MONASH UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Consequences of Model Misspecification in Approximate Bayesian Computation. In almost any empirical application, the model the analyst is working with constitutes a misspecified description of the true process that has generated the data. While the method of Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) is now a staple in the toolkit of the applied modeller, the impact of misspecification in ABC is unknown. This project aims to undertake a rigorous study into the behaviour of ABC under model misspecification. Expected outcomes include new theoretical results for ABC under misspecification and new methods capable of detecting/mitigating model misspecification. This project will provide significant benefits in all spheres where reliable, robust statistical inference methods are required in order to make reliable decisions. Field of research: 1403 - Econometrics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Resolving nanoscale structure-activity for rational electrocatalyst design. This project aims to investigate the structural and functional properties of electrocatalysts at the nanoscale. The project expects to develop state-of-the-art electrochemical imaging technology that can examine the active sites of electrodes during operation. Understanding electrode performance on this scale is expected to enhance our capability to rationally design cheaper and more-efficient electrocatalysts, notably for electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction. This should provide significant socio-economic and environmental benefits, through the development of next-generation energy storage and conversion materials that can be utilized by households and businesses to store renewable energy in the form of carbon-neutral fuels. Field of research: 0306 - Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural)

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Improving the credibility of regional sea level rise projections. Anthropogenic sea level rise is expected to inundate low-lying islands and coastlines around the world, with multiple model projections suggesting that changes in wind patterns will lead to larger than average sea level rise along Australia’s east coast and in neighbouring small island nations. Confidence in projections of this spatial sea level rise variability is low, however, due to a strong mismatch between patterns of observed and model-projected sea level rise in recent decades. This work will use a newly developed climate model hierarchy and innovative experimental design to determine the cause of this discrepancy and will produce more credible regional sea level rise projections by clarifying and reducing projection uncertainty. Field of research: 0401 - Atmospheric Sciences Anthropogenic global sea level rise (SLR) has already led to the inundation of low-lying islands and coastlines around the world, and the rate of SLR is expected to accelerate in the future. Projected regional differences in SLR, related to changes in surface winds, suggest that coastal impacts for parts of Australia may be felt decades earlier than expected by considering the global mean rate alone. Thus, making credible predictions critical for the management of future coastal risks. At present, however, there is little confidence in regional SLR projections from climate models due to large discrepancies between observations and models. This project will enhance our understanding of what causes surface wind changes and the associated regional SLR differences, and provide more accurate measures of regional SLR uncertainty. These components will be combined to: i) increase the credibility of regional SLR projections; ii) aid the detection and attribution of anthropogenically forced regional SLR; and iii) provide information critical for coastal climate change adaptation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Towards Robotic Empathy: A human centred approach to future AI machines. The project aims to equip future robots with empathy by developing computational models which can leverage from verbal and non-verbal cues. With recent advances in artificial intelligence research, robots now have better cognitive and function skills, but they lack socio-emotional skills. Since these robots are expected to provide assistance to humans across different domains including rehabilitation, education and health care, empowering them with empathetic abilities is important for their success. The project will advance fundamental research in machine learning, affective computing and artificial intelligence to model human behavior, personality traits and emotions for an empathetic human-robot interaction. Field of research: 0806 - Information Systems

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

The T cell genome in 3D: linking chromatin structure to cellular function. Adaptive immune cell activation results in the acquisition and long term maintenance of specific cellular function that enables efficient immune control of infections. Using advanced cellular and genomic approaches, combined with high-resolution microscopy and cutting edge computational biology, this proposal aims to address major gaps in our knowledge about how alterations in genomic 3D architecture and targeted biochemical modifications impact cell specific gene nuclear positioning and how this regulates changes in gene expression associated with immune cell activation. An outcome will be identification of novel molecular mechanisms that will have broad applicability across cellular biology, and provide novel targets for drug development. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics Changes in the 3D organisation of the genome have recently been revealed to influence cellular processes, including those of the immune system. However, we lack a detailed mechanistic picture of these events. This project addresses this fundamental gap in knowledge in biology. Specifically, the changes in genome structure upon exposure to a virus that lead to the activation of immune cells will be explored by leveraging Australia’s leading-edge infrastructure in high-resolution microscopy, high-performance computing and genomics. The tangible benefits and implications of this work are diverse and numerous: most notably, identification of the novel molecular mechanisms that regulate our immune responses will create opportunities for other researchers and industry to develop new classes of drugs to target them.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Active Visual Navigation in an Unexplored Environment. This project will develop a new method for robotic navigation in which goals can be specified at a much higher level of abstraction than has previously been possible. This will be achieved using deep learning to make informed predictions about a scene layout, and navigating as an active observer in which the predictions informs actions. The outcome will be robotic agents capable of effective and efficient navigation and operation in previously unseen environments, and the ability to control such agents with more human-like instructions. Such capabilities are desirable, and in some cases essential, for autonomous robots in a variety of important application areas including automated warehousing and high-level control of autonomous vehicles. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Robotics and automation are key to the future competitiveness, safety and prosperity of Australian industry, in diverse sectors including as manufacturing, mining, agriculture, construction and health. They are a tool to unlock human potential (e.g by automating drudgery or dangerous tasks) and to modernising Australia's economy. The benefits include: improved productivity; creation of new jobs; re-shoring of jobs by allowing Australia to compete with low-labour-cost economies. These factors are discussed in much greater detail in the 2018 "Roadmap for Robotics in Australia" and in the 2018 Synergies report "The robotics and automation advantage for Queensland" (with findings that extrapolate nationally). Further, it is estimated that a robotics industry will be worth US$23B by 2025 and Australia is well-positioned to share in that market by participating in fundamental developments in the field. This project is one such advance; developing ways for more flexible operation of robots to unleash their potential to operate more effectively with humans, and in unfamiliar and/or remote environments.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Towards room-temperature multiferroics by doping and ionic liquid gating . This project aims to develop new multiferroic materials for high performance computing and data storage technologies. Semiconductor industry leaders have identified the development of these materials, operating a room temperature, as a key challenge in enabling future high speed, high performance logic and memory devices. The intended outcomes of this work are (i) the delivery of new multiferroic materials by magnetic doping of a semiconductor, strained to a ferroelectric state and (ii) the demonstration of a new paradigm in materials design to realise such materials. The key benefit of this work is the enabling of next generation computing and memory devices exhibiting higher speeds, reduced sizes and lower power consumption. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering This project aims to develop new materials for emerging high speed, low power computing and data storage technologies. The impact of this work is both economic and environmental. Higher speed computing and data storage will enhance productivity across all sectors - government, private industry and education. Low power devices will translate to cost savings through reduced electricity consumption across the same segments of the economy and a reduction in the negative impacts of climate change.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Non-contact Integrity Assessment of Façade Panels of High-rise Buildings. Disintegration of the external façade (with tiles, plates, etc.) of high-rise buildings presents a great challenge and a threat to community. This project develops fundamental knowledge and algorithms that underpin the deployment of a new technique for fast and automated quantitative integrity assessment of façade units of high-rise buildings, integrating mechanisms of directional acoustic waves, vibro-acoustics of façade tiles or panels, laser sensing technology, deep learning algorithms and drone technology. Outcomes of this project are critical for implementing the new technology for enhanced safety to community and the development of new procedures for driving down maintenance costs of the external façade of high-rise buildings. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering There have been many incidents of disintegration and falling of external façade with bonded or attached tiles and glass panels of high-rise buildings. These incidents present a great challenge and a threat to community. Direct inspection and assessment of the façades of high-rise buildings or some modern architectural masterpieces are challenging tasks which sometimes cannot be completed without potentially inducing new or additional damage to the façade. This project develops fundamental knowledge and algorithms that underpin the deployment of a novel technique for fast and automated quantitative integrity assessment of façade units of high-rise buildings. It is based on new design and mechanisms for activating directional acoustic-induced vibration of façade tiles or panels, implementation of laser sensing and deep learning technology integrated with drone technology. The outcomes of the project are critical for implementing the new technology for enhanced safety to community and the development of procedures for driving down maintenance costs and extending the life-span of façades of high-rise buildings.