University of New South Wales

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Wave Propagation and Attenuation in Unsaturated Soils. Understanding shear and dilatational waves in unsaturated soils is critical for diverse engineering disciplines. While past research has focused on wave propagation in saturated or dry soils, studies on unsaturated soils are scarce, despite their common occurrence in real-world scenarios. This research aims to bridge this gap by investigating the fundamentals of wave propagation in unsaturated soils through a multidisciplinary approach encompassing soil dynamics, constitutive modeling, and experimental investigation. The expected outcome includes development of accurate correlations for characterisation of soil properties for a range of in situ conditions, offering immediate practical applications in engineering design and practice. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering This research focuses on how waves move through unsaturated soils, which are soils that are not completely dry or fully saturated with water. While most past studies have concentrated on either wet or dry soils, unsaturated soils are the most common in real-life situations. Gaining a better understanding of these soils is crucial for various engineering fields. The research will explore the dynamics of wave propagation through natural soils at a fundamental level by carefully examining soil behaviour under controlled laboratory conditions as well as through computer simulations. This deeper understanding will lead to many practical improvements. For instance, it will help locate and extract natural resources more efficiently, and it will enhance subsurface mapping techniques, allowing the creation of more accurate maps of what lies beneath the ground. Additionally, the findings will improve non-destructive testing methods, enabling us to assess the safety and integrity of structures without causing any damage. Furthermore, this research will contribute to better seismic hazard investigations, helping us understand and prepare for earthquakes more effectively. In summary, this study will significantly enhance practices involving the movement of waves through soils, resulting in safer and more efficient infrastructure. The benefits will extend across multiple industries, ultimately helping to protect people and enhance the prosperity of the nation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Testing the limits of quantum and gravity through a spin-mechanical device. This Project aims to build a device to answer one of the most profound questions in modern science: whether gravity causes quantum mechanics to fail at the large scale. We will quantum-mechanically couple a single nuclear spin - a prime candidate for quantum computer hardware - with the motion of a mechanical oscillator - a massive body, subjected to gravity. This experiment will inform the design of heavier spin-mechanical devices, approaching the mass where gravity may induce "quantum collapse". Early prototypes will inform the design of sensors for navigation in GPS-denied environments. A full-scale device will unveil new limits to the scale at which quantum mechanics applies, with repercussions across all quantum technologies. Field of research: 5108 - Quantum Physics Quantum mechanics and gravity underpin industries with multi-billion-dollar values (quantum computing, communications and sensing; space and satellites) and national security implications (cryptography, navigation and positioning). Despite their success, these two physical theories are fundamentally incompatible. They are expected to clash for objects near the Planck mass (20 micrograms). No experiment has ever jointly tested quantum and gravity at that scale, because massive objects lose their quantumness as they get heavier, while gravity forces vanish as they get lighter. This Project will take on this challenge, by combining an unquestionably quantum object (an atomic nucleus) with a massive one (a mechanical oscillator). The experiments will unveil how the behaviour of the nucleus is affected by the motion of the oscillator, and inform the design of a scaled-up device where the gravity pull on the oscillator may “collapse” the quantum dynamics of the nucleus. Such experiment would constitute a historic landmark in humanity’s understanding of the physical world. Short-term, the Project will develop powerful methods to detect mechanical motion, with applications in detecting minuscule forces. Long-term, it will inform efficient ways to resolve one of the biggest questions left open in modern science. All along, it will keep Australia at the forefront of quantum and gravity research, two fields where it operates at the international state of the art.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

AI, cities and development assessment: developing trustworthy support tools. This project aims to uncover the legal, technical and ethical requirements for the trustworthy use of AI in urban development assessment. The project will generate new knowledge in the emerging field of AI urbanism, with the first conceptual investigation of the use of AI in the regulatory and political setting of development rights. The expected outcome of this project is a robust and interdisciplinary theoretical positioning of AI Urbanism within critical urban studies and planning theory, to steward Australia’s effective integration of AI into planning decision making. This will provide significant social and economic benefits through more efficient and sustainable urban development process and timely housing supply. Field of research: 3304 - Urban and Regional Planning Increasing and accelerating housing supply is an urgent national priority, exemplified by National Cabinet’s target to build 1.2 million new homes by 2029. Key to timely housing delivery is an efficient planning process, but industry figures suggest individual development assessments (DAs) take, on average, 111 days in NSW. Such timeframes inhibit supply, and are evidence that government and industry lack the necessary systems and tools to efficiently respond to the demands of urban growth. This project responds, providing a critical evaluation of the opportunities Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents as a support tool for DAs. State planning agencies across Australia are currently positioning AI as a necessary tool to accelerate DAs, but this eager technology adoption is risky without critical urban research and theorisation. This project uses case studies, interviews and thought experimentation with key stakeholders across the urban planning and land development sectors to investigate critical legal, technical and ethical questions central to industry adoption and public acceptance of AI-informed DAs. The outcome is a new ‘Trustworthy AIDA’ conceptual framework, better preparing Australia’s planning and development sector to tackle the challenge of future rapid urban growth. Translation and promotion pathways include industry associations and a series of inter/national academic and public forums. Dissemination is supported by local and international advisory panels.