MONASH UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Governing the knowledge commons. This project investigates a variety of collective action problems that confront communities that aim to produce knowledge and information, such as academic communities and the media. This project is expected to generate insights into the role of governance institutions in science, social media, and journalism, using techniques of agent-based modelling, economics, and philosophical analysis. Expected outcomes of the project include enhanced capacity to build epistemic networks to maximise the production and dissemination of knowledge, improved understanding of the role of knowledge networks in a just democratic society. Field of research: 2203 - Philosophy

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

The philosophical foundations of women’s rights: a new history, 1600-1750. This project aims to show that the history of women’s rights is much longer and richer than previously thought. There is a common perception that the notion of women’s rights first emerged in the late eighteenth century. This project expects to generate a new understanding of feminist history by investigating texts calling for the recognition of women’s dignity, worth, nobility, and excellence (cognate concepts to rights) in England and Europe from 1600 to 1750, against the backdrop of the rise of Cartesianism. The anticipated outcome is greater awareness of an enduring feminist tradition within the history of philosophy. The expected social benefits include a shift in public thinking about feminist history and women in philosophy. Field of research: 2202 - History and Philosophy of Specific Fields

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Target-agnostic analytics: building agile predictive models for big data. This project aims to develop target-agnostic analytics, creating models of data that can be queried about any variable or feature without having to be relearned. Government and business collect vast quantities of data, but these are wasted if we cannot use them to predict the future from the past. Presently, big-data analytics is effective at predicting a single pre-defined target variable, yet in many applications, what we know about a system and what we want to find out are far more complex. This project expects to yield novel target-agnostic technologies with associated publications and open-source software. The project will expand the capabilities of machine learning, providing better use of the massive data assets collected across most public, commercial and industry sectors. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Personalised public transport. This project aims to address urban congestion by utilising people’s travel plans to coordinate journeys. The project expects to generate new knowledge in scalable optimisation, based on innovative modelling of urban transport, and tested on historical data from Melbourne. The expected outcomes of the project are an active transport database and optimised mode choice and routing system, with predicted reductions in congestion based on simulation of its use. This project aims to design an urban trip advisory system that could be followed by automated vehicles as well as human drivers, to reduce the financial and environmental cost of current urban congestion. Field of research: 1205 - Urban and Regional Planning

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Explaining the outcomes of complex computational models. This project aims to develop new algorithms that automatically generate explanations for the results produced by complex computational models. In recent times, these models have become increasingly accurate, and hence pervasive. However, the reasoning of Deep Neural Networks and Bayesian Networks, and of complex Regression models and Decision Trees is often unclear, impairing effective decision making by practitioners who use the results of these models or investigate the decisions made by the systems. Practical benefits of clear decision making reasoning by complex computational models include reduced risk, increased productivity and revenue, appropriate adoption of technologies including improved education for practitioners, and improved outcomes for end users. Significant benefits will be demonstrated through the evaluations with practitioners in the areas of healthcare and energy. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Exploring mathematical sequences of connected cumulative challenging tasks. This project aims to enhance the mathematics outcomes of Australian students by researching teaching approaches that utilise sequences of cognitively challenging tasks that build connections between key mathematical ideas whilst developing depth, flexibility and transfer of knowledge. The project expects to build new understandings in the ways in which mathematics is learned by 5-8 year-olds and will provide mathematics leaders and teachers with the strategies and tools to improve student learning. Outcomes include a series of empirically-tested sequences of challenging tasks for use by all education sectors, new approaches to teacher learning and improved student mathematics learning that will benefit Australia's social and economic needs. Field of research: 1303 - Specialist Studies In Education

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Structural Reliability of Engineering Structures in Cyclonic Winds. This project aims to address the challenge of predicting the impact of extreme cyclonic winds on complex engineering structures. By applying advanced computational and experimental techniques the project expects to develop new insight into turbulent flows at a sub-cyclone scale and how these produce aerodynamic loads on closely spaced cylindrical structures and elements. The expected outcomes of this project include enhanced simulation techniques leading to better understanding of structural vulnerability to cyclones. This should provide significant benefits, such as improved structural design and cyclone mitigation strategies applicable to both high-value engineering structures and vulnerable communities in cyclone regions. Field of research: 0915 - Interdisciplinary Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Designing the next generation of geosynthetic liner systems . The project aims to improve the effectiveness of geosynthetic liner systems to contain emerging contaminants such as per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) for better protection of Australian groundwater resources. The project expects to experimentally validate theory to improve predictive models for performance of geosynthetic liner systems. Expected outcomes include new and updated design guidelines for effective environmental protection against PFASs and establishment of new approaches for predicting functional containment lifetimes of liner systems. These outcomes are expected to benefit the waste and remediation industries by influencing next-generation design regulations to ensure long-term environmental protection from PFAS. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

