Australian National University

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Duties beyond borders: A historical approach to protecting the vulnerable. What, if anything, do states owe to vulnerable people beyond their borders, be they seeking asylum, needing humanitarian assistance, or requiring protection from mass atrocities? This project plans to take a historical approach to answering this question. There is a long and rich history of thinking about duties to vulnerable strangers and foreigners, but the contemporary literature on global justice and the ‘responsibility to protect’ is largely blind to it. The project aims to redress this by producing a history of the idea that states have duties to assist and protect those beyond their borders from mass suffering. It then aims to examine how this history can inform our understanding of present-day debates and dilemmas. Field of research: 1606 - Political Science

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Discovering sources of individual differences in first language acquisition. This project aims to investigate the processes of language acquisition to support the development of evidence-based strategies for improving children's early language. Some children learn language earlier and more easily than others. Understanding why this is the case is important because successful acquisition is strongly associated with positive life outcomes such as academic achievement and psychological wellbeing. This project focuses on typically developing children, investigating how their ability to detect frequently occurring patterns in the environment significantly contributes to their acquisition of grammar in early childhood. The project plans to use an innovative triangulation of experimental methods from developmental psychology, longitudinal analysis and cognitive modelling to drive the development of new models of language acquisition and transform our understanding of both typical and atypical acquisition. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Creating the social genome: Advanced techniques for linking dynamic data. This project aims to develop novel efficient and effective models and techniques that enable record linkage of large dynamic databases while preserving the privacy of sensitive personal data. Social genomes are the digital footprints of our society. They are the basis of population informatics, which is revolutionising how researchers in various domains conduct studies, governments plan services and expenditures, and businesses advertise and interact with their customers. A core requirement of population informatics is the linking of large dynamic databases that contain details about people from diverse sources. The expected outcomes of this project will provide novel solutions to the challenges of population informatics faced by Australian organisations. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

The Taipan Survey - Cosmology in the Nearby Universe. This project aims to support the Taipan (Transforming Astronomical Imaging-surveys through Polychromatic Analysis of Nebulae) survey, which is designed to measure redshifts for 500 000 galaxies and peculiar velocities for 50 000 galaxies in the nearby universe. The survey aims to yield the most precise direct measurement of the present-day expansion rate of the universe, the largest maps of the density and velocity fields of local structures, and new and stringent tests of large-scale gravitational physics using galaxy motions, probing Einstein’s theory of gravity and alternatives. It is expected that the Taipan database will add substantial value to research with the SkyMapper telescope and the Australian SKA Pathfinder. The project also aims to demonstrate an innovative Australian robotic technology ('starbugs') that will be used in the next-generation Giant Magellan Telescope. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Mechanisms of proxy uptake in biominerals. This project plans to combine nano-analytical and aquaculture methods to develop new models that improve the reliability of paleoclimate reconstructions. The compositions of shells and skeletal materials of marine invertebrates are essential archives for quantifying temperatures and environmental conditions before modern climate records began. However, their reliability relies on understanding their formation. Emerging knowledge from material sciences indicates that these biocarbonates form via transient precursors rather than direct precipitation from seawater, profoundly affecting their interpretation. This project plans to transfer this new understanding to the earth sciences using nanoscale analytical methods including in vitro geochemical partitioning experiments. This would enable realistic models for geochemical proxy behaviour to be developed, significantly improving paleoclimate interpretations and assessments of ocean acidification effects on marine calcifiers. Field of research: 0403 - Geology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Quantum Phase Transitions In- and Out-of-Equilibrium in Optical Lattices. This project aims to contribute to understanding the physics of quantum many-body systems. A complete understanding of phase transitions in strongly interacting quantum many-body systems is a key step towards solving several open problems in modern physics (eg high temperature superconductors). However, they are extremely difficult to study theoretically or in traditional experiments, due to the underlying strong quantum correlations. This project plans to take an alternative approach using ultra-cold helium atoms in an optical lattice to form an analogue quantum simulator. This would provide access to a new experimental observable: many-body correlation functions, which should yield new insights. Understanding such systems more deeply may lead to the development of new quantum technologies based on this science. Field of research: 0206 - Quantum Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Computational methods for solving modern asset pricing models. This project aims to solve a broad range of asset pricing models. Movements in asset prices affect private investors, public sector finances, wealth distribution and business activity levels. Economists have tried to build better models of asset prices, moving away from hyper-rationality and towards realistic features including heterogeneity, habit persistence and bounded rationality. These models’ additional complexity makes them difficult to solve or to apply to real world problems. The project will use modern hardware and computational tools, insights from economics literature and numerical analysis to provide a set of solution methods for such asset pricing models. This is expected to improve policy analysis and decision making under uncertainty. Field of research: 1402 - Applied Economics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Feasibility in politics: Taking account of groups and institutions. This project aims to research feasibility in politics. Normative political discourse is pervaded by the use of claims about what is feasible and infeasible. The project will examine feasibility practices, the functions they serve, what is required to serve the functions effectively, how actual practices stack up, and how to improve them. It will fuse philosophical and empirical analysis; encompass three salient case studies (immigration, poverty and climate change); and engage practitioners, commentators and ordinary citizens. The project intends to inform the development of just and effective immigration, poverty and climate change policy, reflecting a better understanding of the role of feasibility in politics. Field of research: 1606 - Political Science

