Grants & Opportunities

Advancing fluid separation via engineered 3D-printed porous media. This project aims to advance fluid separation processes by harnessing inherent differences in how immiscible fluids like oil and water interact with the structures of 3D-printed porous materials. Combining numerical modelling, experiments and theoretical analyses, design principles will be derived from fluid properties, porous structures, and surface characteristics that drive spontaneous separation. Fluid separation is critical in wastewater treatment, food and pharmaceutical processing, and petrochemicals. Yet current methods remain energy-intensive, chemical-heavy, and inefficient. By designing porous materials that naturally separate fluids without extra energy or chemicals, the project offers a sustainable alternative for industries.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4012 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Engineering. Lead: Prof Emilie Sauret

Aperiodic neural activity across time. The aperiodic signal that pervades human brain activity changes over the lifespan and explains individual differences in cognitive function. Yet, the physiological and behavioural impacts of aperiodic signal fluctuations over shorter time scales remain unclear. This project aims to investigate the effects of time-varying aperiodic neural activity on human cognitive performance, brain excitability and neuroplasticity. This will be delivered by a closed-loop approach, using brain signals recorded in real time to target momentary shifts in aperiodic activity and infer direct causal relationships. Benefits include a detailed mechanistic understanding of how dynamic fluctuations in aperiodic neural activity across time affect human behaviour.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 5202 - Biological Psychology. Lead: Dr Mitchell Goldsworthy

Handwritten: scribal culture and the early modern woman writer, 1500-1700. This project aims to transform our understanding of handwriting, uncovering early modern women's engagement with scribal cultures to investigate how, why, when and by whom handwriting was acquired and used. Almost nothing is known about this process, despite its critical contribution to women's education, literacy and textual agency. The cross-disciplinary team expects to develop new methodologies transferable to other material forms, technologies and periods, and share cutting-edge resources through digital methods and public outreach. This should build capacity in a new generation of researchers, open up the period to new publics, and change how we think about the significance, value and power of writing by hand, then and now. . Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4705 - Literary Studies. Lead: Prof Rosalind Smith

Deeptime History of Climate & Humans in the Most Diverse Ecosystem on Earth. Tropical rainforests are coming under increasing threat from climate change and human population growth. This project brings together a multidisciplinary team of scientists to reconstruct the deep-time rainforest history of Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, creating a new framework to understand the interplay between culture and biodiversity that stretch over thousands of years and build capability and understanding for future generations. The outcomes will fill a significant gap in our understanding of a critical part of the global climate system - the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool - that has driven the evolution of complex social-environmental systems in the most diverse ecosystem on earth.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3709 - Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience. Lead: Prof Simon Haberle

Chiral electrochemistry with standard achiral electrodes. Many essential drugs and agricultural chemicals exist as molecular mirror images—enantiomers—one beneficial and the other possibly harmful. Current manufacturing and detection of the desired enantiomer are wasteful, energy-intensive, and costly. The project aims to develop a new electrochemistry that selects enantiomers using a minimal quantity of strategically placed insulators on standard electrodes. This will enable enhancement effects at inexpensive and readily available interfaces. By combining advances in microscopy and electrochemistry, we aim to transform synthesis and analysis for reduced waste, energy use, and costs, while advancing renewable-powered chemical synthesis and creating opportunities for high-value production.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3406 - Physical Chemistry. Lead: Prof Simone Ciampi

Multiphase droplet chemistry shapes dynamic survival of airborne viruses. When airborne viruses are exhaled, they are embedded in a droplet of human respiratory fluid. These droplets are not just carriers of viruses but are complex microenvironments containing a mixture of salts, proteins and other substances that dynamically change over time depending on the environment where they have been exhaled. We aim to improve our fundamental understanding of the physicochemical dynamics of exhaled respiratory droplets in order to understand what drives the virus survival in indoor environments. This is essential for developing effective public health strategies, such as optimising indoor air quality and controlling environmental conditions, to create an environment less conducive to virus transmission.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3701 - Atmospheric Sciences. Lead: Prof Zoran Ristovski

