MONASH UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Antarctica is changing - how will this affect Australian climate? . This DECRA project aims to investigate the remote influences of reduced sea ice coverage, increased ice sheet and ice shelf meltwater, and their combined impact, on Australian climate. Using a range of coupled climate model simulations, this project expects to advance our knowledge about sea ice and glacial meltwater processes around the Antarctic margins, and how changes in these processes will impact Australian climate. The expected outcomes directly fill major gaps in Antarctic–Australian climate research and reduce uncertainty in future climate projections. This should provide significant benefit to Australia in developing climate resilience and adapting to global warming. Field of research: 3702 - Climate Change Science Antarctica and the surrounding ocean are changing rapidly. To date, an overlooked factor is how the changing Antarctic will influence climate processes across the Southern Hemisphere, including in Australia. To protect and restore Australia's environment, this project will therefore address recent past and likely future climate conditions in both Australia and Antarctica. It will use climate modelling to assess how reduced Antarctic sea ice coverage and increased glacial meltwater entering the Southern Ocean from the Antarctic Ice Sheet and surrounding ice shelves will interact, and how they will remotely influence atmospheric and oceanic conditions across the Southern Hemisphere, with a focus on temperature and rainfall changes in Australia. It directly addresses National Science and Research Priority 4 by projecting future climate conditions in Australia and Antarctica associated with abrupt sea ice decline and glacial meltwater additions over the coming century. This will inform existing climate projections and lead to more accurate future projections. This will benefit all levels of government and planners, protecting Australian sectors vulnerable to climate extremes, such as coastal communities, agriculture, water management, and tourism, and lead to more efficient and cost-effective responses. Through existing collaborations with agencies such as the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO, findings could rapidly translate into improved climate forecasting.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Therapeutic targeting of interleukin-33 for severe paediatric urinary... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Authentic Assessments for the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence. This project aims to collect, analyse, and represent human-artificial intelligence (AI) writing processes to improve assessment practice in higher education. This project expects to generate knowledge in educational psychology and assessment by combining human-centred design, ethnographic observation, and learning analytics. Expected outcomes of this project include a cross-platform tool for assessing collaborative human-AI writing, insights into authentic human-AI collaboration, improved AI literacy for students and educators, and protocols for the ethical assessment of learning processes. This project will benefit students, educators, and employers by creating more feasible and valid assessments of AI-enhanced skills. Field of research: 3904 - Specialist Studies In Education AI can now create convincing evidence of student learning. One solution is to move from assessing products to assessing process—the steps students take to create assessment products. However, students lack feasible and ethical ways of documenting their process, and educators lack the resources, time, and ability to analyse and understand this new kind of evidence. This project aims to collect, analyse, and represent collaborative human-AI writing processes to improve assessment practice in higher education. This project will boost the economy by providing a more valid solution to training and assessing a workforce increasingly dependent on AI. Commercially, this project will jumpstart the development of the next generation of EdTech products that focus on learning processes. Socially, this project will inform policies and practices in higher education related to assessment in this new age of AI. Culturally, this project will foster critical AI literacies and destigmatise student AI use. The pathway to impact involves direct benefits to study participants, then the host institution, then higher education institutions across the country and the world. Impact will be supported through dissemination of results at workshops, conferences, and tradeshows and the open-source or commercial release of the technology.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Resetting plasma cells in autoimmunity for sustained remission Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Justice in AI-driven Conservation: Repairing Nature with Care Practices. This project aims to investigate how artificial intelligence for biodiversity assessments can embrace justice practices to achieve Australia’s conservation targets. This project expands theoretical knowledge and participatory methods in the area of digital technologies for conservation decision-making by advancing responsible innovation frameworks. Expected outcomes include a novel legitimacy approach alongside guidance on digital care practices for algorithmic biodiversity monitoring and reporting, ensuring the ethical implementation of the nature repair market. This should provide benefits that position Australia as a global leader in justice-oriented technologies for responsive and adaptive environmental policymaking and practices. Field of research: 4406 - Human Geography Artificial Intelligence is transforming the capabilities to tackle environmental crises. As Australia leads the world’s first legislated biodiversity market, algorithmic technologies are expanding monitoring and reporting frameworks to inform conservation strategies. Yet, biased algorithmic decisions risk reinforcing injustices, dismissing local knowledge, and centralising benefits. Through interdisciplinary collaborations, this project