MONASH UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Quantifying the threat posed by feral cats to Australian reptiles. This project aims to provide the first quantification of the impact of feral cats on Australian reptiles, the country’s most diverse vertebrate lineage. This project expects to provide crucial missing pieces of the puzzle by adopting an innovative behavioural approach to determine how cats hunt for lizards, and how lizards respond to cat predation risk. The expected outcomes are an improved understanding of the capacity of native lizards to recognise cats as predators and respond appropriately, and a determination of the magnitude of threat that cats pose to native lizards. Importantly, our study aims to trial management strategies to mitigate the impact of cat predation on native reptiles. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology Feral cats are considered a key threatening process to Australian wildlife. Mitigating the impacts of feral cats is a core focus of Australia’s threatened species strategy. Reptiles have only recently been recognised as a significant component of feral cat diet, with at least 650 million individuals killed by cats in Australia each year (1.8 million per day). As the conservation status of Australian reptiles has significantly deteriorated in the last 25 years, research is urgently needed to quantify the threat that feral cats pose to native lizard species. This project will use field- and laboratory-based behavioural studies to determine how cats hunt lizards, how lizards respond to cat predation risk, and investigate how susceptible Australian lizards are to cat predation, and test novel ways of reducing cat impacts on lizards. In doing so, this project will address a Science and Research Priority, and trial management strategies to limit the impact of feral cats on native lizards.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Tracing the impact of urban experimentation in water and energy domains. This proposal aims to investigate how the processes of experimenting with alternative urban infrastructure systems can lead to sustainable urban transformations. Focusing on the urban water and energy sectors, this project expects to generate new cross-sector knowledge regarding the transition dynamics associated with delivering sustainable urban futures. The anticipated outcomes of examining how innovations become mainstream include, improved institutional strategies and enhanced policy and program interventions. This work expects to positively impact the value and associated outcomes of government and private investment in innovative urban infrastructures dedicated to advancing sustainable and resilient urban environments. Field of research: 1604 - Human Geography Australia is at the cusp of significant urban infrastructure transformation: with $200 billion set to be invested in revitalising key sectors including water and energy in the coming decade. At the same time there is a global and national push to delivering sustainable cities with flexible, resilient infrastructure. This demands new thinking, technologies, systems and governance practices. This research will undertake multiple case studies of innovative practices across the water and energy sectors to produce the first national evidence-base focused on best practices relevant to cross-sectoral infrastructure transformation. This new knowledge will offer significant benefit to Australian infrastructure planning, at the local, state and national level. The outcomes will directly support the improved value, and associated outcomes, of government and private investment in future innovation within Australia and internationally.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Grown not extracted: high performance plant-based polymer packaging. This project aims to develop high performance, thermoformed paper-like materials to replace petroleum-derived plastic packaging. The materials are made using mechanically broken down waste cellulose fibres, which are then formed into shapes with added barrier layers. The grant aims to control the mechanical treatment for optimum performance, engineer the shape forming process and design laminate structures to produce packaging materials, which have all the advantages of plastic packaging with none of the environmental drawbacks. The grant also aims to develop new methods to characterise these composites. The intended outcome is a new industry manufacturing renewable, biodegradable packaging in Australia. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering This project focuses on the problem of formed plastic and aluminium shapes used in food packaging, which are a major pollutant:- 50 million plastic and aluminium coffee pods are discarded every day. The fibre- based packaging that will be developed here is like paper, totally breaking down in the natural environment, but engineered to perform like plastic. There will also be significant commercial and environmental benefits in succeeding. The area of sustainable packaging is extremely dynamic, with new mandates phasing out plastic packaging in Europe. Australia has a wealth of natural resources suitable to this area (Sugar Cane bagasse, timber) and the outcomes of this research will build a “smart hub” of sustainable packaging expertise in Australia as the base for a new manufacturing industry and providing a further competitive advantage for Australian food manufacturing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Advancing cycling as an active transport mode using data driven approaches. This research program aims to provide the critical evidence that is needed to advance cycling as an active and sustainable mode of transport. Through interdisciplinary research and multi-national collaborations, the program will develop a world-leading data platform that will monitor, inform