Model guided design of advanced microalgae production systems. This project aims to improve the efficiency of advanced single-celled green algae (microalgae) production systems which can produce a wide range of high-value products including renewable fuels and animal feeds. Such systems are able to expand photosynthetic capacity onto non-arable land using carbon dioxide and saline water. However, production efficiencies and costs are currently limited by the ability to capture and distribute lig ....Model guided design of advanced microalgae production systems. This project aims to improve the efficiency of advanced single-celled green algae (microalgae) production systems which can produce a wide range of high-value products including renewable fuels and animal feeds. Such systems are able to expand photosynthetic capacity onto non-arable land using carbon dioxide and saline water. However, production efficiencies and costs are currently limited by the ability to capture and distribute light through these systems effectively. This project aims to optimise methods of light delivery and distribution through photo-bioreactors and high rate ponds. This knowledge is intended to be integrated into advanced modelling tools to enable model-guided design of next-generation high-efficiency systems.Read moreRead less
Young people with cognitive disability: relationships and paid support. This project aims to improve the rights and wellbeing of young people with cognitive disability by exploring their relationship and interaction with paid support workers. The introduction of national individualised funding and support is a watershed in Australian disability policy. Understanding the role that paid support plays in the ongoing identity development of these young people is urgently needed to realise national p ....Young people with cognitive disability: relationships and paid support. This project aims to improve the rights and wellbeing of young people with cognitive disability by exploring their relationship and interaction with paid support workers. The introduction of national individualised funding and support is a watershed in Australian disability policy. Understanding the role that paid support plays in the ongoing identity development of these young people is urgently needed to realise national policy aspirations for people with disability of rights, choice, inclusion and independence. Using social geography and recognition theory, the project expects to deliver new understanding and improved practice around how paid support relationships can foster mutual care, respect and value at a critically important time in young people’s lives.Read moreRead less
Protecting while they prosper? Organisational responses to whistleblowing. This project aims to examine the adequacy of organisational responses to whistleblowing (employee reporting of wrongdoing). So far, research into public-interest whistleblowing has revealed much about the incidence, significance and experience of whistleblowers. This project now extends the research to the other side of the issue — the organisations. By comparing employee and managerial experience in multiple public and p ....Protecting while they prosper? Organisational responses to whistleblowing. This project aims to examine the adequacy of organisational responses to whistleblowing (employee reporting of wrongdoing). So far, research into public-interest whistleblowing has revealed much about the incidence, significance and experience of whistleblowers. This project now extends the research to the other side of the issue — the organisations. By comparing employee and managerial experience in multiple public and private sector organisations in Australia and New Zealand, the project intends to identify the factors that influence good and bad responses across a range of institutions; provide a clearer basis for reform of policies, procedures and law; and set benchmarks for comparative research worldwide.Read moreRead less
Development of a Global Decision Support System towards Virtual Manufacturing. The aim of this research project is to develop a global decision support system (GDSS) in order to assist SMEs to improve their competitiveness in the dynamic global market while providing an industry oriented research training for a high calibre PhD student, who would be a valuable asset to Australia. The GDSS will help SMEs leverage their operations in a global context and to adopt a realistic virtual manufacturing ....Development of a Global Decision Support System towards Virtual Manufacturing. The aim of this research project is to develop a global decision support system (GDSS) in order to assist SMEs to improve their competitiveness in the dynamic global market while providing an industry oriented research training for a high calibre PhD student, who would be a valuable asset to Australia. The GDSS will help SMEs leverage their operations in a global context and to adopt a realistic virtual manufacturing system in the future. The significance of the project includes developing a new methodology and a GDSS to assess virtual manufacturing issues for SMEs and assisting them making timely decisions.Read moreRead less
Immersive Technologies for Rapid Metallic Tank Inspection and Repairs. Metal tank silos house some of the most dangerous chemicals, which erode the internal structure of the tank over time. It is critical to check the integrity of the tank to prevent disasters from occurring. NDE solutions uses a rapid motion scanner (RMS) to scan the interior surface of the container while it is still full of its storage material. It is the aim of this project to use Augmented Reality, to overlay the scan provi ....Immersive Technologies for Rapid Metallic Tank Inspection and Repairs. Metal tank silos house some of the most dangerous chemicals, which erode the internal structure of the tank over time. It is critical to check the integrity of the tank to prevent disasters from occurring. NDE solutions uses a rapid motion scanner (RMS) to scan the interior surface of the container while it is still full of its storage material. It is the aim of this project to use Augmented Reality, to overlay the scan provided by the RMS, onto the worker's view of the tank, control the robot via. hand gestures, and facilitate remote training/guidance. The result will allow for inspection workers to quickly and accurately the location of critical failures, without performing the hazardous procedures of internal tank inspection. Read moreRead less
