Western Sydney University

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-06

The Decolonisation of Literary Culture Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-06

The Decolonisation of Literary Culture Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-04

Upscaling Dementia Friends Unite – a Whole-of-Community Approach to... Category: Medical Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-04

Connected Care, Smarter Systems: Enhancing Primary Health Outcomes... Category: Medical Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-03

A SCHOOL BASED VOCATIONAL MATERNAL-INFANT HEALTH EDUCATION PATHWAY Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-03

A SCHOOL BASED VOCATIONAL MATERNAL-INFANT HEALTH EDUCATION PATHWAY Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Into the wild: safe site networks to halt plant extinction Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Into the wild: safe site networks to halt plant extinction Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

A platform for multifaceted climate-adaptive building envelopes Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Circular Economy Innovations for Sustainable Ground Improvement Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Enhancing settlement outcomes for migrants in regional Australia. This project will examine challenges that migrants and refugees experience resettling in regional Australia. The project will utilise linked ‘big’ and longitudinal data to quantify the nature, magnitude, and trajectories of settlement outcomes. By examining migration pathways and using group decision-making techniques with participants in selected regional locations, solutions will be identified and ranked. A roadmap will then be developed that can support and improve regional migrant settlement to (re)vitalise regional communities. Our findings will lead to socio-economic and cultural benefits through effectively helping the Australian government realise the goals of its Regional Settlement Program for migrants and host communities. Field of research: 4403 - Demography This project addresses a critical challenge for Australia: despite a significant 86.3% increase in migrants relocating to regional areas in 2023, alarmingly only 13.6% remain settled there, with over 25% moving to major cities within five years. This research will investigate why, combining longitudinal data with community consultation to identify solutions that can support more effective resettlement and y (re)vitalise regional communities. By understanding the barriers and enablers to successful regional settlement, this project aims to deliver socioeconomic and cultural benefits to all Australians by informing government strategies to meet business needs, foster innovation, address population ageing, and enhance cultural diversity. Ultimately, this will help realise the goals of the Australian Government's Regional Settlement Program, which are to ensure new arrivals integrate into Australian life by building the skills and knowledge they need to become self-reliant and active members of the community. Findings from this data-driven research will be shared through a dedicated website, presentations, videos, and accessible publications, making actionable insights available to policymakers, communities, and the wider public.