Semiconductor Photoisomerisation - A New class of Switchable Materials . This project aims to introduce a fundamentally novel approach to semiconductor device fabrication through a light- induced structural isomerization process. This allows to write and read information into a semiconductor with light and erase it with heat. We will explore the chemical universality of the approach and benchmark physical performance parameters to showcase its applicability for commercial semiconductor device fabrication. Expected outcomes include transformative advancements in semiconductor applications, with potential impacts on fabrication cost, energy consumption and environmental sustainability. The project aligns with Australian government priorities in energy, advanced manufacturing and environmental impact.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 5102 - Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics. Lead: Prof Udo Bach

Harnessing the Holobiont: Can We Evolve Microbes to Influence Their Hosts? This project aims to experimentally test the holobiont concept—that a host and its closely associated microbes function as a single, co-evolving unit. Using a defined set of microbial species grown on plant roots under controlled lab conditions, we will investigate how microbial evolution influences the host and whether directed evolution of microbes can alter plant growth. By exploring microbial evolution and ecological interactions, this research will provide valuable insights into sustainable agriculture, potentially reducing chemical inputs, and contributing to environmental and agricultural resilience.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3104 - Evolutionary Biology. Lead: Prof Michael McDonald

Ethical, social and regulatory implications of informal sperm donation. This project aims to address ethical, social and regulatory issues in sperm donation for family formation in Australia to ensure that all people who need the assistance of a sperm donor to become a parent can do so safely. The project expects to generate new knowledge to address the the informal provision of sperm via the internet, while also improving the formal and regulated system of sperm donation. Expected outcomes include a more ethically robust and equitable system for accessing donor sperm for family formation achieved through cohesive, stakeholder-informed recommendations. It is expected to have long-lasting benefits for people who donate sperm, people who need to access donor sperm and for people conceived through sperm donation.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 5001 - Applied Ethics. Lead: Prof Catherine Mills

Protein-based quantum sensors: a new tool for biology. This project aims to develop a new class of quantum sensors using recently discovered magneto-responsive fluorescent proteins, to enable new ways to monitor biological processes with sub-cellular resolution. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of quantum bio-sensing, by adapting existing quantum methods to fluorescent proteins. Expected outcomes include enhanced understanding of the magneto-optical properties of proteins, development of new quantum sensing protocols, and demonstration of protein-based sensing in biological scenarios. This should provide significant benefits from developing new quantum sensors and creating intellectual property, and laying the foundation for future medical applications in diagnostics.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 5108 - Quantum Physics. Lead: A/Prof Jean-Philippe Tetienne

Hidden in plain sight: an investigation into telomere phage biology. This project aims to investigate a peculiar class of what had long seemed rare microbes called telomere phages. We have discovered that they in fact mediate control over populations of bacteria and this project will investigate how they do so. The project expects to generate new knowledge on how proteins encoded by the telomere phage are secreted from its host bacterium, and how the proteins then enter and kill neighbouring bacteria. Expected outcomes from this project include knowledge gain as well as methods and technology development. This project should provide significant benefits in research training excellence as well as the potential means to decontaminate environments of specific bacteria.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Lead: Prof Trevor Lithgow

Metal-based complexes and materials that challenge antimicrobial resistance. This research project focuses on the design, development, and application of new bismuth, gallium and indium compounds as antimicrobial and anti-biofilm agents. These metals act as iron mimics in vivo and can exert antimicrobial activity while displaying low systemic toxicity in humans. The project aims to exploit this, and the inability of microbes to easily develop resistance towards metals, to combat bacteria for which modern drugs are rapidly becoming ineffective, as highlighted in the WHO list of critical and priority pathogens. The intended outcome is that efficacy will be driven through advances in synthetic and structural chemistry, discovering the mode of action, and creating anti-infective polymers and gels.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3402 - Inorganic Chemistry. Lead: Prof Philip Andrews

Protecting the Australian cattle industry from haemorrhagic septicaemia . The bacterium Pasteurella multocida can cause the rapidly fatal disease haemorrhagic septicaemia in cattle and other ungulates. This disease occurs in many countries, including one of our nearest neighbours, Indonesia. The importation of haemorrhagic septicaemia is a major food security and economic threat to the Australian cattle industry. Current vaccines are crude, locally made and offer only limited immunity; a commercial vaccine with increased efficacy would safeguard the Australian cattle industry and help control the disease worldwide. In this project, we aim to identify factors required for haemorrhagic septicaemia strains to cause disease and use this knowledge to generate novel vaccine strains that provide long-lasting immunity. . Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3009 - Veterinary Sciences. Lead: Prof John Boyce

