University of Technology Sydney

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Efficient prediction of flow-induced noise for marine vessels. This project aims to develop efficient and novel numerical methods in hydroacoustics for comparative studies of design modifications and operating conditions on noise generated by turbulent flow around marine vessels. Flow induced noise generated by marine vessels presents unique challenges for noise prediction methods which often results in vessels that do not meet their design specifications. The expected outcome is to provide efficient numerical capabilities that can play a role towards the design of quieter marine vessels to increase the stealth of Australia’s navy. This project will provide significant benefit to Australia’s maritime platforms and future submarine program. Environmental benefits include a reduction of anthropogenic underwater noise pollution from marine vessels, which is critical for the welfare of marine life. Field of research: 0913 - Mechanical Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Characterisation of amorphous metal materials. This project aims to develop in-depth understanding of magnetisation mechanisms and accurate characterisation of amorphous metal materials for effectively designing advanced transformers. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of property understanding and modelling of advanced soft magnetic materials through extensive theoretical and experimental studies on material samples and transformer prototypes. The intended outcome is high-frequency high-power-density transformers, which are crucial in many distributed renewable energy systems. The project would significantly benefit Australian manufacturing industry at the high-end market. Field of research: 0906 - Electrical and Electronic Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Atomic layer nanofabrication system for multi-functional applications. This project aims to establish a multifunctional atomic layer nanofabrication facility in Sydney with the capacity to provide services nation-wide. The facility has powerful capabilities to produce mono-atom thin films, nanosize powders and two-dimensional nanostructures of a variety of materials, including elemental metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal sulfides, metal-metal compounds, and polymers. This will significantly enhance Australian research and industrial activities in the areas of renewable energy production and storage, microelectronics, chemical and bio-sensors, protective coatings, flexible electronic devices, and catalysis. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

National facility for nanoscale characterisation of luminescent materials. The project aims to establish a national facility for nanoscale characterisation of advanced optoelectronic materials, including atomically-thin materials, luminescent nanocrystals, metamaterials, and plasmonic nanostructures. The combination of a highly focused electron beam, and novel light detection optics, will enable temperature-dependent, angle, polarisation and time-resolved luminescence analysis with unprecedented resolution. It is expected this will yield discoveries in nanoscale physics and materials science. It will create interdisciplinary collaborations by linking Australian scientists who use high-resolution multimodal characterisation methods to innovate and develop materials and device technologies. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Quantitative risk assessment of unsaturated soil slopes. This project aims to develop a novel quantitative risk assessment tool for slope failures or landslides by integrating cutting-edge methods in statistics, unsaturated soil mechanics and large deformation mechanics. The project will quantify various uncertainties in risk analysis of a landslide, rationally estimate its consequences, and improve understanding of its failure mechanisms. Expected outcomes include a reduction of societal and economic costs due to landslides, achieved through better engineering guidelines and government regulations for landslide risk management. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Optical tweezers for bio-nanotechnologies. This project aims to develop a platform of diamond nanosensors and novel optical tweezers for probing cellular processes with single-molecule resolution, in vivo and over physiologically relevant time scales. In biomedicine, long-term imaging of single-molecules is beyond reach with existing bio-labels. The project combines the superior properties of nanodiamond biomarkers (brightness, stability, small size and non-toxicity), with new optical tweezers which exploit laser trapping of atoms to manipulate nanodiamonds in three-dimensional biological environments. By accessing smaller size and higher force regimes, the platform will improve bio-imaging and bio-manipulation techniques, and potentially advance pathogentracking and early detection of diseases. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Bringing Indigenous voices into judicial decision-making. This project aims to show how judgments can be written so as to be inclusive of Indigenous people's voices and histories. This project will extend methodologies created by international scholars for correcting the absence of women’s voices, and produce the missing Indigenous judgment in twenty decisions of Australian superior courts. The gulf between judge-made law and the lived experience of Indigenous litigants will also be explored through an in-depth examination of four test case exemplars. This project’s benefits include building a new relationship between Australian judges and Indigenous people and contributing to Australia's jurisprudence on Indigenous people and the law. Field of research: 1801 - Law

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Rethinking institutional culpability: criminal law, philosophy and horror. This project aims to reconceptualise institutional culpability, examining what systemic failure occurs when public enquiries that detail harms inflicted rarely result in criminal prosecutions or sanctions. It addresses the pressing need to provide practical insight into legislative responses (or the lack thereof) to corporate harms. This project is expected to have national and international benefits in terms of both practical law reform and theoretical constructions of culpability. Field of research: 1801 - Law