conducts the first global assessment of the legitimacy of algorithmic conservation decisions while co-designing methods to ensure justice-oriented biodiversity assessments. By incorporating participatory practices that account for multispecies justice, this project will deliver a novel legitimacy approach and digital care practices to conservation valuations. Outcomes will inform nature repair methods, strengthen public confidence, and enhance the effectiveness of political measures toward achieving the National Biodiversity Strategy, Nature Positive goals, and the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework. Collaborative engagement will embed insights into real-world practices through workshops, roundtables, and field research, influencing biodiversity management by incorporating diverse expertise and interspecies relations. Advancing responsible innovation in alignment with national biodiversity priorities, this project positions Australia as a global leader in justice-oriented technologies for transformative environmental actions.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Social, ethical and regulatory challenges in the social media porn industry. This project aims to map the social, ethical, and regulatory challenges for creators, audiences, and intermediaries in Australia’s emerging social media pornography industry. It will generate new insights into social media porn work, using qualitative methods that centre the experiences of porn creators and audiences. Expected outcomes include revealing the role of social media porn in Australia’s digital economy, and equipping policymakers and porn creators with information on the current landscape in Australia. This should provide significant benefits for government and the industry seeking to balance personal freedoms, economic growth, and legal oversight, as well as understanding porn creation as a form of digital sexual labour. Field of research: 4701 - Communication and Media Studies This project is the first comprehensive study into social media porn in Australia. We know that most Australians consume porn, and that social media porn creation is an increasing choice of work for young women in particular. But little is known about how it is created and sold through emerging porn-based social media services, such as OnlyFans. Investigating the experiences of social media porn creators, consumers, and intermediaries (including platforms and management agencies) will provide a knowledge base from which to move us past moral panics to think critically about the social, ethical, and regulatory challenges of this significant media sector. This project will equip policymakers and the porn creation industry with information on the current landscape in Australia. The research outputs will include scholarly journal articles and a scholarly book, as well as an open-access report for policymakers, journalists, and educators that will reveal and analyse the implications of this remunerated yet stigmatised labour. The report will inform policy on how Australians are taking advantage of new opportunities in the digital economy while balancing personal freedoms, economic growth, and legal oversight.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The mechanistic basis of how bacteria respond to environmental change. The bacterial cell surface is the primary barrier that protects from external threats; however, it remains unclear how bacteria rapidly remodel this protective layer. This project aims to discover the mechanisms by which bacteria rapidly respond to changes in their local environment. The project expects to define these mechanisms using combinations of molecular analysis, cutting-edge nanoscale imaging, genome-wide profiling and AI-driven structural analysis. Expected outcomes are to understand this fundamental biological principle and advance our knowledge of bacterial cell biology and environmental adaptation. The findings from this project should provide significant benefits for the global research community and commercial biotechnology. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Bacteria can live in environments which change quickly from one extreme to another, and climate change impacts on these changes. Bacteria must respond rapidly to these changes or risk perishing, and this project addresses the means by which bacteria can reprogram their properties in response to the environment. Australia has moved to the forefront of studies addressing this newly recognized process in bacterial cell biology. Training of new research staff and students in this arena provides a means for career development in the pursuit of knowledge using a wide array of technologies drawn from disciplines ranging from genomics to microbiology to RNA biology to biochemistry and membrane biology, and the research could provide benefits in biotechnology, food security and other commercially important sectors. The insights gained will be shared widely with the international research community and will be publicised through social media channels, scientific conferences and seminars, local newspapers and magazines to maximise the use and adoption of the research in the future, further enhancing Australia’s reputation for world-class biological research.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Democracy's Knowledge Problem: from Polarization to Collective Wisdom Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Positional accuracy for robotic structural assembly. Building automation becomes promising with the supports from robotics and computer-vision technologies while accurate positioning is the key for its success. This project aims to understand various sources and physically quantify for the positional inaccuracies of robotic systems in navigation and placement, and finally mitigate such offsets into acceptable level for robotic structural assembly. The outcomes are expected to transform current labour-intensive practices in construction to automated manufacturing processes. This should provide significant benefits with improved productivity and safety and minimized waste of resource and energy, therefore contributing to the overall sustainability in construction. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Many industries have benefited from robotics and automation, construction industry still seems to be an exception. Labour and energy intensive processes and resource inefficient practices are constantly seen in building activities. These result in about 40% of global energy consumption and 50% of total carbon emissions, with increasingly unacceptable consequences in terms of cost, quality, and safety. This project aims to advance structural construction through robotic assembly and address positional accuracy as a key challenge during the process. The objectives are to develop robust path planning algorithms and locating strategies for collaborative robots, and safe manoeuvre protocols and installing approaches for robotic arms. The construction industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors in Australia, contributing to about 10% in both the gross domestic product and total workforce. Project outcomes will be open source for industrial access, compatible with mainstream standards, and promoted at public events and through collaborative networks. They hold strong potential to inform future guidelines and support industrial uptake. As such it is expected to improve construction productivity and safety, while minimising resource and energy waste. The value-added innovations through robotic assembly are poised to enhance the cutting-edge competitiveness for the construction industry, lead to end user-orientated solutions, and contribute to the overall sustainability.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Hotspots and legacies: integrating history into water quality modeling. This project aims to develop a new transdisciplinary approach to enhance river water quality predictions by unlocking information contained in historical lake sediments. Nutrient pollution in rivers leads to ecosystem collapse and undermines human access to safe and secure water supplies. Catchment water quality models are an essential tool in the fight against pollution. Building upon the CI's previous work with industry and government, this project will generate new knowledge of pollution inputs into rivers, which will be used to develop improved models to predict impacts on water quality. This will enable waterway managers to design effective strategies to safeguard water supplies and ecosystem health for future generations. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Waterway pollution threatens water security. Agricultural activities, if not managed properly, can contribute to waterway pollution. This research will benefit Australians economically, socially and environmentally through the protection of rivers from pollution generated by agricultural activities – ensuring safe drinking water supplies, healthy waterways for tourism and ecosystems, and clean irrigation water for agriculture. This project will provide new knowledge about nutrient sources and transport pathways in catchments, which will underpin a modelling tool that can be used to model water quality in agricultural catchments. This project will contribute to: (i) improving our understanding of nutrient sources and how the arrangement of these source areas within catchments impact water quality; and (ii) uncovering and quantifying the impact of historical activities on present-day pollution in rivers using data sets not traditionally used in hydrology. The outcomes from this project will be integrated into a model validated using existing water quality monitoring data from rivers across Victoria. The model will be co-designed with the water quality modelling community. The CI’s strong networks in industry and government will maximise translation and adoption of this tool - for the ultimate goal of protecting Australian rivers for future generations.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Hurried childhoods, slow narratives and the ecology of attention. In a time of rapid change and accelerated childhoods, this project aims to establish slow narrative practices that promote deep engagement. Exploring how children co-create stories across diverse learning environments, the project is expected to reveal the role of children’s literature and creative writing in shaping their relationship with the world around them and their ability to imagine and build hopeful futures. The expected outcome includes new insights into the narrative practices that cultivate resilience and adaptive thinking: essential skills for navigating uncertainty. This would provide significant benefits enriching Australia’s educational, literary and cultural spheres. Field of research: 3602 - Creative and Professional Writing This research advances the understanding of how deliberately slowed-down children's narratives foster deep, sustained engagement with stories. In an era of rapid change and increasing pressures to accelerate childhood, this project investigates how slow narrative practices can support sustained attention, intrinsic motivation, and a sense of belonging in educational settings. By investigating how learners engage with slow reading and writing practices across diverse educational environments, it will establish how creative pedagogies can cultivate resilience, curiosity, and adaptive thinking. Through collaboration with educators and young people, this project will generate new insights into the role of narrative in cross-curriculum learning. It will benefit Australia’s literary and cultural landscape by deepening knowledge of how creative writing supports flexible thinking, creative resourcefulness and future imaginaries. This research will be promoted through scholarly and public engagement, generating new understandings of how slow narrative, slow learning, and unhurried childhoods intersect across literature, education, and creative practice. This work will demonstrate that storytelling is not just a tool for literacy but a vital practice for shaping how we learn, connect, and imagine the future. In doing so, it will position Australia as a leader in innovative, research-led approaches to education, creative writing, and the role of narrative in a changing world.