Grants & Opportunities

Processes & responses of nitrous oxide production in marine invertebrates . This project aims to investigate how marine sponges and ascidian produce the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Using environmental surveys, microbiome analyses and experimental ecology, this project will reveal how microbial symbionts in sponges and ascidian produce nitrous oxide and how this production responds to environmental change. It is anticipated that increases in nutrients and temperature will increase nitrous oxide production and raises the number of sponges and ascidians in our oceans. This research is expected to significantly enhance our understanding of how our marine environment contributes to the global production of an important greenhouse gas and will enable more accurate predictions of future nitrous oxide emissions.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3107 - Microbiology. Lead: Prof Torsten Thomas

Is bad stronger than good when it comes to youth experiences in sport? . “Bad is stronger than good” reflects a broader psychological phenomenon where negative events or experiences have a stronger impact on individuals than positive ones. This concept has been explored in various contexts, including education, relationships, and media consumption. This innovative project aims to investigate this phenomena in the context of youth sport and explore strategies used by sport coaches that may support or thwart young people’s wellbeing. Expected outcomes of this multidisciplinary project include a tool for measuring the observable characteristics of sport that influence wellbeing. It will also generate new knowledge to inform international guidelines about how to ‘optimise’ sport to enhance wellbeing in youth.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3901 - Curriculum and Pedagogy. Lead: Prof David Lubans

The Mismatch between Photochemical Reactivity and Molecular Absorptivity. It was a long-held belief in photochemistry that the color of a photoactive compound was the best guide to achieve the most efficient photochemical reaction. For example, if a molecule appeared blue, then complementary orange light was the optimum excitation source. Recently, our team has upended this paradigm. Our findings that maximum absorptivity (color) and maximum reaction efficiency are not necessarily congruent has far-reaching consequences for all production process that involve photochemical reactions, from 3D printing to surface curing, as much milder light sources can be used than previously thought. This project will investigate the underpinning cause of the mismatch and enable us to predict photochemical reactivity.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3406 - Physical Chemistry. Lead: Prof Christopher Barner-Kowollik

Hamonic analysis and spaces of functions on manifolds. Harmonic analysis is at the frontiers of many branches of mathematics including partial differential equations (PDEs) and differential geometry. Aim I of this project is to resolve an important conjecture in harmonic analysis on manifolds concerning boundedness of the prototypical operator, the Riesz transformations, on manifolds. Aim II is to study fractional powers of operators and their associated function spaces. Expected outcomes are solutions to the proposed long-standing problems, original ideas and techniques to solve further important problems in PDEs. Benefit includes expanding knowledge to mathematical sciences, training future mathematicians and mathematical foundation for experts in some important industries in Australia.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4904 - Pure Mathematics. Lead: Prof Xuan Thinh Duong

Australians and the Past Revisited. Twenty-five years ago, researchers carried out an ARC-funded survey about how Australians discover, think about and use the past in their lives. The digital revolution has since transformed the ways that people access historical knowledge and understanding. Using online surveys, focus groups and interviews with diverse Australians this project aims to investigate how Australians learn about, value and respond to their history and use it to address today’s social issues. Expected outcomes include better understanding of the value and significance of history and heritage for all Australians. This will benefit the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museum sector, teachers, the media and policy makers and help foster social inclusion.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4303 - Historical Studies. Lead: Prof Laurajane Smith

Observer design for complex systems: robust convergence and performance. Estimation algorithms can estimate unmeasured variables using sensor measurements and the mathematical model of the system. This project aims to develop a novel estimation design methodology for systems characterised by complex dynamics and complex networked structure. Expected outcomes include novel estimation algorithms and novel methodologies for tuning the existing algorithms for the purpose of enhancing their convergence and robustness properties. As estimation is a critical enabling technology spanning all sectors, significant benefits are expected, including enhanced monitoring, control and optimisation for important classes of complex systems, including those arising in collaborative robotics and energy storage.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4007 - Control Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics. Lead: Prof Dragan Nesic