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

Revealing heat dose thresholds in Australian forests from leaf to... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Sustainable Wind Turbine Blade Recycling in Australia. This project aims to develop a national framework for managing decommissioned wind turbine blades by forecasting blade retirements, assessing recycling options and designing a reverse logistics network. This project expects to generate novel knowledge in sustainable blade waste management, recycling assessment and reverse logistics planning. Expected outcomes of this project include a heat map projecting blade retirements by 2050, Australia’s inaugural life cycle assessment database for recycling technologies and a reverse logistics framework for blade recovery. This will offer significant practical benefits such as reducing landfill and emissions, supporting a circular economy and contributing to national climate targets. Field of research: 3302 - Building Australia faces a growing challenge in managing end-of-life wind turbine blades. With over 600 ageing turbines and wind capacity set to double by 2030, thousands of blades risked being sent to landfill without effective planning. This project addresses three research gaps: (1) the lack of a spatially detailed model showing when and where blade waste will be generated across Australia; (2) limited evaluation of recycling methods, whose inter-comparisons for environmental, economic and social impacts have yet been unavailable; (3) the absence of a reverse logistics network tailored to Australia with current practices relying on landfill or stockpiling. The project delivers broad national benefits. Economically, it reduces decommissioning costs and supports investment in recycling infrastructure. Socially, it creates regional jobs and fosters collaboration across multiple sectors. Environmentally, it diverts waste from landfill, lowers emissions and advances circular economy goals. Commercially, it initiates additional markets in recycling, logistics and construction while reducing investor risks. Culturally, it promotes sustainable practices and public awareness. The project will deliver a user-friendly platform to bolster industry-wide planning for blade retirement. Outcomes will be shared through workshops, policy briefings, academic publications, conferences, media releases and new IP to strengthen adoption by government, industry and communities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Bridging Continents: Sustainable Chinese Herb Cultivation in Australia. This project aims to establish a scientifically validated, low-carbon cultivation model for Chinese medicinal herbs (CMH) in Australia. It addresses the current lack of locally grown CMH that meet international standards by combining field trials, laboratory analysis, life cycle assessment, and digital modelling. The project will generate national cultivation protocols, authenticity standards, and a data science hub to support Australian farmers. The partnership between Australia and Asia also reflects Australia’s multicultural health needs. The project will deliver economic, environmental, and cultural benefits, creating a sustainable agribusiness sector and positioning Australia as a global leader in botanical medicine production. Field of research: 3008 - Horticultural Production This project addresses a critical research gap in Australia: the absence of locally grown, high-quality Chinese medicinal herbs (CMH) that meet international pharmacopoeial standards. Through a trilateral partnership across Australia, mainland China, and Taiwan, it will establish a scientifically validated, low-carbon and environmentally sustainable cultivation model using advanced agronomy, chemical analysis, life cycle assessment (LCA), and data modelling. The initiative responds to growing demand, regulatory needs, and the need for resilient, transparent herbal supply chains. Australians will benefit economically through new agribusiness and manufacturing opportunities; environmentally via optimised land, water, and input use aligned with sustainability goals; socially and culturally through enhanced access to safe, evidence-based CMH within Australia’s multicultural healthcare system; and commercially by positioning Australia and Taiwan as leaders in premium botanical production. To ensure wide adoption, the project will establish a data science hub to support local farmers with analytics tools for sustainable cultivation. It will also co-develop Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) protocols, engage regulators and trade partners, and deliver outcomes through bilingual resources, cross-cultural workshops, and policy-aligned dissemination strategies.

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

A platform for multifaceted climate-adaptive building envelopes Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Circular Economy Innovations for Sustainable Ground Improvement. This project develops an innovative ground improvement method using waste glass aggregates and a geopolymer binder derived from waste materials. This technology significantly decreases carbon emissions by replacing conventional cement-based methods while advancing circular economy principles. Key outcomes include the development of a robust constitutive model for the new composite and establishment of a comprehensive design guide based on advanced numerical modelling and experimentation. Project addresses the critical need for green solutions in Australia’s unprecedented infrastructure development phase, delivering tangible benefits in environmental sustainability and economic efficiency that aid in achieving the net zero emissions goal. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering All major Australian cities are situated along coastlines and river systems, where low strength or expansive soils are prevalent, which often results in significant foundation damage. Hence, ground improvement before construction is crucial to enhance ground stability and load bearing, minimising structural movements. Current ground improvement methods often rely on cement and mined natural aggregates, significantly contributing to carbon emissions. This project pioneers a sustainable way to improve ground using 100% waste materials including glass, aluminium, water treatment residue and mine waste, adopting the scientific principles of geopolymerisation. Our strategy will create an economic opportunity by transforming waste into a valuable resource, advancing circular economy principles, while reducing reliance on landfills and extraction of natural aggregates, protecting our environment and ecosystems. Economically, it is expected to offer significant cost savings in construction and maintenance, delivering safer and durable infrastructure for Australian communities. By fostering sustainable construction practices, it aligns with the Australian government's national priority of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. A new design guideline and a constitutive model for the new material will be developed for construction planning and disseminated to industry, and promoted through relevant media channels, ensuring effective translation and adoption of research into practice.

