University of New South Wales

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Artists and Generative-AI: Copyright and Private Regulation of Creativity. There is a significant power imbalance between artists and tech giants in the age of Generative AI and undermining of the value of copyright to creators. This project investigates the connection between licensing terms attached to the digital tools, apps, and platforms used by visual artists and intensification of economic and cultural disruption in the arts. Project innovation flows from mapping artist's views about their incorporation into AI-data markets to tech and platform licensing terms that facilitate extraction of value from creative labour. Recommendations will help promote more equitable industry-artist partnerships to facilitate growth of a vibrant digital arts sector through improving education and legal advice to artists. Field of research: 4806 - Private Law and Civil Obligations Over 40% of Australian artists use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, platforms, and apps to enhance their art. Artist's copyright and livelihoods are being impacted by a new private legal infrastructure being developed by AI companies through the terms and conditions artists agree to. It is hard to craft good legal advice without a better understanding of the tools artists are using and when artists are likely unaware of how their work contributes to data markets they don’t profit from. This project studies the fairness of the contractual terms regulating AI products. We will look at how the products function, review their contract terms to see how they affect artists’ copyright, and work closely with artists to understand their technological and legal needs. Our research will enhance transparency around how AI companies exploit creative labour. We will promote responsible AI by working with artists, lawyers, and technologists to create ethical best practice and fairer standards. Legal resources will be developed to empower artists in their decision-making and reduce the impact of unfair contracts. These legal resources will be available to the public through collaboration with the Arts Law Centre of Australia. In the short term, artists will better understand the law and how to protect their rights. In the long term, AI innovation will benefit both creators and businesses, fostering a vibrant and thriving arts sector that benefits all Australians.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Boosting heritage languages: multimodality in urban and digital spaces. Heritage languages bring significant economic, social and cultural benefits for Australia. However, Australian youth from migrant backgrounds abandon their heritage language at a high rate. This project aims to enhance heritage languages by investigating how they are used in urban and digital spaces. The project uses a novel multimodal design to generate new knowledge about spatial factors in heritage language maintenance and to identify ideological aspects of language choice. Benefits include a better understanding of life, language and community in multicultural urban contexts as experienced by migrants. The project will support migrant families, enhance intercultural language awareness and has the potential to strengthen social harmony. Field of research: 4704 - Linguistics The Australian Government recognises that connecting young Australians to their heritage languages is a crucial component of social inclusion and prosperity. However, the Multicultural Framework Review 2024 highlighted the need to create new strategies to improve how we engage multicultural Australia in languages other than English. With over 50% of Australians either born overseas or having one parent born overseas, and families speaking more than 300 languages, there is an urgent need to investigate how young Australians embrace their heritage languages in diverse and rapidly changing social contexts beyond the family home. This project brings social and cultural benefits for Australia by exploring how urban (public) and digital spaces impact heritage language use and how these spaces can foster heritage language learning. Migrant families have the immediate benefit of informed family strategies to boost their heritage language use through new communication channels. Heritage language teachers and communities will directly benefit from newly developed educational resources accessible from a public website. The project will inform researchers and policymakers about communication practices of Australian youth through a publicly accessible report and a corpus of selected language diaries. Ultimately, the project will lead to more equitable strategies for supporting heritage languages and a better understanding of their role in strengthening Australian multicultural society.

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

Epicardial adipose tissue in heart failure: a potential marker of risk... Category: Medical Research

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

RELIEF trial "“ Radiofrequency ablation for chronic low back pain, a... Category: Medical Research

