UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Safe Repeated Data Use and Model Release for Exploratory Data Science. This project aims to develop new methods for repeated use of datasets and release of models trained on sensitive data. To achieve these aims, this project will develop efficient random samplers for estimating sensitivity of learning systems to data perturbation. This project expects to address the crisis of poor reproducibility and overfitting by repeated use of data sets in machine learning. Expected outcomes of this project include new methods and safety guarantees for repeated selection, training, evaluation, tuning and release of machine learners on fixed data sets. This should provide significant practical approaches for Australian industry to reuse valuable data and release privacy sensitive insights in data science pipelines. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Artificial intelligence is transforming industries. A crisis is looming, however, in which the scale and flexibility of modern machine learning has two unintended consequences. First, repeat data analysis, or reusing a single dataset, risks becoming a process of data dredging where conclusions lose all validity and overfitting is rife. Second, the release of raw data or models trained on sensitive data can lead to breaches of individual privacy. Safe data reuse and data sharing are critical to Australia's future, as recognised by Australia’s AI Ethics Framework and new Data Availability and Transparency legislation. This project aims to deliver step-change progress in these two grand-challenges, through a unified methodology of stabilising machine learning algorithms using a new privacy-enhancing technology called differential privacy employed internationally by the likes of Google, Apple and the US Census. Well aligned with cybersecurity, this project is expected to facilitate trust in modern data analysis and data sharing for Australia’s benefit through balancing guaranteed privacy with strong utility.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Molecular switches and genetic consequences of grain retention in cereals. Grain retention at maturity was key for crop domestication and laid the basis for farming. Wheat and barley have evolved a novel mechanism for ensuring grain retention and, although the genes are known, the mechanisms for action are not. Grain dispersal in the wild relatives involves highly targeted changes in the walls of a small number of cells. This project will explore how the two identified genes control this process and clarify their mode of action. The genes ensuring grain retention have been so critical for domestication that the region surrounding them has become genetically fixed. The project will assess the implication of fixation on genetic diversity and develop options to bring novel variation into breeding programs. Field of research: 0607 - Plant Biology For a cereal crop to be viable the seed must remain on the body of the plant until harvest. Understanding the mechanism of seed retention is important for facilitating the utilisation of variation present in the wild relatives of our crops and in the future domestication of new cereal crops. The project’s outcome will support the ability of breeders to access the vast genetic diversity available in germplasm collections to produce improved, resilient crops in relatively short timeframes. Improved use of genetic diversity offers options to improve human health and food security by addressing climate change mitigation and enhanced crop production. This project will explore innovative areas of crop development that will be particularly relevant to Australia. Successful completion of this work will engender a paradigm shift in the domestication of existing and new grain species to increase genetic diversity in Australian breeding programs and help support future food security in the current era of climate uncertainty.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

A novel axis of cooperation between innate and adaptive immunity. The project aims to understand how two molecular components of the immune system, Complement and MHC, cooperate to protect the host. Further, these two molecules mediate trogocytosis, a little-studied form of intercellular communication, between two major immune cell types: dendritic cells and B cells. The project will be multidisciplinary, applying high-end microscopy, biochemistry, cell biology and immunology techniques. Personnel will be trained in cutting-edge techniques. The project will expand knowledge on basic immunology and cell-cell cooperation. It will generate intellectual property for the biotechnology sector to develop new commercial products that might improve the health of humans and also animals of economic importance. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology This project will study two specific proteins involved in immune defence and how they cooperate to protect the host from infection by triggering a little-studied type of cellular communication. This project will lead to new intellectual property that will afford opportunities for the development of new commercial products by Australian biotechnology companies, which will in turn result in local job opportunities and contributions to the national economy. The envisaged products will have applications in both veterinary and human health services, leading to increased productivity. New technology developed throughout the project and high-level training will also increase the competitiveness of the strategic biotechnology sector in Australia and raise the skills and competitiveness. Altogether, the project will contribute to increase the robustness of the Australian economy and the self-reliance of its biotechnology, farming and health sectors.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

