Role of the superior colliculus in sensory processing. The ability of an organism to attend to, and orient towards, stimuli in the environment is critical for survival. In the mammalian brain, the principal brain region performing this function is the superior colliculus. Despite its importance, little is known about the role the superior colliculus plays in sensory perception. This project addresses this issue by leveraging revolutionary new recording techniques to determine how the superior co ....Role of the superior colliculus in sensory processing. The ability of an organism to attend to, and orient towards, stimuli in the environment is critical for survival. In the mammalian brain, the principal brain region performing this function is the superior colliculus. Despite its importance, little is known about the role the superior colliculus plays in sensory perception. This project addresses this issue by leveraging revolutionary new recording techniques to determine how the superior colliculus codes sensory information and ultimately drives behaviour. The outcomes will be of immediate benefit to scientists studying sensory processing and perceptual decision making, and will help keep Australia at the forefront of brain-inspired engineering and the neuroscience-based knowledge economy.Read moreRead less
Creating perceptual experts in Australia's policing and security agencies. This project aims to create the next generation of experts in Australia’s policing and national security agencies, by improving crime scene evidence interpretation. Agencies are under pressure to develop more rigorous training practices that go beyond mere intuition and tradition. This project will use a novel approach that directs learning toward the most diagnostic perceptual cues. Expected outcomes include a solid empi ....Creating perceptual experts in Australia's policing and security agencies. This project aims to create the next generation of experts in Australia’s policing and national security agencies, by improving crime scene evidence interpretation. Agencies are under pressure to develop more rigorous training practices that go beyond mere intuition and tradition. This project will use a novel approach that directs learning toward the most diagnostic perceptual cues. Expected outcomes include a solid empirical basis for national training programs designed to create experts that are accurate, reliable, and continuously improving. Improving the training of experts will ensure the integrity of forensics as evidentiary tools available to police, lead to more reliable courtroom convictions and help safeguard Australia from terrorism and crime.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100691
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$407,962.00
Summary
The influence of conscious state on cortical processing and perception. This project aims to understand the brain circuits that link consciousness with sensory perception. By using state-of-the-art imaging and electrical recording techniques, I will determine how different types of cells in the brain interact to transform sensory information into perception, measured under different states of conscious awareness. The project will apply the rigorous approaches of neuroscience to solving the puzzl ....The influence of conscious state on cortical processing and perception. This project aims to understand the brain circuits that link consciousness with sensory perception. By using state-of-the-art imaging and electrical recording techniques, I will determine how different types of cells in the brain interact to transform sensory information into perception, measured under different states of conscious awareness. The project will apply the rigorous approaches of neuroscience to solving the puzzle of consciousness. The findings will have major implications for our future ability to treat brain disorders and build artificially intelligent machines.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC170100008
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,459,672.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production. The ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production aims to tackle challenges to wine production through innovative, multi-disciplinary research. Australia’s grape and wine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, yet in some areas profitability is low. Reasons include extreme weather events, soil salinity and diseases, inefficient practices, a low level of technological innovation and high input costs. New technologies and process effic ....ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production. The ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production aims to tackle challenges to wine production through innovative, multi-disciplinary research. Australia’s grape and wine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, yet in some areas profitability is low. Reasons include extreme weather events, soil salinity and diseases, inefficient practices, a low level of technological innovation and high input costs. New technologies and process efficiencies developed as part of this project will reduce environmental impact, drive production costs down and profits and employment up. The project will mount a suite of industry-led projects to deliver outcomes to boost Australia’s competitiveness as a supplier of sustainably-produced premium branded wine to the world.Read moreRead less
Growing up to be supersonic: bat echolocation origins and mechanics. This project aims to address the unresolved evolutionary origins of bat echolocation. Using a unique combination of development, evolution and novel engineering testing, this project expects to generate new insights into how features of the skull have evolved to allow bats to use their senses to interact with the environment. Expected outcomes include the identification of skull features that are unique to echolocating bats and ....Growing up to be supersonic: bat echolocation origins and mechanics. This project aims to address the unresolved evolutionary origins of bat echolocation. Using a unique combination of development, evolution and novel engineering testing, this project expects to generate new insights into how features of the skull have evolved to allow bats to use their senses to interact with the environment. Expected outcomes include the identification of skull features that are unique to echolocating bats and tests of how these relate to the frequency and detection range of sounds produced. Benefits include improved conservation planning for urban and rural bat populations, and potential commercial advances through engineering applications that mimic the biological process of echolocation. Read moreRead less
Understanding snow gum dieback for effective and integrated management. The project leverages recent research and infrastructure investments and our determined and collaborative team as it aims to: 1) assess the future geography of snow gum dieback in the high country and identify priority locations for pro-active management, 2) quantify the impact of snow gums on high country water and carbon budgets and thus the socio- economic and biodiversity values, and 3) determine options for mitigation. ....Understanding snow gum dieback for effective and integrated management. The project leverages recent research and infrastructure investments and our determined and collaborative team as it aims to: 1) assess the future geography of snow gum dieback in the high country and identify priority locations for pro-active management, 2) quantify the impact of snow gums on high country water and carbon budgets and thus the socio- economic and biodiversity values, and 3) determine options for mitigation. Dieback of our iconic snow gum forests is diminishing the ecological, hydrological and cultural values of the Australian Alps and will impact state and national water-supply and power-generation systems. Our research will inform Alps-wide management efforts designed for long-term success.Read moreRead less
Ecosystem resilience of Shark Bay under changing ocean climate. This project aims to investigate the resilience of the Shark Bay World Heritage Site to projected climate change. This project will generate new knowledge for marine conservation through analyses of habitat loss on nutrient budgets and productivity in seagrass and microbialite ecosystems. Expected outcomes are an improved understanding of climate-driven shifts on ecosystem processes in Shark Bay, incorporating science-based evidence ....Ecosystem resilience of Shark Bay under changing ocean climate. This project aims to investigate the resilience of the Shark Bay World Heritage Site to projected climate change. This project will generate new knowledge for marine conservation through analyses of habitat loss on nutrient budgets and productivity in seagrass and microbialite ecosystems. Expected outcomes are an improved understanding of climate-driven shifts on ecosystem processes in Shark Bay, incorporating science-based evidence for better conservation and management. This will provide significant benefits by contributing to the future-proofing of Shark Bay’s World Heritage values to climate change, and more broadly by demonstrating the consequences of the continued tropicalisation of Australia’s coastline.Read moreRead less
Linking terrestrial–aquatic fluxes to rectify the Australian carbon balance. This project aims to rectify the Australian carbon balance by determining the amount of terrestrial carbon that is lost to streams and rivers across the country. Through a novel integration of high-resolution hydrochemical and gas measurements, remote sensing and machine learning algorithms, the project intends to generate new knowledge about the links between terrestrial carbon sequestration and aquatic carbon export. ....Linking terrestrial–aquatic fluxes to rectify the Australian carbon balance. This project aims to rectify the Australian carbon balance by determining the amount of terrestrial carbon that is lost to streams and rivers across the country. Through a novel integration of high-resolution hydrochemical and gas measurements, remote sensing and machine learning algorithms, the project intends to generate new knowledge about the links between terrestrial carbon sequestration and aquatic carbon export. Expected outcomes include a refined estimate of the net carbon sequestration potential across Australian biomes and seasons. This should provide significant benefits such as avoiding misalignment of greenhouse gas abatement policies and advancing carbon cycling models and predictions.Read moreRead less