2.6% of the total Australian population, an increase of over 15% from the previous census. The proposed research will benefit stakeholders seeking to understand the interplay between the expansion of halal goods in Australia and the region. It will contribute to educating the public, overcoming divisiveness relating to misconceptions of halal industries, building mutual understandings and social cohesiveness between Muslim minorities and the majority.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

How predictions affect visual processing across the cortical hierarchy . Unlike traditional theories of visual perception, recent evidence suggests what a person expects can fundamentally change how they see the world. However, the neuronal mechanisms which would allow expectation to affect perception are poorly understood. This project will use revolutionary recording techniques to determine how multiple brain regions interact to use predictions about the future to change visual processing. The expected outcome is understanding a fundamental theory of brain function for the first time at the level of single neurons. This project will contribute to a new understanding of central theories of how the brain allows us to see which will significantly enhance basic vision science. Field of research: 1109 - Neurosciences This project will enhance Australia’s research capacity and technological innovation by investigating how prediction affects how the brain processes sensory information. This project uses revolutionary technologies to record large populations of neurons across the brain and determines how predictions about the future change the way the brain works. This project will determine whether the brain works in the manner proposed by predictive coding theory which is the only existing theory which attempts to all brain functions. A number of clinical conditions, such as schizophrenia and anxiety, have been linked with deficits in predictive coding, however the underlying neural circuitry is poorly understood. The basic science outcomes also have the possibility of significantly enhancing artificial intelligence by providing a new biologically inspired framework that uses predictions about the future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Governance for Planetary Health Equity. The Laureate Fellowship will use the novel lens of Planetary Health Equity to expose the importance of addressing planetary as well as human systems in achieving global health equity, and investigate the role of governance in realizing that aim. Using international and multi-sectoral comparative analysis, it intends to elucidate how institutions and actors can enable the development of coherent policy and business practices that advance planetary health equity. Expected outcomes include the design of policies and business practices that promote planetary health equity and a governance framework that enables coherent action. The Laureate has the potential to reduce health inequities and climate change, and relieve pressure on health systems. Field of research: 1117 - Public Health and Health Services Preventable diseases, widening social inequalities and environmental pressures on wellbeing are interconnected and putting a major strain on global health systems and economies. This Laureate Fellowship will create new knowledge in governance for Planetary Health Equity, a new field of public health relating to institutions, policies, business practices and norms, and their impact on climate change-related health inequities. The project will identify coherent multi-sector policies and business practices in the food and energy sectors that can deliver simultaneous benefits for human health, society and the environment. The Fellowship will design a governance framework that enables the inclusion of health and environmental goals in policy and business decision-making processes. Uptake of this framework by governments will help reduce health inequities and environmental harms. Through this Laureate, Australia will build cutting-edge expertise in a new field of public health crucial to improving disease prevention, relieving pressure on the health system, and helping to create economic prosperity.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Minimal surfaces and singularities of mean curvature flow. The project aims to characterise the geometric structure of minimal surfaces in the variational theory and classify singularities of mean curvature flow. Minimal surfaces are mathematical models of soap films, and their time-varying analogue is mean curvature flow, a dynamic process by which a surface flows to decrease its area as quickly as possible. As a central topic in geometric analysis, the theory of minimal surfaces and mean curvature flow has proven to be a powerful and essential tool in mathematics. The project expects to generate new and significant results in minimal surfaces and singularity analysis of mean curvature flow and enhance potential applications in related disciplines such as computer vision and probability. Field of research: 0101 - Pure Mathematics The Australian economy and society will greatly benefit from this project’s contribution to cutting-edge knowledge in a major area of mathematics as well as its industrial applications. This project will advance our understanding of the structure, formation, and stability of surfaces, boundaries and interfaces, and will generate accurate mathematical models supporting more efficient and robust algorithms in industrial applications such as image processing and computer vision. This project undertakes fundamental research in geometric analysis, a rapidly advancing field of modern mathematics which seeks to understand the geometric structure of objects arising naturally in many areas of science, technology, and