A new platform technology for gene therapy . The project aims to make a landmark contribution to biological science by enabling programmed delivery of therapeutic payloads from biocompatible materials. It will employ a novel synthetic biology approach to form two distinct peptide-enabled molecular architectures in a single system. This is expected to deliver a platform technology that will allow successful programmed delivery of viral vectors. The project is likely to deliver significant societal benefit as a fundamental scientific platform, improving Australia's capacity and impact in the agriculture and the healthcare sectors. The platform technology has the potential to increase the quality of life for patients and their carers, while also produce fitter, healthier livestock. Field of research: 0304 - Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry Australia’s livestock industry faces significant climate variability, drought, increased competition, and resource scarcity. How Australia supports the sector to respond to these challenges will determine the industry’s future prosperity. New gene therapy technologies, which allow defective genes to be replaced by superior ones, have been shown to improve animal health and hold the potential to transform the sector’s ability to respond to climate, resource and market challenges. While gene therapy holds enormous potential for the sector, solutions to its current limitations are needed – particularly in cost, precision, and efficacy. This project will engineer programmable materials to improve gene therapy’s overall efficacy by allowing precise control over the location and timing of genetic material delivery. It will produce a robust and efficient platform technology for the livestock industry. By accessing and exploiting these advanced engineering technological capabilities, the research will be of widespread benefit to the Australian agricultural sector and its future market sustainability and growth.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Modelling dynamics in spatial ecology. This project addresses how birth, death and movement drive patterns of plants and animals in space and time. We aim to apply and extend dynamical statistical models grounded in theory. Dynamical models are needed for us to understand how species and ecological communities respond to environmental change and disturbance including bushfires, climate change and extremes and species invasion. Using data from forest plots and animal movement, we aim to understand influences on individuals and species, and how to use that to generate robust predictions. The project is expected to produce statistical models and software for use by ecologists. This should help predict, and manage, ecological impacts of environmental change and disturbances. Field of research: 0502 - Environmental Science and Management In this project, we provide statistical models that help explain and predict how ecological dynamics affect species occurrence in space and time. The prediction of species' response to adverse climatic events is expected to help Australian managers in national forestry production. More broadly, we would help individuals mitigate the negative economic impacts of bushfires, deforestation, eutrophication and climate change. Indeed, we would first help quantify the impacts, and we could in addition highlight ecological communities that are more resilient. The enhanced understanding of the dynamics of ecological communities has in itself an important environmental benefit that is in Australia's national interest. For example, our proposal would help better understand the consequences of the invasion of a species into a suitable environment, coinciding with Australia's interest in preserving its native ecosystem. Finally, our research project is expected to contribute to understanding how a mixed human-natural system can be better sustained in the long run, thereby ensuring stable and resilient economic growth.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Functional identification of vaccine targets in pathogenic mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas are important bacterial pathogens in domestic animals that are incompletely controlled by current vaccines. As a result current control measures for the diseases they cause rely on ongoing treatment with antibiotics. This project will aim to use functional genomics and metabolomics to determine the function of specific surface proteins of a model mycoplasma to identify targets for novel approaches to vaccines against these pathogens, and to then assess the potential for inclusion of these proteins in vaccines. Ultimately this will lead to improved vaccines against these important pathogens, improving agricultural productivity and reducing the use of antibiotics in intensively raised livestock. Field of research: 0707 - Veterinary Sciences The aim of this project is to generate better vaccines against infectious diseases caused by a group of pathogenic bacteria in livestock that are predominantly controlled using antibiotic treatment. These vaccines will be able to replace antibiotic therapy as the main measure for disease control, leading to better animal health and welfare, and increased agricultural productivity. Improved control of these bacterial diseases will also result in decreased use of antibiotics in animal production, with consequent environmental benefits, reflected in reduced selective pressure driving the development of resistance to antibiotics in pathogenic bacteria. Thus, the project outcomes will have a direct commercial benefits for Australian industry through creation of new intellectual property in vaccine technology, economic benefits through reduced costs in agricultural production, and social benefits to Australia through improved animal welfare, reduced selection for antibiotic resistance in the human food-chain and the environment, and increased prestige of Australian researchers.