Occupational injury prevention in high temperature environments. This project aims to explore the contribution of heat as a risk factor in work-related illness and injury. Approximately 600 000 Australians experience a work-related illness or injury each year. Hot weather may directly or indirectly lead to accidents, but heat as a risk factor has not been systematically explored, and is particularly relevant in a warming climate. This project aims to improve safety and productivity in Australian ....Occupational injury prevention in high temperature environments. This project aims to explore the contribution of heat as a risk factor in work-related illness and injury. Approximately 600 000 Australians experience a work-related illness or injury each year. Hot weather may directly or indirectly lead to accidents, but heat as a risk factor has not been systematically explored, and is particularly relevant in a warming climate. This project aims to improve safety and productivity in Australian industry by generating new evidence and predictive models to inform injury prevention policy and guidance, and facilitating the development of practical, targeted resources. This project expects to add to the body of knowledge regarding workers’ health and safety and to be of benefit to industry and subpopulations at risk.Read moreRead less
More than defence: primary roles for cyanogenic glucosides. The tropical crop, sorghum, produces toxic cyanide to avoid being eaten by herbivores, but this diverts resources away from growth and reproduction. Using non-toxic sorghum mutants, this project seeks to explain how cyanide production is regulated and enhance agricultural efficiency in the face of climate change.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100890
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,082.00
Summary
Rapid climate change, early modern human dispersal, and Neanderthal demise. Why are we the only surviving human species? This project aims to investigate whether seasonal environmental changes associated with rapid climate change events played a role in the expansion of our own species and the demise of Neanderthals between 60,000-30,000 years ago. The project will generate quantitative, sub-seasonal records of past climate variability using novel multi-proxy analyses from key archaeological sit ....Rapid climate change, early modern human dispersal, and Neanderthal demise. Why are we the only surviving human species? This project aims to investigate whether seasonal environmental changes associated with rapid climate change events played a role in the expansion of our own species and the demise of Neanderthals between 60,000-30,000 years ago. The project will generate quantitative, sub-seasonal records of past climate variability using novel multi-proxy analyses from key archaeological sites, offering a framework for understanding early human responses to extreme climate fluctuations. This may inform our strategies for coping with future extreme scenarios. These unparalleled records will also provide data to test and refine climate models, enabling a better understanding of Earth’s climate system. Read moreRead less
Advanced solar powered hydrogen production systems based on green algal cells. This project aims to enhance the efficiency of solar powered hydrogen production from water and will facilitate the co-production of H2 and oil through microalgal biofuel systems. This frontier science project will therefore deliver a process with high solar conversion efficiency and will deliver multiple product streams increasing profitability.
Climate and health benefits of restoring tropical peat swamp forests. This project aims to investigate the climate and health benefits of restoring the tropical peat swamp forests. The project will integrate novel, field-based paleo-reconstruction of the historical conditions, satellite observations of temperature and rainfall, and high-resolution modelling of the regional climate processes under different restoration scenarios. It will use this information to determine how restoration activitie ....Climate and health benefits of restoring tropical peat swamp forests. This project aims to investigate the climate and health benefits of restoring the tropical peat swamp forests. The project will integrate novel, field-based paleo-reconstruction of the historical conditions, satellite observations of temperature and rainfall, and high-resolution modelling of the regional climate processes under different restoration scenarios. It will use this information to determine how restoration activities affect the regional climate, how changes in climate affect peatland fires and regional smoke haze, and how changes to regional climate and smoke haze affect human respiratory health and heat stress.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101791
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,082.00
Summary
Mathematically optimal R&D for coral reef conservation. This project aims to develop mathematical methodologies for optimising Research & Development (R&D) of technologies that will secure complex and uncertain ecosystems into the future. Current conventional management approaches will not prevent the degradation of threatened ecosystems like the Great Barrier Reef, so new technologies are needed. The biggest challenge in choosing these technologies is the long delay between development and depl ....Mathematically optimal R&D for coral reef conservation. This project aims to develop mathematical methodologies for optimising Research & Development (R&D) of technologies that will secure complex and uncertain ecosystems into the future. Current conventional management approaches will not prevent the degradation of threatened ecosystems like the Great Barrier Reef, so new technologies are needed. The biggest challenge in choosing these technologies is the long delay between development and deployment, in which time ecosystem function may collapse and complex, dynamic ecological and social systems will change. The mathematical methods and theory developed will inform a Great Barrier Reef case study, and will be ready for rapid application to other ecosystems as the urgent need arises.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100102
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$304,080.00
Summary
Managing land surface radiation management to reduce the intensity of heat waves. This project aims to use land surface radiation management to reduce the intensity of heat waves. Heat waves have high social, environmental, and economic effects, and their intensity will increase. Using climate models, this project will examine how altering current land management practices could change properties of soils and vegetation to reduce the intensity of heat waves. The expected outcomes of this project ....Managing land surface radiation management to reduce the intensity of heat waves. This project aims to use land surface radiation management to reduce the intensity of heat waves. Heat waves have high social, environmental, and economic effects, and their intensity will increase. Using climate models, this project will examine how altering current land management practices could change properties of soils and vegetation to reduce the intensity of heat waves. The expected outcomes of this project are information on adaptation to the increasing intensity of heat waves in Australia, which will be applicable globally.Read moreRead less
Improving thermal environment of housing for older Australians. This project aims to develop strategies to improve the thermal environment of housing for older Australians based on systematic investigations of the links between weather, thermal comfort, energy use, and well-being. The project will produce evidence-based guidelines and a framework about planning/design issues and operational/behavioural aspects to support older people living independently. Improved thermal conditions will lead to ....Improving thermal environment of housing for older Australians. This project aims to develop strategies to improve the thermal environment of housing for older Australians based on systematic investigations of the links between weather, thermal comfort, energy use, and well-being. The project will produce evidence-based guidelines and a framework about planning/design issues and operational/behavioural aspects to support older people living independently. Improved thermal conditions will lead to better quality of life, reduce the need for institutional care and reduce public health costs. They will also provide environmental benefits through reduced energy use and carbon emissions.Read moreRead less
Significance and mechanisms of evaporative water loss control by endotherms. This project plans to examine the novel hypothesis that mammals and birds can control and minimise their evaporative water loss in dry environments. Water balance is fundamental for the survival of mammals and birds. As a large component of total water loss, evaporative water loss is particularly critical for species in arid habitats and areas undergoing desertification and other habitat modifications. Control of water ....Significance and mechanisms of evaporative water loss control by endotherms. This project plans to examine the novel hypothesis that mammals and birds can control and minimise their evaporative water loss in dry environments. Water balance is fundamental for the survival of mammals and birds. As a large component of total water loss, evaporative water loss is particularly critical for species in arid habitats and areas undergoing desertification and other habitat modifications. Control of water loss is a previously unappreciated ability in mammals and birds. Determining the mechanistic basis for evaporative homeostasis would fundamentally change our knowledge of animal function, and may help us to predict and understand the effects of environmental change on survival and distribution limits for Australian fauna.Read moreRead less
The role of epigenetic modifications in bovid adaptation to environmental change. This project will explore the role of epigenetic change, where gene expression is regulated without changing the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence, in how animals adapt to rapid climate change. This project will trace epigenetic markers in ancient bison and cows through 30,000 years of climate change, and identify key adaptive genes for the cattle industry.