MONASH UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future. This program aims to deliver unprecedented research capability for securing Antarctic environments in the face of uncertain change. By integrating a highly skilled team with new approaches and breakthrough technologies, the program anticipates discovery science, enhanced environmental forecasting and optimised decision-making to advance Australia’s position as an influential Antarctic nation. Expected outcomes include better environmental management, unparalleled strategic decision-support for an effective Antarctic Treaty, and new minds to address Antarctica’s new challenges. Anticipated benefits are the means to transform environmental forecasting and management in the Antarctic, for Australia, and to the advantage of global security. Field of research: 0699 - Other Biological Sciences This Program aims to deliver the leadership in science and environmental stewardship that is integral to Australia’s Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan, as articulated through the Australian Antarctic Science Strategic Plan. The Program expects to deliver priorities outlined in these plans, including: 1) Leadership in Antarctic science; 2) Enhanced protection of the Antarctic environment, including through improved evidence for regulation of activities in the Australian Antarctic Territory; 3) Increased influence in the Antarctic Treaty System, incorporating advanced tools (such as visualisation of decision-alternatives) to inform strategic choices; 4) Effective relationships with Antarctic Treaty nations; 5) A new Antarctic interdisciplinary workforce. The Program expects to address the Science and Research Priorities of ‘Improved accuracy and precision in predicting and measuring the impact of environmental changes caused by climate and local factors’ and ‘Options for responding and adapting to the impacts of environmental change on biological systems, urban and rural communities and industry.’

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Core loss mechanisms in soft magnetic nanostructures. This project aims to clarify the mechanism of power losses in magnetic cores used in the petrol-electric hybrid cars by investigating the relationship between the core losses and magnetic correlation lengths in iron alloys. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the effect of magneto-mechanical interaction on the anomalous core loss in iron based alloys. The intended outcomes include an experimental confirmation of the random anisotropy model, a major theoretical model in nanostructured materials and identification of ideal magnetic domain configurations for lower power losses. These intended outcomes should bring great benefits to the development of low-carbon vehicle technologies for sustainable motorisation in Australia. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering More than ever, Australian society today is searching for technologies that could reduce the emission of carbon without sacrificing the quality of life. Since transportation is one of the main sources of carbon emission, alternative low-carbon vehicle technologies are vital to Australia. An effective approach is greater utilisation of the hybrid car technology which could improve fuel efficiency by 25 – 50 %. We will work with Toyota Motor Co in order to clarify the mechanism of power losses in magnetic cores in hybrid cars by using a neutron facility in New South Wales and thereby establishing a material design strategy to further enhance the efficiency of low-carbon cars. Toyota has been proactive in promoting renewably-powered vehicles in Australia through the Hydrogen Centre at their Altona plant. The proposed project is directly related to the magnetic components in hybrid and hydrogen-driven fuel cell technologies that would be transferred to Toyota Australia, the largest distributer of hybrid cars in Australian. Hence, this project potentially has an environmental benefit to the Australian community.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Next Generation Polymeric Scaffolds For Dual Agent Delivery. This project aims to provide a novel suite of degradable polymeric scaffolds for releasing multiple active agents with tailored release profiles by utilising both polymer and small molecule synthesis techniques. The project expects to generate new copolymers and polymer networks that exploit molecular architecture to regulate the release profile of the active agents incorporated. The expected outcome is the establishment of design criteria for tailoring the release of active agent from the polymer scaffold. This should provide significant benefits by developing a new technology platform that could be readily adapted to applications in agriculture, pharmaceutical science and veterinary medicine where controlled release is required. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry The project involves a collaboration between researchers at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and PolyActiva Pty Ltd, and will involve the development of next-generation polymers for releasing multiple active agents. Such materials are likely to have applications in pharmaceutical science, veterinary medicine and agriculture. In addition to addressing an immediate need for the partner organisation (i.e., the development of a new platform technology that could underpin future products for the company), the new intellectual property generated through the project could be used to spin off other companies in related but distinct fields. As such, the project has the potential to bring economic and commercial benefits to Australia. In the event that any new platform technology was developed, there would likely be new employment opportunities, thus creating jobs for graduates in science, technology and engineering. Moreover, the opportunity to partner with other larger commercial partners (both domestic and international) may lead to further investment in new Australian technologies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Development of laser cladding technology to maintain rails in tram networks. This project aims to develop a new cost-effective maintenance technique by applying laser cladding to enhance the characteristics of new rails and track components and repair damaged ones, so as to ensure their structural integrity and improve the performance of rail infrastructure. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of railway maintenance using the innovative and interdisciplinary laser cladding technology. Expected outcomes of this project are crucial for manufacturers and operators of railway networks to develop and improve their railway maintenance strategies. This should provide significant benefits, such as extending lives of rails and special track components, and reducing wheel squeal and flanging noise. Field of research: 0910 - Manufacturing Engineering The state and federal government has made railway infrastructure as a national priority for investment. This project focuses on developing laser cladding to enhance the performance of rails used in passenger networks in Australia. The outcomes will improve the structural integrity of rail infrastructure, which is critical due to the increasing demands on metropolitan rail systems. The outcomes of this research project will assist the development of an innovative rail maintenance technology by using laser cladding, which will not only help Australia’s rail infrastructure owners to develop reliable and cost-effective rail maintenance strategy for existing rail tracks, but will directly bring significant economic benefits to Australia’s rail infrastructure owners, through the reduction of maintenance costs and extension of asset life.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

The Fluid-Particle Mechanics of a Synthetic Jet-based Dry Powder Inhaler. This project aims to untangle the fundamental principles that govern the fluid mechanics and particulate interactions in a novel concept chip-based micro-zero-net-mass-flux (micro-ZNMF) jet-assisted dry powder inhaler (DPI). Respiratory diseases affect 6.2 million Australians. The treatment of these diseases is hampered by the poor efficiency of current delivery systems, with conventional DPI devices exhibiting sub-optimum performance, delivering typically less than 20% of the loaded dose to the target site, the lungs. The new fundamental knowledge resulting from this research will enable the engineering of a high-efficiency groundbreaking DPI, with the potential to be fully adaptive user-specific benefiting millions of Australians. Field of research: 0915 - Interdisciplinary Engineering The financial burden on the Australian health care system for respiratory diseases is over $150 million dollars annually, with the respiratory medicine market predicted to be around US$21.9 billion worldwide by 2020. Technology, developed through this Linkage Grant, has significant economic potential for both the healthcare sectors and pharmaceutical industry, with discoveries being licensed and developed into commercial products in partnership. The partner organisation will utilise the novel micro-zero-net-mass-flux jet-assisted dry powder inhaler (DPI), but also other pharmaceutical local companies with collaborative links to the partner organisation in the development of other pharmaceuticals, could potentially make use of this smart approach for a DPI under license. The development of this new technology project fits extremely well with the Australian government’s science and research priorities in health and advanced manufacturing and will ultimately be beneficial to both the healthcare system and to Australian industry, placing us at the forefront of research and development in this lucrative market.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Insecure Work and the Mental Health of Workers and their Families. This project aims to explore the relationship between insecure work and mental health by applying advanced econometric methods to large survey and administrative datasets, and newly collected survey data. This project expects to provide causal policy-relevant estimates of how insecure work is affecting the wellbeing of workers and their families, and for whom the effects are most harmful. It also expects to inform on how poor mental health influences the types of jobs that people enter into. This should provide significant benefits, including evidence needed to improve existing workplace and employment programs, and evidence ensuring that assistance is efficiently targeted to those workers and industries with the greatest need. Field of research: 1402 - Applied Economics Mental illness constitutes a major burden on labour market productivity, with sickness absence, reduced work performance and long-term incapacity due to mental health problems costing Australia over $10 billion per year. Consequently, businesses and government organisations have begun to focus on the wellbeing of workers, and how workplaces can be better organised to improve wellbeing and productivity. The aim of this project is to provide new policy-relevant evidence on how insecure work and job insecurity influence the mental health and wellbeing of workers, their families, and the broader community. It should also aid in the identification of populations, industries and geographical areas that are, due to economic or labour market upheaval, at high-risk of health problems. Ultimately, this evidence should help in the development of targeted, cost-effective workplace and employment programs.