Australian National University

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

3D Vision Geometric Optimisation in Deep Learning. This project aims to develop a methodology for integrating the algorithms of 3D Vision Geometry and Optimization into the framework of Machine Learning and demonstrate the wide applicability of the new methods on a variety of challenging fundamental problems in Computer Vision. These include 3D geometric scene understanding, and estimation and prediction of human 2D/3D pose and activity. Applications of this technology are to be found in Intelligent Transportation, Environment Monitoring, and Augmented Reality, applicable in smart-city planning and medical applications such as computer-enhanced surgery. The goal is to build Australia's competitive advantage in the forefront of ICT research and technology innovation. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing The techniques developed by this project will contribute to building smart city plans in Australia. In particular, the methods of geometric scene understanding will enable intelligent vehicles to understand the geometric structure of the environment seen by an ‘agent’, to forecast the motion of other moving objects, and to anticipate evolution of the dynamic environment. It will contribute to the development of intelligent transportation system. The developed algorithms will help robots used for health care to understand the environment detect and predict human actions, and contribute to health care for the aged. In summary, the developed algorithms are intended to contribute to a wide range of applications in intelligent transportation, Autonomous vehicles, Aged-care Health Services, Environment Monitoring, and Augmented Reality. The project will benefit Australia nationally and enhance Australia's international competitive advantage in the technology innovation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Mobilising Aboriginal objects: Indigenous history in international museums . The project aims to build knowledge about exceptional, but poorly-documented, Aboriginal objects from Sydney and NSW coast (c. 1770-1920s) in British and European museums. These objects have not been accessible to Aboriginal communities and other researchers. This project proposes a major innovation: to bring objects to Sydney for community-led and interdisciplinary interpretation. Outcomes will include strong relations between Aboriginal communities and overseas museums; a model for collaborative research about historic objects; and a material history of Aboriginal/colonial relations. It benefits communities, governments and museums by laying robust foundations for future projects seeking the return of Indigenous cultural heritage. Field of research: 2103 - Historical Studies In 2018 the Federal Government committed national funding for its priority to ‘scope and commence activity on the return of culturally-significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander items from overseas’. However, gaining access to overseas museum collections of Australian Indigenous objects, and securing their return to Australia, does not have a one-size-fits-all solution. To overcome this obstacle to realising the nation’s interest, this project facilitates a world-first collaboration between the La Perouse Aboriginal community in Sydney, and two museums in Britain, where objects belonging to the community are held. The project will develop a best practice approach for other museums and Indigenous communities returning Indigenous objects to their origins. Culturally, Australia will gain by reclaiming and re-presenting the material objects that help tell the stories of early Indigenous and colonial life in Sydney and coastal areas of NSW. Diplomatically, Australia will gain by leading the way with a model that resolves repatriation tensions between Indigenous communities and museums.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Reliable and Seamless Service Provisioning in Mobile Edge Computing . This project aims to develop enabling technologies to provide reliable and seamless services in mobile edge computing environments. This project will develop advanced algorithms with performance guarantees and efficient mechanisms for such service provisioning. The project expects to lay theoretical foundations and generate new knowledge for the provisioning of reliability-aware and mobility-aware services in mobile edge computing. The expected outcome of the project is a set of solutions to the myriad of services relying on mobile edge computing including e-Health, autonomous vehicles, and Internet of Things. This project will develop key fundamental technologies to improve Australia’s standing in the international research community. Field of research: 0805 - Distributed Computing This project aims to develop a suite of novel algorithms and core enabling technologies for reliable, continuous and uninterrupted services provisioning in mobile edge computing through resource optimisation and allocation. This innovation in mobile edge computing will play a key role in enabling Australia's competitiveness and sustainable economic growth, laying the foundation for innovative markets including e-Health, disaster monitoring, autonomous vehicles in smart cities, and the Internet of Things services. The support of fundamental research of mobile edge computing will return exceptional dividends to the nation and enable Australia to maintain a position of world leadership in the Information and Communications Technology field.