MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

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

Developing a novel nanotechnology platform to bridge the discovery and... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Analysing business decisions through the Business Outlook Scenarios Survey. Both academic researchers and policymakers acknowledge the vital role of business expectations and uncertainties on investment, employment, and innovation decisions. While business survey data are essential for policy discussions in many advanced countries, they remain unavailable in Australia. This project bridges the gap by creating unique datasets based on a monthly survey of 500 Australian businesses. A standout feature is its integration with administrative data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, allowing for detailed analysis of the drivers of uncertainty and their effects on business decisions. The resulting datasets will enable natural experiments and provide valuable insights for research and evidence-based policymaking. Field of research: 3801 - Applied Economics Australian businesses are facing increasing uncertainty in conducting operations and making key decisions. However, Australia lags the world in collecting business expectation and uncertainty data, which severely limits our understanding of how business decisions are made under uncertainty and how policy design can best address elevated uncertainty. This project aims to enhance our understanding by delivering three new datasets generated from a novel survey. The project will benefit Australia by 1) enabling better-informed policy design through the availability of micro-level uncertainty data; 2) improving our understanding of how Australian businesses form their expectations in an uncertain environment, how these determine their actual business decisions and, in turn, the dynamics of the macroeconomy; 3) expanding national and international collaborations with key experts in academic and policy institutions, and 4) enhancing research mentoring and training support for the next generation of policy and academic researchers.The outcomes will be communicated to a public audience through various channels: 1) monthly public briefing tracking business expectations and perceptions of uncertainty; 2) opinion pieces for the general public in public outlets, such as The Conversation, newspapers, and the Macquarie University Lighthouse Series; 3) an annual workshop and a final-year policy conference with government policy makers, think-tank researchers and academic experts.

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

Where are all the Exo-Earths? Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Where are all the Exo-Earths? The search for Earth-like planets addresses one of humanity’s deepest questions: are we alone? To find exo-Earths, we observe the back-and-forth gravitational tug on their stars with extremely precise radial velocity (EPRV) spectrographs. The most modern EPRV instruments just achieve the 10 cm/s precision needed to detect an exo-Earth: the star’s own spots and pulsation impose a noise floor many times this level, and sophisticated computational techniques are needed to identify planets. With access to proprietary data from three of the world’s best planet-hunting spectrographs, we aim to develop a machine-learned model of stellar spectra and instrumental quirks, and use this to uncover planets already observed but hidden in our data. Field of research: 5101 - Astronomical Sciences Australia is a world-leader in optical and photonic hardware and instrumentation. Astronomy is a key industry driving the cutting edge of this technology, and Australian hardware is deployed on many of the largest telescopes internationally. Advances in astronomical optics readily translate to other applications, and support many spin-out manufacturing and high-technology firms in Australia. 'Radial velocity' searches for Earth-like planets engage the public interest by answering profound questions about our origin and context in the Universe - and demand the finest hardware calibration of spectrographs. We propose tackling this problem with a combination of physics and generative AI. Incorporating realistic physics into AI models is one of the major challenges in improving this technology that is already revolutionising the Australian and international economy, and demonstrated in previous astronomical work by the proposal team. The approach is to build a 'digital twin' of the instrument and its target star at the same time, and jointly learn a model of their behaviour benchmarked against real data so as to predict its behaviour and diagnose errors. Leveraging this expertise we will radically improve the performance of two Australian-made, internationally-hosted planet-hunting instruments, delivering new detections of extrasolar planets, and provide a pathway for digital twin technology in high-precision optical spectroscopy applications more broadly.