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Mismatch between host-pathogen thermal ecology impacts adaptation to change. This project aims to examine how differences in the thermal performance of hosts and pathogens can influence the capacity of a species to respond to warming temperatures. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of global change biology by integrating approaches from the fields of evolutionary genetics, sexual selection, and epidemiology. Expected outcomes include improved knowledge and techniques that can be used to forecast the growth or decline of host and pathogen populations under different scenarios of warming. This should provide significant benefits, such as helping to identify local wildlife or agricultural populations that are most at risk under the duel threat of parasitism and global change. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology Global change is predicted to result in both rapidly changing environments and dramatic increases in disease outbreaks. Yet our ability to identify populations at most risk from the nexus of global change and parasitism is limited. This project aims to explore how tropical and temperature populations in Australia might respond to the dual threat of parasitism and changing temperatures. It is expected to train a new generation of researchers in interdisciplinary approaches linking evolution, ecology, and epidemiology. The expected benefit is an improved capacity to predict extinction risks in a changing world and a proof of concept that ecosystem management could be enhanced by considering the joint thermal ecology of hosts and pathogens.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Building State responses to technology-facilitated domestic violence. This project aims to investigate one of Australia’s most pressing social problems: domestic violence and the emerging use of digital technology to enact and escalate abuse and stalking. Technology-facilitated domestic violence threatens psychological, emotional and physical wellbeing and safety (and signifies risk of homicide), and so warrants attention. Justice systems have a crucial role to play in preventing technology-facilitated violence and safeguarding and empowering victim/survivors. This timely project seeks to assess existing State responses to and regulation of such harms. It expects to provide an evidence base to enhance and develop innovative policing and judicial policy and practice, with benefits to communities and economies. Field of research: 1699 - Other Studies In Human Society

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Social Network Analysis: Social Media, Peer Effects and the Environment. The aims of this proposal are to better understand the role of networks in different activities such as social media, education, crime and environment-friendly behaviour. The project expects to help inform the design and practice of policies for education and environmental authorities, police and media markets. Social networks are pervasive in Australia. The project tackles issues of criminal gangs in Australian cities, the political system and environment-friendly behaviours. This project is at the frontier of work in the economics of networks, with expected outcomes to include new models and methods to better understand the impact of social networks. Benefits include clear policy recommendations to improve welfare in Australian society. Field of research: 1401 - Economic Theory Good economic policy is fundamental to future Australian prosperity. We believe that this research project will help create relevant policies to address crime, education and the political system in Australia. We first focus on how individuals form beliefs about political opinions and how this impacts the political process in Australia. This project will help us understand why people may form extreme political opinions and will also provide insight into the increasing polarisation of political opinions in Australia. We then address the issues of education and crime in networks. Should policy target ‘key players’ in criminal networks to reduce crime or should we change the social norm in schools to enhance education in Australia? Finally, we tackle the issue of environmental behaviour, social norms and access to recycling facilities, which is particularly relevant for Australia since recycling is often not viable in towns and settlements located a great distance from the major population centres. This project will provide insights on adequate policies that increase recycling behaviour.