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Australia's Resilience to Recession. This project aims to study why Australia differs from its OECD peers in that it has not had a recession for 27 years. It intends to generate knowledge by using economic models to solve 3 puzzles relating to Australia’s success: (i) why did foreign financial market shocks not spill over to the economy?; (ii) how has the resource curse that affects economies with a booming resource sector been avoided?; and (iii) what makes Australia special? Expected outcomes include the development of theoretical and empirical models that reflect the unique features of the Australian economy. This should provide significant benefits, including guidance to Australian and international policymakers on macroeconomic policies for resource-rich countries. Field of research: 1403 - Econometrics Twenty-seven years is a long time for an economy to have avoided recession, but Australia has done just that. All other developed countries have had a recession in that time, causing their people to experience the loss of jobs and hard-earned assets. Understanding why Australia has avoided recession despite having been through economic events such as the Asian crisis in 1997 and the GFC in 2008, is a puzzle that needs an answer. Take the GFC, for example. Most developed countries went into a recession. Australia did not. Many would say that demand for iron ore from China sustained Australian growth, but Canada exports similar products to China. Others would say that the Reserve Bank’s emergency lowering of interest rates or the stimulus package was responsible, but many other countries took similar steps. To protect Australia from recession in the future, we need to understand the reasons why Australia out-performed similar countries. Developing and protecting the factors that work and paying less attention to the factors that do not is clearly in Australia’s national interest.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Role of R-loops and double R-loops in genome organisation and transcription. The majority of our genome is converted to an extensive network of non-protein-coding RNA molecules (ncRNAs), but the function of these ncRNAs is unknown. This project aims to identify and determine the mechanism of action of nuclear ncRNA networks with a particular focus on nuclear ncRNAs that form RNA-DNA hybrids with the genomic DNA. These studies have the potential to lead to ground-breaking discoveries in our understanding of genome organisation and the mechanism of transcription control, and might provide an entirely new tool-box to manipulate genome function. This should provide significant benefits to efforts to develop innovative biotechnology and genome editing technologies in plants and animals. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics This project will position Australia at the forefront of discovery and innovation in the rapidly emerging field of noncoding RNA biology. Investigation of the fundamental aspects of genome organisation and stability is vital for developing future genome-editing technologies. RNA-based technologies are increasingly relevant in genetic engineering and biotechnology. The knowledge gained through this project will lead to advances in these areas and will be highly relevant to both basic and applied research fields. The work will also expand our research capability by providing training opportunities for young scientists, fostering international collaborations and producing high-impact publications and citations.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

A new route to controlling root system architecture and drought tolerance. This project aims to transform our understanding of the relationship between root architecture and water and nitrogen acquisition, factors critical to determining yield. We have discovered that mutants affected in a peptide hormone receptor have unique root architectural features relevant to acquiring water and nitrogen. The mutants are drought tolerant and their roots are nitrate insensitive. The project aims to define the receptor’s genetic outputs and expects to uncover new ways to improve water and nitrate acquisition and determine if our findings apply to crops. The application of these findings will reduce the severe environmental damage caused by poor nitrogen fertiliser uptake and provide sustainable ways to ensure food security. Field of research: 0607 - Plant Biology A goal of agriculture is to boost the production of food, fibre, and animal feed in crops to meet rising global food demands. This requires a sustainable intensification of farming. This requires raising yields from extant farms whilst minimising land degradation, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and the excessive flows of uncaptured nitrate into the environment caused by using fertilisers. To achieve this requires that the two most important yield-limiting resources, water and nitrate, are acquired by crops more efficiently. A promising approach is to improve the root system architecture of crops to increase water- and nitrate-acquisition. We have discovered plant mutants that have three beneficial root architecture phenotypes that are relevant to water and nitrate uptake, and they are drought tolerant. These are exciting and novel discoveries. This project aims to define the underlying mechanisms behind these plant improvements so that the information is utilised to select for crops with root systems that improve agricultural sustainability.