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

Revolutionizing Extracellular Vesicle Research: A Single-Particle... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

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

Trustworthy data-driven discovery from complex high-dimensional data Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Deciphering the effects of self-repair on human language and communication. Language production is complex, fast, and fallible. Its latent troubles are a fundamental but understudied constraint on human languages and communication. This project aims to explore the formative effects of troubles with language production by establishing how people self-repair them in conversation. It will examine this subtle yet crucial process using a novel observational approach incorporating important forms of human diversity. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on the multimodal and interactive forces shaping language production and diversity in human communication. Benefits include improved support for Australians who experience language and communication barriers and future strategies to measure human skills and competency. Field of research: 4704 - Linguistics This project is about the defining features of human language and communication. Usually, people are able to produce language quickly and precisely, but there is often a need to adjust it on the fly in order to communicate effectively. Looking across a diverse set of languages and people, this project will study how people repair troubles with language production in spoken and signed conversations. By studying how people dynamically adjust language production, this project will discover more about how communication drives features of language, and tell us about aspects of human language and communication that are universal. This project will include languages that are significant for Australia, such as Australian Aboriginal languages, an Australian signed language, and Australian English, and people who have communication disabilities. The findings of this project can benefit all Australians by growing our knowledge about diversity in human language, communication, and abilities. In the future, this can help ensure that healthcare and education professionals are well equipped to identify and support people experiencing difficulties with language production. It also has potential to support innovations in technology and educational assessment. We will tell Australians about the findings of our project by publishing them online, in academic journals and other scholarly forums, and by holding tailored in-person events.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Convergence and Divergence Theories for Variational Decentralized Learning. Decentralized AI and learning meet the growing demand for hybrid, intelligent device, edge, and cloud systems and services. However, they face foundational challenges and knowledge gaps unexplored by existing learning systems. We aim to originate variational decentralized learning theories and methods to integrate variational, decentralized, and deep learning to satisfy complex stylistic, local-global integrative requirements. These transcend current aggregation-based learning frameworks by balancing local divergence and global convergence. The resulting groundbreaking theories and methods are foundational for real-world decentralized applications embedded with increasingly stylistic, divergent, and hierarchical settings and uncertainties. Field of research: 4602 - Artificial Intelligence Variational Decentralized Learning (VDL) is a key technology underpinning smart, decentralized, distributed, and federated devices, edge, and cloud systems, increasingly demanded by individuals and enterprises. It introduces groundbreaking learning theories and tools, enabling systems to adapt to both local divergences and global convergence in large-scale decentralized environments. VDL tackles fundamental challenges and knowledge gaps in current statistical, analytical, learning, and AI methods. It empowers learning systems to manage uncertainties, heterogeneities, and interactions among individualized devices, and between these devices and edge and cloud applications. This allows for precise decentralized AI, addressing both stylistic uncertainties and interactions at various scales. The innovations will transform industries by enabling personalized federated services across multiple sectors, such as tailored Internet of Things (IoT) devices, drones, and humanoid robots for manufacturing, logistics, and services, in addition to smarter decentralized financial services and distributed transport systems. To maximize the impact of the project, results will be disseminated through media releases, public talks, and professional engagement activities, fostering public understanding and broadening the adoption of the technology. The project will drive further discovery translation and stimulate commercial interest in decentralized AI applications.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Hamonic analysis and spaces of functions on manifolds. Harmonic analysis is at the frontiers of many branches of mathematics including partial differential equations (PDEs) and differential geometry. Aim I of this project is to resolve an important conjecture in harmonic analysis on manifolds concerning boundedness of the prototypical operator, the Riesz transformations, on manifolds. Aim II is to study fractional powers of operators and their associated function spaces. Expected outcomes are solutions to the proposed long-standing problems, original ideas and techniques to solve further important problems in PDEs. Benefit includes expanding knowledge to mathematical sciences, training future mathematicians and mathematical foundation for experts in some important industries in Australia. Field of research: 4904 - Pure Mathematics Harmonic Analysis is a branch of mathematics which is related to many applications in industry and technology as it underlines the methods of solving modelling equations of physical phenomenon. In particular, it is the mathematical foundation for the technology of signal processing which has an important role in satellite and aviation communication, processing of sensor data and seismology techniques in finding prospective minerals which is crucial for the mining industry. This project is at the frontier of harmonic analysis, aiming to solve a number of well known and important problems with applications to differential equations. In particular, it aims to solve long-standing problems on boundedness of singular integrals and establish a theory of function spaces in various settings such as manifolds. The benefit of this project is to advance fundamental knowledge in mathematical harmonic analysis, strengthen research collaborations among top Australian and American universities. While this project is in the field of Pure Mathematics, the Postdoc and PhD students working in this project will be trained in harmonic analysis and be able to contribute to advanced technology such as signal processing, medical images, seismology techniques in mining industry which are important to the Australian economy. Outcomes of this project will be presented on international conferences, published in mathematics journals and also on the open access ArXiv to maximise its future applications.