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

Identification and functional analysis of long noncoding RNAs in... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Exploiting new mathematical encodings of phylogenetic trees and networks. Phylogenetics needs new results from discrete mathematics to incorporate information from non-tree-like evolutionary processes, such as hybridization or horizontal gene transfer, and to cope with the large data sets that arise from contexts such as pandemics. This project will bring recently-developed encodings from the discrete mathematics of combinatorics, graph theory, and set theory, to the study of phylogenetic trees and networks. In proving results in combinatorics and graph theory, and by developing new algorithms using those results, it will provide mathematical and computational tools for biology and public health, and build connections between mathematics and phylogenetics. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics Questions about the relationships among different organisms are both of basic scientific interest (was the moa closer to the emu or to the ostrich?), and of immense practical importance (is this sample of a pathogen from a known strain or something new?). Answering those questions involves constructing the underlying phylogenetic tree or network. These are mathematical graphs that represent the past relationships between organisms that we observe in the present. Constructing them requires not only genetic sequencing technology, but advanced mathematical and computational methods. Most fundamentally, working with phylogenetic information requires a way to "encode" it mathematically, into a form that carries the information from the phylogeny but is able to be efficiently accessed and interpreted. This project will take advantage of new encodings for phylogenetic trees and networks that have been developed in Australia, and find ways to exploit the new ways that they represent the information in the phylogenetic object. The new encodings that are the focus of this work use mathematics from combinatorics and from algebra, both fields with extensive history and strengths in Australia. The projects will build on those fields, while growing capacity in Australia for research at the interface of discrete mathematics and biology. The impact of the research will be widely felt through our international collaborative networks.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Strategic Management of Agentic Artificial Intelligence for Innovation. This project aims to transform how organisations manage generative Artificial Intelligence agents to drive innovation. It will develop a robust groundbreaking theory-based framework, practical methods, metrics, and tools to tackle the growing strategic challenges organisations face with rapid AI advances. The anticipated outcomes include new strategies for organisations to increase performance, create transformative value and drive innovation. Key benefits include improving productivity, competitiveness, collaboration and innovation. The project will enhance Australia's competitive edge and global standing, increase new investment, economic complexity and high-skilled jobs, and strengthen the local and global innovation ecosystems. Field of research: 3507 - Strategy, Management and Organisational Behaviour Rapid advances in generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) have created the new Agentic AI paradigm where AI autonomously reallocates resources and executes strategic decisions. Current strategic management frameworks, which treat AI as a tool, are ill-equipped for managing autonomous agents. Managers urgently need new frameworks and methods to address key industry challenges and drive innovation. By integrating Agentic AI with Dynamic Capabilities Theory, one of the most prevalent strategic management theories, this project provides a novel theory-driven develops a new framework to reduce uncertainty, improve decision quality, and accelerate innovation. Organisations can use the framework to harness agentic AI to drive responsible innovation, boost productivity, optimize resources, and address societal needs—from healthcare to public services. These outcomes will enhance Australia’s economic complexity, create high-value jobs, and solidify our global standing in responsible AI. The project ensures that innovation benefits consumers, communities, and the workforce by fostering public trust in agentic AI. It directly advances Australia’s Digital Economy Strategy and AI Action Plan, offering methods and insights to strengthen the nation’s innovation ecosystem. Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, this research supports ethical, high-impact AI adoption across multiple sectors, elevating Australia’s competitiveness in the global digital economy. ​

