MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Crisis as Opportunity: Societal Change in Early Middle Kingdom Egypt. The project aims to address political and social shifts in the ancient Egyptian early Middle Kingdom c. 4000 years ago. For the first time, and with exclusive study concessions from the government of Egypt, material data of the two most significant cemeteries of the period will be investigated. The project not only expects to generate new knowledge about human interaction during crisis but will utilise interdisciplinary research strategies to investigate the emerging opportunities, such as social mobility, for individuals from all strata of society. It will provide significant benefits such as understanding the mechanics of post-crisis political leadership and the cultural impact that enabled the classical period of ancient Egypt to emerge. Field of research: 2101 - Archaeology Actively responding to socio-economic change on individual and societal levels is a significant aspect of human experience, especially at times of crisis. This project investigates the impacts of a disintegrating administration and downward social mobility in ancient Egypt, c. 4600 years ago. New opportunities emerged with a reunified government in c. 2055 BC, enabling sustainable political solutions to turn a period of crisis into a significant success. Crisis has the potential to create durable impact on society, which is relevant for present-day leadership in democratic societies such as Australia. Ancient Egypt provides an exemplary opportunity for assessing the long-term impacts of crisis and the strategies of leaders. Our museum exhibition will make ancient responses to crisis visible and relevant to the national general public, including school children in NSW, stage 6: Human Society and its Environment. The ancient experience can develop an appreciation of diversity, informed citizenship and intercultural understanding, preparing Australians to be informed and responsible participants in the world.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Why are warning colours in animals so rare? Toxic insects display warning colours as protection from predators who learn to associate them with an unpleasant taste. Theoretically, there is no limit to the number of species that could show warning colours but only about 5% are estimated to have them. This presents a fundamental and unresolved biological problem - what limits warning colours? This project aims to address this significant biological question by testing three hypotheses predicting warning signal limitations. Projected outcomes are an improved understanding of the ecological niche of these colourful insects, which may inform conservation and biodiversity management and raise awareness of these flamboyant creatures. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology This project will deliver environmental and social benefits to Australia. The environmental benefits of this study include improving our knowledge of Australian butterfly biodiversity for monitoring the impact of environmental change on insects and the discovery of yet undiscovered butterfly species. We will deposit butterfly specimen with Australian museums and record butterfly sightings into online biodiversity databases, which may contribute to butterfly conservation efforts. The social benefits include building scientific capacity by training young scientists, educating the public about charismatic colourful insects by adding our data to publicly available databases (Living Atlas of Australia). Further benefits are research collaborations with Germany (Max Planck Institut and Universtiy of Bielefeld) and Finland (Helsinki University), and reserach outputs of high quality publications contributing to science globally.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Seeing Dark with Light: Revealing the Milky Way with Stellar Streams. This project aims to reveal the dark matter that envelops the Milky Way, deconstructing its mass through observations of cannibalised smaller galaxies. Uniting ground- and space-based observations, this project expects to uncover the detailed size and shape of the Galaxy's dark matter halo through dynamical modelling of dwarf galaxies as they are disrupted by Galactic tidal forces. As well as determining this dominant mass, the expected outcomes of this project include a unique snapshot of the evolution of our Milky Way. Leveraging major international collaborations and producing high-impact scientific results, this project will address the primal question of origins, yielding important societal and cultural benefits. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences This project will result in significant social, cultural and economic gains for Australia, by engaging with fundamental questions about our cosmic origins through advanced modelling techniques and data science approaches. With novel methods that bridge two major fields of astrophysics, it will create new opportunities for cutting-edge research and international collaboration led by Australian researchers, while engaging top researchers from around the globe. This project builds on sophisticated approaches to statistical analysis and machine learning, applied to large datasets; these have both commercial and noncommercial applications across science and data-intensive industries. Together with its scientific and methodological results, the project will provide a unique training ground for HDR students and early career researchers in STEM fields, combining innovative astrophysical research with computational and data analysis skills that will drive Australia’s growth across the knowledge-based industries that will underpin its economic future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Advanced Bayesian Inversion Algorithms for Wave Propagation. This project aims to improve algorithms for detecting hidden items by developing new computational mathematical techniques capable of reconstructing the shape and location of objects using electromagnetic waves. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of Bayesian Inversion and computational wave propagation. Expected outcomes of this project are algorithms that can be developed for use in nonintrusive radio wave security scanners. This should provide benefits such as the capability to scan a crowd without a checkpoint, which will have the potential to improve security in public places. Field of research: 0103 - Numerical and Computational Mathematics This project aims to develop new mathematical techniques for processing data obtained using nonintrusive waves (such as radio waves) for detecting and identifying hidden objects. The technology, in the form of advanced computational algorithms, will facilitate the development of new kinds of nonintrusive scanner that can detect dangerous objects in public places, without requiring people to pass through security checkpoints. Such scanners will reduce the cost and inconvenience of scanning large crowds of people and improve the safety of people in public places such as airports. By training a PhD student and research assistant in the associated computational mathematics techniques this project will expand Australia's skills base in this area.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Will rivers be smaller when the climate is hotter? This project aims to investigate how large rivers are affected by changing atmospheric temperature. Large inland rivers are the main source of water supporting ecological functions, economies and societies. This project will quantify the size and age of abandoned river channels in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) of southeast Australia and the Atuel/Diamante basin of Argentina. We will use this to reconstruct a history of changes in river discharge and relate this to climate. Novel climate and hydrological modelling will then be used to simulate the impact of temperature changes on catchment runoff and river discharge. Such information is vital for decision-making, planning and water resource allocation in the MDB and elsewhere. Field of research: 0406 - Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience This research will aid policy-makers and managers in decision-making about the sustainable limits of river flows. Understanding the influence of temperature change on river behaviour, and therefore water security, is the key aim of this project. This knowledge will inform high-level decision-making for environmental management, agricultural and water resource planning. This project will fill a significant gap at the national and international level in explaining how large rivers respond and develop during periods of global climate change. Quantifying the discharge of Murray-Darling Basin rivers formed under a wide range of climates will discriminate the response of river flood discharge to temperature range. The results will provide a framework for anticipating future climate impacts which, in turn, can be used to test the environmental and socioeconomic costs and benefits of existing or proposed water resource infrastructure and management strategies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Next-generation epigenetic analysis: direct reading of DNA methylation. This project aims to develop a new molecular tool to directly and dynamically read chemical modifications on genomic DNA (epigenetics) by utilizing advanced nanomaterials with the unique features of Raman spectroscopy. Epigenetics affects cellular processes and controls genetic programs by turning them “on” and “off" but there is currently no direct method to measure modifications on DNA. A new technology will be designed to avoid complicated procedures/chemistry for DNA epigenetic analysis providing a specific molecular fingerprint. The anticipated outcomes include a new technique and advanced knowledge in nanomaterials and DNA functions, thus strengthening the economic viability of Australian manufacturing and biotechnology sectors. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology Chemical changes to DNA modulate gene function during the development and progression of disease in animals and plants. To understand disease progression we therefore need accurate and fast methods to detect and quantify DNA modifications during cell development. Current procedures for directly reading chemical modifications on DNA are complex and blind to the differences between methyl group derivatives. This project will design a new platform technology that can directly read chemical modifications on DNA without complicated procedures, by using a new molecular tool and advanced nanomaterials. This new technology will lead to economic and social benefit by providing a manufacturing opportunity and finding application in areas of national and international significance. It will enable the detection of unique DNA biomarkers that are indicators of the well-being of humans, animals and plants, thus reducing health care costs and increasing productivity in animal husbandry and other areas of agriculture.