Electro-Optical Primers for Safe Use and Clean Manufacturing. Conventional primers contain a mechanically-sensitive primary explosive that is used to detonate the more stable propellant in a bullet. This project aims to address the health and environmental impacts of heavy metals in current primers by replacing them with benign, electrically or optically activated silicon-based materials. Modern semiconductor fabrication techniques will be used to develop safe and clean primers through cost-effe ....Electro-Optical Primers for Safe Use and Clean Manufacturing. Conventional primers contain a mechanically-sensitive primary explosive that is used to detonate the more stable propellant in a bullet. This project aims to address the health and environmental impacts of heavy metals in current primers by replacing them with benign, electrically or optically activated silicon-based materials. Modern semiconductor fabrication techniques will be used to develop safe and clean primers through cost-effective doping and deposition protocols. The expected outcomes of the project include a sovereign primer manufacturing capability for Australia. This will provide a significant strategic advantage and health benefits for law enforcement and defence personnel during live fire training and firing range exercises.Read moreRead less
Multilayered Safety Clothing for Personal Protective Equipment. This project aims to improve multilayered firefighting protective garments and their thermal comfort by utilizing aerogel microparticles containing thermal regulation materials and flame-retardant agents. This research will create new multifunctional fabric designs and engineering techniques to integrate improved heat and flame protection, comfort and smart features into optimized multilayered garments. It will create novel clothing ....Multilayered Safety Clothing for Personal Protective Equipment. This project aims to improve multilayered firefighting protective garments and their thermal comfort by utilizing aerogel microparticles containing thermal regulation materials and flame-retardant agents. This research will create new multifunctional fabric designs and engineering techniques to integrate improved heat and flame protection, comfort and smart features into optimized multilayered garments. It will create novel clothing systems that will better protect wearers and allow them to effectively combat bushfires and save lives and assets. The successful completion will enable industrial capability in next generation advanced protective garments and functional uniforms for broad occupational health safety and well-being applications.Read moreRead less
Intruder alert! detecting and classifying events in noisy time series. This project aims to address the mathematical challenges in automated early detection and classification of intrusion events in noisy time series generated from perimeter security systems. The project expects to develop robust methods to detect intrusion events under different operating environments while ignoring nuisance events. The project will boost the global competitiveness of the Australian security industry, and enabl ....Intruder alert! detecting and classifying events in noisy time series. This project aims to address the mathematical challenges in automated early detection and classification of intrusion events in noisy time series generated from perimeter security systems. The project expects to develop robust methods to detect intrusion events under different operating environments while ignoring nuisance events. The project will boost the global competitiveness of the Australian security industry, and enable improved event detection and classification in noisy time series to the benefit of many critical application areas beyond national security.Read moreRead less
Toward inclusive peace. Toward inclusive peace. This project will investigate how peace agreements can advance women’s rights and participation after post-conflict and political transitions. It will examine the relationship between women’s presence in peacemaking processes, women’s rights and gender provisions in peace agreements, and women’s participation in post-conflict governance of countries with successful peace agreements. Women’s participation in peace processes makes a successful peace ....Toward inclusive peace. Toward inclusive peace. This project will investigate how peace agreements can advance women’s rights and participation after post-conflict and political transitions. It will examine the relationship between women’s presence in peacemaking processes, women’s rights and gender provisions in peace agreements, and women’s participation in post-conflict governance of countries with successful peace agreements. Women’s participation in peace processes makes a successful peace agreement likelier, but may not consolidate peace or lead to greater participation by women in the governance of the country. Anticipated outcomes are analysis of the relationship between peace processes and gender equality in conflict-affected societies; improved consular delivery of aid programmes in fragile states; and targeted air delivery that empowers women.Read moreRead less
Electron Transpiration Cooling of Hypersonic Vehicles. Future aircraft for flight at hypersonic speeds require sharp leading edges for the best aerodynamic performance. Sharp leading edges incur high heat loads and cannot be adequately cooled with current technologies. The project aim is to investigate novel surface materials that emit electrons when heated. This emission of electrons from the surface can significantly contribute to the cooling of the sharp leading edges. This project is expecte ....Electron Transpiration Cooling of Hypersonic Vehicles. Future aircraft for flight at hypersonic speeds require sharp leading edges for the best aerodynamic performance. Sharp leading edges incur high heat loads and cannot be adequately cooled with current technologies. The project aim is to investigate novel surface materials that emit electrons when heated. This emission of electrons from the surface can significantly contribute to the cooling of the sharp leading edges. This project is expected to deliver new experimental data on novel surface materials exposed to a hypersonic flow environment and computer models that can simulate their cooling effect. This investigation will contribute towards enabling technologies for sustained hypersonic flight by overcoming critical head load limitations.Read moreRead less
