UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

An ensemble approach to studying the ocean's role in climate change. Using a newly-developed ocean model that harnesses the power of graphical processing units (GPUs) instead of the common central processing units (CPUs) we can run global ocean simulations at 1/50th the cost. Utilising this speed up, we aim to pioneer a modelling framework to perform ensembles of eddy-resolving global ocean simulations under various climate-change scenarios. This ensemble approach will enable us to separate the changes we see in future projections that are due to climate change from the changes that occur in the due to the natural variations of the climate system. The project's outcomes will increase our confidence in future climate change projections, including ocean heat uptake, and sea level rise. Field of research: 3708 - Oceanography Performing suites of climate simulations under multiple climate change scenarios has historically been computationally prohibitive. This project leverages cutting-edge advancements in ocean modelling to build a new modelling framework that enables us to run these suites of simulations. This 'ensemble' of climate scenarios will allow for the separation of future climatic changes into those due to the natural variations of the climate and those due to human-induced climate change. The results of this project will put Australia at the forefront of climate research. The new computational techniques and the modelling framework will have broad use by researchers in the climate science community, which will then be passed on to stakeholders and commercial applications. By being able to distinguish between the climate change signal and the climate's natural variations, we will obtain more accurate estimates of future climate change, ocean heat uptake, and sea level rise. This research will have manifold benefits including better preparedness for future climate states, enabling future Australian climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. The research will thus enhance the resilience of our economy, society, and natural environment. The increased accuracy of climate projections enabled by this project, including increased accuracy of future sea level, will support insurance and financial risk projections and help guide government policy at national and local levels.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

How do unconventional T cells die? Mammalian cells die via several different mechanisms, each of which is tightly controlled at a molecular level. The choice of death pathway depends on the trigger and cell type. This project will investigate the mechanisms controlling death of T cells, including conventional T cells, and unconventional T cells, such as mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, in normal conditions and during inflammation. It combines methods we developed to study MAIT cells in vivo with expertise in cell death analysis. This project is expected to elucidate the complex mechanisms controlling T cell survival/death and increase our fundamental understanding of cell death mechanisms of activated T cells. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Cell death is a complex and highly regulated process. Our body's immune response to infection or damage relies on this process to regulate numbers of specific immune cell populations. We will address an important knowledge gap by defining the molecular processes that control the life and death of different types of T cells – an essential part of our immune system. This knowledge is important as T cell population expansion and contraction is vital to generate optimal immune responses. This innovative project will combine immunology and molecular and cell biology fields to expand our understanding of the immune system, which may create future opportunities to develop technologies to manipulate immune responses. Based on our current research trajectory, this project will result in high-impact publications that we will promote via media releases and social media. As our research will advance our understanding of T cell biology, it will attract invitations to present at local and international conferences. Outcomes from this research may also deliver commercial benefits to Australia's biotechnology sector that routinely use live immune cells. This project will strengthen Australia’s research capacity by developing our expertise in molecular immunology and supporting the training of higher degree research students, thus building foundations for future immunological research programs.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

The impact of circadian and sleep factors on neurodevelopment. This project aims to longitudinally examine the contributions of multiple circadian and sleep factors on the development of the teen brain. Adolescence is associated with a change in the internal body clock, leading to later bed and wake times and loss of sleep. It is also a time when the teenage brain is rapidly maturing to support learning. Despite the known importance of sleep in adolescence we know little about how the circadian clock and sleep impacts the developing brain. Our project expects to advance understanding of the importance of sleep and circadian timing for healthy brain and cognitive development. This knowledge will inform policy and prevention/intervention programs to benefit individuals, parents and the community. Field of research: 5201 - Applied and Developmental Psychology Sleep patterns substantially change during adolescence, a time when the teenage brain is rapidly maturing to support learning and cognition. Teenagers experience a biological delay to their internal circadian clock, causing them to go to bed later. This can lead to insufficient and/or irregular sleep for many Australian teens, which in turn may impact their engagement and effective learning at school. However, how these changes to sleep patterns impacts brain development remains unclear. This project will investigate longitudinal relationships between multiple facets of sleep-wakefulness and changes in brain structure over early to late adolescence using brain imaging and detailed sleep pattern assessment. Using sophisticated computational methods, we will identify sleep and circadian markers that are linked to specific facets of brain development, and whether these relationships in turn predict academic performance. This project will contribute to a better understanding of the drivers of adolescent brain development and learning outcomes. Findings will provide education and policy makers with new knowledge regarding the importance of sleep for healthy brain development and inform intervention programs that support young people to learn effectively during this important time in their development. Outcomes will be shared via the media, outreach to stakeholder organisations (e.g. Sleep Health Foundation) and dissemination to the public via fact sheets and forums.