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Uncovering Mesostructures in Additively Manufactured Aluminum Alloys. Metal additive manufacturing of aluminium alloys has shown a great promise for various applications in many key industries including aerospace, transportation, defence, etc. However, a huge knowledge gap exists in understanding and controlling the widely observed large variation in mechanical properties in the additively manufactured aluminium alloys. Therefore, this project aims to introduce machine learning and in-situ monitoring to develop a new approach to investigate the process-bonding structure-property relationships in additively manufactured aluminium alloys. The outcomes of this project will fill the critical knowledge gap and open new opportunities for wider applications of additive manufacturing of aluminium alloys. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Metal additive manufacturing is a technology that can potentially create high-quality, high-strength metal products for important industries like aerospace, healthcare, transport and defence. For example, lightweight but high-strength metal components are vital in building aeroplanes. But so far only a few applications have been successful because the fabricated metal products vary widely in properties such as mechanical strength – a barrier that stops more industries adopting the technology. This research examines structures within the metal alloys called mesostructures, which play a critical role in their mechanical properties but have been overlooked until now. We will couple this new knowledge with machine learning and real-time monitoring during manufacture so robust metal alloys with specific properties can be produced consistently. Our research directly supports the Australian Government’s goal of upscaling advanced manufacturing and is a perfect match with their recently released blueprint – the Made in Australia Innovation Fund – by encouraging value-added local manufacturing and investment in key industries. Environmentally and socially, our findings pave the way for more energy-efficient manufacture of lightweight, consistently high-strength metal products, which benefits all Australians. We anticipate patenting our new monitoring approach, which will speed up industry uptake, for example, for online quality control for additive manufacturing of metal components.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Evolutionary Framework for Electric Vehicles and Drones Logistics Systems. This project aims to develop an adaptive evolutionary approach for solving electric vehicle and drone-supported, last-mile logistics and distribution planning problems. The project addresses the escalating challenges in current logistics systems by focusing on enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and minimizing the environmental impact of logistics systems. This novel approach will challenge existing methodologies, offering enhanced decision-making approaches, significant economic and environmental benefits, a robust decision-making tool and strong research training, with a vision for long-term impact on logistics efficiency. Field of research: 4602 - Artificial Intelligence Autonomous electric vehicles and drones will likely become increasingly used to enhance parcel deliveries throughout Australia. This system is expected to be the future transport technology, which is flexible, low cost, and environmentally friendly compared to existing traditional transport vehicles. However, the issues related to this new technology and distribution planning must be investigated, and appropriate solutions must be sorted for their successful implementation. Our project proposes new methodologies to generate environmentally sustainable solutions at lower costs. This project will benefit the transport industry by achieving significant cost savings through more effective decision-making and an opportunity to adapt to other practical problems beyond this project. Australians will also benefit from implementing such an efficient system for their parcel deliveries. This research project will also enhance research training and international collaboration and allow Australia to achieve leadership in this research field. It is worth noting that transport and low-emission technologies are among the Australian national research priorities. Finally, the scientific outcome of this project can be adapted to address distribution challenges in various parts of the world, making it globally relevant.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Evolution of the epigenetic regulation in the female immune system. This project aims to address the epigenetic underpinnings behind the fundamental problem of “sex disparities in immunity”. Utilising single cell long read sequencing techniques, this study expects to generate new knowledge of sex-specific gene regulation of the immune system in eight mammalian species spanning 180 million years of evolution. Expected outcomes include generation of the single cell multi-omics atlas and unravelling the mechanism and function of the female-specific epigenome dynamics in immune cells development. This should provide significant benefits to the areas of environmental change, food and health, through insights into native fauna and cattle immunity as well as sex disparities in vaccination and autoimmunity. Field of research: 3105 - Genetics Across animal species, females generally develop a stronger immune response, which is advantageous in fighting infections but increases their vulnerability to inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Understanding sex differences in immune response is crucial across several sectors, including wildlife conservation, agriculture, and vaccine and therapy development. However, the genomic basis for sex disparities remains underexplored due to male bias and the common exclusion of sex chromosomes in animal studies. Using cutting-edge technologies, this project aims to bridge this gap by generating multi-species sex-specific gene regulatory atlases of immune cell development. This research will enhance knowledge of the role of sex chromosomes in immune system function in diverse animals, from Australian marsupials and dairy cattle to humans. Research on marsupial immune system could aid conservation efforts by integrating identified immune gene markers into breeding programs to maintain genetic diversity and exclude vulnerable individuals. Through the collaboration with Agriculture Australia this project will incorporate sex chromosome-linked gene markers into dairy cattle selection programs, potentially reducing inflammatory issues like mastitis, which costs the industry over AUD 400 million annually. This partnership aims to extend the research's impact beyond academia, maximising its practical application.