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Phase Change Materials for Wind and Solar Energy Storage. This project aims to develop and demonstrate new phase change materials to advance the technology of thermal energy storage. The project will focus on new materials that store thermal energy in the temperature range between 100 - 220°C that is optimal for distributed storage of solar and wind energy. The utility and economics of renewable energy sources are strongly limited by their intermittent nature and inexpensive means of storage are urgently required. Expected outcomes of this project include a practical technology, which can be implemented at household and industry level, providing cheap energy from zero-carbon sources. The project aims to provide significant benefits to energy users and support further development of renewables. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry This project aims to contribute to Australia's national interest in several contexts, as follows: (i) Environmental: By providing inexpensive energy in the form of heat and electricity from zero-carbon sources, utilising renewable energy from the sun and wind, thereby reducing Australia's carbon emissions. (ii) Commercial: By development of an innovative energy storage technology that will allow Australian industries in the energy supply chain to be pioneers in the market of distributed solar thermal applications. (iii) Economic: The application of novel thermal energy storage technologies, based on phase change materials, will allow Australia to utilise larger quantity's of renewable energy sources such as wind and sun and will thereby help to reduce the price of these energy sources. (iv) Training: The project will provide PhD student and ECR training in the important area of sustainable energy technologies, and will generate a resource of new knowledge and functional materials for Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Geographical Indications for Wine in Australia’s Free Trade Agreements. This project aims to clarify the appropriate basis for protecting geographical indications for wines in trade agreements and domestic legal systems. The project expects to generate new knowledge concerning the criteria, evidence and procedure that should be required to establish a geographical indication. Existing law risks misuse of this mechanism to unjustifiably protect domestic markets; the European Union is seeking protection for what appear to be grape varieties rather than geographical indications. Expected outcomes include evidence-based recommendations to government and industry. Project outcomes should benefit Australian economic interests by enhancing Australia’s ability to resist spurious geographical indication claims. Field of research: 1801 - Law This project should deliver significant economic and commercial benefits for the Australian wine industry. International trade rules concerning geographical indications (GIs) are imprecise, which creates the risk that GIs could be misused for protectionist reasons. In current trade agreement negotiations, the EU is seeking GI protection for certain wines that would prevent Australian producers from labelling wines with the relevant grape variety. The project aims to articulate the legitimate grounds for GI protection in relation to wines. The networks that the project will build and the knowledge generated by it will facilitate a coordinated, long-term approach to resisting spurious GI claims that may hinder Australian producers’ access to export markets and their ability to market products domestically.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Untangling the mechanisms of nutrient export from agricultural catchments. This projects aims to better understand the factors controlling nutrient retention and removal within agricultural catchments and how climate and land use change will affect this. This project will combine novel approaches to investigate nutrient sources, removal and bioavailability with geochemical tracers to better understand nutrient flow and removal pathways. This new knowledge will be captured in state of the art modelling approaches that will help improve land management practices, leading to reduced nutrient loads and improved water quality in receiving waters such as the Gippsland Lakes. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering Nutrient pollution causes significant damage to aquatic ecosystems through algal blooms which cause loss of tourism revenue as well as ecological damage. Nutrients are predominantly derived from agriculture which support many communities and jobs. This project will help further understand the factors controlling nutrient export from catchments and capture this in models to help inform best management practice to reduce nutrient loads and reduce environmental impacts.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Fast Disk Storage to Enable Big Data Science in Weather, Oceans and Climate. This project aims to expand Australia's capacity to do high-impact innovative climate, weather and oceanographic science. Science of this kind relies on massive data coupled to computationally highly intensive and complex analysis. Therefore, the project will purchase fast disk storage and install it at the National Computing Infrastructure. It is anticipated that the project will benefit the nation through better understanding of the climate system, including extremes; improvements in our capacity to make predictions; and through applications of the science to forecasting, the management of resources among other many other things. Field of research: 0401 - Atmospheric Sciences The project is firmly in the national interest as it will underpin Australian advances in the science of weather, climate and the ocean. Science of this