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Harnessing peptide hormone outputs to improve root nodulation’s efficacy. This project aims to transform our understanding of symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legume root nodules. Root nodulation sustainably fixes sizeable amounts of nitrogen to boost crop production worldwide yet its utilisation is waning in favour of using nitrogen fertilisers. The project applies cutting-edge tools to define how two hormone systems boost and limit nitrogen fixation, respectively. The project expects to reveal ways to reconfigure these hormone outputs to improve nodule number and the efficacy of nitrogen fixation. The findings will benefit agriculture by reducing the reliance on costly nitrogen fertilisers, thus mitigating the huge environmental damage they cause, and will provide more sustainable ways to ensure food security. Field of research: 0607 - Plant Biology The desired goal for Australian and global farming is to raise the production of food, fibre, and animal feed in crops and pastures, whilst reducing the environmental impact of intensive agriculture. An intensification of farming is required to meet increasing food demand but this results in land degradation, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and excessive flows of nitrogen fertiliser into the environment. By contrast, symbiotic nitrogen fixation that results from using legumes delivers sizable amounts of nitrogen to farming whilst preserving the environment. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation occurs in root nodules. This project will define new ways to increase root nodule number and size as well as the efficacy of symbiotic nitrogen fixation so that our reliance on nitrogen fertilisers is mitigated. Success in this project would help to ensure food security in a sustainable manner, reduce the use of nitrogen fertilisers, and mitigate their environmental damage.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Probing the Australian-Pacific plate boundary: Macquarie Ridge in 3-D. This project aims to advance understanding of the Australia-Pacific plate boundary - the Macquarie Ridge Complex - in the Southern Ocean. It will be the first study to elucidate the processes generating the world's largest submarine earthquakes not associated with active subduction, which may lead to understanding of how subduction initiates, the mechanism of earthquakes occurring at convergent margins, and more accurate estimates of earthquake and tsunami potential. This study will put Australia at the forefront of Earth Science research into the evolution of tectonic plates and has the potential to better inform hazard assessment efforts in the region, benefiting policy-makers and at–risk communities along the Australia coastline. Field of research: 0404 - Geophysics 3-D imaging of the central MRC and Macquarie Island will be of immediate benefit for understanding the tectonic evolution of the Australian plate and the mechanisms responsible for earthquake generation in the region. The latter will enhance monitoring of the earthquake belts around Australia and will provide more accurate estimates of tsunami potential; therefore the result will be relevant not only to the seismological research community, but also to national earthquake monitoring programs, such as those operated by Geoscience Australia and EQC/GNS New Zealand.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Profit and Loss: The commercial trade in Indigenous human remains. This project will be the first to investigate the global commercial trade in Indigenous human remains. It will employ a multi-disciplinary approach involving history, economic anthropology, economic history, and data science. The project will generate new knowledge about the 19th century global marketplace in Australian Indigenous human remains, and will reveal whether and how these are involved in the trade’s modern manifestations from 1950 to the present. The project will uncover an unknown history, assist repatriation practice, provide information to help reduce the modern trade, and contribute to truth-telling as a precondition of healing and reconciliation. Field of research: 2103 - Historical Studies This project is in the national interest because it contributes to reconciliation processes. The relationship between repatriation, healing, and reconciliation is emphasised by Indigenous communities, supported by research, and recognised by the Australian Government. Indigenous peoples have long asserted that those involved in the removal of their ancestors profited financially from this activity, yet this project will be the first to investigate the 19th century commercial trade. The project will generate new knowledge about this global marketplace and reveal whether and how Australian Indigenous human remains are involved in the trade’s modern manifestations. Building evidence about how Indigenous remains were acquired, acknowledgement of this history, and redress through repatriation are necessary to unlock the reconciliatory potential of the return of Indigenous human remains. Our project is essential to elucidate this history, not only to assist in repatriation practice and help halt the modern trade, but also because understanding the truth is a critical precondition of healing and reconciliation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Foresight: Anticipatory decision-making in water resource management. Long-term planning is vital to secure Australia’s water resources in the face of environmental disruption. This project aims to contribute to sustainable and equitable water management by examining the efficacy of anticipatory decision-making approaches. Qualitative research will be used to examine how scientific knowledge is used or contested in water reform within the Murray-Darling Basin. Intended outcomes include improved capacities to plan for future change and establishing anticipatory decision-making within Australian natural resource management. This should provide significant benefits based on an integrated approach to science and decision-making that addresses trade-offs between stakeholders to identify shared action pathways. Field of research: 0502 - Environmental Science and Management