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

Supporting and Retaining Gender and Sexuality Diverse Early Career... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Personalising language training to the needs of learners. Learning a second language is difficult, but mastery brings with it socioeconomic advantages. This is particularly relevant for English-speaking countries such as Australia that have large migrant populations. Yet, we do not know why some learners do well while others in the same setting flounder. It must be the case that successful learners have certain attributes that allow them to flourish in the learning setting, resulting in successful learning. Unsuccessful learners, on the other hand, are likely mismatched to their training method. This project will map the combination of predictors that matter most in successful language learning with the goal of tailoring training proactively to maximise learning outcomes for all learners. Field of research: 4704 - Linguistics This research project focuses on why some individuals learn a foreign language successfully, while others struggle, even in the same learning environment. This is a key question for Australia, a country with a large migrant population where foreign language skills can offer significant socioeconomic advantages. The project aims to identify the specific factors that lead to successful language learning to understand why some learners flourish while others may be mismatched with their training setting. Understanding these factors has the potential to benefit Australians in several ways. By developing methods to tailor language training to the needs of individuals, the research could improve language learning outcomes for people from non-English speaking backgrounds, allowing them to better contribute to the workforce and access essential services like healthcare. Furthermore, enhancing our citizens’ ability to communicate in the languages of our key regional partners is crucial for increasing Australia’s international competitiveness and unlocking its economic potential. By developing language-learning resources for education providers, teachers, and learners we will translate the research into practical applications that enhance second language acquisition across the community and around the globe.

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

A Global History of Hysterectomy, 1860-2020 Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Enhancing settlement outcomes for migrants in regional Australia Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Digital twin for the manufacture of composite structures by resin... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Supporting and Retaining Gender and Sexuality Diverse Early Career Teachers. This project aims to understand and influence factors affecting the retention of gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) beginning teachers. Using an innovative, multi-method approach, with integrated stakeholder participation, this research will generate powerful new knowledge about the experiences of beginning and early career GSD teachers through a national survey and deep, longitudinal connection with a small cohort recruited during initial teacher education. Impactful project outcomes include a research-informed film aiding teacher retention and a data-driven online network supporting GSD teachers’ community building. This will provide significant wider benefits for the retention of minoritised teachers, with social and economic impact. Field of research: 3904 - Specialist Studies In Education This research project addresses a critical issue for all Australians: the shortage of teachers in our schools. This shortage is made worse by difficulties in retaining a diversity of teachers, which is a government priority. This project will investigate how to better support early-career, gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) diverse teachers who, like other marginalised groups, can experience discrimination. We will collect data from both beginning and experienced GSD teachers, using longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches, to discover what helps diverse teachers thrive and stay in their roles. By producing a model that can be used to improve the wellbeing and retention of diverse teachers, the research will contribute to a more stable, diverse, and high-quality teaching workforce for our children, which benefits all Australians. A package of research-based training materials, including short films developed using verbatim methods, will be developed for school leaders’ and education academics’ professional development, and accompanied by an online peer network and support resources purpose-designed for the retention of new GSD teachers. Given the government’s substantial financial investment in initial teacher education, outcomes from this project will provide significant economic benefit, complementing the social benefit gained by ensuring school classrooms are safe, inclusive spaces for all.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