Wind Tunnel Testing of a Hypersonic Plasma Engine. This project intends to evaluate an electric engine that is capable of speeds in excess of 10000 km/hr, for access to space and responsive surveillance in our region. The expertise of Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Australia, the University of Qld and DST Group are to be combined to complete experimental and theoretical evaluations of an air-breathing plasma engine that is capable of out-performing rockets and scramjets. US Air Force Research ....Wind Tunnel Testing of a Hypersonic Plasma Engine. This project intends to evaluate an electric engine that is capable of speeds in excess of 10000 km/hr, for access to space and responsive surveillance in our region. The expertise of Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Australia, the University of Qld and DST Group are to be combined to complete experimental and theoretical evaluations of an air-breathing plasma engine that is capable of out-performing rockets and scramjets. US Air Force Research Laboratory results will also be compared and shared. This project provides opportunities for young Australian researchers to be participate and lead an exciting new field of propulsion. It is anticipated that the program will be the foundations to future flight demonstrations from Woomera, Australia.Read moreRead less
Co-design and dynamic mission optimisation of hypersonic flight vehicles. This project aims to deliver fundamental knowledge by integrating the modelling and control with the design of next generation hypersonic platforms. In an era where Australia's national security reliance on geographic isolation and support from allied forces are being challenged, the research outcomes of this project will play an important role in understanding the capabilities of hypersonic systems. The project will also ....Co-design and dynamic mission optimisation of hypersonic flight vehicles. This project aims to deliver fundamental knowledge by integrating the modelling and control with the design of next generation hypersonic platforms. In an era where Australia's national security reliance on geographic isolation and support from allied forces are being challenged, the research outcomes of this project will play an important role in understanding the capabilities of hypersonic systems. The project will also have significant spillover benefits into other complex system domains, where computational tools can be used to aid in design leading to high embedded-IP products for Australian industry. Furthermore, the proposal encompasses a strong research training aspect, with graduates exposed to leading edge industry and academia.Read moreRead less
On-site and comprehensive technology for chemical weapons, toxins and drugs. This project aims to evaluate and validate broad capabilities of advanced chemical profiling using benchtop and portable gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for forensic applications. Establishing guidelines for sampling various matrices, key performance measures, and improving chemical and residue identification for drug profiling in clandestine laboratories and public venues, chemical warfare agents, and chemical tox ....On-site and comprehensive technology for chemical weapons, toxins and drugs. This project aims to evaluate and validate broad capabilities of advanced chemical profiling using benchtop and portable gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for forensic applications. Establishing guidelines for sampling various matrices, key performance measures, and improving chemical and residue identification for drug profiling in clandestine laboratories and public venues, chemical warfare agents, and chemical toxins is expected. Anticipated outcomes for project partners in defence and policing include detailed knowledge of sample and residue composition and on-site assessment of chemical risks with immediate feedback. Benefits should include improved community and security services safety by enhanced detection of harmful substances.Read moreRead less
Supporting the sustainability of Australia's local news ecosystem. This project aims to understand how Australia’s main public broadcaster, the ABC, can best support public interest journalism in rural and regional communities, with a specific focus on fragile and underserved areas of the nation’s local news ecosystem. The project will develop new knowledge around media power and how news providers can work together to secure the sustainability of local news. Expected outcomes include a framewor ....Supporting the sustainability of Australia's local news ecosystem. This project aims to understand how Australia’s main public broadcaster, the ABC, can best support public interest journalism in rural and regional communities, with a specific focus on fragile and underserved areas of the nation’s local news ecosystem. The project will develop new knowledge around media power and how news providers can work together to secure the sustainability of local news. Expected outcomes include a framework to identify and define areas of news need, an assessment of existing interventions and road-tested approaches to improve information quality. The project should provide benefits by supporting forms of local journalism that ultimately enhances the demographic health and social fabric of small towns and cities.
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Amplifying Indigenous news: a digital intervention. This project aims to road-test, document and analyse an innovative strategy for amplifying Indigenous voices in news media. The project will deploy and assess the impact of a new digital application designed to enable access to a diverse range of Indigenous voices, stories and agendas. The anticipated outcomes will assist the project’s industry partners meet their strategic goals of increasing the level of Indigenous media representation in Aus ....Amplifying Indigenous news: a digital intervention. This project aims to road-test, document and analyse an innovative strategy for amplifying Indigenous voices in news media. The project will deploy and assess the impact of a new digital application designed to enable access to a diverse range of Indigenous voices, stories and agendas. The anticipated outcomes will assist the project’s industry partners meet their strategic goals of increasing the level of Indigenous media representation in Australia, and consolidate their roles as leading outlets for Indigenous content and coverage. These outcomes are also expected to improve public understanding of issues affecting Indigenous Australians and contribute to more informed and inclusive policy discussions.Read moreRead less