Policing the Neighbourhood: Australian Police Peace-keeping, Capacity-building, and Development in Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Australia's involvement in policing offshore is growing rapidly. Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands, and shortly, Papua New Guinea, feature in these developments. The Australian Federal Police is now a key player in regional security and development. This study takes stock of this trend. Through three case studies, the project examines the grou ....Policing the Neighbourhood: Australian Police Peace-keeping, Capacity-building, and Development in Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Australia's involvement in policing offshore is growing rapidly. Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands, and shortly, Papua New Guinea, feature in these developments. The Australian Federal Police is now a key player in regional security and development. This study takes stock of this trend. Through three case studies, the project examines the grounds for providing assistance, the different cultural and political contexts in which assistance is taking place, the forms of that assistance, and the achievements and shortcomings of previous and current police assistance missions. It will also provide an analytical framework for future engagements of this nature.Read moreRead less
Economic complexity as a driver of innovation and smart specialisation. This project aims to determine how economic complexity can drive innovation and smart specialisation and how industry can be supported to transition to a more competitive economy. With the downturn of traditional manufacturing, innovation is crucial to create new industries and the jobs of the future. The expected outcomes of this project include high-value industry intelligence in support of product diversification. This sh ....Economic complexity as a driver of innovation and smart specialisation. This project aims to determine how economic complexity can drive innovation and smart specialisation and how industry can be supported to transition to a more competitive economy. With the downturn of traditional manufacturing, innovation is crucial to create new industries and the jobs of the future. The expected outcomes of this project include high-value industry intelligence in support of product diversification. This should provide significant benefits, such as increased international competitiveness, exports, revenue, and economic growth.
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Managing uncertainty in RFID traceability networks. Australia suffers 5.4 million cases of food-borne illness every year, which leads to 2.1 million days of lost work, 1.2 million people visiting a doctor, and 120 deaths annually. This has revealed the urgent need for improved ways of locating and recalling problematic products that have been released into the community. The project will develop novel techniques driven by Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for improving the effici ....Managing uncertainty in RFID traceability networks. Australia suffers 5.4 million cases of food-borne illness every year, which leads to 2.1 million days of lost work, 1.2 million people visiting a doctor, and 120 deaths annually. This has revealed the urgent need for improved ways of locating and recalling problematic products that have been released into the community. The project will develop novel techniques driven by Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for improving the efficiency and accuracy of product tracking in distribution networks. This project will place Australia at the forefront of RFID research. It will also be an excellent vehicle for educating young researchers and engineers in Australia.Read moreRead less
Australian Seasonal Workers Programme and well-being impacts in Timor-Leste. This research aims to investigate the impacts of Australia’s Seasonal Workers Programme and South Korea’s Employment Permit System on the well-being of migrant workers and their families in Timor-Leste (East Timor). The contribution of this research to scholarship would be the creation of a sound method to measure the impact of temporary labour migration on well-being across various aspects of life that can be used by r ....Australian Seasonal Workers Programme and well-being impacts in Timor-Leste. This research aims to investigate the impacts of Australia’s Seasonal Workers Programme and South Korea’s Employment Permit System on the well-being of migrant workers and their families in Timor-Leste (East Timor). The contribution of this research to scholarship would be the creation of a sound method to measure the impact of temporary labour migration on well-being across various aspects of life that can be used by researchers in Timor-Leste and elsewhere to evaluate the development impacts of such migration schemes. The data will inform evidence-based policies to improve temporary labour migration schemes, meet urgent development priorities in Timor-Leste, and maximise the benefits of Australian aid funded labour migration schemes.Read moreRead less
Strategic responses of Australian family-owned businesses in the manufacturing sector to the pressures of globalisation. It is critical that Australian family owned manufacturing businesses respond in the most advantageous way to the pressures of globalisation. Possible strategic responses include selling out to larger companies that have a stronger strategic position, competing off-shore, or take a niche position in the value chain. This research will use a series of case studies to determine t ....Strategic responses of Australian family-owned businesses in the manufacturing sector to the pressures of globalisation. It is critical that Australian family owned manufacturing businesses respond in the most advantageous way to the pressures of globalisation. Possible strategic responses include selling out to larger companies that have a stronger strategic position, competing off-shore, or take a niche position in the value chain. This research will use a series of case studies to determine the contingent factors that best explain strategic response within the ownership and management structure of the family business, and track the impact of specific strategic choices. From this may flow some general principles of appropriate strategic responses given a range of circumstances.Read moreRead less