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Epigenetic readers guide transcription factors to their target genes. This project aims to assess how readers of epigenetic marks guide regulatory proteins (transcription factors) to their target genes by utilising advances in our understanding of the epigenetic code, the proteins that read it, and our ability to precisely manipulate it. This project expects to generate knowledge to illuminate fundamental mechanisms of gene regulation that orchestrate how cells differentiate into different cell types and how cell identity is maintained. Expected outcomes of this project include improved techniques for manipulating gene expression. This should provide significant benefits, such as ways to better control the output of chosen genes via targeting engineered transcription factors directly at them. Field of research: 3105 - Genetics The regulation of gene expression is a fundamental biological process. Gene expression is tightly controlled by transcription factors and modulating gene expression is important in bioproduction and in human biology. However, we do not understand how transcription factors find their target genes in cells and how they interpret not only the DNA sequence but also the epigenetic landscape. Our preliminary data suggests that transcription factors bind epigenetic readers to use a combination of both the underlying DNA sequence and the epigenetic landscape to identify targets in cells. Using a combination of innovative molecular biology, cell biology and genomics approaches, in this project we seek to develop a better understanding of how transcription factors find their target genes in DNA. This will change our understanding of transcription factor biology and represents a type of braille by which transcription factors scrutinise chromosomes to find target genes. The collaborative efforts of our expert international team will enhance Australia’s research capacity in the area of biological sciences. The outcomes of this project have important implications for efforts to artificially control gene expression in the laboratory and benefits outside academia for bioproduction, agricultural plants and animals.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Electrochemical Control of Fluorophore for Single-Molecule Light Microscopy. This project aims to show how fluorescence microscopy can be improved by modulating the properties of fluorophores electrochemically. This is significant as electrochemistry has already been shown to improve single molecule microscopy with better imaging and ability to detect individual molecules. This advance will make us towards single molecule counting which then opens the door to developing sensors with detection limits of a single molecule and that do not require calibration. The outcomes will be an understanding on the chemistry that allows electrochemistry to improve fluorescence microscopy, the commercialisation of new microscopes and new sensing technologies. These tools should provide new ways of understanding our molecular world. Field of research: 3406 - Physical Chemistry Fluorescence microscopy and fluorophores are a $2 billion industry at the corner stone of biological science. Excitation of fluorophores using light is the basis of fluorescence microscopy but this has limitations with regards to seeing multiple colours and being able to count single molecules. The proposed research will overcome these limitations by using electrochemical manipulation of fluorescent molecules in conjunction with light to give multicolour, single molecule counting light microscopes. Based on our recent discovery, this topic has never previously been explored. It will not only give better performing microscopes but also facilitate the next generation of single molecule sensors for quantitative analysis. The Australian owned intellectual property will give Australia a foothold in this expanding scientific instrument market and strength our enviable position in sensing. The new knowledge will show how electrochemistry can be used to optimise the properties of fluorophores for different microscopy applications as well as guide the synthesis of new fluorophores with advantageous properties for the new microscopy technologies. Drawing on our commercialisation experience, this technology will be targeted towards commercialisation with some interest already shown from the proof-of-concept work. The research questions answered in the proposed research are aimed at expediting the commercialisation opportunities this technology promises.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Circular Economy Driven Sustainable Green Hydrogen Energy. This project seeks to pioneer a Circular Economy-Driven Sustainable Green Hydrogen Energy technology for a sustainable energy system. Through developing electronic waste-derived catalysts for urine wastewater electrolysis, the project aims to revolutionize hydrogen production processes, solid waste utilization, and wastewater management practices. Anticipated outcomes include innovative approaches to creating efficient catalysts from electronic wastes and establishing a cost-effective method for producing hydrogen fuel from urine wastewater. These advancements are poised to deliver substantial benefits to the Australian academic communities and industries involved in hydrogen energy, water management, and resource sustainability endeavors. Field of research: 4011 - Environmental Engineering Australia's transition to a sustainable, low-carbon energy future hinges significantly on green hydrogen energy. Despite its promise, the high hydrogen production cost of conventional water electrolysis poses a challenge to the development of hydrogen energy systems. This project seeks to revolutionize the landscape by introducing a groundbreaking technology that slashes hydrogen production costs through developing electronic waste-derived catalysts for urine wastewater electrolysis. Beyond cost reduction, this initiative promises substantial benefits for solid waste utilization and eco-friendly wastewater management practices. By conducting real-field investigations, the project aims to showcase the efficiency and scalability of this technology, setting a global benchmark for adopting sustainable hydrogen production methods in wastewater treatment facilities. Through close collaboration with key Australian water utilities, this project holds the potential to deliver tangible benefits to Australian communities, aligning with their aspirations for a sustainable energy system.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