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Microlocal Analysis - A Unified Approach for Geometric Models in Biology . This project will use microlocal analysis to create a unified approach for predicting the outcome of a broad class of diffusion and reaction-diffusion models. This will replace the traditional theory which is no longer adequate for the level of geometric complexity demanded of current models arising in biology/ecology. This project will address the urgent need for a systematic theoretical underpinning of diffusion/reaction-diffusion in geometric settings whose scope of application is broader than the the existing patchwork of methods. Field of research: 0101 - Pure Mathematics Accurate mathematical models provide cost-effective ways to obtain valuable insights into the phenomena behind processes critical to our environment and our health. This Project will develop and sharpen the mathematical tools that are required to analyse these models of increasing complexity. By providing more detailed analyses of ecological models, this Project will yield insights into how climate change will impact our environment, and conversely, what the state of our environment tells us about how the climate has changed. The Project's new techniques will also provide accurate and efficient ways to model biological processes that underpin our understanding of diseases and ways to treat them. The tools developed by this Project will help unlock the information contained in such models, leading to better-informed policies on how best to tackle impending threats to our health and environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Quantum measurement as a resource. Advanced quantum computers will use modular measurements significantly enhancing their capabilities. However, due to the noisy environment, the measurements may have nontrivial effects on the computation. Making best use of realistic (hence imperfect) measurements is a challenging problem that hinders the development of these technologies. This project, using modern tools of resource theory, aims to design optimal realistic measurement procedures for near-term noisy quantum devices. The expected outcomes of the project are refined methods to optimise quantum measurements in today's rudimentary quantum machines. This will provide a significant benefit to the Australian community, advancing the development of disruptive quantum technologies. Field of research: 0206 - Quantum Physics Australia is investing in quantum technologies in a significant way, entirely justified by the influence those technologies are expected to have. Emerging applications such as quantum cryptography, quantum computation, enhanced sensing, and quantum simulation are set to have a profound impact that will be felt in all sectors of the economy. Furthermore, these impacts likely do not include the truly unpredictable and disruptive technologies that will emerge when we harness the full power of quantum mechanics. Practical implementations of quantum technologies will require realistic measurement devices which can only perform imperfect quantum measurements. These imperfections jeopardise the promised quantum enhancements in computing, security in communication, and precision in sensing that were developed on the assumption of perfect measurements. This project will enable and ease the development of quantum technologies by understanding and making optimal use of these imperfect measurements. The project will pave the way for the development of these disruptive quantum technologies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Using assisted evolution to win the war against invasive species. Invasive species disrupt ecosystem functioning, causing severe economic costs. This project investigates the use of native insects, alongside assisted evolution, as a novel approach to control invasive plants. Combining experimental and observational data we aim to accelerate adaptation already underway and entrained by selection from interactions between invasive plants and Australian insects. These data will not only address unresolved questions in evolutionary biology but will also provide knowledge on the role native insects can play in the biocontrol of invasive weeds. This will be crucial for conservation managers and agricultural practitioners dealing with plant movement and/or crop development under ongoing environmental change. Field of research: 0501 - Ecological Applications This research will inform novel methods to manage invasive plants, resulting in better outcomes for national biosecurity, risk assessment and biodiversity conservation. Between 2011–2012, Australia spent AUD$3.77 billion, or 0.29% of GDP, on the control of invasive species, demonstrating the urgent need for innovative approaches to better understand, prevent and manage biological invasions. Harnessing the evolutionary lability of biotic interactions between native and invasive species, via assisted evolution, provides a novel and cost-effective way to aid invasive species control. Through artificial selection, assisted evolution will enhance traits in native species of biocontrol value to suppress invasive populations. Assisted evolution is not only of relevance to the management of invasive species, but also provide solutions to agricultural and other biodiversity problems stemming from changing environmental conditions, e.g., ensuring sustainable crop production using novel pollinator services. Another major national benefit of this project is the training of postgraduate students in scarce skills areas.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Understanding and improving sustained attention under vigilance conditions. This project aims to address a major global challenge caused by technological advances: human operators have to monitor computer-control (e.g., in autonomous vehicles, rail and airtraffic control) but sustaining attention is very difficult under these conditions. Developing innovative behavioural and neural methods, this internationally collaborative project bridges basic and applied science to understand lapses of attention under monitoring conditions. It creates a novel intervention, based on brain activity patterns, to improve performance. Outcomes will increase our neural understanding of attention and lay a foundation for a novel system to detect lapses of attention in high-risk environments, preventing errors before they occur. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology A major problem with modern automation of high-risk industries such as transport is the change in the role of the operator from active control to one of surveillance for rare computer errors. Humans are very poor at monitoring for rare events: we are likely to miss them, resulting in significant safety concerns for autonomous (self-driving) vehicles, and train or aircraft control. This project develops new brain imaging methods to predict lapses of attention and intervene when a lapse occurs. It combines basic and applied science to develop proof-of-concept in tightly-controlled experiments through to driving simulation. These innovative methods will advance interventions to prevent errors due to lapses in attention, benefitting the transport industry and society through improved safety: saving money and saving lives. It will also advance commercial potential of such technology. The social benefits to the Australian community will be a better understanding of attention and a foundation for a new system to detect lapses of attention in high-risk environments, preventing errors before they occur.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

