A highly sensitive and selective nano-engineered sensor for the online monitoring of mercury vapour emissions from harsh industrial processes. The Australian alumina and aluminium industries contribute over $11 billion export income annually. All refineries, except one, operate in rural areas and are the main economic drivers in these regions. In order to maintain the industry's commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its processes and remain economically sustainable, innovative technol ....A highly sensitive and selective nano-engineered sensor for the online monitoring of mercury vapour emissions from harsh industrial processes. The Australian alumina and aluminium industries contribute over $11 billion export income annually. All refineries, except one, operate in rural areas and are the main economic drivers in these regions. In order to maintain the industry's commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its processes and remain economically sustainable, innovative technologies are required to monitor mercury emissions. The aim of this project is to develop robust sensors, for online monitoring of mercury vapours, that operate under challenging industrial environments. This project will also provide excellent training for young researchers in established international industrial research groups, thereby meeting skill shortages in the Australian resource sector.Read moreRead less
Intelligent Virtual Human Companions. This research aims to develop intelligent virtual human companions that can seemingly integrate our immediate physical environment and understand their surroundings including people’s emotions, behaviours, actions and interactions. Such a technology will be enabled by leveraging recent advances in mixed/augmented reality technologies, and by developing innovative artificial intelligence and computer vision and graphics algorithms for dynamic real-world envir ....Intelligent Virtual Human Companions. This research aims to develop intelligent virtual human companions that can seemingly integrate our immediate physical environment and understand their surroundings including people’s emotions, behaviours, actions and interactions. Such a technology will be enabled by leveraging recent advances in mixed/augmented reality technologies, and by developing innovative artificial intelligence and computer vision and graphics algorithms for dynamic real-world environments. Unlike robots, the proposed technology will be low cost, readily deployable and customisable, and will not have any physical limitations or maintenance requirements. It will thus have a wide range of applications from elderly care, healthcare care to educational training.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100629
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Evolutionary impacts of climate change in Australia’s fossil record. This project aims to identify evolutionary responses to climate change in Australia's fossil record by comparing variation in lizard and frog communities across geological time. Using X-ray techniques on museum specimens, this project will generate a large-scale database for tracking evolutionary shifts in relation to historical climatic events. Expected outcomes include the first anatomical descriptions for many species, filli ....Evolutionary impacts of climate change in Australia’s fossil record. This project aims to identify evolutionary responses to climate change in Australia's fossil record by comparing variation in lizard and frog communities across geological time. Using X-ray techniques on museum specimens, this project will generate a large-scale database for tracking evolutionary shifts in relation to historical climatic events. Expected outcomes include the first anatomical descriptions for many species, filling major gaps in our ability to place fossils in a contemporary framework. This research will demonstrate the value of our national collections for addressing important environmental issues, such as biodiversity, extinction, and future habitat change.Read moreRead less
High performance inks for solution based organic light emitting diodes manufacturing. This project aims to introduce an advanced solution processing and printing technique for organic light emitting diode (OLED) fabrication based on a set of innovative macromolecular chemistries. These proceed either photochemically or thermally, exploiting precision macromolecular designs of the polymer precursor materials, which contain advanced emitter systems developed by Cynora. Solution fabrication of OLED ....High performance inks for solution based organic light emitting diodes manufacturing. This project aims to introduce an advanced solution processing and printing technique for organic light emitting diode (OLED) fabrication based on a set of innovative macromolecular chemistries. These proceed either photochemically or thermally, exploiting precision macromolecular designs of the polymer precursor materials, which contain advanced emitter systems developed by Cynora. Solution fabrication of OLED is a challenging, yet ultimately powerful, process with key advantages over current vacuum processing systems, especially with regard to production flexibility, cost and OLED size. The project will provide a functioning technology platform for solution OLED fabrication.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100741
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,386.00
Summary
How genomics is shaping healthcare: an ethnographic study. This project aims to generate new understandings of how science and biomedicine are co-producing and shaping healthcare. This will be achieved by combining hospital and laboratory ethnography to examine how genomic data is produced, circulated and applied in clinical settings. The project aims to build a theoretical framework and conceptual understanding of genomic medicine that may be used by practitioners and may inform policy. This pr ....How genomics is shaping healthcare: an ethnographic study. This project aims to generate new understandings of how science and biomedicine are co-producing and shaping healthcare. This will be achieved by combining hospital and laboratory ethnography to examine how genomic data is produced, circulated and applied in clinical settings. The project aims to build a theoretical framework and conceptual understanding of genomic medicine that may be used by practitioners and may inform policy. This project should provide significant benefits such as minimising costs by helping identify and streamline decision-making processes, and by showing how public engagement practices shape patients' and practitioners' approaches to genomics.Read moreRead less
Smart magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents: from early detection to assessment of drug delivery mechanisms. 'Smart' contrast agents will be developed for enhancing the performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of diseases such as cancer by designing them to be triggered by biochemical markers for disease. This has the potential to aid in early detection which can lead to lower mortality rates and consequently a lower burden on the health system.
Traceable theranostics: tools for visualising drug delivery and therapeutic benefit in vivo. Forty-three thousand people died from cancer in Australia in 2010. The aim of this project is to advance the concept of 'personalised-therapy' through the development of novel imaging devices based on polymers that can 'switch-on' and deliver drugs in specific tissues, allowing more sensitive and earlier detection and monitoring of diseases and therapies.
Smart materials from semi-soft particles. This project will combine precision polymer chemistry to material science to develop structured nanoparticles for applications in photonics and shape memory materials.
The technological transformation of sex: improving Australia's response. This project aims to enhance knowledge and explore important implications of new digital, mechanical or medical technologies that are transforming the sexual lives of many Australians. Privacy breaches and online harassment are among the challenges posed by these new technologies. The project intends to identify potential solutions to emerging problems as well as areas of policy, legal or educational systems that might faci ....The technological transformation of sex: improving Australia's response. This project aims to enhance knowledge and explore important implications of new digital, mechanical or medical technologies that are transforming the sexual lives of many Australians. Privacy breaches and online harassment are among the challenges posed by these new technologies. The project intends to identify potential solutions to emerging problems as well as areas of policy, legal or educational systems that might facilitate or mitigate their implementation. Expected outcomes include new evidence regarding the use of technologies in the sexual lives of Australians. This project can directly benefit people requiring an evidence base for policy development, law and regulation (including consumer protection), cyber-security and sex-education.Read moreRead less
Remediation of groundwater using permeable reactive barriers. Permeable reactive barriers are passive subsurface installations that remove contamination from groundwater as it flows through a reactive substrate. This project will develop new permeable reactive barriers that will benefit the nation by building skills and knowledge in an area of growth in Australian industry, namely the rehabilitation of industrial lands and the protection and remediation of Australia's critical groundwater source ....Remediation of groundwater using permeable reactive barriers. Permeable reactive barriers are passive subsurface installations that remove contamination from groundwater as it flows through a reactive substrate. This project will develop new permeable reactive barriers that will benefit the nation by building skills and knowledge in an area of growth in Australian industry, namely the rehabilitation of industrial lands and the protection and remediation of Australia's critical groundwater sources. The project is aimed at remediating an industrially contaminated site in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, thereby contributing to the environmental improvement of that region. The technology developed will have wide application to other sites, both nationally and internationally.Read moreRead less