A Bayesian model for inferred streamflow in absence of in-situ observations. A novel Bayesian framework for specifying hydrological models when no streamflow measurements exist is proposed. The framework uses a new likelihood function that operates with inferred, scaleless measurements of streamflow, enabling use of satellite reflectance and altimetry as surrogates of streamflow, while incorporating hydrologic signatures to introduce scale. A new temporal differencing-based reflectance surrogate overcomes deficiencies in existing alternatives, the framework enabling semi-distributed estimation for high order catchments. Streamflow data from Australian Hydrologic Reference Stations are to be used to assess the viability of the proposed framework, before application to ungauged catchments in remote settings worldwide. Field of research: 3707 - Hydrology The World Bank states that the largest economic risk facing us over a 10-year horizon is a "Global Water Crisis”. While some facets of such a crisis may be beyond our control, its potential impact can be mitigated through proper modelling, prediction and communication. This research addresses a key factor impeding hydrologic modelling, prediction and communication, seeking to utilize the power of hydrologic modelling under uncertainty along with derived or indirect streamflows to measure and model river flow worldwide. Success in this research will lead to a many-fold increase in hydrologic measuring capability worldwide, as fewer than 1% of catchments are presently gauged. Additionally, the new modelling paradigm developed for this new data source will create predictability where streamflow measurements are difficult to obtain. With the methodological concepts vetted over the past years through controlled experimental studies, and coarse scale remotely sensed measurements shown to demonstrate improvements across Australian catchments, this research has the potential to impact especially the poor and vulnerable worldwide, especially those in rural and remote settings that are difficult to monitor or protect.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Decolonising the History of Childhood(s), 1946-2023. This project aims to partially resolve the problem of Eurocentric bias in histories of childhood by proposing a new construction of childhood through a history of Philippine childhoods. It will allow concepts of childhood from Southeast Asia to be recognised alongside the Western norm, and demonstrate how children from non-European contexts can be empowered by criticizing indigenous constructions. Using archival sources, interviews, and ethnography, it will contribute to understanding the diversity of childhoods in Australia’s multicultural society where multiple views of childhood exist, compelling international scholarship to move beyond the Euro-Atlantic context that has dominated the field, and hindered it from becoming truly global. Field of research: 4303 - Historical Studies Australia is a multicultural society where multiple views of childhood including those from non-European contexts, exist side by side. Yet, the United Nations' Convention of the Rights of a Child of which Australia is a signatory, is based on Eurocentric conceptions of childhood which are imposed uncritically on the rest of the world. Southeast Asian countries find these at odds with local culture, inhibiting them from helping marginalised children. Focusing on advocacy on behalf of disadvantaged childhoods in the Philippines, this project breaks away from Western-dominated views producing the first history of childhoods and the family from the Southeast Asian region. Benefits to Australia include an increased understanding of the childhoods of its non-European migrant populations, and new insights on methods for empowering children. By analysing strategies used to empower children in poverty, malnourished children, children abandoned by fathers and migrant children, it has the potential to influence policies including Australian development assistance. Understanding non-European perspectives on childhood also enables the Australian government to think differently about immigrant children and policy provisions for them. Through a published book, journal articles, museum exhibits, and online seminars with advocates and scholars in Australia and overseas, it hopes to contribute towards a truly global discussion of childhoods.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Inside the jury: A novel experimental technique to study jury deliberation. Despite decades of psychology research, we know almost nothing about what happens inside the jury room. Jury decision making is an inherently collaborative process in which groups discuss the evidence while trying to achieve a verdict. However most jury research has ignored the deliberation process, only studying the decisions of individual participants. This failure to adequately model deliberation has profound implications for justice. This project will use a novel method to allow experimental investigation of aspects of the deliberation process to address important questions such as whether juries are self-correcting and whether they can follow judicial instructions. Results will inform policy and legal procedure around the world. Field of research: 5201 - Applied and Developmental Psychology Current psychological studies inadequately address jury deliberation dynamics. This project establishes a new paradigm for future jury deliberation studies, for framing effective judicial directions and facilitating juries’ capacity to self-correct error. Currently the law assumes, without foundation, that jurors follow judges’ directions and that jury deliberations correct error and misunderstanding. Yet cases reveal jurors fail to follow judicial directions to avoid accessing error-prone social media or engage in other ‘research’. This project’s novel experimental psychology design provides for the first time robust testing of critical assumptions underpinning jury deliberations. Its evidence-based knowledge will inform key legal processes and policies promoting juries’ application of fair trial principles, including making judicial guidance effective and determining the efficacy of judges’ directions in other contexts. This improved understanding of the psychology of jury deliberation will ensure trial by jury, the gold standard of adjudication for people charged with the most serious of crimes, is enhanced and modernised, and reducing flawed jury verdicts will lead to fewer aborted trials, unnecessary appeals, quashed convictions, and fewer defendants and crime victims enduring retrials. It will minimise incalculable, unnecessary trauma and costly wasted court resources creating a potential impact on jury trial policies of national significance.