From trash to treasure: engineering waste carbon utilisation in yeast. This project aims to engineer yeast to convert carbon dioxide- and methane-derived methanol into sustainable chemicals, foods, and pharmaceuticals. This project expects to generate new design principles for methanol metabolism by using the innovative approach of laboratory evolution along with state-of-the-art bio-engineering capabilities at Macquarie University and The University of Queensland. Expected outcomes of this project include new manufacturing processes for chemicals and foods, discovery of novel metabolism in yeast, and enhanced collaboration between Australia, Denmark, and the United States. This Project will provide benefits through sustainable bio-manufacturing, new economic activity, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology This project will benefit the Australian economy and environment by enabling sustainable resource production from organic waste, biomass, and natural gas. Australian natural gas and agricultural industries will benefit from a mechanism to add value to their products and waste streams. At the same time, environmental benefits will be realised in the form of a reduction in carbon emissions by directing natural gas towards high-value yeast products as an alternative to combustion for electricity. Existing yeast products in Australia can be generated using methanol instead of sugar, making more of Australia's arable land available for food production. A long term benefit of the project is that the commercialisation of novel yeast strains will create new job opportunities in biotechnology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Harmonic analysis of Laplacians in curved spaces. Harmonic Analysis is a branch of mathematics which is interrelated to other fields of mathematics like complex analysis, number theory and partial differential equations (pdes) with many applications in engineering and technology. This project aims to solve a number of difficult fundamental problems at the frontier of harmonic analysis in understanding Laplacians in curved spaces. Such Laplacians control the propagation of heat and waves on manifolds and Lie groups, arising in mathematical physics and quantum mechanics. Expected outcomes are the solutions of dispersive equations and the framework of singular integrals in curved spaces; new ideas and techniques in harmonic analysis developed; and training of Australian future mathematicians. Field of research: 0101 - Pure Mathematics Harmonic analysis has provided powerful tools to solve linear and non-linear differential equations that arise in complex analysis, mathematical physics, engineering (e.g., signal processing), medical science (e.g., image processing) and financial mathematics. The Laplacian concerning the sum of second derivatives is the fundamental operator for the heat equation and the wave equation in different settings. The proposed project will develop four significant interconnected open problems on the Laplacians on curved spaces. The specific proposed problems will contribute to the scientific discoveries in the frontiers of many important branches of mathematics and mathematical physics. By developing state-of-the-art solutions to these problems, the outcomes of this project will contribute to Australia's future success in advancing science and technology and boost national research capacity in pure mathematics via directly enabling world-class research training opportunities for the postdocs and PhD students. Some new techniques in this project could lay the foundation for further developments in image processing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Investigating the role of Zona Incerta RXFP3+ cells in learning and memory. Learning and memory are fundamental to human and animal behaviour. We identified a specific population of cells in the zona incerta of the brain, where activation inhibits expression of memory, and facilitates the acquisition of new learning. Aside from our observations, nothing is currently known about the anatomy and function of these cells. This project aims to map how they connect to the rest of the brain, to observe how these connections are recruited during learning and memory, and then to test their function experimentally. The outcomes will extend the known neural circuitry that controls learning by defining how and where these unexplored pathways fit within it; thus advancing knowledge regarding neural regulation of behaviour. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology This research will characterise the function of hitherto undescribed neural pathways which we know from our pilot data are necessary for the acquisition and expression of new memories. Therefore, the outcomes will develop and extend existing models that describe neural control over behaviour. This will benefit research communities in Australia and internationally because it will shift our current understanding of biological control over cognitive processes. We will identify and describe a new target that may change how we understand the contribution of environmental context in the expression of memory. Context has profound influence on behaviour selection and decision-making processes. This is an important consideration for many sectors of the Australian community, including advertising (targeting the context to guide purchasing) and education (optimising environment to facilitate memory encoding/retrieval). Through identifying this novel neural target, the outcomes of this study have the potential to precipitate rapid advances in our understanding of decision making, that may impact all these areas.