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unlocking the Potential of Dry Powder Carriers for Biologic Applications. This project aims to systematically investigate and characterise the formulation design and aerosol delivery performance using a novel dry powder inhaler. Using an interdisciplinary approach that integrates aerosol science and computational fluid dynamics, it examines critical factors influencing aerosol behavior and device efficiency. The research will generate new knowledge in particle technology, enhance performance and functionality, support intellectual property development, and provide economic and environmental benefits. Outcomes will advance inhaler technologies for diverse applications, improving efficiency and sustainability in dry powder delivery systems. Field of research: 3214 - Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences This project aims to enhance the design and performance of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) by addressing key gaps in aerosol science and device engineering to improve efficiency and reliability. By investigating critical design and formulation features, the research will establish a robust platform technology capable of delivering consistent and effective aerosol performance, addressing a significant technological challenge in the DPI industry. The project offers substantial benefits for Australians by driving innovation, fostering advanced manufacturing capabilities, and generating intellectual property that can enhance economic growth through export opportunities. Improved DPI technology aligns with environmentally sustainable practices by promoting propellant-free devices, positioning Australia as a leader in advanced aerosol delivery systems. These developments support the nation’s competitiveness in global markets and contribute to local industry growth. To ensure widespread impact, the project will actively engage with industry stakeholders and technical collaborators to translate findings into practical applications. Targeted outreach, public engagement, and collaboration with Australian industries will maximize understanding and adoption of the research outcomes. By bridging research and commercial innovation, this project demonstrates Australia's capability to lead in advanced aerosol technology, delivering long-term economic and technological benefits.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Two-Stage Catalytic Upcycling of Waste Plastics into Valuable Monomers. This project aims to develop innovative catalytic technology for converting non-degradable polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) plastic waste into valuable monomers, which can be repurposed for the production of biodegradable polymers, promoting a circular plastic economy. This will be achieved through the design of bi-functional catalysts capable of breaking down persistent plastic waste into short-chain chemical compounds with a narrow product distribution in a tandem reactor system. The outcomes of this project will provide an advanced solution for efficiently managing plastic waste while enabling the production of high-value chemicals, contributing to both Australia's environmental sustainability and economic growth. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering Effective management of polyolefin plastic waste is a critical challenge in addressing white pollution in Australia. This project aims to develop an energy-efficient process for upcycling plastic waste into valuable monomers through a two-step catalytic reaction while minimizing undesired by-products. A key focus is on achieving high reaction efficiency using advanced functional catalysts, contributing to both environmental sustainability and economic growth. This initiative will drive innovation in plastic waste upcycling technologies, providing significant environmental benefits both domestically and globally. Additionally, the project will support sustainable development by addressing key technological challenges in chemical recycling, enabling the production of high-value materials. The expected advancements will enhance resource recovery, reduce plastic pollution, and alleviate economic burdens associated with polyolefin waste. Furthermore, this project aligns with the objectives of the Solving Plastic Waste Cooperative Research Center, supporting the transition to a circular economy for plastics. It also complements national initiatives such as the National Waste Policy Action Plan and the National Plastics Plan, reinforcing Australia’s commitment to sustainable waste management.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Multi-User Delay-Doppler Communications. This project aims to develop a fundamentally new way of communicating digital information in broadband mobile networks. There is an ever-growing need for higher data rates and greater mobility, and this project will advance a new two dimensional (delay-Doppler) mathematical signal formulation to address these demands. This will enable broadband communications in high frequency spectrum for fast moving terminals. This project will pioneer innovative techniques in waveform design, multiplexing and resource allocation to dramatically improve performance in rapidly varying channels. These outcomes will shape global wireless standards and drive growth in Australia’s telecommunications and space based internet-of-things industries. Field of research: 4006 - Communications Engineering This project explores a fundamentally new way of sending digital information in mobile broadband networks at high frequencies, where existing wireless communication approaches fail. Consequently, required broadband data rates are not yet achievable for highly mobile sixth generation terminals