kind relies on massive data, high-performance computing and complex analysis, and the project will provide the infrastructure to do such calculations. The infrastructure is critical to the research being done in the partner universities, the research program pursued by ARC Centre for Climate Extremes, and much of the weather, ocean and climate research in the wider Australian scientific community, including the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO. Research done by these institutions will lead to a better understanding of the climate system, including extremes; improvements in our capacity to make predictions; and applications of the science to the management of emergencies, resources and the environment. Improvement in understanding, prediction and management will affect our quality of live, our economy and our environment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

New generation direct electron detector for cryo-electron microscopy. This Project aims to generate urgently needed capabilities for cryo elctron microscopy through the newest generation direct electron detector, the Gatan K3 camera. This project expects to generate highest resolution molecular structures of biological and non-biological materials including pharmacological targets, nanomaterials, and other electron beam-sensitive materials. Expected outcomes are high impact discoveries, training opportunities, international collaborations, and publications addressing fundamental questions in biology and pharmaceutical science. This should provide significant benefits in wide ranging areas of nanotechnology, pharmacy, renewable energy, and agriculture. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Cryo electron microscopy is a cutting edge technique that allows researchers to see drugs in action at near atomic resolution and also to image fragile or fluid materials (eg cement, organic solar cells). This will allow Australian researchers to make fundamental discoveries and develop bespoke technological solutions that will drive innovation which will underpin and strengthen Australia's Biotechnology sector. A highly specialised workforce is required for this and the newest capability will generate national training opportunities in this new transformative imaging technology. There is direct impact on the development, patenting, of new Australian-made products encompassing new pharmaceuticals (biologicals, small drug inhibitors), nanotechnology, chemical and mechanical engineering and also supporting areas of drug delivery, new building materials, and renewable energy. In summary, this project will help to drive Australian innovation and new technology start-ups.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

A triple beam microscope: new frontiers in materials nanocharacterisation. This project aims to establish a triple beam ion and electron microscope facility for the modification, preparation and characterisation of materials that have hitherto been too sensitive for high resolution analysis with charged particle beams. It is expected that materials will be studied artefact-free and at the nanoscale with twin ion beams and new detectors that allow novel imaging modes and extreme chemical sensitivity plus controlled atmosphere transfer to other instruments for correlative measurements. This unique facility should benefit research in many disciplines such as physics, chemistry, geology, pharmacy, materials, civil and chemical engineering by allowing first-ever observations of vital phenomena in diverse materials. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics This project aims to provide a unique microscope for the examination of a range of materials that are too sensitive for study in conventional microscopes. Many important technological materials fall into this category, including pharmaceuticals, battery materials, solar cell devices, minerals, food products, plastics, flexible electronics, cement, glass and biomaterials. It is critical to be able to study the structure and chemistry of such materials at high resolution in order to understand their properties and engineer them for superior performance. The proposed Triple Beam Microscope will allow such materials to be studied artefact-free, and at the highest resolution and chemical sensitivity. This will unlock new information about a diverse range of important materials, providing Australian researchers and industry with new knowledge to design materials to solve our most pressing challenges in energy generation and storage, health, the environment, communications, transport, manufacturing and resources.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

A facility for quantification and isotopic analysis of trace gases. This project aims to develop a new facility for the analysis of trace gases, including nitrous oxide, methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide. This will provide two new capabilities for Australia: 1. It will further our ability to study how microbes cycle trace gases across the continuum from arid soils to the coastal ocean; 2. It will allow us to better understand microbial reactions that remove nitrogen pollution. This will allow us to better understand, monitor and manage microbial processes within soils, sediments, and waters that undertake key ecosystem services, including removal of nitrogen and pollutant gases. Field of research: 0399 - Other Chemical Sciences Nitrogen pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are having a significant impact on Australia's environments, ecosystems, and industries. This project will enhance our understanding of how soils, sediments, and waters remove nutrients and gases emitted by human activities. This will enable us to better monitor and manage soils, waters, and