and evaluate cycling, and use this platform to provide the evidence that is needed to enhance cycling participation, safety and infrastructure. The outcomes of the research will revolutionise our ability to implement safe and connected cycling infrastructure in areas of greatest need, leading to reduced injury, greater equity and wider uptake of cycling as a mode of transport, thereby leading to substantial gains in population and environmental health. Field of research: 1205 - Urban and Regional Planning Cycling has numerous health, environmental and social benefits, through factors such as reduced traffic congestion, reduced transport emissions and by promoting an active lifestyle. How safe someone feels when riding a bicycle is the major barrier to increased participation. Providing safe and connected cycling infrastructure (such as lanes that are physically separated from traffic) is critical to overcoming this barrier. However, there is a complete absence of detailed data on where and when people cycle and where we should implement infrastructure for the greatest gain. I will develop a world-leading data platform that will combine bicycle volume data (the number of cyclists on each road in a city) with injury and crash data, and subjective measures of safety, and use these data to understand the effectiveness of cycling infrastructure and identify areas where infrastructure is needed to enhance cycling. Overall, it is anticipated that this project will lead to the provision of safe and connected cycling infrastructure, resulting in reduced injury, reduced inequities and increased cycling participation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Bridging the gap between global mechanics and regional imaging in the lungs. The detailed mechanics of breathing are not well understood, due to a lack of regional lung measurement techniques. This project aims to develop a powerful analysis tool to image in vivo mechanical properties of the lungs. The expected outcome of this project is a novel platform for investigation and understanding of lung function, enabling information previously only available for the whole lung to be calculated for local lung regions within the body. The image analysis methods developed are intended to enable respiratory researchers to investigate lung function in unprecedented detail, leading to new insights into the workings of this complicated and vital organ. Field of research: 0903 - Biomedical Engineering This project will deliver technology to allow ground-breaking insights into the workings of the lung. The powerful analysis methods and valuable knowledge generated will impact researchers, enabling a greater sophistication in lung studies and better models of the lung. Further into the future, better research tools and improved understanding of lung mechanics has the potential to provide improvements to respiratory medicine, leading to benefit for patients and clinicians through better diagnostics and treatments. This is particularly relevant in the post-pandemic era. Australia has for a long time been at the forefront of developing new technologies, and this has yielded great social, economic and cultural benefits. This project fits within this paradigm of Australian innovation, and if successful is sure to provide these downstream benefits as part of Australia's continued performance in this area.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Putting death in its place. The project aims to link 890,000 population records to place of residence from 1838 to 1930, to examine the relationships between where people live, mortality, life expectancy and health. Where people live impacts their life-course outcomes. Using novel matching techniques, the project expects to identify intergenerational changes and the spatial dynamics of inequality and social mobility. Expected outcomes include the creation of a public resource of linked data and a better understanding of long-run health and inequality. These should provide economic and social benefits by informing policy aimed at contemporary social and health challenges, enhancing our understanding of Australian history, and developing public resources. Field of research: 1402 - Applied Economics One of the most fundamental issues facing people is where, and in what circumstances they live. The focus of this research is on how this relates to mortality, and the factors that influence this through generations. Inequalities in these types of outcome are often correlated with particular geographic locations, or urban characteristics, which themselves originate from more fundamental issues such as environmental effects, and the availability of public services. These relationships are complex and are only beginning to be understood. This study, by exploring a long run history of the interplay between mortality, health and place for Tasmania, aims to inform contemporary policy and research. Of equal importance is an understanding of our past. To this end, this work will generate a unique set of matched data, freely accessible through a user-friendly interface. This resource will stand as a means by which Australians can explore their more personal histories, and provide a window into the overall evolution of Australian society.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

