RMIT University

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Monolithic Solar Thermal Photocatalytic Membrane for Hydrogen Production. This ambitious project aims to develop a new concept of monolithic membranes composed of photocatalysts embedded in highly efficient solar thermal graphene. Such a membrane will be first of its kind and is able to utilise full solar spectrum for scalable seawater desalination and direct splitting to produce hydrogen without the need to concentrate sunlight. Expected outcomes include chemically and structurally tailored membranes and 2D floating prototypes for real life hydrogen production, and in-depth understanding of working mechanism to facilitate up-scaled renewable hydrogen generation. Significant benefits in minimising fossil fuel consumption, increasing energy security, and expanding competitive clean energy industry are promised. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering This project has significant benefits for Australia’s energy and environmental security, and economic growth. It will deliver highly efficient and monolithic solar thermal photocatalytic membranes and reaction prototypes for water and seawater desalination and splitting by making full-spectrum use of the natural solar energy, so as to accelerate development of large-scale hydrogen production and relieve greenhouse effect by fossil fuel combustion. The project will promote R&D of the new-generation "all-in-one" hydrogen production techniques, which are highly promising for commercialisation and industry-level application, and put Australia at the forefront of the utilisation of clean energy and seawater. Therefore, it will bring substantial environmental benefit to Australia and the world, as well as reap huge savings for the clean energy industry. This project will also generate new advanced knowledge in the fields of materials science, nanotechnology, catalysis, clean energy and relevant engineering, thereby strengthening Australia's national research capacity in energy materials and technology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Inclusive memories: tracing democratic practices in contemporary memorials. This project aims to investigate the significant role of recent public memorials in reflecting and shaping democratic identity, memory, values and engagement in Australia and internationally. The project expects to advance knowledge through an innovative international comparison of the evolving diversity of democratic themes, designs and procurement approaches used for public memorials and public spaces. Expected outcomes include practical and scholarly insights into how these processes can improve social engagement and inclusion. The project’s benefits include improving decision-making processes for public art, public space and heritage, and expanding scholarly and public awareness about Australian history, identity and democratic values. Field of research: 1205 - Urban and Regional Planning This project will identify a range of ways that the themes, designs and management of public memorials can foster social inclusion and engagement, address historical injustices, and enrich collective memory. In these terms, the project will benchmark Australia’s memorials and memorial policies against other democratic nations. The project’s insights will guide the stated ambitions of Canberra’s National Capital Authority, and other government agencies and memorial sponsor groups, to innovate and improve the quality of democratic representation and engagement in Australia’s design and decision-making for public spaces, public art, architecture and heritage. The project’s insights will enhance the value of government and private-sector investments in these fields. The project’s impacts on practice will bring social and cultural benefits, including improving civic engagement and social inclusion, particularly for marginalised groups. The research findings will contribute to public awareness and discussion about Australian history, identity and democratic values.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Eco-evolutionary drivers of niche dynamics in invasive weeds. The project aims to understand how and why invasive species become invasive. Many exotic species are known to expand their ecological niches in their novel range, exploiting habitats that ancestral populations never used. Using a unique approach that combines field transplant and quantitative genetics experiments, this study will identify the drivers of niche expansion in invasive Australian capeweed, and predict if the invasive populations are likely to further expand their niches. By delivering key insights into mechanisms of adaptive evolution in invasive species, this research should benefit efforts to effectively limit the spread of invasive plants that threaten the native environment. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology Invasive weeds cause biodiversity declines of Australia’s unique flora and fauna, and economic losses from reduced agricultural yields. To effectively control weed invasions, we must first understand how and why invasive species spread. This project will identify major mechanisms driving the expansion of ecological niches in invasive capeweed, thereby producing important knowledge necessary for future weed management. This project will also identify the genetic basis of plant traits that are adaptive in arid environments. As Australia’s climate is increasingly becoming drier, understanding how plants adapt to drought can help mitigate impacts of climate change on natural and agricultural systems. This project should provide vital information to Australia’s policy makers, weed managers, and farming communities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Bottom-up multiscale modelling of expansive soils in natural environments . Expansive soils, highly sensitive to the environment, undergo dramatic strength and volume changes. This project aims to advance our understanding of expansive soils under