THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Controlling chloride in plants. This project aims to discover novel components that control how plants acquire and manage chloride. Chloride is one of the two ions that commonly cause salt stress, which is a major threat to Australia’s agriculture. Regions affected by salinity are increasing worldwide due to changing weather patterns and poor land management. Knowledge of plant chloride management is underdeveloped, despite the reduction in crop yield caused by high chloride accumulation. The anticipated outcome of this project will inform strategies aimed at selecting for optimised chloride management traits to generate crops with improved yield. Field of research: 0607 - Plant Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

An Australian Housing Condition Data Infrastructure. An Australian housing condition data infrastructure: This project aims to develop, collect, and make available an Australian housing conditions data infrastructure. We don't know enough about the condition of Australia’s housing. In the nearly two decades since the last Australian Housing Survey, there have been significant changes in the housing system, and there researchers and policy makers are calling for a systematic, reliable and nationally representative dataset of housing conditions. The infrastructure would provide Australia's a foundation for evidence-informed research on Australia's housing conditions. The data infrastructure would provide tools, data and protocols for Australian researchers and policy makers, and would be an accessible resource that can be built upon, adapted and applied to population groups and locations of interest. Field of research: 1604 - Human Geography

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Doing state-building better? Practising ‘hybridity’ in Melanesia. Australia is engaged in programs that draw upon local socio-political practices and institutions to assist its efforts to stabilise and build states in Melanesia, referred to as a ‘hybridity’ approach. Australia has successfully restored stability in its immediate region, Melanesia, but its attempts to build stable liberal democracies have had modest results. This project will advance policy understandings to improve the efficacy of Australia’s state-building efforts and promote social cohesion and stability in our neighbourhood. This will potentially encourage local self-reliance in Melanesia, reducing dependence on Australia’s development assistance. Field of research: 1699 - Other Studies In Human Society

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Airborne spatial tracking to save endangered species. Airborne spatial tracking to save endangered species. This project aims to develop an automated and distributed spatial tracking approach using low cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to locate and study endangered wildlife. Understanding animal behaviour and habits with granular spatial data is essential to develop effective monitoring and conservation strategies. Spatial tracking of radio collared wildlife using radio telemetry is a critical but costly tool for acquiring this data. This project anticipates that airborne spatial tracking using intelligent spatial tracking algorithms on board low cost UAV teams will allow more precise understanding of wildlife for evidence-based conservation and management in a changing global climate. Field of research: 0805 - Distributed Computing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Modelling rolling dynamic compaction. Modelling rolling dynamic compaction. This project aims to measure the influence and efficacy of rolling dynamic compaction (RDC)—a new ground improvement technology used worldwide—in soil types using RDC modules of different shapes and weights in an experimental testing facility. It will examine authentic 1:13 scale RDC models using sophisticated testing and instrumentation embedded in the soil, and use this data to develop a model based on artificial intelligence techniques that reliably predicts ground improvement using RDC in different ground conditions. This research is expected to transform the Australian and global ground improvement sector, and save hundreds of millions of dollars in land development costs and infrastructure. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Ecology and management of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat. Ecology and management of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat. This project aims to use the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat as a model species to evaluate ecological models for evidence-based continental and site-specific management of native fauna. Predators and climate change threaten Australia's arid-zone wildlife. Wildlife management, especially in areas of human–wildlife conflict, relies on empirical evidence for abundance and distribution of species and to understand what controls species abundance in space and time. Modern spatial technologies can make such information easier to find. This project’s species distribution model is expected to improve wildlife management. Field of research: 0608 - Zoology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Reinforcement of rubber products using nanostructured carbon materials. Reinforcement of rubber products using nanostructured carbon materials. This project aims to use the surface-functionalized nanostructured carbons as fillers to reinforce natural rubber. These fillers should significantly enhance the cross-linking between carbon and rubber matrix, leading to high-performance composite products with long lifetime, high thermal conductivity, high oil resistance and outstanding dynamic behaviours. This project is expected to make Australia capable of fabricating superior rubber-based materials and devices that are comfortable, quiet and energy efficient, for use in aircrafts, automobiles and vessels. It should also reduce the use of non-degradable rubber materials, promoting Australia’s economic development and environment protection. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Adding value to waste products from the brewing industry. Adding value to waste products from the brewing industry. This project aims to extract value from spent barley grains, the major by-product of the brewing industry. Currently sold as animal feed, this waste stream is a raw source of valuable carbohydrates and proteins for functional foods, packaging materials and liquid biofuels. This project will combine multidisciplinary approaches to characterise spent grain components and optimise release of bioactive molecules for use as prebiotics, antioxidants, nutraceuticals, and modifiers of beer quality. The research is expected to generate resources for studying barley grain, intellectual property, patents and new in-line processes for the brewing industry. Field of research: 0703 - Crop and Pasture Production