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Resilient Remote Environment Emulation for Human-to-Machine Communication. Human-to-machine haptic communication allow humans to immersively interact with remotely-located robots/machines. Current networks cannot support its technical demands, thereby limiting the achievable human-machine distance. This project aims to develop cloudlet intelligence together with a programmable resilient network to realise reliable remote environment emulation, a concept where the physical environment at the remote machine is emulated close to the human. A key outcome will be the first reliable remote environment emulation platform that achieves vast human-machine distances on current networks. Enabling immersive human-machine experience will significantly benefit many sectors, from education through to industrial manufacturing. Field of research: 4006 - Communications Engineering Human-to-machine haptic applications allow humans to immersively interact with remote environments through feeling and controlling real and virtual machines/robots. These emerging applications are in high demand, especially in remote Australia. Yet, the achievable human-machine distance is severely limited because current optical networks cannot support the stringent demands of these applications, such as reliability and latency, or delays. This project will develop new technological capabilities to provide resilient solutions for current optical networks. It will make advances that allow human control of haptic machines in real-time over long distances. We will use traditional academic outputs, white papers, and presentations to empower practitioners, and engage with standardisation groups to help shape policy and guidelines. Also, we will harness our international collaborations to boost Australia's research capability and reputation, and to share our knowledge with world-leading research groups. Providing human-to-machine applications will bring about significant and widespread benefit to Australia across many sectors. For example, boosting the return-on-investment of currently deployed networks are economic benefits, enabling immersive and accessible education provides social benefits, reducing carbon emissions from transportation and logistics are environmental benefits, and increasing productivity of industrial manufacturing are commercial benefits.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Macroeconomic and Financial Modelling in an Era of Extremes. This project aims to develop methods to allow workhorse models in economics and finance to better reflect tail events--low probability extreme events, such as the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. It intends to address fundamental technical challenges in the estimation of such models, develop a coherent framework for counterfactual analysis of these models and propose methods to apply these models in a big-data environment. Expected outcomes include new insights into the transmission of tail risks in the global economic and financial system. This should provide significant benefits, including guidance to Australian and international policymakers charged with maintaining stability in the face of extreme events. Field of research: 3802 - Econometrics Between the mid-1980s and the mid-2000s, the Australian economy and many others enjoyed a period of tranquillity known as the Great Moderation. Over this period, models of the ordinary behaviour of the economy proved successful. However, we have since lived through a sequence of extraordinary events, such as the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID pandemic. Models of the ordinary functioning of the economy are inadequate when faced with such extreme events, leaving gaps in policymakers' understanding of economic systems in crisis states, when the need for rapid and effective policy interventions is greatest. By developing methods that allow workhorse models in economics and finance to speak to key issues in the transmission and impact of extreme events, this project will equip policymakers and practitioners with an enriched understanding of the behaviour of economic and financial systems in times of extreme stress. This will allow for more agile and better optimised policymaking when the next crisis comes, helping policymakers to better maintain economic stability, deliver better outcomes for ordinary Australians and potentially save taxpayer money. Proposed workshops, masterclasses, web resources and the working paper series featured in the project’s dissemination plan will promote uptake of these modelling breakthroughs by researchers, policymakers and practitioners.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Empowering Next-Generation Spatial Digital Twins with Linked Spatial Data. This project aims to design novel algorithms for aligning and querying of spatial data from heterogeneous sources. Spatial data is being generated at an unprecedented rate due to the prevalence of mobile devices and ubiquitous connectivity, which enables a novel application, spatial digital twins. However, harnessing this data in spatial digital twins is hampered by the isolation of data from different sources. The project will investigate algorithms to align and query spatial data from heterogeneous sources for high accessibility. It will enable novel applications with advanced spatial analytical querying needs, such as emergency planning, benefiting location-based service providers, urban planners, and emergency management agencies. Field of research: 4605 - Data Management and Data Science Sensors and mobile devices provide an increasing amount of information to generate spatial datasets, such as maps or disaster information. An important emerging tool for management is a spatial digital twin, a digital version of a geographic entity, such as a city. A spatial digital twin uses this data to let managers visually inspect the status of the city and run simulations to study impact of development or emergency response plans. Yet, information about entities from different data sources is disconnected limiting the modelling capability of existing spatial digital twins. This project will develop algorithms to effectively search and model spatial entities from different sources. Our results can inform decision-makers, managers of transport, emergency and disaster, and urban planners. The project results will be conveyed to government and organisations through demonstrations and media. An Australian digital twin has commercial, economic, environmental and social benefits. It will provide excellent business opportunities and enormous cost savings for location-based services. It can optimise decision-making nationally for transport systems, bushfire and pandemic risk management. Improvements in planning and responding to disasters through a national lens will protect properties and livelihoods as well as save lives.