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Post-quantum Biometrics-based Authentication Key Exchange Protocol. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reported over $10m in identity theft loss in 2022. Bio-cryptography is emerging as a promising theoretical framework combining the advantages of cryptography and biometrics. Recently, bio-cryptography development has largely stalled due to the challenge of integrating biometrics authentication capability into the cryptography key generation/distribution. This project aims to develop a unified theoretical framework, removing the technical obstacles hindering the bio-cryptography's progress. A new knowledge base will be established. The project deliverables can address the issue of identity theft effectively and protect Australia from cyberattacks. Field of research: 4604 - Cybersecurity and Privacy Identity crime is an ongoing issue that greatly damages Australia in many aspects: (1) Financial loss in the billions of dollars annually. (2) National security: A recent hacking attack on the Australian Parliament Servers is closely related to the vulnerable password-based authentication. (3) Social life: Most recently, hacking has occurred in Australia’s medical system where hackers stole sensitive medical data and demanded a ransom from a company that managed millions of digital scripts a year. One underlying security issue is that the password cannot authenticate genuine users. While biometrics can authenticate genuine users, biometrics' privacy needs protection. Furthermore, existing biometrics authentication provides little support for the encryption function that is widely used in our daily life for cyber security. Bio-cryptography is an emerging technology that can combine the powers of biometrics and cryptography. However, the emerging quantum computing technology is expected to break completely many commonly used cryptography-based security systems. This project will develop a post-quantum bio-cryptosystem to address this technology gap. The outcomes of this project will provide a powerful tool to mitigate the identity crimes in Australia that have cost billions of dollars financial loss annually, threatened national security, and social suffering to Australians' privacy breaches. The project outcomes will be disseminated via a project website, and social media.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Futureproofing toxins for the protection of threatened species. Australia and New Zealand use millions of 1080 poison baits each year to control cats and foxes for the protection of threatened wildlife and agriculture. However, the future of 1080 baiting is uncertain due to 1) unknown evolving resistance by cats and foxes 2) unethical need to inject native animals with poison to understand non-target impacts 3) growing public concern over 1080 humaneness. This trans-Tasman collaboration will test for evolving 1080 resistance in cats and foxes, develop a non-invasive genetic test for sensitivity, and search for replacement humane natural toxins. Results will safeguard threatened species and agriculture by ensuring vertebrate pests can be effectively and humanely controlled with minimal non-target impact. Field of research: 4104 - Environmental Management Introduced pests such as rabbit, cats and foxes threaten many wildlife species with extinction and cost the Australian agricultural industry billions of dollars in damage annually. Australia distributes millions of 1080 poison baits each year to control these pests but there are growing concerns over 1) impacts to non-target animals 2) the likelihood that pest animals are becoming resistant to the toxin and 3) humaneness. 1080 contains fluoroacetate, a natural plant toxin found in some native Australian plants. Native wildlife vary considerably in their tolerance to 1080 depending on evolutionary exposure but introduced pest species are highly sensitive as they did not evolve in Australia. Our project will 1) develop the first genetic test for 1080 tolerance, eliminating the need for lethal and inhumane lab trials to determine the tolerance of native species to 1080. This will ensure baiting is conducted in areas where there will be minimal impact on native wildlife 2) determine if pest species are becoming resistant to 1080 poison in areas where it has been heavily used over decades. If resistance is occurring then baiting practices may need to be changed to ensure pests can be controlled effectively 3) search for alternative, more humane natural plant toxins to control cats and foxes. Our results will ensure plant toxins can be used safely and humanely by farmers and land managers to control pests into the future for the protection of livestock and wildlife.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Visualising membrane pore assembly for cytosolic delivery of cargo proteins. This project aims to develop state-of-the-art single-molecule imaging to visualise the assembly of molecular machinery deployed by bacteria to punch giant pores into the membranes of mammalian cells as portals for the translocation of cytotoxic proteins. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the fields of microbiology, synthetic biology, and nanotechnology. Expected outcomes include a full description of a new protein translocation pathway, development of new biophysical techniques for the study of protein machines, and an understanding of the engineering principles at play. This project anticipates contributing advanced capabilities in bionanotechnology, benefiting applications in sequencing, biosensing and protein delivery. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Organisms of all kingdoms of life deploy pore-forming proteins to punch holes into the membrane surrounding a target cell. These pores serve as portals for the delivery of (toxic) proteins into the target cell, leading to cell death. How these pores function to deliver the right protein into the right cell is poorly understood. The aim of our project is to reveal at the molecular level, how pores assemble and select proteins for translocation. We will also investigate the mechanism used to translocate proteins through the pore. Understanding these processes requires cutting-edge imaging technology and gives us a ‘blueprint’ for developing new and efficient systems for delivery of cargo proteins across cell membranes. This advance in knowledge has potential applications for Australia’s nanotechnology industry for engineering pores used in biosensors and sequencing technologies. It will also give us unprecedented insight into molecular machinery deployed by bacteria that cause significant disease in humans and livestock, relevant to the Australian health sector and primary industries. We will communicate our findings widely to scientists and engineers via open access peer-reviewed publications and conference proceeding, and to the general public via the university’s social media platforms.