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Tailoring phase transition pathways for stable perovskite energy materials. This project aims to tackle the stability challenges of perovskite photovoltaics by developing innovative methods to produce high-quality metal halide perovskite thin films free from unstable components. It seeks to generate new knowledge in material chemistry and crystallization kinetics of perovskite energy materials by tailoring the crystalline formation pathways. The expected outcomes include improved durability of perovskite solar cell and the generation of valuable intellectual property, paving the way for the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaic technology. This will significantly support Australia's clean energy goals, and contribute to the global transition toward sustainable and cost-effective solar power solutions. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering This project will develop new ways to improve the stability of perovskite solar cells, a promising next-generation solar technology. While these solar cells are efficient and low-cost to produce, they are still too unstable for long-term use, limiting their potential in Australia's clean energy future. The research will create better understanding of how perovskite materials crystallise and how tiny defects form and spread, which are key causes of instability. Using this knowledge, the project will develop new, more reliable fabrication methods without using volatile additives. By making perovskite solar cells more durable, this project supports Australia's transition to affordable, low-carbon energy. It aligns with national goals in clean energy and advanced manufacturing, and will help position Australia as a global player in renewable energy technologies. It may also create economic opportunities through local production and job creation.To maximise benefits, research outcomes will be shared through industry workshops, academic publications, and collaboration with a pilot-scale solar module manufacturer. Public outreach and open-access results will also help ensure broad understanding and adoption of the new technology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Context, coping and wellbeing in refugees. There are >50 million refugees worldwide displaced by war and persecution. The contexts in which refugees live differ markedly, however most research has been conducted with a small subgroup of refugees with secure residency living high-income countries. This has precluded tailored approaches to effectively supporting refugees across contexts. A longitudinal study conducted across three settings (with refugees in Australia with secure and insecure residency and refugees in Indonesia with insecure residency) will determine the most powerful environmental, psychological and social drivers of refugee functioning across contexts. Ultimately, this will inform policies and programs that support refugees to thrive in their new homes. Field of research: 4203 - Health Services and Systems Australia has made an international commitment to protect and support refugees and spends hundreds of millions of dollars per year supporting refugees within Australia and overseas in transit countries. There is emerging evidence that the needs of refugees, as well as effective strategies to improve functioning vary markedly across contexts. However, most research has been conducted with a small subgroup of refugees (those with secure residency living in high-income countries), leaving a gap in knowledge regarding how to tailor efforts to support refugees across contexts. In this project, we will systematically investigate differences in refugee functioning using uniform methodology across the three predominant contexts in which refugees live (high-income-country [HIC]/secure residency, HIC/insecure residency, low-and-middle-income country [LMIC]/insecure residency). Findings will determine the specific environmental stressors that impact on refugee functioning across contexts, and identify common and unique psychological and social factors that drive wellbeing across contexts. These findings will (1) improve Australia’s capacity to meet its international commitments to refugees by providing a tailored roadmap to improving wellbeing and social cohesion, (2) provide NGOs with strategies to operate more effectively, (3) enhance strategic relationships in the Asia-Pacific region.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Hybrid Value-Added Electrolyser for Green Hydrogen and Methanol Production. The recent breakthroughs in electrocatalysis have opened an opportunity for value-added green hydrogen production by coupling it with the electrochemical transformation of methane into high-value chemicals. This project aims to establish the basic knowledge to realise selective electrocatalytic oxidation of methane to methanol through a novel integrated multidisciplinary approach. New bio-inspired single-atom catalysts will be developed and incorporated into a tailored membrane electrode assembly for the co-production of green hydrogen and methanol. The significant benefits will be revolutionary green hydrogen and methane conversion technologies that will help to alleviate the urgent climate challenges facing Australia and the world. Field of research: 4004 - Chemical Engineering A key commitment of Australia’s plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 is to use hydrogen as a clean (non-carbon) fuel. However, current technologies to produce hydrogen are too costly and not commercially viable. To achieve Australia’s ambitious goal, low-cost and clean hydrogen-generating technologies must be developed. This project proposes a new high-efficiency hydrogen electrolyser by replacing the production of low-value oxygen with the production of high-value chemicals from waste methane. This research will generate new fundamental knowledge, advanced materials, and innovative hydrogen production and methane conversion technologies, thus contributing strongly to Australia's 2024 National Hydrogen Strategy and the 2024 Global Methane Pledge. This project will lower the hydrogen production cost by developing hydrogen electrolysers to co-produce high-value chemicals such as methanol, promoting Australia’s hydrogen economy and the decarbonisation of Australia's industry. The project will generate an exceptional training platform for Australia’s future scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to collaborate across disciplines by preparing them for leadership roles in hydrogen technologies and pursuing scientific and commercialisation avenues in Australia and overseas. Through industry partnerships and the licensing of intellectual properties, this project will develop new capacities for Australia’s hydrogen industry and advanced manufacturing.

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

The Voices of Our Next Generation: Injury prevention and the wellbeing... Category: Medical Research

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

Reducing inequities in injury across the life course Category: Medical Research

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

Radiomic prediction of acute ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke outcomes... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Advancing Data Quality Management with Graph-Enhanced Foundation Models. This project aims to advance data quality management (DQM) with graph-enhanced foundation models, targeting the whole lifecycle of DQM, from data quality assessment and data quality enhancement to data fusion. Key challenges expected to be addressed include data quality assessment from multi-perspective dimensions, mitigating multi-category issues within raw data for quality enhancement, and handling multi-type data from disparate sources. The anticipated outcomes include novel models, computing paradigms, scalable computation frameworks and a system prototype to demonstrate the practical value. Success of this project will open up a new research direction to enrich frontier technologies and benefit many key applications in Australia. Field of research: 4605 - Data Management and Data Science Effective data quality management is essential for driving innovation across Australian industries and the broader economy, underpinning applications that rely on high-quality data. Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, including large language models such as OpenAI's GPT models, depend heavily on high-quality data to achieve optimal performance. This project aims to advance data quality management by developing new theoretical foundations, innovative models, efficient processing techniques, rigorous complexity analysis, and a system prototype. Enhancing data quality will boost productivity across Australian businesses and generate significant short- and long-term social and economic benefits. More accurate and reliable data will support informed decision-making in critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, transport, education, and mining. It will also strengthen business and consumer confidence in data-driven AI solutions, fostering greater adoption and unlocking new commercial opportunities. Furthermore, this project will contribute to workforce development in data science and data engineering. The techniques and systems developed through this project will be made accessible to Australian businesses, policymakers, and researchers. We will actively disseminate our findings through keynote speeches and presentations at leading international conferences and workshops, as well as through industry and government engagement events.