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Designing digital aquatic play to foster Australians’ engagement with water. From the beach to the pool, aquatic play is key to Australians’ quality of life and advances physical, mental and social wellbeing. This project harnesses our increasing use of interactive technology (such as wearables) to develop the world’s first design theory on interactive aquatic play. The project creates and evaluates three inspirational aquatic play prototypes, advancing confidence in water skills, self-expression through movement and employment of safe practices to enrich Australian’s physical engagement with water. Digital media developers, government interventions and wellbeing groups can use the derived design knowledge to leverage digital technology and aquatic interactivity to foster Australians’ physical engagement with water. Field of research: 0806 - Information Systems Drawing on Australia’s strong affinity with water while harnessing Australians’ increasing use of interactive technology, this research provides the world’s first design understanding for interactive aquatic play in order to foster Australians’ physical engagement with water. This understanding will: help developers create play and sports equipment for self-expression through movement to promote physical activity in and around water, supporting the digital media and sports industry; aid researchers in evaluating technology-augmented water-based exercise programs in uses such as rehabilitation; and guide community groups, government organizations and wellbeing advocates in utilizing digital technology to create compelling interventions to advance confidence in water skills and employ safe practices around water. This research provides the first design understanding of how to harness Australians’ increasing use of digital technology to support physical engagement with water so that more Australians profit from the physical, mental and social wellbeing benefits associated with water-based activity.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

On-Chip Detection and Molecular Fingerprinting of Emerging Toxicants. The project aims to address key questions about the development and integration of advanced materials and functional molecules into cutting-edge analytical tools for screening emerging environmental pollutants. This is expected to generate fundamental and applied knowledge in analytical chemistry, using an interdisciplinary approach to engineer materials with precisely tailored properties for ultra-sensitive and selective detection of extremely persistent toxicants in water. Anticipated outcomes are optical materials and functional molecules, integrated into lab-on-a-chip platforms with advanced features for real-life environmental applications – with significant benefits for addressing major environmental and health treats to our society. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology We will produce significant advances in micro and nanotechnology to develop advanced analytical tools capable of screening highly persistent emerging contaminants that seriously threaten the environment and sustainable economic development. The project will span disciplinary boundaries to engineer cutting-edge sensing technologies for integrated, label-free detection, quantification, and molecular fingerprinting of PFASs. The resulting knowledge and technological advances will give environmental researchers advanced tools for generating new insights into the fate and impact of PFAS contaminants in the environment and in populations, ultimately having a disruptive effect on standardised analytical protocols to monitor pollutants in water sources. The project will deliver economic, commercial, and environmental benefits through research excellence, engaging with industry and the broad community, and creating social impact by increasing the society’s awareness of environmental pollution problems associated with our life style. We expect to license the outcomes for translation to produce a marketable technology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

The RGG/RG motif as an RNA chaperone: advancing CRISPR-Cas RNA technology. This project investigates the way in which protein molecules interact effectively with RNA molecules and also aims to enhance the CRISPR-Cas13a system for RNA detection. Innovative approaches will be used to test the role of a particular protein motif, called the RGG/RG motif, in remodelling RNA structure and enhancing the Cas13a protein. This knowledge is expected to shift our understanding of protein-RNA interactions that are fundamental to almost every aspect of cell biology. The project is intended to benefit Australia through contributing to fundamental knowledge in the field, facilitating the development of new CRISPR-Cas biotechnologies for RNA detection and through the training of young researchers in frontier technologies. Field of research: 0304 - Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry This project will firstly contribute to Australia's national interest through advancing knowledge in the field of biological molecular sciences. Proteins and RNA are the machines that carry out the majority of functions in our cells. Our work examines a novel aspect of protein-RNA interactions and will raise the profile of Australia in this scientific field. Our work will also be enabling of novel biotechnologies. The CRISPR-Cas13a technology, that allows specific RNA to be detected (for example the RNA from a particular virus), will be enhanced by our research. The outcomes are expected to be patentable and to benefit Australia commercially in the biotechnology field. Thirdly, this project will involve the training of upcoming young scientists in a cutting-edge field and in the use of frontier technologies. This will also be of benefit to Australia for the establishment of future scientists and entrepreneurs in a growing scientific field.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