Uncovering Australia’s hidden minerals. Airborne electromagnetics is a crucial technology for mapping conductive minerals and water resources over large areas that cannot be covered with ground-based methods. This project aims to increase the accuracy of airborne electromagnetic surveys by precisely measuring the transmitter-receiver geometry. The project expects to help airborne surveys look under conductive overburden and better characterise highly conductive features such as massive nickel and copper sulphide deposits. Expected outcomes include the discovery of critical minerals and rare earth elements as well as water resource mapping. This should provide significant benefits to the mining and agricultural industries and contribute to the clean energy transformation. . Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 3706 - Geophysics. Lead: Prof Li Ju

Improving the accuracy of the justice system with systematic reviews. This project aims to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the legal system by making the scientific knowledge it relies on more accessible, understandable, and current. To do so, we will create fully transparent systematic reviews of commonly used forensic practices and topics, such as fingerprint analysis, and consult with lawyers, judges, and the public to build evidence-based strategies for effectively communicating these reviews. Long-term impact is ensured through training forensic scientists to produce future systematic reviews and by building a library of reviews hosted by the Australian Academy of Science. These tools will help prevent wrongful convictions, bring knowledge into courts more efficiently, and foster public trust. . Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 4804 - Law In Context. Lead: Dr Jason Chin

Performance Optimisation of Pulley Lagging in High Capacity Conveyors. Every bulk material (eg Iron Ore, Lithium, Copper) is transported by belt conveyor at some point during production. As global demand for bulk materials increases, conveyor drive systems are failing at an increasing rate. These failures result in lost production, high costs, and contribute to 80,000 tonnes of rubber waste each year. This project aims to improve the reliability and efficiency of conveyor drive systems by studying the friction, wear, and fatigue of drive pulley lagging materials, and developing new design methods to reduce failures. The outcomes will improve productivity and sustainability of material handling, and be translated into new International design standards through existing channels.. Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 4017 - Mechanical Engineering. Lead: Prof Craig Wheeler

Sustainable Residential Framing Systems using Recycled Plastics and Fibres. The project aims to develop pultruded recycled plastic composite (PRPC)-based residential framing systems that incorporate waste plastics and recycled plastic fibres. The PRPC materials will initially be developed. Structural members that employ PRPC will then be developed using pultrusion technology, followed by the development of residential framing systems. The expected outcomes include sustainable and durable PRPC, structural members and framing systems through experimental validation, numerical and analytical prediction models, design guidance and field investigation. The project promotes sustainable infrastructure by increasing Australia's plastic recycling capacity and easing the current disruption to the residential housing sector.. Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 4005 - Civil Engineering. Lead: Prof Scott Smith

An advanced and sustainable precursor for biofuels and plastics from agave. This project aims to advance Australia’s positioning in the global transition to a net zero economy by leveraging potential from the high-biomass, climate-resistant plant, agave. Using the transformational 3 -methylanisole technology from VIA BioFuels, the project will develop yeasts that are effective and efficient in converting plant juice into sustainable biofuels and green materials. Expected outcomes include optimised and validated technologies and capacity for a valuable Australian-grown agave-for-biomaterials industry. The project should provide significant benefits, such as improved use and productivity of otherwise non-arable land, and renewable feedstocks to suit a range of applications for Australia’s carbon-neutral future. . Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 3106 - Industrial Biotechnology. Lead: Prof Rachel Burton

Additive Manufacturing of Silica-based Extraction Phases for Nutraceuticals. The project's overarching aim is to explore advanced manufacturing of highly defined, porous and chemically functionalised substrates for improved extraction and isolation efficiency of target high-value biomolecules and nutraceuticals within natural-product-based production processes. This new capability will be realised via the application of new in-house developed state-of-the-art 3D printing technology, enabling controlled porosity ceramic hybrid size exclusion and affinity/ion-exchange chromatography extraction phases and membranes. These new sustainable separation technologies will be tested from bench to pilot scale, using direct isolation of metalloproteins from milk and precision fermentation broths as two key industry use cases. . Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 3401 - Analytical Chemistry. Lead: Prof Brett Paull

