Restoring diverse native vegetation using drone-based precision seeding . This project aims to make drone technology a viable solution for scaling up the restoration of native vegetation on degraded land. By integrating new research in plant ecology, microbiology and environmental economics the project aims to fill key knowledge gaps about the viability and application of drones in restoration. Expected outcomes are world-first research into the delivery of beneficial soil microbes using drones ....Restoring diverse native vegetation using drone-based precision seeding . This project aims to make drone technology a viable solution for scaling up the restoration of native vegetation on degraded land. By integrating new research in plant ecology, microbiology and environmental economics the project aims to fill key knowledge gaps about the viability and application of drones in restoration. Expected outcomes are world-first research into the delivery of beneficial soil microbes using drones and the first assessment globally of the cost-effectiveness of drone restoration utilizing data from spatial analysis and extensive field trials. This should provide wide-ranging benefits for local land managers restoring remote degraded land and aid in reversing the cumulative effects of habitat loss on biodiversity. Read moreRead less
The Role Of Central Haemodynamics In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-related Brain Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$899,704.00
Summary
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is associated with stiffening of major blood vessels which may allow the transmission of harmful pressure to the small vessels of the brain. This may in turn be responsible for damage to brain cells and a greater risk of dementia. This study will use state-of-the art techniques to test this theory. If true, it may open opportunities to reduce the risk of brain disease in diabetes by using therapies to reduce arterial stiffening.
Protecting Australia’s food future: shared responsibility for biosecurity. This project aims to investigate whether Australia’s ‘shared responsibility’ approach to biosecurity is capable of facing the growing threat from exotic pests and diseases. Through the analysis of policy documents and the use of semi-structured interviews, this project intends to contribute to a deeper understanding of the inter- and intra-organisational characteristics that influence implementation of biosecurity. Expect ....Protecting Australia’s food future: shared responsibility for biosecurity. This project aims to investigate whether Australia’s ‘shared responsibility’ approach to biosecurity is capable of facing the growing threat from exotic pests and diseases. Through the analysis of policy documents and the use of semi-structured interviews, this project intends to contribute to a deeper understanding of the inter- and intra-organisational characteristics that influence implementation of biosecurity. Expected outcomes include crucial insights into the capacity of a shared responsibility approach to protect agri-food production against biological threats, and the forms of institutional change that may be needed to enhance responsiveness to those threats. This in turn will benefit Australia's biosecurity system.Read moreRead less
Does binocular vision training enhance literacy among primary school children with poor reading? One in ten Australian children can not read well despite adequate intelligence and opportunity. This project aims to find out the extent that these reading problems reflect poor binocular vision (the eyes not working well together) and evaluate new treatments.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190101512
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$383,960.00
Summary
Inclusive community planning for people with disabilities in regional areas. This project aims to produce new knowledge to foster inclusion of people with disabilities in local community planning practice in regional areas. Exclusion of people with disabilities in local communities persists despite the national disability reform agenda. This project will place spatial justice thinking and critical disability theory within a community planning and development context to examine the concept as a s ....Inclusive community planning for people with disabilities in regional areas. This project aims to produce new knowledge to foster inclusion of people with disabilities in local community planning practice in regional areas. Exclusion of people with disabilities in local communities persists despite the national disability reform agenda. This project will place spatial justice thinking and critical disability theory within a community planning and development context to examine the concept as a scaled phenomenon. Using participatory research methods, the project will directly engage persons with disabilities and community planners in co-producing an adaptive model of practice. The project outcomes will help to create more inclusive, healthy, and resilient communities that enable people with disabilities to lead ordinary and fulfilling lives.Read moreRead less
Smart Irrigation: integrating UAV soil moisture maps & variable rate sprays. This project will develop a state-of-the-art precision irrigation system for optimising water use and crop yield. Specifically, a novel UAV soil moisture mapping system based on passive microwave satellite remote sensing technology at L-band will be developed for near-surface soil moisture mapping at accuracies and spatial scales currently not attainable. These soil moisture maps will then be merged with irrigation wate ....Smart Irrigation: integrating UAV soil moisture maps & variable rate sprays. This project will develop a state-of-the-art precision irrigation system for optimising water use and crop yield. Specifically, a novel UAV soil moisture mapping system based on passive microwave satellite remote sensing technology at L-band will be developed for near-surface soil moisture mapping at accuracies and spatial scales currently not attainable. These soil moisture maps will then be merged with irrigation water delivery models to calibrate for spatial variation in soil properties and/or correct errors in spatial variation of rainfall and evapotranspiration inputs. Ultimately the water balance predictions will be used for implementation of variable rate irrigation control at scales hitherto unattainable.Read moreRead less