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Ecohydrological forecasting: the pivotal role of root-zone soil moisture. This project aims to overcome the scientific and technological challenges preventing soil water and vegetation forecasting at useful land management scales (eg. 25 m). The significance is in enabling an unprecedented hyperresolution modelling capability for Australia through the integration of new ecohydrological theory with a range of satellite observations. Outcomes include more accurate, spatially-detailed information of current soil water amounts, and reliable forecasts of vegetation condition several months into the future. This will greatly enhance timely decision making and forward planning by farmers, fire agencies, and other land and water managers, with corresponding increases in productivity, sustainability and community safety. Field of research: 0406 - Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience The proposed research aligns directly with the Australian Government’s Science and Research priority of Soil and Water. Timely, accurate and detailed forecasts of soil moisture and vegetation response could return huge benefits in economic productivity, sustainability and community safety. They support agricultural operations, flood and drought prediction, and the management of livestock, natural resources and fire risk, among others. Importantly, the science and technology to achieve such forecasts have now come within reach. Weather forecasts have already been revolutionised by the exponential increase in satellite observation and computational power combined with new theory. This project aims to lay the foundations for a similar revolution in water and vegetation forecasting at the paddock scale (ca. 25 m). This project builds innovative statistical and computational techniques to combine very large amounts of satellite observations with new theory on the fine-scale relationships between weather, water and plants.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Regulating the Climate Finance Revolution. This project aims to identify how financial market regulators might best incentivise financial institutions to shift from high to low carbon investments, thereby mitigating climate change. It expects to generate new knowledge identifying regulatory excellence in previously uncharted territory and to enable best practice policymaking. Its expected outcomes will be to identify the central roles that the design and implementation of regulation can play in fast tracking finance for climate action. Its benefits should include advancing climate change mitigation, facilitating the development of Australia as a competitive sustainable finance market and contributing to Australia’s research on achieving a desirable energy future. Field of research: 1801 - Law Climate change is the single greatest challenge confronting our species, whose impact on Australia is likely to be dire. This research addresses a central mechanism for addressing that challenge: the roles that regulation can and should play in aligning the financial sector with the needs of a low carbon economy. In doing so, it directly contributes to Australia’s research on achieving a desirable energy future: a National Science and Research Priority. It will provide insights concerning the nature, design and implementation of climate finance regulation. In doing so, it will develop new empirical knowledge and evidence-based solutions that will strengthen Australian policymakers’ and financial regulators’ ability to promote and strengthen their approaches to regulatory design, compliance and enforcement. By facilitating the fast tracking of finance for climate action the findings will assist the development of Australia as a sustainable finance market in an increasingly competitive regional environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Slicing dead stars to reveal the origin of heavy elements in the Universe. This project aims to improve our understanding of how massive stars forge heavy elements like oxygen, that are key to life. It will use state-of-the-art spectrographs on Australian and Chilean telescopes to observe the ashes of dead stars, and test recent theoretical models. Expected outcomes include spectral maps of young supernova remnants, new observational constraints for theoretical models of massive stars and core-collapse supernovae, and innovative visualization solutions for complex 3D datasets. This project is expected to largely refine our grasp of the formation of heavy elements in the Universe, and thus provide significant cultural benefit in enhancing our understanding of mankind's cosmic origin in the heart of massive stars. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Drivers of phenotypic evolution in a vulnerable alpine ecosystem. This project aims to deliver a comprehensive, integrated understanding of the capacity for resilience and drivers of response of highly vulnerable alpine species and communities to climate change. The project aims to determine how communities of interacting alpine plants, soil invertebrates and microbes can cope with or evolve to novel climatic conditions. The mountains are water towers critical to power supply and Australia's agricultural productivity. Understanding physiological tolerance and the potential for rapid evolutionary responses of plants, animals and communities is necessary to predict impacts of climate change on the future productivity of the vulnerable Australian Alps and to provide novel options for climate adaptation. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology The Australian Alps cover a small fraction of the country but are a biodiversity hotspot of high economic, commercial and social value. The Alps are a crucial water source for hydroelectricity and irrigation of the Murray-Darling Basin as well as a tourism epicentre. But the Alps is one of Australia’s ecosystems most vulnerable to climate change. This project uses elegant field and laboratory experiments to assess the ability of plants, animals and the habitats in which they live, to tolerate and evolve to keep pace with a changing climate. The research will make fundamental contributions to Australia's national research priorities, as it works to improve accuracy and precision in predicting and measuring the impact of changes caused by climate on alpine systems. The cutting-edge approaches will place Australia at the forefront of global alpine and climate adaptation research. By identifying drivers of evolutionary response, it will contribute to providing options for responding and adapting to the impacts of environmental change, and maintain the diverse values of the region.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Life, living and livelihoods in satellite cities: new urban forms in India . This project aims to assess the success of satellite cities, conceived as possible solutions to the urgent challenge of rapid urban growth in today’s megacities. Through an ethnography of an Indian satellite city, Mahindra World City, this project aims to generate knowledge on new urban formations and the consequences of experiments in urban development for different socio-economic groups. Understanding the lived experiences of residents/workers in satellite cities aims to form a robust evidence base for research driven dialogue with policy makers, planners and developers. Lessons derived are expected to inform policy and practice as to how to achieve wellbeing for urban residents, while providing indications of Asia’s urban futures. Field of research: 1699 - Other Studies In Human Society This project that evaluates Satellite Cities as a means to address problems associated with urban growth will have environmental, social and cultural benefits for the Australian community. As one of the most highly urbanized countries in the world with four cities with a population over 4 million, Australia seeks to benefit from advances in knowledge as to the viability of Satellite Cities, and the consequences of experiments in corporate-state partnerships in urban planning. Informing global debate as to the success or failure of current strategies adopted to relieve pressure from Asian mega-cities will indirectly benefit Australia through new knowledge of the environmental, social and cultural implications of new urban formations, while directly informing policy and practice through research-driven dialogue with Australian policy makers and urban planners. An analysis of Mahindra World City as a microcosm of ongoing changes and developments will accrue additional cultural benefits through enhanced understanding of contemporary India: a country with significant cultural and economic links to Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Cold positron interactions with ultracold rubidium atoms. Antiparticles and antimatter have progressed from theory and science fiction to become an important and exciting area of pure and applied science. This fundamental atomic physics project aims to further study how antimatter and matter interact by providing the first comprehensive experimental results for the interaction of positrons (the electron anti-particle) with trapped rubidium atoms in an innovative combination of two cutting-edge atomic physics techniques. It aims to provide measurements of many fundamental interaction quantities and for collisions between matter and antimatter. This will look to test the latest quantum theoretical approaches and further our understanding of the uses of antimatter in medical and materials science. Field of research: 0202 - Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics The two main research fields identified in this proposal – positron physics and cold atom physics – are both recognised internationally as areas of excellence in Australian science. This proposal will further that international reputation by bringing these two areas of Australian scientific excellence together in a truly unique way. By using the controllable target provided by cold atom technology to study the interactions between positrons and rubidium, a novel system which has not been used in previous studies, new insights will be provided into some of the unique interactions between matter and anti-matter. The research program will also result in the training of young Australian researchers in front-line STEM research and give them the skills to either continue a career in these much-needed scientific research areas, or to take their skills into other areas of benefit to the Community. These are transferable skills that will be valuable in the modern workforce and will contribute to the expanding knowledge-based sector of the Australian economy.