Promoting belonging and identity for children in kinship care. Children in out-of-home care experience significant instability in living arrangements and relationships. Children in kinship care, however, have better outcomes than their peers in other out-of-home care arrangements. This research aims to identify the interpersonal and/or institutional practices and systemic conditions that support the development of belonging and identity for children in kinship care. This research will generate critical knowledge about best practices, informed by children themselves and their kinship carers. Expected outcomes include improved service delivery enabling kin carers to positively impact the lives of the children in their care. Expected benefits include more responsive policies and frameworks for practice.. Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 4409 - Social Work. Lead: Prof Lynne McPherson

Addressing Water Security Challenges in the Murray-Darling Basin. Known as the driest inhabited continent on Earth, Australia faces ongoing water security issues, particularly within the Murray-Darling Basin. Water challenges can be too much, too little, or too dirty, invoking the need for robust but highly adaptable policy. In partnership with key local and national end-users, this project aims to advance understanding of freshwater security issues via state-of-the-art economic research to develop novel tools that significantly advance water demand/supply planning and implementation by government and stakeholders. This new capability will enhance collaboration between policy-makers who will be better positioned to deliver against contemporary water challenges, and meet water security for all.. Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 3899 - Other Economics. Lead: Prof Sarah Wheeler

Disaster Ready Schools: Strengthening Australia's Education Sector. "Disaster Ready Schools" seeks to address the significant learning disruptions experienced by children and young people due to climate-induced disasters, which have affected over 242 million students globally. This national project aims to deepen our understanding of how these disasters impact Australia’s education system. Collaborating with key partners, including UNICEF Australia and the Queensland Department of Education, the project will co-design a disaster-ready education framework and supportive resources. Critical to the UN SDGs, it will investigate critical questions regarding the nature of these impacts, stakeholder adaptations, and strategies for enhancing resilience, ultimately fostering robust support systems for young people.. Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 3901 - Curriculum and Pedagogy. Lead: Prof Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles

Investigating unconventional spaces for student wellbeing self-management. Student wellbeing at school is an urgent priority, that needs collaborative consideration. This project will investigate with students how and where they already self-manage their wellbeing at school, with a focus on unconventional spaces. The mixed methods study led by an inter-disciplinary research team will enable students, alongside partners from education, architecture, and wellbeing to deeply explore under-represented everyday wellbeing experiences. New concepts, practices and methods will capitalise on the ways that students self-manage their wellbeing for practical, industry-relevant solutions.. Scheme: Linkage Projects. Field: 3904 - Specialist Studies In Education. Lead: Prof Jenna Gillett-Swan

Submerged Environments Survey and Sampling Suite. The Submerged Environments Survey and Sampling Suite includes two marine geophysical sonar sensors and one marine geotechnical coring platform. Together these marine survey items provide an integrated affordable capacity for Australian universities to expand their research into deeper waters and deeper underwater sediments in both marine and freshwater environments. The R2Sonic Multibeam is optimised for high resolution 3D sonar seabed mapping, paired with an Innomar Compact Subbottom Profiler to map the shape and depth of shallow sediments below the seabed. A floating UWITEC coring platform then allows recovery of deep samples of those sediments to extract evidence of past environments for archaeological and paleoenvironmental research. . Scheme: Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities. Field: 4301 - Archaeology. Lead: Dr John McCarthy

Harnessing animal intelligence to repair Australian mammal communities . This project aims to address Australia’s extinction crisis by testing how predation shapes prey intelligence and using this new information to restore threatened mammal populations. This project aspires to determine which cognitive traits influence the development of antipredator behaviour and hence promote survival alongside predators. By exploring the role of predation in shaping learning and memory, this project will return only the most ‘predator smart’ prey to the wild, testing a model that could facilitate the co-existence of native prey alongside introduced predators. Expected outcomes include a new understanding of how predation shapes the brain and practical cognition-based conservation tools to reduce extinction risk.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 4104 - Environmental Management. Lead: Dr Eamonn Wooster