New methods for modelling complex trends in climate and energy time series. The project aims to contribute to Australian and international efforts on emission control by advancing the methods for quantifying the relationships between energy production, emission and climate, and assessing the real and financial risks associated with changing the ways in which economies produce and use energy. The project is interdisciplinary and expects to develop new knowledge in the areas of energy and climate econometrics. The anticipated outcomes of this project are new methods for modelling variables with complex trends, and an innovative data-driven approach for learning from policy experiences of other countries. This should provide significant benefits by enabling evidence-based policy making in the era of climate change. Field of research: 1403 - Econometrics Electricity production in Australia generates more metric tons of CO2 emissions per capita per year than any other developed OECD country, and in 2015, the Australian Government nominated environmental change and energy as two of nine national research priorities. This project adds the expertise of social scientists and time series analysts to societal efforts to ensure sustainable economic growth with a stable energy supply that has lower carbon emissions. The project develops a scientific methodology that uses relevant quantitative information to identify the advanced economies that are similar to Australia, and then combines the experiences of this group of countries to provide an objective prediction of the likely consequences of Australia adopting specific renewable energy policies. The proposed work will lead to improved precision in the measurement and prediction of environmental conditions, electricity generation and their co-movement, thereby facilitating the development of policies that can meet Australia’s climate change goals whilst ensuring stable energy markets.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Exceptions Prove the Rule: How Antigen Recognition Drives T cell Activation. CD8+ T cells are immune cells that are critical for the adaptive immune response, which is central to immune function in vertebrates. CD8+ T cells mediate their effector functions only after activation, which occurs via T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of foreign antigens. Here, unique reagents and sophisticated technologies will be used to define precisely how the nature of TCR-antigen recognition impacts on T cell activation and effector function. This work builds on an earlier identification of an entirely novel mode of TCR-antigen recognition, and its success will establish novel paradigms in T cell biology and represent a key advance in knowledge in the life sciences. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Recognition of foreign antigens by the T cell receptor (TCR), expressed on the surface of T cells, is the defining and most critical event in T cell activation, ultimately resulting in T cell-mediated viral clearance. In the short term, this work will advance our fundamental understanding of how the nature of the TCR recognition event impacts on CD8+ T cell activation and effector function. Therefore, this work will, through the continued publication of high impact research articles and international presentations i) increase Australia's international reputation for research excellence, ii) attract outstanding students to Australian research, and iii) attract funding from external industry sources and granting bodies. In the longer term, the advances in our fundamental understanding of T cell activation from this study will inform immunotherapies for cancer, autoimmunity, and viral infection that, now more than ever, rely on modulation of T cell function. In summary, this work is expected to make a sustained impact on Australia's research standing, and health and commercial outcomes.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Making Machine Learning Fair(er). This project aims to develop and implement statistical methods to fight against algorithm bias. In doing so, this project expects to generate new knowledge in the mathematical sciences by employing innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to the development of fairness constraints on machine learning algorithms. Fairness will be seen through the lens of invariance, allowing the developed conceptual framework to find broad applications. Expected outcomes of this project include improved techniques for imposing invariance on deep learning algorithms. This should provide significant benefits to the general public by contributing to the advancement of socially responsible and conscientious machine learning. Field of research: 0104 - Statistics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Antibacterial Material Design via Mechanism-Based Mathematical Modelling. This Project aims to provide new rules for the design of novel polymer materials with antibacterial properties by employing mechanism-based mathematical modelling. This Project expects to generate new understanding of those mechanisms which underpin the antibacterial activity of these materials, how bacteria respond to these through metabolic changes and emergence of resistance.These rules will govern material design to yield new antibacterial materials with improved properties. Expected outcomes of this project may be a novel mechanism-based mathematical model that will enable the next-generation of antibacterial materials. This outcome will help address the increasing economic and social burden of antibiotic drug resistance in Australia. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry The development of new antibacterial synthetic materials is of considerable importance to the advanced manufacturing sector, where new products with a high added value are constantly sought. The project will provide a new platform technology for potential end use in the veterinary/medical and agricultural sectors. It will see Australian-trained researchers equipped with cross-disciplinary skills that are truly unique and maintain Australia's reputation as a leading country for innovation and polymer materials research.