The development of lead-free silicon brass for the plumbing industry. The worldwide brass industry is currently undergoing a transition away from lead-containing brass water fittings to lead-free fittings. The transition is driven by concerns surrounding lead-leaching into drinking water. This project is focussed on the development of new lead-free brasses that can be used to manufacture plumbing fittings with superior combinations of processability, performance and cost. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering The objective of this project is to develop lead-free brass fitting alternatives for the plumbing industry. In other parts of the world, this transition has already been legislated due to a concern around lead-leaching from brass fittings in contact with drinking water, and it is anticipated that Australia will soon follow. Developing the necessary understanding of the metallurgy, corrosion and processability of the commercially available silicon-containing lead-free brasses, as well as developing new and improved silicon-containing replacement brasses is therefore critical to the industry sector. The project will co-develop new products with the industry partner and demonstrate proof of concept techniques for designing and manufacturing ‘Pb-lean’ and ‘Pb-free’ brasses, which can lead the development of eco-friendly plumbing fittings in the future for the industry as a whole. This project will therefore lead to economic, commercial and social benefits, and long-term environmental benefits resulting from the replacement of lead-containing brasses with lead-free brasses.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Next generation smart lighting to improve sleep and alertness. Light has a powerful influence on our sleep and alertness. The manipulation of the amount of blue in a light source and the visual brightness of a light source are key factors, but there has been no systematic study that can guide manufacturers in the design of the ideal light source for promoting either sleep or alertness. This study will systematically examine the impact of the amount of blue light in a light source and the visual brightness, creating a wide range of combinations that can be used to model the optimal light specifications for sleep and alertness, while maintaining visual acuity and colour discrimination. This will be the evidence base needed by the lighting industry to create the next generation of smart lighting. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology Light has powerful effects on sleep and alertness. The move to energy-efficient LED lighting is occurring world-wide, with little systematic study to optimise their design for human physiology, resulting in unwanted negative effects on sleep and alertness. Australia's transition to LEDs has resulted in national savings of an estimated $5.5 billion per year. Current LED systems, however, do not take human biology into account and contribute to inadequate sleep (costing the Australian economy $26 billion per year), workplace accidents (costing the Australian economy $61 billion per year), and incalculable costs to general health. Our team is ideally positioned to figure out how to build the next generation of smart lighting. We will achieve this through a strategic partnership between world experts in the effects of light on human biology and an Australian leader in the manufacturing of human-centric lighting. Our project will fill a major gap in the evidence needed to generate the lighting specifications needed for any home or operational setting to improve sleep and alertness.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Repairing memory & place: An Indigenous-led approach to urban water design. This project aims to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing with urban water management by pioneering an interdisciplinary approach that enmeshes Indigenous practice with mainstream water management techniques. It expects to generate new knowledge in urban water management by using On Country Learning and design-led approaches to integrating disparate knowledge. Expected outcomes include new tools for urban water management and a framework for engaging Indigenous water-management expertise. This should provide significant benefits by enabling the repair of ecological and cultural memory of place and enabling government agencies to apply Indigenous practices to everyday management of urban water towards a more sustainable water future. Field of research: 2002 - Cultural Studies This project will elevate Indigenous urban water design as an approach for reconceptualising and better using urban space in Australian cities, through a southeast Melbourne case study. The project addresses the priorities outlined by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute: that Indigenous perspectives should be better integrated in Australian urban policies, particularly through in-depth involvement in urban planning process. The project will directly benefit Melbourne’s urban environment through the development of more sustainable water management systems able to cope with continued change in water conditions, with findings indirectly benefiting other Australian cities. By producing an integrated water management model – premised on the importance of Country and embodying the interconnected, above and below ground flows of water – this project will have environmental benefits for biodiversity and water ecologies, economic benefits from a better understanding of flood conditions in the city, and socio-cultural benefits through better protection of culturally significant sites and systems.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