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Understanding co-activator function in transcriptional regulation. A change in gene expression underpins all cell fate decisions yet there is scant knowledge about how transcription factors (TF), the master regulators of transcription, specifically interact with some, but not all, transcription cofactors to nuance gene expression. Aims: Using innovative molecular technologies we will identify and characterise the shared and unique relationships between TF and cofactors. Significance: This study is important to every biological process in plants and animals driven by a change in gene expression. Expected Outcomes: This study will increase our biological knowledge in transcription control. Benefit: The knowledge gained has future applications in genomics and broad implications for biotechnology and industry. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics This project seeks to provide fundamental knowledge by enhancing understanding of how cells, the basic building blocks for all living organisms, make decisions at the molecular level. Every decision a cell makes is underpinned by a change in gene expression and proteins called transcription factor, which are the master regulators that orchestrate this process. This research seeks to identify the broad principles that govern the activity of transcription factors which is likely to yield new avenues for academic and ultimately economic advancement. These insights will be broadly generalisable across plants and animals and consequently the knowledge generated in this project may be leveraged by Australian industry for the economic benefit specifically via biotechnology, bioengineering and agriculture.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

How the digital remote working revolution is transforming Australian homes. This project aims to investigate how the recent rapid rise in digital remote working for many Australians is transforming homes by evaluating its diverse impacts on work practices, households and wider communities. Through world-first qualitative research, the goal of this project is to generate new knowledge of the social changes taking place using cutting-edge geographical theories of homemaking, mobilities and labour. Expected outcomes of this project include enhancing Australia’s capacity in home and mobilities research. The project should provide significant benefits to a range of stakeholders by identifying opportunities for socially-just interventions by local, state and federal governments, industry, and the community. Field of research: 1604 - Human Geography This project will help to better understand the challenges and opportunities that have arisen through the rapid increase in working from home for many Australians. It will identify how the needs of workers, households, and their wider communities has changed as a result of these work practices. The project will benefit current and potential remote worker households by providing strategies to minimise negative social impacts. It will provide industry with a greater understanding of how working from home can be accommodated to maximise wellbeing. It will provide policy makers with a better understanding of where and how investment should be targeted in urban and regional centres. We will develop a stakeholder report, policy briefs, and input to government consultations and inquiries. More broadly, the project will ensure that Australia is a world leader in understanding the social implications of this globally significant work transformation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Understanding How the Hungry Brain Regulates Metabolism. Energy homeostasis is essential for life as it ensures an adequate supply of fuel to cells of the body. This process is orchestrated by neurons in the hypothalamus of the brain. This project aims to determine the role of the extracellular matrix that surrounds hypothalamic neurons and how this regulates energy homeostasis, an area of science that is completely unexplored. This project expects to identify the composition the extracellular matrix within the hypothalamus and discover how it regulates energy homeostasis. The outcomes of this project are to provide new knowledge in understanding how the brain regulates metabolism, to promote population health & wellbeing, develop new technologies and training the next generation of researchers. Field of research: 0608 - Zoology Cells in the body must receive an adequate supply of nutrients to ensure survival. This process is termed, energy balance and is orchestrated by neuronal circuits within the brain. Unfortunately, there is a knowledge gap in our basic understanding of how the brain regulates energy balance. The project aims to explore how the extracellular environment in the brain works (the substances between brain cells) and how this impacts the brains cells that coordinate metabolism. This area of science is completely unexplored and will build basic knowledge of a fundamental biological process essential for life. Outcomes from this research include knowledge gain, promotion of population health and wellbeing, training of Australians in cutting-edge research, enhancing Australia’s international research standing and provide potential economic benefits through knowledge & health gains and biotechnology opportunities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Sensing and Communications for Tactical Radio: Mapping the RF Weather. This project investigates sensing, localisation and communication strategies to improve the performance of modern tactical radio networks. Such networks face all of the well-known design challenges of mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) but with added complication of a contested and adversarial operating environment. By exploiting the power of radio nodes to sense the radio spectrum, as well as to communicate over it, a distributed network of nodes can create a detailed picture of the surrounding radio-frequency (RF) environment: the nodes can work together to map the “RF weather”. In this project we will design advanced sensing and