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Advancing Human–robot Interaction with Augmented Reality. This research aims to advance emerging human-robot interaction (HRI) methods, creating novel and innovative, human-in-the-loop communication, collaboration, and teaching methods. The project expects to support the creation of new applications for the growing wave of assistive robotic platforms emerging in the market and de-risk the integration of collaborative robotics into industrial production. Expected outcomes include methods and tools developed to allow smart leveraging of the different capacities of humans and robots. This should provide significant benefits allowing manufacturers to capitalize on the high skill level of Australian workers and bring more complex high-value manufactured products to market. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Embracing and integrating robotics technology is of tremendous importance to Australian industries, which lag behind their international competitors in implementation of robotics-based production, and must advance the use of smart automation while upskilling their workforce. A Boston Consulting Group study estimates that integration of industrial robotics can improve manufacturing output per worker by anywhere from 10 to 30 percent. Utility, acceptance and success of collaborative robotics requires simple to use and effective methods for creating and communicating a shared understanding of collaborative tasks. The expected outcomes of our human-robot interaction tools, frameworks and methods will advance the implementation of human-robot teams. This will allow effective leveraging of the different capacities of humans and robots, resulting in a higher productivity and skill level workforce.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Staging Australian Women’s Lives: Theatre, Feminism & Socially Engaged Art. This project aims to address increasing discrimination and violence against Australian women by researching how theatre can be used as a socially-engaged laboratory for understanding and improving their lives. The project seeks to generate new knowledge about how women theatre makers craft creative and effective responses to gender-based inequality and oppression. Expected outcomes include a comprehensive feminist analysis and innovative written, digital and performance-based documentation of women's contributions to Australian theatre history and their efforts to address social inequities. It seeks to benefit Australian society by exploring how theatre gives women useful tools for countering inequality and oppression in their own lives. Field of research: 2002 - Cultural Studies Gender-based discrimination, harassment and violence continue to affect Australian women. The theatre stage is an ideal laboratory for developing responses to these and other social inequalities. Women theatre makers play a key role in developing creative and effective actions to address gender-based inequality and oppression. This project will document their contributions to theatre, particularly the methods they use to represent women’s lives in all their complexity and material reality. The project will deliver useful tools for addressing inequality and oppression in women’s own lives, reducing inequality in the Australian community. In addition, the project will develop the evidence-base for creative industry responses to real-world social problems.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Dynamic Fracturing and Energy Release Mechanisms in Heterogeneous Materials. The prediction of fracturing behaviour in geomaterials (i.e. rock, soil and concrete) under dynamic/impact loads is essential in dealing with a wide range of engineering problems including excavation and mining, blasting and fragmentation, earthquake engineering, impact cratering, and protective structure design However, current knowledge and modelling capabilities of these applications remains empirically based. This project aims to investigate fundamental issues governing the dynamic fracturing of geomaterials and apply this knowledge to advance the understanding and modelling capacity of dynamic fractures in geomaterials. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

The weather-climate connection in Australian climate change. This project aims to uncover the key links in Australia's weather-climate connection by identifying the role weather features play in influencing the slowly varying climate and how changes in one might affect changes in the other. Better describing the two-way connection between weather and climate through an innovative combination of research techniques usually applied to only one of weather or climate will allow for a more insightful assessment of climate model quality. This assessment will support the identification of the most reliable climate models and, by using them, reduce uncertainties in future predictions. Improved predictions of climate in turn will enable better decision making in all sectors of society. Field of research: 0401 - Atmospheric Sciences Australia's climate is one of the most variable on Earth and it is changing. To human endeavours, changes in climate express themselves as changes in the weather and it is the consequences of the changing weather that society as a whole has to adapt to. It is therefore of critical importance to understand and predict our changing climate in the context of changing weather. The increased understanding of the weather-climate connection in Australian climate change resulting from this research will have direct practical implications for many sectors of our economy as well as the public. By applying the newly gained understanding from our research in evaluating the ability of the world's climate models to simulate Australia's weather-climate connection, we will provide guidance to their use in downstream applications, such as downscaling, and decision making at all levels of government and industry and in doing so, will contribute to reducing uncertainties in our knowledge of our future weather.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Super-formable magnesium and its alloys at room temperature. This project aims to reveal the origin of a new phenomenon that we recently discovered: intrinsically brittle magnesium becomes super-formable at room temperature when its grain size is reduced to about one micron. It will use state-of-the-art atomic-scale characterization and computation to determine the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon, and to explore some as yet uncharted dilute alloy composition territories for unprecedented formability. Expected outcomes are likely to form the scientific basis and a new pathway for designing and developing a new generation of wrought magnesium alloys. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering Lightweight magnesium has tremendous potential for energy efficient and environmentally friendly applications. However, it is intrinsically difficult to form at room temperature, preventing its products from lower-cost manufacturing. This project will address this issue by identifying the metallurgical factors that can lead to super-formability at room temperature and without alloying at traditional levels. The outcomes should be a major step in the design and development of a new generation of wrought magnesium alloys that will help the Australian magnesium industry to expand its international market share. The findings will also make major contributions to physical metallurgy of magnesium alloys in the understanding of inter-granular deformation modes and dynamic recrystallization and their effects on super-formability of magnesium alloys.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Revealing the atoms that control performance in photoactive perovskites. This project aims to develop new electron microscopy techniques that will unambiguously determine the elusive structures of photoactive perovskite compounds under static and operational conditions, while correlating crystal structure with solar cell device performance. Photoactive perovskites are promising photovoltaic materials, however, many are sensitive to air and irradiation. This has impeded a huge international research effort to determine their structure reliably at the atomic scale. With these new techniques applied to leading compounds and devices, it is expected this project will reveal the structural effects controlling electrical properties and device performance and so enable the design of superior perovskite photovoltaics. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics Solar cells offer a promising method of generating electricity sustainably. Australia has led the world in the development of silicon-based solar cells, consistently achieving record power conversion efficiencies. Australia has the potential to do the same for upcoming technologies, such as ‘perovskite’ solar cells. These are relatively easy to synthesise, thereby keeping manufacturing costs down. Furthermore, they can be deposited on other layers in tandem with conventional silicon or other solar cell technologies for improved solar cell efficiencies. This project aims to develop new microscopy techniques to examine the structure of perovskite solar cells at the level of atoms, so that the electrical properties of these materials can be understood and engineered for maximum solar cell efficiency and minimum fabrication cost. These new techniques will enable and support research programs across Australia, in other materials, as well as solar cells, and will be available to support nascent perovskite solar cell industries, as they arise.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Living on air: how do bacteria scavenge atmospheric trace gases? This project aims to determine the molecular and cellular basis of atmospheric trace gas oxidation by bacteria. Bacteria have a remarkable ability to adapt to resource limitation and environmental change by entering dormant states. Our research has shown they survive in this state by using atmospheric hydrogen and carbon monoxide as energy sources. This interdisciplinary project will determine how bacteria achieve this by elucidating the regulation, mechanism, and integration of the three uncharacterised enzymes that mediate this process. Outcomes and benefits include understanding of the processes that facilitate bacterial persistence, regulate atmospheric composition, and in turn support resilience of natural ecosystems. Field of research: 0605 - Microbiology This project will improve understanding of how Australian environments will adapt to the impacts of global change. We will determine the mechanisms underlying a key interaction between the soil biosphere and atmosphere that supports human activity. The consumption of atmospheric trace gases allows soil microorganisms to maintain diversity and productivity in the face of environmental degradation. This process is particularly important for Australian agriculture, which is reliant on vulnerable drylands. This process also regulates the composition of the atmosphere, including reducing levels of the major urban pollutant carbon monoxide. By resolving the mechanistic basis of this process, we will able to better understand the resilience of Australian biodiversity to environmental change and improve modelling of the biogeochemical cycles that control atmospheric composition. The project also has potential economic significance given it will characterise two new hydrogen biocatalysts with remarkable oxygen-tolerance; these have utility in the development of fuel cells for Australia’s developing hydrogen economy.