Agentic Learning for Efficient and Generalisable Visual Grounding. This project aims to develop advanced artificial intelligence systems that can understand and interpret complex visual environments more effectively, efficiently, and transparently. Current artificial intelligence models for tasks often struggle to adapt to new scenarios, require vast amounts of labeled data, and lack clarity in how decisions are made. By combining visual perception with human-like reasoning, this research will create systems that actively refine their understanding of scenes, ask questions when uncertain, and explain their decisions in plain language. The outcomes will enable safer autonomous systems and more reliable healthcare diagnostics while reducing reliance on costly data annotation.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 4603 - Computer Vision and Multimedia Computation. Lead: Dr Lian Xu

New Tools in Effective Field Theory for Physics beyond the Standard Model. This project aims to develop new theoretical and computational tools for effective field theories, crucial for exploring physics beyond the Standard Model. This project expects to provide methods for managing the complexity of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory arising from its large number of free parameters, while enhancing the precision of its predictions. Expected outcomes include a generalized geometric framework for effective field theories, as well as a fully automated phenomenology pipeline to test new physics models against experimental data. This research will equip both the Australian and international particle physics community with powerful tools to bridge theory and experiment at current and future facilities.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 5107 - Particle and High Energy Physics. Lead: Dr Julie Pagès

Building a Black Justice Journalism. This project argues for a new form of scholarly journalism, grounded in conceptions of Black Justice, as a critical intervention needed to address the ongoing media misreporting of Indigenous affairs. Through an innovative methodological approach combining scholarship, journalistic practice and archival research, the research agenda will seek to understand the role of the media in sustaining and entrenching settler colonialism. It will interrogate the field of journalism ethics, arguing that accepted norms of journalistic practice compound harm and restrict the voices of Black Witnesses. In doing so, it will aim to build an ethics of practice in the form of Black Justice Journalism which will be disseminated to the Indigenous media sector.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 4501 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture, Language and History. Lead: Dr Amy McQuire

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.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 5101 - Astronomical Sciences. Lead: Dr Evgeni Grishin

Multi-User Delay-Doppler Communications. This project aims to develop a fundamentally new way of communicating digital information in broadband mobile networks. There is an ever-growing need for higher data rates and greater mobility, and this project will advance a new two dimensional (delay-Doppler) mathematical signal formulation to address these demands. This will enable broadband communications in high frequency spectrum for fast moving terminals. This project will pioneer innovative techniques in waveform design, multiplexing and resource allocation to dramatically improve performance in rapidly varying channels. These outcomes will shape global wireless standards and drive growth in Australia’s telecommunications and space based internet-of-things industries.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 4006 - Communications Engineering. Lead: Dr Swaroop Gopalam

Unlocking the Mysteries of Bacterial Lifestyle Transitions. Bacteria are everywhere, playing a vital role in shaping ecosystems. Many remain dormant in their natural environment until they detect nutrients, triggering a lag phase to reactivate cellular machinery and resume growth. This universal yet poorly understood process has significant implications for industrial biomanufacturing and public health. This proposal aims to advance our understanding of the bacterial lag phase, develop strategies to enhance the efficiency of bacterial cell factories, and explore its role in antibiotic resistance—offering insights to combat the antimicrobial resistance global public health crisis.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 3107 - Microbiology. Lead: Dr Liping Li

Ultra-High Strength and Damage-Tolerant Steels via Laser Powder Bed Fusion . This project aims to design and investigate a new class of alloy steels that address the long-standing challenge of simultaneously achieving ultra-high strength and high damage tolerance by integrating the fundamental principles of laser additive manufacturing (LAM) and physical metallurgy. The project expects to generate new knowledge in alloy design, LAM and composition-microstructure-property relationships. Expected outcomes include uncovering the unique mechanisms that enable the simultaneous achievement of ultrahigh strength and high damage tolerance in alloy steels and a new theoretical framework for their design. This should significantly advance alloy science and engineering, while also fostering growth in Australian manufacturing. . Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 4014 - Manufacturing Engineering. Lead: Dr Wengang Zhai