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

The life-stories of galaxies from stellar fossils. This project aims to derive stellar ages and chemical compositions to draw the precise evolutionary history of the Galaxy, using ongoing observational programmes. Stars hold the key to unveil the events that occurred throughout the history of our Galaxy, from the beginning of time until today. Their atmospheres retain a fossil record of the composition of the interstellar medium at the time of their formation, and the twinkling of their light tells us about their ages. Combining data from space-borne satellites and large Australian ground-based surveys is expected to lead to understanding of galaxy formation as a whole. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

A Buddhist challenge to Western conceptions of logic. This project aims to advance and defend a theory about the nature of logic and rationality. The project will draw on Buddhist logic texts and demonstrate their relevance to contemporary Western debates about the nature of logic. It seeks to show that a Buddhist theory of logic can challenge widely-entrenched but unexamined Western conceptions of the nature of logic. The project is expected to advance intellectual engagement between Buddhist and Western philosophers, bring attention to texts and theories not currently available to the Western philosophical world, and demonstrate the importance of a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to global philosophy. Field of research: 2203 - Philosophy

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

The natural function and evolution of an essential parasite transporter. This project aims to resolve the natural function and evolution of a transporter essential to the survival of malaria and other parasites. Malaria and its sibling Apicomplexan parasites cause devastating diseases in humans and livestock across the world. Much remains to be understood about these parasites, and options for controlling them are diminishing. The project will interrogate the functions of the transporter proteins. The knowledge gained might help to combat Apicomplexan parasites by targeting these transporters’ native functions. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Unveiling the haloes of Andromeda and the Milky Way. This project aims to understand galaxy formation and the astrophysical properties of dark matter. Continual merging with smaller systems powers the development of large galaxies. The ghostly remnants of these cannibalised satellites encode the build-up of mass in a galaxy and trace the underlying gravitational field. This project will use astronomical imaging technology to study ultra-faint stellar streams in the outskirts of our Milky Way and its twin sister Andromeda, revealing their assembly histories and the precise properties of their dark matter haloes. These quantities are fundamental experimental benchmarks for testing modern cosmological models. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

The origins, global spread and evolution of novel honey bee parasites. This project aims to study how emergent diseases arise, spread and evolve, studying varroa mites – a parasite of honey bees that will inevitably arrive in Australia and is expected to damage agriculture and the environment. As the mites have a well-characterised native range, independent host switches and a well-documented history of spread, they make good models. Mites have evolved after invasion, although without significant genetic differentiation at neutral markers. This project aims to identify genetic mechanisms associated with the host switches; reconstruct the pattern and demography of varroa’s global spread; and determine how selection acted on the mites after the host switch. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Functional metasurfaces and metadevices. This project aims to develop and use smart metadevices for light control, high-bandwidth wireless communication and security. Unique properties of metamaterials suggest several useful effects not yet used in real-life. Using electromagnetism, mechanics, colloidal chemistry and nanofabrication, this project will design user-friendly tuneable metadevices made of ultra-thin metasurfaces and three-dimensional liquid metamaterials, and demonstrate electromagnetic wave manipulation in microwave, terahertz and optical frequency ranges. The outcomes are expected to create opportunities for Australian industry to commercialise smart materials. Field of research: 0203 - Classical Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Evolving with sexually transmitted infections. This project aims to understand how sexually transmitted infections (STIs) affect the evolution of host mating systems. STIs threaten the health of most sexually-reproducing organisms. In evolutionary terms, their mode of transmission imposes distinct selection patterns on hosts. This project will use an Australian beetle and its sexually transmitted mite to investigate how STIs lead to evolutionary changes in host mating behaviour and explore the genetic basis for STI resistance. This project is expected to affect the evolution of host mating biology and lead to sex-specific optimal levels of disease resistance, which can influence disease dynamics and host-disease coevolution. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Income and well-being: Evidence from international commodity price shocks. This project aims to examine the effects of income from international commodity price windfalls on peoples’ well-being. Exports of natural resources (iron, coal and copper) are an important source of income for the Australian economy. International prices for these commodities have declined in recent years, lowering national income. The project will analyse both objective and subjective measures of well-being at both the cross-country time-series and the sub-national levels, tailored to the Australian economy. It is expected that the project’s findings will benefit academia, public policy makers and everyday people. The project will inform academics and policy makers about how income from international commodity price windfalls affects peoples' well-being. Field of research: 1402 - Applied Economics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Early evolution of the endomesoderm gene regulatory network. This project aims to unravel the endomesoderm gene network’s evolutionary history by identifying its conserved components’ target genes in the calcareous sponge Sycon. Little is known about the evolutionary origin of the developmental gene regulatory networks active in the development of all Eumetazoans (animals with nerves and digestive systems). Sponges are key models to study the transition from protists to eumetazoans, and gene expression data supports homology between sponge and eumetazoan tissues and body plans. This project could illuminate the evolutionary history of the animal body plan. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Quantifying and mitigating changes in Australia’s rainfall belts. This project aims to understand how past climate changes affected Australia’s rainfall belts, and to reverse recent changes in rainfall belts. Australia’s climate belts are moving, but it is unclear if the effects on tropical and temperate rainfall will be permanent. This project will use past climate records and palaeoclimate databases to assess how natural and human-induced changes during the past millennium affected Australia’s rainfall zones, and specialised climate model simulations to determine whether greenhouse gas reduction could mitigate future rainfall changes. The outcomes are expected to inform policy and mitigation strategies to secure Australia’s precious water resources. Field of research: 0401 - Atmospheric Sciences