sediments, providing clear environmental benefits to Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Integrated Functional Printing Facility for Advanced Material Technologies. The project aims to develop Australia’s first fully integrated small-scale and agile prototyping facility for printing. This facility will provide critical infrastructure to deposit a wide range of advanced materials with unprecedented precision & process flexibility allowing realistic form, configuration and device-ready formats with minimal usage of functional ink. Using this unique facility, researchers will be able to assess integration of novel functional materials in a wide range of devices and applications, including critical components of affordable healthcare diagnostic devices, advanced security features in banknotes, integrated RFID tracking systems, high performance solar cells and separation membranes. Field of research: 0910 - Manufacturing Engineering The anticipated goal of the project is to develop Australia's first small-scale and agile facility for printing and integration of advanced materials in prototype devices. This printing platform will enable the Australian researchers assess advanced materials in many different applications, even when available in minimum quantity, with significantly greater ease than ever before. The outcomes of the research can lead to novel methods for fabrication of critical components in high performance batteries, disease detection devices, energy-efficient separation membranes, and communication devices. We aim to manage this unique facility as an open-access platform technology for use by the research community across Australia, with the intention of shortening the time and resource requirements for translating of research outcomes. Because the facility can demonstrate potential routes to large-scale manufacturing, it will aim to rejuvenate the declining printing industry through creation of new products and trained workforce in the cutting-edge technology of functional printing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

The 3D Nanofabrication Facility. This project aims to breach the gap between meso, micro and nanoscale manufacturing by means of a novel 3D printing technique with nanometric resolution. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the technologies to fabricate complex structures with freedom of design from the meso to the nanoscale, currently not possible in Australia, by using the innovative integration of this technique within a well establish nanofabrication facility. Expected outcomes of this project include new discoveries in fields such as nanotechnology, photonics, robotics, metamaterials, biosurface engineering or biotechnology. This should provide significant benefits, such as placing Australia in the leadership of nanotechnology and additive manufacturing. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology The 3D nanoscale printing tool (GT2) will enable addressing two practical challenges of the Science and Research Priority of Advanced Manufacturing: i) Cross-cutting technologies that will de-risk scale up, and add value to Australian manufactured products and ii) Specialised, high value-add areas such as high performance materials, composites, allows and polymers. The applications enabled by this novel technology will also result in benefits to other fields and will help place Australia at the forefront of advanced manufacturing capabilities, optics and photonics, biomaterials and microsystems engineering. It will also reinforce Australia’s current standing as a world leader in nanotechnology, advance manufacturing and biotechnology, as home to a thriving network of some 400 companies whose core business is in biotechnology, as well as 600 medical device companies. Furthermore, the training of postdocs and PhD students in this area will develop the next generation of Australian innovators in Advanced Manufacturing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Breaking the silence! Addressing unmet support needs after miscarriage. This project aims to identify miscarriage support needs, establish priorities for research in miscarriage support and develop a platform for future studies targeting these priorities. This project expects to generate new knowledge around miscarriage support needs and research priorities, using an extensively tested priority setting methodology. Expected outcomes of this research include an understanding and critical knowledge base of support needs, the Top 10 priorities for miscarriage support research and a platform for future studies targeting these priorities. This should provide significant benefits including a clear direction for future miscarriage support research and targeted funding and enhanced collaborative opportunities. Field of research: 1699 - Other Studies In Human Society

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Indigenous water futures: sustainable & autonomous environmental governance. The project aims to explore how different Indigenous water management strategies deal with evolving environmental challenges. Building on innovative and collaborative methodologies, the project expects to generate new insights into how Indigenous peoples approach environmental governance. Project outcomes include enhanced understanding of the role that Indigenous peoples can play in promoting the efficacy, equity, and sustainability of water management. The expected project benefits include specific policy recommendations for Indigenous sovereignty, water management, and environmental governance in the context of environmental change in Australia. Field of research: 1604 - Human Geography