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Human Scheduling of Perceptual Tasks. This project aims to develop a novel approach for synthesising how people prioritise information with theories of attention and decision making. Characterising inefficient scheduling in the tradeoff between the difficulty and the cost/benefit of different subtasks will allow the development of a formal computional model that generalises statistical models of rank order data to a theory of the timing of scheduling decisions and task completions. Outcomes include benchmark data from a novel paradigm for studying perceptual decisions and behavior and a model which can explain and predict human scheduling. This project aims to benefit industry by allowing for the simulation of information prioritisation by human agents in complex environments. Field of research: 5204 - Cognitive and Computational Psychology Information overload is estimated to cost the Australian economy and population well-being via lack of engagement, reduced sales, stress, anxiety, burnout, and inefficiency. In this project, we aim to study, through a series of psychological experiments, how people prioritise the completion and processing of a set of tasks. Real-time information prioritisation is critical in the context of many industries of national importance including air traffic control, rail operations, manufacturing as well as any industry that involves working with unmanned vehicles and autonomous agents. At present, little is known about how people prioritise multiple sources of information, but we can use insights from engineering and computer science to set a benchmark on how people should optimally prioritise tasks. Understanding how people prioritise information through the research in our proposal warrants our team the potential to develop strategies to significantly alleviate overload. Development of a model of information prioritisation has considerable practical value, allowing for the simulation of human behaviour across domains relevant to Australian industry. We anticipate communicating our results through public media outlets and through our industry networks in defense and engineering. We will additionally use our interdisciplinary networks with links to industry to ensure that our work benefits and informs the future development of human-centred control systems and interface design.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Human-Robot Co-Evolution: Achieving the full potential of future workplaces. Physical human-robot systems are widely used to amplify the capability of human labourers and improve ergonomics in the workplace. This project aims to develop robot controllers that shape the co-evolution of these systems. Through physical human-robot interaction studies it will generate new knowledge of how humans adapt to working with robots, which will then be incorporated into the robot controller design. Expected outcomes include a better understanding of human adaptation and a systematic approach to shaping human-robot interaction over time. This should provide significant benefits across different skill and labour-intensive industries in Australia, such as improved worker productivity and safer human-robot collaboration. Field of research: 4007 - Control Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics Increasingly, robots are being used to work together with people to improve efficiency in everyday life or industry. However, when a human and robot physically interact, they each adapt their behaviour to account for the other. When successful this improves safety and efficiency, yet, if the robot does not consider the team dynamics human-robot interaction can also lead to unsafe behaviours and user confusion. This project will design smart robotic assistance to improve human-robot team performance. It will do so by incorporating a greater understanding of how humans adapt to robot to technology. The results will be conveyed to industry through workshops and demonstration seminars. Also, we will investigate the potential for its use as a training tool for new collaborations with our industry partners. As robotic technology is used in many sectors within Australia, improving human-robot collaboration has commercial, economic, environmental and social benefits. Industries, such as manufacturing, logistics and consumer service will become more efficient, productive and safe. Improved productivity by increasing team capability will reduce costs and remedy labour shortages, especially in remote areas. Also, smart robotic assistance will improve workplace safety and reduce injuries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Decoding microtubule remodelling in sperm production. All eukaryotic cells possess a dynamic microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, which requires constant remodelling to satisfy its many essential cellular roles. Emerging data suggests modifications to the MT surface (the tubulin code) may act as instructional signposts for remodelling. This project aims to define a fundamental component of the tubulin code, glutamylation, and define how this directs MT severing. It also aims to define the cellular functions of MT-severing enzyme FIGNL1 and key MT glutamylation enzymes (CCP1, CCP5 and TTLL1). Insights will be generated using sperm production as a model system and will thus inform the mechanisms by which fertile sperm are built, in addition to being relevant to cell biology across eukaryotic species. Field of research: 3215 - Reproductive Medicine All eukaryotic cells possess a dynamic ‘skeleton’ of microtubules which is constantly remodelled to allow cells to function. Microtubule severing is a key driver of this remodelling, and its dysfunction leads to disease and lost productivity across species. How microtubule severing proteins know when and where to cut remains mysterious. Emerging data, however, suggests modifications to the microtubule surface, collectively known as the ‘tubulin code’, may act as instructional signposts. This project aims to define, a key aspect of the tubulin code, glutamylation, and how it interfaces with microtubule severing during mammalian sperm production. This research will benefit Australia through knowledge generation, including insights relevant to male fertility in agricultural species. Equally, it will inform the understanding of cell function across eukaryotes, with particular relevance to mammals. With time this may inform selection of high fertility stud animals in agriculture, in addition to biotechnology protocols and drug development, which will have economical and commercial benefits to the Australian community. Indeed, microtubule biology has previously been relevant to diverse applications including herbicides, fungicides and cancer therapies. Such opportunities will be explored through partnerships with agriculture and biotechnology industries, and research impact will be accelerated across the reproductive and cell biology sciences through publications and conferences.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