A ubiquitous system for indoor location-based services. This project aims to design a system capable of providing location-based services in WiFi-enabled indoor buildings. The project expects to address two major challenges hindering such a system, capability to identify a user's location in any indoor venue with minimum manual overhead, and effective data management techniques for indoor data. Expected outcomes of this project include new techniques for managing and utilising indoor location data and enhanced international collaborations. The project will support and enhance a wide range of indoor applications such as emergency services, assisted healthcare systems, indoor asset tracking, event planning, indoor venue management, and consumer experience. Field of research: 0806 - Information Systems

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Rethinking diversity and inclusion practices in leadership roles. This project aims to study the lack of racial and gender diversity in management and leadership roles. The noticeable imbalances question the functioning of the meritocracy principle and may lead to organisational and social vulnerabilities. This project will apply large-scale field experiments with major organisations to investigate how workplace diversity and inclusion can be improved using as foundation economic theories of signaling, discrimination, fairness, and identity. The expected outcome is the identification of best diversity and inclusion practice in attraction, hiring, development and retention. This will provide significant benefit through an increase in workplace diversity. Field of research: 1402 - Applied Economics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Understanding marine life-history patterns: an eco-energetics approach. This project aims to determine how temperature affects the energetics of development in marine invertebrates and explain why global distributions of marine organisms show the patterns they do. This project will provide new insights into whether Australia's temperate marine fauna are uniquely vulnerable to future change. Leveraging a new framework, eco-energetics, the project will determine the relative performance of different larval types across every stage of the life history. The project will provide significant benefits such as a new powerful and comprehensive framework for understanding current and predicting future patterns in marine life, providing inferences that extend beyond the species studied in this project. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

ARC Training Centre for the Development of Tools for Fragment Based Design. The ARC Training Centre for the Development of Tools for Fragment Based Design aims to inspire the next generation of drug discovery research leaders. It plans to provide direct experience with industry partners, training and master classes in early stage drug-discovery from industry experts. The Centre is expected to accelerate research translation and industry engagement by providing an efficient strategy for the screening of a biological target and early medicinal chemistry for optimisation. The expected outcome of the Centre is to equip the trainees with the skills to make key contributions to the sustainability and growth of the sector and to provide significant capacity to address global challenges for 21st century pharmaceutical innovation. Field of research: 1115 - Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Evolution of sub-arc mantle oxidation state over Earth’s history. This project aims to determine how the oxidation state of the Earth's mantle has changed throughout geologic history in response to recycling of sulfur, carbon and iron though subduction zones, and how this has influenced mineral deposit formation. The expected outcome is a holistic model that ties evolution of the Earth's biosphere to geochemical changes in the deep Earth that control mineral deposit formation. By improving our understanding of how, where, when and why mineral deposits formed, this project should provide improvements in mineral exploration strategy, and thus benefits to Australia's economy. Field of research: 0403 - Geology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Dynamic multi-modal x-ray imaging. This project aims to create sensitive new methods of x-ray imaging that capture multiple image modalities with a single snapshot. Conventional x-ray imaging is widely used in a range of industries, but captures only a fraction of the rich information that is available in the x-ray wavefield. This project expects to extract additional image modalities to reveal x-ray-transparent features, and detect microscopic textures. By combining these capabilities with the ability to capture images of a moving sample, this project will enable innovative biomedical and materials research studies, and develop new imaging technologies for use in security, hospitals and manufacturing. New methods of x-ray imaging will have wide-ranging benefits for society, the economy and healthcare. Field of research: 0205 - Optical Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Science and engineering concept formation in homes and playbased settings. This education project aims to research concept formation in infants, toddlers and preschoolers by examining imagination in play-based settings and homes. Quality early childhood experiences can impact positively on life choices and career pathways. The outcomes of this project will provide baseline evidence, build on teachers’ strengths in play-based settings, and test a new early childhood model of teaching science, engineering and technologies, while monitoring uptake and adoption to build Australia's early childhood research capacity. It is expected that the results will build capacity in research in early childhood science, engineering and technologies, positioning Australia as a research leader. Field of research: 1302 - Curriculum and Pedagogy