such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or mobile terminals served by low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This project offers a radically new approach that exploits Doppler. This project will open up vast amounts of spectrum at higher frequencies, enabling new applications worth billions of dollars to the Australian economy. For example, Australia is a leading adopter of IoT which is valued at $30 billion, and spaced based technologies (including LEO satellites) are being used to serve rural IoT communities. This project’s technological outcomes will drastically boost the capacity and data rates of such LEO satellite based systems. These outcomes will be of great benefit to the local industry; they will shape global wireless standards and generate valuable Australian intellectual property. They will enable new applications with UAVs and LEOs, and broadband coverage to mobile terminals in remote parts of Australia, bridging the digital divide between urban and rural Australia. The outcomes will also be strongly promoted through global networks, high profile international scientific conferences and journals, to maximize understanding and adoption of the research.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Health, Biological Fitness and Environmental Diversity. Health is often impaired when evolved biological mechanisms interact with modern environments. But the idea that an ‘ancestral’ lifestyle will maximise health has been rightly derided as ‘paleofantasy’. Our team includes leaders of two fields that have taken a more productive approach to the impacts of diverse environments on biological fitness and on health: nutritional ecology and the evolutionary anthropology of altitude adaptation. Making explicit the ways in which these fields define reference environments and assess biological fitness will facilitate research on other health impacts of environmental diversity. This interdisciplinary collaboration will demonstrate the value of philosophy in science as opposed to philosophy of science. Field of research: 5002 - History and Philosophy of Specific Fields This project addresses foundational problems in measuring the ‘mismatch’ between evolved bodies and modern environments. Our results will facilitate research into managing the organism–environment interface in fields as diverse as human health, the health and welfare of domesticated animals, the impact of environmental change on endangered wild populations, and control of invasive species. For example, the interaction of our evolved bodies with the modern food environment is a major cause of overweight and obesity, leading causes of morbidity in Australia, which has a rate of obesity above the OECD average. Australia is a world leader in the study of this particular ‘mismatch’ and we draw on this expertise to ground our theoretical work. Progress in studying mismatch requires moving beyond the traditional paradigm that assumes a single ‘environment of evolutionary adaptedness.’ Organisms evolve across diverse environments, raising fundamental questions about defining environments for mismatch hypotheses and selecting appropriate fitness measures. By integrating insights from philosophy of science, nutritional ecology, and evolutionary anthropology, this project will develop a rigorous framework for analysing the organism–environment interface, facilitating the identification of divergences between ancestral and modern environments that could inform targeted interventions.

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

Attention under threat: Maintaining attention in a noisy, cluttered... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Unlocking the Mysteries of Bacterial Lifestyle Transitions. Bacteria are everywhere, playing a vital role in shaping ecosystems. Many remain dormant in their natural environment until they detect nutrients, triggering a lag phase to reactivate cellular machinery and resume growth. This universal yet poorly understood process has significant implications for industrial biomanufacturing and public health. This proposal aims to advance our understanding of the bacterial lag phase, develop strategies to enhance the efficiency of bacterial cell factories, and explore its role in antibiotic resistance—offering insights to combat the antimicrobial resistance global public health crisis. Field of research: 3107 - Microbiology Understanding the bacterial lag phase is critical to advancing Australia’s industrial biotechnology and public health sectors. By uncovering the mechanisms that regulate this process, this research will contribute to improving bacterial cell factories for sustainable biomanufacturing, enhancing productivity in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food production, and biofuels. Additionally, insights into the lag phase will help address the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, informing strategies to combat untreatable bacterial infections and safeguard public health. This research will deliver economic and societal benefits by driving innovation, strengthening Australia’s bioeconomy, and supporting global efforts to mitigate antimicrobial resistance.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Advancing access to justice: identifying the causes of legal problems. The legal needs of disadvantaged Australians are hard to assess, often go unmet and compound social exclusion. This project develops a causal explanation for the legal problems of clients of Australia’s tax-funded legal assistance sector. Applying an innovative critical realist methodology to interview and survey data and extensive sector engagement for research translation, it will examine how legal needs are generated by inequalities and complex interactions with non-legal social, health and economic problems. Findings will help organisations target legal services in a resource-constrained environment and provide evidence to inform funding and law reform, improving access to justice and reducing costs in the justice and welfare systems. Field of research: 4410 - Sociology Australia faces a growing shortage of affordable legal assistance services. Unmet legal problems can escalate and further compound disadvantage, inequality and poverty for those already experiencing hardship. Lack of legal empowerment and unequal access to justice generates economic and social costs for individuals and societies by impacting many areas of life, including physical and mental health, employment, productivity and family stability. Appropriate and affordable legal services protect and enhance social equality, fairness, respect for human rights, health and wellbeing, and reduce costs to justice and welfare systems. This project will investigate how legal needs arise from disadvantage and how they interact with non-legal problems. It will move beyond describing which individuals and groups are more likely to experience legal problems to explaining why they do. The project will incorporate interviews and surveys with clients of the legal assistance sector. Discovering the causes of legal need across its social, political, legal and health dimensions will inform service delivery models and legal and policy reform for better social and economic outcomes. Through workshops, online training and podcasts, the project will enhance the capacity the Australia’s legal assistance sector to provide preventative and targeted legal support that responds to clients’ complex needs in an environment of high service demand.