How age & sex impact the transcriptional control of mammalian muscle growth. Maintaining healthy muscle is crucial throughout all stages of life. Aging is associated with the loss of muscle and older muscles are resistant to growth due to age-related changes in gene expression and responsiveness. Many genes are expressed differently in male versus female muscle, which may have implications for sex-differences in muscle growth and aging. This project will generate new knowledge on which genes and biological pathways are crucial in determining mammalian muscle size and growth across the lifespan and between the sexes. Application of this knowledge may lead to future approaches to enable a healthy start to life and promote healthy aging in Australians and have implications for agriculture and muscle as a food source. Field of research: 3208 - Medical Physiology Our ability to move, breathe, communicate and maintain an independent lifestyle is reliant on having healthy skeletal muscles that can adapt and grow as physical needs require. How the processes that enable muscle growth are regulated at the gene level remains poorly understood. This fundamental knowledge gap is holding us back from opportunities to improve the lives of not only humans, but animals as well. This project will provide fundamental insights into how the potential for adaptive skeletal muscle growth in mammals changes across the lifespan, and how this varies between the sexes. Using innovative approaches that we have developed, coupled with powerful experimental models provides us with unparalleled opportunity to expand our understanding of basic muscle biology, aging and sex similarities/differences. We anticipate that a better understanding of the genetic programs required for muscle growth at different stages of life will enable future development of products and practices that can promote healthy early development and aging of humans and companion animals. These insights could also be leveraged to benefit the livestock/fishery industries that contribute to Australia's food supplies, local industry, and export economies. We will work with our University’s Communications Team to engage the wider community through digital and other media to promote awareness of our findings and the public-access data we will generate.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Linking wave–sea ice feedbacks to rapid ice retreat. Antarctic sea ice extent has been in sharp decline since 2016, which is stressing the fragile Southern Ocean and Antarctic environments so vital to the global climate. This project aims to investigate a crucial candidate mechanism of sea ice loss by predicting rapid ice retreat in response to large Southern Ocean waves. New theory and modelling capabilities that account for wave–ice feedbacks will underpin the predictions, leveraging on recent research breakthroughs, including novel datasets derived from satellite and field observations. The outcomes are expected to quantify sea ice retreat due to ocean waves for the first time, with potentially major implications for coupled wave–sea ice modelling in climate studies. Field of research: 3709 - Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience Australia is being ravaged by climate change and the linked extreme weather events, which climate science predicts will become more frequent and widely distributed in the near future. Australia is particularly receptive to the alarming changes occurring in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, such as dramatic sea ice retreat and its harmful repercussions for other components of the climate system. Antarctic sea ice retreat is correlated with increasing ocean-wave activity, and the correlation has been predicted to result from wave–ice feedbacks. This project will address outstanding theoretical and modelling gaps to quantify linkages between sea ice retreat and wave–ice feedbacks. State-of-the-art observations will be used to validate the model predictions. The project will give new modelling capabilities that empower improved projections of sea ice retreat. These will feed into Australia’s next-generation sea ice–ocean model to inform mitigation and adaptation policies, thus creating social, economic and environmental benefits for Australia. Moreover, the project will provide training for research students and early-career researchers in Australia. We will engage with Australia’s leading weather and climate institutes, the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO, to promote our findings and encourage adoption of the advances. Further, we will promote broad understanding of the project through public talks, news articles and social media.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Towards highly-efficient hydrogen gas turbines. The increasing interest in green hydrogen has led to a need for research and development in combustion systems that can accommodate hydrogen. One promising technology is low-emission gas turbines, which is a key player in the electricity market. However, hydrogen gas turbines are susceptible to a phenomenon called thermoacoustic instability, causing loud noise and can damage equipment. This project represents the first comprehensive study of the effects of hydrogen fuel on thermoacoustic instability under conditions relevant to gas turbines. By examining low-order models, commonly used for designing gas turbines, this project can significantly advance the field and facilitate the adoption of green hydrogen as a fuel source. Field of research: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering The use of hydrogen as an energy source will play an important role in transitioning Australia into a green economy. Australia has abundant renewable energy available to produce hydrogen using electrolysis and other methods. Technologically, the easiest transition to renewables is when renewables can replace fossil fuels. Hydrogen can be used as a fuel in gas turbines, however, its combustion can become unstable under certain conditions. This project will reveal the physical processes responsible for combustion instability and develop new predictive tools to design hydrogen gas turbines with stable combustion. Translation and potential commercialisation of the results will be accelerated through demonstrations to relevant industry and government networks. As gas turbines are crucial for the stability of the energy grid using intermittent renewable energy sources, this project will help progress Australia’s transition to carbon-free electricity. Thus, the environmental benefits of this research are clear. Also, the results of this project will have economic benefits by reducing the cost of green electricity. Finally, this project will support the international export of Hydrogen technology and thus will advance Australia’s position as a major player in the global hydrogen industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Body Worn Camera Evidence and Assessment of Witness Credibility. The aim of this project is to establish how the use of Body Worn Cameras to record statements in domestic and family violence cases affects assessment of a complainant’s credibility at trial. It will generate new knowledge about the influence of: (i) the physical environment in which recordings are made, (ii) the audio and visual quality of recordings, and (iii) fact-finders’ (judges and jurors) emotional responses to recordings. Expected outcomes of the project include law reform and policy recommendations to improve the practice of recording victim/witness statements and management of the use of such evidence in criminal proceedings. Field of research: 4805 - Legal Systems The project is concerned with the use of Body-Worn Cameras to record complainant-witness statements when the police respond to calls for assistance in domestic violence cases. In trials, these recordings can be played instead of the complainant having to give in-person evidence. This research will investigate whether certain aspects of these recordings might bias judges' and juries assessment of the truthfulness of the complainant. These aspects include the background seen in the recordings, the audio and visual qualities of the recordings, the emotion displayed by the complainant, and judges' and juries’ emotional responses to the recordings. There has been no previous empirical research on these issues. The results of the research will be published and disseminated through our network of criminal justice system stakeholders. This research will produce significant social benefit by informing and shaping police, prosecutors' and judges' decisions about the production and use of Body-Worn Camera recordings in ways that promote justice and fair trials.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Braiding Dynamics of Majorana Modes. The project aims to investigate Majorana modes, exotic quantum particles which can be found in the new material class of Topological Superconductivity. In particular, they can be utilised to construct fault-tolerant quantum bits. Quantum logic gates are enabled by moving these Majorana modes around each other, i.e., by braiding them, leading to an error-free quantum performance. This project will deliver cutting-edge simulations to analyse the braiding process in condensed matter systems and benchmark how these fault-tolerant quantum bits operate under real-world conditions. By providing the theory for advanced structures and devices, this project will inform experiments and pave the way for future technology based on topological phenomena. Field of research: 5104 - Condensed Matter Physics To develop quantum computers is one of Australia’s top priorities. Today’s quantum devices suffer from significant error rates, and thus the biggest challenge is to demonstrate fault-tolerant quantum computing systems. Once available, there will be drastic advances for the Australian industry and government in the fields of cyber security, materials and drug development, internet search engines and online databases, just to mention a few. This proposal will substantiate and improve the theoretical foundations for topological quantum computers, perhaps the most sophisticated idea of fault-tolerant quantum computing to date. Topological quantum devices are based on topological superconductors, an exotic state of matter which has been intensively studied over the past decade. While the basic idea of those systems is well established, so far it has never been systematically investigated or experimentally realized. Here we will address the former by analyzing and simulating every single step of a future topological quantum computer such as quantum bit initialization, implementation of quantum gates and the readout process. The successful outcome of this proposal will inform future experiments and help paving the way for the next generation of quantum devices. Since there is increasing public interest in quantum research, we engage with the public by writing for The Conversation and Pursuit and by performing outreach activities with high school students.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Unlocking the secret chemistry of organosulfur biodegradation. The element sulfur is essential for life. Its transformation between organic-sulfur compounds to inorganic forms is a crucial part of the biogeochemical cycle. This project will elucidate the molecular details of the final leg of the biosulfur cycle: organosulfur breakdown into mineral form. An integrated chemical and biochemical approach will be used to illuminate how the carbon-sulfur bond is broken. This project will deliver a detailed molecular understanding of organosulfur breakdown to permit organosulfur recycling. Benefits of this research include potential biotechnology applications for breaking down xenobiotic organosulfonates and sustainable approaches to reduce dependence on agricultural fertilisers. Field of research: 3404 - Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry Sulfur is a vital nutrient essential for life on Earth. Many croplands and pastures in Australia suffer from sulfur deficiency, which is addressed using sulfur-containing fertilisers such as superphosphate. Paradoxically, even in sulfur-deficient soils, there are large amounts of organic compounds that contain sulfur (organosulfur) that plants cannot use because the soils lack the microbes to break it down. The pathways for breaking down organosulfur are not well understood, making it difficult to use biotechnology to improve sulfur nutrition. This project will investigate the microbial pathways for breaking down organosulfur molecules, a key research gap that is essential to understand sulfur cycling in nature. We will study the final step in organosulfur degradation, breaking the bond between carbon and sulfur. This research will deliver new insights into how nature breaks down and recycles organosulfur and will discover new biological catalysts of potential value for the Australian biotechnology industry. The research will support agricultural sustainability by informing bioengineering of soil microbes to increase crop yields and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilisers. Understanding how breakdown of organosulfur molecules is achieved can assist in reducing pollution from detergents and drugs. We will work with soil experts to encourage adoption of our research and communicate with the public through press releases and general interest articles.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

AI Assisted Continuous Flow Electrochemistry for Pharmaceutical Manufacture. This project aims to develop new chemical manufacturing processes for pharmaceutical products. In collaboration with Sun Pharma, it will tackle the challenge of replacing expensive and toxic chemicals in industrial reactions, to lower cost of manufacturing and improve its sustainability profile. Central to the realisation of this ambition is the use of electrocatalysis, machine learning and implementation of advanced continuous flow methods. These electricity- and technology-driven reactions will develop new strategies for the generation of important classes of molecules relevant to the Australia’s pharmaceutical sector, as well as their manufacture at industrially relevant scales. Field of research: 3405 - Organic Chemistry The Australian pharmaceutical industry is contracting under the pressures of steadily increasing manufacturing costs and disrupted supply chains. This project will develop a AI continuous flow electrochemistry process for the domestic manufacture of high value pharmaceutical products. This will be achieved by combining novel chemistries with electricity and enabled by new digital, and flow technologies. The implementation of AI in the development of new manufacturing methods, will reduce the time for process development, and lead to chemical manufacturing processes that are more cost effective and less wasteful. The outcomes will support and enhance the competitiveness of local pharmaceutical manufacturer, Sun Pharma, by the sustainable manufacture of new products in Australia. This will benefit Australia by expanding the pharmaceutical and chemical industry and positioning Australia as a reliable supplier of quality pharmaceutical products, for local and international markets, whilst strengthening sovereign manufacturing capability. Research outcomes from the project will support our nation’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity through the uptake and implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies more broadly. This will benefit Australia economically and commercially by enhancing the global competitiveness and sustainability of our pharmaceutical industry, leading to creation of new jobs, whilst ensuring the supply of medicines to all Australians.