different temperatures, hydraulic conditions, mechanical loads, and aqueous salinities. The project expects to use a combination of multidisciplinary knowledge, multiscale experiments and numerical simulations. The outcomes are a new multiscale model and advanced analysis/design tool for evaluating the performance of expansive soils under different conditions. The outcomes should provide the efficient way to mitigate the significant damage caused to infrastructure by expansive soils and facilitate the application of expansive soil products in waste disposal systems. Field of research: 4005 - Civil Engineering Expansive soils cover more than 20% of Australia’s surface, most of which is the populated regions. Their strength and deformation are highly sensitive to the mineral composition, load, temperature, moisture and salinity. Expansive soils are blamed for geotechnical engineering problems that cause many injuries and even loss of life, and billions of dollars of economic losses. This research will advance understanding of expansive soils. Multiscale models and analysis tools will be developed to better predict the behaviour of expansive soils under different conditions. They will allow engineers to better design foundations, slopes, pipelines, tunnels and other infrastructure in expansive soils and expansive clay barriers used in geological storage of radioactive and toxic waste. This will mitigate or prevent the damage caused by expansive soil problems and considerably reduce the costs incurred by Australian federal and state governments and building owners for repair and reconstruction, as well as the socioeconomic and environmental impacts on those affected when critical infrastructure is put out of use.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

The Mourning After: Grief, witnessing and mobile media practices. This project aims to understand the role of mobile media in grief rituals as a reflection of our social and cultural lives. Grief is an important cultural practice which is crucial in recovery from loss and developing resilience. As magnified by the pandemic, mobile media rituals—from Instagram memorials to witnessing mass death and online funerals—play a significant role in contemporary grieving processes. Through ethnographic inquiry, social media analysis and creative practice intervention, expected outcomes will include codesigned media-in-grief literacy frameworks, online resources and socially-engaged art exhibition. Benefits for understanding grief-in-media include building public empathy, connection and resilience. Field of research: 4701 - Communication and Media Studies COVID, climate disasters, war and inflation have prompted an outpouring of online grief and new online rituals. This project charts the social and digital dimensions of grief, from Instagram eulogies to Twitter memorials and online funerals. The research will reveal how Australians of varying ages and backgrounds experience grief through mobile media, and how grief is understood in our culture. Our grieving practices help to build resilience in individuals and society. This project will provide insights into the nuances of mobile media engagement, strengthening the way our culture supports and discusses grief. For example, older, isolated people will discover new ways to express, channel and share grief that will improve quality of life and ease social care needs. The project will guide Australian government agencies (health, youth, aged care, disaster relief), NGOs, teachers, health and media professionals to understand grief across age, faith and cultural diversity. Public events will promote positive grieving practices and support Australians to overcome loneliness and isolation associated with grief.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Adaptive nanofabrication of monolithic multifunctional sensing chips. This project aims to develop a new miniaturised graphene sensing platform integrating multiparameter sensing, wireless charging and data communication on a single chip to revolutionise the ubiquitous wireless sensing networks. By exploring the versatile laser nanofabrication, multiple devices can be inscribed into one flexible mini-chip for the first time. The chip can transform any objects into intelligent, multifunctional and energy-efficient sensors and find enormous applications in advanced manufacturing, logistics, health monitoring, supply chain and security. It underpins almost every sector of our daily life, securing Australia’s internationally leading position in digitalisation and creating significant social and economic benefits. Field of research: 4016 - Materials Engineering This project will develop novel, low-cost, ultrathin, miniature wireless sensors using graphene for data acquisition that can be directly attached to any object to turn it into a node of the Internet of Things (IoT), connecting those objects and providing real time data such as humidity, temperature, pressure and location. They will play an important role in the Australian IoT industry, which is predicted to grow to over $18 billion by 2024. The sensors will have broad applications in Australian construction, manufacturing, healthcare, biomedicine, mining, and agricultural sectors, where the IoT is calculated to produce annual benefits of up to $300 billion. For example, the sensors can be applied like Band-Aids to a human body to monitor the health conditions of workers, athletes and the elderly. The intellectual property created by this project can be licenced to Australian sensor manufacturers, putting them at the forefront of this technology, expanding their businesses and creating new jobs. The sensors have the potential to contribute to productivity improvements in many Australian industries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Investigating Bushfire Evacuation Travel Behaviour in High-risk Communities. This project aims to investigate how and why people in popular bushfire-prone communities make travel-related decisions during bushfire