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Pathogen-Mediated Manipulation of the Human Lysosome: A Target for... Category: Medical Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Smart light-sheet with metabolic imaging for extremely delicate samples. The aim of this project is to develop advanced imaging technologies to allow long term visualisation and recording of individual organelles and cells within complex multicellular structures such as embryos, developing tissues, organoids and iblastoids. Imaging technologies have driven major advances in the life sciences but photo-toxicity has limited advances in sensitive multicellular systems. The technology we will implement reduces phototoxicity by using 2-photon microscopy and adaptive opticsn and an Airy beam scanning system enhances speed and resolution of imaging. This capability will lead to new discoveries in how organelles and cells interact to create functional multicellular systems. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Cellular metabolism underlies all cell and tissue function including cell division, differentiation, movement, and even death. Imaging mitochondrial function and metabolic activities in living cells and tissues is needed to understand the role of metabolism in these events. This has been challenging to date due to the need for multiple imaging approaches and photosensitivity of physiologically relevant samples such as eggs, embryos, and iblastoids. This project will overcome these long-standing problems through the unique combination of light-sheet and fluorescence lifetime technologies driven by artificial intelligence. This advanced, multimodal microscope can capture molecular and metabolic details with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution in a way that has not been possible until now. This imaging technology will provide new insights into metabolic processes in eggs and embryos, leading to improved approaches to domestic animal production and breeding. iBlastoids will provide a means of screening for novel modulators of metabolism and differentiation. By pioneering the use of this technology, we anticipate further development and innovation that will generate new intellectual property for commercialisation, bringing economic benefit to Australia. Through these translational and commercialisation opportunities, our research will not only create new knowledge, it will engage biotech, pharma and optical/imaging companies to create impact across multiple sectors.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Optimal surface texture for drag reduction in rolling body flows. This project aims to develop optimised surfaces which minimise the drag experienced by a body rolling on a wall in a fluid. The force applied to the body by the surrounding fluid exhibits a surprising dependence on surface texture, which is not well understood. This project will develop innovative new models to understand how the details of surface texture, such as the size, shape and distribution of roughness elements, influence the fluid forces and subsequent motion of the body. These models will be used to develop optimal surface textures to minimise drag. The benefits of this project include substantially improved modelling of sediment transport in industrial and natural flows, and significant reduction of friction in roller bearings. Field of research: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering This project investigates fundamental questions on the interaction between particles and walls which occur in particle-containing fluid flows. While surface roughness is known to substantially affect the fluid forces acting on a particle in contact with a wall, the details of this process are not known. This project will develop new models to explain how the details of surface texture affect the drag for a particle in contact with a wall, and develop optimised surfaces to minimise drag. This project will lead to substantial economic and environmental benefits to Australia. Industrially, it will lead to improved design and efficiency of many processes featuring particle-laden flows, such as fluidisation and sedimentation. Environmentally, it will lead to improved modelling of sediment transport in rivers and coastlines. It will also inform the design of low-friction surfaces for use in roller bearings, with significant economic benefits in reducing frictional loss and extending useful life. Finally, the project will increase Australia’s capabilities and expertise by training PhD and honours researchers in experimental and computational fluid dynamics. The findings will be shared with industry and the broader scientific community through open access publications and conference presentations, and directly with the numerous Australian industry partners with which the host team has strong and continuing working partnerships.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Integrated Photothermal Membrane Distillation for Water-Energy Nexus. This project aims to address unsustainable lithium extraction—critical for clean energy—by developing a solar-powered membrane system that integrates photothermal distillation and hydrovoltaic energy generation to recover lithium, purify water, and produce electricity. By advancing nanomaterials and hybrid processes, it expects to bridge membrane science and nanotechnology, tackling the water-energy-resource nexus. Expected outcomes include a high-efficiency membrane system reducing water and energy use, industry partnerships, and new recovery methods. Benefits include reduced water waste, lower emissions, cost-effective lithium supply, and sustainable mining, aligning with Australia’s National Battery Strategy and global climate goals. Field of research: 4004 - Chemical Engineering This research aligns with Australia’s National Battery Strategy, supporting the transition to a sustainable and resilient lithium supply chain by developing innovative membrane technology for lithium recovery from wastewater. With the growing global demand for lithium in battery production, this project will reduce reliance on mining, lower environmental impact, and promote circular economy principles. By improving lithium extraction efficiency and integrating renewable energy, it enhances resource security and energy sustainability. The outcomes will strengthen Australia’s clean energy sector, boost industrial competitiveness, and contribute to national goals in environmental conservation and sustainable resource management.