ARC Training Centre for Optimal Ageing. The ARC Training Centre for Optimal Ageing aims to address issues identified by older adults as essential for quality of life. With our industry partners, we aim to train the next generation of researchers to understand, detect and improve psychosocial factors that support mental activity, physical health and social connectedness, and embrace advances in artificial intelligence, digital-enriched environments and adaptive workplaces to deliver effective digital solutions. By developing new capacity and capability to drive the digital transformation of industries supporting our ageing population, our Centre seeks to deliver economic and social benefits that enable Australians to live enriched, healthy and independent lives as they age. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology The ITTC in Optimal Ageing brings together trainees from health and life sciences, computer science, design and engineering. It will create a new generation of skilled workers, primed to position Australia at the forefront of research and development at the intersection of technology and ageing. This will enhance the global competitiveness of Australia’s digital health and care industry through the generation of new IP and new products that support the ageing population. The centre builds on established and emerging relationships with small and medium sized businesses, national and international technology companies, third sector organisations, city councils and citizens, creating a vibrant culture that will nurture commercialisation and accelerate translation activities. Our digital solutions will generate economic and social benefit by allowing ageing Australians to maintain and increase engagement with society - living at home longer, staying physically active longer, staying within the workforce longer, and enjoying better cognitive functioning and social wellbeing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

ARC Research Hub for Advanced Manufacturing with 2D Materials (AM2D). Australia holds large resources of critical 2D minerals – key enablers of several existing and emerging technologies in Energy Storage, Purification and Printed Electronics. The AM2D hub aims to provide a sophisticated environment for researchers and an industrial translation platform for manufacturers; a hub where leading academics, bright students, and industry partners come together to learn, apply, collaborate, innovate, and deliver industry transformation in advanced manufacturing. Anticipated outcomes include the transformation of newly discovered materials into globally traded, high-value 2D products, enabling Australian industries to capture more wealth and jobs from this large and growing market. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology The AM2D hub aims to take advantage of Australia's global competitive advantage in the abundance of critical 2D materials deposits, and develop innovative and, ultimately, globally traded, commercial products based on this enabling class of materials. Through data-driven processing and smart manufacturing optimisation, the hub will rapidly transfer clever scientific ideas and products to local industries that are immediately realisable and can be manufactured at scale in Australia. This will enable significant commercial benefit for Australian high-tech businesses, particularly SMEs, as well as medium-term economic benefit through licensing and exports. Smart manufacturing of new-to-world devices and products will also catapult Australian industry to the forefront of the global energy storage, water purification, and printed electronics markets and will unlock new investment in other application areas where functional 2D coatings and 2D sensors show immense promise. .

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Understanding how bacteria adapt and function in the complex gut ecosystem. This project aims to investigate the role of the gut ecosystem in defining the structure and function of microbes. Given that one of the current challenges in microbiology is our inability to study individual microbes directly from complex, multi-microbial niches, this project aims to develop multidisciplinary methods to study microbes in their native state, to understand how they adapt to live in the gut. This understanding should provide fundamental insights into adaptation mechanisms that lead to bacterial proliferation, disease and antibiotic resistance. As well as enhancing interdisciplinary collaborations, this work should provide economic benefits by contributing to improved gut health of animals, and more efficient food production. Field of research: 0605 - Microbiology Gut infections are a serious global human and animal health burden, and antibiotic resistance is now a global issue of critical importance. The gut contains trillions of microbes, with thousands of different types living within this complex ecosystem. These microbes are important to animal and human health and disease. This project will develop the tools required to isolate and study these microbes directly from their natural gut environment. This knowledge will unlock new pathways to tackle the growing antibiotic resistance problem through improved therapeutics and engineered antibiotics. The discoveries have the potential to vastly increase food production through improved gut health for livestock, particularly in the Australian pork industry where gut infections cost >10 million dollars per year through lost productivity.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

The culture of implementing Freedom of Information in Australia. In partnership with three Australian Information Commissioners/Ombudsmen this project aims to map the culture of administering Freedom of Information (FOI) laws across a number of Australian jurisdictions. The study aspires to capture and analyse the attitudes among FOI practitioners, government agency managements and political leaders toward information access implementation. The project aims to provide the partner organisations with an increased understanding of the culture of administering FOI to inform training/awareness programs and campaigns in order to increase the functionality of FOI. Well-functioning access to information systems is crucial both for good governance and Australia's participation in the digital economy. Field of research: 2001 - Communication and Media Studies Freedom of Information laws have existed in Australia since 1982. Over time, legal amendments led to some minor improvements in functionality from the user's point out