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Understanding the mechanisms underpinning complex sociality. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms underlying the formation of complex social systems in vertebrates. Our understanding of these mechanisms is strongly biased towards a few model systems. We have identified a novel Australian model system with a wide range of sociality for this purpose. This project expects to generate new knowledge on how the social environment interacts with the brain during social organisation. Expected outcomes include the refinement of social theory and capacity building via international collaboration and postgraduate training. This work will provide significant benefits by increasing our understanding of how the brain and social environment interact to moderate aggression and enhance social associations. Field of research: 0608 - Zoology Our study deals with a question of great national and international interest: how the social environment interacts with the brain to influences an organism's behaviour and learning ability during development. The potential benefits to society are an increased understanding of how animals form social bonds and also, how they moderate aggressive interactions. This information could be beneficial for managing animal and human health. For example, current evidence suggests the role of neuropeptides (protein-like molecules in the brain that communicate with neurons) in determining social behaviour is remarkably similar in humans and animals, although the vast majority of studies are of mammals. Furthermore, neuropeptides have profound effects on human social cognition, and play a role in treating social anxiety and cognitive/social disorders such as autism. Our study will help us understand the bigger picture with respect to how aggression and social bonding is mediated and ultimately, the consequences of parental care for social and cognitive development.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Microglia and the inflammation spectrum - not just good or bad. Cell-mediated tissue clearance following brain injury is a universal mechanism. However, our understanding of the cells that perform these tasks is very limited. Our project will characterise this inflammatory response at a single-cell level using the zebrafish spinal cord as a versatile experimental model. The project is expected to strongly contribute to the molecular understanding of the mechanisms underlying debris removal and will advance innovative technologies that facilitate intellectual progress in neuroscience. It will produce new insights into the process of neuronal degeneration, promote Australia’s growing reputation as a global leader in neuroscience, and provide high quality training for early career researchers. Field of research: 1109 - Neurosciences The outcomes of the proposed research are critical for understanding how cell and tissue clearance is regulated in the central nervous system. This project provides a platform for future diagnosis and treatments of neurological disorders (incl. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and ALS) that result from dysfunctional clearing mechanisms. Neurological and mental disorders amount to 17% of the total burden of disease in Australia and represent a significant financial and social responsibility. The project promises to contribute to Australia's national interest by aligning well with the Science and Research Priority “Improved prediction, identification, tracking, prevention and management of emerging local and regional health threats” and will therefore have significant social and economic benefits. Furthermore, this project will significantly promote Australia’s growing reputation as a global leader in neuroscience, and provide high quality training for early career researchers, in a strong multidisciplinary research environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Living to tell, telling to live: Experience, narrative, and the self. A robust sense of self is crucial for our mental wellbeing. This sense of self, philosophical research shows, is constituted by our experiences and the socio-culturally shaped stories we tell about us. However, the fundamental role of these self-narratives remains poorly understood: are they merely retrospective accounts of our experiences, or can they influence them? By analysing the biological underpinnings of the human mind and defining the core features of self-narratives, this project will lead to a novel theory about the sense of self. This theory will enhance our understanding of the power of self-narratives and has the potential to provide theoretical foundations for future applied research on the self and its disturbances. Field of research: 2203 - Philosophy Self-narratives make crucial contributions to a robust sense of self, which is essential for mental wellbeing. However, the characteristics of these contributions, and how they impact our experiences of ourselves and others, need to be determined. By developing a new theory of the intricate relationship between subjective experiences, narratives, and the self and by analysing how it plays out in major depressive disorder and Capgras syndrome, this project has the potential to improve our understanding of the importance of narrational competence for mental health. This may have long-term implications for applied research aiming at the improvement of intervention methods that enhance self-narrational abilities, e.g., transformative reading, creative bibliotherapy, and expressive writing. Given the high prevalence of mental disorders, with 45.5% of all Australians being affected at least once in their lifetime, and the high costs incurred by their treatment, $9.1 billion each year, these implications can contribute to individual, social, and economic benefits in the long run.