Reasonable Adjustments to Maths for Students with Intellectual Disabilities. Reasonable adjustments to secondary mathematics – parents want it, students need it, the Australian law requires it – but how do teachers achieve it? The aim of this project is to find ways to adjust, teach and assess secondary mathematics for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The significance of this study is in solving a problem facing teachers who are required by law to teach mathematics with ....Reasonable Adjustments to Maths for Students with Intellectual Disabilities. Reasonable adjustments to secondary mathematics – parents want it, students need it, the Australian law requires it – but how do teachers achieve it? The aim of this project is to find ways to adjust, teach and assess secondary mathematics for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The significance of this study is in solving a problem facing teachers who are required by law to teach mathematics without evidence informed approaches. Expected outcomes are an evidence-base for reasonable adjustments to secondary mathematics and approaches and strategies for teachers for inclusive practices. If ways for teaching year-level mathematics to learners with intellectual disability are developed, many more students may benefit.
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Sibling influence on development of children with autism spectrum disorder. This project aims to investigate how typically-developing siblings affect the development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD involves difficulties with language, executive functions and social understanding. For typically-developing children, growing up with siblings gives an advantage in these cognitive functions. Yet little is known about how having siblings’ impacts on cognitive development of childr ....Sibling influence on development of children with autism spectrum disorder. This project aims to investigate how typically-developing siblings affect the development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD involves difficulties with language, executive functions and social understanding. For typically-developing children, growing up with siblings gives an advantage in these cognitive functions. Yet little is known about how having siblings’ impacts on cognitive development of children with ASD. The project intends to longitudinally explore the mechanisms of sibling impact in families with and without a child with ASD. The outcomes will deepen understanding of child development, providing an evidence base for effective interventions to increase child competence and aiming ultimately to reduce the social costs of ASD.Read moreRead less
Species redundancy in response to multiple disturbances. This project aims to elucidate how the context within which disturbances occur affects food web linkages and how these map to responses in ecosystem function. There is a critical need to test the common assumption in environmental management that high biodiversity makes ecosystems resilient to disturbances. Studies that merely observe biodiversity change after disturbance cannot identify ecological processes connecting high diversity and e ....Species redundancy in response to multiple disturbances. This project aims to elucidate how the context within which disturbances occur affects food web linkages and how these map to responses in ecosystem function. There is a critical need to test the common assumption in environmental management that high biodiversity makes ecosystems resilient to disturbances. Studies that merely observe biodiversity change after disturbance cannot identify ecological processes connecting high diversity and ecosystem function, making experiments that manipulate identical disturbances in ecosystems with different biodiversity essential. This project will use field experiments that manipulate disturbances in streams replicated in low and high biodiversity regions and across gradients of chronic background stress to show how biodiversity sustains functional ecosystems, and how much diversity can be lost before ecosystems collapse.Read moreRead less
Seamless journeys to work for young adults with physical disabilities. This project seeks to explore the transition to work of young people with a disability and, in particular, the role that digital technologies can play in improving self-determination and employment. Promoting self-determination, workforce participation and job retention are key planks in Australia’s policy reforms in the field of disability services. In 2013, Australia invested $750 million to support access to employment for ....Seamless journeys to work for young adults with physical disabilities. This project seeks to explore the transition to work of young people with a disability and, in particular, the role that digital technologies can play in improving self-determination and employment. Promoting self-determination, workforce participation and job retention are key planks in Australia’s policy reforms in the field of disability services. In 2013, Australia invested $750 million to support access to employment for people with disabilities. However, 70 per cent of this group did not keep their jobs beyond the initial six months. The project aims to provide new knowledge for policy and service delivery and deliver a web-based platform to facilitate self-determination for young people with a disability.Read moreRead less