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

Blood and bone: pathogenic leukocytes and acquired mutations within... Category: Medical Research

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

Estimating Australian school commutability for improved workforce... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Hyperaldosteronism, hypertension and potassium homeostasis in chronic... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Fixing the holes in Bayesian model comparison. Bayesian methods underlie many recent advances in data science, machine learning and AI. However they have a ‘hole’ which means that analyses comparing models can be arbitrarily wrong, without the user even knowing. This project aims to fix this hole, building on recent advances in Bayesian theory and machine learning. Significantly, it will enable an analyst to just use Bayesian methods, without having to worry about whether their analysis has been compromised. Expected outcomes include new theory, algorithms, and practical tools for reliable and robust Bayesian model comparison in modern analytic challenges. This will benefit the many researchers, professionals and analysts who use or develop Bayesian methods to make decisions from data. Field of research: 4905 - Statistics The ability to discover, compare, and choose between mathematical models that can describe and predict real-world processes is essential for informed decision making, in a world driven by advances in data science, machine learning and AI. In Australia this is vital for driving innovation in e.g. financial economics, climate modelling, systems automation and environmental monitoring. Bayesian methods are a fundamental statistical paradigm for comparing models that have enabled global innovation in scientific discovery and decision making under uncertainty for the past 50 years. This Project aims to fix a fundamental 'hole' in Bayesian model comparison that can cause the analysis to be unintentionally 'wrong' without the user even realising. Program outcomes will help Australian organisations better use their data and modelling capability by enabling safe engagement with Bayesian methods without the risk of their modelling choices inadvertently affecting their analyses. This will provide better processes for enabling discovery and managing risk for decision makers across the entire Australian scientific, engineering, manufacturing and economic spectrum. The use of multiple models to manage risk, and support decision making under uncertainty, aligns with 'building a secure and resilient nation' under the 2024 National Science and Research Priorities, and is an 'enabling capability' under the 2023 National Reconstruction Fund.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unravelling ammonia slip in zero-carbon rich-lean staged combustors. Ammonia, which can be produced via renewable electricity, has potential as a zero-carbon fuel in gas turbine engines. In emerging rich-lean staged combustion systems, ammonia slip, the emission of unburned ammonia in the primary rich stage is a significant unsolved issue, since it leads to large emissions of oxides of nitrogen when consumed in the second stage. Using large-scale, first principles direct numerical simulations, we aim to provide basic understanding of two proposed mechanisms for ammonia slip that involve local quenching: the interaction with a cold wall or via aerodynamic straining in turbulence. Understanding these mechanisms will facilitate the design of mitigation strategies, enabling ammonia-fuelled zero-carbon engines. Field of research: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering The global energy system must rapidly transition to low-carbon sources if severe climate change is to be avoided. Australia's potential for renewable electricity generation greatly exceeds our domestic needs, and could make a sizeable contribution to this transition if this energy were embodied in chemical form, such as via ammonia or hydrogen. Either fuel would likely be transported in the form of ammonia to reduce costs. Gas turbines could offer a robust, low-cost, and efficient means to use either fuel to produce electricity in the destination market. Ammonia can be burned in a gas turbine, which would improve overall economics, but emissions of oxides of nitrogen are unacceptably high. In emerging rich-lean staged combustors, the bypassing of ammonia from the fuel-rich first stage (ammonia slip) to the fuel-lean second stage is believed to lead to production of nitrogen oxides in the second stage due to oxidation of fuel-bound nitrogen, however the source of ammonia slip is unknown. This project seeks to evaluate, in a fundamental setting, two proposed pathways for ammonia slip that involve local flame quenching: the interaction with a cold wall or via aerodynamic straining in turbulent flows. Clarifying these mechanisms will guide the most promising directions for designing lower emissions ammonia combustors, providing an effective pathway to utilise Australia's stranded renewable energy and realise our significant potential contribution to a global zero-carbon future.