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Inheritance and the Emergence of Individuals: From concepts to practice . This project aims to solve a fundamental problem in biology, namely, how entities at one level biological organisation (e.g. single cells) transition or evolve into entities at a higher level (e.g. multicellular organisms). Although several attempts to solve this problem have been made, they are unsatisfactory because they neglect the role of inheritance during the transitions. The project will employ philosophical analysis, formal models, and ultimately experiments with bacteria to understand the role of inheritance during these evolutionary transitions. In doing so, the project will demonstrate that conceptual research by philosophers of biology can make an impactful contribution in biology and answer fundamental questions in this field. Field of research: 2202 - History and Philosophy of Specific Fields This cutting edge interdisciplinary research will answer significant questions about inheritance, evolution and individuality. Working at the intersection of philosophy and theoretical and experimental evolutionary biology it will tackle questions such as: “How did organisms acquire the capacity to transmit their traits with a high degree of fidelity to their offspring?” The concept of individuality, central to important developments in this area, is relevant to how we treat certain diseases. For example, two of the leading causes of mortality and disease burden in Australia, diabetes and obesity, have been linked to changes in the composition of gut bacteria. An increasing number of scientists claim that these bacteria should not be regarded as independent from us but rather should be seen as forming a cohesive whole with us, that is, as part of our individuality. The question of whether such claims are justified has implications for the way we manage gut bacteria in treatment of these diseases. My framework will contribute knowledge relevant to biomedical research and the health of Australians.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

The Common Heritage of Mankind: A Cosmopolitan Preservationist Ethic. The common heritage of mankind, presently only a weakly-articulated principle of international law, postulates that some assets are valuable for all mankind and hence should be preserved for perpetuity. This project aims to provide the first systematic, unified moral framework for understanding this principle. It expects to analyse the ground and scope of cosmopolitan duties to protect assets belonging to this heritage, thereby contributing to important philosophical debates on intergenerational justice, cosmopolitanism, climate change, and humanitarian intervention. Its expected outcomes include practical guidance to policymakers and stakeholders in reshaping global governance around this principle. Field of research: 1606 - Political Science The preservation of some natural and cultural assets is crucial to the survival and flourishing of human civilization. Climate change, military conflict, and extremist politics are all major threats to cultural and natural assets of utmost value around the world. The terrible fires in Australia threated not only its cultural and natural patrimony but the world’s, burning Gondwana rainforests on UNESCO’s World Heritage register. Australia has an environmental, social, and cultural interest in preserving these assets, as well as in the preservation of other such assets located elsewhere. Preservation of this patrimony is owed not only to current citizens but also to future generations. In providing a systematic philosophical analysis of the common heritage of mankind, this project will advance these national interests. It will provide a better understanding of why Australia should dedicate its resources to securing a culturally and naturally rich environment, not just inside its borders but beyond, providing guidelines for reforms of international law for Australia to promote.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Scalable and Deep Anomaly Detection from Big Data with Similarity Hashing. Anomaly detection, aiming to identify anomalous but insightful patterns in data mining, is an important big data analytics technique. The nature of big data requires a detection method that can handle fast-evolving data of diverse types. However, existing methods suffer from either high computational cost or low detection performance. This project aims to develop a detection framework to advance detection performance and efficiency, based on a novel deep learning model called deep isolation forest which is different from the traditional artificial neural network based models. The outcome will bring huge benefits to various applications such as real-time predictive maintenance in smart manufacturing, and intrusion detection in cybersecurity. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing The project will deliver fundamental impacts to many sectors including cybersecurity, manufacturing, and environment. It aligns well with the national Science and Research Priority of Cybersecurity. The developed novel anomaly detection techniques will support the nation’s cybersecurity by overcoming the challenge of “discovery and understanding of vulnerabilities, threats and their impacts, enabling improved risk-based decision making, resilience and effective responses to cyber intrusions and attacks”. The success of the project will promote the performance and efficiency of cyber intrusion and attacks detection systems. National cybersecurity will be lifted to a higher level by integrating the proposed framework into existing intrusion detection systems. Another application domain is smart manufacturing. Manufacturing will benefit from predictive maintenance tools developed based on our framework, as they can save a huge amount of cost incurred by system faults and failures. This will contribute to achieving smart manufacturing for PM's Industry 4.0 Taskforce and accelerating Australia’s economic growth.