A fast comparative method for historical linguistics. Linguists are able to infer ancient histories of languages by a procedure known as the Comparative Method. Its results are used in related studies of human genetic and cultural change. However, the Comparative Method is a manual-only process and thus currently is a bottleneck for the science of unravelling the human past. This project aims to overcome this limitation and significantly accelerate linguistic discovery, by combining recent advan ....A fast comparative method for historical linguistics. Linguists are able to infer ancient histories of languages by a procedure known as the Comparative Method. Its results are used in related studies of human genetic and cultural change. However, the Comparative Method is a manual-only process and thus currently is a bottleneck for the science of unravelling the human past. This project aims to overcome this limitation and significantly accelerate linguistic discovery, by combining recent advances in computational language processing, statistics and cultural-evolutionary modelling. By producing innovative mathematical means for rapidly discovering ancient language relationships, it will enable a breakthrough in our capacity to uncover human linguistic, genetic and cultural heritage worldwide.Read moreRead less
Speech perception precedes, indexes, and is changed by language acquisition. What is exceptional about human infants is not their sophisticated speech perception (for animals perceive human speech similarly) but their use of speech to regulate linguistic attention and bootstrap language. Using a new validated measure, language specific speech perception (discrimination ability for native minus non-native speech sounds), we can ascertain children's distribution of resources in linguistic tasks. T ....Speech perception precedes, indexes, and is changed by language acquisition. What is exceptional about human infants is not their sophisticated speech perception (for animals perceive human speech similarly) but their use of speech to regulate linguistic attention and bootstrap language. Using a new validated measure, language specific speech perception (discrimination ability for native minus non-native speech sounds), we can ascertain children's distribution of resources in linguistic tasks. This measure will be used in conjunction with a raft of experimental psycholinguistic techniques to investigate speech perception bases of phoneme perception, tone perception, word meaning, reading, and their vestiges in adulthood, to arrive at a dynamic new conception of language development. Read moreRead less
Enabling Methodologies for the Synthesis of Biologically Active Compounds. This project seeks to establish flexible methods of chemical synthesis for creating new molecular scaffolds capable of achieving selective enzyme inhibition. The approach aims to exploit the vast and biologically-programmed structural diversity associated with natural products. Unique, small molecule organic compounds will be obtained that reveal details of the operation of key enzymes in bacterial and mammalian systems. ....Enabling Methodologies for the Synthesis of Biologically Active Compounds. This project seeks to establish flexible methods of chemical synthesis for creating new molecular scaffolds capable of achieving selective enzyme inhibition. The approach aims to exploit the vast and biologically-programmed structural diversity associated with natural products. Unique, small molecule organic compounds will be obtained that reveal details of the operation of key enzymes in bacterial and mammalian systems. Such new knowledge would allow for the design of highly selective therapeutic agents relevant to the treatment of a range of diseases including bacterial infections, diabetes and cancer. The high-end scientific training and privileged forms of matter arising from this work would provide major benefit to the biotech sector.Read moreRead less
A Method for Analysis of Complexity in Cognitive Processes: Applications to Prediction of Industrial Workloads. The project will develop a method for analysis of cognitive complexity in human and animal cognition. It will contribute to basic research because it will enable equivalences and relative complexities of cognitive functions to be determined, independent of content or methodology. It will have applications to education, because it enables complexities of concepts to be recognised and a ....A Method for Analysis of Complexity in Cognitive Processes: Applications to Prediction of Industrial Workloads. The project will develop a method for analysis of cognitive complexity in human and animal cognition. It will contribute to basic research because it will enable equivalences and relative complexities of cognitive functions to be determined, independent of content or methodology. It will have applications to education, because it enables complexities of concepts to be recognised and appropriate pedagogies determined. It also has application to human factors, especially industrial performance and decision making. It will advance on currrent methods because it enables workload to be analysed and predicted, so that it can be factored into job and system design. Read moreRead less
Theoretical Foundations of Ethical Machine Learning. The project aims to develop a systematic theory of ethical machine learning. Machine learning is a powerful and pervasive technology that is already having a huge impact on Australia. When applied to data about people there are a range of ethical harms that can arise (fairness, and privacy are two of them). The project aims to develop a rigorously grounded foundation for managing such ethical harms. For example it will allow the quantification ....Theoretical Foundations of Ethical Machine Learning. The project aims to develop a systematic theory of ethical machine learning. Machine learning is a powerful and pervasive technology that is already having a huge impact on Australia. When applied to data about people there are a range of ethical harms that can arise (fairness, and privacy are two of them). The project aims to develop a rigorously grounded foundation for managing such ethical harms. For example it will allow the quantification of the inevitable trade-offs between fairness and utility. The benefits of the project should include better ways of managing these trade-offs, a competitive advantage for Australian firms developing the technology, and will ensure that the country retains a social license to use the technology.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL200100176
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,128,080.00
Summary
Theoretical Foundations of Ethical Machine Learning. The project will develop a systematic theory of ethical machine learning. Machine learning is a powerful and pervasive technology that is already having a huge impact on Australia. When applied to data about people there are a range of ethical harms that can arise (fairness, and privacy are two of them). The project will develop a rigorously grounded foundation for managing such ethical harms. For example it will allow the quantification of t ....Theoretical Foundations of Ethical Machine Learning. The project will develop a systematic theory of ethical machine learning. Machine learning is a powerful and pervasive technology that is already having a huge impact on Australia. When applied to data about people there are a range of ethical harms that can arise (fairness, and privacy are two of them). The project will develop a rigorously grounded foundation for managing such ethical harms. For example it will allow the quantification of the inevitable trade-offs between fairness and utility. The benefits of the project will include the best possible ways of managing these trade-offs, competitive advantage for Australian firms developing the technology, and will ensure that the country retains a social license to use the technology.Read moreRead less