Evolutionary expansion of neocortical computations. The neocortex is the most evolved part of the mammalian brain, exhibiting massive expansion of neuronal number in non-human primates (NHPs) and humans. Are the enhanced cognitive abilities of humans and NHPs formed by a complexification of neocortical neuronal networks, which operate with evolutionary conserved principles? We aim to address this fundamental question by investigating the functional properties of molecularly and anatomically defined neocortical neurons, the computational elements of the neocortex, using high-resolution electrophysiological and optical techniques in acute ex vivo preparations of the living human, NHP and rodent neocortex. The results will herald a new computational understanding of the evolution of neocortex.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3209 - Neurosciences. Lead: Prof Stephen Williams

Understanding health care labour markets to improve population health. The health workforce is essential for the routine operations of healthcare systems, the adoption of innovations, and sustainability during crises. However, the uneven distribution of health professionals leads to shortages, surpluses, patient harm, and burnout among health professionals. This research uses new longitudinal data on all Australian doctors and nurses to study the effects of policy changes and labour market shocks on recruitment, retention, workforce participation, health outcomes, and the well-being of health professionals. By combining labour economics and micro-econometrics with policy insights, this project aims to generate new evidence for more innovative health workforce planning.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3801 - Applied Economics. Lead: Prof Anthony Scott

Skillphabets: Teaching robots new skills by reducing information asymmetry. Tool use is a key aspect of human intelligence, relying on the extraction of perceptual information and fine motor skills. The ability to break down complex tasks into reusable skills is crucial for problem-solving. For instance, a teacher may teach a child to write by starting with basic strokes that form letters, which then combine into words and sentences. This can be challenging due to information asymmetry between teacher and student. This project will enable robots to learn reusable skills (Skillphabets) from human teachers by minimising this information asymmetry. Anticipated outcomes include improved alignment between humans and AI, pretrained Skillphabets and applications spanning defense, aerospace, agriculture and manufacturing.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4602 - Artificial Intelligence. Lead: Dr Michael Burke

Audiences, equity, and the future of free-to-air television . Australia’s free-to-air television industry is in structural decline, with concerning implications for media access, emergency communications and social cohesion. This project aims to develop novel methods to identify those Australians most affected, to understand how their experience of television will change, and to provide options to ensure widely-endorsed public policy goals are met in a radically different media landscape. The project expects to generate new knowledge about television distribution, infrastructure and equity. Expected outcomes include improved decision-making to support broadcast spectrum reallocation and a renewed policy debate about television’s vital public goods.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4701 - Communication and Media Studies. Lead: Prof Ramon Lobato

Mobile-Energy-as-a-Service: Delivering Sustainable Electromobility. This project proposes a novel concept of Mobile-Energy-as-a-Service, a comprehensive mechanism utilising the transport, power, and infrastructure aspects of electric vehicle mobility. It uses electric vehicle batteries as mobile energy sources and eases the pressure on the grid during peak times. The proposal incorporates an evidence-based, user-specific, & flexible incentivised pricing scheme to handle the impending wave of electric vehicles on our roads. With the help of appropriate digital platforms, users can plan their travel in an economically optimal way while passing through differentially priced energy zones. This research helps Australia to achieve its energy sustainability and carbon neutrality targets.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4008 - Electrical Engineering. Lead: Prof Mahinda Vilathgamuwa

A molecular investigation into the lipid antigen-presenting molecule, CD1a. This project aims to investigate the role of lipid antigen presentation in T cell mediated immunity, an area of research for which there is a very limited understanding. Using X-ray crystallography, biophysical measurements and cellular immunology, the project will provide structural data on how the lipid antigen-presenting molecule, CD1a, can bind an array of lipid classes, and how these CD1a-lipid complexes are subsequently recognised by the responding T cell repertoire. This project will generate new knowledge in the burgeoning field of lipid-mediated T cell immunity. This basic discovery project will lay the foundations for new therapies targeting the CD1a lipid display molecule.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Lead: Prof Jamie Rossjohn

