The Power and Reach of Chiefly Societies in Fiji-West Polynesia. Australia as a Pacific Ocean nation must understand and engage with its Central Pacific island neighbours. The 2nd millennium AD saw the growth of the powerful Tongan maritime chiefdom, arguably the most complex Pacific society of its time. The titles and individuals associated with the ancient Tongan chiefdom are politically prominent even today. Archaeological investigations will benefit modern regional relationships by establish ....The Power and Reach of Chiefly Societies in Fiji-West Polynesia. Australia as a Pacific Ocean nation must understand and engage with its Central Pacific island neighbours. The 2nd millennium AD saw the growth of the powerful Tongan maritime chiefdom, arguably the most complex Pacific society of its time. The titles and individuals associated with the ancient Tongan chiefdom are politically prominent even today. Archaeological investigations will benefit modern regional relationships by establishing the antiquity and significance of prehistoric interaction. The benefit lies in building collaboration between Australian and Pacific Islander heritage organisations, contributing to Pacific scholarship and maintaining Australian expertise in the politically fractious Fiji-West Polynesia region.Read moreRead less
Complex dynamical systems: inferring form and function of interacting biological systems. Often in biology a large number of simple parts interacting according to simple rules can result in behaviour that is rich and varied. This project aims to develop the mathematics of complex systems theory to describe how such collections of simple interacting parts can form large complicated structures, and to deduce what dynamical behaviour can result.
Transport barriers in complex turbulent flows: formation, detection and characterization. Barriers to transport in complex fluid flows are ubiquitous in nature, yet mathematical and numerical approaches have so far been unable to solve this problem in the presence of turbulence. This project aims to undertake the first systematic laboratory study of transport barrier generation, control and interactions to reveal the role of turbulence in the stochastic transport in fluids. It will develop new m ....Transport barriers in complex turbulent flows: formation, detection and characterization. Barriers to transport in complex fluid flows are ubiquitous in nature, yet mathematical and numerical approaches have so far been unable to solve this problem in the presence of turbulence. This project aims to undertake the first systematic laboratory study of transport barrier generation, control and interactions to reveal the role of turbulence in the stochastic transport in fluids. It will develop new methods of transport barrier modelling which will equip specialists dealing with Lagrangian transport with new tools for the transport barrier modelling and characterisation.Read moreRead less
The nature and status of principles in early modern philosophy. One of the most contested issues in early modern thought was the nature of principles: what are the principles of reason, of nature, of morality, and why do we need them? This project will provide a comprehensive study of the nature and status of such principles in the 17th and 18th centuries charting the story of how their fortunes waxed and waned.
Nanoscale control of energy and matter for future energy-efficient technologies. Unprecedented control of energy and matter in nanoscale fabrication will be achieved using non-equilibrium self-organised plasma-solid systems. The outcomes will lead to energy-efficient, environment- and human-health-friendly production of nanomaterials for future energy, health, information, food, water, environmental and security technologies.
Design of novel nanoporous semiconductor materials for clean environment and energy. This project will develop a low cost nanoporous semiconductor device for the capture and conversion of CO2 into fuels by using water and sunlight. This novel approach will deliver a low cost technology that offers clean energy and will help to mitigate global warming.
Mary Astell (1666-1731): An Historical-Intellectual Role Model for Women in Philosophy. Mary Astell was an early modern English philosopher of exceptional eloquence and skill. This project will produce the first overview of her philosophical thought, the first authoritative critical edition of her magnum opus, and the first assessment of her philosophical relevance today. These outputs have the potential to encourage women's participation in philosophy and in intellectual life more generally, ou ....Mary Astell (1666-1731): An Historical-Intellectual Role Model for Women in Philosophy. Mary Astell was an early modern English philosopher of exceptional eloquence and skill. This project will produce the first overview of her philosophical thought, the first authoritative critical edition of her magnum opus, and the first assessment of her philosophical relevance today. These outputs have the potential to encourage women's participation in philosophy and in intellectual life more generally, outcomes that would be of tremendous benefit to Australia's social and economic fabric. The project will also enhance Australia's already outstanding scholarly reputation for early modern studies and the history of women's ideas.Read moreRead less
Changing your mind by changing your brain: An interventionist perspective on cognitive neuroscience. Functional neuroimaging provides a tremendous amount of information about the brain, but what it shows about the mind is less clear. Addressing this fundamental philosophical question requires developing a detailed account of theory-testing in cognitive neuroscience. This project aims to connect neuroimaging to theories of explanation that focus on the way one variable can make a difference to an ....Changing your mind by changing your brain: An interventionist perspective on cognitive neuroscience. Functional neuroimaging provides a tremendous amount of information about the brain, but what it shows about the mind is less clear. Addressing this fundamental philosophical question requires developing a detailed account of theory-testing in cognitive neuroscience. This project aims to connect neuroimaging to theories of explanation that focus on the way one variable can make a difference to another. By linking neuroimaging to facts about manipulable relationships between the brain and the mind, it will also provide a bridge between neuroimaging and complementary technologies for directly intervening on the brain. This, in turn, will provide a platform from which to explore the theoretical and ethical consequences of direct brain manipulation.Read moreRead less
The place of history in science: reassessing the Darwinian revolution. This project aims to examine how historical representations of Darwin and his revolutionary theory have influenced the shape and direction of modern evolutionary science itself. The project expects to show how certain historical assumptions about Darwin and natural selection have constrained evolutionary thinking in particular ways. Conversely, it will demonstrate how contemporary developments in evolutionary science have cha ....The place of history in science: reassessing the Darwinian revolution. This project aims to examine how historical representations of Darwin and his revolutionary theory have influenced the shape and direction of modern evolutionary science itself. The project expects to show how certain historical assumptions about Darwin and natural selection have constrained evolutionary thinking in particular ways. Conversely, it will demonstrate how contemporary developments in evolutionary science have changed historians’ understanding of the history of evolution. The expected outcomes include a new understanding of the mutual interactions between history and science, capacity building in the field of the history of science, and interdisciplinary collaborations across the biological sciences and humanities.Read moreRead less
Climate change and the history of environmental determinism. In previous centuries, most scientists presumed that environment and climate determined human health, capacities and difference. By tracing this longstanding idea through the twentieth century, this project will identify implications for current climate science.