economics. The methods of geometric analysis have applications in medical imaging which is vital for diagnosing and treating diseases, facial recognition, computer vision in artificial intelligence (used in autonomous vehicles), and the design of optimal structures in applications as diverse as architecture and nanotechnology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Adaptive evolution and its demographic consequences today. This project aims to provide the first test of whether the rate of adaptative genetic evolution has changed in the recent decades, to quantify how much recent genetic evolution helps animal populations survive, and to increase the ability to study on-going genetic evolution in Australian wildlife. The project is of major significance as many species are currently threatened, or invading, due to rapid environmental changes, in particular climate change. The anticipated outcome of the project is to deliver new methods, establish a network of international and national collaborators and improve the ability to measure and to forecast how Australian animals adapt to rapidly changing environments. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics This research aims to quantify current genetic evolution and how it contributes to the survival of wild animals in the face of fast environmental changes. At a time when Australian biodiversity is under pressure from numerous threats, this research will produce data, methods and conclusions that will assist in managing populations in the face of environmental change, in particular climate. This research will put Australian researchers at the centre of an ambitious international collaboration, strengthen Australian expertise on emerging cutting-edge methods and contribute to the appeal of the tertiary education to international students. The project will build capacity to measure and predict the impact of environmental changes on Australian wildlife and directly inform the conservation of charismatic Australian species that are currently declining. Beyond conservation, further potential benefits include predictions of when genetic adaptation causes agricultural pest outbreaks, and identifying which species have more adaptive potential in forestries and fisheries facing climate change.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Superior performance optical coatings for next-generation interferometry. This project aims to investigate fundamental noise in optical coatings, a limiting factor for state-of-the-art astronomical observatories, global timing standards, and photonics applications. Gravitational wave detectors, marvels of precision engineering that have produced ground-breaking discoveries in fundamental science, are particularly afflicted by coating noise. The proposed experiment plans to operate at cryogenic temperatures with unprecedented sensitivity to conduct feasibility studies of deposition methods, coating materials, and layer structures. The goal is to deploy innovative methods to develop Australian-made optical coatings with superior performance and merit for the most demanding scientific and industrial applications. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry Optical coatings play a central role in many high-tech industries that drive modern economies, e.g. the rapidly growing photonics and space sectors, laser fabrication, and communication. This project seeks to investigate optical and mechanical loss mechanisms in high-performance coating materials and layer structures that limit the accuracy and power handling of precision measurement devices. Its goal is to develop Australian-made novel coatings with superior stability and thermal tolerance, which will pave the way for advancements in challenging industrial and defence applications such as frequency metrology, optical clocks (GPS), Lidar, airborne substance trace detection, and quantum computing. It will also make optics more viable for use in extreme environments, such as high-power lasers, environmental monitoring from orbit, and ground-to-satellite communications. This project contributes to the high-performance material research challenge in the advanced manufacturing envelope of Australia's science and research priorities and gives Australia cutting-edge expertise for continued economic prosperity.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Disruptive nanotechnology to control light. The project aims to develop approaches to control propagation of light in nonreciprocal ways, similar to ways we control directions of electric currents with semiconductor diodes and transistors. Nonreciprocal behaviour of light is difficult to achieve, and it is currently limited to relatively large optical systems, which represents a road block for further miniaturisation and integration of optical devices. Expected outcomes of this project include first demonstrations of a radical miniaturisation of nonreciprocal optical components to the nanoscale. The outcomes should enrich our fundamental knowledge and assist the advancement of vital technologies such as integrated optical circuitry and communication infrastructure. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology We live in an information-driven society. Our exponentially growing data exchange has well-surpassed a zetta-byte per year, that’s a number with 21 zeros – a remarkable achievement of information and communication technologies (ICT). The ICT revolution started from miniaturisation of nonreciprocal electronics, semiconductor diodes and transistors. The key to the next phase of social changes brought about by the ICT is to replace electronics with photonics. Australia is progressing through the first step of this transition with the NBN program by replacing copper wires transmitting electrons with optical fibres transmitting photons. Next steps are to replace electrons with photons inside devices, their individual integrated circuits, and ultimately inside microchips. This creates a demand for miniaturisation of photonic components, with nonreciprocal components being among the most challenging to miniaturise. This project will take nonreciprocal photonics all the way to the nanoscale. The project aims to demonstrate the first advanced manufacturing technology for nanophotonic nonreciprocal components.