view. However, it is clear from previous research that the culture of implementing the laws is as important as legal reforms. In spite of this, there has not been any comprehensive, in-depth and systematic research done capturing and assessing the importance of the information access culture. This project will capture and analyse this culture. Understanding how information access culture impacts access to information will be a crucial building block if Australia is to benefit fully from the digital economy, which will increasingly be built on machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Without access to information and data, AIs cannot learn effectively and Australia risks missing out on major parts of the digital economy. Contributing to Australia’s capacity to be part of the global digital economy and making sure FOI fulfils its promises of being a governance accountability tool are the two principal national benefits of this project.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Collaborative Sensing and Learning for Maritime Situational Awareness. We aim to demonstrate coordinated autonomous sensing of naval assets in dynamic maritime environments, reducing the operational load required to deliver a high quality maritime situational awareness. A realistic simulation based approach will help us develop novel artificial intelligence technology including: self-adaptive strategies for dynamic asset allocation, embedded smart sensing capabilities for naval observation systems and novel approaches to continuous collaborative learning from multi-spectral media. In addition to the emerging partnership between participants, the project will advance sovereign capability to develop maritime intelligence gathering technology for the Royal Australian Navy to underpin stability in our region. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Monitoring and protecting Australia’s maritime environment is widely recognised as a national security imperative, vital to the prosperity of the nation. The vast majority of Australia's imports and exports travel by sea transiting strategic chokepoints in the South China Sea, Strait of Malacca, and the Indonesian Archipelago. Further, Australians and visitors enjoy the extensive pristine coastline and natural marine wonders. It is critical for the economic development and prosperity of the nation to protect, defend, police, and prevent illegal resource exploitation and pollution in our waters and to vigorously support open sea lines of communication in the Indo-Pacific on which the nation depends so greatly. This project will provide game changing artificial intelligence technology to deliver next generation maritime situation awareness solutions. The research will be of high value to the Royal Australian Navy and Maritime Border Command to help optimally manage, coordinate and organise sensing resources to achieve higher quality situation awareness, thereby contributing to stability in our region.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

The role of hyaluronan in antigen and immune cell trafficking. This project aims to examine how hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronan (a structural component of the skin), affects antigen and cell trafficking to lymph nodes. The project expects to generate new knowledge on the role of hyaluronan in antigen presentation and immunity and to build an interdisciplinary collaboration across immunology, lymphatic transport and material science. The expected outcomes of the project are the development of new knowledge and new models to explore immunity, interdisciplinary training for researchers and post graduate students and a roadmap of the importance of hyaluronan in antigen trafficking. Field of research: 1115 - Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences This project aims to examine how hyaluronidase (an enzyme that breaks down a structural component of the skin) affects the transport of material from the skin to the lymph nodes. This is important because these transport networks are critical for understanding, and ultimately controlling, the first barrier to our immune defence. The project will generate new knowledge in the rapidly growing field of macromolecular biotechnology and will provide an interdisciplinary training ground for early career scientists at the biotechnology/immunology interface. Ultimately, these fundamental studies have significant potential to add economic benefit in the design of enhanced protein therapeutics, immunomodulators and vaccines which rely on the transport mechanics we will study. The licensing arrangements of valuable IP underpinning these new technologies will be negotiated on commercial terms to ensure Australian benefit.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Collaborative robotics for structural assembly and construction automation. Recent robotic technologies present great opportunity for construction industry to improve quality and productivity while no state of the art research infrastructure has been developed yet for this need. The proposed facility aims to provide a unique platform on research and development for structural assembly and construction automation. It features by a flexible and adaptive design and instrumentation of structures and space for a team of collaborative robotics in an interactive environment to achieve automated prefabrication, assembly and building. The outcomes are expected to transform current labor-intensive construction industry to highly automated and accurate manufacturing industry with significant benefits to economy and safety. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering The construction industry contributes over 8% of gross domestic product. However, the methods of in this industry have not adapted over the past 40 years to use digital technologies in prefabrication and off-site manufacturing. This project will establish a state-of-the-art collaborative robotics facility to accelerate the automation of manufacturing in the construction industry - incorporating new sensors, robotics and data analytics into construction workflows. The facility, the first of its kind in Australia, will integrate motion sensor technology with mobile robotic components and human workers to safely automate the fabrication of construction components. Research in the new facility will demonstrate cutting-edge technologies and develop new products to increase the safety and productivity efficiency of these new production methods. The outcomes will also underpin future construction automation technologies for deployment in remote environments such as underground, in the ocean and in space.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Engineer enzyme nanoparticles as antibiotic alternatives for agriculture. Antibiotic usage in agriculture contributes to spread of resistant bacteria. Existing antibiotic alternatives to minimize such usage are focused on growth promotion of animals and infection prevention, but lack efficient treatment. This project aims to engineer enzyme nanoparticles, with synergy from multiple enzymes, to confer better antibacterial abilities against livestock pathogens. It will combine protein engineering, nanotechnology and biophysics to develop new enzyme nanoparticles that can be manufactured at low-cost through self-assembly process. The intended outcome is knowledge on molecular engineering of enzyme nanoparticles and innovative agriculture biotechnology for treatment of bacterial infectious diseases in livestock. Field of research: 1001 - Agricultural Biotechnology Nighty-eight percent of veterinary usage of antibiotics in Australia is for food-producing animals, contributing to spread of resistant bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance remains a significant threat to Australian animal sector including damaging effects such as poor animal health and welfare, decreased production and economic loss. Furthermore, it can potentially compromise food safety, resulting in higher cost for farmers and consumers of animal products. Existing antibiotic alternative products are focused on growth promotion of animals and infection prevention, with limited options for their treatment. This project will discover new knowledge on engineered enzymes as innovative antimicrobial alternatives for agriculture, such as topical treatment of skin diseases of livestock. The discovered principle of molecular engineering of enzymes will underpin development of innovative alternatives-to-antibiotic agents for agriculturally important livestock. The outcome will contribute to the Australian animal agriculture sector by providing better animal health, improved food safety and higher productivity.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Domestic violence disclosure schemes: A national review. In 2014 family violence was declared a national emergency in Australia. In the years since there has been extensive law reform activity. Domestic violence disclosure schemes have emerged within this context as a policy option that may improve safety outcomes for victims. However, there is currently no evidence as to the impact of these schemes and no consultation with victims as to their value. This project aims to generate the evidence required to inform decisions about the introduction of these schemes, to better understand what victim/survivors want from them, and how such schemes can be effectively operationalised. The findings seek to be relevant to all Australian states and territories as well as international jurisdictions. Field of research: 1602 - Criminology Intimate partner violence is the most common type of violence against women and the leading preventable cause of death amongst Australian women between the ages of 15 and 44 years. Innovative interventions to prevent family and intimate partner violence are needed. This project will be the first national project to examine the merits, risks and impact of domestic violence disclosure schemes, which are designed to assist in preventing intimate partner violence. The findings will identify the extent to which domestic violence disclosure schemes can provide an effective intervention for intimate partner violence. The project aims to provide more positive health and criminal justice policy outcomes through identifying better means of prevention. The research will contribute to improved social, cultural and economic benefits for Australian women and the community by offering evidence to inform approaches to preventing intimate partner violence.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Wobbling stars reveal their hidden companions. This project aims to measure the wobble in the position of distant stars that is caused by massive objects, using telescopes in space. This project expects to generate new knowledge on how binary stars, exoplanets, and stellar mass black holes are formed. Expected outcomes of this project include tight constraints on binary star models, new discoveries of neutron stars and black holes that are a few times more massive than the Sun, and samples of stars that do, and do not, host exoplanets. This should provide significant benefits including a catalogue of companion properties for billions of sources, new understanding of how stars die, as well as the first control sample of stars without planets to help understand how and why planets form. Field of research: 0201 - Astronomical and Space Sciences This project contributes long-term economic and commercial benefits for Australia through the knowledge gained in data analytics, visualisation and statistical inference. The project will interrogate large datasets to provide a complete compendium of all so-called hidden companion stars in the Milky