evacuation. Rapid bushfire spread and limited transport capacity in densely populated areas at the rural interface create the ‘perfect storm’ for deaths and injuries. Missing from our knowledge is the role of human behaviour in such outcomes. Applying insights from social and computer sciences to engineering models, this project expects to generate new theory on resident and visitor evacuation travel behaviour in vulnerable areas during bushfires. Expected outcomes of this project include improvements to the tools used for community preparedness and response to increase Australia’s resilience to bushfires. Field of research: 3304 - Urban and Regional Planning By increasing our understanding of resident and visitor behaviour during evacuation from bushfire threat, this project will inform the tools used by emergency officials to plan for and make real-time decisions about safe and effective evacuation; addressing key recommendations (12.2, 12.6) from the 2020 Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. This project will also inform policies and practices in the design of new communities within bushfire prone areas, ensuring adequate capacities of egress routes and evacuation centres to meet the needs of diverse populations required to flee during emergencies. Among its other benefits, this project will enhance public awareness on bushfire threats and evacuation procedures, save the lives of those most at risk, and increase the resilience of bushfire-prone communities in Australia and around the world.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Diamond-based wideband radiofrequency fibre-optic sensor. This project aims to address the growing problem of ultra-wide radiofrequency signal monitoring. Developing a rugged and portable solution for whole-spectrum monitoring is a critical unmet need for Defence and other industries, and an important scientific challenge. Our approach is based on a diamond radio frequency sensor with fibre-optic readout. The project is expected to generate knowledge in the areas of quantum science and photonics by integrating advanced optical fibres with quantum-grade diamond. Expected outcomes of the project include the development of a strategic academic and industry alliance through the establishment of a sovereign capability that will benefit Australia in the areas of cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics Quantum sensing and measurement technologies are projected to create more than 3,000 jobs and around $1B in revenue for Australia by 2040. This project has potential to significantly contribute to this growth in the quantum technology industry. This project will develop an all optical diamond sensing platform to monitor radiofrequency signals to operate across the 5G spectrum. Outcomes from this project have potential to benefit the Australia economically (job creation and expanded growth), commercially (new quantum technology intellectual property), socially (monitoring of radiofrequency signals), and by establishing a sovereign capability for defence. In addition, the radiofrequency sensor technologies developed within this project have a direct application in electronic warfare, which lies within the practical research challenge of new technologies and approaches to support the nation's cybersecurity. This research will contribute to Australia's future workforce with skills and capabilities in quantum technologies for the defence sector and is aligned with the Defence Science and Technology Strategy 2030.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Museum Digital Social Futures. This project aims to understand and transform the digital experience of museum audiences post COVID-19 through collaborating with ACMI who pioneered digital curation methods through a Living Lab model. This project will generate new methods for engaging diverse audiences across social and digital worlds in domestic and public spaces through codesigning with national museum peak body, AGaMA, stakeholders. Expected outcomes include resources (i.e. toolkits for implementation), online repository (website) and symposium for knowledge sharing and transferring of learnings. This should provide significant benefits to the museums sector including digital innovation for social inclusion strategies and resources. Field of research: 2001 - Communication and Media Studies Museums have been shown internationally to enhance wellbeing, informal literacy and social innovation. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected traditional face to face patronage. In response, some museums have pursued digital innovation to reach diverse audiences. This project examines the increasingly essential role of digital media in the engagement, experience, literacy and inclusion of museum audiences. Using new methods across museums, social media platforms and households, this project will provide important social and cultural benefits for Australians by providing new insights into the effectiveness of different museum digital strategies. It will test and validate digital engagement methods and resources that enhance engagement and informal literacy; strengthening the capacity of the sector to engage publics online. It will improve the lives of Australians through enriched digital literacy opportunities for social inclusion. The findings will be consolidated with the Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) to support the role of museums in inclusive, digital futures.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Tailoring smart film for energy efficient protected cropping. Cooling cost represents a major running cost for greenhouse, preventing the wide adoption of highly beneficial protected cropping technology. This project aims at solving this critical issue by developing a world-first tailored smart film that can simultaneously reject solar heat, cool down the greenhouse and maximise the yields of crops. This is made possible by advanced spectral engineering and light management with frontier nanostructures combined with a scalable and low cost manufacturing process. Deliverables of the project include game-changing energy efficient solutions for protected cropping and marketable smart films readily integratable with existing greenhouse for dramatic energy saving and immediate economic and social benefits. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering Protected cropping is a highly beneficial horticulture approach, representing the future of urban farming. However, Australian protected cropping industries face significant challenges in remaining internationally competitive, not least being energy costs. Australia’s hot dry climates result in high usage of energy by protected cropping companies, largely as a result of having to cool large volumes of air. At the same time, Australia has natural advantages of abundant sunlight. Working with leading manufacturer in the field, this project seeks to develop completely new ‘smart films’, based on nanotechnology, that meet industry needs to reduce the negative effects of solar heating whilst retaining the positive effects of year-round solar radiation for high plant yields. This project helps Australian industry to become more energy efficient and remain internationally competitive. The success of this project will create new intellectual properties, providing an innovative technology platform for Australian solar, architecture, and agriculture industries, producing significant social and economic benefits.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Rechargeable lithium carbon dioxide battery - catalyst design to prototype . This project aims to develop a new concept of rechargeable lithium carbon dioxide batteries and scaled-up prototypes. Such a battery will be first of its kind to show high power comparable to gasoline and superior rechargeability over existing gas-involved batteries, ensuring realistic use for industrial purposes. Expected outcomes include 2-dimensional catalysts made from earth-abundant elements lowering large-scale production cost, a novel but reliable working principle based on reversible carbon dioxide/oxalate conversion, and prototypes featuring high specific capacity, large energy density and excellent durability. Via industrial pilot trials, commercial benefits will be fast tracked for energy security and carbon dioxide utilisation. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering This project has significant benefits for Australia’s renewable energy industry, environmental security and economic growth. It will deliver high-power and reliable lithium carbon dioxide batteries and prototypes by using the greenhouse gas as the fuel and earth-abundant elements as the battery materials, to accelerate the development of large-scale and cost-effective carbon dioxide utilisation and clean energy storage. By boosting the laboratory-scale research to industry pilot manufacture, the project will promote R&D of new-generation carbon dioxide conversion catalysts and energy devices, which are highly promising for commercialisation and scaled-up industry-level application, and put Australia at the forefront of carbon dioxide fixation and advanced battery technology. Therefore, it will bring substantial environmental benefit to Australia and the world, as well as reap huge savings for renewable energy industry. The outcomes of this project will create substantial innovations in clean energy, attain a secure and reliable low-emission energy future, open new industries, and generate job opportunities.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Scalable atom-thin materials for monolithic electronics & optoelectronics. This project aims to understand large-area growth mechanisms and create practical, controllable doping methodologies for developing manufacturing-compatible tunable materials to overcome technological challenges presented by silicon. The project expects to generate new understanding of physico-chemical mechanisms that govern the optical and electrical properties of an emerging class of materials only few-atoms thick that offer unprecedented opportunities. This is expected to establish a suite of atomically-thin materials that will be deployed in miniaturised, high-density electronics and optoelectronics of which proof-of-concept functional devices are proposed to be demonstrated. These will be leveraged to explore industry partnerships. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology This project aims to establish an evolving group of quantum-confined materials with versatile properties for next-generation electronics and optoelectronics. Collectively, the fundamental advances are expected to result in pioneering technologies that are in sync with developments in other sectors such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence to create end-user products that make quality-of-life easier and better. This will be achieved using a combination of innovations in materials engineering and parallel industry engagement to create knowledge that directly addresses national priorities in advanced manufacturing. The importance of new fundamental knowledge will be showcased using a series of application demonstrations that will be leveraged to commence partnerships with industry to take innovations to the market. This is expected to generate economic, employment and commercialisable outcomes and put Australia at the cutting-edge of the technological revolution.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Privacy-aware Smart Access Control for Internet-of-Things on Blockchain. This project aims to address privacy and trust issues in Internet-of-Things (IoT) access control mechanism of smart critical infrastructure. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of IoT access control by leveraging privacy-preserving techniques, blockchain, and machine learning. Expected outcomes of this project include enhanced capability to build improved techniques for privacy aware tamperproof IoT access control with machine learning based anomaly detection. This should provide significant benefits, such as preventing cyber threats on security and privacy of IoT and improving trust in IoT-enabled smart critical infrastructure of Australia. Field of research: 0803 - Computer Software This project will innovate and develop a new Australian cybersecurity capacity by merging several influential technologies such as blockchain, smart contract, access control, IoT, and privacy-preserving techniques. The aforementioned technologies will help building a trustworthy framework for IoT access control and will eliminate the chance of unauthorized access to IoT data. The framework and its theoretical models will present a solid platform that will prevent any potential threat from advanced adversarial attacks on the IoT-based critical infrastructure. Hence, this research will contribute to Australia’s economy by enabling secure smart IoT-enabled critical infrastructure which will improve the services offered by governmental and non-governmental agencies. Additionally, this research will increase the commercial values of several IoT-enabled services and products in critical infrastructure through improved trust. Moreover, the adaptation of new privacy-aware IoT-enabled critical infrastructure services will engage more people in using the system and improve the social life of Australia’s citizens.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Quantum microscopy meets photovoltaics: new tools for solar cell research. This project aims to create an innovative platform to characterise solar cells, based on recently developed quantum diamond microscopy. It will enable direct imaging of the current flow in operating photovoltaic devices, providing a new window into key processes such as charge collection and recombination. The platform will be applied to a range of industry-relevant photovoltaic materials and devices. Anticipated outcomes include new insights into recombination processes and the effect of device degradation, which could facilitate optimisation of the power conversion efficiency and reliability of next-generation solar cells. Additional benefits include new instruments and methods that may find use in the solar cell manufacturing industry. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics Capitalising on Australia's long-term investment in quantum technologies, this proposal seeks to deliver new instruments and methods to characterise solar cells by enabling direct visualisation of the current flow, providing insights into the operation of solar cells and the role and presence of imperfections. This new way of characterising solar cells tool may lead to commercial products that could be used to aid solar cell research and development, or for non-invasive diagnostics in solar cell production lines. In addition, by using these new tools the project will deliver new knowledge on solar cells. This new knowledge may lead to gains in the power conversion efficiency of next-generation solar cells. This could have significant commercial benefits for Australia's solar power industry. Additionally, these gains would have immediate environmental benefits, by reducing the use of fossil fuels.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Controlling uranium species to its long-term stability in bioremediation. This project aims to reveal the mechanisms of uranium transformation and immobilisation in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions of bioremediation with the emphasis on elucidating stable uranium immobilised under different pathways and conditions. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the relationship between uranium speciation and stability with the matrix mineral, microbiota, and environmental conditions. Expected outcomes from this project include new strategies for preferential immobilisation of uranium to stable species that are resistant to air and acid. The anticipated benefits of this project include mitigating uranium contamination and promoting the sustainable development of the uranium industry in Australia. Field of research: 1002 - Environmental Biotechnology Australia possesses more than 30% of the world's uranium resources and is a major export earner for the country, with a export of uranium ore concentrate valued at AUD$734 million (FY 18-19). However, uranium mining also brings environmental threat to the soil and water system. This project will help to underpin effective bioremediation strategies that aim to maintain the long-term stability of uranium. It will help to design new uranium remediation practices that will mitigate uranium contamination and restrain its proliferation, which is an essential part of the effort to address environmental issues in Australia and globally. In addition, the outcome of this project will assist the successful rehabilitation of current Australian uranium mines, which has a very important impact on the decision-making of opening-up new uranium mine sites, and promotes the sustainable development of the uranium industry of Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Australian farm dams. There is an untapped potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from millions of Australian farm dams. This project aims to quantify the nation-wide carbon footprint of farm dams and develop low-cost strategies for “greener” practices. Contributing to Australia’s commitment to tackle climate change, this project aspires to empower farmers to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of their farm dams. It will also inform on the economic viability of alternative management strategies for mitigating farm dam emissions and provide recommendations for financial incentives. This project should enhance the capacity of Australia to meet its carbon reduction targets and mitigate anthropogenic climate change. Field of research: 0502 - Environmental Science and Management Farm dams are among the highest greenhouse gas emitters of all freshwater ecosystems, in Victoria alone releasing the equivalent of around 385,000 cars each day. Yet, government programs (e.g., Water Observation from Space) lack the capacity to detect and monitor farm dams due to their small sizes, and hence tackle their carbon footprints. This project will use innovative satellite tools to detect farm dams across Australia, calculate their greenhouse gas emissions, and quantify their contribution to climate change. Then, I will develop, test, and verify the use of floating wetlands as a natural, low-cost solution to reduce greenhouse fluxes from farm dams – while also increasing biodiversity, and lowering water temperature and turbidity. This project will upgrade Australia’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, deliver policy recommendations for “greener” farm dam practices, and reduce the carbon footprint of Australia’s agricultural sector.