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Universities as entrepreneurial urban actors. This project aims to critically analyse the role of universities in shaping Australian cities. By mobilising a detailed case study approach, the project expects to generate new theoretical and applied knowledge about how universities influence the planning, built form and social and economic functioning of our cities. Anticipated outcomes include a clearer understanding of how universities configure their local environment, how they are mobilised within planning documents to achieve urban objectives and how land development is now a core activity for universities. This will bring significant benefits to urban planning and communities via policy recommendations outlining social and economic improvements related to university development. Field of research: 1604 - Human Geography The university sector is a major contributor to the national economy ($34 billion, 2018). While the bulk of this economic contribution comes in the form of tertiary education and research, universities are also major landowners in our cities and many have embarked on major planning and development programs. Universities are now actively engaged in the property market and are some of the largest developers in our cities. Yet, little is known about how they shape the form and function of our cities or how property development has emerged as a central strategy of universities. This project fills this vital gap. The project will benefit the Australian community through a greater understanding of how universities shape our cities, influencing issues such as housing, transport infrastructure, the development of strategic centres, urban renewal or their role in global city goals. The project will investigate how universities are central in delivering government urban and economic objectives, such as the City Deals (Federal Government) and strategic planning ambitions, such as metropolitan plans (State Government).

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Rethinking animals in research: Developing a novel ethical framework. Current approaches to animal ethics face challenges addressing significant problems in animal research. These problems include: harms to research workers and animals, poor translation of results from animals to humans leading to ineffective treatments and poorly directed future research efforts. This project addresses these challenges by developing an innovative, empirically-informed relational approach to animal ethics. The new approach will deliver a novel framework that minimises harms to humans and animals, and improves the quality of results obtained from experiments. Benefits include a more ethically robust practice of animal research and more targeted deployment of finite research resources. Field of research: 2201 - Applied Ethics 95% of drugs that enter human clinical trials do not make it onto pharmacy shelves, despite having shown promise in animal experiments. This is a significant worry. It means that limited funding for research may not be well spent, that the efforts of researchers and trial participants may be wasted, and that animals have been sacrificed for no good reason. The gap between animal trials and human response also means that patients may not receive the best possible treatments as some potentially valuable drugs will be discarded based on animal tests. This project will develop a new way of approaching animal testing that addresses these concerns, and it will deliver a framework to support ethically-strengthened practices in animal research. There are clear benefits for Australia from supporting this project. As well as reducing the harms of animal research, it will help to better target finite research funding in medicine, leading to benefits for the commercial research sector as well as our economy more broadly.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Enabling Indigenous and Country-led understandings of sovereignty. The project aims to transform understandings of sovereignty from a concept to a series of practices by which pluralistic authority is drawn from intimate human and non-human relationships. It will collaboratively facilitate and document ongoing relationships in which Indigenous peoples respond to the active agency of non-human elements. The project will support a series of on-Country workshops and co-author practical resources to support community-led research. The anticipated goal is to mobilise Indigenous knowledges in Australia to nurture regenerative sovereignties - healing relationships between people and places - with significant implications for our collective response to social and environmental change. Field of research: 1604 - Human Geography The project addresses Indigenous communities’ goals to care for each other and care for place. It is designed to deepen understandings about positive, regenerative relationships between Indigenous people and places, and enable these understanding to help heal damaged relationships. This will expand understandings of sovereignty from a focus on human-human interactions to an appreciation of how power dynamics are created through relationships between people and non-human beings. It will directly benefit Indigenous communities through employment on workshops and multimedia outputs that ensure these regenerative practices continue, are revitalised and appropriately shared. These are intended to lead to intra- and inter-community outcomes including practical resource manuals, policy recommendations and an engaging, accessible book. The project has the potential to benefit the broader Australian community by deepening and affirming responsibilities to society and place. Indigenous-led and engaged, it will build Australia’s capacity to respond to environmental change in a socially just and creative way.