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Machine learning of subgrid ocean physics for global ocean models. Climate projections require simulations with ocean-climate models for hundreds of years. Computational resources limit the resolution of our models for such long runs, meaning that some key physical processes remain unresolved and must be parameterised. This project uses machine learning to find new parameterisations for unresolved ocean processes. These new parameterisations will be implemented into computationally cheaper coarse-resolution ocean models, thereby enhancing these models' representation of the ocean circulation. This project expects to reveal the dynamics of unresolved processes, to improve the accuracy of climate projections and to provide a proof-of-concept for how machine learning can be used in ocean and climate science. Field of research: 0405 - Oceanography This project proposes to use the latest of machine learning algorithms to enhance the accuracy of Australia's operational ocean and climate models. Machine learning algorithms have revolutionised our modern life but still have not yet been implemented in ocean or climate models. This project seeks the opportunity to bring Australia at the bleeding edge of climate modelling by providing the proof-of-concept for how machine learning algorithms can be incorporated in global ocean and climate models. The proposed approach is expected to revolutionise the accuracy of global ocean and climate models, enabling much better climate projections. Thus, the proposed project will contribute to the efforts of both the Bureau of Meteorology and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), by improving the accuracy of their operational models. In addition, this project is anticipated to significantly benefit the community by enhancing Australia’s ability to predict and adapt effectively to future climatic changes.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Fire and Transformation: Building capacity to manage Australian Bushfires. The scale and intensity of bushfires in Australia has reached alarming levels, and this is only expected to get worse in the coming years. This project aims to support a more robust, integrated and resilient approach to fire management, which focuses on the role of governance. Using a new approach to analysing the present and planning for the future, the project brings together multiple stakeholders and perspectives. Key outcomes will include practical options to reform governance and policy and an innovative way of exploring tensions and trade-offs in bushfire management. This should bring significant benefits by improving the ability to anticipate and adapt to change, while addressing risk to communities and ecosystems. Field of research: 1604 - Human Geography This project addresses the urgent problem of bushfires in Australia, by bringing together experts and demonstrating the potentially powerful impact that governance reform could have on future fire risk. The impact of bushfires on Australia’s communities, environment, and its tourism, agriculture and mining industries is projected to intensify in the future. Past attempts to reduce the risks posed by bushfires have sought changes in policy and practice, which have been controversial or difficult to implement. This has slowed progress in reforming governance, which is not in the nation’s interest. This project will focus on the difficult but necessary conditions for making progress in managing bushfire risk. It will develop practical ways to bring stakeholders together, consolidate the science, and identify shared actions to reform governance that consider social, economic, and environmental aspects of this important issue. The benefit for the nation from this will be the capacity to safeguard Australia’s economy, its rural communities and its natural environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Encounters with hominins: the history of human arrival in Sahul. This project aims to provide a detailed understanding on the remarkably complex encounters between archaic and modern human populations in Island Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Australia during the Pleistocene. The project plans to provide the largest collection of human genetic diversity from this vast geographical region and significantly advance current knowledge on one of the most intriguing questions in human evolution. These insights are expected to bring important social and cultural benefits for Australia by unveiling the singularly deep genetic history of Aboriginal Australians, including their ancient connection to indigenous communities from Indonesia and New Guinea that extends back to when people first arrived in Australia. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics This project is of significant social and cultural importance to Aboriginal Australian communities as it will shed light on currently unknown chapters of their unique and remarkable evolutionary history. The project will help promoting public recognition and understanding of Aboriginal history and culture in Australia and abroad, in particular their deep evolutionary connection to indigenous communities in New Guinea and Indonesia. Specifically, this project will address one of the most outstanding questions in human evolution by generating an impressive collection of genetic data and implementing state-of-the-art analytical methods to detail the encounters between modern and archaic humans during the remarkable journey that took people from Africa and into Australia ~60,000 years ago. The project will trace the timing and geographical location of mixing events between the ancestors of Aboriginal Australians and archaic human groups inhabiting Island Southeast Asia by the time anatomically modern humans first arrived in the region.