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

Modeling the impact of online social information on judgments and... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Multiscale design approach to photocatalytic selective methane oxidation. The project aims to enhance photocatalytic systems for converting methane to methanol, focusing on the discovery of highly-efficient photocatalysts that can facilitate this process. This involves a multiscale design approach, spanning atomic-level catalyst engineering to large-scale reactor development. The goal is to improve the efficiency, selectivity, and stability of selective methane conversion to methanol, addressing key challenges in reducing methane emissions. Fundamental insights into the mechanisms driven by radicals are sought, paving the way for targeted catalyst and reactor designs. This initiative represents a significant step in applying solar-driven catalysis to support the decarbonisation of the energy and chemical sectors. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Australia is blessed with abundant sunlight, making it one of the world's top regions for solar energy. Photocatalysis presents a promising pathway to convert solar energy into renewable feedstocks such as hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol—key to decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors and ensuring long-term energy security. However, its commercialisation is hindered by low solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiencies due to challenges at both the photocatalyst and photoreactor scales. The project pioneers a novel multiscale design approach to enhance the efficiency of solar-driven photocatalysis, with a key focus on converting methane into methanol. This innovation addresses a critical research gap in scaling up photocatalytic processes for methane abatement and beyond, unlocking new opportunities for Australia to harness its vast solar resources for sustainable fuels production. The project will support the transition to net-zero emissions while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and imported energy. Strengthened domestic fuel production will enhance energy security, reinforce national sovereignty, and mitigate geopolitical risks. Ultimately, the discoveries from this project will serve as a key tool for international researchers and industries, driving breakthrough efficiencies and real-world adoption in the energy and chemical sectors.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Aerothermoelastic scaling: from wind tunnel to flight. This project will develop and demonstrate novel methods for aerothermoelastic experiments, and in doing so, quantify the significance of each of the complex physical couplings at play. Robust and efficient designs for high-speed vehicles must crucially address the challenge of aerodynamic frictional heating, which degrades material properties and structural lifing and can distort highly-optimised vehicle shapes. Predicting these aerothermoelastic effects is critical to the practical and economic realisation of vehicles. The project will help to reduce the cost and risk of design and manufacture of high-speed aerospace vehicles, improving their performance and market competitiveness for Australian and allied industry and government partners. Field of research: 4001 - Aerospace Engineering It remains the early days in the design and operation of high-speed flight vehicles for applications including reusable space launch, high-speed transport and critical defence missions. These vehicles and missions benefit Australia by enhancing our space-based services, transport connections and by helping ensure the long-term security of the nation from external military threats. While these vehicle classes have been successfully flown in some form, they require significant improvement in performance and efficiency to achieve their full potential. This is necessary to decrease manufacturing and operational costs and to make them more practical for their missions. Robust and efficient light-weight vehicle designs must survive extreme heating due to aerodynamic friction, causing structural temperatures to exceed 100°C at supersonic speeds and 1000°C at hypersonic speeds, which will weaken and deform the vehicle structure, reducing performance and life. By leveraging and enhancing a strong heritage of Australian research leadership in this area, this project will, through international collaboration, improve understanding of the physical mechanisms driving aerothermoelasticity and our ability to use a unique combination of wind tunnel testing and computer simulation to inform vehicle design. The ability to easily and accurately predict these effects is critical to the practical and economic realisation of these vehicles by emerging Australian and international industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Decoding defects - unveiling photon-emitting defect structures in materials. This project aims to develop quantum sensing technologies which leverage single photon emitters to achieve fast, reliable and ultra-sensitive detection capabilities far exceeding classical technologies. However, the lack of understanding about the atomic structures behind these photon emitters limits our ability to optimize materials for these technologies. To bridge this gap, this project will create an innovative machine learning-enabled correlative microscopy methodology which will provide unprecedented insights into the mechanisms that govern single photon emissions. The outcome of this project will enable the next-generation quantum sensors for surveillance and remote monitoring applications critical for Australia’s national security. Field of research: 4018 - Nanotechnology Quantum sensing is set to revolutionise how we detect and monitor the world around us, from defence and national