Low-cost, sustainable hydrides for green energy storage. This project aims to develop a technologically simple method for the renewable-powered production of borohydride salts with outstanding energy density using unique material and process designs recently developed at Monash University. New knowledge in sustainable technologies is expected to be derived from in-depth studies of the hydride formation mechanisms under previously unexplored conditions. The target project outcome is a first-of-the-kind sustainable, low-cost borohydride synthesis method that can replace the current high-cost, fossil-fuel-based process. This is expected to benefit the Australian energy sector by enabling inexpensive storage and distribution of renewable electricity in the form of a sustainable solid energy carrier.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3406 - Physical Chemistry. Lead: A/Prof Alexandr Simonov

Engineering enzymes for controlled peptide modification. This project aims to (1) understand the mechanism and control the specificity of peptide crosslinking by engineered enzymes and (2) to exploit these enzymes as biocatalysts to produce complex bioactive peptides. This project intends to generate new knowledge on the biocatalytic synthesis of peptides using a highly interdisciplinary approach and essential tools that have been developed. The anticipated outcomes of this project are an enhanced understanding of how to the control the function of biocatalysts for peptide synthesis and to use these biocatalysts to synthesis complex bioactive natural products. This knowledge is vital for future efforts to develop biocatalytic methods for peptide production.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3404 - Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry. Lead: Prof Max Cryle

Priming Australia's Deep Tech Ecosytem through Targeted Interventions. Australia's productivity growth is at a 60-year low. Deep tech startups (e.g., in AI, robotics, biotech, quantum computing etc.) are vital for reigniting productivity and addressing structural imbalances in the economy. These startups, powered by university scientific research teams, hold transformative potential but face high technical and market risks that deter private investment. Government-led interventions can help to de-risk these ventures, enabling commercialisation of technology and ecosystem growth. This project applies a rigorous quasi-experimental design to evaluate such interventions, delivering world-first, evidence-based insights on optimal policy design to stimulate the growth of deep tech ecosystems around the world.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3502 - Banking, Finance and Investment. Lead: Prof Jason Zein

Enhancing learner feedback literacy using AI-powered feedback analytics. The project aims to advance the understanding of learner feedback literacy in higher education contexts by proposing an analytics-based mechanism to innovatively capture and analyse trace-data-based behaviour when learners interact with feedback. This innovative approach will enable personalised support using AI techniques to help learners reflect on feedback critically and take meaningful actions. The project addresses a critical challenge in supporting learners to develop the capabilities needed to benefit from feedback, due to an inadequate understanding of how they use feedback. This will, in turn, enhance feedback effectiveness and contribute to improved learning experiences, better graduate outcomes, and lifelong learning success.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3904 - Specialist Studies In Education. Lead: A/Prof Roberto Martinez-Maldonado

Enhancing magnesium mineral carbonation for sustainable carbon storage. Subsurface carbon mineralisation enables long-term storage of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. This project aims to quantify the effect of water composition (ionic and pH) on the efficiency of magnesium-based carbon mineralisation, and hence exploit a unique Australian combination of natural acidic brine and mafic mine tailings (both waste streams) to continuously produce optimal carbonate products enabling economic carbon capture. Critical is mineralisation that maximises carbon capture whilst retaining high system gas and liquid permeability. To this end, magnetic resonance techniques using ferromagnetic contrast will be developed to non-invasively monitor the onset of this mineralisation and the subsequent pore space modification. . Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 4004 - Chemical Engineering. Lead: A/Prof Einar Fridjonsson

Hitting the Limits: Intersectional sexisms in Australian universities. This project responds to the limits of Australian university culture by examining the conditions that limit social cohesion in relation to gender. The project generates new theoretical, cultural and practical knowledge about how experiences of intersectionality, gender, power and complexity shape universities. Innovation comes with multi-method design and pathway to impact via a suite of creative responses focused on raising awareness of the gender problem in universities and providing possible solutions. This project provides significant national benefits as the gender problem that shapes universities shapes Australian society, and will enables universities to lead the way in ameliorating gender-based inequalities. . Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3904 - Specialist Studies In Education. Lead: A/Prof Emily Gray