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Housing in Crisis: Examining the Processes and Politics of Policy Change. In response to the current housing crisis, this project aims to investigate how and why Australian housing policy has changed in the past five years. By conceptualising the housing crisis as the subject of ‘framing contests’ between different policy actors, and through a phased project design involving mixed methods, it will show who has influenced policy change and how. Expected outcomes include new knowledge about how crises can reshape policy and how the politics of housing is changing in contemporary Australian society, shared through diverse project outputs and engagement with policy makers and advocates. Expected benefits include more responsive and accountable housing policy and more effective advocacy for housing policy reform. Field of research: 4406 - Human Geography Australia is in the midst of a housing crisis. Housing affordability has declined severely since the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming one of the most significant domestic political issues of the 2020s. In the words of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the housing crisis is “a challenge facing Australians everywhere and it needs action from every level of government”. With the need for significant and urgent policy changes increasingly clear, this project will investigate how housing policy has changed in response to the housing crisis, and why. It will produce new knowledge about the ways that a crisis can reshape policy aims and processes, including the influence of different stakeholders and interest groups. Outputs will include a novel online public database of new State, Territory and Commonwealth government housing policies since 2020, detailed reviews of four key areas of policy change, and a series of scholarly and general audience publications. These outputs, and wider public and practitioner engagement, will directly inform future housing policy, encourage greater scrutiny of and accountability for housing policy decisions, and inform the work of organisations advocating for housing policy reforms.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Cell-Free Wide-Area mm-Wave Communications. Future communication networks need massive bandwidth for time-critical data applications, such as autonomous cars, internet of things, and extended reality. This project will address the key challenge of exploiting the millimetre-wave (mm-wave) spectrum for outdoor wide-area future mobile communications. A novel cell-free network architecture is proposed, and will be optimised, providing new dynamic link management algorithms for practical implementation. This will overcome signal propagation and blockage constraints in the mm-wave spectrum. Other expected outcomes include planning tools for network operators. Many sectors will benefit from wide-area massive bandwidth including transportation, agriculture, mining, and emergency services. Field of research: 4006 - Communications Engineering Mm-wave technology is a game-changer that offers massive untapped bandwidth, enabling diverse future applications such as artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, internet of things, and extended reality by mainstream businesses. This project addresses fundamental research challenges for providing wide-area seamless mm-wave service, a capability beyond current networks’ reach. The new architecture, dynamic link management, and practical resource allocation techniques developed in this project will enable the provision of algorithms and optimisation tools for network operators. These tools are vital for guiding and planning future ultrareliable low-latency mm-wave network rollouts, with far-reaching benefits. Wide-area mm-wave networks are anticipated to have an economic impact far exceeding that of current 5G technology which is expected to add $27 Billion to Australia's economy (2021-2030). They also promise benefits to healthcare, transportation, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and consumer entertainment. By enabling the deployment of these networks, this project will help to spur job creation and better equip companies to seize the opportunity of creating new high-tech businesses, strengthening Australia's leadership in wireless technologies. This project will actively present its findings to academic and industry communities to harness the full potential of future communication technologies for a more connected and prosperous Australian society.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Sometimes it is better to keep your mouth shut: mouth versus nose breathing. This project will use a specialised airflow and particle deposition model to investigate the effects of mouth breathing on particle deposition in the upper airways. Specifically, it will compare how breathing through the mouth versus the nose impacts the deposition of environmental particles, with a focus on how different factors such as humidity, acidity, and osmotic pressure influence this process. This research will advance our understanding of airway cell behavior and physiology, offering a foundation for potential innovations in targeted particle-based delivery systems. Field of research: 3214 - Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences This project will investigate how mouth breathing affects airway function and the movement of moisture and particles in the respiratory system, addressing a gap in understanding how different breathing patterns influence airway biology. Unlike nasal breathing, mouth breathing exposes the airways