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS) by an order of magnitude by simultaneously overcoming the two interdependent limitations in ion generation and transmission efficiency. This project will design glass capillaries and tubes with complex structures to enable both multiplexing ion generation from a single capillary and geometrically matching the bore of the tube collecting the emitted ion plume. NanoESI-MS has become an indispensable analytical tool for proteomics and synthetic chemistry. The significant enhancement of nanoESI-MS sensitivity in this project is expected to accelerate progress in disease research, biomarker discovery and drug development. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Space-based space surveillance with robust computer vision algorithms. Space-based space surveillance with robust computer vision algorithms. This project aims to develop computer vision algorithms to detect man-made objects in space. These algorithms function on nanosatellite platforms, enabling space-based space surveillance. This technology is expected to provide always-on monitoring of the Earth's orbit to enhance existing defence infrastructure and protect vital space assets, including communications and navigational satellites, in Earth’s orbit from collisions and covert sabotage. Increased space use by government and civilian agencies opens up opportunities for the space industry. This project is expected to develop Australia’s space surveillance capabilities, protect space assets and capture a growing market. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Impact of melt loss on crustal heat production and Earth geodynamics. This project plans to develop a thermodynamic tool set to calculate the amounts of rare earth elements, thorium and uranium in monazite and link its growth and radiogenic heat budget to rock evolution. Thorium (Th) and uranium (U) produce 83 per cent of the heat in Earth’s continental crust. Vast tracts of high-heat-producing rock from hot, deep parts of the crust defy the notion that such crust is depleted in Th and U. The causes of high heat production in the deep crust remain unclear. This project will develop a tool set to calculate the Th and U concentration in minerals (eg monazite, zircon) and silicate melt as a function of depth, temperature and rock composition. This tool set would be of great benefit to the geoscience community for better understanding fundamental geodynamic processes. Field of research: 0402 - Geochemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Mathematical modelling of the early stages of multicellular evolution. This project aims to develop new mathematical methodology to understand the early stages of the evolution of multicellular organisms from unicellular ancestors. This is the best known example of the creation of a new level of biological organisation. However, the early stages of this transition are poorly understood, especially how early groups of cells came to possess Darwinian characteristics, which then allows natural selection to act on them. It is anticipated that the models produced will be used to give the first mechanistic account of this intrinsically stochastic, multi-level, phenomenon. This may lead to new insights into the emergence and subsequent evolution of simple multicellular life cycles and early forms of development. Field of research: 0104 - Statistics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Stress Evaluation with Non-Linear Guided Waves. This project plans to investigate a novel approach for in situ measurement of stress in structures based on an internal resonance phenomenon for nonlinear guided waves. Monitoring the stress level of critical structural components is important to ensure structural safety. The project plans to derive the requirements for this internal resonance and its dependence on stress analytically and verify them experimentally for both simple waveguides and more realistic structures. The expected outcome is the demonstration of the feasibility of a new inexpensive method for continuous monitoring of applied or thermally-induced stresses, which is of great importance in several engineering contexts, such as modern railway track rails, pipelines or pre-stressed strands in concrete structures. Field of research: 0913 - Mechanical Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Mathematics the key to modern glass and polymer fibre technology. This project aims to develop fully coupled flow and energy models to determine the preform structure and fibre-drawing parameters needed to fabricate a desired microstructured optical fibre by stretching of the preform to a fibre. It will focus on polymer to develop a non-Newtonian flow model, which can handle the subset of Newtonian glass fibre drawing. It will develop fast, powerful three-dimensional predictive tools to solve the models and experimentally validate solutions. This work will direct future design of microstructured optical fibres to empower next-generation optical-fibre technologies. Expected outcomes are fibre designs for telecommunications, medicine, biotechnology, sensing and imaging. Field of research: 0102 - Applied Mathematics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. Testing co-evolutionary processes driving venom diversity in tiger snakes. This project aims to examine the geographic variation amongst tiger snakes in anatomy, ecology, and life history traits, and the relationship of these factors to venom toxins and production; and to evaluate the true pharmacological potential of tiger snake venom. This project will investigate the role of venom adaptation in long-term animal evolution, by identifying rare venom transcripts involved in providing evolutionary potential for adaptation to environmental change. This is essential as continuing climatic and human-induced alteration of our environment affects southern Australia where many people live, work and interact with native wildlife. Anticipated outcomes are maximizing venom harvests and enhanced snakebite treatment capacity. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Nanoporous Iron-Based Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting. This project aims to develop high-performance water splitting devices based on nanoporous iron-based oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. The devices, which will produce hydrogen to relieve the energy shortage in Australia, can be powered by photovoltaic and wind-generated electricity or directly use solar energy. The development of new energy materials that can be used to make renewable and clean fuels from abundant and easily accessible resources is among the most challenging and demanding tasks today. The combination of iron doping and nanoporous structure are intended to improve both the intrinsic and extrinsic catalytic activities of the electrocatalysts to be developed in the project. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