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Skulls for the Tsar: Indigenous human remains in Russian collections. This project aims to produce the first detailed investigation of the acquisition of Indigenous human remains from Australia, New Zealand and the broader Pacific by the Russian Empire during the long 19th century. It expects to generate new knowledge about Imperial Russia's scientific networks, anthropological collections and underlying intellectual traditions. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of Russian perceptions of Indigenous peoples and the development of a new way of writing histories about the collecting of Indigenous human remains. Working directly with affected communities, this project should provide significant benefits to Indigenous peoples seeking the return of their ancestors' remains from overseas institutions. Field of research: 2002 - Cultural Studies Understanding the past is an essential dimension of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The Australian Government recognises the relationship between repatriation, healing, and reconciliation. Yet without evidence of early collecting efforts of our Indigenous heritage by overseas countries, Indigenous repatriation claims cannot be submitted to the overseas institutions that now hold their heritage. Working directly with affected communities and undertaking the first in-depth investigation of Imperial Russia's collecting of Indigenous human remains, the project will produce significant new knowledge about overseas collections and reveal undiscovered Australian Indigenous histories. It will develop new ways of writing about Australian Indigenous remains in museum contexts, privileging Indigenous biography over histories of collectors. Finally, it will improve the quality of evidence available to historians, policymakers, and the wider Indigenous population in Australia and internationally in order to enable their repatriation negotiations and long-term reconciliation efforts.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Governing by Looking Back: A Socio-Legal Account of Cambodian ‘boat people’. This project aims to establish a socio-legal account of the arrival of Cambodian ‘boat people’ in Australia from 1989 to the present. The project expects to shed new light on these events by using an innovative blend of research methods. Interweaving archival and oral history sources, it seeks both to describe institutional responses to these events and show how participants experienced and remember them. Expected outcomes include enhanced knowledge of the effects of asylum-related policy and the generation of international and domestic policy guidance for ensuring that such policy is historically-informed. Significant societal benefits will flow by generating new historical knowledge and understanding, and better-informed policy. Field of research: 1801 - Law The arrival of Cambodian ‘boat people’ from 1989 was a watershed ‘moment’ in asylum-related law- and policymaking in Australia. The socio-legal dynamics that shaped responses to this ‘moment’ are crucial to explaining current approaches in this field. This will not only be the first socio-legal account of these events as a whole, but it will also be the first socio-legal account of asylum policy in Australia to interweave oral and institutional historiographical research methods. The project will uncover new knowledge about the socio-legal dynamics that shape such law and policy and their enduring impact by providing a 360-degree view of these events. It is in the interests of both Australia and the international community that asylum-related law- and policymakers have the tools that enable them to draw on such knowledge; to govern by looking back. Splicing oral and institutional historiographical research methods, the knowledge generated by this cutting-edge research will enable the development of policy guidance that promises to have global impact.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Justice and Security Reform in North-western Pakistan. This project aims to investigate the post-conflict criminal justice reform program in formerly Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in north-western Pakistan. It will develop a new interdisciplinary framework for studying how three categories of cases—terrorism, narcotics smuggling, murder and cyclical violence—are being handled by the criminal justice system. Expected outcomes include enhanced understanding of the social, legal and institutional factors impacting the prosecution of these crimes in former FATA. It will benefit Australian and international policymakers seeking to support the agenda to enhance state-building and rule of law reform in this region bordering Afghanistan. Field of research: 1801 - Law State fragility, violent extremism and political conflict remain a serious threat to peace in South and Central Asia, affecting Australia’s vital security and foreign policy interests. In the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper, the Australian Government highlighted the importance of supporting partner countries in peacebuilding, rule of law reform and the advancement of human rights in this important region. This project will benefit Australia by providing a systematic assessment of the ongoing reform of the criminal justice, policing and security architecture in north-western Pakistan, thereby informing Australia’s engagement on high priority foreign policy issues such as anti-terrorism cooperation, transnational crime (including drug trafficking and people smuggling) and regional security. This project will also enhance the capacity of Australian security and development programs to assist vulnerable countries in our region in post-conflict state-building, rule of law reform, protecting human rights and preventing the recurrence of violence.