localisation methods to accurately map the RF spectrum, and then exploit this map in communication system design. Field of research: 1005 - Communications Technologies Australia’s Tech Future sets out to deliver a strong, safe and inclusive digital economy. At the same time, Australian Defence Forces are developing battlefield communications system that will improve interoperability with systems from other countries during coalition operations. With respect to their network topological behaviours and connectivity attributes, such mobile battlefield networks have distinctive characteristics and vulnerable users when compared with generic mobile ad-hoc networks. Australian Defence Force’s tactical communications systems thus require key technology and regulatory reforms in telecommunications, and network infrastructure that supports an advancing digital safety. This project aims to advance the development of smart software-defined networks providing a secure and efficient wireless communication strategies for tactical networks, even between different data types during electronic-warfare (EW) attacks.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Synthesis of enriched silicon for long-lived donor quantum states. We have discovered a method to make silicon highly enriched in the desirable spin-zero isotope using readily available ion implantation tools. This “semiconductor vacuum” is essential for building future quantum computer devices using the quantum spin of millions of implanted atoms with revolutionary capabilities. We have demonstrated long-lived implanted donor atom quantum states in prototype material, made possible by the depletion of background spins in natural silicon and now aim to push the enrichment to greater extremes. We will integrate the extreme material into functional devices that use electrically detected electron spin resonance to probe exceptionally durable quantum states and open a near-term pathway to large-scale devices. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics New quantum technologies promise to have a significant social impact. For example, quantum computers will solve problems that are inaccessible to traditional computing, benefiting sectors of society, from drug design to finance. Australian researchers have been leaders in this technology, with centres established in Australian universities and associated commercial operations. This research is critically dependent on enriched silicon provided from overseas. The enrichment technique we have discovered uses standard tools found in university laboratories and has the potential to provide researchers ready access to enriched silicon for developing new quantum technologies. We have protected our innovation with a patent that could bring economic benefits to Australia if our method becomes the best pathway to the construction of large-scale quantum devices in enriched silicon. The project provides a pathway to increase linkages with industries that are commercializing quantum technologies and aligns with the National Innovation Agenda.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

A systems materials engineering strategy for hybrid ion capacitors. This project aims to develop a data science-driven approach to allow the use of materials systems engineering strategy to quantify the cell-level design of electrochemical energy storage devices such as hybrid ion capacitors. The intended outcomes of this project include new dynamic equivalent circuit models and a new quantitative approach to make the electrodes pairing predictable and realise their optimal design against the needs of the specific applications. It will also demonstrate a combined strategy of data science and discipline-specific experiments and theories to advance the emerging field of materials systems engineering. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering High-performance batteries include electrochemical energy storage devices, such as hybrid ion capacitors (HICs). These devices are critical for many industries and key initiatives, such as renewable energy adoption or energy storage in remote communities. Yet, advancement in their engineering design is hindered by an inability to investigate individual components, both systematically and under dynamic conditions. This project will improve the optimal design of HICs, against the needs of the specific applications to improve the engineering knowledge and design of energy storage devices. The intellectual properties generated by the project will enhance Australia’s research capacity and global competitiveness in this rapidly evolving field. With broad applications for HICs in transport, wearable electronics, sustainable mining and defence technologies, the project will benefit Australia economically, environmentally and socially. In addition, manufacturing high performance batteries in Australia will help grow Australia’s knowledge-based advanced manufacturing industry into the future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Understanding the diverse biology of CD4+ T cell resident memory. This project aims to examine the biology of CD4 T cell memory in tissues. The previously unappreciated complexity of the CD4 T cell resident memory compartment in the liver will be characterised, focusing on the generation, maintenance and diversity of functions of these cells. Expected outcomes include the generation of fundamental knowledge in the disciplines of cellular biology and immunology, and unique, highly specialised student and personnel training through the interdisciplinary approach utilised, which spans cellular biology, live-imaging and transcriptomic analyses. Expected benefits include influential publications and the import of a novel, specialised technique to Australia through an international collaboration (Germany) Field of research: 1107 - Immunology This project will define the varied biology and functions of a particular type of immune cell critical to the capacity of the immune