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Photonic Crystal Sensors for Intelligent Packaging. This project aims to synthesize and investigate the properties of optical sensors composed of oriented assembled, high-flexible metal-organic-framework-based photonic crystals. This project is expected to generate new knowledge in the area of oriented self-assembly and elucidate the relationship between the optical properties of photonic crystal optical sensors and the orientation, flexibility and functionalisation of metal-organic frameworks. Expected outcomes of this project include novel oriented assembly methods and a series of optical sensing devices for various detection scenarios. This research will provide significant benefits on environmental protection, sustainable development, food safety and human health. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology This project will develop a new technology and new materials for the development of optical sensing devices for a wide range of applications in intelligent packaging. The sensors resulting from this technology will be highly sensitive, highly specific for what is being analysed and fast responding, and find use in a range of Australian industries critical for the national economy and health. They will improve the measurement of spoilage of agricultural products, reducing waste, protecting consumers from foodborne illness and increasing consumer confidence in the quality of local food products. They will improve the monitoring of pharmaceuticals to ensure they remain effective. Production of these materials by the Australian materials and sensors manufacturing industries will improve their international competitiveness and lead to new job creation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Molecular-Scale Interaction of Nanomaterials with Biomembranes. This project aims to develop a holistic understanding of how nanoparticles, and nanomaterials in general, interact with cellular materials, via the cell membrane on a molecular level. To date, the precise mechanism by which nanomaterials, such as particles, colloids, and sheets, interact with cellular material is poorly understood. This project expects to generate new, fundamental knowledge in the field, and establish a platform for high-resolution, in situ, molecular-scale imaging of nanoscale events at the biomembrane. This will develop a fundamental understanding of the dynamics of nanomaterial-cell interactions, and provide benefit in the development of next-generation nanomaterial-based therapeutics and diagnostic technologies. Field of research: 0306 - Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural) Nanomaterials are materials with nanometer-sized features. These features give them unique and useful properties, especially in biological applications. This project will improve our fundamental understanding of nanomaterial-biomembrane interactions. This will, in-turn, facilitate the development of nanomaterials as biologically useful tools. This fundamental scientific knowledge will enhance their potential as therapeutic and diagnostic materials in, for example, cellular imaging, cellular probes, nanomedicines, nano-diagnostic technologies, and antimicrobials. However, further research into their behavior in biological systems is necessary to design nanomaterials specifically for diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. The results will provide design parameters for advanced biomedical materials and facilitate their wide-spread uptake as next-generation nano-medicines. It will also drive innovation in both medicinal and advanced manufacturing sectors, which will have significant commercial benefits as well as establish Australia as a world-leader in these fields.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Mother Tongue: Language revitalisation through immersive practice. This project aims to expand and enhance Gunditjmara language ecology. It will examine Gunditjmara language acquisition and learning through practical methodologies in everyday settings and across the spectrum of cultural revitalisation praxis. Expected outcomes include new knowledge about the value and efficacy of traditional Aboriginal pedagogical and methodological approaches in language acquisition and intergenerational knowledge transmission. A cultural model of immersion practice, toolkit and digital resources will support cultural continuity, survival and thriving of First Languages into the future. Benefits include increased Aboriginal language use and improved transmission to safeguard and revitalise enduring Aboriginal traditions. Field of research: 2002 - Cultural Studies This project will significantly contribute to and extend the body of knowledge in Indigenous language revitalisation in Australia. The focus on cultural revitalisation has relevance to communities across urban, rural and remote centres through the development of a cultural Practice Model in revitalisation applications. Outcomes will include a more nuanced history of Indigenous Australia, a significant body of resources on the Gunditjmara language (dictionary, videos, language beta-app, audio speaking Mother Tongue), and the development of a national framework for involving communities in cultural revitalisation practices. Anticipated benefits include the empowerment associated with Aboriginal communities reclaiming their language and cultural practices, as an enduring living history of continuing ancestral knowledge traditions.