to drier air, which can impact airway surface hydration and function. By developing advanced laboratory models that replicate real-world conditions, this research will provide critical insights into how environmental factors influence airway physiology. The outcomes will benefit Australians by improving knowledge of respiratory function and supporting industries involved in biotechnology, and environmental health. The development of innovative in vitro airway models will strengthen Australia’s capabilities in aerosol science, biology and environmental impact studies. Findings will also have applications in air filtration technologies, workplace safety guidelines, and industrial air quality management, benefiting industry, workers, and communities. To maximize impact, findings will be shared through public engagement, collaboration with industry and regulatory bodies, and engagement with environmental and occupational health organizations. The project will foster national and international partnerships, ensuring the research benefits policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the broader community, contributing to innovation in air quality and respiratory health solutions.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Future of Australian islands: vegetation dynamics across space and time. Australia’s 8000 islands support ¼ of the continent’s plants acting as conservation refugia. However, little is known about how island plants are affected by global change. My project will investigate plant diversity changes on Australia’s coastal islands in response to climate change, exotic species and sea level rise. Using a novel island dataset I will identify loss and shifts in vegetation across the continent. A field study designed with Queensland Parks will investigate ecological change on highly threatened reef islands. This project will guide conservation priorities, protect flora and help ensure islands remain key refuges for biodiversity by reframing Island Biogeography theory for enhanced conservation in the Anthropocene. Field of research: 3103 - Ecology Australia's 8,000+ coastal islands support 1/4 of our plant species and provide essential services, including, coastal protection from storms, cultural value for local communities and recreation such as diving, boating and fishing. However, climate change, rising sea levels and exotic species threaten island ecosystems, risking biodiversity loss and degradation of services many Australians rely on. Despite these growing pressures, we lack a clear understanding of how island vegetation is changing and what can be done to protect it. This project will track biodiversity shifts on Australian islands using a novel Australia-wide island-plant database and new fieldwork in the Great Barrier Reef, providing critical insights into conservation and climate resilience. Working closely with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), it will identify priority islands for protection, helping to safeguard the Reef’s World Heritage status and Australia’s unique island flora. By supporting national biodiversity policies, such as such as Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2030 and Strategy for Nature 2019–2030, this project will guide conservation strategies, strengthen ecosystem resilience and inform sustainable island management. Through public outreach, policy engagement and collaboration with conservation agencies such as QPWS, it will ensure that findings translate into effective conservation, helping to protect Australia’s coastal ecosystems for future generations.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Writing Therapy: Narrative Writing and the Making of Mental Health. This project provides a new literary history of psychological knowledge in the second half of the twentieth century, examining the decline of psychoanalysis and the rise of the cognitive therapies. It aims to generate novel insights into the enduring success of therapeutic and self-help writing, as well as the historical development of various vocabularies of well-being. Expected outcomes include an interdisciplinary methodology combining literary, psychological, and cultural history, and the curation of new narrative sources documenting the post-1950s history of psychology. This project is crucial for helping Australians understand the history behind the therapeutic literature with which they engage today. Field of research: 4705 - Literary Studies Despite declining book sales, mental health memoirs and self-help literature remain remarkably popular, with Australians looking to therapeutic literature for advice on how to live. However, different works of literature represent varying ideals of mental health and well-being, and are also informed by distinct conceptions of psychological knowledge. At the same time, the major shifts that have defined psychology from the 1950s onwards have often been communicated via literary and narrative writing, demonstrating how psychological science and literary history have developed alongside one another. This project will deliver the first comprehensive literary history of the decline of psychoanalysis and the rise of the cognitive therapies in the mid-twentieth century, which will help students, academics and the broader public understand the history that lies behind mental health communication and therapeutic writing. It will have social and cultural benefits for the Australian community by helping Australians understand how different ideals of mental health have been represented across different aesthetic forms, from mid-century psychiatric memoirs to current works of self-help. It will disseminate its results through public-facing and scholarly writing, workshops, seminars and symposiums, as well as an ongoing podcast and video series designed for the general public. This will engage diverse audiences across Australia, maximising the public adoption of the project’s findings.