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Electric vehicle charging tariff paradigms for the clean energy... Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Carbonation of Waste Slag for Next-Generation Radiative Cooling Buildings. The urgent need for carbon net-zero buildings necessitates passive cooling solutions to mitigate energy consumption and reduce carbon footprint. This project focuses on the carbonation of Blast Furnace Slag (BFS) as a solution for converting industrial waste into radiative cooling materials for passive building cooling. By utilizing the carbonation process, this project seeks to enhance the thermal and optical properties of BFS, creating materials that effectively reflect solar radiation and promote thermal dissipation, thereby optimizing indoor thermal comfort without relying on energy-intensive cooling systems. The outcomes will contribute to Australia’s carbon neutrality goals and inform public policies aimed at sustainable construction. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering As Australia strives for carbon neutrality in building practices, the need for sustainable passive cooling solutions is critical. This project explores the carbonation of Blast Furnace Slag (BFS) to transform industrial waste into effective radiative cooling materials. By enhancing BFS’s thermal and optical properties, we aim to reduce energy consumption and decrease reliance on mechanical cooling systems. The research addresses a vital gap in sustainable construction, supporting Australia’s goals for reduced carbon footprints. It will economically benefit Australians by lowering cooling costs and socially by improving indoor comfort while also contributing to environmental goals by minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. To ensure widespread understanding and adoption, the project will engage with industry stakeholders, policymakers, and local communities through workshops and public seminars. These efforts will facilitate collaboration on best practices and implementation strategies. The findings will not only advance innovation in building technologies but also promote a circular economy, ensuring that Australia's built environment aligns with community values for sustainability and resilience. Ultimately, this research represents a significant step toward creating energy-efficient, eco-friendly buildings that benefit all Australians.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Integrating Communication and Sensing: Connecting the Cyber-Physical World . Integrating sensing and communications (ISAC) is crucial to unlock the full capabilities of future cyber-physical fusion, yet is challenged by limited network resources and diverse user requirements. The project will tackle these challenges by devising new ISAC techniques offering robust performance in both functions. Anchoring theory with practical requirements, the project expects to develop new methods leveraging advanced mathematical tools and machine learning techniques. The outcomes will break through the bottleneck of ISAC under stringent application requirements of high accuracy and high rates. The project will benefit Australia in advancing knowledge base in key wireless technologies and supporting future critical infrastructures. Field of research: 4006 - Communications Engineering The integration of sensing and communication (ISAC) technologies represents a key advancement enabling diverse applications ranging from autonomous navigation to smart infrastructure management. This integration demands sophisticated optimization of critical resources: power consumption, computational capacity, and spectrum allocation, to meet performance requirements for both functions simultaneously. The project will pioneer novel ISAC systems that maximize resource efficiency while delivering reliable, high-fidelity communication and sensing capabilities across challenging environments. The fundamental advances will be followed by a software-defined radio demonstration, showcasing our novel systems. Our innovative design will serve as a foundation for developing a variety of practical solutions to be implemented in the next generation wireless networks. The outcomes will break through the integration bottlenecks under a range of application requirements on power, bandwidth, and seamless user experience. To promote our new techniques, workshops, demonstrations, and tutorial sessions will be conducted among industry stakeholder groups and academic researchers. This will open up new opportunities for industrial innovation in the telecommunication sector, boosting economic growth and strengthening Australia’s leadership in this strategic field. The project will present valuable opportunities for young researchers to have world-class training in the area of ISAC technologies.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Empire’s Edge: Migration, Conflict, and the Politics of Decolonization. This project aims to develop a new framework to explain the three-decade deadlock in global decolonisation and address the gap in understanding why some colonies have independence movements whereas others do not. Through survey experiments, supervised text analysis and fieldwork in five Pacific non-self-governing territories, this research expects to generate new knowledge on how migration drives contemporary anti-colonial conflicts. Expected outcomes include a theory explaining how institutional arrangements surrounding migration can exacerbate or ameliorate sovereignty disputes, benefiting Australian and United Nations officials by identifying pathways to the resolution of ongoing conflicts that threaten regional stability. Field of research: 4408 - Political Science Across the Pacific, former colonial powers like France, New Zealand and