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Single-atom engineering to ignite nanozyme catalysts. This project aims to develop a new class of highly active artificial enzymes with full atomic utilisation, capable of efficient, selective, stable and cost-effective bio- and chem-catalysis. The anticipated goal of this project is to enhance Australia's manufacturing sectors by introducing innovative and disruptive methodologies for producing high-value chemicals in areas such as energy, health, food, the environment, and agriculture. This initiative seeks to solidify Australia's stance in the competitive global arena by offering more economical and effective solutions. Field of research: 4018 - Nanotechnology To fully harness the potential of nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing for chemical production, it is essential to understand how new catalyst technologies can be innovatively developed and implemented in industry. This research project aims to investigate the synthesis and application of groundbreaking catalyst technologies, focusing on their integration and commercial potential to significantly enhance Australia's manufacturing competitiveness. The initiative targets transformative advancements in catalyst technology, which is critical for propelling the long-term growth of Australian manufacturing sectors including energy, food, environmental solutions, and pharmaceuticals. These sectors are recognised as high-value industries with substantial impact on the national economy and are integral to the government's recent multi-billion-dollar investment strategy aimed at reinforcing modern manufacturing capabilities. By fostering collaborations with leading Australian chemical and manufacturing industries, the project will explore long-term commercial opportunities and strategic partnerships. These efforts are designed not only to advance technological innovation but also to ensure sustainable economic growth and maintain Australia's competitive edge in the global market. This alignment with national priorities underscores the project's strategic importance and its potential to contribute significantly to the country's future economic landscape.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Dealing with Climate Disaster. In Australia climate disasters could lead to over 500,000 homes becoming uninsurable by 2030, many in already disadvantaged areas. This raises significant social justice issues for Australia and worldwide. In this project we will evaluate how climate related disasters are likely to impact the well-being of the already disadvantaged and what to do about it. We will develop a new model of insurance provision and related disaster response that draws on robust ethical and actuarial research. Field of research: 5001 - Applied Ethics Our project tackles a critical issue facing Australians: the escalating unavailability and unaffordability of climate disaster insurance, particularly for vulnerable populations. With over 500,000 homes at risk of becoming uninsurable by 2030 and Northern NSW residents facing exorbitant premiums, the social impact is profound with potential to worsen the housing crisis. We will bridge a crucial research gap by integrating ethics with actuarial analyses, proposing a new framework to evaluate the justice of climate disaster insurance responses, especially for vulnerable communities. Our research offers significant benefits to Australians across multiple dimensions. Economically, it addresses the unsustainable costs of climate disasters, guiding policy for fair and effective insurance mechanisms. Socially, it ensures equitable access to protection, enhancing community resilience and well-being. Environmentally, by incentivizing risk reduction, it promotes sustainable development practices. Commercially, it fosters innovation in insurance models and risk management strategies.To maximize the impact of our research beyond academia, we will employ a multifaceted communication strategy. This includes scholarly publications, conferences, stakeholder workshops, and a dedicated website. By engaging policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the public, we aim to facilitate understanding, translation, and adoption of our research findings, ensuring tangible benefits for all Australians.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Visualising membrane pore assembly for cytosolic delivery of cargo... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Probabilistic methods for complex discrete structures. Large discrete structures are ubiquitous in the modern world, and are modelled using random graphs or hypergraphs. However, existing analysis techniques fall short of the generality required to capture real-world applications, due to the size, irregularity and structural constraints of these networks. This project aims to build on recent breakthroughs to develop new theoretical tools to overcome these barriers. Expected outcomes include enumeration formulae and new probabilistic estimates for pattern appearances in complex discrete structures. The explicit formulae and practical algorithms produced by our project will benefit researchers who model real-world discrete systems using graphs or hypergraphs. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics This project serves an increasing demand for a better understanding of large mathematical structures called hypergraphs. Hypergraphs are abstract models of multi-way relationships within any set, and are used in a wide variety of applications from ecology to epidemiology. Designs are hypergraphs that give a way to group objects into blocks that satisfy strict balance and regularity conditions. This is key in statistical studies, controlling the effects of the variables being tested and reducing the impact of other random factors. Designs are also widely used in fields as diverse as software testing, tournament scheduling and communications technology. Many questions about large hypergraphs remain unanswered, including their typical properties. Our results will lead to significant benefits including: (i) the discovery of new hypergraphs and designs that may be used in the above applications, (ii) a greater understanding of the structure of complex systems such as networks, (iii) faster algorithms for constructing hypergraphs with desired properties, and for processing them once they have been built, (iv) enhanced links between researchers in three leading Australian universities, and their international collaborators, (v) training for a number of young researchers in an area which underpins many modern information and communication technologies. Results will be communicated in journals and conferences, and via outreach activities to the broader community.