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Transforming museum industry to cryopreserve Australia’s diverse wildlife. This project aspires to develop methods for collecting, culturing and cryopreserving cells from wildlife in line with museum industry practice. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the collection of live cells from animals under field conditions and their long-term maintenance in museum collections. Expected outcomes of the project include enhanced capacity of museums to build live cell collections and to support and collaborate with cellular biologists. Growth of live cell collections in Australian museums will fuel innovation in cellular technologies, advance fundamental biological knowledge, and shift museums from the role of documenting losses of genetic variation to preserving that genetic variation in living form. Field of research: 4104 - Environmental Management Australia is home to irreplaceable, unique, and diverse wildlife. Many of these species are at risk of extinction, despite the best efforts of conservationists and land managers. A loss of genetic diversity within species can reduce their ability to adapt to changing environments and increase the likelihood of extinction. This is particularly concerning given the ongoing threat of climate change. Fortunately, a technological revolution is underway that presents a potential solution to this problem. Cryopreservation of live cells, such as sperm, eggs, and cell lines has the potential to preserve the genetic diversity of native species. By cryogenically freezing cells now and storing them safely in museums, we can ensure that this genetic diversity is available for primary research programs that may ultimately lead to the genetic diversity being reintroduced into wild populations in the future. The aim of this project is to develop reproducible protocols for the cryopreservation of living cells, specifically those of Australia's biodiverse fauna. This project is of critical national interest as it addresses a significant environmental issue facing Australia: the loss of genetic diversity within native species that has the potential to cause species extinctions and the irreparable damage to our unique ecosystem. This project represents an opportunity to develop innovative solutions to preserve Australia's biodiversity for future generations.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Improving the success of hybrid living shorelines for coastal protection. This project aims to improve the success of hybrid living shorelines that combine the restoration of mangroves and oysters with engineered structures to enhance restoration outcomes and coastal hazard resilience. It expects to generate new knowledge on the effectiveness of innovative coastal-manager-led solutions that have not yet been robustly evaluated. Expected outcomes of this project include delivery of the technical guidelines needed to practically design and implement nature-based coastal protection at scale. This should provide significant socio-economic and environmental benefits through improving Australia’s capacity to adapt to increased erosion and flood risk caused by climate change and coastal urbanisation. Field of research: 3103 - Ecology Half of Australia's coast is vulnerable to erosion and flooding caused by climate change and urbanisation, representing a risk of more than $226 billion dollars' worth of infrastructure. At this scale, continuing to rely on conventional engineering structures (e.g., seawalls) is environmentally and economically unsustainable. This project will restore mangroves and oysters with engineered structures to protect our coasts making use of “hybrid living shorelines”. Hybrid living shorelines are a novel approach that combines the research of marine ecology and engineering to provide an adaptive solution that will benefit Australian’s through: (1) a more cost-effective approach to increasing coastal resilience; (2) balancing coastal protection with ecosystem restoration; and (3) maintaining natural land-sea boundaries that support communities and culture. Although there is considerable understanding of the protection provided by conventional engineered structures and natural features in isolation, a key gap is how to optimally integrate both of these for maximum benefit. In addition to the implementation of this new hybrid approach, this project will deliver technical guidelines and spatial data for NSW, enabling coastal practitioners to design and implement hybrid living shorelines at scale. The technical guidance will translate to similar environments in Australia and internationally, increasing uptake of sustainable solutions to meet this global challenge.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Beneficial flavonoids from eucalypt plantations. This project aims to develop the systems and tools required to establish eucalypt plantations for commercial production of flavonoid natural products. It is expected to generate new knowledge on valuable antimicrobial flavonoids found in eucalypts. Outcomes will include selection of species with high levels of particular flavonoids, production of seed orchards and improved plantations for sustainable leaf harvesting, and characterisation of the molecular mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis in plants. This should help expand an industry based on a largely untapped property of Australian trees, provide significant benefits to regional communities growing and harvesting plantations, and ultimately help us address microbial pathogen resistance Field of research: 3007 - Forestry Sciences Microbes causing severe disease in humans and agricultural animals are increasingly resistant to antibiotics. It is critical to find alternative therapies to help manage this significant worldwide problem. Plants contain natural antibiotics and Australia’s native flora is a large and underutilised resource of such potential therapeutics. The global market for plant natural products is expanding rapidly and Australia can capitalise on this by commercialising novel therapeutics found in our unique plants. This project will help a regional industry expand to use eucalypt flavonoids as antibiotic alternatives. This will be achieved through close collaboration with industry to optimise selection of species with commercially viable quantities of flavonoids, plantation establishment and harvesting practices. Importantly, eucalypts can be grown on marginal agricultural land in short-rotation coppice cultivation in which plants resprout after harvesting. This system provides the added advantages of maintaining carbon in roots and helping control soil erosion. In addition, flavonoids can be extracted from harvested leaves in an environmentally benign way, avoiding the use of toxic chemicals. This project will benefit Australia economically and environmentally, providing growth and job opportunities in regional communities. Research outcomes will be promoted by further collaboration with industry and funding bodies, and intellectual property protected to enable commercial translation