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Advancing research on healthy longevity in Australia and the Asia-Pacific. This project aims to investigate trends, determinants, and inequalities in healthy longevity in Australia. By identifying inequalities in later-life health and the drivers of healthy longevity, this project addresses a pressing issue facing Australia and other ageing populations. The project is expected to generate the first systematic evidence-base on healthy longevity in Australia, and seeks to explore how trends in later-life health in Australia fit within our global region. Intended outcomes of this project include improved health interventions and more targeted, effective, and equitable health system planning. The anticipated benefit is to improve healthy longevity among older Australians and reduce health inequalities. Field of research: 1603 - Demography Healthy longevity is critical for Australia’s ageing population. However there is growing inequality between those who enjoy later-life health, and those who experience age-related illness and disease. Australian healthcare systems do not have the data they need to plan targeted, effective and equitable services for the future. This project will analyse long-term data from Australia to explore trends in the health of successive generations of older Australians, providing improved information for planning future demand for health services, the age pension, and aged care. New methods will be developed to identify the diseases leading to health inequalities among Australia’s older population, providing policymakers with clear insight on the most high-priority conditions to target with interventions. The findings from this research are expected to directly contribute to more equitable health-system planning, and ultimately help to reduce inequalities in health and longevity among older adults.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Biological diversification across Australia in space and time. This project aims to address fundamental questions about the diversification of Australian species and to have practical and impactful outcomes. It will leverage previous ARC funded research on the phylogenomics of Australian reptiles and amphibians and apply sophisticated analytical tools for quantifying and evaluating biological diversity in multiple dimensions and in a phylogenetic context. The expected outcomes include a publicly accessible comprehensive database that will be integrated with the Atlas of Living Australia and rigorous testing of a series of hypotheses concerning how old and recent Australian groups evolved in response to biotic invasions and climate change. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology This project will play a significant role in advancing understanding of part of Australia’s unique biodiversity in the light of evolution. Our study will consolidate diverse genetic, distributional, ecological and morphological data sets for all of Australia’s frogs and squamate reptiles. The project will deliver improved understanding by applying sophisticated analytical tools for quantifying and evaluating biological diversity. Outcomes will include a continental-scale assessment of form vs function across Australia’s diverse landscapes and rigorous testing of a series of hypotheses concerning how old and young Australian groups evolved in response to climate change.  Our project will deliver a comprehensive publicly accessible database which will be integrated with the Atlas of Living Australia. Our project benefits Australia by directly addressing the governmental research priority on environmental change and our results and approach can be applied to any other system in Australia or world-wide.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Noise-free Cryogenic Wavefront Sensing. This project aims to optimise the prototype adaptive optics technology for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) by leveraging past investment in adaptive optics instrumentation and shortwave infrared detector systems. This project expects to generate significant improvements in GMT performance, with ten times greater image resolution than the Hubble Space Telescope and current estimates of >90% sky coverage, compared with ~50% coverage for current technology. Expected outcomes of this project include the development of a highly trained workforce and continued international collaboration in the field of high-technology sensor systems. This contribution to the GMT will provide significant benefits—it will change the way we view the Universe. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences High-speed and low-noise infrared cameras are essential to satellite laser communication systems (which are key to a faster and more secure internet) and accurate tracking of space debris (which is essential to our growing dependence on satellites and space systems). Infrared cameras are also critical tools for modern satellite Imaging systems used in research, defence and everyday applications such as food crop monitoring, mineralogical surveying and bushfire hazard management. The next-generation speed and sensitivity of the camera system we develop will make possible lower-cost and smaller satellites systems capable of addressing national priorities within Australia’s space industry, and enable our industry and government partners to realise market growth for home-grown, high-performance, low-cost and lightweight infrared cameras. This project builds on Australia’s global leadership in high-performance infrared sensors and will boost Australia’s competitive advantage in the field of Adaptive Optics.