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Beyond green facades: integrating ecology and architecture. This project aims to develop a novel architectural paradigm that embeds ecological science, working with nature to design cities that are more resilient to environmental upheavals. Methods aim to overcome substantial theoretical and technical challenges to embedding quantitative ecology into architectural design processes, including the development of new approaches for measuring and evaluating biodiversity benefits of alternative urban designs, from the building to landscape scale. Expected outcomes include enhanced capacity for the built form to address biodiversity considerations through nature-based solutions. The case study designs developed in this project should represent a template for more habitable, liveable, sustainable cities. Field of research: 0502 - Environmental Science and Management An emerging body of research is revealing the critical importance of nature-based solutions for the future liveability of cities. Nature in cities can deliver a remarkable range of wellbeing benefits to people while creating cities that are more resilient to changing climates. Further, nature-based solutions present opportunities to improve the outlook for many threatened species and connect people with Indigenous history and culture. Architectural and urban design practice is yet to capitalise on this potential, lacking the theory and tools to build biodiversity meaningfully into the design process. Integrating architecture with ecological science, this project seeks to develop a new design paradigm that effectively embeds nature in the urban fabric, providing the critical new knowledge needed to inform a blueprint for the development of more resilient, liveable and sustainable cities in which people and other species flourish.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Creating evidence-based public open space standards for apartment residents. This project aims to examine how to create public open space for apartment residents. It will (1) identify how apartment dwellers use public open space, including which spaces are used and why; and (2) test whether public open space use compensates for reduced apartment/building space. With less private space, apartment residents are assumed to rely on public spaces for physical, social and recreational activities. Yet little is known about which spaces they use and why, and what they would prefer. Expected outcomes include tailored, equitable evidence-based recommendations for public open space planning and apartment design guidelines. Benefits include the delivery of sustainable high-density precincts that cater to community needs. Field of research: 1205 - Urban and Regional Planning This project will produce unique empirical evidence to guide future apartment design and land use decisions on communal and public open space provision. This evidence is vital to ensure the types of spaces and attributes provided meet the needs of apartment residents. The benefits of public open space for social, mental and physical health are well established. Yet, current approaches to public open space planning that apply rigid standards need to be reassessed as neighbourhoods densify and apartment living becomes increasingly common. This project has the potential to ensure apartment development, which is key to Australia’s environmental sustainability agenda, also promotes social, physical and mental health outcomes in apartment residents. Anticipated benefits include the design and planning of communal and public spaces in higher-density precincts that make apartments an appealing and healthy living arrangement, and in turn contribute to environmentally sustainable development by reducing urban sprawl.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Functionally Graded Ultra High Perfomance Concete Structure under Flexure. This project aims to develop a novel multilayer functionally graded concrete structure that is a mixture of normal strength concrete and ultra high performance concrete with the mixing ratio varying in a layer-wise manner, offering a highly cost-effective structural design solution with significantly improved safety and durability over conventional concrete structures. The expected outcomes include the innovative design, experimental data on the static and dynamic structural behaviour, development of reliable simulation techniques and optimal design procedures for the proposed structure with greatly reduced material costs. The project will have huge benefits to Australian civil engineering industry and national economy. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering Concrete structures are of prime importance in buildings and infrastructure systems. As an emerging construction material, ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has much better mechanical properties and durability than normal strength concrete (NSC) hence can lead to economical constructions through longer service life, reduced structure size and the associated materials savings. UHPC’s very high initial cost, however, has restricted its wider acceptance and practical applications in construction industry. This project will innovatively introduce the functionally graded materials concept to develop a novel multilayer structure using a mixture of UHPC and NSC with the mixing ratio varying layer-wise to enable a more cost-effective design of concrete structures with greatly enhanced safety and durability. The technology to be developed in this project will offer substantial benefits to structural engineering community with a significant knowledge advancement in composite structures and also to Australian construction industry and national economy with safer and more economical buildings and infrastructures.