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Representations of arithmetic groups and their associated zeta functions. This project aims to investigate deep connections between number theory and group theory by studying linear actions of arithmetic groups. Arithmetic groups are used in geometry, dynamics, number theory and other areas of pure mathematics. This project will study their representations from two perspectives. First, it will establish properties of the associated zeta functions to resolve open problems about the asymptotic behaviour of the dimensions of the irreducible representations. Second, it will explore the evolution of representations across families of groups under new induction and restriction functors, in analogy with creation and annihilation operators in physics. The project will enhance Australia's capacity in representation theory and group theory, the mathematics that underline symmetry in nature. Field of research: 0101 - Pure Mathematics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Young Australians' perspectives on religions and non-religious worldviews. This project aims to elicit diverse young people’s understandings about religion and belief to inform debate about how education assists or impedes intercultural understanding as well as enhancing wellbeing and social inclusion. Australian governments have invested in programs to promote respect for religious diversity and to counter violent extremism, yet there is no coherent, evidence-based understanding of young Australians’ perspectives on religions and nonreligious worldviews. Knowing more about young people's perspectives and what influences them could facilitate development of appropriate educational responses equipping schools to help young Australians to live productively in their diverse society. Field of research: 1399 - Other Education

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Topology optimisation of mechanical metamaterials with additive manufacture. Metamaterials have sparked a surge of interest with potential applications as diverse as biomedical implants, ballistic barriers, and acoustic cloaks. This project aims to develop topology optimisation technology, with the marriage of additive manufacturing for computational design of mechanical metamaterials of pentamode, which are a new class of artificial composites engineered to have elastic properties not easily found in nature. This approach aims to create novel metamaterials to have extraordinary properties and complex geometries that can be easily fabricated. Potential applications may include defense, vehicles, biomedicine, marine uses, energy and cloaks. Field of research: 0913 - Mechanical Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Heritage in the limelight: the magic lantern in Australia and the world. The project aims to discover and analyse the large number of glass magic lantern slides that remain under-used in our public collections. International scholarship has recently begun to show that lantern slide shows were a ubiquitous, globalised and formative cultural experience. The project aims to explore the international reach and diversity of this globalised modernist apparatus from the Australian perspective. It plans to understand how diverse audiences affectively experienced these powerful forms of early media, and to develop ways for today’s Australians to re-experience their magic, invigorating and expanding our cultural heritage. Field of research: 1901 - Art Theory and Criticism

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Signature of vibrational motions encoded into small polyatomic spectra. Using revolutionary state-of-the-art spectrometers, the project plans to search for signatures of large-amplitude vibrational motions that transform one chemical species to another. Bond-breaking chemical reactions necessarily involve highly vibrationally excited reactants and/or products that move the energy of the system away from equilibrium. It is now possible for direct measurements to be made of the changes that a molecule undergoes as it transits across a chemical potential energy barrier. The project plans to examine the long-standing problem of vinylidene-acetylene isomerisation in order to verify the long-suspected existence of large amplitude vibrational motion in small molecules, which are thought to be the signatures of a particular class of chemical dynamics. These would provide a rational basis for future control of unimolecular chemical reactions. Field of research: 0306 - Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural)

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

The pace and rhythm of climate: 600,000 years in a biological hotspot. This project aims to generate knowledge of long-term changes in vegetation and rainfall for the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool (IPWP). The IPWP exerts enormous influence on the Earth’s climate through its interactions with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, the Austral–Asian monsoons and the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone. Yet despite its importance, the response of the IPWP to global climate change remains uncertain. Through palynology, ancient sedimentary DNA and compound specific stable isotope analyses, this project aims to produce a terrestrial vegetation, fire and biodiversity record for the last 600 000 years in Sulawesi. The unrivalled length and resolution of this record for the region would make it a benchmark reconstruction of palaeoclimate that may transform our understanding of the IPWP. Field of research: 0406 - Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Meeting the needs of older persons in Indonesia. The project aims to identify the needs of older people in rural Indonesia for income, housing, health, daily care and social interaction and the extent to which their needs are met. It also considers the efficacy of existing policy programs and how these might be improved. Today, there are 22 million Indonesians aged 60 years and over, projected to rise to 48 million by 2035. Millions of older people live in rural areas from which younger people have moved to the rapidly growing cities. This presents challenges for the traditional family-based aged care system in Indonesia. It is expected that findings from the study will be published in a series of policy papers to be presented in the Indonesian National Development Planning Board. Field of research: 1603 - Demography