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Boryl Pincers and Beyond: Taming Borometallic Chemistry. Industrial applications of coordination complexes in catalysis reduce energy input and environmental impact but almost exclusively involve classical donors such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorus. Boron, whilst prevalent and environmentally benign, is under-utilised in such applications, in part due to the high reactivity of the metal boron bond. This research will seek to tame and then exploit the unique features of boron within pincer ligand frameworks in metal coordination complexes, with particular attention focusing on, but not limited to catalytic alkyne metathesis. Field of research: 0302 - Inorganic Chemistry Industrial applications of coordination complexes in catalysis and materials almost exclusively involve classical donors such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorus - elements also found in nature's metalloenzymes. The electron-deficient element boron, whilst prevalent and environmentally benign, is under-utilised in such technological applications, in part due to the high reactivity of the metal boron bond. The proposed research will seek to tame and exploit the unique features of boron within pincer ligand frameworks in metal coordination complexes, with particular attention focusing on, but not limited to, alkyne metathesis. The research will deliver new technologies that are directly applicable to the development of Australian polymer, pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical industries, using home-grown intellectual property to reduce energy input and environmental impact. The research will train early career researchers in sophisticated techniques for the manipulation and instrumental analysis of new air-reactive compounds in addition to skills in critical analysis and research strategy design.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Nonlinear topological photonics . The rapidly growing demands of information processing have launched a race for compact optical devices transmitting signals without losses. Topological phases of light provides unique opportunities to create new photonic systems with functionalities and efficiencies well beyond current capabilities. This project aims to develop new ways to generate and guide light at the nanoscale by merging fundamental concepts of nonlinear photonics and topological physics. The outcomes of this project will result in experimental demonstration of the world-first, highly efficient, compact, and lossless nonlinear photonic devices for advanced optical technologies. Field of research: 0205 - Optical Physics Topological photonics addresses important problems at the frontier of modern physics, and it is one of the hottest areas of research in optics. Novel topological states of light underpin energy-efficient transmission and storage of light, meeting the increasing demands of digital technologies. This project will develop important concepts of topological photonics with the world-first demonstration of topologically-protected optical devices. It will reveal new methods to generate and control light in compact optical networks. The project will fill a major gap in the current research in Australia, by targeting a new and strategically important area that promises to advance the next-generation photonics applications. The expected outcomes of this research will benefit globally important photonic applications, ranging from secure data processing to cost-effective optical storage for defense technologies. This project will provide an innovative research environment for students and postdocs, creating unique opportunities to produce skilled people for academic research and upcoming industries in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Understanding total long-term sea-level consequences. This project addresses the urgency in long-term infrastructure planning to understand the long-term "equilibrium" sea-level-change consequences from today’s exceptionally rapid climate change. Understanding this requires detailed sea-level reconstructions back to warm periods with similar CO2 levels to today (~3.5 million years ago), but these remain insufficiently defined. To advance, the project will deliver a next-generation, multi-million-year sea-level reconstruction that includes dynamically evolving (time-dependent) interactions between critical climate factors. This will then be applied with other palaeoclimate data to reconstruct equilibrium relationships between sea level, temperature, and CO2 at currently unattainable precision. Field of research: 0406 - Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience By far, most Australians live near the coast, so that mean sea-level change - compounded by regional effects and storm surges - poses a large threat to livelihood and major infrastructure. Commonly, however, assessments ignore the amount of sea-level rise "locked into" any warming scenario beyond 2100, which is dominated by slow climate-system feedbacks (carbon cycle and continental ice volume). These slow feedbacks dominate the long-term (near) irreversibility of climate-change consequences, yet their interactions remain poorly understood. Humanity's carbon emissions impose a major carbon-cycle perturbation, and understanding the total long-term climate response requires that we quantify the likely impacts on ice-sheet (sea-level) change at precisions that cannot be attained today. This project therefore aims to provide a next-generation sea-level reconstruction for the past 3.5 to 5.3 million years, and to compare it with CO2 and temperature records to precisely portray the evolution of equilibrium relationships between sea level, temperature, and CO2 through climates both warmer and colder than today.