system to respond rapidly to previous infections. Study of these cells (tissue-resident CD4+ memory T cells) will critically expand fundamental knowledge of cellular biology and immunology, contributing to Australia’s world leadership in immunological and biological research. Identifying elements that promote formation of these cells will create national benefits and opportunities for future development of commercially valuable products for the improvement of human and animal health by the biotechnology sector in Australia. Use of cutting-edge techniques will provide specialised training of students, enhancing the competitiveness of the next generation of Australian scientists. An international collaboration with the PI in Germany will result in the import of a novel research technique to Australia that is applicable to multiple research fields, further enriching student training through exposure to international laboratories

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Journals in Theory: Practices of Academic Judgment. This project aims to examine the way key journals transformed the discipline of literary studies from 1946 to now. It expects to generate new knowledge of how editorial practices of academic judgement institutionalised and legitimated new modes of reading, thinking and writing. Based on archival research on journals including Critical Inquiry, Tel Quel and The Australian Journal of Cultural Studies, the project's outcomes will show how, in bringing together new intellectual passions, governance structures and imagined readerships, journals bestowed on criticism its current working definition. Expected benefits include a better account of the relationship between conceptual innovation and institutional mechanisms for research integrity. Field of research: 2005 - Literary Studies The project examines the emergence of new models of best practice in academic publishing through a study of the editorial practices of influential literary journals from 1946 to the present day. These findings will provide new historical perspectives on approaches to evaluating research quality and impact and improved understanding of the ways in which effective institutional structures have contributed to critical excellence and knowledge production. It will also document Australia’s role at the forefront of the historical development of literary theory and methodology. In these ways it identifies and advances critical improvements to Australia’s research infrastructure and associated platforms that support conceptual innovation. It provides cultural and national benefits that include determining policy refinements for supporting Australia’s systems of disciplinary research; strengthening Australia’s access to leading forums of intellectual judgement and evaluation; and fostering new research capability in advanced study in the humanities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Is climate change altering the carrying capacity of the world’s forests? Planting trees at a global scale has been proposed as a key strategy to reduce global atmospheric CO2 levels. However, changing climatic conditions threaten the ability of forests to be net CO2 absorbers. In a warmer and drier future, forests may not be able to support as many trees. This project aims to identify how climate will alter forest carrying capacity across millions of hectares of the world’s forests. By combining recent advances in forest modelling with large-scale and long-term forest inventory data, the project will develop a novel framework to forecast forest dynamics under climate change. It will provide specific guidelines to inform global reforestation strategies and foster climate-smart forest management. Field of research: 0501 - Ecological Applications This project will generate actionable science to inform the management of tens of millions of hectares of forests around the world and provide specific guidelines for adapting these forests to a changing climate. It will identify combinations of species, regions, and management scenarios that promote forest resilience and reduce the impacts of climate change. This project will provide critical advice on climate-smart strategies for managing the ~5 million ha of forests in southeastern Australia recently impacted by bushfires. It will identify management prescriptions that can reduce the risk of excessive climate-induced mortality in established forests and guide regional and global reforestation projects. This project strongly aligns with the Australian Government’s Environmental Change Research Priority, which seeks innovative approaches for responding and adapting our ecosystems to environmental change. It will provide specific, implementable recommendations to landowners (public and private) and policy makers that will benefit our forests and our society.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

The physics and biology of hearing in larval fish. Using the zebrafish model and an array of cutting-edge biophysics and neuroscience tools, this project aims to provide the first complete map of a functioning auditory system. This is significant because it has previously been impossible to study the brain at the levels of single cells, circuits, and brain-wide networks simultaneously. Expected outcomes include detailed descriptions of information flow through a simple brain and the ways that brain cells and circuits communicate to process information. Benefits include knowledge gained about sensory systems in nature, future biomimetic approaches for information processing, and the training of the next generation of Australian researchers in cutting edge optical physics and neuroscience. Field of research: 0608 - Zoology The outcomes from this work will have three major benefits for Australia. The first is in the basic discoveries that it will provide about brain function. Discovering the circuit-level mechanisms of hearing will benefit fields as diverse as behavioural ecology and medicine. The second is in technology development. The CIs have been central to the development of new technologies in behavioural analysis, microscopy, neuroinformatics, and optical physics, and the current proposal aims to merge these new technologies in a novel way that will allow important biological questions to be addressed for the first time. Finally, this technically challenging work will be an excellent training ground for young researchers who are developing their skills in optical engineering, computer programming, big data analysis, and other fields that will be in great demand in the future.