How climate extremes shape plant microbiome functions and pathogen invasion. This project aims to investigate how extreme climate events impact the structure and functions of plant-associated microorganisms, which are essential for sustaining crop health. Climate extremes, such as heatwaves and floods, severely impact plant diseases and food security. Using advanced approaches and microbial analysis, this project will generate new knowledge about the responses of crop microorganisms to climate extremes and pathogen invasion. It expects to develop an innovative workflow for harnessing beneficial microbial traits to enhance plant health. This will provide novel microbial applications to boost plant resilience to climate change and pathogen threats and offer significant benefits to support sustainable agriculture. Field of research: 4106 - Soil Sciences Plant-associated microorganisms have co-evolved with their hosts over 400 million of years, providing essential functions that bolster plants against a range of environmental challenges, for example, climate change, pathogen invasion, and abiotic stresses. Extreme climate events, including heatwaves, droughts, and floods, are becoming increasingly frequent in Australia and worldwide, threatening plant health, agricultural productivity, and food security. However, the ways in which these conditions influence the diversity, interactions, and functions of crop-associated microorganisms, and subsequently lead to disease outbreaks and production losses, remain a mystery. This project aims to reveal, for the first time, the complex interactions between plants and microbial communities under climate extremes and pathogen threats. In particular, it will provide the first insight into whether stress-induced microbial traits and functions can improve crop adaptation and survival under these abiotic and biotic challenges. This improved understanding will empower Australian farmers and agribusiness industries to develop effective strategies for mitigating risks associated with climate extremes and pathogen outbreaks. New microbial solutions and bio-products developed in this research will reduce the risk of plant diseases and enhance plant resilience under changing climate, contributing to increased environmental health, economic returns, and sustainability of the agriculture.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Revealing heat dose thresholds in Australian forests from leaf to landscape. Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change, but their role as reliable carbon sinks depends upon their ability to survive extreme events. This project aims to predict the limits of heat tolerance based on both temperature intensity and duration (i.e. heat dose) in well-watered and drought conditions from leaf-level to the landscape. Expected outcomes are 1) improved mechanistic understanding of hydraulic and metabolic processes during extreme heat/drought, 2) predict when tree damage can lead to tree mortality and 3) determine a species’ vulnerability to heat and water stress. Understanding the processes behind tree mortality is essential to predict when functional collapse will occur and how forest biodiversity will change. Field of research: 4101 - Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation This research project addresses the critical issue of how Australian trees respond to increasing heat waves, a significant threat to our environment. Australia's dry climate makes its natural systems particularly vulnerable, as seen in current canopy dieback and tree deaths. A key research gap is understanding the limits of how much heat stress and for how long different trees can tolerate before permanent damaged. This project will investigate when and how tree functions fail under both well-watered and drought conditions, from individual leaves to entire landscapes. The knowledge gained will benefit Australia by better predicting tree damage during heat waves. This information will help the forestry sector choose more resilient tree species for planting and assist natural resource managers in making informed decisions about managing forests and predicting dieback. Understanding which species are most resistant to heat will also guide conservation and restoration efforts, protecting our unique biodiversity. Ultimately, this research will contribute to a healthier environment and a more resilient forestry sector for Australia. To ensure these benefits are realised, the project findings will be actively shared with conservation and restoration managers through guidelines, public seminars, industry conferences, and articles in accessible media like The Conversation. This will maximise the understanding, translation, and adoption of the research beyond the scientific community.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

A Global History of Hysterectomy, 1860-2020. This project will deliver the first global history of hysterectomy, tracing its roots in 19th-century Europe to its intercultural spread throughout Australasia and South Asia. Challenging inaccurate traditional narratives, it will explore past treatment rationales, internal medical debates, medical globalization, and patient self-reported experiences, to elucidate present healthcare equities. Foregrounding forgotten voices and intercultural exchanges, the project will uncover the historical and ongoing legacies of hysterectomy, including its relationship to intersectional questions of gender, race, class, caste and disability. Its outcomes will make a major contribution to the new international field of gender in the medical humanities. Field of research: 5002 - History and Philosophy of Specific Fields This project recovers an untold story of hysterectomy's origins and past, the most common surgery globally, impacting more than a third of Australian women. It aims to deliver the first global history of hysterectomy, tracing its roots in 19th-century Europe to its intercultural spread throughout Australasia and other world regions. It addresses a significant gap in knowledge by challenging inaccurate traditional narratives and retrieving voices of forgotten women, minorities and diverse cultures in gynecology practice and research. It explores past treatment rationales, internal medical debates, medical globalization, and patient memoirs, elucidating present healthcare inequities, tensions and issues of informed consent. It uses a patient-centered approach to medical history to make a signature contribution to the new international field of gender in the medical humanities. It will offer social and cultural benefits by improving public awareness of equity, diversity, globalization and the human dimensions of gynecology care, clinical practice and research. It will enable knew knowledge of overlooked past medical cultures, and develop a high-quality, global and integrated approach to the medical humanities in both research and research training. The project’s outcomes will be communicated to the broader public through media articles, a professionally-designed website, video abstracts of open-access journal publications, and social media communications.