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Next generation diamond quantum sensors for future industries. This project aims to commericialise a diamond-based quantum magnetic sensor, pioneered in Australia with applications in a range of industry sectors including healthcare, mining, space, defence, automation, and manufacturing. The project outcomes will be Australia's most sensitive vector magnetic field sensor operating under ambient conditions with unprecedented stability and accuracy. The sensor will be applied for magnetic navigation in GPS-denied environments, underground/undersea object detection and classification and earth/space-based geomagnetic surveys. The Fellowship will drive economic benefits through training of quantum engineers and the creation of start-up companies that can design and manufacture quantum devices in Australia. Field of research: 5108 - Quantum Physics Quantum magnetic sensors are an advanced sensor technology that can sense changes in magnetic fields very accurately and are used in many applications including navigation, minerals exploration, space and biomedical applications. This project capitalises on a recent scientific breakthrough in diamond based magnetic sensing technology that will enable autonomous navigation platforms to be augmented with accurate and stable quantum systems. This is particularly critical for operational environments where traditional GPS is jammed, denied or unavailable. The Fellowship aims to address the scientific and engineering challenges to progress the quantum sensing technology into a minimum viable product. This will seed new application areas and open new commercial markets. The sovereign quantum technology has been pioneered in Australia and leverages significant government investment which allows the technology to be fast-tracked and commercialised with industry partners Phasor Innovation and CSIRO. The project team and sensing technology were highlighted in Australia’s National Quantum Strategy and the work outlined here is strongly aligned with the future strategic capability requirements of Defence and Pillar Two of the trilateral AUKUS agreement. The project will ensure Australia can maintain its global competitive advantage in diamond-based quantum technologies and will drive economic benefits through the training of new quantum engineers and the creation of start-up companies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Decision support for climate-adapted bushfire risk mitigation. As climate change intensifies bushfire risks, there is an urgent need for fire management tools that remain effective in a warming world. This project aims to optimise the delivery of current risk mitigation tools and identify pathways to develop new tools across fuel management, suppression and community engagement. This research is expected to generate new knowledge to support climate-adapted bushfire risk mitigation across multiple, sometimes competing values. The project goal is to transform the capacity of the country’s leading fire agencies to embed climate change into their decision-making, setting a global standard for climate-adapted fire management and leading to improved outcomes for human health, the economy and the environment. Field of research: 4104 - Environmental Management Bushfires pose significant threats to Australian communities, industries and the natural environment. Climate change is widely recognised as a bushfire risk multipler, but a large gap remains between the scientific research and its implementation in fire management. There is a poor understanding of whether current fire management approaches will be effective in a warming world. This project aims to develop pathways to a sustainable fire future, providing fire management agencies with concrete tools to integrate climate change information into their policies, practices and investment decisions. This project will be jointly designed and delivered with fire managers, ensuring the project aligns with industry goals and standards and maximising the uptake of project findings throughout the agencies. Partners in this project are key industry leaders and our collaboration will generate practical fire management strategies for a warming climate, influencing fire agencies throughout Australia and worldwide, reducing bushfire risks to people and delivering significant benefits to communities, the economy, and the environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Smoldering coarse woody debris and air quality. This project aims to develop and translate the first continental-scale tool to address the dynamics of coarse woody debris (CWD: logs, branches and stumps), which are a major source of smoke and fine particle emissions from smouldering combustion during fires. This will be achieved by establishing a spatially explicit, nation-wide dataset of CWD loads and then combining it with process-based biogeochemical modelling, and information on CWD combustion efficiency in relation to size, species and decay classes. The new tool will be used in the Australian Air Quality Forecasting System to deliver an early warning of smoke emissions risk during bushfires and prescribed burns for improved human health, economic and environmental benefits Field of research: 3007 - Forestry Sciences Ever-more frequent and extensive bushfires in Australia are leading to serious smoke emissions with unprecedented consequences in terms of public health and economic losses. Accurate air quality predictions are essential to help protect Australia’s people and its economy. Coarse woody debris (CWD, i.e., logs, branches on the forest floor) are the major source of fine particle and smoke emissions from smouldering combustion; yet there is a lack of understanding about how much CWD is in our forests and how much is combusted and emitted to the atmosphere during fires. This project will provide policymakers, regional and state governments with new knowledge and a robust tool tackling the dynamics of CWD for inclusion in the Australian Air Quality Forecasting System, as well as supporting emergency services and local economies about potential impacts of smoke. Application of the tool will lead to high prediction accuracy of fire impacts on both air quality and carbon emissions. Close and effective collaboration with our industry partners (CSIRO, the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council, and a key Commonwealth Department) will enable national testing and roll-out – hence supporting decision-making at all levels of governance in agencies dealing with fire emissions, health and safety. Data and algorithms developed in this project will be available via repositories to maximise understanding, translation, use and extension of