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Modularised cultural heritage archives – future-proofing PARADISEC. This project will build an innovative modularised infrastructure to implement standards of data governance for cultural heritage records. This new infrastructure aims to build on the award-winning Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures collection and to capitalise on new technologies for metadata harvesting, temporal mapping, crowdsourced metadata, and automated transcription. The project expects to promote national and international research collaboration with Australian archiving communities and to build capacity in Pacific cultural institutions. The project will benefit research data communities across the sector as well as community custodians of cultural heritage collections. Field of research: 2099 - Other Language, Communication and Culture The material held in PARADISEC is uniquely Australian, either because it is a record of Australian cultural performance, or because it is made by Australian researchers. A large part of the collection (of 120 terabytes) is audio recordings from the Pacific region and enhances Australia's standing by looking after and making available recordings made in the past. We have safeguarded this cultural heritage for 18 years and developed relationships of trust with agencies in the Pacific. The current infrastructure is at the end of its life so there is an urgent need to update this internationally recognised project and to ensure it continues to ingest new material, and to make that material accessible. This will allow better access for both research purposes and community interest in their heritage languages. We are leading an international effort to create a modern set of metadata terms for collections like ours in the Open Language Archives Community (OLAC) , and to build a harvester to aggregate that metadata into a single service, showing that we are world leaders and partners in international initiatives.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

A geotechnical centrifuge to underpin Australia's energy and construction. This proposal aims to establish a geotechnical centrifuge capable of spinning soils and scale-models at up to 130 times Earth’s gravitational acceleration to recreate in-situ stress conditions. The 4 m diameter centrifuge will allow modelling of large geotechnical infrastructure in challenging environments, such as offshore wind foundations and tunnels, where full scale tests are prohibitive. The facility will afford Australia’s leading geotechnical engineering groups with essential physical modelling capability. This will facilitate safe, innovative and economic engineering solutions to unlock new energy resources and construct the $250 billion of planned infrastructure to support Australia's fast-growing cities in the coming decade. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering Australia is expected to spend over $250 billion in civil engineering infrastructure in the coming decade, the vast majority located on challenging ground conditions. Full scale tests of these infrastructures are prohibitive, and the proposed geotechnical centrifuge facility is required to test scaled models under realistic loading conditions. This will be achieved by spinning intricately prepared soil samples and scaled models at accelerations up to 130 times that of Earth’s gravity. The new centrifuge will provide innovative engineering solutions to meet Australia’s geotechnical construction challenges, including offshore energy foundations built in extreme environment and rails and roads on ultra-soft soils. This will provide essential reliable and economic design for the energy and construction industries to build critical infrastructure for fast growing cities in Australia. The project will produce high quality engineers trained on next generation equipment, and keep Australia at the forefront of geotechnical engineering research and construction.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

An autonomous sea state monitoring system for Australia's research fleet. The project will deliver an innovative shipborne multi-camera infrastructure for autonomous monitoring of physical, thermodynamical and biogeochemical properties of the ocean surface. The infrastructure will empower systematic measurements of the remote and under-sampled Southern Ocean, including properties that are currently not monitored or rely on visual observations only. Unprecedented databases of ocean waves, surface currents, surface temperature, sea ice characteristics and biological properties are expected, which will support development of superior model capabilities to represent interactive processes, advancements of climate models and domestic and international responses to climate change. Field of research: 0911 - Maritime Engineering Australia’s climate is vulnerable to changes in the Southern Ocean. Earth System models are our sole means of predicting the future climate and informing mitigation and adaption policies. Advances in understanding the complex Southern Ocean system, including the key physics coupling the atmosphere, sea ice and ocean, are critical for more accurate model predictions. The project will be a multi-institutional collaboration to fill key technological gaps in observing the atmosphere–sea ice–ocean interface, delivering innovative measuring equipment for the flagships of Australia's research fleet. The infrastructure comprises a cluster of imaging sensors that scan the ocean surface from the visible to the infrared range of the light spectrum to acquire unprecedented data of physical, thermal and biological processes. It will be foundational for the next generation of climate models.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

X-LAB beamline: accelerating applied research with tunable electron beams. This project aims to realise the first ultra-compact particle accelerator in Australia by adding a beamline and user end-station to the X-LAB. The aim is to transform technology which originated for particle physics into a facility producing tailored electron beams for both proof-of-principle high-tech applications and research. Applications range from physics to biology and from industrial processing to cultural heritage. This cutting-edge technology is 5-8 times smaller than existing systems, so the project aims to catalyse research which could transform societal applications, leading long-term to smaller, lighter accelerators for use in high-tech factories, hospitals, ports and mining sites, comprising a market worth $6.4B per year. Field of research: 0299 - Other Physical Sciences Australians benefit every day from particle accelerators: from security scanning systems at ports, materials modification in factories, radiotherapy systems in hospitals to analysis of artworks for cultural heritage. Innovative breakthroughs in particle accelerators and their end-use applications are essential to Australia's advancement as a knowledge economy, its future health and industrial competitiveness. Accelerators comprise a market estimated at ~$6.5 Billion/year and growing at ~4% per year. Until now, Australia has lacked the capacity to develop novel accelerators for end-user research to deliver innovative breakthroughs for societal benefit, because this research required travel abroad to relevant infrastructure. With this project we aim to establish a unique electron beamline to transform Australia’s innovation potential in the design and use of next-generation particle accelerator technology, enabling breakthroughs in biology, medical technology and other industries. This infrastructure underpins research programmes at leading Australian universities as well as existing industry partners.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

MATRIX: enhancing access to global research in the mathematical sciences. This project aims to improve access to MATRIX, a comprehensive national residential research facility that enables access to world leading researchers in the mathematical sciences. MATRIX advances knowledge by facilitating exceptionally creative and impactful research through immersive residential research programs, which are selected on international excellence and impact criteria. This application requests new technology to enhance remote collaboration opportunities, and a subscription co-contribution to improve coordinated access for Australian based researchers. This project will contribute to the transformation of international and economic impact of Australian based research in the mathematical sciences. Field of research: 0102 - Applied Mathematics Modern economic activity is strongly underpinned by mathematics and statistics. Calculus has provided tools to measure and understand change, enabling humans to predict weather, drive cars and launch spaceships. Hyperbolic geometry was considered ivory-tower and abstract, but is now used to enable space travel and correct for relativistic effects in GPS tracking. More recently, linear algebra allowed Google’s PageRank algorithm to outperform all other search engines. Today, cyber-security is enabled through highly advanced number theory, partial differential equations are used to enhance decision-making in health care, and statistics underpins all advances in AI and machine learning. Enhanced access to research performed at the MATRIX infrastructure is vital to benefit from new global developments in the mathematical sciences and ensure adequate domestic STEM capability and preparedness for the future economy. Through its global reach, MATRIX has a unique window of opportunity to firmly establish Australia as a leader in the mathematical sciences and STEM more generally in the Asia-Pacific region.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

A facility to produce and quantify accelerated flow mixing at high fidelity. The Rayleigh-Taylor Mixing Facility will produce data needed to advance technologies allied to the instabilities and mixing that occur when a lighter fluid is accelerated into a heavier fluid. Its design integrates a host of existing high-resolution measurement technologies, allowing for the acquisition of globally unique data sets. Expected outcomes include the missing capacity to study problems having relevance to applications in geophysics, atmospheric dynamics, thin film deposition, combustion and inertial confinement fusion. Benefit derives from preemptively capturing a world-leading capacity for technology development via theory guided generation of unique data sets that advance design and prediction in the noted applications. Field of research: 0915 - Interdisciplinary Engineering A number of important scientific questions and existing and emergent technologies are associated with the acceleration of a lighter fluid into a heavier fluid. In this regard, the proposed Rayleigh-Taylor Mixing Facility (RTMF) will provide the unprecedented precision control and measurement capabilities needed to advance the associated technologies beyond their current state. Rayleigh-Taylor instability and mixing are phenomena intrinsic to a host of geophysical, environmental and industrial processes, as well as a number of defense-related technologies -- either existing or currently under development. Because of its unique capabilities the RTMF seizes upon an unmet technological need, and by doing so provides the opportunity to elevate Australia to an international leadership role in this important area of fluid dynamics, and thus in the associated scientific issues and technologies as well.