The ownership of minds. This project aims to research the awareness of a conscious state as the subject's own. This is at the heart of a perennial debate about consciousness: whether we are aware of our conscious states as our own, or are merely aware of their occurrence. The project will collaborate internationally and across disciplines and institutions to develop a conceptual distinction between two components of consciousness. It will also provide an analysis of the nature of three mental disorders in which the two components seem to come apart. These outcomes are expected to constitute a significant innovation in the study of consciousness and, more generally, in the philosophy of mind. Field of research: 2203 - Philosophy

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Quantum Coherences in Artificial Light-Harvesting Complexes. The aim of this project is to relate efficient energy and electron transfer processes in molecular materials to the presence of quantum coherences. The ongoing debate on the role of quantum coherences in the efficient harvesting of sunlight of photosynthesis appears to be limited by the complexity of the biological systems and a lack of high instrumentation sensitivity. Using molecular systems and a highly sensitive method, this project aims to reveal the effects of molecular conformation and geometry on quantum coherences. The outcome is likely to improve our understanding of nature's remarkable ability to harvest energy efficiently from the sun and foster new approaches that increase the efficiency of light-harvesting systems. Field of research: 0306 - Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural)

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models. Computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models: The computational infrastructure for developing deep machine learning models aims to enable new developments in machine learning of deep neural network models by providing the specialised computing necessary to train and evaluate the networks. In the last three years, deep networks have smashed previous performance ceilings for tasks such as object recognition in images, speech recognition and automatic translation, bringing the prospect of machine intelligence closer than ever. Modern machine learning techniques have had huge impact in the last decade in fields such as robotics, computer vision and data analytics. The facility would enable Australian researchers to develop, learn and apply deep networks to problems of national importance in robotic vision and big data analytics. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

X-ray snapshots of chemical transformations in open framework materials. The aim of this project is to unearth structural insights into the chemistry of coordinatively unsaturated metal complexes – reactive species lacking their full complement of binding groups – by isolating them within a carefully designed metal-organic framework and examining them via single crystal X-ray diffraction. Such intrinsically reactive species play an important role in metal-based catalysis, but their definitive structural characterisation remains a significant challenge. This project aims to facilitate a detailed understanding of how these species bind and activate substrates and thus provide important first steps towards developing novel adsorbents for separations and efficient catalysts. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

The birth and death of mammalian sex chromosomes. This project aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms that underlie the transition from autosome to sex chromosome and progressive sex chromosome differentiation in mammals. Monotremes are the only mammalian species with a sex chromosome system that consists of ten sex chromosomes in platypus and nine in echidna. This project will analyse the genetic and epigenetic composition and organisation of the monotreme autosomes that evolved into sex chromosomes in other mammals and compare individual platypus and echidna sex chromosomes to discover how sex chromosomes come to be, differentiate and ultimately are replaced by new sex chromosomes. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Organisms and Us: How Living Things Help Us To Understand Our World. How do researchers learn from and 'think with' non-human organisms? This project seeks to develop a comprehensive historical and philosophical exploration of the changing roles and understandings of research with organisms in 20th and early 21st century science. Advances in the content and technologies of the biological and biomedical sciences have resulted in new understandings of what we can know and learn from organisms, particularly with regard to human functioning, health, and well-being, yet we have no integrated scholarship examining these developments across a range of fields. This project seeks to produce useful scholarship relevant for humanities scholars, scientists, clinicians and policy-makers. Field of research: 2202 - History and Philosophy of Specific Fields

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Index Theory for Spaces with Symmetries. This project aims to study spaces with symmetries, which are important geometric models in topology and representation theory. The project plans to conduct research into geometric approaches to the representation theory of groups using KK theory and index theory from the perspective of operator algebra. The expected outcomes of this project are constructions of new topological invariants and their geometric formulas for spaces with symmetries and applications in representation theory. Field of research: 0101 - Pure Mathematics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

Mechanisms of controlled gene expression in cells and organisms. The goal of this project is to reveal the nature of a cellular mechanism that has a major influence on gene expression in all eukaryotic cells. How gene expression is controlled is of fundamental importance to all life forms. The project plans to develop molecular tools that enable the visualisation and interrogation of this gene regulatory mechanism in live cells, tissues and whole organisms. The outcomes are anticipated to lead to an essential understanding of how cells respond to physiological and environmental cues by coordinating changes in gene expression, and to provide potential avenues towards manipulation for pharmaceutical, agricultural and biotechnology purposes. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2016 · 2016-01

A universally efficient antibacterial coating with remarkable durability. To prevent the spread of diseases and infections through contaminated surfaces, the project intends to create new ceramic-based coatings that combine mechanical durability with broad-spectrum antibacterial activities. Around 200 000 infections, many fatal, occur in Australian hospitals each year, with contaminated surfaces being a primary source. To combat this challenge, the project aims to develop a new class of ceramic-based coatings, which are extremely robust yet highly effective in eliminating common and emerging bacteria, by uniting new antibacterial agents into a self-toughening micro-architecture. By disrupting bacterial transmission through surfaces, this project promises to protect the wellbeing of patients and healthcare professionals, and to help maintain food and water safety standards in Australia. Field of research: 0910 - Manufacturing Engineering