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Next generation supramolecular frameworks. This project aims to prepare new supramolecular frameworks assembled by hydrogen or halogen bonds. It is anticipated that this work will increase fundamental understanding of supramolecular self-assembly processes and the dynamic processes that are possible within these rearrangeable systems. The project aims to prepare a family of related frameworks, which will allow a detailed comparison of the stability, porosity and biotechnological applicability of new supramolecular materials. The expected outcomes are the development of lightweight and benign organic systems that will have applications in the removal of toxic organic and heavy metal pollutants from water, and in the encapsulation and stabilisation of catalytically-active enzymes. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry Supramolecular frameworks are crystalline three-dimensional materials held together by weak chemical interactions. While they have many potential benefits, most frameworks are weak and cannot be prepared predictably. This project aims to develop new, stable frameworks in a predictable manner and investigate their use in enzyme encapsulation and environmental decontamination. Enzymes are biological molecules that are incredibly powerful at conducting chemical reactions cheaply and effectively, however, their application in industry is limited by their fragility. The systems prepared in this research will encapsulate fragile enzymes, rendering them stable in a wide range of industrially-relevant conditions while retaining their activity. Other aspects of this work will investigate the use of supramolecular frameworks to remove heavy metals and other toxic pollutants from drinking water, and prepare porous materials that can bind and store gases such as carbon dioxide.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Homology theories in quantum topology. This project aims to resolve a major 25-year-old open problem relating the quantum topology of knots, 3- and 4-dimensional spaces to higher representation theory, the study of hidden symmetries of algebraic structures. The project expects to use homological invariants of knots and the higher representation theory of quantum groups to construct highly anticipated invariants of 3- and 4-dimensional manifolds and tools to compute these invariants by reduction to basic building blocks. Expected outcomes also include new connections to diverse areas in mathematics. This is expected to benefit Australian science by invigorating collaboration in mathematics and theoretical physics and by attracting students and distinguished research visitors. Field of research: 0101 - Pure Mathematics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

A New Breed of Metallosupramolecular Assembly. Self-assembly is the ready formation of complex structures from simple components. Nature uses this to generate its most impressive molecular machinery to carry out complex tasks. Metallosupramolecular chemists combine simple components (metal ions and organic ligands) to create synthetic variants to fulfil similar roles. Current methods have limitations, and this project aims to create a new structural type: large and controllably variable metallo-foldamers (structures consisting of metal ions and ligands that coil like DNA). As well as benefiting fundamental knowledge, these molecules will be functional. They are expected to improve performance with enhanced outcomes in photophysical, photochemical, catalytic, and sensing applications. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Modern statistical methods for complex multivariate longitudinal data. The project aims to develop novel approaches for the statistical analysis of large, complex multivariate longitudinal data, and apply them to two datasets to address scientific questions related to the drivers and consequences of poor physical and mental health in Australia, and the spatio-temporal evolution of species assemblages in the Southern Ocean. The project expects to develop new knowledge in the areas of statistical model building, model selection, and inference for multivariate longitudinal data. This will lead to a suite of modern methods and insights for computationally efficient, mathematically rigorous statistical data analysis that, when applied, should provide significant benefits to public health and ecology. Field of research: 0104 - Statistics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Cooperativity by Design: Unlocking Metal-Metal-Ligand Cooperativity. This proposal aims to deliver efficient chemical hydrogen storage by designing new catalysts to facilitate the storage and release of hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen is an important zero-emission fuel for the low carbon energy future. However, to realise the potential of the hydrogen economy, efficient, cost-effective solutions are required for storage and transportation. This project seeks to provide technological and intellectual advances in chemical hydrogen storage methods. These outcomes are expected to provide environmental and economic benefits for Australia’s developing hydrogen economy, both in the energy export market and locally in utilisation of hydrogen as a sustainable fuel. Field of research: 0399 - Other Chemical Sciences