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Accurate and fast 3D stiffness mapping via vision-guided robotic probing. This project aims to develop novel methods to generate 3D stiffness maps of deformable surfaces within confined spaces, facilitating remote estimation of mechanical properties of delicate objects with limited accessibility. This project expects to achieve high accuracy and efficiency in this challenge by seamlessly integrating computer vision, machine learning, and robotics. Expected outcomes include new frameworks and algorithms for precise 3D reconstruction using visual and tactile data, accurate single-point stiffness estimation, and efficient sampling strategies for stiffness mapping of large surfaces. This should provide significant benefits in enabling remote haptic evaluation in critical sectors such as healthcare and manufacturing. Field of research: 4007 - Control Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics Mapping the stiffness of deformable surfaces is crucial in both industrial and medical applications. In industrial contexts, quality inspectors use haptic assessments to detect signs of aging in rubber products. Similarly, in medical settings, surgeons rely on analysing surface stiffness distributions to identify cancerous margins during tumour dissection. This project aims to explore optimal strategies for integrating computer vision, machine learning, and robotics to address current research gaps in 3D stiffness mapping of deformable surfaces within confined spaces. Our approaches will enhance the accuracy and efficiency of existing technologies, facilitating the remote estimation of mechanical properties of delicate objects with limited accessibility. By addressing a critical need in industrial and medical robotics, this project has the potential to deliver tangible economic benefits to these sectors, which are projected to reach market values of USD 165.35 billion and USD 31.5 billion by 2028, respectively. Moreover, the research carries significant potential benefits for the Australian healthcare system. With the future potential to improve the precision of medical diagnoses and reduce the risk of relapse through more accurate identification of cancer margins, this study can make a substantial contribution to public health. Media engagements and public events will ensure widespread dissemination, enhance public understanding, and generate commercial interest.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Public Understandings of Immunity Systems and Human-Microbial Relations. Human immunity and microorganisms are currently dominant topics in public forums, often in contested ways. This sociological project aims to investigate the societal drivers of the meanings and practices that shape public responses to the interdependencies between human-microbial relations and immunity systems. The project will combine qualitative and creative research methods with social theory. Expected outcomes include the generation of new insights about community and other stakeholders' understandings concerning the complex relationships between immunity systems, society, microorganisms and the microbiome. It is expected that these insights will contribute to better policy and communication strategies to counter misinformation. Field of research: 4410 - Sociology Australia and the world are currently confronted with the urgent risks posed by microorganisms, yet their positive contribution to human and planetary wellbeing is also increasingly recognised. This sociological project aims to investigate the societal drivers of the meanings and practices that shape public responses to the interdependencies and interrelationships between humans, microbes, immunity and the ecosystems and microbiomes of which they are a part. Involving the participation of Australians across diverse social groups, ages and locations, the project expects to identify public understandings of these topics. This research also plans to analyse publicly available information and investigate how people find and assess this information and put it into practice. To do so, qualitative and creative research methods will be combined with cutting-edge sociocultural theory. The project aims to use these insights to develop ideas about how best to promote knowledge and combat misinformation for a better informed public. Expected outcomes include the generation of new insights about community and other stakeholder understandings concerning the complex interconnections between people, society, immunity systems, microbiomes and microorganisms. It is expected that these insights will have social, cultural and economic benefits by contributing to better policy and communication strategies to enhance awareness of the importance of microorganisms to human and planetary wellbeing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Constraining future drought projections for Australia. This project aims to explain why future projections of drought in Australia remain highly uncertain and to implement strategies to reduce uncertainty. Existing projections vary in the sign of the change in drought, hindering our ability to guide adaptation investment. The project will combine extensive climate model simulations with the best available observations and latest scientific understanding of Australian droughts to identify the most plausible future drought trajectories. Results are expected to provide the most robust assessment of future drought in Australia to date, underpinned by the latest science, to support decision-making in agriculture, water resource management and other sectors. Field of research: 3702 - Climate Change Science Drought threatens Australia’s agricultural viability, social cohesion, biodiversity and the viability of nature-based solutions designed to help achieve net zero emissions. The 2017-19 drought alone has been estimated as costing Australia $53 billion. Climate change has the potential to worsen droughts but how Australian droughts will change into the future has remained an open question. This has made it challenging for policymakers and practitioners to target drought adaptation and mitigation measures. This project will use the latest science, observations, and climate model projections to help clarify how droughts will change in the future. The project will provide the most comprehensive assessment of future drought to date, using newly-developed climate model projections. Our project seeks to identify which regions of Australia will experience changes in the frequency and intensity of droughts as our climate warms and quantify how large these changes will be. These findings will be shared with government and industry practitioners to benefit decision-making in sectors including water management, conservation, agriculture. Our project will enhance the national understanding of future drought risk to build resilience across Australia’s society, economy and environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Ultrasensitive analysis of membrane protein interactions. Proteins densely populate biological membranes and play key roles in signal transduction and molecular transport, underscoring the importance of elucidating their interactions and effects of macromolecular crowding. Conventional analysis methods are hindered by low membrane protein yields, sample heterogeneity, and limited biochemical compatibility. This project aims to overcome these challenges by establishing a single-ion native mass spectrometry platform for the precise analysis of membrane protein interactions and their response to crowding. This is expected to accelerate biochemical discovery and enhance understanding of membrane proteins. The research will drive economic growth by fostering innovation in the biotechnology sector. Field of research: 3401 - Analytical Chemistry Our project addresses the critical need to understand membrane protein interactions vital for cell function. Membrane proteins, constituting a significant portion of cellular components, pose challenges for analysis outside lipid-rich environments, hindering biotechnological advancements. Developing advanced methods to analyse these proteins aims to unravel crucial interactions, filling a research gap relevant to the Australian biotechnology sector. Our research also offers tangible benefits in industry and innovation. Revealing membrane protein interactions could advance bioactive molecular discovery, aiding in therapeutic drug development and pesticide efficacy. Aligned with national biotechnology priorities, our project enhances Australia’s global competitiveness. We're dedicated to sharing our findings beyond academia. Through outreach and partnerships with industry and government, our methods can be applied beyond research, fostering economic benefits. Our focus on fundamental research with practical applications reflects our commitment to Australia's national interests. Overall, our project promises to advance scientific knowledge, drive innovation, and boost Australia’s global competitiveness. Leveraging interdisciplinary expertise, we're poised to make significant contributions benefiting Australian society and beyond.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Near-quantum-limited microwave measurements at elevated temperatures. This project aims to enable ultra-low noise measurements of microwave quantum technologies (such as computers and sensors) at temperatures above 1.5 Kelvin. Currently, these technologies must be cooled close to absolute zero in expensive refrigerators to eliminate noise. This project expects to create new knowledge in the form of techniques and devices that actively remove noise from microwave quantum technologies at elevated temperatures, pushing the precision of measurements to the quantum limit. A key outcome is the demonstration of cheaper and more accessible systems for operating microwave quantum technologies, with significant scientific and economic benefits in areas as diverse as quantum computing, dark matter research and defence. Field of research: 5108 - Quantum Physics To clearly detect their signals, quantum technologies that operate at microwave frequencies, such as quantum computers, sensors, and spectrometers, must be cooled near absolute zero (-273°C) using refrigerators that are complex and very expensive. This project will develop new devices and techniques that make it easier to detect signals from microwave quantum technologies at higher temperatures, allowing their use in radically cheaper refrigerators. By making the refrigeration required to run microwave quantum technologies more affordable and accessible, this project will increase the global competitiveness of quantum computers and sensors being developed in Australia. Advanced quantum technologies are predicted to create an $86 billion global industry by 2040, and asserting Australia’s innovation and leadership in this space will fuel economic growth. The technology developed by this project could be commercialised through a spin-out company or by licensing the knowledge created to relevant industries to maximise its impact. The results of the project will be shared with the Australian public through media engagements, popular news articles, and the use of video and other forms of interactive material that present complex science ideas in formats that are easy to understand.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2025 · 2025-01

Nanostructured dielectric thin films for miniaturized energy storage . This project aims to establish a new framework for solid-state capacitor materials design towards producing unprecedented, reliable energy density in miniaturized energy storage. The project will substantially advance the state-of-the-art in electrostatic thin-film capacitors. Expected outcome is to achieve novel oxide multilayers with both ultrahigh energy density and ultrafast operation under low electric field in virtue of combination of configurational entropy design and negative capacitance stabilization. The project will set a viable paradigm of high-performance dielectric capacitors to meet the demands of miniaturization and integration in emerging electronic systems, such as Internet of Things devices and autonomous AI agents. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering The increased functionality and miniaturization of modern devices demands higher energy density and better efficiency of energy storage than the state-of-the-art. Ceramic thin-film capacitors have emerged as ultrafast charge-discharge miniaturized sources, compared with batteries and fuel cells. However, the energy density enhancement of current thin-film capacitors still relies on the application of intensely strong electric fields, which incur concerns over reduced reliability and shorter lifetime. This project aims to develop novel ‘thin-film materials’ with ultrahigh energy density and ultrafast operation under low electric field, which not only meet the requirements for integration and miniaturization, but also greatly improve the reliability and operational performance of advanced electronic systems. The project will underpin Australia’s leadership and competitive edge in next-generation energy storage technology. The pursuit of such ground-breaking discoveries in thin-film materials aligns with national interest in Advanced Energy Storage, which was set out as a priority by the Australian Government in National Science and Research Priorities. Through partnership and the licensing of IP, these new materials will add a critical technology into the global ceramic thin-film capacitors industry ($2.6b by 2026), and have potential application across numerous Australian industry sectors, from electric vehicles to renewable energy and medical devices to defence and aerospace.