Way. The probabilistic tools developed in this project may therefore be applicable in other analyses of big data to quantify uncertainty. Enhanced connectivity between the fledgling Australian Space Agency and international agencies will further grow the $4 billion Australian space-based industries to increase the efficiency of Australian investment in this area (including the Australian-led GALAH survey). The Project will also provide social and cultural benefits to the Australian community, as the Gaia telescope is one of the most advanced engineering projects ever launched into space, the project appeals broadly to inspire future engineers, programmers, and research scientists of Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Mapping the Effectiveness of Automated Software Testing. This project aims to help software engineers build complex software systems in far more reliable and cost-effective ways. It takes an interdisciplinary approach by applying machine learning techniques to automatically test complex software systems. Expected outcomes include a novel methodology for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of test suites generated by automated software testing techniques and the approaches required for generating high-quality test cases. Such advances are urgently needed to avoid disasters when deploying software systems in the real world. Field of research: 0803 - Computer Software Software has become the most crucial infrastructure of our times, as many aspects of our society critically depend on it, such as digital health, transport systems, smart energy and financial systems, and software is at the core of Australia's Digital Future. Australia's Digital Economy Strategy is projected to add more than AU140 billion to our GDP. This project contributes directly to Australia's goal of becoming a leader in digital innovation by devising new technologies that will make it possible to build the software systems required to achieve this goal. The expected outcomes of this projected can also be applied to areas of competitive strength for Australia, such as digital health, which is one of the main research themes at the Faculty of IT.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Rethinking the Data-driven Discovery of Rare Phenomena. This project will investigate novel technologies for the data-driven discovery of rare phenomena. Scientific disciplines are increasingly able to generate large amounts of data relevant to key discoveries such as novel photovoltaic materials or explanations of brain seizures. However, these discoveries typically correspond to extremely rare phenomena in high dimensional spaces, which current data science methods are unable to detect. The project will fill this void and yield novel methods, publications, and open source software for the data-driven discovery or rare phenomena. Thus, it will expand the capabilities of data science, providing better use of the massive data collections accumulating across science, government, and industry. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing This project will develop data science technologies that enable the data-driven discovery of rare phenomena from high-dimensional sample spaces. As driving applications, we will investigate drug effects on the brain as well as the discovery of novel CO2 transforming catalysts—two high-profile scientific problems of immediate public benefit, with the latter being tied to the national research priority of climate change. Beyond those two problems, the developed methodology will be of use in a wide range of applications in science, business, and the public sector. All of these sectors are currently accumulating "big data"-assets but the answers to critical questions are buried in these assets like needles in a haystack. Our technologies will allow to uncover those needles and will be made publicly available through open source software that is directly compatible with the wide-spread standard data science tools and workflows. Thus, the output of this project will immediately assist the nation’s scientists, entrepreneurs, and public data analysts to make breakthrough discoveries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Human-centred Teamwork Analytics. This project aims to develop methods to assist the assessment and improvement of collocated teamwork, by making multimodal activity traces visible and available for computational analysis. This project expects to bridge the gap between promising sensing technologies and the dearth of tools to automatically assess teamwork. Expected outcomes include co-design and modelling methodologies for human-centred analytics that map from low-level data to higher-order constructs to enable non-data science savvy users to get actionable insights into multimodal team traces. This research aims to provide significant benefits to Australia, with communication and teamwork being two of the topmost critical skills required by Australian employers. Field of research: 1303 - Specialist Studies In Education This project will strategically transform collocated teamwork from being opaque to computational analysis into a translucent phenomenon from which selected features can be rendered visible and analysable. The successful completion of the project will have a strong impact within the Australian vocational and higher education community while also placing Australia at the forefront of research and teaching and learning innovation worldwide. Empirical findings and prototypes developed in the project will provide new insights into how best to support the development of effective teamwork and communication skills to benefit a range of industries in Australia. In particular, this project will be conducted in the context of simulation-based healthcare education. The successful completion of the project will thus contribute to the development of more effective strategies to improve teamwork in healthcare throughout Australia. Through the project, one Research Associate and two HDR students will be trained.