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Seeking 'Closure' in Unsolved Homicide Cases. The project aims to transform conceptual understandings of ‘closure’ by studying the experiences of bereaved families and frontline police confronting unsolved homicide. Through fieldwork and interviews, it will research how police and families struggle to manage feelings of loss, frustration, blame and failure. The project will craft new language and narrative modes to better situate feelings of grief, confusion and non-resolution, and help people comprehend and ultimately even find meaning in these experiences. Results will lead to significantly improved communication between families and police, to the development of more effective support strategies, and will have social and cultural applications far and beyond the justice system. Field of research: 1904 - Performing Arts and Creative Writing This project addresses an urgent need for research on the ill-defined concept of ‘closure’. This will be achieved through a world-first investigation into the experiences of bereaved families and police investigators who confront unsolved homicide. It will improve communication between families and police, with positive implications for law enforcement resources, and will transform debates regarding the needs of victims. Via workshops with policymakers, the project will develop improved support for families and police. It will potentially impact on police handling of bereaved families in Australia and worldwide, and change public perceptions of policing. Through a broadly disseminated nonfiction book and audio-documentary, it will create new forms of narrative that address people’s grief, confusion and feelings of non-resolution, thus helping people grapple with traumatic, unresolved events within and beyond the justice system (e.g. bushfire victims). It will position Australia at the forefront of research that combines creative practice and social science methods to examine emotions in criminal justice.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Robust and Scalable Autonomous Landing for Drones. The aim of this project is to develop a transformative robust and scalable autonomous landing system for drones. This is the critical missing technology needed to unleash exponential growth in a potentially enormous drone delivery industry by enabling a multitude of applications to deliver goods and supplies via drones to a wide range of destinations in Australia and the world in a timely, flexible and accurate manner. Such an autonomous landing solution would revolutionise drone technology, and propel Australia to the forefront of technology innovation. This project would benefit not only large scale delivery by drone in urban and suburban areas of Australia but also long distance delivery via drone to remote areas of Australia. Field of research: 0805 - Distributed Computing The development of a pioneering technological capability to autonomously land drones without human assistance would provide numerous significant benefits to Australia. First, Australia's transportation sector would benefit since rapid growth of a potentially enormous drone delivery industry, forecast in a decade to be hundreds of billions of dollars worldwide, would be stimulated in Australia. In addition, a wide range of consumers and businesses would benefit from autonomous landing technology, which would enable substantially more rapid and convenient delivery of goods and services via drones compared to standard land-based transport systems. The project would further benefit the reputation of Australia as a leader in global technological innovation, and thereby attract the highest technically skilled talent to Australia both in its universities and industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Unlocking the genetic and biochemical potential of kangaroo paws. Using cutting-edge gene technology and an interdisciplinary approach, this project aims to uncover the genes responsible for flower colour in the iconic kangaroo paws of Western Australia, and identify the compounds that produce the colours. The project expects to produce the first entire kangaroo paw genome and identify unique genetic variants and biochemicals underlying colour differences. This new knowledge should help horticultural programs to more easily breed varieties with desirable and highly marketable new colours, and could assist in conserving these amazing Australian plants. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics Kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos) are an iconic group of plants of great cultural and economic importance to Australia. They generate about A$50 million annually for the horticulture industry, and are increasingly important in global markets as ornamental pot plants and cut flowers. This project aims to assemble the first Anigozanthos genome and use this resource to uncover the genetic and biochemical basis of their flower colour. The critical information obtained could help horticulturalists to efficiently breed new cultivars with desirable colours, drought tolerance and disease resistance, thus preserving Australia’s lead role in developing high-value cultivars for national and global markets. The new knowledge could also help to develop better targeted conservation programs for wild kangaroo paws. In addition, because plant colour pigments have anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties, this research could discover unique compounds for further investigation for potential medicinal value.