Human visual determination of shape. Visual coding of shape is central to our ability to interact with objects effectively. The visual system contains processes that are specific to particular shapes and this work aims to determine how those processes are used by the system in visual analysis. The work will advance theoretical understanding, and will contribute to the training of the next generation of researchers but also has the potential to provide information that enables display designers ....Human visual determination of shape. Visual coding of shape is central to our ability to interact with objects effectively. The visual system contains processes that are specific to particular shapes and this work aims to determine how those processes are used by the system in visual analysis. The work will advance theoretical understanding, and will contribute to the training of the next generation of researchers but also has the potential to provide information that enables display designers to determine the most efficient way to detect and present pattern information. This may lead to simplified methods for creating objects that are equally effective in conveying information and more rapid scene analysis. Read moreRead less
Collective futures: The effects of beliefs about future states of society on the support for and enactment of social change. This research addresses a novel and potentially critical factor in support for social change, beliefs about society in the future, that helps build Australia's capacity to effectively address important social issues that depend on widespread support and action, such as climate change. The research provides a basis for a more informed public debate about these issues, and e ....Collective futures: The effects of beliefs about future states of society on the support for and enactment of social change. This research addresses a novel and potentially critical factor in support for social change, beliefs about society in the future, that helps build Australia's capacity to effectively address important social issues that depend on widespread support and action, such as climate change. The research provides a basis for a more informed public debate about these issues, and enhances the effectiveness of policy-makers and information campaigns. Scientifically, it enhances Australia's reputation as a leader in social change research. Read moreRead less
Investigation of the component distributions of pause duration in spontaneous speech: Constraints for models of language production. We have discovered that the distribution of pause durations in spontaneous speech of individual speakers can be decomposed into at least two log-normal distributions. Our project will investigate this finding and provide a foundation for new research relevant to language production models. This will be achieved by determining the semantic, lexical, psycholinguistic ....Investigation of the component distributions of pause duration in spontaneous speech: Constraints for models of language production. We have discovered that the distribution of pause durations in spontaneous speech of individual speakers can be decomposed into at least two log-normal distributions. Our project will investigate this finding and provide a foundation for new research relevant to language production models. This will be achieved by determining the semantic, lexical, psycholinguistic, physiological, and acoustic concomitants of each component distribution and by investigating the impact of selected variables on the shape and location of each. The project has important implications for models of language production and applied problems involving automatic speech recognition, forensic speaker identification, and human communication disorders.Read moreRead less
Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection. Competition between the sperm of two males within a single female has had profound implications for the evolution of male reproductive biology and behaviour. However, the reasons why females should mate with more than one male and thus generate sperm competition remains an evolutionary puzzle. Few studies have examined sperm competition from the female perspective and indeed, female perspectives are currently the subject of considerable debate. Using in ....Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection. Competition between the sperm of two males within a single female has had profound implications for the evolution of male reproductive biology and behaviour. However, the reasons why females should mate with more than one male and thus generate sperm competition remains an evolutionary puzzle. Few studies have examined sperm competition from the female perspective and indeed, female perspectives are currently the subject of considerable debate. Using insects as models I will examine the benefits of sperm competition for females and thereby the selective pressures that favour multiple mating. Moreover, I will determine whether sexual selection can act after copulation.Read moreRead less
Sperm competition and the evolution of ejaculates. This research will yield results that are at the cutting-edge in evolutionary biology, that will have a significant international impact, promoting the international profile of Australian science. The award will foster a world-class centre for research, and will train internationally competitive research scientists, adding to Australia's scientific capabilities. Through the development of IVF techniques in frogs, the research has the potential ....Sperm competition and the evolution of ejaculates. This research will yield results that are at the cutting-edge in evolutionary biology, that will have a significant international impact, promoting the international profile of Australian science. The award will foster a world-class centre for research, and will train internationally competitive research scientists, adding to Australia's scientific capabilities. Through the development of IVF techniques in frogs, the research has the potential to contribute to conservation outcomes for Australia's native frog fauna via captive breeding programs. The research groups connections with local infertility clinics has the potential to inform those studying human sperm in a time of growing concern over rising human infertility. Read moreRead less