the research in the future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Safe Keeping: Effecting solutions for risk to remote Indigenous heritage. Indigenous community-held cultural heritage is a national resource at risk. This project aims to transform its in-community conservation to: deliver key diagnostic evidence as to how and why this resource is under threat; build new capacity in expert conservation practice; and secure a framework for new policy, and industry and philanthropic investment to realise future gains. Expected outcomes include tools to manage resource risk; education initiatives to support collection care; a qualified Indigenous conservation national network and new economic employment model; and improved industry and sectoral responses. These are geared to sustainable and intergenerational economic, education and cultural benefit for all Australians. Field of research: 4501 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture, Language and History With Australia witnessing the relentless loss of our Indigenous cultural heritage, the aim of this Industry Fellowship is to produce research outcomes that will reduce the risk of further losses of remotely-located Indigenous collections. In doing so, it will unlock and secure the asset capacity of collections for Indigenous knowledge, income production, job creation, world-leading research programs, and deliver a community education resource for future generations. Our co-designed and co-delivered research—situated within the philosophy of two-way/both-way knowledge reciprocity practised by Gija, Yolngu and other Indigenous partners—will deliver the first comprehensive analysis of risks to cultural collections in remote communities; identify ways to properly manage these risks; assess best-practice IP management; identify and evaluate potential income; and develop assessment tools to provide evidence of the economic and social value of these collections, thereby securing their future for community and national benefit. The Fellowship will deliver a step-change in the capacity for Indigenous communities to care for their cultural heritage, contribute to self-determination and reduce risk to national assets, thereby creating significant social, cultural and financial benefits. It will build knowledge and capability in a new generation of university researchers and Indigenous art workers, and an online media program will bring our cultural heritage to an international audience

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Go with the flow: tracing ancient groundwater pathways to discover copper. The green energy transition requires significant amounts of copper, yet no major copper discoveries have been made in recent decades. This project aims to discover potential new regions of sediment-hosted copper deposits by developing novel continent-scale groundwater models which track the transport of mobile copper through the subsurface. These deposits require less energy to mine and produce less waste than conventional copper deposits. Expected outcomes of this project include new models of copper transport within the Stuart Shelf, South Australia. This will improve the understanding of groundwater flow rates and timescales required for copper formation with significant impacts for resource potential to power the energy transition. Field of research: 3704 - Geoinformatics The demand for copper is expected to double to 50 million tonnes by 2035 as the world transitions towards renewable energy. The impending socio-economic problem is that there are insufficient copper resources to meet the projected demand, driven by government mandates for net-zero emissions by 2050. In the absence of any major copper discoveries in the last few decades, this project aims to develop novel exploration techniques to uncover new copper sources. Groundwater plays a fundamental role in redistributing copper within the landscape and concentrating it into mineral deposits. Through long-term interaction with the water table, these “supergene” deposits require less energy to mine and produce less waste than most conventional copper deposits. This project will combine my expertise in continent-scale groundwater modelling with BHP’s expertise in copper exploration to create the first models of copper mobility and secondary concentration within the sedimentary cover of the Stuart Shelf, South Australia. This project addresses a critical gap for the exploration of copper and aligns with National Research Priority 6 "Resources" as well as the Australian government’s Modern Manufacturing Priority in “Resources Technology & Critical Minerals Processing”. This project fills a critical knowledge gap for BHP and the wider scientific community on the timescales and flow rates required for the concentration of critical metals, with significant impacts for decarbonisation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2024 · 2024-01

Assessing climatic constraints on a biological control agent with genomics. This project aims to investigate the capacity of a native subtropical parasitoid wasp, Diachasmimorpha kraussii, to act as a biological control agent of Queensland fruit fly in different climatic areas. This project is expected to generate new knowledge on climatic adaptation in D. kraussii from genomic data, informing the use of this agent for managing Queensland fruit fly in temperate regions of Australia. This project aims to use D. krausii as a model to develop a transformative genomics framework for sourcing, releasing, and monitoring biological control agents. This project will contribute to safeguarding Australia’s horticulture industry by supporting sustainable and eco-friendly pest management. Field of research: 4103 - Environmental Biotechnology This project addresses the critical need for biological control of Queensland fruit fly, a major threat to Australia’s $15 billion horticultural sector through the damage they inflict on fruit yields. In partnership with Agriculture Victoria Research (AgVic) this project will investigate the capacity of a native parasitic wasp to control Queensland fruit fly in different climatic areas across Australia. This work will develop a framework for biological control that integrates genomics, predictive modelling, and experimental data. This framework will directly inform strategies on Queensland fruit fly management and will be translatable to other biological control programs. This research aligns with national interests by generating fundamental data to plan and execute more efficient biological control of a devastating pest, using genomics. Economic and commercial benefits include potential reduction in Queensland fruit fly damage in Australia. Greater research into biological control of Queensland fruit fly will benefit the environment by reducing chemical use in agriculture. Socially, this project will help contribute to safeguarding Australia’s fruit production, which affects food supply chains and farmers’ livelihoods. I will work with AgVic to disseminate the outcomes of this work at industry events and grower meetings. We will also share our findings with commercial biological control companies to assist the development of commercial strains for use in agriculture.