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Defining the basis of unconventional immune cell development. This project aims to undertake discovery research to characterise the transcriptional programs that underpin the development of unconventional immune cells. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of developmental immunology by using cutting-edge molecular and cellular techniques to examine the seeding of immune cells. It is expected that this project will advance our understanding of immune cell biology and the programs that control them. Significantly strengthening national excellence in unconventional immune cell research and providing innovative methodology. This should provide significant benefits, such as a comprehensive open-access transcriptional map of developing unconventional immune cells. Field of research: 1107 - Immunology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Dying well: Designing rural end-of-life services for chronic disease. This project aims to understand how existing rural service structures impact access to end-of-life support in chronic conditions. Chronic diseases account for 90% of deaths in Australia, yet access to end-of-life support is limited and little is known about services in rural areas. Information gathered through patient and stakeholder interviews, national survey and service mapping will be used to generate a new evidence-based framework and guideline. These outputs will support early engagement with end-of-life planning, known to improve quality of life and reduce health system costs, and to inform development of equitable future end-of-life services for people and their families living with chronic conditions across rural Australia. Field of research: 1117 - Public Health and Health Services

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Reconnecting the Histories of Papuan, Australian and Oceanic Seascapes . This project aims to investigate connections between Papuan, Australian and Oceanic seascapes created by a westward expansion by Lapita seafarers 3000 years ago. The project raises and addresses new questions about the maintenance of regional social relationships with an innovative archaeological approach that focuses on the edges of cultural domains where people met and shared ideas. Expected outcomes include enhanced research collaborations and improved regulatory capacity. Reconnecting seascapes is expected to inform and benefit academic and government responses to heritage conservation and align with Australian Government aspirations to conserve regional cultural heritage and enable economic development through strategic collaboration. Field of research: 2101 - Archaeology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

The sociology of antibiotics and the antimicrobial resistance crisis. This project aims to investigate the sociological dimensions of antibiotics consumption by examining the views and experiences of clinicians, decision-makers, and members of the general population. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the social aspects of antibiotics use and consumer-provider interactions. Expected outcomes of this project include stronger consumer-provider collaborations about antibiotic use and a new evidence-base to guide policy decisions. This project should provide significant benefits for the national response to antimicrobial resistance, including enhanced public education and public policy. Field of research: 1608 - Sociology The consumption of antibiotics is high in Australia and is thought to contribute to antimicrobial resistance. This project addresses antibiotics use for human and animal health in Australian community settings, to better understand how consumers think and feel about antibiotics and help prescribers more ably collaborate with them. The new insights provided by this research will inform decision-making and policy about the use of antibiotics and contribute to measures to help limit antibiotic resistance in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Real-time rights-based recordkeeping governance. This interdisciplinary research project aims to explore how records co-creation can be conceptualised in child protection and information law and overseen dynamically through a new digitally enabled, child-centred and rights-based advocacy and regulatory framework, to play an integral role in ensuring that the systems to protect children from abuse and neglect do not themselves cause harm. This project seeks to develop participatory information governance as a new theoretical foundation for proactive recordkeeping and rights advocacy for childhood out-of-home Care. Improved transparency, accountability, efficiency and access to justice are anticipated benefits from this legal, recordkeeping and information infrastructure design research. Field of research: 0807 - Library and Information Studies This research aims to contribute to ensuring that Australians with out-of-home Care experiences have their rights in childhood recordkeeping recognised, represented and enacted upon. It will deliver economic and social benefits to the Australian community through ensuring that the governance and recordkeeping systems in the child protection sector are amongst the most innovative and productive in the world. It seeks to ensure that recordkeeping in this sector not only plays its part in keeping children and young people safe, but also in developing their sense of identity, connection to family and community, and ensure access to justice and redress for institutional harm. It will also be part of defining new frameworks for the management of data and information rights that better balance the need for personal agency and control in an increasingly data driven age.