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Monge-Ampere equations and applications. The Monge-Ampere equation is a premier fully nonlinear partial differential equation with significant applications in geometry, physics and applied science. Building upon breakthroughs made by the proposers in previous grant research, this project aims to resolve challenging problems involving Monge-Ampere type equations and applications. The project goal is to establish new regularity theory and classify singularity profile for solutions to Monge-Ampere type equation arising in applied sciences, by introducing new ideas and developing innovative cutting-edge techniques. Expected outcomes include resolution of outstanding open problems and continuing enhancement of Australian leadership and expertise in a major area of mathematics. Field of research: 0101 - Pure Mathematics Many fundamental problems in modern science and technology are related to, or modelled by, equations of Monge-Ampere type, such as network optimisation, imaging processing, and reflector design. In particular optimal transportation, a useful tool in machine learning, can be formulated by Monge-Ampere type equations. In recent years there have been rapid developments in the study of these equations with major breakthroughs on the regularity theory made by the proposers. This project aims at new discoveries and findings in the theory and applications by resolving outstanding open problems. The high quality research will enhance Australian leadership and expertise, attract domestic and international students, and promote research training in this key area of mathematics and its applications.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Chemical influences on the seismic structure of the Earth's upper mantle. This project aims to determine the sensitivity of the seismic properties of Earth’s upper mantle (to 400 km depth) to variations in the prevailing chemical environment. The unique capability of the ANU Rock Physics Laboratory for low-frequency measurement of wave speeds and attenuation will be exploited to clarify the newly discovered importance of redox conditions, and document the effect of varying proportions of the most abundant upper-mantle minerals olivine and pyroxene. The expected outcome will be a robust and comprehensive model to guide the interpretation of the complex architecture of the upper mantle, and thereby provide an improved understanding of the tectonic processes responsible for its evolution through geological time. Field of research: 0403 - Geology The expected outcome of the project is a laboratory-based model for the interpretation of the complex seismic structure of Earth’s upper mantle, to enhance understanding of the tectonic processes responsible for its evolution through geological time. This model will add value to the Australian Government’s substantial NCRIS financial support for AuScope in the seismological exploration of the crust and upper mantle in the Australasian region. Consistent with the goals of the UNCOVER initiative, fostered by the Australian Academy of Science, such seismological studies interpreted within a robust lab-based framework provide much of the pre-competitive broad context for resource exploration beneath sedimentary cover. Other benefits include maintenance and enhancement of Australian leadership and international collaboration in experimental rock physics, and ongoing commitment to the training and professional development of early-career researchers.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Single-sample unmixing with machine learning: a rock magnetic frontier. Magnetic rock-forming minerals can record important information about Earth’s magnetic field and climatic changes. In rock magnetism, we seek to quantify magnetic property variations in geological materials. Existing quantification methods are limited and provide bulk characterisation of all magnetic particles in a material rather than diagnostic information concerning individual mineral components. This Project aims to develop a machine-learning framework to “unmix” and quantify each magnetic mineral component in single natural samples, and will unlock a new quantitative era in rock magnetism. It is expected to have impact beyond Earth science by enabling magnetic characterisation in physics, materials science, and industry. Field of research: 0404 - Geophysics This project aims to develop new techniques for characterising individual mineral components in natural magnetic samples using machine learning. The new approach will have applications in Earth sciences, physics, materials science, and industry, and will herald a new quantitative era in rock magnetism. For example, magnetic mineral quantification in marine sediments enables reconstruction of past dust activity on land, and informs studies of arid landscapes and their response to climate change. This information is crucially important for developing effective land management practices. Magnetic data inform the Resources Sector strategy, and enhanced ability to characterise magnetic constituents of ores can assist both mineral exploration and efficient ore excavation. These new techniques also hold potential to revolutionise global data storage. The emerging high-density recording media industry relies on prototype magnetic material characterisations in unprecedented detail, and successful project outcomes can be applied to the design process.