security to environmental monitoring and advanced communications. These sensors rely on defects in materials known as photon emitters, which offer ultra-sensitive and reliable performance far beyond classical technologies. However, our limited understanding of the atomic structures that enable this performance is severely limiting the progress. This project addresses this challenge by developing a powerful new method that combines advanced microscopy with machine learning to directly observe and understand the atomic-scale mechanisms controlling photon emission. By unlocking this fundamental knowledge, the project will pave the way for designing next-generation materials that power more sensitive, reliable, and scalable quantum sensors. The outcomes will contribute directly to Australia’s sovereign capabilities in quantum technology, a field of increasing strategic importance, and help position the nation as a leader in the rapidly growing global quantum sector. With applications ranging from secure communications to remote surveillance and environmental sensing, this work will support technologies that are essential to Australia’s national interest and long-term technological competitiveness.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Nanofluidic modulation for precision molecular separations. This project aims to tackle the fundamental challenge in engineering precise membrane selectivity for energy-efficient chemical separations by leveraging recent breakthroughs in atomically thin membranes. It seeks to develop theoretical frameworks and practical methods to create and modulate perfectly aligned nanopores, having suppressed non-ideal size distributions, achieving sub-angstrom precision in molecular separations from complex mixtures. Expected outputs include novel nanoporous materials, a modern kinetic network model of rate-limiting molecular transport, and an innovative electro-membrane process. The project should drive innovations in precision chemical separations, promoting sustainability and supporting a circular economy. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Australia’s resource and manufacturing industries contribute over $260 billion annually to the national economy. As the nation moves toward a circular economy, resilient supply chains, and decarbonised energy systems, access to purified chemicals and materials—from both conventional and complex waste streams—becomes increasingly critical. Yet, current separation processes are highly energy-intensive and further strained by rising energy costs, with a notable research gap in reducing energy consumption for these processes. This project aims to develop advanced nanopore membrane technology for the energy-efficient, selective removal of single molecular species from complex mixtures. By enabling predictive membrane design, this innovation will transform separation science across the resource, chemical, water, and manufacturing sectors, while strengthening Australia’s leadership in membrane and separation technologies. Aligned with Australian Government priorities in low-emissions technologies and value-added manufacturing, the project will build fundamental expertise in sustainable chemical engineering. Research outcomes will be shared through course modules to train the next generation of engineers and scientists. This work will drive the long-term transformation of separation technologies, support advanced manufacturing, and promote the net-zero transition and circular economy through sustainable, energy-efficient processes.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The mechanics of quiet ducted propellers in distorted inflows. The aim of this project is to understand how distorted turbulent flow creates sound in ducted propellers for sustainable aircraft, urban air mobility vehicles (UAMs) and submarines. The project expects, for the first time, to reveal the mechanics of sound production from ducted propellers ingesting distorted turbulent flow using an innovative wind tunnel experiment. Expected outcomes include new and advanced diagnostic methods, a comprehensive experimental database, and a new analytical model. The benefits will be significant and include the ability to design low-carbon-emission aircraft, a transformation of intra-urban transport and a dramatic reduction of the acoustic signature of submarines. Field of research: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering Climate change is the most urgent issue of our time. The aviation industry has committed to net zero emissions by 2050, but the most promising technology to achieve this has a significant problem: noise pollution. Noise pollution from aviation is a serious public health hazard that affects the quality and length of our lives. In addition, noise from marine propulsion degrades the ocean environment and the ability of navies to avoid acoustic detection, which is vital to our defence capability and the safety of our service people. Newly devised sustainable aircraft, intra-urban air mobility vehicles, and maritime propulsion all rely on ducted rotor systems to reduce greenhouse gases through increases in efficiency. However, distorted flow, necessary to achieve low energy consumption, will greatly increase noise pollution unless we understand how it creates sound in ducted rotors and control it. Despite this need, there is a serious lack of knowledge regarding the role of flow distortion in ducted rotor noise generation. This project aims to fill this knowledge gap by developing an advanced aeroacoustic wind tunnel experiment and new predictive noise model. The project’s outcomes, advanced knowledge and predictive model will be communicated to the global academic community, industry, and Defence. They will help Australia transition to a clean, green sustainable aviation industry, reduce oceanic pollution, and maintain our defence capability.