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Constraint-based Privacy Preserving BioSignal Data Management on Blockchain. This project aims to address the issue of user privacy in Bio-Signal data analysis by utilizing the capabilities of differential privacy, smart contracts and blockchain technologies. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of privacy to develop an advanced privacy-preserving Bio-Signal data analytic framework. The expected outcomes of this project include increased privacy of user data, and the unification of standards on human-specific data analysis, saving time and money spent on privacy breaches. This should provide significant benefits in preserving the quality and integrity of the healthcare services provided by the Australian government and private sector. Field of research: 0803 - Computer Software Australian institutions or organisations such as healthcare need to satisfy many standards regarding information security when analysis needs to be conducted on human-specific Bio-Signal inputs such as ECG, EEG, PPG, Glucose, and DNA. Around $2.13 million needs to be spent on the countermeasures required to overcome during a single privacy breach. With the introduction of the framework proposed in this project, the entire process of data collection, privacy preservation, tracking, and analysis will be structured, allowing users such as analysts to advance knowledge reliably. Hence, the proposed framework will add a high economic and commercial value to the Australian government by saving a significant amount of time and money when analysing human-specific data. Additionally, the high security and privacy protocols enforced by the proposed framework will enhance the social vitality of the Australian community due to significantly increased security of their private data.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Promissory Democratic Representation: Campaign Promises in Australia. This project aims to investigate the extent to which campaign promises made by politicians are kept or broken. It intends to conduct new research on Australian politics while advancing an established international research program. This project expects to generate and disseminate new knowledge that is urgently needed due to declining levels of trust among citizens in politicians. The expected outcomes include new theory and internationally comparative evidence on which campaign promises are kept and broken. This should provide significant benefits, such as greater public awareness of actual levels of promise keeping. It should also benefit policymakers who use campaign promises to anticipate and prepare government policies. Field of research: 1606 - Political Science The strength of Australia’s democracy depends on citizens and policymakers knowing how it works. Parties' campaign promises are a vital part of democratic theory and practice. The majority of citizens believe that campaign promises are usually broken, and research has identified a strong link between this belief and low levels of trust in politicians. However, preliminary evidence on Australian politics and similar more comprehensive international evidence does not support this widespread belief. Instead, many promises are kept. This project aims to conduct new comparative research on campaign promises in Australia, and to improve public awareness of actual levels of promise keeping. The project is also relevant to the Australian law that requires the Parliamentary Budget Office to estimate the expected budgetary effects of parties’ campaign promises. The project will examine the actual fulfilment of all campaign promises, whether or not they have budgetary implications. It will also put Australia at the forefront of innovation in an established international research program that spans twenty countries.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Connecting Asia-Pacific Literary Cultures: Grounds, Encounter and Exchange. This project aims to enhance cultural connections between Asia-Pacific nations by defining and testing a new model for linking writers and writing. The project expects to generate new knowledge about creative writing as a collaborative artform that enables, and is enriched by, deep and sustained cultural exchange. Expected outcomes include a robust model for ethical literary encounters and exchanges and the development of a dynamic regional literary network. It seeks to provide benefits that include broadening the reach and power of Australia’s diverse literary voices and stories, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, enriching the lives of readers and viewers, and strengthening Australia’s capacity for cultural diplomacy in the region. Field of research: 1904 - Performing Arts and Creative Writing Trust and cooperation flow from understanding between cultures. Writers and the national literatures they create play a vital role in expressing and communicating culture in fiction, poetry, non-fiction and on stage. This research will develop and test an innovative model for cultural exchange, built on a successful pilot that has already created a network of 49 writers across 11 countries. The new literary exchange model will enable leading and emerging writers from Australia and the Asia-Pacific to share and develop creative work and build both person-to-person and literary industry links. The project will benefit Australian and Asian writers by providing profound experiences of cultural exchange and enrich the lives of readers and audiences through the sharing of new stories from diverse voices. Knowledge gained on protocols and practices will provide arts industries and policy makers with tools to enhance approaches to intercultural development and cultural diplomacy. The research will serve to build and strengthen Australia’s international reputation as a culturally rich and diverse nation.