the United States face pressure from the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization to grant self-government to distant island territories. The decolonisation of the Pacific region has major implications for Australia’s security environment as small, independent island states have recently become key sites of geostrategic competition. Yet, we have no framework for understanding why some islands have active anti-colonial movements (e.g. New Caledonia, Guam) whereas others (e.g. American Samoa, Tokelau) do not. Drawing on original survey experiments, supervised text analysis, and fieldwork in five territories across the Pacific, this project will seek to develop a framework to explain why national liberation movements emerged in some islands but not others over the late 20th century. This project will benefit Australia’s security by enabling policymakers to understand why independence movements continue to be active in some of our Pacific neighbours but not others today. It will also investigate how different institutional arrangements around migration control and political representation of migrants may address the roots of anti-colonial conflicts, informing evidence-based policy approaches for strengthening regional stability. The findings of the project will be shared with the Australian public, officials, and policymakers at the United Nations through publications, podcasts, and public talks.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Nickel isotope insights into planet formation. This project aims to unravel the formation and differentiation of terrestrial planets, including Earth, the Moon, Mars, and asteroids, through high-precision Nickel (Ni) isotope analyses. By leveraging the ⁶⁰Fe-⁶⁰Ni decay system, Ni nucleosynthetic anomalies, and stable isotope fractionation, the project will refine our understanding of planetary timing, origins, and volatile depletion, including water. These insights are crucial for planetary habitability, benefiting Australian planetary exploration, training future scientists, and advancing Ni isotope applications in mining and environmental studies. Field of research: 3703 - Geochemistry This DECRA project will significantly advance Australia’s scientific and technological capabilities by enhancing our understanding of planetary formation and the early Solar System. Through cutting-edge isotopic analysis of meteorites and space mission return samples, the project will establish Australia as a leader in extraterrestrial sample research. Leveraging Monash University’s expertise and collaborations with NASA, JAXA, and the Australian Space Agency, this work will position Australia at the forefront of future space missions—contributing to sample return analysis, landing site selection, and contamination prevention strategies. Beyond planetary science, this project has direct applications to mining and environmental sustainability. By developing high-precision nickel isotope techniques, it will provide new tools for studying ore deposit formation and tracing environmental pollution sources—benefiting Australia's resource industry and ecosystem management. The project will also train the next generation of scientists in state-of-the-art isotopic techniques, strengthening national expertise in cosmochemistry, geochemistry, and environmental sciences. Public outreach, including contributions to museum exhibits and educational materials, will inspire future scientists and enhance public engagement with planetary science.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Sustainable Polymer Manufacturing Facility. This Proposal will create a national Sustainable Polymer Manufacturing Facility with which to process new bio-based, bio-derived and circular materials, including reprocessable thermosets, natural fibre composites, sustainable multimaterials, recycled plastics and bioplastics. The outcome will be an integrated Facility that serves Australian sustainable polymer manufacturing research, benefiting the entire community and ultimately the Australian public at large through the production and commercialisation of new, sustainable polymer materials. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering The project will establish a national Sustainable Polymer Manufacturing Facility, to address a huge gap in the capability of the Australian research community to manufacture with sustainable polymers from lab research to pilot scale. The benefits to Australians will be significant. It will: develop new sustainable materials to replace single use plastics and help take us towards Net Zero; reduce the environmental impact of the manufacturing and healthcare sectors; and help produce new start-up companies that create new jobs for Australians. Research outcomes will be promoted using legacy and social media, with a strong focus on industry and end-user engagement. This will accelerate the path to market and help create business confidence for early adoption.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Understanding Gravitational Interactions in the Hearts of Galaxies. This project explores how stars and black holes evolve and collide in the dense centres of galaxies, producing powerful cosmic events. By modelling their interactions with gas discs and star clusters, the project will generate knowledge about the origins of black hole mergers and nuclear transients using advanced simulations and upcoming data from gravitational waves and electromagnetic observatories. Its significance lies in creating a unified framework—aligned with the Australian astronomy decadal plan—linking stellar evolution, gas dynamics, and these extreme phenomena. Expected outcomes include precise models that improve predictions of mergers and transients, advance astrophysics, and enhance public engagement with space science. Field of research: 5101 - Astronomical Sciences This project investigates how stars and black holes in galactic centres evolve, interact, and merge, producing powerful cosmic events such as gravitational waves and energetic outbursts. By modelling their interactions with gas discs and dense star clusters, it will develop a unified framework linking