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The evolution of dispersal at invasive range edges. Dispersal rate determines how rapidly invasive species expand their range. At expanding range edges, evolution consistently increases dispersal rate, accelerating invasion speed. But can dispersal evolution also limit range expansion? Focusing on cane toads—one of Australia’s most damaging invaders—at a newly formed arid range edge, my project will test the novel hypothesis that dispersal evolution stabilises range edges and, thus, constrains the spread of invaders. Expected outcomes include resolving longstanding questions about how evolution shapes species distributions and structures range edges—with broad benefits through the development of innovative, science-driven strategies to halt the spread of invaders. Field of research: 3104 - Evolutionary Biology Invasive species pose a major threat to Australia’s biodiversity, economy, and cultural heritage. Their spread, and thus their impact, depends on their ability to colonise new environments, yet the factors limiting their expansion remain poorly understood. Focusing on cane toads, one of Australia’s most notorious and destructive invaders, this project will identify the role of dispersal evolution in restricting the toads’ spread into arid regions. This knowledge will not only address fundamental questions about how evolution structures species’ range limits but also inform innovative control strategies to prevent cane toads from entering the Pilbara, a biodiversity hotspot and critical mining region. Failure to contain toads could have severe consequences for biodiversity and culturally significant species, while also impacting mining operations by increasing compliance costs and approval times. By understanding how evolution shapes range edges, my research will inform the feasibility of novel containment strategies such as managing artificial water sources to create natural barriers. My findings will provide conservation and economic benefits by helping protect ecologically, culturally, economically significant regions from invasive species. By sharing research outcomes with land managers, Indigenous groups, and government agencies, these findings will be translated into actionable strategies, supporting invasive species management and biodiversity conservation in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Quantum computation combining learning and simulation for molecular design. This project aims to develop methods for quantum computing to design molecules and materials. Much research on quantum algorithms has focused just on the task of simulating quantum systems, but the real impact of these simulations will be to develop new technology. This project addresses this gap in knowledge, by examining the critical tasks that need to be performed for design, and combining quantum simulation with quantum machine learning to achieve those tasks. The expected outcome of this project is new quantum algorithms for the design of batteries, drug discovery, and catalyst design. The potential benefits include improved technology for renewable energy, better medicines, and more efficient nitrogen fixing for fertiliser production. Field of research: 5108 - Quantum Physics Quantum computing has the potential to provide dramatic advances in computational power, with the most valuable applications resulting from simulation of quantum systems. Many technologies are dependent on the behaviour of quantum systems, such as battery technology, the action of pharmaceuticals, and catalysts. This Project will develop the methods needed to design quantum systems for these applications, realising the true potential of quantum computing. Large-scale quantum computers are planned in the coming decade that will be able to run these high-impact calculations. Once these computers are built, the methods developed in this Project will enable the design of advanced new technologies. Catalysts are used for tasks such as ammonia production via nitrogen fixation, which is crucial for fertiliser production and has potential as a renewable liquid fuel replacement for fossil fuels. Battery technology is also crucial in the transition to renewable energy. The Project will create valuable intellectual property in quantum algorithms, giving Australia a competitive edge in the emerging quantum industry, as well as building strategic collaborations with leading international research groups. The potential applications in renewable energy are valuable to Australia and the world to combat global warming, as well as being markets worth hundreds of billions per year. Development of technology in these areas can enable Australia to establish an increased stake in these markets.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Innovating a new framework for Indigenous-led climate adaptation strategies. This Indigenous-led project aims to design climate adaptation strategies to help future-proof Australian communities. Collaborating with Indigenous knowledge holders, this interdisciplinary approach responds to calls from researchers for better integration of Indigenous knowledges to bridge the science-policy interface. With a case study in northeast Tasmania, this project will implement and advance an innovative framework, the Kin and Country Framework. Expected outcomes include the development of novel approaches to designing climate adaptation strategies applicable throughout Australia. Outputs include facilitator resources, academic publications and presentations, and activation of partnerships for wider implementation and translation. Field of research: 4503 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Knowledges and Management Climate change is draining billions from Australia’s economy, with the price tag only set to soar. The financial toll from extreme weather events will skyrocket to at least $73 billion per year by 2060—nearly double the cost in 2021 (Deloitte Access Economics, 2021). Climate adaptation strategies – efforts to develop plans for the future to reduce the impact of climate changes – are becoming mainstreamed across all levels of government. The National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy 2021-2025 (the Strategy) calls for coordinated adaptation to reduce and avoid economic costs. The Strategy also identifies Indigenous Australians as long-standing innovators of land management practices in the face of changing climates. Research calls for better integration of Indigenous knowledge and scientific data that can translate into policy. While some integration work has been done to date, this project responds to that call. Working closely with Indigenous communities in northeast Tasmania, this project will implement and advance a new framework to inform the design of climate adaptation strategies across Australia. This project area is a government priority, bringing environmental, social and cultural benefit to all Australians by generating fresh insights and transformative solutions for climate change challenges.

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

Generative Graph Modelling for Anomaly Detection Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research