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Community Publishing in Regional Australia. This project aims to find new ways to support the increasing number of regional Australians, including regional Indigenous Australians, who use digital technologies to write and publish their own books. This project expects to create advanced knowledge of these community practices and their cultural and economic significance, shifting questions about the future of the book from multinational firms to regional communities. Expected outcomes include toolkits to provide access and skills development for regional Australians, and market knowledge for industry. This should provide significant benefits including market development to ensure the Australian book industry’s sustainability and new methods to advance regional Australia’s culture. Field of research: 2005 - Literary Studies The Australian publishing industry, worth $1.9bn, is going through a period of immense disruption due to digital technology. New opportunities also exist for stakeholders outside the usual publishing centres of Sydney and Melbourne to create and distribute books, including regional publishing initiatives such as local histories, creative anthologies and children's books. The project will support the dissemination of the latest publishing tools and knowledge and employ a community-focused and grassroots approach to facilitate their adoption by regional creative groups, including Indigenous Australian groups. National benefits include improved access to and knowledge of publishing services that will better enable regional Australians to catalyse their significant creative energy into cultural and economic outcomes, such as preserving cultural memory and local storytelling traditions, and developing new income streams. These initiatives have the potential to inform the development of future pathways for the Australian publishing industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Making a life with less: youth underemployment over the life course. This project aims to investigate the experiences and impacts of underemployment on young people. Using high-quality longitudinal data and qualitative interviews, this project expects to generate new, foundational knowledge about the employment pathways young people take following underemployment and the strategies they use to mitigate its effects. In doing so, this project aims to reveal the impacts underemployment has on young people’s lives within and outside work, including their relationships, family formation and well-being. This much-needed research aims to provide significant benefits for policymakers and service providers that improve the lives of young people. Field of research: 1608 - Sociology This project contributes to new knowledge that can help better understand the impact of underemployment on young people and their futures. In taking a multi-dimensional view of youth underemployment that views it beyond just working less but also earning less and using less one own skills, education and experience in their currently employment, this project addresses issues that are critical to employment and economic policies. Mapping young people’s pathways in the labour market following underemployment will provide better insights into how best policymakers and service providers can ensure that young people prosper. Further, identifying the strategies young people themselves take following underemployment will shed further light on creating targeted policy interventions that can succeed. This project will also examine the impact of underemployment beyond work and its effects on relationships, family formation and well-being will also tell us critical parts of the story that are often left out, but give greater insights into the experiences of underemployment and how best to address it.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Impact of seaweed polyphenols on gut health: Gut microbiome modulation. This project aims to understand the true impact of seaweed polyphenols on the gut microbiome and develop methods to improve their bioavailability, bioaccessibility and bioactivities in the gut. The project's use of cutting-edge analytical tools helps to investigate the movement and absorption of phenolic compounds across the gut. This project expects to explore new knowledge in the area of marine-based functional foods and their health benefits using an innovative interdisciplinary approach. The success of this project will ultimately provide a new pathway for the development of functional foods that will help to improve the health status of Australians by consuming healthy food ingredients. Field of research: 0908 - Food Sciences The proposed research will provide very comprehensive information about the impact of seaweed polyphenols on the gut microbiome and promote the importance of Australian functional or healthy foods. Australia is well-placed to be the key global marine-derived functional foods and nutraceutical hub over the coming decades. Australian ‘health and wellness’ products including functional foods and supplements, along with more sustainable products such as seaweed-derived bioactive compounds and alternative plant-based proteins etc. will become an AU$25 billion market by 2030. The new knowledge generated in this proposal will undoubtedly contribute to the "Australian Functional Food and Nutraceutical Market" and assist in the development and commercialisation of marine-based functional foods. My proposed project will also increase the success rate of clinical trials, which costs Australia more than $1.1 billion annually. The outcome of the project will provide opportunities for further research avenues and contribute to the international competitiveness of Australia’s research standing.