stellar evolution, black hole dynamics, and transients—aligning with the Australian Astronomy Decadal Plan’s focus on interconnected astrophysical processes. The research will bridge significant and timely gaps between gravitational-wave observations (LVK) and upcoming large-scale surveys (Vera Rubin Observatory), reinforcing Australia’s leadership in high-energy astrophysics. The project will provide broad benefits to Australians by advancing expertise in computational modelling, a field with applications in finance, engineering, and AI. The study of black hole mergers and stellar evolution will deepen the understanding of fundamental physics while inspiring public interest in space science. Strengthening Australia's role in global space research, this work will contribute to future technological advancements and international collaborations. To maximize impact, findings will be shared through media outreach, public lectures, and citizen science programs. Research outputs will be made accessible, supporting STEM education and ensuring long-term societal and technological benefits, reinforcing Australia's position as a leader in astrophysical research.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Uncovering divergent hydrogen-dependent methane metabolism in novel Archaea. This project seeks to reveal broad new insights into non-traditional methanogens, by studying their enzymes and ecological roles in detail. By applying cutting-edge cultivation, structural biology, and multi-omic analyses, this project expects to unveil unique physiological strategies for methane production in non-traditional methanogens and their wider ecological roles relative to well-studied traditional methanogens. Expected benefits include basic knowledge on biological methane production, development of new tools for bioprospecting and comparative genomics of these ecologically relevant organisms, and knowledge of their ecology in wetlands and coal bed methane wells, which are high methane flux habitats. Field of research: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology Methane producing microbes (methanogens) control global emissions of methane, a potent climate-active gas and energy source, making them critical in addressing climate change and bioenergy production. While methanogens were long thought to belong to one traditional group, environmental samples showed evidence of many non-traditional methanogens, yet none were cultured, severely limiting our understanding of them. Addressing this, I obtained world-first cultures of three non-traditional methanogens, exhibiting unique physiologies not found in traditional methanogens. This highlights clear gaps in our understanding of methanogens while also offering a unique opportunity to address these large knowledge gaps. This project aims to use cutting-edge computational, laboratory, and microbial ecology methods to provide the first in-depth studies of the enzymes and ecology of these new methanogens. Project outcomes will improve our ability to harness methanogens to convert agricultural and industrial waste to methane and play key roles in wastewater treatment. This could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve waste recycling, and make bioenergy production more efficient, directly aligning with Australia’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and participation in the Global Methane Pledge. Project outcomes can also inform national and local agencies, policy makers, and industries on how methanogens can be best used to protect the climate and produce clean water and energy.

GrantConnect (Australian Government grants) · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The integrated monolithic on-chip microscope Category: Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Research

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2026 · 2026-01

Real Time Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for Sustainable Technologies. This project aims to enable ground-breaking research in sustainable technologies by establishing high-end Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) facility with the capability of operando analysis. This will eliminate a major gap in Australian research infrastructure and will support innovation such as CO2 valorisation, sustainable fertilisers, high end polymer manufacturing and related fields through high-throughput analysis of dynamic systems in action at currently unavailable level of detail. The aspiration is to generate new knowledge in catalysis, electrochemistry and materials science, and thereby strengthen competitiveness for Australia's manufacturing industry and secure internal supply chains that reduce impact on the environment. Field of research: 3406 - Physical Chemistry Australia aims to be a leader in combatting climate change through the development and deployment of world leading sustainable technologies. At the forefront of these initiatives are development of sustainable sourced and safer chemicals obtained through catalytic processes. Research in these fields strongly relies on quality Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, which is currently unavailable in Australia but is instrumental to understanding how the performance of the new processes can be improved. Establishing a versatile NMR facility proposed herein will equip Australian researchers and their industry collaborators with the capabilities for innovation and technology translation in this strategically important space. Accelerated development of green sustainable technologies through the project will support the creation of quality jobs, and the global competitiveness of both established and new start-up Australian companies. The project will support the decarbonisation and broader sustainability of the Australian chemical and energy sectors through the development of cost-effective electrochemical and photochemical synthesis technologies. Translation of the project developments into commercial products is expected to occur at all levels, including large-, medium- and small-scale businesses supporting Australia's 2050 Net Zero objectives in advanced manufacturing and other fields.