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

The role of structure in the formation and properties of glasses. This project aims to investigate the role of local atomic structure in the formation and mechanical properties of glasses by applying newly developed structure-determination methods. This project expects to establish why glasses form and how their structure gives rise to their undesirable, and limiting, brittle mechanical failure. The anticipated outcomes of this project are better ways to measure the atomic structure of disordered materials and the generation of more clear-cut structure-property relationships for glasses. This will provide significant benefit to Australian industries by enabling the design of better glass-forming systems and stronger, tougher glasses. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Luminophores and photochromes: towards molecular componentry. This project aims to enhance current knowledge of luminogenic and photochromic molecules, including self-assembled structures, and materials composed thereof, by constructing a computationally guided compound library. Translation of primary outcomes towards utility in emerging technologies including passive light harvesting from transparent surfaces, bio-sensors and photo-responsive devices will be pursued in collaboration with both academia and industry. The expected outcomes from this project include the creation of opportunities to explore the manufacture and commercialisation of high-value products with Australian industry. This will provide significant benefits, such as reduction in the carbon footprint of homes, businesses and other applicable structures due to passive power generation, while creating jobs and up-skilling the workforce. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Towards an effective practice model for youth detention. This project aims to examine the effectiveness of an innovative government program, which seeks to enhance the safety and rehabilitative culture of juvenile detention centres by increasing staff interpersonal skills through specialist training, coaching and supervision. The project is expected to identify best practice principles, allowing government departments to focus efforts on training and staff support to provide a higher quality work force. An evidence based framework will be developed in consultation with juvenile justice agencies across Australia. This will potentially improve outcomes for young people in custody and the wider community. Field of research: 1607 - Social Work

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Enabling three dimensional stochastic geological modelling. This project aims to develop technologies to mitigate three dimensional (3D) geological risk in resources management. This project expects to create new knowledge and methods in the field of 3D geological modelling through the innovative application of mathematical methods, structural geology concepts and probabilistic programming. The expected outcomes are an enhanced capability to model the subsurface, characterise model uncertainty and test multiple geological scenarios. This enhanced capability is important for the future of Australia's subsurface management, including urban geology and our continuously growing sustainable resources industry. Field of research: 0403 - Geology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Facility for electric and magnetic probes of materials at extreme conditions. This project aims to establish a readily accessible facility for measurement of electric and magnetic properties of materials under extreme temperature, magnetic field, and sensitivity conditions. The expected outcome is to build capacity for and support world-leading research into novel topological materials, atomically thin materials, materials with strong light-matter interactions and magnetic materials. The benefits to society are new devices for efficient generation, storage, transmission and switching of energy. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Using 3D printing to improve access to graphics by vision-impaired people. This project aims to investigate the possible benefits of 3D printing for production of accessible materials for vision-impaired people. Currently tactile graphics are used to provide severely vision-impaired adults and children with access to graphical content used in education and in orientation and mobility training. This project is expected to clarify the kinds of graphics for which 3D prints are better suited than tactile graphics, and to build capacity within the national accessible format provision sector for the production and use of 3D prints. Benefits will include increased educational opportunities and quality of life for Australians with severe vision impairment, through improved access to graphic materials used in education and orientation and mobility training. Field of research: 0806 - Information Systems

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Development and application of WO3-Mica Multifunctional Nanocomposites . This project aims to develop innovative techniques to produce advanced tungsten oxide/metal oxide/mica composites for paint applications. The findings will be used to develop pearlescent paints for diverse applications in a range of industries, with the potential for huge benefits in improving the value of metal oxides and mica. The findings will be useful in the development of other new materials and provide a foundation for new applications such as photochromic and self-cleaning paints. This will generate opportunities to develop and apply advanced knowledge to solve significant problems in industry, leading to national economic growth by adding high values of mineral resources in Australia. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Modelling collective behaviour to protect social insect ecosystem services. This project aims to use mathematical models and computer simulations and biological experiments to investigate how social insects adapt to environmental stress, for example due to climate change and pollution. Fundamental to the adaptability of social insects are the complex mechanisms that allow colonies to maintain a carefully balanced division of labour (DOL). This project builds on evolutionary game theory to develop a new approach for analysing how environmental factors impact on DOL and thus colony viability. The project will deliver new methods to assess and predict the impact of environmental stress This will ultimately help to protect these keystones of biodiversity and the significant ecosystem services they provide as pest-control agents, through pollination, seed dispersal, and soil conditioning. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Integrative brain imaging technologies. This project aims to develop quantitative metabolic imaging using simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). The current generation of MR-PET scanners are capable of simultaneously acquiring MRI and PET data to enable quantitative anatomical, physiological and metabolic imaging. The project aims to develop new MRI methods for quantitative anatomical mapping, MR-based motion correction of dynamic PET scan data, and joint estimation of physiological and metabolic organ activity. These advances will create innovative imaging technologies for advanced biomedical imaging research with a particular emphasis in healthy ageing. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2018 · 2018-01

Growing up with global change. This project aims to quantify how native bird populations will respond to global warming. The project will investigate how vulnerable nestling birds are to high temperatures, and the impact of early-life heat stress on adult performance and fitness in the wild. Although growing animals are most sensitive to heat, and stress during early-life often has irreversible negative effects, we know very little about long-term consequences of early-life heat stress. The intended outcomes will increase our capacity to predict impacts of climate warming before population declines become evident. Improved predictions are beneficial to identify urgent threats and optimise conservation efforts. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology