RMIT University

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

The lived experience of digital exclusion. Low-income single-parent Australians need to participate in the digital economy in order to access essential services, including health, education and work. However, recent research has highlighted a new dilemma: while this group cannot afford not to be connected, at the same time they are struggling to afford quality internet access. This will be the first detailed qualitative study of this under-served social group, revealing the negotiations, savings, and workarounds required for low-income single-parent households perform to participate in the digital economy. The research will inform current policy on digital inclusion, and revise conceptual frameworks for understanding digital inclusion around the economic costs of participation. Field of research: 2001 - Communication and Media Studies

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Rent city: Prospects for high-density liveability in new housing tenures. This project aims to assess how the rapid rise of a new housing tenure of large vertical high-density rental homes transforms urban communities and neighbourhoods. Purpose-built rental apartments (Build-to-Rent) are a new fast-growing housing product in Australia yet their implications for urban liveability have not been systematically evaluated. This first study of this burgeoning industry sector and of Build-to-Rent households will provide essential evidence on the opportunities and risks posed by rental housing financialisation to inform apartment design and governance. Outcomes include policy proposals, allowing urban stakeholders to improve private rental futures for urban households, amidst growing housing precariousness in Australia. Field of research: 1205 - Urban and Regional Planning

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Fair and Transparent Information Access in Spoken Conversational Assistants. This project aims to investigate how rich information needed to answer complex questions can be delivered via a speech-only communication channel. Using laboratory user studies, where users can interact with a smart speaker to ask for information about controversial or multi-perspective topics, the project expects to advance knowledge on how to expose pertinent information without creating or reinforcing biases. Expected outcomes include novel presentation strategies to access rich information via audio in a fair manner. This should significantly benefit the visually impaired and low-literacy communities by enhancing their access to topics with multiple point of views, which would impact decision making such as who to vote for in elections. Field of research: 0807 - Library and Information Studies

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Photonic Chip Integration Facility. This project will create a Photonic Chip Integration Facility responding to newly emerging global trends towards low loss waveguides and wider coverage of the optical spectrum. The tool will grow ultrahigh quality silicon nitride and oxide thin films in a manner that is compatible with electronics and other delicate materials, balancing flexibility for materials exploration with reliability and repeatability required for photonic chip systems research. The proposed facility will support Australian researchers from diverse disciplines spanning broadband networks, sensing, quantum technology, materials science, and beyond while providing a clear path for translating discoveries out of the lab towards scale up industrial manufacture Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology The Photonic Integration Facility will be the only facility of its kind in Australia, enabling rapid research into novel photonic chip technologies and systems that can use these platforms. The dedicated nature of this facility will ensure accessibility and reliability and its compatibility with scale-up mass manufacture at semiconductor foundries will enable breakthrough fundamental science and provide a clear pathway for commercial translation. Our approach will enable fundamental researchers to rapidly create prototypes giving Australian industries the confidence to partner in developing these technologies for their applications. Potential areas of application include high speed communications, sensing spectroscopy, precision measurement and quantum computing. Australian manufacturers who can benefit from this facility include Finisar (for optical communications modules); Agilent (spectroscopy solutions) ; Baraja (LIDAR sensing systems); Optiscan (medical imaging); BAE Systems, L3 Micro and Advanced Navigation (Radar and positioning systems for defence and automotive applications).

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society. The ARC CoE for Automated Decision-Making and Society aims to create the knowledge and strategies necessary for responsible, ethical, and inclusive automated decision-making (ADM). ADM applies new technologies from machine learning to blockchains across a wide range of social sectors; it carries great potential and risks serious failures. The Centre combines social and technological disciplines in an international industry, research and civil society network. It will formulate world-leading policy and practice; inform public debate; and train a new generation of researchers and practitioners. Expected benefits include reduced risks and improved outcomes in the priority domains of news and media, transport, social services and health. Field of research: 2001 - Communication and Media Studies

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Next-generation, prefabricated, modular, solar heating and cooling system. This project aims to develop a new window design that can reduce the heating of buildings caused by the sun in warm weather and reduce heat loss from buildings in cool weather. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the interaction between solar radiation and the convection of air inside a cavity within the window design. The expected outcome is a framework that can be used to optimize window designs for buildings under various weather conditions. This should allow quick and easy fabrication and implementation of the designs in existing and new buildings, and the windows should significantly reduce building heating and cooling costs. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Borderline Personality as Social Phenomena. Mental disorders attract social stigma and those diagnosed are widely misunderstood. This project aims to collect and analyse accounts of people living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) - mainly women - and perspectives of social support practitioners. The intended outcome is to provide a sophisticated understanding of BPD as a social phenomenon, develop sociological evidence based on lived experiences and generate Australian digital resources including narratives of BPD, creative outputs and practitioner perspectives. The anticipated goal of this project is to inform policy and community responses addressing stigma and marginalisation, and the improvement of social support for those affected by BPD. Field of research: 1117 - Public Health and Health Services This study brings several important sociocultural and policy benefits. It will develop innovative approaches to understanding the social context and lived experience of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), a label known for its significant stigma and social exclusion. This project will generate critical knowledge on the gendered and sociocultural contexts of lived experiences of the BPD label, constituting a pioneering evidence base to improve policy outcomes. It will develop internationally unparalleled digital resources and creative outputs to raise community awareness and improve social supports and participation. The project intends to fundamentally and positively transform representations and understandings of the BPD label; an approach potentially translatable to other complex mental health experiences associated with stigma and social marginalisation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Incorporation of legume protein in liquid breakfast for a healthy Australia. This project aims to understand and control the properties and interactions of legume protein with other ingredients (e.g. whey protein and dietary fibre) to formulate healthy liquid foods with superior techno-functionality. This research should significantly broaden our understanding of the behaviour of legume protein-phospholipid complexes and their contribution to malodorous flavour development. The expected outcomes are protocols to prevent undesirable sensory characteristics in liquid foods. This should benefit the food industry by improving the sensory attributes of beverages enriched with legume protein, leading to the creation of novel, highly nutritious products with superior sensory attributes and long shelf-life. Field of research: 0908 - Food Sciences Consumer demand for healthy, plant-based protein continues to grow. However, the food industry faces significant scientific challenges in using plants such as legumes to create food products that are not only healthy and high in protein, but also tasty. The food sector cannot solve these challenges alone. RMIT researchers will collaborate with Sanitarium to address the scientific challenge involved in developing healthy, protein-rich food options such as breakfast drinks. This work will aid our understanding of the science involved in using plants as a protein source in food products. The technology developed through this collaboration will provide economic benefits to Australia via the food sector and support the food sector workforce. The availability of tasty and healthy legume-rich products may also help to reduce risks of lifestyle related-diseases for Australians, which in turn may lessen government health expenditure, which was around $18.7 billion in 2014-2015.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Automated Integrity Assessment of Self-Piercing Rivet Joints: i4.0 Approach. Lightweighting in the car industry by the use of aluminium reduces emissions substantially. It entails joining the car body sections by self-piercing rivets rather than the traditional spot welds. We aim to fill the technology gap for effective quality control of these joints. The project expects to solve the problem by merging industry 4.0 principles, three-dimensional X-ray technology, machine learning computer vision and structural mechanics. The expected outcomes are technologies for automation-friendly assessment of these joints. This should benefit industries from medical to electronics to automatically spot a random and delicate abnormality within a solid of complex geometry, such as that in live tissue or an electronic circuit. Field of research: 0910 - Manufacturing Engineering Use of Self-Piercing Rivets (SPR) enables joining of aluminium in car bodies. This sustainable engineering practice has a double bottom-line impact: environment and economy. As a strategy, it leads to substantial reductions in energy usage and emissions throughout the life cycle of the structure in areas such as material, manufacture, transport, usage, disposal and end of life credit. This project creates the missing technology for effective quality control of these joints for the project industry partner (Ford) who is investing heavily in vehicle design engineering in Australia. The technology resulting from this project is a catalyst for lightweighting of transport vehicles. Since this project fills the gap for an effective quality control technology of SPR joints compatible with the automotive industry, it is an enabler for the commercialisation of lightweight transport vehicles. Thanks to SPR joint’s non-permanent nature, the strategy allows an easy replacement of a faulty part in the complex structure during the repair/maintenance which has significant beneficial impacts for environment and economy.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Reducing the health & economic burden of Campylobacter using a live vaccine. The aim of the project is to develop a vaccine to reduce Campylobacter bacteria in chickens. Campylobacters cause disease in both poultry and humans. Poultry products are the most common source of human infections. By reducing Campylobacter in poultry, the transfer to humans will be reduced. The expected outcomes arising from this work will be a reduction of the economic burden of poultry losses, in an Australian industry valued at $2.8 billion/year, and an improvement in food safety, thus helping to reduce the burden of foodborne illness, estimated to be $1.2 billion dollars/year. This project is, therefore, poised to benefit the Australian economy, specifically primary producers and the general public, by targeted vaccination of poultry. Field of research: 0702 - Animal Production Food safety & biosecurity are key concerns facing the poultry industry and are among Australia’s National Science and Research Priorities. Reduction of foodborne illness caused by Campylobacter and Salmonella was identified as a priority area by the Australia and NZ Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (2017-21), who highlighted the need for food supply chain solutions and industry engagement to develop interventions. The Australian Chicken Meat Federation and Australian Eggs recognise Salmonella and Campylobacter as the most important bacteria for food safety, consumer confidence and bird health. Modelling has predicted that a 100-fold reduction in Campylobacter levels in chicken carcasses would reduce the risk of campylobacteriosis in humans by 30-fold. There is currently no commercial vaccine against Campylobacter available for use in poultry. Our novel approach targets campylobacters and Salmonella simultaneously, without reliance on antibiotics, to deliver economic benefits to the poultry and health industries; commercial benefits to the biotechnology industry; and environmental benefits to the nation.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Exploring Problem Based Learning in schools . This project investigates the potential contribution of Problem Based Learning to school based Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education. The project expects to generate new knowledge about how the principles defining this PBL approach can support primary and secondary teachers to enhance learning opportunities and build STEM literacy. The project actively positions teachers as researchers interrogating their practice. Expected project outcomes include a pedagogical framework developed with teachers, and illustrations of practice capturing problem based learning in a range of school settings. Potential benefits include support for teachers, school leadership and sectors seeking to enhance STEM education. Field of research: 1302 - Curriculum and Pedagogy This project seeks to address the National STEM Strategy Report recommendation that Australian education systems provide all Australians with the capacity and confidence to make informed choices on complex matters where STEM offers options. Enhancing STEM literacy is essential as this is increasingly part of the core capabilities that Australian employers need. School based STEM education must enable students to identify, apply, and integrate concepts from STEM areas to understand complex problems and to innovate to solve them. Problem Based Learning, as evident in tertiary education, offers a potential approach to achieving such outcomes. By exploring how to best support teachers to use this approach in school based settings, this work potentially contributes to social development by advancing the personal growth and development of each student. The project also contributes to overall future national economic growth by developing a culture of innovation and productivity regardless of gender, occupation or industry.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Improved cryopreservation protocols for long term storage of platelets. The aim of this project is to characterise human blood platelet deterioration during cold storage and cryopreservation, and accelerate the development of improved long-term storage options. The project expects to generate important new knowledge about how platelets deteriorate during storage, and how such deterioration can be minimized. The expected outcomes are improved methods for long term platelet storage. This should benefit blood donation services and hospitals by improving platelet delivery to remote locations, reducing wasted blood and the number of donations required, leading to significant financial savings. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics The cost of producing platelets in Australia is approximately $68 million per annum (~150,000 units). Due to their short shelf life of 5-7 days, many units are wasted, with a cost of ~$7.5 million per annum. The development of a method of long term platelet storage would dramatically cut wastage and the costs of these vital services. This would not only reduce wastage and financial losses, but would also reduce unnecessary donations from the public. Moreover, long term storage would provide a solution for remote, rural and military settings, which currently have significant delays in platelet delivery or no access to this resource. In addition Australia’s research capacity will benefit from having early career researchers and students trained in a highly interdisciplinary research team on an important real world problem.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Multilayered Safety Clothing for Personal Protective Equipment. This project aims to improve multilayered firefighting protective garments and their thermal comfort by utilizing aerogel microparticles containing thermal regulation materials and flame-retardant agents. This research will create new multifunctional fabric designs and engineering techniques to integrate improved heat and flame protection, comfort and smart features into optimized multilayered garments. It will create novel clothing systems that will better protect wearers and allow them to effectively combat bushfires and save lives and assets. The successful completion will enable industrial capability in next generation advanced protective garments and functional uniforms for broad occupational health safety and well-being applications. Field of research: 0910 - Manufacturing Engineering This project will provide substantial societal benefit to the Australian community by developing next generation protective clothing systems with improved performance and comfort to protect those who risk their lives to save properties and other people’s lives. The clothing systems could also be lifesaving personal protective equipment for civilians in bushfire prone areas or flash fire environment. The study will contribute to occupational health and community safety, and industrial capability development. The innovative material design and engineering technology developed through the project and the world-class researchers trained will be the foundation for Australian textile industry to advance its supply chain competitiveness and capture the fast growing business of protective clothing. The technologies and material engineering methods will enable Australian industry to access multibillion-dollar markets for multilayer protective garments with enabled sensors and other electronics in a manner that is sufficiently durable, reliable and ergonomic for the demanding eTextiles applications.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Machine learning techniques for fuel loss detection at service stations. This project aims to develop effective techniques to identify the sources of fuel losses, such as leaks and calibration errors in underground storage tanks at service stations. Monitoring fuel losses at service stations is influenced by many external factors which can be difficult to predict. The project expects to use machine learning to develop the techniques and test them with live data at service stations. The expected outcomes are a set of tailor-made machine learning techniques for effective fuel loss detection and a software suite that can be easily incorporated into the normal operation of service stations. This should reduce the costs to the petroleum industry from wasteful leaks and the environmental damage caused by these leaks. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Fuel losses such as leakage from underground fuel storage systems is a common problem in Australia. It causes significant contamination of soil and groundwater, with the resulting health implications, and leads to site contamination that requires costly remediation. Techniques to provide early and accurate detection of fuel losses are urgently needed. Current statistical tools employed to monitor fuel losses are based on conventional statistical methods and have serious limitations in practical use, being manual, labour-intensive and slow. This project will develop innovative and effective machine learning methods to overcome these limitations, that will allow current fuel loss monitoring software to accurately identify and quantify unacceptable losses, evaporative losses and losses through incorrectly calibrated equipment. This system will benefit the Australian petroleum industry by reducing costs incurred by wasteful leaks and assist it in meeting Australia's health, safety and environmental regulations.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Onsets not offsets for real biodiversity gains. This project addresses the profound challenge of reconciling development and biodiversity conservation by developing an alternative to the pervasive, yet unsuccessful, biodiversity offsetting approach. It will generate new knowledge in the areas of novel ecosystem function, land use optimisation and conservation attitudes. Key project outcomes will be a new framework for biodiversity onsetting, tested against environmental and social feasibility metrics, and new biodiversity evaluation methods for novel habitats. The project will provide environmental and economic benefits by reversing the ongoing decline in biodiversity from habitat loss and driving innovation in environmentally destructive industries that are vulnerable to climate change. Field of research: 0502 - Environmental Science and Management By requiring proponents to demonstrate how they will retain, protect, restore and improve biodiversity on their site, onsetting will drive creative thinking and much-needed innovation within industry. Furthermore, onsetting should help to drive development away from remnant vegetation and into already highly modified areas where onsite gains are feasible. Industry should benefit through the delivery of greater certainty; offsets, in contrast, are highly contentious and have led to major project delays. Two case studies will demonstrate the broader benefits to society, including housing developments that are more liveable and resilient to climate change and agriculture that will support more biodiversity which underpins ongoing food security.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Reducing modern slavery with new digital and enforcement technologies. Forced and bonded labour, as well as poverty wages, have been uncovered in Australia's meat and fashion industries and eight government inquiries since 2016 have identified inadequate enforcement tools as an impediment to effective regulation. This DECRA aims to assess whether and in what ways enforcement can be enhanced by adapting advances in digital technologies to the needs of labour regulators for their strategies to reduce modern slavery. This will be achieved by case studies of enforcement efforts in domestic meat processing and fashion supply chains, as well as studies of practical applications of digital technologies. The findings will identify new tools to aid detection of this largely hidden workforce and bolster enforcement. Field of research: 1605 - Policy and Administration

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Novel micro-architecture-optimised metal lattice structures by 3D printing. This project aims to research and develop a novel methodology for the design and 3D printing of micro-architectured intricate metal lattice structures that can markedly expand the boundaries of both metal property space and structural forms. This will be achieved by harnessing the synergies across topology design, manufacturing optimisation, and in-situ microstructure control. The expected outcomes are a novel milestone methodology that will benefit Australia by enabling a new wave of innovation in materials design and 3D printing, and a new class of lightweight intricate metal lattice structures that potentially offer exceptional mechanical and/or biological properties for near-term commercial applications. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering Advanced manufacturing is an Australian Science and Research Priority. This project will contribute to the practical research challenge “specialised, high value-add areas such as high-performance materials, composites, alloys …” by researching and developing a new design methodology for 3D printing of advanced metal lattice structures that perform to their maximum efficiency in terms of strength, flexibility and durability. These lightweight materials are ideally suited for niche applications in the energy, defence, aerospace, and biomedical industries. The project will generate valuable IP, which has the potential to lead to new commercial products through existing and new partnerships with small to medium Australian enterprises. Examples of specific near-term applications include advanced titanium lattice structures that are light, rigid, strong and corrosion-resistant to meet the requirements of high-performance defence vehicles, and novel bone-compatible titanium lattice implants, which are important to the national interest as one in every 200 Australians undergoes a bone replacement surgery each year.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Architectural Work Cultures: professional identity, education and wellbeing. This project aims to examine the work and study cultures of architecture in Australia, in relation to professional identity, and in terms of impact on wellbeing, with a whole-of-career scope spanning education to retirement. It will generate the first comprehensive account of work-related wellbeing problems for both architectural practitioners and students, via qualitative and quantitative methods and a vigorous engagement with the profession. Expected outcomes include two toolkits to assist the profession to support cultural change across educational, workplace and institutional settings. This should provide significant benefits for the wellbeing of architects at all career stages, and also support the long-term viability of the sector. Field of research: 1201 - Architecture The project will have economic, commercial, and social benefits. A productive, flourishing architectural workforce is crucial to the design and delivery of a quality built environment, which has major flow-on effects for public health and the economic prosperity of the whole Australian populace. But architects as a professional group are under intense pressure, with their productivity and wellbeing compromised by work-related pressures – beginning during their university training. National wellbeing is a stated concern of the Australian Government Science and Research Priorities, which emphasise the identification of emerging threats as well as strategies to improve and support wellbeing. Cognate professions such as law and medicine have well-developed research and support structures towards their constituents' wellbeing, but currently, architects have little such culture. This project promises social benefits to the architectural professional and student groups; commercial benefits for architecture practices through a more balanced, thriving workforce; and economic benefits to the built environment sector.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Design Optimisation and Advanced Manufacturing of Structural Connections. This project aims to establish a new approach to designing and fabricating complex connections in spatial structures by taking advantage of latest technologies in topological optimisation and additive manufacturing. The project intends to develop new optimisation algorithms considering special constraints of additive manufacturing and to determine a cost-effective process for fabricating large metal connections. Expected outcomes of the project include a new methodology and an advanced digital design tool, validated by experiments, for designing and fabricating efficient structural components. This should provide significant benefits to the construction industry in terms of performance enhancement, weight reduction and waste minimisation. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering The new design and fabrication technology established from the project will significantly enhance the performance and reduce the weight and cost of complex structural connections. This will make Australian designers and manufacturers more competitive globally, resulting in new jobs and export opportunities in construction, manufacturing and engineering industries. The research will take advantage of latest technologies in topological optimisation and additive manufacturing, which will enable us to create innovative and efficient structural components that would be impossible to realise using traditional methods. The advanced structural optimisation software developed from the project will be licensed to various design firms around the world, which will bring direct economic benefit as well as new opportunities for Australian researchers and designers to collaborate with their international peers. The project will also provide an excellent opportunity for mentoring and training early-career researchers and postgraduate students in a national Science and Research Priority area, namely Advanced Manufacturing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Gravity and quantum-limited measurements with a fundamental minimum length. This project aims to investigate the effects of a fundamental minimum length on the nature of gravity and on how accurately we can make measurements in our world. The key challenge is to combine our best theories of fundamental physics to model what happens at ultra-short distances. This project will generate new knowledge at this interface by using a novel approach inspired by information theory. The expected outcomes are new connections between fundamental limitations on measurements, the nature of gravitation, and ultra-small-scale quantum physics. The benefit of this work is breaking the logjam in answering the most important open question in all of physics: how to unite quantum theory and gravitation. Field of research: 0206 - Quantum Physics Breakthroughs in our understanding of the laws of nature have historically revolutionised our technological capabilities and our understanding of the universe. The greatest opportunity for another such revolution at the current frontier of fundamental physics is the challenge to unify quantum theory and general relativity. Therefore, this effort is of broad interest to scientists and the general public in Australia and around the world. This project will leverage Australia's research strengths in quantum theory, and in particular, in the field of quantum information theory, to tackle this important challenge. Along the way, this work will elevate Australia's global scientific profile by strengthening the links between high-performing Australian universities and the powerhouses of leading research in Canada and elsewhere around the globe. The students involved in this project will take part in cutting-edge scientific research and interact with leading international scholars. This rigorous training will prepare them for future careers in quantum science and information technology.