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Human-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle interactions: Making drones talk and listen. This project aims to develop audio technology to enable unmanned aerial vehicles or drones to hear, use speech and sound to communicate with humans, acoustically sense their surroundings and make them less noisy. This project expects to generate new knowledge in acoustic signal processing and its application in drones using innovative approaches, such as use of miniature microphone and loudspeaker arrays, and active noise control. Expected outcomes include development of new theories, Intellectual Property, with potential commercial value, and training of next generation researchers. This should provide significant benefits with applications in life saving, search and rescue operations, transportation of goods, and creation of 3D media. Field of research: 0906 - Electrical and Electronic Engineering This project will develop new technology that enables drones to hear, talk, acoustically sense their environment and operate quietly with minimal noise disturbance to bystanders. Audio enabled drones will reduce public resistance and complaints of use of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This will be of benefit to a broad range of industry applications, such as search and rescue operations, delivery of goods, 3D media creation and defence related tasks. This new knowledge and real-life applicable technology are expected to result in world-leading research, drive commercial activities, including creation of start-up companies and collaborations with Australian government and private sector industries. The adoption of this project technology by end-users will benefit the Australian economy and society at large.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Exploiting new breakthroughs in understanding nuclear fission. This project aims to characterise and quantify the quantum energy levels crucial in determining the mass and energy distributions of nuclear fission products, which recent results show are far from understood. Combining new techniques and concepts, distributions will be measured down to the fission barrier energies, maximising sensitivity to quantum effects. The project exploits newly enhanced Australian accelerator infrastructure, world-best detector capabilities, and the latest findings in reactions of light cluster nuclei. The results will test new high-profile quantum many-body predictions and guide fundamental model developments, with implications ranging from future energy to understanding production of heavy elements in the universe. Field of research: 0202 - Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics This research project exploits recent investment of tens of millions of dollars by successive Federal Governments through NCRIS, and by the ARC and the ANU, in Australian accelerator-based research infrastructure. Innovative experiments and concepts will be developed to test new-generation quantum models of fission. The ultimate goal is a predictive understanding of this technologically important process. Worldwide, fission provides energy, medical isotopes and enables materials and biological research. It is important in determining the abundance of the heavy elements in the universe. The project aims to provide outcomes with high international impact, enhancing Australia's reputation in nuclear reaction dynamics. It will provide cutting-edge training opportunities for students and early career researchers at Australia's only top-line nuclear physics teaching and training program, at the ANU. This provides a workforce trained at the highest level in nuclear physics, important for issues of national interest in security, foreign affairs, medical and energy fields where expertise in nuclear issues are vital.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Enzyme-inspired polymer nanomaterials. This project aims to develop new chemical methods and polymers inspired by nature. Enzymes are nature’s catalysts: they recognise a substrate and bind with it to provide the optimal environment for a reaction. However, they are easily degraded, limiting their industrial use. This project aims to develop new, highly stable polymer designs that can perform similar functions. This will be achieved by using polymer and supramolecular chemistry to control the reaction environment, in combination with computational techniques to explore observed reactivity and guide nanoenvironment design. Expected outcomes include new polymers and materials capable of controlling a range of reactions and expanding the scope of bioinspired polymer design. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry The polymers and materials prepared in this project will have a direct impact to increase the environmental efficiency of a number of industries. For example, applications such as household cleaners that can degrade stains in an efficient manner at low temperatures. This would decrease the energy required for Australians to wash their clothing, significantly reducing the cost and environmental impact of domestic and industrial laundering. The ability to prepare low cost, highly stable and scalable polymer catalysts as described in this proposal could have broad impact on a number of advanced manufacturing areas where enzymes are already utilised, such as pharmaceuticals, biofuels and environmental decontaminants. The industrial outcomes would put Australia at the forefront of efficient and sustainable manufacturing of high value chemicals.