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Enhancing information credibility using mathematical prediction. The aim of this project is to develop theory, techniques, mathematical tools and practical algorithms for rumor detection and forecast in social media to enhance credibility of news, especially in time-sensitive situations and trending events. This project will significantly advance human knowledge of rumor formation, detection, and forecast, which will enable timely and efficient counter attacks. The outcomes from this project will offer a reliable information environment for our society. Field of research: 0803 - Computer Software

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Developing an Arab culture of investigative journalism. This project aims to critically evaluate the extent to which an Arab culture of investigative journalism could be established. Investigative journalism has critical importance to the enhancement of independent media systems, especially in restrictive media environments. Understanding that investigative journalism training and practice should lead to transparent and representative political systems, this project examines whether Western frameworks are suitable for conceptualising non-Western investigative journalism cultures. It will develop a theoretical model for investigative journalism specific to the Arab world. Field of research: 2001 - Communication and Media Studies

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Novel Babesia proteins and their roles in the pathogenesis of tick fever. This project aims at gaining a deep understanding of the biology of Babesia parasites and how they cause tick fever in cattle. The project expects to discover novel parasite proteins involved in the development and persistence of tick fever and identify their functional role in infection. The main expected outcome is the discovery of parasite proteins that are critical for infection and pathogenesis of cattle tick fever. The findings will contribute to the development of future novel vaccines to control tick fever, with significant economic benefits for the beef and dairy industries worldwide. Field of research: 0605 - Microbiology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Quantitative three-dimensional imaging of membrane proteins. This project aims to address the challenge of in-situ quantification of membrane proteins through the emerging field of antibody-imaging mass spectrometry. The project will develop new protocols for quantitative three-dimensional imaging that aim to negate histological artifacts created by freeze-thaw and cryo-sectioning. Membrane proteins are involved in numerous cellular functions and this project expects to increase our knowledge of these fundamental biological processes by providing new insights into the study of these essential biomolecules. Tracking protein heterogeneity in three-dimensions will provide significant benefits to our understanding of systems biology and will benefit numerous area, including the pharmaceutical industry. Field of research: 0301 - Analytical Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Quantum property testing-a fundamental technology for quantum big data. This project aims to develop fundamental technology for analysing the big data that arises from quantum physics and is expected to generate new knowledge in the fields of quantum information and theoretical computer science. New algorithms for verifying entanglement and estimating entropy of quantum systems are anticipated. These outcomes should significantly enhance our ability to learn information from, and about, quantum systems with immediate applications in the engineering of quantum technologies, especially for current experiments. Field of research: 0802 - Computation Theory and Mathematics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Optical wavelength conversion in nonlinear dielectric nano-resonators. This project aims to uncover new opportunities to change the colour of light on the nanoscale, taking advantage of revolutionary advances in high-precision nano-fabrication. It will bring deeper understanding of the interaction between light and matter in dielectric resonators with sizes smaller than the visible light wavelength. This is expected to open a pathway for new telecommunication and microscopy-related technologies and move towards increasing energy efficiency, scalability and security of optical communication networks of the future. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Motorway management system integrating safety, efficiency & sustainability. This project aims to develop a motorway management system that holistically optimises motorway safety, efficiency, and sustainability via intervening the traffic flow dynamics. In the current practice of motorway traffic flow management, safety, efficiency, and sustainability are fundamentally connected but separately managed as they are modeled by distinct methodologies. The new system is based on a proposed traffic flow theory which includes a microscopic model for safety analysis and a derived macroscopic model for efficiency and sustainability analysis. This theory can be used to resolve the above-mentioned long unsettled challenge and significantly improve our motorway performance. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