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Shining a Light on Brain Temperature with Near-Infrared Nanosensors. This project aims to develop a contactless thermometry approach based on near-infrared fluorescence to map brain or nerve temperature in real-time. This research expects to generate new knowledge in the field of neuroscience using tools from optics, nanotechnology and materials science. The technique generated as a result of this project is expected to enable the quantification of the transient local heating of the nervous system in different situations and the study of how this affects neural function. This is expected to provide significant benefits, enabling the development of regulatory frameworks that ensure the safe implementation of new therapies for neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Field of research: 1007 - Nanotechnology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Public Finance and Cryptocurrencies. This project aims to analyse the impact of cryptocurrency technology on taxation and the provision of public goods in Australia. The project will identify the historical relationship between money technologies and public finance, examine the impact of cryptocurrencies in relation to the modern state, and investigate the potential of utilising cryptocurrencies in the provision of public goods. The outcomes of the research will expand theoretical and practical understanding of public finance in a world of cryptocurrencies. The project findings will provide guidance to Australian and international policymakers to prepare for potential disruptions to taxation and public goods provision. Field of research: 1402 - Applied Economics Cryptocurrencies are likely to disrupt the relationship between money, taxation and public goods provision. The project seeks to understand how cryptocurrencies will affect government service provision. Through historical and theoretical analysis, this project will contribute to an understanding of how policy responds to cryptocurrencies as they evolve. The project will benefit Australian policy-making practices by guiding parliament, government and regulators on responses to cryptocurrencies, including new approaches to fund public goods.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Robust Designs Inspired by Biological Chiral Structures. This project aims to understand the mechanics of biological chiral structures in order to create novel engineering designs. The project expects to gain new insights into mechanisms which enable these structures to accommodate complex and random loads through experimental, analytical and numerical approaches. Expected outcomes include a computational platform for designing highly efficient and mechanically robust products, and new designs such as wind turbine blades and hypodermic needles as applications of the platform. The products should have great potential in energy harvesting and biomedical engineering. The platform should provide significant benefits to engineering through performance improvement and robustness enhancement. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Combating Fake News on Social Media: From Early Detection to Intervention. The project aims to detect fake news early to minimise the negative impact of false information. This project expects to devise novel solutions to address technical challenges for detection of fake news with scarce signals. Expected outcomes of this project include a suite of data mining and machine learning models for identification of fake news from the social media stream, prediction of user propagation of false information as well as recommendation of truthful news to counteract adversarial fake news. This project should generate technologies that enhance the integrity of the online echo system and benefit media providers and online population within Australia and across the world. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Australia has become a digital society, and the public always seek for news from social media platforms. Statistics show that in 2018 about 88% of the Australian population were active internet users and 79% were social media users. The wide spread of fake news becomes one of the biggest threats to the order of the Australian and international societies. We will devise computational approaches to early detection of fake news as well as recommendation of truthful news to counteract fake news. Our work directly falls within the strategic area of “Cybersecurity” with the goal of enhancing the integrity and credibility of online information. The technology produced in this project has wide social and cultural benefits to the Australian community, and will directly benefit Australian government agencies and companies that provide social media surveillance services for law-enforcement and other applications.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2020 · 2020-01

Microfluidic platforms for studying foam cell formation in vessels . This project aims to create technology platforms, utilising microfluidics and machine learning, to study the fundamental biological processes underlying the accumulation of immune cells underneath the vessel wall, which is known as foam cell formation. This project expects to deliver technologies, which facilitate mimicking and analysis of the complex dynamics of the human vessels in a more accurate, time- and cost-effective manner. The expected outcome will be cutting-edge tools and techniques to better understand the fundamental biological mechanisms driving foam cell formation. This should facilitate the development of future cardiovascular drug discovery technologies, which would benefit the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Field of research: 0913 - Mechanical Engineering This project aims to combine the latest advances in microfabrication technologies and machine learning data analysis techniques to better understand the fundamental biological mechanisms driving the deterioration of the vessels due to the undesired accumulation of immune cells underneath the vessel wall, which is known as foam cell formation. It provides technology platforms to mimic, acquire and analyse complex cellular responses in artificial, bio-mimicked vessels. These technologies facilitate cellular assays, drug discovery and personalised medicine, and thus offer huge potential for commercialisation. These technologies can be licensed and produced in Australia, creating new job opportunities in the biotechnology industries. These technologies reduce the time and costs associated with developing new drugs, and thus facilitate the growth of local pharmaceutical industries.