The evolution of female mating frequency and its consequences. This project explores the evolutionary significance of female mating frequency for male and female reproductive biology. The research proposes to use innovative approaches to examine the evolution of ejaculate characteristics, will focus on the evolution of sperm form and function, and will examine the fitness benefits of promiscuity from the females' perspective. The research uses both vertebrates and invertebrates as model organi ....The evolution of female mating frequency and its consequences. This project explores the evolutionary significance of female mating frequency for male and female reproductive biology. The research proposes to use innovative approaches to examine the evolution of ejaculate characteristics, will focus on the evolution of sperm form and function, and will examine the fitness benefits of promiscuity from the females' perspective. The research uses both vertebrates and invertebrates as model organisms to test predictions and assumptions of theoretical models relevant to both internal and external modes of fertilization. The design of this project will allow cutting-edge, theoretically informed and experimentally grounded conclusions to be drawn regarding selection under sperm competition.Read moreRead less
Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection: answering fundamental questions in evolutionary biology. This research will yield results that are at the cutting-edge in evolutionary biology, that will have a significant international impact, promoting the international profile of Australian science. The award will build on an existing world-class centre of excellence for research, and will train internationally competitive research scientists, adding to Australia's scientific capabilities. The researc ....Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection: answering fundamental questions in evolutionary biology. This research will yield results that are at the cutting-edge in evolutionary biology, that will have a significant international impact, promoting the international profile of Australian science. The award will build on an existing world-class centre of excellence for research, and will train internationally competitive research scientists, adding to Australia's scientific capabilities. The research centre's connections with local fertility clinics, and their work on human sperm quality, has the potential to inform those studying human fertility.Read moreRead less
Ejaculate-mediated paternal effects on offspring fitness. This project aims to unravel the evolutionary importance of ejaculate-mediated paternal effects, through which paternal lifestyle factors, such as diet and exposure to toxicants, influence offspring growth and health independently of genes. By identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying these non-genetic sources of inheritance, their adaptive value, and their potential to fuel evolutionary change, the project expects to generate new k ....Ejaculate-mediated paternal effects on offspring fitness. This project aims to unravel the evolutionary importance of ejaculate-mediated paternal effects, through which paternal lifestyle factors, such as diet and exposure to toxicants, influence offspring growth and health independently of genes. By identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying these non-genetic sources of inheritance, their adaptive value, and their potential to fuel evolutionary change, the project expects to generate new knowledge that will be relevant across the biological, medical and agricultural sectors. Expected outcomes and benefits include building institutional and interdisciplinary collaborations and the development of tools to understand the evolutionary impacts of paternal lifestyle choices for offspring traits.Read moreRead less
Integrating Models of Memory for Serial Order. This research aims to compare and integrate computational models of memory for serial order. The applicants have independently developed theoretically novel models, and this collaboration will enable them to combine and strengthen their complementary perspectives.
Much psychologically important processing, for example speech perception and spelling, requires the representation and reproduction of serial order information. Existing models account ....Integrating Models of Memory for Serial Order. This research aims to compare and integrate computational models of memory for serial order. The applicants have independently developed theoretically novel models, and this collaboration will enable them to combine and strengthen their complementary perspectives.
Much psychologically important processing, for example speech perception and spelling, requires the representation and reproduction of serial order information. Existing models account for a wide range of data and collectively represent exciting progress in the understanding of basic mechanisms of memory. Can these models be unified and reconciled? To date, detailed comparisons of models are lacking. This proposal is for the applicants to elaborate and unify their contrasting theoretical approaches.
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Characterising and linking intermediate-level processing of pattern, motion and position in human vision? This work will advance basic science by enhancing understanding of human coding of image structure. The aim is to provide a common structure for understanding visual processing of form, motion and position. The work will help lift the international profile of Australian science. Explaining how the primitives for shape perception are extracted will also have consequences of potential economic ....Characterising and linking intermediate-level processing of pattern, motion and position in human vision? This work will advance basic science by enhancing understanding of human coding of image structure. The aim is to provide a common structure for understanding visual processing of form, motion and position. The work will help lift the international profile of Australian science. Explaining how the primitives for shape perception are extracted will also have consequences of potential economic benefit. One important aspect is the design of displays that allow observers to absorb complex information about rapidly changing situations. This work has the potential to provide information that enables display designers to optimise the efficiency of presentation of pattern and motion information.Read moreRead less