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Values-oriented Defect Fixing for Mobile Software Applications. This project aims to address critical problems with mobile applications that exhibit human values-based defects, by advancing our understanding, detection and fixing of such defects. Many mobile apps do not operate according to the essential values of their human users - e.g. inclusivity, accessibility, privacy, ethical behaviour, due care, emotions, etc - making them ineffective, underused, unfit for purpose or even dangerous. Expected outcomes include new theories, techniques and prototype tools for developers and end users to detect and help fix values-based defects in mobile apps. Benefits include better, safer mobile apps for people and organisations and improved app developer productivity and competitiveness. Field of research: 0803 - Computer Software Australians and Australian businesses are now critically dependent on mobile apps for transport, health, education, business management, social interaction and leisure applications. However, the effectiveness and safety of many current apps is compromised because they do not adequately take into account diverse users' human values. The expected outcomes from our project would empower developers, organisations and end users alike. Australian software development companies will benefit from the increased productivity of their developers in finding and correcting complex, values-oriented mobile app defects, resulting in cost savings, enhanced competitiveness and enhanced reputation. Australian companies will be able to deploy better mobile apps that better suit their needs and those of their staff and customers, resulting in enhanced productivity, cost savings, and reputation. Australian and international end users of these enhanced mobile apps will benefit from less frustrating, annoying, confusing and dangerous mobile apps, with better support for achieving their needs from these improved apps.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Constraint-based Reasoning for Multi-agent Pathfinding. Automation is a transformative technology for logistics -- using robots to manipulate inventory allows warehouses to be more efficient, and larger-scale, than ever before. But doing this in practice requires efficient, reliable methods for coordinating ever-larger fleets of robots. These problems are extremely difficult, and current approaches either scale poorly or give weak or no guarantees on solution quality. The project will develop transformative approaches to multi-agent pathfinding which can handle industrial size problems, and handle all of the complications that arise in practical applications. This will deliver improved cost-effectiveness and productivity to automated warehouse logistics and other agent coordination problems. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Leading retailer Amazon generates over 200 billion USD in revenue annually and its business is powered by advanced logistics and automation. In order for Australian businesses to be globally competitive, it is essential that they too have access to this transformative technology. At the heart of Amazon distribution centres are thousands of robots moving billions of items to be shipped. This creates a massive coordination problem that current techniques, including those used by Amazon, do not solve well. By developing fast, robust methods for solving coordination problems which can both scale reliably to large fleets, and account for physical constraints, this project will serve as a key enabler for improving efficiency in warehouse logistics. By focusing on flexible approaches, the project will also provide benefits in other areas where large-scale coordination problems arise, such as evacuation planning, search and rescue, and traffic control. This project will help position Australia as a leader in automation and develop exportable technology for a growing global industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Self-organised communication as a foundation of large, complex societies. This Project aims to investigate how evolution has shaped the self-organisation of robust communication networks that emerge in large animal collectives from the actions of individuals following only simple, local rules. It expects to generate new knowledge into the fundamental principles guiding the self-organisation of networks that can sustain a complex society. Empirical work with ant colonies will inform the construction of simulation models to push the investigation beyond experimental limits. The Project should significantly advance our understanding of how communication networks enable the development of large societies, and thus of how to better manage autonomous man-made networks, most importantly the Internet-of-Things. Field of research: 0608 - Zoology We are at the onset of a worldwide paradigm shift that puts communication networks centre-stage in collective behaviour research. To keep Australia's world-class research community in collective behaviour at the forefront we must build expertise and capacity in network-based approaches, as this project does. The project's connections to international centres of excellence will bring cutting-edge knowledge and capabilities to Australia and further strengthen Australia’s international standing. We expect derived economic benefits. By 2020, the Internet-of-Things is predicted to connect 35 billion autonomous sensors, actuators, and devices across the globe, constituting > $400 billion economic value. Managing the growth of the IoT and its relatives, such as next-generation smart power grids, is essential for productivity and sustainability. Understanding how evolution has shaped autonomously growing networks for effective function will give us the basis to better manage man-made networks towards a productive future. At this vast scale, even small improvements will constitute a significant economic benefit.