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Time Series Classification for Complex Dynamic Global Problems. This project aims to increase understanding of complex dynamic processes by creating new ways of analysing large quantities of data collected over time. These new approaches will be specifically designed to greatly improve the understanding obtained from time varying data for trillions of global earth observation data points in an application-agnostic way that is applicable to many tasks. The outcomes are expected to advance the theory and practice of time-series data analysis and transform the analysis of complex dynamics. This should support innovation in industry, commerce, government and research and magnify benefit from many data investments including the $1 billion Australian governments invest annually in satellite imaging. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Time series record the dynamics of processes as they evolve. Just as a film of the lead up to a traffic accident reveals more about its causes than any one frame, time-series reveal more about dynamic processes than a static record, such as typically analysed in data science. However, time-series analysis cannot currently benefit from large quantities of data. This project seeks to bring the power of big data to the analysis of dynamic processes. It will develop general-purpose widely-applicable technologies, driven by the need to scale-up to enable analysis of data from the whole globe. The application-agnostic time-series analysis technologies will enhance many applications of artificial intelligence in industry, commerce, government and other areas of research. Improved capacity to analyse observations of the earth will greatly amplify the contribution to Australian GDP from satellite monitoring, currently $3.3 billion per annum, by supporting 'smart' agriculture, intelligent natural resource management and informed natural disaster preparation and response.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Ethical and Social Issues in Translating Epigenetics into Antenatal Care. This project aims to investigate how knowledge about the intergenerational transmission of health and disease is shaping antenatal care in Australia. It expects to generate new knowledge about how the science of epigenetics can be used to address social inequality and is anticipated to have impact across the social sciences, bioethics and public health. Expected outcomes of the project include novel theoretical approaches to the ethics of pregnancy, along with guidance tools to shape the use of epigenetics in antenatal care and social policy to reduce social inequalities. This should provide significant benefits, improving information and support available to vulnerable women as they negotiate maternal health and social services. Field of research: 2201 - Applied Ethics Epigenetics is a rapidly developing science that examines the links between the origins of health conditions and pregnancy. It has significant potential social, economic and health benefits, but these need to be balanced against the risks it also entails, of discrimination against and social marginalisation of some women. This project will contribute to improving antenatal care in Australia by providing advice to practitioners and policy makers to ensure that epigenetics is used in ways that support social inclusion and the health of women, as well as their offspring. By developing tools to inform social policy and professional guidelines, the project will contribute to the optimal social and ethical translation of epigenetics in the management of antenatal care and pregnancy; it will have social, economic and health benefits, including to women of reproductive age and their children, maternal health service providers and policy makers.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Teacher capabilities in conditions of superdiversity. The increasing diversity of students in schools presents a significant challenge for the professional education and practice of teachers. The project aims to develop an original approach to measuring teacher capabilities to respond to and engage with difference. Its expected significance is in building new knowledge about teacher workforce development to achieve education goals and social cohesion in conditions of superdiversity. The project's expected outcomes include a metric of teacher capabilities that can inform the professional education of teachers and policy settings in this country and internationally. This large-scale study should return real benefits to ensure successful education and well-being of diverse students. Field of research: 1303 - Specialist Studies In Education In conditions of superdiversity, Australia’s aspirations to ‘increase productivity’ and ‘achieve sustainable economic growth’ depend on improved ‘national well-being’. While education continues to be instrumental in achieving these aims, the project develops a new approach to teacher workforce development as the driving force of improving well-being of diverse students through a responsive, socially-just and empowering education. The project findings will inform a strategy to expand teacher capabilities to: (a) respond to the impact of superdiversity on education in rural and urban communities, and (b) provide equitable education that improves learning, inclusion and well-being and reduces disparities for disadvantaged and vulnerable students. In the evaluation phase, the study will generate a substantive evidence base for prospective changes in the professional education of teachers in order to increase their agency and opportunities to advance effective and socially just education.