A socio-ecological comparison of nations making a transition to renewable energy. This project aims to use ethnography to investigate how legitimacy for renewable energy can be won or lost. The project will focus on Germany, India and Australia, regions that are undergoing ‘energy transition.’ It, conducts in-depth studies of changing socio-ecological relations, theorising through comparative analysis, and creating new data on the socio-cultural forces for emission reduction. The project will analyse what can be done to enhance the transition to renewable energy. The expected outcomes are grounded in the comparative study of regions that are making a transition to renewable power. Field of research: 1601 - Anthropology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Large-scale spatio-temporal data hashing for efficient data analytics. This project aims to systematically investigate the challenging problem of hash function learning for large-scale spatio-temporal data. The project will generate high quality hash codes for spatio-temporal data objects, enabling efficient similarity computation and thus supporting various data mining tasks and applications. The project expects to devise a series of learning frameworks by addressing the specific challenges of different types of spatio-temporal data, such as univariate and multivariate. The project will provide significant benefits to both academia and industry in massive spatio-temporal data analysing, for example traffic flow mining and optimisation, weather forecasting and financial fraud detection. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Governing the blue economy in maritime Asia-Pacific. This project aims to examine the drivers, character and effects of Blue Economy governance, a highly influential agenda intended to reconcile economic growth with ocean conservation. Analysis of Blue Economy governance in China and the Philippines seeks to reveal how this agenda is represented, contested and implemented at regional, national and local scales. Expected outcomes include new knowledge concerning the influence and impacts of maritime governance in the region. This project has the potential to inform more socially equitable and environmentally sustainable governance outcomes. Field of research: 1601 - Anthropology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Pelagic symbioses: teasing apart phytoplankton-bacteria relationships. This project aims to decode the intricate relationships between populations of phytoplankton and marine bacteria and interpret their influence on ocean productivity and chemical cycling. While oceanographers typically consider the ecology of phytoplankton and bacteria in isolation, this project suggests that the lives of these organisms are inherently entwined in symbiosis. This project is anticipated to aid in management of Australia’s valuable marine estate and the ecosystem services and food security it provides. Field of research: 0605 - Microbiology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Verification and analysis of quantum programs. This project aims to develop theoretical foundations and techniques, as well as efficient algorithms and effective tools, for the verification and analysis of quantum programs. This project will introduce new ideas and techniques to tackle the problem of verifying and analysing quantum programs and provide efficient algorithms and effective tools to help quantum program compilation and optimisation. Successful development of the outcomes and tools in this project will help Australian industries build frontier technologies for quantum software engineering and establish and preserve their competitive status in the era of quantum computing. Field of research: 0802 - Computation Theory and Mathematics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Cognitive intelligent information processing and presentation in navigation. This project aims to develop a personalised navigation system to provide effective augmented-reality (AR)-based support information, built on different navigation preference and the momentary cognitive workload of the user. This will immediately encourage users to become aware of their surroundings and continuous use will facilitate the development of navigation skills. It is expected that this research will advance scientific knowledge about individual differences in navigation ability. It will significantly enhance spatial learning and alleviate the apparent decline in navigational ability experienced across the life span, benefiting the aged population in Australia by enabling them to live longer independent lives. Field of research: 0806 - Information Systems

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Accelerating the formation of equilibrium intermetallic compounds. This project aims to develop new processing techniques to accelerate the formation of low temperature intermetallic compounds. Many exciting compounds cannot currently be used in technological applications, as they would require extremely protracted heat treatments to produce. The project will aim to determine if formation of these compounds will be accelerated if the precursor alloys are mechanically disordered so that they contain a very high density of defects. This problem will be explored by investigating the formation of prototypical materials including ferromagnetic and precious metal intermetallic compounds from disordered precursors. The project will result in improved strategies for manufacturing intermetallic compounds. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Fast approximate inference methods: new algorithms, applications and theory. This project aims to develop new algorithms and theory for fast approximate inference and lay down infrastructure to aid future extensions. Fast approximate inference methods are a principled and extensible means of fitting large and complex statistical models to big data sets. They come into their own in applications where speed is paramount and traditional approaches are not feasible. The project aims to lead to practical outcomes from better business decision-making for insurance data warehouses, to improved medical imaging technology. Field of research: 0104 - Statistics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Self-defined measures of financial performance and CEO pay. This project aims to investigate measures of financial performance used to reward executives that do not comply with accounting standards. Such measures are sometimes presented as performance measures to external stakeholders and this can have important implications for organisational governance. This project expects to generate new knowledge by identifying the way decision about performance and its measurement are linked, and the influence of external auditors in this process. The expected outcomes from this project will will include empirical evidence that significantly improves our understanding of the choices firms make in reporting to stakeholders, as well as determining executive compensation. Field of research: 1501 - Accounting, Auditing and Accountability

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Leadership diversity through relational intersectionality in Australia. This project aims to investigate leadership in contexts characterized by the complex intersection of cultural and gender differences - what is called here ‘relational intersectionality'. The expected outcomes will contribute to the development of new theory on leadership diversity, and a means through which that theory can be leveraged through leadership practice and education. The project will inform methods to better manage the increasing diversity of the Australian workforce and enable improved leadership performance. Field of research: 1503 - Business and Management